20 Worst Movie Remakes, According to critics (2024)

Movie remakes have a tough job. Not only do they have to stack up to the high standards of Hollywood but they also have a direct comparison to live up to; often beloved, time-worn classics.

Which movie remakes are really the worst, though?

We took to Rotten Tomatoes to find out the 20 worst movie remakes of all time...

20. The Pink Panther, 2006, 21%

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A remake of the crime cult classic, The Pink Panther, which originally aired in 1963, this 2006 remake falls far short of the original.

This film follows Inspector Clouseau on his mission to locate the famed Pink Panther diamond.

Rotten Tomatoes does not rate this re-imagining of the classic film. Its Critics Consensus says that "though Steve Martin is game, the particulars of the Inspector Clouseau character elude him in this middling update."

19. The Day the Earth Stood Still, 2008, 20%

The Day the Earth Stood Still is a sci-fi film where Klaatu, an alien played by Keanu Reeves, visits earth and causes chaos.

The film is a remake of the 1951 classic and apparently doesn't live up to the original.

Rotten Tomatoes Critics' Consensus says: "Heavy on special effects, but without a coherent story at its base, The Day the Earth Stood Still is subpar re-imagining of the 1951 science-fiction classic."

18. The Mummy, 2017, 16%

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This film follows Nick Morton, who raids ancient archeological sites for priceless artefacts to sell.

His latest adventure sees him resurrect Ahmanet, an Egyptian princess who was buried under the desert for millenia.

The remake, however, does not stack up to the original. Rotten Tomatoes Critics' Consensus states: "Lacking the campy fun of the franchise's most recent entries and failing to deliver many monster-movie thrills, The Mummy suggests a speedy unraveling for the Dark Universe."

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17. The Wicker Man, 2006, 15%

Nicolas Cage stars in the remake of the horror film classic, The Wicker Man.

This remake doesn't hold a candle to the original 1973 version. Rotten Tomatoes agrees, with its Critics' Consensus stating that the update is "puzzlingly misguided, The Wicker Man struggles against unintentional comedy and fails."

16. Godzilla, 1998, 15%

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Godzilla follows the aftermath of a French nuclear test, which mutates a lizard nest - causing, years later, a giant mutant lizard to come to New York City.

Making an American update of the 1954 Japanese classic may have seemed like a good idea. Critics disagree.

Rotten Tomatoes Critics' Consensus states: "Without compelling characters or heart, Godzilla stomps on everything that made the original (or any monster movie worth its salt) a classic."

15. Get Carter, 2000, 11%

A remake of the 1971 film of the same name, Sylvester Stallone plays the role of Jack Carter, a Vegas mobster who investigates the death of his brother, which was made out to be a car accident.

In his attempt to live up to the original performance of Michael Caine in this thriller film, Stallone falls outrageously short.

Rotten Tomatoes Critics' Consensus says: "Michael Caine shows up to collect a paycheck, and so does everyone else in this rote, middling remake."

14. Taxi, 2004, 9%

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Taxi is a remake of a French film of the same name that was released in 1998.

The film stars Jimmy Fallon, in a brief attempt to make it on the big screen.

The film also starts Queen Latifah, and the plot sees Detective Andy Washburn (Fallon) on the case of a bank robbery after being demoted.

Rotten Tomatoes Critics' Consensus barely gives it two words, and says: "Silly and unfunny remake of a French movie of the same name."

13. Martyrs, 2016, 9%

This 2016 film remakes the 2008 version of the same name. The original version scored a respectable 64 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, but the remake, unfortunately, scored an abysmal 9 percent.

The film stars Troian Bellisario, of Pretty Little Liars fame, as Lucie, who tries to track down the family who imprisoned and tortured her as a child.

Rotten Tomatoes Critics' aren't impressed. Its Critics' Consensus states: "Martyrs flays off everything that gave the original its icy horrific beauty, leaving us an empty, pointless remake."

12. Shutter, 2008, 9%

Shutter is a remake of a Thai film of the same name. The original scored 58 perecent on Rotten Tomatoes. The remake, however, scores nearly 50 percent lower, only receiving a 9 percent rating.

The American remake stars Joshua Jackson and Rachael Taylor in this horror film gone wrong. The couple make a trip to Japan, and encounter terrifying ghosts and ghouls on the way.

Rotten Tomatoes Critics' consensus says: "Being a remake of a Thai horror film instead of Japanese doesn't prevent Shutter from being another lame Asian horror remake."

11. When a Stranger Calls 2006, 9%

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The 1979 original may not have received great reviews, it scores 41 percent on the Tomatometer, but at least it has a certain kind of 70's horror film charm.

The remake, however, can't even claim to be retro. Made in 2006, critics didn't even find it scary, which is a certain failure for a horror film.

Its Critics' Consensus states: "When a Stranger Calls ranks among the more misguided remakes in horror history, offering little more than a rote, largely fright-free update to the original."

10. Bangkok Dangerous, 2008, 8%

Another disastrous remake of an Asian film, Bangkok Dangerous remakes a Thai film of the same name, but told mainly from Joe, an American's, perspective.

This remake stars Nicholas Cage as the lead, an assassin contracted to kill a number of enemies for his crime boss in Bangkok.

Rotten Tomatoes Critics' Consensus states that "with murky cinematography, a meandering pace, a dull storyline, and rather wooden performances, The Pang Brothers' Hollywood remake of Bangkok Dangerous is unsuccessful."

9. Yours, Mine & Ours, 2005, 6%

Yours, Mine & Ours follows a blended family as they struggle to make their total of 18 kids get on. The film sees the 18 children try and sabotage their newly-wed parents' relationship.

The original 1968 film scored 50 percent on the Tomatometer. The remake, however, doesn't hold a candle to the original comedy classic, which stars Lucille Ball and Henry Fonda.

Rotten Tomatoes Critics' Consensus states of the remake: "The initial set-up is unbelievable, the plotting is predictable and stale, and the comedy depends on repetitive pratfalls that soon get old."

8. Jacob's Ladder, 2019, 4%

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This recent remake of the 1990 horror film stars Michael Ealy, Jessie Williams, and Nicole Beharie. Despite the respectable cast, this remake is not even half as good as the original.

The original scored 73 percent on the Tomatometer, with the Critics Consensus' stating that it was an "engrossing, nerve-shattering experience."

Not so of the 2019 remake. The film scored an abysmal 4 percent on the Tomatometer, with its Critics Consensus' saying that the film is a "needless remake that quickly loses sight of the themes that elevated the original, this is a Jacob's Ladder that leads straight to nowhere."

7. Swept Away, 2002, 5%

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Swept Away is a remake of a 1974 film of the same name. The remake stars Madonna, the pop icon, who plays a rich 'self-centered' woman, who eventually falls in love with a young soldier in her employ.

The original scored 64 percent on the Tomatometer, but the remake scores barely a tenth of the original's rating.

The Rotten Tomatoes Critics' Consensus says of the film: "Muddled and lacking the political context of the original, Swept Away offers further proof that Madonna can't act."

6. The Fog, 2005, 4%

The Fog is the story of the founding fathers of the town Antonio Bay, who gained their fortunes by murdering a colony of lepers.

One hundred years later, a memorial to them is unveiled - and a mysterious, supernatural fog begins to cover the town.

The film only scored 4 percent on Rotten Tomatoes with its Critics' Consensus stating: "The Fog is a so-so remake of a so-so movie, lacking scares, suspense or originality."

5. Flatliners, 2017, 4%

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Flatliners tracks the journey of five medical students as they seek to discover what happens after death. They stop their hearts for increasing periods of time, causing each to confront their pasts and face some paranormal consequences.

The remake features a star-studded cast, with Elliot Page, Diego Luna, Nina Dobrev, James Norton, and Kiersey Clemons.

However, the film doesn't live up to that potential. The Rotten Tomatoes Critics' Consensus states: "Flatliners falls flat as a horror movie and fails to improve upon its source material, rendering this reboot dead on arrival."

4. Rollerball, 2002, 3%

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Rollerball is a reimagining of the 1975 film of the same name. The film transports the viewers into the then-futuristic year 2018, where corporations have replaced countries.

However, the remake removes a lot of the social commentary present in the original, with the cast simply playing the fast-paced game, Rollerball.

Rotten Tomatoes Critics' Consensus says of the film: "Removing the social critique of the original, this updated version of Rollerball is violent, confusing, and choppy. Klein makes for a bland hero."

3. Kite, 2014, 0%

One of the few films to score no points on the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer, Kite follows an orphaned teen on her journey to find her parent's murderers.

The film is a remake of a Japanese video animation, released in 1998. The remake doesn't even have a Critics' Consensus, but Ben Kenigsberg of the New York Times writes of the film: "Nasty for nastiness's sake, Kite drags to achieve its brief running time; you wonder whether the slow motion is an artistic device or a stalling tactic."

2. Cabin Fever, 2016, 0%

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Another film scoring 0 percent, Cabin Fever takes the audience to a place chillingly similar to our own world. Five friends face the horrors of a flesh-eating virus and quarantine in a remote cabin.

The original, released in 2002, scored 62 percent on the Tomatometer, but was rated as "more gory than scary" as a horror film.

Rotten Tomatoes Critics' Consensus quips that, for the remake, there is "no need for a quarantine -- enthusiasm for this inert remake is not contagious."

1. One Missed Call, 2016, 0%

Finally on our list is One Missed Call, a remake of a Japanese film of the same name, which was released in 2004.

The original scored 44 percent on the Rotten Tomatoes website. But the 2008 American remake fares a lot worse, with the Critics Consensus stating: "One of the weakest entries in the J-horror remake sweepstakes, One Missed Call is undone by bland performances and shopworn shocks."

20 Worst Movie Remakes, According to critics (2024)
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