The month of January means the second half of the film award season is on its way to an end. With the Golden Globes having come and gone, plenty of films have been recognized for their merit across all aspects. Emma Stone took home the award for best performance (musical or comedy) for her role in Poor Things. The Bear took home the best comedic television series. Lastly, Christopher Nolan scored big when he won Best Director for his creative role in Oppenheimer.
While it’s worthwhile to celebrate the success of projects, it can also be fun to revisit films that never made it as nominees to these awards. All those movies you watched growing up that your friends told you are objectively “bad.” Low budget, bad direction, corny CGI, or any combination of wonky elements. But you still found joy in giving them a rewatch because “bad” can sometimes spawn elements of fun and awe.
The list of films that fit the descriptors above is endless and ultimately up to you. You can admit that your definition of a film is ” bad” but has redeemable qualities. For our purpose, we’ll review three films and briefly discuss what they offer.
Scary Movie 2 (2001, dir. by Keenen Ivory Wayans)
Coming off of the success of Scary Movie, this sequel corrects a bulk of the shortcomings of its predecessor. The key difference was the increase in the budget. The added money allowed the creative directors to improve the music choice, sound design, visual effects, and overall enhanced cinematography. The movie pokes fun at some of the greatest horror movies, including The Exorcist, with the iconic opening scene. Other notable films include Poltergeist and The Amityville Horror.
Even though it’s a parody movie in every aspect, it feels less cheap than the first one. The continuation of the parody series maintains the majority of the original cast with the addition of two note-worthy actors. Legends Tim Curry and Chris Elliot provide a refreshing and “serious” role in an otherwise outlandish movie.
Arguably, this film’s success and cult following are responsible for opening Pandora’s box of parody films. Even extending beyond all the entries in the Scary Movie, parody films like Disaster Movie, Epic Movie, Meet the Spartans, and countless others take significant influence from Scary Movie 2.
Batman & Robin (1997, dir. by Joel Schumacher)
Who didn’t love Arnold Schwarzenegger as Mr. Freeze and his iconic, cheesy one-liners? It’s comical, but that’s where it finds its strengths. When you think of modern superhero movies, Schumacher’s 1997 film stands on the outside. In today’s superhero movies, the titular characters are very rarely jokes themselves. The exception now can be found in movies aimed at younger audiences. Think of movies like The Lego Batman.
It’s rare today, but comedy can sometimes be the essence of a character. Look at the recent Deadpool films and how the comedy lets the hero flourish. TGON’s Tori Webster has got you covered with a brief history of the Merc with the Mouth.
Somewhere in the early 2000s, the superhero cinema scene underwent a thematic shift. Directors started taking the heroes more seriously. Blade, X-Men, and Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man were different in tone from Schumacher’s films. Batman & Robin was one of the last to use the archaic formula.
The film’s aesthetic is rooted in its campiness. It’s lighthearted, charming, and honest, even though it possesses all these traits, as mentioned earlier, at the expense of real weight. The abundance of emotional weight can sometimes factor into the experience of digesting a film. Not everyone is always looking for a thought-provoking film.
In a climate like ours, you can always use a palette cleanser. Sometimes, you just want to have fun. This adaptation of Batman is full of color and humor. For the same reason, it’s also perfect for younger audiences looking to break into the superhero genre.
Van Helsing (2004, dir. by Stephen Sommers)
Stephen Sommers’ 2004 horror/action film was supposed to be the first film in a new series exploring the world of Dracula. Sommer’s was riding the success high of the recently released The Mummy films. Hugh Jackman was in the limelight with the success of the X-Men films. Down to the promotion and steampunk concept, it looked like a series in the making.
When it hit the big screen, it was anything but stellar: a very underwhelming box office performance and less than positive reviews. From critics and fans alike who were in search of a spectacle, the result wasn’t quite what was in mind.
The choice of CGI in this film is appropriate. It’s a given when trying to capture the heart and aesthetic of a fantasy film. Critics argue that CGI wasn’t necessarily the problem but rather the heavy dependence. It was a factor then; decades later, it has not aged well.
But it’s still an ambitious film that tries to encapsulate a lot. It’s like appreciating a videogame that dedicates much of its resources to worldbuilding. It’s not for everyone, but it’s for some die-hard fans. The production design is highly immersive. The sets resonate nicely with the distinct score provided by legend Alan Silvestri. For all its faults, you can tell it was a film made with good intentions. Indeed, it resonates with audiences today and has made it a cult classic.
