Freelance

The 10 WORST Movies of the 2020s (2020-2024)

Posted on by Jack Drees

Hey everyone, Jack Drees here! If you have followed this blog for a long time, you would know that I enjoy doing recaps of my best and worst films of the year once that specific period comes to a close. 2024 is no different. But when 2020 started, I also put out my best and worst films of the 2010s. I did two separate countdowns and I had a lot of fun doing those. I figured given how we are halfway through the decade, why not do a halftime report? This is not going to be as grand as the countdowns I did recapping the entire 2010s. There is no video content on top of everything else. I figured I would keep the summaries simple and as much to point as possible. For this list, I am going to be talking about the 10 worst films throughout the first half of the 2020s per my opinion. Few reminders, this is a subjective list based on movies I have seen. The movies also have to be theatrical releases. No streaming exclusives, no straight to DVD titles, no straight to TV titles. Well, actually, there is one exception to that rule, and I will explain why when I get to it. Also, this list is going to be in alphabetical order. I figured since there is a chance that I could do a 10 year recap in 2030, I will maintain some mystery and not rank my worst films of the decade from most tolerable to least tolerable or vice versa. With that in mind, let’s get straight to the list. No honorable mentions, just the 10 stinkers right off the bat! These are the 10 WORST movies of first half of the 2020s.

Borderlands (2024)

I have played my fair share of video games, although I have never played any of the “Borderlands” titles. After seeing the “Borderlands” movie, I am not sure if I have any plans to play any of those games given the bad taste this film left in my mouth. This film is essentially “Guardians of the Galaxy” if you allowed someone who lacked the competence of James Gunn to oversee it. This film has green screen backgrounds that are about as real as Bigfoot. It also has special effects that would perhaps be barely tolerable in the early 2000s. To have these effects now is almost a criminal offense! This film has a lot of big stars in it like Cate Blanchett, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Kevin Hart. But the bigger the names are, the harder this movie falls. Trust me when I say, this movie shook the ground with its lack of quality. Did I mention Jack Black’s horribly realized voice performance as Claptrap? Jack Black has at least one tolerable video game movie on his resume, “The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” and he was easily the highlight of said film as Bowser. So it is only fitting he has a movie on the opposite side of the spectrum that comes off as a fine example of the video game adaptation curse.

Cinderella (2021)

One of my favorite comedies of the 2010s was “Blockers,” directed by Kay Cannon. I was excited to see whatever she would pump out next. I did not think it would be something as bad as “Cinderella.” This film is kind of a parody on the “Cinderella” tale. It is a jukebox musical that takes a satirical approach on the formula, but the problem is the movie is simply not that funny. I do not remember laughing once throughout the entire runtime. As much as I do not want to be on his enemies list, this film has something in common with a lot of other movies I did not enjoy in recent years. Specifically, the presence of James Corden. I do not know who his agent is, but I think his resume suggests that he could probably find a better one between this film, “The Emoji Movie,” and “Cats” just to name a few. I do not know if he is just wasted or simply not that funny. I never really watched his late night show when it was on. If I were up at that hour, chances are I would be watching “Late Night with Seth Meyers.” Just my personal taste. As a musical, I was barely entertained by some of the numbers at best, perhaps straight up annoyed at worst. Conceptually, this film has promise by setting a character like Cinderella in a modern society where women are more independent, but as far as the execution goes, I thought it could have been better. I still like Kay Cannon though and I am curious to see what she does next.

Dolittle (2020)

After many years of being the dominant face in the MCU, Robert Downey Jr. moved onto his first big project following the gargantuan success of “Avengers: Endgame,” and let’s just say the movie did very little to impress me. “Dolittle” is not just a waste of Robert Downey Jr. in addition to a fairly talented supporting cast, it just so happens to be one of the most forgettable family films I have ever seen. Well, for the most part. There are some parts I’d rather forget, but much to my disappointment, that is simply impossible. In recent years, I have come to totally despise the term “kids movie.” It is not an entirely unusable phrase, but sometimes it is kind of like the term “chick flick.” It is more or less used as an excuse to put a movie in a box for its lack of quality. “Dolittle” is a movie that some kids can probably enjoy for its visuals, but I do not think this film will age well for every viewer who watches it at a young age. Maybe they’ll have some nostalgic attachment to it when they are older. But it does not change the fact that the film itself is sloppily written, badly directed, and is not as funny as they are trying to convince people it is.

Freelance (2023)

When it comes to wrestlers-turned-actors, John Cena seems to care more about his range and performances than Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. But just like many other performers, his resume is far from perfect. Case in point, “Freelance.” John Cena comes off as the most likable, nice guy in real life, but Cena unfortunately plays a lead in this film who is honestly the polar opposite. Given some of the dialogue early on in the film, his character, Mason Pettits, seems to dislike his spouse and children. Maybe he respects them deep down, but that is not the first impression I got from watching the character in the film’s earliest scenes. On top of that, he sounds miserable. I get that the film presents this character with an opportunity that could potentially turn his frown upside down, but from everything I gathered in the first 10, 20 minutes of the movie, Cena lacked any and all charisma when it comes to this role. Sure, the film gives a reason for the character’s misery, but I still thought Cena came off more as a moron than anything else. A lack of charisma is something I am not used to seeing with John Cena as an actor. Even in movies I did not enjoy like “Fast X,” I still thought Cena was charming. Not here. If there is one performance I liked in the movie, it would probably Juan Pablo Raba’s performance as the dictator, Venegas. I remember emitting one genuine laugh during the film, and he was the one responsible for it. Does it make up for a bad, somewhat ordinary screenplay? No. Does it make up for some of the characters having nonexistent chemistry? Also, no. Does it make up for a lack of identity as to what the film is supposed to be? Definitely not.

Madame Web (2024)

Yyyyyyyup. This is only the umpteenth time in recent memory I had to talk about this abomination against humanity. “Madame Web” is a humongous disgrace on every level. This is just the first culprit in a year of outright inexcusable comic book movies. Thank goodness for “Deadpool & Wolverine,” because otherwise I probably would be in a straight up depression as a fan of this genre. To me, Sony’s Spider-Man Universe was dead on arrival. But for whatever reason the studio just kept pumping out ridiculous crap like this. “Madame Web” is a film about a woman who can see the future. Well, if that is the case, why did she not see this flop coming from a mile away?! Between okay at best action scenes, horrible camerawork, and some of the most annoying characters of all time, “Madame Web” is a horror show. The film even puts its own spin on the “with great power comes great responsibility” line. The delivery of that line comes off like a parent trying to take interest in their children’s hobbies but doing a terrible job at hiding their distaste for them. People can try as hard as they want to convince me that this movie could develop a cult following similar to Tommy Wiseau’s “The Room,” but I will not be part of it. The film is not so bad that it is good. It is so bad that I questioned Sony as to why the heck they were okay with making the film, in addition to bringing back the writers of “Morbius.” Sure, “Morbius” was technically profitable… But it does not change the fact that they wrote a terrible screenplay. Again, I do not have comic book movie fatigue. But I am fatigued by Sony’s Spider-Man Universe. I would be totally happy if they stopped making these films. In fact you know what? I would be totally happy if I could stop talking about these films. I had to review three of these atrocities in 2024, as if doing one them was not already bad enough. I have had it with this film! I have had it with “Kraven the Hunter!” I have had it with the “Venom” movies! Well except the second one, that was actually fun. I have had it with this impractical joke of a cinematic universe! And I would most certainly be happy if I never had to talk about another Sony Spider-Man Universe movie ever again!

Morbius (2022)

So, now that I am done whining about the Sony Spider-Man Universe, let us move onto something el–AW COME ON! …Alright. Let’s trash “Morbius” one more time. I already bashed the screenwriters of this film, so I will at least address a positive by saying that some of the first act was decent. But once that act concludes, the film crashes and burns. It is 104 minutes of images that honestly made me feel nothing. I never once felt excitement, or chills, or wonder. The movie itself comes off as if it were going through the motions. Jared Leto and Matt Smith definitely play up their performances, and the results of that are in fact memeable. But it is not enough to save this nightmare. This movie is centered around science. I am a little suspicious about that. When your film’s characters cannot properly pronounce “Nobel Prize” I think you lost your credibility. The special effects in this film are also amazingly unrealistic by 2022 standards. Maybe they would get by in the early 2000s, but not today. I normally try not to judge a film by a post-credit scene, but this is one where I cannot help myself because it tacks on a promise that sounds so nonsensical it is insane. It promises a team-up I had no interest in checking out. It brings in a character who I honestly have no interest in seeing return because I fear they will be written terribly. It very much feels like Sony saying, “We are out of options.” In case you are not paying attention, “Kraven the Hunter” dodged a bullet. I hated that movie, it would probably be in my top 20 worst of the decade. But I hope that film is the last one we see in Sony’s Spider-Man Universe because the two that did make this list reek of utter incompetence. Perhaps to the point where it is almost being done on purpose.

The Murder of Nicole Brown Simpson (2019) (STILL COUNTS!)

I know some would say “The Murder of Nicole Brown Simpson” is a 2019 film, but in the United States it released in 2020, so I am counting it here. Regardless, this is a terrible movie. The one positive in the movie is perhaps Mena Suvari, who like everyone else, is working with abominable material, but it does not erase the other negatives. When I look at some of the cast members alongside Suvari, they sound like they are overacting. I could not buy into their performances even for a second! This film is directed by Daniel Farrands, and this is not the only film he has done in relation to famous figures who died in a tragic manner. Not long before this film came out, audiences were also subjected to “The Haunting of Sharon Tate.” It is actually amazing how close in quality, or lack thereof, these movies happen to be. “The Murder of Nicole Brown Simpson” is both so bad that you want it to be over instantaneously, and yet, I am under the impression that this 82 minute film perhaps overstuffs itself by the end of it. By the final 10 minutes, I just questioned why I was watching this movie. Maybe I just hate myself. It is possible.

Music (2021)

This was my worst movie of 2021, and it still stands. “Music” is a cinematic disaster. It advertises itself as a movie championing the autistic community. But as someone who has connections to and has been around people in said community for a good portion of my life, this is not a movie that best represents them. You could make the argument that maybe it has something in its story for caretakers of autistic people, but it also displays actions that if you speak to autistic people, they probably would disapprove if somebody else were to engage in them. The film itself is stereotypical, poorly paced, and horribly directed. I feel bad for Maddie Ziegler because for all I know she is talented, but she was not given good material to work with in this film. Honestly, her performance is almost offensive, but I more or less blame the film’s director, Sia, for letting this picture come to be in the first place. Kate Hudson gives an okay performance, but it is not enough. Say what you want about the Golden Globes having any meaning whatsoever. But the fact that this film even got a Best Picture nomination from that voting body is one of the all greatest insults to cinema I have ever seen. Kate Hudson getting nominated for Best Actress? I mean, it is not my first choice, but okay… But Best Picture?! Go home, you’re drunk!

Skinamarink (2023)

Out of all the movies on this list, this is the only one I did not put on one of my worst of the year countdowns. But if I did, I would say “Skinamarink” is probably the worst horror film I have seen all decade. This film is not just bad, but utterly disappointing at the same time. I am not going to pretend my expectations were as high as say they would be when I walk into a Christopher Nolan movie. But I was intrigued by what this film had to offer. It was an experimental vision unlike anything I had seen. Yet that is exactly what this film feels like. An experiment. A failed one at that. Essentially, the entire film is a series of shots staring at various parts of the inside of a home. The film apparently has a plot, but I could not describe it to you if I tried. Also I mentioned this is a horror movie. It is one of the least scary horror films I have ever seen. Not once did I even shiver or get a bad vibe. I just stared at the screen in awe of how unamusing this travesty turned out to be. I watched this film from home. I wonder if the experience is any different watching it in the cinema, but I missed out on that opportunity so I got to suffer from the comfort of my bedroom.

Superintelligence (2020)

Remember how I said at the beginning that I would only put movies that were in theaters on this list, with one exception to the rule? Well, here we are. “Superintelligence” released on the streaming service formerly known as HBO Max in 2020. The film was going to hit theaters at one point in 2019 until Warnermedia decided to make it a streaming release. It kind of bends my rules a little, but 2020 kind of bent everyone’s rules a little bit so this is only fitting. This film is a collaboration between Hollywood couple Ben Falcone and Melissa McCarthy. As if their previous film together, “Life of the Party” was not bad enough, they followed it up with this pile of artificially unintelligent garbage. The screenplay for this film is just plain terrible. Does it get from point a to point b? Sure. But as I watched this film’s protagonist go from one point to the next, never once do I get the impression that any of her outcomes feel earned. Such a thing could be acceptable if the film made me laugh, but unfortunately that concept is about as real as Valve’s chance of ever releasing a video game with the number “3” in its title. My first laugh while watching the film honestly did not come in until the 44 minute mark. The further the film went on, the angrier I became. By the end, I was at a loss for words. For a film called “Superintelligence,” it certainly feels super dumb. Also, once again, shoutout to James Corden’s agent for ruining everything! Apparently Corden makes an appearance in this shoddy mess as well.

Thanks for reading this recap! Coming up next, I am going to be talking about my best films of the decade so far! Expect that post in the next few days! I am just like Thanos, I believe in perfect balance. If I am going to bash 10 films, I will applaud 10 others. It is only fair. If you want to see posts like these and more from Scene Before, follow the blog either with an email or WordPress account! Also, check out the official Facebook page! I want to know, what are your worst films of the decade so far? What films do you recommend for properly punishing your enemies? Let me know down below! Scene Before is your click to the flicks!

Top 10 WORST Movies of 2023

Posted on by Jack Drees

Hey everyone, Jack Drees here! It is the start of a new year, which means it is time once again for the end of the year countdowns! I apologize if I am getting these out a bit late. A couple last minute watches came up and I wanted to get them in before making the most definitive lists possible. That said, it is time to count down my top 10 WORST movies of 2023. Before we start the list, let’s get into some ground rules. First off, for a movie to qualify for the list, I must have seen it. Of course. Second, the movie has to be some kind of a theatrical release. If it is a streaming exclusive, straight to TV movie, straight to DVD movie, it does not count. Congratulations to all the shark movies that can be found at Walmart for staying off this list. Not that I watch any of them. I will remind everyone that the movies on this list, not to mention the best list that will be up in a couple days are completely subjective picks. These are just my least favorite movies of the year. I am not trying to pressure anyone into disliking these movies. These are just my recommendations. If you can call them that. Now that we have all this information out of the way, let’s continue by listing a few dishonorable mentions.

Dishonorable Mention: Next Goal Wins

My first dishonorable mention is “Next Goal Wins.” I am not really a sports fan. I am not really a soccer fan. And safe to say, when it comes to this movie, I am not a huge fan of it either. Taika Waititi steps in and directs a comedy that honestly offers very few, if any, genuinely comedic moments. Many of the performances feel stale, the writing is quite bad, and the chemistry between a good portion of the characters happens to feel iffy at best.

Dishonorable Mention: Anyone But You

“Anyone But You” is what happens when you take two stunningly attractive leads, put them in a romantic comedy, and waste them all the while offering very little that feels romantic or funny. I did not like the characters. I did not enjoy the comedy gags. This is the kind of movie that makes me feel tired and sleepy. The story and structure become as cliche as anything. I cannot recommend this one.

Dishonorable Mention: Napoleon

And lastly for the dishonorable mentions is “Napoleon.” “Napoleon” is directed by Ridley Scott. I enjoy many of his movies like “Blade Runner,” “Thelma & Louise,” and even very recently, “The Last Duel.” When I become vastly more interested in learning about the love interest and wanting to know more about her than the titular character, chances are the movie failed to captivate me. The story is poorly structured, poorly paced, and there are only a couple scenes that kept me invested throughout the runtime.

With that said, it is time to talk about these ten movies, hopefully, for the last time in my entire life. These are my top 10 WORST movies of 2023!

#10: A Haunting in Venice

At #10 is “A Haunting in Venice!” I do not have a complete history with the Kenneth Branagh-helmed Hercule Poirot movies, but I was nevertheless intrigued with the marketing of “A Haunting in Venice.” One of the reasons why I was excited to watch this movie was because amongst its stacked cast, there happened to be Michelle Yeoh. I was very excited to see what she was going to do next after being in my favorite movie of 2022, “Everything Everywhere All at Once.” Safe to say, this was a significant step down as far as she was concerned. Not only that, but if I were in charge of the Razzies, her performance in this film might be a contender for one of the worst of the year. I love Michelle Yeoh, but come on. As for the movie itself, I found myself immensely bored with it. When a murder mystery fails to offer any engagement, that is a significant problem. When I watch a murder mystery I enjoy like “Knives Out” or its recent sequel, “Glass Onion,” I am trying to guess who is going to make the first kill, who is gonna die first, who is the murderer… I keep asking questions like those and might want to change my guess every once in a while. By the time the first person dies in “A Haunting in Venice,” a part of me died too. I wanted to fall asleep. I said in my review that the cast is the biggest problem I have with the film. It is not that everyone in the film puts in abysmal performances or anything. Well, maybe aside from Yeoh. I just came to the conclusion that no one in this movie interested me. When I look back at Branagh’s last movie in this universe, “Death on the Nile,” I remember liking the characters. That simultaneously made me like the story, and therefore the film. “A Haunting in Venice” simply brings together a bunch of big stars without a star-studded feel to back anything up. It is not even that good as a horror movie! I cannot see myself watching this crap next Halloween! Put this back where it came from!

#9: 80 for Brady

They say that Tom Brady is one of the greatest athletes of all time. He honestly should stick to football. “80 for Brady” was one of those experiences that simply made me go berserk. I did not want to see this movie. The thought of this movie by itself made me roll my eyes. My expectations for it could not have been more deflated. But I saw it because I had people in my life who wanted to see it. Safe to say, my low expectations were justified. “80 for Brady” takes a sport that I do not even enjoy, football, and somehow makes me think I should go back and instead watch the football game that inspired this movie to begin with. The film is based on real people with some creative liberties. Having looked into the true story, it is a nice story. But the way the movie adapts it makes for one of the year’s unfunniest comedies. The screenplay of the film is one of the most asinine I have seen in 2023. Even when our main quartet happens to run into something that could be dangerous or potentially tension-inducing, I know not to fear for them because they are either predictability going to get out of whatever pickle they’re in, or have some extremely convenient solution come their way that takes out any drama that the movie could offer. The movie is a set of tired comedy gags, wasted celebrity cameos, and it is essentially a mediocre commercial for the NFL. When I first saw the movie, I listed quite a few positives, but even with those in mind, there is zero replay value for this movie. I do not see a reason for me to go back and watch it a second time. When I watched the film, it was like a car crash. I did not love what I was seeing, but I cannot pretend that it was easy for me to take my eyes off it.

#8: Elemental

2023 was such a great year for animation. There were plenty of films within the medium that I enjoyed. And that makes it extra disappointing to say that “Elemental” could not quite join the ranks. This film is the first Pixar film I disliked. Not only was it bad, it was disappointing. The film looked like it borrowed a lot of what made many other Pixar titles great but it just couldn’t translate those trademarks from those pictures to this one. There was a point in “Elemental” where I almost thought I was watching a Pixar parody movie. “Elemental” is rather inventive in its world building and lore, but its characters across the board are mostly uninteresting. The writing is some of the worst I have come across this year. It felt nearly lazy. The humor mostly relies on puns that just don’t land. They never stop! Like any other Pixar movie, there are things to like about “Elemental.” The animation looks nice, a lot of the voice acting is good, and the story has some decent parts. But it is bombarded with all these tiny little… Elements, if you will, that water down the experience. Between the bad writing, unfunny jokes, tired gags, some unlikable characters, and a much smaller oomph factor than I am used to seeing from Pixar, “Elemental” is easily the worst film from the studio I have seen so far.

#7: Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken

Speaking of atrocious animated movies, hello, “Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken!” How I hardly missed thee! Unlike “Elemental,” which I put amongst my most anticipated movies of the year, “Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken” was one of those films that had me disengaged from the moment I heard about it. I ended up seeing it at a free advance screening, so I thankfully did not waste money on it. But even then, I felt ripped off. There is one particular positive of the movie that continues to stick in my head, particularly Will Forte’s performance as Captain Gordon Lighthouse. His role is quite small, but his voicework behind the role is excellent. But when I saw this movie I said it was a contender for the most cliche movie I have seen all year. Having seen more movies from this year some time after, that sentiment feels truer than ever. The movie looks nice, but the story is about as predictable as what happens when I throw an Xbox out from the roof of an apartment building. Chances are it’s gonna hit the ground and smash to pieces. Honestly, this film barely feels pieced together to begin with. I barely had any interest in the plot, the characters, anything. Part of me though wants to know what it would have been like to watch this movie as a kid. Would I have liked it? I don’t know. But I bring that up because I think one of the big problems of this movie is that it serves as a decent lesson for children, but as an adult, I can see the lesson, and therefore the story progression, coming from a mile away. I have grown up as a kid watching certain movies that I don’t watch as much anymore because my tastes evolve. But there are certain titles, including other DreamWorks animations like the first two “Shrek” films that stick with me to this day. I really want to know how this movie is going to age for this generation of children. Then again, that is going to be hard to say because the film could not even make its own budget back at the box office!

#6: Meg 2: The Trench

Warner Brothers released the biggest of the phenomenon of the summer, “Barbie.” But a couple weeks later they unveiled a massive travesty to moviegoing audiences like no other, and that my friends, is “Meg 2: The Trench.” When it comes to shark movies, I am fully convinced that we are never going to get anything as good, as iconic, or as memorable as Steven Spielberg’s original “Jaws.” But just because that theory may have merit, does not suggest that future shark movies should not at least try to be the next big thing. For those of you who do not know, I enjoyed the first “Meg” movie. The film is not Shakespeare by any means. In fact to some degree, it takes a bit to get going, but it is quite good. Not only does this sequel take a bit to get going as well, it feels as if it barely gets off the ground. The characters are disposable to the point where if a shark ate them, I could not care less. The shark action in this film is not exciting. In fact it is sometimes boring. And speaking of boring, I know there is a saying not to judge a book by its cover, but everything involving the trench in this film made for an utter snooze-fest. It did not look as eye-popping and mysterious as the movie advertised it to be, and story-wise, I was never invested in anything. This movie is partially set on a place called Fun Island, and yet this movie did not offer a single, solitary ounce of fun whatsoever. If you want a shark movie, just stick to “Jaws.” Heck, even the original “Meg” will do.

#5: Hypnotic

When it comes to picking the worst movies of the year, usually the reason why it ends up on such a list has to do with certain qualities that stand out. When it comes to my next entry, “Hypnotic,” it is the opposite. This movie is beyond forgettable. I will give credit where it is due. “Hypnotic” is a pretty cool concept, but the handling of it could have been a lot better. What makes this even more disappointing is having a charismatic actor and a decent director and attaching them to a movie that wastes their collective skill. “Hypnotic” is by no means offensive, but it feels like wasted potential across the board. At least it is short, so I did not have to suffer for too long. “Hypnotic” has the style of a certain type of Christopher Nolan movie with the pace of a boring baseball game. The film did not make a ton of money when it came out, and frankly, I can see why. Just because you have star power in front of and behind the camera, in addition to a compelling story idea, does mean everything will line up in the end. 

#4: 65

Here’s a fact. In 2022, “Jurassic World: Dominion” did the impossible. Make dinosaurs boring. Now a year later, another movie is continuing that tradition all the while wasting the talents of Adam Driver! How bad does your movie have to be for Adam Driver to come off as horrible in it? “65” can freaking go extinct for all I care. The one good thing about “65” is that the concept at least sounds interesting. But unfortunately, it is sullied as the movie progresses in its short but far from sweet runtime. The directing is some of the stiffest I have seen in any movie this year. I am honestly shocked that we got both a screenplay and a directorial effort as bad as we did because this movie is from the same duo who wrote “A Quiet Place,” I would not say “A Quiet Place” was my favorite horror film from the year it came out. But it happened to be quite a unique feature in more ways than one. “65” on the other hand is uniquely boring. It takes a certain event that everyone has in mind regarding dinosaurs and goes out of its way to describe that same event in a way that is about as amusing as watching my toenails grow.

#3: Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom

If you know my relationship with comic book movies, you’d know that this next entry hurts. In fact, throughout 2023, I liked every comic book movie that came out, except for one. And that sole exception is “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.” If you asked me years ago if I wanted to see a sequel to the 2018 “Aquaman” movie, I would have said “absolutely.” The first film, while not revolutionary, offered some of the most fun I had in any movie I saw that year! How can you not like a movie where an octopus plays the drums? Well, unfortunately, one of the worst things about “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom” is that it tests that theory and offers disappointing results. Basically, this film takes everything that is good about the first “Aquaman” and offers a saturated version of it. Jason Momoa is not as charming as he once was. Black Manta may have more prominence, but the way they use him is intolerable. The special effects and overall palate of the movie offer as much of a stylistic look and color as they did in the previous film, but they somehow look worse. And oh yeah, did I mention that this movie somehow makes an octopus playing the drums uninteresting?!

Amber Heard is in this movie, and for all I know, they originally wrote her character in a different way or they had scenes featuring her that were deleted, you could basically erase her character from the entire movie and have it feel no different. Sure, the action sequences look kind of cool at times, but just because the action sequences look dope, does not make the movie good. If I were more invested in the characters and story, then chances are I am going to find the action scenes just a bit more appealing. Much of the movie revolves around a specific transition Arthur Curry makes as a person. Specifically, him being a dad. That barely offered anything interesting to the movie, other than maybe him connecting with his dad for some time. But when it comes to anything involving the villain, Atlantis, or King Orm for instance, that is where the movie sinks.

This is the last movie in the DCEU and unfortunately it is probably the worst one in the entire cinematic universe. I literally own every other DCEU movie on Blu-ray at the moment. Even “Wonder Woman 1984,” which I absolutely detested. To be fair though, the Best Buy SteelBook looked kind of nice. This is probably going to end up being the one DCEU movie I watch that I do not end up buying and owning for myself. It’s that bad. I am not experiencing comic book movie fatigue, but even I felt like I drowned in the Atlantic Ocean having watched this terribly tragic travesty on a platter some people might call a movie.

#2: Fast X

If “F9: The Fast Saga” was the death of a franchise, then “Fast X” is its rotting, torn, neglected corpse. Oh my gosh. When it comes to big budget franchises, there is no worse example of quality I have seen this year. When I think bad “Fast & Furious” movies, my mind often goes to “Tokyo Drift.” I watched it once, it was not for me. That said, looking back on it, at least there was a certain novelty to it despite its occasional cliches and predictable storyline. Structurally, it works as a film. “Fast X” does not even work as half a movie! That is what this movie basically is! Half a movie! That would be fine if the movie was good. But it is not! You could make an argument that 2021’s “Dune” is half a movie. I would say that argument is not entirely accurate, as its protagonist witnesses a full arc from start to finish, but the argument is definitely there to make and I would understand why one could make that argument. But in regards to “Fast X,” this film basically shows everything that is wrong with this franchise. And I say this as someone who has enjoyed most of the films in it. Everything from the 2001 original, to the 2009 revival, to even the “Hobbs & Shaw” spinoff. But the franchise is much like “Pirates of the Caribbean.” The bigger it got, the dumber it became. To be honest, “F9” was the tipping point for me. I have not watched it since the theater and I am perfectly happy with that situation. “Fast X” on the other hand takes “F9” and makes it look like a masterpiece.

Now, I must say, the film is occasionally finely shot, quickly edited, some of the locations pop, and I am glad to see an actual street race in this film unlike the last one. But there is not really much else that this film does right. Vin Diesel has zero personality as Dom Toretto. He is basically Superman in this entire film. Only difference, people look up to Superman. When did I ever watch Dom Toretto and think one day I would want to learn to fly? Speaking of Dom Toretto, remember how he has a kid? Oh yeah, he plays a significant role in the film. Did you know he drives now? Of course, it is “Fast & Furious.” Having your characters drive makes total sense. But there is one problem. THE KID IS EIGHT BLOODY YEARS OLD! Why is he driving?! Dom Toretto is a terrible father! He should not be having children. And honestly, I look at young Brian and I am not convinced that the kid is actually Dom’s. I have seen plenty of episodes of “Maury” to see some strange paternity results. But I am honestly convinced a better movie would have been if Dom Toretto wanted to take a test to find out if his kid is actually his. That would have offered more drama, more stakes, and more character development than what we got.

I look back at the worst movie I saw last year, “Morbius,” and I remember one of the reasons why I put that film so high on the list is because the film was already insufferable enough, but it only crippled whatever life was left in it during its last moments. Specifically the material during the credits. Now, “Fast X,” thankfully, has a mid-credits scene that is not as bad. Granted, I did not love it, but it is still is not great. But the ending of this film takes a story and concept that are already atrocious, and enhance that atrociousness by a thousand percent. If you have not seen this movie, I will not spoil the ending for you, but just about everything in it gave me perhaps the angriest reaction to any scene I watched this year. And for those of you who say these movies are supposed to be dumb fun, okay. Make them fun then! This movie was not that fun. It was one of the most intolerable, brain-melting experiences I ever had in a movie theater. Are there occasional moments that get my approval? Sure. That Pete Davidson cameo was pretty cool. I think they improved John Cena’s character from the last film and utilized his comedic talents a bit more. And it is amazing that I am bringing this guy back into the conversation again, Jason Momoa does an okay job as the villain. He is kind of chuckle-worthy at times. But there are serious overwhelming negatives to this picture to the point where it would be an utter chore for me to turn it on again, even on basic cable for the sake of emitting background noise. If you want a good “Fast & Furious” movie, go watch the original. It’s basically “Point Break” with street racing, but it delivers quite a rush. Want one that’s dumb and fun? Watch “Furious 7!” Between the white-knuckle action, creative sequences, and engaging rivalry between the protagonist and antagonist, it might actually be my favorite film of the franchise. If the next “Fast & Furious” movie comes out and it is somehow worse than what we got here, then I might be done with this franchise if they decide to keep going, and I could potentially be done with movies period. But thankfully, I am done with this rant. Now the real question is, what could beat this movie? I did not see “Expend4bles” this year, so congratulations to Jason Statham for not having another movie on this list. But while he may be safe, there is another manly, muscular actor who should worry.

#1: Freelance

I am not going to lie. My #2 and #1 picks are almost interchangeable. #2 could be #1 tomorrow and vice versa. But I put them in the spots in which they lie right now because #2 had more notable positives that I can recall at this point. The positives in this next film barely stand out and if I am being quite honest with you, it is somewhat difficult to point out anything that stands out in this next entry. That said, there was only one movie this year that I ended up giving a 1/10 score to on this blog, and I stand by it completely. The worst movie I saw in 2023 is “Freelance.” This is one of those movies that lacks flair, lacks charm, lacks energy, basically it lacks any semblance of quality whatsoever. Talk about a piece of schlocky garbage full of awkward humor, awkward dialogue, and awkward chemistry! So much so that it may have broken yours truly upon leaving the little slice of Heaven on earth known as AMC Burlington Cinema 10. This movie stars John Cena! Come on! I am not going to pretend John Cena is the greatest actor in the world, but he has been heavily improving his craft, mostly thanks to his work with James Gunn. I thought he was on the right path to balancing his abilities in comedy and drama. In “Freelance,” John Cena is about as interesting as a terms and services agreement. Alison Brie is not that much better. But maybe their characters could be a saving grace… No they are not! John Cena plays arguably the most insufferable, sorriest excuse of a protagonist I have ever seen. Cena’s character sounds like the worst dad in the world when he is talking to his kids. I honestly found his wife, played by Alice Eve, to be more appealing in the first few minutes because she actually sounded like someone who was, I do not know, a genuinely good person. Sure, the movie tries to get you to feel bad for Cena’s character, but it fails miserably. Some of my favorite movies make me ask thought-provoking questions. Those kinds of films have a monumental impact on me. “Freelance” just made me ask “Why?” in almost every other scene. The performances are about as stale as convenience store pizza. The dialogue is some of the most cringe-inducing I have heard all year. Nothing in this movie was funny, thrilling, or exciting. At times it was either a complete bore or an utter chore.

I love a good story where our main hero gets a chance to take on something bigger than themselves. When they get a shot at a dream. When they face significant obstacles. But these aspects are much more likely to work if the character is admirable. If I don’t like the character, why should I care? I did not like anyone in the film. If anything, the closest I got to “liking” a character was whenever Venegas, the dictator, was on screen. He was this film’s closest example to being a scene stealer, but when I say that, I say that generously. If the characters of a movie barely emit any spark or luster, than chances are that the movie I am watching is a waste of time. And unfortunately, this waste of time fails as an action movie. It fails as a thriller. It fails as a comedy. It fails as whatever other random genre it tries to insert from time to time. Why did John Cena decide to do this movie? Was Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson too busy? At least if he starred in it we could have continued joking about the supposed contractual obligation The Rock has about having scenes featuring his character in the jungle.

What really shocks me here, and I am amazed that I almost forgot about this, is that this film is directed by Pierre Morel. If that name sounds familiar, he directed a few films, including one of my favorite Liam Neeson flicks, “Taken.” You know, the one movie he did several years ago that many of the movies he did after feel like they rip off to some degree? Not only was this a shock to me because of how great “Taken” was, but I was shocked that Morel agreed to helm a film where we go from watching a protagonist who could arguably be the father of the year to seeing a lame excuse of a parent as the center. If not for the big stars like John Cena, Alison Brie, and Alice Eve just to name a few, I would not be shocked to find out in another reality that this movie would probably be dumped onto streaming. And I would have been happy about that, because chances are if I had watched it, I would be more likely to forget it. But because I put my time into going to the cinema to watch this movie, it means something more. In fact, if you read my review, you’d know that I had to go to two different theaters to watch this movie because I left my wallet at home and I had to miss the first showtime. I feel like I put ten times the commitment into watching this movie than its screenplay does at delivering a good time. “Freelance” is an eyesore to the tenth degree. It is this year’s finest example of how not to make a movie. It is ultimately the worst film of 2023.

Thanks for reading this countdown! I very much hope you enjoyed looking back at the ten movies I saw this year that made me want to punch myself in the face for having watched them. In the community, there is a stigma if you will against these worst movies lists, saying that they should not be made. The reason why I continue to do them is because I believe in balance. You cannot have the good without the bad. It is my job on Scene Before to tell you which movies you should see, which also means it is my job to be honest when there is a movie you should avoid. So for those who don’t do worst lists, I completely understand why you don’t and I am not gonna rag you for it. I get it. I just think my work would be incomplete if I don’t do this. But pretty soon, we are going to be turning the frown upside down, because next week, it is onto the positives, it is almost time to reveal my top 10 BEST movies of 2023! I am quite excited to share these with you guys. Honestly, this year for movies has been nothing short of thrill-inducing. It is easily one of the best I have done on this blog right next to 2018. I cannot wait to talk about the greatest hits one more time. If you want to see this and more from Scene Before, follow the blog either with an email or WordPress account! Also, check out the official Facebook page! I want to know, what are your worst movies of 2023? What are some of the movies you saw this year you found to be nothing but hot garbage? Let me know down below! Scene Before is your click to the flicks!

Freelance (2023): Worst Movie of 2023?

Posted on by Jack Drees

“Freelance” is directed by Pierre Morel (Peppermint, Taken) and stars John Cena (The Suicide Squad, Blockers), Alison Brie (BoJack Horseman, The LEGO Movie), Juan Pablo Raba (Peppermint, Narcos), and Christian Slater (Inside Job, Archer). This film is about an ex-special forces operative who takes a job to protect a journalist tasked with interviewing a dictator. When a coup happens during the assignment, the three must defend themselves all the while navigating the jungle for their own survival.

To say I was looking forward to “Freelance” would be like saying I am looking forward to going to the DMV. Sure, I like making sure I am able to drive. But all the dirty work within that is not that appealing. In the same way, I enjoy John Cena’s work… Well, enjoy is a strong word. I am not exactly thrilled with what he did on TBS’s “Wipeout,” but still. As I look at the poster for “Freelance,” it has the look of a straight to DVD action flick released exclusively at Walmart that is probably not going to be discussed two years from its official release. There is something about it, the more I look at it, that increasingly turns me off. Even the tagline sounds over the top. “Retirement doesn’t suit him.” Okay, then. I wish the advertising suited my tastes but this goes to show why we cannot have nice things. It almost has the look and feel of a lifeless parody movie. It’s too bright to be serious, but it tries way too hard to make me laugh, and fails miserably. Once again, John Cena is becoming a respectable star in both film and television. That said, the greatest thespian, he is not. He is basically like Dwayne Johnson, another wrestler turned actor. He has personality and oozes charisma in various roles, but he does not always escape into the role at hand. “Blockers” is a halfway decent example. John Cena is really funny in the movie. Honestly, he stands out in the movie. I really like his character. But he showcases a particular, consistent stiffness as the lead role. In “F9: The Fast Saga,” which I almost forgot he was in… Nice, right? He was one of the weaker talents on screen. He was not convincing as an antagonist, and he was equally, if not more unconvincing, as Dom’s brother. But to be fair on the latter, that’s probably more of a casting issue than a performance issue.

That said, he is not all bad. If you take a supporting role of his, like the one he had in “Bumblebee,” he can do okay with the small amount of material given to him. He may not be giving an Oscar-worthy performance, but he has the ability to stand out. He was quite funny and had perhaps the best executed line in the entire film. That said, with his recent rise as the character of Peacemaker in the DCEU I thought he was turning things around. Not only did he have plenty of material to work with, but he gave a standout performance where I saw less of John Cena the personality and more of John Cena the actor. James Gunn even said that when it comes to improv, he kept more of it from John Cena than any other actor in his previous projects.

And this is why I have to say after seeing John Cena’s amazing efforts in DC’s “The Suicide Squad” and “Peacemaker,” he unfortunately takes a downward spiral in “Freelance.”

John Cena plays Mason Pettits, who had dreams of being in the military, only to have them shattered by an injury, leading him to become a lawyer instead. Now, I know being a lawyer can be a desirable gig to a number of people, but I think the movie does an okay job on the surface of trying to make Mason likable in the first couple of minutes by having his absolute dream go by the wayside, bringing him to a lowest low. But then, they introduce the fact that he is a father, has a wife who doesn’t always seem to be on the best terms with him, and this whole dynamic did not work for me. He and Alice Eve have zero chemistry together. I must add, I know that not all dads are perfect, but there is a scene early on in the film where we see Mason with his kids that was definitely supposed to come off as funny, but came off as a notion that Mason is a terrible father. He doesn’t come off like he is trying his best to be a supportive, attentive parent. The idiocy that this guy shows around his children is unfunny. Additionally, it convinces me that he should have never even procreated in the first place. The personality of John Cena’s character, both as a father, and within the context of his job, reminded me of the characters of “Wild Hogs,” a bunch of insufferable morons who want more in life, but are not likable enough for me to respect them wanting more. He comes off more as a brainless jerk than anything else. And how can you be miserable when you are married to a character played by Alice Eve? Now I have seen everything.

If there is one positive in the movie, while the film itself delivers an unfathomable injustice of a first impression, I like how they shot the film’s early moments. Much of the beginning of the film was done from a first-person perspective, which I thought was kind of creative, and almost immersive. It kind of reminded me of a fun video game. As bad as everything else in the movie is, I will admire the film for at least having the ingredients, albeit very few, that could go into making the unfathomable injustice of a first impression better than it is. First impressions are the impressions in life that matter the most regardless of the situation. So while “Freelance” did not win me over, I admire the movie’s efforts in what it was trying to do. However, there are so many things that are wrong with the movie that I cannot help but cringe just at the thought of it. The movie starts off as a story where one man is getting a second shot at a dream. It is kind of borderline action-packed, adventurous. But it also is a comedy. Meshing genres together is nothing new, but usually there is a sense of consistency when the meshing is done right. The way “Freelance” uses multiple genres is the opposite. It almost does not know what kind of movie it wants to be. And the worst part, when it comes to meshing adventure, comedy, action, and whatever other sprinkle of a genre it chooses to emulate, it does all of them poorly. I don’t mind mixed genres as long as they’re done well. If they were done well, we would have a different story on our hands. Look at “Everything Everywhere All at Once.” “Freelance” does not go as deep as that. But as an adventure, there are no thrills. As a comedy, there are no laughs. As an action flick, it misses the mark.

And the fact that this film misses the mark as an action flick is really sad, because it is directed by Pierre Morel, who also directed “Taken.” I love “Taken.” It is one of Liam Neeson’s best films. It is not surprising to know that almost every other film he has done since often tends to be compared to “Taken.” The action is great. The premise is simple, but perfect. The father-daughter relationship won me over. And that is the irony. We go from a movie like “Taken,” which even with its showcasing of notable violence, is ultimately about a father who will do anything to save his daughter. He is practically the father of the year. Granted, when it comes to “Taken” it also helps having decent writers like Luc Besson and Robert Mark Kamen. Now several years later, we get “Freelance.” A movie starring John Cena as a father who appears to neglect important details about his kids. And if you are curious about the writer for “Freelance,” that would happen to be Jacob Lentz. He has plenty of experience in this industry. He wrote for “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” for a long time, he produced a series in 2017 called “Animal Nation with Anthony Anderson.” He did a number of things. But the last writing credit he has, at least according to IMDb, is in 2012 when he did the “2012 White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner.” If that is true, it kind of shows here. Granted, with all this time in between, it could mean he had time to brainstorm whatever he is going to do next. But if I were brainstorming, I would have brainstormed to delete the script and never hand it out to anybody. But what do I know?

That said, I do want to be careful with what I just said. Because I recognize how hard it is to make a movie. But with a repeated process, the journey does become a bit simpler. Recognizing Jacob Lentz’s past credits, I should note that in his case, this is, unsurprisingly, his first feature film script. I respect how Lentz is making a transition from one part of the industry to another. He is trying to diversify a bit. But I think it is clear that when it comes to feature films, his skills have not quite blossomed. I do not know what his reputation is on the TV side, but I am hoping that it is better than what this movie turned out to be.

The best way I can describe “Freelance” is to say that it is this year’s “Red Notice.” When it comes to star power, it is not quite as big, but it is evident. Look at John Cena! Look at Alison Brie! Both of them are respectable, notable names given their resumes! “Freelance,” much like “Red Notice” did with Dwayne Johnson, Ryan Reynolds, and Gal Gadot, ended up taking significant leads who ooze personality to the tenth degree and crush them like bugs. This movie took likable gems of people and sucked out their souls. They say I cannot see John Cena. In this case, all I see is crap.

And while I happen to know John Cena and Alison Brie more than Juan Pablo Raba, if I had to name my favorite performance in the movie, it would Raba’s performance as the dictator. He feels the genuine of the bunch, he has personality, and I thought Raba blended into the role nicely. At the end of the day, I do not love the character and I did not know what to think of him. But if I had to name a scene stealer, and this is a generous statement by the way, it would be the dictator. I honestly wanted more out of this movie. I wanted better action. I wanted better comedy. I wanted better acting. I wanted a better story. When it comes to the story, by the way, it feels like an afterthought. Sure, maybe there was a decent motivation on the protagonist’s part, but as the movie progresses, it feels like we continuously have excuses to spew lackluster action scenes, bad jokes, and uninteresting gags that may occasionally have a sexual nature. I wish I could say when it comes to “Freelance,” one watch would be enough for me. If there were a way I could watch the movie zero times, I would love to make that happen.

In the end, “Freelance” is a gig that I should have quit before I even took it on. Between “Fast X” and now this, John Cena is not having the best recent track record. While I have to think about which movie I’d rather watch more, I’m starting to think “Fast X” has more redeeming qualities. Because at least some of the action is fun to look at, and when it comes to John Cena in that movie, he is actually pretty funny. In “Freelance,” not only is he not funny. He is genuinely unlikable. There is no way I found myself latching on this character by the movie’s end. The plot is all over the place. The characters barely stand out. The events of the film are easily forgettable. There are a couple cringe-inducing moments. I cannot recommend this film to anyone. I was amazed by the Rotten Tomatoes scores for this film. Because the critic score is at a whopping 0%! Meanwhile, the audience score is sitting at 76%! The divide on this movie is not only amazing, it is jaw-dropping! Because if you must know, I side with the critics on this one. But I genuinely want to know why this movie did better with audiences. What redeeming qualities stood out to these people? Then again, like all other art, film is subjective. When it comes to my subjective thoughts, I could never subject myself to this torture ever again. I am going to give “Freelance” a 1/10.

By the way, I want to congratulate John Cena, because this is not his first time being in a movie with a 0% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes. This is due to Cena having a role in the television film “FRED: The Movie,” starring character popularized through online media by Lucas Cruikshank. Congratulations, John Cena! You did it! You hit the jackpot of utter lunacy! What are the chances of this? If there is anybody that I am convinced in their lifetime will be struck by lightning twice, it might be John Cena at this point. Who knows?!

I want to tell you a true story. I ended up going to two different AMC Theaters to watch “Freelance.” I was going to buy a ticket at the first one in person, buy some food, but I ended up forgetting my wallet. That would have been fine considering I have rewards points through my Stubs membership. I had plenty to waste, and if need be, I had quarters sitting in my car, that I could use if needed. But I am an AMC A-List member. Sometimes, not all the time, but sometimes, the ticket taker will ask for your ID if you use one of your A-List reservations. Considering I did not have it on my person, I made a trip home and forfeited the screening. So, I waste over an hour between going home, going back out, venturing to a different theater and using my AMC A-List reservation there to get a free ticket for “Freelance.” I wasted time, gas, and my sanity to get this review out for you guys. And you know why? Because I like you. That said, this movie was not worth the effort. “Freelance” is one of the biggest wastes of my time I had as a moviegoer. It is unfunny, unsatisfying, and unthrilling. It is one of the worst films of the year for sure.

Thanks for reading this review! My next review is going to be for “The Persian Version.” I had a chance to go see this movie a couple weeks ago. I saw the marketing sometime prior, and I have been looking forward to it. I will share my thoughts soon! Also coming soon, I will have reviews for “Priscilla,” “The Tunnel to Summer, the Exit of Goodbyes,” and “The Marvels.” If you want to see this and more from Scene Before, follow the blog either with an email or WordPress account! Also, check out the official Facebook page! I want to know, did you see “Freelance?” What did you think about it? Or, here is a fun question… Have you seen any movies that have earned a 0% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes? If so, tell me what you thought about them. That should be fun, right? List your thoughts down below, I would love to hear them. Scene Before is your click to the flicks!