The Worst Comic Book Movie Adaptations

12/04/08

SHOW THUMBNAILS

There have been two previous attempts at adapting Marvel Comics' vigilante-hero The Punisher for the big screen. Both were fairly awful. With Punisher: War Zone hitting theaters this weekend, could the third time be the charm for Frank Castle and his one-man war on crime? Or will this movie join the ranks of the worst comic book movie adaptations of all time?

Photo by Warner Bros., Everett CollectionCATWOMAN

Never mind the ridiculous story, dialogue and acting, or that this Catwoman bears zero resemblance to any previous versions of the character. This movie's biggest sin is Halle Berry's dreadful costume, making her look like a feline-themed reject from an S&M lingerie show. Hang on tight to that Oscar, Halle.

Photo by Warner Bros., Everett CollectionBATMAN & ROBIN

Contrary to popular belief, nipples on the Batsuit did not singlehandedly kill the 1990s Batman franchise. But there are so many things plaguing this film, there might as well be a scapegoat. Blame it on the Bat-nipples.

Everett CollectionTHE PUNISHER

In the movie's opening sequence, on a cinema marquee, you can see a poster for a film called "Make Them Die Slowly." Coincidentally, this is how one feels while watching Dolph Lundgren as The Punisher.

Photo by Cannon/Kobal Collection, WireImageSUPERMAN IV: THE QUEST FOR PEACE

The fourth Superman film is nothing short of a catastrophe, in which the Man of Steel battles an evil solar-powered clone, the entire world's nuclear arsenal, and laughably bad special effects. Christopher Reeve deserved better for his last outing in the role that made him famous.

Photo by TriStar Pictures/Kobal Collection, WireImageSUPERGIRL

Superman's cousin also wasn't impervious to a bad movie adaptation. While everyone generally agrees that the first two Superman films were good, and the third and fourth were bad, Supergirl is like the embarrassing black sheep no one in the family prefers to discuss.

Photo by Cinergi Pictures/Kobal collection, WireImageJUDGE DREDD

Sylvester Stallone stars as a futuristic one-man judge/jury/executioner riding around on a flying motorcycle. A halfway decent premise ruined by four fateful words: "I am the Law!"

Photo by United Artists/Kobal Collection, WireImageTANK GIRL

This movie took a crazy British cult comic strip and turned it into an even crazier, seizure-inducing mess. Some things just don't translate well onto the big screen. Gangster rapper Ice-T as a mutant kangaroo is one of them.

Photo by 20th Century Fox, Everett CollectionCAPTAIN AMERICA

In these dark times, our country needs a hero like Captain America. But not this Captain America. This Captain America, filmed in the great nation of Yugoslavia, was deemed so awful it never got a theatrical release in the United States. (It was, however, released in Turkey.)

Photo by 20th Century Fox/Kobal Collection, WireImageTHE LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN

Alan Moore's smartly written, critically acclaimed graphic novel about a team of Victorian-era literary heroes was unmercifully dumbed down into loud and silly action spectacle starring an aging Sean Connery as Allan Quatermain.

Photo by Universal Pictures, Everett CollectionHOWARD THE DUCK

While this movie, based on Marvel's three-foot-tall anthropomorphic duck, has amassed a considerable cult following over the years, let's be honest -- "Howard the Duck" is a bad movie. It's okay to love a bad movie. But someone has to say it.

Photo by Warner Bros., Everett CollectionSTEEL

Like a low-budget Iron Man, Shaquille O'Neal forges an armored suit from junkyard parts to fight crime. It's difficult to debate what's more ridiculous: Shaq playing a high-tech weapons designer, or the sight of his super-armor, which appears as though it was made from cardboard and tinfoil.

Photo by Gramercy Pictures, Everett CollectionBARB WIRE

Based on the Dark Horse comic book, Pamela Anderson stars in what is essentially a futuristic remake of "Casablanca." Except Humphrey Bogart never wore a black leather corset, or performed a wet striptease in the opening scene.

Everett CollectionTHE CROW: CITY OF ANGELS

In the second film based on James O'Barr's cult comic, a supernatural crow once again resurrects a man from the dead to exact revenge on his murderers. The whole movie basically plays like a long music video, except the soundtrack is nowhere near as good as the original film's.

Photo by New Line Cinema, Everett CollectionSPAWN

Todd McFarlane's tale of a mercenary-turned-soldier of the devil suffers from some seriously painful Power Ranger-esque special effects. When the most interesting thing about your movie is John Leguizamo dressed as a demonic clown, you know you've got problems.

Everett CollectionTEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES II: THE SECRET OF THE OOZE

Any movie that includes rapper Vanilla Ice leading a rousing rendition of "Ninja Rap" ("Go ninja go ninja go!") deserves a place on this list.

Photo by New Line/Kobal Collection, WireImageBLADE: TRINITY

While the first two Blade films could hardly be called masterpieces, they at least prominently feature the titular character performing some serious vampire slaying. Here, the Daywalker is all but sidelined as the movie is hijacked by Ryan Reynolds and Jessica Biel. Good looking kids, but we paid to see Blade.

Photo by 20th Century FoxELEKTRA

Jennifer Garner reprises her role as a sai-wielding assassin -- back from the grave, no less. "Daredevil" was bad enough. By the end of "Elektra," you sort of wish she had stayed dead.

Photo by Columbia PicturesGHOST RIDER

Let's face it: Ghost Rider -- a guy with flaming skull riding a motorcycle -- has always been one of Marvel's sillier comic book heroes. But you could get away with that on the four-color page. On the big screen, starring Nicolas Cage in a hairpiece, not so much.

Photo by MGM, Everett CollectionRED SONJA

Arnold Schwarzenegger has reportedly called this spectacularly silly sword-and-sorcery movie the worst film he's ever made. Harsh criticism from the man who starred in "Jingle All the Way."

Photo by New Line Cinema, Everett CollectionSON OF THE MASK

The sequel no one asked for... and no one saw. This movie features a mostly-CGI baby, a freaky dog and Jamie Kennedy -- and none of these hold a candle to the grinning, green-faced wackiness of Jim Carrey.

56 comments

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  • god all those movies were horrible!!!!! i never saw half of them, but Son of the Mask wasn't even good enough to grind into my dog's food. seriously. it was one of the lamest movies i've ever seen. though i think cat in the hat was a worse remake...agreed?
    report abuseMaddie B posted December 5, 2008, 1:55 pm PST
  • Okay, up til now I've put up with the choices on this list because most of them were bad. I didn't agree that Superman IV should be on the list or Judge Dread. While Superman IV was the worst of the bunch, Superman Returns sucked more than that. But the League? This was an awesome movie. The only thing I can't comment on about it is the comic. Never read it.
    report abuseBrian posted December 5, 2008, 2:43 pm PST
  • Now this guy must have something against comicbooks, coz many of these movies were not all tht bad. Now Capt. America, Red Sonja, Son of the Mask, Tankgirl, they were bad and Tankgirl never should have been made. But Dolph Lundgren's portrayal of the Punisher was not bad, niether was Judge Dredd, nor Supergirl, nor The Ninja Turtles, and especially Ghost Rider! Batman and Robin suffered fr
    report abuseDaniel A posted December 5, 2008, 2:58 pm PST
  • shaq's acting isnt asbad as people make it seem i liked all his movies and his raps are straight too
    report abuseDonavanW posted December 5, 2008, 4:50 pm PST
  • wat a %@!*#y list! half the movies in there were good
    report abuseKP Deuce4 posted December 5, 2008, 5:18 pm PST
  • with all the awesome movies they put on here, im surprised they didnt put the dark knight on here
    report abusemingo T posted December 5, 2008, 6:28 pm PST
  • dude the second movie was really good this guy is crazy who rates these things
    report abusemussman posted December 5, 2008, 7:20 pm PST
  • hj
    report abuseYahoo! Movies User posted December 5, 2008, 8:43 pm PST
  • possible the worst listing on a blog i have ever seen... are you mentally challenged?
    report abuseYahoo! Movies User posted December 5, 2008, 11:43 pm PST
  • I liked supergirl....
    report abusefoozwak posted December 5, 2008, 11:43 pm PST
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