The Ten Worst Movies of 2024
It’s that time of year again! Christmas just sailed right on by and the new year is quickly approaching. I often like to use this time to reflect on the year that is about to exit stage left, and a yearly tradition here on Open Diary is to post both the lists of what I thought were the best and worst movies of the year. As always, I like to go with the bad news first… so the Worst is posting today on Boxing Day, and the list of the best will drop sometime in the next few days. I have a few movies I want to see first before finalizing that list and this one is usually set in stone by now… so I usually go with worst first for that reason alone.
If you think I was wrong, possible but not likely, feel free to comment below and we can hash things out civilly. If you think I missed a movie that should be here chances are it’s either because I didn’t think the movie was bad enough, or I didn’t bother to watch it cause I don’t try to watch bad movies.
So, without further adue… and yes, that’s a hint… let’s plug our noses and get right to it! Here are in my humble opinion are the ten worst movies of the past year.
10. THE FALL GUY
I really, really wanted to like this movie. It was supposed to be the opening salvo for the summer, but I just didn’t like it. For some reason, I couldn’t get into it which is a shame because I was a fan of the original show when I was a kid. This film as silly as this should be consistently funny in order for this premise to work. At the very least the chemistry between the two leads is non-negotiable, and on both ends The Fall Guy crashes to the floor with no safety net. It should work, but it just doesn’t.
9. TRAP
This movie has such potential and started off well, but the second act was a total let down and tossed what was a great premise into the crapper. Trap offers up an interesting scenario during that compelling first half… but unfortunately the second half descends into a silliness that will have you rolling your eyes as the story spirals out of control before crashing and burning.
8. MILLER’S GIRL
One thing that has been a pet peeve for me is false advertising. The people who marketed this film did it so badly I actually question if they actually saw the movie they were trying to promote. This film is a joke, as it’s pretentious and leads no where. The turn in the movie is so contrived clearly just out to send a message not entertain at all.
7. BORDERLANDS
Where do I start with this mess? It has no chemistry, terrible actor choices, gender swapped characters, and lore breaking writing. It’s a terrible movie with a bad plot and pointless scenes In conclusion, this film is total junk. Not even Oscar winning actors could drag this filth out of the mud.
6. MADAME WEB
This is another stinker from the studio that honestly believes making Spider-Man movies without that actual hero in it is still a good idea. Don’t get me wrong, I really think a Madame Web movie was a good idea, but this movie lends a lot to the argument that it’s not. While the movie is not as terrible as some people think it is… it was still pretty bad. A shame, cause I thought it had such potential to launch a great character for future Spider-Man movies.
5. THE CROW
Some remakes should never be made, and The Crow is a strong example. As a fan of the original comic, and the Brandon Lee movie from the 90s, I simply cannot understand why this film was even necessary. The film also misses the point of the original comic and film as well as what made this tragic romance/revenge story so good… just a massive waste of time.
I’m not the biggest fan of Zendaya, and I honestly thing she needs to stick to television because I find most of her movie work lacking and this film is no different. I found the relationships annoying and was very bored trying to get into this shit film. There is nothing to like or care about here folks! The script is so dull, and quite predictable. Their conversations are what pre-pubescent children have with each other. Its a journey to nowhere. And there is no closure what so ever to the point where we are never told who won the damn tennis match! Are you fucking kidding me? This film was a piece of crap from start to finish.
3. CIVIL WAR
The idea of a film about a modern US Civil War had potential, but this one was a total shit show. I wanted to see the actual war, not reporters hanging out in the background and covering it like it was a sporting event. I wanted to witness the build up, how it started, how the states and President came at odds, who shot first, etc. Instead this all took place at the beginning of the end. Also, mainstream media is the most unpopular they’ve ever been so why would we give a flying fuck about someone who works for Reuters or CNN? We don’t, and I was hoping these parasites would all die. This probably would have made a better TV show, as 2 hours wasn’t enough to provide the details I wanted to know. I was actually looking forward to this movie, and it ended up being the biggest disappointments of the year.
2. ARGYLLE
If It wasn’t for the next atrocity below, Argylle could have easily been the worst movie of 2024. This movie had all the right ingredients to be a great film, and just fell flat on it’s fucking face. It had a great cast, director, and a decently written script that had great potential. The first act was pretty cool, but when we learned the big twist, that’s when everything went downhill. A shame too… cause I was hoping this would be good. It wasn’t.
1. JOKER: FOLIE A DEUX
Writing this paragraph doth mightily break the heart of this complicated film snob. Almost four years ago I did not hesitate to shout from the roof tops that Joker the best movie of 2019, and for good reason. The writing, direction, and acting were all top tier and Oscar worth. It now saddens me to declare that the sequel is the biggest piece of dog shit of 2024. This movie went in the opposite direction that we thought Joker was going in at the end of the first film, and made many fans wish they had never made a sequel and left Joker to be a stand alone movie. This was not just the biggest disappointment of the 2024, but by far was the most appalling film of the year as well.
It’s always fascinating to see how different people experience the same films. I have to say, my opinions on The Fall Guy, Trap, and Challengers are almost the complete opposite of yours—I actually loved all three!
With The Fall Guy, I found the chemistry between Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt to be electric, and the film’s balance of action, humor, and heart worked perfectly for me. It felt like a love letter to stunt performers, and I was thoroughly entertained. As for Trap, I agree that the second half took some bold swings, but that unpredictability is what made it work for me. The eerie tension from the beginning stayed with me, and I thought it was a clever mix of psychological horror and thriller elements. Then there’s Challengers—I was completely hooked by the tangled relationships and the way it built tension both on and off the court. Zendaya gave a strong performance, and while the ending was ambiguous, I actually loved the way it left things open to interpretation.
That being said, I totally respect your perspective! It’s always fun to debate movies, especially when our views differ so much. Looking forward to seeing your Best of 2024 list!
Warning Comment