It’s a primary goal for most film releases to do all they can to make the best cinematic experience possible, approaching this goal in whatever way they deem fit. However, not every film can meet the quality standards for audiences, as a wide array of different films will falter and fail in spectacularly infamous ways. Whether a film finds massive success or notorious failure, at the very least, it can be said that these films are highly memorable, something that simply cannot be said for films that are simply mediocre.
Not good enough to be widely celebrated but not bad enough to be viciously ripped apart by audiences, mediocre films live in a strange middle ground that more often than not results in them being largely forgotten and overlooked. Even if they have a few positives strewn about them, the overwhelming dullness and underwhelming nature of these films make it difficult to make them favorites, yet not bad enough to make them frequent targets of vitriol. It’s rare for a film to be largely defined by its mediocrity, though it has been a case for several films over the years.
10
‘Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome’ (1985)
Directed by George Miller and George Ogilvie
While the Mad Max franchise is home to some of the most cathartic and entertaining action blockbusters imaginable, these levels of high praise and mastery simply aren’t present within the third film in the series, Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome. Between the PG-13 rating and the focus on various uninteresting plot threads, like a community of children seeing Max as a deity figure, the film overall feels neutered and downgraded compared to the other exceptional films.
It isn’t without its inherent strengths, as the production design of the franchise is second to none, and Tina Turner brings a great performance as Aunty Entity, but the vast majority of the film wallows in mediocrity. It wouldn’t stick out nearly as much if films like Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior and Mad Max: Fury Road weren’t so exceptional, yet their high quality only proves to make the mediocre nature of Beyond Thunderdome that much more apparent.
Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome
- Release Date
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July 10, 1985
- Runtime
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107 Minutes
- Director
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George Miller, George Ogilvie
- Writers
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George Miller, Terry Hayes, Byron Kennedy
9
‘Thor: The Dark World’ (2013)
Directed by Alan Taylor
While the MCU was once heralded as one of the shining beacons of blockbuster greatness that rarely ever faltered from exceptional quality, the extended universe isn’t without its mediocre titles, with one of the biggest being Thor: The Dark World. The film failed to provide any substantial upgrade or evolution from the original Thor, largely going through the motions and making for one of the most boring and forgettable entries in the MCU.
There’s little to truly latch onto with the film aside from being part of the cinematic universe, as a lackluster villain, subpar emotional beats, and by-the-numbers action make the film pale in comparison to every other Thor film. While it may not be the absolute lowest point of the MCU, Thor: The Dark World certainly stands out as the most mediocre entry in the franchise, largely ignored in favor of the other offerings of the era. It doesn’t have a true vision or excitement for its existence, feeling more like it’s existing out of obligation more than anything else.
8
‘Flubber’ (1997)
Directed by Les Mayfield
While Robin Williams is widely celebrated as one of the most acclaimed comedy actors of all time, with countless exceptional films under his belt, even the greatest of all time flounder in mediocrity from time to time. Flubber is one such unremarkable stain on the actor’s otherwise prestigious career, relying on bland CGI and not fully utilizing Williams as a comedic tool. The film sees Williams as a dedicated scientist who ends up ignoring core aspects of his life in pursuit of science, having now missed his third wedding with the creation of a miraculous flying rubber known as Flubber.
Even putting aside the dated 90s’ cheese and effects that define the film, Flubber simply lacks the understanding and potential for Williams as a source for comedy, largely relying on lackluster CGI as the selling point. The result ends up being a wide variety of scenes where Williams is completely absent, where the focus is on the shenanigans of this sentient green goop. While it’s flashy and colorful enough to appeal to young children, the film is largely mediocre to the majority of fully-grown audiences.
Flubber
- Release Date
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November 26, 1997
- Runtime
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93 minutes
- Director
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Les Mayfield
- Writers
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John Hughes, Bill Walsh
7
‘Black Adam’ (2022)
Directed by Jaume Collet-Serra
It’s no secret that the DCEU largely floundered and failed to live up to the excitement and allure of the cinematic universe trend, with the vast majority of its entries treading into the waters of mediocrity. While there were several attempts to revive and revitalize the brand during its run, none were more comically inept and mediocre than Black Adam. The antihero story saw Dwayne Johnson as the titular Black Adam, a superpowered god awakened from a millennium-long slumber, and beginning the steps to take control of the world.
Black Adam falls into a lot of the same pitfalls and traps that plagued the most generic and formulaic of superhero movies by this point, and especially in a post-Avengers: Endgame world, the use of these tropes was more than egregious. It certainly wasn’t helping matters that the film was telling a villain’s story without having the gall to make the main character a villain. Black Adam‘s inherent mediocrity was undeniable, as it failed to be the saving grace that the DCEU desperately needed.
Black Adam
- Release Date
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October 21, 2022
- Runtime
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125 Minutes
6
‘The Nut Job’ (2014)
Directed by Peter Lepeniotis
There are an overwhelming number of mediocre animated films being released due to their younger audiences simply being much easier to appeal to with minimal effort. While this has resulted in several painfully mediocre films that have made untold millions off of their brainless style, The Nut Job proved to be so mediocre and uninteresting that even the youngest of audiences feigned interest. The film is yet another talking animals animated film, following a conniving squirrel who embarks on a heist to steal an array of nuts from a local shop.
While its premise almost makes it feel as if it would be a high-octane slapstick comedy akin to a classic Looney Tunes cartoon, the truth is that The Nut Job relies entirely on celebrity voices, pop culture references, and toilet humor. The film feels as if it’s a collection of all the various tropes and clichés that plagued studio animated films throughout the 2000s and 2010s, largely being bright-colored noise to fill up space over providing anything substantial.
The Nut Job
- Release Date
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January 17, 2014
- Runtime
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85 Minutes
- Director
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Peter Lepeniotis
- Writers
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Lorne Cameron
5
‘Honest Thief’ (2020)
Directed by Mark Williams
After making massive waves with action thrillers like Taken, Liam Neeson largely fell into a cycle of starring in many similar and repetitive action movies that entirely relied on his gritty and hardened performances. One of the most mediocre and forgettable of these action outings is that of Honest Thief, which sees Neeson as a once-successful bank robber who wants to give all the money he stole back so he can live an honest life. However, when his planned surrender is taken advantage of by a duo of corrupt cops, he finds himself on a path of vengeance.
Honest Thief brings nothing new to the table in terms of Neeson action thrillers, feeling deeply repetitive and uninteresting compared to various other outings over the years. It isn’t necessarily terrible in its execution, just simmering in a level of mediocrity just competent enough to allow more Neeson action films to be made. It feels like the cinematic equivalent of reheated leftovers, having nothing new and original to offer and coasting on what had worked well in the past.
Honest Thief
- Release Date
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September 3, 2020
- Runtime
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99 minutes
- Director
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Mark Williams
- Writers
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Steve Allrich, Mark Williams
4
’65’ (2023)
Directed by Bryan Woods and Scott Beck
Easily one of the most boring and missed potential movies of recent memory, 65‘s premise and hook make it feel as if it would be an entertaining action thriller where a futuristic Adam Driver faces off against prehistoric dinosaurs. However, the film’s sluggish pacing and uneven focus make it difficult to care about what is happening on-screen, as the film is more focused on a generic plot of pseudo-parental bonding over the excitement of dinosaurs clashing with the future.
By the time the film does see Adam Driver going face to face with dinosaurs, it’s far too late to even care, as it takes way too long to get the ball rolling on its primary hook. It cannot be understated just how dull the film is, feeling as if it’s specifically focusing on what would be the least exciting aspects of its premise of being stranded on prehistoric Earth. It’s largely mediocre from start to finish, stinging especially more due to the perceived goofiness and entertainment value of its core concept.
65
- Release Date
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March 10, 2023
- Runtime
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93minutes
3
‘Uncharted’ (2022)
Directed by Ruben Fleischer
Adapting a video game into a feature-length film often feels like a double-edged sword, as while it brings in a preexisting audience of fans, there is also massive potential for disappointment if the film doesn’t live up to the standards of the game. While this often results in some of the worst video game movies being unbridled cinematic disasters, it has also created an array of largely mediocre films, such as the case with Uncharted.
The film was already in shaky waters with fans during its announcement, as Tom Holland is a wildly confusing miscast for the mature and suave Nathan Drake. What sealed the deal for the film being perceived as mediocre, however, is just how much the film pales and falters compared to the action setpieces of the original video game franchise. While the Uncharted games brought a cinematic scope and scale to the world of video game action, the film adaptation simply feels like a mediocre take on Indiana Jones, without any of the heart or charm of the original games to elevate the story.
Uncharted
- Release Date
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February 18, 2022
- Runtime
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116 minutes
- Writers
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Art Marcum, Rafe Judkins, Matt Holloway
2
‘Shrek The Third’ (2007)
Directed by Chris Miller
It’s hard to imagine considering just how much of a joke the character has become in the modern age of the internet, but there was once a time when Shrek was one of the most respected and acclaimed animated franchises out there. Both the original Shrek and Shrek 2 were not only wildly successful but also massive critical hits as some of the most acclaimed animated movies of the early 2000s. However, this hot streak couldn’t be kept for the franchise, as Shrek the Third‘s mediocrity proved to be the beginning of the end for Shrek as a well-respected franchise.
The once timely and intelligent satire that defined the previous films has largely been replaced by an array of unfunny jokes and faded style, simply lacking the weight and charm of the original films. Its story also proved to be largely generic and uninteresting compared to the previous films, feeling as if it was going in circles as opposed to the previous films’ multi-faceted storytelling. Even as the franchise has seemingly recovered with the success of Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, Shrek the Third still stands as one of the low points of the Shrek franchise.
1
‘Ready Player One’ (2018)
Directed by Stephen Spielberg
Few directors are as synonymous with exceptional and groundbreaking filmmaking as Stephen Spielberg, making it all the more disappointing that Ready Player One is as mediocre as it is. The pieces were certainly there for the film to be a modern-day blockbuster classic, as it certainly had the talent, budget, and concept to succeed. However, the final result would wind up being one of the most mediocre and underwhelming blockbuster experiences of recent memory.
Spielberg’s films in the past were always defined by and elevated by his signature sense of whimsy and charm that would directly exude from his filmmaking style. Ready Player One features no such whimsy with its filmmaking, with the focus seeming to be placed on cramming as many references and iconography as possible without any actual care for its characters and story. It’s far from a terrible film, yet is one that is undeniably defined by mediocrity and a lack of truly exceptional elements.
