6. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III
I’ll be quick to admit that this movie is high on my guilty pleasure list because, plain and simple, I love the Turtles. That said, this movie was a misstep. It was ill-conceived, and right at the tail end of the first round of childhood popularity for those Mutant Ninjas that everyone knows so well. Rather than going with something from the original comic, or even from the hero universe created by the animated series, this story went wild with a poorly designed time-travel gimmick that didn’t sit well with fans or critics. Script-wise, the issues were that they seemed to be aiming the movie at a younger audience, and it just didn’t play well. Parents in the theater who at least had an entertaining time with the first two had nothing to deal with for this flick.
5. Superman 3
It’s 1983. Superman is a success. We need another movie. Quick. What else is great about 1983? Ummmm. I KNOW! Comedy! Great! Superman needs some comedy. Can we get a great comedian to be a part of this flick to give it something special and make sure it sticks? Let’s get Richard Pryor!!!! THAT’S PERFECT! People will love it! But they didn’t. This was the worst of the Superman films thus far, which was sad because it had some great elements. Some of the set design was great, and Chris Reeves was great as always, especially as he fought his evil-twin from the Kryptonite Tobacco (don’t ask). Overall, a poorly executed film that was trying to be relevant in its time rather than true to its origins.