15 Actors Who Saved Terrible Movies

When it rains, it pours — especially in terms of terrible movies. Like bleach, they burn into your retinas and seep all the way to the brain, refusing to let anyone forget about what they just watched. It’s not all doom and gloom, though. Even in the darkest days, there’s a shining light, a twinkle of redemption, an actor who makes the whole ordeal that much more bearable.

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Valiantly, saviors like Raul Julia in “Street Fighter” and Uma Thurman in “Batman & Robin” gallop onto the screen to defend the honor of cinema from the misdeeds committed by their respective movies. They fight for the audience, helping to turn mayhem into magic (if only for the times they’re on screen) and bring joy to the joyless.

So, let us salute the brave soldiers who never gave up when others clearly did. Let us acknowledge the actors who saved terrible movies.

“What, we some kinda suicide squad?” Will Smith’s Deadshot asks in David Ayer’s “Suicide Squad.” No one knows, Floyd. No one knows. Much like many entries in the DC Extended Universe (R.I.P.), this bad guy team-up film was designed by committee, and it shows in the final product. “Suicide Squad” is cut up, stitched up, edited, and remixed into a two-hour music video, playing out like a best-of highlights package devoid of any story depth, character development, and logic. Plus, it also had Jared Leto’s shirtless Joker doing and saying weird things like “hunka, hunka,” because method acting.

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Under normal circumstances, the “Suicide Squad” should have been renamed the “Subpar Squad” if not for Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn. The Australian actor captures the manic energy of the Clown Princess of Crime, infusing her with a natural charisma and humor that never falters. Even in /Film’s “Suicide Squad” review, Robbie’s Harley gets singled out for a “spirited performance.” The only thing that would have made Harley better here is if she used her trademark baseball bat to knock some sense into this version of the Joker.

Look, the source material for “Street Fighter” remains flimsy. Fighters from around the globe beat the snot out of each other — and a car for some reason — because they want to prove themselves. In that sense, writer-director Steven E. de Souza improved upon this by turning the live-action movie into a “G.I. Joe”-esque story where the evil M. Bison (Raul Julia) holds relief workers hostage and demands a king’s ransom to release them. It’s up to Colonel William Guile (Jean-Claude Van Damme) to assemble an elite team of fighters to help him bring down the warlord.

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Some argue that this video game adaptation features way too many characters and subplots that get K.O.ed after the first act. Other people are willing to fight that the “Street Fighter” movie is actually good. It’s all open for debate. However, there’s absolutely no disputing the star of the show is the late Raul Julia. He knew when to lean in and embrace the campiness of his character, as well as when to add the necessary gravitas to Bison’s poetic lines. For any ordinary mortal, Julia’s Bison is a god-tier performance, but for him, it was just a Tuesday.

By the time “Batman & Robin” rolled into theaters in 1997, the franchise was a shell of what it once was. The film is nothing more than an overlong toy commercial filled with icy puns and hard nipple suits that could cut through blocks of ice. Nearly everyone who appeared in or worked on it is embarrassed by the association — except for Uma Thurman who has surprisingly wholesome feelings about her time as Poison Ivy in “Batman & Robin.”

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Thurman has every right to feel this way, because she’s the best actor in this terrible movie. She channels the full spectrum of Pamela Isley’s personality, carefully oscillating from seductive to dangerous and back again. While everyone else appears to be lost in the shuffle between episodes of “Batman ’66” and “Super Friends,” Thurman purrs and controls every scene she’s in with total class. Sure, she has her campy moments too, but she never overplays her hand.

“Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves” remains known for one thing: That darn Bryan Adams song. In 1991, Adams menaced the world with “(Everything I Do) I Do It for You” — you couldn’t escape it, and so many people chose it as their official wedding song because of all the lovey dovey imagery associated with Kevin Costner’s Robin Hood and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio’s Lady Marian.

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Now, “Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves” isn’t the worst Robin Hood movie ever made, but does it compare to Disney’s excellent animated adaptation? Absolutely not, because Costner was simply outfoxed here. Where “Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves” shines is in the antagonist department, as the late Alan Rickman puts on a master class in villainy as the wicked Sheriff of Nottingham. As it turns out, Rickman wasn’t a fan of the original script and did his own edits to dial up the Sheriff’s personality. His free rein to tweak the character worked, as he secured himself a BAFTA for Best Actor in a Supporting Role. Unsurprisingly, the other peasants didn’t stand a chance against Rickman’s Sheriff.

Look at the name “The Pope’s Exorcist” — doesn’t it sound like the pitch-perfect SEO title? It has all the right keywords, with the only pity being that no one managed to cram “demon” and “pea soup” in there somewhere. Based on the true story of Italian priest and notable exorcist Gabriele Amorth, Russell Crowe stars as the aforementioned demon slayer in this horror film from director Julius Avery.

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“The Pope’s Exorcist” degenerates into a by-the-numbers possession movie, with many of its big scenes recycled from other features. While it doesn’t offer anything new in the genre, it presents a delightful Russell Crowe putting on his best Italian accent and having all the fun here. Okay, his accent might not be as good as his Russian one in “Kraven the Hunter,” but Crowe clearly commits to the part and decides to do what he wants on screen. The Oscar-winning actor grabbed the crucifix for another possession film in 2024, “The Exorcism,” but sadly it wasn’t a sequel to “The Pope’s Exorcist.” Don’t be too upset, though, since Crowe is confirmed to return for “The Pope’s Exorcist 2.”

The demonic nun Valak debuted in “The Conjuring 2” and terrified everyone, but was a spin-off film really necessary here? The answer is no. Despite the premise of a period piece where the Marilyn Manson-looking demon shakes up a Romanian monastery, “The Nun” didn’t deliver on its initial promise. Instead, it proves to be one of the worst installments in “The Conjuring” Universe, turning into a predictable and dull affair, saved only by its gorgeous production design and a stellar performance from Taissa Farmiga as Sister Irene.

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Farmiga’s character sells the fear, making everyone believe that there’s an almighty and sinister entity lurking in the shadows. For the entire running time, she carries the weight of this laborious movie on her shoulders, even through the excruciatingly long stretches of nothingness where one can only presume Valak must be rehearing with Whoopi Goldberg and too busy to spook. It’s to the point that the franchise should send a personal thank-you note and chocolates to Farmiga for single-handedly ensuring that a sequel was greenlit.

“A Nightmare on Elm Street” film without Robert Englund as Freddy Krueger was always going to be a tough sell. Englund has become synonymous with the part, and imagining anyone else as the Dream Demon terrorizing teenagers is pure heresy among horror fans. Surprisingly, Jackie Earle Haley’s turn as Freddy was the best part about the lifeless 2010 reboot.

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Haley disturbs in this darker version of Freddy. Gone are the one-liners and fourth-wall-breaking nods and winks to the camera, as this Freddy becomes an even bigger monster because of the true nature of his past. Haley disappears into the role and makes Freddy his own here, refusing to imitate Englund’s iteration of the character.

Unfortunately, Haley’s performance is like a matchstick trying to hold up a Boeing 747. The “Nightmare on Elm Street” reboot falls prey to every single horror cliche and stumbles along in a paralytic dream state, neither changing too much or honoring the past enough to be memorable.

Peter Farrelly’s “Ricky Stanicky” centers on a bunch of friends who create an imaginary pal named Ricky Stanicky, whom they blame for all the trouble they cause or to get out of commitments. Finally, their lies catch up with them, and there’s a need for Ricky to reveal himself, so they hire actor Rock-Hard Rod (John Cena) to play Ricky. What happens next? Shenanigans, of course.

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Here’s the thing: None of the friends in this movie are likable in the slightest. They make up the most atrocious lies and should never have been forgiven for making up despicable stories, such as Ricky having cancer.

For Cena, though, he takes the opportunity to flex his comedic muscles hard, or should I say rock-hard? Due to his past as a WWE wrestler and his impressive physique, most people see him as an action hero, but a movie like “Ricky Stanicky” demonstrates how John Cena is hilarious and a master of comedy. In addition, he goes balls to the wall with his sexual parodies of popular songs, and seeing him dressed up as Britney Spears from the “…Baby One More Time” era is never not funny.

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The “Doom” video game series doesn’t complicate matters too much. A space marine known as Doomguy roams through various stages and missions to shoot and beat up weird monsters, demons, and the undead. That’s it.

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In Andrzej Bartkowiak’s “Doom” movie, the filmmaker turns the story into something of an “Aliens” clone with a group of marines facing off against creatures in a research facility. However, the script never comes anywhere near the quality of the sci-fi classic penned and directed by James Cameron.

The only breath of fresh air in the film is Karl Urban’s John “Reaper” Grimm, who essentially becomes Doomguy in the third act. He receives a rip-roaring first-person scene that’s both the perfect tribute to the video games and the best scene of the entire film. Thanks to Urban’s all-action performance as Reaper, which is levels above everyone else here, one could argue that “Doom” is also one of the best ‘so-bad-it’s-good’ movies of all time.

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There’s a good movie in “Spawn” — somewhere — but it’s clear that the R-rated, hyper-violent material had to be toned down to appeal to a PG-13 audience. Resultantly, it feels like there’s half a movie missing here, since the film threatens to venture into dark territory then stops before it crosses the line. It hampers everyone’s performance, since the characters come across too cartoonish when they should be more serious. (Don’t worry, though, since the Toddfather guarantees there will be no joy in the “Spawn” reboot.)

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The only character this approach suits is John Leguizamo’s Clown, aka Violator. The quirky agent of hell chews up the scenes, as his wicked sense of humor and wretched farts betray his forbidding appearance. In fact, one wonders if a buddy comedy between Michael Jai White’s Spawn and Leguizamo’s Clown might have made a better movie altogether, since these two possess the same chemistry as Harry Dunne and Lloyd Christmas from “Dumb and Dumber.” All things considered, Leguizamo deserves credit for elevating “Spawn,” when it’s clear the movie suffered an identity crisis in production.

What’s the biggest problem with “Terminator Salvation”? Well, Arnold Schwarzenegger thinks it sucks outright. The McG-directed film dazzles with sensational special effects and high-intensity action sequences, but it doesn’t have a heartbeat or pulse. It’s as if someone attempted to make a “Terminator” film but forgot to include its soul in the mix.

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One actor who gives it his all in this terrible movie is Christian Bale, who plays John Connor. Much like any other movie he’s ever been in, Bale takes his assignment extremely seriously — maybe even too seriously, especially after his infamous on-set meltdown was leaked to the public.

That being said, Bale proves to be the best iteration of John Connor since Edward Furlong in “Terminator 2: Judgment Day.” He lives up to the hype that John would be the warrior who would rally humanity against the machines, and the weight of burden that this has on him. It’s just a shame that Bale didn’t have a better movie to show off his talents, and he ended up regretted the movie later.

The “American Pie” movies have aged like milk. While they were funny around the turn of the 2000s, they’re problematic in a number of ways in hindsight. Nonetheless, the franchise spawned several sequels and spin-offs throughout the years. In 2012, the original cast returned for “American Reunion,” which caught up with Jim Levenstein (Jason Biggs) and the gang as “responsible” adults.

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At this point, no one could deny that “American Pie” ran out of steam in the idea department. The repetitive sexual gags and toilet humor in “American Reunion” just couldn’t mask the fact that this sequel existed for nostalgic purposes and nothing else.

If it wasn’t for Seann William Scott’s Steve Stifler, it’s likely the film would have been worse. Unquestionably, as the series expanded, Stifler turned out to be the MVP, even if he’s a total jerk and deserves every bad thing that happens to him. Once again, Scott steps up as the Stifmeister in “American Reunion” to become the standout performer who keeps the audience interested in the tomfoolery and whatever semblance of a story exists here.

Imagine this: A $155 million dollar historical drama based on Alexander the Great. Written and directed by Oliver Stone. Starring Colin Farrell, Angelina Jolie, Val Kilmer, and Anthony Hopkins. You’d polish that trophy cabinet and make space in anticipation for all those incoming Oscars, right?

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Yeah, it didn’t turn out that way at all. “Alexander” fumbled to an embarrassing $167 million dollars at the global box office and an abhorrent 15% critical approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. This was a bona fide stinker that chased everyone away.

Yet, no one could falter Farrell for his powerful performance as Alexander. Like the king he played, he conquered all in front of him and fought into battle like a warrior. Unfortunately, the actor could do nothing to change the nature of the script and overall execution of the motion picture. “Alexander” taught Colin Farrell a major lesson in managing expectations, but he was far from the film’s weakest link.

“The Karate Kid” trilogy succeeds, because it focuses on Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) and Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita) and how they build an ever-lasting friendship through karate. In addition, the supporting characters like Martin Kove’s John Kreese and William Zabka’s Johnny Lawrence leave an unforgettable impact on the franchise.

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So, when a fourth film rolled around, it was surprising to see that only Mr. Miyagi returned for “The Next Karate Kid.” This time around, he gains a new protege in the form of Julie Pierce (Hilary Swank). Essentially, it’s a soft reboot of “The Karate Kid” franchise that sees Miyagi impart all his wisdom and teachings to a new teenager who needs it most.

In the end, “The Next Karate Kid” sweeps its own leg by rinsing and repeating the same formula as before, while also failing to have supporting characters as memorable as the likes of Kreese and Johnny. The sole highlight is Swank, who demonstrates the acting range that would serve her later when she became an Oscar-winning performer. She waxes on and off as necessary, but it’s a pity that she’s only polishing a toilet bowl in this movie.

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Are the “American Ninja” films the best action films of the ’80s and ’90s? Certainly not. They embody the spirit of the Cannon Group: Cheaper than a week-old hot dog but entertaining enough to pass the time. The first two “American Ninja” films saw Michael Dudikoff’s Joe Armstrong punch, kick, and do super-cool ninja hand signs. Dudikoff didn’t appear in the third film, “American Ninja 3: Blood Hunt,” so he was replaced by David Bradley as the new American Ninja, Sean Davidson.

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While Bradley is no slouch in the martial arts department — in fact, he’s better than Dudikoff — he lacks the charisma to lead this feature film. Good thing that the late Steve James’ Curtis Jackson returns for this movie then. While Sergeant Jackson played second fiddle to Joe in the first two films, he steps up as a hulking force of nature in “American Ninja 3: Blood Hunt.” James spent a lot of time as a supporting actor in ’80s action movies, but he was so good in serving the overall story that he made everyone else look better. In “American Ninja 3,” he rightfully steals the whole show and proved to be the actor who saved a terrible movie from complete disaster.