Top Frustrating Movies of 2024, Ranked

Not every movie lives up to the hype, and sometimes the biggest disappointments aren’t the worst films but rather those that fall short of their enormous potential. These seven films from 2024 represent dashed hopes with intriguing premises or stellar casts that failed to deliver. Here’s a look at the year’s most disappointing cinematic misfires.

7. Trap

Director M. Night Shyamalan once seemed destined for greatness with early hits like The Sixth Sense and Unbreakable. Unfortunately, Trap is not a return to form. The film, about a serial killer father trapped at a concert, had an intriguing premise and an engaging performance from Josh Hartnett. However, it descends into implausibility, with nonsensical twists and characters behaving in baffling ways. Shyamalan casting his own daughter, Saleka Night Shyamalan, as a pivotal character added an awkward “twist” of its own, but not in a good way.

6. Argylle

Matthew Vaughn’s Argylle seemed poised to be another action-comedy hit from the director of Kingsman and X-Men: First Class. The cast, featuring Bryce Dallas Howard, Sam Rockwell, Bryan Cranston, and Henry Cavill, only heightened expectations. Yet, the final product was overly convoluted with a messy script that relied too heavily on tired tropes. The potential for something exciting was there, but Vaughn failed to recapture his former magic.

5. Hellboy: The Crooked Man

Fans hoped this new Hellboy installment, co-written by Hellboy creator Mike Mignola, would revive the franchise after the David Harbour-led reboot underwhelmed. Instead, this low-budget, straight-to-video release was an even bigger disappointment. Bland visuals, blurry cinematography, and a lack of compelling storytelling made it clear this film was far from being the resurrection fans had envisioned.

4. Drive-Away Dolls

Ethan Coen’s first solo venture without his brother Joel, Drive-Away Dolls, had potential as a quirky lesbian road trip comedy. Co-written with his wife, Tricia Cooke, the film lacked the sharpness and cohesion of the Coen brothers’ collaborations. While Margaret Qualley delivered a standout performance, the film faltered with poor execution and a weak script, leaving die-hard Coen fans longing for the magic of their joint projects.

3. Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1

Kevin Costner’s ambitious Western saga, the first in a planned four-part series, was meant to be his great return to epic filmmaking. With Dances with Wolves in his past, there was hope this project could reach similar heights. Instead, Horizon was bogged down by an overly complicated plot and an unbearable run time. Costner’s dream project lacked focus, leaving audiences unimpressed. Adding salt to the wound, the production’s turmoil affected his work on the hit TV series Yellowstone, alienating fans further.

2. Joker: Folie à Deux

The sequel to the groundbreaking Joker carried a mountain of expectations, especially with Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga taking center stage. Yet, Folie à Deux divided audiences with its inclusion of musical elements that felt out of place in the dark, gritty world established in the first film. The fanbase that embraced the original stayed home for the follow-up, and those who ventured to see it were often unconvinced by its experimental tone and polarizing finale.

1. Megalopolis

Francis Ford Coppola’s long-anticipated Megalopolis takes the unfortunate crown as the most disappointing movie of 2024. A passion project decades in the making, this grand, ambitious sci-fi film missed the mark entirely. With an over-the-top script, an all-star cast delivering inconsistent performances, and bizarre metaphors that baffled audiences, the film felt like a chaotic misfire. Despite Coppola’s legendary status, Megalopolis proved that even the greatest auteurs can stumble.

Disappointing Themes Across 2024

These films share common pitfalls—unrealistic expectations, messy execution, and a disconnect between their ambitions and the final product. Whether it was a botched franchise revival, a flawed experimental leap, or a passion project gone awry, each movie reminds us that potential doesn’t always translate into success. While these filmmakers might regroup and learn from their mistakes, for now, they leave audiences wondering what might have been.

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