Top 20 Worst Movies To Get Oscar Nominations

The Academy Awards are widely considered the pinnacle of cinematic achievement and usually honor the finest films released each year. Voters sometimes make baffling decisions by nominating movies that critics and audiences largely despised. These selections often occur in technical categories like makeup or visual effects where a bad film might still display excellent craftsmanship. The following list highlights twenty motion pictures that received Oscar nominations despite suffering from poor reputations and low ratings.

‘Shark Tale’ (2004)

This animated feature from DreamWorks follows a fish named Oscar who falsely claims to have killed the son of a shark mob boss. The film relies heavily on pop culture references and a voice cast of major celebrities rather than a cohesive story. Critics found the underwater puns tiresome and the character designs unappealing compared to other animated hits of the time. It received a nomination for Best Animated Feature but lost to another superhero family film released the same year.

‘Mannequin’ (1987)

A department store window dresser falls in love with a mannequin that comes to life only when he is the only one looking. The film stars Andrew McCarthy and Kim Cattrall in a fantasy romance that many reviewers found silly and contrived. Audiences enjoyed the lighthearted tone despite the nonsensical plot mechanics involving an ancient Egyptian spirit. The movie received a nomination for Best Original Song for the hit power ballad that topped the charts.

‘Suicide Squad’ (2016)

DC Comics villains are recruited by a secret government agency to execute dangerous black ops missions in exchange for reduced sentences. The film suffered from a chaotic production history that resulted in choppy editing and tonal inconsistencies throughout the runtime. Jared Leto appeared as the Joker in a performance that divided fans and critics alike. Despite the negative critical reception regarding its plot and pacing the film won the Academy Award for Best Makeup and Hairstyling.

‘Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen’ (2009)

Sam Witwicky returns to team up with the Autobots as they face a new threat from an ancient Decepticon seeking to destroy the sun. Michael Bay directed this explosion-filled sequel that was criticized for its incomprehensible action sequences and crude humor. The screenplay was written quickly due to a writer’s strike and resulted in a plot that made little sense to many viewers. It secured a nomination for Best Sound Mixing thanks to its complex and loud audio engineering.

‘Hollow Man’ (2000)

Kevin Bacon plays a brilliant scientist who volunteers to be the first human subject for an invisibility serum. The experiment drives him insane and leads him on a violent rampage against his fellow researchers in a locked facility. Critics praised the special effects used to create the invisibility sequences but panned the script for turning into a generic slasher movie. The visual effects team earned an Oscar nomination for their groundbreaking work on the digital anatomy of the protagonist.

‘The Blue Lagoon’ (1980)

Two young children are shipwrecked on a tropical island and grow up together with no guidance on how to survive or understand maturity. The film explores their developing relationship and discovery of love in an isolated paradise setting. Reviewers frequently mocked the dialogue and the awkward performances of the young leads Brooke Shields and Christopher Atkins. Nestor Almendros received a nomination for Best Cinematography for capturing the stunning natural beauty of the Fiji locations.

‘1941’ (1979)

Steven Spielberg directed this period comedy about the panic in Los Angeles following the attack on Pearl Harbor. The film features a massive ensemble cast and elaborate slapstick sequences that many critics found loud and unfunny. It was a financial disappointment compared to the director’s previous blockbusters like the shark thriller that launched his career. The movie garnered three technical nominations including Best Cinematography and Best Visual Effects.

‘Poltergeist II: The Other Side’ (1986)

The Freeling family moves in with a relative to escape their past but finds themselves targeted again by supernatural forces led by a demonic preacher. This sequel failed to capture the scares or the emotional heart of the original classic horror film. Critics felt the script was messy and the reliance on creature effects could not save the story. The visual effects team received a nomination for their work creating the grotesquely memorable monsters.

‘Poseidon’ (2006)

A luxury ocean liner is capsized by a massive rogue wave on New Year’s Eve and forces the survivors to climb upward through the inverted ship. Wolfgang Petersen directed this remake which focused entirely on disaster spectacles rather than character development. The dialogue was widely criticized for being clunky and the characters were seen as disposable archetypes. It received a nomination for Best Visual Effects for the realistic water simulations and the destruction of the digital ship.

‘Blonde’ (2022)

This fictionalized biographical drama depicts the life of Marilyn Monroe based on the novel by Joyce Carol Oates. The film generated intense controversy for its graphic content and its relentless focus on the trauma and victimization of its subject. Many viewers found the three-hour runtime punishing and the directorial choices exploitative rather than empathetic. Ana de Armas received a Best Actress nomination for her uncanny transformation into the Hollywood icon.

‘Batman Forever’ (1995)

The Caped Crusader faces off against Two-Face and the Riddler while taking in a young acrobat who becomes his sidekick Robin. Director Joel Schumacher steered the franchise away from the gothic darkness of the previous films into a neon-colored camp aesthetic. While it was a box office success many fans disliked the cartoonish tone and the excessive puns. The movie received nominations for Best Cinematography and Best Sound Editing and Best Sound.

‘Endless Love’ (1981)

A teenage boy develops an obsessive romantic fixation on a girl that leads him to commit arson in a desperate bid to win over her parents. The film portrays a toxic relationship that critics felt was melodramatic and unintentionally disturbing rather than romantic. It is often remembered today for serving as the film debut of Tom Cruise in a minor role. The title theme song performed by Diana Ross and Lionel Richie became a massive hit and earned an Oscar nomination.

‘Beethoven’s 2nd’ (1993)

The lovable St. Bernard creates chaos in the Newton household again when he falls in love and fathers a litter of puppies. This family comedy sequel repeats many of the same slapstick beats as the original but with more dogs. Critics generally dismissed it as a lazy cash grab that offered little entertainment for anyone over the age of ten. The song performed by Dolly Parton and James Ingram earned a surprise nomination for Best Original Song.

‘102 Dalmatians’ (2000)

Cruella de Vil is released from prison after therapy cures her obsession with fur but the treatment soon wears off. Glenn Close returned to the role with enthusiastic campiness in a movie that largely rehashed the plot of its predecessor. The film was criticized for its slapstick violence and lack of charm compared to the animated original. Anthony Powell received a nomination for Best Costume Design for the extravagant outfits worn by the villainess.

‘Junior’ (1994)

Arnold Schwarzenegger stars as a research geneticist who becomes the world’s first pregnant man as part of a scientific experiment. The high-concept comedy reunites the star with Danny DeVito but fails to deliver the same laughs as their previous collaboration. Reviews pointed out that the premise was stretched too thin and the humor relied too heavily on one joke. The track performed by Patty Smyth received a nomination for Best Original Song.

‘Fifty Shades Darker’ (2017)

Anastasia Steele tries to move on from her complex relationship with Christian Grey only to be drawn back into his wealthy and secretive world. This sequel was panned for its lack of chemistry between the leads and a plot that resembled a melodramatic soap opera. Critics found the thriller elements laughable and the dialogue consistently unnatural. It received a nomination for Best Original Song for the duet between Taylor Swift and Zayn Malik.

‘The Swarm’ (1978)

A massive invasion of killer bees threatens American cities while a scientist and a general argue over how to stop them. This disaster movie features a star-studded cast including Michael Caine and Henry Fonda who struggle with terrible dialogue. The film is notorious for its scientific inaccuracies and the unintentional comedy of its dramatic death scenes. It received a nomination for Best Costume Design despite being a critical and commercial failure.

‘Heartbeeps’ (1981)

Two robots fall in love and decide to escape from a factory to start a life together in the outside world. Andy Kaufman and Bernadette Peters star in this strange sci-fi comedy that baffled audiences and critics upon release. The film was a box office bomb that was criticized for being boring and overly sentimental. Stan Winston received a nomination for Best Makeup for creating the complex robotic prosthetics worn by the actors.

‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ (2015)

A literature student interviews a billionaire entrepreneur and finds herself drawn into his world of bondage and discipline. The film adaptation of the best-selling novel was ridiculed for its stiff acting and lack of genuine eroticism. It became a massive financial success but holds a very low rating from critics who called it dull and poorly written. The Weeknd earned a nomination for Best Original Song for his hit single featured in the movie.

‘Norbit’ (2007)

Eddie Murphy plays multiple roles in this comedy about a mild-mannered man forced into marriage with a bullying woman named Rasputia. The film relies heavily on fat suits and crude humor that many critics found offensive and mean-spirited. It won several Golden Raspberry Awards for its poor quality and is often cited as a low point in Murphy’s career. Rick Baker received an Academy Award nomination for Best Makeup for the prosthetics used to transform the lead actor.

Which of these Oscar-nominated films do you think deserved the recognition the least? Share your thoughts in the comments.