Top 10 Worst 3D Movies

Script written by Niki Neptune.

Top 10 Worst 3D Movies

Sometimes, the third dimension is just an annoyance. Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we’re counting down our picks for the top 10 worst 3D movies.

For this list, we’re looking at movies that either utilized 3D technology to pretty dim effect or happened to be released in 3D but were bad regardless. These films were looking to rake in the big bucks with the extra cost of a 3D movie ticket, but the added price didn’t mean added quality. For these films, 3D should’ve been a 3-Don’t.

Disclaimer: we are actually presenting the 2D versions of the films for our countdown, so no need to bust out the polarized glasses!

#10: “Resident Evil: Afterlife” (2010)

Much like the song that never ends, this movie franchise is persistent. By the end of the third installment, you’d think the filmmakers would step away from the video game-turned-film series, but alas, they upped the ante for number four. Throwing 3D tech at a faltering franchise is a good way to give it renewed energy, but it does nothing for the film’s likeability or iffy storyline. “Afterlife” needs less 3D and more of a purpose – as in “why was it even made?”

#9: “R.I.P.D” (2013)

The premise of the film seemed like it might have worked: A couple of supernatural cops clean up the mean streets in the afterlife. Plus, it’s got Ryan Reynolds and Jeff Bridges. Okay. Unfortunately, it turned out to be a colossal stinker, with really useless 3D to boot. The special effects in the film seemed to suffer from what we can only assume was “underfunding,” and the 3D appears to have been thrown in as an effort to recoup costs. It did not succeed.

#8: “John Carter” (2012)

With a budget that can only be described as “wasteful,” this movie did a full gainer into flop-land. Based on its price tag of $250-million, everything about “John Carter” should’ve been impressive, including the 3D. However, the 3D is just…blah. For such a CG-heavy film, you’d think it would fully capitalize on all of the movie-going delights 3D movies can offer. Instead, it just fails to deliver, much like the interplanetary adventure film itself.

#7: “Alice in Wonderland” (2010)

On its own, it’s not a horrible movie. Tim Burton’s take on the Lewis Carroll classic is dark, of course, but it’s also brimming with some really interesting visuals and cool special effects. They honestly could’ve left it in all of its 2D glory, but it seems that the powers that be wanted to jump on the 3D bandwagon. In reality, the 3D comes across as an afterthought or affectation instead of a necessary or even welcome feature.

#6: “Friday the 13th Part III” (1982)

It makes sense for a horror movie to want to utilize some fun 3D elements to highlight their story. With the prospect of movie blood and axe-wielding murderers lunging at the audience, it has all the makings of an exciting movie-going experience. Unfortunately, that didn’t quite pan out here. What could have ostensibly been a really creative and thrilling use of 3D just ended up being a gimmick for an otherwise awful film. Take a machete to this one, Jason.

#5: “Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over” (2003)

As far as kids movies go, this one is pretty crappy in general. Somehow, this is the third in a franchise of similarly bad movies, but this time they busted out the big guns with the 3D. Too bad it wasn’t enough to make the film interesting in any way. Even more surprising: there’s a fourth installment that makes this flick look like “Citizen Kane.”

#4: “Piranha 3DD” (2012)

This movie somehow did not end up going straight to the Syfy channel. It’s also somehow a sequel, albeit a horrible follow-up to its somewhat self-aware predecessor. What doesn’t work this time around isn’t just the vapid storyline or the unfunny jokes: it’s the notion that 3D boobs were supposed to be enough to lure audiences in. And in this age of internet porn, it simply doesn’t measure up.

#3: “Jaws 3-D” (1983)

The first “Jaws” movie was a pretty tough act to follow, but somehow Hollywood found a way. By the time the third one rolled out, it seemed the filmmakers pretty much knew they were scraping the bottom of the barrel, so why not throw in some 3D? At the very least, it offered something for audiences to focus on other than the ridiculousness of the film itself. Oh, did we forget to mention the part about how it takes place at SeaWorld? Ridiculous.

#2: “Clash of the Titans” (2010)

This film, and its follow-up, “Wrath of the Titans,” went out not with a bang but a whimper. Between the Titans lore and Greek mythology, there’s more than enough material to make for a mind-blowingly good film, and even better 3D effects. What audiences actually got, however, was a poorly written script and even worse 3D. It’s fairly clear that the 3D was added to maximize profits, which is an even less compelling reason to see the film. You know what is compelling though? Krakens.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
- “Gulliver’s Travels” (2010)
- “Conan the Barbarian” (2011)
- “G-Force” (2009)
- “The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl in 3-D” (2005)

#1: “The Last Airbender” (2010)

Fans who were excited about the potential awesomeness of a live-action “Avatar” movie were soon met with disappointment after disappointment. By the time the movie actually made it to theaters, it was a hot steaming mess of awful. Nothing about the movie redeemed it to audiences, from its bad dialogue, bad casting and laughable 3D. No amount of special effects or 3D technology could make up for the fact that this move probably shouldn’t have even been made in the first place.

Do you agree with our list? What movie do you think had the worst 3D? For more entertaining Top 10s published every day, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.