5 Bad Movies That Wasted a Great Concept & Deserve a Remake

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Making a truly great movie requires many elements working together, and often, crucial contributions go unnoticed – things like lighting, camera work, and how actors are positioned. While a strong script is the foundation, even the best writing can be undermined by poor creative decisions during production. Conversely, talented direction and acting can sometimes rescue a mediocre script. But it’s unusual when a promising script takes a strange turn that even the most skilled filmmakers and actors can’t fix.

Some movies start with a fantastic idea, but lose their way as the story unfolds. Here are five examples of films that had potential to be great, but ultimately fell flat or were just mediocre.

5) In Time

In the world of the movie In Time, people stop aging at 25, but they are genetically programmed to die a year later. Essentially, everyone has a limited lifespan, and time itself has become a currency. The wealthy can afford to buy more time, extending their lives, while others struggle against the clock.

The film touches on serious issues like the gap between rich and poor in America, and the difficulty many people have getting adequate healthcare. However, it focuses more on a simple action-romance story about two attractive people on the run, a plot that feels very familiar and doesn’t fully explore those deeper themes.

Stream In Time on HBO Max.

4) Jumper

Similar to the movie In Time, Jumper starts with a really interesting idea but was made more mainstream with flashy effects. The core idea – that certain people can teleport – had a lot of potential that the film could have explored further.

Instead, the story offers a lackluster romance and uninspired villains – the Paladins, who simply want all the Jumpers eliminated. It could have been a compelling story about a young Jumper discovering and mastering his abilities, ultimately choosing to use them for good, but it doesn’t quite reach that potential.

3) Hancock

The movie Hancock had a promising start, but ultimately faltered due to one key plot twist. While the twist itself wasn’t inherently bad, it shifted the film’s tone and made the second half much less engaging than the first – even though the beginning wasn’t perfect in its delivery.

It’s a clever idea to have a superhero who doesn’t actually want to be a hero. However, the story feels less strong when that reluctant hero starts chasing a similar person around town – especially with a big, action-packed finale. The idea of their powers weakening when they’re close to each other is a neat detail, though.

Stream Hancock on Netflix.

2) Pixels

Okay, so Pixels had this really cool idea – classic arcade games attacking Earth! But honestly, the movie just got bogged down in really childish jokes. It’s kind of ironic, because it’s about video games, but the humor felt like it would actually turn off people who grew up with games like Pac-Man and Galaga. It ended up feeling like a typical, super-safe Adam Sandler movie – totally forgettable, even as the credits are rolling.

The biggest problem with the film is that the characters aren’t very engaging or funny, despite the movie seeming to believe they are. However, the basic idea – a video game coming to life and attacking a city – has potential, even though Pixels and Tron: Ares didn’t quite pull it off.

Stream Pixels for free with ads on The Roku Channel.

1) The Happening

For a long time, The Happening was considered one of M. Night Shyamalan’s worst films, often compared to The Last Airbender. However, opinions have shifted, and many now see it for what it was intended to be: a fun, low-budget B movie.

This movie starts strong with a mysterious premise – many people are inexplicably committing suicide in bizarre ways. While the idea of nature retaliating against humanity seemed promising, the film quickly loses steam. The second half consists mostly of characters aimlessly running through fields, pausing to watch grass, and then running again. These scenes, meant to be dramatic, end up feeling unintentionally funny because the movie takes itself so seriously. It never feels like the absurdity is deliberate.

Stream The Happening on Hulu.

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2025-12-02 23:14