Controversial Flops That Audiences Can't Agree On

How It Flopped: The film was one of director Ridley Scott’s most notorious flops. It was very expensive to produce - costing about $100 million - but it only made $30 million at the box office.

What Fans Say: Those who praise The Last Duel draw attention to the ways in which the film critiques the conventions of epic male heroism. It features some of Scott's cinematic trademarks, including some brutal action sequences and an attention to physical detail which works to immerse the viewer in the violent world of medieval France.

What Haters Say: The biggest complaint the film’s critics have focuses on its storyline, which tells the same story from several points of view. Though this is key to the entire point of The Last Duel, it can at times feel more than a little repetitive.

How It Flopped: Waterworld was very expensive to make, with its end budget coming in at $175 million. Against this, it only made $264 million at the global box office.

What Fans Say: Defenders of Waterworld draw attention to both the film’s undeniable ambition and its B-movie aesthetic. White it may not be a masterpiece, they argue, it is still nevertheless enjoyable as a sci-fi film with some big ideas and action set pieces that are a throwback to an earlier period of genre filmmaking. 

What Haters Say: Most of the criticism of Waterworld has always been about its earnestness. While it has its memorable action moments, in their view it tends to lean too much on its environmentalist message at the expense of some of the other important elements of cinematic storytelling.

How It Flopped: The Lone Ranger ended up costing $215 million to produce, compared to making only $260 million at the box office, which was yet another major loss for Disney.

What Fans Say:The Lone Ranger received some praise for breathing new life into a well-established western hero. Its fans particularly enjoy the way it leans into the spaghetti western aesthetic, and appreciate that it aims to make viewers feel young again. 

What Haters Say: The very thing which appeals to some fans of The Lone Ranger is what turns others off. Many fault the film for being too ambitious and for having too many half-baked ideas. Moreover, its depiction of Indigenous people has often been criticized for being insensitive.

How It Flopped: This big-budget spectacle cost $168 million to produce, but it only ended up making $174 at the global box office.

What Fans Say: Fans of Furiosa point out that it contains many of the things which made Mad Max: Fury Road such a success. It has a lot of kinetic and propulsive action set pieces, and Anya Taylor-Joy is perfectly cast as a younger Furiosa, an innocent girl who is slowly turned into an avenging angel by the cruel men in her life who continue to exploit her.

What Haters Say: Detractors argue the film’s story is far too meandering, and far too self-indulgent, particularly compared to the leaner, more focused story of Fury Road. It's a slog to get through, and Chris Hemsworth’s lack of dynamism as a villainous lead contributes to the sense this movie isn’t quite sure what it is doing with its own story.

How It Flopped: Like many other big-budget epics, Alexander cost a hefty sum to make, $155 million, but it made a paltry $167 million at the box office.

What Fans Say: Those who enjoy the film applaud its ambition. There’s no doubt director Oliver Stone goes all-out in his creation of Alexander the Great’s world, and this creates a sense of detailed authenticity. Moreover, Colin Farrell gives a layered and nuanced performance as the ancient Macedonian conqueror, creating a character who is at once driven to conquer the world and yet haunted by the family strife of his youth and childhood. 

What Haters Say: Critics point out Alexander's length and its lack of focus, as well as its disjointed storyline, all of which can make it both hard to follow and difficult to establish any sort of thematic or character development. Moreover, there are times when the ideas it’s engaging with overwhelm and bury its dramatic elements.

How It Flopped: Cloud Atlas cost about $102 million to produce, while it only made $130 million at the global box office.

What Fans Say: Like the novel on which it’s based, Cloud Atlas is an undeniably ambitious film, and this is precisely what many people like about it. It takes the big ideas of speculative fiction and transforms them into something remarkable and sometimes achingly poignant to watch. Fans continue to appreciate the extent to which the Wachowskis are willing to take big risks when it comes to cinematic storytelling. 

What Haters Say: The movie’s detractors say the film sacrifices anything resembling narrative or character coherence in its pursuit of big philosophical ideas. Others have pointed out the tone-deaf nature of its racial politics.