By Tara Quinn
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For the past decade, in an age where there is a constant and incredibly accessible stream of TV and film content, especially on streaming services, it takes more impressive moments, visual styles, performances, or writing than ever for something to stand out from the masses. If these aren't executed to near perfection, it is easy for a movie to fade into the back of the audience's minds.
While being forgettable doesn't necessarily mean a film is bad, it could even be made up of some very compelling styles, performances, and ideas, missing that wow factor that viewers are blessed with frequently on screen can make a movie simply a distant memory to many.
10 'Onward' (2020)
Directed by Dan Scanlon
Featuring the voices of Tom Holland and Chris Pratt, Disney Pixar's 2020 release Onward is a tale of family, love, grief, and adventure. Onward follows elf brothers Ian and Barley Lightfoot as they journey to find an artifact that will resurrect their dead father for a day, allowing them to speak to him just one time.
While there are many positives to Onward, from the focus on family and brotherly love to the attempts at LGBTQ+ inclusion, Onward unfortunately fades into the background for many reasons. While the COVID-19 pandemic closed theaters during its release, the success of the better-received Pixar feature Soul also stole some of the movie's spotlight. While Onward is simply underrated for some viewers, others found that its exploration of death and grief was less powerful than the studio's other features, and the fantasy elements sometimes made the narrative feel disjointed.
Onward
PG
Animation
Adventure
Family
Where to Watch
- stream
- rent
- buy
*Availability in US
- Release Date
- March 6, 2020
- Cast
- Tom Holland , Chris Pratt2 , Octavia Spencer , Julia Louis-Dreyfus , Ali Wong , John Ratzenberger
- Main Genre
- Animation
- Runtime
- 102 Minutes
9 'Power Rangers' (2017)
Directed by Dean Israelite
Since 1993, with the release of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, the Power Rangers franchise has delighted young audiences with its combat, gadgets, and powerful, heroic characters across multiple series and movies. However, the most recent theatrical release, 2017's Power Rangers failed to make any lasting impact on many of the franchise's fans.
Despite praised performances from the likes of Dacre Montgomery, Naomi Scott, and RJ Cyler, reviews from critics and audiences were overwhelmingly neutral, saying that the film's attempt at finding a balance between the goofiness of the television show and the seriousness of other mainstream action movies left Power Rangers with nothing particularly special or memorable to give, even if it was enjoyable for a single viewing.
Power Rangers
PG-13
Action
Adventure
Family
Sci-Fi
Superhero
Where to Watch
- stream
- rent
- buy
Not available
*Availability in US
- Release Date
- March 23, 2017
- Cast
- Elizabeth Banks , Bryan Cranston , Becky G. , Naomi Scott , Dacre Montgomery , Caroline Cave
8 'Tomb Raider' (2018)
Directed by Roar Uthaug
The video game franchise Tomb Raider, which follows British archaeologist Lara Croft in her adventures, is one of the most cross-generationally recognizable and has generated billions of dollars. Therefore, it's no wonder that screen adaptations are constantly in the works, even if they struggle to land with audiences.
2018 saw Croft return to the screen, played by Academy Award winner Alicia Vikander, in Tomb Raider, which depicts her journey to solve the mystery of her father's disappearance. While the movie was praised for its action sequences, its unoriginal narrative and more bland take on Lara's character were criticized. With the 2001 movie having something of a cult following, and Phoebe Waller-Bridge set to bring the character to the small screen in the near future, the 2018 movie fades to the background when thinking about the franchise.
Tomb Raider
PG-13
Adventure
Action
Where to Watch
- stream
- rent
- buy
*Availability in US
- Release Date
- March 5, 2018
- Cast
- Alicia Vikander , Dominic West , Walton Goggins , Daniel Wu , Kristin Scott Thomas , Derek Jacobi
7 'Dark Phoenix' (2019)
Directed by Simon Kinberg
Over the years, Marvel fans have been blessed with many full-on, exciting, and truly memorable on-screen adaptations of the beloved X-Men characters, from Days of Future Past to Logan. Unfortunately, 2019's Dark Phoenix is not one of them. Dark Phoenix tells the origin story of the popular character Jean Grey (Sophie Turner) as she battles against memories of her childhood and deals with her deteriorating mental health as her powers begin enhancing.
Like its predecessor, X-Men: Apocalypse, Dark Phoenix received mixed reviews from audiences and critics, having done poorly in early test screenings too, and is also recognized as one of the biggest box office bombs of the 21st century. When it comes to X-Men movies, Dark Phoenix's somewhat clunky script, questionable dialogue, and unclear character direction have made it forgettable for many fans amongst beloved movies such as and X-Men: First Class. However, one thing Dark Phoenix proves is that Marvel fans love Jean Grey's character, no matter how many times her origin story adaptations slip from their minds.
X-Men: Dark Phoenix
PG-13
Superhero
Action
Where to Watch
- stream
- rent
- buy
*Availability in US
- Release Date
- June 7, 2019
- Cast
- James McAvoy , Michael Fassbender , Jennifer Lawrence , Sophie Turner , Tye Sheridan , Jessica Chastain , Nicholas Hoult
6 'Amsterdam' (2022)
Directed by David O. Russell
It is quite a challenge to round up a group of such current, talented, and beloved actors, cast them in the same movie, and still have that movie quickly snap out of the brains of those who actually watched it, and yet 2022's Amsterdam manages it. While many complimented the work of the large ensemble cast, featuring the likes of Margot Robbie, John David Washington, Christian Bale, Anya Taylor-Joy, and Taylor Swift, others believed that not even these A-listers could save the film.
A saturated screenplay and narrative, a runtime of over 130 minutes, a lack of marketing, and an apparent and uncharacteristic lack of chemistry between the leads meant that not even the production and costume design, which was praised by many, helped Amsterdam stand out.
Similarly, controversy behind the scenes, with Director David O. Russell meant that many made sure Amsterdam evaporated from their minds before they even watched the movie.
Amsterdam
R
Comedy
Drama
Where to Watch
- stream
- rent
- buy
Not available
*Availability in US
- Release Date
- October 7, 2022
- Cast
- Christian Bale , Margot Robbie , John David Washington , Chris Rock , Anya Taylor-Joy
5 'Pan' (2015)
Directed by Joe Wright
Joe Wright has directed some incredibly beloved and memorable movies, such as and Atonement, but unfortunately, 2015's Pan is not one of them. The film tells the origin story of Peter Pan (Levi Miller) and Captain Hook's (Garrett Hedlund) rivalry, predating the tale that we all know and love. However, in a consistent sea of Peter Pan adaptations and inspirations, Pan is a forgettable on-screen addition.
From simple issues such as a convoluted plot and excessive CGI to the controversy of casting Rooney Mara in the role of Tiger Lily, who is Native American, Pan's poor reviews and box office performance have effectively removed the movie from the memories of the masses. However, many agree that Levi Miller's performance in the lead role almost makes up for the forgettable story.
Pan
PG
Fantasy
Action
Adventure
Family
Where to Watch
- stream
- rent
- buy
Not available
*Availability in US
- Release Date
- September 24, 2015
- Cast
- Cara Delevingne , Rooney Mara , Hugh Jackman , Amanda Seyfried , Garrett Hedlund , Nonso Anozie
4 'Gods of Egypt' (2016)
Directed by Alex Proyas
In the current creative climate, with the science fiction/fantasy genre being dominated by adaptations of the likes of Dune, Star Wars, and The Lord of the Rings properties, it is becoming increasingly difficult to stand out with a lack of, or less concrete, source material. For some, this was the downfall of Alex Proya's 2016 movieGods of Egypt, but for others, there were many factors that made this movie fade quickly out of the conversation.
Gods of Egypt follows a mortal thief and the Egyptian god Horus, who team up to fight the God of Darkness, Set, and save their loved ones. Despite boasting a cast that includes Game of Thrones' Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Chadwick Boseman, Gerard Butler, and Yellowjackets' Courtney Eaton, the film was off to a bad start before it was even released. Criticized for the majority White cast, Gods of Egypt also went on to be called dull and repetitive, overly bloated, and disjointed. With the sensational fantasy of the 21st century, it is easy to see why Gods of Egypt has become forgettable.
Gods of Egypt
PG-13
Adventure
Action
Fantasy
Sci-Fi
Where to Watch
- stream
- rent
- buy
*Availability in US
- Release Date
- February 25, 2016
- Cast
- Gerard Butler , Nikolaj Coster-Waldau , Brenton Thwaites , Geoffrey Rush , Rufus Sewell , Abbey Lee
3 'The Divergent Series: Allegiant' (2016)
Directed by Robert Schwentke
For many young people, the 2010s was something of a golden age of teen fantasy dystopian fiction adaptations, with the likes of The Hunger Games, The Maze Runner, and Ready Player One all finding success on the big screen. However, the Divergent series, adapted from the novels by Veronica Roth, failed to make the same waves.
Following a society that is divided into six distinct factions, decided by prominent human behavior, the Divergent series, led by Shailene Woodley and Theo James, received criticism for directionlessly combining teen fantasy tropes but praise for the performances and action sequences. However, the third installment, Allegiant, was so poorly received that it effectively ended the franchise. Departing greatly from the source text, Allegiant lost the audience of book fans and lost mainstream audiences due to being deemed completely unoriginal. Such vast changes from the novel, and the poor decision to split the narrative into two potential movies, mean that many like to forget Allegiant exists altogether.
The Divergent Series: Allegiant
PG-13
Sci-Fi
Action
Adventure
Mystery
Romance
Where to Watch
- stream
- rent
- buy
*Availability in US
- Release Date
- March 9, 2016
- Cast
- Shailene Woodley , Miles Teller , Theo James , Ansel Elgort , Naomi Watts , Jonny Weston
2 'Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets' (2017)
Directed by Luc Besson
Luc Besson's 2017 space opera movie Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets was not only something of a box office bomb, but it is also largely forgotten about when it comes to discussion of sci-fi in the 21st century. Valerian was a real passion project for Besson, who financed the movie himself at $223 million, making it the most expensive independent movie of all time. This makes its unfortunate forgettability even sadder.
Despite being visually stunning, Valerian, which follows Valerian (Dane DeHaan) and Laureline (Cara Delevigne) as they protect the metropolis Alpha from unknown forces, lost many audiences due to it's complex and often directionless narrative. Many praised the world-building within the movie but argued that the narrative explored in Valerian wasn't as exciting as it could have been, given the scope of the original comic's lore.
Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets
PG-13
Sci-Fi
Action
Adventure
- Release Date
- July 21, 2017
- Cast
- Cara Delevingne , Ethan Hawke , Clive Owen , Dane DeHaan , Rihanna , John Goodman
1 'Snake Eyes' (2021)
Directed by Robert Schwentke
Set within the G.I. Joe universe, Snake Eyes shows the origin story of the titular character, a member of the G.I. Joe team, as he battles with the truths of his past as an ancient Japanese clan teaches him the ways of the ninja. The cast features Henry Golding, Úrsula Corberó, and Samara Weaving, but even actors with strong followings couldn't save the movie from all but vanishing out of the conversation.
Audiences and critics criticized the dialogue, the lead performance being too polished and clean, and the action sequences being nothing viewers haven't seen before. However, one of the biggest observations was that Snake Eyes read like an origin story that simply served to ignite a franchise, rather than one that stands on its own feet. With no franchise visible in the near future, Snake Eyes arguably serves little purpose to the audience it hoped to find.
NEXT: The 10 Most Forgettable Movies of All Time, According to Reddit
- Movie
- The Divergent Series (2014)
- Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets (2017)
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