Movies That Don’t Make Sense or Shouldn’t Have Been Made (Spoiler warning)

We’ve all seen movies which left us kind of baffled or annoyed. We all hope that, when we sit down to enjoy a new movie, it will be life-changing or at the least make us feel some type of emotion. Movies are an art form and, when they end up being preposterous, it can leave a funny taste in your mouth. Here are a couple of my picks for most nonsensical movies and why I have branded them as such. 

Warning: Spoilers below.  

Halloween III: Season of the Witch

IMDB: 4.9/10

Rotten Tomatoes: 42% 27%

Where to start with this one? Let’s begin by mentioning how great the Halloween franchise is as a whole. With reboot after reboot and the storyline consistency across the series for the most part, one film stands out from all the others.

Halloween III: Season of the Witch appears to be the most random instalment in a franchise. John Carpenter’s movies were successful, with the recurring battle between Michael Myers and Laurie Strode and her family line being a central focus. Why is it, then, that they released such a contrasting film within the franchise? A theory: since it was directed by someone other than John Carpenter (Tommy Lee Wallace, with John Carpenter and Debra Hill participating as producers instead,) perhaps they had a different vision in mind? According to this article, this instalment almost ruined the franchise’s success. 

The third Halloween consists of a doctor, Daniel Challis, who attempts to unravel the terrifying secret of a Halloween mask company run by Conal Cochran. Cochran plans on executing a mass murder, using the masks he sells as a lethal weapon, with the help of a ancient Celtic ritual. The idea is to invoke this ritual on Halloween night, when all the children who bought masks are wearing them. Cochran also has what I would call “cyborg-bodyguard type people” who go out and murder anyone who poses a threat to his sadistic plan... a little sci-fi, a little horror, but apparently no Michael Myers 

Scary Movie 5

IMDB: 3.5/10

Rotten Tomatoes: 4% 38%

When will casting directors learn that reboots of successful movies won’t be stellar unless you cast main characters back into the movie?

Anna Faris has starred as the main role in every Scary Movie up until the fifth instalment. She takes on the name of Cindy Campbell (a take off Scream’s Sydney Prescott) who is commonly referred to as an unintelligent and silly character, always getting into hilariously impractical situations with her friends and constantly running from some sort of lethal threat to her and her friends. Throughout the years, Scary Movie fans have come to love the brunette-then-blonde goofball that Cindy is. It is justifiable, then, that the public sentiment suggests the newest instalment isn’t as good without the presence of Faris. Regina Hall, who plays Brenda Meeks alongside Faris, doesn’t make a reappearance either. However, Charlie Sheen and Simon Rex do play roles in it – jarring, considering that Rex’s character passed away in the fourth installment.

The film itself is a hot mess. Basing itself off the premises of the Paranormal Activity, Mother and Black Swan, it is basically a compilation of many bits and pieces of each film in a failed attempt to relate to the already faulty plot.

SPF - 18

IMDB: 3.3/10

Rotten tomatoes (audience score): 9%

Let’s talk a little bit about Netflix originals for a second. The company has produced many well-rounded movies and series including Stranger Things, To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, Orange is the New Black and Gerald’s Game. Netflix has also released some questionable movies as well. A special mention goes to SPF - 18, which is often included among the most confusing and plotless teen romance movie ever produced. 

The movie starts off with a dream couple, Penny Cooper and Johnny Sanders (shockingly played by Noah Centineo.) The couple, along with a couple of their friends, spend a few days at a celebrity’s beach house through connections. Cooper is a quirky videographer and her boyfriend Sanders is a surfer. Go figure.

The rest is fairly complicated to explain, but let’s just say another attractive teenage boy makes an appearance and Penny becomes stuck in a love triangle. The relationships become so confusing and inconsistent, to the point where there appear to be 17,000 plot lines happening all at once.

Somehow, this movie scored a couple of grade-A superstars to feature in it. How? I don’t know. Keanu Reeves, Pamela Anderson and Molly Ringwald star in the movie – some played characters and some appeared as themselves. But unless you’re a diehard Pamela Anderson fan, this movie isn’t for you.

Sierra Burgess is a Loser

IMDB: 5.9/10

Rotten Tomatoes: 61% 32%

When this Netflix Original was released, many viewers though this to be a new possible coming-of-age film with a good message behind it. The beginning of the movie may have you thinking, “Hey, what could go wrong?”

Apparently, a lot. While having the highest ratings on this list, the movie appears to be fairly problematic. Unfortunately, it received a huge backlash surrounding transphobic jokes, catfishing, non-consensual notions and even revenge porn – some quite intense claims for a PG-13 movie.

Sierra Burgess (played by Shannon Purser) is an intelligent teenager who struggles with body positivity. Although being very bright, she deals with a fair amount of bullying at her school. Veronica (played by Kristine Froseth,) along with her two friends, are Burgess’ main tormentors.

As you can imagine, Veronica and her friends are the typical “It” girls with expensive clothing and slim figures, the types that are able to make any guy fall for them. Meanwhile, Burgess is concerned that she won’t get into her dream ivy league school so, by her counsellor’s suggestion, she plans on doing something that will make her stand out on her resume.

One day, Jamie sees Veronica and asks her for her number; she gives him Burgess’ number instead. That evening, the two begin to text without Jamie knowing who Burgess really is. 

Oof, okay. Following that day, Jamie discloses that he believes he is speaking to Veronica, and this bothers her because she had begun to grow fond of the guy who had been texting her. Instead of exposing herself to Jamie, she gets Veronica to make a deal with her; Veronica will help her into fooling Jamie so that she can keep texting him. In return, Sierra aids Veronica with her grades. Notice something off? Thought so. Throughout this time, the girls end up developing a friendship and begin putting aside their differences. 

At this point it just seems to get worse. Jamie goes on for the majority of the film believing he is texting, talking on the phone and falling for Veronica when he is actually doing all these things with Sierra. The poor kid even shares some of his deepest thoughts in those calls and texts, confiding in who he believes is Veronica. Veronica even went on a date with Jamie where Sierra joined them, but stayed hidden. After this date, Veronica staged a kiss with Jamie, switching with Sierra at the last second so that she would be the one kissing him. This is where the non-consent claims come into play.

Later on in the movie, Veronica meets up with her college boy Spence at a party. She had invited Sierra as well. At the party, Veronica and Spence end up hooking up and Spence takes a picture with her phone which Sierra somehow gets a hold of later on. This is important to remember.

The girls’ school has a football game against Jamie’s school – Jamie, of course, being the quarterback.. To make matters more interesting, Veronica is a cheerleader. As you can predict, Veronica and Jamie run into each other and evidently end up kissing. Who sees this? Sierra. Who acts out? Sierra. 

The girl takes matters into her own hands and hacks Veronica’s instagram with 20,000 followers, posting the picture of her and Spence. Don’t think it can get any worse? Another student decides to plaster that picture on the scoreboard at the game, displaying it to all those who are present. Inevitably, Jamie sees this and is outraged, Veronica realizes who’s to blame and exposes Sierra to Jamie, after which he decides to cut off communication with both indefinitely.

And just when you thought it was over, both Jamie and Veronica decide to simply forgive Sierra for her errors after she releases an original song about being a misfit. They all lived happily ever after at the school dance! Great!

Let’s all say what we’re thinking: Huh? 

It is impossible to know how these characters came to forgive and forget so quickly; any of this would’ve had serious consequences in the real world. There aren’t any actual solutions to the problems embedded in this movie, which is why it has been labeled as being so problematic. This movie targets a young audience and it’s important that coming-of-age films preach correct social protocol. You know, like consent.

There is no doubt that there are countless other movies out in the world that are as bad/weird as these ones. However, there is no point in discussing these things. In the end, bad movies make us admire and appreciate the good ones. Are there any movies in your opinion that shouldn’t have been made? Let us know below!

Andy March.

A 19 year old student at Algonquin College, being forced out of her comfort zone to write about stuff she likes and post it ! Avid lover of movies, movie soundtracks, and sweet and salty popcorn.