8 Films That Were Box Office Hits but Critics Now Call Forgettable

Money and memory don’t always travel together in Hollywood. Some films fill theaters around the world, then fade from conversation almost as soon as the credits finish.

The eight below all earned huge sums at the box office. Reviews at the time were mixed to poor, and the lasting cultural footprint has often turned out smaller than the ticket sales suggested. Worldwide totals here are rounded, and “forgettable” is a fair description of how many critics and retrospectives treat them, not a universal verdict.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009)

This sequel grossed more than 800 million dollars worldwide. It arrived only two years after the first film, and audiences turned out in droves for the giant robot spectacle. Few franchise sequels of that era opened with such force.

Critics were far less kind. Reviewers often described the plot as noisy and confusing, and many complained about its length and its crude humor. Today it’s rarely singled out even by fans of the series, who tend to point to the first film or later entries instead.

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011)

On Stranger Tides crossed the one billion dollar mark globally, which made it one of the biggest earners of its year. Much of that came from overseas markets, where the franchise’s swashbuckling appeal remained strong. Johnny Depp’s Jack Sparrow was still a major draw.

The reviews were noticeably cooler than those for the original trilogy. Critics felt the story was thin and the tone had grown tired, and the film is now usually remembered as the point where the series began running on habit. Few people list it among their favorite entries.

Alice in Wonderland (2010)

Tim Burton’s take on Lewis Carroll’s story also passed one billion dollars worldwide. Its release helped push 3D into the mainstream just after Avatar. The starry cast and Burton’s signature look gave it a built in audience.

Critics were divided, and many found the visuals impressive but the storytelling hollow. Over time the film has become a reference point for the wave of live action remakes of animated classics, and not usually a beloved one. Its grosses are remembered more often than its scenes.

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018)

The second Jurassic World film earned roughly 1.3 billion dollars around the globe. It followed the enormous success of the 2015 reboot, so expectations for ticket sales were sky high. Audiences proved willing to return to see dinosaurs on the big screen.

Reviews, however, were mixed to negative. Critics praised a few gothic style sequences in its second half but faulted the script and the repeated reliance on formula. Many retrospectives now treat it as a bridge film, a stepping stone between bigger ideas.

The Lion King (2019)

Disney’s photorealistic remake of its own 1994 classic made more than 1.6 billion dollars worldwide. That placed it among the highest grossing films ever at the time of its release. Nostalgia for the original was clearly a powerful selling point.

Critics were split, and a common complaint was that realistic animals couldn’t show the emotion the animated characters had. Many reviewers called it a technical achievement that added little to the original story. Years later it’s often the example people reach for when discussing unnecessary remakes.

Suicide Squad (2016)

Suicide Squad brought in around 746 million dollars worldwide, a strong result for a team up of lesser known DC characters. Its marketing campaign was slick and its opening weekend was a record for August. Will Smith and Margot Robbie’s presence helped as well.

The critical response was harsh, with reviewers pointing to muddled editing and a scattered plot. The film won an Academy Award for makeup and hairstyling, which surprised many, though its reputation has hardly improved. Director David Ayer has since spoken about studio interference, and the later James Gunn film largely overshadowed it.

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)

Batman v Superman grossed roughly 870 million dollars globally, even though it fell short of what Warner Bros. hoped for. The idea of putting two of the most famous superheroes on screen together was an enormous draw. Its opening weekend was among the biggest ever recorded back then.

Critics, though, were largely unimpressed, criticizing its grim tone and its crowded story. A longer cut later found some defenders, but the general view is that the theatrical version left little lasting impression. It’s remembered now mainly as an awkward chapter in the studio’s shared universe plans.

Jurassic World Dominion (2022)

Dominion reached about one billion dollars worldwide, in the middle of a period when theaters were still recovering from the pandemic. Bringing back the original trio of Sam Neill, Laura Dern and Jeff Goldblum was a major selling point. It was one of the biggest earners of 2022.

Reviews were generally poor, with critics finding the story cluttered and the dinosaurs oddly sidelined. Many saw it as a nostalgia exercise that gave a trilogy an uneventful sendoff. Its box office was substantial, yet it left little conversation behind once it left theaters.