Summary

• Remakes often miss the essence of the original film, risking disappointment among audiences and failing to add anything new.
• Iconic movies are remade for modern audiences, but the pressure to live up to the original is immense, requiring unique elements.
• Live-action remakes of animated films must balance audience expectations with creative vision.

It's often the worst movie remakes that completely miss the point of the original film. One of the main reasons a movie is remade is because the original is so iconic and well-loved by audiences. This success indicates to studios and filmmakers that there's money to be made in creating a new version of the film with elements of the modern era. However, this also puts enormous pressure on the remake to not only live up to the original but bring something unique to the table that justifies the existence of the project.

Today, live-action versions of animated movies are popular examples of reboots that have performed well at the box office.

Occasionally, a story will be adapted and retold many times, like a fairytale or a folk legend. The audience's baseline understanding of these stories opens the door for creatives to experiment. Today, live-action versions of animated movies are popular examples of reboots that have performed well at the box office. Greta Gerwig's Chronicles of Narnia reboot exists within this legacy and has much riding on it after Gerwig's strong reimagining of Little Women. Filmmakers like Gerwig are up to the task of taking on high-pressure IP that can divide audiences, but not all writers and directors have the same skills.

8 Psycho (1998)

Original: Pyscho (1960)

It's safe to say that there's never any reason to try and reboot an Alfred Hitchcock movie.

It's safe to say that there's never any reason to try and reboot an Alfred Hitchcock movie. Whatever an up-and-coming filmmaker thinks they have to add or update in his work, it's likely that they're wrong and are going to fall short of the iconic legacy left behind by Hitchcock. This happened to Gus Van Sant in 1998 with his version of Psycho, which stars Vince Vaughn in a terrible recreation of the character Norman Bates. Alongside Vaughn is a litany of A-list stars of the 1990s who decided to take a chance on this unfortunate remake.

Psycho is available to rent on Prime Video, Apple TV, or YouTube.

The additions Van Sant made to differentiate his remarkably similar take on the story were the inclusion of more graphic violence and the contemporary setting of the 1990s. However, something Hitchcock understood was that sometimes stakes and tension are at their height when aspects of the plot are left up to the audience's imagination. Whatever Van Sant intended to achieve with his remake was lost in a project that didn't understand itself or its predecessor.

7 Ghost In The Shell (2017)

Original: Ghost in the Shell (1995)

Audiences who made it through the movie might have appreciated the strong visuals the project's large budget afforded it.

When Scarlett Johansson was cast as the lead character in the live-action American Ghost in the Shell, it was a clear sign that the movie was destined to fail on all counts. Whitewashing a movie that's so rooted in Japanese culture and representation was a massive failure on the part of the film and was a large part of why people refused to see the film. Audiences who made it through the movie might have appreciated the strong visuals the project's large budget afforded it. Unfortunately, this couldn't make up for the emptiness at the core of the glittering spectacle.

It's no easy feat to adapt anime to live-action. The worst live-action anime adaptations all fail to translate the aesthetics and tone that soar in the animated versions. Though on paper, the 1995 Ghost in the Shell is just as emotionally removed and technologically oriented as the 2017 version, that's not the case at all when analyzing the works. It's far easier to relate to and empathize with Motoko in the animated iteration, and her journey is extremely emotional for the viewer.

6 Robin Hood (2018)

Original: The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)

There have been more film and television adaptations of Robin Hood and his legend than almost any other story. However, audiences must look back to 1938 to find a movie that fully does the character and heart of the tale justice. The Adventures of Robin Hood stars Errol Flynn, the epitome of a classic movie star. Charming, handsome, and the perfect Robin Hood inside and out. Others have come close to the 1938 film's strength with decent adaptations, but the 2018 Robin Hood with Taron Egerton does not belong on that list.

Updated visual effects and brutally violent action sequences aren't elements that would elevate any Robin Hood movie.

Perhaps the only true similarity between the character Egerton plays and the legendary Robin Hood is that they both use a bow and arrow. Egerton and the movie are clunky, disted, and fail to understand the purpose of telling a Robin Hood story. There should be joy, life, laughter, and color woven throughout the tale. The 2018 Robin Hood is more easily compared to the origin story of Batman than that of Robin of Loxley. Updated visual effects and brutally violent action sequences aren't elements that would elevate any Robin Hood movie.

5 Ben-Hur (2016)

Original: Ben-Hur (1959)

As one of the best biblical epics of all time, the 1959 Ben-Hur truly earns the title. At almost three and a half hours long, watching the movie is a commitment, but it's well worth it thanks to the amazing elements of the story, incredible practical sets, and historical costuming. Though not the first adaptation of the Ben-Hur story, the 1959 iteration is considered the definitive version and is cited as the work that will go down in history. It's hard to know why the studio behind the 2016 Ben-Hur thought the film needed an update.

What remaking Ben-Hur achieved is a legacy opposite to that of the original. None of the actors live up to their roles, and it's difficult to believe that any of them truly embody their characters. Like many remakes of its ilk, Ben-Hur fails to capture the spirit and has no reason for existing. The era of thrilling epics from the Hollywood Golden Age is a period gone by, and no number of reboots is going to bring it back. Even if Ben-Hur had been a box office and critical success, it would still lack the poignancy of the works that came before.

4 Fame (2009)

Original: Fame (1980)

As the political and social landscape of the U.S. evolved at a rapid rate, Fame was met with interest and outrage at its portrayal of young people.

Loosely based on the real performing arts high school, LaGuardia, in New York City, the 1980 Fame balanced music, performance, dancing, and the desire for celebrity with a raw depiction of the teenage experience. As the political and social landscape of the U.S. evolved at a rapid rate, Fame was met with interest and outrage at its portrayal of young people. However, it's only grown in the estimation of viewers and critics as it's aged. The same cannot be said for the remake that hit theaters in 2009.

The 2009 Fame came out at the worst possible time for film and television focusing on teen issues. In 1980, it was interesting and boundary-pushing to discuss identity, sexuality, and struggles with mental illness. These topics were more commonplace by 2009, but the media hadn't yet reached the intensity and explicit depictions of teen life that exploded in the late 2010s and early 2020s. What resulted was a PG version of Fame that had none of the bite or discourse that made the original a remarkable work of cinema.

3 Charlie And The Chocolate Factory (2005)

Original: Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971)

Any remake of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory that has someone other than Gene Wilder playing Willy Wonka is doomed to fail. The most recent origin story of the chocolatier, starring Timothée Chalamet, has come the closest to the magic of the original but still falls short of the first and best take on the story. Like any Roald Dahl story, Willy Wonka is a little off-putting and should occasionally make the audience a little uncomfortable. However, the 2005 movie directed by Tim Burton never gives the audience a break from the eerie atmosphere.

It wasn't just Wilder's inspired performance that made the 1971 iteration so definitive, as all parts of the movie came together to outlast any other version. Willy Wonka is ed with the same nostalgia and cultural understanding as classics like The Wizard of Oz, and few can claim that they haven't seen the film. Instead of using the magical elements as a means to discuss real topics, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was only interested in the aesthetics of the fantasy.

2 The Mummy (2017)

Original: The Mummy (1999)

Unfortunately, casting Tom Cruise in a movie is not a surefire way to make the project too big to fail. While Cruise has a fantastic box office draw, the reality of his 2017 The Mummy turning into yet another franchise for the star didn't live up to its potential. The first film starring Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz has faced some criticism over its dated visual effects and off-color jokes. However, it has a realism and humanity that the cold detachment of the 2017 The Mummy lacks in every way.

The attempt to make this film's version of the mummy terrifying and be taken as seriously as possible failed on all counts and lacked the humor and warmth of the original.

Parts of the 1999 film are scary and thrilling, but the movie never takes itself too seriously and is firmly rooted in the adventure genre, not pure action-thriller. Despite its enormous budget and high-profile stars, the gritty, slate gray palette of the 2017 The Mummy is boring from beginning to end. The attempt to make this film's version of the mummy terrifying and be taken as seriously as possible failed on all counts and lost the humor and warmth of the original.

1 Point Break (2015)

Original: Point Break (1991)

The original Point Break is one of the movies that defined Keanu Reeves' career due to his amazing chemistry with co-star Patrick Swayze and the iconic nature of the project. It was completely different from other action movies coming out at the time and positioned the importance of Johnny and Bodhi's relationship above all else. In some ways, Point Break was paid tribute to in the 2001 film The Fast and the Furious. It followed a similar format but changed essential elements that positioned the movie to spin off into an international franchise.

This is what made the 2015 Point Break so pointless and disappointing. It's clear from the beginning that the filmmakers thought the essential part of the original movie's plot was the action sequences, turning them up by focusing on extreme sports instead of surfing. Additionally, Point Break fell victim to the rampant issue of the 2010s when interesting stylistic choices were thrown out in favor of mass appeal and marketability. The result is a film that looks and feels flat throughout.