These films may have asked their creators to leave to themselves because they made the whole world watch, but the world didn’t want to see them.
Not every attempt to revisit the past and milk the known dead cow will succeed.
Here are six new Hollywood movies that fell flat on their faces and failed to capture the magic of their predecessors.
6. Carrie (2013)
Despite efforts at updating and hiring an able cast, including Chloƫ Grace Moretz as Carrie and Julianne Moore, the remake simply lacks originality.
Whereas the 1976 original closely followed the Stephen King source material, capturing the essence of the time period and the pivotal role of Carrie’s mother, the remake sticks much more closely to the original and adds very little new material, making the film a glossy retelling of a familiar story. .
5. The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008)
A remake of an almost 50-year-old movie like The Day the Earth Stood Still might be great, but while the original was based on Cold War scares, the remake takes a different approach, relying heavily on VFX.
Despite the efforts of Keanu Reeves, Jennifer Connelly, and Jaden Smith, the film fails to deliver its message of saving humanity, especially considering the high cost of saving the planet after alien intervention.
4. Taxi (2004)
Based on Luc Besson’s 1998 French film of the same name, the American remake starring Jimmy Fallon and Queen Latifah has a very different plot involving international espionage. While the original film had the charm, humor, and many sequels that the film’s success spawned, the remake didn’t make as lasting an impact as the Luc Besson franchise.
3. Black Christmas (2019)
Blumhouse Productions came up short in its attempt to remake the original Canadian film of the same name. While the remake aims to emphasize feminist themes and keep the action scenes intact, it fails to match the uniqueness of the original, especially as an earlier slasher movie.
The remake also made the mistake of incorporating supernatural elements, steer clear of the horror of a mysterious real human killer lurking in your house.
2- Psychology (1998)
Gus Van Sant’s remake of Alfred Hitchcock’s masterpiece from the ’60s has left many people scratching their heads. While the intention may have been an homage, the remake ends up feeling like a pale imitation of the iconic original.
Starring Vince Vaughn as Norman Bates and Anne Heche as Marion Crane, the remake disappoints with its over-acted scenes and antics, turning potential suspense into unintentional humor.
1. Ghostbusters (2016)
The 2016 remake attempted to reinvent the beloved 1984 supernatural comedy with the iconic quartet of Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis, and Rick Moranis, but it stumbled and fell into a pit of shame.
The decision to replace the original male cast with one of the females didn’t sit well with everyone, sparking discussions about gender roles and failing to capture the same magic that made the original a classic.
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