Top 20 Worst Parody Movies

As a movie critic, I’ve seen a lot of parodies, and the good ones really nail it by playfully poking fun at popular movies and clichés. But recently, I’ve noticed a trend where these films just aren’t landing. The ones I’m thinking of seem to prioritize stuffing in as many pop culture references as possible, hoping that’ll be enough to get laughs. Unfortunately, it usually results in a messy, incoherent story and relies way too much on shock value instead of actual cleverness. It’s a shame, because when parody is done right, it’s hilarious, but these recent attempts just miss the mark due to weak writing and a lack of genuine wit.

‘Spy Hard’ (1996)

Leslie Nielsen plays a retired secret agent named Dick Steele in this funny take on spy movies. He’s called back into action to stop the villainous General Rancor from taking over the world. The film playfully imitates movies like ‘Pulp Fiction’ and ‘True Lies’ with lots of physical comedy. However, some viewers felt it wasn’t as funny as Nielsen’s previous films, like ‘The Naked Gun’.

‘Scary Movie 5’ (2013)

This was the first movie in the series without Anna Faris and Regina Hall. The story follows a couple who bring their new baby home and are then haunted by demons. It borrows elements from films like ‘Mama’ and ‘Paranormal Activity,’ and tries to include ideas from ‘Black Swan.’ Reviewers felt the series had lost its spark by this point.

‘Fifty Shades of Black’ (2016)

Marlon Wayans created and stars in a funny parody of the movie ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’. The film centers on the clumsy romance between Hannah Steale and Christian Black. It uses a lot of slapstick and jokes about sex, which some people found to be too similar and predictable. Ultimately, the movie didn’t do much to set itself apart from the original film it was making fun of.

‘Dance Flick’ (2009)

This movie is a comedy created by the Wayans family that pokes fun at dance films. The story follows a girl from the suburbs who moves to the city and learns to dance from a local street dancer. It playfully imitates movies like ‘Save the Last Dance’ and ‘Step Up’ using over-the-top dancing and musical performances. However, critics felt the film relied too much on old clichés and felt disconnected due to its series of unrelated scenes.

‘Shriek If You Know What I Did Last Friday the Thirteenth’ (2000)

This movie, released directly to video, tries to make fun of slasher films popular in the late 90s. It follows a group of teenagers being hunted by a killer with a hockey mask who uses a squeegee as a weapon. While the story borrows ideas from movies like ‘Scream’ and ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer,’ it was made on a very small budget. Most horror fans didn’t find it funny, and preferred other comedy-horror films from that time.

‘2001: A Space Travesty’ (2000)

Leslie Nielsen stars as a marshal sent to a moon base to save the President. The movie tries to parody iconic science fiction films like ‘2001: A Space Odyssey,’ but its release was delayed for over a year. This made many of its jokes and references feel old-fashioned. Ultimately, the film was hampered by clumsy editing and a confusing plot.

‘Farce of the Penguins’ (2007)

Bob Saget’s film is a humorous take on the documentary ‘March of the Penguins’. It cleverly combines real penguin footage with surprisingly raunchy dialogue delivered by famous voice actors. The movie centers on penguins’ journey to find partners, but relies heavily on crude humor. However, many critics felt the combination of beautiful nature scenes and adult jokes quickly became more annoying than amusing.

‘An American Carol’ (2008)

Director David Zucker tried to create a funny, political take on ‘A Christmas Carol.’ The movie centers on a filmmaker with very liberal views who doesn’t like celebrating the Fourth of July – until three ghosts show up to change his mind. It uses exaggerated characters to poke fun at documentaries and political activism. However, the film’s strong political opinions turned off a lot of people, and it didn’t do well in theaters.

‘Superfast!’ (2015)

This movie is a parody of the ‘Fast and Furious’ films, poking fun at their over-the-top action and emotional storylines. The story follows an undercover police officer who infiltrates a street racing gang to rob a criminal boss. It uses characters that resemble the original ‘Fast and Furious’ cast and amplifies the franchise’s emphasis on family and cars. Unfortunately, the film’s limited budget kept it from successfully recreating the spectacle it was trying to make fun of.

‘The Starving Games’ (2013)

This comedy playfully mixes elements from ‘The Hunger Games’, ‘The Avengers’, and ‘Harry Potter’. The story follows Kantmiss Evershot, who bravely steps forward to compete in a deadly contest with a silly prize: a ham and a sub sandwich coupon. The filmmakers used a familiar approach from their other parodies, resulting in jokes that often felt expected. Many of the gags focused on slapstick violence or references to pop culture trends that quickly became outdated.

‘Vampires Suck’ (2010)

I recently saw this hilarious movie that totally pokes fun at the ‘Twilight’ series! It’s about a girl named Becca who’s stuck deciding between a vampire and a werewolf, and it’s done in a way that’s just brilliant. They actually recreate scenes from the original movies almost exactly, but then add all this goofy, over-the-top slapstick comedy. A lot of the jokes come from making fun of how dramatic teen romances can be, and they really play up the whole pale vampire look for laughs. Honestly, while it was incredibly funny, some critics thought it didn’t really offer any new insights into the vampire trend it was parodying, but I still loved it!

‘Breaking Wind’ (2011)

This movie is a parody of the ‘Twilight’ series, relying heavily on silly and often crude bathroom humor. It follows a similar story of a human girl falling for a vampire in a small town, but uses actors who resemble the original cast and cheap special effects. Critics generally disliked it, citing poor filmmaking and an overabundance of fart jokes.

‘Stan Helsing’ (2009)

This horror comedy follows a video store employee and his pals as they face off against comical versions of classic movie monsters. To survive the night, they have to beat the monsters in a karaoke contest. While the characters are inspired by villains from films like ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street’ and ‘Friday the 13th,’ they aren’t scary at all. Unfortunately, the movie’s karaoke battle finale didn’t appeal to viewers who were hoping for a typical spoof.

‘The 41–Year–Old Virgin Who Knocked Up Sarah Marshall and Felt Superbad About It’ (2010)

This movie tries to recreate the feel of popular comedies by Judd Apatow, but it doesn’t quite succeed. The story centers on a man in his forties attempting to lose his virginity, and it’s filled with awkward dates and romantic failures. However, the film feels fragmented and doesn’t really connect to the movies it seems to be inspired by. Many viewers felt the marketing was deceptive, as the film didn’t deliver on the promise of being similar to those other comedies.

‘Date Movie’ (2006)

This romantic comedy tells the story of a woman on a quest to find love. She gets a new look and falls for a man from Britain, all while navigating the challenges of meddling family members. The film uses humor similar to movies like ‘My Big Fat Greek Wedding’ and ‘Meet the Parents’, but critics pointed out it mostly copies scenes instead of offering a fresh, funny take.

’30 Nights of Paranormal Activity with the Devil Inside the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo’ (2013)

The movie playfully imitates the style of found footage horror films, but also borrows elements from unrelated psychological thrillers. It centers around a detective investigating a haunted house and a family dealing with bizarre events. While trying to parody the shaky camera work of films like ‘Paranormal Activity,’ it unexpectedly includes characters reminiscent of ‘The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.’ Ultimately, this combination of genres created a confusing experience that didn’t deliver either scares or humor.

‘Meet the Spartans’ (2008)

This movie is a satirical take on the action style of ‘300’. It shows King Leonidas and his soldiers fighting to protect their homeland, but with unexpected cameos from famous people. The film is full of product placements and references to popular reality TV shows from that time. It’s often used as an example of how quickly parody movies can feel old and irrelevant.

‘Epic Movie’ (2007)

A movie about four orphans who stumble into a magical world called Gnarnia after visiting a chocolate factory is a parody of large-scale fantasy films like ‘The Chronicles of Narnia’ and ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’. However, the film’s humor mostly depends on viewers recognizing references, and it’s been criticized for having a weak plot and relying too much on crude jokes.

‘Disaster Movie’ (2008)

This movie follows a group of friends trying to survive a city plagued by disasters. It features characters borrowed from ‘Iron Man’ and ‘Enchanted,’ but is mostly known for its chaotic story that feels like a collection of random pop culture references. It’s widely considered one of the worst films ever made, receiving consistently negative reviews from both audiences and critics.

‘United Passions’ (2014)

As a real cinema fan, I stumbled upon this film about the history of the organization that runs international football, and it’s… something else. It was largely financed by them, which explains a lot. It was meant to be a serious, dramatic telling of their story, but honestly, it ended up being unintentionally hilarious. The way they portrayed the people in charge – as these heroic figures – just didn’t land with audiences. It’s become a bit of a laughingstock, a total critical and commercial flop, and everyone mocks it for how utterly unaware it is of itself. It’s fascinatingly bad, honestly!

Please share your own list of the most unwatchable parody movies in the comments.

2025-11-25 01:46