Top 20 Movies that are Trying Too Hard

Certain movies aim to be grand, trying to impress audiences with stunning visuals, powerful emotions, or completely new ideas. This often leads to films with a very distinct style, complicated storylines, or incredibly ambitious scope. These movies usually involve detailed world-building, massive marketing campaigns, and stories designed to make a big splash. They often depend on impressive special effects, unusual structures, or the weight of established franchises. Each of these films stood out for the sheer effort put into making, promoting, and releasing them. Below are twenty examples that are well-known for going all-out.

‘Suicide Squad’ (2016)

The movie went through a lot of editing and required substantial re-filming after production to adjust its overall feel. It featured a large cast of flawed characters and relied heavily on special effects. A worldwide marketing push, including character posters and music collaborations, was used to promote the film, with the studio hoping to launch a major film series.

‘Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice’ (2016)

The movie featured a number of key characters and hinted at future films within the same universe. Making it involved big action scenes and a lot of computer-generated scenery. The story combined elements from several different comic book arcs into one cohesive plot. A major marketing push emphasized the team-up between two popular comic brands.

‘The Amazing Spider-Man 2’ (2014)

The movie had a lot of characters and several storylines that all connected. Filmmakers focused on creating impressive visual effects and exciting action sequences. Decisions about who to include and how the story unfolded were partly based on plans for future movies and TV shows. The marketing highlighted the rich, detailed world of the film and all the related merchandise.

‘Cats’ (2019)

The movie used a lot of advanced digital effects to create realistic fur, which took a lot of work to get right after filming. It featured many famous actors whose parts were heavily advertised globally. The filmmakers built impressive sets and designed elaborate dances to bring a theatrical experience to the big screen. Even after it came out, the film was updated to fix some technical issues.

‘Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets’ (2017)

The movie used a lot of special effects to bring to life different alien creatures and futuristic worlds. The filmmakers had a large budget, allowing them to create detailed digital sets and use advanced motion capture technology. The story came from a popular comic book series known for its rich and detailed universe. Marketing focused on the film’s impressive visuals and groundbreaking technology.

‘Jupiter Ascending’ (2015)

The movie was a science fiction epic, featuring themes like power struggles between planets, genetic manipulation, and royal families in space. Making it involved elaborate sets and cutting-edge visual effects. Designing the costumes and the many creatures seen in the film took a significant amount of time. Beyond the main story, the filmmakers also developed a rich and detailed backstory and universe.

‘Sucker Punch’ (2011)

The movie combined fantastical settings made with a lot of digital effects. The story linked different dreamlike worlds to one main location. Making the film required detailed planning for exciting, visually impressive fight scenes. Marketing focused on how the film mixed different types of stories and art styles.

‘A Wrinkle in Time’ (2018)

The movie was based on a famous novel celebrated for its creativity and thought-provoking ideas. Filmmakers brought the story to life with grand sets, beautiful costumes, and stunning visual effects. The film featured well-known actors who were heavily featured in promotional materials. At its heart, the story dealt with time travel and powerful, universal forces.

‘The Lone Ranger’ (2013)

The movie was an epic Western filled with big action scenes, shot in several different states. A large budget allowed for impressive stunts and historically accurate sets. Filming took a long time because of difficulties with the various locations. The marketing campaign presented the film as a fresh take on a beloved character from previous stories.

‘Mortal Engines’ (2018)

Creating this film involved building a complex and imaginative world with moving cities and giant machines. The filmmakers crafted incredibly detailed models and computer-generated imagery for the exciting action scenes. The studio hoped this would be the first film in a series, and the marketing campaign highlighted the impressive visual effects and unique design.

‘Pan’ (2015)

The movie offered a fresh take on familiar characters, brought to life with stunning sets and digital effects. A lot of effort went into creating a vibrant and detailed world, relying heavily on visual effects. It featured several big musical numbers and action scenes with complex choreography. The studio is promoting it as a large-scale fantasy film perfect for families.

‘Terminator Genisys’ (2015)

This latest film brought back characters from previous movies, but also changed the established order of events. It was made using a lot of advanced motion-capture technology and featured large-scale action scenes. Unfortunately, the marketing gave away key plot points in the trailers. The film was intended to be the first in a series of three, which affected how the story was told.

‘King Arthur: Legend of the Sword’ (2017)

As a movie fan, I was really captivated by this film! It felt like stepping into the Middle Ages, but with a totally modern, visually stunning twist. They didn’t hold back on the action either – tons of incredible stunts and huge battle scenes filmed in these amazing outdoor locations. What I loved most was how they took classic myths and legends and retold them in a fresh, cinematic way. The trailers and everything really emphasized how unique their take on these old stories was, and it definitely delivered!

‘Robin Hood’ (2018)

The film featured new weapons and costumes developed with detailed design work. Production designers created expansive city sets, mixing old and new architectural styles. The action scenes involved a lot of cables and visual effects. Marketing focused on how the movie offered a fresh take on well-known characters.

‘Ghostbusters’ (2016)

The movie relied heavily on digital effects to create its ghosts, settings, and action sequences. Filmmakers combined these effects with carefully built physical sets and green-screen technology. To promote the film, they used advertising across many platforms and teamed up with merchandise partners. The actors also traveled the world to do interviews and appearances.

‘The Mummy’ (2017)

The movie kicked off an idea for a connected universe, bringing together different monster stories. Filming involved big action scenes shot on elaborate sets, using planes and various outdoor spots. Visual effects were heavily relied upon to bring the fantastical creatures and events to life. The studio also shared plans for a long-running series of films.

‘The Last Airbender’ (2010)

This movie adaptation took a full season of the animated series and streamlined it into one film. Making it involved building impressive sets, using a lot of green-screen technology, and creating detailed effects for the elemental powers. The filmmakers used motion capture and carefully planned fight choreography to accurately represent the bending techniques from the show. The marketing campaign emphasized the original series’ existing fanbase.

‘Tomorrowland’ (2015)

The movie featured impressive city scenes of the future, created using both real sets and computer-generated effects. The story explored ideas about new inventions and finding solutions to worldwide issues. Filming took place in various countries to showcase a wide range of landscapes. The marketing campaign emphasized a link to a popular area within a famous theme park.

‘Green Lantern’ (2011)

Creating the film took a lot of work after filming because everything – the costumes and the planets – was made using computers. The movie featured a huge number of characters, many of whom came straight from the comic books. The storyline brought together different beginnings and backstories into one plot. The advertising focused on how massive and visually stunning the film’s space settings were.

‘Snow White and the Huntsman’ (2012)

The movie brought imaginary worlds to life with grand sets, elaborate costumes, and a blend of real and computer-generated effects. Filming took place over long periods in beautiful locations around the world. Designing the creatures and magic involved a lot of work after filming was finished. The marketing campaign highlighted the movie’s exciting action and its fresh take on a well-known story.

Share your thoughts on these ambitious films in the comments.

2025-11-15 13:46