While box office numbers aren’t always the best measure of a movie’s quality, they still play a vital role in its popularity. Simply put, audiences steer clear of movies that no one’s watching. Whether it’s because of poor marketing or unfortunate timing, some films never get the welcome they deserve.
On this list, we’ll revisit 15 action flicks that never made a huge splash at the box office. Time has turned some of them into cult classics, but for the studios, that’s not enough to pay the bills.
RELATED: 10 Box Office Flops That Are Actually Worth Watching
15. The Lone Ranger (2013): The Disney Western Bomb That’s Better Than Its Reputation
On paper, 2013’s The Lone Ranger was a surefire hit. Jerry Bruckheimer and Gore Verbinski, the producer/director duo behind the first three Pirates of the Caribbean films, brought back Johnny Depp to play a quirky character in a PG-13 action flick. The Lone Ranger could have been the next Pirates; instead, it sank, becoming one of 2013’s costliest box office bombs. (Rotten Tomatoes: 31%)
Certainly not as explosive as Pirates, The Lone Ranger is still a fairly entertaining film whose only real sin was its ballooning budget. Had it cost Disney a bit less, it could have become a moderate success for the House of Mouse. It earned about $260 million worldwide on a reported budget of $215 million or more.
14. Punisher: War Zone (2008): The Gritty Marvel Flop Punisher Fans Still Love
Punisher: War Zone is arguably the closest we’ve ever been to a live-action adaptation of Punisher MAX, and any comic book fan knows just how amazing that sounds. While not as “pretty” as the rest of the Punisher films, War Zone has that gritty edge that would make Frank Castle proud. This film flopped hard, earning about $10 million worldwide on a reported $35 million budget, but it’s the perfect treat for any Punisher fan out there who wants to see Frank at his most deranged. (Rotten Tomatoes: 29%)
For more on Frank Castle’s history, see our look at Dolph Lundgren’s Punisher.
13. Sorcerer (1977): William Friedkin’s Costly Flop With the Famous Bridge Scene
Directed by William Friedkin, Sorcerer is easily one of the most ambitious films ever made. Unfortunately, that ambition also turned it into one of the most expensive movies of its time — and that’s always a double-edged sword. Shot on location in Mexico and the Dominican Republic, Sorcerer is about a group of outlaws risking their lives to haul unstable dynamite across the jungle and put out an oil-well fire. (Rotten Tomatoes: 84%)
Sorcerer is well-known for one thing and one thing only: its awesome practical effects, including a legendary scene with trucks crossing a rickety bridge. Honestly, the whole film is worth watching for that scene alone; that’s just how incredible it still looks.
12. Miami Vice (2006): Michael Mann’s Divisive Reboot Is a Great “Zone Out” Watch
Remember the original Miami Vice? I mean, it’s impossible to forget it. The show defined the whole Miami/Florida vibe of the eighties. Miami Vice made pastel shirts and never wearing socks cool again, and we’ll forever be thankful for that.
In 2006, Michael Mann gave fans his take on Miami Vice, adapted to the new millennium. Starring Colin Farrell and Jamie Foxx, the film was…different. A troubled production and a distinct lack of humor make the movie feel decidedly unlike the original show. It earned about $164 million worldwide on a reported $135 million budget, which fell short of what a summer blockbuster needed. Still, for fans of early-2000s action, it’s a great “zone out” type of flick. (Rotten Tomatoes: 47%)
11. Shoot ’Em Up (2007): The Non-Stop Clive Owen Action Flop Worth Another Look
Sometimes, a movie comes out that’s just pure, unrelenting fun. It’s so fun, in fact, that some critics can have a hard time understanding its purpose. “Where are all the long, sappy scenes where people talk about their feelings?” they might ask. Nowhere near Shoot ’Em Up would be the answer.
Light on plot but heavy on everything else, Shoot ’Em Up won’t ever win any filmmaking awards. Still, it’s nearly 90 minutes of non-stop action with cool set pieces and witty dialogue. And when it comes to action flicks, what more could you ask for? It earned about $26 million worldwide on a reported $39 million budget. (Rotten Tomatoes: 67%)
10. Hudson Hawk (1991): Bruce Willis’ Infamous Bomb Is a Cult-Favorite Hidden Gem
No one is prepared for what Hudson Hawk has in store. The movie is infamous for its cartoony tonal shift, going from a less serious Die Hard to Who Framed Roger Rabbit in a beat. If you can stomach the fact that the movie never really takes itself seriously, Hudson Hawk is an absolute hidden gem of the early ‘90s. Also, it bombed mostly because of its exorbitant budget. $65 million for a niche action comedy was a gamble that definitely didn’t pay off, as it grossed only about $17 million in the US. (Rotten Tomatoes: 23%)
9. Sahara (2005): Matthew McConaughey’s Adventure Flop Lost Millions but Still Delivers
Ambitious, globe-trotting adventure films were all the rage in the early 2000s. Fueled by The Mummy’s success, every studio wanted a piece of the adventure flick pie. Sahara’s producers learned the hard way how expensive that dream can get. The film lost an estimated $105 million after it failed to recoup its astronomical budget. A shame, really: Matthew McConaughey is in top form here, and the film keeps you glued to the screen with its twists and gorgeous cinematography, courtesy of Nocturnal Animals’ Seamus McGarvey. (Rotten Tomatoes: 37%)
8. Death Proof (2007): Why Tarantino’s Grindhouse Half Flopped, and Why It’s Worth Watching
Whoever said all of Quentin Tarantino’s films are guaranteed box office hits has never crossed paths with Death Proof. The film is a loving tribute to ‘70s exploitation films, complete with all the grime and pulp you’d expect from the genre. Those who love obscure movie trivia and “subjectively good” flicks will love Death Proof, especially the double-feature that includes Robert Rodriguez’s Planet Terror, Grindhouse. That double feature earned only about $25 million in the US on a reported $53 million budget, and the two films were soon split up. (Rotten Tomatoes: 66%)
7. The Man From U.N.C.L.E. (2015): Henry Cavill’s Stylish Spy Flick Deserves More Love
Resurrecting a lesser-known franchise from the ‘60s can go either way. For every Star Trek out there, there are dozens of The Man From U.N.C.L.E., lost in a sea of more popular films. The movie never found its target audience, despite having Henry Cavill and Armie Hammer as the leads. It earned about $109 million worldwide on a reported $75 million budget. Still, the film is a solid spy thriller with great performances and an impeccable sense of style. And Henry Cavill. He just makes everything better. (Rotten Tomatoes: 68%)
6. Warrior (2011): The Tom Hardy MMA Drama That Flopped but Deserved Better
Warrior comes from a time most people have already forgotten: an era some film scholars call “The Time When Tom Hardy Wasn’t Yet a Household Name.” It also came out before the UFC truly became as popular as it is today. That disastrous combination led to people ignoring this solid action/drama about an ex-Marine training to become an MMA fighter in preparation for a bout against his own brother. An amazing film that would have been a surefire hit if it came out after Mad Max: Fury Road. It earned about $24 million worldwide on a reported $25 million budget. (Rotten Tomatoes: 84%)
5. Big Trouble in Little China (1986): The Kurt Russell Cult Classic That Bombed on Release
Considering how popular this film became in the years after its release, it’s unbelievable that it was once considered a complete disaster. John Carpenter’s bizarre cult classic suffered from a studio that wanted to market the movie as a straightforward action hit, instead of the strange action/comedy it truly was. It also released the same summer as The Karate Kid Part II and Top Gun, and Aliens arrived two weeks later, so getting to the top of the box office would be an uphill battle for any flick. It earned about $11 million in the US against a $25 million budget. (Rotten Tomatoes: 71%)
4. The Rundown (2003): The Rock’s Forgotten Jungle Action Comedy
Back in 2003, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson was still seen as just a wrestler trying to make it big in Hollywood. His breakout role in The Scorpion King was a hit, but it wasn’t helping his case. The Rundown, on the other hand, is a criminally overlooked action comedy about a retrieval specialist fighting corrupt mine owners in the Amazon. Overseas, it was released as Welcome to the Jungle, and it earned about $80 million worldwide on a reported $85 million budget. (Rotten Tomatoes: 69%)
It’s a modern Rambo flick with more humor and even more testosterone that will definitely get you pumped. It’s also arguably the origin of Dwayne Johnson’s fascination with fighting people in jungles, giving The Rundown extra points for “The Rock Film History” significance.
3. Last Action Hero (1993): Schwarzenegger’s Meta Action Flop Was Ahead of Its Time
Last Action Hero was released during that weird period of Schwarzenegger’s career when he wanted to prove himself doing comedies. Kindergarten Cop (1990) was an instant classic, and True Lies (1994) became one a year later, but Last Action Hero, for some reason, never got the same recognition. It opened one week after Jurassic Park and earned about $137 million worldwide on a reported $85 million budget, not enough once its marketing costs were counted. (Rotten Tomatoes: 42%)
In many ways, Last Action Hero was way ahead of its time with its commentary on filmmaking and the action genre as a whole. It’s meta without being obnoxious about it, and seeing Schwarzenegger do comedy bits (and his fish-out-of-water persona in this flick) is always a treat.
2. Hardcore Henry (2016): The First-Person Action Flop With Insane Stunt Work
Innovative in all the right ways, Hardcore Henry had all the markings of an immediate classic. Filmed entirely from a first-person perspective, Hardcore Henry is certainly an effective repellent for anyone with motion sickness, especially on the big screen. That said, the incredible stunt work and meticulous practical effects make this film a must-watch for anyone interested in filmmaking. Seriously, the amount of special effects that were done practically, with real explosions and stunts rather than CGI alone, is astounding—enough to give any insurance seller a coronary. It premiered at TIFF in 2015 but reached US theaters in April 2016, earning about $16 million worldwide. (Rotten Tomatoes: 52%)
1. Dredd (2012): Why Karl Urban’s Box Office Flop Became a Cult Classic
Even today, fans mourn what became of 2012’s Dredd. First, many markets got the film with a different name: Dredd 3D, just as the 3D fad was fading. That alone condemned Dredd to be just another gimmicky film in viewers’ eyes, decimating its box office performance. It earned about $41 million worldwide on a reported $45 million budget. (Rotten Tomatoes: 80%)
History has been kind to Dredd, however. After its failed theatrical run, the movie got all the love it deserves on home video and streaming. Still, the experience of watching those Slo-Mo scenes in the theater was unlike anything else in an action flick. Taika Waititi is reportedly developing a new Judge Dredd film without Karl Urban, and the Mega-City One series is still in development, but let’s just hope we can finally get a sequel (or even the show) someday.
RELATED: Why Dredd 2 Deserves a Second Chance
