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Richard Roeper has built a highly successful career as a writer, columnist, andmoviecritic. From 1986 to 2025, Roeper contributed to the Chicago Sun-Times, offering reviews of numerous films. Between 2000 and 2008, Roeper and renowned film critic Roger Ebert co-hostedEbert & Roeper, moving the show forward following Gene Siskel’s passing; as of January 2026, Roeper contributes to RogerEbert.com.
Similar to Ebert, Siskel, and other well-known movie critics, Roeper isn’t hesitant to share his views and inform potential viewers exactly what he thinks about new films. These ten movies are only a small portion of the cinematic efforts that have appeared on Roeper’s yearly “Worst Films” lists over the years, listed in no specific sequence. Although some selections are predictable, others come as quite a surprise.
Richard Roeper stated that “White Chicks” simply “doesn’t work”
Hold my poodle! White Chicks stars Marlon and Shawn Wayans as two FBI agents assigned to protect a pair of socialites. When the sisters refuse to go out in public, the FBI agents try to substitute for them with drastic cosmetic transformations.
While White Chicks is a cult classic now, Rooper did not accept the message the film was attempting to convey upon its release. OnEbert & Roeper, film critics panned the comedy film and offered two major critiques: the costumes and makeup fell short, as did the humor. At that time, Roeper noted that the movie made a weak effort to humorously exploit stereotypes and generally viewed it as illogical.
Rambo: Last Blood Was Referred to as a “Junk Film”
Rambo: Last Blood is the fifth release in the seriesRambo franchise. The film features the return ofSylvester Stallone portrays John RamboA veteran of the Vietnam War who has a strong fascination with vigilante actions and aggression. When Rambo’s adopted niece, Gabriela (Yvette Monreal), is taken in Mexico, Rambo goes there to attempt to rescue her.
Roeper expressed his dislike forRambo: Last Blood Clearly expressed in his review, with no apparent censorship of his opinions prior to release. The film critic had a negative comment about every element of the movie and described it as excessively violent, offensive, and prejudiced. David Morrell, the creator of the character John Rambo, later expressed that he was ashamed to be linked with the film and felt “humiliated” by it.
I Know Who Killed Me Received Criticism as a “Nonsensical Mystery”
Directed by Chris Sivertson, I Know Who Murdered Mecenters on a woman who is allegedly taken and subjected to torment. Upon regaining consciousness from her wounds, she insists she is someone else, even though all signs indicate otherwise. The psychological thriller features an ensemble cast including Lindsay Lohan, Julia Ormond, and Garcelle Beauvais.
I Know Who Killed MeEarned less than $10 million at the box office and eventually wonseven Golden Raspberry Awards, including Worst Picture and Worst Director. While it is now regarded as a cult classic by certain individuals, Roeper found the storyline to be illogical, the special effects to be disappointing, and the acting to be below average throughout. Roeper eventually labeled the horror film as the worst movie of the 2000s.
Independence Day: Resurgence Is an “Unneeded” Follow-Up
Independence Day: Resurgence is the sequel to Independence Day (2016), yet featuring Liam Hemsworth in the leading roleinstead of Will SmithThe science fiction action movie takes place 20 years following the initial film and centers on another extraterrestrial invasion. This time, the aliens are determined to drill into the Earth’s core to extract resources. Equipped with advanced technology and the globally established Earth Space Defense, Jake Morrison (Hemsworth) and the other characters strive to repel the aliens.
Independence Day: Resurgence had much to accomplish, and regrettably did not meet expectations in nearly all aspects. Roeper rated the film 1.5 stars and commended its visual effects and enjoyment factor, but those were the only favorable points. Specifically, Roeper was disappointed by the film’s predictable storyline, repetitive scene changes, and absence of emotional resonance.
Dolittle Was Regarded as “A Disappointing Waste”
Directed by Stephen Gaghan, Dolittle Stars Robert Downey Jr. in the lead role, a veterinarian capable of communicating with animals. As Queen Victoria (Jessie Buckley) becomes sick, Dr. Dolittle and Tommy Stubbins (Harry Collett) go on a journey with Dolittle’s group of large animals to find a remedy. The animal characters are brought to life by actors such as Tom Holland, Ralph Fiennes, Selena Gomez, and Kumail Nanjiani.
Dolittle wwidely criticized when it came out, but because it was released just before the COVID-19 pandemic began, it finished the year as the seventh-top earning film. In his assessment of the film, Roeper stated that viewing it seemed like a huge waste of time and was not impressed by the computer-generated imagery, efforts at comedy, and overall storyline. Above all, Roeper was dissatisfied withDowney Jr.’s performance, particularly when contrasted with the rest of his body of work.
Roeper Found Jupiter’s Rise to Be “Absurd and Baffling”
Jupiter Ascending is a grand space-themed narrative created by the Wachowskis, taking place in a universe where Earth is exploited by extraterrestrial beings. Jupiter Jones (Mila Kunis) starts off appearing as an ordinary woman employed as a domestic helper, but she soon finds herself pursued by the “Keepers.” Jupiter is rescued by Caine Wise (Channing Tatum), who spends the remainder of the film attempting to stay alive while helping her fulfill her fate.
Roeper gave Jupiter Ascending zstarred in the film and didn’t hesitate to critique every aspect of the movie in his review, although the visual effects were briefly acknowledged. From the illogical storyline to the lackluster performances by all the actors, nearly every element of theWachowskis’ sci-fi bombwas met with boos, either verbally or in other ways. The film barely made a profit at the box office and was nominated for six Golden Raspberry Awards.
Bad Boys II Was Excessively “Vile and Hostile”
Bad Boys II, as the title implies, is the follow-up toBad Boys, an action comedy featuring Will Smithand Martin Lawrence. In the secondBad Boys installment, Smith and Lawrence once again play detectives with the Miami Police Department, as their latest assignment centers around the trafficking of ecstasy. Gabrielle Union appears alongside the actors as Syd, a Drug Enforcement Administration agent.
Bad Boys II wAs a commercial achievement, it earned $273 million at the box office when it was released, but received harsh criticism from reviewers. OnEbert & RoeperThe hosts both gave the film a strong negative review and expressed similar concerns: a poorly developed storyline, illogical efforts at comedy, and an abundance of violence that had no meaningful purpose. While talking about the movie, Roeper stated that it was highly offensive and overly exaggerated.
Roeper Commented That The Twilight Saga: New Moon Was “Extremely Tedious”
The Twilight Series: New Moonis the second movie inthe Twilightfilm series, based on Stephenie Meyer’s novel with the same title. When Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson) departs from Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) in an attempt to keep her safe, Bella sinks into a severe depression. Bella becomes more connected to her childhood friend, werewolf Jacob Black (Taylor Lautner), as she struggles with the impact of Edward’s departure.
The Twilight Series: New Moonearned an impressive $712 million despite a $50 million production cost and remains popular with numerous fans, although in 2009, Roeper was unimpressed. The film critic voiced his disappointment and criticized several aspects of the sequel.Twilight film, including its leisurely pace, general absence of character growth, and visual effects. That said, Roeper did mention that Stewart was typically a skilled performer.
Dear Evan Hansen Is “Unusually Strange”
Dear Evan Hansen The film version of the well-known Broadway show. The plot centers on Evan Hansen (Ben Platt), a young person struggling with intense social anxiety who pretends to be friends with Zoe Murphy’s (Kaitlyn Dever) late brother, Connor (Colton Ryan). Platt first played the stage character and performed it from 2014 to 2016.
The film version of Dear Evan Hansen was a complete failure, so its appearance on Roeper’s Worst Movies of 2021 list comes as no surprise. In his reviewof the movie musical, Roeper said what many were already thinking: Platt failed to bring the same energy from stage to screen, Evan seemed more irritating than motivating, and the musical production was questionable. Although the Broadway musical is still very popular, Roeper also mentioned how manipulative and strange he found the overall storyline.
The Hills Have Eyes Remake Was “Simply Unpleasant”
Directed by Alexandre Aja, The Hills Have Eyes is a remakefrom Wes Craven’s 1977 horror film. When the Carter-Bukowski family becomes stranded in New Mexico, they accidentally come across a group of mutants who crave human flesh. The family spends the movie struggling to stay alive while uncovering the identity of the mutants, their reasons for being there, and the cause behind their terrifying state.
The remake of The Hills Have Eyes earned a modest $70 million at the time of its debut and received mixed responses from general viewers and expert movie reviewers. Roeper had several of the same concerns as Ebert, stating that rather than concentrating on the characters, the horror film focused on making audiences feel as uneasy as possible through the excessive violence and graphic content. Roeper admitted that the film succeeded in shocking people, but felt it was not nearly as strong as Craven’s original work.