15 Deeply Tasteless Films That Will Offend Everyone

14. Dark Shadows

Movie 43 Hugh Jackman
Warner Bros. Pictures

Dark Shadows might be the worst movie of Tim Burton's career; the thing which takes it down from a mediocre film to an awful one is how intensely unpleasant it is. For example, there's a subplot about how a character was mistakenly sent to a mental institution and subjected to abusive treatment; that kind of story-line definitely doesn't belong in what was supposed to be a fun film.

Most of the characters are unlikable A-holes, while protagonist Barnabas Collins literally murders around 20 innocent people with no sort of punishment yet he is still positioned as the film's hero. There's no warmth and very little effective humor to counterbalance all the nastiness the film presents and it's impressive in a bad way that the film's only genuinely likable character is Eva Green's antagonist.

Don't be fooled by the marketing, which made this look like an entertaining horror comedy. This is just a story about a witch who curses an entire family and subjects them to an endless stream of horrific punishments and misfortunes, making this more of an exercise in misery than anything remotely comical. If this one wasn't so mean-spirited perhaps this wouldn't have stunk quite so badly.

In this post: 
Movie 43
 
Posted On: 
Contributor

Film Studies graduate, aspiring screenwriter and all-around nerd who, despite being a pretentious cinephile who loves art-house movies, also loves modern blockbusters and would rather watch superhero movies than classic Hollywood films. Once met Tommy Wiseau.