9. Waterworld
Mad Max on water! Kevin Costner with gills! Dennis Hopper as a one-eyed, punk oil baron! Three of the greatest selling points in cinematic history and still the film sank like that massive floating city would do in real life. I still see Waterworld as an enduring classic that I revisit regularly to see if it's just rose-tinted nostalgia clouding my judgement but every time I come away with a newly affirmed sense of certainty regarding its utter brilliance. Costner is at his stoic, camp best clad in what would seem to be a hugely inconvenient patchwork of fabrics and leather but, like so much in the film, it doesn't matter because it looks cool. Reputable in large part due to its horrifically bloated budget and the colossal, record-breaking loss it made, it should be remembered for its bold, epic vision. Praise should be laid at its feet for Hopper's performance alone as one of my personal favourite cinematic villains of all time. What's more is in the 90s, a decade defined by generic, neo-fascist action films, Waterworld was something of a brave film to stick to its guns with its green peace, eco statement before films like The Day After Tomorrow made it 'hip' and 'cool' to 'care' about our planet. I've never understood the hate for Waterworld, which I see to be every bit as good as Mad Max and Escape From New York. Go back. Give it another shot. Thank me later.