Wouldn’t it be cool if every movie you watch matches your cinema taste like a glove? But, before such an algorithm is created and we have to rely on the IMDB or Rotten Tomatoes score, other people’s reviews, or the recommendations of our friends, we can become sort of experts on identifying movie red flags ourselves. Not without the help from this nifty AskReddit thread where people share their experience on identifying bad movies, of course! And while it isn’t a foolproof system to identify the movies you’ll really enjoy, it sure helps a lot.
So, it turns out there are plenty of red flags that might indicate a movie’s quality. First off, it’s the official critic’s reviews - have you noticed that the ‘laugh-out-loud funny’ indications almost always mean it’s going to be a load of bull? Neither did we, but oh, the things you learn through others’ experiences! Then there’s the matter of sequels, but you knew that already, right? Also, there are some subtle indicators, too - like a crazy amount of advertising dedicated to a movie’s release. Always a bad thing to look out for!
See, even with this introduction, you’re already almost an expert in indicating movie red flags; just think about how much more cool stuff is in this article! Once again, all the info in here is courtesy of an AskReddit thread, but it is you who has the power to rate the submissions the way you like them. And once you’re done with that, share this article with your friends!
#3
"Critics are calling it ‘laugh-out-loud funny!’. It’s almost always garbage."
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45points
#5
"Anytime they shoehorn some romance into an otherwise non-romance movie. Bonus points if the movie is an action/horror/thriller movie and the poster shows a couple in any way."
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39points
#6
"A comedy's best jokes will be in the trailer. If the jokes in the trailer turn you off, the movie is going to suck."
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37points
#8
"All-female star cast remake of a classic. All the money spent on the best actresses and awesome marketing. None for scriptwriters."
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33points
#9
"How bad a movie is is exponentially proportional to how many helicopters are in the trailer."
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31points
#10
"Anything that leans too heavily on marketing gimmicks to try get me to watch it. I don't care about your all-female cast - I care if it's good."
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31points
#12
"Super dark and 1-second clips with loud noises. Horror movies that rely on jump scares in the trailers ruin them in the actual movie. Supposed to invoke great fear, but its rated PG-13."
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27points
#13
"If it’s based off of a true event that occurred less than a year prior."
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26points
#14
"It's clearly just a "star vehicle." Like, all the hype is about the star's riveting new performance... But no corresponding critical praise for the story, directing, special effects, nothing."
unknown
Report25points
#18
"If it’s animated and one of the selling points is that’s a celebrity who is not a voice actor is in it like James Corden."
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22points
#19
"Them desperately pointing out the director/producers/writers/studios better movies and productions that barely relate to the movie's themes in an attempt to lure in fans. To me it always meant the movie doesn't stand out enough to stand on its own."
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21points
#20
"When a comedy has poop and fart jokes, outdated meme and pop culture references."
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21points


