Highest-Grossing Films with a Score of Zero on Rotten Tomatoes

      Here are the 12 movies that topped the box office while holding a zero rating on Rotten Tomatoes, showcasing that critical failure doesn't necessarily mean financial failure.

      Before We Begin: Understanding Rotten Tomatoes

      Freestyle Releasing – Credit: C/O

      The Tomatometer ratings on Rotten Tomatoes can be divisive. The site compiles critic reviews to produce a numerical score, with any film rated 75% or higher labeled “Certified Fresh.” To achieve this rating, a film must have a minimum of 80 reviews (or 40 for limited releases) from "Tomatometer" critics, including five from those designated as Top Critics. Once assigned, this status is retained unless the score drops below 70%.

      The concept of numerical ratings can frustrate some, as it seems to strip away the finer details. Nevertheless, many film enthusiasts rely on these ratings when choosing what to watch, making the Certified Fresh label a contemporary equivalent to Siskel & Ebert’s “two thumbs up.”

      Interest in films with a zero rating on Rotten Tomatoes—indicating all reviews are negative—was reignited when Eli Roth's Borderlands narrowly escaped receiving a zero. Currently, there are only 40 films with a zero rating on Rotten Tomatoes, yet some have still earned a significant amount at the box office. Here are those films, listed from lowest to highest grossing.

      12 – Bolero (1984)

      Cannon Film – Credit: C/O

      Bo Derek became a cultural icon with 1979’s 10, which was written and directed by her then-husband John.

      In 10, Derek portrays a 23-year-old seeking the perfect man to be her first sexual partner. Consensus suggests that Bolero is akin to Skinamax quality: Roger Ebert humorously noted it was made for VHS viewership, allowing viewers to fast-forward and pause at will.

      It still managed to draw audiences, grossing $8.9 million.

      11 – Look Who’s Talking Now! (1993)

      TriStar – Credit: C/O

      The original Look Who’s Talking from 1989 is quite silly, based on the premise of “What if you could hear a baby's inner thoughts, and the baby had the personality of a witty Bruce Willis?"

      However, under the direction of the talented Amy Heckerling, the first film received mixed reviews (58% on Rotten Tomatoes), but was a box office success, raking in $297 million from a $7.5 million budget.

      This led to the creation of Look Who’s Talking Too, which introduced another baby and was met with critical disdain (13%), yet still earned $120.9 million.

      They tried again, but with a different premise focusing on the dog’s thoughts. Without Heckerling's involvement, Look Who’s Talking Now! failed critically and grossed only $10.3 million, significantly less than its predecessors, but still made it onto this list of poorly reviewed yet financially successful films.

      10 – Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever (2002)

      Ballistic: Ecks Vs. Sever. Warner Bros. – Credit: C/O

      Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever had a staggering production cost of $70 million but only earned $20.2 million at the box office. With an awkward title and a director known only as “Kaos,” the film introduced audiences to characters no one recognized.

      Some argue that Ballistic is the most critically reviled film on Rotten Tomatoes. You may wonder how it earned this title given that no film can score lower than zero, and there are still 40 films carrying that rating. The answer lies in the sheer number of negative reviews it received—119 rotten critiques, with none being fresh.

      9 – The Nutcracker in 3D (2010)

      G2 Pictures – Credit: C/O

      What if you took one of the most recognized ballets and adapted it into 3D?

      Elle Fanning stars as the young lead, with John Turturro portraying the Rat King. Despite its ambitious approach, critics deemed the film a failure.

      Although it garnered $20.5 million, it came with an astronomical $90 million production budget.

      8 – A Thousand Words (2012)

      Paramount – Credit: C/O

      This film only made $22 million against a $40 million budget, which is hefty for a comedy. Eddie Murphy's impressive box office history made it seem like a gamble worth taking.

      Following A Thousand Words, Murphy starred in only one film before his career revival with Dolemite is My Name in 2019. Even though it holds a zero rating on Rotten Tomatoes, Murphy remains one of the highest-grossing actors ever and is no stranger to seeing plenty of zeros on his paychecks.

      7 – Left Behind (2014)

      Freestyle Releasing – Credit: C/O

      Nicolas Cage stars in this film based on a lackluster novel about the Christian