"A Complete Waste of Time": Reddit Users Name 6 Films That Crushed All Fan Expectations

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"What film were you really looking forward to, but it disappointed you?"

That's the question Reddit users asked themselves. Answers poured in by the dozens, sparking heated debates in the comments. From this massive list, I picked six films that fans anticipated with huge enthusiasm but ended up calling genuine disappointments: from "Star Wars: The Phantom Menace" to "Suicide Squad."

"Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace" (1999)

Starring: Liam Neeson, Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman

"We all waited 16 years for this movie. It was the most anticipated release of our lives, and we dreamed of seeing Anakin become Darth Vader… Instead we got podracing, Jar Jar Binks, and dialogue written at a seven-year-old's level," writes user Alternative-Cake-833.
Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace trailer
The film itself isn't a complete failure: it has the iconic Darth Maul lightsaber duel with Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan, and the overall Star Wars atmosphere comes through. But expectations for the saga's return after such a long break were just too high.

"The Dark Tower" (2017)

Starring: Idris Elba, Matthew McConaughey

Stephen King fans waited years for a major adaptation of the beloved series. Instead, as Reddit users put it, audiences got "random chunks" from multiple books crammed together, completely ignoring the story's beginning.
The Dark Tower trailer
Idris and McConaughey make a fantastic cast, Redditors agree. But everything else was a disaster: the script, the structure, and the decision not to adapt the first book. "It was a complete waste of time," believes grossinm.

Others add: the weird marketing campaign and even King's own positive comments couldn't save the film from being labeled "one of the most disappointing" in the genre.

The Hobbit Trilogy (2012–2014)

Starring: Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage, Ian McKellen

After The Lord of the Rings, everyone was waiting for that magical return to Middle-earth. Instead of a tight story, we got three bloated films packed with unnecessary filler.
Actor Martin Freeman stands in a cave with a sword in his hands next to a gray creature with large eyes
Poster for "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey"
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"They [the creators] tried to stretch one children's book into a trilogy, which led to predictable results," notes Zestyclose-Zone2666.

Viewers agree: the trilogy had brilliant moments — Bilbo's encounters with Gollum and Smaug — but all the added material that wasn't in the book stretched the story to its breaking point.

Spider-Man 3 (2007)

Starring: Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, James Franco

After the success of the first two films, expectations for Sam Raimi's third installment were sky-high. Instead of spectacular payoff, audiences got a tangled mess of storylines and villains.
Spider-Man 3 trailer
"They tried to cram too many villains into the movie, the storyline was uninteresting, and in conclusion, Venom in the movie was terrible, literally nothing like the character from the comics. And honestly, from a plot and execution standpoint, it was a complete failure," admits Alternative-Cake-833.

Fans complain about too many characters, the forced twist about Uncle Ben's killer, and drawn-out scenes. Even Peter Parker's infamous dance sequence still triggers mixed emotions among fans (though I've always loved it).

Batman v Superman (2016)

Starring: Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Gal Gadot

DC promised an epic clash between two titans, but audiences got a chaotic film with a ridiculous script instead.
Batman v Superman clip
"The climax was 'oh, our moms have the same name, let's be friends!' I left the theater feeling like I'd been cheated," writes Necessary_Reply6821.

Fans slam it for being overloaded with special effects, mediocre acting, and lacking any real tension in the showdown everyone was dying to see.

"Suicide Squad" (2016)

Starring: Will Smith, Margot Robbie, Jared Leto

The trailers promised style and thrills, but the film turned into a chaotic mess where half the characters never got proper development.
Suicide Squad Trailer
"I constantly felt like something was missing from the movie. Some characters didn't get enough screen time. But hey, at least I enjoyed Margot Robbie's performance," shares ZeroLoveError.

Comic book fans call the film a wasted opportunity: the story had massive potential, but instead of a sharp anti-hero action flick, we got a mediocre theme park ride.

Six movies that millions were waiting for turned out to be major disappointments for many viewers. Sky-high expectations and creative missteps meant these films made it onto Reddit lists not as winners, but as symbols of dashed hopes. Earlier, we at zoomboola.com covered how Reddit users picked 5 movies that keep fooling us until the very last minute.