The 10 Worst Movies of 2016

An obligatory shot of Jyn Erso, who makes us happy because she gets to talk so much. Image via Disney/Lucasfilm; still from final Rogue One trailer released October 13.

10. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

I said quite a bit in my initial review of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, so if you want the full story go and read that. For the purposes of this list, Rogue One isn’t the worst film from a technical or narrative standpoint, it’s just woefully disappointing and that’s worse. After the strides made with The Force Awakens in regards to a diverse class and a tough heroine, Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones) and her team are so terrible by comparison.

Stealing the Death Star plans should set the stage for an epic heist film, but Rogue One flounders for over an hour searching for something to launch the narrative. You can almost see the stitches from a studio demanding more action quicker, and that leaves the characters actually shouting out their occupations and personality traits. There’s sense of teamwork outside of everyone being in the same ship together. Everyone lives and dies — and, boy, do a lot of people die — within the confines of this film, enhancing how unmemorable everything is.

Let’s not forget the second-act restart that leaves the entire hour unnecessary. Jyn is no Rey, either. Her hackneyed daddy issues sets her on a journey that leaves the stakes of humanity built on, star dust. Like a few other titles on this list, Rogue One exists to justify its own existence…and make a pile of money.

Next: Ben-Hur