From Dune to Event Horizon: Cult films that failed to wow critics

Way before audiences were treated to Denis Villeneuve's visionary sci-fi flick, another Dune had made its way onto the silver screen in the 1980s, though with far less star power and charisma. This 1984 film also draws inspiration from Frank Herbert’s 1965 novel of the same name. It tells the story of a power struggle between the family of a duke and the emperor of the galaxy, who feels that the duke threatens his rule. The two also war over a desert planet called Arrakis, home to one of the most precious resources in the entire galaxy. The 1984 film was helmed by prolific filmmaker David Lynch, although he disowned the film upon its release, saying the producers had stifled Lynch’s artistic freedom while making the movie. Even though the film was a box-office bomb, it has a large cult following.

The charismatic Martin Lawrence and Will Smith team up in this 1995 buddy cop film. The film follows two police detectives who race against time to discover the whereabouts of drugs stolen from their evidence locker before their precinct gets shut down. In their mission, they are aided by an unlikely ally. Although the star power and high-octane action failed to wow critics, fans vehemently disagreed, turning the film into a commercial success and a cult comedy. The film spawned two sequels as well, with Smith and Lawrence reprising their roles.

An expert safe breaker, a heist gone wrong, and a prostitute with a heart of gold; are the elements that figure in this trigger-happy crime film. Killing Zoe tells the tale of Zed, an expert thief with a knack for breaking into the hardest of safes, who teams up with his friend Eric to rob a bank. But as their plans go awry and they try to get out alive, Zed realizes that one of the bank’s employees, Zoe, recognized him from a previous meeting they had had. The film earned the ire of critics for many reasons, one being its excessive violence. But the film has gathered a huge cult following nonetheless.

Not all films stand the test of time, and Ace Ventura: Pet Detective is just one among the many films that did not age well. Starring Jim Carrey in all his eccentric glory, the film tells the tale of a private investigator who specializes in cases involving missing animals. He is tasked with finding out the whereabouts of Snowflake, the mascot of a football team, and this case proves to be one of his most dangerous yet. The film’s in-your-face humour, which many considered tasteless, did not impress critics, many of whom also pointed to the film’s blatant transphobic elements as being grossly insensitive. But Carrey turned out to be the film’s saving grace, with many fans falling in love with his quirky portrayal of the character. The film also spawned a sequel.

A horror story set in space, this 1997 film is set in the future and tells the story of a rescue mission gone wrong. When a spaceship, the titular Event Horizon, that went missing on its maiden voyage years ago makes a sudden reappearance, a group of astronauts are tasked with investigating the matter. But as they board the vessel, they realize that they are in the presence of malevolent forces that make the crew do terrible things. The film’s problematic production was followed by its failure to impress critics or recoup its budget. But that did not stop audiences from embracing the film in the years to come, etching the film’s name as a cult classic. A television series based on the film is also in development.