15 Worst Comedy Movies of the 1990s, Ranked

The 1990s are often ranked among the very best decades for film, including for comedies. This was the era of Office Space, Happy Gilmore, and Groundhog Day, among many others. However, even a cinematic decade as storied as the ’90s had more than its fair share of duds. Plenty of comedies missed the mark, eliciting groans and eye rolls rather than laughs. For every Wayne’s World, there was a Ghost Dad (or three).

With this in mind, this list looks at the most egregious comedy misfires of that time. They include everything from slapstick disasters to misguided adaptations of beloved properties; talking dinosaurs to chimps playing baseball. While a few have gained cult status for their sheer absurdity, most are simply painful to sit through. Despite featuring notable stars or intriguing setups, their failure to deliver genuine laughs turned these ’90s movies into punchlines themselves.​​​​

15

‘Spy Hard’ (1996)

Directed by Rick Friedberg

“Dick Steele couldn’t stop me fifteen years ago, and all the Dicks you got won’t stop me now!” Leslie Nielsen leads this spy parody as Dick Steele, an aging secret agent called back into duty to thwart the villainous General Rancor (Andy Griffith). The flick spoofs the genre with reckless abandon, taking shots at everything from James Bond to Mission: Impossible, but it ultimately falls short of its potential.

Nielsen’s signature deadpan delivery is on display here once again, but Spy Hard never reaches the heights of The Naked Gun. The scattershot jokes and rapid-fire pacing mean some land while others fall flat. The timing is sometimes off, and many of the gags feel recycled from other, better movies. The best part of the film is actually the title sequence sung by “Weird” Al Yankovic; it all goes downhill from there. Spy Hard is simply lazy and underdeveloped, more like a mediocre SNL skit stretched into a feature.

14

‘Spice World’ (1997)

Directed by Bob Spiers

“Why is there a bomb in the bus?” Often ranked among the worst star vehicles of all time, Spice World follows the British pop group in the days leading up to a massive live performance at London’s Royal Albert Hall. They must juggle rehearsals, public appearances, an overbearing manager, and bizarre encounters ranging from alien abductions to an out-of-control bus chase.

The movie is thoroughly surreal and very cartoonish, but lacking in character development (despite their name, the stars are as bland as mayo in this flick). Then there’s the shoddy lip-syncing, mediocre puns, and tediously repetitive scenes. All in all, this is the kind of giant commercial that’s only mildly entertaining if you’re a fan of the Spice Girls and totally unwatchable if you’re not. That said, some people do consider Spice World to be a “so bad it’s good” movie, and it does have a minor cult following. It’s for individual viewers to decide whether this is meta and ironic or just goofy.

13

‘Airheads’ (1994)

Directed by Michael Lehmann

“If I was a guy like you, I’d be pissing my pants right now.” In Airheads, a struggling rock band called The Lone Rangers—composed of frontman Chazz (Brendan Fraser), guitarist Rex (Steve Buscemi), and drummer Pip (Adam Sandler)—takes an extreme approach to getting their demo played on the air: they break into a Los Angeles radio station and hold the staff hostage with fake guns.

It’s a decent premise, but the movie never finds its rhythm, weighed down by exposition and a script that could have just generally used a little more polishing. While there’s some decent satire sprinkled throughout, the filmmakers fail to build it on it properly. Similarly, while the lead performances aren’t bad, they are disappointing, given the stars’ comedy caliber. As a result, this movie warrants a mention as one that could have been a masterpiece but is instead just ok. Nevertheless, like Spice World, Airheads does have a small but devoted fanbase who are able to overlook the wrinkles. At least the actors had fun making it: Sandler has called it “one of the best shoots of my life, without a doubt.”

12

‘Coneheads’ (1993)

Directed by Steve Barron

“I am Beldar, from Remulak. We come in peace.” Coneheads is a literal example of an SNL sketch that could not sustain a full feature. It’s about Beldar (Dan Aykroyd) and Prymaat (Jane Curtin), aliens from the planet Remulak who crash-land on Earth and attempt to assimilate into human society. Their elongated skulls and bizarre speech patterns make them misfits, yet they integrate remarkably well—Beldar even becomes a driving instructor.

The problem is that this is essentially a one-joked premise repeated ad nauseam. The same quirks and pranks are recycled until they’re completely lifeless. Over a few minutes, this is fine; over almost an hour and a half, it’s grating. The satire is likewise toothless, and there’s not much actual story here to make up for the dearth of laughs. The screenplay is anemic, sadly giving the talented cast members little to work with. Not even Aykyroyd could wring the humor out of it.

11

‘Weekend At Bernie’s II’ (1993)

Directed by Robert Klane

“Why would you need to guard a dead man stuck in a two-foot refrigerator?” The first Weekend at Bernie’s is a classic, and it continues to be used as shorthand for somebody being propped up and made to look more energetic and competent than they really are. The sequel, however, is a major dud. It sends the trio to the Caribbean, where Larry (Andrew McCarthy) and Richard (Jonathan Silverman) try to outwit gangsters and insurance fraud investigators while keeping Bernie’s (Terry Kiser) undead antics under wraps.

Even as a lightweight, disposable sequel, Weekend at Bernie’s II struggles to justify its existence. The original at least had a morbid novelty to its premise; this follow-up simply rehashes the same joke with diminishing returns. Plus, some of the performances verge on self-parody, McCarthy’s most of all. The movie’s awfulness has led to it being mocked countless times in pop culture, being mentioned in the likes of Seinfeld, Rick and Morty, and How I Met Your Mother.

10

‘Theodore Rex’ (1995)

Directed by Jonathan Betuel

“When the going gets tough, the tough get a dinosaur.” Theodore Rex is an outlandish buddy-cop comedy set in a dystopian future where dinosaurs have been genetically resurrected to coexist with humans. A visibly unenthusiastic Whoopi Goldberg (she actually attempted to back out before filming began) leads the cast as Detective Katie Coltrane, who is paired with the titular talking dinosaur (voiced by George Newbern) to solve a murder that threatens to upend their already bizarre society.

The premise alone is absurd, but the execution makes it even stranger. Animatronics are used to bring Theodore to life, but instead of being charming, the result is unsettling, with stiff movements and an overly cartoonish voice that grates rather than entertains. Teddy’s personality isn’t much. He’s relentlessly whiny and pitiable; a far cry from the likable leads of something like The Land Before Time. Finally, the humor is mostly slapstick and scatological.

9

‘The Stupids’ (1996)

Directed by John Landis

“I’m my own grandpa!” The Stupids follows the misadventures of Stanley Stupid (Tom Arnold) and his family, whose extreme naivety leads them into a series of ridiculous situations. Believing that their garbage is being stolen, the Stupids stumble upon what they think is a conspiracy involving an evil mastermind. The film relies on its characters’ cluelessness for humor, but the gags quickly grow repetitive.

While the premise could have worked as a short sketch, stretching it into a full-length film is a sheer disaster. The gross-out wears out its welcome and becomes tedious. It’s surprising, given that the movie was helmed by the usually fantastic John Landis (The Blues Brothers, An American Werewolf in London). The Stupids comes nowhere near the zany charm of those movies. Nevertheless, Landis has defended the movie, saying, “It’s meant for ten-year-olds.” But even many viewers in that age range will be disappointed.

8

‘Bio-Dome’ (1996)

Directed by Jason Bloom

“Free mahi-mahi, dude!” Going beyond the bad to the actively unpleasant, Bio-Dome stars Pauly Shore and Stephen Baldwin as two stoners, Bud and Doyle, who accidentally lock themselves inside an experimental eco-dome alongside a team of dedicated scientists. The film quickly devolves into a series of chaotic pranks as the duo wreaks havoc on the scientific experiment, much to the frustration of the eco-dome’s inhabitants.

Despite its environmental undertones, Bio-Dome offers little substance, and certainly no likable characters (Shore won the Razzie for Worst Actor, shared with Tom Arnold’s work in The Stupids). On top of that, the humor here is thoroughly juvenile, and every idea is rushed and half-baked. Consequently, it has become a symbol of 1990s comedy at its most obnoxious, a film that tries too hard to be irreverent and ends up being wincingly unfunny. Some critics have even gone so far as to rank it among the very worst films of all time.

7

‘Mr. Nanny’ (1993)

Directed by Michael Gottlieb

“I’m not a babysitter, I’m a bodyguard!” Mr. Nanny stars Hulk Hogan as Sean Armstrong, a retired wrestler who reluctantly takes on the role of a nanny for two mischievous children while protecting them from a bumbling villain. His performance is about as stiff as one would expect, not that the tonally confused script gives him much to work with. The plot feels like a patchwork of clichés, from slapstick misunderstandings to Hogan’s awkward attempts at heartfelt moments.

It’s all incredibly predictable, recycling ideas from countless better films. Indeed, this movie is like Home Alone meets Kindergarten Cop, but directed by Tommy Wiseau. Its occasional commentary on gender dynamics is even more cringe-worthy. All told, Mr. Nanny is just weird and lame, not even offering much ironic watch value. It’s just best avoided. Sadly, the film’s failure didn’t dissuade Hogan from taking on similar roles in the future, with the end result being the mess that is Santa with Muscles.

6

‘Jury Duty’ (1995)

Directed by John Fortenberry

“Justice is blind… and so is this jury.” Pauly Shore strikes again, this time as Tommy Collins, a slacker who finds himself thrust into the jury system and sees it as an opportunity for free room and board. Rather than contributing meaningfully to the trial, Tommy’s antics disrupt the court proceedings, turning a straightforward legal case into a circus. This premise could have made for a decent satire of the legal system, but the lazy humor and tone-deaf performances kill any entertainment value.

It’s like if 12 Angry Men had been a comedy, and also terrible. While Shore’s energy occasionally lands a chuckle, the lack of cleverness in the script makes Jury Duty feel like a string of disconnected gags rather than a cohesive comedy. Its few decent moments are buried under an avalanche of anatomical jokes and toilet humor. Again, it’s a film that can be safely skipped.

5

‘Police Academy: Mission to Moscow’ (1994)

Directed by Alan Metter

“Let’s take Russia by storm… or at least try.” Police Academy: Mission to Moscow is the seventh and final installment in the long-running series, and by this point, the franchise had all but run out of steam. The plot follows the usual group of bumbling officers as they travel to Russia to assist in capturing a notorious crime boss. The foreign setting is little more than a gimmick, however, unable to compensate for the tired jokes and the dearth of chemistry between the cast.

The result is the definition of a franchise that had overstayed its welcome. Mission to Moscow utterly lacks any of the appeal of the early movies. Whereas the first installment resonated with audiences, bringing in an impressive $149.8m at the box office, this one bomb, grossing $1.2m against a $10m budget. It also flopped with critics, currently holding a 0% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

4

‘Ed’ (1996)

Directed by Bill Couturié

“He’s not just any teammate; he’s a chimp.” This dysfunctional star vehicle tells the bizarre story of a struggling baseball player named Jack Cooper (Matt LeBlanc), who is assigned a new teammate—a chimpanzee named Ed. The chimp is animatronic, performed by two actors, and, while it looks fairly good for the time, there’s something pretty creepy about it as well. This is just one flaw in a movie that stumbles with lame lines and a tepid romantic subplot.

There’s little to no conflict, with most of the scenes actually taking place off the baseball field. This makes the story fundamentally boring. The humor isn’t able to carry the weight of the 94-minute runtime by itself. Overall, Ed is a subpar family-friendly outing that will alienate adults and bore most kids. Unsurprisingly, it made a loss at the box office, earning just $4.4m against a budget of $25m, significantly setting back LeBlanc’s dreams of movie stardom.

3

‘Car 54, Where Are You?’ (1994)

Directed by Bill Fishman

“It’s a cop’s life, and someone has to live it.” Car 54, Where Are You? is a big-screen adaptation of the 1960s sitcom of the same name, following the misadventures of two mismatched police officers (played by David Johansen and John C. McGinley) in New York City. While the original show was decent (and continues to air today in reruns), the movie is very much a pale imitation.

The script meanders aimlessly, with underdeveloped scenes that barely connect, leaving much of the film incomprehensible. The jokes are similarly clumsy. Ultimately, the film fails to capitalize on the nostalgia of the original series. Despite his attempts to modernize the premise, director Bill Fishman (who recently helmed the upcoming Waltzing with Brando) struggles to provide the project with a cohesive tone. All told, Car 54, Where Are You? is a muddled experience that fails to resonate, even with its intended audience.

2

‘Chairman of the Board’ (1998)

Directed by Alex Zamm

“Boardrooms will never be the same.” Chairman of the Board features prop comic Carrot Top as Edison, a wacky inventor who unexpectedly becomes the CEO of a major corporation. Naturally, this leads to all manner of mayhem. Clearly, the intention was to zany humor with corporate satire, but the result is a major mess. There’s a reason it was the star’s first and last real movie role.

Carrot Top’s performance is energetic but overbearing, with most of the jokes relying on his trademark props and slapstick antics. They might work in his stand-up, but, on-screen, they fall flat, especially over an hour and a half. Worst still, unlike some other gonzo comedies of the ’90s, Chairman of the Board doesn’t really push any boundaries. Rather than testing the viewer’s limits, the terrible ’90s movie simply throws uninspired and often nonsensical gags at them. As a result, it’s not even “so bad it’s good.”

1

‘It’s Pat’ (1994)

Directed by Adam Bernstein

“Is it a he? Is it a she? Who cares?” Claiming the crown as the worst comedy of the ’90s is this trainwreck. It’s Pat is based on the Saturday Night Live character Pat (Julia Sweeney), whose ambiguous gender identity is the central joke of the film. While the skit worked in short bursts on SNL, the concept does not translate well to a feature-length format. The jokes rely almost entirely on Pat’s identity being a mystery, and this one-note premise understandably gets old fast.

Somehow, every charming performer is wasted here, from Dave Foley to Tim Meadows. The only scene that halfway works is the cameo by academic Camille Paglia, nicely parodying herself. It’s unclear how anyone thought turning this character into a whole movie was a good idea. Predictably, It’s Pat was a thermonuclear box office bomb: made on a budget of $8m, it grossed just $60, 000. While it evidently didn’t work in 1994, the film is even worse by today’s standards.

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