1994 was a GREAT year for movies. While these films didn't wow audiences or critics at first, they're now well-loved classics.
There’s no disputing that 1994 was a monumental year for film. Yet, there are a few celebrated movies that weren’t received with arms wide open when they were released.
Objectively, 1994 might be the greatest year for movies and cinema. Does that sound like an outlandish statement to make? Well, if the jury would do us the honor of looking at the following evidence sitting at Exhibition A: The Lion King. Speed. The Crow. Maverick. 3 Ninjas Kick Back. That’s only the first half of the year, with the second part filled by beauties such as Forrest Gump, True Lies, Dumb and Dumber, and The Mask.
Now, 30 years later, reminiscing about that absolutely stacked roster, it feels almost like an act of divinity that’s impossible to replicate. Hindsight, though, proves to be everything, as there are a number of undisputed classics that weren’t as warmly received when they dropped in ’94. So, let’s take a closer look at what failed to hit the mark way back then.
Think of god-tier casting and Brian Levant’s The Flintstones comes to mind immediately. With John Goodman as Fred Flintstone, Rick Moranis as Barney Rubble, Elizabeth Perkins as Wilma Flintstone, and Rosie O’Donnell as Betty Rubble, this film had everything in place to be a monumental success. Technically, it was, yabba-dabba-doing it at the box office with over $358 million worldwide from a $45 million budget. However, the cartoonish nature of the movie that borrowed freely from the Hanna-Barbera animated series had the critics stealing Bamm-Bamm’s club and bashing it to a 23% Rotten Tomatoes score. Reviewers didn’t appreciate the rocky puns or childish humor on display, obviously expecting The Godfather‘s cerebral drama instead of a story where the garbage disposal is a dinosaur. How dare they not laugh at Halle Berry being cast as Sharon Stone here! Watch The Flinstones on Starz.
Without a doubt, 1994 belonged to Jim Carrey, as he assassinated the box office with Dumb and Dumber, The Mask, and Ace Ventura: Pet Detective. Out of these three blockbusters, it was the latter that drew the most divisive of reactions back in the day, mostly because it was unrestrained Carrey at his fullest. From belting out “Assholimio” to him hamming it up in a pink tutu, Ace Ventura dialed everything up to 12 – never mind 11 – here. Reviewers called it gross, offensive, and too over the top, only awarding it a 47% critical approval score on Rotten Tomatoes. Sure, some of the gags haven’t aged well at all, but it’s tough to argue that this movie set up Carrey to become one of the most famous funnymen of the ’90s. Watch Ace Ventura: Pet Detective on Amazon Video.
Arnold Schwarzenegger built a career out of being a musclebound action hero with his flesh guns being bigger than the weapons in his hands, but he also demonstrated his aptitude for comedy in films such as Kindergarten Cop and Twins. In 1994, he teamed up with Danny DeVito for the side-splitting endeavor titled Junior, where Schwarzenegger plays scientist Alex Hesse who takes a radical new drug and undergoes male pregnancy. Now, while the sight of a hormonal Schwarzenegger with hunger pangs should be more than enough to sell a movie to a large audience, the critics didn’t agree. Sitting with only a 39% critical approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the consensus was that Junior just wasn’t funny enough. Are we sure they weren’t mixing this up with Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot? Watch Junior on Netflix.
In 1994, all that was necessary for a good time was a mulleted Jean-Claude Van Damme in a balls-to-the-wall action flick. The Muscles from Brussels flexed and split his way to box office success on numerous occasions, solidifying that he was leading man material. In Peter Hyams’ Timecop, JCVD stars as Max Walker, a time-traveling cop who fights crime in multiple timelines and delivers ice-cold one-liners. The audience couldn’t get enough, as Timecop roundhouse kicked its way to over $100 million at the global box office from a modest $28 million budget. The critics turned their nose up at the movie, though, lashing it with a 42% approval score on Rotten Tomatoes. Some called it silly and far-fetched, obviously forgetting about the time in which JCVD punched out a snake in Hard Target the year before. Watch Timecop on Peacock.
Based on a story by Quentin Tarantino and directed by Oliver Stone, Natural Born Killers tells the dramatic and shocking story of Mickey (Woody Harrelson) and Mallory Knox (Juliette Lewis) who fall in love and become mass murderers, as well as the media’s parasocial relationship with the couple. It’s a controversial film – no doubt – but it also says a lot about how there’s no difference between famous and infamous when it comes to press coverage. Expectedly, this isn’t the type of feature to put on for a family movie night, but one would imagine film connoisseurs to hold a special affection for it. Turns out that wasn’t the case in 1994, as it split reviewers right down the middle, holding a 51% critical approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The polarizing Natural Born Killers had some heralding it as a piece of satirical genius while others deemed it nothing more than depraved junk. Watch Natural Born Killers on Netflix.
Anyone who has ever been in a band can commiserate with the actions of the Lone Rangers in Airheads, as the hard rockers hold up a radio station and force it to play their demo. Featuring Brendan Fraser, Adam Sander, and Steve Buscemi as the desperate band members, while also boasting the talents of Chris Farley, Ernie Hudson, and Michael McKean, the comedy film bursts with an all-star cast and wacky appeal. Unfortunately, Airheads flew over the heads of most critics, as it crawled to a 29% on Rotten Tomatoes’ Tomatometer. They failed to find the humor in what would become a cult classic, so Sandler punished everyone by releasing The Ridiculous 6 and Hubie Halloween years later. Moral of the story: Don’t mess with the Sandman because he has worse films sitting in the chamber.
Roland Emmerich doesn’t often miss, delivering crowd-pleasing films in the form of Universal Soldier, Independence Day, and The Day After Tomorrow. In 1994, Emmerich ventured into the familiar terrain of sci-fi to create Stargate – an ambitious motion picture about a device that acts as a portal to other civilizations. Starring Kurt Russell and James Spader, Stargate isn’t short of star power or even action on screen. It also turned a tidy profit, making a smidgen short of $200 million from a $55 million budget. However, the reviewers were unconvinced, as it only mustered a 54% critical approval, according to Rotten Tomatoes. While not the worst score in the world, the film was deemed largely forgettable. The joke was on them, though, as Stargate went on to launch an entire franchise, including a few television series. Watch Stargate on MGM+ and Tubi.
