Top 5 Least Rated Dinosaur Movies of All Time on Letterboxd

In mainstream American cinema, the term “dinosaur movies” often evokes images of the Jurassic Park franchise, a series that has dominated the narrative since its inception. When trailers for films like “65” or “The End of Oak Street” hit the big screen, audiences frequently question if these films are tied to Dr. Hammond’s iconic dinosaur park. Nevertheless, dinosaurs have a rich presence beyond the confines of Michael Crichton’s adaptation. A dive into international cinema reveals a multitude of unique and surreal dinosaur films that expand the genre’s horizons.

Beyond the well-trodden path of the Jurassic series lies a vast landscape of dinosaur films, brimming with both brilliance and blunders. Unfortunately, the sheer number of these prehistoric-themed projects means that not all attain cinematic glory. The five lowest-rated dinosaur movies on Letterboxd exemplify what occurs when the immense potential of dinosaur storytelling fails to materialize. Instead of captivating their audience, these films succumb to mediocrity, leaving even the most dedicated dinosaur enthusiasts unimpressed.

Each of the five movies flounders due to its own distinct narrative and stylistic missteps, yet they are bound by a common failing: even the intrinsic wonder of dinosaurs can’t redeem an inherently poor film.

Those longing for the heyday of American horror’s found footage trend, spanning from 2008 to 2015, might look back with rose-tinted glasses, but living through it was a different experience. This era was notorious for churning out low-budget films characterized by shaky camera work, abrupt conclusions, and scant genuine fright. Movies such as “The Devil Inside,” “Devil’s Due,” and “The Gallows” missed the mark on what made exceptional found footage horror so chilling. A prime example of this era’s missteps is 2012’s “Tape 407” (also known as “Area 407”).

Directed by Dale Fabrigar and Everette Wallin, “Tape 407” chronicles the plight of plane crash survivors who land in a dinosaur-inhabited zone. While the premise suggests potential for a decent B-movie thrill, its 1.8 average rating on Letterboxd reveals its downfall. Critics on Letterboxd frequently cite the unbearable nature of the characters and the excessive focus on awkward dialogue at the expense of dinosaur action, highlighting the film’s missed opportunities.

The amateurish acting and production value further inspired the deluge of dismal Letterboxd scores for “Tape 407.” Somehow, it currently has a narrowly worse Letterboxd average rating than the far more infamous 2012 found footage horror film “The Devil Inside.

Most of the films on this list are low budget endeavors that were always intended to go straight to the SyFy channel or similar bargain-bin release models. Though it went directly to VHS, 1995’s “Theodore Rex” was originally meant for a theatrical release before its eventual quality inspired distributor New Line Cinema to send it to home video. To say the least, “Theodore Rex” is far from one of the best direct-to-video movies ever made. Instead, this buddy cop tale of T-Rex Theodore Rex (George Newbern) and human police officer Katie Coltrane (Whoopi Goldberg) is now an infamous disaster.

While some reviled movies garner cult followings on Letterboxd, “Theodore Rex” is certainly not one of them. Instead, it has a 1.8 average rating on the site. The greatest complaint amongst the Letterboxd reviews, as well as in its general reception writ large, is how dreadfully boring this production is. Though its central premise is kooky, “Theodore Rex” is a lifeless endeavor failing to deliver on all fronts, including resembling interesting chemistry between its two leads. 

The bizarre attempts at social commentary, repetitive slapstick gags, and generally feeling like it stretches on for an eternity despite running “only” 92 minutes are further fixtures of negative reviews. Decades after its debut, the costly failure “Theodore Rex” continues to fascinate for all the worst reasons.

It took shockingly long for The Asylum to show up on this list. This production outfit is famous for its cheap, quickly-produced movies typically emulating major theatrical releases (like “Atlantic Rim” riffing on “Pacific Rim”). Many, though not all, of these titles feature prehistoric beasties, both fictional and those drawn from reality. One of these dino-centric titles is “100 Million BC,” which hailed from go-to DirecTV Cinema filmmaker Griff Furst (responsible for “Lake Placid 3” and “Trailer Park Shark,” among other gems coming soon to the Criterion Closet).

“100 Million BC” is a convoluted enterprise that uses time travel, Navy SEALs, and a rescue mission to get to its central hook: a massive dinosaur causing mayhem in 21st century Los Angeles. Michael Gross, Christopher Atkins, and Marie Westbrook anchor a movie that has a pitiful 1.8 average rating on Letterboxd. How could “100 Million BC” be anything but reviled? Common problems plaguing so many Asylum movies are lambasted in Letterboxd reviews, including the dismal CG dinosaurs and the film’s minuscule budget ensuring that the prehistoric creatures are only on-screen for a sliver of screentime.

Even the very worst “Jurassic Park” or “World” movie would be preferable to the tedious “100 Million BC.” The only way this production excels is as a microcosm of the cynical and slapdash tendencies permeating nearly all of The Asylum’s output.

Let’s all go back in time, to a decade that greatly preceded the days of The Asylum or “Theodore Rex.” Heck, this next movie even debuted before scientists solidified that an asteroid was what killed the dinosaurs. This movie was none other than “King Dinosaur,” a 1955 B-picture about Earthbound astronauts traveling to a planet that’s arrived in Earth’s solar system. Upon arriving, they discover that this terrain is populated by dinosaurs. Said dinosaurs are represented via household iguanas that the film pretends are massive towering beasts. 

These “King Dinosaur” visual effects techniques aren’t underwhelming because they look shoddier than 2020s CGI. At the time, they were even a drastic step down from the stop-motion dinosaurs of 1925’s “The Lost World.” No wonder “King Dinosaur” has only a 1.7 average rating on Letterboxd. Reviews delve further into its endless artistic shortcomings, including the film’s insipid camerawork and lifeless deployment of archival footage. Even Letterboxd reviewers who often find schlocky entertainment in ’50s B-movies expressed disdain for this production.

An obliviously creepy finale that portrays randomly nuking planets full of living organisms as “heroic” would normally be the defining fault in most bad movies. Instead, it’s just one of many shortcomings constantly creeping into this movie’s Letterboxd write-ups. One of the 10 best movies of the 1950s, this was not.

If you’re seeking out a hotel in the world of movies, there’s endless options at your disposal, from “The Grand Budapest Hotel” to “Hotel for Dogs” to “Hotel by the River.” On first glance, 2021’s “Hotel Dinosaur” would seem to offer an ideal vacation destination. Even if these ancient beasties are out to eat you, who can resist spending time with dinosaurs?

Alas, the 1.6 Letterboxd average rating of Jack Peter Mundy’s “Dinosaur Hotel” should make it clear that this 2021 motion picture is the cinematic equivalent of getting stuck in a run-down motel. The Letterboxd reviews for “Dinosaur Hotel” express this notion vividly, particularly over its dismal child acting and sleepy pacing. Any movie called “Dinosaur Hotel” cannot, above all else, be boring. Unfortunately, that’s the word so many Letterboxd write-ups resorted to. Only the unintentionally hilarious bad dinosaur CGI and some weird production design shortcomings provided fragments of entertainment to those trapped watching “Dinosaur Hotel.”

The worst movies of 2021 kicked off this new decade of cinema on a sour note. For anyone looking for both another dismal movie from that year and the worst possible cinematic hotel experience, “Dinosaur Hotel” has you covered.