Special Report
The Worst Animated Movies of All Time
June 26, 2021 12:00 pm
Last Updated: July 26, 2021 3:34 pm
40. Arthur and the Invisibles (2006)
> Starring: Freddie Highmore, Mia Farrow, Madonna, Ron Crawford
> Domestic box office: $21.2 millions
This film follows a young boy who shrinks himself and enters a magical world to save his grandmother’s home from developers. The combo live action and CGI movie was criticized for its inferior and stylistically disjointed animation, its lack of humor, and for the questionable romance between 10-year-old Arthur and an ancient (adult) princess, however animated they may be.
39. Igor (2008)
> Starring: John Cusack, Molly Shannon, Steve Buscemi, Myleene Klass
> Domestic box office: $24.9 millions
Despite its all-star voice cast, this horror comedy was poorly received and criticized for both its darkness and its lack of humor. With an unclear target age, the film may be too gloomy for young children but too vapid for adults.
38. Home on the Range (2004)
> Starring: Judi Dench, Cuba Gooding Jr., Jennifer Tilly, Randy Quaid
> Domestic box office: $73.8 millions
This animated western flips the traditional cowboy script by highlighting the stories of the cattle rather than the wranglers. Although the soundtrack has been complimented, the film received mixed reviews for being too simple and dull compared to other Disney animated hit features.
37. Pokémon the Movie 2000 (1999)
> Starring: Veronica Taylor, Rica Matsumoto, Madeleine Blaustein, Mayumi Izuka
> Domestic box office: $155.2 millions
With a critic score of 19% on Rotten Tomatoes, the English-dubbed version of the second “Pokémon” film — much like the first — received criticism for its voice acting. On the positive side, some critics noted that it was slightly better than its predecessor.
36. The Pagemaster (1994)
> Starring: Macaulay Culkin, Christopher Lloyd, Kanin Howell, Alexis Kirschner
> Domestic box office: $27.0 millions
This live action and animated film follows a fearful boy who ends up in a fantasy world of literary characters where he learns that books can actually be fun. Roger Ebert called the film sad and dreary, and the animation dingy and unfocused, as if “glimpsed through a yellowing, dusty pane at twilight.”