Comedy works best when the subject isn’t in on the joke. The funniest MCU characters, for example, are entirely oblivious to their comedic effect, wrapped up in their activities with utter sincerity. However, the actors are intentional with their performances, adding a layer of ignorance to the characters’ funny behavior. The best comedic actors inject a sense of sincerity into their characters’ ridiculousness, creating a more immersive experience for viewers who feel like they’re interacting with real people who’re unaware of when they’re being funny.
Physical comedy is especially the best example of this. Suppose a character becomes aware that falling or walking awkwardly is eliciting laughter, and they start doing it intentionally. In that case, it becomes frustrating because the intentional clumsiness inconveniences others. This is why the funniest Ben Stiller movie characters or the funniest Will Ferrell characters all seem out of the joke, which the actors and their viewers share. While the actors’ intentions make these characters funny, unintentionally funny characters are even more hilarious because viewers laugh at the actors as well, for not realizing they’re being funny.
10
Patrick Bateman
American Psycho (2000)
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8.3/10
American Psycho
R
CrimeDocumentaryDramaThriller
Based on the book of the same name by Bret Easton Ellis, American Psycho follows Patrick Bateman (Christian Bale) an investment banker in New York in 1987 who leads a double life as a serial killer. As investigators circle Bateman after the disappearance of a colleague, he finds himself trapped in a spiral of murder and excess, unable to stop himself from giving in to his increasingly dark urges. Also stars Willem Dafoe, Jared Leto, Justin Theroux, and Reese Witherspoon.
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Release Date
April 14, 2000
Runtime
101 minutes
Cast
Jared Leto
, Reese Witherspoon
, Chloe Sevigny
, Willem Dafoe
, Justin Theroux
, Christian Bale
Director
Mary Harron
Writers
Bret Easton Ellis
, Mary Harron
, Guinevere Turner
Studio(s)
Lionsgate
Distributor(s)
Lionsgate
Expand
Intention is an interesting facet of performances, and when Christian Bale took on the role of Patrick Bateman, he clearly understood that the character was meant to parody the self-centered and delusional mindsets of the average Wall Street banker. He plays into the satirical characterization by using exaggerated body language and intense facial expressions. He is ridiculous in his self-image and his lack of awareness about reality, but he’s supposed to provide commentary on the dangers of extreme narcissism and consumerism, the latter being why Patrick Bateman obsesses over music.
Related
10 Movies You Had No Idea Are Secretly Comedies
Sometimes, the most exciting comedy movies are the ones that don’t market themselves as comedies at all, falling into a different genre completely.
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While it’s terrifying to see him massacre people and ruin lives, it’s impossible to be afraid of him. Bateman is too serious about the texture of business cards and his physicality to feel real. Bale’s commitment to the character offers an extra layer of mirth for viewers by unintentionally making him a clown in a maze of illusions. He doesn’t feel like an untrustworthy and paranoid monster of a man who resorts to violence to resolve problems in his life. The image of him dancing and offering encyclopedic knowledge about a band while hiding his ax is pure physical comedy.
9
The Scorpion King
The Mummy Returns (2001)
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6/10
The Mummy Returns
PG-13
AdventureThrillerActionFantasy
A sequel to The Mummy, The Mummy Returns stars Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz as Rick and Evelyn O’Connell. Now married, the O’Connells are once again drawn into a sinister plot surrounding the evil mummy Imhotep, now attempting to gain power over the army of Anubis by killing the legendary Scorpion King. John Hannah, Arnold Vosloo, and Oded Fehr also star, and the film marks Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s feature film debut as The Scorpion King.
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Release Date
May 4, 2001
Runtime
130 minutes
Cast
Arnold Vosloo
, John Hannah
, Brendan Fraser
, Oded Fehr
, Rachel Weisz
Director
Stephen Sommers
Writers
Stephen Sommers
Studio(s)
Universal Pictures
Distributor(s)
Universal Pictures
Expand
The Mummy dulogy is full of unintentional comedy because Brendan Fraser’s commitment to his characters’ expressions of shock at every horrifying revelation and misstep makes him uncannily hilarious. But, in the sequel, Dwayne Johnson appears to upstage him at that game. The Rock’s funniest movie scenes establish his comedic talents, but they weren’t necessary for his role in The Mummy Returns, where his character is supposed to be terrifying.
The Mummy Returns marks The Rock’s Hollywood debut and the unintended comedy of his role reads like foreshadowing today in the context of his long acting career of playing unintentionally funny characters in action movies.
Unfortunately, from the bad CGI to the exaggerated antics, The Scorpion King is anything but scary. He looks distorted with his unnatural body proportions, he’s hilariously self-serious, and is entirely oblivious to how ridiculous he looks and sounds. Dwayne Johnson’s baritone and the awkward visual effects add to the unintentional comedic presence of his character, who becomes a comic relief instead of a villainous monster.
8
Elliot Moore
The Happening (2008)
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7/10
The Happening
R
AdventureDrama Sci-Fi
Writer/director M. Night Shyamalan presents The Happening, a thriller that centers around a strange unexplained phenomenon that begins to cause human beings to commit suicide in waves. Initially believed to be an international terrorist attack, science teacher Elliot and his wife Alma head to Boston with friends to escape the chaos. Soon enough, they realize that the effects have spread further than they thought – possibly across the entire world.
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Release Date
June 13, 2008
Runtime
91 Minutes
Cast
Mark Wahlberg
, Zooey Deschanel
, John Leguizamo
, Ashlyn Sanchez
, Betty Buckley
, Spencer Breslin
Director
M. Night Shyamalan
Writers
M. Night Shyamalan
Studio(s)
20th Century
, Dune Entertainment
, Spyglass Media Group
, Blinding Edge Pictures
Distributor(s)
20th Century
Expand
Before The Happening, M. Night Shyamalan was celebrated by critics as being one of the best horror directors, because of his mindblowing twist endings and his ability to create atmospheric horror. However, the streak of critically acclaimed movies that include The Sixth Sense, Unbreakable, and The Signs was broken by The Happening. It has such a ridiculous premise and over-the-top awkward dialogue, that it feels more like a self-aware comedy than a horror movie.
|
Rotten Tomatoes Critic Scores Of M. Night Shyamalan Movies |
|
|---|---|
|
Movie |
Score |
|
The Sixth Sense (1999) |
86% |
|
Unbreakable (2000) |
70% |
|
Signs (2002) |
75% |
|
The Happening (2008) |
17% |
|
The Last Airbender (2010) |
5% |
|
After Earth (2013) |
12% |
The awkwardness is mostly carried by Mark Wahlberg as the main character, Elliot Moore. Action movie stars often deliver amazing dramatic performances, but whatever Marky Mark did as Elliot isn’t it. His approach to the character is wooden and stilted, and Elliot talks in an awkward voice that makes it impossible to take him seriously. He’s supposed to be experiencing an intensely terrifying situation, but Wahlberg’s unintentionally funny, deadpan performance could lead viewers to think that The Happening is a parody of horror movies.
7
Dominic Toretto
Fast X (2023)
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7.1/10
Fast X
PG-13
CrimeMysteryThrillerRacing
Vin Diesel and the family return for the tenth installment of the Fast & Furious franchise in Fast X. Charlize Theron returns as Cipher joining forces with Dante Reyes, a former foe of the Fast Family seeking revenge for the death of his father Hernan Reyes, after the events of Fast Five. Fast X is part one of a two-part conclusion to the franchise.
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Release Date
May 19, 2023
Runtime
141 Minutes
Cast
Vin Diesel
, Michelle Rodriguez
, Jason Statham
, Jordana Brewster
, Tyrese Gibson
, Ludacris
, Nathalie Emmanuel
, Charlize Theron
Director
Louis Leterrier
Writers
Justin Lin
, Dan Mazeau
, Gary Scott Thompson
Studio(s)
Universal Pictures
Distributor(s)
Universal Pictures
Main Genre
Action
Expand
Vin Diesel’s eponymous character from the action franchise is supposed to be a serious patriarch of the family who will go to unbelievable extents to protect all his loved ones. The first movie establishes this through his scary behavior against Paul Walker’s Brain O’Connor every time the latter’s behavior puts the family in danger. Toretto is a brooding hero with an intense personality, but at some point, beyond the fifth film, his insistence on the importance of family stopped being endearing and moved into goofy territory. People have begun counting how many times Vin Diesel says family in the movies.
He becomes unintentionally funny every time he delivers ridiculous dialogue without acknowledging how hilarious he sounds.
Dom’s non-stop talk about family has become a meme now, and today, he seems like a parody of his old self from the earlier movies. It doesn’t help that, despite having such hilarious crew members like Roman Pearce and Tej Parker, who get into goofy shenanigans in every movie, Toretto is always self-serious. Vin Diesel’s performance seems over-the-top and satirical because he becomes unintentionally funny every time he delivers ridiculous dialogue without acknowledging how hilarious he sounds.
6
Dr. Christmas Jones
The World is Not Enough (1999)
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8/10
The World is Not Enough
PG-13
ActionAdventureThriller
James Bond is assigned to protect Elektra King, the daughter of a murdered oil tycoon, and to prevent a terrorist from destroying her family’s pipeline. As he delves deeper into the case, Bond uncovers a complex web of deception and betrayal. The terrorist, Renard, is a former KGB agent who feels no pain due to a bullet lodged in his brain. Bond’s mission takes him from the high-stakes world of international oil politics to the dangerous terrains of the Caspian Sea. Along the way, he joins forces with nuclear physicist Dr. Christmas Jones to thwart a plot to trigger a nuclear meltdown in Istanbul.
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Release Date
November 19, 1999
Runtime
128 minutes
Cast
Pierce Brosnan
, Sophie Marceau
, Robert Carlyle
, Denise Richards
, Robbie Coltrane
, judi dench
Director
Michael Apted
Writers
Neal Purvis
, Robert Wade
, Bruce Feirstein
, Ian Fleming
Main Genre
Action
Expand
The Bond girl archetype has been criticized over the years for being an excuse to pander to the male gaze and place women in James Bond’s path to emphasize his sexual prowess. While there are some examples of Bond girls with more fleshed-out arcs and bigger impacts on the plot, like the most underrated Madeleine Swann, the archetype remains disturbingly consistent. The worst example dates back to the last Bond film of the previous century in Denise Richards’ Dr. Christmas Jones.
The greatest disservice to the character is that she was written for Bond’s cringe-worthy line “I thought Christmas only comes once a year.” The writers didn’t treat Dr. Jones seriously, and that reflects in her hilarious stupidity.
Richards’ character won the franchise its first Razzie, and the character received disproportionate hate for being sexually provocative “despite” being a nuclear scientist. That sexist criticism fails to uncover why Dr. Jones is unintentionally a comic presence. It’s dubious to claim that she can’t be pandering to the male gaze just because she’s smart, but the problem is that Richards wasn’t given lines to establish the character’s credibility as a nuclear scientist. She makes obvious statements and is comically dumb, despite supposedly being the smartest character in every scene she’s in.
5
Eddie Brock & Venom
Venom (2018)
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27
8/10
Venom
PG-13
Sci-FiActionHorror
Venom is an action sci-fi movie that stars Tom Hardy as the titular Marvel anti-hero. When the Life Foundation begins experimenting on alien lifeforms they find on a comet that landed nearby, Investigative Journalist Eddie Brock begins to investigate them. When an infiltration goes wrong, Eddie finds that one of the aliens has bonded to him, forcing him to learn to live with his new uninvited host. Giving him superhuman powers, the two begin to work together to stop the rest of the symbiote’s invasive species.
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Release Date
October 5, 2018
Runtime
112 Minutes
Cast
Woody Harrelson
, Jenny Slate
, Michelle Williams
, Scott Haze
, Tom Hardy
, Riz Ahmed
Director
Ruben Fleischer
Writers
Scott Rosenberg
, Jeff Pinkner
Studio(s)
Columbia Pictures
, Marvel Entertainment
, Arad Productions
Distributor(s)
Sony Pictures Releasing
Main Genre
Superhero
Expand
The first live-action version of Venom by Topher Grace in Spider-Man 3 (2007) wasn’t even bad enough to be funny, it just breaks people’s immersion. Apparently, Sony learned its lesson, and they committed to a campy version of Venom, but the marketing team missed the memo. Promoted as the darkest superhero movie ever, Venom was supposed to feature a gritty take on the lethal protector. Instead, Tom Hardy’s Eddie Brock and Venom bicker like a couple, and their bromance makes Venom one of the movies with low expectations that turned out amazing.
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4
Venom‘s entertainment factor is entirely unintentional, though. Well, not entirely, because it’s a comedic interpretation, but Venom himself was perhaps not meant to be this funny. Eddie himself is weary and always exhausted, and his awkwardness of having to hide the symbiote leads to hilarious antics. But the character is at its funniest when it’s just Eddie and Venom arguing with each other. Instead of being a terrifying monstrous parasite, Venom dignifies Eddie’s quips and problems with him using smart and witty retorts. They’re like a sitcom duo instead of a scary anti-hero.
4
Nomi Malone
Showgirls (1995)
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Showgirls
NC-17
Drama
Showgirls follows the journey of a vagabond named Nomi Malone, who arrives in Las Vegas to pursue her dream of becoming a Vegas showgirl. Initially hopeful about her prospects, she soon realizes the world of showbusiness is ruthless – and she’ll have to play their rules if she wants to make it to the top.
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Release Date
September 22, 1995
Runtime
131 Minutes
Cast
Elizabeth Berkley
, Kyle MacLachlan
, Gina Gershon
, Glenn Plummer
, Robert Davi
, Alan Rachins
, Gina Ravera
Director
Paul Verhoeven
Writers
Joe Eszterhas
Studio(s)
Carolco Pictures
, Chargeurs
, United Artists
Distributor(s)
MGM/UA Distribution Co.
Main Genre
Drama
Expand
Paul Verhoeven has made a name for directing erotic thrillers set in the seedy underbellies of urban life. Depraved characters with dark fetishes populate his movies, and Showgirls is no exception. However, Showgirls is only known as the first sexually explicit movie to be widely released in theaters and one of the worst movies ever made. In fact, Verhoeven’s one of the directors who took their names off movies because the TV version of the movie used a ridiculous tactic to deal with the R-rated material.
The movie is awkwardly complicit in the very exploitation it attempts to criticize, and it features awkward dialogue like “Nomi’s got heat”, delivered by a disinterested Kyle McLachlan who looks like he was forced to be in Showgirls. The height of awkwardness is in Elizabeth Berkley’s Nomi Malone, who erratically shifts between sensual and aggressive when delivering her poorly-written lines. Her story’s supposed to be compelling and inspiring, but the weird body language just reduces her to a laughingstock.
3
Cameron Poe
Con Air (1997)
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10/10
Con Air
R
ActionCrimeThriller
Con-Air is a 1990s action crime-thriller starring Nicholas Cage as former U.S. Ranger turned to convict Cameron Poe. Poe, in an act of self-defense and passion, is court-martialed for accidentally killing the man he protected his wife from. Having served his time and achieving Parole, Poe is on his way home with one problem – the transport plane he’s on has been hijacked by several dangerous convicts, led by one of the worst in the United States.
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Release Date
June 5, 1997
Runtime
115 minutes
Cast
John Cusack
, Dave Chappelle
, Ving Rhames
, John Malkovich
, Steve Buscemi
, Nicolas Cage
Director
Simon West
Writers
Scott Rosenberg
Studio(s)
20th Century
Distributor(s)
20th Century
Expand
Nicolas Cage’s expressive performances make him the perfect subject of memes because he delivers unintentional hilarity through over-the-top acting all the time. It’s particularly fascinating that he started out as a serious dramatic actor and even won an Oscar for his role in Leaving Las Vegas (1995), but then moved onto performing in action movies as larger-than-life characters. The change wasn’t a misstep, because, over the years, Cage has switched genres all the time and wowed movie fans with his impressive range.
What makes Cameron Poe unforgettable is the ridiculous Southern accent he uses for the whole movie.
However, Con Air isn’t an example of that. The cheesy script filled with ’90s action tropes is just made funnier by Cage’s over-the-top performance. He’s supposed to be understated and brooding, even weary, but instead, he’s hyperactive, chaotic, and borderline insane in his behavior. But what makes Cameron Poe unforgettable is the ridiculous Southern accent he uses for the whole movie. Let alone believable, it sounds like poor mimicry. It’s one of the best unintentionally funny Nicolas Cage movie antics.
2
Mr. Freeze
Batman & Robin (1997)
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5.7/10
Batman and Robin
pg-13
ActionThriller Sci-Fi
Following the events of Batman Forever, Batman & Robin is the fourth entry into Warner Bros.’s original Batman film franchise. Batman (George Clooney) and his sidekick Robin (Chris O’Donnell) team up with Barbara Wilson (Alicia Silverstone) to thwart the evil plans of Mr. Freeze (Arnold Schwarzenegger) and Poison Ivy (Uma Thurman). With Barbara assuming the mantle of Batgirl, the three heroes fight to save Gotham from two of Batman’s greatest enemies.
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Release Date
June 20, 1997
Runtime
2h 5m
Cast
George Clooney
, Arnold Schwarzenegger
, Chris O’Donnell
, Uma Thurman
Director
Joel Schumacher
Writers
George Clooney
, Akiva Goldsman
Studio(s)
Warner Bros. Pictures
Distributor(s)
Warner Bros. Pictures
Expand
Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Mr. Freeze counts as one of the worst superhero movie performances ever. While Batman & Robin is decidedly campy and committed to the comic book vibe, featuring ridiculous and over-the-top personas for its major characters, Mr. Freeze was intended to be a mix of scary and comical. Instead, his cheesy lines, delivered in Schwarzenegger’s iconic accent, make viewers laugh at the movie and not with it.
The ridiculous puns and the mime-esque stilted performance make it impossible to take Mr. Freeze seriously as a villain. He looks and behaves like a caricature of Batman’s iconic, formidable foe. The tacky costume and makeup were intentional because the movie is leaning into the ridiculous nature of comic book characters, but the completely unserious vibe of Schumacher’s movie makes everyone seem over-the-top and satirical, from Ivy’s hilarious seduction tactics to George Clooney’s shiny batsuit. It’s one of the most unintentionally funny movies of all time.
1
Johnny
The Room (2003)
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10/10
The Room
R
DramaRomance
The Room is an experimental romantic drama film by the infamous Tommy Wiseau that sees the writer/director/producer star in the lead role of Johnny, a successful man with a comfortable life whose world is turned upside down when his best friend begins an affair with his wife. Considered a box-office bomb initially derided for its off-putting performances and completely erratic subplots, the movie has emerged as a quintessential cult classic and sees regular theater viewing events across the United States. The film later went on to have a dramatization of the true story based on Greg Sestero’s book, The Disaster Artist.
Release Date
June 27, 2003
Runtime
91minutes
Cast
Juliette Danielle
, Robyn Paris
, Greg Sestero
, Kyle Vogt
, Carolyn Minnott
, Tommy Wiseau
, Dan Janjigian
, Philip Haldiman
, mike holmes
Director
Tommy Wiseau
Writers
Tommy Wiseau
Tommy Wiseau’s The Room is the quintessential “so bad, it’s good” movie. Wiseau decided to write, produce, direct, and act in the movie, and debate still rages on about what he meant to make or say with The Room. The only consensus people have reached is that the final product wasn’t intended. The self-seriousness of the ridiculous movie robs it of the self-awareness it would need to work as a comedy, and there’s simply no way to take it as an intense drama, irrespective of how much the director’s performance wants viewers to believe that it’s not a comedy.
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Johnny is supposed to be endearing and empathetic. His journey is supposed to be relatable, and the triumphs should make viewers celebrate with him. Instead, Wiseau’s inexplicable acting choices, the over-the-top emotional outbursts, and his erratic mood flings make him impossible to connect with. His lack of self-awareness makes him a ridiculous clown who viewers find it easier to laugh at than relate with. It’s difficult to determine whether Wiseau’s performance or his direction is more unintentionally funny.