10 Worst-Edited Movies, Ranked

Making a completed movie — something people see in the theaters or on streaming services — is no small feat. From screenplay writing to actor selection, there is a lot that goes into making it. Then, there is post-production and editing, fine-tuning transitions and cuts, adding special effects, and condensing clips to ensure dialogue and scenes flow seamlessly throughout to make something cohesive and detailed. Sadly, not all film editing is created equal, and some movies could have used a bit more time in the studio to get it right.

From the rushed editing of Suicide Squad that left the film feeling choppy with little character development and a messy plot to the questionable CGI treatment of the actors throughout Cats, some creative directions need to be exclaimed under a microscope to understand. These are the perfect examples of why post-production film editing should never be overlooked, as these are the worst-edited films out there. They will be ranked based on how sloppy they are, how easy it is to tell that their editing is poor, and how much the overall quality suffers from it.

10 ‘Cats’ (2019)

Directed by Tom Hooper

Based on the musical of the same name, the film Cats was one of those highly-anticipated Broadway adaptations that excited movie and stage lovers alike. The cast was full of stars from both the screen and the stage, all of whom have excelled in their given craft. It was bound to be a showcase of talent! What viewers weren’t expecting, though, was a confusing film full of special effects that were nothing short of a fever dream.

During the film’s edits, choreography, something that is a main factor in any musical, movie, or stage, was cut short. The quick cuts focused more on the main singer and less on the movement of the ensemble, even though it should have been a wide camera angle that involved everyone in the scene. Then there is the infamous issue of the CGI cats. The fur was an issue in and of itself, but detailed editing seemed to take a backburner when viewers noticed Judy Dench’s exposed hands that didn’t get a fur makeover and even actors’ feet not fully touching the ground. The film edits on the special effects side were sloppy and amateur, making a strange movie even more difficult to watch.

Watch on Netflix

9 ‘Green Lantern’ (2011)

Directed by Martin Campbell

Starring Ryan Reynolds as test pilot Hal Jordan, Green Lantern follows his story as he goes from being this cocky human to part of an intergalactic order known as the Green Lantern Corps. The only human in the corps, Hal must learn how to harness the powers of his Green Lantern ring in order to keep balance in the universe. The story of the Green Lantern was good, but the editing and questionable special effect decisions make it one of the worst-edited movies out there.

The opening scene shows the corps fighting in a war, using their rings to win a battle over their enemies. It leaves nothing to the imagination and goes too deep into exposition, something that would have been better off left further down the timeline of the movie. The juxtaposition of the seriousness of the situation and Hal’s nonchalant attitude leaves the movie feeling as though it is two films spliced poorly together. Then there is the matter of the super suit, a lime green CGI animation that leaves Reynolds’ head floating around space and a mask seemingly floating just over the surface of his face. The details of the editing are just enough to throw off viewers, making it a hard film to take seriously.

8 ‘Mulan’ (2020)

Directed by Niki Caro

A live-action remake of the 1998 animated Disney classic, Mulan follows the story of a young girl as she takes her father’s place in the Imperial Army, wanting to save him from being hurt or, worse, killed. Disguising herself as a man, Mulan (Liu Yifei) does the unthinkable and joins the army’s ranks, ultimately saving China. The animated film was a masterpiece with beautiful music and a funny sidekick. So, fans were ready to see the live-action remake with intense fight sequences and action.

While they got those fight sequences, the editing made them a bit unbearable. Sadly, the action was riddled with jump cuts, which were trying to hide the transitions from actor to stunt double, as well as some pretty low-budget stunt choreography. It was a big letdown in the age of Disney live-action remakes and something that could have been easily fixed if attention to detail was a bit more important in the editing room.

7 ‘Taken 3′ (2014)

Directed by Olivier Megaton

Bryan Mills (Liam Neeson) is back and better than ever with his very specific set of skills in the action film Taken 3. After being framed for his wife’s murder, Bryan is on the run from pretty much every government agency in the country. The thing is, he won’t stop until he takes down the actual person responsible. Yes, the film has a very similar “I’m going to find you and kill you” plot as the first two in the series, but the quick-shot editing makes it the worst.

For those who enjoy the Taken films, it is safe to say they are full of action and fight sequences; it makes them fun to watch! However, the editing for the third installment is either so quick that viewers miss what is happening as the scenes cut back and forth at lightning speed, or there are so many cuts within a scene that it is almost laughable, like the fourteen cuts in six seconds to show Mills jumping over a fence. Continuity errors in these scenes are also evident, as cars are bashed around but have zero dents, scratches, or even missing windows.

6 ‘Suicide Squad’ (2016)

Directed by David Ayer

Viewers were introduced to Task Force X, AKA the Suicide Squad, in the eponymous 2016 film. Incarcerated at a high-max prison, Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) decides the supervillains are expendable, setting them on a top-secret mission that will likely end in their deaths. Armed with government weapons, the team of rag-tag villains set out to do something they aren’t really used to: saving the world. With fan-favorite villains such as Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie) and Deadshot (Will Smith), it seemed like a fairly good recipe for a quality superhero (supervillain?) movie.

Suicide Squad didn’t really know if it wanted to fall into a dark comedy or action genre. So, it ended up being both, with an ever-changing tone that made it feel as though it were two movies thrown onto one screen. The edits were rushed, with location names blending into the scenery and camera angles that didn’t make a whole lot of sense for specific scenes, including the opening, when viewers see screens of all of the villains in their cells but not specifically zooming in on any before zeroing in on the trading card introductions. With re-shoots and a recut, Suicide Squad wound up being a muddled plot with a bland story and uninteresting characters.

5 ‘Catwoman’ (2004)

Directed by Pitof

Catwoman follows the story of Patience Philips (Halle Berry), a shy artist who lacks self-esteem and wants nothing more than to blend into the crowd. However, she is soon caught hearing sensitive information, and some thugs are ordered to “dispose of her.” Little do they know Patience is revived by an ancient cat who gives her cat-like powers, turning her into Catwoman.

While Berry is an amazing actress, and superhero fans love a good origin story, the plot and editing leave much to be desired. Looking past the costume choice and dialogue, it is hard to miss all of the whiplash-like quick cuts that are displayed in virtually every scene. With around three cuts per second in any given scene, especially when Berry is doing stunts, it is hard to focus on any of the action. It isn’t only when Berry is in her Catwoman attire, though; the infamous basketball scene is so chaotic, and with ten cuts within four seconds, it is unclear what the editing team was trying to accomplish. Catwoman is arguably one of the worst superhero movies of all time, and the editing is a huge reason why.

Watch on Amazon

4 ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ (2018)

Directed by Bryan Singer

Following the story of Farrokh Bulsara as he transforms into Freddie Mercury (Rami Malek) and the rise of the band Queen from pub singers to international superstars, Bohemian Rhapsody had a lot going for it, especially considering the highly popular subject. The musical biopic was lively, with great music and acting, and it even won Malek an Academy Award for Best Actor. Sadly, what the film excels at is overshadowed by what it lacks in editing.

The pacing is off, seemingly going with runtime needs instead of gearing toward telling a compelling story. That, mixed in with editing numerous shot-reverse-shot patterns that added nothing to the plot, made the film seem repetitive while wasting time that could have been used on informative dialogue. Viewers will also notice spacial continuity errors throughout, where the edits make it so a character’s eye-line does not meet someone else’s body positions, making it very disorienting to watch. What could have been one of the best biopics out there was nothing more than mediocre, thanks to the choppy edits.

3 ‘Star Wars Episode I – The Phantom Menace’ (1999)

Directed by George Lucas

The first prequel film in the Star Wars franchise, Star Wars Episode I – The Phantom Menace, was a highly-anticipated movie that introduces fans to a young Anakin Skywalker (Jake Lloyd), aka the kid who grows up to be one of the most notorious movie villains ever, Darth Vader. The film follows Anakin as he is taken from his home planet of Tatooine to become a Jedi under the training of Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) and Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson). Like all Star Wars films, it is a fun sci-fi movie and ties into the sequel films pretty well, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have areas for improvement.

When it comes to the editing, viewers get swept away in the numerous transitions. George Lucas uses a technique called a swipe transition, something that looks very similar to a PowerPoint slide transition, to go from one location to the next. The thing about this technique is the movie transitions often, and the swipe makes it seem a bit campy and odd since viewers can see both locations at once. It also messes with the pacing, as the dialogue is completely cut off until the characters are firmly set in the next location. It gets in the way of storytelling and detracts from the interesting and complex scenes Lucas is trying to relay.

2 ‘Resident Evil: The Final Chapter’ (2016)

Directed by Paul W. S. Anderson

A stellar videogame with movie adaptations, fans of Resident Evil were probably pretty excited to finally see the epic conclusion and final battle in the sixth film, Resident Evil: The Final Chapter. In the film, Alice (Milla Jovovich) is gearing up to finally take down Umbrella Corps and rid the world of the virus they unleashed. Unfortunately, with a set runtime with too many plot points to cover, choppy editing, and intense action sequences with little to no explanation, the film wasn’t well received.

Like most Resident Evil movies, The Final Chapter was riddled with action scenes. The thing is, the jump cuts were so quick it was hard to follow the choreography. They also seemed to come out of the blue due to the lack of congruent dialogue and character development, leading to inconsistencies in the plot and edits splicing together scenes that seemed to be out of the blue with strange transitions mixed with quick pacing. The editing mishaps left the movie feeling very disjointed, unorganized, and all-around unsatisfying, especially for a final film and boss battle.

1 ‘The Room’ (2003)

Directed by Tommy Wiseau

All those who have seen the cult classic The Room know there really isn’t a cohesive plot to speak of. The basic idea behind the story is the main character, Johnny (Tommy Wiseau), lives with his girlfriend, Lisa (Juliette Danielle), in San Francisco, California. Eventually, Lisa gets bored with their relationship and starts pursuing Johnny’s best friend, Mark (Greg Sestero). It is a pretty basic idea that should have been easily edited into a digestible movie, but that is not what happened.

The Room
is a masterclass on what not to do in the editing room and how pacing and continuity can make or break a film.

To figure out what went wrong with the editing, viewers need to look no further than the cuts. Many scenes could have been cut to make the flow better, such as the random football scene and Claudette (Carolyn Minnott) mentioning she has breast cancer. Not only does that specific comment bring nothing to the story or move the plot forward, but her illness is never mentioned again. Then, there are intimate scenes that last too long and could have been cut down (or removed entirely) as there is no natural progression into the scene but rather randomly cut to after a string of dialogue. The Room is a masterclass on what not to do in the editing room and how pacing and continuity can make or break a film that must be seen to be believed.

Watch on Roku

Next: The 10 Worst Movies of the 2010s, Ranked