Every decade of cinema history feels different from the one that preceded or followed. '70s movies broke ground with films such as The Godfather and Jaws while '80s movies delved into excess. '90s movies gave audiences inspirational tales such as Forrest Gump, The Shawshank Redemption, and Jerry Maguire while the aughts gave viewers fluffy, fun blockbusters and prestige pictures alike.
However, not all of these movies hold up after 15-20 years. The times change as does the film industry alongside it. What audiences have seen, and want to see, changes. Some movies just don't hold up as well twenty years later.
Nutty Professor II: The Klumps (2000)
The plot of Nutty Professor II: The Klumps reunites viewers with Professor Sherman Klump, now very close to eliminating his pesky alter-ego once and for all. However, after an accident in the lab, the alter-ego becomes a man of all his own.
This is a classic case of a sequel doubling up on what worked for audiences the first time. In the case of the box-office smash Eddie Murphy play multiple characters. In reality, what made the original film succeed was its sheer amount of heart. If the first film was 60 percent heart and 40 percent gross-out humor, the sequel is 95 percent gross-out humor and 5 percent heart. It results in a far inferior experience.
What Women Want (2000)
What Women Want follows a sexist ad executive who gains the supernatural ability to hear the thoughts of the women who surround him. It's up to him to either learn and grow from this information or relegate himself to his path of chauvinism.
This rom-com was once a television mainstay and a regular on the syndication circuit. In time, though, the film's standing in the eyes of the viewing public has cratered. There are several issues, and all of them are substantial parts of the movie, from its controversial star Mel Gibson to the script's problematic view of women Had the movie delved into early-2000s' toxic masculinity, it could have been groundbreaking instead of eye-rolling.
Pearl Harbor (2001)
Pearl Harbor follows two World War II pilots as they engage in two different fights. Not only do they have to take on the Japanese, but also fight one another to win their love's heart.
Ultimately, the consensus on Pearl Harbor was that, amongst other issues, it was wildly derivative of Titanic. However, the juxtaposition of the romance and the historical event is far less effective here than in James Cameron's film. The true difference between Titanic and Pearl Harbor stems from two major factors: acting and pacing. Both films are long, but Titanic uses the time to deepen the audience's understanding of Jack and Rose. Pearl Harbor bungles the time, focusing on a love triangle that never quite engages audiences the way it should in order to sustain a three-hour runtime.
Shallow Hal (2001)
Shallow Hal follows Hal (Jack Black), a man who thinks a woman's physical appearance is all that matters. After some mental adjustment courtesy of self-help guru Tony Robbins, Hal gains the ability to see women's internal beauty.
This is one of those comedies from the aughts (many of which are also courtesy of the Farrelly brothers) that didn't exactly tackle sensitive subjects with a delicate hand. It tries to convey its points via a gentle narrative. Even still, trying to be sweet does not negate the fact that it inherently views Rosemary (Gwyneth Paltrow) as less-than solely because of her body type.
XXX (2002)
xXx follows Xander Cage, a former extreme sports athlete wanted by the FBI. He gets a chance at redemption when he is recruited by the National Security istration to serve his country as a spy.
Now that almost 20 years have ed,Xx feels like Vin Diesel's forgotten franchise. The issue is that Xander Cage is a lackluster protagonist. The script wants him to be the next James Bond, which is exemplified by Xander chiding an adversary about the health detriments of smoking. Then, when Xander uses a heat-seeking rocket launcher on the smoking villain, he spouts out a one-liner. Cage is no Bond because Bond never preaches the merits of video games while driving a stolen car.
Bad Boys II (2003)
The plot of this sequel film follows Marcus Burnett (Martin Lawrence) and partner Mike Lowrey (Will Smith) as they take on a ruthless Cuban smuggler.
Bad Boys II was a big movie in the summer of 2003. However, it received far inferior reviews when compared to the first film (and, later, Bad Boys for Life). The truth is self-evident, as Bad Boys II is basically incomprehensible and easily worse than the installments that bookend it. Not to mention, the film's constant cultural appropriation does not help the viewer with the experience.
Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle (2003)
This ill-received sequel reunites audiences with the central trio as they navigate the tricky waters of love and their work as spies. This time, former flames and coworkers re-enter the picture to complicate the Angels' lives.
When a popular film gets only one sequel, it says more about the sequel than the first film. The first Charlie's Angels was a well-cast, breezily-fun early-aughts timepiece. The sequel, with a higher budget and lower domestic box office returns, was widely seen as a poorly edited mess. With dated jokes, some of the offensive variety, the movie is all but unwatchable in the 2020s.
Bringing Down The House (2003)
Bringing Down the House follows recently-divorced lawyer Peter Sanderson, who decides to put himself back on the market. Thanks to online dating, he thinks he's found someone who shares his interests. However, she ends up being an escaped convict who may be far more innocent than he initially thinks.
Racial-humor movies are a thing of the past. Even in 2003, Bringing Down the House seemed to be crossing the line. In short, it was never one of the most hilarious comedy movies from the '00s. Using racial jokes to get laughs is always offensive, and the movie leans into it as the heart of its sense of humor. Critics and audiences found the script too flat to say anything genuine about the world, much less remain an entertaining work years later.
Snakes On A Plane (2006)
Snakes on a Plane follows a murder witness and his police escort (Samuel L. Jackson) as they fly to the trial. In order to testify, the two will have to survive an intentionally placed crate of venomous, perturbed snakes.
This movie seemed like a cult idea even before it was released in theatres. What it feels like, however, is a massive missed opportunity. The script would have greatly benefitted with more humor and self-awareness. Instead, it never even manages to take advantage of claustrophobia like the best airplane movies.
Avatar (2009)
Avatar was and remains a film that many viewers love. However, it's also riddled with cliches. For one, changing the villagers to blue cats does not negate the fact that this is a "white savior" movie like any other. The uncomfortable undercurrent that this injects into the movie feels far more prominent in 2021 than it did 12 short years prior.
Taking place on the alien world of Pandora, the plot follows paralyzed former Marine Jake Sully. With the assistance of technology, he is able to inhabit the body of one of Pandora's inhabitants, the Na'vi.
