The Three Nicolas Cage Movies With A 0% Score On Rotten Tomatoes
One thing Nicolas Cage can do better than anyone in Hollywood is draw attention. Whether through blockbuster numbers or his all-in-pull-out-the-stops approach to acting, his roles always entice the audience's curiosity. But curiosity isn't always enough to make a movie successful, and the downside of going all in is that you're going to either hit the mark dead-on or miss it entirely.
The 1980s saw him find a few roles that gave him exposure with movies like "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" (credited as Nicolas Coppola) and "Moonstruck." The '90s, however, are what made him a superstar, winning an Oscar for best actor in a leading role for "Leaving Las Vegas" (via IMDb) and displaying his ability to carry action films like "The Rock," "Con Air," and "Face/Off" (via Reddit).
But not all of his films hit the mark. Arguably the king of unintentional comedy, Cage has several flops and uniquely bad movies under his belt. A few in the mix critically failed so spectacularly that they hit rock bottom. Here are the three Nicolas Cage movies that scored a 0% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Deadfall fell hard with critics
When you hear about a Nicolas Cage movie that also stars Michael Biehn, you would be forgiven if your brain first goes to the action flick "The Rock." But no, the first of his movies to land the honor of scoring a 0% on Rotten Tomatoes is 1993's "Deadfall."
While this movie follows Joe (Biehn) as he faces the fallout of accidentally killing his father during a con, it makes sense that Cage would show up in this film since his brother Christopher Coppola wrote and directed the film. Cage appears as Eddie, a degenerate and drug user who, ironically, steals the show. Pop culture writer Nathan Rabin says, "Cage's Eddie King isn't just a heavy drinker and an addict. Cage does not play him as someone who is on a drug or some drugs. Instead, Cage plays Eddie as someone who is on ALL the drugs and ALL the pills ALL the time."
Unfortunately, Cage's zany approach to the character wasn't enough to save the film. Daniel Barnes of the podcast "Dare Daniel" says, "As far as Cage goes over the top, Biehn goes exactly as far under the bottom." The Coppola name didn't keep this movie from failing, and the apple clearly fell in a completely different pasture from the tree.
Left Behind was left far behind by audiences and critics alike
With 16 books spanning a dozen years, it was only a matter of time before the "Left Behind" series was adapted to film. After three low-budget attempts in the early 2000s starring Kirk Cameron, it was Nicolas Cage's turn to bring star power to the franchise in 2014.
The film follows commercial pilot Rayford Steele (Cage) as he and his daughter face a global catastrophe when true believers in God disappear in the rapture, leaving the rest of humanity to face trials and tribulations involving the Antichrist. Also starring Chad Michael Murray ("Freaky Friday," "A Cinderella Story") and Jordin Sparks ("Sparkle"), the film failed to launch a franchise to continue the story, and it is largely considered one of Cage's worst.
Not only did the critics dislike the movie enough to give it a 0%, but audiences responded negatively as well, giving it a marginally higher 2% (via Rotten Tomatoes). Monica Castillo of Paste said of the film, "The movie unravels in its own destruction. Every effort to milk the tragedy of the apocalypse is met with terrible music, acting and effects that soak (and drown) the pathos in camp fare." While a more simplistic approach may have worked for the novels, relying on strong writing to keep readers engaged, Cage's bored portrayal carried over into the theater seats.
Grand Isle wasn't grand at all
Dark noir movies seem to be where Nicolas Cage flexes his muscles the most. Films like "Vampire's Kiss," "Snake Eyes," and "Bringing Out the Dead" established Cage as an actor who is fearless in pushing himself out of his comfort zone. Cage did it again with his turn in the 2019 film "Grand Isle."
In "Grand Isle," handyman Buddy (Luke Benward) seeks refuge from a hurricane in the home of Walter and Fancy (Cage and KaDee Strickland), coming face-to-face with dark secrets while the storm rages outside. With Fancy trying to punish her husband for forgetting their anniversary by making moves on Buddy and Walter trying to kill Fancy by hiring the handyman to do so, this film is a whirlwind of twists using the flashback style. Kelsey Grammer appears as the detective interrogating Buddy to figure out what happened while the audience joins him in confusion.
Like many other Cage one-offs, the film failed to appeal to critics. Gena Radcliffe of the Spool said, "Though he perks up towards the end, Cage looks exhausted most of the time, and you can almost hear the weary sigh as he signed the contract agreeing to star in this." While Cage has had his share of duds, fans are hoping his newest film to hit theaters, "The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent," will signal a Cage renaissance and bring us back to the glory days of action hype and Oscar nods.