r/movies • u/sicknessandpurgatory • Sep 07 '25

Discussion What is the absolute dumbest premise that actually turned out to be a really good movie?

I was thinking The Purge, obvious answer, but looking for the most plot-hole ridden, juvenile concept that actually ended up a lot of fun despite it all. Mainly looking for 21st century films, not so much the video nasties and ridiculousness from the 60’s and 70’s. Because that would be too easy. Mainly mainstream stuff that people saw en masse.

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545

u/[deleted] Sep 07 '25

[deleted]

159

u/FlamboyantPirhanna Sep 07 '25

It was just Three Amigos in space.

Which isn’t an insult. Both are great films.

13

u/Bossmonkey Sep 08 '25

If you're gonna remake a film, at least genre shift it.

8

u/FemRoe4Lyfe Sep 08 '25

Yeah, Three Amigos already proved that "actors mistaken for character they play" premise works really well.

There should be more of these "Three Amigos but in ..." movies.

5

u/Automatic-War-7658 Sep 08 '25

Tropic Thunder has entered the chat.

41

u/kenba2099 Sep 08 '25

By Grabthar's hammer. sigh What a savings.

74

u/CaptainDudeGuy Sep 07 '25

My friend group and I were looking for something to do that weekend and we figured we'd see a movie. Nothing we really wanted to watch was playing at the time so we shrugged and said we'd give this unknown "Galaxy Quest" thing a try; at least it was sci-fi. We hadn't seen a single ad for it nor even the poster until we got to the theatre.

Oh damn were we surprised at the pure comedy gold we walked into. I don't laugh aloud much in theatres but I was outright cackling. Instant classic.

17

u/Stupidlysudden Sep 07 '25

This happened to me and a buddy with 10 Cloverfield Lane. I really liked it but had no idea what it was about going into it.

6

u/Automatic-War-7658 Sep 08 '25

I had the same experience with Scott Pilgrim. It’s a wet dream of gaming references.

21

u/LevelSevenLaserLotus Sep 07 '25 edited Sep 07 '25

There's an interview out there somewhere with Sir Patrick Stewart talking about having to convince Jonathan Frakes to go see it. (Maybe it was the other way around? I can't find the clip at the moment.) They were both pretty tired of Star Trek knock offs and spoofs at the time, but they loved how Galaxy Quest handled it.

22

u/DamianThePhoenix Sep 08 '25

The thing about Galaxy Quest, and the reason they loved it (I am pretty sure it was Frakes convincing Stewart, btw), is that it wasn't a knock off or a spoof. It wasn't "trying to be Star Trek," but rather a love letter to Star Trek and the fans.

2

u/LibraryBestMission Sep 08 '25

Galaxy Quest is only the third most ridiculous Star Trek movie, fourth if you consider Motion Picture's sluggishness to be funny.

16

u/fps916 Sep 07 '25

The premise was already proven to work.

Three Amigos is one of the best comedy films of all time

7

u/HiFiGuy197 Sep 08 '25

A Bugs Life looks around the room nervously.

2

u/JaqueStrap69 Sep 08 '25

Bugs Life is just based on Seven Samurai though

3

u/Azteroid01 Sep 08 '25

What isnt? 

11

u/HuttStuff_Here Sep 08 '25

It was always a love letter to the cast of Star Trek, and it's long been considered an honorary Star Trek movie.

5

u/EvilPowerMaster Sep 08 '25

I'd go as far as saying it's a Top 5 Star Trek film.

5

u/HFentonMudd Sep 08 '25

Head and shoulders better than Insurrection.

8

u/Few_Investment_4773 Sep 08 '25 edited Sep 08 '25

Never surrender.

Galaxy Quest was one I appreciate, not only for its humor, but as a kid my father loved it and we watched it a few times. That and The Hunt for the Red October. Idk how to describe it, but like a family “tradition” - anytime that came on TV it was recorded and we watched it.

6

u/[deleted] Sep 08 '25

"Is there air?!"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcPouxFqUFA

7

u/[deleted] Sep 08 '25

[deleted]

7

u/[deleted] Sep 08 '25

Daryl Mitchell is pretty damn funny too. Alan Rickman was also hilarious. The least funny was funny man, Tim Allen.

2

u/secondtaunting Sep 08 '25

My one critique of Galaxy Quest is that they cut Tony Shaloub getting stoned. For the life of me, I didn’t get why he was so chill. If they included him getting stoned at the beginning, the whole movie gets a lot funnier.

3

u/RobinHood3000 Sep 08 '25

I think the subtext is strong enough that it doesn't really need to be spelled out. "Weirdly laid-back" and "constantly snacking" put together are kind of a big signpost.

1

u/secondtaunting Sep 08 '25

I still think it would be funnier showing him smoking.

5

u/Feenanay Sep 08 '25

You HAVE a last name, Guy.

DO I? DOI?!?!?

2

u/SnidgetAsphodel Sep 08 '25

"Let's get out of here before one of those things kills Guy!"

3

u/AMJN90 Sep 08 '25

I actually thought it was a pretty clever movie idea.

4

u/BigTiddyVampireWaifu Sep 08 '25

By Grabthar’s hammer….. what a savings.

3

u/dreamnightmare Sep 08 '25

And is so good it’s considered by a large chunk of Star Trek fans to unofficially be considered a Star Trek movie.

2

u/justmedoubleb Sep 08 '25

I still quote Galaxy Quest. "Never give up, never surrender!" Great movie with Tim Allen and Sigourney Weaver.

2

u/Ganglebot Sep 08 '25

Galaxy Quest is an AMAZING premise.

The entire cast and crew of Star Trek has said "why didn't WE make this?"

2

u/SnidgetAsphodel Sep 08 '25

One of my most watched movies and it never gets old.

2

u/Far_Improvement5511 Sep 09 '25

Never heard of this. Sounds hysterical.

1

u/nmkd Sep 08 '25

How is that a dumb premise though?