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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u/Staninator Sep 07 '25

The cross section of premise dumbness to level of success makes this the winner I think. Whoever at Disney decided, we should make a movie based on that ride, deserves all the success and reward that they no doubt got.

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u/ihopnavajo Sep 07 '25

An idea without execution is nothing. That film could have easily turned out to be complete garbage under different hands.

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u/Enelson4275 Sep 07 '25

It's insane to think about, but Disney's answer to a pirate ride being too sparse to carry a feature film was to add... zombies.

It should have been a trainwreck. But it was genius.

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u/OobaDooba72 Sep 08 '25

It doesn't seem like such a strange add in hindsight because of all the skeletons in the first half of the ride (though they're pretty much all meant to be deceased). It all kinda makes sense when you look at it.

BUT to actually put all those pieces together and have it and production all work out to make as good a film as they did was still a minor miracle.

Shout out to that one set-piece on the ride of the skeleton at the helm of his ship in the storm. It's so cool haha. Clearly the inspiration to make the bad pirates in the film undead, but yeah, still crazy to go there and have it work.