The 1980s were a golden age for kids' movies—or so we thought. While the decade gave us classics like The Goonies and E.T., it also unleashed a parade of cinematic disasters that were so bad, they've become legendary for all the wrong reasons. From shameless product placement to baffling plots and terrifying special effects, these films were marketed to children but often felt like they were made by aliens who had never actually met a kid. Here's our ranking of the absolute worst kids' movies of the '80s, from the merely awful to the truly unwatchable.
8. The Wizard (1989)
If you've ever wanted to watch a 90-minute commercial for Nintendo, The Wizard is your movie. This bizarre film follows a traumatized boy named Jimmy (Luke Edwards) who is rescued from a mental institution by his brother Corey (Fred Savage) and a random girl (Jenny Lewis) so he can compete in a video game championship. The plot is a mess, the dialogue is weirdly mature for its young characters, and the whole thing culminates in the reveal of Super Mario Bros. 3. It's less a movie and more a live-action infomercial, but at least the Power Glove makes an appearance. For a better use of your time, check out Best Movies on Prime Video in June 2026.
7. Felix the Cat: The Movie (1988)
Some animated movies are just plain bad, and Felix the Cat: The Movie is a prime example. Meant to be a nostalgic throwback, this film instead delivers sloppy animation, out-of-sync voice acting, and painfully saccharine sing-alongs. The plot—if you can call it that—involves Felix rescuing a princess from a villain, with a detour to a circus in another dimension. It's disjointed, cloying, and a total misfire for the beloved cartoon cat.
6. Cry Wilderness (1987)
Cry Wilderness is the kind of movie that makes you wonder how it ever got a PG rating. It follows a boy named Paul who befriends a Bigfoot and receives a magical pendant that lets him communicate with the creature. The film is packed with inappropriate jokes, terrible dialogue, and one of the worst Bigfoot costumes ever committed to film. It's so bad that it's achieved cult status for its unintentional hilarity, but as a kids' movie, it's a disaster.
5. Howard the Duck (1986)
Before Marvel became a cinematic juggernaut, there was Howard the Duck—a film so bizarre and off-putting that it's often cited as one of the worst movies ever made. The story of a wisecracking duck from another planet who ends up on Earth is a tonal nightmare, veering from slapstick to creepy to just plain weird. It's not suitable for kids or adults, and it remains a cautionary tale about adapting comic books without understanding the source material.
4. The Garbage Pail Kids Movie (1987)
Based on the popular trading cards, The Garbage Pail Kids Movie is a grotesque, poorly made film that somehow got a PG-13 rating. It follows a group of ugly, mischievous creatures who cause chaos in a small town. The costumes are terrifying, the acting is atrocious, and the whole thing feels like a fever dream. It's a movie that's so bad, it's almost impressive—but definitely not for kids.
3. Mac and Me (1988)
Often called the worst E.T. rip-off ever made, Mac and Me is a shameless cash grab that's infamous for its blatant product placement (Coca-Cola and McDonald's get major screen time) and a bizarre dance sequence in a McDonald's. The plot about a friendly alien and a boy in a wheelchair is clunky and manipulative, and the special effects are laughable. It's a movie that's so bad, it's become a cult classic for all the wrong reasons.
2. Santa Claus: The Movie (1985)
This big-budget holiday film starring Dudley Moore should have been a classic, but instead it's a bloated, boring mess. The story of Santa's origins and his battle with an evil toy manufacturer is padded with dull subplots and cringey humor. Even the talented cast can't save this film from its own ambition. It's a Christmas movie that will make you wish for coal.
1. Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987)
While not strictly a kids' movie, Superman IV was marketed to families and is arguably the worst film of the decade. With a shoestring budget, terrible special effects, and a nonsensical plot about Superman eliminating nuclear weapons, this movie is a painful watch. Christopher Reeve does his best, but even he can't save this disaster. It's a low point for the superhero genre and a fitting number one for our list of the worst kids' movies of the '80s.
For more cinematic disasters, check out Top 10 Murder Mystery Movies of the Last 50 Years, Ranked or The Best Fantasy Movie Climaxes, Ranked.
