19 Woke Movies That Got Absolutely Dragged By Critics
Hollywood loves taking a stand, but sometimes those stands end up flat on their face.
Films packed with progressive messages don’t always connect with audiences or critics, no matter how good the intentions behind them.
When a movie tries too hard to be relevant or forces its themes without solid storytelling, reviewers notice, and they don’t hold back.
Disclaimer: “Dragged by critics” is treated here as a measurable metric, using very low Rotten Tomatoes critic scores. “Woke” is used only in the way the term is commonly applied in online culture-war conversations, typically to films that foreground social commentary, representation, or empowerment themes.
1. Music (2021) – 7%
Sia’s directorial debut crashed harder than a dropped microphone. Critics savaged this musical drama for its portrayal of autism, calling it offensive and tone-deaf despite good intentions.
Casting a neurotypical actress in the lead role sparked outrage. Advocacy groups condemned the harmful stereotypes, and restraint scenes drew particular fury from disability communities.
With a catastrophic Rotten Tomatoes score, this film became a masterclass in what not to do when representing marginalized groups on screen.
2. Stonewall (2015) – 9%
Roland Emmerich’s take on the historic Stonewall riots became its own kind of disaster.
Instead of honoring LGBTQ+ history, the film whitewashed events by centering a fictional white character over actual trans women of color who led the uprising.
Historical accuracy took a backseat to Hollywood formula. Activists and critics alike blasted the erasure of Marsha P.
Johnson and Sylvia Rivera from their own story.
3. The Hustle (2019) – 13%
Gender-swapping the classic con artist comedy Dirty Rotten Scoundrels seemed like a slam dunk.
Anne Hathaway and Rebel Wilson brought star power, but critics found the execution painfully unfunny and uninspired.
Reviewers complained the film relied on lazy stereotypes rather than clever writing. What could have been a sharp commentary on women outsmarting men became a forgettable slapstick mess.
4. The Circle (2017) – 16%
Privacy concerns and tech surveillance should make for gripping cinema, right? Not when the script feels like a PowerPoint presentation about internet dangers.
Tom Hanks and Emma Watson couldn’t save this heavy-handed thriller. Critics roasted its preachy tone and predictable plot twists that telegraphed every move miles away.
The film wanted to spark conversations about digital ethics but ended up lecturing audiences instead.
5. Miss Bala (2019) – 22%
Gina Rodriguez starred in this remake about a woman caught between Mexican cartels and corrupt authorities.
Though it tackled serious border issues and female empowerment, critics found it shallow and exploitative.
The original Mexican film carried genuine weight and cultural authenticity. Hollywood’s version stripped away nuance for generic action sequences that felt more like a telenovela than serious commentary.
6. Men in Black: International (2019) – 23%
Swapping Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones for Tessa Thompson and Chris Hemsworth should have revitalized this franchise. Instead, critics found the chemistry flat and the jokes stale as week-old bread.
The film’s attempt at progressive casting couldn’t compensate for a weak script.
Reviewers noted that simply inserting diverse actors into tired formulas doesn’t automatically make movies fresh or interesting.
7. The 355 (2022) – 24%
An all-female spy team featuring Jessica Chastain, Lupita Nyong’o, and Penélope Cruz sounds incredible on paper.
Critics disagreed, calling this action thriller generic and forgettable despite its stellar cast.
The film promised to be a feminist answer to James Bond but delivered paint-by-numbers espionage instead.
8. The Kitchen (2019) – 24%
Set in 1970s Hell’s Kitchen, this crime drama showed mob wives taking over their husbands’ territory. Melissa McCarthy, Tiffany Haddish, and Elisabeth Moss led the charge, but critics found the execution half-baked.
The film’s feminist angle got lost in muddled storytelling that never quite figured out what it wanted to say.
9. The Woman in the Window (2021) – 25%
Amy Adams plays an agoraphobic psychologist who witnesses a crime from her window. Though it addressed mental health and female trauma, critics called it a confusing mess that wasted its talented lead.
The thriller borrowed heavily from better films like Rear Window without understanding what made them work. Plot twists felt random rather than earned, leaving audiences more bewildered than thrilled.
10. He’s All That (2021) – 29%
This gender-flipped remake of She’s All That swapped roles to have a girl transform a nerdy guy.
TikTok star Addison Rae led the cast, but critics found the whole thing cringeworthy and outdated.
Reversing the genders didn’t make the premise less problematic or shallow. Reviewers noted that makeover movies feel especially tone-deaf in an era supposedly celebrating authenticity and self-acceptance.
11. Dear Evan Hansen (2021) – 29%
Broadway hit meets big screen disaster. Ben Platt reprised his Tony-winning role, but critics roasted the film for its problematic protagonist and tone-deaf handling of mental health.
Watching a character lie his way into a grieving family’s life felt more creepy than sympathetic, no matter the good intentions.
12. I Feel Pretty (2018) – 34%
Amy Schumer plays a woman who gains confidence after a head injury makes her believe she’s gorgeous. Critics slammed the body-positive message as confused and accidentally insulting.
The film suggested self-esteem requires delusion rather than genuine self-acceptance.
Reviewers pointed out that the comedy relied on the joke being that Schumer’s character isn’t conventionally attractive, which completely undermines any empowerment message.
13. Don’t Worry Darling (2022) – 38%
Olivia Wilde’s psychological thriller promised feminist commentary on 1950s gender roles but got overshadowed by behind-the-scenes drama.
Critics found the execution style-over-substance despite Florence Pugh’s committed performance.
The film’s twist about patriarchal control felt obvious and heavy-handed.
Sometimes the real drama happens off-screen, stealing attention from the actual movie.
14. Black Christmas (2019) – 41%
This horror remake transformed a slasher classic into an allegory about campus assault and toxic masculinity. Critics appreciated the ambition but found the execution preachy and the scares nonexistent.
Reviewers complained that characters delivered speeches about feminism instead of having genuine conversations, making the whole thing feel like a sociology class assignment.
15. A Wrinkle in Time (2018) – 43%
Ava DuVernay’s adaptation of the beloved sci-fi novel featured a diverse cast and celebrated young female heroism.
Unfortunately, critics found the visual spectacle overwhelming and the storytelling confusing.
Despite groundbreaking representation with Oprah, Reese Witherspoon, and Mindy Kaling as celestial beings, many felt the film lost the book’s emotional core.
16. Ghost in the Shell (2017) – 43%
Scarlett Johansson starring in this anime adaptation sparked massive whitewashing controversy.
Critics and fans alike condemned casting a white actress as a character originally Japanese, despite the film’s attempts at addressing identity and humanity.
Stunning visuals couldn’t distract from the problematic casting that undermined any progressive themes.
Cultural authenticity matters, especially when adapting beloved international properties.
17. Eternals (2021) – 47%
Marvel’s most diverse superhero team included deaf representation, LGBTQ+ characters, and a cast spanning multiple ethnicities.
Critics praised the ambition but found the film bloated, slow, and surprisingly boring for a cosmic epic.
Chloé Zhao’s artistic vision clashed with Marvel formula, resulting in a movie that satisfied neither art-house fans nor typical MCU audiences.
18. The Craft: Legacy (2020) – 47%
This belated sequel to the 1996 cult classic updated witchcraft for the Tumblr generation with themes of female empowerment and trans inclusion.
Critics found it well-meaning but toothless compared to the original’s dark edge.
Where the first film explored power’s corruption, this version felt sanitized for modern sensibilities.
19. Charlie’s Angels (2019) – 52%
Elizabeth Banks directed and starred in this franchise reboot emphasizing girl power and global sisterhood. Mixed reviews praised the cast chemistry but criticized the formulaic action and heavy-handed messaging.
Kristen Stewart brought quirky energy, but critics felt the film lectured audiences about feminism rather than simply showing strong women in action.
