Metacritic, after tallying the worst games of 2022, extended its annual anti-rating to films. The selection was built around titles that drew at least four professional reviews, signaling a broad critical consensus about their shortcomings.
At the very top of the list sits the Polish erotic melodrama 365 Days: This Day, the continuation of a trilogy that sparked considerable debate among viewers and critics alike. Coming in closely behind are the thriller Zero Contact, featuring Anthony Hopkins, and the provocative film They Asked for It, which traces themes of coercion, power, and consequences through a tense narrative lens.
Rounding out the early ranks are a comedy titled Self Time, with performances by Kevin Hart and Mark Wahlberg, and the action-oriented Shadow Play featuring Liam Neeson, both receiving sharp scrutiny from reviewers who questioned tone, pacing, and plausibility.
Worst movies of 2022 according to Metacritic:
- 365 days: this day – 8 points;
- Zero contact – 18 points;
- Ask for it – 20 points;
- Home game – 23 points;
- Time for Myself – 25 points;
- The friendship game – 26 points;
- Flirting with the Devil – 27 points;
- Game of Shadows – 27 points;
- Lobotryasy – 28 points;
- The Lost Girl – 29 points;
- Paradise City – 29 points;
- Evil – 29 points;
- Inveterate Friends 2 – points;
- Purple Hearts – 30 points;
- School for Good and Evil – 30 points.
In a broader look, critics note that these positions reflect more than mere taste. They illustrate how expectations around dialogue, character arcs, and visual storytelling can clash with the realities of production budgets, release timing, and audience reception. The list also highlights how some titles struggle to balance ambition with coherence, leaving viewers with experiences that feel uneven or incomplete. Such assessments often spark conversations about what makes a film truly engaging versus what falls short of its potential, a debate that persists across genres and markets.
Beyond the specific titles, the compilation offers a snapshot of trends in contemporary cinema that influenced reception in 2022. Whether it was a misread of audience appetite, a misalignment between marketing and storytelling, or a decision to push stylization beyond what the script could sustain, the results show that critical consensus can diverge sharply from box office outcomes. This divergence, in turn, feeds ongoing discussions among viewers in North America who are weighing streaming options, theatrical releases, and the broader cultural conversation surrounding modern film language.
Independent writers and producers sometimes respond to such lists by re-evaluating craft choices, from casting decisions to screenwriting structure and pacing. The dialogue that emerges—about why certain films earn negative attention and what lessons can be learned—contributes to a more informed public discourse around contemporary media. As audiences in Canada and the United States continue to explore a diverse slate of releases, the Metacritic rankings provide a reference point for conversations about quality, risk, and the evolving standards of mainstream entertainment.
In the end, the ranking underscores a simple truth: even big-name castings and ambitious premises do not guarantee favorable critical reception. The best films in any year tend to align strong storytelling with purposeful execution, while the less successful efforts reveal where ambition outpaced craft. The discussion remains open, fluid, and highly contextual, shaped by individual taste as well as collective opinion.