Disney has produced a lot of animated films over the last decade, and while most of them are great, some are definitely better than others. Seeing as how we already looked at the studio's most popular movies of the 2010s, it’s time to take a look at the films that didn’t get quite as much love. To do this, we’ll be turning to the ranking system on IMDb.
The popular movie and TV show website has given every Disney animation released between 2010 and 2019 a star rating based on the votes of registered users. This is what we’ll be using to stack up the films.
Before we get started, we’re acknowledging that yes, we're going to be uber-critical. Many of these films are actually pretty good. Because Disney has set such a high bar for itself, however, some movies that aren't terrible will be making the list.
With that out of the way, it’s time to journey through the past decade to see which Disney films didn't succeed quite as much as the others. Here are the worst Disney films of the 2010s, according to IMDb.
Brave (2012) - 7.1
This Pixar fantasy tells of an adventurous Scottish archer and princess named Merida who wishes to defy the tradition of betrothal by instead living out life independently. In order to do this, Merida asks a witch for help. The problem? The spell that is supposed to solve all her woes actually turns her mother into a bear. It’s up to Merida to reverse the curse.
The film received generally positive reviews for being full of life and switching up the usual princess narrative. Those more critical of the movie believed that the plot was too flawed and the emotions not strong enough.
Ralph Breaks The Internet (2018) - 7.1
Wreck-It-Ralph was both a critical and commercial success upon its release in 2012, so naturally, Disney decided to release a sequel. Though the second release was overall solid, it didn’t reach the same success as the original.
The new story has video game character Ralph and Vanellope leaving the safety of their arcade and journeying onto the internet in an attempt to save Vanellope’s video game from being removed.
The film was clever and colorful, though some pointed out that the movie’s gags were too era-specific and would quickly become dated.
Frankenweenie (2012) - 6.9
In this black and white stop-motion animation, a young boy helps resuscitate his dog, Sparky, only to soon be bothered by many others who wish to bring their own dead pets back to life.
The Tim Burton movie received many strong reviews for being full of energy, featuring pretty animations, and paying homage to an older film style. Critics who weren’t as impressed claimed the movie lacked originality and wasn’t a standout among Burton’s impressive repertoire.
Arjun: The Warrior Prince (2012) - 6.8
This animated action film, which was originally released in India, tells of an archer who works hard to become the strongest warrior in all the land.
Though Indian critics gave the film generally positive reviews by praising the exciting story and interesting mythology, international reviewers were not as kind. The 2-D animation style was criticized in particular for failing to flow naturally and looking subpar when compared to the gorgeous art of Pixar films.
The Good Dinosaur (2015) - 6.7
Though not every Pixar sequel has soared to success, the film studio usually creates solid stand-alone features. That’s why The Good Dinosaur’s blandness was such a surprise.
This 2015 adventure film tells of an alternate universe in which prehistoric creatures never went extinct. The movie centers in on one young dinosaur, Arlo, who is the tiniest of his farmer family. After getting swept far away from home, however, it’s up to him and a seven-year-old caveboy to find his way back.
Though the film was pretty, its characters weren’t memorable and its imagination was weak.
Cars 3 (2017) - 6.7
Pixar’s Cars franchise has had a long, winding history full of ups and downs. The third film in the franchise falls somewhere in the middle of the road, not being the worst in the series but not being the best either.
The final theatrical Cars release has Lightning McQueen trying to get back into the racing game as newer competitors continue to steal the spotlight. With a little help from the eager Cruz Ramirez, a resurgence might be possible.
On the upside, the story was heartfelt and the animation was as top-notch as usual. On the downside, Cars 3 never found the spark that would have made it stand out.
Cars 2 (2011) - 6.1
Far worse than Cars 3 was the film that came before it. Widely considered the weakest installment in the series, Cars 2 has the gang heading on a tour across the world. While Lightning is busy eyeing the finish line, Mater embarks on an international spy mission.
The movie's tone shift sat oddly with many critics, who had grown fond of the warmth in the original. Though the film was full of flashy fun, its script lacked any true charm.
Planes: Fire & Rescue (2014) - 6.0
Due to the success of the original Cars movie, Pixar decided to create a spin-off series entitled Planes. Though both the first film and sequel did decently at the box office, they could not live up to their predecessor.
Fire & Rescue tells of a plane, Rusty, who must leave his racing career behind after discovering that his engine is faulty. It's not long before he joins a group of firefighting planes who must save Piston Peak National Park after it bursts into flames.
While the film might have been entertaining to younger audiences, it failed to engage seasoned viewers.
Planes (2013) - 5.7
Yes, the sequel was a tiny step up from the original.
In the inaugural Planes film, Dusty hopes to someday become a sky racer. With a poor design and a fear of heights, however, this dream takes a lot of work to put into motion.
Many critics felt that the film came off as a cash grab. The writing was weak, making Planes feel more suited for a direct-to-video release than a theatrical showing.
Mars Needs Moms (2011) - 5.4
Topping off the list as the lowest-rated Disney animation of the 2010s is Mars Needs Moms. This sci-fi adventure, based on the book of the same name, tells of a nine-year-old boy whose mom is abducted by aliens. These creatures hope to put her essence into their nannybots.
The film bombed at the box office, grossing $39 million against a budget of $150 million. Unfortunately, the reviews weren’t much better.
Though Disney nearly always creates beautiful visuals, the imagination and enchantment of past features was absent in this film. It wasn’t long before its memory faded into the past.