Though Disney has created many critical and commercial hits in recent years, not every decade has seen the same kind of success. The 1980s in particular were not the entertainment company’s strongest years.
As we already looked at the best films of this era, we thought it was time to focus on the worst. To do this, we’ll be turning to IMDb.
The movie and TV show website has assigned every Disney movie released between the years 1980 and 1989 a star rating. This score is based on the votes of registered users on a scale of 1 to 10, and that’s what we’ll be using to count down the worst of the decade.
With the logistics out of the way, here are the lowest-rated Disney films of the 1980s according to IMDb.
The Watcher In The Woods (1980) - 6.3
This 1980 supernatural horror film, based on the 1976 novel of the same name by Florence Engel Randall, follows a teenager and her sister who get pulled into a mystery involving a girl who goes missing in the forest outside of their manor in rural England.
When the movie was first released, viewers were quick to criticize the special effects, confusing ending, and unfocused plot. However, after the film was re-released in theaters with a revamped ending, critics became more interested in the suspenseful story.
Because of this, the film remains an interesting entry into the Disney library. That being said, it still isn’t one of the studio’s strongest.
Benji The Hunted (1987) - 6.3
Disney released this children’s drama about a dog who tries to survive in the wilderness after being lost in Oregon while filming a movie. While the studio surely hoped the 1987 film would come out strong, the story was weak and simplistic.
Critics thought that while the adventure was watchable, it definitely wasn’t a standout. The film was cute but lacked serious entertainment value.
Honey, I Shrunk The Kids (1989) - 6.3
Though Disney is rebooting the Honey, I Shrunk the Kids franchise, you can check out the original film on Disney+.
In the first 1989 installment, a scientist accidentally makes his kids tiny with a new invention. They are forced to journey through the backyard and get restored to their original size.
The film was humorous, but its plot was weak and a little silly.
Cheetah (1989) - 6.0
This family drama tells of a group of Los Angeles teenagers who visit Kenya with their parents. Here, they bond with a young cheetah cub whom they eventually release into the wild.
The 1989 movie was fun, but its poor acting and directing were obvious. Cheetah felt dated considering how late into the decade it was released.
The Last Flight Of Noah’s Ark (1980) - 5.8
This adventure film was released into drive-in theaters on a double bill with One Hundred and One Dalmatians in 1980. Though the latter of the two films remains a Disney classic, this one failed to become a lasting hit.
The Last Flight of Noah’s Ark follows a pilot who brings an evangelist, some farm animals, and a couple of kids on a journey to the South Pacific.
Critics called the plot unimaginative and believed that the story came off bland. Additionally, it failed to gain the large audience Disney anticipated at the box office.
Condorman (1981) - 5.7
Far before Disney was bringing Marvel films to the big screen, the movie studio was telling the superhero story of Condorman. This 1981 adventure tells of a comic book illustrator who becomes one of the characters he’s created and teams up with the CIA to deliver documents to Istanbul.
The film was panned upon its release; it lacked the spirit critics knew Disney was capable of producing. Additionally, the low production value didn’t do the narrative any favors.
Trenchcoat (1983) - 5.3
Like many Disney films of the ‘80s, Trenchcoat was aimed at an adult audience. It tells of a mystery writer who works alongside a CIA agent in Malta.
The film flopped commercially and critically, with many finding the narrative to be boring and the film as a whole to be poorly produced.
Trenchcoat remains one of the most difficult Disney films to track down. Nope, it didn’t secure itself a place on Disney+.
Popeye (1980) - 5.3
Disney brought Popeye to the big screen in 1980. This musical comedy starred Robin Williams as the strong sailor and Shelley Duvall as his love interest, Olive Oyl. The film has Popeye journeying to the town of Sweethaven to find his long lost father, only to instead be pulled into an adventure to rescue his abandoned child.
Though the film was called charming, it was also considered uneven. Additionally, the humor didn’t always stick the landing it aimed for.
The Devil And Max Devlin (1981) - 5.1
This 1981 fantasy-comedy tells of a landlord who is run over by a bus and sent to hell. In order to avoid the ultimate punishment, he is forced to convince three other people to give up their souls.
These dark themes were controversial at the time of the film’s release, particularly because they were happening under the otherwise lighthearted Disney brand. It’s likely that this (in addition to the allegations against lead actor Bill Cosby) contributed to Disney’s choice to leave it off the Disney+ streaming service.
Herbie Goes Bananas (1980) - 4.9
Topping off the list as the lowest-rated Disney movie from the ‘80s is the fourth installment in The Love Bug film series.
Herbie Goes Bananas continues the adventures of the personality-filled Volkswagen racing Beetle, Herbie. This time around, Pete learns that he’s inherited Herbie, and travels to Puerto Vallarta to retrieve the car. Though Pete is at first unsure of his new vehicle, it’s not long before he learns of his special powers and sets off on a trip through Central America with his new friend.
Though the film tried to pack in fun and humor, its gags fell flat. Additionally, the movie’s outdated stereotypes and weak story have not aged well with modern audiences.
