In the 1990s, Disney released a whole host of successful movies. In fact, this decade is often referred to as the “Disney Renaissance” because of the number of smash hits that the company released at this time. The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, Mulan—the list goes on! It’s clear that these films have stood the test of time. Not only are the originals still popular to this day, but they’re also all being remade as live-action films. These Disney classics are being introduced to a whole new generation in a whole new way.
Of course, not every Disney movie from this decade went down well with audiences. The studio released nearly 70 films in the 1990s, but can you name all of them? If so, that’s pretty impressive! If not… Well, you’re in the majority. Some 90s Disney movies were so dull that they were forgotten pretty much as soon as they were released. Others were so bad that Disney themselves probably wish that we’d all erase them from our memories.
If you’re looking for a trip down memory lane—and not necessarily a good one—we’ve compiled a list of the 90s Disney movies that should probably just stay in the past. From animated spin-off films to live-action remakes, there’s a full range of flicks here for your viewing displeasure. If you’re a 90s kid, you might remember these from their original release. If you’re not… Well, perhaps you should consider yourself lucky!
25 DuckTales the Movie
Yep, that’s right—there was a DuckTales movie back in the 90s! Based on the popular TV show, DuckTales The Movie: Treasure of the Lost Lamp hit the big screen in 1990.
While it wasn’t a bad movie, it was a bit forgettable.
The film sees Scrooge McDuck and his pals travel to an unnamed Middle Eastern country to examine a treasure chest. Various light-hearted hijinks ensue, as you’d expect from a kids’ movie. While the film did at least make back its budget, it wasn’t exactly a box office smash.
24 Wild Hearts Can’t Be Broken
When the subject of a biographical movie hates the final film, you know it’s pretty bad. Unfortunately, this is exactly what happened with Disney’s Wild Hearts Can’t Be Broken. Released in 1991, it told the true story of Sonora Webster, a horse diver who lost her sight but carried on riding anyway. Her inspirational story was the perfect Disney movie plot—with a few factual tweaks here and there, of course. Sadly, it seems that Disney strayed a bit too far from the truth of what happened, and Webster ended up hating the resulting film. Oh dear.
23 The Rocketeer
Long before the Marvel Cinematic Universe became a thing, Disney decided that it was going to crack the superhero movie market. Unfortunately for them, their efforts weren’t successful. 1991’s The Rocketeer—a superhero flick set in 1938 Los Angeles—failed to make an impact at the box office. While the critics didn’t entirely hate the film, the popularity of the Rocketeer character just didn’t take off. He didn’t even have any superpowers, really – he just found a jetpack that enabled him to fly. Talk about disappointing!
22 The Mighty Ducks
Sports films were pretty popular in the 1990s, and not all of them were terrible. Just think of A League of Their Own and Cool Runnings! Disney pretty quickly decided to jump on the sports flick bandwagon, with mixed results.
The Mighty Ducks is one of its less memorable efforts.
The film followed the adventures of a youth league hockey team and did actually spawn an entire franchise. However, it’s not quite as good as some of the better-known sports films of the era. Even its star, Emilio Estevez, was surprised by its popularity.
21 A Far Off Place
As 90s Disney movies go, A Far Off Place is pretty controversial. While it’s not necessarily a bad film in terms of its quality, it’s perhaps not the most family-friendly flick in the world.
It’s a lot darker than your typical Disney fare!
It starts off with two children witnessing the end of their parents and doesn’t get much more lighthearted from then on. Even now, Rotten Tomatoes users complain about how violent this kids’ movie is. Somehow, it only got a PG rating!
20 The Three Musketeers
Disney took on the classic tale of The Three Musketeers in this 1993 movie. Unfortunately, the film itself proved to be much more forgettable than the original book. While audiences were quite fond of the movie, critics weren’t best pleased. In fact, one of its stars, Chris O’Donnell, was nominated for a Golden Raspberry Award for his portrayal of D’Artagnan. Charlie Sheen and Kiefer Sutherland fared better as Aramis and Athos, but overall, this movie was a bit of a miss. Still, it’s fun to watch if you want a dose of silly action.
19 Blank Check
Who doesn’t love a movie about a kid who commits actual fraud? That’s basically the plot of Disney’s Blank Check, in which an 11-year-old boy forges a check and steals $1 million. Admittedly, the people he steals from are criminals committing money laundering. Doesn’t make it right, though! Critics generally weren’t impressed with this movie that basically lacks any saving grace. It’s not funny, its plot is weak, and for some reason, an adult FBI agent kisses the lead 11-year-old at the end. Just… Why?
18 Squanto: A Warrior’s Tale
If you thought that Pocahontas was the only 90s Disney movie that totally butchered Native American customs and history, you were wrong! 1994’s Squanto: A Warrior’s Tale does a pretty good job of being generally incorrect too. The film follows the titular character—a real historical figure—as he tries to escape a group of Englishmen who’ve captured him. Various historical inaccuracies follow in this 102-minute long adventure-drama. For one, the Puritans are depicted as peacefully wanting to learn more about Native American culture. Not sure that’s how it went down, folks.
17 Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book
Out of Disney’s three movie adaptations of The Jungle Book, the 1994 live-action version has to be the worst. For one, in this version of the film, none of the animals speak, let alone sing.
Where’s the fun in that?
On top of that, the film deviates hugely from Rudyard Kipling’s original stories, despite the fact that it name-drops the author in its title. Instead of being the feral child we know and love, Mowgli is an action-adventure hero in the style of Indiana Jones. The whole thing is just weird.
16 Heavyweights
Any movie that’s set in a fat camp for kids is bound to be a bit of a disaster. Disney’s Heavyweights may have been written by comedy legend Judd Apatow, but it’s not really that funny. The plot is fairly simple: the kids at Camp Hope, a weight loss camp for boys, are horrified when a strict new trainer starts treating them harshly. They try to get him sacked, hijinks ensue, and there are plenty of weight-based jokes thrown in there. Even the presence of Ben Stiller can’t save this hot mess.
15 Operation Dumbo Drop
If you’ve ever wanted to watch a war comedy film starring an elephant, Disney’s Operation Dumbo Drop is for you. Set during the Vietnam War and based on a true story, this film chronicles the US Army’s attempts to transport an elephant through the jungle. Things go wrong, some animal welfare issues emerge, but at the end of the day, the army’s plan succeeds. While this film could have been inspiring, it’s so badly made that it’s honestly more of a joke. It’s also not exactly historically accurate. Definitely one to avoid!
14 A Goofy Movie
Now, A Goofy Movie is by no means the worst movie on this list. In fact, compared to the likes of Operation Dumbo Drop, it’s practically a masterpiece. However, this film just isn’t as memorable as some of Disney’s 1990s masterpieces. Sure, it’s a fun tale starring Goofy and his son, Max, but it’s no Beauty and the Beast. You’re not going to choose to watch A Goofy Movie over The Lion King. Sorry Goofy, but it’s a no from us.
13 A Kid In King Arthur’s Court
This movie is probably one that Daniel Craig and Kate Winslet really, really want the world to forget about. Both of these A-Listers starred in A Kid in King Arthur’s Court near the start of their careers. Unfortunately for them—and for everyone else who worked on the film—it was an undeniable flop. It’s currently got a score of 5% on Rotten Tomatoes, which says it all really. Based on the book A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court by Mark Twain, this film transports its source material to 20th century LA and totally butchers it. Awkward.
12 The Big Green
Another sports movie, another slight failure for Disney. The Big Green had all the hallmarks of a classic 1990s sports film: the underdog team, the eccentric coach, a surprising victory in the face of adversity. However, this seemingly winning combination didn’t impress viewers.
In fact, The Big Green has a 0% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Its plot premise of an English teacher coming to mentor a Texas soccer team was executed far too poorly for the film to be a success.
11 Tom And Huck
The 1990s saw an influx of teen movies that were based on classic works of literature. Some of these films were great successes—Clueless, we’re looking at you! However, Disney’s 1995 movie Tom and Huck fell a bit flat. Based on The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, this film was pretty faithful to the original book. However, that wasn’t enough to make it a success. It compared pretty unfavourably to Disney’s previous Tom Sawyer adaptation, which was released just two years earlier than Tom and Huck. Oh dear!
10 First Kid
This 1996 slapstick comedy movie is about as 90s as you can get. Its lead actor is Sinbad, it features a Bill Clinton cameo, and the lead teen character wears way too much hair gel. Still, a weak plot and generally silly premise meant that First Kid failed to impress viewers. As you might have guessed from the title, it follows the exploits of the child of a fictional President of the United States—aka, the First Kid. Sinbad plays the errant teenager’s bodyguard. It could have been a fun movie, but it ended up being solidly mediocre.
9 That Darn Cat
That Darn Cat was a 1997 remake of a 1965 Dinsey comedy. Did it live up to the positive reputation of the original film? Well, not exactly. Starring Christina Ricci in one of her many teen roles, the movie follows a cat and a teenage girl who manage to solve a case together. It’s a quirky plot that could have been funny but doesn’t quite manage it. With a 13% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, it’s pretty clear that This Darn Cat wasn’t the hit that Disney hoped it would be.
8 Jungle 2 Jungle
Jungle 2 Jungle is another 1990s Disney remake, this time of a French film called Un indien dans la ville. Tim Allen stars as a selfish businessman who discovers he has a teenage son. Said son has been living with a tribe in Venezuela for his entire life, but now travels with his father to New York City. What could have been an entertaining slapstick comedy is actually surprisingly boring! Film critic Roger Ebert even claimed that it was too dull to be a bad film—although that didn’t stop him from assigning it a measly one star.
7 Air Bud
Who doesn’t love a good animal buddy movie? Air Bud stars the titular basketball-playing dog alongside a wide range of human companions. While a Golden Retriever shooting some hoops while also avoiding some bad guys sounds like a pretty darn adorable concept, not all moviegoers were keen on the movie. It spawned a franchise, but still only received mixed reviews. It’s worth a watch if you like cute dogs, but not if you like a strong plot and well-written characters.
6 RocketMan
No, this isn’t another Elton John biopic that everyone just forgot about. RocketMan was a sci-fi comedy about a manned mission to Mars, complete with a comic-relief chimpanzee. While it had its funny moments, the film failed to take off at the box office.
Yes, that pun was fully intended.
In a fully predictable plot, the astronauts make it to Mars, have some troubles when they get there, but ultimately manage to travel back to Earth safely. There’s a romantic subplot thrown in for good measure too. Honestly, just watch The Martian. It’s a way better Mars-themed movie.
