It’s hard to overlook the parallels between Sylvester Stallone and his generational character, Rocky Balboa.
Both Stallone and his on-screen alter ego discovered the same thing: an inner strength and a refusal to go down in the first round. Rocky fought for glory inside the ring, while Stallone’s biggest victory was creating Rocky himself—and the Hollywood career that came with it.
But just like Balboa, who took plenty of punches along the way, Stallone’s journey wasn’t all triumphs. For every Rocky, Rambo, or Creed that cemented his legacy, there were also some missteps—films so bad they left even the champ shaking his head.
Stallone has racked up an incredible 12 Golden Raspberry Awards—better known as the Razzies—making him the most decorated actor in the history of Hollywood’s least prestigious prize, handed out each year to the worst films and performances, according to Far Out Magazine.
‘I’ve made some truly awful films,’ Stallone admitted.
Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot is the worst. If you ever want someone to confess to murder, just make them watch that movie. They’ll spill everything after fifteen minutes. It’s the worst film I ever made,’ the actor admitted.
He didn’t stop there: ‘Maybe one of the worst films in the entire solar system—including alien productions we’ve never even seen. Even a flatworm could have written a better script than Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot. In some countries, China, I think, airing it once a week on state television supposedly drove the birth rate down to zero.
- How Arnold Schwarzenegger Stole the Terminator Role Over Gibson and Stallone
- Sylvester Stallone Was Paid Only $35,000 For Rocky
- Every Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Movie That Has Grossed Over $100 Million At The Box Office
And while Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot is often considered the low point of his career, there’s another contender that might just edge it out Escape Plan 2: Hades. The little-wanted sequel to a trilogy hardly anyone asked for quickly earned a reputation as one of Stallone’s biggest misfires.
A man who knows how to stretch a story across multiple installments. Just look at Creed, Rocky, Rambo, and The Expendables. Stallone didn’t mince words when promoting the third Escape Plan film. He openly admitted the second entry might be the worst movie he’s ever been a part of.
Escape Plan 2 is without a doubt the worst-produced film I’ve ever had the misfortune of being in,’ Stallone admitted a statement that carries serious weight, considering the number of duds on his résumé.
To most audiences, the movie might have slipped by as just another forgettable shoot-’em-up. But for Stallone, it marked rock bottom, especially when compared to the trilogy’s third installment, a film he says he was genuinely proud of.
In a way, his honesty tells a bigger story. Not all of us will ever be the best in our field, but like Stallone, we can keep striving to be the best version of ourselves. As someone once put it: ‘It’s not about how good a movie you can make, but how bad a movie you can make and still keep going.
