8 Remakes of Cult Films from the 80s (Only One Turned Out Good)

In recent years, many remakes of old movies and movie franchises have been and are being released. Sometimes studios remake old movies because modern technology has reached a new level and for example the special effects and graphics in a remake can be made better than in the original. But the sadder truth is that it is much easier for a movie studio to make a modern remake of a successful movie: people are more willing to go to the cinema to see something they are already familiar with.

However, there is a downside to the coin: if the original film was good, the remake will likely be subject to serious criticism and comparison to the original source, and as such, many remakes are less successful than their originals. In today’s article, we’ve collected eight remakes of cult action films from the ’80s, and all but one of them weren’t as good as the films they were based on. Swipe to the end to find out which remake was the best according to viewers.

While the 2011 remake was fairly close to the original, even having Jason Momoa in the title role couldn’t save the new Conan the Barbarian from criticism from audiences who grew up watching the original starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. The film was criticized for being overly gory and violent, which didn’t do Conan’s story any favors. The film failed at the box office and only has a 24% positive review score on Rotten Tomatoes.

Michael Mann’s Made in LA remake, Heat, is often cited as one of the best remakes of all time. The success of the 1995 film is due to the fact that it moved away from the action that filled the original film, placing more emphasis on character exploration and personal drama of the heroes. Audience ratings only confirm the superiority of the remake: viewers gave “Heat” 8.0 points, while “Made in Los Angeles” averaged 5.7 points.