John Hughes‘ first movie has a surprisingly low score of 0% on Rotten Tomatoes, raising one intriguing question: Is it really that bad, or has it merely been misunderstood? In a career spanning almost four decades, John Hughes is known for writing, directing, and producing some of the most commercially and critically successful comedy movies, like Beethoven, Home Alone, and Mr. Mom. For his contribution to the movie genre, the late filmmaker’s legacy was also honored at the 82nd Academy Awards.

However, like most directors and film writers, Hughes did not deliver one hit after another. While some of his films, like The Breakfast Club, experienced incredible highs, others, like Dutch, failed to leave their mark. His first movie, too, struggled to impress viewers and critics despite being a part of a renowned comedy movie franchise.

John Hughes’ National Lampoon’s Class Reunion Was Criticized For Its Humor & Divisive Premise

The Movie Was Among His First Few Writing Projects

Most critics agreed that while National Lampoon’s Class Reunion had a few laughable gags, none of them were memorable enough to qualify it as a decent comedy movie. Renowned film reviewer Roger Ebert even noted that the film had a fair share of “weird characters, funny names, bizarre situations, cute one-liners, and talented performers,” but none of these gimmicks helped it come together as a comedy movie. Other critics even bashed the film for harping on the National Lampoon brand name but not delivering the quality one expects from a comedy movie franchise.

Another common complaint surrounding the film from both viewers and critics was its inability to have a consistent story. National Lampoon’s Class Reunion ambitiously attempts to parody many teen sex comedies and slashers but seems too unfocused about what it wishes to achieve and the reactions it expects to get from audiences. However, given that John Hughes was still in the early years of his writing career when he penned National Lampoon’s Class Reunion, it is understandable why the film seems more experimental and variable with its comic tone rather than polished and cohesive.

Class Reunion Was Seen As An Inferior Follow-Up To Animal House

Animal House’s Cultural Impact Was Impossible To Beat

National Lampoon’s Class Reunion was also weighed by the high expectations viewers and critics had for the film franchise after Animal House‘s success. Directed by John Landis and written by Harold Ramis, Douglas Kenney, and Chris Miller, Animal House still ranks at number 36 in the American Film Institute’s reputed “100 Years…100 Laughs” list. Even when it premiered in 1978 on a modest budget of $3 million, it managed to rake in over $141 million through rentals and home video, allowing it to become one of the most profitable comedy flicks of its era.

Its enduring appeal even landed it in critics’ good books, and it still boasts an impressive Rotten Tomatoes score of 91%, with many critics singing praise of its high-energy drama and hilariously absurd antics. Considering the cultural impact National Lampoon’s Animal House left behind, Class Reunion clearly had immense pressure to be as good as its predecessor (if not better). Unfortunately, Class Reunion only came off as a mediocre comedy film, making it look like a pale follow-up to Animal House.

Class Reunion Isn’t John Hughes’ Only 0% Movie On Rotten Tomatoes

Two Other John Hughes Movies Are Surprisingly In The Same Unfortunate Category

John Hughes delivered some of the greatest comedy hits, like Home Alone and The Breakfast Club. However, in his long career as a filmmaker, he also had a fair share of lows, and National Lampoon’s Class Reunion was only one of them. The 2001 film New Port South, in which he served as the executive producer, also rests in the slew of movies with a Rotten Tomatoes score of 0%. 1983’s swashbuckling adventure movie Nate and Hayes (also known as Savage Islands) is another film with a dubious distinction in Hughes’ filmography.

These few stumbling blocks in John Hughes’ filmmaking journey serve as reminders of how even the greatest artists can, time and again, encounter creative blocks and challenges. However, as long as they are willing to stay patient with their art form, they always find a way to solidify their reputation with timeless classics like Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and Sixteen Candles. Owing to this, since John Hughes is remembered more for hits than misses, it does not matter whether his first movie deserved its 0% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. What matters is how he changed the comedy genre with his unique vision.