‘Emoji Movie’ swoons below Cruise, Gibson at ‘worst in film’ Razzies

LOS ANGELES — Animated “The Emoji Movie” stunk up the annual Razzie Awards on Saturday, tanking below all contenders for worst achievements in film, while Tom Cruise and Mel Gibson were also roasted for 2017’s most ignoble performances.

In its 38th year, the Razzies serves as a tongue-in-cheek response to the Sunday’s Academy Awards by handing out $4.97 gold spray-painted berry trophies.

“The Emoji Movie”, Sony Pictures children’s film about talking emoticons, earned four Golden Raspberries, including worst picture, director and screenplay.

“The Emoji Movie” received Hollywood’s most famous frown, the Razzie Award, for worst picture of 2017, making it the first animated feature to earn the top dishonour.

“Leading this year’s list of movie-misfires is the emoticon-based, talking poop opus,” the Razzies said in a statement announcing the recipients, saying the film came in a year when “Hollywood’s recycled trash heap attained an all-time high” and saw a “toxic-level lack of originality”.

The annual awards bestowed on the worst the movie business has to offer were announced on Saturday in their traditional spot, the day before the Academy Awards.

“The Emoji Movie” landed four of the 10 Razzies given out this year, also taking worst screenplay, worst director, and worst screen combo, which was given to “any two obnoxious emojis” from the movie.

Cruise won worst actor for his leading role as a US army sergeant who accidentally unleashes mayhem by disturbing an ancient grave in the much-maligned action reboot “The Mummy”. 

He now has no Oscars after three nominations, but two Razzies.

Cruise and Brad Pitt won for worst screen couple for 1994’s “Interview with the Vampire”.

Gibson was bestowed the worst supporting actor for his comedic turn in “Daddy’s Home 2” alongside John Lithgow, Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg.

Tyler Perry, a perennial Razzie punching bag, took home the worst actress raspberry for his popular drag character Madea in “Boo 2: A Medea Halloween”.

Oscar-winning actress Kim Basinger earned the Razzie dishonour for her supporting role in erotic romance “Fifty Shades Darker”, while the big screen adaptation of TV series “Baywatch” won the fan-voted award of “nominee so bad you loved it!”

“Baywatch”, won the inaugural “Special Rotten Tomatoes Award: The Razzie Nominee So Bad You Loved It!” The award is the result of an online poll held in conjunction with the review site Rotten Tomatoes.

The Razzies are chosen by more than 1,000 voting members from more than 26 countries, organisers said.