The MacGuffina term popularized byAlfred Hitchcockrefers to an object, gear, or goal that drives the plot forward.
Often, they don’t have any real significance beyond being the thing everyone wants.
With this in mind, this list looks at some of the worst MacGuffins in cinema history.
Custom Image by Nimesh Perera
They’re either poorly designed, unoriginal, or frustratingly obvious in their identity as plot devices.
Some had untapped potential, others were lame from the start.
They’re all weak points in their respective films.
Indiana Jones becomes entangled in a Soviet plot to uncover the secret behind mysterious artifacts known as the Crystal Skulls.
The titular crystal skulls recycle ideas from earlier MacGuffins in theIndiana Jonesmovies, but with less style and intrigue.
DespiteSpielberg’s best efforts, the skulls come off as a half-baked - and largely forgettable - plot gadget.
The Resistance and the First Order are both desperate to acquire the fragment.
Indiana Jones becomes entangled in a Soviet plot to uncover the secret behind mysterious artifacts known as the Crystal Skulls.
to make the magic take effect.
It just feels like lazy storytelling.
When united, the boxes unleash an apocalyptic force capable of reshaping worlds.
The Boxes receive more fleshing out in the comics, where they are described as being like living supercomputers.
This is lacking from the movies, however.
While the characters insist the devices are uber-powerful, the artifacts themselves don’t really give that impression.
They’re just yet another superpowered item in a genre overflowing with them.
Plus, its inclusion seems like an attempt to jump on a trend or latch onto a vaguely-understood buzzword.
Finally, the story’s attempt to use antimatter to bridge science and religion doesn’t really land.
The name is similarly uninspired.
The cringiest part of the machine, however, is hearing Shannon yell “Release the World Engine!
“, sounding like he had just watchedClash of the Titans.
An alien child is evacuated from his dying world and sent to Earth to live among humans.
His peace is threatened when other survivors of his home planet invade Earth.
While the artifacts design is intriguing, its lack of clear rules or emotional significance diminishes its impact.
Image via Lucasfilm
Like much of the film, it’s a missed opportunity to add depth to the Transformers lore.
The revelation that the Matrix must be earned, not simply acquired, is too cute to take seriously.
Its name is also simply ridiculous, sounding like an unwantedMatrixspinoff or something out of an office training seminar.
As a new threat to the galaxy rises, Rey, a desert scavenger, and Finn, an ex-stormtrooper, must join Han Solo and Chewbacca to search for the one hope of restoring peace.
2Rabbits Foot
‘Mission: Impossible III’ (2006)
“What is it?
Its the Rabbits Foot.”
The Rabbits Foot inMission: Impossible IIIis a classic example of a MacGuffin whose exact nature is never explained.
Indeed, it’s almost funny how little the movie tells us about this MacGuffin.
What does it do?
Why does the villain (Philip Seymour Hoffman) want it?
In this regard, it’s yet another unvarnished plot rig.
It’s not a choice.”
Claiming the top spot on this is the Loom of Fate fromWantedwithJames McAvoyandAngelina Jolie.
The name isn’t a metaphor: the thing is literally a loom.
This mystical weaving machine dictates the names of targets fora secret society of assassins.
The idea of a group of elite killers taking orders from an old sewing machine is just goofy.
NEXT:The 10 Worst Werewolf Movies of All Time, Ranked
Image via Warner Bros. Pictures/Max
An alien child is evacuated from his dying world and sent to Earth to live among humans. His peace is threatened when other survivors of his home planet invade Earth.
IMF agent Ethan Hunt comes into conflict with a dangerous and sadistic arms dealer who threatens his life and his fiancée in response.
