The Great Gatsby (2013)

Baz Luhrmann's adaptation drowns F. Scott Fitzgerald's restrained tragedy in CGI confetti, Jay-Z anthems, and 3D excess, losing the novel's critical bite entirely. The film earned $351 million worldwide on a $105 million budget, yet its Rotten Tomatoes critic score of 48% is 20 points lower than the 1974 adaptation's 68%. That version respects the nuance of Gatsby's party scenes, while Luhrmann mistakes Gatsby's vulgar display for something to celebrate, creating a misguided spectacle that actually outperforms the average literary adaptation in garishness rather than insight.