While Kevin Costner’s gruff seriousness could have soured the whole film, it’s balanced well by a comedic Dennis Hopper and several supporting cast members. Some shots don’t quite stand up today, especially compared to other early adopters of CGI, but the mostly practical effects are still impressively filmed. The most expensive movie ever made (at the time) and it’s clear the money was spent on production, not just on actors. 

You hear about movies that are flops, that become jokes, and then once you finally watch one yourself, you wonder: was that even the same movie? Waterworld was always one such movie, ruined enough by bad press I’m surprised by how good it is. The lesson: don’t judge a movie before you’ve seen it.