Putting together a list of under rated movies can be a difficult task. This is mere because what is underrated may differ depending on who’s talking.
Does the term mean a movie that most people didn’t like but you did? Does it mean a movie that was well-liked but now seems forgotten? Or was it a good movie that not that many people seem to talk about? The answer lies somewhere in the middle of all of those questions, hence the difficulty of the task. Despite that, we have attempted to bring you, the Top 10 Under Rated Movies.
10. Sherlock Holmes
Of course, when Sherlock Holmes was released it was actually quite the blockbuster. Thanks to Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, and Rachel McAdams all starring in it. Still, despite an awful lot of buildup, I still don’t think this movie gets enough credit as one that is just good plain fun. Hence it starts off the list of top 10 under rated movies.
9. The Game
One of those movies that work hard to get you to try to figure out what’s going on. When you think you know, they pull the rug out from under you. The Game is beloved by plenty but seems to be one that has left our collective memories despite Michael Douglas and Sean Penn headlining.
8. Wag the Dog
This movie, about how political operatives orchestrate a phony war, all with the aim of getting their candidate reelected seems somewhat apropos these days. The special attention that is placed to every word out of a candidate’s mouth and the desire to inflate even the smallest act into a national story makes this movie seem like a biographical depiction rather than just great satire.
7. The Grey
This is one of those movies that is relatively new. In fact, this is getting pretty good reviews, but I’m not sure anyone knows what the movie is actually about. You can find out the basic premise pretty fast, but this movie takes down some interesting turns. The plot ends up being a very good, if totally depressing movie.
6. Equilibrium
This movie is sort of like a Fahrenheit 451 type plot, except instead of books, emotions are against the law. A great Sci-Fi flick that seems to have gotten lost among the shuffle despite turns by Sean Bean, Christian Bale, Taye Diggs and Emily Watson.
5. Memento
One of the better mind benders out there, this 2001 movie starred two very hot stars of the time in Guy Pearce and Carrie Anne-Moss. Based on a man who has no short-term memory, you realize just how far some people are willing to go for revenge.
4. Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid
This Steve Martin classic was to Film Noir mysteries as Blazing Saddles was to westerns. We’re not saying that ‘Dead Men’ was one of the best comedies of all times like ‘Saddles’ was, but as far as the top under rated movies goes, it belongs on this list.
3. Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby
There may not be a more under-rated film than Talladega Nights. Ask anyone who has seen this movie about their favorite scene and they’ll be hard pressed to come up with one, because the movie keeps you laughing from beginning to end. And yet, ask someone to name the best comedies of the last two decades and most will probably completely forget this movie.
2. Fletch
Chevy Chase makes this a great movie because instead of the slapstick comedy he’s well known for, he spends much of the movie as the straight man. Sure there are still some goofy hijinks, but when he manages to win over a beautiful woman, you believe he did it because he’s charming, not because he fell backwards into it.
1. Reign of Fire
This Sci-Fi flick was largely panned by critics, but that could have been a reaction to a few over-the-top scenes. By and large, Reign of Fire is a movie about real dragons basically bringing about the end of the world is good if for no other reason than it is certainly an original storyline and not one that has been done to death.