Sometimes, a movie can be so epic and amazing that it draws universal acclaim from audiences and critics alike, most notablyChristopher Nolan filmslike Interstellar, Inception, and Oppenheimer, series like Dune, John Wick, and Mission: Impossible. However, sometimes you also have misunderstood masterpieces or films unnecessarily hit with low ratings that deserve their justice.
Whether it be comedy, sci-fi, thriller, or horror, there are plenty of movies that you might enjoy and grow to love that have been unfairly given poor ratings, and perhaps you’ll discover some new underrated gems here. Below are films with incredibly low Rotten Tomatoes and IMDb scores that are certainly worth your time.
Johan Renck
Main Cast
Adam Sandler, Paul Dano, Carey Mulligan, Isabella Rossellini, Kunal Nayyar, and Lena Olin
2024
5.7
50 percent
Where To Stream
Netflix
If you were blown away by Adam Sandler’s dramatic performance inthe A24 movieUncut Gems and want yet another serious and emotionally charged role from him, Netflix’s Spaceman is a nice follow-up. Based on the novel Spaceman of Bohemia, it’s an unusual twist on space exploration, seeing Adam Sandler as a Czech astronaut, Jakub, who encounters a giant alien spider named Hanus that becomes his companion throughout his mission.
The backstory with Jakub is that he left behind a pregnant wife, and the isolation and time spent away create a rift in their marriage that leaves Jakub in a state of loneliness, but not if Hanus can try to pry into his memories and help him. It’s quite a deep film where space and sci-fi are second to the greater themes of life and love. There’s also a surprising connection to Slavic mythology.
Steven Knight
Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jason Clarke, Djimon Hounsou, Jeremy Strong, Diane Lane, and Rafael Sayegh
2019
5.4
21 percent
Amazon Prime Video, Tubi, Plex, Pluto TV, The Roku Channel
Serenity is a domestic thriller and island life movie that comes withan incredibly unpredictable twistwhere, suddenly, the movie enters a whole new genre entirely. It’s also quite a star-studded film, with Matthew McConaughey playing Baker Dill, a fishing boat captain whose ex-wife, Anne Hathaway’s Karen, comes back into his life for protection after sharing that her current husband is abusive to her and their son.
Karen offers Baker Dill $10 million to murder her husband (Jason Clarke’s Frank Zariakas) while taking him out on one of his boat tours. It’s something that Dill will strongly consider, but the blurring of reality soon comes into play in what’s one of the most original and inventive storylines for a thriller. It’s also written and directed by Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight, and remains his most underrated work.
Tim Burton
Johnny Depp, Michelle Pfeiffer, Eva Green, Helena Bonham Carter, Chloë Grace Moretz, Jackie Earle Haley, Jonny Lee Miller, Bella Heathcote, Christopher Lee, and Alice Cooper
2012
6.2
35 percent
VOD
From Beetlejuice to Batman, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Edward Scissorhands, and Alice in Wonderland,Tim Burtonhas quite an extensive and beloved filmography. Among his lowest-rated works is 2012’s Dark Shadows, a vampire outing with Johnny Depp based on the classic TV series of the same name, but for it to receive a 35 percent RT score from critics is a heinous crime that must be remedied.
Johnny Depp is simply delightful and hilarious as Barnabas Collins, a vampire awoken in the 1970s after spending two centuries buried underground, who’s like the vampire version of Jack Sparrow. Chloë Grace Moretz opposite Depp is also an amazing on-screen combination, and Eva Green plays Barnabas' vengeful witch lover.The Gothic atmosphereis splendid, and it has the perfect amount of quirkiness.
Scott Stewart
Paul Bettany, Dennis Quaid, Tyrese Gibson, Adrianne Palicki, Charles S. Dutton, Kevin Durand, Willa Holland, Kate Walsh, Jon Tenney, Jeanette Miller, and Doug Jones
2010
5.3
20 percent
Tubi
For supernatural horror and the religious themes of angels and God bringing destruction upon the world, Legion stands as one of the most underrated and undefeated films. The main setting is a diner in the middle of the desert, and it follows Paul Bettany’s Archangel Michael as he tries to protect a pregnant waitress at the diner, whose baby is supposedly humanity’s savior. Yes, a bit cliché.
But seeing an angel take up arms with a band of humans, who form a stellar supporting cast, is just epic. The angels also possess humans, and this creates very creepy and grotesque designs reminiscent of Evil Dead, the most iconic being the old lady at the diner, Gladys, and Doug Jones' Ice Cream Man. Also, you get to see Kevin Durand in an angel costume and wings as the Archangel Gabriel.
Rupert Sanders
Bill Skarsgård, FKA twigs, Danny Huston, Laura Birn, Sami Bouajila, Sebastian Orozco, Josette Simon, Karel Dobrý, Isabella Wei, and Jordan Bolger
4.7
Starz
The original Crow movie with Brandon Lee carries a massive legacy with it. It’s a perfect standalonenon-Marvel or DC superhero/vigilante filmand was also tragically Brandon Lee’s final movie due to a horrible firearm accident that claimed his life. At the same time, 2024’s The Crow isn’t trying to undo what the original achieved but rather put forward a new reimagined vision, which, understandably, many can’t warm up to.
2024’s The Crow sees It and Nosferatu actor Bill Skarsgård as Eric Draven, and he brings an outstanding vibe to the vengeful spirit. The first part of the film really builds the relationship between Eric and his girlfriend, Shelly, before her devastating demise. The cinematography and visuals evoke a phenomenal atmosphere, the action is plenty and gory, and you have a score by Oscar-winning composer Volker Bertelmann of Conclave fame.
Jimmy Warden
Samara Weaving, Ray Nicholson, Eric Dane, Jimmie Fails, Alba Baptista, and Patrick Cox
2025
55 percent
Many expected dark, twisted horror from Borderline, but were either disappointed or pleasantly surprised when it turned out to be one of the most hilarious and truly unhinged dark comedies about a popstar trying to thwart her psychotic stalker, who escapes from a mental hospital and brings some friends. Samara Weaving evokes her character fromRadio Silence’sReady or Not, and it’s written and directed by Cocaine Bear’s Jimmy Warden.
Weaving is fictional ’90s pop star Sofia, falling victim to a deranged stalker driven by his delusion to marry her, a role played by Smile 2’s Ray Nicholson, who demonstrates he’d make a good Joker one day, like his father. Also involved in the story is Sofia’s bodyguard, played by Euphoria’s Eric Dane, and her basketball star boyfriend. The film takes some unexpected turns and is a highly enjoyable thriller with stunning camerawork as well.
The movie is inspired by the real-life case of pop star Madonna’s stalker in the ’90s. Madonna’s song, Borderline, is a theme throughout the movie, though the version that’s used here is a cover by The Flaming Lips with Stardeath and White Dwarfs.
William Eubank
Kristen Stewart, Vincent Cassel, T.J. Miller, Jessica Henwick, Mamoudou Athie, John Gallagher Jr., and Gunner Wright
2020
5.9
48 percent
VOD, Hulu with Live TV
Underwater was released in theaters in January 2020, right before the global shutdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic, so it didn’t get the box office numbers it deserved, and the reviews were unforgiving, but it’s a shame. Underwater is secretlyone of the best Lovecraftian moviesthat exists, not a direct adaptation of any particular story, but mainly referencing the mythology of Cthulhu.
Many viewers were quick to judge this film before giving it a chance, and the critics skewered it with a Rotten rating, but it’s a worthwhile underwater horror movie with one of the most unexpected tie-ins to Lovecraft’s Cthulhu mythos and is just suspenseful from start to finish. It follows the crew of an underwater drilling operation who encounter alien creatures and must survive the depths.
James Wong
Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Ryan Merriman, Amanda Crew, Kris Lemche, Alexz Johnson, Sam Easton, Chelan Simmons, Yan-Kay Crystal Lowe, and Tony Todd
2006
44 percent
HBO Max
While now there’s Final Destination Bloodlines, which absolutely shattered the series' record by receivingthe highest on Rotten Tomatoes, Final Destination 3 holds the second-lowest score of the series after 2009’s The Final Destination, even though it’s one that many would put as their favorite. The roller coaster premonition is iconic and terrifying, and the characters were some of the best.
Mary Elizabeth Winstead as yearbook photographer Wendy, who has the premonition and tries to save everyone, is a remarkable performance that grounds the movie.The deaths are some of the most memorable, especially the tanning beds, hardware store, gym weights, and fireworks mishaps. The ending also felt the most impactful and devastating of the series.
Keenen Ivory Wayans
Marlon Wayans, Shawn Wayans, Terry Crews, Lochlyn Munro, Busy Philipps, Jennifer Carpenter, Jessica Cauffiel, Jaime King, Brittany Daniel, John Heard, and Frankie Faison
2004
15 percent
The Wayans Brothers have given you classic parodies like Scary Movie and Don’t Be a Menace to South Central, but White Chicks is another comedic gem that absolutely doesn’t deserve the low scores it’s received. Terry Crews became iconic for the character he plays in the film, and the song A Thousand Miles immediately makes you think of the scenes in White Chicks every time you hear it.
Marlon and Shawn Wayans deliver their most absurdly funny storyline yet, playing FBI agent brothers Marcus and Kevin Copeland, who go undercover in full prosthetics disguised as wealthy white heiresses Tiffany and Brittany Wilson. It’s like 21 Jump Street meets Mean Girls and the prosthetics-driven comedy of Big Momma’s House and Eddie Murphy’s The Nutty Professor, with the comedy just being brilliant.
Trey Edward Shults
Abel Tesfaye (The Weeknd), Jenna Ortega, Barry Keoghan, and Riley Keough
5.2
VOD, Starz (After theatrical release)
Hurry Up Tomorrow isa psychological thriller masterpiecethat fully understands the genre and achieves a captivating cinematic feat with its mesmerizing sound and visuals, Trey Edward Shults' immersive editing and direction, Chayse Irvin’s glorious cinematography, and wonderful performances by the main cast. However,an ending explainer for Hurry Up Tomorrowmight prove beneficial, as it won’t be something everyone understands.
This film is a surreal odyssey filled with deeper psychological themes that also tie into the lyrics from The Weeknd’s songs, and also incorporates further symbolism from the singer’s own life. It can ultimately be a rewarding experience, but only if you dig deep and really analyze what the story attempts to convey with The Weeknd and the side characters, Anima and Lee, and how it all plays into his psyche.
There are influences fromDarren Aronofsky’sBlack Swan and Mother!, Misery, American Psycho, Fight Club, Raging Bull, and David Lynch, essentially a cinephile’s paradise. Abel also wrote this from a place of vulnerability, and his emotions are raw and palpable from start to end.
Multiple rewatches are recommended for Hurry Up Tomorrow, as there are details you might have missed the first time around that you’re able to now pick up on that will help you better piece everything together.
