Critically hated movies that are actually awesome


Some films get shunned by the critics, so many of us never hear about them. The critics are not perfect themselves, and often make errors of judgment, panning a film that is actually good viewing. We look at some of the movies Hollywood’s critics have mistakenly dismissed, but secretly they are amazing.

Hook, 1991

We love the late, great, Robin Williams. He could appear in almost anything, and we’d find him wonderfully endearing. Hook tells the tale of Peter Pan all grown up, who has seemingly stopped flying and has his shadow under control, although he can’t remember who he used to be in his boyhood. His kids are kidnapped by the evil Hook and so Pan must return to Neverland. This is a heartwarming tale that has some great action sequences and supporting cast.

Alien 3, 1992

Many fans of the Alien and Aliens films hated this third installment in the series, an opinion the critics agreed with. David Fincher took the director’s chair but since has distanced himself from it. The film suffers from over-editing, but Sigourney Weaver steals the show as Ripley once more. Featuring creepy monks and blazing sets, the film looks amazing and should be the spiritual ending of the franchise. Instead, we’ve ended up with several more movies, getting progressively worse with each visit to the cinema.

Critically hated movies that are actually awesome

The Cell, 2000

A film that epitomizes style over substance, the story in sci-fi thriller The Cell leaves a lot to be desired. It does, however, look incredible. The costumes, the sets, everything looks great, and the cast does a stellar job with their performances. If you fancy something with a bit of style, then this one is for you.

Man on Fire, 2004

Denzel Washington on a bloody rampage, you don’t need to know much else. Washington is tasked with looking after a little girl, who then gets stolen from him by a gang of criminals. Now he needs to go get her back, at any cost – of course this film is great. Critics claimed the violence was gratuitous, but given the out-of-luck character’s efforts at redemption, we think it was justified.

Critically hated movies that are actually awesome

National Treasure, 2004

What happened to the old school adventure movie? Hollywood seems to have forgotten how to make them. This film is a throwback to fun times at the cinema, it forces you to watch intently as the plot develops quickly and has plenty of twists and turns. Sure the film is a bit cheesy and is by no means perfect, but it is a fun romp through some of America’s defining moments in history.

Super, 2010

This is one of those films that not many people have heard about, thanks to being shunned by the critics. Super is directed by James Gunn, of Guardians of the Galaxy fame, and is a darkly comic tale about a civilian vigilante who makes it his mission to reprimand criminals, and queue jumpers, in the most brutal of fashions. The film is violent and is not for the faint-hearted but it is amusing, and there is a great cast to keep you entertained throughout, including Rainn Wilson, Kevin Bacon, and Ellen Page.

Those were some of the movies we think are great and don’t get enough credit, proving that not all movies the critics pan are bad. Hopefully we have opened your eyes to some films we think deserve a second chance.

Recommended For You

The best X-Men characters

When you’re dealing with something as massive as the X-Men, it can be tough to decide exactly who are your