5 Underrated Movie Gems That Demand a Second Chance

Sometimes you can be too quick to judge a movie as bad and write it off. But like fine wine, some films age well and can be appreciated more when given time.

Here are 5 underrated movies that deserve a second viewing:

1. Van Helsing (2004)

The premise is pretty simple. Van Helsing (Hugh Jackman) takes out evil on behalf of humanity. As a prolific monster hunter, he’s hired to go to Transylvania and kill Count Dracula.

The film uses fictional characters most of us know at least something about and is a good mix of action and fantasy that showcases the acting abilities of Jackman, Kate Beckinsale and Richard Roxburgh.

It received mixed reviews on release but is worth a second watch.

2. The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2003)

This steampunk superhero film stars Sean Connery, Peta Wilson, and Shane West. Set in the late 19th century, it follows a group of legendary literary figures who are recruited to track down and eliminate the villainous Fantom.

Characters include Allan Quatermain from King Solomon’s Mines, Dorian Gray from The Picture of Dorian Gray and Nemo from Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea.

Bringing together this eclectic mix of literary characters probably didn’t do the film any favours as it made people sceptical from the outset. The plot’s not great and it was slated by the critics. But if you give it a go, you might be pleasantly surprised with its cocktail of fantasy, action and humour.

3. The Chronicles of Riddick (2004)

Vin Diesel shines as the anti-hero in this sci-fi movie that flopped with the critics. The visuals are stunning almost 20 years on and fit to grace any film.

Much of the criticism came from viewers who found the convoluted plot difficult to follow and unnecessarily complicated. But if you can forgive its complexity and focus on the cinematography, this is a movie worth watching again.

4. King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (2017)

Another visual success, this film also includes plenty of action and is one for people who like a bit of sword fighting.

Essentially, it’s a retelling of the legend of King Arthur which faced criticism for its slow pace and overuse of CGI. But its main problem was that it was marketed so badly, and that became all that people spoke about regarding the film.

But it’s well crafted, has a decent script and provides an interesting new angle on a famous story.

5. Warcraft (2016)

The critics panned it. But what do they know? Fans of the video game on which it was based will tell you it was authentic to its source material and visually accurate.

It managed to reflect the magical atmosphere of the game and had the benefit of using characters many already knew and loved. As a fantasy film, it’s pretty decent and delivers what you’d expect.