The most underrated 2010s movies are the ones that flopped, got lost in bad marketing or never left the festival circuit, yet hold up better than many hits of the decade. Our 13 picks range from a $50,000 sci-fi puzzle to a big-budget Tom Cruise blockbuster that audiences undersold, and each comes with its year, director and the kind of viewer it suits.
How we picked these underrated movies of the 2010s
“Underrated” is slippery, so we used three simple tests, and every film here passes all of them.
- It was released between 2010 and 2019 (we use the year of its first public screening).
- It underperformed commercially, was mis-sold by its marketing, or got little attention outside festivals and critics’ lists.
- It has held up on rewatch and built a following since.
We left out films that won major Oscars or became mainstream favorites, even if fans call them overlooked. The goal is to give you something genuinely new for tonight.
Genre gems that slipped past audiences
Dredd (2012), directed by Pete Travis
Karl Urban never takes off the helmet as the comic-book lawman fighting his way up a locked-down tower block. Lean, brutal and visually inventive, it struggled at the box office but became a cult favorite. Best for action fans who like a tight, single-location siege.
Edge of Tomorrow (2014), directed by Doug Liman
Tom Cruise plays a soldier stuck reliving the same day of an alien war, with Emily Blunt as the veteran who trains him. Based on the Japanese novel All You Need Is Kill, it suffered from a forgettable title, so much so that home releases put its tagline Live Die Repeat front and center. Best for anyone who loves Groundhog Day style loops with real stakes.
The Guest (2014), directed by Adam Wingard
Dan Stevens turns up at a grieving family’s door claiming to have served with their late son, and things escalate. A synth-scored throwback to 1980s thrillers that few saw in theaters. Best for fans of slow-burn tension that tips into pulp.
Crimson Peak (2015), directed by Guillermo del Toro
Sold as a horror movie, it is really a lavish gothic romance with ghosts, starring Mia Wasikowska, Tom Hiddleston and Jessica Chastain. Expectations hurt it; the production design alone makes it worth a look. Best for viewers who like old-fashioned melodrama and gorgeous sets.
The Nice Guys (2016), directed by Shane Black
Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling play a mismatched enforcer and private eye in 1977 Los Angeles. One of the funniest buddy comedies of the decade, it underperformed in theaters and has been reappraised ever since. Best for anyone who misses smart, R-rated crime comedies.
Small films with big performances
Short Term 12 (2013), directed by Destin Daniel Cretton
Brie Larson plays a supervisor at a group home for teens, with an early-career cast that includes Rami Malek, LaKeith Stanfield and Kaitlyn Dever. It won the Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award at SXSW yet earned only a small theatrical gross. Best for viewers who want an honest, warm drama.
Locke (2013), directed by Steven Knight
Tom Hardy is the only actor on screen, driving through the night while his life unravels over a series of phone calls. A real-time experiment that works far better than it sounds. Best for fans of tense, dialogue-driven drama.
Sing Street (2016), directed by John Carney
A Dublin teenager in the 1980s starts a band to impress a girl, and the original songs are genuinely catchy. It never found the wide audience it deserved. Best for anyone who loves music movies and coming-of-age stories.
Leave No Trace (2018), directed by Debra Granik
Ben Foster and Thomasin McKenzie play a father and daughter living off the grid in an Oregon forest until the outside world catches up with them. Quiet, patient and deeply moving. Best for viewers who like restrained, character-first filmmaking.
Sci-fi and animation that deserved more
Coherence (2013), directed by James Ward Byrkit
Eight friends at a dinner party notice strange things after a comet passes overhead. Made for about $50,000 over five nights in the director’s own house, with largely improvised performances, it is one of the best puzzle films of the decade. Best for anyone who likes to pause a movie and argue about what just happened.
Colossal (2016), directed by Nacho Vigalondo
Anne Hathaway plays a woman who discovers she is somehow linked to a giant monster attacking Seoul. Funny at first, then surprisingly sharp about self-destruction and control, with Jason Sudeikis against type. Best for viewers who enjoy genre premises with something serious underneath.
Prospect (2018), directed by Zeek Earl and Christopher Caldwell
A teenage girl (Sophie Thatcher) and her father mine for gems on a hostile alien moon, with Pedro Pascal as a smooth-talking stranger. A low-budget sci-fi western with superb practical design. Best for fans of grounded, lived-in science fiction.
ParaNorman (2012), directed by Sam Fell and Chris Butler
Laika’s stop-motion tale of a boy who can talk to the dead was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, yet it is rarely mentioned alongside the studio’s better-known work. Best for families with kids around 10 and up who like a mild scare.
All 13 underrated 2010s movies at a glance
| Movie | Year | Director | Genre | Watch it if you like |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dredd | 2012 | Pete Travis | Action | Siege thrillers |
| ParaNorman | 2012 | Sam Fell, Chris Butler | Animation | Spooky family films |
| Coherence | 2013 | James Ward Byrkit | Sci-fi | Mind-bending puzzles |
| Short Term 12 | 2013 | Destin Daniel Cretton | Drama | Honest, warm dramas |
| Locke | 2013 | Steven Knight | Drama | Real-time tension |
| Edge of Tomorrow | 2014 | Doug Liman | Sci-fi action | Time loops |
| The Guest | 2014 | Adam Wingard | Thriller | 1980s throwbacks |
| Crimson Peak | 2015 | Guillermo del Toro | Gothic romance | Lavish period pieces |
| The Nice Guys | 2016 | Shane Black | Crime comedy | Buddy comedies |
| Sing Street | 2016 | John Carney | Musical drama | Coming-of-age stories |
| Colossal | 2016 | Nacho Vigalondo | Sci-fi comedy | Offbeat genre mashups |
| Leave No Trace | 2018 | Debra Granik | Drama | Quiet character studies |
| Prospect | 2018 | Zeek Earl, Christopher Caldwell | Sci-fi | Lived-in space westerns |
Streaming catalogs change often and differ by country, so use your streaming service’s search or a legal streaming guide to see where each title is available to stream, rent or buy in your region.
FAQ
What is the most underrated movie of the 2010s?
There is no single answer, but Coherence (2013) is a strong candidate. It was made for about $50,000, earned very little in theaters, and is now regularly recommended as one of the smartest sci-fi films of the decade.
Which underrated 2010s movies are good for a group movie night?
The Nice Guys, Edge of Tomorrow and Dredd are crowd-pleasers that most people haven’t seen. Coherence is great with friends because it sparks discussion afterward.
Are there family-friendly underrated movies from the 2010s?
ParaNorman (2012) is the safest pick here for families with older kids, and Sing Street (2016) suits teens. Check the official age rating for your country before watching with younger children.
Why do good movies end up underrated?
Usually it comes down to marketing and timing. Crimson Peak was sold as pure horror, Edge of Tomorrow had a forgettable title, and small films like Short Term 12 and Locke had limited releases that few people saw in theaters.
