With fantasy franchises like Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter, science fiction series like Star Wars and Star Trek, along with the insurgence of superhero movies, the 2000s saw blockbuster releases unlike ever before. Thus, more independent or straightforward-in-plot projects went under the radar either critically or commercially, resulting in some vastly underrated films.
The titles on this list were directed by some of the biggest names the industry has to offer, with star-studded casts to boot. And for what it’s worth: there will be no foreign films on the list, as they’re inherently more underappreciated in the eyes of American audiences. All that said, these are the twenty-five most underrated movies of the 2000s, ranked.
25 Treasure Planet (2002)
This animated feature film from Disney didn’t just come up short with critics overall — it’s also one of the most infamous examples of a box office bomb throughout the history of Hollywood. There isn’t a more prominent instance of an animated film coming up short in ticket sales, with Treasure Planet (2002) garnering $110 million against a $140 million budget.
That’s in spite of an intriguing premise — a retelling of the famous Robert Louis Stevenson story of the same name, this time with a science-fiction twist — and some talented names like Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Emma Thompson in the lead roles. And although it boasts a strong cult following, Treasure Planet is still very much underrated today.
24 The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou (2004)
Written and directed by Wes Anderson, that acclaimed American auteur has a few underrated features under his belt. Even from this same time period, he released The Darjeeling Limited to an underappreciated degree, with both Bottle Rocket (1996) and The Royal Tenenbaums (2001) going down as overlooked to an extent, as well.
The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou (2004) follows Bill Murray’s protagonist — in the actor’s third-straight collaboration with Anderson — as the titular character: an idiosyncratic and animated oceanographer named Steve Zissou. He’s essentially a parody of French diving pioneer Jacques Cousteau, and the character shares tremendous rapport with his on-screen collaborators. Performers like Owen Wilson, Cate Blanchett, Willem Dafoe, and Jeff Goldblum show up in spades with their supporting roles, ultimately landing this critical miss at number twenty-four.
23 Sunshine (2007)
A science fiction film, Sunshine (2007) stars Cillian Murphy as a physicist acting as an astronaut along with seven contemporaries on a mission into space to reignite the dying spark of the sun. It’s a fascinating premise, and it’s seen into fluid fruition despite its middling success both in theaters and in the reviews of critics.
What stands out most prominently would be its star-studded cast: Chris Evans, Rose Byrne, and Michelle Yeoh appear alongside Murphy, not to mention others like Cliff Curtis, Hiroyuki Sanada, and Benedict Wong. Director Danny Boyle even forced the actors to live among one another as a tactic of method acting, and his efforts produced the desired artistic results.
22 Igby Goes Down (2002)
Starring Kieran Culkin, Claire Danes, Amanda Peet, Ryan Phillippe, and Jeff Goldblum, the star-studded cast of Igby Goes Down (2002) should warrant a movie night alone. But when accounting for a whip-smart script in tandem with solid management under writer-director Burr Steers, this coming-of-age story goes down as one of the most overlooked projects of its decade.
Following Culkin’s titular character Igby Slocumb, it features a dearth of a thought-out plot, instead focusing on character growth and dynamics that resemble the tone of The Catcher in the Rye, a seminal American novel from author J.D. Salinger. Igby Goes Down movie is often considered the closest fans will ever get to an adaptation of that famous work, and for that, it deserves a spot on this list. Audiences slept on this release during its theatrical run, after all. And if anything, its name value has only plummeted ever since.
21 The Fountain (2006)
Starring Hugh Jackman, this science fiction stint follows his protagonist who traverses back in time to gain immortality while in tandem saving the woman he loves. And with direction by Darren Aronofsky — a famous American filmmaker known for implementing psychological elements into his plots — the result of its premise is among the most underrated films of the decade, regardless of genre.
It’s beautiful from start to finish thanks to a careful set design with solid camerawork and thought-out processes of visual effects. That’s arguably the most noteworthy quality of The Fountain (2006), but the other elements at play are worth the watch, as well.
20 Watchmen (2009)
As the only superhero movie on the list, Watchmen (2009) without a doubt holds name value despite its lack of critical acclaim. But even then, it received hate from a large portion of the property’s fan base — it was adapted from the DC Comics limited series of the same name — when in reality, it should be considered among the finest features its subgenre has ever produced.
From the film’s first frame it achieves a tangible visual style through thought-out color palettes and intricate costume design, with engaging camerawork and intense action sequences around every corner of its gripping narrative. No matter how you felt about the portrayals of its characters or the alterations to its plot, there’s no denying the masterful elements of filmmaking going on both behind the scenes and in front of the camera in Watchmen. On any given day, it could land even higher on the list.
19 Heist (2001)
A heist film, obviously, this stars Gene Hackman alongside the likes of Danny DeVito and Sam Rockwell, and it should go down among the most underrated titles its subgenre has ever seen. Reception from industry pundits aside, one would think audiences lined up en masse to see Heist (2001) in theaters, especially any fans of this particular type of film.
But instead, this crime stint by critically acclaimed director David Mamet came up drastically short in theaters, accruing just $28.5 million at the worldwide box office off a $39 million budget. And with an exciting plot of a professional thief who convinces his crew of criminals to pull off a final heist, there’s no telling what went wrong with this one.
18 25th Hour
A joint by Spike Lee — who has several underrated titles under his filmmaking belt, such as Clockers (1995) from the previous decade — 25th Hour (2002) follows Edward Norton’s protagonist Monty Brogan, a small-time drug dealer who is steeling himself for seven-year prison sentence due to his lowly occupation.
Supporting efforts are provided wonderfully from performers such as Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Rosario Dawson, and Barry Pepper. But somehow, this talented cast with an exciting premise by a talented director flew under the critical radar upon release, and hasn’t exactly skyrocketed in terms of name value as of late. For that, 25th Hour lands here at number eighteen.
17 Matchstick Men
Directed by Ridley Scott, this entry follows Nicholas Cage’s protagonist — named Roy Waller, a con artist with obsessive-compulsive disorder — prepares for the most lucrative crime of his career. But when his daughter unexpectedly shows up on the scene, Roy and his partner Frank (portrayed by Sam Rockwell) take an unexpected protégé under their wing.
And sure, Matchstick Men (2003) received decent praise upon release from all viewers, holding an 82% approval rating on critical consensus website Rotten Tomatoes. But it came up short in theaters, and holds little name value today. In reality, it should go down as essential viewing re: films from the decade at hand. It’s undoubtedly underrated.
16 The Man Who Wasn’t There
Written and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen, this project stands out as the only black-and-white film on the list. Starring Billy Bob Thornton as the titular man, with a supporting appearance from Frances McDormand, this entry in the acclaimed filmmaking duo’s oeuvre actually received great praise from critics upon release.
But it couldn’t even make back its $20 million budget at the worldwide box office in spite of a solid plot: The Man Who Wasn’t There (2001) follows Ed Crane (played by Thornton) as a barber who suspects his wife is having an affair. Upon receiving a business deal opportunity, Ed plots to blackmail his wife’s lover for the cash. If you haven’t seen this title with intriguing tactics of cinematography and solid narration all throughout, The Man Who Wasn’t There is more than worth your time.
15 Panic Room
Despite some massive names of the industry being attached to Panic Room (2002), not one particular element of filmmaking stands out in terms of overall quality. Its script from David Koepp, its direction under David Fincher, and the performances from thespians such as Jodie Foster, Kristen Stewart, Jared Leto, and Forest Whitaker — this was all admirable work, but mostly worth noting would be their combined efforts overall.
Foster’s protagonist Meg Altman moves into a house with her daughter, played by Stewart, and in the master bedroom of their new home is the titular panic room: a space to protect its residents from home invasions. And that’s just what goes down here in the most overlooked movie of David Fincher’s career, with Panic Room ultimately landing at number fifteen.
14 Primer
With dazzling, fast-paced dialogue and palpable character dynamics presented in the film’s opening scene, Primer (2004) doesn’t let up at all in those regards one iota throughout the course of the plot. An independent science fiction film, it follows two engineers as they accidentally discover time travel.
It’s worth noting for its intriguing story structure, but also for the many roles of writer-director Shane Carruth. He didn’t just pen the script and oversee the final product — Carruth also produced, edited, scored, and starred in the film at hand. For all of those feats, Primer should receive far more love than it does today.
13 One Hour Photo
Another psychological thriller, this one features Robin Williams in the lead role, and it’s easily among the acclaimed comedy actor’s most overlooked performances. He truly shines as protagonist Sy Parrish, a photo technician who doesn’t just develop photos, but also a particular fascination for a family that frequents the store in which he works.
It’s a unique premise with impressive efforts not just from its cast, but also from writer-director Mark Romanek. And everyone involved rendered One Hour Photo (2002) an essential project about photography, an overlooked thriller in general, and without a doubt among the most underrated films of its decade.
12 Resurrecting the Champ
There isn’t a sport in the world that has made for better movies throughout Hollywood history than the sweet science. Boxing movies like The Hurricane (1999) and Bleed for This (2016) go down as the most underrated of their respective decades. And with regard to the 2000s, that title belongs to Resurrecting the Champ (2007).
Starring Josh Hartnett and Samuel L. Jackson, those two performances are most prominently worth noting re: the film’s overall quality and underrated status. Jackson plays a homeless man who impersonates the former heavyweight pugilist Bob Satterfield, while Hartnett portrays a journalist attempting to tell his story. A promising premise that’s seen into poignant fruition, and well worth your time in the end.
11 Stop-Loss
The first of two war movies on the list is Stop-Loss (2008), with Ryan Phillippe in the starring role. It chronicles the psychological turmoil experienced by four characters after the Iraq War with a title derived from the U.S. stop-loss policy, forcing a prolonged term of duty on soldiers who have already done their service.
And with supporting efforts from Channing Tatum, Abbie Cornish, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, there’s no telling how Stop-Loss made only half of its $25 million budget back with regard to ticket sales. And what’s worse is that the project is vacuous of name value today, coming in toward the middle of the list.
10 The Gift
Directed by Sam Raimi just two years before making the most important film of his career — Spider-Man (2002), that is — The Gift (2000) is a supernatural thriller with Cate Blanchett in the lead role. She plays a clairvoyant who makes money through telling local clients their fortune. But when her powers provide her with a prominent piece of information re: a murder case, the plot takes a thrilling twist.
Raimi has several underrated titles under his directorial belt, and The Gift is up there as his most overlooked. It made great money in ticket sales, sure. But its middling reception from industry pundits was unwarranted in hindsight, with The Gift going down as an essential piece of 2000s cinema.
9 Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang
This first movie with Robert Downey Jr. on the list is Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang (2005). It holds decent name value today, but that’s almost solely due to the performance of its lead actor gaining traction in hindsight — that is, following his role as Tony Stark within the MCU.
Other noteworthy thespians appear as well, like Val Kilmer, Michelle Monaghan, and Corbin Bernsen. And with a self-referential, neo-noir-based plot about a thief from New York who’s mistaken for a Hollywood actor, it without a doubt goes down as underrated when it comes to box office results and overall popularity today.
8 Jarhead
With just under $100 million made against a $72 million budget in tandem with a 61% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, some fans might actually deem those numbers of success appropriate relative to the overall quality of Jarhead (2005). But even barring those stats momentarily, just on general popularity today, this might be the most underrated war film ever made.
Directed by Sam Mendes and shot by Roger Deakins, the most talented names in the industry excelled behind the scenes, with Jake Gyllenhaal leading things to perfection in front of the camera. Jarhead received flack from veterans for its depiction of the Persian Gulf War, but again: there’s no denying the expertise at play as the film lands here at number eight.
7 Frailty
A psychological thriller with Bill Paxton, this entry actually received positive reviews from critics upon release in tandem with decent money made at the worldwide box office. But as time goes on, Frailty (2001) gets thrown more and more by the audience's wayside.
It follows Paxton’s protagonist who convinces his two sons that it's their duty designed by God to kill demons invading earth. The twist: these demons are supposedly disguised as people. And again, critics resonated with this plot, and audiences bought their share of tickets. But in the end, the name value of Frailty is still not up to par.
6 Identity
Featuring a star-studded cast of performers such as John Cusack, Ray Liotta, and Amanda Peet, this mystery thriller will keep you guessing around every corner of its dark and dynamic plot. Nothing in particular here stands out aside from the thrill of its pacing, but solid cinematography with thought-out color palettes nonetheless intersect with convincing performances and an adequate script to create one of the most underrated movies of the decade: Identity (2003).
It chronicles a group of strangers arriving at a shady motel amid a thunderstorm. It’s then they realize that a serial killer is in their midst, and the plot escalates in tension and intrigue from there. Director James Mangold led Identity to new heights, and it’s worth a watch despite what critics said upon release. Definitely check it out.
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The 25 Most Underrated Movies of the 2000s - MovieWeb
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