12 Most Underrated Movies On Disney Plus

Disney+ is one of the biggest names in the streaming market, and the primary reason for that is an all-timer IP roster. Disney, Pixar, "Star Wars," Marvel Studios — and, as of 2017, the films from 20th Century Fox's deep library. That Fox pickup also led to Disney's acquisition of its competitor Hulu. As of now, the latter is available in packages with Disney+, but the plan in the near future is for Disney's app to fully assimilate Hulu.

All of that is to say that when we talk about movies on Disney+, we're including films available through Hulu.

We looked through all of the Disney+ (with Hulu) feature film offerings, and while there are a lot of beloved, popular, and critically acclaimed movies, there are also several deserving gems that haven't been treated as kindly by critics or audiences. Below are 12 movies that are better than their Rotten Tomatoes and Letterboxd ratings would suggest. Are they misunderstood classics? Maybe, maybe not, but they're all worth watching. Now keep reading for a look at the best and most underrated movies on Disney+, in alphabetical order!

We're kicking off our list of underrated movies with the most maligned entry in both the "Alien" and "Predator" franchises: 2007's "Aliens vs Predator: Requiem." Your legitimate criticisms have been heard and filed, and we agree that, like the MonsterVerse films, this movie affords too much time to petty human dramas while there are cool creatures about. We've also noted your issues with the lighting in "Requiem" making it difficult to see what's happening, although the writer of this piece has watched (and rewatched, twice, in the past year) the longer, unrated version in a dark room and had no trouble following all of the onscreen action. So, here we are, calling it underrated.

Why? Because this movie delivers exactly what's on the tin. Both the Alien and the Predator are among the most iconic and most beautifully designed alien antagonists in film history, and no matter what you think of the film's human characters, the monster mashup delivers lots of thrilling, bloody action. Humans fight the creatures, the Big Bads — including a Preda-Xeno offspring — fight each other, and directors Colin & Greg Strause keep the pacing tight and body count high throughout while also ensuring that the bulk of it all is done in-camera with practical effects.

This is also one of the meaner entries in the entire franchise — one that understands these aliens pose a seriously frightening and endlessly cool threat to humankind thanks to their weaponized biology and hunter mindset. There's no single human hero guaranteed to see the end credits, with adults, children, and even expectant mothers all meeting their demise at the wrong end of a murderous alien creature. This is a thrilling, fun, top-tier example of sci-fi action/horror, and it deserves a rewatch.

Neither the world nor Hollywood had seen anything like the success of George Lucas' "Star Wars" in 1977, so it wasn't long before other studios blasted off into space looking for their own blockbusters. Disney went big with "The Black Hole," spending its highest budget yet — a now quaint $26 million — to tell a story about a spaceship crew finding an older exploratory vessel sitting at the edge of a black hole.

"The Black Hole" is a campy, tonally loose adventure with some dated optical effects, but it's also good fun and far darker than the kinds of movies the House of Mouse was known for. Humans are lobotomized and enslaved, and there's a large robot with whirling blades for hands. Theories regarding what's inside and beyond the black hole abound, with some suggesting it's akin to the afterlife — an idea given life in a final sequence that bears a suspicious resemblance to our general conception of Hell itself. It's as cool as it is unexpected.

The miniatures and practical effects work offer up an entertaining showcase for sci-fi movie fans, and the cast is stacked with the welcome likes of Robert Forster, Anthony Perkins, and Ernest Borgnine, with both Roddy McDowall and Slim Pickens voicing robots. And not for nothing, but it also includes what is arguably among composer John Barry's greatest scores.

While some of the films on this list are legitimately great regardless of their RT/LB scores, others are just casually entertaining good times. "The Castaway Cowboy" belongs in that latter group. It's essentially a lightweight Western set on the Hawaiian island of Kauai, and that atypical location, combined with the film's fish out of water tale, makes for an enjoyable romp.

Of course, the secret weapon here is the great James Garner, who stars as Lincoln Costain. A cowboy from Texas, Lincoln washes up on Kauai and is rescued by some locals, including a nice widow and her son who're at risk of losing their farm until Lincoln suggests they wrangle up rogue cows and become cattle ranchers instead. Add in some nefarious types after the farm, a blossoming romance, and a banker (Robert Culp) who wants both the widow's land and hand, and you have a fun little adventure.

As mentioned, the key to the film's effectiveness is the wildly charismatic Garner. Anyone who's seen him in movies like "The Great Escape" or "Victor/Victoria," or even his still-excellent television series "The Rockford Files," knows he's as charming and entertaining an actor as you're likely to find. It's a simple film, but he makes it pretty delightful.

Kurt Russell is a national treasure. You know it. We know it. He's also starred in some recognizable franchises over the years, tackling recurring roles like Snake Plissken, Mr. Nobody, and Santa Claus. It's his first franchise that remains underrated fun, though, and it all starts with "The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes."

Russell stars as Dexter Riley, a trouble-prone, fun-loving college student whose run-in with a supercomputer sees his brain dialed all the way up to 11. Suddenly, he's the smartest person, not just in the room but in any room, and some of that encyclopedic knowledge involves the illegal dealings of a local businessman. Campus shenanigans, dangerous mobsters, and important lessons about friendship, responsibility, and electrical safety all come into play, ensuring a good time is had by all. Well, everyone but Dean Higgins (Joe Flynn) and the mobster (Cesar Romero).

Again, no lost masterpiece here, but the film is just a good, innocent time with laughs, hijinks, and a young Kurt Russell at its forefront. Watch it, enjoy it, and then smile knowing there are two sequels — "Now You See Him, Now You Don't" and "The Strongest Man in the World" — worth watching as well.

Adrian Lyne's best film remains "Jacob's Ladder," but he's also known for erotic thrillers like "Fatal Attraction" and "Indecent Proposal." He returned in 2022 after a two-decade hiatus with "Deep Water," and almost nobody cared. Blame two years' worth of Covid-related delays, the movie's ignoble premiere on Hulu, and people expecting something more traditionally erotic and thrilling who instead got ... a deliciously dark and silly comedy.

Ben Affleck and Ana de Armas play Vic and Melinda, a married couple with issues. She openly plays around while he gently fingers his collection of snails, and like a pot of water on a hot and sexy stove, things are about to boil over. Men she's associated with are turning up dead, if they even turn up at all, and Vic may be the one responsible. But is that a deal-breaker for Melinda?

Lyne knows his way around a saucy scene, and both Affleck and de Armas are game. Similarly, there are murders here, and the suspense of being caught hangs over Vic's head. But it's still not really a movie that wants to fit into the erotic thriller niche. Instead, everything from the direction and script to performances and score lean into a darkly comic look at a marriage on the brink — and what it takes to save it. Both leads are fully on board with the straight-played silliness of it all, and it all benefits from an equally aware supporting turn by Tracy Letts.

Vampires, like zombies and angry men with mother issues, are ubiquitous presences in the horror genre, so it can be refreshing when a movie finds some new angle to explore. "The Invitation" finds its inspiration in Bram Stoker's "Dracula," yet it still feels fairly fresh in its execution.

Nathalie Emmanuel stars here as Evie, a young woman who discovers that her bloodline connects to a high society cousin living in England. Except, when she flies across the pond to visit him, she discovers something even worse than snobby relatives — they're also vampires. Generational promises signed in blood reveal a family history spilling into the present, and Evie realizes too late that you should never, ever submit yourself to one of those home DNA tests.

A modest hit in theaters, "The Invitation" is a fun horror film that should appeal to fans of the brilliant "Ready or Not," and while it can't touch that one, it's still a good time with a strong, enjoyable lead performance and character. The bulk of the movie sits comfortably with a series of atmospheric reveals, but the third act turns up the heat as Evie decides whether or not she's going to let others decide her fate for her. Hint, she's not, and the results are bloody, satisfying, thrilling, and attractively shot by director Jessica Thompson and cinematographer Autumn Eakin.

There's something to be said for simplicity when it comes to movies, no matter the genre, but it's especially true with thrillers. Twisty narratives offer their own fun, but sometimes, a simple setup with polished execution is all you need to deliver the goods. "Kidnap" is that kind of simple thriller that catches your attention and holds it for the whole running time. Will its details fade from your memory within a day or two? Probably, but that's okay.

Halle Berry is Karla, a newly single mom who's shocked into action when she sees her young son being abducted. Finding little help from the police, she pursues the kidnappers with a tenacious, relentless drive hoping to rescue her son before it's too late. Her efforts are complicated by the realization that the villains aren't working alone.

See? Simple. What makes the film stand out, though, and what makes it worth your time, is its commitment to focusing on practical effects and stunts. There's trickery, to be sure, but the bulk of the action here is accomplished via talented stunt performers delivering genuinely thrilling vehicular action. It's no "Breakdown," but the vibe is similar as we move alongside a desperate person refusing to take their foot off the gas when it comes to finding their loved one.

They say if you're gonna steal, steal from the best, and 1984's "Romancing the Stone" remains one of the best (and least talked about, inexplicably) action comedies of the 1980s. The filmmakers behind "The Lost City" have obviously seen it, but rather than knock their film for what it lifts from the earlier movie, we're here to celebrate the fun it has along the way.

Sandra Bullock plays Loretta, a reclusive romance author whose relatively quiet life is interrupted by some unexpected circumstances tying back to her books. She winds up kidnapped and lost in a remote jungle with only an off-putting man (Channing Tatum) by her side, and the odds seem pretty good that by the time she feels safe again, it will be in this guy's arms.

Bullock has always been at her best in films that aim for both the heart and the funny bone, and while her best romantic comedies remain "While You Were Sleeping" and "Speed" (shush, you know it's true), there's plenty of joy to be had here. She and Tatum share some terrific chemistry (with both performers showing strong banter chops), Daniel Radcliffe as the billionaire bad guy is inspired casting, and Brad Pitt's turn as a real hero is equally brilliant. Again, it's no "Romancing the Stone," but it's arguably better than "The Jewel of the Nile," so that's something.

Michael Bay's most sincere films are frequently his smallest — think "Ambulance" and "Pain & Gain" — and too often overshadowed by the powerhouse absurdity of his billion dollar "Transformer" franchise. Rank all 15 of his movies by popularity (via Letterboxd), though, and you'll find 2001's "Pearl Harbor" sitting smack dab in the middle. It makes sense, seeing as its arguably where his penchants for both sincerity and nonsense collide the hardest, loudest, and Bay-iest.

You don't need us to tell you about the historical events of the attack on Pearl Harbor, but hopefully, you're not relying on Bay's film to educate you either. It's as jingoistic as it is maudlin, as sappy with its romance as it is long in the tooth, but it also, and this is relevant, features one hell of an action set piece capturing the chaos, heroism, and epic destruction of December 7, 1941.

Ben Affleck and Josh Hartnett star as besties pining for Kate Beckinsale against the backdrop of World War II, and like any respectable historical epic, the movie's supporting ensemble is equally memorable. Cuba Gooding Jr., Dan Aykroyd, Michael Shannon, and Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa are among the standouts, but it's the action and spectacle that make the time investment worthwhile. "Pearl Harbor" features Bay's usual combination of practical and CG effects, but it's an effectively thrilling time that should be played loudly.

L. Frank Baum wrote 14 books in his popular Oz series, and adaptations run the gamut from the 1939 classic "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" to the recent "Wicked" blockbusters (which are technically adaptations of a stage musical based on novels inspired by Baum's books, but you get the idea). One that doesn't get talked about with that same kind of confidence is 1985's "Return to Oz" — and there's a reason for that.

In the film, Dorothy's (Fairuza Balk) continued talk of Oz lands her in an asylum. Barely escaping a doctor's cruel clutches, she then finds herself once again in that magical land. Time, however, has not been kind to the place, as nefarious new personalities threaten to drive it further into despair. With her old pals the Tin Man and Cowardly Lion both turned to stone, Dorothy must find new friends to help her save the day.

The phrase most commonly used when describing this film is "pure nightmare fuel," and you need only watch a few minutes of it to see why. Of course, those few minutes will make you want to watch all of it as imagination, puppetry, and practical effects are used to create some truly disturbing imagery in service of a kids' movie. It's a wonderfully weird adventure run through with darkness, and it's easy to see why people kept their children away from it in the 1980s.

Of all the films on this list, it's the low ratings from critics and audiences for Brad Bird's "Tomorrowland" that seem most at odds with the film itself. It may have lost money for Disney at the box office, but every dollar spent is up there on the screen in the form of fantastic special effects, exhilarating action sequences, terrific performances, striking production design, and energetic direction, all in service of a story championing optimism and hope over despair.

Britt Robertson stars as Casey, a teen whose curiosity and spirit frequently land her in trouble, but despite the state of the world, she remains hopeful about the future. Frank (George Clooney) was once just like her, but now he's a cynical recluse counting down the days until the world's collective surrender to defeat. And what brings them together? Why, an android and a dream that they can help turn things around, naturally.

At its core, "Tomorrowland" is a call to action, a celebration of the optimistic and imaginative among us who move forward instead of giving in to hopelessness. Call it cheesy if you must, but there's a truth here, both intellectual and emotional, about our cynical, self-fulfilling view of the future. The villain's (Hugh Laurie) speech as to his motives rings equally, fascinatingly true, but even if none of that moves you, this film is still a big, entertaining ride worth taking.

Every Christmas season sees two film-related conversations recycled online. One involves people asking if "Die Hard" is a Christmas movie, which, of course, it is. And the other comes in the form of loud slams against 2003's "Love Actually" claiming it's terrible, actually, for one reason or another. Now, this film doesn't strictly fit the criteria set out at the top of this list, but the annual dismissals have left it feeling underrated all the same.

"Love Actually" explores love in the weeks leading up to Christmas through the lives of several people. There's love's beginning, love's end, unrequited love, the platonic love between friends, the joyous and pained love between family, and while the film slips back and forth between them, it's basically an anthology. Like any anthology, the whole is something of a mixed bag, but the good far outweighs the bad.

Most of the stories strike a balance ranging from romantic to heartbreaking, silly to serious, and each brings something memorable to the movie. It's a light, frothy affair, but there's genuine heartache too. There's sadness, but there's also a sweetness seeing friends come together, strangers sparking new love, and people finding affection in unlikely places. There are right and wrong ways to express love, but at the end of the day, this is a simple, poppy film that ends on a high and reminds us that everyone deserves a little bit of love. Well, everyone but Colin Frissell (Kris Marshall).