10 Massively Underrated Movies From The 1990s

Home Alone meets Die Hard? It's a crime that we all forgot about this movie!

Strange Days Ralph Fiennes
Universal Pictures

The 1990s was littered with some truly huge movie moments from start to end. This was the decade when Star Wars returned to cinemas after a 16 year break, when Tom Hanks won back-to-back Oscars for Philadelphia and Forrest Gump, and when massive franchises like Jurassic Park, Toy Story, and The Matrix first got their starts.

It's also the decade that spawned Batman & Robin, but hey, nobody's perfect.

The '90s was also one of the last decades where pure star power mattered more than recognisable IP, meaning that all sorts of weird, risky, original films were greenlit off the back of a single actor's involvement - a trend that led to countless box-office flops, sure, but it also led to tons of unique and interesting movies.

With so much going on in the '90s, it's not surprising that many of its greatest hits have either fallen off the radar over the last three decades, or simply weren't appreciated during their original theatrical runs. Either way, this neglect has resulted in a treasure trove of underrated gems that are definitely worth digging out.

10. Mimic

Mimic Judas Breed
Miramax

While the production troubles suffered by 1997's Mimic mean that the film isn't as good as it could have been, it's nonetheless a worthy addition to director Guillermo Del Toro's unique filmography.

Following a group of survivors who must combat a species of insect that has evolved to mimic humans, the film flopped at the box-office and received a mixed critical reception, but don't let that turn you off.

The picture features just enough of that signature Del Toro weirdness to elevate it above your average horror fare, with excellent creature design and an impressively cinematic atmosphere - especially considering the rather dull subway environments the story takes place in.

If for no other reason than to see Josh Brolin get eaten by a human-sized cockroach in a massive shower of blood, Mimic is a movie you should not miss.

Contributor
Contributor

Danny has been with WhatCulture for over ten years, and is currently Doctor Who Editor and WhoCulture Channel Manager, overseeing all of WhatCulture's Whoniverse coverage. He has been writing and video editing since his early teens, and first got a taste for content creation after making his own Doctor Who trailers, off the back of a burning obsession with the Matt Smith era of the show. Like many his age, he first got into Doctor Who with the 2005 revival, but has since gone back and fallen in love with the classic years too. If you need someone to recite every Doctor Who episode in order, or to give you a random factoid about the making of Gridlock, Danny is the person to ask!