10 Underhyped Movies That Blew Everyone Away

The Non-Hype

Pretty much everything about District 9 inspired skepticism rather than confidence: its first-time director, its no-name cast, its unusual combination of documentary-style interviews and full-on sci-fi action. It looked risky, it looked strange, and it certainly didn’t look like it carried mass-market appeal.

Releasing in the middle of August, the movie was also positioned at the tail-end of a packed summer slate that included the likes of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Star Trek, and Terminator Salvation. Despite Peter Jackson’s name being splashed across the posters, there was simply nothing that the $30-million-budgeted District 9 could do to rival its blockbuster cousins in the hype department.

The Big Reaction

On the plus side, being positioned as the underdog gives you something that your blockbuster cousins simply cannot conjure up: the element of surprise.

And on the whole, “surprising” is the perfect way to describe District 9. This small and odd-looking sci-fi thriller was an utter revelation, with magnificent, AAA-level special effects, interesting world-building, visceral action, and biting social commentary presented in a digestible and entertaining way.

Not only was it an explosive and pacy popcorn flick, it was also a big awards player, a combination of appeals that very few movies are capable of pulling off.

While director Neill Blomkamp’s followup work was nowhere near as good as District 9, this is the movie that launched his career, and to this day, he's still known as “the guy who made District 9”. It’s his masterpiece - and it probably always will be.