9 Underrated Kid's Movies You Didn't Realise Were Awesome

4. Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001)

Milo Thatch, a linguist and cartographer in 1914, is ridiculed by his peers for his belief in Atlantis, which he thinks he can find. Seemingly out of the blue, a millionaire who was a friend of Milo's grandfather offers him a crew and money to fund an expedition to Atlantis. They set out on a perilous journey to find it, but though they are successful, nothing goes as expected. Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 49% Why It's Actually Awesome: This movie was completely different from any Disney movie before it. Milo (voiced by Michael J. Fox) is nerdy, awkward, and physically weak, nothing like a traditional Disney hero. He's also very naive, and must rely on the crew around him to keep him alive. Milo is incredibly intelligent, however, and he uses his brain to solve his problems. Kida, the Atlantean princess, is the opposite. Though she is smart, she is also a warrior who can kick some serious butt. She is confident where Milo is shy, and she leaves him flustered and tongue-tied. Kida is also the heir and ultimate saviour for her kingdom. In this film, the side characters - a motley, entertaining crew - are as important as the main characters. Every single one contributes something important to the storyline, as well as serving as a humorous foil to Milo. Atlantis is a juxtaposition of gritty action, violence, clever humour, and fantasy. It does an amazing job of flipping around expected gender roles and playing with stereotypes and first impressions to surprise the viewer. It's well-developed, exciting, and all-around quality entertainment with big twists.