The Most Underrated Steven Spielberg Movies

by

It’s easy for audiences to miss some of Steven Spielberg’s fantastic work when he’s famous for blockbusters like Jaws, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and Jurassic Park. In fact, even choosing just three of his classic films is hard – I had to leave out titles like E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Saving Private Ryan, and Close Encounters of the Third Kind!

Being consistently excellent for so long can almost be a drawback, as has been the case with Steven Spielberg. With over 50 years as a director, many of his truly great films are surprisingly overlooked. While he’s had a few misses in such a long career – like the relatively unmemorable The Terminal – his overall success is remarkable. There’s a wealth of fantastic, yet underappreciated, films just below the surface of his most famous work.

As the release date for our “Disclosure Day” approaches, I wanted to highlight some often-overlooked films. What defines an “underrated” movie? For me, it’s simply that these titles rarely appear on lists of the greatest films, or even among the highlights of their director’s work – those lists usually feature other, more famous movies. So, after you’ve seen the classics like Jaws and Raiders of the Lost Ark (and Schindler’s List and Minority Report), here are five more films deserving of your attention.

The Most Underrated Steven Spielberg Movies

5. The Sugarland Express (1974)

Spielberg’s first major film appears designed to showcase his talent for exciting car chases, a skill he’d previously demonstrated in his TV movie Duel. The story centers on a woman (Goldie Hawn) who helps her husband (William Atherton) escape from prison so they can reclaim their son from foster care. What follows is a high-speed chase across Texas, filled with some of Spielberg’s most humorous scenes and culminating in a strong ending. While still a bit unpolished, the film clearly signaled that Spielberg was a director destined for greatness.

4. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)

Despite Sean Connery being only twelve years older than Harrison Ford, casting him as Indiana Jones’ father was a brilliant move, and the two actors had fantastic chemistry together. Last Crusade feels a lot like a buddy cop film, which is unusual for Spielberg. While it’s arguably the funniest of the Indiana Jones movies, Last Crusade is also the most heartfelt and emotionally resonant, with Spielberg revisiting themes of strained father-son relationships and the passage of time in a surprisingly touching way. Raiders of the Lost Ark is often considered the best Indiana Jones film, but Last Crusade might actually be the most enjoyable and endlessly rewatchable.

3. The Adventures of Tintin (2011)

Despite initially disappointing audiences and critics, The Adventures of Tintin now feels like Steven Spielberg’s final, fantastic Indiana Jones film. It’s a fast-paced, exciting adventure that takes you around the world, filled with incredible scenes and plenty of humor. Spielberg approached the film with a newfound freedom, experimenting with motion capture after decades of traditional filmmaking – it was like giving a master painter a full palette of colors after years of working with only one shade.

When the movie came out, some critics unfairly dismissed the impressive action and sweeping camera work simply because they were created with digital effects. What they failed to recognize was that Spielberg’s skill made these complex achievements appear seamless and effortless, a testament to his mastery of visual storytelling.

2. Bridge of Spies (2015)

Some might call Bridge of Spies old-fashioned, and they wouldn’t be wrong – it’s a long, slow-moving film with a subtle visual style. But that classic approach actually suits the story of enduring values it tells. Like he did with Lincoln, Spielberg uses a historical setting to explore his idea of American heroism, again starring Tom Hanks as an ordinary, good-hearted man – this time, an insurance lawyer tasked with defending a captured Russian spy (Mark Rylance). Though set during the Cold War, the film’s themes feel surprisingly relevant today. Plus, it’s filled with memorable and quirky characters reminiscent of a Coen brothers film – and interestingly, the Coen brothers actually co-wrote the screenplay with Matt Charman.

1. Catch Me If You Can (2002)

Despite being a fun and lighthearted film, Catch Me If You Can is also a surprisingly moving story about loneliness and the importance of family. It features a fantastic cast, including Leonardo DiCaprio as the clever con artist Frank Abagnale Jr., Christopher Walken as his struggling father, Jennifer Garner and Amy Adams as his love interests, and Tom Hanks as the determined, but serious, FBI agent Carl Hanratty. The chase between Hanratty and Frank is both exciting and heartbreaking, as both men seem to find their only connection through this relentless pursuit – highlighted by their annual Christmas phone calls. In fact, Catch Me If You Can might be one of the most beautifully sad Christmas movies ever made, right up there with It’s a Wonderful Life. If you haven’t seen it, I’ve got a joke for you…

The 10 Most Overrated Movies of the Last 10 Years (2015-2024)

Jurassic World (2015)

Currently, Jurassic World ranks as the tenth-highest-grossing film of all time, having earned $1.67 billion worldwide. It outperformed every other film in the Jurassic Park series, as well as blockbusters like The Avengers, Barbie, and both Frozen movies. Jurassic World successfully revived a franchise many thought was finished, leading to three sequels and several animated TV shows. Critics generally liked the film, and it has a positive average rating on Letterboxd. However, the movie relies on a pretty silly idea and features characters who often make incredibly unwise decisions—almost as if they want to be dinosaur food! It’s hard to understand why anyone would create dinosaurs that are both intelligent and aggressive, let alone give a supposedly valuable zoo animal the ability to camouflage. What’s the point of a dinosaur attraction if you can’t even see it? I enjoy a good disaster movie as much as anyone, but we deserve better storytelling than this.

The Revenant (2015)

Everyone was happy to see Leonardo DiCaprio finally win an Oscar; he’s a major movie star who consistently delivers great performances. However, the film that earned him the award, 2015’s The Revenant, might actually be the weakest of all the movies he’s been nominated for (though Blood Diamond wasn’t a masterpiece either). It’s frustrating because some of his very best work, like in Titanic, Catch Me If You Can, The Departed, Inception, and Django Unchained, was completely ignored by the Academy. He won for The Revenant, which looks amazing, but is it truly his best performance? It’s debatable whether it was better than what Matt Damon did in The Martian or Michael Fassbender in Steve Jobs.

Bohemian Rhapsody (2018)

The making of Bohemian Rhapsody was troubled, with director Bryan Singer being fired mid-production and replaced by Dexter Fletcher. Fletcher managed to finish the film, though some of the editing choices were noticeably odd. Ultimately, the movie succeeded largely because of Queen’s fantastic music, earning a surprising $900 million globally. It also won four Academy Awards, including Best Actor for Rami Malek, despite criticisms that his portrayal of Freddie Mercury wasn’t entirely accurate. Surprisingly, it also won Best Editing, which many found questionable considering the film’s uneven editing.

Isle of Dogs (2018)

While Isle of Dogs isn’t a bad movie, it doesn’t rank among my personal favorites by Wes Anderson. Interestingly, most users on Letterboxd actually seem to like it more than films like Bottle Rocket, Rushmore, The Darjeeling Limited, The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou, The French Dispatch, Asteroid City, and even the Henry Sugar shorts. The stop-motion animation is enjoyable, but I much prefer Fantastic Mr. Fox when it comes to that style.

Venom (2018)

Tom Hardy is fantastic as both Venom and Eddie Brock, creating a dynamic duo reminiscent of Laurel and Hardy, but with a much darker, more aggressive side. However, beyond Hardy’s performance, the movie itself is pretty forgettable – try to remember the villain, their motives, or even a supporting character! Despite these weaknesses, Venom was a huge box office success, earning $850 million worldwide. That’s especially remarkable considering it’s a Spider-Man spin-off that doesn’t feature Spider-Man at all.

1917 (2019)

Roger Deakins’ stunning cinematography can often save a film, and in 1917, his masterful use of long takes creates the illusion of a continuous two-hour shot during this World War I story. While visually remarkable, this technique surprisingly weakens the dramatic tension. By refusing to cut, the film forces viewers to endure slow or uninteresting scenes. The initial impact of the long takes fades quickly, ultimately leaving the film with a somewhat empty message about the horrors of war – though it undeniably looks incredible thanks to Deakins’ work.

CODA (2021)

While CODA is a solid and well-made drama about a young woman balancing her ambitions with family obligations, I don’t believe it was the best film of 2021. It won Best Picture at the Oscars, but in my opinion, films like Dune, The Power of the Dog, Drive My Car, and West Side Story were all stronger. I’d even rank movies like Pig and The Worst Person in the World—which weren’t even nominated—higher than CODA.

The Whale (2022)

It’s wonderful that Brendan Fraser won an Oscar and successfully revived his career after facing difficulties in the 2010s. Honestly, his comeback story is more inspiring than the film, The Whale, that earned him the award. I didn’t feel Darren Aronofsky’s movie showed much compassion for its main character, a lonely and troubled teacher. Instead, it seemed overly focused on his physical state, and I wasn’t entirely convinced the performance deserved recognition.

The Menu (2022)

Everyone loved the story in The Menu – it’s about a super-exclusive restaurant and the unpleasant people who dine there. Most people thought it was a clever and funny satire. However, I felt it unfairly looked down on the art of cooking and anyone who enjoys it. A truly great meal can be just as powerful and emotional as a great movie – and in this case, I think it’s even better.

The Iron Claw (2023)

As a pro wrestling fan, I was glad to see that The Iron Claw treated its subject matter with respect. Director Sean Durkin gathered a fantastic cast, including Holt McCallany as the stern father, Fritz, and Zac Efron as his troubled son, Kevin, resulting in a moving and considerate film.

However, the movie feels somewhat incomplete. It omits a member of the Von Erich family – Fritz’s youngest son, Chris, who tragically died like four of his brothers. It also leaves out important details about what happened to Fritz and his wife, Doris. While The Iron Claw is a good introduction to the Von Erichs’ story, it doesn’t tell the whole thing. From what I’ve heard from others who’ve seen it, many were surprised by how much was left out.

Read More

2026-04-07 18:58