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News & Current Events Mar 24, 2026 at 10:47 PM

Movies that were misunderstood on release but aged beautifully

Posted by robynp83

# [](https://www.listnook.com/r/movies/?f=flair_name%3A%22Discussion%22) Oki so, some of the movies land at the wrong time. They clash with audience expectations, trends, or marketing and get dismissed, only to be re evaluated years later. Films like **Blade Runner** or **The Thing were criticized** or ignored on release, but today yet they’re seen as genre defining. Even **Eyes Wide Shut** and **Jennifer’s Body** feel more appreciated now than when they premiered. Time gives certain movies room to breathe. Cultural context shifts and what once felt OFF suddenly makes a sense. It makes me wonder how many films we write off too quickly just because they don’t fit the moment they arrive in. Which movie you think history was kinder to than its original audience??
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StitcherGeralf Mar 25, 2026 +182
Clue. Box office failure but beloved cult classic
182
umlcat Mar 25, 2026 +20
"I'm am a singing telegram..."
20
StitcherGeralf Mar 25, 2026 +17
Three more murders. Six all together…this is getting serious.
17
Empyrealist Mar 25, 2026 +7
Poor Jane Wiedlin. She was adorable and they killed her immediately!
7
misterpickles69 Mar 25, 2026 +7
💥
7
Random-Generation86 Mar 25, 2026 +6
I laughed so hard at that scene that my friends had to pause the movie
6
meatwads_sweetie Mar 24, 2026 +560
Not really misunderstood but the studio had no idea what to do with The Princess Bride. Now it’s a beloved classic comedy.
560
Agent-Blasto-007 Mar 25, 2026 +92
Yeah, look at the original theatrical trailer: it presents it more as a wacky comedy. It's not terrible, but the "80s family sitcom" music track is so out of place. https://youtu.be/O3CIXEAjcc8?si=ylHsA3FleZiCXA6v Reiner was 100% correct in that the movie would eventually find its audience.
92
omnicorp_intl Mar 25, 2026 +28
They really just spoiled the end of the Battle Of Wits in this trailer lol
28
bullevard Mar 25, 2026 +35
Holy spoilers Batman (not you. The trailer).  People complain about modern trailers giving away the movie, but this has Vicini's Death, Humperdink's betrayal, the pairing up of the enemies, indigo finding the 6 lingered man and literally the final shots of the movie! I get trying to show off particularly that you have Kevin Arnold, Billy Crystal and Peter Faulk as those were some pretty big names. But boy have trailers come a long way.
35
americanslang59 Mar 25, 2026 +37
Old trailers are a million times worse than modern day. The Soylent Green trailer straight up spoils the ending.
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Beliriel Mar 25, 2026 +10
So you're saying it soils the ending? :3
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Beliriel Mar 25, 2026 +10
>Holy spoilers Batman I literally said that out loud while watching the trailer. Not even does it just have shitty 80s city romcom music. It basically spoils every major plot twist. Wtf is that trailer lmao.
10
uncre8tv Mar 25, 2026 +8
>Kevin Arnold Dude just got "Wonder Year'd"
8
Basic_Seat_8349 Mar 25, 2026 +2
Ha, it's funny. I skimmed through that comment, and my brain just registered him without realizing he used this name.
2
sevargmas Mar 25, 2026 +2
Jeez. That’s 90s p*** music.
2
chicks23 Mar 25, 2026 +2
LOL that f****** sax music
2
IronWarrior82 Mar 24, 2026 +329
Last Action Hero. That film is absolute satirical genius, and I won't hear a bad word said about it!
329
Disney_World_Native Mar 25, 2026 +20
Rubber baby buggy bumpers
20
Manyconnections Mar 25, 2026 +10
Loved it since it came out. Oneliners were bangers. “Iced that guy. To come a phrase” “want to be a farmer? Here’s a couple of acres!! “
10
CoolHandPB Mar 25, 2026 +15
I really didn't like this movie when it came out. Havnt watched it since but I have definitely seen it come up as a movie I should revisit.
15
IronWarrior82 Mar 25, 2026 +25
Definitely revisit it! It's a clever film, but was way ahead of its time. In this day and age of self-referential, 4th wall-breaking, it holds up so well! I didn't like it much on first watch, but I would comfortably place it in Arnie's top 10.
25
Lord_Kromdar Mar 25, 2026 +18
American Psycho was misunderstood upon release. People were expecting a psychological thriller with horror themes. What they got was a satirical black comedy. It has aged like fine wine. Also I remember seeing Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind in theaters and it being advertised as a comedy (the Jim Carrey factor). What they got was a dark and deeply emotional love story filled with abstraction. People were walking out. I now think it's remembered as one of the greatest love stories of the 2000s.
18
lluewhyn Mar 25, 2026 +2
I had my wife watch it with me in 2006 or so. About 30-45 minutes in (when he's really dealing with the bad part of his relationship with Clementine), she's looking over at me and saying "This is a *Romantic Comedy*?!?" It does get lighter and more uplifting after that and there are definitely comedic elements, but it's closer to a Sci-Fi Dramedy than Comedy.
2
MrKittenz Mar 25, 2026 +4
Amazing sound track
4
Gonefullhooah Mar 25, 2026 +6
I saw that as a kid and was like oh my God it's the worst Arnold action movie yet. I somehow missed 100% that it was satire. Extra points for the "guitar: buckethead" part in the credits.
6
Middle-Armadillo-660 Mar 25, 2026 +7
We didn’t want or like subversion at the time. That was seen as more of a “British” kind of humor - which was also not popular in American media at the time. The transaction between trailer and viewer was also much simpler. Trailers really just wanted to make you aware of who was in it, a summary, and some shiny parts; exploding things. From what I recall, this was marketed much more like just another Arnold film. So, people’s expectations were not met. It makes sense it didn’t work then, but does now. It was waaay ahead of where norms would go. Not like “visionary”, I don’t think, just “randomly different in a way that turned out to be the way we were all going”.
7
joseph4th Mar 25, 2026 +4
I remember at the time they thought it was a marketing genius to remove the word “the” from the title. Kind of like how we now view removing “the“ from “The Facebook.” Personally, I always thought the title “The Last Action Hero” would have been better.
4
bertster21 Mar 25, 2026 +6
Its crazy how self aware Arnold had to have been to make that movie
6
ScrewAttackThis Mar 25, 2026 +3
I don't blame it for being misunderstood at least. It was literally written by, directed by, and starred by the people the movie was parodying during the peak of those people's fame lol
3
Ihadmyballsremoved45 Mar 25, 2026 +3
I saw this at the drive in when it came out. I was like 7 and thought it was incredible. Still do!
3
make_reddit_great Mar 25, 2026 +2
I rewatched it a few months ago for the first time since it came out and I was pleasantly surprised to see how well it had aged. I was also pleasantly surprised to see Tywin Lannister as the villain.
2
IronWarrior82 Mar 25, 2026 +2
He's so good in that role! One of the greatest scenery-chewing screen villains!
2
SilverPalpitation652 Mar 25, 2026 +2
As a kid who watched a ton of R-rated action movies, that movie was speaking right to me when it came out. All the farting corpse stuff has aged horribly, but everything else is great.
2
daveminter Mar 25, 2026 +2
As a fan of action movies at the time I loved it and saw it three times. The same week I saw a review in a mainstream UK magazine from a reviewer who I'm fairly sure hadn't seen it and who definitely hadn't realised it was satirical.
2
gooddaleinthelodge Mar 24, 2026 +184
Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me
184
pushinpushin Mar 25, 2026 +33
Absolutely. Sheryl Lee should've won an Oscar.
33
Grammarhead-Shark Mar 25, 2026 +30
100 upvotes. Sheryl Lee was so stinking good in this. I don't know why she never went into a bigger career.
30
FairFan4543 Mar 25, 2026 +25
I still can't believe that it was booed at Cannes.
25
Bank_Gothic Mar 25, 2026 +40
People wanted answers and were only fed more questions. I f****** love Lynch, but I can get people’s frustration.
40
goddamnitwhalen Mar 25, 2026 +16
Me with *The Return*.
16
lluewhyn Mar 25, 2026 +2
Haven't seen it, but heard this about the series which prevented me from watching it.
2
goddamnitwhalen Mar 25, 2026 +7
The ending makes it worth a watch still I think. Just temper your expectations.
7
Bank_Gothic Mar 25, 2026 +5
It's literally one of the greatest works of American art. It is confounding and difficult, but also beautiful and filled with meaning. It's about the changing American experience, notably with respect to our relationship with media and how it affects us, over the course of the 20th and 21st century. It's a brilliant show, capped off by the third and best season. But it is confusing as shit, which puts some people off.
5
cheapwalkcycles Mar 25, 2026 +27
It’s honestly shameful how the critics treated that film. Must have been devastating for David Lynch and Sheryl Lee after all they put into it.
27
GoldenGolgis Mar 25, 2026 +7
I think this suffered from a similar challenge as Blue Velvet. It dealt with subject matter that was almost completely in shadow in the 90s. These awful unspeakable things were thought incredibly rare and only happened to Other People, and victim blaming was the usual go-to. These films had female protagonists who were both sexually confident AND victims: back then, those two things couldn't go together in most people's minds. Lynch was absolutely right to set these themes in a world packed with shadowy unconscious material that didn't always make narrative sense, because that's where they lived.
7
NeapolitanPink Mar 25, 2026 +12
I cannot believe how effectively Lynch conveys the terror of Laura Palmer's life without showing it graphically. The long shots of odd angles of the home are so powerful.
12
calemdab Mar 25, 2026 +3
My favourite movies of all time, It should have won every award ever
3
eracerhed Mar 25, 2026 +2
Amen.
2
FairFan4543 Mar 25, 2026 +179
Sorcerer (1977) Flopped at the box office and reviews were negative to mixed. It's now considered a masterpiece.
179
mcalesy Mar 25, 2026 +57
Came out a month after a certain record-breaking blockbuster about space wizards, and, despite the title, did not feature any wizards. Great film, though!
57
SarlacFace Mar 25, 2026 +27
The original is also a masterpiece  The Wages of Fear
27
joseph4th Mar 25, 2026 +9
This movie was lost media for me until the Blu-ray announcement. I saw it on the Air Force Base Theatre in San Vito Italy back when it was released when I was 11. For years, I remember bits and pieces of it, but didn’t know what movie it was. I think I read a Reddit post where they were talking about the Blu-ray release and I realized it was that movie. The funny part is, in high school I was doing stage magic, and I had the tangent dreams soundtrack on both cassette, and then later on CD, as I used a lot of Tangerine Dreams’, soundtracks as background music for my illusions. The cover of both the cassette and CD versions were the iconic truck going across the rope bridge. But somehow I never made the connection.
9
liberatedtech68 Mar 24, 2026 +473
Starship Troopers is one of the biggest examples of this. People were way down on Verhoven when It released and I just don’t think we were in a political climate for the satire within the movie to come across and ring true as much as it does now.
473
DrSitson Mar 25, 2026 +47
I was young and dumb and loved it for its action, the bugs, titties and one liners. Now I'm older and wiser, and I still love those dumb things, but also appreciate the conversation the movie has with the audience.
47
behold-frostillicus Mar 25, 2026 +20
I remember watching it in theaters with my dad when it came out. I liked the over the top sci fi action and campy jokes as a kid (to this day, one of our inside jokes is “I’m doing my part!”). But my dad understood enough to then rent Robocop and Running Man.
20
omnipwnage Mar 25, 2026 +97
I was a teen when I saw it at home and loved it. Its not a movie. From start to end, its a propaganda film put out by earth to convince those on the fence, or literal kids, to enlist. Its obvious with the voice over at the end commenting about the movie, while simultaneously urging others to enlist. I thought it was great. Everyone else called it a big dumb bug movie, or a pro war film. I thought I was taking crazy pills. I love how people have finally turned around and can appreciate it now. Also, who else wants to spread managed democracy here?
97
Blue_Haired_Old_Lady Mar 25, 2026 +22
How about a cup of Liber-Tea!
22
SWEET_LIBERTY_MY_LEG Mar 25, 2026 +11
LIBERTY SAVE ME!!!!!
11
thriveth Mar 25, 2026 +4
Not gonna lie, the satire went over my head when it came out and I just saw turbocharged jingoism. In my defense, I was about 18 and had seen a *lot* of jingoism, and not a lot of intelligent satire, in mainstream cinema growing up.
4
badwolf1013 Mar 25, 2026 +29
I was 24 when I saw it, and I felt like I got the satire, but I also have a history of loving (or liking) movies that other people did not take to until later like Joe Versus the Volcano and Buffy the Vampire Slayer and even Showgirls (which I liked for its satire, but didn't love for how far they took some of it.)
29
Far_Gift6173 Mar 25, 2026 +19
I was 18 and didn't get the satire. For me it was "Triumph of the will" with guns, bugs and shit. Totally awesome. I would ahve enlisted right away, but I was still in school back then
19
Lurcher99 Mar 25, 2026 +17
Joe vs the Volcano, one of Tom Hanks best, and I'll fight ya over it. Those damn trunks!
17
TodSpengo Mar 25, 2026 +5
I’m not arguing that with you
5
champagnefloppy Mar 25, 2026 +10
Just a personal anecdote, but this came out 3 days before my 9th birthday and my grandma, bless her heart, took me and like 10 of my school friends to the theater to see this during my birthday party. There was zero chance we were gonna see this as anything other than a cool bug movie with b**** and my grandma was mortified.
10
Calliope_Sky Mar 25, 2026 +7
I HATED that movie when I first saw it. The only reason I watched the whole thing was because my companion was also my ride home and they wanted to stay. Fast forward many years and it comes up on cable. I put it on as mindless background noise, but got sucked in within 15 minutes. Now, I really appreciate it for the satire and see how the cheesy over acting is actually part of the satire.
7
MolaMolaMania Mar 24, 2026 +10
I was one of those people. I thought it was hot garbage. Now it's one of my favorite satires.
10
suckfail Mar 24, 2026 +8
Can I ask why you thought it was garbage at first? Did it not seem satirical for example?
8
WorthPlease Mar 24, 2026 +19
Yeah even if you just viewed it as a sci fi action movie its still a decent movie. Plus titties.
19
MolaMolaMania Mar 24, 2026 +7
I totally missed the satire of it. It sailed over my head like Free Willy!
7
DrGolo Mar 25, 2026 +4
Same here. I didn't get the satire until I read the book, which has a serious pro-military message.
4
_Happy_Camper Mar 25, 2026 +2
I was looking for this ST has this reputation because it came out before newspapers were online. Of the very few articles of the era which are online there’s like one which pretends it was not a satire, hence the reputation. Yeah I’m sure a few young dumb American kids missed the satire but the critics and the adults did not. I was travelling quite a bit at the time so I would have been reading lots of newspapers and film magazines for my flights and at no point did I see that the film was misjudged. The reason it flopped was the R rating. Sci Fi films were aimed squarely at a younger market at the time (think Stargate to compare). It’s a classic case of the internet skewing actual sources of the time. Go to your local library and try and get a newspaper with an actual film review
2
guinnessmonkey Mar 24, 2026 +129
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. I remember seeing it in a nearly-empty theatre. A bunch of teenage girls walked out pretty damned quick complaining that Johnny Depp was playing a "bald weirdo." Critics were confused, and it was a commercial failure. Today, it's a cult classic and seen as a solid adaptation of the book that does a great job of putting Thompson's gonzo journalism on screen.
129
HarmlessSnack Mar 25, 2026 +21
My English Teacher in Senior Year told me he saw it in theater and that within the first ten minutes or so, half the audience walked out. That always seemed like a wild reaction to me (and always suspected he was exaggerating or full of shit) considering the opening sequence is downright tame compared to what comes later lol
21
Empyrealist Mar 25, 2026 +2
Not *Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas*, but I went to the opening screening of *The Messenger* (Milla Jovovich), and 1/4 to 1/3 of the audience most definitely walked out of the theater. I thought that was pretty shocking for an opening day buzz crowd. So yeah, not at all the same kind of movie at all, but I've seen a massive walkout before when a movie is not what people are expecting. And honestly, I would have walked out on *The Messenger* too, but I was there with a film critic who was writing a review. It was kind of worth it to stay and sit through the whole thing, and then listen to the groaning when Dustin Hoffman did his scenes near the end. And then of course, all the trash-talking when it was over... Did your English teacher say if the walk-out was because of a specific event on-screen?
2
Darkkujo Mar 25, 2026 +20
That was a movie I liked getting high and watching the beginning, but never made it through midway because the story was just too weird and meandering and really didn't make sense. Then I watched it on acid, everything clicked perfectly and I finally finished it.
20
jsfarmer Mar 25, 2026 +11
But doesn't this summarize most of Terry Gilliam's films?
11
Few-Chemical-5165 Mar 24, 2026 +213
"It's a wonderful life" bombed at the box office and we all know what kind of christmas tradition It is now. A true cult classic.
213
Rezerel Mar 25, 2026 +96
The movie was played so much because someone failed to renew the copyright and it become public domain. 
96
NerdfestZyx Mar 25, 2026 +33
In the 80’s it would be on 3 different stations at the same time on Christmas Day
33
VerilyShelly Mar 25, 2026 +6
Yeah, you got to choose original black and white or Ted Turner's "colorized" version.
6
Few-Chemical-5165 Mar 25, 2026 +7
It always would show up long before christmas like a couple of weeks at least.
7
the_pedigree Mar 25, 2026 +9
Probably because it was c**** to show on Christmas, similar reason the great gatsby is a popular book
9
Zaxacavabanem Mar 25, 2026 +28
The Rocky Horror picture show It took a while to find its audience but once it did,  they held on hard.  It's still a classic. 
28
robynp83 Mar 24, 2026 +217
The Iron Giant. No one saw it in the theaters but now it is loved
217
CatatonicWalrus Mar 24, 2026 +39
Legitimately one of my favorite movies of all time. I was a child when it was in theaters and had no control over not seeing it, but I literally ran out the tape on my copy as a kid and was distraught when it broke.
39
robynp83 Mar 24, 2026 +10
That's such a precious memory :)
10
Nytwyng Mar 25, 2026 +12
Another that the studio didn’t know how to market. “Kids’ movie” or a movie that happened to be animated? Even the initial home video release on VHS had mixed messaging: the rental copy in the moody, mysterious cardboard slipcase, or the sell-through copy in the big white clamshell reserved for kids’ movies with brightly colored friendly artwork.
12
DrinkUpLetsBooBoo Mar 25, 2026 +12
Warner Bros was afraid to market it because of their massive marketing campaign for Quest for Camelot the year before; which ended up failing commercially and critically. Even with very high test screenings for The Iron Giant, WB had no idea how good of a movie they had on their hands until it was too late.
12
Suspicious-Word-7589 Mar 25, 2026 +10
Quest for Camelot is also a movie that is just a very mediocre movie but The Prayer has aged beautifully as a song.
10
ItinerantSoldier Mar 25, 2026 +4
Iron Giant definitely suffered hard for its competition even if they were mainly adult movies. Seriously, releasing at the same day as the Sixth Sense did *not* help one iota given how much of a sensation that movie was. And it had some highly entertaining competition the few weeks before. Really had no shot.
4
GlassCannon81 Mar 25, 2026 +2
This applies to quite a lot of animated movies back in the day. If it wasn’t Disney it often didn’t sell, but now a lot of them are beloved classics.
2
SunnyMaineBerry Mar 25, 2026 +2
My now adult son rented Iron Giant every time we went to the video store for what felt like years. I should’ve just bought a copy but I kept thinking he would get his fill at some point and move on. He still loves that movie and so do I. For the film itself but also because it was such a big part of his childhood.
2
cameraspeeding Mar 24, 2026 +19
Killing Them Softly was seen as too on the nose when it was released. Now it seems relevant to the moment Same with southland tales
19
Formal_Cherry_8177 Mar 24, 2026 +8
I love Killing Them Softly. I'm kinda surprised this one still hasn't seemed to find its audience. It rarely gets mentioned. Even I hadn't thought about it for a few years. Time to watch it again for sure.
8
panic_the_digital Mar 25, 2026 +3
Just sliding Southland Tales in there? Still probably misunderstood but definitely more prescient.
3
cameraspeeding Mar 26, 2026 +3
Scientists are saying the future is going to be far more futuristic than they originally predicted.
3
organicinsanity Mar 25, 2026 +33
Tremors. Its also a good example of one of those movies where the screenplay is considered perfect i have heard. Every scene has a place and advances the movie or has a payoff.
33
behold-frostillicus Mar 25, 2026 +9
Holds up really well I think in part to the low budget creature feature tropes: creature POV, very little on-camera appearances of the graboids, and practical SFX. I always list Tremors when people ask for pre-teen sleepovers or horror marathon recommendations.
9
longjumpingtote Mar 24, 2026 +80
There's a difference between a movie being ignored or criticized and being misunderstood. Eyes Wide Shut and Blade Runner weren't misunderstood. The Thing wasn't misunderstood either, it was just too disgusting for many people, including reviewers. Now we're desensitized to that, but at the time, 99% of people including reviewers had never seen anything like that. John Carpenter pioneered something new. Roger Ebert called it a "barf bag" movie, Gene Siskel said it was the most nauseating film he'd ever seen. As the years go by, people are able to stomach more grossness through desensitization.
80
robynp83 Mar 24, 2026 +15
True! Change of trend and the concept of acceptance plays a vital part without a doubt!
15
captainjjb84 Mar 25, 2026 +7
It probably didn't help that The Thing also came out the same year as E.T.
7
TrueLegateDamar Mar 24, 2026 +70
Last Action Hero. While simultanously releasing with Jurassic Park really didn't help, it seems a lot of people just didn't get the whole concept. Would done much better if released years later.
70
theblaggard Mar 25, 2026 +6
Yes! It' s such a good movie!
6
GlassCannon81 Mar 25, 2026 +5
That movie truly did not deserve to be shit on the way it was. It’s great fun.
5
robynp83 Mar 24, 2026 +63
[](https://www.reddit.com/user/hedronist/) Fe*, Galaxy Quest*. The studio had not much idea about how to market it.
63
mmavcanuck Mar 25, 2026 +30
By Grabthar’s hammer what a movie!
30
puritanicalbullshit Mar 25, 2026 +11
Strongly recommend the Doc on Galaxy Quest, if for no other reason than the burning jealousy in Brent Spinner’s voice when he says “we should have done it!”
11
behold-frostillicus Mar 25, 2026 +8
I loved this movie and remember watching it at an Alan Rickman-themed freshman sleepover (we were weird girls). I didn’t realize it had cult status until the anniversary documentary came out.
8
timothj Mar 24, 2026 +63
American was not ready for Night of the Hunter.
63
DonktorDonkenstein Mar 24, 2026 +21
Wow, I thought you were kidding, but you're right. Sounds like *Night of the Hunter* really put people off when it came out in 1955. It had to become a cult classic before it was considered a regular classic. 
21
CoherentParticles Mar 25, 2026 +83
First of all, good f****** question! The Big Lebowski
83
c-papi Mar 25, 2026 +18
Thats just like your opinion, man
18
behold-frostillicus Mar 25, 2026 +9
It might have gained a cult following later, but I’d argue the Coen Bros had a fairly loyal audience by that time (Raising Arizona, Fargo).
9
dumbBunny9 Mar 25, 2026 +23
"Shawshank Redemption" It was loved by the critics, but it bombed at the Box Office (budget of $25 mil; made under $30 mil worldwide). It got nominated for seven Oscars but won zero. It wasn't till it got picked up by Ted Turner and he started showing it all the time that it finally caught on and was appreciated.
23
PupLondon Mar 25, 2026 +26
Hocus Pocus started as a Disney Channel original movie that got upgraded to a theatrical release... during the summer (not fall) of 1993..it was a box office bomb and a critical failure. Today, it's a full fledged Halloween classic
26
warlocktx Mar 24, 2026 +60
Office Space
60
kd8qdz Mar 25, 2026 +21
No, it was good at the time.
21
warlocktx Mar 25, 2026 +19
It was a box office bomb
19
MEDIATIM Mar 24, 2026 +44
Speed Racer
44
GlassCannon81 Mar 25, 2026 +10
I waited a long, long time before actually watching that movie. It took reading a lot of takes like yours to get me to do it. I’m glad I did. It was really an excellent film, and did a great job of capturing the spirit of the cartoons.
10
MEDIATIM Mar 26, 2026 +2
Yes brother. It’s legitimately spectacular
2
clc88 Mar 25, 2026 +3
Came to post this.
3
Potore5 Mar 24, 2026 +37
The Last Action Hero
37
robynp83 Mar 24, 2026 +4
Guess it was an unfair case of Arnold fatigue, entertaining flick though
4
wtfisspacedicks Mar 24, 2026 +13
I think it was more a case of people expecting another Arnold murder fest and instead we got a satire ripping on every action hero trope ever created. Expectation did not meet reality. It was a fun film though, just not what people were expecting
13
MyNameIsJakeBerenson Mar 24, 2026 +7
And people as a wide audience werent ready for meta humor yet. Or they just werent expecting it so it didnt land. As a kid, I loved it Rubber baby buggy bumper! Didnt know I was going to say that, did you!
7
rdogg4 Mar 25, 2026 +4
I’m not sure why this take is so popular on Reddit but people understood meta humor in the 90’s. Last Action Hero was not a pioneering meta humor movie.
4
infinitemonkeytyping Mar 25, 2026 +2
>I think it was more a case of people expecting another Arnold murder fest Add in that it was directed by John McTiernan, who worked with Arnie on Predator, and had also done Die Hard and The Hunt For the Red October at that point.
2
MojoRisin_ca Mar 25, 2026 +37
Terry Gilliam's "Brazil" received very little love when it was released. I remember one of the guys from Siskel and Ebert gave it a thumbs down, lol. I always thought it was a great bit of satire -- especially the character Tuttle who goes around fixing people's things without -- gasp -- doing the paperwork. Such great commentary on bureaucracy. "Falling Down" wasn't panned, but I think it is one of those films where many saw the protagonist D-FENS as heroic and missed the whole point that the guy was ultimately on a very, very dark journey. Great movie that does a good job subverting expectations.
37
capibara_dono Mar 25, 2026 +5
I should rewatch "Falling Down", as teen I was like yeah! all of those things suck! You're being a bit crazy though. I wonder how I'd experience it like 20 years later
5
hailey1721 Mar 25, 2026 +2
Having watched it recently for the first time it still holds up, I loved it. At its core the movie is about social atomization and I think that’s true now more than ever.
2
MojoRisin_ca Mar 25, 2026 +2
Social atomization, >!cycles of violence, and men who can't regulate or express their emotions except through rage -- the guys in white hats shooting the guys in black hats because that is how 'real men' solve their problems in movieland. It was a clever use of a trope to express a very real problem in society. Agreed, even more relevant these days with all of the spree shooters, and murder-suicides we hear about in the news today.!<
2
Toby_O_Notoby Mar 25, 2026 +2
[Here's the S&K review of Brazil if anyone wants to see it.](https://youtu.be/WVF0FTbW_Cw?t=91) They're both mixed to down on it but I can't say I 100% disagree with their critisism.
2
MojoRisin_ca Mar 25, 2026 +2
Wow, great find. I was suddenly transported back to "the good ol' days," lol. I could almost see the the Blockbuster video stores and smell the popcorn! Thanks for sharing.
2
MrJackdaw Mar 25, 2026 +2
"Falling Down" - I take movies at face value, I submit to their story. \*I\* saw him as hero - >!till then end when he realises he is the bad guy.!< It took me totally unawares and I had to re-evaluate the whole film. Superb. What about the scenes with his wife? They sat in my mind as odd, strange. Anyway, it's been at least 5 years. I need a rewatch.
2
MEDIATIM Mar 26, 2026 +2
Those mecha-angel flying sequences are absolutely one of a kind. Closest thing is like the old Tristar unicorn intro
2
robynp83 Mar 24, 2026 +32
And one more, Treasure Planet was a dud when it was released but is a cult classic today
32
Comradepatrick Mar 25, 2026 +4
Ooooh, this is a good one.
4
CreepyBlackDude Mar 24, 2026 +8
I feel like more people talk about *Not Another Teen Movie* now than they ever did back when it was a thing. It was funny, but I think by the time it came out the spoof movie genre was becoming overrun and fatigue was setting in. Now it seems like it's being appreciated for how well it did in calling out the tired tropes of those older teen movies.
8
MANWithTheHARMONlCA Mar 25, 2026 +5
Not in my high school I didn’t meet a kid my age or older that didn’t love it
5
bretshitmanshart Mar 25, 2026 +2
No. At the time people thought it was funny. It seems like now the references would seem unrelatable.
2
elektroskansen Mar 25, 2026 +8
"Demolition Man" It wasn't an outright bomb in the box office, but it was seen as just another silly Sylvester Stallone action flick, set in an improbable version of the future. Nowdays the movie is so damn relevant, portraying a society that went snowflake to the extreme. Similar thing with "They Live", it got terrible reviews when it came out but nowdays it's a cult classic and, again: so damn relevant in its portrayal of the ruling class ruthlessly stomping on the working class. "Scott Pilgrim vs. The World" was a bomb on release, the general audience wasn't yet into gaming and nerd culture enough to appreciate its content; nowdays it's appreciated for the visuals, geeky references and for being a 2010's time capsule.
8
Josbo001 Mar 25, 2026 +8
Big Trouble in Little China and Starship troopers 100% for sure
8
drabdron Mar 24, 2026 +14
I don’t think the studio knew how to market for Fight Club and critics hated it when it came out. But it got a lot of love when it was released to VHS/DVD. I have the collectors edition dvd and it has a bunch of the negative reviews on the box art lol. Iirc they were not shy about that during the commentary section from Fincher, Pitt and Norton.
14
SuspiciouslySuspect2 Mar 25, 2026 +5
It's a good movie, but if you're not paying attention it's way too easy to like the film for "the wrong reasons", and I think that's a big part of why there was so much initial backlash. Tyler Durdon capture the whiny essence of Gen X "man I have everything, but I'm so unhappy", but people miss that the whole point is that the argument is hollow and Tyler is full of shit, manipulating lonely individuals for goals that will hurt lots of people. Not to mention most people have to watch it twice to catch the actual plot points, which doesn't lend itself to reviewers being thorough.
5
mitvh2311 Mar 25, 2026 +7
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World Speed Racer
7
TVxStrange Mar 24, 2026 +77
Idiocracy. It was blown off as stupid, and over the top. Now people realize it was borderline a documentary.
77
ViskerRatio Mar 25, 2026 +14
Idiocracy wasn't "blown off". It was ignored due to poor marketing.
14
Mindful-Rifle Mar 25, 2026 +37
I came here to say this but idk if it aged "beautifully." More like aged "disturbingly accurate"
37
ImpressionFast923 Mar 25, 2026 +9
Fox buried that movie when they saw how it directly lampooned Fox News. Zero marketing for the theatrical release, but it blew up via word of mouth.
9
sjets3 Mar 25, 2026 +5
Not just Fox News, it is also a complete satire of the negative effect of corporate interests in general.
5
Sumeriandawn Mar 25, 2026 +2
Who could have predicted there would be dumb people in the future?🤔 Truly prescient!
2
wmike469 Mar 24, 2026 +25
Josie and the pussycats. People assumed it was a movie for teen girls
25
airfuckyous Mar 25, 2026 +10
Du Jour means underrated masterpiece!
10
idkalan Mar 25, 2026 +6
Du Jour means crash positions!!!
6
idkalan Mar 25, 2026 +9
Also critics bashed the film for all the product placements even though the film's entire purpose was a commentary on consumerism and how the media from tv, music, film, and radio are meant to be fronts for corporate interests.
9
behold-frostillicus Mar 25, 2026 +8
Just recently rewatched this! It’s a time capsule of the MTV TRL era. I recommend the Alan Cummings cameo trifecta marathon: Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion, Spice World, and Josie and the Pussycats.
8
pauldid_ Mar 24, 2026 +5
[In the Mood for Love](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118694/) \-> Not exactly a failure on release, but it’s definitely grown into something much bigger over time.
5
gamersecret2 Mar 24, 2026 +20
Miami Vice is a big one for me. People wanted one thing, Mann gave them something colder and stranger, and now it plays way better.
20
ryandeschamps Mar 25, 2026 +11
The Thing was highly misunderstood, but now is one of the top horrors of all time.
11
mikeycp253 Mar 25, 2026 +5
Sorcerer was a critical and box office failure on release. It’s been reassessed as one of Friedkins best films (it’s his #1 for me) and one of the best films of the 70’s.
5
dumptruckulent Mar 25, 2026 +5
*The Grey* was marketed as some kind of *Taken* but with wolves when it’s actually a poignant allegory for purgatory. It’s visually a beautiful film with some great performances. Six men lived lives filled with pain and love and regret. They must accept their imminent death and decide the kind of person they will be when they ultimately face it.
5
langotriel Mar 25, 2026 +13
Does feel like “Don’t Look Up” is a recent example of this. It was “a bit exaggerated “ on release but honestly, it’s pretty spot on. It really can get that bad.
13
BadBoyDad Mar 24, 2026 +11
Blade Runner was hated. Mainly because of the narration. The second they dropped that bullshit it started to take off and now it’s this iconic piece of scifi. I didn’t watch the original version until roughly 2010 and was horrified. I had no idea the original version had the narration. I learned of its stories past after that and understood why it crashed so hard.
11
dumbBunny9 Mar 25, 2026 +8
Blade Runner was not hated. It just didn't have a large audience of fans. Over time, and with edits and different versions (5 maybe?) it has grown to mythical status, but it was never hated.
8
oh_please_god_no Mar 25, 2026 +4
I don’t agree but Show Girls seems to be appreciated nowadays.
4
behold-frostillicus Mar 25, 2026 +4
Drop Dead Gorgeous (1999). The cast is absolutely stacked with “omg I didn’t know she was in this!” actresses. Endlessly quotable and I’m immediately best friends with anyone that also loves it. Sadly, I think it is in some sort of distribution rights jail as it rarely pops up on streaming services or cable and didn’t have a DVD re-release until a BluRay version in 2020 (which didn’t have much for special features).
4
reidenral Mar 25, 2026 +5
DRIVE for me. Each rewatch made it better. It suffered because it was marketed as a FAST AND FURIOUS clone, I think.
5
RealLuxTempo Mar 24, 2026 +10
The Shining
10
BRUNO358 Mar 25, 2026 +8
Speed Racer (2008)
8
DarkDobe Mar 24, 2026 +13
Cable Guy - I still think it's Carrey's best
13
TmF1979 Mar 25, 2026 +5
People wanted another silly Jim Carrey movie and were upset that's not what they got.
5
garrisontweed Mar 24, 2026 +4
Hey Steve I'm on a pay phone, so if you're there pick up, pick up, pick up, pick up, pick up, pick up, pick up, pick up, well OK, call me back!
4
MyNameIsJakeBerenson Mar 24, 2026 +4
I still leave voicemails to my brother “Hey I was just in the shower, thought I heard the phone ring. That ever happen to you? Call me, we’ll talk about it.”
4
DarkDobe Mar 24, 2026 +5
I cannot encounter a basketball game without "prison rules" popping into my head
5
alwaysMidas Mar 24, 2026 +6
Exorcist 3, it was the mold that not only precedes Silence of the Lambs and Se7en, but goes even further beyond them. the silence of God theme (which is somewhat undercut by the mandated studio edits) would end up becoming one of the signatures of the A24 prestige horror decades later. oh, and it also served to inspire the wave of J-Horror: Cure, Pulse, and Ringu and even major horror games like Silent Hill. has it aged beautifully? unfortunately its a clear example of studios truly mangling a picture because they could not fit it into any of their boxes, and so it does require a certain audience to appreciate, but all of the ways in which it 'didnt' belong in 1990 would end up being some of the peak sought after horror experiences of the following decades.
6
behold-frostillicus Mar 25, 2026 +2
I think horror sequels are forever doomed to harsher criticism, especially those that came out in the 90s.
2
Batohman Mar 25, 2026 +5
Fight Club
5
Empire-Carpet-Man Mar 25, 2026 +3
Fight Club
3
squirrellevel Mar 25, 2026 +3
Head (the Monkees’ movie written by Jack Nicholson and Bob Rafelson. It was a huge bomb upon release for many reasons. Turns out to be amazing.
3
bothmawk Mar 25, 2026 +3
Napoleon Dynamite
3
photobeatsfilm Mar 25, 2026 +3
Im curious to rewatch Men, Women & Children by Jason Reitman. At the time it was released it was completely torn apart by critics for being “anti-internet” and for fear-mongering “the web”.  I remember thinking it presented some interesting questions and dilemmas. I get the feeling it aged well.
3
BCCakes Mar 25, 2026 +5
For me, it’s Speed Racer. Absolutely hated it when I first saw it. Years later, I saw it on cable and thought it was brilliant.
5
After_Lead2795 Mar 24, 2026 +7
Gremlins 2. Possibly one of the best sequels ever made, and just an ingenious film all round.
7
myhydrogendioxide Mar 25, 2026 +6
Donnie Darko
6
sara-34 Mar 25, 2026 +3
I saw a preview before it came out and was dead set that I would see it on theaters.  I looked up where it was playing on opening weekend, and it was in about 6 or 10 theaters nationwide.  I waited a week to see if it would get closer, but instead, it was in even fewer theaters.  I don't know why that happened, imo the trailer was amazing. 
3
Awkward_Bison_267 Mar 24, 2026 +7
The first Kingsman movie. People couldn’t appreciate it’s “cheeky” ending. /S
7
Landocanibissian Mar 25, 2026 +5
Mystery Men
5
GlassCannon81 Mar 25, 2026 +4
Mystery Men was a parody of a genre of movie that hadn’t really reached saturation level yet when it came out. It’s really brilliant, and works so much better for the average person now than it did then. Those of us who are big comic nerds loved it from the outset.
4
butterscotches Mar 25, 2026 +2
The Killing of a Chinese Bookie
2
Grammarhead-Shark Mar 25, 2026 +2
Bringing Up Baby (1938) Complete and utter flop at the time.  Now considered a classique of the Golden Age
2
DodgerBlueSuede Mar 25, 2026 +2
Emperors New Groove Probably not misunderstood but definitely not appreciated at the time.
2
bisho Mar 25, 2026 +2
Shawshank Redemption flopped at the cinemas. It was later through word of mouth from rentals that boosted its popularity 
2
kathryn_sedai Mar 25, 2026 +2
Crimson Peak was marketed incorrectly as a spooky horror-type film, when it’s actually a near perfect example of a Gothic romance, with ghosts. Utterly beautiful and a wonderful film, but audiences didn’t understand it and the studio didn’t know what they had.
2
ranoutofbacon Mar 24, 2026 +7
Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow
7
Hazmat-Asscastle Mar 24, 2026 +4
Southland Tales
4
MyNameIsJakeBerenson Mar 24, 2026 +10
People still aren’t ready for that one lol
10
mutzilla Mar 24, 2026 +2
I love this movie, but I do not seeing it get much love these days. It was hated when released. Its so beautifully shot, and the story is pretty unique. I don't understand the hate for it.
2
BigCountry1182 Mar 25, 2026 +4
Citizen Kane wasn’t appreciated at first (Hearst had something to do with that). Children of Men gets more poignant every year
4
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