Mortdecai isn’t chasing depth or clever twists, it’s aiming for silly, exaggerated fun and fully commits to that lane. The jokes are dumb on purpose, the performances are big, and Johnny Depp leans hard into cartoonish charm rather than subtlety. If you meet it where it is instead of expecting prestige comedy, it’s an easy, laugh-first ride that doesn’t deserve the pile-on it got. | © Lionsgate
As Above, So Below doesn’t rely on cheap jump scares, choosing atmosphere instead. The descent into the Paris catacombs gives the story a fresh setting, and the found-footage style adds a sense of claustrophobic realism that works more often than it distracts. It gets messy near the end, but the mood, ideas, and commitment to something outside standard horror formulas make it far more effective than its score suggests. | © Universal Pictures
Pootie Tang lives or dies on weirdness, and for the right viewer, that’s exactly the appeal. Lance Crouther’s physical comedy and completely committed performance make every scene unpredictable, whether he’s fighting villains or just reacting to the world around him. It’s not a joke-delivery machine so much as a full-on cartoon universe, and once you tune into its rhythm, it becomes strangely irresistible. | © Paramount Pictures
Kung Pow: Enter the Fist looks like a cheap joke on paper, but once it clicks, the absurdity becomes the whole point. Steve Oedekerk’s warped dubbing and exaggerated martial arts gags aren’t just random nonsense, they’re a very specific send-up of old-school Hong Kong action tropes. It’s aggressively stupid in a way that knows exactly what it’s mocking, and if that humor hits you, there’s really nothing else quite like it. | © 20th Century Fox
Jennifer’s Body was never trying to be prestige horror, and that’s part of why it works. Diablo Cody’s sharp, strange dialogue and Karyn Kusama’s confident direction turn a wild premise into something funny, vicious, and oddly sincere, with real emotional beats hiding under the blood. Megan Fox and Amanda Seyfried balance each other perfectly, making the movie feel more character-driven and self-aware than its reputation ever suggested. | © 20th Century Fox
The Jackal works best as a cat-and-mouse movie, with Bruce Willis and Richard Gere essentially running parallel films until their paths finally collide. Watching Willis methodically plan his hits while Gere slowly unravels the trail gives the story momentum, helped by strong support roles and a globetrotting look that keeps things moving. It’s not overly complex, but it’s tense, well-paced, and far more entertaining than reputation suggests. | © Universal Pictures
The Bone Collector may follow familiar serial-killer beats, but it finds its edge in performance and perspective. Denzel Washington brings real weight and restraint to a physically limited role, while Angelina Jolie balances competence and vulnerability in a way that keeps their partnership engaging rather than gimmicky. It doesn’t reinvent the genre, but it adds enough smart angles and character focus to make it watchable, and more thoughtful than it’s often given credit for. | © Universal Pictures
Seventh Son knows exactly what it is and doesn’t pretend to be anything more. The story and characters stick to familiar fantasy ground, but solid performances, brisk pacing, and a steady run of monster-heavy set pieces keep it entertaining throughout. It’s not aiming for epic prestige, just a fun, old-school fantasy ride, and judged on those terms, it does the job surprisingly well. | © Universal Pictures
Grandma’s Boy fully commits to being ridiculous, and that’s exactly why it works. The video game tester setting gives the jokes a fresh angle, while the over-the-top characters turn even throwaway scenes into something memorable. Allen Covert proves he can carry a comedy, and if you’re even remotely into stoner humor, this one still delivers nonstop laughs. | © Fox Searchlight Pictures
Man on Fire takes its time building a real emotional bond between Denzel Washington and Dakota Fanning, and that patience pays off in a big way. The warmth, quiet scenes, and character work make every later act of violence feel personal rather than flashy, keeping the tension locked in from start to finish. Washington is operating at full force here, and the movie sticks the landing by committing fully to its dark, uncompromising ending. | © 20th Century Fox
The 13th Warrior is a straightforward, old-school adventure that moves fast and never wastes time setting up its world or characters. The outsider among warriors setup gives Antonio Banderas room to grow naturally into the group, while the rest of the cast sells the bond and bravery without showy speeches. Add Jerry Goldsmith’s sweeping score and solid, grounded action, and it’s easy to see why fans still swear by it despite its rough release history. | © Touchstone Pictures
The Cable Guy plays like a deliberate left turn from Jim Carrey’s usual broad comedy, and that’s exactly why it works. Ben Stiller leans hard into discomfort and satire, letting Carrey go dark while Matthew Broderick grounds the chaos instead of fighting it. A lot of viewers expected harmless silliness and missed the joke, but approached as a smart, uneasy comedy, it lands as one of the boldest studio comedies of the ’90s. | © Sony Pictures Releasing
We're No Angels finds its strength in the chemistry between Robert De Niro and Sean Penn, where much of the humor lives in glances, pauses, and reactions rather than punchlines. The period setting, Mamet’s dialogue, and Neil Jordan’s restraint give the film a low-key charm that rewards viewers who enjoy character-driven comedy over broad gags. It may feel modest and uneven at times, but watched on its own terms, it’s a relaxed, actor-focused movie that’s more pleasant than its reputation suggests. | © TriStar Pictures
The Golden Child works because it lets Eddie Murphy fully enjoy himself, blending his loose, confident comedy with a playful fantasy setup that never takes itself too seriously. The movie treats magic as something strange and fun dropped into the real world, creating tension, laughs, and a steady sense of adventure that audiences clearly connected with, especially on home video. A few tonal missteps aside, it’s an easygoing, escapist ride that proves charm and imagination matter more than critical approval. | © Paramount Pictures
The Lost World: Jurassic Park leans harder into spectacle, and that’s exactly where it shines. The mix of ruthless mercenaries, practical animatronics, and larger-scale dinosaur chaos creates a run of memorable set pieces that still hold up, especially whenever the T-Rex shows up. The story isn’t as tight as the original, and some character choices are undeniably dumb, but the movie knows how to deliver suspense, dark humor, and pure blockbuster energy, and it’s a blast because of it. | © Universal Pictures
Rotten Tomatoes scores don’t always tell the full story. Some movies get buried for missing expectations, bad timing, or simply being misunderstood at release. These films didn’t fail, they just landed in the wrong critical moment, and they’re far better than their scores suggest.
