Recommend some great movies that were critically panned

[Raging Justice]

I've noticed as I watch more and more movies that there seems to be a LOT of movies with a dedicated fanbase that got destroyed by critics when they came out. I'm interested in exploring many of these movies. So I made this thread so you guys can wax poetic about critically panned movies you love so I can discover some interesting stuff to watch that I probably wouldn't know about otherwise.

[prfsnl_gmr]

Wet Hot American Summer - Critics panned it on release, but it’s really, really funny and helped launched some amazing comedy talent (e.g., Amy Poehler, Paul Rudd, etc.).

I’m sure I’ll think of some more…

[PretentiousHipster]

I can think of two examples of films that got a more objective resurgence. The 1982 version of The Thing was really hated by critics when it came out, even making some worst of lists, and being nominated for a razzie.

It is not at its apex yet, but the praise for Showgirls is getting there, and it honestly deserves it. It does the amazing thing of showing the corruption of Hollywood, which probably wasn't as well known when the film came out, but also a satire of Hollywood films themselves by ramping up their tropes to 11. It is at the point where it has made both major canon lists: Sight and Sound, and the They Shoot Pictures Don't They lists. Unfortunately it seems like the gen xers that watched this film as teens refuse to believe that it is getting praised now.

EDIT: Some highlights that I can think of, but I'm going by the letterboxd score because connecting it with RT and imdb will take too much work. If you need me to expand on it, I'll be glad to.

Aloha (2015) - This is 100% like a Pynchon book
Resident Evil: Retribution (2012) - It almost felt postmodern in a way. Action cinema reduced to just its barebones. Doesn't care about any of the bullshit and goes as over the top as possible.
Queen of the Damned (2002) - One of the perfect popcorn flicks.
Spring Breakers (2012) - The story of gentrification as seen through a drug-induced and hedonistic lens.
Freddy Got Fingered (2001) - This is honestly absurdist comedy at its best. I can understand why it's considered dadaist.
The later films of Michael Mann (Blackhat, Public Enemies, and Miami Vice). This is the #1 evidence needed to show that "style over substance" is a bullshit argument. Style IS the substance in these films, and it's perhaps even more impressive than having substance. The camerawork Michael Mann does is insane.
Zeros and Ones (2021) - A 3.3 on imdb lol. I can totally understand why because of the way the trailer is. Not really any strong arguments for it, except for the fact that Abel Ferrara is an experimental filmmaker, and this is his usual self.
Alone (2020) - Also from the same director as Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning. It does the impossible of having a horror protagonist that's quite smart. It's barebones to the point where it becomes its strength, and the use of brutality that the director usually does still shines in this case.
Curdled (1996) - I imagine this was just released at the wrong time. It's basically true crime with its comedy being dark and violent, but it's oddly wholesome at the same time. I imagine people would eat this up now.
MouseHunt (1997) - Loved it as a kid. Watched it randomly to see if it was just my nostalgia talking, but nope, this is the closest we've got to a live action version of those types of looney tunes cartoons that are actually quite violent when you think about it. Seriously some top tier slapstick.

[SamuraiMegas]

I really love old Hong Kong Kung Fu movies, especially Shaw Brothers produced ones. The stories are all damn near identical and end the second the villain dies; the dubs are atrocious, and the characters are often hard to tell apart because they're all buff bald monks wearing the exact same outfit

All the stuff that makes them terrible is what makes them amazing. They're fun, they're straight to the point and they have wildly impressive choreography - of course there's plenty of wire work, but many of those guys were really skilled gymnasts and shit.

The "plot" is just a device that carries you to cool fight scenes in those movies and they don't really try to hide it, and I think that's what I really love about them. Check out the Wu Tang Collection on YouTube. They've got a ton on there.

[Limewater]

Super Mario Bros (1993): I've posted about this one before, more than once. 29% on RottenTomatoes.
They used the Mario source material, which at this point was only a few games, as a springboard for child's first cyberpunk dystopia. Bob Hoskins and John Leguizamo were apparently drunk a lot of the time, but they had great chemistry together, and actually spent most of the movie together.
This movie couldn't be made today.

Soldier (1998): 15% on RottenTomatoes.
Kurt Russell is Sgt. Tod, who was selected as an infant in 1996 for a supersoldier program and spends the first 40 years of his life training and fighting in wars. When the movie picks up he is "between wars." New genetically engineered super-soldiers are brought in and Tod is literally thrown away for dead on a trash planet and has his first first interactions with civilians who have been stranded there.
It's pretty cliche, but Kurt Russell is great in it, the action is great, and I think it honestl does a pretty good job of portraying someone who socially stunted and had difficulty relating to others.
I think it's probably Paul W. S. Anderson's best film, but that's kind of damning with faint praise.

The Hunt (2020): 57% on RottenTomatoes.
Not exactly trashed, but way better than the critics wanted to give it credit for. It's a horror movie about the polarized political climate, so I probably shouldn't discuss it on this board. Really it's about how people dehumanize each other. Really, though, it's great. It stuck with me.

Troll 2 (1990): 5%
A true joy to watch. Now a cult classic.

Twilight (2008): 49%
Yes, THAT Twilight. Hilarious. Seriously. I saw this opening night in a theater full of adult women. Everyone was laughing the whole time.

[PretentiousHipster]

Yea twilight is a very fun film. Plenty of absolutely ridiculous scenes

I should rewatch soldier. I actually enjoyed his film Pompeii because it was melodrama that literally gets interrupted by the volcanic eruption.

[Ack]

As I recall, the Rifftrax of the second Twilight movie had a bet going about how long it would take for someone to get through a single line without a dramatic pause midway through. They dropped the beat after five scenes when no one had done it yet.

As for your movie question, Spaceballs has a 57% on Rotten Tomatoes and a 46% on Metacritic.

The Australian film Turkey Shoot was generally despised by critical when it came out, but I enjoyed it quite a bit, and if you like The Most Dangerous Game-type stories, it's another Australian genre classic to check out.

Also, Hawk the Slayer is amazing

[Limewater]

The Boondock Saints (1999): 27%

I think critics couldn't get over the glorification of vigilantism.
The delta between critics score and audience score on Rotten Tomatoes is huge.

White Chicks (2004): 15%

Comedy is very personal. I thought this one was hilarious.

Sorority Boys (2002): 12%

Another very funny movie that critics thought was beneath them.

King Arthur:Legend of the Sword (2017): 31%

The first few minutes look like a Lord of the Rings rip-off, and after that you realize it's still a Guy Ritchie movie and have a great time.

Pandorum (2009): 30%

Solid sci-fi horror survival story.

[marurun]

Clue. Was roasted by critics when it came out but has become a cult classic. Quite an eclectic bunch of actors to throw together in a murder comedy.

[Jagosaurus]

Boondocks Saints is a weird one ...

The same crowd in early 2000s for me was also talking Fight Club, Snatch, & Memento while referencing BDS. Once you realize it's not a cinematic masterpiece in that ballpark, but still a fun vigilante story, it gets a lot better...

Robin hood brothers vs the mob with a hot shot detective on their heels. Come on! That's fun.

I personally still like this one, but back in '99/'00 it fell in kind of weird spot. I can see critics being easily confused & fans loving it simultaneously.