Great Forgotten Movies: Which Monster Movies Don’t Get Enough Love?
Which underappreciated monster movie is your favorite? Let us know in the comments below!
Looking for some underappreciated monster movies worth checking out?
Here are THIRTY creature features that deserve more attention—from undersea threats to weird city disasters to kaiju battles!
“These films range from practical effects masterpieces to thoughtful monster metaphors that never got their due.”
What are your favorite monster movies? While there are monster movies that make the top of everyone’s lists—there are also great movies that sometimes have fallen under the radar.
The folks at WatchMojo have put together a list with THIRTY monster movies that deserve more attention. “From giant prehistoric beasts to misunderstood mutants” they have put together a list of monster movies “that never got their due.”
From underground legends to overlooked gems, these monster movies deserve more love than they get! Join us as we count down the most underrated creature features that fly under the radar. From giant prehistoric beasts to misunderstood mutants, these films deliver monstrous thrills without the recognition they deserve. These films range from practical effects masterpieces to thoughtful monster metaphors that never got their due…
I’m thrilled to see the list include some personal favorites. This includes—let’s see—2001’s GMK: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack (2001), 2006’s The Host, and 2010’s Trollhunter, plus classics like 1956’s Rodan, 1961’s Gorgo, 1967’s King Kong Escapes, and 1971’s Godzilla vs. The Smog Monster (well, technically, Godzilla vs. Hedorah).
But there are also a few titles on the list that are now on my list to re-watch—or even finally check out for the first time.
Check out the WatchMojo video below. Or you can scroll down for the actual list—including links for more info about each specific movie.
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Top 30 Most Underrated Monster Movies of All Time
Top 30 Most Underrated Monster Movies of All Time
#30) The Host (2006)
“This combination of fishy monster action and deeper, introspective questionings from the characters makes The Host feel both deserving and underrated.”
#29) Dragonslayer (1981)
“This massive, practically achieved antagonist from 1981’s Dragonslayer sits at the top of a jewel throne, ruling as king of his kind.”
#28) The Relic (1997)
“Still, the movies museum setting, its chaotic monster, and interesting premise of South American origins have allowed for The Relic to remain somewhat underrated today.”
#27) DeepStar Six (1989)
“DeepStar Six is a trashy drive-in picture with a higher budget, and this is no insult. In fact, the film is a lot of fun.”
#26) Razorback (1984)
“What can we say? Razorback rules.”
#25) Leviathan (1989)
“The fact that this underwater mutant assimilates its victims, a la John Carpenters adaptation of The Thing, lends Leviathan heft and menace.”
#24) Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack (2001)
“Fans of the Godzilla franchise love to debate over the giant monster’s different eras…”
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#23) Jaws 2 (1978)
“Heck, everybody loves Jaws. Yet, comparatively little ink seems to be spent on the films many sequels. This is a shame, because Jaws 2 is actually a lot of fun.”
#22) Q (1982)
“Q The Winged Serpent manages to combine a lot of genres under the umbrella of what’s ostensibly a drive-in monster movie.”
#21) Tremors (1990)
“This movie is a great example of how to do PG-13 rated horror in a correct and effective manner. Theres a reason why Tremors spawned a franchise.”
#20) Super 8 (2011)
“This movie makes you wait a long time to get a good look at the monster. All of the performance and technical elements make the payoff well worth the wait.”
#19) A Monster Calls (2016)
“Despite critical acclaim, audiences didnt turn out to see this movie in theaters. Still, this powerful family film is a unique entry in the giant monster genre.”
#18) Gorgo (1961)
“Like many of the best creature features, Gorgo makes the beast sympathetic. The real villains here are not the massive monsters, but the humans eager to exploit them for profit.”
#17) Varan the Unbelievable (1958)
“Besides the iconic flying scenes, Varan stands out for its unusually witty humor and dialogue. It’s such a delight that genre fans might find it hard to believe they didn’t discover this soaring tale sooner.”
#16) Deep Rising (1998)
“While it’s not the deepest kaiju movie in the sea, it certainly is one of the most fun to watch.”
#15) Pacific Rim (2013)
“You might be tempted to write this one off as a generic smash-em-up action movie, but that would be a mistake...”
#14) 20 Million Miles to Earth (1957)
“By the end of the film, you’ll find Ymir’s tragic fate to be genuinely heart-wrenching.”
#13) Eight Legged Freaks (2002)
“When done right, horror and comedy can be a match made in movie heaven.”
#12) Gamera: The Giant Monster (1965)
“While at the time it was dismissed as a Godzilla ripoff, this 1965 film kickstarted the second most prolific kaiju film franchise, one that would end up setting the tone for other monster films of the era.”
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#11) Monsters (2010)
“The relationship drama at the movies heart is punctuated by scenes of brilliant tension, breath-taking visuals, and deeply human connection.”
#10) The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms (1953)
“The film was historic as its atomic plot and creature helped inspire Godzilla. In fact, the film’s success was a major reason for the profusion of monster movies that came out in the decade that followed.”
#9) Rodan (1956)
“Another creature spawned from the 1950s monster movie craze, this ancient pteranodon has earned a place in the kaiju hall of fame.”
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#8) Daimajin (1966)
“With excellent special effects and a unique and interesting period setting, this film and its two sequels are well-worth checking out.”
#7) Big Ass Spider! (2013)
“This may not be the most polished film out there, but it’s clear with every frame that the filmmakers put their hearts and souls into the production, and the result is a fun and endearing crowd-pleaser with action, excitement and heart to spare.”
#6) Colossal (2016)
“We’ve all been to some dark places when life isn’t going our way, but learning you’ve accidentally been contributing to the destruction of a major city is on a whole ’nother level… but that doesn’t stop it from being a funny, exciting, and moving character piece.”
#5) The War of the Gargantuas (1966)
“This unsung classic from Godzilla director Ishiro Honda focuses on a spectacular battle between two giant monsters. This film also features some of the best effects and miniatures ever produced by the legendary Eiji Tsuburaya and his team.”
#4) King Kong Escapes (1967)
“This gloriously goofy film mixes everyone’s favorite giant ape with spies, supervillains and a giant robot gorilla. If ever you wanted a King Kong movie to feel more like a Saturday morning cartoon come to life, this movie is for you.”
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#3) Frankenstein Conquers the World (1965)
“Frankenstein’s Monster may not be the first thing to come to mind when you think of Japanese monster movies, but this one takes Mary Shelley’s creature to whole new heights.”
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#2) Godzilla vs. The Smog Monster [that is, Godzilla vs. Hedorah] (1971)
“Director Yoshimitsu Bannos oddball 70s entry in the Godzilla franchise is without a doubt the strangest film in the series. It feels like an odd mashup of a Godzilla movie and an Avant-Garde art film, making it a truly unique experience for better or worse, and one that every fan should check out.”
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#1) Trollhunter (2010)
“Another excellent found-footage giant monster movie. With a streak of black humor a mile wide and some seriously impressive visuals for a relatively low-budget movie, this film is a must see for fans of offbeat genre movies.”
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Looking for some monster movies worth checking out? Here are THIRTY creature features that deserve more attention—from undersea threats to weird city disasters to kaiju battles!