Netflix is a subscription-based streaming device founded in 1998 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph. Its web-based catalogue of films and series gradually started becoming popular. Recently, it is the second-most popular Over The Top (OTT) platform in India after Disney+ Hotstar. The recent Covid-19 situation has made people swiftly switch over from cinema halls to online platforms for seeking entertainment, and Netflix surely wins the show among them.
Apart from the top-most viewed shows on Netflix, there are some fabulous underrated shows on Netflix that you can watch. These excel in every sense of the term, yet they have somehow not been able to receive standard ratings.
10 Most Underrated Shows on Netflix
1. Hail, Caesar
This heartfelt comedy directed by the Coen brothers received amazing reviews since its release in 2016, but it has become somewhat overrated on Netflix. The show is situated in 1951 ancient Rome. It follows the life of a trained worker for movies Eddie Mannix (portrayed by Josh Brolin) for a day. He spends the day trying to stop scandals about him from reaching far and high in the city. He protects the surrounding from a dangerous fire and tracks down a missing movie superstar. The movie ranges from chaos to laughter, with the best comedic performance by George Clooney.
Director-Writer: Joel Coen and Ethan Coen
Cast: Josh Brolin, George Clooney, Channing Tatum, Jonah Hill, and others.
2. High Flying Bird
It is a sports-based thrilling drama that covers an entire two days were a sports agent, played by Andre Holland, plans to end a basketball lockout. The various other players also face a problem with limited cash, which makes them wish the same as the agent. The movie has a constant conversation going on between different persons in various rooms. The scenes are monotonous, but the crisp dialogues will get you glued to your seat till the very end. Considering the masterpiece created by Oscar-winning writers and top-class actors, it is surely underrated on Netflix to a great extent.
Director–Writer: Steven Soderbergh, Tarell Alvin McCraney
Cast: Andre Holland, Melvin Gregg, Zazie Beats, Sonja Sohn, among others.
3. Killing Them Softly
If you wish to watch a capitalist movement and practice, and American Dream myths and fantasies, this is a perfect movie for you. The story revolves around two hitmen, played by Brad Pitt and James Gandolfini, hired to spy and catch thieves who robbed a protected system of gambling. However, the film is way more than just action and hitman violence.
It aptly portrays the American way of life and shows how it wrongly highlights the absurd thoughts that make dreams and not reality. The overall acting performance and scene sequences do not go at par with the rating that it has received.
Director-Writer: Andrew Dominik
Cast: Brad Pitt, James Gandolfini, Scoot McNairy, Richard Jenkins, among others.
4. Stardust
This is a fun and frolic 2007 film that is based on an adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s Stardust. In it, Claire Danes play the role of a star fallen on Earth. A young man named Tristan finds her and thus begins an adventure which includes a witch and a pirate. The story includes fun, adventure, and light-weight comedy. The fantasy world blends into the real world in no time, and you cannot miss the superb and magnificent acting of the top-class actors. The film is highly underrated, owing to the mediocre reviews that it received.
Director-Writer: Matthew Vaughn and Jane Goldman.
Cast: Claire Danes, Charlie Cox, Robert De Niro, Mark Strong, among others.
5. Nocturnal Animals
Tom Ford is brilliantly acclaimed for his first film, A Single Man, but his second film did not receive such great reviews and has become one of the most underrated films on Netflix. Nocturnal Animals is a brilliant thriller that includes Amy Adams as an art gallery owner. The story starts when she first reads the novel written by her ex-husband.
The events of the novel begin to get portrayed slowly, and you can quickly find an uncanny similarity between the fiction and the gallery owner’s real-life problems, insecurities, and events that led to a broken marriage. The story is both engrossing and interesting, making it one of the best thrillers which might have missed the spot.
Director-Writer: Tom Ford
Cast: Amy Adams, Jake Gyllenhaal, Isla Fisher, Michael Shannon, among others.
6. Wildlife
This 2018 feature film encircles the various events leading to a broken marriage, as seen by a son occurring with his parents. Paul Dano performs a brilliant directorial debut in this film, bringing together a multitude of emotions with top-class acting and cinematography. The events take place in 1960, where the couple with their son move to Montana, and the father very soon loses his job and is compelled to do the job of preventing and fighting wildfires.
The son and his mother are left all alone, where Mulligan brilliantly portrays the pathos of a single mother. The film is a must-watch, though underrated on Netflix.
Director-Writer: Paul Dano and Zoe Kazan.
Cast: Jake Gyllenhaal, Carey Mulligan, Bill Camp, and Ed Oxenbould.
7. Creep 2
Creep original on Netflix is a spine-chilling horror film that has received critical acclamations to be one of the best horror stories so far. Its sequel Creep 2 marks the beginning of a perfect horror sequence in the 21st century. Though it comprises almost the same horror chills as its part 1 series, it is quite underrated on Netflix, maybe because it is just a sequel. Mark Duplass, as the serial killer, gets connected with Desiree Akhavan, who plays the role of a filmmaker documenting odd experiences. This duo has numerous humorous scenes happening in the fiercely serious and horrific environment.
Director– Writer: Patrick Brice, Mark Duplass
Cast: Karan Soni, Mark Duplass, and Desiree Akhavan
8. Mud
This film surely makes its place among the highly overrated films of the century. It portrays two young teenage boys stumbling upon a man named Mud on an island in the Mississippi River. Their chance meeting leads to certain incidents which make Tye Sheridon in the role of a young boy increasingly famous. He seems to grow faster than his age, while Mud craves redemption. It is a soulful epic and a must-watch less known film.
Director-Writer: Jeff Nichols
Cast: Michael Shannon, Michael McConaughey, Tye Sheridon, Sam Shepard, among others.
9. The Killing of a Sacred Deer
It is a psychological thriller that portrays Colin Farrel as a cardiac surgeon who secretly befriends a young man. He next gets warned that his whole family is sure to die slowly. It is an uncanny film, but it whole-heartedly portrays originality in its essence which makes it a must-watch.
Director- Writer: Yorgos Lanthimos and Efthymis Flippo
Cast: Colin Farrel, Bill Camp, Nicole Kidman, and Barry Keoghan
10. Hunt for the Wilderpeople
Taika Waititi, best known for Jojo Rabbit and winning an Oscar for it, made a wonderful adventure movie based on New Zealand culture. A crabby boy portrayed by Sam Neill is forced to connect with a bad-mouthed child. They also become targets of manhunting, become terrified at the thought of it, and try to overcome it. The film has playful comedies and thrills that set a mood for you in boring times.
Director- Writer: Taika Waititi
Cast: Sam Neill, Rachel House, Julian Dennison, among others.
Final Word
Thus, we can see that there are varieties of thrilling and adventurous movies of all genres on Netflix which are highly underrated and need proper proclamation. You are sure to enjoy each one of these, as they create an all-fulfilling tone and atmosphere for each of the events. Get ready with some popcorn and coke to watch some of the best-underrated thrills of the century!
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