Top 30 Most Underrated Monster Movies of All Time

Top 30 Most Underrated Monster Movies of All Time

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today were counting down our picks for those monstrous slices of cult cinema that we feel deserve a little extra love.

#30: The Host (2006)

Director Bong Joon-ho seemed to set out on a mission with 2006s The Host. The filmmakers love of genre cinema is clearly on display, although we admit that the computer-generated effects of the monster might have been better suited (pun intended) with practical effects. That said, Joon-ho also inserts themes of environmentalism into the mix, while never forgetting to make The Host move at a kinetic pace. This combination of fishy monster action and deeper, introspective questionings from the characters makes The Host feel both deserving and underrated.

#29: Dragonslayer (1981)

Just so were clear: theres cinematic dragons and then theres Vermithrax Pejorative. This massive, practically achieved antagonist from 1981s Dragonslayer sits at the top of a jewel throne, ruling as king of his kind. Indeed, the work performed here by the team of George Lucas Industrial Light & Magic has been cited as influential to such artists as George R. R. Martin and Guillermo del Toro. Meanwhile, the performances of Peter MacNicol, Caitlin Clarke, and Ralph Richardson helped prove that Dragonslayer isnt just a monster movie or a fantasy movie, but one of the early 80s most underrated slices of imagination.

#28: The Relic (1997)

The late 90s release date of The Relic served as a crossroads of sorts, an era where many moviemakers were still utilizing practical effects, but combining them with new CGI technology. The chimera-esque monster of The Relic, Kothoga, was created by special effects legend Stan Winston and his team. Meanwhile, wider shots incorporated CGI for movement, effects that admittedly havent aged well by modern standards. 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)

The late 80s and early 90s were a watershed (pardon the pun) of subterranean, aquatic horrors. DeepStar Six was also proof that director Sean S. Cunningham could do cool work outside of the Friday the 13th franchise. The film stood alongside James Camerons The Abyss, while critics of the day also noted how DeepStar Six was riffing on tropes established by the Alien franchise. Still, Cunninghams film boasts a weirdly unique creature, the Depladon, which sort of looks like a giant sea scorpion. 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)

Every country seemed to have its own exploitation industry back in the 60s, 70s, and 80s, with Australia being no exception. The term Ozploitation has been used to describe films like Razorback from this era, a 1984 film featuring a unique monster antagonist: a wild boar. Its a very simple premise, really, but its the execution that elevates Razorback above so many of its contemporaries, both at home and abroad. The outback setting is definitely unique, while the attack scenes feel genuinely tense and exciting. Additionally, the titular razorback is well actualized, with physical heft that makes each set piece feel earned. What can we say? Razorback rules.

#25: Leviathan (1989)

It should be carved into stone somewhere: if your movie production has hired Stan Winston to handle the effects, then its going to look great. Leviathan from 1989 was yet another sub-aquatic horror movie existing in a crowded sub-genre. However, its Winstons effects and creature design that allowed this film to get a leg up on the competition. The fact that this underwater mutant assimilates its victims, a la John Carpenters adaptation of The Thing, lends Leviathan heft and menace. Meanwhile, the claustrophobic setting and solid direction from George P. Cosmatos solidify Leviathan as a winner.

#23: Jaws 2 (1978)

We love Jaws. You love Jaws. 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. Not only did this films trailer feature one of the most iconic promotional lines of all time, but Jaws 2 still managed to deliver shark week thrills in abundance. Director Jeannot Szwarc worked in both film and television. Jaws 2 feels sort of like one of the myriad drive-in rip-offs rather than Spielberg's OG. Yet, this isnt an insult. Instead, the exploitation elements lend Jaws 2 a lighter, less heavy feeling without skimping on the action.

#22: Q (1982)

The films of Larry Cohen all feel very different, yet all retain the writer/directors penchant for smart humor, satire, and imagination. Q The Winged Serpent manages to combine a lot of genres under the umbrella of whats ostensibly a drive-in monster movie. Elements of exploitation, police procedurals, and crime thrillers cohabitate in Cohens universe of a New York City terrorized by the Aztec god, Quetzalctl. The latters appearance as a giant, winged serpent looks great, but Q also boasts an awesome lead performance from the ever-reliable Michael Moriarty. Hes assisted by Shafts Richard Roundtree, Candy Clark, and David Carradine for a film that works gangbusters just like most of Cohens work.

#21: Tremors (1990)

This movie is a great example of how to do PG-13 rated horror in a correct and effective manner. Tremors never feels as if it skimps on the monster action, nor the tense action set pieces. Its also smart and funny in all the right places. Yet, the lack of explicit gore and restrained profanity (barring a particular EPIC F-bomb) still makes Tremor suitable for a wide audience. Meanwhile, the creature design of the graboids is awesome: toothsome, subterranean worms that never quit. Theres a reason why Tremors spawned a franchise, yet the OG still feels as if it never gets mentioned as frequently as it should, in our opinion.

#20: Super 8 (2011)

This movie makes you wait a long time to get a good look at the monster. In fact, the audience isnt even sure that there is a monster until the story is well underway. The plot builds slowly by starting with a terrifying train derailment thats followed by a series of bizarre happenings. People go missing, electronics disappear, and the power fluctuates. The tension never lets up, and the child actors at the movies heart deliver brilliant performances that keep you glued to your seat. Its also excellently shot and contains a great blend of special and practical effects. All of the performance and technical elements make the payoff well worth the wait.

#19: A Monster Calls (2016)

This monster isnt here to terrorize people or smash cities. Instead, he is the embodiment of 12-year-old Conors feelings about his mothers terminal illness. This dark fantasy deals with difficult themes like grief, anger, and loss through the stories the monster tells Conor. Liam Neesons deep, gravelly voice gives weight and heart to the creature. Its amazing to see something that starts out mysterious and scary becomes the friend that Conor desperately needs. 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)

Dont kidnap animals out of the wild. Thats the moral of this British contribution to the golden age of kaiju. Much like King Kongs Carl Denham, sea captain Joe Ryan is determined to make a few bucks by capturing a giant sea monster and selling it to a circus. But it turns out this little guy is just a baby. After the young one is displaced, his much bigger mother comes looking for him. 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)

Produced by Toho Co. studio, a major player in the Japanese kaiju movie industry, Varan is a classic of the genre. A holdover from dinosaur times, this colossal winged lizard just wants to be left alone in his lake. The village priest tries to warn away the scientists who want to conduct experiments there. But naturally, they do not listen. A few years after the film was released, an American version was produced that also took place in Japan and followed a similar storyline. Besides the iconic flying scenes, Varan stands out for its unusually witty humor and dialogue. Its such a delight that genre fans might find it hard to believe they didnt discover this soaring tale sooner.

#16: Deep Rising (1998)

The 90s were the heyday of over-the-top disaster movies. This is an underrated gem from the decade that delivers on every level. When a band of mercenaries attack a luxury cruise ship, they discover the passengers and crew mysteriously missing. The culprits are a group of ferocious worm-like creatures or at least, thats what they seem to be at first. In reality, theyre the tentacles of the Octalus, a sea monster with a taste for human flesh. The film got extremely mixed reviews and flopped at the box office at the time. But its since gained a cult following in the decades following its release. While its 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. Guillermo del Toro put a ton of thought into the design of all the kaiju. He took inspiration from both the great monster movies of decades past and classic works of art. And as a bonus, he set up a plot where humans in giant robots have to stop the creatures from tearing humanity apart. While the monsters are naturally the biggest stars of the show, the plots surrounding the human characters are just as engrossing. That fact and the great designs resulted in a gorgeous-looking movie filled with monsters that feel somehow both futuristic and timeless.

#14: 20 Million Miles to Earth (1957)

If youre a giant monster mega-fan, then youre probably familiar with the work of Ray Harryhausen. The stop-motion animator was responsible for some of the most famous American film monsters, including the Ymir. This poor alien didnt ask to be here. After being brought back to Earth from Venus as an egg, it hatches and quickly grows to gargantuan proportions. It never intends to torment people. It just takes issue with the scientists who want to cage and study it, and later, the soldiers who are determined to kill it. This films visual effects are way ahead of their time. By the end of the film, youll find Ymirs 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. After a barrel of toxic chemicals gets dumped into a lake, it mutates the local crickets, ninja turtle-style. An eccentric spider collector then decides to feed the enhanced bugs to his brood. Unfortunately, the arachnids become enormous and wreak havoc on the town. They quickly progress from snacking on pets to catching ostriches, to attacking humans. This wacky early 2000s flick is the perfect blend of scary, funny, and occasionally disgusting. And did we mention it features a young Scarlett Johansson? Seeing the future Black Widow have to deal with giant spiders is wonderfully ironic in hindsight.

#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. After an accidental nuclear blast in the frozen north, a colossal turtle emerges from the ice, one that can breathe fire and even fly. The film inspired numerous sequels, and their kid-friendly tone helped them to drawn in children, a move later adopted by the Godzilla movies themselves. In the 1990s, a trilogy of grim and gritty films rebooted the franchise, but the original is still sorely under-viewed.

#11: Monsters (2010)

This low-budget sci-fi flick took the 2010 film festival scene by storm and quickly became an unexpected critical darling. Its plot took place near the U.S.-Mexico border a few years after gigantic creatures land on Earth. During the film, two American protagonists try to get back into the States. Along the way, they encounter obstacles both extraterrestrial and earthly. The film was praised for tackling heavy themes amidst the terror and wonder of an alien invasion. Additionally, 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)

Another classic featuring stop-motion from the brilliant Ray Harryhausen, this movie was based on a short story by Ray Bradbury. It follows a massive Rhedosaurus who was awakened by atomic bomb tests after being frozen in the arctic circle since ancient times. The creature eventually makes its way to New York City, where it menaces Manhattan and Coney Island. Speaking of which, the movie utilizes the urban setting incredibly well. And the film was historic as its atomic plot and creature helped inspire Godzilla. In fact, the films 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. When miners are attacked and killed by a mysterious underground menace, the local people discover not Rodan. They instead find a group of huge prehistoric bugs. Yet hidden near their lair is an enormous egg that soon hatches out the immense flying beast, who can flatten a city just by flapping his wings. After the films initial release, an English dubbed version was created. It quickly became one of the most successful Japanese films in the American market. And do you recognize that voice? Its Hollywood icon George Takei in his first film role.

#8: Daimajin (1966)

Released in the 1960s, this film is fairly unique for its period setting, with Feudal Japan taking the place of modern cities as the site for giant monster action. The titular monster is a giant, magical stone statue that comes to life to punish the wicked, in this case an evil Lord who schemes his way to power. Even after having an iron rod driven into his forehead, the wrathful monster is more than able to deliver some divine retribution, smashing the Lords stronghold. 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)

Theres something about a movie title that tells you exactly what youre getting with no messing about, and this 2013 giant monster romp certainly has one of those titles. An intensely tongue-in-cheek throwback to classic giant insect movies, the film follows a good-natured exterminator as he helps try and destroy an increasingly giant spider. This may not be the most polished film out there, but its 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)

This sci-fi puts an interesting twist on the giant monster genre when its revealed that the giant monster attacking Seoul is in fact being unwittingly controlled by Anne Hathaways Gloria, a unemployed writer with alcohol use disorder whos trying to sort out her mess of a life. Weve all been to some dark places when life isnt going our way, but learning youve accidentally been contributing to the destruction of a major city is on a whole nother level. The giant monster action in this film mostly takes a back seat to the character drama, but that doesnt 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, the friendly Sanda and the evil Gaira. In addition to a knock down, drag out battle royale in the finale, this film also features some of the best effects and miniatures ever produced by the legendary Eiji Tsuburaya and his team. This is because by Kaiju standards, Sanda and Gaira are positively puny. That meant that the sets and models had to be much more detailed, as the audience would be seeing them much closer than normal. The results speak for themselves.

#4: King Kong Escapes (1967)

Intended as a thematic follow up to the King Kong animated series from the same era, this gloriously goofy film mixes everyones favorite giant ape with spies, supervillains and a giant robot gorilla known as Mechani-Kong. When an evil doctor creates Mechani-Kong to unearth the highly valuable Element X, his plan backfires, forcing him to capture the real Kong to use as manual labor. This doesnt go to plan, and Kong winds up battling his robotic doppelganger atop Tokyo Tower. If ever you wanted a King Kong movie to feel more like a Saturday morning cartoon come to life, this movie is for you.

#3: Frankenstein Conquers the World (1965)

Frankensteins 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. When the monsters disembodied heart is exposed to radioactive fallout, it regenerates a new, giant-sized body, and things get even more complicated when an ancient creature called Baragon emerges, leading to a fiery confrontation. This hidden gem features more fantastic Tsuburaya effects and a stellar cast led by American actor Nick Adams. Its also unique in that the titular monster is played by an actor wearing only makeup and prosthetics rather than a full suit.

#2: Godzilla vs. Hedorah [AKA Godzilla vs. The Smog Monster] (1971)

When the pollution fueled alien creature Hedorah arrives on Earth, only Godzilla can save the day. Director Yoshimitsu Bannos oddball 70s entry in the Godzilla franchise is without a doubt the strangest film in the series, with touches of surrealism, animated interstitials, a truly baffling tone, and did we mention the part where Godzilla flies? The film also bucks the trend toward kid-friendliness, with a dark tone and even onscreen deaths. 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.

#1: Trollhunter (2010)

Another excellent found-footage giant monster movie, this Norwegian film follows a group of journalism students who are seemingly on the trail of a bear poacher. However, when they follow the man into the woods, they discover hes actually after a much different sort of game: trolls! It turns out the taciturn Hans is really a troll hunter in the employ of the Norwegian government, tasked with tracking down trolls that escape from a preserve. 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.

What, to you, is the golden era of monster movies? Let us know in the comments!