Some films are adored by critics but don’t get the same warm reception from regular viewers. What makes a great movie can vary greatly between professional film reviewers and the average moviegoer. No matter how many cinema hours you logged this year, you may have missed a few of these critically-acclaimed gems.
Here are the 15 most underrated movies of 2018 that film reviewers loved, based on comparing the critic and audience ratings reported on Rotten Tomatoes.
“The Old Man & The Gun” is a drama that critics loved more than audiences.
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 92% critics rating; 64% audience rating.
Synopsis: The true story of Forrest Tucker, a man who escaped San Quentin prison at the age of 70 and went on to orchestrate a series of dramatic heists that captured the public’s attention and baffled law enforcement.
What critics said: “Loose-limbed, rascally and Texan to its bones, ‘The Old Man & the Gun’ is a throwback to an era when making beautifully understated crime comedies was the peak of Hollywood’s ambition (before all the spandex took over).”
Cinematic drama “Sweet Country” definitely satisfied reviewers
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 95% critics rating; 66% audience rating.
Synopsis: An Aboriginal man from Australia’s Northern Territory is accused of murder and flees his home after killing a white war veteran in self-defense. When a gang is assembled to hunt down the killer, new details come to light about the circumstances of the crime.
What critics said: “Uncompromising, deliberate, and eerily beautiful, director Warwick Thornton’s rugged Australian Western puts a new spin on an old story.” – The Seattle Times.
“Madeline’s Madeline” is an experimental drama that critics raved about
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 87% critics rating; 54% audience rating.
Synopsis: When a young girl joins a prestigious physical theater troupe, her troubled family life begins to bleed into her performance and causes tension with her mother.
What critics said: “One of the best films of the year, if also one of the hardest to initially get your head around.” – The Boston Globe.
Animated comedy “Early Man” earned solid reviews but didn’t delight audiences
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 82% critics rating; 49% audience rating.
Synopsis: A tribe of prehistoric hunters tries to win back their home territory from an expanding empire by challenging the newcomers to a game of soccer.
What critics said: “In a cinematic landscape that favors wisecracking motormouths and polished but increasingly generic CGI, ‘Early Man’s’ sweet-natured slapstick and endearingly ‘primitive’ look feel like a welcome counterbalance.” – The Daily Telegraph (Australia).
“Blockers” is a comedy that hit home for critics
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 83% critics rating; 50% audience rating.
Synopsis: A group of parents accidentally find out about their daughters’ pact to lose their virginity on prom night. The parents carry out a secret operation to thwart their children’s plans.
What critics said: “A generational clash as old as time – the parents who think of themselves as progressive and cool, versus their mortified children who view them as anything but.” – The Atlantic.