No matter how the streaming wars currently fare, Netflix was one of the first in the game. The streaming service has since cultivated a massive amount of shows, movies, and even games. More importantly, it’s been creating plenty of amazing original content for viewers to watch. Truthfully, there’s enough content on this platform that it is easy for some of it to get lost in the mix. This is especially true for movies, as there are plenty of underrated Netflix originals for fans to dive into. These films may not have the same following as Bird Box or Enola Holmes, but they deserve more attention than they get.
Over the years, Netflix has earned a unique reputation for itself, starting with how it would save many canceled shows from an untimely death. It doubled down, creating all sorts of new content and giving people across the globe a chance to tell their stories. Netflix’s first original movie (Beasts of No Nation) hit the service in 2015, and it’s been keeping a steady pace of originals ever since. Some might argue that there are too many, given how easy it is for fans to unintentionally overlook a new film or series.
1) The Devil All the Time (2020)
The Devil All the Time was released in 2020, and perhaps it’s the timing that kept this movie from getting more attention. Starring Tom Holland, Bill Skarsgård, Riley Keough, Jason Clarke, Sebastian Stan, Haley Bennet, and Robert Pattinson, this film had at least a dozen other high-profile actors fleshing out the ensemble cast. This Southern Gothic psychological crime thriller had the makings of success. It’s a genre-defying film, set near the end of World War II with an expansive cast full of compelling stories.
The Devil All the Time is considered to be one of the most underrated films in Tom Holland’s catalog, and the same argument could be made for the rest of this cast. The unique blending of genres, combined with a darker tone, could be responsible for why critics were conflicted on this film, while the longer run-time may have scared off some audience members.
The Devil All the Time was directed by Antonio Campos, and based on a novel written by Donald Ray Pollock. The author also played the role of narrator for the film, showcasing a deep connection for this adaptation.
2) The Babysitter (2017)
Those looking for something equally dark, but a bit more comedic, should consider checking out Netflix’s The Babysitter. This film takes the classic slasher trope and adds a twist, as roles and expectations are reversed. The Babysitter follows Lewis, a 12-year-old who is curious about his newest babysitter, only to learn that she’s part of a satanic cult. His discovery is only the beginning, as he’ll have to survive the night and unimaginable odds.
The Babysitter stars Judah Lewis as Cole, the 12-year-old child, and Samara Weaving as Bee, the cultist babysitter. The entire film feels like an homage to ’80s horror films, complete with familiar tropes, setting, and a shocking level of self-awareness. While the movie did well enough to get a sequel (The Babysitter: Killer Queen) in 2020, it’s safe to say that this Netflix film is at risk of being forgotten.
3) What Happened to Monday (2017)
What Happened to Monday is a dystopian sci-fi set in the near future. In this world, overpopulation has forced a new regulation, which only allows for one child per family. Enter the Settman family. It all begins with Terrance Settman’s daughter dying during childbirth. He’s left to raise her children, plural, alone. Failing to do so would have dangerous consequences for the septuplets. So they’re forced to share one identity to go outside.
What Happened to Monday stars Willem Dafoe (Terrance) and Noomi Rapace (the septuplets, Monday through Friday). The film was directed by Tommy Wirkola and written by Max Botkin and Kerry Williamson.
4) I Am Mother (2019)
Clearly, sci-fi films are some of the first to get lost in Netflix’s backlog (but they’re far from the only victims). I Am Mother is a sci-fi thriller that was released in 2019 and in an industry full of bloated budgets, I Am Mother proves what sci-fi can do with more limited resources.
I Am Mother is one part dystopian sci-fi, as the story begins well after an extinction-level event has occurred with the film set in an automated bunker responsible for repopulating and caring for humanity. The bot in charge, the titular Mother, brings a human embryo to life and raises the little girl accordingly. What follows is a mind-bending experience, as Daughter learns that not everything she’s been taught is real.
I Am Mother stars Clara Rugarrd (Daughter), Luke Hawker (Mother – physical actor), Rose Byrne (the voice of Mother), and Hilary Swank (Woman). It was directed by Grant Sputore and written by Michael Lloyd Green.
5) The Mitchells vs. The Machines (2021)
The Mitchells vs. The Machines may be the only animated film on this list, but don’t let that fool you, as there are plenty of underrated animated features from Netflix. The Mitchells vs. The Machines is a sci-fi comedy, complete with family road trip chaos, making it the perfect film for families and genre lovers alike. Notably, The Mitchells vs. The Machines was directed by Mike Rianda and Jeff Rowe, two people behind the beloved Gravity Falls series.
The Mitchells vs. The Machines follows one family as they try to find a way to reconnect on a road trip. One could argue that it was a last-ditch effort by the parents, as the trip’s destination is their teenager’s college. However, the trip quickly gets derailed, thanks to a tech entrepreneur’s latest robot launch. What follows isn’t quite the destruction of Terminator, but the chaos is certainly on par.
This animated family comedy stars Abbi Jacobson (Katie Mitchell), Danny McBride (Rick Mitchell), Maya Rudolph (Linda Mitchell), Mike Rianda (Aaron Mitchell and various cast), and many more.
6) Project Power (2020)
Project Power is a sci-fi action film with a phenomenal cast, raising questions about why it didn’t do better. The film’s stars include Jamie Fox, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Dominique Fishback, and many others.
Project Power follows a group of characters, including a drug dealer (Fishback), a police officer (Gordon-Levitt), and a former soldier (Foxx), as they delve into the mystery of a super soldier drug. As the description implies, there’s a new drug hitting the market that can give people superpowers, though mercifully only for five minutes. Those five minutes are enough time to cause all sorts of disasters, necessitating the need for urgent action. While Project Power may not have the most groundbreaking story, it was a fun action film backed by solid acting.
7) I’m Thinking Of Ending Things (2020)
Those looking for something a bit more surreal are in luck, as dozens of movies fit this bill on Netflix. Billed as a psychological thriller, though the surrealist elements put it into a category of its own, I’m Thinking Of Ending Things follows a young woman debating about ending her relationship with her boyfriend, all while traveling to meet his parents; an awkward time, to be sure. There’s a layered effect to the story as well as the film cuts into scenes from a different character, an elderly janitor watching a romantic comedy, something that comes into play in a major way by the end.
I’m Thinking Of Ending Things stars Jessie Plemons (Jake), Jessie Buckley (Young Woman), Toni Collette (Mother), David Thewlis (Father), and Guy Boyd (Janitor). It was written and directed by Charlie Kaufman, which probably explains all of the surrealist elements. Finally, it is based on a novel of the same name, written by Ian Reid.
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