Over the years, animated films have risen into the ranks of films that have become well known and loved by people of all ages. However, some of the films that are held up as the best in the genre are, in fact, not the picture-perfect movies that audiences hold them up to be.
While many animated movies are works of true art, there are a few that are overrated and held above other films – films that are often overlooked and rightfully deserve a place in the top ranks. Here are five underrated and five overrated animated films.
Underrated: Flushed Away
For one reason or another, a staple trope in many comedy films seems to be potty related humor. Most audiences find this kind of humor to be a lazy and undesirable form of comedy.
When Flushed Away, a film centered around toilets and sewers came out, audiences expected another lazy attempt at humor. Despite a few poor jokes, however, it is a rather intelligent animated film, with fantastic jokes that make it rise above what it could have been.
Overrated: Shrek
Some films are known for something other than it’s humor or story: its many memes. Memes, in recent years, have caused many films to rise to the forefront – the most meme-able films being among the most popular, such as Shrek.
While it goes without saying that Shrek is a good film, fans have made it even more popular through memes and creepy videos, lauding it as one of the greatest animated films of all time, instead of what is it – just a decent animated movie – making this classic film overrated.
Underrated: Atlantis: The Lost Empire
Back in the early 2000s, Disney was making popular and long-lasting films that people would come to love for years to come. At the same time, however, they were also pumping out a series of largely forgettable films in a bid to draw in more viewers.
Atlantis: The Lost Empire, happened to be one of the few that faded away, despite the fact that it deserves to be seen and recognized more. From its unique story and its memorable characters to gorgeous animation, Atlantis is one Disney film that shouldn’t be forgotten anytime soon.
Overrated: Trolls World Tour
Sometimes, there are exterior reasons for a movie being remembered besides simply being good or bad. Most of the time it has to do with the movie exploring previously unseen areas, either with the story or film industry in general.
In the case of Trolls World Tour, a film that blatantly rips off parts of Avengers: Infinity War, this otherwise forgettable film became unforgettable when they started showing the film at home instead of in theatres, due to the Corona outbreak, giving the film a life it didn’t deserve.
Underrated: Road To El Dorado
Animated films are typically geared for younger audiences, as, in most cases, they are the ones who will be watching and rewatching the films. In some cases, though, the filmmakers decide to include material meant for both parents and kids.
Road To El Dorado showcases a great blend of animation, voice acting, and kid-friendly jokes mixed with just the right amount of adult geared humor and visuals to make this underappreciated film work in ways others never could.
Overrated: Cars
It should come as no surprise that most of the time when studios create films, they’re typically focused on how they can make money. When the film Cars came out, audiences found the movie to be one of Pixar’s first ‘just ok’ movies, and yet the film has risen to fame and popularity due to toy sales.
Instead of this strange creation disappearing into the background, Cars instead rose to popularity with Lightning McQueen cars and Tow Mater LEGO sets, leading the way for a bizarre trilogy of films.
Underrated: Batman Mask Of The Phantasm
In the world of comic book movies, there are the movies seen and remembered for being revolutionary and changing the rule book of superhero films, becoming genre-defining pictures that people love, and respect – movies like Mask Of The Phantasm.
Batman Mask Of The Phantasm is an unforgettable and incredible feat of both animation and storytelling that managed to stretch the boundaries of superhero films. Filled with phenomenal voice acting and dark tones mixed with awesome set pieces, this just might be one of – if not THE – greatest Batman movie of all time.
Overrated: Boss Baby
Every now and then, Hollywood manages to create an animated film unlike any other – a movie that attracts attention and gains fame for reasons people will probably never understand. Whether it’s because they’re just lucky or made a deal with the devil, some films gain fame and attention for unclear reasons.
Boss Baby is a film that, right from the start, has a strange plot that progressively gets weirder. Yet somehow, the film managed to get a Netflix spinoff series, as well as a sequel coming in 2021, deepening the mystery.
Underrated: The Iron Giant
Animated films over the years have grown and evolved in many different ways, becoming more complex and deepening the way that they tell and convey the emotion of a story.
Based on the amazing question of ‘what if a weapon had a soul,’ The Iron Giant is a beautiful and heart-wrenching tale following a boy who finds a robot from space. The emotional depth of the story makes it the unseen gem that it is.
Overrated: Frozen
It’s time for fans to let Frozen go. When the animated movie first came out in 2013, it was hailed for being a stunning animated film, full of fun characters, great themes, and music that gets stuck in your head and refuses to leave.
As the years went on, Frozen became like all of the songs: it’s a film that gets into your head and refuses to leave. The unfortunate truth about Frozen is that it went from being a decent film to one of the most overrated animated movies ever made.
