Despite his relatively young age, British actor Tom Holland has quickly become one of the best-known names in Hollywood. Rising to celebrity stardom status due to his role as Spider-Man in the MCU, fans may be less aware of some of his other work.
Starting his career early has earned Holland a wide variety of roles, from critically acclaimed box office hits to more indie and niche productions. While there may be some controversy around the reception of some of his films, there are some fans who love these underrated movies.
The Impossible (2012)
Directed by J.A Bayona, this was Tom Holland's first live-action role in a film. The 2012 disaster drama followed a family torn apart from a tsunami as they try and make their way back to each other. Based on a true story, the film did receive a positive response from audiences. However, as Reddit user zenithboiz points out, the film didn't fully get the recognition it deserved, stating "of all the films nominated for Oscars last year, the glaring omission was The Impossible."
The Redditor went on to say that the film is "one of the most gut-wrenching films ever made and it's a shame it was so unrecognized in the United States." This pretty much sums up that, despite its positive reception, there is much more to the film than audiences seem to realize. Many felt that the performances from all the actors are astounding, with Tom Holland standing out amongst them despite his young age.
The Lost City Of Z (2016)
Ultimately a major box office flop of the 2010s, this ambitious big-budget adventure film stayed decidedly under the radar. Playing the role of Jack, son to main character Fawcett, this movie follows an adventurer on an expedition to discover the lost city of Z. Despite the lack of financial success upon the release of the film, the reviews from audiences weren't in agreement.
Reddit user mathswarrior, for example, shares their frustration with this predicament, stating "Can somebody explain to me why this movie was so...overlooked?! Leaves me truly mad because the movie felt like it was made with passion and the overall result was quite good, in my opinion. For me best movie 2017, no doubt". Other Reddit users seem to agree that it was down to a lack of marketing as opposed to the film itself, leaving it, in many people's opinions, highly underrated.
Spies In Disguise (2019)
In this 2019 animated spy comedy, Tom Holland voices the protagonist, a genius kid who accidentally turns Will Smith's character into a pigeon for most of the film and must help him change back.
This lighthearted comedy surprised a lot of viewers, in particular, the parents who were watching it along with their children. Reddit user NoTaCaiLiN praised it, saying, "The movie is a delight, it's funny and the premise is interesting," despite going in with low expectations.
How I Live Now (2013)
Based on a book of the same now, this 2013 romantic drama starring Saorise Ronan is another early film from Tom Holland's acting career. Set in an apocalyptical future, the film follows a family as they try to reunite during a nuclear war. While it did receive some overall mixed reviews, some fans stand by it as being an excellent adaptation.
Reddit user SquidgyGoat expresses this saying, "How I Live Now is such an underrated movie and Saoirse Ronan is brilliant in it. More people need to see it." Some fans even went as far as to say that, despite having loved the book, they thought the movie was even better, an almost unheard of opinion from book lovers.
The Current War (2017)
This 2017 historical drama stars fellow Marvel actor Benedict Cumberbatch in the lead role of Thomas Edison. Centering around the "war of the currents" this film received average reviews, not standing out much either way. However, some fans of the film think it deserved better.
One Reddit user, done001100, pointed out that they thought "It was an excellent movie with a great cast about a fascinating time in American history." Despite some debate around the historical accuracy of the film, many viewers seem to agree that it was in fact better than some of the ratings were suggesting.
Pilgrimage (2017)
Set in medieval Ireland, this 2017 action stars Tom Holland alongside Jon Bernthal and Richard Armitage. Following the journey of a group of monks who quickly encounter danger en route to deliver a holey relic, the indie film received modest reviews and praise. However, many audience members hold it in very high esteem.
Reddit user KryptonianCrawdad, in particular, praised it, saying, "I believe this might be the best action movie of the year. The tension, foreboding, and the feels are combined just right." While the highly religious and historical themes in the film may put some viewers off, many fans hold it as a highly underrated film that is well worth the watch.
The Devil All The Time (2020)
Boasting an impressive cast, Tom Holland leads this 2020 psychological thriller. Based on the novel of the same name, The Devil All The Time follows a host of sinister characters in a backwoods town. Once again earning a mixed reaction from audiences, fans seemed divided on their opinions of the film.
One Reddit user, saugoof summed up their feelings by saying: "... one of the best movies I've seen recently. I was quite surprised by some of the bad reviews." Continuing to praise the film, they stated it was a "Great story, beautifully told, great acting, beautifully shot." This is a sentiment that seems to be shared by quite a few others, even if not every viewer was in agreement.
In The Heart Of The Sea (2015)
Chris Hemsworth is another Marvel alumni is at the helm of this 2015 historical action. Directed by Ron Howard, this film focuses on the events of a sinking whaling ship. Some fans felt that it was ignored by critics and audiences alike and when received, that the reaction was overly muted.
Reddit user mattbozle commented that they "thought this movie was much better than the reviews it received. It was dream-like and rather terrifying." The impressive cast and directing seem to be high points for the film, with a lot of praise coming from fans, despite the mediocre reviews.
Onward (2020)
This 2020 Pixar fantasy animated movie follows two brothers played by Holland and yet another Marvel member, Chris Pratt, who will also be playing Garfield in an adaptation of the classic comic, as they set off on a quest to reunite with their deceased father. Despite receiving generally good reviews, the film was a financial flop due to the pandemic and many think it didn't get rated as high as it should have compared to many other Pixar films.
There was also some controversy over the ending of the film, but as Reddit user Sorry_Barley summarised, "I think that the ending just makes it all the more satisfying. It’s just like in real life, how we don’t always get what we’re expecting."
Cherry (2021)
Directed by Marvel brother duo Anthony and Joe Russo, this 2021 crime drama gave audiences a very different side of Tom Holland to the Spider-Man image that they were used to. Tackling tough subjects of addiction and PTSD, many fans theorize that seeing the stark contrast of Holland in this role is one of the reasons why the film wasn't so well received.
Reddit user kittens_on_a_rainbow stated they were "very surprised after we finished watching to see all the negative reviews. Tom Holland really shines and it was very interesting visually." A lot of fans seem to be in agreement that if you go into this film with no expectations, you won't be disappointed.