Top 10 Most Underrated Disney Movies

The Top Ten

The Great Mouse Detective

There are definitely Disney movies that I like more than this one, such as Hunchback and Emperor's New Groove, but this movie holds a special place in my heart. While Hunchback and Emperor's New Groove are not talked about as much as other Disney films, I believe that, as the years have gone on, both of these films have formed a fanbase. They have been recognized as classics by many people, but I don't see the same thing happening with this film. It seems like people either didn't give it a try or judged it based on the time of its release.
It almost seems like this film has been buried in the rest of the Disney canon, which is a real shame. This movie is great, exceptional even! It shouldn't be as good as it is. It has great characters, great pacing, great lyrics, a great soundtrack, a highly amusing villain, delightful animation, and a great story - all baked together to form one delicious pie!
This movie deserves just as much hype as all of the films that came out in the '90s, and dare I say, it's even better than some of them. This movie not only succeeded in the overall movie department but also helped Disney get back on its feet after a rather dark time in their history. This movie inspired animators and producers at Disney to keep pushing new films out, and as a result, movies like The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast were released.
So in a way, this movie basically saved Disney and helped pave the way for many classics to follow after it. And yet, despite its major impact on Disney, it has been forgotten. It's just lost among the shuffle of Disney films, where many people have a hard time even finding out that it exists. I didn't even know that this movie existed until a few years ago when I watched it, and I've loved it ever since my very first viewing. I play (and still play) the soundtrack nonstop, instrumental songs and all.... read more
Oliver & Company

One of my favorite Disney films as an 11-year-old. This film deserves more love than it gets.
10/10 animation, 10/10 storyline, 10/10 characters, 10/10 soundtrack.

It's actually really good. It's my second favorite Disney movie, and you should check it out!
Why Should You Worry?

So underrated. It is a lot better than the overrated High School Musical.
Brother Bear

My favorite Disney movie of all time. I love the beautiful animation, the really likable characters, and most importantly, the messages of brotherhood and perspective.
Plus, the setting rolls it all into a five-star package. It's the only Disney movie that takes place in Canada (a lot of people say it takes place in Alaska, but I say it's Canada because the moose have Canadian accents and the transformation song is in the Inuit language). As someone of Canadian descent, that speaks to me.
Such a fantastic movie. People who refuse to watch this because of critics have no idea what they're missing out on!

Why is Brother Bear this low? I love this movie! My brothers and I used to watch this movie all the time when we couldn't agree on what else to watch. This movie makes me laugh and cry. It is definitely in my top five Disney movies of all time.
I am an Alaskan and love how accurate the portrayal of the natives and the scenery is. What I like most of all is the relationship between the three brothers - the love and annoyance, the fighting, and the protection. Having brothers myself, this accurately describes how I interact with them.
This movie should be number one on the list.
The Hunchback of Notre Dame

This film has a really good villain, a very strong plot, and epic music such as choirs.
Whether it was fiction or not, this film was by far one of the best Disney movies of all time.

This movie has the best music, best villain, best villain song, best "I Want" song, and the most powerful themes of the entire Disney animated canon. Dark and complex, but hilarious, entertaining, and touching at the same time.

I love this movie! Why do people say it's overrated? I don't remember seeing billions of toys and products for this movie. I mean, sure, there were some items made for this movie, but it was nothing compared to the Frozen hype.
The Emperor's New Groove

This is one of Disney's funniest films of all time. Every time I watch it, I can't stop laughing. All the characters are enjoyable, the villains are entertaining, and the jokes really knock it out of the park.
This movie deserves more love and attention for just how ridiculously funny it is.

This animation is the most perfect comedy that Disney has done. Even Aladdin, which is extremely fun, can't make us laugh as much as The Emperor's New Groove does.
Why is this animation so seldom remembered?

The comedy in this movie is gold-plated genius! The acting is terrific, especially Patrick Warburton as Kronk, and the villain, Yzma (voiced by the late, great Eartha Kitt), is fantastically devious and cunning.
This film deserves more appreciation than it currently receives.
Treasure Planet

This movie captures the struggle of not knowing where and what you want to be in life, a dilemma we all face at some point. When I watched it as a child, I thought, Eh, it was an okay movie, but as I grew older and rewatched the film a few times, I grasped its real meaning.
I am still uncertain about my future, but Jim and Silver have both taught me that it's okay not to have all the answers. You just have to follow what you love. Take life by the horns and pursue what you want, not what anyone else says you should do.
So yes, to me, this film is the most underrated movie of all time, and it might even be the best Disney movie ever made.
Robin Hood

Actually really nice. The only downside was that there were full scenes where all they were doing was singing. Other than that, it was WONDERFUL!

Okay, this movie is the very definition of underrated. Critics hate it because it recycled scenes from other Disney movies and had the lowest ever budget for any Disney movie - 1.5 million. But guess what, critics? No one cares!
Robin Hood was hated by critics, but audiences love it. The characters are some of the best of Disney and are very likable. (And did I mention that Rob's kind of hot?)
In short, Robin Hood is definitely the most underrated Disney movie.
The Fox and the Hound

Simply a near masterpiece that is overlooked in Disney's movie legacy. A heartwarming film about friendship and accepting change, it has beautiful animation, wonderful characters, and powerful emotion put into the more sentimental moments.

Simple storyline with brilliant characters and emotion. I know many people don't notice this Disney film, but it's one of my personal favorites, and I really connect to it on an emotional level.
The Rescuers Down Under

Way better than the first one, which was more overrated than a Taylor Swift album (at least by critics on Rotten Tomatoes).

It may not be as good as the original 1977 film, but it's the best underrated movie.

I felt that it was better than The Little Mermaid or The Lion King.
The Sword in the Stone

I hope they do a live action remake. This way, this movie can get more attention. It's a wonderful movie and it cracks me up every time. This is a movie that deserves to be watched every single day.

Ooo, I had completely forgotten about this one. It should be in the top 5. Merlin is an awesome character, and the imagination put into this film is superb.

I love this movie. Well, I would say this movie deserves more attention. If you go to a Disney store, you'll see nothing related to this film.

The Newcomers

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Zootopia
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Raya and the Last Dragon

The Contenders

Meet the Robinsons

This is a very good movie in my opinion. It's got a good message and heartwarming moments.

I was 3 years old when this movie came out. Since then, I've loved this movie more and more. It's definitely underrated, and it's sad that it is.
The Rescuers

It's most well-known for a paused scene, which is kind of stupid to be well-known for.

Far and away better than the sequel.
Atlantis: The Lost Empire

This movie had one of the best visual art styles I've ever seen in any 2D animated film. Not to mention that it is very similar to "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea," but with Atlantis as a twist. Pretty amazing!
Nobody can forget the beautiful "Princess Kida" or "Kidagakash." This film is very similar to some other anime films, which is awesome. Atlantis also had lots of epic action scenes. The people who made this also created a whole civilization, with its own language, culture, history, and architecture. Very few movies have achieved this, like Lord of the Rings did.
Atlantis: The Lost Empire is also the first science-fiction and fantasy Disney film and one of the few animated Disney films to be rated PG.
A Bug's Life
The Aristocats

My favorite movie of all time! People don't take into consideration the fact that this was the first Disney movie produced without Walt Disney. The songs are great, the characters are great, the voice actors are great, and most of all, the plot is great!
I still hum "Everybody Wants to Be a Cat."

Gosh, this was my favorite movie as a kid, hands down! I loved the music, the plot, and the lovable characters. I don't know why it's so underrated!

One of Disney's most adorable movies. As a cat person, this movie warmed my heart because of how precious it was.
A Goofy Movie

With awesome songs, some genuinely touching scenes, and funny parts that I don't find cheesy, this is way too underrated. Now, if only Disney would release a high-definition widescreen DVD/Blu-ray of this movie in Region 1, then my life would be complete!

I actually grew up with this movie along with the Disney classics. It's cornier than anything, but that's part of its charm.

Not only is this the most underrated movie, but the soundtrack was awesome too. What kid who grew up in the '90s didn't want to go to a PowerLine concert?
Wreck-It Ralph

This movie should get more attention. It has a phenomenal plot, three-dimensional characters, and a surprising villain. Think about it: they didn't make King Candy a good guy and then suddenly reveal he's a villain. No, they gave subtle hints that he wasn't who he seemed. I really admire that.
I hate when people complain that there weren't enough video game references. I don't think that was the point of the movie. People thought this movie was just a cute kids' movie with video game references, but we got much more than we expected.
I think there should be more Wreck-It Ralph merchandise and more Wreck-It Ralph representation at Disney World instead of all this Frozen merchandise. Definitely a very underrated movie that deserves much more love than it gets.
The Princess and the Frog

I love this film a lot. It shares a valuable lesson, includes phenomenal songs, and stars amazing characters. That's everything you need in a perfect Disney film, and this movie has it all.
I feel it deserves a lot more credit because the main character, Tiana, is a good role model for young girls. She shows people you need to work hard for what you want instead of waiting for a prince to save you. It also features the first African American princess, which makes the movie even more amazing.
This is truly one of my favorite films, and it deserves so much more.

Tiana has the best singing voice, more soul than any other princess, and hits the high and low notes like a goddess. The story of the film from beginning to end is perfect. This is the first-ever Black Disney princess. Everything about this film is amazing, especially the songs like Almost There and Down in New Orleans.
Yet somehow it is the most underrated. I mean, seriously? Mulan is also underrated, but I feel The Princess and the Frog is equally underrated. It's one of the most perfect Disney movies ever.
Fun and Fancy Free

Far from the best Disney has had to offer, but on its own, each segment is quite solid, particularly Mickey and the Beanstalk. I wasn't too bothered by the Edgar Bergen scenes, as he was a popular comedian and ventriloquist at the time. Celebrity cameos are nothing new, even to this day.
I loved it as a kid, but now as a young adult, I would give it a passable-ish 6/10.

Critics think it's mediocre, but I actually really enjoy this film! Bongo is cute, and Mickey and the Beanstalk is fun to watch. However, the puppet scene is kind of weird.
The Black Cauldron

It is a shame that this movie failed at the box office and came close to killing Disney. In many ways, The Black Cauldron was ahead of its time, but perhaps too far ahead.
If the movie had been released two or three decades later, it could have become the Disney version of The Lord of the Rings or The Legend of Zelda.
It's unfortunate that animation in the 1970s and '80s was so tame, avoiding conflict or any content deemed "inappropriate" for children. It was only after the successes of DuckTales, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and The Little Mermaid that animation started taking risks again.

This movie has a very unique and surprisingly dark style compared to pretty much any other Disney movie. It's a great film, and I bet a lot of people have no clue what you're talking about when you mention it, since they've probably never even heard of it.
Hercules

In Hercules, the movie boasts some of the greatest features.
1. The Muses: Who would have known that including gospel singing to narrate the life of Hercules could make the movie much better?
2. Meg: A character who deserves recognition and should be in the Disney Princess lineup. Despite metaphorically stabbing Hercules in the back, she becomes a true hero herself, especially when she falls in love.
3. Hades: This Disney villain has tried to kill his brother and nephew, but all is forgiven because the audience loves this villain for his incredible humor, particularly when he's trying to kill Hercules.
4. The Plot: The whole plot of the movie is perfect.
5. Songs: The Gospel Truth, Zero to Hero, Go the Distance, and I Won't Say I'm in Love are just a few of the Disney songs in this movie. They are not only underrated but are songs you would either want to sing along to or mouth the words to.
6. Hercules: Hercules has some of the greatest moments in this movie, especially when he is trying to either woo Meg or fight monsters. After Meg saves Hercules, he returns the favor, which is another aspect we love about this movie.
7. Hercules + Meg: This love couple is just perfect. Things might start off awkwardly as Hercules shows his love for Meg while she tries to hide hers. But Meg finally opens up to him when she sings I Won't Say I'm in Love, making them a couple we not only root for but also aspire to emulate.
8. Meg's Backstory: Meg sold her soul to Hades to save her boyfriend, who later ran off with another woman. This makes us feel sorry for Meg and not resent her, even though she betrayed Hercules. Despite being betrayed by her boyfriend, she remains the hip-swinging, sassy, spunky firecracker we love today and deserves immense recognition. Did I mention that Megara is both fearless and brave? She performed one of the most courageous acts in Disney history when she saved Hercules!
The Lion King 1 1/2

This movie is the best. It completely connects The Lion King with this movie.
It's so sad that barely anyone knows about it. Almost everyone I know never even knew this was a thing. Watch it!

This movie may look like a dumb Lion King sequel about Timon and Pumbaa, but it is actually really amazing for a straight-to-DVD Disney sequel.
Bolt

I watched this movie for the first time in my life and I loved it. It has a great story and amazing songs. I love the song Barking at the Moon and the song I Thought I Lost You, which were in the movie.
It's a shame Disney swept this movie under the rug and chose to forget about it. Bolt deserves more love, people.

This should be in the top 3. Bolt was the start of Disney's Renaissance of the 2010s (I know it came out in 2008), paving the way for new, fresh, gigantic hits like Tangled, Wreck-It Ralph, and Zootopia.
It's a shame this movie got thrown under the bus.
Enchanted

It's a shame that barely anyone even knows that this movie exists. This movie is really underappreciated and underrated.

I feel like I'm the only one who remembers this movie. If you like princess movies, this is Disney's best princess movie (along with Mulan, of course).
Cars

People hated the series after Cars 2, but this series is my childhood, and I love it.

This should be much higher! At least in the top 20.

Such a great classic. Cars 3 should be as well.