Most Underrated Steven Spielberg Films Worth Revisiting

Steven Spielberg Creations That Went Unnoticed

Steven Spielberg is a celebrated director, and fans of his work love the way he defines entire eras for audiences. His films like Jaws, E.T., Jurassic Park, and Schindler's List are now cultural phenomena. But beyond these classics, there are movies of his that were misunderstood, commercially overlooked, or simply forgotten, yet deserve to be seen as masterpieces in their own right.

5. Duel (1971)

This was Spielberg's first feature-length film (originally made for TV), and it's essentially Jaws on a highway. It is a pure, primal, 90-minute masterclass in suspense. Because it was a TV movie and lacks the "blockbuster" scale of his later work, it's often forgotten. It was a showcase of the genius that was about to hit the big screens and capture the audience with his signature style that hits all the right notes through the plot.

4. The Adventures of Tintin (2011)

Who doesn't like to watch their favorite character come to life with a passionate and faithful adaptation of the source material. This is the closest Spielberg has ever come to making another Indiana Jones movie. It’s a joyous, visually spectacular adventure with some of the most creative and fluid "camerawork" of his entire career (including a single-take chase scene that will leave you breathless). It was a hit overseas but underperformed in the U.S., and many audiences were put off by the "uncanny valley" animation,

3. Empire of the Sun (1987)

Yet another World War II story by Spielberg goes beyond the normal limits of filmmaking and plot. It’s a grand, beautiful, and harrowing film that is completely overshadowed by Schindler's List and Saving Private Ryan. It's a classic Spielberg theme—a child lost in a world of adult conflict—told with the epic scope of a David Lean film. It's a stunning, tragic, and beautiful movie that simply got lost between his '80s blockbusters and '90s prestige pictures.

2. A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001)

This was famously Stanley Kubrick's passion project, which he handed to Spielberg. Upon release, critics and audiences were divided, calling it a "misfire" that was "too dark for Spielberg, too sentimental for Kubrick." But time has been its greatest ally. A.I. is now rightfully seen as a cold, complex, and tragic masterpiece, a devastating look at loneliness and the human need for connection.

1. Munich (2005)

This is Spielberg at peak. It is everything that a blockbuster doesn't want to be. This film dares to innovate, it dares to go beyond the established tropes. It’s a film that offers no easy answers, no heroes, and no catharsis. It’s a grim, gray, and deeply unsettling look at the soul-corroding nature of revenge. It was nominated for five Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director. It is a driven masterpiece of the director.