10 Best Underdog Movies That You Should Watching Update 04/2024

Best Underdog Movies

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Everyone enjoys a good underdog story, from sports to historical wars. Even in the most dire of circumstances, you can feel the tense atmosphere of a full movie.

They are the modern David vs. Goliath stories that have the capacity to keep audiences on their toes and waiting to see what happens. Viewers can be either ecstatic or horrified by what they see on the big screen.

It takes a lot of talent to pull off a movie like this. Here are the best movies about underdogs, where you’ll root for heroes who put everything they’ve got into conquering seemingly insurmountable obstacles.

10. Remember The Titans

Remember The Titans

Remember The Titans appears to be a football movie about a great squad that comes together to win in the end. That is unquestionably true, as well. Remember The Titans, on the other hand, is so much more.

American football coach Herman Boone’s journey to unite his team despite local prejudice is the focus of this film..

When he led his team to a 13-0 unbeaten championship in the 1971 season, he became a national sensation because of his integrated high school team.

Reminding us all that the fight for equality is always a difficult one, but one that is always worthwhile. Both Denzel Washington as Coach Boone and Will Patton as assistant coach Bill Yoast are at their best in this film.

9. Kingpin

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If you haven’t seen Kingpin, you’re missing out. When it was published in 1996, it generated a little amount of cash and received a small amount of critical acclaim. However, the picture has since become a cult classic thanks to the passage of time.

You won’t be able to stop laughing at this tale of a one-handed bowling genius and his dim-witted Amish protege. Despite Woody Harrelson and Randy Quaid’s fine work, Bill Murray’s Ernie McCracken is the film’s most memorable character.

Despite not always taking the apparent path to its conclusion, the film leaves you satisfied as the titles start rolling. It’s a truly moving experience!

8. Cool Runnings

Cool Runnings

As a real story, Cool Runnings tells the narrative of four young Jamaican guys who dream of competing in the Olympics. In the aftermath of one of them failing to qualify for the 100-meter sprint, he sets his sights on qualifying for the Winter Olympics.

Cool Runnings is one of the best inspirational stories out there. This Jamaican bobsled team’s sheer drive to not dishonor themselves—or their country—comes across brilliantly, not because anything fantastical occurs to them.

In addition to John Candy’s final magnificent performance, the script is both amusing and heartfelt in equal measure.

7. The Karate Kid

In the wake of Rocky’s 1977 Academy Award for Best Picture win, a slew of underdog films were born. The Karate Kid is a classic example of an underdog story gone right.

The plot of Daniel-san shares many similarities with the Rocky movies, yet it also stands on its own. Johnny Lawrence, a teenage Karate champion, bullies Daniel LaRusso when he moves to a new school. Mr. Miyagi and Daniel start on a fist-pumping voyage together.

The movie was a critical and commercial triumph as well. For his portrayal as Mr. Miyagi, Pat Morita received an Oscar nomination. Cobra Kai, a 35-year-old sequel series to the original film, is currently streaming on Netflix.

6. Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story

Dodgeball A True Underdog Story

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The hilarious movie starring Ben Stiller and Vince Vaughn about a gym that will close if it doesn’t make $50,000 in one month is pure comedic gold. It doesn’t matter that the story’s twists and turns are obvious—and you know where the movie is going from the get-go—the journey itself is nonetheless breathtaking.

Vince Vaughn’s Peter LaFleur is the deadbeat hero we didn’t realize we needed, while Ben Stiller’s White Goodman is the hilarious evil. Furthermore, Rip Torn’s performance as Patches O’Houlihan steals the film.

As a whole, it could have been a complete disaster; yet in the end, it all came together beautifully.

5. Warrior

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The rise of stars like Conor McGregor and Ronda Rousey has made MMA (mixed martial arts) one of the most popular sports in the world. To capitalize on this, Hollywood launched a new type of sports film.

No matter how many clichés it contains, Warrior has all of the elements necessary to be a hit: superb direction and screenplay, as well as a cast that is nothing short of brilliant.

In Gavin O’Connor’s great drama picture about two brothers competing in an MMA tournament for the prize money, Tom Hardy and Joel Edgerton shine. Their father, played by Nick Nolte, was nominated for an Academy Award.

4. Creed

Creed

Continuing the Rocky series after Rocky Balboa just seemed redundant. In the end, Rocky Balboa did a great job of wrapping up Rocky’s saga, so there was no need for any more. It’s just that we didn’t.

Unlike Rocky, Creed isn’t a direct sequel to Rocky. While it takes place in the same universe, this story takes a new turn that seems topical and relevant. It was Rocky who helped Donnie Creed, the illegitimate son of Apollo, become a full-time boxer.

Ryan Coogler’s script and direction proven us all wrong about the film’s concept. Donnie Creed is well-played by Michael B. Jordan, and Rocky the elder, played by Sylvester Stallone, is a compelling character study.

3. Invictus

The extraordinary narrative of South Africa’s win at the 1995 Rugby World Cup is told in the film Invictus, which takes its title from a poem that Nelson Mandela cherished.

It was the country’s first major athletic event since it ended apartheid and elected Nelson Mandela as its first black president. Though they weren’t anticipated to make it very far in the tournament, the team’s victory over the All Blacks of New Zealand in the finals helped bring the country together in its post-apartheid period.

Both Matt Damon and Morgan Freeman were nominated for Academy Awards for their performances in the film. An important aspect of the film’s success is that it portrays a significant moment in South Africa’s history. Invictus was released in 2009.

2. Moneyball

Moneyball

Moneyball is as miraculous as they come when it comes to sports movies based on “actual stories.” Billy Beane was the Oakland Athletics’ General Manager in 2001. When his team’s season ended in disappointment, he began searching the league for new players to add to his roster.

An opportunity to find a young statistician who could assist him in creating a winning team presented itself instead. In the end, the two formed a team that won the longest winning streak in the history of baseball.

Aaron Sorkin and Steve Zaillian, both of whom were nominated for Academy Awards for their work on the screen adaptation of this hard subject, did an amazing job. For their roles in the film, Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill were nominated for an Oscar.

1. Rocky

As far as underdog stories go, Rocky Balboa is the undisputed champ. When an unranked and broke professional boxer gets the opportunity to face off against the Heavyweight Champion, it’s a simple yet compelling story.

Sylvester Stallone’s most famous character’s path from street bum to true competitor is shown in the film’s emotional roller coaster. Rocky’s greatest asset is his likeability as a person. He’s not a nasty person; he’s simply a victim of economic hardship.

Talia Shire, Burgess Meredith, and Burt Young were all nominated for their roles in Rocky, which was awarded Best Picture and Best Director Oscars to John G. Avildsen and the rest of the cast.