Children develop a connection with movies way more than adults do, as films tell fantastical stories and teach them about the world in ways that parents can't. But children also aren't professional critics, and it's easy for real criticisms or problematic sequences to go completely over their heads.

Between the first-ever video game movie, a steampunk Will Smith comedy, and a Batman film that's one big toy commercial, it's obvious what age bracket these movies are aimed at. But in many instances, the Redditors still love them, whether it's for nostalgia's sake or because they think the films are genuinely misunderstood.

Super Mario Bros. (1993)

Super Mario Bros. was the first-ever Hollywood video game movie, and it, unfortunately, didn't set them on a great path and holds a 28% on Rotten Tomatoes. If any animated video game is impossible to adapt into live-action, it's Super Mario Bros, as the leader of a turtle-like race, King Koopa, is now President Koopa played by Dennis Hopper, and Toad is now a human rockstar.

It's a strange movie, to say the least, but Muffin-time thinks, "if you remove the Mario IP and leave it as a standalone cyberpunk dinosaur adventure, it would be a legit cult classic. It's so goddamn weird that I can't help but love it." There is a lot of production value in the movie, and a lot of the sequences are oddly fascinating, which is why some think Super Mario Bros. is underrated.

Hook (1991)

As Hook was directed by Steven Spielberg, the movie is epic in every sense of the world. Whether it's the costume and set design or the action sequences, the film fully immerses audiences in Neverland. But despite its large scope, it was criticized for not attempting to do anything new with the character. And that classic schmaltzy Spielberg sentimentality was too much this time around.

Mr._pb_hole was shocked when they looked up the critical consensus for the Peter Pan movie. The Redditor "couldn't believe it's a 29 percent on rotten tomatoes. Rufio!" In fairness, the movie might not do anything new with the characters, but it does have a fresh take on the source material, as it sees Peter traveling back to Neverland as an adult.

Wild Wild West (1999)

Wild Wild West is one of the most bewildering high concept movies ever released. The film is a western sci-fi where the final act sees a giant mechanical spider breathing fire. Needless to say, the 1999 release has a miserable rotten tomatoes score with a "rotten" rating of 16%.

But Batmanh20 sheepishly answers, "going to get a ton of flack but... Wild Wild West." Despite its muddy plot and plodding pacing, the film does have a unique quality and aesthetic that any child would find alluring. The steampunk vibe of Wild Wild West alone is almost enough to be entertained for the full 106 minutes.

Godzilla (1998)

Though Godzilla had been popular and well known in English-speaking countries for decades, in 1998's Godzilla was the very first major Hollywood movie about the kaiju. The film was critically scathed for its poor CGI and simply being another by-the-numbers Roland Emmerich-directed disaster movie, which led to a Rotten Tomatoes rating of 15%.

However, Digitalhelix84 recalls when they first went to see the movie, claiming that "no two seats together. It wasn't even opening day or anything. It was the first and last time that ever happened to me." That doesn't exactly speak to the quality of the film, just that there were a lot of disappointed viewers walking out of that theatre. But between the practical effects and the hilarious character actors, the 1998 Godzilla is better than the 2014 version.

Constantine (2005)

It's hard to call Constantine a "childhood" movie, as it follows a suicide survivor and demon hunter who is trying to avoid hell at all costs by working for the devil and sending back demons, not to mention that it's R-rated. However, GeoKureli claims it's one of the best movies from their childhood, arguing that "Constantine is highly underrated and one of Reeves' most unique performances."

The Redditor is not wrong, as though it was criticized upon release and has a 46% on Rotten Tomatoes, more people are discovering it, has become a cult hit, and is a great guilty pleasure. Fans are dying for Constantine 2, and even Reeves tried and failed to get it off the ground himself.

Spider-Man 3 (2007)

Sam Raimi's first movie in his Spider-Man trilogy is considered a classic, and Spider-Man 2 is the definitive Spidey movie. But because of how beloved those films are, it made the failure of Spider-Man 3 that much more of a crushing disappointment for fans.

But West-Cardiologist180 notes that they even watched it recently and they still "really don't understand why people hate it." The movie is mostly remembered for how Peter Parker became emo, the way he dance-walked down the street, and the unfaithful depiction of Venom. But interestingly, even despite the reputationSpider-Man 3 holds for tarnishing the series' legacy, it's still rated "fresh" on Rotten Tomatoes.

The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2003)

Fans generally say that Alan Moore's graphic novels are impossible to adapt into movies. And while that's been disproven with hits like V For Vendetta and Watchmen, it very much seemed the case when The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen was released in 2003. But Friend-Beast loved the movie growing up and they aren't afraid to admit that they "still love it."

It's hard to defend the movie, which has a Rotten Tomatoes score of 17%, especially after it drove Sean Connery into retirement. But given that it's one of the most engaging superheroes team-up comic books, it could make for a great reboot with today's digital effects and technology.

The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997)

Jurassic Park was an innovative movie for both practical and digital effects, and it became a classic thanks to its memorable characters and iconic John Williams score. But its sequel couldn't be more opposite. The Lost World saw only one character return from the original, and while the visuals were fine, they were no better than its predecessor from five years earlier.

Lex disagrees, preferring the more horror aspects of the sequel. The Redditor argues, "the opening scene where the little girl is eaten was terrifying at that age... and the Jeep chase/hunt scene was so thrilling as a kid." The Lost World has a Rotten Tomatoes score of 53%, but it still features strokes of Spielberg's genius.

Terminator 3: Rise Of The Machines (2003)

It's ironic that Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines is Earcher2020's favorite childhood movie, as the threequel is the first film in the series that's rated PG-13. The lower MPAA rating of the movie is one of an ocean of criticisms about the film, as it dropped the graphic edge of the first two horror sci-fi movies in favor of appealing to a broader audience.

The Redditor posits that it wasn't until recently that they "realized most people hate T3, but I still really like it." Again, like Spider-Man 3, despite its reputation, Rise of the Machines is rated "fresh" on Rotten Tomatoes, but barely, with a score of 63%

Batman & Robin (1997)

A deleted user unashamedly loves Batman & Robin, a movie that was universally hated and ended the Batman movie franchise for eight years until it was finally rebooted with Batman Begins. The Redditor mentions that they saw the 12% Rotten Tomatoes-rated film in movie theatres several times, and that "it wasn't until I was a little older that I realize it was considered one of the worst movies ever made."

In fairness, the film might not make much sense, but it's campy fun, Uma Thurman's Poison Ivy is iconic, and it's full of cool puns. On top of that, the 1997 movie is to thank for the existence of the darker, grittier, and universally praised Dark Knight trilogy, as the darker approach was a clear reaction to the reception of the cartoonish film.

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About The Author

Stephen Barker (1318 Articles Published)

Currently residing in Madrid, Stephen Barker has been a staff writer at Screen Rant since 2020. Since graduating from Manchester Metropolitan University with a bachelor's degree in Film, Television, and Cultural Studies in 2014, he has written for numerous movie and music websites. Stephen has been obsessed with movies since he first watched Jurassic Park on VHS, and with a deep interest in screenwriting, he loves 70s character-driven movies. But he's just as much of a defender of Batman & Robin, The Fast and the Furious, and Small Soldiers. Visit Stephen's personal blog, Quaranste, where he writes about guilty pleasure movies, his latest musical discoveries, and how he stays creative during global pandemics, or contact him directly: Quaranstine@gmail.com.

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