7 Underrated Movies on Prime Video That You Didn’t Know Were Streaming

Prime Video‘s extensive catalog of movies features an impressive number of underrated titles that most subscribers don’t know about. The streaming service is home to popular classics like Titanic and Spotlight, as well as more recent standouts such as Challengers, Conclave, and Gladiator II. Even so, movie lovers who have already watched cinema’s best-known titles are sometimes on the hunt for a hidden gem or underrated film that they haven’t seen or heard of before. As it turns out, Prime Video is the perfect platform to find a lesser-appreciated, yet worthwhile, film. From horror movies, to Westerns, to war films, the list of underrated motion pictures goes on and on. Still, there exist several titles that rank among Prime Video’s best underrated movies.

The following seven films are the best hidden gems on Prime Video. Subscribers should add them to their watchlist now before they leave the platform.

1) Women Talking

Director Sarah Polley’s Women Talking was vastly under-appreciated when it released in 2022 and remains an underrated movie. On a surface level, Women Talking seems like a period piece, but its story actually takes place in the present day, centering on the women of an American Mennonite colony who arrive at a life-changing conclusion about themselves and their future as they reflect on the rape of women by the men in their community. Dialogue-heavy (hence the film’s title) and deeply introspective, Women Talking details a powerful tale of self-determination stemming from its main characters’ experiences of oppression and sexual violence in their religious community. Women Talking also boasts an all-star cast and compelling screenplay. This film is far more important than its notoriety suggests, and it’s guaranteed to make audiences think.

2) Oculus

Mike Flanagan may be best known for his excellent Netflix shows, but the writer-director released a great horror movie in 2013, which is still underrated. Oculus chronicles the past and present lives of a teenage brother and sister as an old mirror lies at the center of their family’s tragic history. Flashbacks are a staple of Flanagan’s work, and Oculus‘ decades-spanning story makes for impressive character development. Oculus isn’t overly scary, but its jump scares, ominous atmosphere, and astonishing conclusion separate it from the average horror film. At an early point in their careers, Karen Gillan and Brenton Thwaites deliver exceptional performances that helped pave the way for their success in other projects. Horror fans with a Prime Video subscription need to add Oculus to their watchlist.

3) Short Term 12

Prior to their respective work in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, director Destin Daniel Cretton and Brie Larson collaborated on 2013’s Short Term 12. The film revolves around Larson’s character, the supervisor of a group home for disadvantaged teens. Personal and professional challenges lie at the heart of Short Term 12‘s story, which touches on relevant topics such as child abuse and self harm. The movie also feature’s Larson‘s best acting performance outside of her Oscar-winning role in 2015’s Room. Short Term 12 hasn’t received nearly enough praise, and it’s a film audiences won’t soon forget thanks to its layered character portrayals, lovable personalities, and emotionally resonant narrative.

[RELATED: 10 Best Horror Movies on Prime Video You Didn’t Know Were Streaming]

4) The Promise

2016’s The Promise tells a captivating romance story set during the Armenian Genocide in World War I. Directed by Terry George, The Promise chronicles the love triangle between Armenian apothecary Mikael Boghosian (Oscar Issaac), Armenian-born Parisian artist Ana Khesarian (Charlotte Le Bon), and American journalist Christopher Myers (Christian Bale) amid the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. Although The Promise wasn’t universally acclaimed upon its release, the film still offers a satisfying amount of compelling drama, romance, and history. Isaac, Le Bon, and Bale’s performances also stand out. The Promise shines a light on one of the most overlooked wartime atrocities in history, and in doing so, creates a worthwhile piece of storytelling.

5) Encounter

Although distributed by Amazon Studios in 2021, director Michael Pearce’s Encounter largely flew under the radar on Prime Video. The sci-fi thriller stars Riz Ahmed as Malik Khan, a U.S. Marine who finds himself at the center of an alien invasion of Earth as he tries to protect his two young sons. Encounter is never what it seems, and viewers will be surprised at where the film’s genre-bending narrative goes. As he often does, Ahmed delivers a fantastic lead performance, which greatly serves Encounter‘s strong personal themes relating to trauma and familial bonds. Those who enjoy a sci-fi movie with plenty of substance beneath the thrills should immediately watch Encounter.

6) The Railway Man

2013’s The Railway Man focuses on Eric Lomax (Colin Firth), a British Army officer who was captured as a Prisoner of War by Japanese forces during World War II and decades later, has a chance to confront the man responsible for his torture. Jonathan Teplitzky’s movie is based on Lomax’s 1995 autobiography and adapts true events with excellent attention to detail. Heightened by Firth’s layered portrayal of Lomax, The Railway Man paints an intricate portrait of the horrors and lingering effects of war. A thorough examination of revenge and forgiveness, the film compels audiences to reflect on a challenging subject. Prime Video subscribers shouldn’t let The Railway Man‘s mediocre critical reception stop them from giving the movie a chance.

7) Jarhead

Sam Mendes’ 2005 Iraq War film Jarhead takes a slightly different approach to a military story. Based on true events detailed in Anthony Swofford’s 2003 memoir, Jarhead stars Jake Gyllenhaal as the aforementioned U.S. Marine. After extensive training, Swofford and his fellow Marines arrive in Iraq with the anticipation of heavy combat, but soon discover that their job predominantly involves standing around and waiting for something to happen. Gyllenhaal is magnetic in Jarhead as he interprets Swofford’s increasingly maddened state. The movie received mixed reviews from critics, but Jarhead still distinguishes itself in the war genre by emphasizing the utter boredom and pointlessness of America’s involvement in Iraq.

All of these movies are available to stream on Prime Video.