The 11 Most Overrated Movies of the '90s

The 13 Most Overrated Movies of the '90s

'Robin Hood: Men in Tights' (1993)

You'll never have a bad time watching a Mel Brooks comedy. That's not to say this Robin Hood spoof measures up to Brooks' best, though. At times it even seems to forget it's a spoof and settles for just being an actual Robin Hood adaptation.

'Forrest Gump' (1994)

This historical comedy/drama was always going to make a shrimp boat-load of money. It basically distills every piece of Baby Boomer nostalgia into one concentrated dose. It's still a good film, but maybe not one that deserves quite as much blind adoration as it tends to receive. And no way did it deserve to win Best Picture over 'Pulp Fiction' at the Oscars in 1995.

"The English Patient" (1996)

"The English Patient" is one of the reasons we have the term "Oscar bait." Sure, this film offers a lavish, sweeping tale of romance bolstered by great performances. But is it really such a masterpiece of cinema that it deserved to win nine Oscars?

'Independence Day' (1996)

"Independence Day" is a true crowd-pleaser, and one that delivers a nonstop barrage of exciting special effects and set pieces. That said, it's still a pretty mindless blockbuster. It also seems as though fans tend to romanticize the original because of how much worse its 2016 sequel turned out.

'Chasing Amy' (1997)

Whereas "Clerks" holds up after nearly 25 years, "Chasing Amy" is one Kevin Smith film that hasn't aged particularly well. The film's dated take on gender dynamics and sexuality feels trite, and the characters are less nuanced and compelling than they are just plain irrational.

'Titanic' (1997)

Clearly, "Titanic" struck a chord when it hit theaters in late 1997. It's a well-crafted film that really tugs at the ehartstrings. But like with another certain James Cameron blockbuster, we cant help but look back and wonder what all the fuss was about. Did this movie really deserve to become one of the biggest money-makers in history?

'American History X' (1998)

"American History X" was lauded for its sobering view on race relations in a post-Rodney King U.S. The performances in the film are great, and it's no surprise it helped make Edward Norton a star and earned him another Oscar nom. At the same time, the film's hackneyed script would have you believe that violent racism is something that can be cured practically overnight.

'Shakespeare in Love' (1998)

We suspect many Academy voters wish they could be given a mulligan on the 1998 Best Picture awards. Here's another example of a perfectly fine historical romance that got way more credit than it really deserved come awards season.

'American Beauty' (1999)

This film went far on the strength of its amazing ensemble cast and strong visual style. But over time, critics have started to realize that its themes are more pretentious than profound. Even director Sam Mendes has admitted that "American Beauty" might have received a bit more praise early on than it truly deserved.

'The Boondock Saints' (1999)

Even at the time, critics weren't too fond of this violent action movie, but that didn't stop it from developing a strong cult following among teenagers who hadn't yet discovered the works of John Woo and Quentin Tarantino. Eventually, even the most hardcore devotees realize that there are much better action movies to latch onto. Apart from Willem Dafoe's manic performance, there's not much about this one that holds up.

'Fight Club' (1999)

"Fight Club" is a stylish movie with great leads and some terrific plot twists. The problem comes when fans try to make more of it than that. The world doesn't need more armchair philosophers spouting Tyler Durden quotes as their gospel.