Sports movies don’t always make the headlines unless they’re too captivating to ignore, which is what sets apart classics such as Remember the Titans and Coach Carter.
It also helps when the lead characters are household names, with Denzel Washington and Samuel L Jackson delivering performances for the ages in the aforementioned classics.
However, for every critically acclaimed sports movie that raked in viewers and an obscene number of award nominations, there are plenty of underrated gems that didn’t get to bask in the spotlight.
Those movies also tell compelling stories that leave viewers glued to their screens, yet they often fly under the radar. Read on as we explore four of the best-ever underrated sports movies of all time.
Phar Lap
The 1983 Australian movie Phar Lap was based on real-life events, telling the story of one of the greatest-ever racehorses and his meteoric rise to fame during the Great Depression.
Phar Lap was directed by Emmy-winning director Simon Wincer. The movie tells the story of the bond between the horse and his loyal strapper, Tommy Woodcock, as they navigate the highs and lows of racing glory.
The pair were a symbol of hope for millions of Aussie horse racing fans during tough economic times, particularly within the betting community.
Their exploits sparked a wagering boom in Australia, which ultimately laid the foundations for Aussie betting sites to flourish when the internet was launched later in the 20th century.
The movie beautifully showcases how Phar Lap’s success brought joy and unity to a struggling nation, and cost the bookmakers plenty of meaty payouts.
Whether you are a follower of horse racing or just a general sports fans, Phar Lap is an underrated film that is definitely worth checking out.
Slap Shot
Slap Shot stars Paul Newman as Reggie Dunlop – the coach of a struggling minor-league ice hockey team – the Charleston Chiefs.
The 1977 movie perfectly depicts the cut-throat world of minor-league ice hockey and the lengths Dunlop’s team were willing to go to survive.
The Chiefs were going through an awful season, forcing Dunlop to make desperate moves. He unleashed a trio of new recruits called the Hanson brothers to play a wildly violent brand of hockey.
The Hanson brothers played their role to perfection, and their constant brawls roused the fans while Dunlop fabricated rumours of the team’s sale to Florida, hoping to rally his players with dreams of a brighter future.
Slap Shot is a raw, unapologetic depiction of life on the fringes of fame and fortune and does not sugarcoat how far people are willing to go for the promise of a better life.
While the movie wasn’t a hit when it was first released, it is another massively underrated must-watch for hockey lovers and sports fans.
Hoosiers
Hoosiers was released in 1986 and directed by two-time Emmy-winning director David Anspaugh.
The movie is based on the true story of the 1954 Milan High School basketball team, which defied all the odds to win the Indiana State championship.
Gene Hackman starred as Norman Dale, a disgraced coach looking for redemption. He was hired by his friend to lead a small-town high school basketball team.
The coach had to deal with a town and a group of players who were still reeling from the loss of their former head coach which led to star player, Jimmy Chitwood, quitting the team.
Dale struggled to gain the trust of the players and the sceptical townsfolk. However, his unconventional methods paid off when Chitwood returned to help them to win the state championship.
Hoosiers is an inspirational tale of courage, determination and redemption – a theme that applies to several of the characters in the film. It is undoubtedly one of the best sports movies of all time.
Murderball
If you are looking for a movie that gives you a powerful look at the world of adaptive sports, Murderball is an absolute must-watch.
The captivating documentary was released in 2005 and directed by Henry Alex Rubin and Dana Adam Shapiro. It follows the United States wheelchair rugby team as they prepare for the 2004 Paralympic Games.
The movie perfectly captures the intense physicality and raw emotion of the sport. It also shatters stereotypes about athletes with disabilities.
Murderball delivers an honest, unfiltered look at the lives of special players, exploring their struggles, triumphs and competitive spirit.
Far from being defined by their disabilities, these athletes are fierce competitors who leave everything on the court, making the movie as gripping as any fictional sports film.
Murderball was shot on a low budget but has garnered near-unanimous positive reviews.
It has an approval rating of 98% based on reviews from 141 critics and an average rating of 8.37/10 on Rotten Tomatoes. That tells you all you need to know about the massively underrated movie.
