Recently, Reddit user bigbankmanman asked the question, “What’s a movie you thought would be terrible but you ended up liking?” And the folks over at r/movies swiftly responded with some pretty surprising (or maybe not?!) answers. Check it out:
1.The Lego Movie (2014) — “Expected a cheap movie tie in. Got a brilliant meta-movie about playing with Legos.”
Lego Batman humorously questions a spaceship’s sudden appearance. Spaceship shown in next frame, highlighting the comedic timing
“The Lego Batman Movie is also my favorite Batman movie.”
2.Prey (2022) — “My hopes for the Predator franchise were on the floor, but god damn, I loved Prey.”
Scene from a film: A bear leaps over cliffs above a forest. Below, a frightened person emerges from water near logs, looking up
3.Paddington (2014) — “I remember seeing the trailer and thinking it was just a cash grab kids movie. Fast forward to 2025, and that bear has made me reevaluate my life and the first two are two of my favorite films ever made. The second one is a fucking masterpiece, and I’ll fight anyone who defies me. Everybody gangster ’til Aunt Lucy shows up at the end of Paddington 2.”
Three people and a bear in a red hat; one asks what the bear will do, and the bear jokingly responds about sleeping in a bin
4.Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (2023) — “That movie is amazing. Watched it the first time thinking it would be stupid but fun, but it ended up being awesome in every way and I’ve since watched it about eight times.”
Three movie scenes showing a dramatic reunion, character addressing “Jarnathan” with relief and joy
“Chris Pine is having SO much fun in that movie. It’s a delight.”
5.Alien: Romulus (2024) — “When I first heard ANOTHER Alien movie was getting made, I assumed it would be a stinker. It’s probably my favorite movie from last year.”
A person stands in a futuristic spaceship, another looks at a screen, and a third is seated with text narrating about a lone survivor aboard the Nostromo
6.The Cabin in the Woods (2011) — “It didn’t get spoiled for me at all, and I watched it with my then girlfriend thinking it was some type of generic slasher flick. What a fun concept and great movie.””
a man sees a woman through a one-way mirror and he says “no way”
“I saw this in the theatre and had such low expectations. The film’s opening scene and first five minutes genuinely had me thinking maybe we had accidentally walked into the wrong movie.”
“My girlfriend made me watch it, and I really didn’t want to because I was absolutely sick of ‘teens dying in the woods’ movies. Thankfully, she held firm.”
7.Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl (2003) — “At the time, it seemed absurd that they would adapt a theme park ride into a movie and it just seemed pointless. My high school girlfriend and I were bored one day and decided to check it out. It was an absolute blast and was way better than it had any right to be.”
Three movie scenes: A pirate says to a woman, “You best start believing in ghost stories, Miss Turner…” followed by his face turning into a ghastly form
I remember seeing the poster for Pirates and thinking, Boy, they’ve really run out of ideas for movies if they gotta make one based on a ride. Then I went to see it with some people, and it was fun as hell, and Jack Sparrow is so instantly iconic I thought he might have been a preexisting character from something I’d read before.”
8.Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017) — “I boycotted this thing thinking it was a stupid money-grab remake of the Robin Williams one. I kept hearing it was good and finally watched it months later. I loved it… Now, I usually can’t take much of Jack Black, but I still think he should have been nominated for his performance as a teen girl in a 50-year-old’s body.”
A character in adventure attire humorously declares “Cake” and “Strength” as his weaknesses to another person in a lush outdoor setting
9.Edge of Tomorrow (2014) — “I watched Edge of Tomorrow on a flight. I was expecting a generic sci-fi action movie, and what I got instead was a cool film that makes very good use of its concept. Got me hooked the whole flight. “
Three film stills showing tense dialogue between two characters discussing time and consequences. One warns the other about starting an engine
10.Game Night (2018) — “‘How can that be profitable for Frito-Lay?’ Jesse Plemmons kills me in that scene 🤣”
Two people stand by a car with grocery bags. A police officer with a dog questions, “Three for one? How can that be profitable for Frito-Lay?”
11.Galaxy Quest (1999) — “I couldn’t believe they’d done such a great job.”
Three images from a sci-fi scene: a close-up of a hand with a futuristic device, a man piloting the ship, and a uniformed officer saying you gotta move to the right
12.Stardust (2007) — “I’ve argued with people about this movie because I think it was one of De Niro’s best roles he has ever done. He isn’t some version of the same character he has played in almost every movie he has been in. He IS Captain Shakespeare.”
Person energetically dances in a room filled with costumes, wearing a feather boa and using fans as props
13.Lars and the Real Girl (2007) — “The description sounds so weird that I had to check it out. The description wasn’t inaccurate, but it was so different from what I expected. It blew me away, and I’ve watched it several more times since.”
Three-panel scene: A man in a sweater tells two people he met a visitor online. They all sit, revealing a life-size doll as the visitor
“Yeah, I thought it would be a cringe-fest, but it’s actually a movie about tolerance and growth. Loved the scene where the preacher stands up for him to the congregation.”
14.Arrival (2016)— “I thought it was gonna be some corny sci-fi flick, and it blew me away.”
Scene from a sci-fi film showing humans facing large, mysterious creatures in mist; one person wears a headset, looking concerned
“Same. I was expecting some Independence Day-type movie and was waiting for shit to go sideways the entire movie. I was blown away by what actually happened.”
“PHENOMENAL FILM.”
15.Hot Tub Time Machine (2010) — “This is my standard answer to this questino. That movie has NO business being as good as it is. It’s Crispin Glover’s finest cinematic performance, and I will die on this hill.”
Man asks a woman, “What color is Michael Jackson?” She responds, “Uh… Black?” in a busy winter apparel store setting
“Definitely one of those that knows what it is and doesn’t try and shy away from it.”
16.Tucker & Dale vs. Evil (2010) — “I remember thinking to myself, this movie sounds fucking stupid. But my friends insisted. It is now my favorite horror movie and my favorite comedy movie, LOL.”
Three-image comic sequence: A woman expresses concern about pancakes. A man in a “Giver” cap responds humorously and reassures her
17.We’re the Millers (2013) — “Looked stupid but it was very funny and the acting is just wonderful.”
A man and woman appear alarmed, while two others look surprised. Subtitles: “Have some respect…that’s your mother.”
“Yep, no ragrets.“
18.My Old Ass (2024) — “It looked interesting from the get-go, but in an ‘interesting concept but no way they do it right’ way. But oh, did they! My favorite movie of 2024. “
Two people lying down, one saying, “I thought I’d be happy at 40.” The other replies, “You are happy. And I’m not 40, asshole.”
“Totally over-performed expectations. The time travel stuff was really just a Trojan horse for a poignant and smart coming-of-age family dramedy. Thought the young leads were very strong!”
19.Tremors (1990) — “An early ’90s movie with Kevin Bacon fighting giant underground worms? That sounds dumb as hell. But it’s now one of my favorite movies ever made.”
Three movie scenes: a man looking shocked, another man cautiously emerging from a hiding spot, and a large creature moving through the ground
20.Singin’ in the Rain (1952) — “It was at my local cinema, so I thought I’d watch it, as it’s a classic. But I’m not really into many old musicals. Really enjoyed it in the end. I’d seen the famous scene many times before but didn’t know anything about the storyline beforehand. I didn’t know it was a film about filmmaking. I often enjoy films like that.”
—eltictac
21.The Devil Wears Prada (2006) — “Watched it like three times in my twenties. I’m a straight guy and the movie had a target audience that was definitely female oriented…I enjoyed it.”
Three women sit at a table; the seated woman in view, with short hair, reacts sarcastically to a suggestion about florals for spring
22.Kick-Ass (2010) — “I did not know what I was getting into until Hit Girl flipped the switch with the violence.”
Three movie scenes: Top, a man saying, “Tool up honey bunny”; Middle, a girl smiling at a desk; Bottom, the girl in a superhero costume punching a bag
23.Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (2022) — “This movie had no right to be as good as it was.”
Animated cat in a hat drinks from a small glass. Cat appears thoughtful while sipping, focused on the drink
“Yeah, I have no idea who at Dreamworks was like, ‘Hey guys, remember that Puss in Boots movie we did like a decade ago? What if we did a sequel and went extra fuck with it?’ but God bless ’em for it.”
24.The Prestige (2006) — “Two rival magicians turned deadly! I thought, WTF…this is garbage. Then I had a date and she wanted to see it. I still don’t remember that date’s name but that movie is now displayed on my home theater shelf proudly. Eff, that movie is the best.”
A series of scenes depicting a top hat on the ground, people observing electrical equipment, and a field with many top hats scattered around
“That movie is SO good, worth it for David Bowie alone.”
25.Click (2006) — “Seemed like a switch-brain-off slo-mo-jiggles film, turned down to be a wake-up call to enjoy life.”
A man with a TV remote and two people rushing downstairs; text reads “This thing’s broken. It’s fast-forwarding on its own.”
“Before the movie: ‘Haha, I saw in the trailer that he used the remote to pause time, fart on a coworker, and slap his boss.”
After the movie: ”The small, seemingly inconsequential decisions we make every day become habits that we repeat. How we spend our days is how we spend our lives. Life is fleeting. Hug your loved ones.””
26.Napoleon Dynamite (2004) — “I didn’t like it until the third watch, and I didn’t love it until the sixth. Now? I’ve probably seen it 300 times.”
Two students in a classroom: one asks for tots, the other refuses, claiming they’re hungry
“Exactly. It’s like The Big Lebowski. It’s not funny the first time around. But after that it’s hilarious.”
27.A Quiet Place (2018) — “I am not into horror, so A Quiet Place was not really on my radar. It’s now one of my favorite movies. People love pointing out its plot holes but I just think the suspense is really well done and it’s a fun watch.”
A child in a forest holds a model airplane. Below, three people on a bridge look distressed. Scene from a dramatic film
28.Dredd (2012) — “This movie was amazing, and I am still waiting for a sequel.”
A person in a futuristic helmet with a red ‘X’ design, looking stern, possibly from a sci-fi or action setting
29.Mean Girls (2004) — “I thought Mean Girls was going to be some lame ‘chick flick.’ Boy, was I wrong? I watch it at least once a year on October 3 now.”
Three-panel scene: Two young women talk. First says, “But you’re, like, really pretty.” Second replies, “Thank you.” First asks, “So you agree. You think you’re really pretty.”
30.Finally, The Princess Bride (1987) — “Fucking most useless trailer of all time. Weird ’80s rock saxophone backdrop. Very bored narrator. Spoils Vizzini’s end for no reason. Tries to use ‘affairs of state’ as a draw for audiences. The movie itself though… One of the most quotable, clever, funny, and enjoyable flicks of all time. Weirdly timeless despite the cheesiest special effects. Absolutely stunning film.”
A character in medieval-style clothing is climbing a rocky cliff, requesting not to be distracted
And here’s that “useless” trailer if you feel like checking it out:
Note: Some responses have been edited for length and/or clarity.
What do you think? Is there a movie you went into (at the theater or at home) where you thought it would be terrible but were surprised that you actually really liked it?! Tell us all about it below or via , and who knows, maybe there’ll be a part two!
