5 Underrated Patrick Stewart Movies Everyone Needs To Watch At Least Once

Few actors could ever dream of commanding the screen quite like Patrick Stewart. The Star Trek and X-Men actor has sadly passed away at the age of 86, but he leaves behind an impressive legacy on both the stage and screen. As Captain Jean-Luc Picard, he embodied intellectual rigor, rightful defiance, and showcased how a leader should always practice empathy. As Charles Xavier, he showed that the greatest heroes aren't always the ones who have the most physical strength but those who can guide others to achieving their best.

Those might be his most prominent roles, but Stewart's filmography ran deep. He starred in many films that have sadly been glossed over by even his biggest fans. It's a shame because some of his lesser-known films hold some of his best, or at least his most interesting, work. These are the films that allowed him to show off his more humorous side or even allowed him to play the villain.

If you think you've seen everything this beloved thespian has to offer, these are the films for you. These are Patrick Stewart's most underrated films ever, so the next time you plan a marathon in honor of our belated Starfleet captain, make sure you add these somewhere.

Patrick Stewart discovered his love of William Shakespeare at a young age. He was brought up in the local theater, where he would memorize some of the greatest Shakespearean speeches. It's a detail of his life that makes sense even when you watch his non-Shakespeare performances, as there was an air of that theatricality in everyone from Picard to Professor X. As such, it only seems reasonable to honor those roots by recommending his turn as King Claudius and King Hamlet in the 2009 made-for-TV film "Hamlet."

You probably know the story of "Hamlet," but there's a chance you haven't kept up with the Bard outside of school. This particular adaptation makes for a great entry point to learn or renew your knowledge, as it has naturalistic dialogue that won't make scenes feel intimidating to parse through. 

Stewart plays both Hamlet's (David Tennant) deceased father and his uncle who has usurped the throne. It's a brilliant bit of casting that gives Stewart even more to chew on. It also offers a fascinating twist to Hamlet's psychological turmoil, as he has to contend with seeing the visage of his father in the very man he hates. This 2009 film often gets overlooked when it comes to ranking the best adaptations of Shakespeare's plays, but for Stewart's performance alone, you don't want to ignore it. 

Patrick Stewart brought gravitas to every role, which naturally made him a great fit for deathly serious performances. But it also made him a great, out-of-left-field pick for comedies, as exemplified by his small but memorable turn in "L.A. Story."

Appropriately enough, "L.A. Story" loosely draws from several Shakespearean works, like "A Midsummer Night's Dream" and "The Tempest." Steve Martin plays Harris, a weatherman looking for love in Los Angeles while receiving advice from a digital freeway sign. One standout scene sees Harris trying to secure a reservation at an upscale restaurant, L'Idiot, but he must first pass muster from the surly maitre d', played by Stewart. 

You can tell Stewart's having a blast, finding just the right word to emphasis in each sentence for maximum comedic impact. There's a saying in the theater: There are no small parts, only small actors. And the great thing about Stewart is that even early on in his career before becoming a household name, he never treated any part small. He gave it his all, and it's easy to see why he would become a fixture in future animated projects like "Family Guy" and "American Dad."

Patrick Stewart broke out in a big way by portraying intelligent, empathetic leaders, like Picard and Charles Xavier. He played a lot of heroes, which makes it so jarring how well he suits the role of a villain. That's precisely what we get in the 2015 A24 horror movie "Green Room," which is one of many films you should never watch alone. 

"Green Room" sees a punk band take a gig at a neo-Nazi bar. While they reluctantly play, they get entrenched within something much deeper when band member Pat (Anton Yelchin) stumbles upon a dead body in the green room. The film becomes a fight for survival, as the Nazis, led by the chilling Darcy Banker (Stewart), realize they can't let the band leave alive. 

Stewart is diabolical as Darcy, refusing to play him as a mere stereotype. Darcy isn't the kind of villain to give into outbursts or to monologue relentlessly. He's calculating and precise, which makes him even more dangerous. The band members, as well as the audience, are struggling to figure out this guy in order to survive. He remains an enigma — and thus, terrifying.

Stewart spent decades building up a certain image of himself and the types of characters he played. Here, all that gets thrown out the window. You keep hoping Professor X will shine through at some point, but Darcy is the polar opposite. There's no warmth or redemption here. The uniqueness of the role and his chilly presentation of it makes it a must-see Stewart performance. 

No one really talks about "The Plague Dogs" anymore, and maybe that's because the film is just too bleak for anyone, especially dog lovers, to keep in mind. The animated film is also a bit overly dark for children, as it follows two dogs — Snitter (John Hurt) and Rowf (Christopher Benjamin) — who have escaped scientific testing to try to find new lives for themselves in the outside world. 

Sadly, not everything is rosy for the pups after their escape. Armed forces pursue them, believing they could be harboring fleas carrying the bubonic plague. One of the men after them is John Awdry, voiced by Patrick Stewart. It's a small role; the movie came out in 1982, well before Stewart was a known quantity. However, his voice remains unmistakable, and it perfectly encapsulates the cold bureaucracy that allows animal testing to exist in the first place. As Awdry talks about capturing (read: killing) the dogs, there's no malice in his voice. He's calm and cool, as though killing animals is as inconvenient as losing a pen. 

"The Plague Dogs" makes no qualms over what it's about. Animal testing is cruel, and it's even more depraved that humans can't just let animals be. It's a difficult watch, but one you won't forget anytime soon. 

Patrick Stewart is known for playing quiet geniuses, individuals who are reserved before deciding which direction to take. "Match" offers him a chance to play a far more extroverted and flamboyant character, and he nails it. 

Stewart plays Tobi, a ballet instructor who gets asked to do an interview by a couple — Lisa (Carla Gugino) and Mike (Matthew Lillard). As the questions increasingly become more personal, it's revealed that Mike actually believes Tobi is his biological father and needs to conduct a DNA test to prove it. What follows is an impassioned character study where we learn more about Tobi, specifically how he met Mike's mother, but didn't want to have anything to do with raising a child. Instead, he focused on his art.

The film raises important questions, such as whether one truly has to compromise their art by being there for other people. It's a movie about how our choices can have repercussions that may not come back to impact us until decades later. One can't help but wonder how Stewart viewed the film as a reflection of his own career and life as a whole. Seeing the outpouring of support from his collaborators following the news of his death, it's clear people loved Stewart, despite any flaws he may have seen in himself via this film.