THEME EXPLORATION

underdog success

31 films · 2 directors

Tracing the thread…

FILMS THAT EXPLORE THIS
DodgeBall: A True Underdog Story
DodgeBall: A True Underdog Story
2004 · Rawson Marshall Thurber
Kung Fu Panda
Kung Fu Panda
2008 · John Stevenson & Mark Osborne
Hajime no Ippo
Hajime no Ippo
2003 · —
Year of the Devil
Year of the Devil
2002 · Petr Zelenka
That Day, on the Beach
That Day, on the Beach
1983 · Edward Yang
Clika
Clika
2026 · Michael Greene
Kung Fu
Kung Fu
2026 · Giddens Ko
Power Ballad
Power Ballad
2026 · John Carney
Peddi
Peddi
2026 · Buchi Babu Sana
Sato and Sato
Sato and Sato
2026 · Chihiro Amano
The Smashing Machine
The Smashing Machine
2026 · Benny Safdie
The Castle
The Castle
1997 · Michael Haneke
The Man of the Day
The Man of the Day
1937 · Julien Duvivier
Chicken Run
Chicken Run
2000 · Nick Park & Peter Lord
Intimate Lighting
Intimate Lighting
1965 · Ivan Passer
Olga My Love
Olga My Love
1968 · Yannis Dalianidis
Siempre tuya
Siempre tuya
1952 · Emilio “Indio” Fernández
The Highway of Life
The Highway of Life
1980 · Nelson Pereira dos Santos
The Last Tycoon
The Last Tycoon
1976 · Elia Kazan
Nacho Libre
Nacho Libre
2006 · Jared Hess
Early Man
Early Man
2018 · Nick Park
Goon
Goon
2012 · Michael Dowse
All for the Winner
All for the Winner
1990 · Corey Yuen & Jeffrey Lau Chun-Wai
Walking with Dinosaurs
Walking with Dinosaurs
2013 · Barry Cook
Arahan
Arahan
2004 · Ryoo Seung-wan
Benny & Jolene
Benny & Jolene
2014 · Jamie Adams
Big Brother
Big Brother
2018 · Kam Ka-Wai
Eega
Eega
2012 · S. S. Rajamouli
Dreadnaught
Dreadnaught
1981 · Yuen Woo-Ping
D.C. Cab
D.C. Cab
1983 · Joel Schumacher
Garage Days
Garage Days
2002 · Alex Proyas
DIRECTORS WHO EXPLORE THIS
Damien Chazelle United States

He specializes in stories of ambitious underdogs fighting against systemic obstacles to achieve their dreams, as seen in Whiplash and La La Land.

 Bong Joon-ho South Korea

His work explores class struggle and unlikely protagonists rising against oppressive systems with intelligence and resilience.