Charlie Sheen has been in several underrated movies over his career. With the actor back in the public eye, thanks to the Netflix documentary, aka Charlie Sheen, it might be time to go back and see how the actor got his start in Hollywood. While Sheen had a way into the movie business, it took television to make him a star.

Sheen is a second-generation star, the son of Martin Sheen and brother of Emilio Estevez. He got his start with a horror sequel called Grizzly II: The Predator and then got a role in the Cold War action thriller Red Dawn. After that, his career switched from B-grade movies to prestige films to even fun cameo roles.

He appeared in minor roles in movies such as Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and Young Guns and starred in critically acclaimed films like Wall Street, as well as box office hits like Major League. However, he made his name on TV in shows like Spin City and Two and a Half Men. However, he has plenty of movies to catch up on.

The Boys Next Door (1985)

The Boys Next Door is a 1985 Charlie Sheen movie that came out one year after Red Dawn and the year before Wall Street. However, it is also a film that no one talks about concerning his career. Sheen is Bo, while Maxwell Caufield plays Roy, two teenagers who leave their hometown on the day of their high school graduation.

This is a crime drama as Bo and Roy head out on a crime and murder spree. Directed by Penelope Spheeris, who went on to direct the brilliant documentary The Decline of Western Civilization, the movie was difficult to get released with an R-rating thanks to the violence involved.

What really helps the movie succeed is that neither of the murderers is shown in a sympathetic light. Even Roy, who tried to stop in the end, is never given a chance for redemption. Some critics even compared it to Sheen’s dad’s classic movie, Badlands, for its portrayal of the cast in an unsentimental manner.

The Boys Next Door is a smaller movie, which is likely why it has become a forgotten action crime drama. However, it remains worth watching for the performances of Sheen and Caulfield.

No Man’s Land (1987)

Released in 1987, Charlie Sheen’s crime drama No Man’s Land was mainly overlooked thanks to its coming out in the same year as Oliver Stone’s Wall Street. Wall Street got lots of Oscar attention, with Michael Douglas winning Best Actor, and Sheen starring with his dad in the movie.

No Man’s Land had the distinction of having a script written by DIck Wolf, who went on to create the Law & Order franchise. The film bears a strong resemblance to movies like Point Break and Fast & Furious, featuring an undercover cop (D.B. Sweeney) who goes undercover to bring down a gang of car thieves.

Charlie Sheen plays the mastermind behind the thefts, Ted Varrick, and he is the person the young cop has to convince of his intentions. Sheen was great in the role of the villain who becomes close friends with the cop trying to bring him down. The ending is more tragic than that of other similar movies, and that is thanks to Sheen’s charisma.

The movie received lukewarm reviews, at 50% on Rotten Tomatoes. The car thefts are always exciting, and the chemistry between Sheen and Sweeney carries the story, making it better than its lack of a reputation might suggest.

The Chase (1994)

The Chase was a fascinating movie to look back on because of real-world history. Charlie Sheen stars as Jack Hammond, a man wrongfully convicted of a crime who escapes prison and leads the police on a long car chase. Critics at the time criticized the “absurd” extent to which the news media dramatized the police chase.

What makes this interesting is that a similar O.J. Simpson police pursuit with the media glamorizing the event happened two months after this movie’s release. It was much less absurd than some critics claimed, and The Chase lives on as a story ahead of its time that correctly used satire to criticize 24/7 news coverage.

Sheen was excellent in his role as the escaped convict who wanted to prove his innocence in what was possibly the worst way possible. Kristy Swanson was also solid in her role as the woman he kidnaps, who eventually becomes a love interest during the chase.

Critics praised Sheen’s ability to play this role straight, despite what was considered a ridiculous situation. In addition to the acting performances, the story received praise for its perceptive portrayal of how the media influences events.

The Arrival (1996)

David Twohy made his name with Vin Diesel’s Riddick franchise, starting with Pitch Black. However, before making that movie, he directed the science fiction action thriller The Arrival. Sheen plays a radio astronomer named Zane who learns that alien life exists, but also discovers a global conspiracy covering it up.

Sheen plays a man who discovers that there is already alien life on Earth, and it has already blended in with humanity by wearing external skins. It is similar to the story told in the more popular and cult favorite They Live, but while that succeeded thanks to Roddy Piper and John Carpenter, this was forgotten.

The Arrival received positive reviews, with a 66% Rotten Tomatoes score. The film is not only thanks to the acting, but Twohy’s directing is also solid, and with Sheen delivering a good performance, it worked in tandem with the directing to make this a sci-fi movie that deserves a second look.

Pauly Shore Is Dead (2003)

Charlie Sheen only had a cameo role in Pauly Shore is Dead, but he was one of several actors who popped up in this brilliant satire of the cost of fame. Pauly Shore Is Dead is a mockumentary directed and co-written by Pauly Shore that follows the comedian when his career declines, so he fakes his death to raise his popularity.

Charlie Sheen was one of several actors who showed up in the mockumentary, talking about their memories and thoughts on Pauly Shore after his “death.” Joining Shore in the cameo appearances are Pamela Anderson, Andy Dick, Eminem, Corey Feldman, Tiffany Shepis, Sean Penn, Tommy Lee, and more.

However, while actors and performers like Sheen were fun to see, a few others stole the show. The mockumentary made fun of people confusing Michael Madsen and Tom Sizemore, and the scenes with Shore and Snoop Dogg were brilliant.

Eight Men Out (1988)

When people look at Charlie Sheen’s roles in sports movies, Major League tops the list. When people look at films about the Chicago Black Sox scandal, Field of Dreams is often considered the best. However, Eight Men Out is one of the best films about the scandal, and Sheen played a massive role in it.

The scandal saw the Chicago White Sox agreeing to throw the World Series for a gambler. Everyone was punished and banished from Major League Baseball, even the players who obviously didn’t take part, like Shoeless Joe Jackson (played by D.B. Sweeney).

Charlie Sheen played Happy Felsch, the centerfielder who was part of the scandal. He was initially against it, but finally relented because of the money involved in the story. Directed by John Sayles, the movie was highly praised with an 87% Rotten Tomatoes score, but was often criticized as only being interesting for baseball fans.

Hot Shots Part Deux (1993)

There were lots of spoof movies arriving from Hollywood, with titles like The Naked Gun and Top Secret. Another of these spoof movies was Hot Shots, a parody movie by the co-director of Airplane and starring Charlie Sheen. Two years later, the parody got a sequel that was even better than the original movie.

Hot Shots! Part Deux was a parody of Rambo: First Blood Part II and showed an even more ridiculous, over-the-top, action-packed situation. This makes sense because the Rambo sequels unironically did the same thing. Charlie Sheen was masterful in his ridiculous performance, making this one of his best ’90s movies.

There are so many great moments in this movie, including a sly scene where Charlie Sheen’s special forces officer meets up with his dad, reprising his role from Apocalypse Now. The movie received a 59% Rotten Tomatoes score, but this was a movie made for fans, not critics.

The Wraith (1986)

One of Charlie Sheen’s most underrated movies of his career is the cult classic fantasy-action film The Wraith. The movie only received a limited release in theaters, so it took home video to make it a cult classic that fans had to discover on television screens.

Charlie Sheen plays Jake Kesey, a stranger who arrives in town on a dirt bike and becomes friends with some local youngsters who have been pushed around by the leader of a gang of car thieves who set up illegal races for pink slips. Soon, an all-black Dodge Interceptor arrives in town, and the driver takes it to the thieves.

The Interceptor ends up seemingly supernatural, reconstructing itself after accidents and taking part in the races that kill the gang members. In what should come as no surprise, Jake is the Interceptor’s driver, but his real identity is also supernatural in nature, and he is there for vengeance.

The Wraith only has a 33% Rotten Tomatoes score, but it is a cult classic that has gained even more fans as time goes on and is one of Charlie Sheen’s best underrated movies.