Iron Man, 2008
10. IRON MAN (2008)
Stars: Robert Downey Jr., Terrence Howard
Director: Jon Favreau
Studio: Paramount Pictures
In 2008 when Iron Man came along, there had been a bit of a drought in the quality of superhero films. Most of the attempts at The Incredible Hulk have been considered off the mark by many, and even the third film in the Spiderman series was not up to par. Iron Man, and particularly Robert Downey Jr., revitalized the genre. Downey has a certain swagger as Tony Stark, and it was perfect casting. Even the villain, Obadiah Stane, was made very intriguing by the veteran actor Jeff Bridges. Iron Man spawned a sequel in 2010 that was a decent follow-up, and you can bet that we will be seeing the Iron Man character in the upcoming The Avengers project. Thanks in large part to Robert Downey Jr., Iron Man is one of the coolest superheroes out there, and the movie was an extremely fun ride.
Batman Returns, 1992
9. BATMAN RETURNS (1992)
Stars: Michael Keaton, Danny DeVito
Director: Tim Burton
Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures
Get ready to see a lot of sequels throughout this top 10 list, of which Batman Returns is the first. Director Tim Burton (Edward Scissorhands, 1990) packed a huge punch with this follow-up in 1992. His first stab at the infamous comic book icon was Batman (1989) starring Jack Nicholson as the Joker. The reason the sequel was better, in my opinion, is quite simply because of a few performances that were outlandish enough to stick into our superhero psyche forever. First of all, Michelle Pfeiffer is arguably the only actress to ever do the Catwoman justice on film. It is a villain that has not been revisited in nearly 20 years in the Batman films. Halle Berry looked great in her cat suit in 2004′s Catwoman, but the film was not very good, and it bombed at the box office. Secondly, Danny DeVito is literally the only man alive that should be playing the part of the Penguin, and he did it to pure perfection. However, the greatest stand-out role in the film is that of Max Shreck played with an eerie, powerful flawlessness by the legendary Christopher Walken. Batman Returns is a morbid, dark vision of the caped crusader, but the villains in this one make it one of my favorite superhero films of all-time.
Kick-Ass, 2010
8. KICK-ASS (2010)
Stars: Nicolas Cage, Aaron Johnson
Director: Matthew Vaughn
Studio: Plan B Entertainment
Two words: Hit Girl. Kick-Ass is great because it tells the story of common, everyday people trying to make a difference by being “superheroes”. I suppose that most comic book characters do that also, but usually it is as a result of a nuclear accident or because they are alien. This movie is also different because it is the first real “R-rated” movie in the genre. There is a lot of killing and bloodshed with plenty of profanity to boot. For me, Kick-Ass is kind of like Batman meets Kill Bill (2003); it holds nothing back. The main attraction in this movie is Hit Girl, played by Chloe Grace Moretz. She is an 11 year-old assassin, who is the most fun to watch “kicking ass” that I’ve ever had. There is talk of a sequel to Kick-Ass, which will feature Hit Girl and her story. If you have not seen this yet, please do so right away. It is a perfect modern-day spin on the superhero vigilante storyline.
X2: X-Men United, 2003
7. X2 (2003)
Stars: Hugh Jackman, Halle Berry
Director: Bryan Singer
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Sure, the original X-Men (2000) is a great film but, let’s face it, it did not have Nightcrawler, Lady Deathstrike or the special effects that X2 is able to give us. X2 may be the greatest sequel ever to outperform over the original, especially in this genre. The comic book series of “X-Men” is a movie studio’s dream, as there are so many characters to develop and introduce. It is like combining 10-15 superhero movies and putting them all into one solid film, and X2 is the crowning achievement so far in the series of X-Men movies. The opening scene with Nightcrawler’s attack on the White House is one of the greatest openings to a movie I have ever seen, and the battle between Wolverine (played by Hugh Jackman) and his former lover turned villain, Lady Deathstrike (played by Kelly Hu) is also a feast for the eyes. I was lucky enough to see this on the big screen. If you have yet to see it, don’t waste any more time!
Unbreakable, 2000
6. UNBREAKABLE (2000)
Stars: Bruce Willis, Samuel L. Jackson
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Studio: Tocuhstone Pictures
Chances are that if someone asked you what the last “good” M. Night Shyamalan movie you saw was, you’d say Unbreakable. Shyamalan has fallen under heavy critical scrutiny since its release because he has not been able to create anything nearly as good as it or his other classic, The Sixth Sense (1999). Unbreakable is a riveting story about a man (played by Bruce Willis) that learns he has superpowers through a series of freak accidents. The movie is great because it is technically a “superhero film”, but it is also highly suspenseful in classic Shyamalan fashion. Supporting performances by Samuel L. Jackson and Robin Wright make this one a sure-fire crowd-pleaser. The suspense that surrounds Willis’ character throughout the film will keep you on the edge of your seat. It will also make you want to go out and buy a rain slicker.
Spider-Man 2, 2004
5. SPIDER-MAN 2 (2004)
Stars: Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst
Director: Sam Raimi
Studio: Columbia Pictures
Peter Parker (aka Spider-Man) is truly the superhero next door. He is a geeky kid who happened to be bitten by a radioactive spider and gained super “spider-like” powers. The first movie in the series, Spider-Man (2002), was a pretty cool look as to how the superhero came to fruition. However, the sequel is when the doors really get blown off. Spider-Man 2 is filled with countless action sequences, and Alfred Molina plays the perfect villain, Doc Ock. The sequel also gave us a glimpse into a little more of the dark side of the superhero and his life story. We see that in full effect when The Venom makes his appearance in Spider-Man 3 (2007). A reboot of the popular film series has already been planned, and The Amazing Spider-Man is scheduled to be released in 2012. Spider-Man is arguably the most lovable superhero that there is, so he had to make the top 10 list, and for my money, Spider-Man 2 is his best representation (so far).
Superman II, 1980
4. SUPERMAN II (1980)
Stars: Christopher Reeve, Margot Kidder
Director: Richard Lester
Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures
There could be an argument posed between fanboys, but at least some of them would argue that Superman was the first real superhero to go main stream. American comic books have been around since the early 1930s. Superman made his debut in 1938, and we are still reading and watching his story more than 70 years later. The “Batman” comic books would start their circulation in 1940, but by then, Superman had already been around for about two years. Superman II almost did not get made due to an extremely dramatic legal battle between the movie studios and the film’s original director, Richard Donner. However, it did get made and in the end it is a timeless piece of superhero filmmaking. No one has been able to make Superman as adorable and heroic as Christopher Reeve did in the ’70s and ’80s, and Margot Kidder’s career began and ended with the Lois Lane character that she immortalized. Superman II’s most memorable scene may be the epic battle in the streets of Metropolis between Superman and the three castaways from his planet led by General Zod. The acting is a bit cheesy, and the special effects are extremely outdated, but despite all that, Superman II is still a crowd-pleaser.
The Incredibles, 2004
3. THE INCREDIBLES (2004)
Stars: Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter
Director: Brad Bird
Studio: Disney/Pixar
The Incredibles is fascinating because it takes the superhero genre and makes young children want to see it, while at the same time keeping all of the existing superhero fans interested. Disney/Pixar has obviously mastered animation in films with movies such as Toy Story (1995), Monsters Inc. (2001) and Wall-E (2008), but they added an element of action with The Incredibles. It is an animated movie that could have so many labels placed on it: superhero, action, adventure and family. The movie is filled with magnetic characters that all come with their own unique superpower. It is as if the “Fantasic Four” were an actual family living in the suburbs, and it is brilliant. There has been talk of a potential sequel, which I hope ends up being more than just a rumor. The Incredibles is a superhero movie that transcends age. You will love this movie whether you are two years-old or sixty-two.
Superman, 1978
2. SUPERMAN (1978)
Stars: Christopher Reeve, Margot Kidder
Director: Richard Donner
Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures
This is the one that started it all. It was at the forefront of the genre. Prior to its release in 1978, no major studio had released a superhero film. Then, once Superman hit theatres and was a rousing success, everyone got on the bandwagon, and they haven’t looked back since. Every big budget superhero movie that has been released in the last 34 years owes a debt of gratitude to Richard Donner’s Superman. As I stated in my synopsis of the sequel, the special effects and acting are outdated, but who cares? The origin of Superman is so fascinating it was even made into a TV series, “Smallville” (The CW), which is now in its tenth season. The Christopher Reeve helmed Superman spawned three sequels, of which only Superman II was really noteworthy, but there was a reboot attempted with Superman Returns (2006) starring Brandon Routh. However, due to the critical uprising that it received, it is being rebooted again next year, this time starring Henry Cavill (Stardust, 2007). One thing is for sure, Superman’s story will not die in Hollywood. He is a superhero that ignites every generation and has been doing so since the 1930s.
The Dark Knight, 2008
*1* THE DARK KNIGHT (2008)
Stars: Christian Bale, Heath Ledger
Director: Christopher Nolan
Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures
In my opinion, The Dark Knight will go down as not only a terrific comic book flick, but as one of the greatest crime dramas of all time. We all know the character of Batman and his thirst for justice. Christian Bale is as good a Batman as their ever has been or will be. The real story of this movie is Heath Ledger as the Joker. He has redefined the role of this household villain forever. The Joker is an agent of chaos who has no morals and no real desire to reach certain goals. He is quite simply a madman who thrives on anarchy. Ledger engrossed himself in his portrayal, and it won him the Oscar in 2008. Some believe it cost him his life. No role was more moving or powerful in the past decade than Ledger’s in this movie, and 2008’s The Dark Knight is the best recreation of the Batman story to date, which is saying a lot since there are more Batman films than any other superhero. Director Christopher Nolan is still at it too, with his third release in the series due out next summer: The Dark Knight Rises. If I said “I can’t wait,” would that be too obvious?
Near Misses: The Crow (1994), Batman (1989), Batman Begins (2005)
Top 10 List Topic for June: The top 10 Onscreen Movie Duos
