The Top 10 Superhero Movies
The 10 Best Superhero Movies
[Haven't seen the 2013 movies so this list might have additions. These came from my web site at www.frankscoblete.com.]
1. The Avengers (2012): An awesome, inspiring movie with a great script, a great cast and a great writer/director in Joss Whedon. Sure the special effects are great but what sets a good comic book movie apart are the characters and their interactions with one another. This movie has that ingredient in spades. Not only do the superheroes fight the evil Loki and his alien forces, they fight each other. Marvelous.
2. The Dark Knight (2008): Batman versus The Joker in a battle to the finish. A dark movie with a deep, dark Batman and a stupendous Joker played by Heath Ledger. The acting is first rate. This is one great movie with closer to real life characters than most superhero movies.
3. Iron Man (2008): Robert Downey Jr., what can you say? He is the best of the best when it comes to wise-cracking, self-centered, egotistical superheroes. Magnificent film. Another comic book character that I wasn’t particularly fond of jumps off the screen. Iron Man probably made it possible to go all out in producing “The Avengers.”
4. Captain America: The First Avenger (2012): I never liked Captain America in the comic book world. He was a drab Batman. But now he comes alive in a sparkling, dynamic movie with a lot to say. Terrific entertainment as Captain America fights the evil Nazi Red Skull. This movie also sets the stage for “The Avengers.”
5. Spiderman II (2004): Another top notch performance by Tobey Maguire as Spiderman in an all encompassing film where he meets Doctor Octopus, a scientist whose experiments go haywire. The movie is riveting.
6. X-Men: First Class (2012): The origins of the X-Men and one great movie with fabulous mutants battling an evil former-Nazi mutant and his terrible mutant cadre. This is where the mutant world splits in two and lays the groundwork for Professor Xavier and his mutant school designed to save humanity.
7. Spiderman (2002): Great movie that introduces the iconic Marvel hero, the Amazing Spiderman. Great ideas, great acting, great story. “With great power comes great responsibility.”
8. Superman II (1981): Christopher Reeves is Superman and this movie pits him against several things: Three super villains from Krypton, his love for Lois Lane that causes him to give up his superpowers, and his need to save the earth which is now becoming a dictatorship run by General Zod with assistance from Lex Luther. To save the Earth, he must give up Lois Lane.
9. Thor (2011): One of my favorite Marvel characters, the God of Thunder, the Mighty Thor and boy he does come to life at the skilled hands of Chris Hemsworth and director Kenneth Branagh. You’ll love the evil Loki who causes much grief in this movie and in “The Avengers.” You just can’t keep those Asgardians down.
10. The Incredible Hulk (2011): Finally the Hulk gets a movie worthy of him (the first movie “The Hulk” of 2003 stunk). The strongest superhero of all (yes, I just can’t put Superman here because he was made too strong); the Jekyll and Hyde of the comic world, jumps off the screen into your lap and then smashes up Harlem in a battle royal against the Abomination. This movie is also the case of an actor wanting more money for the Hulk’s next appearance in “The Avengers” and dropping out when he doesn’t get it. He is replaced by Mark Ruffalo who became an even better Hulk than Ed Norton. Mr. Norton, big mistake on your part.
Honorable Mention: These movies are also worthy additions to the comic-book movie world. Tip of the cap to the X-Men franchise, one great movie after another.
Hellboy (2004)
Iron Man II (2010)
Kick Ass (2010)
Superman (1978)
The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
Watchmen (2009)
X-Men (2001)
X-Men II (2003)
X-Men: The Last Stand (2006)
X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009)
