The Top 10 Greatest Superhero Movies

The 10 Best Superhero Movies

[I have not seen any of the 2013 movies so this list might change.]

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)

Hate to be the jerk here, but all the listed movies are unwatchable. I can't suspend belief.

I noticed every movie listed was made in 2008 or later, except Superman II. While I realize there have been many more superhero movies made recently (out of original ideas hollywood?). There must be at least one other superhero film worthy of the top 10 made more than 5 years ago?....Discuss...

You do have the original Batman series. The first one was okay; the others were awful.

I really can't think of one from pre-2000 that made it other than Superman II and Superman I. It is possible that I have forgotten some. I know there are sword and sorcery films that started as comic books --- Conan and the like. None of them really impressed me.

There were Flash Gordon movies (serials). Not really noteworthy.

It will be interesting if someone does come up with one or two (or more) worth consideration.

Vendman1, do you have some?

I think James Bond qualifies, and the best was Goldfinger.

Out of all the movies listed I saw the Dark Knight,
thats it. Maybe parts of a couple Superman's,
but they are so corny and he looks so ridiculous
is his little costume that I never last long. He wears
glasses and it hides his identity? Really?

James Bond is not a superhero is he?

One of the best superhero movies of the past decade was The Incredibles, a film that was also one of the most highly-lauded, winning two Academy Awards and the first ever Hugo Award granted to an animated feature film. (WALL-E won the same award a few years later, and deservedly so, even against Iron Man and The Dark Knight.)

And despite it being animated, or perhaps because it was, The Incredibles used some of the most intelligent expositions of super powers I've ever seen on screen. Highly recommended, even if you don't have kids.

Movies where the lead actor wears an elaborate
costume always bore me because, as the old time
stage actors used to say, the costume does all the
acting, not you. Thats doubly true for all the comic
book movies. You think Robert Downey is in that
IronMan outfit most of the time? Or the actor who
plays Batman is in even 10% of the costumed scenes?
They're not, its in their contract.

Whats really amazing is, Robert Downey is a very small
guy, 5' 6" in real life. Some say 5 7 but people who have
met him say he's tiny, so lets say 5 6. IronMan is over 6
feet tall. Nice work if you can get it. Watch Downey in
the scenes with Tommy Lee Jones in US Marshalls, he
looks like a 7th grade kid he's so small.

Quote: FrankScoblete

James Bond is not a superhero is he?

No, but he was certainly super.

if anyone can throw 18 elevens in a row, it's james bond

I'm feeling super lazy today. It's kinda like regular lazy, except today I'm wearing a cape.

Quote: zippyboy

I'm feeling super lazy today. It's kinda like regular lazy, except today I'm wearing a cape.

Climb onto the roof and give it a try..

Quote: sodawater

if anyone can throw 18 elevens in a row, it's james bond

Everyone knows James Bond only plays chemin de fer.

...or no-limit hold 'em, apparently.

I'm wondering if Jason Bourne could kick James Bond's ass....it's sad that we will never know.

Quote: EvenBob

Climb onto the roof and give it a try..

naw, too lazy.

The Matrix.

Robocop.

Here's my Top 10 list. To qualify, the flick mustn't only be light entertainment with popcorn and superheroes, but it must hold up as a movie as well.

1. The Dark Knight
2. Spiderman (Raimi)
3. Batman Begins
4. Batman (Burton)
5. Watchmen
6. The Avengers (just barely)
7.
8.
9.
10.

I guess I need 4 great superheros movies to be made. Ain't gonna happen in the near future though. Only mass-produced formulaic money grabs coming up.

Quote: Canyonero

I guess I need 4 great superheros movies to be made. Ain't gonna happen in the near future though. Only mass-produced formulaic money grabs coming up.

Not only that, they have to appeal to a worldwide
audience. They have to appeal to some schlub
in a village in Russia who's never heard of comic
books, let alone IronMan. All the money in movies
is overseas now, they have to be generic as hell.
Good guy, bad guy, lots of CGI shoot em ups..

How can you not put Sam Jones in Flash Gordon on the list? Or Howard the Duck? A classic aged person like yourself should be all over movies like these 2 that you can watch over and over again.

My list included:
1. Titanic.
2. The Dark Knight.
3. The Avengers.
4. Iron Man.
5. The Lion King.
6. Spider-Man 1&2.
7. Independence Day.
8. The Lion King.
9. Star Wars.
10. Avatar.

Jimmybrion99,

You have a good list but "Titanic"? That movie s(t)unk.