Here’s an unpredictable list of my favorite superhero movies ever. Those that bring back childhood memories of reading comic books as a child.
Last April Fool’s Day, I joked about my favorite superhero movies being some of the worst ever done.
The appropriate thing to do after such a cruel and relentless joke is to provide the real favorite movies. The ones I love made me feel like a kid escaping from the vicissitudes of an abusive home and school crowded with bullies. The ones that I think are legitimate cinematic achievements. These are my favorite superhero movies ever.
Honorable Mentions
- Joker (2020), Directed by Todd Phillips
- Deadpool (2016), Directed by Tim Miller
- Watchmen (2009), Directed by Zack Snyder
20 X2: X-Men United
Kicking off this list, it’s one from the early 2000s that was good and fun to watch, the second X-Men film. Bryan Singer continues where he left off in the first X-Men movie. This time, both babyfaces and heels should unite against Col. William Stryker.
X2 is an example of a well-done sequel. The action is better, introduces new characters, expands its lore or universe, and introduces a more menacing antagonist. This movie’s relevance can also be attributed to X-Men’s social commentary and what they stand for. This is an introduction to what makes the rest of this list some of the best mainstream blockbusters ever done.
19 The Batman
Feel free to compare Matt Reeves’ version of the Caped Crusader to others. But the matter of fact is that this is a legitimate detective film about a character that started in…..(exactly) Detective Comics #27. 2022’s The Batman is a real film noir with stellar performances from an unrecognizable Colin Farrell, Paul Dano, and everyone else. Well-acted and shot comic book movies have been a rarity in the past few years, and we can’t wait to keep exploring this intriguing universe in both The Penguin series and this movie’s sequel.
18 X-Men: Days of Future Past
Speaking about sequels, this is another worth revisiting. Bryan Singer returned to the director chair along with Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen, reprising their roles as Professor X and Magneto, respectively. Days of Future Past is an exhilarating time-travel adventure featuring some of the most impressive action sequences and visuals seen in any X-Men film.
17 Batman
During the 1980s, DC revolutionized the comic book industry with mature titles, such as Hellblazer, Swamp Thing, and Lobo. They also released stories for mature audiences like Alan Moore’s Watchmen (adapted to a movie that could’ve made the top 25 Superhero movies) and Frank Miller’s Batman: The Dark Knight Returns.
It was about time Hollywood capitalized on the darker tone comic books were taking. So they put it in the hands of relative newcomer Tim Burton to put his sensibilities to good use and give life to the dark knight we all love. It’s a classic example of comic book greatness in film, with Jack Nicholson as The Joker, Kim Basinger as the femme fatale in a modern setting, Michael Keaton as the imposing presence, and Danny Elfman’s unforgettable score.
16 The Avengers
Joss Whedon’s The Avengers reunited the MCU heroes four years after the first Iron Man for an action-packed superhero extravaganza. Contrary to the post-Endgame MCU, everything looked organic rather than forced, making this one of the most entertaining films of the past few decades. With great visuals, charismatic characters, and memorable quotes, the first Avengers movie still holds up.
15 Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Considered by many one of the best (if not the best) MCU movies. The Winter Soldier is a great espionage movie. Besides moving the cinematic universe forward, The Winter Soldier looks like it was made for action movie fans. Due in part to the fact that it was treated like a sophisticated action thriller. It’s the premiere of a fan-favorite character, Bucky Barnes. Things sure looked sharp in 2014.
14 Thor: Ragnarok
Filmmaker Taika Waititi injected wit and wit into Thor’s 2017 sequel. In this colorful action comedy, Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston ante up the funny elements of the character. While the first Thor is a cute movie about a stranger in town, Ragnarok is a touching story about brothers. It’s a lot of fun to watch.
13 The Incredibles
I’m pretty sure the statement about The Incredibles being “the good Fantastic Four movie” is a cliche at this point. But it’s been said a million times because it’s true. This is a hell of a fun outing. Brad Bird’s Family Adventure, featuring super-powered characters, is a standout superhero movie and a top-notch Pixar film.
12 Avengers: Infinity War
The first part to the conclusion of the Infinity Saga came to our amusement, our dismay, and then, to countless memes regarding the appalling cliffhanger. We were so obsessed with the Avengers and Thanos. That’s why Infinity War is a worthy addition to any list. A distinguished superhero flick on its own.
11 Guardians of the Galaxy
After working with Troma and doing more bizarre films on his own, Marvel trusted James Gunn to bring B-List comic characters Guardians of the Galaxy to life. It turned out that choosing the Hamster PSA director and live-action Scooby-Doo writer was the right decision.
GOTG, it’s a movie with some edge in it. They’re middle finger-giving, foul-mouthed antiheroes united by circumstances and not necessarily by choice. Still, we fall in love with these characters by the end. That’s what happens when the movie with a talking raccoon and a walking tree with a diegetic playlist of great bangers is made with care and love for those B-list characters. After the Infinity Saga, this seems to have been lost.
10 Wonder Woman
The long-awaited and long-overdue Wonder Woman film was released in 2017. A good movie was released by the DCU, to everyone’s surprise. With powerful and likable characters, director Patty Jenkins creates an entire lore surrounding the title hero and her background. Whatever happened afterward is the executive’s fault for wanting to put their hands on these characters. At least we got this one to enjoy.
9 Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Starting where Into the Spider-Verse left off. Across the Spider-Verse continues the Miles Morales saga with the same (or more) impressive animation style. The sophomore Spider-Verse film is what I called in my Letterboxd review; “The Barry Lyndon of animated movies.” It is a visually stunning film as well as a great story. The filmmakers tell the story of these characters with love and respect for their cultural background. It’s a beautiful, thrilling, and diverse chapter in the Spider-Verse series.
8 Logan
James Mangold’s Logan is the superhero take on a revisionist Western loosely based on Mark Millar’s Old Man Logan comic book series. Taking inspiration from Western films like Shane and Tombstone is also inspired by the action thriller The Gauntlet and even comedies such as Paper Moon and Little Miss Sunshine. So far, there has been no X-Men film that is as gritty and heartfelt as this one.
7 Iron Man
The one that kicked off the MCU craze. It’s slick, it’s fun, and best of all, it’s so goddamned simple. I miss superhero movies like this. Robert Downey Jr. is charisma personified, the soundtrack has some of the best needle drops in any comic book flick, and the action still holds up. Considering the recent downfall of MCU and superhero films in general, maybe we should go back to basics by looking at Jon Favreau’s first Iron Man for inspiration.
6 Superman
Yes, Iron Man kicked off the MCU. But it shouldn’t have happened with the one that really started it all, Richard Donner’s Superman. Although the visual effects look dated and silly by today’s standards, the 1978 classic stands as sheer comic book fun coming to life. Christopher Reeves is still the first face that comes to mind when I hear live-action Superman, as his performance is timeless and wholesome. Again, let’s go back to basics.
5 Avengers: Endgame
Today, we don’t have as many cinematic events as we did in the past, such as the long-awaited conclusion to the Infinity Saga. We were all excited and could hardly wait to watch it when it came out in 2019. Best of all, this modern epic is actually good. When Iron Man snaps his fingers and says, “I am Iron Man.” it feels like everything came full circle. It’s a smashing culmination of 12 years of fun (sometimes not-so-fun, let’s be honest) comic book films.
4 Black Panther
Another long-awaited MCU film, Ryan Coogler’s Black Panther, was a hit upon release. There is no doubt that Michael B. Jordan’s Killmonger is one of the best villains in the history of comic book movies. His motives are arguably as valid as Malcolm X’s in real life. A film predominantly consisting of a black cast and crew, its legacy will live on. Rest in Power, Chadwick Boseman.
3 Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
Into the Spider-Verse is everything I already said about its sequel (#9 on the list) and the fact that it was the first one. It’s a groundbreaking animation that fits the description of “a comic book coming to life.” For me, there’s the personal aspect of having a black Puerto Rican character in my superhero movies. Most importantly, the fact that the filmmakers love the character.
2 Spider-Man 2
Ok, I understand there are too many Spider-Man movies on this list. Maybe I’m biased cause it’s one of my personal favorite characters. Or maybe Peter Parker’s character nuances work on a cinematic scope. It’s the insecure teenager who gets powers by accident. That’s why it works so well when the filmmakers care about him and all the other characters around him.
And Sam Raimi cared in his first two movies. This is everything that makes a good superhero movie and even more. It’s a blockbuster, but it’s also a drama about a conflicted young man. A legit film in which Raimi used everything that worked throughout his eclectic career up to that time. In a world with so many mediocre villains in cinema, Dr. Octopus’s introduction in this 20-year-old movie still makes my heart race.
1 The Dark Knight
Remember when I said this was an unpredictable list? I was joking.
