Top 10 Superhero Movies of All Time
Everyone loves Superhero
movies. They are generally movies which don't require you to invest
too much intellect or emotion into the story. You are just expected
to sit back and enjoy the experience. Most of these movies are big
money-makers, and for good reason. People love to enjoy themselves,
if you don't know. Entertainment is, in my opinion, the primary goal
of going for a movie. If a movie fails to entertain, then I consider
it a bore, and won't watch it a second time.
Superhero movies are like
a double-edged sword. If they take themselves too seriously, they
bore the hell out of audiences. On the other hand, sometimes they are
just too corny for their own good (I'm looking at you, Green
Lantern and Captain
America!). Making a
superhero movie is definitely not as easy as some might think.
So, with two great
superhero movies set for release in 2013 (Iron Man 3 and Man
of Steel), I decided to make a list of the 10 best Superhero
movies till date. These are the movies which define the genre, and
sometimes, Cinema in general. These are movies which you can watch
time and again, and they will entertain you every single time. So sit
back, scroll down, and enjoy this Super List (Bad Joke!).
10. X-Men : First Class
The latest movie in the
X-Men Series was also a life saver for the franchise. After
the disappointing Wolverine origin story (how they managed to ruin
such an awesome character is still beyond me), the fate of the series
depended on this movie. And it came through with flying colors.
The movie gives you what
you would expect from any superhero movie. It has comedy, a bit of
emotion, some semblance of a story and loads of great action. The
acting is a surprise here, as this genre is not particularly known
for it's stellar acting. The special effects were awesome. However,
the main reason why this movie is so good, is because of the
chemistry between Charles Xavier, Magneto and Mystique (if you don't
know who these people are, you are reading the wrong list). The
history and the love-hate relationship between Xavier and Magneto is
especially great.
And if all this wasn't
enough for you, the blink-and-miss guest appearance of Hugh
Jackman as Wolverine is just priceless! Watch it for that!
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| Jennifer Lawrence: Oh, and Mystique is hot! Just thought I'd mention it! |
9. Superman -
This is the origin of all
Superhero movies. This where the genre started, and it is fitting
that it started off with the most powerful superhero in the world,
Superman! Without this movie in the list, the legitimacy of the list
can be doubted, and I will not have that!!
This is also the movie
that immortalized Christopher Reeves as the titular character.
That alone should have been reason enough to include this movie in
this list. The only reason why it is so low on the list is because of
it's dated Special effects, lack of a credible storyline and the
ridiculous ending (You just cannot turn back time by rotating the
earth in the opposite direction!!).
Other than that, this
movie provides a great watch even today...and is certainly more
entertaining than the horrible Superman Returns!
8. Iron Man -
Robert Downey Jr.
owned this movie. There is no other way to say it. This was the start
of all those Marvel Superhero movies, which now seem endless
(Iron Man 2, The Incredible Hulk, Thor, Captain
America). And it was also the best.
It had some story, which I
forget (I didn't say it was a very good story!). It had some great
CGI effects, which I remember vaguely. It had the gorgeous Gwyneth
Paltrow, who I remember quite clearly. But most of all, I
remember the sheer amount of charm Robert Downey Jr. gave Tony
Stark in this movie. It is what made this movie so awesome and
entertaining.
It quickly made Tony Stark
the hero we all hate to love, but are left with no choice but to love
him in the end. He is also the only superhero badass enough to reveal
his true identity to the world! This movie is one of the most
entertaining movie experiences I have had. Never a boring moment!
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| Iron Man: Fe Male...for all you chemistry nerds! |
7. Spiderman 2 -
Sam Raimi really
established himself as a credible director with this one. After the
fun Spiderman, expectations were set for it's sequel.
Spiderman 2 surpassed all those expectations, and how!
This is one of those
movies which set a new trend for the genre. The CGI effects were
extraordinary (that Train sequence still sends shivers down my spine)
and the acting was surprisingly good (Come on, you have Alfred
Molina as the villain!). But the real star of this movie was the
story. It had a beautifully crafted story, almost rivaling the Dark
Knight Trilogy in that department.
Though slightly darker
than the first movie, Spiderman 2 retains all the charm and
comedy of the first movie. And to top it off, this is the only movie
in the franchise that I can still bear to watch (let's not even
mention the travesty Spiderman 3 was!).
.
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| Spiderman and Dr. Octavius: I hereby knight you, Sir Spiderman! |
6. X-Men 2 -
Wolverine is the best
character in the X-Men series. No doubt about it. And the Second part
of the X-Men franchise concentrated almost entirely on him and his
past. This movie is essentially the crowning achievement of this
franchise.
A lot darker than the
first movie, the lack of comedy is very notable. The movie is filled
with great acting from established actors like Hugh Jackman
and Sir Ian McKellen. The action sequences are great, and
enough references are made to the Comic Books to keep the nerds
happy.
This is one of those
movies which may seem a little heavy on the first watch, but it is
the movie which you'll watch again and again. Without this movie,
X-Men would have been an entirely forgettable franchise!
5. Watchmen -
This isn't a very famous
movie (Well, not as well-known as the other movies on this list!).
But it should be. It is one of the most unique superhero movies I
have ever seen. Right from the ambiguity of the story, the great
acting and the superb music....this movie is different. The direction
by Zack Snyder is great, and the movie, though slow, always
has a sense of purpose.
Based on the Graphic Novel
by the legendary Alan Moore, this story is set in a world
where USA and Russia are on the verge of a nuclear war, and the lines
between good and evil have faded completely. It asks the audience
whether the means justify the end, and whether justice is more
important than mercy. This is a Superhero movie which asks the
audience to get involved and rewards them for it.
Watchmen is a movie
which I watch rarely. Not because I don't like it. But because it
takes a toll on my emotions. Rest assured, you must watch this movie
at least once. It is the darkest superhero movie you'll ever see, and
it will change your perception of the genre forever.
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| Dr. Manhattan: This blue dude is naked for the entire goddamn movie...Dark Stuff! |
4. Superman II -
Ah! Another Sequel which
is better than the Original, They seem to be popping up in this
genre, don't they? But what can I do? Superman II took things
to a whole new level. For one thing, Superman was overmatched by
three Kryptonian villains, headed by their leader, General Zod.
While Christopher
Reeves was the star of the first movie, Terrence Stamp was
the star of the sequel. His presence, and his awesome voice,
overshadowed everybody else. The story was definitely there, but it
was not very strong. The special effects were surprisingly good, and
hold up well even today. The music by John Williams is, of
course, legendary.
This was the movie that
ultimately provided the blueprint for Superhero movies, and
established it as a credible genre. This is the movie which has stood
the test of time, and is a must-watch for any fan of the genre!
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| General Zod: Legendary! |
3. Batman Begins -
Here it is at last! In the
Top 3! That's how high I rate Nolan's vision of Batman's
origin story. This movie is an origin story in the truest sense.
Nolan explained in great detail how Bruce Wayne became Batman,
and where he learned to fight like a ninja (because he is a goddamn
ninja!).
This is the movie that
embarked us on a journey to see what Batman really was. Make no
mistake, this was a completely serious movie. The comedy and the
jokes were few, and served to break the tension at the right places.
The cast was chosen perfectly, and the action sequences were
choreographed brilliantly. The story was as realistic as it could be
for a superhero movie. This was Batman as we had never seen before,
and Batman as he was always meant to be seen!
Christopher Nolan made
a superhero movie unlike any other. It could have failed miserably.
Thank God...audiences loved every bit of it!
2. The Avengers -
This is how Superhero
movies were meant to be. Fun! And it doesn't get any more fun than
The Avengers. After a series of Marvel movies, each
more disappointing than the last, I was apprehensive about how good
this movie would be. It seemed to be too ambitious for it's own good.
I was wrong. This movie
doesn't have a single dull moment within it. It has some semblance of
a story, but that is unimportant. Filled with loads of jokes
(courtesy Tony Stark), a good villain (Tom Hiddleton was
surprisingly good in this role), and extravagant action sequences,
this movie is one hell of a ride from start to finish. And Joss
Whedon has done an excellent job at writing and directing.
Another reason why this
movie is so great is because it broke the trend. While Superhero
movies were getting darker and darker (thanks to Nolan), this
movie went back to entertaining it's audiences in the most obvious
and in-your-face manner. I love this movie, and I'm sure any fan of
the genre will love it too!
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| The Avengers: Tony Stark owns this movie...these are just fillers! |
1. The Dark Knight -
The Number 1 spot! And
what better movie to award it to, than The Dark Knight? Is
there a better superhero movie? NO! Is there a better movie at all?
Very few!
This movie is for our
generation, what Superman II was for the last generation. This
is the movie which will be the blueprint for future movies in this
genre. This is the movie which is now the Gold Standard, and all
other superhero movies will be judged against this one. A great
storyline, one of the best movie villains of all time, and awesome
direction is what makes this movie great. This is one of those rare
movies where the limelight is not on the hero, but on the villain.
Christopher Nolan
has excelled himself as a director, keeping the tension tight right
till the end. This is less of a superhero movie, and more about an
analysis of human nature. If you haven't watched this one (yeah, all
three people in the world), then you are lucky. You have something
great to look forward to!
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| The Dark Knight: Look...even the poster has only The Joker on it! |
