A radioactive super-spider must have bitten pop culture, because we’re stuck on superhero media like Spider-Man to a wall. The 21st century is the age of the supe: never have caped crusaders been more relevant, more topical, more inescapable than they are right now. While the modern era may be the heyday of heroes, decades of crimefighting cinema paved the way here. Caped crusaders of the past walked so modern ones could—quite literally—fly.
These are the ten greatest superhero movies of all time.
Watchmen (2009)
Directed by Zack Snyder, Watchmen is a shocking deconstruction of superhero identity. Adapted from Alan Moore’s all-time great graphic novel, the film tells the story of a group of washed-up crime fighters dragged back into the public eye after one of their number is murdered. What begins as a dark and dismal whodunnit soon evolves into a sci-fi thriller of globe-spanning proportions. While some of The Watchmen are content to hang up their capes and cowls, others are still looking to bring about the greater good—and decide to do so by the evilest means. Watchmen‘s greatness stems from its darkly human portrayal of superheroes, fallible people blessed with infallible abilities, cursed to make mistakes. No one’s perfect, but the pressure is enough to make any caped crusader crack. Over the course of Watchmen, many caped crusaders will. Except for Rorschach, he was pretty cracked from the get-go.
Blade (1998)
Directed by Stephen Norrington, Blade is the most underrated superhero movie ever made. Wesley Snipes plays the titular vampire killer, a gunslinging, sword-swinging badass that oozes charisma from every pore. On the hunt for a powerful bloodsucker summoning an evil god, Blade cuts a swath through creatures of the night with bloodstained style. One of the first superhero movies with a dark and sinister tone, Blade ushered in a new era of gritty superhero media, laying the foundations for horror-adjacent hits like Hellboy and The Crow. What truly makes Blade great is its contributions to vampire myth. The blood rave that begins the film? Iconic. Vampire folktales have been around for centuries, but none of them involved dancing to techno while drenched in O negative until this film came along.
Avengers: Endgame (2019)
The culmination of a decade of superhero films, Avengers: Endgame is the most ambitious “season finale” ever produced. Directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, the film stands at the pinnacle of the Marvel cinematic universe, a multi-million dollar testament to the modern-day popularity of the superhero genre. To take down Thanos once and for all, the Avengers assemble literally everyone—ten years’ worth of caped crusaders show up to a battle for the fate of the universe. The result was goosebump-inducing—a last stand that conjured up laughter, tears, and shouts of victory from movie theater audiences across the world. Avengers: Endgame was the culmination of a pop-culture phenomenon, a lightning-in-a-bottle moment that can never be repeated. Like the fight with Thanos, you just had to be there.
Black Panther (2018)
Directed by Ryan Coogler, Black Panther is the tale of T’Challa, the king of Wakanda. While serving as his nation’s protector—the Black Panther—T’Challa must take down a rebel Wakandan who wishes to break from the country’s isolationist policies and spark a worldwide revolution. The film was a one-of-a-kind addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, an Afro-futurist adventure that became a cultural touchstone. Aside from being a cinematic work of wonder, the film’s soundtrack was an equally landmark contribution to rap and hip hop—featuring collaborations from Kendrick Lamar, SZA, and Vince Staples. A glorious chapter in modern superhero mythology, Black Panther was a crystallized moment of history in the making. Wakanda forever.
Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse (2018)
The Incredibles was arguably the greatest animated superhero film for quite some time, and then along came a spider to challenge it for the title. Directed by Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, and Rodney Rothman, Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse served as a departure from the Peter Parker norm, putting a younger webslinger into the spotlight. Miles Morales is the Spider-Man for a new generation, and the film follows his coming-of-age quest to become the hero whose deeds will stand the test of time. Part action and part sci-fi, Into The Spider-Verse is a gloriously comic-booky romp through parallel dimensions, each one a triumph of animation. It’s one of the most cinematically beautiful films on this list—brain chemistries were permanently changed watching the upside-down shot of Miles falling upward into the New York City skyline.
Superman (1978)
Directed by Richard Donner, Superman walked so modern superhero movies could fly. Well, technically Superman flew, too—but you get what I mean. The film covers all the Kryptonian bases, beginning with Superman’s escape from his doomed home planet and culminating in a showdown with his archnemesis Lex Luthor. Superman also marked the beginning of Christopher Reeve’s career, one of the most iconic and sincere performances the genre has ever produced. Reeves’ Kent is statuesque, but he’s also gentle, awkward, and deeply human—a Boy Scout with a heart of gold. He doesn’t feel like a god hiding among mortal men, but a man answering the call to become something greater, and the result is all the more compelling. The true star of this film, however, is the special effects—staggering flight sequences filmed without the help of CGI. Despite being made nearly half a century ago, Superman remains as visually impressive as any modern-day superhero movie on this list.
Spider-Man 2 (2004)
Directed by Sami Rami, Spider-Man 2 pulled off the impossible: improved upon its near-perfect predecessor. After surviving the near-death experience that was The Green Goblin, Peter Parker suits up once more to take on a far deadlier foe: Doctor Octopus. Played by Alfred Molina, Doc Ock was part tragic hero and part horror movie monster—brought to life by some of the most astounding puppetry effects in movie history. While Willem Dafoe’s Green Goblin was nothing to sneeze at, this tentacled terror was easily Spider-Man’s most challenging villain to date—though that runaway subway train was also one tough customer. While Spider-Man is a superhero story at its core, it borrows from other film genres to create a cosmopolitan whole. Doc Ock’s solar fusion machine feels like peak H.G. Wells sci-fi, while the hospital tentacle attack sequence is a nightmarish callback to Rami’s Evil Dead roots. And of course, Peter Parker and Mary Jane’s romance is the Romeo and Juliet of the superhero genre.
The Incredibles (2004)
Directed by Brad Bird, The Incredibles is the story of cinema’s greatest superfamily. A blood-related spin on the Fantastic Four, The Incredibles style themselves after classic heroes from the mid-20th century—an homage to campy superhero flicks of yesteryear. But don’t be fooled by the family-friendly veneer, this film hides darker themes beneath its Eda Mode-tailored exterior. Like a kid-friendly Watchmen, The Incredibles is a tale of superhero disillusionment—its villain twisted by his inability to see heroes as flawed and fallible people. More mature than its marketing campaign suggested, The Incredibles teaches two incredibly important life lessons: 1) even the most well-intentioned heroes can hurt people without meaning to, and 2) never, ever, ever wear a cape—especially near a plane turbine.
Logan (2017)
Directed by James Mangold, Logan brought Academy Award levels dramatic weight to a genre known for its lightheartedness. Set in a near-future world where mutants are dying out, the film centers around a Wolverine long past his prime. Struggling to live on after the X-Men have all but bitten the dust, Logan is given a new reason to be after finding a lost little girl with powers like his own. Hunted by mutant killing mercenaries, Logan and Laura bear down upon their foes like twin tornadoes of claws and teeth. A surrogate father/daughter tale of survival, Logan unfolds with all the gruesome gravitas of The Last of Us. Violence in this film isn’t a “biff-pow-thwack” comic book affair; it’s a bloody, desperate struggle with emotionally traumatizing results. Logan is a brutally beautiful elegy for one of the most beloved heroes ever created—until Deadpool dug him up again.
The Dark Knight (2008)
Directed by Christopher Nolan, The Dark Knight is widely considered a top contender for the title of Greatest Superhero Movie Ever Made. Centered around one of the most beloved hero/villain pairs in comic book history, The Dark Knight sets the stage for the ultimate Batman vs. The Joker showdown. The casting is impeccable: Bale’s grim Dark Knight plays perfectly against Heath Ledger’s madcap Crown Prince of Crime, resulting in some of the most palpable on-screen chemistry in movie history. These two actors “complete” each other, just like the Joker suggests. Combine these top-notch performances with mind-boggling action sequences, a hair-raising script, and one of the best scores ever composed, and you’ve got a superfilm on your hands.
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Sarah Fimm
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