The Best Superhero Films

According to Sweet Nightmares

By now you will, no doubt, be aware that I am no fan of the superhero genre, and if you’re unsure why, just go back and read this and this. I am writing this just a day after the new Fantastic Four trailer dropped. A trailer so bland and vanilla looking, featuring an awful looking CGI brick man that I can say with 100% confidence that I will not willingly watch this film.

But this got me thinking, I have seen a number of superhero films and some of them are pretty damn good. So here are my top five (in no particular order). I have excluded films that are officially part of the MCU or DCEU, largely because I think they’re all a bit shit. Although, I am partial to a Batman movie, which are mostly (Batman and Robin aside) well made. The Tim Burton films are my preferences with Batman Returns being my all-time favourite film to feature the chiropteran vigilante (but that might have more to do with Michelle Pfiefer than it does anything else). The Dark Knight is a good film but, for me, the fourth act was a mistake. It just makes the film 40-minutes too long and should, in fact, have been the third movie - which would have spared us all from having to sit through that awful mumbling Tom Hardy camp-fest in The Dark Knight Rises.

One of the problems with adapting comic “heroes” to film is that the costumes look ridiculous. Most of them are completely impractical and, although they might look cool (if you are that way inclined) in a comic, they look terribly camp and ungainly on screen. This tends to lead filmmakers to alter the character’s aesthetic which instantly alienates the comic book fans. Take the Punisher, for example. Every film and TV version has had him in a tee shirt and leather jacket, rather than a comic book accurate outfit that always made him look like the gayest mime artist on the block. Personally, I tend to prefer the more grounded versions we see on screen, but I’m not a fan of the cape genre, so what do I know?

Anyway, here’s my list:

1. Watchmen (2009)

Directed by Zack Snyder, this is a dark, visually striking adaptation of Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’ acclaimed graphic novel. Set in an alternate 1985 where costumed “heroes” exist and the Cold War threatens nuclear annihilation, the film follows former costume heroes unravelling a conspiracy after one of their own is murdered. While it faithfully recreates many scenes and themes—moral ambiguity, deconstruction of heroism—it streamlines character arcs and alters the ending. The film’s hyper-stylized action contrasts the comic’s grounded approach, and while visually stunning, some critics felt it missed the novel’s deeper political and philosophical nuances. This, for me, is the best adaptation of a superhero comic on the big screen. I am not a fan of Zack Snyder’s other films but, following most of the beats from Alan Moore’s original story helped to keep him on a leash. It’s not a perfect adaptation by any means but I think it works really well, and Malin Ackerman is a welcome on-screen distraction from the many shots of a giant blue shlong!

2. Kick-Ass (2010)

Directed by Matthew Vaughn, Kick-Ass is a subversive, ultraviolent take on superhero tropes, based on Mark Millar and John Romita Jr.’s comic. It follows Dave Lizewski, a teenager who becomes a costumed vigilante despite lacking powers or combat skills. The film blends dark humour, brutal action, and satire, especially through the foul-mouthed, deadly young pre-teen heroine Hit Girl (who blesses us with one of the greatest character introductions in movie history). Admittedly I have never read the comics (I’m sorry, but Mark Millar’s early work in 2000ad was so Godawful that I have never been motivated to read anything else he has written) but, as I understand it, the film makes Dave more sympathetic and alters the ending. The film’s kinetic energy and irreverence contrast the comic’s grittier, more cynical tone. It’s fun, quotable and rewatchable, and features a fantastic supporting turn by Nick Cage doing his best Adam West impression.

3. Logan (2017)

Directed by James Mangold, Logan is a gritty, emotionally charged farewell to Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine. Loosely inspired by Old Man Logan (which I have not read), it follows an aging, weary Logan in a near-future where mutants are nearly extinct. Tasked with protecting a young girl, Laura (X-23), he embarks on a brutal, tragic journey of redemption. The film’s grounded, Western-inspired tone departs from traditional superhero films, emphasizing mortality and loss. Compared to the comics, Logan strips away fantastical elements, grounding it in raw human drama. I have heard criticism of this film as an adaptation, but as a standalone film, I think it’s one of the best based on a Marvel IP. Unlike most of the MCU franchise films, this feels like a proper film to me, with some great performances. The introduction of Laura made me genuinely interested in that character but, I’m sure, the MCU have already shit all over that, given their recent track record of producing utter crap.

4. Big Man Japan (2007)

Directed by and starring Hitoshi Matsumoto, this is a surreal mockumentary that satirizes Japan’s kaiju and superhero traditions. It follows Masaru Daisatou, a middle-aged man who grows to giant size to battle bizarre monsters. Unlike classic heroic figures, he’s unpopular, underpaid, and struggles with loneliness and public disdain. The film’s dry humour and mundane realism contrast sharply with its outlandish CGI battles with a series of bonkers creatures, including what looks like a testicular cyclops! Compared to traditional tokusatsu media, Big Man Japan deconstructs heroism, focusing on generational decline and irrelevance. Its absurd, melancholic tone and unconventional climax make it a uniquely offbeat entry in the superhero genre. Honestly, if you haven’t seen it, watch it now! It’s not the best film on this list but it’s an experience well worth having for all its bughouse Japanese eccentricity.

5. Blade (1998)

I’m picking the first film but you could include both 1&2. The third film is not worth watching, unfortunately. Directed by Stephen Norrington and starring Wesley Snipes, Blade is a stylish, action-packed adaptation of Marvel’s vampire hunter. The film follows Blade, a half-human, half-vampire warrior, as he battles the bloodthirsty Deacon Frost, who seeks to unleash a vampire apocalypse. Combining martial arts, gothic horror, and techno-fuelled action, Blade helped redefine superhero films with its R-rated edge and cool, brooding protagonist. Compared to the comics, the film modernizes Blade’s look and makes him more of a lone warrior rather than a supporting character. It successfully establishes a darker, more mature comic-book aesthetic, making it a supernatural action-horror that doesn’t feel like a superhero film at-all. It’s cool aesthetic, excellent cast and banging soundtrack give it a high rewatch value. To my mind, Blade is the film that The Crow wishes it was.

So there you have it. I don’t see there being an end to the superhero movie franchises anytime soon, but even the most passionate fans are expressing fatigue from the constant churning out of ‘made-by-committee’ films that suck! So if you fancy watching something that does a better job from a filmmaking perspective I’d like to think that my recommendations aren’t a bad place to start.

Do bear in mind that these are my opinions and yours may differ, so feel free to leave a comment and tell me how wrong you think I am and how much you hate me for having a different opinion to you.

Tell me what your favourite superhero films are.

Troy