12. Iron Man
Completing the top twelve at twelfth place I have Iron Man 1 from 2008. Now I'm sure to get a lot of hate due to my list only having two films from the MCU featured. Don't get me wrong, the Marvel Cinematic Universe is great but personally I've always felt that Batman, Superman, Spider-Man and the X-Men are just flat out better characters than what you'll find in the MCU with the exception of the Hulk. (who is either my first or second favorite, it tends to shift around a lot) Please don't tear me apart, but that's my honest opinion. That being said, Iron Man is a truly great movie. Great character development with a lot of great acting and one break out star in Robert Downey Jr, but to me where this movie lacks and the reason it is ranked so low is the fact that it's villain is so generic and one-dimensional. Of course he was a total boss, but also a flat character. Put him up to any of the other main villains on this list like Joker, Green Goblin, Magneto, Scarecrow, Ra's Al Ghul, Loki, etc. and Iron Monger pales in comparison. His suit is really bad*** but he's really just Iron Man Jumbo! Of course a great performance from Mr. Jeff Bridges. Truth be told, Iron Man is a great movie but the weak villain bogs the movie down.
11. Superman: The Movie
Helping round out the top twelve is my eleventh favorite comic book based movie. Superman: The Movie is the first good comic book movie that was released, I still think Richard Donner stands up there among the greatest comic book movie directors along with Chris Nolan, Sam Raimi, Bryan Singer, Joss Whedon, Jon Favreau, Tim Burton, etc. I feel Richard Donner is often overlooked and underrated, he gave us the first great comic book flick and we need to pay a little respect. Superman, the ultimate superhero was given the movie he deserved with this film. Richard Donner set the original standard for comic book films and this film would be the template for future director Sam Raimi who would go on to direct one of the greatest film trilogies of all time. Now I know there is much more love for Superman 2, and don't get me wrong that is a great movie too. (it'd have been my thirteenth or fourteenth choice) But to me personally the hype and sheer joy I get from watching the first one far outdoes it's sequel. Great casting is another high point, Christopher Reeve is the best Superman ever. Gene Hackman and Marlon Brando are great. Overall, the first Superman may be outdated and campy by today's standards but for it's time it was down right amazing and I feel deserves more respect. One more thing, this movie had the best soundtrack in any CBM ever!
10. X-Men: First Class
Rounding out a top ten is my tenth favorite comic book based movie X-Men: First Class. I will admit when I first went into the theater to see this movie I was incredibly cynical and biased against it. The reason why? I'll tell you why. Firstly, I loved the first two X-Men films directed by Bryan Singer. But after Singer left the project the franchise went downhill, X-Men: The Last Stand and X-Men Origins: Wolverine were not terrible but just blandly mediocre and boring. They weren't horrid they just lacked the same character, passion and energy that was present in the first two. So that was my first reason. Secondly, I was not excited about the recasting of many of my favorite characters. X-Men 1 & 2 had a dang near perfect cast, so I was not looking forward to the recasting. Thirdly, I had originally heard that First Class was going to be an origins story for Cyclops and Jean Grey but later I hear neither one is even in the film. Those three things made me incredibly biased and cynical when I entered the theater. It's a tribute to the greatness of this movie, because I went in biased and cynical and came out amazed. The movie exceeded my expectations and blew me away. I still do prefer the original actors in every case, but all the replacements did superbly and did their predecessors justice for sure. The movie also had the added pleasure of discovering an amazing villain in a character I had barely even heard of. Who knew Kevin Bacon could pull off such a boss villain? I was just sad he had to die because I loved Sebastian Shaw. Kevin Bacon rocks! All in all, X-Men: First Class is a great movie and exceeded all expectations and did the originals justice. Even if it did screw the continuity of the entire series.
9. The Avengers
My ninth favorite comic book based movie of all is The Avengers. Usually the top choice for best comic film ever. I'm sure to get shredded for this one. Believe it or not it is actually the fanboy inside me that is placing this movie at ninth place because objectively it is a worse film than Iron Man, First Class or Superman I just found more enjoyment out of The Avengers. While I have always pointed out that this movie lacks a definite plot I feel it is still a great film. This movie does indeed lack depth in the plot, but what brings depth to the movie are the performances which are good from everyone except Renner's Hawk-zombie-eye. Chris Hemsworth was great, Chris Evans was great, Robert Downey Jr was great, Mark Ruffalo was amazing, Tom Hiddleston was amazing. Scar-jo was just alright, Renner was wooden. But it's all the great performances that bring heart and depth to this movie. It also sports a great villain in Tom Hiddleston's Loki who is easily the best villain in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and among the greatest comic book movie villains of all time. The action is the focal point of this entire movie, and it is indeed very great particularly the Hulk smashing scenes. Lastly, this film also has a fantastic score. The only memorable score in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Overall, this movie lacks a plot but it's still a great movie because of the action, score and performances.
8. X2: X-Men United
X2: X-Men United is my eighth favorite comic book based film of all time. X2 is widely considered the best X-Men film and one of the best comic book films ever made. To start with, the story and character development is strong all around although Cyclops still ends up with the short end of the stick. Wolverine still receives a slightly larger role than the other X-Men but he deserves it. Best X-Man ever. Nightcrawler got to be a boss. Magneto is as amazing as usual, Mystique gets an even bigger role than before. All the actors give their all in every scene except Halle Berry, you don't know how much I wish she would quit superhero movies. The action in this film is also superior to the action in the first. Nightcrawler in the white house is epic, Wolverine cutting loose on Stryker's men gave me chills, Cyclops vs Lady Deathstrike was awesome, Wolverine vs Lady Deathstrike was awesome and totally brutal. Mystique vs Stryker's men was great. A lot of great action in this film. Score is good too, it beats the first one. Another great villain is added to mix in Brian Cox's William Stryker. Overall, a fantastic sequel to a fantastic first film.
7. Man of Steel
Man of Steel is my seventh favorite comic flick of all time. I truthfully don't care what critics or anyone else says. This is one of the greatest comic book movies of all time. The story while generic was perfect for bringing Superman into the modern age. The villain was fantastic Michael Shannon's General Zod is among my favorite comic book movie villains even better then Terrence Stamp from Superman 2. The movie has a lot of heart and passion from the actors. This film basically mashed the stories of Superman 1 &2 and brought it into the modern age with dazzling effects and top notch action. This movie overall has the greatest CBM action ever, even eclipsing the Avengers. It also had a lot of character development for it's titular character. A strong story, strong score, strong character development, strong action (Superman vs Zod is my second favorite action scene of all time behind the train scene in Spider-Man 2) one of the best comic movies I've ever seen, I don't care what anyone else says.
6. Batman
Batman from 1989 is my sixth favorite comic book flick of all time. Batman was one of the first good comic book movies and I feel the best of the classic comic book flicks. It easily outdoes the previous failed attempt in 1966 which I feel was straight up terrible even for that time. Batman was a great film but with a great film you must have a great director. Tim Burton is a genius, he made the Batman film for the fans and even managed to get his personal tone get through. Even if was just a little bit. Another thing a great film needs is great acting, Kim Basinger as Vicki Vale is still one of my favorite comic book movie women and one of the few that isn't annoying. Michael Keaton was a great Bruce Wayne and an even better Batman. Gough is a great Alfred even though I prefer Michael Caine. But where the movie shines the most is in the casting of Jack Nicholson as Jack Napier/The Joker. I personally actually prefer this iteration of the Joker over Heath Ledger's legendary performance. To me Jack Nicholson was wittier, funnier and just classier as a villain. I also prefer the costume design of the classic Joker seen here as opposed to the punk rock anarchist seen in The Dark Knight. (I'm not trashing Ledger's Joker at all, he was fantastic I just prefer Jack Nicholson) Nicholson's Joker was widely considered the best comic book movie villain until the mid 2000's. Overall, this is one of the best comic book movies of all time with one of the best comic book movie villains of all tube. This film by far outlives all three of it's inferior sequels. Once Burton left the project it all turned into trash until Nolan would revive it later in 2005 with his masterpiece called Batman Begins.
5. Spider-Man
Spider-Man is my fifth favorite comic book based movie of all time. I love Sam Raimi as a director and I think his greatest works have been works in the superhero genre. Don't get me wrong Evil Dead 1 & 2 were really good but I think Darkman and the first two Spider-Man films are his greatest achievements and his finest inductions into the world of cinema. I love Raimi's personal style that shines through into these movies. I like the perfect blend of camp, passion, drama, action, humor that Raimi likes to bring into his movies. The first Spider-Man film falls into that category, I love the way that Sam Raimi embraces the cheesiness of the Spider-Man character. Because to me, Spider-Man has always been a cheesy character....he's like my 2nd or third favorite hero of all time but I have always viewed him as somewhat of a cheesy character just like Superman. Of course this doesn't mean they can't have deep character arcs or drama it just means that the director recognized that this is a comic book character. Now the MCU does this too, and that is one of the things I love about it but the MCU has villains that aren't as good and stories that aren't as good. However, there has to be a healthy balance of how seriously the film takes itself. The Amazing Spider-Man is an example of a film that takes itself waay too seriously and at times I lose interest. Iron Man 2 & 3, Green Lantern are examples of films that don't take themselves seriously at all and the whole film feels like a big joke. Films like Spider-Man 1 & 2, X-Men 1 & 2, Superman: The Movie, Iron Man, The Avengers, Thor, X-Men: First Class and Man of Steel are examples of films that find a healthy balance. The Wolverine and Nolan's Trilogy take themselves very seriously but the events of the film support that seriousness. Anyways, I'm getting way off topic. To sum that up I mean that Spider-Man finds a healthy balance between dramatic and fun. Also this was the first big budget superhero film, I just loved it. I happily bought into the hype and the pure joy of seeing one of your favorite comic characters come to life in a grand way for the first time. But this film also delivers on many other levels. The origin story of Spider-Man is taken straight from the comics and it was told beautifully. The Green Goblin was straight up and in my opinion the greatest comic book movie villain of all time. Now before Joker fanboys get their panties in a wad, let me say that my 2nd and 3rd favorite CBM villains are both The Joker. Personally I just felt Willem Dafoe gave the strongest performance, and I will admit I'm a bit biased because Green Goblin is my favorite comic book villain of all time. The Joker is second place. Now I've heard hate for the design of Green Goblin in Spider-Man but I personally thought it was great. He was The Joker in a green monster themed Iron Man suit. That's lame? How? Willem Dafoe one of the best actors I've ever seen nails ole Gobby in every way. In fact I think they should bring him back for TASM3, I also think if The Joker was going to be reused in the DCCU Willem Dafoe is the man for the job. He could bring back the Jack Nicholson style Joker. Tobey Maguire I thought was miscast, but did the best under the circumstances...he really does bring a lot of passion to the series. James Franco, J.K. Simmons and Rosemary Harris are great. One of the first great CBMs and still one of the best.
4. The Dark Knight
The Dark Knight is my fourth favorite comic book movie of all time. The Dark Knight is widely considered by most people to be the best comic book film of all time. While I would disagree with the statement that it is THE greatest of all time but it's certainly one of the best and one of my favorites. The story is arguably the greatest plot in CBM history. The Joker has been terrorizing the city and plans to bring the successful trio of Batman, Gordon and Harvey Dent down to his own level. He wants to show the city that chaos is true human nature and that order, law and justice is merely a way to control the masses. When Harvey is hurt and turned insane the Joker thinks he has proved his point. Batman finds a way to defeat both and not let the public know the monster that Dent had become and then disappears taking the blame for what Two-Face had done. As Gordon says "He's the hero Gotham deserves, but not the one it needs right now" this was a display of selfless heroism from Batman and I loved it. Christopher Nolan ups the suspense of the film in his second installment and it makes for a gritty crime drama. But aside from the fantastic story/plot what makes The Dark Knight great is the performances. Particularly from it's villains. Heath Ledger (may he rest in peace) is widely considered the greatest comic book movie villain of all time. Personally I still prefer Jack Nicholson and Willem Dafoe over him but Heath Ledger takes a close third. Aaron Eckhart as Harvey Dent and later Two-Face is also amazing and his legendary tragic arc was portrayed perfectly. I was unhappy with the recast of Maggie Gyllenhall as Rachel Dawes, don't get we wrong Katie Holmes was terrible but Maggie Gyllenhall was much worse. Michael Caine rocks as usual, so does Morgan Freeman, Christian Bale and Gary Oldman. The Dark Knight while not as good as it's predecessor (I feel it lacks the same passion from the characters that Begins had) still a fantastic film of epic proportions.
3. X-Men
X-Men is my third favorite comic book based film of all time. On the very day when I went to watch the first X-Men movie in the theater, it was raining heavily and the day was dark and gloomy. The perfect setting for my first live action viewing of a comic book film. The X-Men from the comics have always been a favorite of mine, right up there with the Justice League for the best team ever. Although I didn't start reading X-Men comics until after I saw this movie and it's sequels, I do know that the X-Men have had years of fantastic stories and characters in their comics and that those themes could translate very well on the big screen. X-Men takes this third spot on my list and it may be a controversial choice. Yes, The Dark Knight is an objectively better film but I personally found more enjoyment out of the first X-Men. Don't get me wrong I love The Dark Knight, that is my fourth favorite but something about seeing a film like this for the very first time as a kid it just sticks with you. I know people dislike the X-Men series because it "isn't true to the comics" but in all honesty, who gives a crap about closeness to the comics if it's still a great movie? I won't and will never understand the hate for the X-Men series and I truly do believe that if these exact same films were released with a Marvel Studios sticker on the back people would wank all over it and call Bryan Singer a genius. Which leads me to my next point, in order to adapt a comic as rich as the X-Men the right director and writers are needed. I think Bryan Singer was indeed THE man for the job, he has a history with themes that relate to the X-Men mythos quite a bit in the way that he is different from most of the world and there are people who think he/others like him should be shunned from society. That aside, I really do think that although Singer did in fact take many liberties from the comics he captured the true essence of the X-Men in his first two films in a way that still hasn't been done since. (don't get me wrong, First Class and Wolverine were great movies but I think they didn't manage to capture the same essence of the X-Men team) Now, almost everywhere I go I hear hate towards Mr. Bryan Singer for his way of making this film too focused around the character of Wolverine. While it is a legitimate point, I am inclined to disagree that it was too much and that it was a bad thing. First of all in the climax all four of them played a role in defeating Magneto and saving Rogue. Of course Wolverine's role was a bit more important than the others but that doesn't change the way that the climax did in fact show a lot of teamwork between the X-Men. Secondly, Wolverine has been the most popular as well as the most central character in the X-Men comics for decades. I don't see how Singer following the example set by the comics is a bad thing. On a side note, the Marvel Cinematic Universe is by FAR too Iron Man centric, but you'll never hear anyone whine about that because I'm pretty sure we all know that Marvel Studios is perfect. (sarcasm) What's worse is that Iron Man isn't even half as interesting of a character as Wolverine. I personally believe Wolverine actually deserved a slightly larger role than the other X-Men because he's the most interesting, the most popular as well as my personal favorite of the group. Not to mention it started something amazing when Hugh Jackman showed up. Which leads me to my next point, the casting is pretty much right on the nose. Hugh Jackman is quite possibly the greatest cbm casting of all time. People whine that Hugh is like a foot taller than Wolverine from the comics...okay then, Chris Hemsworth is like half the size of Thor from the comics. I'm not even trying to trash Mr. Hemsworth I like him as an actor and think he is a good Thor I'm merely pointing out that people are quick and ready to trash X-Men films for anything when Marvel Studio films have the same problems. Obviously it would be ridiculous to have some bodybuilder the actual size of comic Thor who can't even act play the part. So they get Hemsworth who looks the part and is a great actor but isn't the right size. What's really more important? Back to the topic, Hugh Jackman is the perfect Wolverine because in his acting he nails the character in every way. Hugh has devoted thirteen whole years of his life to a character that both he and we love and all we can do is whine that he's a foot too tall? Geez...While he is the best, Jackman isn't the only fantastic casting choice. Sir Ian Mckellen and Patrick Stewart are absolutely terrific in their respective roles of Magneto and Professor X. I love the dialogue and interaction between the two, it's just so epic sounding. The banter between the two shrouds their past in darkness and in mere references and it leaves me in mystery and thought. The acting from both of them was phenomenal. Next we have Mystique, who I'd say fills the Darth Maul role for the film as well as the whole series. I really mean that she is relatively flat as a character, but it's the outstanding visuals and general coolness and sexiness that make you love the character anyway. Jean Grey I also felt was portrayed very true to the comics, and Famke Janssen fills the role so perfectly in the way that she not only physically resembles Jean from comics she also acts like her too. Other minor villains Toad and Sabretooth were decent enough as well. Ray Park, the man who played Darth Maul gives a visually strong performance as Toad. Tyler Mane, well he seemed to lack visual greatness but I think his character was still portrayed well. Anna Paquin was pretty good as Rogue too. Halle Berry...the only weak point. Why can't she give up the superhero dream? She's really just not cut out for it. This film truly does have one of the greatest ensemble casts of all time, and the brightest stars shine brighter than ever. Lastly, what makes this movie great is the fact that it was the first superhero film to incorporate both themes of Sci-Fi as well as politics. The world set up by Bryan Singer where mutants are hated by society is an over exaggerated reflection of our real world. What I love most about Singer's X-Men movies, is that they don't portray the mutants as "heroes" in the traditional sense. They are just regular people who are born with different genetics, it's one of the most thought provoking things ever to see how different mutants react to their abilities and learn to cope with the world around them. All in all, the first X-Men movie is deep, thought provoking, perfectly casted, has great acting, and action with a meaning behind it. I tell you this film is better than anything, I repeat anything you will find the MCU. I'm not an MCU hater by any means I just believe that other film studios make much deeper films.
2. Spider-Man 2
Spider-Man 2 is my second favorite comic book based film of all time. Spider-Man 2 not only lived up to the hype and greatness of the first Spider-Man. It also manages to outdo it in almost every way. Spider-Man 2 chronicles the events of Peter Parker's life exactly two years since Uncle Ben Parker's death and the birth of Spider-Man. Now he has been a full fledged superhero for two years while at the same time trying to keep not one, but two jobs as well as go to college full time and pursue a relationship with Mary Jane. Meanwhile, Peter's best friend Harry Osborn is still grieving over the death of his father the late great Norman Osborn (aka The Green Goblin). Harry still thinks Spider-Man is responsible and every day he falls a bit deeper into his slow descent into madness that is chronicled through out the trilogy. However, Harry has began to try and relive his father's greatness it seems this is a weird way of him trying to gratify himself and his father in having a hand in the greatest invention of all time. Which leads us to the film's primary antagonist, Dr. Otto Octavious aka Dr. Octopus or Doc Ock. Otto has great ambitions indeed he plans to create a miniature sun in the palm of his hand to give the world a renewable source of clean and dependable energy. He also has four mechanical arms directly linked to his mind, he calls them his assistants. But when something happens and the experiment goes wrong, his wife is killed and the arms get fused inside his brain permanently. He runs and hides after seeing what monsters his arms are, but after contemplating suicide he and the arms decide to rebuild it bigger and ever before. If that isn't the set up for a masterpiece, I don't know what is. This film is all that and more. I saw this as a young teenager, and it made me feel a way I had never felt before. All the heart and emotion stored up inside all of the characters really shines through the movie. Doc Ock's passion for science and love of his wife, Harry Osborn's love for his father and hatred of Spider-Man, Peter Parker's guilt and responsibility of Ben's death, May's sadness over the loss of Ben and her kindness to Peter. This movie is all heart all the way through. I personally feel that this movie has the most heart, emotion and energy out of all the comic book films I've ever seen. That being stated, it's not to say the story is lacking either. I already wrote most of the plot above, but it's the character development of the titular character that brings so much passion to the screen. His arc begins when he is barely coping with life and all of his multiple responsibilities. The excruciating amount of stress has begun to take it's toll on his body and his power is slowly waning. After a while he figured he's done the superhero thing enough and calls it quits. We then see what is arguably the funniest moment in CBM history...raindrops keep falling on my head! But through out the course of events in the film, Peter learns that sometimes in order to do the right thing you have to give up what you love most. This is evidenced when he tells Mary Jane he doesn't love her (he actually does) in order to protect her and do the right thing. Aunt May's speech inspires him "I think there is a hero in all of us, that keeps us honest, makes us brave and finally allows is to die with pride." Peter learns this truth in life and attempts to pass it on to Dr. Octopus. Who at the end of the film gives up what he loves most in order to do the right thing. He is killed in the process and May's words ring true...you see even though he's a villain Ock still had a hero inside him and that hero finally allowed him to die with pride instead of evil. His exact words were "I will not die a monster" which shows the connection between the two. What makes Dr. Octopus one of the greatest CBM villains of all time is not only his epic story line but a tremendous actor to bring him to life. Alfred Molina is a great actor and he nailed Dr. Octopus in every way, he found the perfect mark between sympathetic and terrifying. Other great cast members include Rosemary Harris as Aunt May, although May is an easy character to bring to life they did it very well. Tobey Maguire is generally hated for his acting, and though I agree it was a miscast he still brings so much passion into the character. J.K. Simmons is among the greatest casting in a CBM ever. And I don't care what anyone says, I love James Franco and his portray of Harry Osborn is gloriously goofy just the same way as Hemsworth's Thor. The weak point as usual is Kirsten Dunst, she's not terrible just meh. This film although it did have a few miscasts like Dunst, it still has a strong cast of actors that bring these characters to life. A fantastic villain and JJ are the best though. Another area Spider-Man 2 shines bright is the action, the back scene and climax are good and the clock tower/train scene is the best cbm action of all time in my opinion. Score was down right amazing. Overall, Spider-Man 2 is one of the best movies I have ever seen, hands down the best Marvel movie.
1. Batman Begins
Batman Begins is my number 1, all time favorite comic book based movie. Batman Begins is the first of the modern breed of comic book hero movies and this is evidenced by the way that it was the first big name CBM that took a darker and more realistic approach. It told an origin story in a way that is yet to be matched and has even been copied off of thrice. Iron Man, Man of Steel and The Amazing Spider-Man used Batman Begins as an example of how to tell a great origin story. That in and of itself speaks for the film and supports how great it is. To start with the story while not as strong as it's successor: The Dark Knight, it is still a top notch plot in it's own right. Bruce and his family leave a theatre because Bruce is afraid of the Bat-themed play. In the alley his parents are brutally killed right before his eyes. Later in life he sets out on a quest to fight men like that, but in order to do so he has to get inside their ranks. In doing so, he is captured by the Chinese government and imprisoned. In the prison he is visited by Ra's Al Ghul who tells him to come to the league of shadows. After working in the league for a while in order to complete his training Ra's tells him to kill this certain man who is a criminal. Bruce refuses and a fight breaks out which destroys the whole temple, Ra's is almost killed but Bruce saves his life before he returns home. While at home he ponders the duality of man, he realizes that he can only do so much as a mortal man. But as a symbol...he could be immortal. He chooses the symbol he fears the most, the bat. He believes it is time that his enemies shared his dread of bats. He sets out on a crusade to save the city from crime and he even brings down crime lord Carmine Falcone. However when the villain Scarecrow reveals his fear toxin, Batman is faced with an enemy that uses fear just like he does. At the end Scarecrow is revealed to be working for Ra's Al Ghul who is now coming to Gotham in order to destroy the wicked city and he plans to do this through fear itself. Great story isn't it? Another prime reason for this film's greatness is the acting, Christian Bale is over-hated he was a great Batman. Michael Caine rocks as Alfred, Gary Oldman is the perfect Gordon. Liam Neeson is beast-ing it up as Ra's Al Ghul. And Cilian Murphy, an underrated actor plays the Scarecrow one of my favorite CBM villains. While the film's villains are inferior it's sequel, they are both still fantastic villains. I honestly give this movie top spot because it revolutionized the genre and set the bar higher than ever before. Batman is my 1st or 2nd favorite hero (1 &2 shift around quite a bit) so that's another reason why I love this film so much. It's the deepest, darkest, most thought provoking, film ever. And it's villains, story and acting is top notch. This movie set the standard as far Origin movies go, as well as comic book movies overall. Best. Movie. Ever!
Honorable mentions and why they didn't make the cut.
Superman 2-was a great movie too but was a bit too silly, and it just didn't live up to the hype of the first film.
The Dark Knight Rises-deserves a lot less hate from comic fans and a lot less love from general audience. I didn't find it horrible or particularly amazing, just good. I didn't like the ending though. Bane was a boss until the end when we find out he's working for some random chick who's got it out for Batman. Talia Al Ghul in TDKR is among the lamest villains ever. The rest of the film is really good though.
The Wolverine-was a great character search but it lacked a memorable villain.
The Incredible Hulk-^^ same thing. Such a shame I can't fit it in somewhere, Hulk is my favorite or second favorite character.
Well, what do ya think? Please remember it's all opinion so be civil.
Completing the top twelve at twelfth place I have Iron Man 1 from 2008. Now I'm sure to get a lot of hate due to my list only having two films from the MCU featured. Don't get me wrong, the Marvel Cinematic Universe is great but personally I've always felt that Batman, Superman, Spider-Man and the X-Men are just flat out better characters than what you'll find in the MCU with the exception of the Hulk. (who is either my first or second favorite, it tends to shift around a lot) Please don't tear me apart, but that's my honest opinion. That being said, Iron Man is a truly great movie. Great character development with a lot of great acting and one break out star in Robert Downey Jr, but to me where this movie lacks and the reason it is ranked so low is the fact that it's villain is so generic and one-dimensional. Of course he was a total boss, but also a flat character. Put him up to any of the other main villains on this list like Joker, Green Goblin, Magneto, Scarecrow, Ra's Al Ghul, Loki, etc. and Iron Monger pales in comparison. His suit is really bad*** but he's really just Iron Man Jumbo! Of course a great performance from Mr. Jeff Bridges. Truth be told, Iron Man is a great movie but the weak villain bogs the movie down.
11. Superman: The Movie
Helping round out the top twelve is my eleventh favorite comic book based movie. Superman: The Movie is the first good comic book movie that was released, I still think Richard Donner stands up there among the greatest comic book movie directors along with Chris Nolan, Sam Raimi, Bryan Singer, Joss Whedon, Jon Favreau, Tim Burton, etc. I feel Richard Donner is often overlooked and underrated, he gave us the first great comic book flick and we need to pay a little respect. Superman, the ultimate superhero was given the movie he deserved with this film. Richard Donner set the original standard for comic book films and this film would be the template for future director Sam Raimi who would go on to direct one of the greatest film trilogies of all time. Now I know there is much more love for Superman 2, and don't get me wrong that is a great movie too. (it'd have been my thirteenth or fourteenth choice) But to me personally the hype and sheer joy I get from watching the first one far outdoes it's sequel. Great casting is another high point, Christopher Reeve is the best Superman ever. Gene Hackman and Marlon Brando are great. Overall, the first Superman may be outdated and campy by today's standards but for it's time it was down right amazing and I feel deserves more respect. One more thing, this movie had the best soundtrack in any CBM ever!
10. X-Men: First Class
Rounding out a top ten is my tenth favorite comic book based movie X-Men: First Class. I will admit when I first went into the theater to see this movie I was incredibly cynical and biased against it. The reason why? I'll tell you why. Firstly, I loved the first two X-Men films directed by Bryan Singer. But after Singer left the project the franchise went downhill, X-Men: The Last Stand and X-Men Origins: Wolverine were not terrible but just blandly mediocre and boring. They weren't horrid they just lacked the same character, passion and energy that was present in the first two. So that was my first reason. Secondly, I was not excited about the recasting of many of my favorite characters. X-Men 1 & 2 had a dang near perfect cast, so I was not looking forward to the recasting. Thirdly, I had originally heard that First Class was going to be an origins story for Cyclops and Jean Grey but later I hear neither one is even in the film. Those three things made me incredibly biased and cynical when I entered the theater. It's a tribute to the greatness of this movie, because I went in biased and cynical and came out amazed. The movie exceeded my expectations and blew me away. I still do prefer the original actors in every case, but all the replacements did superbly and did their predecessors justice for sure. The movie also had the added pleasure of discovering an amazing villain in a character I had barely even heard of. Who knew Kevin Bacon could pull off such a boss villain? I was just sad he had to die because I loved Sebastian Shaw. Kevin Bacon rocks! All in all, X-Men: First Class is a great movie and exceeded all expectations and did the originals justice. Even if it did screw the continuity of the entire series.
9. The Avengers
My ninth favorite comic book based movie of all is The Avengers. Usually the top choice for best comic film ever. I'm sure to get shredded for this one. Believe it or not it is actually the fanboy inside me that is placing this movie at ninth place because objectively it is a worse film than Iron Man, First Class or Superman I just found more enjoyment out of The Avengers. While I have always pointed out that this movie lacks a definite plot I feel it is still a great film. This movie does indeed lack depth in the plot, but what brings depth to the movie are the performances which are good from everyone except Renner's Hawk-zombie-eye. Chris Hemsworth was great, Chris Evans was great, Robert Downey Jr was great, Mark Ruffalo was amazing, Tom Hiddleston was amazing. Scar-jo was just alright, Renner was wooden. But it's all the great performances that bring heart and depth to this movie. It also sports a great villain in Tom Hiddleston's Loki who is easily the best villain in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and among the greatest comic book movie villains of all time. The action is the focal point of this entire movie, and it is indeed very great particularly the Hulk smashing scenes. Lastly, this film also has a fantastic score. The only memorable score in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Overall, this movie lacks a plot but it's still a great movie because of the action, score and performances.
8. X2: X-Men United
X2: X-Men United is my eighth favorite comic book based film of all time. X2 is widely considered the best X-Men film and one of the best comic book films ever made. To start with, the story and character development is strong all around although Cyclops still ends up with the short end of the stick. Wolverine still receives a slightly larger role than the other X-Men but he deserves it. Best X-Man ever. Nightcrawler got to be a boss. Magneto is as amazing as usual, Mystique gets an even bigger role than before. All the actors give their all in every scene except Halle Berry, you don't know how much I wish she would quit superhero movies. The action in this film is also superior to the action in the first. Nightcrawler in the white house is epic, Wolverine cutting loose on Stryker's men gave me chills, Cyclops vs Lady Deathstrike was awesome, Wolverine vs Lady Deathstrike was awesome and totally brutal. Mystique vs Stryker's men was great. A lot of great action in this film. Score is good too, it beats the first one. Another great villain is added to mix in Brian Cox's William Stryker. Overall, a fantastic sequel to a fantastic first film.
7. Man of Steel
Man of Steel is my seventh favorite comic flick of all time. I truthfully don't care what critics or anyone else says. This is one of the greatest comic book movies of all time. The story while generic was perfect for bringing Superman into the modern age. The villain was fantastic Michael Shannon's General Zod is among my favorite comic book movie villains even better then Terrence Stamp from Superman 2. The movie has a lot of heart and passion from the actors. This film basically mashed the stories of Superman 1 &2 and brought it into the modern age with dazzling effects and top notch action. This movie overall has the greatest CBM action ever, even eclipsing the Avengers. It also had a lot of character development for it's titular character. A strong story, strong score, strong character development, strong action (Superman vs Zod is my second favorite action scene of all time behind the train scene in Spider-Man 2) one of the best comic movies I've ever seen, I don't care what anyone else says.
6. Batman
Batman from 1989 is my sixth favorite comic book flick of all time. Batman was one of the first good comic book movies and I feel the best of the classic comic book flicks. It easily outdoes the previous failed attempt in 1966 which I feel was straight up terrible even for that time. Batman was a great film but with a great film you must have a great director. Tim Burton is a genius, he made the Batman film for the fans and even managed to get his personal tone get through. Even if was just a little bit. Another thing a great film needs is great acting, Kim Basinger as Vicki Vale is still one of my favorite comic book movie women and one of the few that isn't annoying. Michael Keaton was a great Bruce Wayne and an even better Batman. Gough is a great Alfred even though I prefer Michael Caine. But where the movie shines the most is in the casting of Jack Nicholson as Jack Napier/The Joker. I personally actually prefer this iteration of the Joker over Heath Ledger's legendary performance. To me Jack Nicholson was wittier, funnier and just classier as a villain. I also prefer the costume design of the classic Joker seen here as opposed to the punk rock anarchist seen in The Dark Knight. (I'm not trashing Ledger's Joker at all, he was fantastic I just prefer Jack Nicholson) Nicholson's Joker was widely considered the best comic book movie villain until the mid 2000's. Overall, this is one of the best comic book movies of all time with one of the best comic book movie villains of all tube. This film by far outlives all three of it's inferior sequels. Once Burton left the project it all turned into trash until Nolan would revive it later in 2005 with his masterpiece called Batman Begins.
5. Spider-Man
Spider-Man is my fifth favorite comic book based movie of all time. I love Sam Raimi as a director and I think his greatest works have been works in the superhero genre. Don't get me wrong Evil Dead 1 & 2 were really good but I think Darkman and the first two Spider-Man films are his greatest achievements and his finest inductions into the world of cinema. I love Raimi's personal style that shines through into these movies. I like the perfect blend of camp, passion, drama, action, humor that Raimi likes to bring into his movies. The first Spider-Man film falls into that category, I love the way that Sam Raimi embraces the cheesiness of the Spider-Man character. Because to me, Spider-Man has always been a cheesy character....he's like my 2nd or third favorite hero of all time but I have always viewed him as somewhat of a cheesy character just like Superman. Of course this doesn't mean they can't have deep character arcs or drama it just means that the director recognized that this is a comic book character. Now the MCU does this too, and that is one of the things I love about it but the MCU has villains that aren't as good and stories that aren't as good. However, there has to be a healthy balance of how seriously the film takes itself. The Amazing Spider-Man is an example of a film that takes itself waay too seriously and at times I lose interest. Iron Man 2 & 3, Green Lantern are examples of films that don't take themselves seriously at all and the whole film feels like a big joke. Films like Spider-Man 1 & 2, X-Men 1 & 2, Superman: The Movie, Iron Man, The Avengers, Thor, X-Men: First Class and Man of Steel are examples of films that find a healthy balance. The Wolverine and Nolan's Trilogy take themselves very seriously but the events of the film support that seriousness. Anyways, I'm getting way off topic. To sum that up I mean that Spider-Man finds a healthy balance between dramatic and fun. Also this was the first big budget superhero film, I just loved it. I happily bought into the hype and the pure joy of seeing one of your favorite comic characters come to life in a grand way for the first time. But this film also delivers on many other levels. The origin story of Spider-Man is taken straight from the comics and it was told beautifully. The Green Goblin was straight up and in my opinion the greatest comic book movie villain of all time. Now before Joker fanboys get their panties in a wad, let me say that my 2nd and 3rd favorite CBM villains are both The Joker. Personally I just felt Willem Dafoe gave the strongest performance, and I will admit I'm a bit biased because Green Goblin is my favorite comic book villain of all time. The Joker is second place. Now I've heard hate for the design of Green Goblin in Spider-Man but I personally thought it was great. He was The Joker in a green monster themed Iron Man suit. That's lame? How? Willem Dafoe one of the best actors I've ever seen nails ole Gobby in every way. In fact I think they should bring him back for TASM3, I also think if The Joker was going to be reused in the DCCU Willem Dafoe is the man for the job. He could bring back the Jack Nicholson style Joker. Tobey Maguire I thought was miscast, but did the best under the circumstances...he really does bring a lot of passion to the series. James Franco, J.K. Simmons and Rosemary Harris are great. One of the first great CBMs and still one of the best.
4. The Dark Knight
The Dark Knight is my fourth favorite comic book movie of all time. The Dark Knight is widely considered by most people to be the best comic book film of all time. While I would disagree with the statement that it is THE greatest of all time but it's certainly one of the best and one of my favorites. The story is arguably the greatest plot in CBM history. The Joker has been terrorizing the city and plans to bring the successful trio of Batman, Gordon and Harvey Dent down to his own level. He wants to show the city that chaos is true human nature and that order, law and justice is merely a way to control the masses. When Harvey is hurt and turned insane the Joker thinks he has proved his point. Batman finds a way to defeat both and not let the public know the monster that Dent had become and then disappears taking the blame for what Two-Face had done. As Gordon says "He's the hero Gotham deserves, but not the one it needs right now" this was a display of selfless heroism from Batman and I loved it. Christopher Nolan ups the suspense of the film in his second installment and it makes for a gritty crime drama. But aside from the fantastic story/plot what makes The Dark Knight great is the performances. Particularly from it's villains. Heath Ledger (may he rest in peace) is widely considered the greatest comic book movie villain of all time. Personally I still prefer Jack Nicholson and Willem Dafoe over him but Heath Ledger takes a close third. Aaron Eckhart as Harvey Dent and later Two-Face is also amazing and his legendary tragic arc was portrayed perfectly. I was unhappy with the recast of Maggie Gyllenhall as Rachel Dawes, don't get we wrong Katie Holmes was terrible but Maggie Gyllenhall was much worse. Michael Caine rocks as usual, so does Morgan Freeman, Christian Bale and Gary Oldman. The Dark Knight while not as good as it's predecessor (I feel it lacks the same passion from the characters that Begins had) still a fantastic film of epic proportions.
3. X-Men
X-Men is my third favorite comic book based film of all time. On the very day when I went to watch the first X-Men movie in the theater, it was raining heavily and the day was dark and gloomy. The perfect setting for my first live action viewing of a comic book film. The X-Men from the comics have always been a favorite of mine, right up there with the Justice League for the best team ever. Although I didn't start reading X-Men comics until after I saw this movie and it's sequels, I do know that the X-Men have had years of fantastic stories and characters in their comics and that those themes could translate very well on the big screen. X-Men takes this third spot on my list and it may be a controversial choice. Yes, The Dark Knight is an objectively better film but I personally found more enjoyment out of the first X-Men. Don't get me wrong I love The Dark Knight, that is my fourth favorite but something about seeing a film like this for the very first time as a kid it just sticks with you. I know people dislike the X-Men series because it "isn't true to the comics" but in all honesty, who gives a crap about closeness to the comics if it's still a great movie? I won't and will never understand the hate for the X-Men series and I truly do believe that if these exact same films were released with a Marvel Studios sticker on the back people would wank all over it and call Bryan Singer a genius. Which leads me to my next point, in order to adapt a comic as rich as the X-Men the right director and writers are needed. I think Bryan Singer was indeed THE man for the job, he has a history with themes that relate to the X-Men mythos quite a bit in the way that he is different from most of the world and there are people who think he/others like him should be shunned from society. That aside, I really do think that although Singer did in fact take many liberties from the comics he captured the true essence of the X-Men in his first two films in a way that still hasn't been done since. (don't get me wrong, First Class and Wolverine were great movies but I think they didn't manage to capture the same essence of the X-Men team) Now, almost everywhere I go I hear hate towards Mr. Bryan Singer for his way of making this film too focused around the character of Wolverine. While it is a legitimate point, I am inclined to disagree that it was too much and that it was a bad thing. First of all in the climax all four of them played a role in defeating Magneto and saving Rogue. Of course Wolverine's role was a bit more important than the others but that doesn't change the way that the climax did in fact show a lot of teamwork between the X-Men. Secondly, Wolverine has been the most popular as well as the most central character in the X-Men comics for decades. I don't see how Singer following the example set by the comics is a bad thing. On a side note, the Marvel Cinematic Universe is by FAR too Iron Man centric, but you'll never hear anyone whine about that because I'm pretty sure we all know that Marvel Studios is perfect. (sarcasm) What's worse is that Iron Man isn't even half as interesting of a character as Wolverine. I personally believe Wolverine actually deserved a slightly larger role than the other X-Men because he's the most interesting, the most popular as well as my personal favorite of the group. Not to mention it started something amazing when Hugh Jackman showed up. Which leads me to my next point, the casting is pretty much right on the nose. Hugh Jackman is quite possibly the greatest cbm casting of all time. People whine that Hugh is like a foot taller than Wolverine from the comics...okay then, Chris Hemsworth is like half the size of Thor from the comics. I'm not even trying to trash Mr. Hemsworth I like him as an actor and think he is a good Thor I'm merely pointing out that people are quick and ready to trash X-Men films for anything when Marvel Studio films have the same problems. Obviously it would be ridiculous to have some bodybuilder the actual size of comic Thor who can't even act play the part. So they get Hemsworth who looks the part and is a great actor but isn't the right size. What's really more important? Back to the topic, Hugh Jackman is the perfect Wolverine because in his acting he nails the character in every way. Hugh has devoted thirteen whole years of his life to a character that both he and we love and all we can do is whine that he's a foot too tall? Geez...While he is the best, Jackman isn't the only fantastic casting choice. Sir Ian Mckellen and Patrick Stewart are absolutely terrific in their respective roles of Magneto and Professor X. I love the dialogue and interaction between the two, it's just so epic sounding. The banter between the two shrouds their past in darkness and in mere references and it leaves me in mystery and thought. The acting from both of them was phenomenal. Next we have Mystique, who I'd say fills the Darth Maul role for the film as well as the whole series. I really mean that she is relatively flat as a character, but it's the outstanding visuals and general coolness and sexiness that make you love the character anyway. Jean Grey I also felt was portrayed very true to the comics, and Famke Janssen fills the role so perfectly in the way that she not only physically resembles Jean from comics she also acts like her too. Other minor villains Toad and Sabretooth were decent enough as well. Ray Park, the man who played Darth Maul gives a visually strong performance as Toad. Tyler Mane, well he seemed to lack visual greatness but I think his character was still portrayed well. Anna Paquin was pretty good as Rogue too. Halle Berry...the only weak point. Why can't she give up the superhero dream? She's really just not cut out for it. This film truly does have one of the greatest ensemble casts of all time, and the brightest stars shine brighter than ever. Lastly, what makes this movie great is the fact that it was the first superhero film to incorporate both themes of Sci-Fi as well as politics. The world set up by Bryan Singer where mutants are hated by society is an over exaggerated reflection of our real world. What I love most about Singer's X-Men movies, is that they don't portray the mutants as "heroes" in the traditional sense. They are just regular people who are born with different genetics, it's one of the most thought provoking things ever to see how different mutants react to their abilities and learn to cope with the world around them. All in all, the first X-Men movie is deep, thought provoking, perfectly casted, has great acting, and action with a meaning behind it. I tell you this film is better than anything, I repeat anything you will find the MCU. I'm not an MCU hater by any means I just believe that other film studios make much deeper films.
2. Spider-Man 2
Spider-Man 2 is my second favorite comic book based film of all time. Spider-Man 2 not only lived up to the hype and greatness of the first Spider-Man. It also manages to outdo it in almost every way. Spider-Man 2 chronicles the events of Peter Parker's life exactly two years since Uncle Ben Parker's death and the birth of Spider-Man. Now he has been a full fledged superhero for two years while at the same time trying to keep not one, but two jobs as well as go to college full time and pursue a relationship with Mary Jane. Meanwhile, Peter's best friend Harry Osborn is still grieving over the death of his father the late great Norman Osborn (aka The Green Goblin). Harry still thinks Spider-Man is responsible and every day he falls a bit deeper into his slow descent into madness that is chronicled through out the trilogy. However, Harry has began to try and relive his father's greatness it seems this is a weird way of him trying to gratify himself and his father in having a hand in the greatest invention of all time. Which leads us to the film's primary antagonist, Dr. Otto Octavious aka Dr. Octopus or Doc Ock. Otto has great ambitions indeed he plans to create a miniature sun in the palm of his hand to give the world a renewable source of clean and dependable energy. He also has four mechanical arms directly linked to his mind, he calls them his assistants. But when something happens and the experiment goes wrong, his wife is killed and the arms get fused inside his brain permanently. He runs and hides after seeing what monsters his arms are, but after contemplating suicide he and the arms decide to rebuild it bigger and ever before. If that isn't the set up for a masterpiece, I don't know what is. This film is all that and more. I saw this as a young teenager, and it made me feel a way I had never felt before. All the heart and emotion stored up inside all of the characters really shines through the movie. Doc Ock's passion for science and love of his wife, Harry Osborn's love for his father and hatred of Spider-Man, Peter Parker's guilt and responsibility of Ben's death, May's sadness over the loss of Ben and her kindness to Peter. This movie is all heart all the way through. I personally feel that this movie has the most heart, emotion and energy out of all the comic book films I've ever seen. That being stated, it's not to say the story is lacking either. I already wrote most of the plot above, but it's the character development of the titular character that brings so much passion to the screen. His arc begins when he is barely coping with life and all of his multiple responsibilities. The excruciating amount of stress has begun to take it's toll on his body and his power is slowly waning. After a while he figured he's done the superhero thing enough and calls it quits. We then see what is arguably the funniest moment in CBM history...raindrops keep falling on my head! But through out the course of events in the film, Peter learns that sometimes in order to do the right thing you have to give up what you love most. This is evidenced when he tells Mary Jane he doesn't love her (he actually does) in order to protect her and do the right thing. Aunt May's speech inspires him "I think there is a hero in all of us, that keeps us honest, makes us brave and finally allows is to die with pride." Peter learns this truth in life and attempts to pass it on to Dr. Octopus. Who at the end of the film gives up what he loves most in order to do the right thing. He is killed in the process and May's words ring true...you see even though he's a villain Ock still had a hero inside him and that hero finally allowed him to die with pride instead of evil. His exact words were "I will not die a monster" which shows the connection between the two. What makes Dr. Octopus one of the greatest CBM villains of all time is not only his epic story line but a tremendous actor to bring him to life. Alfred Molina is a great actor and he nailed Dr. Octopus in every way, he found the perfect mark between sympathetic and terrifying. Other great cast members include Rosemary Harris as Aunt May, although May is an easy character to bring to life they did it very well. Tobey Maguire is generally hated for his acting, and though I agree it was a miscast he still brings so much passion into the character. J.K. Simmons is among the greatest casting in a CBM ever. And I don't care what anyone says, I love James Franco and his portray of Harry Osborn is gloriously goofy just the same way as Hemsworth's Thor. The weak point as usual is Kirsten Dunst, she's not terrible just meh. This film although it did have a few miscasts like Dunst, it still has a strong cast of actors that bring these characters to life. A fantastic villain and JJ are the best though. Another area Spider-Man 2 shines bright is the action, the back scene and climax are good and the clock tower/train scene is the best cbm action of all time in my opinion. Score was down right amazing. Overall, Spider-Man 2 is one of the best movies I have ever seen, hands down the best Marvel movie.
1. Batman Begins
Batman Begins is my number 1, all time favorite comic book based movie. Batman Begins is the first of the modern breed of comic book hero movies and this is evidenced by the way that it was the first big name CBM that took a darker and more realistic approach. It told an origin story in a way that is yet to be matched and has even been copied off of thrice. Iron Man, Man of Steel and The Amazing Spider-Man used Batman Begins as an example of how to tell a great origin story. That in and of itself speaks for the film and supports how great it is. To start with the story while not as strong as it's successor: The Dark Knight, it is still a top notch plot in it's own right. Bruce and his family leave a theatre because Bruce is afraid of the Bat-themed play. In the alley his parents are brutally killed right before his eyes. Later in life he sets out on a quest to fight men like that, but in order to do so he has to get inside their ranks. In doing so, he is captured by the Chinese government and imprisoned. In the prison he is visited by Ra's Al Ghul who tells him to come to the league of shadows. After working in the league for a while in order to complete his training Ra's tells him to kill this certain man who is a criminal. Bruce refuses and a fight breaks out which destroys the whole temple, Ra's is almost killed but Bruce saves his life before he returns home. While at home he ponders the duality of man, he realizes that he can only do so much as a mortal man. But as a symbol...he could be immortal. He chooses the symbol he fears the most, the bat. He believes it is time that his enemies shared his dread of bats. He sets out on a crusade to save the city from crime and he even brings down crime lord Carmine Falcone. However when the villain Scarecrow reveals his fear toxin, Batman is faced with an enemy that uses fear just like he does. At the end Scarecrow is revealed to be working for Ra's Al Ghul who is now coming to Gotham in order to destroy the wicked city and he plans to do this through fear itself. Great story isn't it? Another prime reason for this film's greatness is the acting, Christian Bale is over-hated he was a great Batman. Michael Caine rocks as Alfred, Gary Oldman is the perfect Gordon. Liam Neeson is beast-ing it up as Ra's Al Ghul. And Cilian Murphy, an underrated actor plays the Scarecrow one of my favorite CBM villains. While the film's villains are inferior it's sequel, they are both still fantastic villains. I honestly give this movie top spot because it revolutionized the genre and set the bar higher than ever before. Batman is my 1st or 2nd favorite hero (1 &2 shift around quite a bit) so that's another reason why I love this film so much. It's the deepest, darkest, most thought provoking, film ever. And it's villains, story and acting is top notch. This movie set the standard as far Origin movies go, as well as comic book movies overall. Best. Movie. Ever!
Honorable mentions and why they didn't make the cut.
Superman 2-was a great movie too but was a bit too silly, and it just didn't live up to the hype of the first film.
The Dark Knight Rises-deserves a lot less hate from comic fans and a lot less love from general audience. I didn't find it horrible or particularly amazing, just good. I didn't like the ending though. Bane was a boss until the end when we find out he's working for some random chick who's got it out for Batman. Talia Al Ghul in TDKR is among the lamest villains ever. The rest of the film is really good though.
The Wolverine-was a great character search but it lacked a memorable villain.
The Incredible Hulk-^^ same thing. Such a shame I can't fit it in somewhere, Hulk is my favorite or second favorite character.
Well, what do ya think? Please remember it's all opinion so be civil.
Source: http://www.comicbookmovie.com/fansites/fenix/news/?a=90473
0 comments:
Post a Comment