It was very hard for me to narrow this list down to ten. Many people like me are overjoyed by the abundance of high-quality superhero films. But we can’t ignore that the majority have still been at best, mediocre, and at worst, downright rotten.
Here’s my infamous list. Read it and weep. And do know, I have not seen many of these films in their entirety for obvious reasons.
- Daredevil (45% on Rotten Tomatoes). Not the worst movie. But not the best either. Maybe I’m biased because this gets grouped in a run of bad Ben Affleck films from the previous decade. The best thing I can say about this movie is that it made over $100 domestically.
- X-Men Origins: Wolverine (38% on Rotten Tomatoes). I found this to be the most disappointing superhero film ever. It had all the makings of a blockbuster with an excellent lead (Hugh Jackman), who carried the first two X-Men films, and an excellent promotional campaign. The end result: a surprisingly forgettable movie.
- Fantastic Four (37% on Rotten Tomatoes). Where do I start? Was it the casting of the little-known (to American audiences at least) Ioan Gruffudd as Mr. Fantastic? Or was it the often-criticized Jessica Alba as the Invisible Girl? To me, it had more to do with a script that lacked depth and emotion. Grade: Fail.
- Blade Trinity (26% on Rotten Tomatoes). A disappointing end to this largely successful superhero series. The producers of the film missed the mark by trying to appeal to the teenie bopper market by casting Ryan Reynolds and Jessica Biel into a series that’s biggest appeal is its darkness. Bad move.
- Green Lantern (26% on Rotten Tomatoes). It had an A-list cast, including Ryan Reynolds, Tim Robbins, and Angela Bassett. But it delivered a D+ product. It didn’t fail on my report card but it’s cartoonish special effects and wooden characters didn’t pass the eye test either.
- The Punisher. I love this pick(s). You get a two-for-one. You can slide the 1989 (24% on Rotten Tomatoes) version starring Dolph Lundgren in. Or if you like your trash fresher, you can slide in the 2004 version starring Thomas Jane (29% on Rotten Tomatoes). Take your pick of the litter.
- Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance (18% on Rotten Tomatoes). My first question is why was there a sequel to the first awful film? In a sequel that no one wanted to see, it’s stink-level hopefully guarantees that there will not be a third film or a reboot. But I’ve been wrong before.
- Batman & Robin (11% on Rotten Tomatoes). After Tim Burton’s campy, film noir classic Batman dropped in 1989, the follow up films declined with each release. Batman Returns was solid but unspectacular. Batman Forever was forgettable. And I did not see any portion Batman & Robin. Enough said.
- Elektra (10% on Rotten Tomatoes). A “relative” to the Ben Affleck-led Daredevil, this film was somehow worse than its predecessor. Jennifer Garner, who played the super heroine, is a fine actress but wasn’t a big enough star to lift this weak movie devoid of moving action scenes or compelling supporting characters.
- Catwoman (9% on Rotten Tomatoes). The casting of Halle Berry as Catwoman was encouraging. It appeared to be an update on Eartha Kitt’s small screen depiction. But, I wouldn’t encourage my worst enemy to watch this. Berry can at least find solace in the fact that she plays Storm in the good X-Men films.
I love superhero movies but I did not say that I love all superhero movies. The ten movies above make me really appreciate the greatness of the 10 best superhero movies of all-time.
