In my 21 years on this planet, two things have remained a constant for me; the inability to grow a beard and a love of superheroes. With Avengers: Infinity War perilously close, now seems like the right time to rank my favourite comic book movies and open myself up for a tidal wave of disagreement and abuse canny wait:
- Iron Man 3
Controversy! When Iron Man 3 first released in 2013 it sparked outrage amongst fans because of the way it depicted Tony’s most beloved villain, The Manderin. Reducing his foe down to a drug fuelled actor was a bold move from director Shane Black, but one that I personally think paid off, as it made a refreshing change from the somewhat predictable formula that Marvels movies were starting to follow. Showing Stark as a more vulnerable figure, suffering from PTSD following the events of The Avengers, gave the film a more serious tone and RDJ made the character more relatable than the larger than life playboy seen in previous entries.
- Deadpool
Have you ever seen a more perfect casting than Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool? Reynolds trademark humour and wit fits the merc with a mouth perfectly, I’m not even sure if he’s acting through most of the movie. Wade Wilson’s psychotic fourth wall breaks and crude humour make for easily the funniest superhero flick I’ve ever seen, with shots being fired at everything from the muddled X-men timelines to the stars previous flops. Whilst it lacks the grand spectacle of other items on this list, it more than makes up for it with laugh-out-loud moments, and self-awareness.
- Spider-Man 2
Like many nerds my age, Toby Maguires Spiderman trilogy was a staple of my childhood and I just couldn’t resist putting one in my top 10 list. Unfortunately, the original hasn’t aged well and the third, in hindsight, was pretty poor in the first place. The normally neglected middle child though has managed to stand the test of time, and remains the definitive Spiderman movie 14 years on. The sequel builds upon its predecessor in almost every way and gives the iconic web-slinger the showing the he deserved. Maguire won fans hearts here, but he was by no means the stand-out. In world saturated with one-dimensional villains with generic ‘destroy the world’ agendas, the captivating and complex interpretation of Dr Otto Octavius by Alfred Molina is a breath of fresh air, his empathy inducing performance really drives the film forward.
- Black Panther
The MCU’s latest instalment proves once again that the all-conquering film franchise isn’t resting on its laurels; in fact it’s going from strength to strength. Not only is Black Panther a triumph for black representation in film, it is a wonderfully crafted feature in its own right. Wakanda is beautifully realised and is given a sense of realism that Asgaard never even came close to. While the action scenes are adrenaline pumping, the personal struggles of T’challa as he comes to terms with his Fathers mistakes, and Michael B Jordan’s relatable villain are what give the film its heart. Given more time this could easily creep up the list, but for now I’ll just say that this one of, if not the best standalone Marvel film.
- Captain America: Civil War
Rounding off Caps’ already stellar trilogy with one the boldest superhero films ever made; some of the action here is the best the genre has to offer, and even though there’s so much going on it never feels over-stuffed. The story touched on interesting areas that few others had even tried, raising the question of whether beings of this immense power be given free rein, or if they should adhere to some kind of rules. But in all honesty, this is ranked so highly for one reason and one reason only. The airport scene. I didn’t think anything would ever come close to The Avengers in terms of nerdy glee, but seeing 10+ of your most beloved characters on-screen at the same time, trading blows and combining skills like a comic book come to life, was very special.
- The Avengers
There isn’t much more that I can say about The Avengers that hasn’t already been said. Whilst in terms of plot the film may be fairly predictable, the real draw here is the sheer novelty of seeing all of our favourite heroes on screen at the same time in a culmination of all the entries that came before it, something that was unheard of at the time. Let’s be honest, there’s a good chance I’m looking at this through a rose tinted Iron-Man helmet, but the childish buzz I got during every second of this nonstop spectacle is something I won’t forget any-time soon.
- Guardians of the Galaxy
I’ll be upfront about this; I had absolutely no idea who the Guardians were before this came out. When I saw the poster for it, I thought it looked like a B-Tec Avengers in space. But yet here it is on my list. The way it abandoned the grandiose stories that have become the norm and made the quirky characters the focal-point made me fall in love it almost immediately, I instantly cared about every ones story and motivations, no matter how mental they may be. Even though the plot follows a fairly straight-forward formula; unlikely allies are thrown together, come out of it being friends; Guardians’ characters are so loveable and memorable that it could warm the heart of the harshest critic. Throw in one the catchiest soundtracks you’re likely to hear and the results are very, very special. I just love this damn film.
- Logan
If I was doing this list based solely on quality, I’d have to pop this firmly at the number two spot, but it’s not and I can do whatever I want (thank-you Exposed, you’ve created a monster!). Logan manages to achieve something that very few comic book movies come close to, not just being an incredible superhero film, but a fantastic one in its own right. Seeing a worn and broken Wolverine is as powerful an experience you’ll ever find on the big screen, regardless of genre. Add that to the action, which was mercifully let off the leash thanks to the R-rating, and we finally got to see a troubled and brutal portrayal of Wolverine that we had craved for years. Truly, there is only one film I think is better than this, and its number 2.
- The Dark Knight
In many ways, this is the best superhero movie of all time. Absolutely everything you could ever want is here; breath-taking action, deep characters, a villain who is as captivating as he is frightening. Nolan’s Batman trilogy is the magnum opus for this style of film, Christian bale is the definitive Batman in my eyes and always will be, and what can I even say about Heath Ledger? His Joker is the absolute star, every scene that he features in you simply can’t take your eyes off him, and I doubt we’ll ever see a more perfect performance of a comic book character until the end of time.
Well done for powering your way through my geeky ramblings. So without further ado here’s my number one pick:
*insert drumroll here*
- Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
Before 2014’s original, the rag-tag group of misfits were nearly unknown outside of the Marvel fanboys, now they’re favourites amongst the MCU’s ever-growing roster. The sequel was the perfect continuation to what I already considered one of my all-time favourites. It almost felt like I was catching-up with my friends who I hadn’t seen in years. The first time I saw this, I went in with nervous excitement out of the fear of it not living up to the hype, but I spent the whole run-time with a huge smile on my face, leaning over to my friends on several occasions to simply say, “I’m so happy” after every ridiculous moment or hilarious back and forth. It remains the happiest I’ve ever been in a cinema. Not only is the humour consistently on-point throughout, but it packs an emotional punch as well. Michael Rooker’s role as the disgraced ravager Yondu is exceptional, and can easily put a lump in your throat. Volume 1 will always have a special place in my heart, but I can’t escape the pathetically fan-girly buzz I get from the sequel.
So yes, my favourite superhero movie of all-time stars a talking racoon and a living tree. Obviously.
