I thought to rate and rank the genre movies I've seen and put into words why my favorites are my favorites, without giving too much of any of the plots away so anyone reading who hasn't seen all of these movies can experience them for themselves. Comment yours, say what you think of my list and/or ask about <a> particular movie<s> not on here.
HONORABLE MENTIONS (B+ category)
#29- Big Hero 6
#30- Captain America: The First Avenger
#31- Ant-Man
#32- Blade II [88]
#33- Batman: The Movie
#34- Avengers: Age of Ultron [87]
#35- Hellboy
#36- Iron Man 3 [86]
#37- The Amazing Spider-Man [85]
*** To mention it before the rest of my list, I love Avengers: Infinity War, but am waiting for the sequel to rate them as a two-parter. ***
#28- Deadpool [92, A-]
Deadpool set the path for higher-budget R-rated superhero movies to be made, and unlike the other title characters on my list, Deadpool here is an anti-hero who puts his interests above any moral good; and he breaks the fourth wall, and does a lot of lampooning while doing so, throughout this work of action comedy gold.
#27- Split [92]
This is the most different of any superhero movie I've seen. It was advertised as a psychological horror movie, but is a sequel to Unbreakable that builds to another sequel combining the characters from both movies; so it is (believe it or not) a movie of the superhero genre. It's a great superhero psychological fright flick that's also an interesting depiction of multiple-personality disorder and something like childhood abuse that can cause it.
#26- Thor: Ragnarok [94, A-]
Marvel likely knew they were going to tick some fans off my making this Thor so different from the first two, but for others, it was a refreshing/nonetheless entertaining move that gave Chris Hemsworth interest in more Thor. It's still criticized for too much humor, and there is a bit of it that does rate the movie down a notch.
#25- Thor [94]
Thor, the list's most underrated entry in my view, was unique for its superhero approach to the god of Norse mythology's son (of all characters) and its 'arguably-a-villain-turns-good' development. Loki's a morally complex villain and the MCU's [Marvel Cinematic Universe's] best antagonist until Avengers: Infinity War in my opinion. I love Ragnarok, but I'll truly miss this more mythological Thor.
#24- Doctor Strange [94]
Doctor Strange's role in Thor: Ragnarok would've been far better if it wasn't given away in this movie's mid-credits, but at least that shows that I love this movie. It's a fantasy superhero take like Guardians of the Galaxy is a sci-fi take, and a beautifully trippy one at that. Stephen Strange's feeling of insignificance after his accident leaving him unable to work and his quest to undo his damage give us a tale with a valuable lesson in feeling of personal worth.
#23- Watchmen [94]
The biggest R-rated superhero movie before Deadpool, this is no action movie. It has *some* action {and no comic relief}, but is a mystery with deeply imperfect characters instead of the usual heroes; and a story of a not-usually-so-heavy genre with the heavy theme of nuclear holocaust. No comic relief, did I say? Would be much higher if not, though the comic's fairly violent, for a few scenes of fetish-like gratuitous violence that detracts from its craftsmanship.
#22- Batman Begins [95, A]
The movie that depicted Batman definitively in media, the DCEU Batman, Gotham TV show and Batman: Arkham video games are based on this more than the 1989 Batman. Adam West's Batman series is the 'Batman and Boy Wonder' of Batman in media, the 1989 movie 'the Caped Crusader', and this movie 'the Dark Knight' (clearly, as that name would be included in the sequels' titles).
#21- Iron Man [95]
It didn't start modern superhero film, but it did help redefine it. When there wasn't a popular Marvel-based movie without 'X-Men' nor 'Spider-Man' in the title, and when Marvel was facing bankruptcy, they put all bets into starting their Cinematic Universe with Iron Man. They succeeded outstandingly, Step One in starting the 'shared universe' age of superhero film and history's highest-grossing movie franchise.
#20- X-Men & X2 [95]
Blade started the modern superhero film era, and X-Men made it smashingly popular. There wasn't a Spider-Man nor Hulk movie until the X-Men had one first. It was also original for its theme of superpowered people being seen as threats for their abilities, with mutant and human villains seeking to wipe the other's kind out. Hugh Jackman's as untoppable as Wolverine as Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen are as Professor X and Magneto, and I enjoy Wolverine's character development from appearing as the 'F__ everyone but me' type to going to great lengths to save his new friends. You may call this two movies, but I say it's one: X-Men doesn't stand on its own, but continues its story with two more releases. The Last Stand doesn't live up to the greatness, and we'll see how Dark Phoenix turns out.
#18- Batman, Batman Returns [95]
Despite the greater influence the Dark Knight trilogy had over Batman in media, there will always be these two movies to thank for taking Batman beyond comics - unless you credit that to Adam West's Batman, and even if so, they kept superhero film alive after Superman. Batman is better as a character study of Batman and its sequel is better for its villains' moral complexity. We'll never see any live-action Batman movie like these again.
#17- Hellboy II: The Golden Army [95]
Having been [A] released in 2008 with my favorite superhero movie of all time and Iron Man starting the MCU and confirmed by director Guillermo del Toro to never getting a sequel, 2008's my pick for the best and worst year in superhero film. The fantasy artist that he is, del Toro made a movie that had no business being a 'elves, fairies and forest beings' fantasy and made it work as such without being too "soft". Abe has a larger role here, and Prince Nuada's also worth mentioning: not evil nor misguided, and the dillemma he explains to Hellboy at the end is quite the big deal... Too bad we'll never get Hellboy III.
#16- The Incredibles [96, A]
The only superhero movie on the list besides Split not comic-based, and the list's only genre movie along with Hellboy II not DC- nor Marvel-based, The Incredibles is still regarded as the best Fantastic Four movie to date. While the heroes in X-Men are feared for their powers, the heroes here are outlawed for the *results* of using their powers even for good.
*** As overwhelmingly DC- and Marvel-based as this list is, I look forward to seeing how much I enjoy Incredibles 2, Todd McFarlane's Spawn movie and Glass. There's disinterest in some in the Hellboy reboot, but being Mike Mignola's franchise and not Guillermo del Toro's, I won't knock it until I see it; and the sad reality is that no studio will give the budget for Hellboy III. ***
#15- Deadpool 2 [96]
You may think I need to wait a bit before ranking a movie I just saw, but I consider myself quite analytical in how I rate my enjoyment of movies. It may not be as impactful, but I prefer it over the original for the actual character growth that happens in it; not even mentioning how much harder I laughed at this movie. The humor that comes out of Deadpool's fourth wall awareness is always credit-worthy.
#14- Logan [97, A]
You may be surprised that I put Logan below my top dozen, with all its hype as the "best superhero movie ever next to The Dark Knight" or "best superhero movie ever"; but there are plenty of genre movies I myself enjoy more. The R-rated Wolverine movie that masses of fans wanted, its violence brutally (and non-gratuitously) fits the plot's grimness and with depicting Logan's personal conflict. The movie doesn't glorify its violence, however, containing a message about killing in any case. Hugh Jackman and Patrick Stewart deserved Oscar nominations for their last X-Men roles, and even Dafne Keen's acting debut was worthy of such.
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#7- The Avengers, Black Panther, The Dark Knight Rises, Guardians of the Galaxy, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Spider-Man: Homecoming, X-Men: Days of Future Past [97]
The Avengers completed the goal that Iron Man began of originating the MCU, changing superhero film franchises forever - AND notes were taken to start the MonsterVerse, which I'm ecstatic about!
Instead of Hulk being at Universal, Spider-Man at Sony and X-Men at Fox, everything Marvel is now in the MCU (or soon to be, in X-Men's case; but we all expect it to be). Superman has the impact for superhero media that Star Trek has for sci-fi media, Blade and X-Men introduced their genre to improved visual effects as 2001: A Space Odyssey did for its own, and The Avengers is as significant as Star Wars in shaping its genre into how we know it today.
Guardians of the Galaxy was as audacious as The Avengers. Less known than Captain America, Iron Man and Hulk, and (bizarrely) with a talking raccoon and walking tree-like being, it was actually debated when Guardians came out whether the Guardians or the Avengers had the better movie; showing that Marvel can do just about anything. Though the sequel doesn't have the same impact, it's just as entertaining, more moving, and has the same great character development.
Black Panther and Spider-Man made their MCU debuts in Captain America: Civil War, and also have great solo debuts. Black Panther is the first mainstream black superhero movie {Blade being the first (but not nearly as successful) black superhero movie}; and Spider-Man: Homecoming is pure light-hearted fun instead of trying to have any of the drama of the first two Spider-Man movie series, something we haven't seen in a genre movie since Batman: The Movie and Superman & Superman II. King T'Challa's learning to help others outside his country of Wakanda and Peter Parker's progression from 'Avengers try-hard' to the 'friendly neighborhood' hero we know and love are both well-written stories.
This may be debatable, but X-Men: Days of Future Past concludes the X-Men movies better than Logan in my view; as awesome as Logan is, the X-Men timeline didn't need it for continuation, so I consider it an X-23 additional timeline (James Mangold wants to make an X-23 movie) - the same way everyone considers Deadpool an off-the-wall alternate timeline, especially with both movies being far too brutal and vulgar for younger and for squeamish X-Men fans... Plus, I can't listen to the music in the "This is what it feels like" scene anymore without thinking of a particular scene in Deadpool 2 {thanks, Ryan Reynolds}.
The Dark Knight Rises may not have the trilogy's most original plot (Bane has the same ambition as Ra's al Ghul in Batman Begins), but that's still part of what makes this movie's wrapping up of everything from its predecesors so triumphant. The addition of two other beloved Batman characters also brings the trilogy to an epic close. By the way, if you think Batman Begins is underrated to The Dark Knight Rises, Batman Begins has higher user ratings on IMDb, Metacritic and Rotten Tomatoes - so it's not. You may think the ties in my #7 slot are gratuitous, but some movies I love equally for their own reasons.
#6- Superman & Superman II [97]
Superhero film started with none other than Superman {unless you credit that to, again, Adam West's Batman}. These are the only movies on the list with the music composed by the legendary John Williams, who needless to say has helped bring superhero film to life - like in the scene in Superman of Superman flying with Lois Lane. I can't think of another genre scene as magical in showing the hero using powers when <s>he isn't fighting the bad guys. Superman II features General Zod as the main villain, serving as the Part Two of Superman in the sense of him having been banished into the Phantom Zone in the first movie; and it's a story of Superman realizing why he must be Superman when he wants a normal life with Lois, showing what being a superhero is all about at the start of the genre.
#5- Captain America: The Winter Soldier [98, A]
The Dark Knight, Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Logan are considered to have the most realism of any comic-based superhero movies, feeling like entirely different genres: The Dark Knight doesn't have superpowers involved and the other two do, but minimally to where you almost forget they're superhero movies (as does Unbreakable, but that's not a comic-based one). This movie's story is outstanding, Steve Rogers and Black Widow have great chemistry here, and this movie has what I think is the best superhero credits scene {except now for Deadpool 2}.
#2- Captain America: Civil War, Spider-Man & Spider-Man 2, Wonder Woman [98]
Captain America: Civil War, often nicknamed Avengers 2.5, has some of film's best superhero action by pitting Team Rogers versus Team Stark in a battle of differences over how to go about doing the greater good. Black Panther's role here, mentioned above, is very memorable; but I also love Scarlet Witch's {adorably played by Elizabeth Olsen, jussayin} character development. It's a darker story than the original Avengers and Captain America movies, but despite the obstacles that come between our Marvel family, they're still there for each other in the end.
Superheroes are saviors of the day in ways that are only fiction, and I can't say there's anything Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy doesn't accurately depict about superheroism as though it's reality: the confliction between following your dreams and doing what's right (having a message in Spider-Man 2 about what we all, not just a superhero, can do for the greater good), the humanity even of the antagonists, and the people you look after selflessly returning the favor [notable during the bridge scene in Spider-Man and train scene in Spider-Man 2]. This was Fox's superhero competitor before the MCU. While X-Men paved the way for it; and while, like X-Men, this is an awesome two-parter with a not-as-awesome finale, this will forever be the best superhero movie from before 2008.
While Wonder Woman may be the DCEU's [DC Extended Universe's] only movie on my list, I have faith in the DCEU finding its way into Marvel's level (Fox expected to be out of the competition). Showing that women superheroes can be just as great in a title role as their male genre colleagues, this movie also stands out as a old wartime adventure - sure, Captain America: The First Avenger takes place in WWII, but this movie portrays the intensity of a wartime atmosphere; and I thus got goosebumps when I saw the No Man's Land scene. While other genre movies are stories of the heroes saving others, and some of them like Spider-Man & Spider-Man 2 showing the heroes' personal sacrifices to be those much-needed heroes, this movie's a story of the hero learning *why* saving others is the right thing to do in a world full of malevolence as opposed to her own.
#1- The Dark Knight [101, A+]
Christopher Nolan directed Batman Begins grandly, yet made his direction here more mentionable - with a superhero and villain without powers like Batman and the Joker, and themes of terrorism and disorder, this has the most realism of any superhero movie. I say the story, with Spider-Man & Spider-Man 2, is the best example of a superhero story that shows the selflessness of both the hero and others [the ferries scene and ending] and personal cost for the hero protecting others [Rachel's letter, though]; except in this movie, the people take the hero for granted as far as to blame him for the bad things that happen. I also doubt any movie antagonist can top Heath Ledger's Joker: unlike others, instead of trying to keep the hero out of the way, he cares only for being chased by the hero and goes to greatly malevolent lengths to make it happen.
HONORABLE MENTIONS (B+ category)
#29- Big Hero 6
#30- Captain America: The First Avenger
#31- Ant-Man
#32- Blade II [88]
#33- Batman: The Movie
#34- Avengers: Age of Ultron [87]
#35- Hellboy
#36- Iron Man 3 [86]
#37- The Amazing Spider-Man [85]
*** To mention it before the rest of my list, I love Avengers: Infinity War, but am waiting for the sequel to rate them as a two-parter. ***
#28- Deadpool [92, A-]
Deadpool set the path for higher-budget R-rated superhero movies to be made, and unlike the other title characters on my list, Deadpool here is an anti-hero who puts his interests above any moral good; and he breaks the fourth wall, and does a lot of lampooning while doing so, throughout this work of action comedy gold.
#27- Split [92]
This is the most different of any superhero movie I've seen. It was advertised as a psychological horror movie, but is a sequel to Unbreakable that builds to another sequel combining the characters from both movies; so it is (believe it or not) a movie of the superhero genre. It's a great superhero psychological fright flick that's also an interesting depiction of multiple-personality disorder and something like childhood abuse that can cause it.
#26- Thor: Ragnarok [94, A-]
Marvel likely knew they were going to tick some fans off my making this Thor so different from the first two, but for others, it was a refreshing/nonetheless entertaining move that gave Chris Hemsworth interest in more Thor. It's still criticized for too much humor, and there is a bit of it that does rate the movie down a notch.
#25- Thor [94]
Thor, the list's most underrated entry in my view, was unique for its superhero approach to the god of Norse mythology's son (of all characters) and its 'arguably-a-villain-turns-good' development. Loki's a morally complex villain and the MCU's [Marvel Cinematic Universe's] best antagonist until Avengers: Infinity War in my opinion. I love Ragnarok, but I'll truly miss this more mythological Thor.
#24- Doctor Strange [94]
Doctor Strange's role in Thor: Ragnarok would've been far better if it wasn't given away in this movie's mid-credits, but at least that shows that I love this movie. It's a fantasy superhero take like Guardians of the Galaxy is a sci-fi take, and a beautifully trippy one at that. Stephen Strange's feeling of insignificance after his accident leaving him unable to work and his quest to undo his damage give us a tale with a valuable lesson in feeling of personal worth.
#23- Watchmen [94]
The biggest R-rated superhero movie before Deadpool, this is no action movie. It has *some* action {and no comic relief}, but is a mystery with deeply imperfect characters instead of the usual heroes; and a story of a not-usually-so-heavy genre with the heavy theme of nuclear holocaust. No comic relief, did I say? Would be much higher if not, though the comic's fairly violent, for a few scenes of fetish-like gratuitous violence that detracts from its craftsmanship.
#22- Batman Begins [95, A]
The movie that depicted Batman definitively in media, the DCEU Batman, Gotham TV show and Batman: Arkham video games are based on this more than the 1989 Batman. Adam West's Batman series is the 'Batman and Boy Wonder' of Batman in media, the 1989 movie 'the Caped Crusader', and this movie 'the Dark Knight' (clearly, as that name would be included in the sequels' titles).
#21- Iron Man [95]
It didn't start modern superhero film, but it did help redefine it. When there wasn't a popular Marvel-based movie without 'X-Men' nor 'Spider-Man' in the title, and when Marvel was facing bankruptcy, they put all bets into starting their Cinematic Universe with Iron Man. They succeeded outstandingly, Step One in starting the 'shared universe' age of superhero film and history's highest-grossing movie franchise.
#20- X-Men & X2 [95]
Blade started the modern superhero film era, and X-Men made it smashingly popular. There wasn't a Spider-Man nor Hulk movie until the X-Men had one first. It was also original for its theme of superpowered people being seen as threats for their abilities, with mutant and human villains seeking to wipe the other's kind out. Hugh Jackman's as untoppable as Wolverine as Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen are as Professor X and Magneto, and I enjoy Wolverine's character development from appearing as the 'F__ everyone but me' type to going to great lengths to save his new friends. You may call this two movies, but I say it's one: X-Men doesn't stand on its own, but continues its story with two more releases. The Last Stand doesn't live up to the greatness, and we'll see how Dark Phoenix turns out.
#18- Batman, Batman Returns [95]
Despite the greater influence the Dark Knight trilogy had over Batman in media, there will always be these two movies to thank for taking Batman beyond comics - unless you credit that to Adam West's Batman, and even if so, they kept superhero film alive after Superman. Batman is better as a character study of Batman and its sequel is better for its villains' moral complexity. We'll never see any live-action Batman movie like these again.
#17- Hellboy II: The Golden Army [95]
Having been [A] released in 2008 with my favorite superhero movie of all time and Iron Man starting the MCU and confirmed by director Guillermo del Toro to never getting a sequel, 2008's my pick for the best and worst year in superhero film. The fantasy artist that he is, del Toro made a movie that had no business being a 'elves, fairies and forest beings' fantasy and made it work as such without being too "soft". Abe has a larger role here, and Prince Nuada's also worth mentioning: not evil nor misguided, and the dillemma he explains to Hellboy at the end is quite the big deal... Too bad we'll never get Hellboy III.
#16- The Incredibles [96, A]
The only superhero movie on the list besides Split not comic-based, and the list's only genre movie along with Hellboy II not DC- nor Marvel-based, The Incredibles is still regarded as the best Fantastic Four movie to date. While the heroes in X-Men are feared for their powers, the heroes here are outlawed for the *results* of using their powers even for good.
*** As overwhelmingly DC- and Marvel-based as this list is, I look forward to seeing how much I enjoy Incredibles 2, Todd McFarlane's Spawn movie and Glass. There's disinterest in some in the Hellboy reboot, but being Mike Mignola's franchise and not Guillermo del Toro's, I won't knock it until I see it; and the sad reality is that no studio will give the budget for Hellboy III. ***
#15- Deadpool 2 [96]
You may think I need to wait a bit before ranking a movie I just saw, but I consider myself quite analytical in how I rate my enjoyment of movies. It may not be as impactful, but I prefer it over the original for the actual character growth that happens in it; not even mentioning how much harder I laughed at this movie. The humor that comes out of Deadpool's fourth wall awareness is always credit-worthy.
#14- Logan [97, A]
You may be surprised that I put Logan below my top dozen, with all its hype as the "best superhero movie ever next to The Dark Knight" or "best superhero movie ever"; but there are plenty of genre movies I myself enjoy more. The R-rated Wolverine movie that masses of fans wanted, its violence brutally (and non-gratuitously) fits the plot's grimness and with depicting Logan's personal conflict. The movie doesn't glorify its violence, however, containing a message about killing in any case. Hugh Jackman and Patrick Stewart deserved Oscar nominations for their last X-Men roles, and even Dafne Keen's acting debut was worthy of such.
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#7- The Avengers, Black Panther, The Dark Knight Rises, Guardians of the Galaxy, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Spider-Man: Homecoming, X-Men: Days of Future Past [97]
The Avengers completed the goal that Iron Man began of originating the MCU, changing superhero film franchises forever - AND notes were taken to start the MonsterVerse, which I'm ecstatic about!
Instead of Hulk being at Universal, Spider-Man at Sony and X-Men at Fox, everything Marvel is now in the MCU (or soon to be, in X-Men's case; but we all expect it to be). Superman has the impact for superhero media that Star Trek has for sci-fi media, Blade and X-Men introduced their genre to improved visual effects as 2001: A Space Odyssey did for its own, and The Avengers is as significant as Star Wars in shaping its genre into how we know it today.Guardians of the Galaxy was as audacious as The Avengers. Less known than Captain America, Iron Man and Hulk, and (bizarrely) with a talking raccoon and walking tree-like being, it was actually debated when Guardians came out whether the Guardians or the Avengers had the better movie; showing that Marvel can do just about anything. Though the sequel doesn't have the same impact, it's just as entertaining, more moving, and has the same great character development.
Black Panther and Spider-Man made their MCU debuts in Captain America: Civil War, and also have great solo debuts. Black Panther is the first mainstream black superhero movie {Blade being the first (but not nearly as successful) black superhero movie}; and Spider-Man: Homecoming is pure light-hearted fun instead of trying to have any of the drama of the first two Spider-Man movie series, something we haven't seen in a genre movie since Batman: The Movie and Superman & Superman II. King T'Challa's learning to help others outside his country of Wakanda and Peter Parker's progression from 'Avengers try-hard' to the 'friendly neighborhood' hero we know and love are both well-written stories.
This may be debatable, but X-Men: Days of Future Past concludes the X-Men movies better than Logan in my view; as awesome as Logan is, the X-Men timeline didn't need it for continuation, so I consider it an X-23 additional timeline (James Mangold wants to make an X-23 movie) - the same way everyone considers Deadpool an off-the-wall alternate timeline, especially with both movies being far too brutal and vulgar for younger and for squeamish X-Men fans... Plus, I can't listen to the music in the "This is what it feels like" scene anymore without thinking of a particular scene in Deadpool 2 {thanks, Ryan Reynolds}.
The Dark Knight Rises may not have the trilogy's most original plot (Bane has the same ambition as Ra's al Ghul in Batman Begins), but that's still part of what makes this movie's wrapping up of everything from its predecesors so triumphant. The addition of two other beloved Batman characters also brings the trilogy to an epic close. By the way, if you think Batman Begins is underrated to The Dark Knight Rises, Batman Begins has higher user ratings on IMDb, Metacritic and Rotten Tomatoes - so it's not. You may think the ties in my #7 slot are gratuitous, but some movies I love equally for their own reasons.
#6- Superman & Superman II [97]
Superhero film started with none other than Superman {unless you credit that to, again, Adam West's Batman}. These are the only movies on the list with the music composed by the legendary John Williams, who needless to say has helped bring superhero film to life - like in the scene in Superman of Superman flying with Lois Lane. I can't think of another genre scene as magical in showing the hero using powers when <s>he isn't fighting the bad guys. Superman II features General Zod as the main villain, serving as the Part Two of Superman in the sense of him having been banished into the Phantom Zone in the first movie; and it's a story of Superman realizing why he must be Superman when he wants a normal life with Lois, showing what being a superhero is all about at the start of the genre.
#5- Captain America: The Winter Soldier [98, A]
The Dark Knight, Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Logan are considered to have the most realism of any comic-based superhero movies, feeling like entirely different genres: The Dark Knight doesn't have superpowers involved and the other two do, but minimally to where you almost forget they're superhero movies (as does Unbreakable, but that's not a comic-based one). This movie's story is outstanding, Steve Rogers and Black Widow have great chemistry here, and this movie has what I think is the best superhero credits scene {except now for Deadpool 2}.
#2- Captain America: Civil War, Spider-Man & Spider-Man 2, Wonder Woman [98]
Captain America: Civil War, often nicknamed Avengers 2.5, has some of film's best superhero action by pitting Team Rogers versus Team Stark in a battle of differences over how to go about doing the greater good. Black Panther's role here, mentioned above, is very memorable; but I also love Scarlet Witch's {adorably played by Elizabeth Olsen, jussayin} character development. It's a darker story than the original Avengers and Captain America movies, but despite the obstacles that come between our Marvel family, they're still there for each other in the end.
Superheroes are saviors of the day in ways that are only fiction, and I can't say there's anything Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy doesn't accurately depict about superheroism as though it's reality: the confliction between following your dreams and doing what's right (having a message in Spider-Man 2 about what we all, not just a superhero, can do for the greater good), the humanity even of the antagonists, and the people you look after selflessly returning the favor [notable during the bridge scene in Spider-Man and train scene in Spider-Man 2]. This was Fox's superhero competitor before the MCU. While X-Men paved the way for it; and while, like X-Men, this is an awesome two-parter with a not-as-awesome finale, this will forever be the best superhero movie from before 2008.
While Wonder Woman may be the DCEU's [DC Extended Universe's] only movie on my list, I have faith in the DCEU finding its way into Marvel's level (Fox expected to be out of the competition). Showing that women superheroes can be just as great in a title role as their male genre colleagues, this movie also stands out as a old wartime adventure - sure, Captain America: The First Avenger takes place in WWII, but this movie portrays the intensity of a wartime atmosphere; and I thus got goosebumps when I saw the No Man's Land scene. While other genre movies are stories of the heroes saving others, and some of them like Spider-Man & Spider-Man 2 showing the heroes' personal sacrifices to be those much-needed heroes, this movie's a story of the hero learning *why* saving others is the right thing to do in a world full of malevolence as opposed to her own.
#1- The Dark Knight [101, A+]
Christopher Nolan directed Batman Begins grandly, yet made his direction here more mentionable - with a superhero and villain without powers like Batman and the Joker, and themes of terrorism and disorder, this has the most realism of any superhero movie. I say the story, with Spider-Man & Spider-Man 2, is the best example of a superhero story that shows the selflessness of both the hero and others [the ferries scene and ending] and personal cost for the hero protecting others [Rachel's letter, though]; except in this movie, the people take the hero for granted as far as to blame him for the bad things that happen. I also doubt any movie antagonist can top Heath Ledger's Joker: unlike others, instead of trying to keep the hero out of the way, he cares only for being chased by the hero and goes to greatly malevolent lengths to make it happen.
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It is great though.
