8 Best Superhero Films of the 21st Century
The superhero genre is perhaps the most interesting one in the film industry, with plenty of source material to be based off of, and a number of people arguing that the market is becoming over saturated. However, while some films have given the genre a bad name, there are others that have been critically acclaimed and revolutionised the superhero genre, catching the attention of the rest of the world, and bringing some big names into the genre. Here is my top 8 picks for best superhero movies in the 21st century.
8. Spider-Man
In 2002, Marvel’s arguably most famous superhero made his first live-action film appearance, and it certainly lived up to expectations, with stars such as Tobey Maguire (who is still many fan’s favourite version of the character), Kirsten Dunst, James Franco, J.K. Simmons, William Dafoe, and Elizabeth Banks among others. This not only launched a trilogy of spiderman movies, but was the inspiration for many superhero films today, and it well and truly put the genre on the map. Superheroes would not be where they are without this film.
7. Guardians of the Galaxy
The guardians of the galaxy were one of the lesser-known groups in the comic books, but the producer of Marvel Studios; Kevin Fiege decided he needed to take risks to expand the universe and the superhero arsenal, and so this motley crew came about. They crossed their fingers in anticipation… and the world loved it! The comedy/space-western quickly captured the world’s hearts, and its success has led to Marvel Studios adopting a comedic signature throughout their films, as well as the reassurance that audiences will embrace something different.
6. Iron Man
But before Marvel Studios had the space to take risks in Guardians of the Galaxy, it had to first lay the groundwork for the MCU and create a quality superhero film to start it all, and that was Iron Man. This is about a man seeking redemption for past actions by becoming something greater, and who better to play that role than Robert Downey Jr; a man haunted by past drug offences. Downey is the embodiment of this character and was embraced by many fans. Other cast members included Gwyneth Paltrow, Jon Favreau, Terrence Howard, Paul Bettany, and Jeff Bridges. There was a lot riding on this movie’s success- with indie film director Jon Favreau at the helm, but luckily, it worked, making Tony Stark/Iron Man Robert Downey Jr’s signature character, appearing as him in 7 films to date, with another confirmed 2 or 3 on the way. This film paved the way for the invigoration of the ‘tired’ superhero genre, and the biggest franchise of all time. If this movie had failed, many of the next couple of films mentioned would not have existed.
5. The Avengers
The Avengers movie was the experience of a lifetime for many comic book fans. For decades, they dreamed of their favourite characters appearing on screen together to take on a threat none of them could individually overcome, yet of course, due to copyright issues, this could never be a possibility… But after Marvel Studios was created and the Marvel Cinematic Universe came to be, things changed, and The Avengers became a reality. This was the biggest collaboration in film history, and one of the most anticipated films of all time, which showed when it earned billions at the box office. There may be other movies that were better, but none have had the effect that this film had for the superhero genre and the film industry at large. It certainly caught everyone’s attention.
4. The Dark Knight
Changing to the other superhero company; DC, we see The Dark Knight. The second instalment of Christopher Nolan’s infamous Dark Knight trilogy. This film saw Batman’s best ever on-screen appearance portrayed by Christian Bale. The dark and gritty crime-thriller showed the world that superheroes aren’t just for 5-year-olds, but can be sophisticated and acclaimed cinematic experiences. This was also the birth of the late Heath Ledger’s most famous role as ‘The Joker’, which understandably earned him an Oscar as the best supporting actor in 2009. The ensemble cast was not shabby either, including Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman, and Maggie Gyllenhaal.
3. Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Kicking off the Top 3 is the second instalment of the Captain America trilogy; the Winter Soldier. Directed by the Russo Brothers, this film integrated many different genres- including action, adventure, crime, drama, and thriller with some romantic elements and comic relief- whilst still staying true to its superhero roots, earning its name as one of the best superhero films of all time and one of the best films of 2014. Its events sent a ripple effect of repercussions across the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe in both TV shows and movies to come, and dealt with some very mature ideologies. This ensured that the Russo Brothers remained to direct future Marvel films. The cast included Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan, Anthony Mackie, Samuel L. Jackson, Emily VanCamp, Frank Grillo, Hayley Atwell, Robert Redford, Cobie Smulders, and Toby Jones.
2. Deadpool
Aaah, Deadpool. Probably the best handled superhero movie ever. This movie almost didn’t happen, but after 11 years of production, 1 failed attempt, and lots of fan pressure, Fox studios finally produced a film, and boy was it worth the wait. Ryan Reynolds was born to play the role of the sarcastic, witty, and fourth-wall-breaking Wade Wilson A.K.A Deadpool, whose sexual innuendos, pop culture references, and otherwise crude humour led to this film becoming a huge box office success for males and females alike. It’s R-rating was the first of its kind, and was definitely a risky move on the studios part, but now fans can’t imagine what the movie would’ve been like if it wasn’t as rude and violent as it was. This film did a lot for the superhero genre, again breaking more barriers and expanding the audience substantially, whilst once again adding some unpredictability to the genre. But, as good as it was, it didn’t end up taking the top spot. Drumroll please…
1. Captain America: Civil War
Taking the top spot for superhero films of the 21st century (in my opinion at least) is 2016’s Captain America: Civil War, the third and final instalment of the Cap trilogy, again directed by the visionary Russo Brothers. This film was the 13th of the ever-expanding Marvel Cinematic Universe, and, as such, featured the most on-screen superheroes in any MCU film. It tells the story of the Avengers team dividing over new laws that regulate superhero activity, among other factors. This film was everything fans wanted; an intelligent villain, sophisticated and intriguing characters, a gripping and layered plot, political and emotional conflict, balanced screen time for all characters- even those not integral to the storyline, a worthy initiation of two new heroes, awesome action sequences, all while making Captain America’s sub plots central to the storyline, and combining all the successful elements of previous Marvel films to create one amazing movie that was serious when it had to be, and funny when it could be. I was more than impressed, and was definitely convinced to stay tuned to future MCU films.
Well, that completes my list of the 8 best superhero films of the 21st century. Did I miss any? What do you think of my list? Comment below and let me know what you think!
