5 Best Superhero Movies

5. The Incredibles

One of the greatest superhero ensemble stories doesn’t have Marvel or DC ahead of its title. Instead, it’s a 2004 Pixar story about former superheroes who are forced to table their crime-fighting ways after the government legislates their activities to prevent collateral damages. The fact that these same themes were explored years later in movies like Civil War and Batman v Superman shows just how ahead of his time Brad Bird really was with The Incredibles. This movie also celebrates family as it highlights bravery, explaining why heroes – dubbed "Supers" in this universe – are vital, and why those with a gift can’t simply turn it off. Also, the action scenes are a thrill a minute, particularly those involving Dash. Whoever tries to reboot The Fantastic Four again (because you know it will happen) needs only to memorize Bird’s approach to family and teamwork, and they just might get it right.

4. Deadpool

 No other movie defied odds and expectations quite like 2016’s Deadpool. After one majorly disappointing silver screen debut, and years in development hell, Ryan Reynolds finally got the chance to don the red and black suit in earnest to portray the beloved comic book Wade Wilson. Deadpool is nothing if not vulgar, violent, and a rip-roaring good time that subverts expectations of a comic book film whilst embracing the over the top absurdity of a classic 1980s action flick. It’s a small scale, gore-filled revenge thriller that also seems to possess an astonishing amount of heart and sentimentality. In a genre dominated by sanitized content and PG-13 ratings, Deadpool turned the movie industry on its head by proving once and for all the niche characters slapped with R-ratings can undoubtedly appeal to massive mainstream audiences and yield absolutely insane box office returns if given the proper silver screen treatment. 

3.Captain America: The Winter Soldier

After two outings in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Chris Evans’ Steve Rogers finally fulfilled Captain America’s true potential as a hero and silver screen icon during the events of the impeccable Captain America: The Winter Soldier. By stripping the character of his more ridiculous elements and grounding him in the world of the MCU, Joe and Anthony Russo crafted a tight, enthralling political thriller that proved equal parts cerebral and pulse pounding. Although Cap had developed a strong presence in his first two MCU outings, The Winter Soldier made him a lynchpin of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and brought him to the same level of importance as Robert Downey Jr’s Tony Stark. With its immaculate fight scenes, intelligent narrative and strong sense of continuity within the greater MCU, Captain America: The Winter Soldier proved that in a post-Avengers world, standalone superhero movies could be profound, insightful, and provocative. 

2. The Avengers

In 2006, Marvel Studios began planning something incredibly ambitious and unlike anything the blockbuster world had ever seen. The idea was to release a series of solo superhero movies, with each one contributing heroes to an eventual team-up film called The Avengers. This major gamble turned out to be genius, and that same team-up film – written and directed by Joss Whedon – easily stands as one of the greatest superhero movies we will ever see. From the brilliant banter between heroes, to the perfect villain in Tom Hiddleston’s devilish Loki, to its epic, jaw-dropping third act, everything about it is fun, thrilling or both. It’s a movie that genre fans will be talking about for decades, replaying over and over, and it will forever be considered one of the greatest cinematic events in history – both because of its tremendous quality and the stunning pop culture fervor it created.

1. The Dark Knight

Christopher Nolan reinvigorated Batman on the big screen in 2005 with Batman Begins, but it was the 2008 sequel, The Dark Knight, that really took the world by storm. To this day, it serves as the prime example of when a sequel can improve upon its predecessor and then some. Taking inspiration from stories like The Killing Joke and The Long Halloween, the movie followed Batman as he fought The Joker, played by Heath Ledger, whose performance stunned audiences everywhere and earned him a posthumous Best Supporting Actor Oscar. Besides the conflict between the Dark Knight and the Clown Prince of Crime, the movie also impressed viewers by chronicling Harvey Dent’s fall from grace, going from civil servant to two-faced revenge seeker. By combining the traditional superhero elements with a gripping crime narrative, The Dark Knight is not just the best superhero movie, but one of the greatest moves over the last few decades.