Last Updated on August 3, 2021
#1 – SPIDER-MAN 2
Sam Raimi’s SPIDER-MAN 2 remains one of the best superhero movies of all time and deserves the top spot on this ranking thanks to the combination of comic book fun and breathtaking visuals. While the effects have aged a bit compared to more recent superhero fare, the unique blend of Raimi’s style and the source material delivers a movie that feels like a Marvel comic come to life. The fast-paced action and sweeping scale have yet to be matched by any other superhero movie.
#2 – GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY
GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY did the impossible. Using a team that non-comic fans had mostly never heard of and casting a professional wrestler, a sitcom actor, and the voices of two superstars, this movie could have been Marvel Studios’ first bomb. But, writer/director James Gunn gave us a modern STAR WARS and upended what we would have expected from a superhero movie. It may be different than anything else in the MCU but that is what makes it so great.
#3 – IRON MAN
Jon Favreau’s film was a risky one. With a star who had fallen from the A-list due to drugs and alcohol and a superhero who was not quite as popular as some of Marvel’s other characters, IRON MAN could have been a massive bomb. But, it instead thrived thanks to Robert Downey Jr.’s charm and great special effects. This movie ushered in the modern Marvel film and gave us one of the best performances of RDJ’s career.
#4 – THE AVENGERS
While I had issues ranking this movie as high on the list, I do recognize just how influential this movie is. With an astounding box office take, THE AVENGERS is notable for not only being a blockbuster slice of entertainment but for also managing to balance a cast of superstars from their own franchises in one big movie. Joss Whedon did an admirable job of interconnecting the Marvel Cinematic Universe and changed the way movies were made forever.
#5 – X2: X-MEN UNITED
The best X-MEN movie to date, this film does what few comic book films (or movies in general) have been able to do and surpass the quality of the original. Adding more characters almost never bodes well, but Bryan Singer is able to evoke better performances from everyone in the cast while balancing a complex story you rarely see in a superhero film. This movie was also a solid showcase for Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine.
#7 – DEADPOOL
Speaking of R-rated comic book movies, Ryan Reynolds passion project blew the industry away by grossing more than any other X-MEN movie and every MCU film outside of THE AVENGERS movies and IRON MAN 3. That alone is an achievement of note and goes to show that not every Marvel movie needs to be a PG-13 blockbuster. While it may not have been the most unique superhero movie, it definitely has opened the door for a lot more humor and violence from characters we have not seen too much of to date.
#8 – BLADE
Not exactly a superhero movie and not quite the same as anything else in the Marvel canon, BLADE is nonetheless a kickass movie with one of Wesley Snipes’ best performances. The two sequels may not be quite as good as the original, but they all somehow manage to make vampires way cooler than any other big screen attempts since. This movie proved that R-rated comic book movies can work. Now, if they could just find a way to bring Snipes into the MCU.
#9 – X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST
Bryan Singer’s triumphant return to the X-MEN franchise balanced both the original series and the retro reboot. Having two generations of characters on screen at the same time while also adapting one of the all-time best comic book stories delivered on all fronts. This is an excellent superhero film with a cast crammed with talent while also delivering some surprises (Quicksilver kicks ass!) and opening the door for a lot more possibilities in the franchise.
#10 – BIG HERO 6
While you may already be calling bullshit on this list for including an animated film, BIG HERO 6 is a great adaptation of a lesser known Marvel property. The perfect blend of Disney’s family brand of storytelling with vibrant animation, BIG HERO 6 has all the hallmarks of every great Marvel movie (including a Stan Lee cameo).
#6 – CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER
While I love the pulpy feel of THE FIRST AVENGER, this sequel delivered a very different Marvel movie by following in the footsteps of great political thrillers of the 1970s. Yes, it is still an action-packed summer movie but it is also a well-written and executed film on it’s own. Few superhero movies can move past the genre label and be regarded on their own merits but this one definitely has.
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