Superhero Movies

Noah Roberts46 said:But how on earth can The Dark Knight Rises be any good? That movie is just riddled with plot holes and total nonsense, yet somehow it sits at an 8.5 on IMDb. 🤣

And look, I'm not some hater of the first two movies—honestly, the second one is absolutely fantastic—but this last installment? It's hard for me to call it anything other than trash.

I mean, yeah, okay, it definitely has its flaws compared to those first two which were basically perfect, but hey, it’s the finale, right? I can pretty much overlook the rough edges just because of that.
Plus, I’ve genuinely grown attached to Christian Bale’s version of Batman and the way Nolan directed these films, so to me, those three movies feel like one massive, continuous story. When you view them as a single cohesive epic, the whole experience feels way more special and better than pretty much anything else out there in the superhero genre.

Oh, and I should probably mention that I'm actually starting to get into Iron Man. I just rewatched Iron Man 2 and 3 the other day, because back when the first one dropped in 2008, I watched it and... honestly, it didn't really grab me, so I wasn't even interested in the sequels. But man, this trilogy is actually a blast! Now I'm thinking I might have to go back and give that first movie another shot just to see if it's actually mediocre or if I just caught it at a bad time.

I honestly cannot believe you actually posted the 2003 Daredevil 🙏 😂

dustyangler7 said:The poll is definitely missing one:
Flash Gordon (1980)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyIIYerdlUA

Man, I seriously cannot believe I missed this one. 🙂 Seriously... how did I let one of my absolute favorite Superhero movies slip right through the cracks of this poll? Ugh. 😵

It was such a cool movie, too! I still remember watching it as a kid—I loved it so much, and honestly, I can't even count how many times I sat there glued to the screen.

Calling all moderators here: any chance we could get this added to the poll if it’s not too much trouble?

cosmiclynx57 said:Man... if I don't throw one of my absolute favorite Superhero movie picks into this poll...

I mean, Flash Gordon isn't even a superhero. Since you basically threw everything and the kitchen sink into this poll—including movies that aren't even based on comics (like The Defendor, Hancock, or Darkman) since they were just made for the screen, or characters that don't even come from comic book worlds (Zorro, The Shadow), and let's not forget Zorro and The Green Hornet aren't actually superheroes either... plus you somehow managed to slip in two Dylan Dog, Mystery Man, and two Swamp Thing entries... honestly, one Flash doesn't seem like much of a stretch for the list...

Hey, calling on the moderators here—any chance we can get him added to the poll?

Nah. Not happening. It's already way too long as it is.

briskhound2 said:Except Flash Gordon isn't even a superhero. Since you just threw everything and the kitchen sink into this poll—including movies that aren't even based on comics (The Defendor, Hancock, Darkman) but were created specifically for the screen, or characters that don't come from the comic world at all (Zorro, The Shadow) and aren't actually superheroes (Zorro, The Green Hornet, The Defendor), plus you managed to mess up two Dylan Dog, Mystery Man, and two Swamp Thing entries... one Flash doesn't really make a difference on this list.

Nope. Not happening. This list is already bloated enough as it is.

So, what's your actual definition of a superhero, and why exactly isn't The Green Hornet one?

dustypanther6 said:So, what's the actual definition of a superhero, and why doesn't The Green Hornet count?

Here's the deal—the definition usually hinges on having some kind of superpower or high-tech gadgetry to make up for being just a regular guy (think Batman, Iron Man, or The Rocketeer). Zorro is just a dude in a mask... that makes him a hero, sure, but definitely not a superhero. Those stories aren't even really placed in the superhero genre; they're more adventure flicks. We're talking comic book adaptations versus superhero movies here. The Green Hornet is basically just a poor man's Batman—regular people fighting crime. I guess you could argue he fits because of his car, which is essentially a Batmobile, but the whole vibe has always been more crime noir than superheroics...

An excellent survey, I must say; the selection here is quite extensive 😁.

I ended up casting my vote for five films: Tim Burton's Batman, X-Men: First Class, The Dark Knight Rises, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and the 2012 Dredd.

Personally, I suppose I have always favored the X-Men series, though I do have a certain fondness for both Burton's and Nolan's takes on Batman. While I find Spider-Man to be a compelling superhero, I feel like I'm still waiting for someone to actually deliver a truly top-tier film centered on him. As for the 2012 Dredd, it’s an excellent piece of cinema, and I suspect it might be somewhat underrated.

It would be awesome if we could just toss in the newer movies as they drop—like, take
Deadpool
, for example, and just pop him into the poll so everything stays current and updated.

Richard Barrett53 said:This poll is killer, seriously props for such a massive selection😁!

I ended up voting for five: Tim Burton's Batman, X-Men: First Class, The Dark Knight Rises, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and Dredd from 2012.

Honestly though, the X-Men series is my absolute favorite, and I’ve always been a huge fan of both Burton's and Nolan's Batman movies. I love Spider-Man as a superhero too, but I feel like I'm still waiting for them to finally make a truly top-tier movie about him. Also, that 2012 Dredd flick is great; feels way more underrated than it should be.

Oh, wow, thanks! I really tried to put some work into this one.

I’d cast my vote for Deadpool in a heartbeat, but I tend to steer clear of those digital Batmans from Nolan's movies at all costs.

Richard Wilson4 said:I can still stomach Batman, but honestly, that whole mess with Superman almost made me give up on superhero movies entirely, especially with all that hype surrounding him.

I'm seriously pumped that Guardians and Deadpool kicked some serious butt, and maybe now superhero flicks will actually be fun again!

Wait, when you say "stomach it," are you talking about his voice in the newer trilogy? Personally, I think it’s actually pretty cool that he sounds different because if he had the same voice while in costume, wouldn't anyone just recognize him instantly?
Just imagine if some villain he barely managed to dodge—or one he finally tossed behind bars—recognized him by his voice and blabbed to the whole world who Batman really is! You can't take that risk, right? It makes total sense that he wants to stay anonymous.

If I could choose, I’d love a perfect 50/50 split, because man, I love that gritty, grounded approach you get in BB, The Dark Knight, and The Dark Knight Rises, but I also crave that goofy, totally wild vibe from Guardians, even though lately it feels like they're pushing the serious stuff way too hard—which, let's face it, hasn't been the norm for superhero movies until recently.
Plus, I really dig how Iron Man manages to stay serious and realistic while still sprinkling in enough humor to keep things light; that kind of mix is just perfection to me.

Jack Morgan2 said:I’d pick Deadpool’s voice in a heartbeat, but I’m staying far away from those digital Batmans from Nolan.

Well, that's yet another vote in favor of it.
😁

cosmiclynx57 said:Are we talking about him using his voice from the recent trilogy? Honestly, I think that’s actually a great move. It’d be pretty stupid if he had the same voice while in costume because then people could actually recognize him.
Just imagine some villain he missed or someone he threw in jail recognizing him by his voice and telling everyone who Batman is. No thanks, why take that risk when he clearly wants to stay anonymous.

Personally, I’d love a fifty-fifty split. I dig the serious, grounded vibe you get in BB, TDK, and TDKR, but I also love the goofy, wild energy from Guardians. Though, if I had to pick right now, I'd lean more toward the realism side since we haven't seen enough of that in superhero movies lately.
I also really like how they balanced Iron Man—it's serious and realistic but still throws in those funny moments. That mix is perfect for me.

So yeah, another vote for that. 😁

Look, Batman has to be Dark. The whole vibe has to be moody.

Most versions of Batman work fine for me, so I don't have an issue there.

What really bugs me is how they took Superman—who is just as huge a pop culture icon as Batman—and turned him into this cheap Batman knockoff.

Superman isn't a dark character. His scenes happen in the daylight, his colors are warmer, and his world is way more optimistic.

And I'm not about to let Nolan and his little sidekick Snyder try to reinvent the wheel. 😠

Honestly, I haven't been feeling those last two Superman movies at all, so I'm really crossing my fingers that we finally get a decent new Superman film soon.

Wait, hold on, are you talking about that upcoming Batman v Superman?

cosmiclynx57 said:Honestly, I wasn't even feeling those last two Superman movies. I'm really hoping we actually get a decent new Superman film soon.

Wait, you talking about that upcoming Batman v Superman?

The first trailer looked pretty promising, but then that second one just spoiled the entire movie. Total nightmare.

Richard Wilson4 said:The first trailer actually looked pretty promising, but then the second one just spoiled the entire plot for us, which is honestly such a bummer.

I mean, right? Haha, who knows what they'll throw at us next. Honestly, I'm probably better off for having skipped that second trailer altogether.

Once I finally sit down to watch the actual movie, I might just go back and check out the trailer just to see exactly how much they gave away.

Honestly, the only thing that caught me off guard was how low The Crow ranked in this poll.

I didn't even bother clicking on Watchmen 🤦

I mean, look, Crow isn't exactly your run-of-the-mill, classic superhero, so maybe that's why he hasn't hit that massive level of mainstream popularity? Still, honestly, the movie itself is actually pretty solid.

Haha, man, I feel you, I know how much it sucks when things don't pan out like you wanted.

I went with the 1989 Batman, obviously, though I think the '92 version hits even better. Basically, Tim Burton's Batman is 😍

Looking at the list, I’m a huge fan of The Crow, too. That old Superman is charming, and Blade is always cool 👍 As far as the newer stuff goes, Deadpool actually clicked for me recently. Fingers crossed for an even better sequel 😁

Richard Wilson4 said:It really bothered me how they took Superman—who is just as much of a pop culture icon as Batman—and turned him into a cheap knockoff of Batman.

Superman isn't some dark, brooding figure. His scenes happen in the daylight, his color palette is warmer, and his entire world is built on optimism.

I felt the exact same way. Batman has always lived in the shadows, but Superman wasn't meant to be like that. There was always a certain warmth to him and his universe, which is why this new movie just didn't sit right with me. Not to mention the sheer amount of cheesiness and the total lack of chemistry between the actors.👎

Aside from Deadpool, my top picks have to be Batman (1989), Superman II (1980), Spider-Man 2 (2004), and the Avengers—though I’m not saying they have to be watched in that specific order.

Angela Alvarez10 said:I felt the exact same way. I mean, sure, Batman is always dark, but Superman? He wasn't like that. There was this warmth to him and his whole world, which is why the new movie just didn't click for me. Plus, the amount of cheesiness and the lack of chemistry between the actors was just too much.👎

Give them some credit. That scene where Kevin Costner sacrifices himself to save the dog was actually pretty effortless. 🤣