5. Darkman
Sam Raimi and Liam Neeson do their own super-hero? If this came out in 2012 it’d be one of the biggest films around, but in 1990 it was quite different. In that time, Raimi was best known for Evil Dead and Neeson’s biggest movie was a bit part in Krull. Regardless of their C.V.’s at the time, they created an amazing piece of cinema that used the theatrics seen in Tim Burton’s Batman flicks to make a unique kind of hero that was part pulp, part monster, and all fun.
4. Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog
Although fans’ hopes that Nathan Fillon would play a big part in Joss Whedon’s Marvel’s The Avengers might be dashed, he filled out his first live-action hero costume just fine as Captain Hammer. Told primarily from his arch-nemesis Dr. Horrible’s perspective, Captain Hammer is still quite the scene stealer, not to mention lady stealer.
3. Sky High
Overlooked by many as a Disney-drama, it’s chockful of good things for super-hero fans. From seeing Kurt Russell as Superman stand-in the Commander, to bit part by comedy group alums like Kids In The Hall‘s Dave Foley and Kevin McDonald as well as Kevin Hefferman (Broken Lizard). And did I mention Wonder Woman Lynda Carter and Bruce Campbell show up? This super-hero high school drama might be formulaic when it comes to plot, but the cast does a lot to punch up the dialogue and create some memorable moments.
2. Unbreakable
Before M. Night Shyamalan was bad, he was good. And this 2000 flick showed a hyper-realistic, slow-burn take on becoming a super-hero. Also, Samuel L. Jackson’s first taste of super-hero movies playing the best/worst comic fan ever.
1. The Incredibles
While they might by kissing cousins with Marvel’s Fantastic Four in terms of concept, Brad Bird’s story of a family of super-heroes broke new ground on the way heroes could (and should) be shown on film. And as we learned years later, adding Samuel L. Jackson to a superhero film helps too.
Find us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
Subscribe to our RSS Feed
Some rights reserved.
I haven’t seen Dr. Horrible (I know), but the other four are a lot of fun. Good list.
Me neither, and I’m not going to, and that’s totally OK. Own it.
Me neither, and I have absolutely zero desire to change that.
Consider it owned.
Let me go on the record as someone who generally HATES musicals. Broadway could be carpet bombed into dust and I wouldn’t shed a tear. That said, Dr. Horrible is actually good and funny. The songs are not annoying and it’s well done.
The only other “musicals” I can tolerate are The Rocky Horror Picture Show movie, and The Blues Brothers (which I argue is not really a musical, but a comedy with musical performances in it).
How dare you. You call your selves interneteers?
Balls!
The Blues Brothers is absolutely a musical. People break into song instead of talking to get their point across. it counts!
This is a great list. Sky High is a very fun movie. Totally worth checking out. The Incredibles is a no brainer #1 awesome film. I just love it. Unbreakable…i saw that in the theatre, and i remember hating it. My friends and i had a “i’m mr. glass” inside joke thing going on for quite a while.
I tried to watch Dr. Horrible, but I truly detest musicals. Defendor should be on the list, although Woody Harrelson’s character doesn’t have any super powers in it.
I would have added the SUPER with Ranin Wilson-great movie, also Megamind is pretty fun.
Also how can you leave out Robocop and the great Hobo With A Shotgun
Neither are about superheros, in the traditional sense.
@comicbook Chris really-Then neither is Darkman. That’s more of a revenge story like the Crow
Robocop and Hobo with a Shotgun actually save people during the course of the movie while Darkman just goes insane plotting his revenge
Darkman was the very definition of a dark traditional superhero, right down to the name. And so is The Crow, but that was actually based on a comic.
Marvel actually produced a Robocop comic and a Darkman comic back in the 90’s so to me Robocop is a super hero/scfi movie. Plus I almost forgot to add the Troma Classic TOXIC AVENGER to the list.
The problem with all of this is that if saving people is the only criteria for being a superhero, then the line becomes incredibly vague. 80% of ALL action movies are about saving people, but not all of them are superhero movies. It doesn’t matter that you could make a comic about it down the road…they made a comic about The Good, The Bad And The Ugly, for christsakes. There’s more that goes into a story that makes it a superhero story…predominately alot of the seemingly superficial tropes about superhero lore that we usually overlook because we as fans are so entrenched in them.
And I love Toxie, I’m even thinking about getting the tattoo of him. But someone else could watch it, think that it was shit, and wouldn’t entirely be wrong.
Toxic Avenger is a soooo bad it’s great kinda of movie-Cult classic for sure.
I’ll agree that Toxie is technically a superhero movie. Does it belong on a Top 5 list, though? I think so. I can see how, though, others will opt for a…well…better acted movie to fill that space on the list.
I think we’re missing a bigger issue here in that the writer of this list never said Robocop wasn’t a superhero movie, but it clearly isn’t in the top 5 which means he could very well qualify it as such but it still doesn’t make his top 5
anytime you want to ask “how can you leave out (insert movie here)” consider that you aren’t the person writing this list and also the person who did write this list might not have seen your favorite movies. this is their list.
@Roivamp -CLEARLY-That’s why I said in my first post I would have added, this wasn’t an attack on the article itself just adding my two cents on the topic.
Also @Roivamp the acticle is TOP 5 non-comic superhero movies/ Not top 5 non-comic superhero movies in Chris Arrant opinion -so that leaves the article open to debate.
Loved them all. Why is there no “Incredibles 2” yet? Disney needs to get their head out of their butt. Imagine if Liam Neeson and Raimi came back for a Darkman 6 (How many are there now?)??
Three, each with hysterical subtitles. Darkman 2: The Return Of Durant (“Oh no, not Durant! ANYONE but Durant!”) and Darkman 3: Die Darkman Die (Additional jokes unnecessary)
Incredibles didn’t make a ton of money, relative to the other Pixar movies. They’re more likely to do another Finding Nemo first.
They want to do an Incredibles 2, but Pixar has a lot on their plate. They also have to weigh the possibilities of how much they can make off the sequel. While a great movie, it wasn’t as successful as something they could see profits on for a second flick. Toy Story, Cars are better choices in their eyes. I heard there’s a Finding Nemo 2 in development. Heresy.
and if you look at what gets merchandized (toys, games etc which is what its all about really) from the Incredibles there isn’t much out relative to other properties, so the numbers must not be there.
Now that Disney actually owns The Fantastic Four, along with the rest of the Marvel characters (which they didn’t when The Incredibles was produced), I doubt you will see another Incredibles feature anytime soon. The option window for another FF movie to go into production must be either over or about to be over very shortly, at which point (I presume), Disney/Miramax will want to retain the rights in-house and try and get something going again there (maybe a Golden Age / Human Torch solo feature – how awesome would that be?). That will likely be on going for most of the next decade or so.
While that’s ongoing, your unlikely to see a new Incredibles feature, at least theatrically. Straight to DVD is more likely. Otherwise, the two projects will just cancel each other out.
This brand ain’t big enough for the both of them.
According to Box Office Mojo, The Incredibles have the 4th Highest Pixar Box office (behind Toy Story 3, Finding Nemo and Up) and the 2nd biggest Opening (behind TS3). I agree with @wallythegreenmonster. I think it comes down to toys and other merch.
Actually, The Incredibles is Pixar’s 4th highest grossing film. It made more than Cars. I read somewhere that the only reason they haven’t made a sequel is because Brad Bird doesn’t want to just put one out, unless he has an actual story that’s worth telling. But they have been tossing around ideas.
The Incredibles is easily my favorite superhero movie – comics-based or not. I wish more superhero movies were like it.
Agreed.
Unbreakable was the first movie that made me realize Shyamalan wasn’t infallible. It wasn’t a bad movie, but the letdown continues to hover over it like a dark cloud. I like it better the more I see it. Its thrilling scenes more than make up for any ill feelings: the train wreck (“Why are these people looking at me?”), Glass chasing Shymalan to the subway (also liked Glass’s answer to Bruce Willis’ question, “Do you follow sports?” His answer: “I’m becoming interested,” meaning he was planning a disaster at a public sporting event.), Willis’ son holding a gun to him in the kitchen (“Put the gun down!” “It will just bounce off!”), the weight set scene (“What did you put on?” “All of it.”), and of course, the discovery and battle with the crazy guy at the end.
It was only his second movie. You put a lot of stock in the first one, hunh?
I actually felt the same way about it. I got out, and it seemed like it was good, but really, the more I thought about it, the more I felt almost no impact. I just didn’t care.
Turns out I don’t really like Shyamalan’s movies, and history has shown that not to be all that rare of an opinion. My wife still hopes each one that comes out is going to be good again. Poor girl.
Shymalan insisted at the time and since that when he wrote it, he intended for it to be the first act of a trilogy and the twist ending would kickstart the action/mythology in the subsequent movies and give you renewed appreciation for what you had just seen in the first part.
I think it’s an interesting enough premise, to present the audience with an origin story that, while you’re watching it, you don’t actually realise you’re watching an origin story, but the pay-off is just a little too weak to make it worth it.
It does however nicely play off the extreme annoyance and frustration that most comics readers feel when familiar characters get the big screen treatment in that at least the first hour of screen time will be taken up by retelling the origin, with the second hour consumed by them “finding their inner strength” as a hero to carry on, rather than punching things. The first Spider-man movie was a great adaptation and faithful to the character, but he only actually got to *be* Spider-man for the last 20mins and then it was all over.
Plus, as we know, they *always* change things in the origin, however minor, and they’re always annoying or disrespectful to something iconic (Bucky fell out the side of a speeding train? Really..? Jeez… ). Unbreakable, for all it’s faults, didn’t have that and was all the better for it, as Willis’ character was new and a completely unknown quantity.
(Also, Dr. Doom is completely unmutilated/turns into living metal/stays pretty somehow..?? What?? Whatever you do with this movie, young women/teenage girls are not going to want to see it, so just put the pretty man under the metal mask, scar his face up some more and stop being silly. And try to get Alba to keep her clothes on for just 5mins, while you’re at it…)
Sixth Sense is wonderful. Unbreakable is a really good movie, and if you remember the context of the time. No spandex superhero movies (outside of Batman/Superman/Spiderman) prior to XMen (which was released the same year, but until the impact was felt, the public had no appetitte) it was a brave and cocky one. It spoke with respect on a medium close to my heart and passions, and focused on what makes a comic book hero special to us, and the pleasure and scarificies that comes with being such a hero.
The cinematography of the ending scene – when the poncho was wicking in the wind… made the fanboy in mean scream a girlish whelp and made me long for a Superman movie. In a strong of irony. Bryan Singer stomped on that fantasy with Superman Returns, and M Night dropped the other shoe by stomping on The LastAirbender.
Which leads me to say to you Josh – Have your wife watch ‘The Lady in the Water’ followed by ‘The Last Airbender’. There is still hope for your lovely woman… there is still hope – we can save her.
“And try to get Alba to keep her clothes on for just 5mins, while you’re at it…)”
Uh, no.
Josh: Yeah, I can’t really explain why I felt that way after only his second movie. I was of the same opinion as everyone else. Sixth Sense was such a “perfect combination of story, script and cinematography,” you had that expectation for the next thing he did. Which was Unbreakable. This was an unfair expectation everyone placed on him, but the more movies he made, the more we realized that SS was indeed a brilliant fluke. Maybe he has another great one in him. His batting average is pretty low at this point though. Just one thing nags me about him, and Unbreakable set the standard:
With every movie he has written after SS, when you hear the premise, it sounds like an awesome movie. You want to see this movie. Then you go and realize you shouldn’t have. Just my opinion.
Sorry, one more thing: my last Shyamalon comment. Loved Signs because it wasn’t trying to be anything other than a thriller (plus that Mel Gibson redemption thing).
Forgot Signs. You called that one right.
Still
Sky High is best for one thing: Kelly Preston in spandex.
*ahem*
https://ifanboy.com/articles/whats-wrong-with-you-boys-and-girls/
oh, give him his moment.
And as far as owning goes: Skyhigh looks terrible and i have no intention of ever seeing. that being said it could very well be great. But again, it looks just awful.
@nightwalker: It’s not.
nightwalker: it sucks ass
Poor Condor Man. Always a bridesmaid.
hahahhaaha…. nice recognition
To the user who mentioned Robocop there are also a couple Robocop comics currently being published.
I will say James Gunn’s Super is quite enjoyable, very dark, but quite enjoyable.
What, no Matrix?
The first one wrapped up it’s superhero origin story tropes in shiny leather and sci-fi trappings, but damn it was a great superhero origin story nonetheless.
Just pretend the sequels never happened….
good point, matrix 1 was probably one of the coolest movies of the ninties or my generation. never mind they ripped off grant morrison’s the invisibles.
I love Darkman and Unbreakable for two very different reasons.
Darkman is just crazy, stupid fun and it was the heyday of when Sam Raimi movies would end up being good. I keep wondering why Liam Neeson keeps doing these awesome action movies because it was so not like him when doing stuff like ‘Schindler’s List’ and all….But then I remember he did this film is which crazier then Unknown or Taken at this point.
Unbreakable is a very good movie and at the time I really though M. Night Shyamalan had a great career in the making. It’s a great origin movie in that we only see the origin and nothing else. I’m sure Shyamalan could’ve done something more if he wanted a trilogy but do we really want that after so many stinkers? (His next movie by the way is a Will/Jaden Smith film about a father and son landing on an alien planet. Sounds interesting if not showing more nepotism in the Smith household)
This is a great list. Darkman is insane, almost comedic at times, but in a dark way. I already commented on Dr. Horrible, so I won’t repeat. Sky High was great, see it if you have not. It’s a lot like X-men in that it’s a school for superheroes, and it’s very clever. Incredibles was great fun, but I would have put Unbreakable at #1 because I thought it was such a subtle, interesting approach to the subject that builds to a gut-punch at the end.
Honorable mentions: Super, with Rainn Wilson, a more realistic and f’d up Kick-Ass; the first half of Hancock.
Special with Michael rapport is also a good one.
Mystery Men ?
I think that might actually be based on a comic. I’m not sure though.
How could I forget Flaming Carrot? Oops.
I actually really liked Hancock, although I wish that twist in the middle didn’t happen.
I almost forgot about Blankman. That’s much better than Meteor Man.
blankman is classic. have not seen it in years….at least a decade
“I want to make the world a safer place for my children!”
“You got to be with a WOMAN first!!”
Thought Sky High was pretty similar to a Image series called Grounded: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Grounded-Paul-Azaceta/dp/1582406413/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1326839430&sr=1-4
I agree with whats been said before that this is a tricky list. I think there should have been some clarification before about what qualifies a movie to be a “superhero” movie. Is it about a masked hero kicking lots of criminal ass? Then why isn’t Robocop here? Or is it about people doing amazing super feats and saving the world? Then why isn’t the Matrix on here?
You know what Top 5 I want to see? Movies based on non-super-hero comic books. Like American Splendor, Ghost World, stuff like that.
I wished they’d done ‘Velvet Glove’ instead of ‘Ghost World’.
The Crow is a great movie, pretty much my fav comic movie too. Darkman, well I didn’t dig that one.
Toxic Avenger is brilliant.
I ought to re-watch Unbreakable one of these days. I often read and hear people praising it. I saw it in theaters and was bored with it. It’s one of the few movies I’ve watched where I felt like I had just completely wasted my time. Maybe now I will be able to at least appreciate what others see in the film.
I felt that way, too. It was like the whole movie was gearing up to something kinda spectacular and it culminates in a fight in a pool, and then the confrontation with Glass. Worst part of that movie for me was the title card at the end explaining what happened to Glass. I figure you can just show that.
Otherwise the first part of that movie is really intriguing.
Great list.
I love the Incredibles, but it would never be as good as Unbreakable. “It was the kids. They called me Mr. Glass,”
Okay, I’m nitpicking a little but can you really consider Dr. Horrible as a movie? It was a web series, so I’m not sure how this qualifies, but, whatever.
I’m loving the Darkman love. Such a great movie!
I would have included perhaps, Remo Williams and The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai. Both have pulp constructs and influences, but at the same time it’s the same pool that comics come from.
I thought Unbreakable was a good watch, I’ve saw it a few times and think it’s a great take on a super-hero film and a great take on a bad guy. I’d watch it anytime it’s on.