The history of movies based on Marvel comics is an interesting one, dating back long before 2008's Iron Man kicked off the now world-famous Marvel Cinematic Universe. As far back as the 1970s, production companies have tried their hand at bringing some beloved heroes to life, with varying degrees of quality.
Before the MCU brought most of the company's characters under one creative direction, each film or franchise tended to have its own unique flavor depending on the era it was made in. Naturally, some of the many Marvel films to date have held up very well, while a few others come across as less favorable in retrospect.
10 Not As Good: X-Men Was A Campy Start To A Massive Franchise
The year 2000 was a big one for comic book fans, as the long-awaited X-Men film finally hit theatres and became a huge hit, sparking an almost 20-year franchise. The movie was a huge risk for 20th Century Fox, as the last big movie to feature a team of heroes in peculiar outfits facing off against colorful villains was none other than 1997's Batman & Robin.
The risk paid off and made the X-Men a household name. While undoubtedly a strong start to the franchise, the film itself falls short in a few areas. Some clunky exposition, dated visual effects, and that horrendous one-liner from Storm all help bump up the cringe a little.
9 Still Holds Up: X2: X-Men United Set The Standard For The Series
It didn't take long for the X-Men series to nail it, though, as the second entry in 2003 is still regarded by many fans as a franchise-best. The fantastic ensemble cast returned along with breakout star Hugh Jackman to deliver a hugely improved second outing for the merry mutants.
Featuring a thrilling plot, relatable moral debates, awesome visuals, and a stunning opening sequence with new hero Nightcrawler, X2: X-Men United was everything it needed to be. In fact, so strong was the cast of this film that almost everyone returned in 2014's Days of Future Past, proving that not even a franchise reboot and new cast could keep this ensemble down.
8 Not As Good: Daredevil Is Very, Very 2003
The early 2000s saw a lot of new comic book movies hit the big screen, especially from Marvel, and sometimes the era's bad habits snuck their way into projects where they shouldn't have been. There's perhaps no better example of this than 2003's Daredevil starring Ben Affleck.
The film tried and failed to mix campy superhero action with a darker tone, and its soundtrack tends to induce groans rather than the headbangs it intended. No one seems sure of what kind of film they're in, as the villains are busy chewing the scenery while the heroes are stuck brooding and fighting each other. Skip this one and enjoy 3 seasons of Netflix's Daredevil series instead.
7 Still Holds Up: Iron Man Is A Great Stand-Alone Flick & The Start Of Something More
2008's Iron Man introduced the MCU to the world, and movies have never really been the same since. If viewers ignore that post-credit stinger, however, the film holds up incredibly well on its own merits. A massive part of that success is down to the perfect casting of Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark.
It's exciting, funny, dramatic, and stands proudly next to the mega-franchise it spawned as one the best entries to this day. The film marked a turning point for general audiences and made the Marvel brand just as reliable as the likes of Universal, 20th Century Fox, and Pixar.
6 Not As Good: The Avengers Doesn't Look As Good As You Remember
It may sound like sacrilege to say, but 2012's blockbuster smash The Avengers has a pretty glaring drawback once you consider the later team-up films. Despite its huge budget, stellar cast, and overall top-notch film-making on display, the result somehow looks cheap compared to others.
The lighting is bland, the direction and choices of angles can come across as odd, and even the aspect ratio is less cinematic than the typical 2:39 : 1 as seen in the likes of Avengers: Age of Ultron. The action sequences are still incredible to watch, but many of the character-driven moments look like they came from a mid-budget TV show.
5 Still Holds Up: Blade Started Marvel Films' Modern Era
Comic book films were in a bad way in 1998. Batman & Robin had almost killed the Batman franchise, Steel was a complete dud, Spawn came and went without anyone noticing, and Marvel only saw a few TV pilots try and fail to launch in the decade so far. Then came Blade in August of that year, and things changed.
The R-rated flick made comic book movies cool again, thanks in no small part to leading man Wesley Snipes. The film also featured a great supporting cast, a killer soundtrack, and was filled to the brim with style and slick action. Not to mention gallons and gallons of blood.
4 Not As Good: Hulk Was A Bold Move But A Flawed One
Released in the same year as Daredevil and X2: X-Men United, Hulk was a hugely-anticipated event and the hype was doubled by the fact that award-winning director Ang Lee was at the helm. Everything should have worked in the project's favor, but a few stylistic choices left a bad taste in many viewers' mouths.
The film made use of many questionable editing choices and transitions that kept taking audiences out of the experience and many of these inclusions were just plain weird. In particular, a transition following the accidental death of minor antagonist Glenn Talbot drew laughs rather than shock and awe. A general lack of action didn't quite help the film, either.
3 Still Holds Up: X-Men: First Class Managed The Impossible
The original X-Men film managed to expertly cast not only the likes of Wolverine, Jean Grey, Cyclops, and others, but it also received particular praise for the utterly perfect casting of Sir Patrick Stewart and Sir Ian McKellen as Professor Charles Xavier and Magneto, respectively. X-Men: First Class, a reboot/prequel released in 2011, somehow managed to perfectly cast them again.
In general, the First Class era of films have a very strong cast, including Oscar-winner Jennifer Lawrence, but the new series was anchored by the presence of James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender from beginning to end. Their performances brought a new dimension to the iconic friends-turned-enemies and allowed fans to enjoy seeing this tragic duo's early days.
2 Not As Good: Elektra Is Barely Memorable
Most people probably don't even remember that 2003's Daredevil received a spin-off in 2005, focused on the deadly assassin Elektra. Elektra was Marvel's first try at a female-led movie with 20th Century Fox, but the end result wasn't so much bad as it was totally boring and forgettable.
Jennifer Garner tried her best with the weak material, but it didn't seem like anyone else made the same effort. The film featured by-the-numbers action scenes and predictable story-beats and left audiences totally numb to a character who's proven her worth in the comics for decades. A darker take on the character would be featured in Netflix's Daredevil.
1 Still Holds Up: Spider-Man 2 May Still Be The Best Spidey Film
Even after two reboots and a separate, Oscar-winning animated version, Spider-Man 2 with Tobey Maguire is still seen by many as the gold standard for the web-slinger. The 2004 sequel improved on virtually every aspect of the 2002 original, with more action, more drama, more humor, and more heart.
Doctor Octopus is such a widely loved villain in the film that he's even crossing the multiverse to appear in 2021's Spider-Man: No Way Home. Regardless of the later films and the success they've had, there's a nostalgic charm to this entry that keeps it coming out on top of most fans' lists.
0 Comments