Top 10 Best Superhero Movies of the Century (So Far)

WatchMojo

There is definitely no shortage of superhero movies! Welcome to WatchMojo and today we’re counting down our picks for the best superhero flicks of the 21st century so far. Watch out for minor spoilers ahead.

Transcript

00:00 "Spider-Man!"

00:01 "Oh my gosh, this is it! Tell everyone to hang on!"

00:04 Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the best superhero flicks of the 21st century so far.

00:11 Watch out for minor spoilers ahead.

00:14 "I believe whatever doesn't kill you simply makes you...

00:18 ...stranger."

00:22 Number 10. Zack Snyder's Justice League.

00:25 The theatrical cut of Justice League had many problems,

00:28 the biggest being that it wasn't one artist's vision.

00:31 After years of fan campaigning, WarnerMedia finally released the Snyder Cut,

00:36 appropriately titled Zack Snyder's Justice League.

00:39 While audiences have polarizing feelings on Snyder,

00:50 this director's cut finds him at his best,

00:53 with an emphasis on visual storytelling, massive set pieces,

00:57 and the gravitas that was missing from Joss Whedon's cut.

01:00 The four-hour runtime might intimidate some,

01:03 but Snyder earns it with Darkseid's introduction and more development for all our heroes,

01:08 especially Ray Fisher's cyborg.

01:10 "He's dead."

01:11 "What?"

01:12 "My father. I didn't save him. I couldn't."

01:19 "Oh my God."

01:21 With every frame, you sense Snyder's passion to not only deliver on the insurmountable fan expectations,

01:28 but to also give his late daughter Autumn a beautiful tribute.

01:32 Number 9. X-Men - Days of Future Past.

01:35 In 2003, fans of Marvel's mutants were treated to an exciting and thrilling superhero sequel.

01:41 "We're here to stay, Mr. President. The next move is yours."

01:45 "We'll be watching."

01:49 While X2 was great, Days of Future Past took the title of the best direct X-Men follow-up in 2014.

01:56 The time-bending movie saw Wolverine travel to the past to prevent an apocalyptic future.

02:01 Thanks to this story set up, we got to see seasoned franchise vets like Patrick Stewart

02:05 give acting masterclasses to their younger counterparts.

02:08 "And as frightening as it may be, that pain will make you stronger.

02:14 If you allow yourself to feel it, embrace it."

02:19 We were also introduced to new breakout stars like Quicksilver,

02:23 and each action sequence stood out by letting individual mutant powers guide the scenes.

02:28 Despite balancing a huge roster and gigantic stakes, the story feels personal and grounded.

02:34 This tightly written time epic helped guarantee the X-Men would return for many more future adventures.

02:40 "It's good to see you, Charles. It's good to see everyone."

02:45 With every new incarnation of Batman,

02:50 the filmmakers run the risk of retreading on all too familiar territory.

02:54 "You really could be doing more for this city.

02:57 Your family has a history of philanthropy, but as far as I can tell, you're not doing anything."

03:01 Although Tim Burton and Christopher Nolan paved the way for the Batman,

03:04 director Matt Reeves makes this version his own.

03:07 He does so by focusing on a younger, more inexperienced Bruce Wayne,

03:11 who's rarely seen out of costume.

03:13 "That's Kinsey. Narcotics."

03:16 "He's one of the guys that got into it with the iceberg lounge."

03:19 "What are you saying, Kinsey Moonlight's for the penguin?"

03:23 "Alright, Moonlight's just a cop."

03:27 Reeves not only puts a stronger emphasis on Wayne's alter ego,

03:30 but also the character's detective skills.

03:32 Batman meets his match in Paul Dano's Riddler,

03:35 who's intimidating and creepy without ever feeling like a Joker wannabe.

03:39 Zoe Kravitz makes for a feisty yet layered catwoman,

03:42 while Colin Farrell transforms into the penguin.

03:46 "I got you! I got you! Take that, you friggin' psycho! I got you!"

03:54 Reeves' Gotham strikes the ideal balance between grounded and otherworldly,

03:59 delivering possibly the best-looking interpretation we've seen in live-action.

04:04 Iron Man.

04:05 It's the film that didn't just launch a successful trilogy,

04:08 but an entire cinematic universe.

04:10 "Mr. Stark, you've become part of a bigger universe. You just don't know it yet."

04:15 Even if Iron Man had simply been a standalone movie,

04:18 it still would have exceeded all expectations.

04:20 When you think about it,

04:21 the fact that this movie turned out as well as it did is miraculous.

04:31 Director Jon Favreau wasn't known for action,

04:33 while Robert Downey Jr. was struggling to shake his controversial past.

04:37 The script wasn't finished when shooting commenced,

04:40 requiring the actors to improvise a fair deal of dialogue,

04:43 including Downey Jr.'s final remark to the press.

04:46 "The truth is...

04:48 I am Iron Man."

04:55 On top of all that,

04:56 Iron Man wasn't especially well-known to mainstream audiences in 2008.

05:00 Now, thanks to this film,

05:02 we all know that Tony Stark is Iron Man.

05:05 Throughout the Infinity Saga,

05:10 the Captain America movies perhaps went through the most drastic transformation.

05:14 This makes sense given the time leap,

05:16 forcing Steve Rogers to adapt to modern day.

05:19 "We may not be perfect, but the safest hands are still our own."

05:22 "If we don't do this now, it's gonna be done to us later."

05:26 While Rogers remains a pure-hearted soul to the end,

05:29 war isn't always as straightforward as good guys versus bad guys.

05:33 Sometimes both sides have valid standpoints,

05:35 turning friends into enemies.

05:37 In fighting for what he believes is right,

05:39 Captain America goes from Boy Scout to rebel with a cause.

05:43 "We're outside the law on this one.

05:45 So if you come with us, you're a wanted man."

05:47 "Yeah, well, what else is new?"

05:49 Civil War is practically an Avengers movie,

05:52 with Spider-Man making his long-awaited MCU debut along with Black Panther.

05:56 "Captain."

05:57 "Your Highness."

05:58 However, the Russos never lose sight of the central conflict

06:01 between Cap, Iron Man, and the Winter Soldier.

06:04 In the end, we don't know who to root for.

06:06 Although Deadpool had already brought X-Men into R-rated territory,

06:12 Logan was a different beast entirely.

06:14 For all its ups and downs,

06:15 superhero movies wouldn't be what they are today without X-Men.

06:19 And Logan was the franchise's most daring outing to date.

06:22 "I know what you're hiding in me, young one.

06:25 The old cue ball south of the border."

06:28 "What do you want?"

06:30 "A little cooperation."

06:32 Director James Mangold redefined what a superhero movie could be,

06:42 trading flashy visuals for a bleak, unforgiving backdrop

06:45 reminiscent of an apocalyptic Western.

06:47 There isn't a day to save anymore,

06:49 but living to see tomorrow is considered a victory.

06:52 "What is she?"

06:54 "She's your daughter, Logan."

06:56 "Alkali has your genetic code."

07:00 "Not just mine."

07:01 "Logan."

07:02 "I don't want to talk about it. I don't want to hear about it anymore."

07:04 "Logan."

07:05 "Just stop."

07:06 Heroes who once seemed invincible are pushed beyond their limits

07:09 on the road to redemption and salvation.

07:12 For all the brutality, it's also a touching family drama,

07:15 with Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, and Daphne Keen

07:18 giving career best performances as three generations of X-Men.

07:23 #4 Black Panther

07:24 Logan was the first comic book superhero movie

07:27 to receive a Screenplay Oscar nomination.

07:30 But Black Panther went even further.

07:32 This Best Picture nominee wasn't merely another MCU movie.

07:36 It was a cultural milestone for representation.

07:39 "My king."

07:41 "Stop it. Stop it."

07:43 Of course, representation alone doesn't secure a film's place in the zeitgeist.

07:49 To truly make an impact, the characters have to be identifiable,

07:53 the drama needs to be compelling, and the world must spring to life.

07:57 Director Ryan Coogler accomplished all of the above,

08:00 celebrating Black culture on an unprecedented scale.

08:03 "Y'all sitting up here comfortable.

08:05 Must feel good.

08:08 It's about two billion people all over the world that looks like us.

08:12 But their lives are a lot harder.

08:14 Wakanda has the tools to liberate 'em all."

08:16 Of all the movies produced during his time as Disney CEO,

08:20 Bob Iger said that he was proudest of Black Panther.

08:23 We can see why.

08:24 It is a landmark that's still making a difference.

08:27 "We let the fear of our discovery stop us from doing what is right.

08:32 No more."

08:34 Wakanda and Chadwick Boseman forever.

08:36 #3 Spider-Man 2

08:38 Before there was the MCU,

08:40 there was Sam Raimi's Spider-Man and its superior sequel.

08:44 Spider-Man 2 in particular set a precedent for all future Marvel movies.

08:48 At the time, it was the funniest and most visually impressive superhero movie yet.

08:58 What surprised critics like Roger Ebert, though, was the human story.

09:02 Although Donner's Superman and Burton's Batman gave us layered heroes,

09:05 Spider-Man 2 delved deeper into the realities that superheroes would face.

09:10 #2 Peter Parker

09:12 Peter Parker isn't much different from the average college student

09:24 balancing studies, relationships, and paying the rent.

09:27 What sets him apart is one enormous responsibility with few rewards.

09:32 Throw in Alfred Molina as one of the greatest supervillains,

09:35 and you have a superhero movie that evolved the genre to new frontiers.

09:40 #2 Avengers Infinity War

09:52 The MCU has taken up nearly half this list,

09:56 but Infinity War may be this cinematic universe's most impactful entry thus far.

10:02 (Sigh)

10:03 Although Endgame had an even bigger cast,

10:10 Thanos alone propelled Infinity War into top-tier territory.

10:13 After several years of build-up, Thanos firmly established himself

10:17 as the MCU's most physically daunting villain.

10:20 What makes Thanos so intimidating, though,

10:23 are his dangerous mindset and identifiable motivations.

10:27 (Thanos)

10:30 From Thanos' perspective,

10:45 he's a hero willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for the greater good.

10:49 Following the trajectory of other heroes' journeys, Thanos emerges victorious.

10:53 (Thanos)

10:56 On the other side of the mirror, however,

11:00 Thanos' triumph is the biggest failure for the real heroes.

11:04 The grim ending is one for the ages, reducing the audience to piles of ashes.

11:09 Before we unveil our top pick, here are some honorable mentions.

11:13 Deadpool

11:14 A biting satire of the genre that also stands as a great superhero flick.

11:19 (Deadpool)

11:22 Hellboy 2 - The Golden Army

11:28 This vastly underrated gem is devilishly entertaining from start to finish.

11:33 (Hellboy)

11:36 Guardians of the Galaxy

11:40 A funny and inspiring space opera that celebrates the underdogs.

11:44 (Wonder Woman)

11:49 Wonder Woman

11:54 This sprawling war adventure finally did the famous Amazon justice.

11:58 (Wonder Woman)

12:01 Spider-Man No Way Home

12:06 Three webheads plus five classic villains equals one epic Spidey film.

12:11 (Spider-Man)

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12:37 The Dark Knight

12:40 At this point, the Dark Knight status as the best superhero movie isn't a matter of opinion.

12:45 It's essentially a fact that few would argue against.

12:48 (Dark Knight)

13:07 Picking up where Batman Begins left off, director Christopher Nolan improved upon everything

13:12 from the action to the real-world commentary to the villain.

13:15 In a posthumous performance that earned him a well-deserved Oscar,

13:18 Heath Ledger molded the Joker from a comic book villain to the embodiment of terror.

13:23 (Joker)

13:26 (Joker)

13:35 It's often said that Joker is Batman's opposite.

13:38 Really though, Joker is the antithesis of Harvey Dent's White Knight.

13:42 Sometimes, opposites are just one bad day away from being identical, however.

13:47 (Joker)

13:49 This is where Batman comes in, traversing the lonely line between nobility and darkness

13:58 on the double-headed coin of justice.

14:00 What's your favorite 21st century superhero movie?

14:03 Let us know in the comments.

14:05 (Joker)

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14:11 Check out these other clips from WatchMojo

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14:17 [music]

14:28 [BLANK_AUDIO]

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