Countdown To Infinity War: Top 10 Superhero / Comic Book Movies

Eamon

1. Kick-Ass

As superheroes go, Kick-Ass is less than conventional. He's like Batman, without the skill, the money or the success. And that makes for some entertaining cinema. Directed by Matthew Vaughn, who would later go on to helm the X-Men reboot-of-sorts with X-Men: First Class, it's a fast paced, laugh out loud and excessively violent film with enough Nic Cage to make anyone happy.

2. X-Men: First Class

Acting as a soft reboot of the longest lasting continuous superhero franchise, First Class gave us a rare treat, an origins story that isn't slowed down with exposition. Delivering some of the franchises most memorable scenes, mostly through Michael Fassbender's excellent portrayal of Magneto, it was the first film to really show the human side of the superhuman world.

3. Logan

In a world of overpowered men in metal suits beating the snot out of each other, Logan brings a grim reality to that world. A superhero franchise that actually comes to a close is one thing, especially in today's world, but one that treats its characters with the respect that they deserve is something truly special. James Mangold weaves a story that works without superpowers, but is elevated by their presence. The death of the immortal man will not soon be forgotten.

4. Blade II

Directed by Guillermo Del Toro, Blade II features some of the coolest content around. Vampires whose jaws split in half to feed, Ron Perlman, Wesley Snipes, guns which are also knives, Ron Perlman being called a nipple head, Ron Perlman being bisected, what's not to like. It's over the top in the best way possible, and it's beyond enjoyable.

5. Hellboy

Who would have thought a demon could a great hero. Guillermo Del Toro did, and boy was he right. The Right Hand of Doom makes quite an impact as it punches its way through eldritch terrors and Russian sorcerers, setting up a trilogy that, unfortunately, we will never see the end of. But what we got was worth it.

6. Iron Man

The movie that started it all, Iron Man brought Robert Downey Jr. back to the forefront of cinema in a role that has gone on to define the genre as a whole. It's both an enjoyable film, though lacking in villains and any real plot, and an excellent starting for the biggest film franchise of all time, and by no small margin.

7. Snowpiercer

Starring the MCU's own Chris Evans, Snowpiercer is a tightly woven sci-fi thriller telling the story of life on board an inter-continental railroad, and the class war that erupts within. It's a wonderful film with some surprisingly deep subtext to accompany the original and excellently made action sequences.

8. Men In Black

Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones team up to wipe out an alien menace that threatens the planet, and they're going to do it in style. Well written, well acted and absurdly funny, Men In Black is blast in every way.

9. Dredd

Starring Karl Urban as the uncompromising chin of the law, Dredd brings the world of Megacity kicking and screaming, out of the shadows and into the light. Packed with brutality, style and just the right amount of storytelling, Dredd is the kind of film you can watch again and again, without it getting old.

10. Batman Begins

My preferred film of the Nolan trilogy, Batman Begins is the Dark Knight as his leanest. It lacks the extra fluff of its sequels, instead focusing almost entirely on the character of Batman/Bruce Wayne, and features some of the franchises best action, though that isn't saying much.

Chris

1. Kingsman: The Secret Service

Undoubtedly one of my favourite films of all time, Kingsman: The Secret Service brings corn and sophistication back to spy action movies, and with a sprinkling of satire. Somehow, this (mostly) light-hearted Matthew Vaughn movie has some of the greatest action sequences in cinema, and made Colin Firth a badass.

2. Thor Ragnarok

The Thor franchise was one of the weaker parts of the broader Marvel Cinematic Universe, until a New Zealander by the name of Taika Watiti breathed new life into it with Thor Ragnarok. Unlike tonally-challenged entries in the MCU, Ragnarok keeps it light from start to finish and is genuinely one of the funniest movies of 2017.

3. The Lego Batman Movie

Confused by the canon of the Batman comics or The Lego Movie? Don't worry, because The Lego Batman Movie throws it all out completely, to hilarious effect. I'm dead serious about the lack of canon - Sauron and Voldemort are in this. Add an all-star cast featuring legendary performances from Will Arnett and Zach Galifianakis, and you have one of the best takes on the Batman since the Arkham video games.

4. The Avengers

What sort of Last Reviewers would we be if we didn't mention the biggest game-changer of them all? The Avengers dared to bring together superheroes from separate movies, and it really worked. It's clear that the film is deeply flawed, but it's amazing that Marvel got to that point in the first place, and I find the movie thoroughly enjoyable every time.

5. Guardians Of The Galaxy

Another film that dared to be different. James Gunn brought an obscure superhero team to the mainstream with a sitcom actor, a wrestler, and two entirely animated characters. And it was undeniably the funniest superhero movie ever when it was released in 2014, and still somehow a fantastic action adventure.

6. Logan

Film's so nice, we said it twice. Very few superhero films had dared to stray outside their genre before Logan. Logan abandoned the action genre almost entirely for an emotional family drama, and it's beautiful. It's an entirely separate beast to the rest of the X-Men films, and to any other superhero film ever created.

7. Iron Man

In 2008, superhero movies were at an all-time low. Superman, Fantastic Four, Spider-Man, and X-Men franchises had all just had their worst entries yet, leaving Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight as the only hope for a quality film. But a knight in shining red and gold armour showed up, with one of the greatest origin movies ever and a fallen star in the role he was born to play. And from this seed, a multi-billion dollar franchise was born.

8. Deadpool

When a short clip of test footage for a Deadpool movie was leaked online, the internet went into a frenzy. With one of the greatest marketing campaigns of all time, and super-movie veteran Ryan Reynolds driving the hype train in the studio and in public, Deadpool was a cultural phenomenon with hilarious references and fourth-wall breaks.

9. Chronicle

The first on my list that wasn't adapted from a comic book, Josh Trank's found footage sci-fi is also one of the most unique movies on the list. Dane DeHaan plays one of three teenagers who get telekinetic abilities. This modern-day Carrie is an emotional ride with fantastic direction and performances all round.

10. The Incredibles

Pixar's The Incredibles was miraculously a great movie for kids, for adults, for superhero fans, and for everyone else. The story of Bob Parr and his superpowered family in an anti-super world has reached something of an iconic status, and with characters like Edna Mode, it truly deserves it.

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