10 Superhero Movies That Were Almost Perfect

Superhero movies are a defining pillar of 21st century cinema, a staple of the blockbuster experience that typically presents an enormous spectacle of action grandeur, high-tempo fun, and significant stakes. Some films, like Iron Man and Guardians of the Galaxy, opt to make the experience as accessible and enjoyable as possible, while others, like The Dark Knight and Logan, strive to generate suspense and intensity while exploring darker, more complex narratives.

While those select films represent superhero cinema perfection, the fact is not every movie in the genre can be entirely flawless. From major studio blockbusters that were let down by one of two scenes, to older, more underrated gems that had pitfalls as they explored and pioneered the genre’s narrative formula, these 10 movies are magnificent examples of superhero storytelling that are very nearly perfect.

10 ‘The Suicide Squad’ (2021)

Directed by James Gunn

Following the calamity of 2016’s Suicide Squad, expectations were relatively low for 2021’s The Suicide Squad, with many fans even questioning if the studio deserved another attempt at the story. Thankfully, for fans of superhero movies, James Gunn delivers a lively, creative, and often shocking spin on the genre as the film follows the titular group of villains as they are dispatched to help Task Force X destroy a laboratory.

At its absolute best, The Suicide Squad is a frenetic and pulsating joyride of excessive ultra-violence and profanity. However, it is occasionally let down by lulls of indecision where it becomes less clear whether it’s a send-up of superhero movies or an earnest and goofy embracing of genre tropes. It’s only minor, but it does give rise to a condescending undertone at times that is the only stain on what is otherwise a sensational serving of supervillain bombast.

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9 ‘Spider-Man’ (2002)

Directed by Sam Raimi

It can’t be overstated how influential Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man was in blazing a trail towards superhero cinema being the juggernaut it stands as today. It is fun, accessible, action-packed, and emotionally rousing as it follows Peter Parker’s (Tobey Maguire) efforts to use his newfound superpowers for good as the masked superhero Spider-Man, even as he becomes the target of a deranged and vengeful enemy.

The gleam of formula and familiarity that superhero films now have to negotiate wasn’t apparent in 2002, and Raimi is able to imbue the picture with a grounded, boyish charm that perfectly captures its titular hero. However, as revolutionary as it was, it has been surpassed by a number of more recent Spider-Man films among other superhero movies. It is defining of its era, and absolutely flawless in that regard, but it feels almost too vanilla compared to other superhero films. Then again, many would argue that that is exactly what defines the film’s perfection.

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8 ‘Darkman’ (1990)

Directed by Sam Raimi

It is well known that Sam Raimi became a legend of superhero cinema through his Spider-Man trilogy. However, it was 1990’s violent vigilante flick Darkman that saw him get his start in the genre after breaking out as a horror icon in the 1980s. With Liam Neeson in the starring role, it follows a scientist whose life is ruined when he is attacked and burned by gangland thugs. Using his research on synthetic skin to his advantage, he sets out to take revenge while becoming more erratic and hostile.

Raimi makes exceptional use of his background in visual horror throughout the film, but still manages to weave together a rewarding superhero tale. While some of its strays from convention are truly inspired, Darkman ultimately is let down by, if anything, uncertain footing as the plot progresses. Perhaps this is endemic of superhero cinema still being in its infancy at the time, but Darkman still managed to largely overcome its flaws to be a unique and gritty superhero story that, in so many regards, borders on the edge of absolute perfection.

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7 ‘Batman’ (1989)

Directed by Tim Burton

Given the intense visions and stories which have defined several Batman films in recent years, it seems odd to say, but 1989’s Batman remains the most stylistically impressionable iteration of the character ever put to live-action cinema. As Michael Keaton’s first Batman movie, it follows the caped crusader as his efforts to fight crime in Gotham City see him cross paths with the underworld’s sadistic and deranged new leader, the Joker (Jack Nicholson).

Rich with an eerie and unnerving atmospheric intensity, the film’s greatest strength is the distinct and direct sense of style Tim Burton brings to it that was pivotal for the future of superhero films as it challenged the notion that the genre had to be targeted towards children. It remains one of the most visually captivating and striking superhero films ever made, and is only really let down by a couple of lulls in the story.

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6 ‘Kick-Ass’ (2010)

Directed by Matthew Vaughn

At their core, superhero stories are meant to be fun adventures of humble heroes standing against the forces of evil. As excessive, bloody, foul-mouthed, and ultra-violent as it is, Kick-Ass delivers exactly that and more, as a pulsating, balls-to-the-wall action comedy that simultaneously plays by the rules of superhero narratives and dismantles them. It follows an inconsequential teenager who, spurred by his love of comic books, decides to become a superhero. His noble though misguided aspirations see him join forces with a violent father-daughter vigilante duo to stand against a criminal organization.

Imbued with Matthew Vaughn’s emphatic sense of style, Kick-Ass thrives at hitting hard at the places that other superhero films wouldn’t dare to reach. It is as ridiculous yet pulsating a movie the genre has seen. However, its sheer excess can get exhausting, and its sensitivities won’t be to everyone’s tastes. Additionally, many criticized its glamorization of violence that, given how the film thrives off its spectacle, could have been addressed more with more insight.

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5 ‘X-Men: First Class’ (2011)

Directed by Matthew Vaughn

It could be argued that Matthew Vaughn is one of the most underrated names in modern superhero film, with his work on the X-Men movies taking what was a tiring and spluttering franchise and reinvigorating it with a sharp new direction. The first of his two movies, X-Men: First Class, takes place in the 1960s as Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) works with fellow mutant Erik Lehnsherr (Michael Fassbender) to assemble a team of superpowered beings, though the two men begin to discover how ferociously their ideologies clash.

Vaughn tempers his stylistic tendencies without abandoning them completely, giving the film just the right amount of pizzazz as it leans on its strong screenplay and stellar cast to thrive as an audacious and energetic triumph. In fact, it is difficult to pinpoint any major flaw in the film, with it only missing out on absolute perfection by virtue of the fact that it doesn’t quite amount to being on the same level as the greatest films the genre has seen. It still stands as one of the best X-Men movies though.

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4 ‘The Rocketeer’ (1991)

Directed by Joe Johnston

While released in 1991, there is an old-time simplicity and charm to The Rocketeer that is more commonly found in films from the wartime era it is set in. Clifford Secord (Billy Campbell) is a cocky stunt pilot who discovers a jetpack that he uses to become the masked hero, the Rocketeer. His actions attract the attention of the FBI and Howard Hughes (Terry O’Quinn), while also agitating the Nazis who stole the jetpack from America in the first place.

The pulp matinée serials of the 30s are brought back to the screen in delightful fashion in this underrated Disney superhero hit from director Joe Johnston (who would later direct Captain America: The First Avenger). While its anachronistic qualities are sometimes overbearing, and it is far from immune to narrative missteps, The Rocketeer remains an uplifting triumph of superhero cinema from an era where films in the genre rarely excelled.

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3 ‘V For Vendetta’ (2005)

Directed by James McTeigue

Based on Alan Moore’s contemplative graphic novel, V For Vendetta is a highlight of superhero cinema at its most psychological and socially pointed. Transpiring in a near future where Britain, the last standing nation, is ruled by a fascist and tyrannical government, it follows Evey (Natalie Portman) as she forms a bond with V (Hugo Weaving), a masked vigilante striving to bring down the government through a series of attacks designed to incite rebellion.

It finds its brilliance in its endeavor to deconstruct and explore how individuals functioning as symbols inspire a response from society, and how violence is either completely condemned or celebrated depending on what the symbol represents, and to whom. As such, V For Vendetta sees its titular figure undertake some confronting deeds, worst of which is the way he deceives and torments Evey to liberate her from fear. It serves a pointed purpose, and works in the movie, but the ease with which Evey eventually forgives him marks a blemish on what is otherwise a flawless exploration of superhero narratives.

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2 ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ (2012)

Directed by Christopher Nolan

Surpassing The Dark Knight was always going to be an impossible task, but it is quite impressive how fantastic a job Christopher Nolan does to close the trilogy out with The Dark Knight Rises. Having become a recluse, Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) realizes he must return as Batman when Gotham City is besieged by Bane (Tom Hardy), a ruthless terrorist planning on destroying the city.

The spectacle is immense, with Nolan taking inspiration from Charles Dickens’ ‘A Tale of Two Cities’ to deliver a story of class divides, social structures, and the impact of symbols of hope. Given Batman’s sacrifice at the end of The Dark Knight, it is also a treat to see the caped crusader realized as a hero again, but the film still has some glaring flat spots. There are a couple of scenes that miss the mark entirely, while the intriguing reference to Dickens’ story fails to come to any thematic head. These are, admittedly, miniscule complaints, but they do prevent the film from rising to the level of absolute perfection that its predecessor occupies.

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1 ‘Wonder Woman’ (2017)

Directed by Patty Jenkins

The DCEU spent a lot of its formative years spluttering between underwhelming disappointments and glimpses of raw potential, but it finally found what is, to date, its defining masterpiece in the form of 2017’s Wonder Woman. Set during the First World War, it sees Amazonian warrior Diana Prince (Gal Gadot) venture beyond the safety of her secluded home to stand against Ares, the God of War, and prevent him from destroying humanity.

It is largely an outstanding balance between superhero thrills and poignant war drama, one that comes to a fascinating initial conclusion when the man Diana suspects of being Ares is killed with no effect on the conflict. The twist is brilliant, raising intriguing questions about human nature while teasing an inspired and mature step for mainstream superhero cinema, only to be rendered meaningless moments later when the true identity of Ares is revealed. The ensuing fight scene lacks bite and the film as a whole is cheapened, a travesty which stains an otherwise exceptional superhero movie.

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NEXT: The 55 Best Superhero Movies of All Time, Ranked