There are many superhero movies from theMCU, theDCU, and beyond that are actually much better than their reviews seem to suggest. Even long before themovies of the MCUhelped bring superhero movies to the forefront of pop culture consciousness, the genre was a relatively consistent presence in Hollywood. Adapting the fantastical stories of comic book superheroes onto the big screen has often appealed to studios and audiences alike, albeit with somewhat mixed results over the years.
The sad fact is, many superhero movies – both before and after the start of theMCU’s movie timeline– have failed to impress critics, and the genre hasn’t always been as successful as it is today. However, some stand out as far better movies than their reviews seem to suggest, with merits that have either been overlooked or that have only become evident in the time since their release. With that in mind, here are 10 superhero movies that weren’t nearly as bad as the reviews said.
10Spawn (1997)
Director: Mark A.Z. Dippé
In many ways, 1997’sSpawnhas become one of the forgotten movies of the superhero genre’s formative years. The film was widely dismissed by critics upon release, leading to its reputation as asuperhero movie so bad it’s gooddue to its poor reviews. However,Spawnactually isn’t anywhere near as bad as the initial critical reviews make it seem, as despite its shortcomings, it’s an entertaining movie.
The reviews lamentedSpawn’s brutal violence and supposedly formulaic narrative. However, formulaic storytelling has proven to be one of the most successful aspects of the genre in the years since, andSpawn’s violent scenes have since been more favorably reappraised. The movie may not be a masterpiece, butit’s still far better than the reviews of the day suggested, andSpawnhas gone on to earn a status as something of a cult classic.
9Green Lantern (2011)
Director: Martin Campbell
2011 saw the release ofGreen Lantern, marking the live-action debut of one of DC’s most prominent and exciting heroes. The Ryan Reynolds-led movie served as an origin story for the Hal Jordan iteration of the hero, with rumors about its supposed place in a shared DC Universe fueling excitement from fans. Sadly, the reviews forGreen Lanternmarked it as an abysmal failure, and it has since come to be disowned by its star and remembered as one of themost unwatchable superhero moviesever made.
However,Green Lanternisn’t as bad as its reputation would have you believe. Despite multiple instances of unimpressive CGI and a few narrative issues,it’s an entertaining sci-fi superhero movie with creative visual set pieces.In terms of the character it attempts to adapt, it’s a little disappointing, but as a superhero movie making use of Ryan Reynolds’ characteristic charm, it’s nowhere near as bad as its reviews said it was.
8The Marvels (2023)
Director: Nia DaCosta
As one of theMCU’s lowest-grossing movies,The Marvelshas earned a reputation as one of the franchise’s worst entries. Financial failings aside, the movie also earned a handful of less-than-ideal reviews, the majority of which came from fans rather than movie critics. This only further hurtThe Marvels’ reputation and chances for success, although it’s actually far from being as bad as those reviews suggest.
Admittedly,The Marvelsis not one of the best MCU movies by any stretch of the imagination. However, it does bring together three of the franchise’s most interesting female heroes into a team with genuine chemistry, weaving a reasonably compelling narrative in the process.In terms of its place in the MCU’s wider canon and the individual performances of its stars,The Marvelsin no way deserved the poor reviews it was given.
7Ghost Rider (2007)
Director: Mark Steven Johnson
2007’sGhost Rideroften finds itself dismissed as one of Marvel’s lackluster pre-MCU movies from before the superhero genre found its winning formula. The movie’sRotten Tomatoesreviews hint at as much: an embarrassingly low average review score and comments labeling it “a sour mix of morose, glum histrionics” do nothing to paintGhost Riderin a positive light. Even so, it’s nowhere near as bad as the reviews claim.
With Nicolas Cage starring as the eponymous skeletal hero,Ghost Ridermight not be a groundbreaking movie, but it’s a fun one. Its visual effects occasionally leave much to be desired, but generally,it’s a visually interesting movie that brings one of Marvel’s coolest characters to life on the big screen.Even considering its weaker points,Ghost Rideris a film that is simply nowhere near as bad as the reviews suggest.
6Fantastic Four (2005)
Director: Tim Story
Released in 2005,Fantastic Fourserved as the long-awaited theatrical debut of the Marvel heroes. With a star-studded cast and the promise of an accessible introduction to the characters for the uninitiated,Fantastic Fourseemed destined for success. Poor reviews hurt the movie significantly, however, contributing to its reputation as an uninspired and underwhelming entry to the superhero genre. In fairness, however, the movie is not as bad as the reviews claimed.
ThoughFantastic Fourmay have been somewhat formulaic,it boasted some truly exceptional visual effects that have aged remarkably wellin the years since its release. It was a movie that rode on a wave of ‘00s superhero movie hysteria to reasonably impressive results, marking an entertaining, if simplistic, adaptation of the Marvel Comics source material. Poor reviews aside, 2005’sFantastic Fouris not at all a bad movie.
5Daredevil (2003)
The 2003 movieDaredevilis often named among the worst superhero movies ever made. The film earned critical ire and was widely panned, with many reviews criticizing its lack of innovation and inability to add any new ideas to the genre. Looking back on those reviews from a more current perspective, they are more than a little unfair onDaredevilin many ways.
The 2003 film is certainly not the best adaptation of the Man Without Fear, but it does possess a certain ‘00s charm. The edgy and mildly directionless approach to the adaptation isn’t perfect, butit features multiple memorable scenes and helped establish the cinematic potential of the character.It may not be one of the best superhero movies ever made, but 2003’sDaredevilcertainly isn’t anywhere near as bad as its many scathing reviews claim.
4Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014)
Director: Jonathan Liebesman
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have been adapted to the screen on many occasions, with multiple TV shows and a handful of movies bringing them to life over the years. The 2014 movie adapted their story into live-action, with the titular heroes rendered in CGI. However, poor reviews plagued the movie, leading many to unfairly dismiss it entirely. Despite its negative reception, 2014’sTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtlesisn’t a terrible movie.
It may not have been the best iteration of its heroes, butthe creative liberties taken with the characters were at least reasonably imaginative.The hulking, muscular versions of the heroes in the movie were one of the main sources of negativity, with many overlooking how well the movie brought their personalities to life. Though it undeniably leaves something to be desired, 2014’sTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtleswas nowhere near as bad an adaptation as the reviews seemed to portray.
3Batman Forever (1995)
Director: Joel Schumacher
Of all theactors to play Batman in live-action, Val Kilmer is one of the most overlooked. His brief stint in the role came in 1995’sBatman Forever, which served as something of a spiritual sequel to Tim Burton’s two-film Batman franchise. Kilmer starred alongside Chris O’Donnell, Jim Carrey, Tommy Lee Jones, and Nicole Kidman in an A-list affair that ultimately failed to impress critics.Batman Foreverwas subjected to poor reviews, leading to an equally poor reputation.
Compared to Burton’s Batman movies,Batman Foreveris admittedly pretty poor. However, the intention behind the movie and its story is clear, andit possesses more than a few redeeming qualities beneath its inherent wackiness.Though the finished film feels unpolished in a narrative sense, there’s a general entertainment value toBatman Foreverthat many of its reviews seemed to have overlooked entirely in their appraisal of the movie.
2The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2003)
Director: Stephen Norrington
Released in 2003,The League of Extraordinary Gentlemenwas adapted from the comic book of the same name by Alan Moore and Kevin O’Neill. Its story followed a team comprised of an assortment of popular characters from classic literature, and the movie sought to bring that narrative to life in a one-of-a-kind visual spectacle. The result did not impress critics, whose reviews have since seenThe League of Extraordinary Gentlemenlabeled one of the worst comic book movies of all time.
It’s not actually as terrible as the reviews make out, however. In spite of some narrative confusion,The League of Extraordinary Gentlemenis a thoroughly unique and well-styled adaptation of the source material.It features some excellent action scenes and a generally entertaining narrativethat makes it a passably enjoyable blockbuster which is nowhere near as bad as the reviews claim.
1Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice (2016)
Director: Zack Snyder
At the time of its release,Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justicewas considered a huge disappointment. Critical reviews of the movie could be considered mixed at best, with many aspects of the DCEU’s second entry harshly criticized. As the more favorable reappraisal of the movie suggests,Batman v Supermanis not as bad as those reviews seem to indicate, however. In fact, it’s one of the DCEU’s best sequels.
Batman v Supermanfollows up perfectly on the themes explored by its predecessor,Man of Steel. Additionally, it introduced Batman into the DCEU in a way that felt both organic and innovative, taking some narrative risks in the process. Though it’s understandably not to everyone’s tastes,Batman v Supermanis still another of those superhero movies from the likes of theMCUand theDCUthat stands out as being much better than the reviews claim.
