Five Titles Named, Sixth Missing: 6 Superhero Movies From the 2010s Hailed as 10/10 Masterpieces
Batman’s Final Showdown
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 2 adapts the second half of the story based on Frank Miller’s 1986 comic. The film follows an older Batman returning from retirement.
Its centerpiece is Batman’s fight with Superman, voiced by Peter Weller and Mark Valley. The article says the scene later inspired Zack Snyder’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and praises the film’s emotional finish.
A Different Kind Of Hero
Matthew Vaughn’s Kick-Ass showed that a superhero movie could succeed outside Marvel and DC. The article credits its direction, performances and adaptation of the comic, which changes elements while enhancing the story.
The film imagines what might happen if an ordinary comic book fan tried to become a superhero. Its unusual premise, the article argues, helped it remain memorable.
A New X-Men Beginning
Vaughn also directed X-Men: First Class, released in 2011. The prequel tells the story of the first X-Men team and explores the friendship between Charles Xavier, played by James McAvoy, and Erik Lehnsherr, played by Michael Fassbender.
The film competes with X-Men: Days of Future Past for the franchise’s top spot, according to the article. It describes First Class as a heartfelt production made with care.
Guardians Find Their Audience
Before Guardians of the Galaxy, the space-based Marvel Comics team was little known beyond dedicated comic readers. James Gunn’s film introduced the group to a wider audience and became one of Marvel’s best-known movies.
The article praises the film’s mix of humor and emotional substance. Its misfit heroes quickly became fan favorites, with their characters established in this first movie.
Key points
- The 2010s saw a major rise in superhero movies as the Marvel Cinematic Universe expanded.
- Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 2 features a Batman-Superman fight that inspired a later film.
- Kick-Ass imagines an ordinary comic book fan attempting to become a superhero.
- X-Men: First Class explores the first team and the friendship between Xavier and Lehnsherr.