Summary

• Superhero movies go beyond Marvel and DC, with outstanding films like Chronicle and Smoking Causes Coughing showcasing different styles and perspectives.
• Classic films like Robocop and Darkman challenge traditional superhero conventions with their unique and gritty storytelling.
• Unbreakable and The Incredibles offer refreshing takes on the superhero genre, focusing on well-written drama and classic comic book storytelling.

In recent decades, superhero movies have been a blessing and a blight on cinema. The two titans of the genre, Marvel and DC, have both had soarin𝓀g highs and fathomless lows and released movies ranging from best-of-the-year picks to some of the worst films ever produced.

While superhero movies will always be synonymous with Marvel and DC, they are hardly the only filmmakers dipping their toes into the genre. Some of the most outstanding 'superhero' movies have nothing to do with either comic powerhouse. But which ones can truly be hailed as the cream of the superpowered crop?

10 Chronicle

Release Date: February 3, 2012 | Director: Josh Trank

Before making the utter disaster known as Fantastic Four in 2015, Josh Trank looked like one of Hollywood's next up-and-coming filmmakers. Before helming what many consider one of the worst superhero films of the 2010s, Trank got his big break with another superhero story.

Chronicle revolves around a trio of high schoolers who gain superpowers. The added twist is that it's presented in 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:found footage style. Aside from the unique premise, Chronicle's real driving force is its three leads, each delivering dynamically powerful performances.

9 Smoking Causes Coughing ♏

Release Date: November 30, 2022 | Director: Quentin Dupieux

The overabundance of superhero movies has made it a ripe target for parody. American audiences main𓂃ly associate the parody genre with the downright abysmal films of duo Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer. In other countries, there are tons of filmmakers, each with individual satirical visions.

Quentin Dupieux is among the brightest comedic filmmakers, first making a splash with 2007's Rubber. In 2022, he released Smoking Causes Coughing. A brilliant parody of superhero-type stories, this anthology movie is filled with bitingly clever writing and hilarious performances.

8 Robocop

Release Date: July 17, 1987 | Director: Paul Verhoeven

What makes a superhero a good guy? Generally, the number one rule most heroes follow is 'no killing.' There are exceptions, of course, like The Punisher or Red Hood, but most heroes tend to do their heroics without shedding any blood. That's not the case for Robocop.

Directed by Paul Verhoeven, 1987's Robocop incorporates Verhoeven's trademark violence and striking direction. While the character would go on to become a pop culture icon, it's in the original film where Robocop's crime-stopping pursuit is at its best.

7 Darkman

Release Date: August 24, 1990 | Director: Sam Raimi

Many recognize the name Sam Raimi as the director of the mid-2000s Spider-Man trilogy. But his true claim to fame was creating the Evil Dead series. Amid the success of Evil Dead 2, Raimi campaigned to direct a movie based on The Shadow. When he couldn't get that, he created his own superhero.

Starring Liam Neeson, 1990's Darkman possesses all of Raimi's signature dynamic filmmaking charm and amazing performances. Both critically and commercially successful, Darkman is another shining gold star in Raimi's outstanding and iconic filmography.

6 Hellboy🐎 2: The Golden Army

Release Date: July 11, 2008 | Director: Guillermo del Toro

Few actors were as meant to play a character as Ron Perlman was meant to play Hellboy. The first time he dawned the clipped horns, 2004's Hellboy, is excellent in its own right, with Perlman's extraordinary performance perfectly embodying the character and Guillermo del Toro's fantastic direction.

While the first film is great, Hellboy 2: The Golden Army is even better. Hellboy 2 remains the character's peak, featuring everything that made its predecessor wonderful while adding more fascinating characters, an engrossing story, and amazing action sequences.

5 Un🍨breakable

Release Date: November 22, 2000 | Director: M. Night Shyamlan

There are two things M. Night Shyamalan is known for: having his best film be his first and tons of plot twists. His debut feature, The Sixth Sense, is indeed a great movie, but it's also disputably inferior to the next feature he released.

Unbreakable is a superhero film in the most grounded sense of the word. Starring Bruce Willis, it takes the superhero story and presents it more with well-written drama than exciting action. Coupled with a genuinely excellent twist ending, Unbreakable is a mus💝t-wa🍌tch.

4 The Incredibꦗles ꦿ

Release Date: November 5, 2004 | Director: Brad Bird

Before Pixar became little more than an animation factory pumping out sequels to its beloved IPs, it was at the forefront of quality original animated movies. There are many 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:strong contenders for its magnum opus from Wall-E, Ratatouille, and Monsters Inc. Pixar's best might be 2004's The Incredibles.

Directed and written by Brad Bird, The Incredibles is a wonderful throwback to old-school superhero comic stories. Unlike its more underwhelming sequel, The Incredibles re🏅mains a c🤡lassic in part thanks to a phenomenal soundtrack and exceptional villain.

3 Dredd

Release Date: July 11, 2012 | Directors: Pete Travis & Alex Garland

Among the most grievous box office bombs of all time, 2012's 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Dredd is part of the conversation. Even though it's based on a comic strip, audiences assumed the movie would be more of a remake of the 1995 critically panned Judge Dredd. Those expectations couldn't be more wrong.

Dredd is an incredible ride from beginning to end. Karl Urban's turn as the titular lawbringer is instantly iconic, and along with ferocious action sequences, Dredd isn't just a great superhero movie, but an awesome action film.

2 𒀰 ဣ The Rocketeer

Release Date: June 21, 1991 | Director: Joe Johnston

Before Disney owned half of Hollywood, it had to be careful what films it put its label on. So in the '70s, '80s, and '90s, when it wanted to release movies that didn't gel with what it was known for, it would produce them under Touchstone Pictures.

Before Marvel was Disney's money-maker, under Touchstone, it released The Rocketeer. Based on the character created by Dave Stevens and directed by Joe Johnston, The Rocketeer stars Billy Campell and Jennifer Connelly in what remains a superbly delightful film.

1 The Crow

Release Date: May 13, 1994 | Director: Alex Proyas

The Crow will always be associated with the tragic accident that cost actor Brandon Lee his life. It's an inescapable stain of film history and one of its greatest tragedies. Astonishingly, the filmmakers didn't just manage to complete the movie, but they created a masterpiece.

It's hard to spotlight any of The Crow's countless exceptional elements without highlighting Lee's titular role. His performance is nothing short of marvelous, and when coupled with an outstanding supporting cast and masterful direction, The Crow is an indisputable chef-d'oeuvre.