OPINION: My Top "Super Hero" Films Author: Bill Ramey Tuesday, May 30, 2006 After watching X-MEN 3 this past weekend, and throwing in my growing anticipation for SUPERMAN RETURNS on June 39th, I decided to rank my top “super hero” films of all time. Now this list excludes films simply based on comic books (V FOR VENDETTA, SIN CITY, etc.). They have to be “super hero movies,” got it? And listen, being the history buff that I am, I'm factoring in the historical significance of these films as well -- keep that in mind. So on with it! 6. BATMAN (1989) The film that got the whole ball rolling - when it comes to the "super hero" films of today. I would argue that if this movie had not ever been made, we would not have seen the any of the comic book films we have been treated to over the last six or so years. A fine and unique film in its own right, BATMAN also showed the world that The Batman, created in 1939 by Bob Kane and Bill Finger, was not a chubby and funny guy in tights (Thanks to my friend Michael Uslan for that line!). 5. X-MEN 2 (2003) The best of all 3 of the X-MEN films that was excellently directed by Brian Singer. An almost perfect combination of summer popcorn and emotional depth. Never does style weigh over substance. One of the few times that a sequel to a “super hero move” bettered the original. 4. SUPERMAN RETURNS (2006) I’ve got to update and add to this list. There is no way I exclude Bryan Singer’s SUPERMAN RETURNS from these rankings. 1978’s SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE set such a standard for the character right from the get-go, no wonder it took so long for Superman to return. Director Bryan Singer was smart of enough to realize -- when so many other didn’t -- that you don’t “mess with the ‘S’,” if you will. There was no need to “re-invent” or “re-imagine” The Man of Steel -- that’s why so many of the previous attempts to bring Superman back to the big screen failed. Instead, Singer and company constructed a sequel -- and it is a sequel -- to the first two Chris Reeve SUPERMAN films and brought us the Superman we all know and love. 3. SPIDER-MAN 2 (2004) I love this film! In my humble geek opinion, just a huge leap over the original -- which was a fantastic film itself. When I think of this movie, the one scene that stands out in my mind is the one with the elevated train. Not the fight that takes place between Spidey and Doc Ock, but right after it. Remember? Great stuff there! Guy gets the girl (Peter and Mary Jane hook’n up) as well as setting things up for future films (Harry and all the Goblin stuff). And toss in a tragic villain you almost hated to hate in Otto Octavious. 2. SUPERMAN (1978) The granddaddy of ALL the current super hero films! While BATMAN ‘89 may be the father, this film started it all. Set the mark and set it HIGH. This movie is virtually three separate films rolled into one. You have all the sci-fi stuff on Krypton; Smallville before there was SMALLVILLE; and, a classic super hero flick to end it as well. And can enough be said about Christopher Reeve? Perhaps the greatest performance by an actor in a super hero film to date. 1. BATMAN BEGINS (2005) Bar none, the smartest and best super hero film of all time. The question is is BATMAN BEGINS a “super hero” film, or a very good action/drama? Director Christopher Nolan gave us a “regular” movie that just so happened to have a protagonist that dresses up as a Bat and kicks the hell out of criminals. It’s a super hero film that doesn’t feel like a “comic book movie.” Everything that The Batman does has a reason and is explained in a detailed and believable way. No offense to Tim Burton, Christopher Nolan was the first director to "get" Batman as a character. While everyone knows about Superman’s back story, how many knew about The Batman’s? Well, thanks to BEGINS everyone has a clue just why Bruce Wayne is “The Batman.” What is great about BATMAN BEGINS is that it is, above all else, a marvelous movie. It grabbed the torch from SUPERMAN, and brought super hero films to an all new level. This one will be hard to top. UPDATED!! I must have been out of my mind to forget about this movie! One of my fave “super hero movies” of all time -- although it would make my top 5 list. BUT, it shouldn’t be lopped together with that next group I listed previously. What film am I talking about, the fabulous THE INCREDIBLES! The whole premise of super heroes having been sent into hiding by the government due to frivolous law suits was brilliant! The voice action was superb and you connected with all the characters -- good or bad. Did you love it when what’s his name...SYNDROME!...gets his in the end? I think I wrote at the time that it was in theaters, that I thought it was one of the best “super hero” films of all time -- animated or live action. The caveat here is that it is not based on a comic book, thus it is not ranked. But a fantastic flick nonetheless. One I don’t mind watching again and again. We now return you to your regularly scheduled Op-Ed... OK, so I realize that I had a short list here -- only five films ranked. That was for a reason as the next set of films sort of lap over each other. It’s really hard to position them -- you know what I mean? So in no particular order, here are the films that round out my top 10 or so: BLADE 2, SUPERMAN II, BATMAN: MASK OF THE PHANTASM (Probably the second best BATMAN film of all time -- animated or not), SPIDER-MAN, X-MEN 3, HULK (Get‘s a bad rap), UNBREAKABLE (Not based on a real comic book, but great nonetheless), BATMAN FOREVER, HELLBOY, DAREDEVIL (Not as bad as everyone says), aaannnddd…BLADE. Here’s a few that should have NEVER hit the big screen or at least should and could have been better (I‘m only counting the “modern era here, alrighty?): BATMAN AND ROBIN (Perhaps the biggest slap in the face to comic book fans of all time), BATMAN RETURNS (Sorry, it‘s something alright, but a “super hero“ film it ain't), STEEL (How did this get made for cripe's sake?!), SUPERMAN IV, SUPERMAN III, CATWOMAN (The good thing is, no one saw this P.O.S.), THE PUNISHER (Hell, both of 'em sucked), FANTASTIC 4 (A feature piece for Jessica Alba‘s cleavage and ass...OK, I guess it wasn't that bad! Get it out of this group!), JUDGE DREDD, BARB WIRE, and, SPAWN (Cheap, bad dialogue, and cheesy are phrases that first come to mind). NEXT: Super Heroes that Should Be "On Film." "Jett" is the founder and editor-in-chief of ON-FILM.NET and BATMAN-ON-FILM.COM.