Best Superhero Movie of all time? (So far)

[tomandshell]

I feel bad that Incredible Hulk has the same number of votes as Ghost Rider.

 

[Dr.Mirakle32]

You can't forget this Spider-Man. Featuring Morgan Freeman!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLpfF-O1HW4&feature=related

That was ^^^^ed up on so many levels...

 

[jml969]

1. TDK
2.BB
3. Superman the Movie
4.Spiderman 2
5. Iron Man
6.X-men movies
7. Incredible Hulk

 

[Malice]

TDK
IRONMAN

 

[plasmid303]

Nonsense. I've said repeatedly I think The Dark Knight is a great movie. But it's not representative of Batman comic books by any stretch of the imagination and therefore it's a bit silly holding it up as a superhero film. It's not a superhero film. It's a crime movie that does everything it can to delete superhero elements. That's not necessarily a bad thing - it makes for a good movie and audiences are unlikely to tolerate frozen villains and a friendship with Aquaman, not to mention Robin and Bat Mite. But those locked-off elements speak volumes about the distance between The Dark Knight and its four-color roots.

The term "superhero" is, in the past and present, both concrete and elusive. What defines a superhero movie? And by extension the themes or elements thereof? What constitutes the essential core of a superhero film? While I feel like your comments above are a fair assessment about some of TDK's flaws, I don't see how the film does "everything it can to delete superhero elements." TDK follows the traditional trappings of classic superhero stories but is not limited to them; it pays homage to the unspoken rules of superhero-dom but isn't weighed down by them but instead extends it's reach to other genres i.e. the epic crime drama in a very real, very familiar world where the very notion of a masked avenger/vigilante is all but intangible.

I think it fits. Year One laid the template for Batman Begins.The Long Halloween was predominantly an epic crime story that featured Batman as a detective. Very few of the villains in The Long Halloween had an outlandish power and could more or less fit in a Nolan Bat-movie. Batman in TDK went about solving and fighting crimes in a similar matter as in the grittier, more realistic Batman comics, using his gadgets and deductive abilities before opening a can of whoop ass on villains. I don't see how it's any different here, save the absence of some of the more silly villains (Killer Croc, Freeze, etc)

Comparing TDK to the lighter Batman fare of the 60's and 70's is like comparing the contemporary Superman films to the comics and cartoon shows in which Supes is battling giant aliens or a villain made of metal...ever notice how often Superman is pitted against Lex Luthor (whose only real power is his intelligence) in the films?

What I'm trying to say is that there is nothing locked-off in the Batman universe that Nolan couldn't possibly use. I mentioned Killer Croc earlier. Have you seen the recent Batman: Gotham Knight dvd? In one of the stories on the disc Killer Croc is featured as a psychotic killer with a rare skin disorder and sharp teeth he ground himself (if I remember right). The fact that Batman: Gotham Knight was made to bridge the thematic gap between BB and TDK (although it wasn't fully successful) goes to show that Nolan's Bat-universe can go anywhere without betraying the core of Batman's character and world. (If you want that then by all means read All Star Batman & Robin)

Speaking of Batman's roots, didn't Batman kill the bad guys and carry a gun in the earliest comics? Those aspects about Batman were dropped as the comics and films evolved but still kept the essence of the Batman character in its entirety. I don't see how The Dark Knight has bucked that trend.

 

[The Mike]

I feel bad that Incredible Hulk has the same number of votes as Ghost Rider.

I loved Norton's Hulk but I wouldn't classify it as the best Superhero of all time. I voted Iron Man, to me that was a classic Superhero film, fun with the real feel of a Comic Book brought to life.

The Dark Knight, for me was much more than a Superhero film. It transends that pigeonhole completely and is on the level of thrillers and crime dramas as much as it is with other Comic films. TDK was so good IMHO that it doesn't even classify as a Superhero film anymore.

 

[SpawnFan]

I loved Norton's Hulk but I wouldn't classify it as the best Superhero of all time. I voted Iron Man, to me that was a classic Superhero film, fun with the real feel of a Comic Book brought to life.

The Dark Knight, for me was much more than a Superhero film. It transends that pigeonhole completely and is on the level of thrillers and crime dramas as much as it is with other Comic films. TDK was so good IMHO that it doesn't even classify as a Superhero film anymore.

Too bad some guy fighting comicbook villains has to bring it back to its level.

I voted The Dark Knight, Spider-Man 2 and Iron Man are both amazing but they are inferior to the awesomeness of The Dark Knight!

 

[IrishJedi]

Hype and newness aside, do that many people REALLY think that TDK is that much better than everything else?

 

[King Darkness]

Do that many people REALLY think that TDK is that much better than everything else?

Me thinks not. The hype is has SOOO many people by the balls.

A lot of people probably aren't even sure why they like the movie so much.

 

[IrishJedi]

I'm thinking the same. I mean the movie is damn good... but a lot of people are just going crazy over it.

 

[wofford29]

Hype and newness aside, do that many people REALLY think that TDK is that much better than everything else?

It has nothing to do with the hype for me. It's just that much better. Like I said earlier. It'll do for the subgenre of film what TDK Returns and Watchemen did for the comic world.

 

[IrishJedi]

We're now comparing the artistic impact of this movie to undisputed masterpieces like The Dark Knight Returns and Watchmen?

Wow.

Doesn't this kind of prove my point?

 

[screamingmetal]

My list (excluding Non-Superhero comic book movies like 300):

1. Iron Man
2. Superman 1 & 2 (tie)
3. Batman: The Dark Knight
4. Spider-Man 2
5. The Crow
6. Blade 1 & 2 (tie)
7. Spider-Man 1
8. The Incredible Hulk
9. The Rocketeer
10. Hellboy 1 & 2 (tie)
11. X-Men 2
12. X-Men 1

 

[wofford29]

We're now comparing the artistic impact of this movie to undisputed masterpieces like The Dark Knight Returns and Watchmen?

Wow.

Doesn't this kind of prove my point?

Nope, only your point to try and be different when the vast majority of people will disagree, including the ****** bag critics. There has never been a movie in this genre that has had as much box office success, or critical success, or for people like you hype behind it. The fact that you feel the need to even come in here and discuss how incredible the hype is should say something about it. If you don't get it that's cool, but when it's so overwhelmingly obvious you're in the very small minority, there really isn't a point in discussing it's merits when the evidence is so skewed to one side.

 

[OSCORP]

I'm thinking the same. I mean the movie is damn good... but a lot of people are just going crazy over it.

I find that it is mostly the youngins that are going CRAZY over it. (18-25 ish) I said MOSTLY! And hardcore batfans.

I don't really get it either, i loved the film. But it was not the second coming that some are making it out to be.

 

[barbelith]

I'm sorry, but you keep double talking. You're getting lost in your own arguement.

Nope. You're simply not following my argument.

The only point of arguement is whether or not Nolan's Batman films are representitive of the character, and they without a doubt capture the tone and the essence of the character of Batman.

I'm not so sure they do. They certainly don't capture the tone and the essence of the Batman universe. But as to Batman himself? He's not just a guy with gadgets. He's the world's greatest detective ... not that you would know it from a Nolan film (or to be fair any of the Batman films).

It's Nolan's take on the Bat world, his story is just as important to the character as anything in print. You say you're not applying the double standard but everything you keep posting is doing just that.

Are you illiterate?

 

[barbelith]

There has never been a movie in this genre that has had as much box office success, or critical success, or for people like you hype behind it.

Putting your schizophrenia re: critics to one side for a moment, I would just like to point out that adjusted for inflation the 1989 Batman had a bigger box office and that if we take your argument to its logical conclusion you must agree Britney Spears is a musician beyond reproach.

It's interesting (but not unexpected) that your response is an ad hominem rather than actually answering the question. If The Dark Knight is so clearly a masterpiece it should be simple enough for you to demonstrate why. So perhaps you can tell us why you think The Dark Knight will do for film what Watchmen and The Dark Knight Returns did for comics?

 

[Batty]

A few of my top favorites:

1. Batman (1989)
2. Superman
3. The Dark Knight
4. Batman Begins
5. Iron Man
6. V for Vendetta
7. Spider-man 2
8. Superman II
9. Hellboy
10. X-Men

Other great non-superhero comic book movies:

Sin City
300
American Splendor
Crumb
Ghost World

 

[wofford29]

Putting your schizophrenia re: critics to one side for a moment, I would just like to point out that adjusted for inflation the 1989 Batman had a bigger box office and that if we take your argument to its logical conclusion you must agree Britney Spears is a musician beyond reproach.

It's interesting (but not expected) that your response is an ad hominem rather than actually answering the question. If The Dark Knight is so clearly a masterpiece it should be simple enough for you to demonstrate why.



Wow. You must really love Britney and American Idol.

No point in responding to you anymore. You're obviously to immature to have a legitimate conversation, and not intelligent enough to follow your own arguement, let alone participate in another. It's okay though, you'll always have your Uwe Boll movies.

edit: Just to clear things up though, and I'm not surprised with your misinformation, but TDK is well ahead of the original once you adjust for inflation. With many more weeks to go.

 

[TOE]

For me, ROBOCOP.