Since the launching of the MCU in 2008, the genre of superhero films has grown exponentially in popularity, to the point where now, in 2019, more than ten major superhero films were released in theaters. The problem with this height in popularity, however, is that it sets high expectations for these movies, and a few of them end up labeled as disappointing by critics.
Not all of these movies are fairly judged, and some simply do not deserve their low rating. In fact, the superhero genre is such a mainstream genre that when movies within it try to be unconventional or original, they easily end up being unliked and underrated. Here are the ten most underrated superhero films of the last five years.
Suicide Squad
Suicide Squad is not a good movie - at least that’s what most fans and critics thought. However, it is nowhere near as bad as most people and critics make it out to be. The storyline and the characterization were at the center of the movie’s problems, but arguing that everything else about this movie is also bad would be unfair.
There is some incredible acting from Viola Davis, Will Smith, and Margot Robbie, and cool, well-executed action scenes. There are a lot of worst superhero movies out there that do not get the same harsh treatment as Suicide Squad - perhaps the reason it generates so much frustration and bashing is because of Jared Leto’s Joker, who felt like a major setback from Heath Ledger’s.
Ant-Man and The Wasp
The main problem with Ant-Man was that the protagonist was just not an interesting enough character: his personality is not sharp enough, his powers are too easily ridiculed and he is overall not the type of guy you would root for to save the world. He does, however, work great as a secondary character, or as the comic relief, as we can see in Civil War - Ant-Man is much more enjoyable when he’s not taking up the whole narrative.
It’s the addition of The Wasp that makes Ant-Man and The Wasp refreshingly good. They have great chemistry; her wittiness and intellect compliment Ant-Man’s fun and lightheartedness. Whereas critics seem to like the movie, it was surprising to see Marvel be less excited about it and move on from it fairly quickly.
Venom
Venom doesn’t deserve half of the negativity and low ratings that it gets. The movie follows an ordinary journalist named Eddie in his investigation of scientific experiments on humans, and in the process, begins a transformation into Venom, a controlling alien.
Making a standalone film on a famous comic book villain seemed like a bad idea - but Venom and Joker proved us wrong. It bears mentioning that Tom Hardy shines as a tormented man with a monstrous side, and his performance greatly helps the movie in terms of its credibility and the entertainment it represents.
Shazam!
No superhero movie does fun, ironic, and over-the-top like Shazam! It’s the type of movie that could be viewed both seriously and ironically. Whether the jokes are so bad they’re good, or they’re whole-heartedly funny, the movie is great entertainment, and for all kinds of ages too.
This movie deserves much more credit for pulling off an enjoyable characterization of Shazam - who is a child with lightning powers that turn him into a superhuman adult. This concept is very original, but it is also rather difficult to pull off writing an adult superhero that acts and sounds like a kid.
Aquaman
Although the DCEU has gotten quite a few things wrong, Aquaman is not one of those things - if anything his character was made more likable and cooler than it was in the comics. And that’s not all thanks to Jason Momoa’s performance and looks. It’s also because James Wan, director of Aquaman, constructed a multi-layered origin story for the character. Not only that, but an important message against the pollution of the oceans was conveyed with subtlety.
It’s also worth noting that Aquaman’s visuals are simply stunning - and the movie could have been rewarded for that. The movie delivers truly captivating fight scenes, beautiful costumes, and for once, great CGI.
Incredibles 2
The Incredibles having been released years ago in 2004, it was shocking to find out that a sequel was finally going to be released in 2018. When the first movie is as good and successful as The Incredibles was, sequels can rarely upstage that movie. But Incredibles 2 manages to develop the characters and the universe even more by showing us the development of the baby’s powers in the family.
However, this sequel was not the commercial success that the first Incredibles was. With how awaited the sequel was, and how true to the original material it ended up being, it is surprising that Incredibles 2 was not rated higher.
The Lego Batman Movie
In all the debate regarding who the best Joker actor is (and to be frank, it’s usually only between Heath Ledger and Joaquin Phoenix), people forget about Zach Galifianakis, who was amazing in The Lego Batman Movie - just like Will Arnett was as Batman. The movie is hilarious, and it’s full of small and clever pop culture references.
The movie also provides us with a much better version of the Justice League than Justice League - which includes Green Lantern and his hatred for Batman. All in all, it was one of the best superhero movies of 2017.
Captain Marvel
After the success of the DCEU’s Wonder Woman in 2016 came Marvel’s female-led superhero film with Captain Marvel, although it was nowhere near as successful. Captain Marvel is supposed to be the strongest superhero of the MCU, and the film does a great job of introducing us to her character, her powers, and most importantly, her transition into a hero that uses her abilities for the greater good.
It seems that people’s dislike of the movie was influenced by their dislike of Brie Larson - for some reason, fans viewed her behaviors in interviews as a little fake or arrogant, but it was probably just a misunderstanding.
Logan
After The Dark Knight, Logan is often regarded as the best superhero movie out there. Some fans would argue that it is even better. The movie already has a high rating, and a very few amounts of people would dare call it bad, but there is something about this movie that, just like The Dark Knight, makes it stand out from other superhero films.
Logan is generally rated as high as movies such as Avengers: Endgame, Avengers: Infinity War and Deadpool - but it is significantly superior to them. Logan makes its protagonist relatable even though he is so different from us and builds an incredible character development, something which superhero films tend to struggle with doing well.
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice has a pretty self-explanatory title, but the movie is so much more complex than what it seems to be. With its interweaving political elements, the movie delved into all the reasons that could lead Batman to try and kill Superman. Most critics found that Batman’s motives were not convincing and that Superman was too passive, but these problems can only be argued for in the theatrical cut of the movie. The director’s cut is much more coherent, compelling and entertaining.
Regardless of what your opinion of Zack Snyder and his take on the legendary DC superheroes, it is also undeniable that his movies have beautiful cinematography and incredible action sequences.
