I'll make this short and I'll make it spoiler free. We posted our Top 10 superhero movie lists in anticipation of having several more to rank by the end of the summer. I'm not sure Iron Man 3 can go on the list. Not because it wouldn't earn a spot, but because it feels like much less of an Iron Man movie and more of a Shane Black action movie that Tony Stark stumbled into.
Should you go? Yes.
It's entertaining. The pace is frenetic and it's good summer fare. Honestly, I have to see it again to make a final assessment of the film's merits. I wouldn't be shocked if I end up buying the Blu Ray. Just don't go in expecting the light fun of Iron Man (or any other Marvel movie for that matter). This is a Shane Black movie through and through. Shift your expectations from Marvel's Iron Man to Lethal Weapon. And it doesn't take a huge leap to see Stark and Rhodes as Murtaugh and Riggs.
Should you take the kids? No.
Personally, I wouldn't take a kid younger than 12 to see Iron Man 3. I think people have come to trust and expect a certain brand of family fare from Marvel and up to this point their films have been very consistent. Iron Man 3 steps outside of that expectation. The violence is more graphic and there are moments that would be legitimately disturbing to younger kids. There is also a lot of conventional gun play that we haven't seen in Marvel's other movies. Iron Man knocking someone out with his repulsors and Tony Stark shooting a 9mm are two very different things.
So, there you have it. Be prepared for something different. And the film is very much framed as the end of a trilogy. Black went to great lengths to tie a bow on this one and wrap up everything we've seen from Tony to this point. I think it hurt the movie to some degree. That, in conjunction with a jumbled ending that fizzled, seemed to take the wind out of the audience's sails. The energy fell a little flat in the theater.
This movie captivated me as a kid, got me hooked on superheroes early, and it still holds up for me today. There has never been better casting for me than Reeve as Superman/Clark Kent and Kidder as Lois Lane. The music is the most recognizable of any hero movie ever. If it wasn't for Lois' weird soliloquy in the middle of the movie, this one would be just about perfect. It takes me back to 8-year-old me every time I see it, and I love it as much today as I did 25 years ago.
I watched the Dark Knight trilogy all in the same day not long ago and came to this realization: I didn't like Christian Bale as Batman. Which is why this one can't be #1. But, the fact that it's second speaks volumes to what I thought of Heath Ledger as The Joker. My favorite villain in a movie ever.
I know what Scott said about this movie, and I agree with just about everything he said (especially in regards to the Chitauri), but I've got a slightly different take. This movie gave me so many unbelievable moments that I'm pretty sure I involuntarily squealed a couple times and may have peed a little. Thor vs. Iron Man! Whuuuut? Thor vs. The Hulk! Goodness!! The fight scenes were all epic. And while the Chitauri was stupid (just make them the Skrulls!!!), Tom Hiddleston's Loki was pretty stinking good.
I'm a huge Wolverine honk, and this movie portrays him the best of any film out there. It is also the best of the series. X2 doesn't fumble around, stepping on its own toes while trying to give every character their big moment. There is never a dull moment, never a moment that is too light, and never a point where it loses you, even for a second. I could make the case for any of these first four films to be in the top spot.
If Christopher Reeve is the #1 casting pick for a superhero movie, Robert Downey Jr. is #1A. He IS Tony Stark. And unlike a lot of movies that involve an origin (i.e. Spider-Man), this one has the right depth without being boring. Also... Robert Downey Jr. It would be difficult for me to find an actor I like less then Terrence Howard. So, that may have affected my rating more than it should have. But, ya know, Robert Downey Jr...
Scott made the point in his list about how he thinks audience perception of The Incredible Hulk may have taken an unfair hit because of the terrible Hulk movie that preceded it. That definitely holds true for Dredd. The farce that was Stallone's Judge Dredd unfortunately will be linked to this one and it's a shame. Simple, solid story. Great villain. Great portrayal of Dredd by Kyle Urban. Beautifully shot. Not much to dislike about this one.
This is the third sequel on the list where the original didn't even make it. It seems like sometimes, they just need that first shot to get it all right for a second installment. Go ahead and add Ron Perlman to that list of perfectly cast characters for his efforts as Hellboy. This movie may be the most fun to watch on the list. But weirder than a room full of carneys in some parts...
Andrew Garfield is better at being Peter Parker than Tobey McGuire. He just is. The Lizard's face almost kept this one off the list, though. There were also some creative and directorial decisions that I really didn't like, but this movie reboot of the franchise is better than the original three and it isn't close.
I had low expectations for this movie going in. I ended up seeing it three times in the theater. James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender are terrific, and of course, there's Jennifer Lawrence. But some of the other characters were kinda stinky. Especially Kevin Bacon as the villain. Never believed it for a second. Hence a low spot on the list.
I basically put this one on the list because I couldn't leave it at 9. It's the best of the Sam Raimi installments. I actually caught a little of it on TV the other day and I will say that the fight scene between Spidey and Doc Ock on and around the speeding train is a heckuva lot of fun. There are a lot of cool, innovative ways the two used their powers in a smooth-but-fast-paced 10 minutes, and it's why I put it on here.
It's Iron Man week! Are you ready? I'm ready. Not just for Iron Man but for everything that follows. Iron Man 3 is the unofficial season opener for summer blockbusters. Iron Man, Man of Steel, and Star Trek Into Darkness are just a few of the obscenely geeked out offerings I'm eager to see.
I'm hoping for brilliance from both Iron Man and Superman but I wouldn't be shocked if one or both completely missed the mark. After all, the superhero "genre" is a tricky and difficult game. With every movie that works, the bar is raised for those that come after. There have been so many superhero movies in the past 5-10 years, some people are starting to fear saturation. At least it's been a few years since we've seen Supes. Tony Stark, on the other hand, has been spoon fed to us in a steady diet since his first film in 2008.
So, before we get a new crop to pass judgment on, I think this is the perfect time to take stock and lay out my current Top 10 superhero films. My criteria is not only a good ride but, most importantly, a film that holds up over time. That's why Avengers suffered. The movie just doesn't hold up under repeated viewings. Performances and dialogue especially are hard to take in a few scenes.
Not #1 on the list, but Hellboy II is my favorite to watch.
These top four were the hardest for me to rank. I could shuffle them ten different ways and never feel completely comfortable with the order. I'm putting Dark Knight here because its just solid. Everyone knows Heath Ledger was an amazing Joker and the film has a very strong ending. A great movie starts with a great script. One factor that has me debating Dark Knight's spot at number one is Batman himself. Should the movie be this high when the superhero himself is completely overshadowed?
1978. This is the movie that started it all. It's gorgeous. It holds up. Other filmmakers revere Richard Donner for his work on Superman for good reason. The humor and tone work well for a character like Superman. But, it isn't all camp. The emotions still play. And the power of Superman still awes and commands respect. Christopher Reeve is perfect and his sincerity in the role is so different from anything before or since.
Bryan Singer got all the beats right on this one. From top to bottom this is a tough film to beat. The Nightcrawler sequence reels you in right away and the movie never lets you go. The plot and villains are complicated and realistic and all their motivations ring true. This might be the number one factor in making a great superhero movie. At no point does it seem hokey. It carries a ton of weight. The script is solid. There is real emotion and great performances from Marsden, Jackman, and the rest; and the more I think about it, the more I think X2 should possibly be moved to the top spot.
Hellboy 2 is probably my personal favorite out of the bunch. The one I want to grab off the shelf and watch at any given moment more than all the others. It capitalizes on and perfects everything Guillermo Del Toro was trying to do in the first film. It also stands alone. You don't need to watch the first Hellboy to enjoy this one. Plus there aren't many better matches of actor and character in history than Ron Perlman and Hellboy.
Iron Man was fun in a way that superhero movies hadn't been in a long time. It set the tone for what Marvel movies would be. A far cry from the dark, brooding realism of Nolan's Batman films. Robert Downey Jr. was probably the best casting decision Hollywood has made in decades. All the credit goes to Favreau on that one. Without Robert Downey Jr., Iron Man films are probably lackluster affairs. With him, Marvel Studios sells to Disney for billions and becomes a predominant force in the summer movie landscape for years to come.
I actually re-watch Incredible Hulk second most out of all the movies on this list. THIS MOVIE IS UNDERRATED. End of story. Incredible Hulk paid the sins for Ang Lee's absolute trainwreck years before. The taste it left in peoples' mouths was so bad, audiences weren't ready to move on and give Hulk a chance yet. I really like Norton as Bruce Banner. And the story flows from start to finish better than a majority of these films. Go get it. Watch it again. I'm telling you, this one is better than you think. And what a great decision to use the opening credits to set the film up and get right into the story.
Good stuff. Christian Bale made a somewhat odd voice decision for Batman, but we still really dug this movie. I bet you nerds are setting your computers on fire because this one is below Incredible Hulk.
Avenger took a tumble for me over the course of the year. Nobody loves Marvel and what they're doing more than I do, but I have to be honest here. Joss Whedon did a very good job of cobbling together the pieces he was given. But on repeated viewings... it does feel cobbled together. Don't get me wrong, I thoroughly enjoyed the movie in the theater and saw it several times. It was an experience, years in the making and it paid off. Amazingly so. However, it doesn't hold up over time like the top half of this list.
Like I said before, it's all in the plot and villains. Loki's motivations are surface-deep and the Chitauri are... what exactly? They want to take over Earth or something? Blah. It's a fun movie to watch, but that kind of plot isn't going to stand the test of time and keep you coming back for more. Avengers is hokey. The dialogue and some of the one-liners are literally cringe-inducing. None more than Captain America's line about the last time he was in Germany and there was a man standing over people who were kneeling blah blah blee boo yuck.
I can remember thinking this was the best of Raimi's offerings and unlike some people, I really enjoyed the 70s-inspired montage of Peter Parker happily walking the streets of New York with his burdens lifted. And again, Doctor Octopus as the lone villain works the best by far in this trilogy.
I changed this one. Burton's Batman movies slipped my mind and I would likely have to put this above Captain America and X-Men First Class as well. (I really need to watch all three again to make the call.) Batman is a difficult watch for people these days as the tone is so completely different from the most recent saga. If you can somehow separate the two, Burton's version still works and Keaton and Nicholson did a great job.
What do you think? Did I come close? Let us know what you'd change and why in the Comments.
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