You know it is getting to be summer blockbuster season when the first one hits. The Avengers: Infinity War kicked off the summer movie season in impressive fashion, raking in over $1 billion in 11 days, according to Disney. That is a new record. Nothing like super hero movies to come to the rescue of movie theaters worldwide.
From the early stages for film making and television, super heroes have always been a staple of the visual arts. Flash Gordon, Zorro, The Shadow, The Green Hornet, Superman, Batman and more have all graced the silver screen, with some movies more memorable than others.
The small screen has also seen a plethora movies and series dedicated to comic book super heroes. Superman and Batman have certainly been staples for the small screen but there have been productions of Spiderman, Captain America, The Green Hornet, Buck Rogers, and many more.
Whether wide or small screen, super heroes have fascinated audiences of every generation. However, the most recent crop of movies and shows have extended the genre both visually and from a story telling standpoint. The renaissance for this genre has its roots in many different projects but the 1978 Alexander Salkind production of Superman with Christopher Reeve raised the bar both visually and from a store perspective. There were several sequels to the film before subsequent reboots.
Batman has also gone through several manifestations over the years. Adam West breathed new life into the caped crusader in both the television series and a wide screen production but it was the 1989 production of Batman with Michael Keaton and Jack Nicholson that really gave the dark knight gravitas on the big screen.
Marvel began to hit its stride starting in 2000 with the popular X-Men movies and subsequent Wolverine spins featuring Hugh Jackman and Spider-Man in 2002 where Tobey Maguire perfectly personified the comic book character Peter Parker and his super spider enhanced alter ego.
Since that time, we’ve been blessed with a plethora of television shows and movies that have really extended the genre of the superhero movie. To celebrate the opening of the newest super hero movie, here is our list of the top 20 super hero movies based on Rotten Tomato scores.
1. Black Panther – Adjusted Score: 117.875%
Starring: Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira
Directed By: Ryan Coogler
After the death of his father, T’Challa returns home to the African nation of Wakanda to take his rightful place as king. When a powerful enemy suddenly reappears, T’Challa’s mettle as king — and as Black Panther — gets tested when he’s drawn into a conflict that puts the fate of Wakanda and the entire world at risk. Faced with treachery and danger, the young king must rally his allies and release the full power of Black Panther to defeat his foes and secure the safety of his people.
2. Wonder Woman – Adjusted Score: 108.964%
Starring: Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Connie Nielsen, Robin Wright
Directed By: Patty Jenkins
Before she was Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot), she was Diana, princess of the Amazons, trained to be an unconquerable warrior. Raised on a sheltered island paradise, Diana meets an American pilot (Chris Pine) who tells her about the massive conflict that’s raging in the outside world. Convinced that she can stop the threat, Diana leaves her home for the first time. Fighting alongside men in a war to end all wars, she finally discovers her full powers and true destiny.
3. Logan – Adjusted Score: 108.278%
Starring: Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, Boyd Holbrook, Stephen Merchant
Directed By: James Mangold
In the near future, a weary Logan (Hugh Jackman) cares for an ailing Professor X (Patrick Stewart) at a remote outpost on the Mexican border. His plan to hide from the outside world gets upended when he meets a young mutant (Dafne Keen) who is very much like him. Logan must now protect the girl and battle the dark forces that want to capture her.
4. Thor: Ragnarok – Adjusted Score: 107.037%
Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Mark Ruffalo, Cate Blanchett
Directed By: Taika Waititi
Imprisoned on the other side of the universe, the mighty Thor finds himself in a deadly gladiatorial contest that pits him against the Hulk, his former ally and fellow Avenger. Thor’s quest for survival leads him in a race against time to prevent the all-powerful Hela from destroying his home world and the Asgardian civilization.
5. The Dark Knight – Adjusted Score: 106.291%
Starring: Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart, Maggie Gyllenhaal
Directed By: Christopher Nolan
With the help of allies Lt. Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman) and DA Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart), Batman (Christian Bale) has been able to keep a tight lid on crime in Gotham City. But when a vile young criminal calling himself the Joker (Heath Ledger) suddenly throws the town into chaos, the caped Crusader begins to tread a fine line between heroism and vigilantism.
6. Spider Man: Homecoming – Adjusted Score: 106.267%
Starring: Tom Holland (II), Michael Keaton, Zendaya, Donald Glover
Directed By: Jon Watts
Thrilled by his experience with the Avengers, young Peter Parker returns home to live with his Aunt May. Under the watchful eye of mentor Tony Stark, Parker starts to embrace his newfound identity as Spider-Man. He also tries to return to his normal daily routine — distracted by thoughts of proving himself to be more than just a friendly neighborhood superhero. Peter must soon put his powers to the test when the evil Vulture emerges to threaten everything that he holds dear.
7. Captain America: Civil War – Adjusted Score: 105.577%
Starring: Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan
Directed By: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
Political pressure mounts to install a system of accountability when the actions of the Avengers lead to collateral damage. The new status quo deeply divides members of the team. Captain America (Chris Evans) believes superheroes should remain free to defend humanity without government interference. Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) sharply disagrees and supports oversight. As the debate escalates into an all-out feud, Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) and Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) must pick a side.
8. Marvel’s The Avengers – Adjusted Score: 104.085%
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth
Directed By: Joss Whedon
When Thor’s evil brother, Loki (Tom Hiddleston), gains access to the unlimited power of the energy cube called the Tesseract, Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), director of S.H.I.E.L.D., initiates a superhero recruitment effort to defeat the unprecedented threat to Earth. Joining Fury’s “dream team” are Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Captain America (Chris Evans), the Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), the Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) and Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner).
9. Iron Man – Adjusted Score: 103.926%
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Terrence Howard, Jeff Bridges, Gwyneth Paltrow
Directed By: Jon Favreau
A billionaire industrialist and genius inventor, Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.), is conducting weapons tests overseas, but terrorists kidnap him to force him to build a devastating weapon. Instead, he builds an armored suit and upends his captors. Returning to America, Stark refines the suit and uses it to combat crime and terrorism.
10. The Incredibles – Adjusted Score: 103.49%
Starring: Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter, Samuel L. Jackson, Jason Lee
Directed By: Brad Bird
In this lauded Pixar animated film, married superheroes Mr. Incredible (Craig T. Nelson) and Elastigirl (Holly Hunter) are forced to assume mundane lives as Bob and Helen Parr after all super-powered activities have been banned by the government. While Mr. Incredible loves his wife and kids, he longs to return to a life of adventure, and he gets a chance when summoned to an island to battle an out-of-control robot. Soon, Mr. Incredible is in trouble, and it’s up to his family to save him.
11. Guardians of the Galaxy – Adjusted Score: 102.923%
Starring: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Lee Pace
Directed By: James Gunn (II)
Brash space adventurer Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) finds himself the quarry of relentless bounty hunters after he steals an orb coveted by Ronan, a powerful villain. To evade Ronan, Quill is forced into an uneasy truce with four disparate misfits: gun-toting Rocket Raccoon, treelike-humanoid Groot, enigmatic Gamora, and vengeance-driven Drax the Destroyer. But when he discovers the orb’s true power and the cosmic threat it poses, Quill must rally his ragtag group to save the universe.
12. The Lego Batman Movie – Adjusted Score: 102.34%
Starring: Will Arnett, Zach Galifianakis, Michael Cera, Rosario Dawson
Directed By: Chris McKay
There are big changes brewing in Gotham, but if Batman (Will Arnett) wants to save the city from the Joker’s (Zach Galifianakis) hostile takeover, he may have to drop the lone vigilante thing, try to work with others and maybe, just maybe, learn to lighten up. Maybe his superhero sidekick Robin (Michael Cera) and loyal butler Alfred (Ralph Fiennes) can show him a thing or two.
13. X-Men: Days of Future Past – Adjusted Score: 101.923%
Starring: Hugh Jackman, James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence
Directed By: Bryan Singer
Convinced that mutants pose a threat to humanity, Dr. Bolivar Trask (Peter Dinklage) develops the Sentinels, enormous robotic weapons that can detect a mutant gene and zero in on that person. In the 21st century, the Sentinels have evolved into highly efficient killing machines. With mutants now facing extinction, Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) volunteers to go back in time and rally the X-Men of the past to help change a pivotal moment in history and thereby save their future.
14. Doctor Strange – Adjusted Score: 101.432%
Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Tilda Swinton, Rachel McAdams, Chiwetel Ejiofor
Directed By: Scott Derrickson
Stephen Strange’s (Benedict Cumberbatch) life changes after a car accident robs him of the use of his hands. When traditional medicine fails him, he looks for healing, and hope, in a mysterious enclave. He quickly learns that the enclave is at the front line of a battle against unseen dark forces bent on destroying reality. Before long, Strange is forced to choose between his life of fortune and status or leave it all behind to defend the world as the most powerful sorcerer in existence.
15. Superman – Adjusted Score: 100.69%
Starring: Marlon Brando, Christopher Reeve, Gene Hackman, Ned Beatty
Directed By: Richard Donner
Just before the destruction of the planet Krypton, scientist Jor-El (Marlon Brando) sends his infant son Kal-El on a spaceship to Earth. Raised by kindly farmers Jonathan (Glenn Ford) and Martha Kent (Phyllis Thaxter), young Clark (Christopher Reeve) discovers the source of his superhuman powers and moves to Metropolis to fight evil. As Superman, he battles the villainous Lex Luthor (Gene Hackman), while, as novice reporter Clark Kent, he attempts to woo co-worker Lois Lane (Margot Kidder).
16. Spider-Man 2 – Adjusted Score: 100.474%
Starring: Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, James Franco, Alfred Molina
Directed By: Sam Raimi
When a failed nuclear fusion experiment results in an explosion that kills his wife, Dr. Otto Octavius (Alfred Molina) is transformed into Dr. Octopus, a cyborg with deadly metal tentacles. Doc Ock blames Spider-Man (Tobey Maguire) for the accident and seeks revenge. Meanwhile, Spidey’s alter ego, Peter Parker, faces fading powers and self-doubt. Complicating matters are his best friend’s (James Franco) hatred for Spider-Man and his true love’s (Kirsten Dunst) sudden engagement to another man.
17. Avengers: Infinity War – Adjusted Score: 102.114%
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Evans
Directed By: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
Iron Man, Thor, the Hulk and the rest of the Avengers unite to battle their most powerful enemy yet — the evil Thanos. On a mission to collect all six Infinity Stones, Thanos plans to use the artifacts to inflict his twisted will on reality. The fate of the planet and existence itself has never been more uncertain as everything the Avengers have fought for has led up to this moment.
18. Captain America: The Winter Soldier – Adjusted Score: 99.882%
Starring: Chris Evans, Samuel L. Jackson, Scarlett Johansson, Anthony Mackie
Directed By: Joe Russo, Anthony Russo
After the cataclysmic events in New York with his fellow Avengers, Steve Rogers, aka Captain America (Chris Evans), lives in the nation’s capital as he tries to adjust to modern times. An attack on a S.H.I.E.L.D. colleague throws Rogers into a web of intrigue that places the whole world at risk. Joining forces with the Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) and a new ally, the Falcon, Rogers struggles to expose an ever-widening conspiracy, but he and his team soon come up against an unexpected enemy.
19. The Dark Night Rises – Adjusted Score: 99.759%
Starring: Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Anne Hathaway
Directed By: Christopher Nolan
It has been eight years since Batman (Christian Bale), in collusion with Commissioner Gordon (Gary Oldman), vanished into the night. Assuming responsibility for the death of Harvey Dent, Batman sacrificed everything for what he and Gordon hoped would be the greater good. However, the arrival of a cunning cat burglar (Anne Hathaway) and a merciless terrorist named Bane (Tom Hardy) force Batman out of exile and into a battle he may not be able to win.
20. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 – Adjusted Score: 98.422%
Starring: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Bradley Cooper
Directed By: James Gunn (II)
Peter Quill and his fellow Guardians are hired by a powerful alien race, the Sovereign, to protect their precious batteries from invaders. When it is discovered that Rocket has stolen the items they were sent to guard, the Sovereign dispatch their armada to search for vengeance. As the Guardians try to escape, the mystery of Peter’s parentage is revealed.
Originally published on SizzlePixs.com
