With the release of Marvel’s Doctor Strange, here is a look back at some of the best marvel movies over the last couple of decades.
The Avengers
Joss Whedon’s entry into the Marvel Cinematic Universe was a colossal effort. The Avengers was an excellent way to bring together Earth’s Mightiest Heroes on the big screen for the first time. Having seen them all in various standalone movies, the interactions between all the main characters was incredibly entertaining, and the eye-popping action was a joy to watch. The ensemble cast really pulled their weight with no one taking too much away from anyone else. It also featured one of the most memorable villains in recent years in Tom Hiddlestone’s Loki. It really provided a satisfying climax to the 4 years of preceding build-up for many fans.
X-Men
Bryan Singer’s introduction to the X-Men was a highly commendable one. With X2 being the popular choice for ‘best in series,’ X-Men was a remarkable achievement in film making. With superhero movies prior to this being somewhat of a joke (looking at you 90s Captain America), Singer really brought the genre into the big leagues. With some flawless casting, featuring the Stewart, McKellen showdown, and of course Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine, it really showed what superhero movies can provide, and paved the way for the behemoth that the genre is now.
Guardians of the Galaxy
Back when this movie was announced, it was met with an almost universal response of “…who?” Yet now, with the second on the horizon, it’s probably the most hyped, upcoming movie of them all. The task that James Gunn had, in bringing these unknown characters into the mainstream was monumental, yet the finished product speaks for itself. A funny, charming, exciting film that drew in an audience of all ages, it surprised almost everyone. And we have to mention the soundtrack as well. There were many brave risks taken in making this film, and I think that is perfectly summed up in the post-credits scene and (spoiler alert!) the inclusion of Howard the Duck (google the film). It all worked beautifully.
Spider-Man 2
The Marvel Character with undoubtedly the most disappointing filmography to his name. Spider-Man has been shortchanged on almost every entry he’s had on the big screen. His second entry however, was a solid film in its own right. Peter Parker’s inner demons really make him question what it is to be a superhero in this film, and the conflict with Alfred Molina’s Dr Octopus was handled remarkably well. This is by a huge margin, the best Spider-Man film to date, although we do have Homecoming on the horizon, so let’s wait to see if Marvel delivers.
Deadpool
Ryan Reynolds’ baby. He spent 11 years trying to get this film made, and it was definitely worth the wait. Becoming the highest grossing R-Rated film of all time, it was incredibly well received by fans and critics. It’s incredibly witty, meta humour provides a wonderful distraction from the otherwise formulaic superhero plot, and is an absolute joy to watch. They did an excellent job at telling an origin story and is something that I hope is built upon in the sequel, despite the slight troubles it is currently undergoing. Keep it up fox!
Matt Bolland
Image courtesy of Walt Disney Studios