Moviegoers can’t get enough of superhero movies. They’re a special genre of films that transport viewers to different worlds, show them incredible special effects, and sprinkle in enough comedy to make them fun to watch. Superhero movies aren’t flawless, but many of the ones released in recent years have been especially good at nailing the formula of what makes cinema so exciting.
Both DC and the MCU are firing on all cylinders lately, using great source material to come up with unique stories year after year. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, for instance, has been crushing it at the box office since its release in May 2023. But sometimes it’s fun to revisit the classics: the superhero movies that made you fall in love with the genre in the first place. Some characters and stories never get old, and these are the movies that are the best at captivating the audience over and over again.
10 Iron Man
You could argue that Iron Man is the movie that started the superhero film renaissance of the later 2000s. After a string of unsuccessful superhero movies in the late 1990s and early 2000s, it seemed like both movie studios and fans had given up on the concept. But, in 2008, Robert Downey Jr. starred as Tony Stark/Iron Man in the origin story that gave new life to the genre.
After being captured by foreign infidels and locked in an underground bunker, Stark is all but left to die with little food or resources. Using his unique skills, he creates the first Iron Man suit out of scrap parts and breaks out of captivity. The story is rich and exciting to watch every time, with Iron Man being the poster child for resilience, ingenuity, and hard work. Iron Man is a ton of fun to watch over and over again because of its strong action scenes, funny one-liners, and themes about not giving up even when you’re down.
9 Batman Begins
Just as Iron Man felt like a revival for the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), Batman Begins felt like a revival for DC. Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Christopher Nolan, the movie traces Batman’s roots but gives him a fresh look and feel. Christian Bale plays Bruce Wayne/Batman and gives him more layers, attributes, and attitude than ever before.
When Bruce’s parents are unceremoniously murdered by a thug, he’s sent into deep despair. He travels to the Far East to learn combat techniques from Henri Ducard (Liam Neeson) but eventually finds out Ducard is actually an enemy. With tools and tech from Lucius Fox (Morgan Freeman) and encouragement from family butler Alfred (Michael Caine), Bruce brings action and excitement to a timeless character that’s fun to watch again and again. Batman Begins is consistently ranked as one of the best Batman movies.
8 Spider-Man: No Way Home
Spider-Man: No Way Home is the third installment of the latest Spider-Man trilogy. Tom Holland once again stars as Peter Parker, an insecure guy who is living life in the shadows now that everyone knows he’s Spider-Man. Attempting to go back to the past, he accidentally messes up Doctor Strange’s spell and opens a portal that allows past villains to reach his dimension.
Spider-Man: No Way Home is so fun to rewatch because it’s like the greatest hits of past Spider-Man movies. Alfred Molina returns as Dr. Octopus, Jamie Foxx is Electro, and Willem Dafoe is Green Goblin. All of them were excellent villains in their respective Spider-Man movies. Holland is also fantastic to watch again and again, perfectly balancing Peter’s aloofness with Spider-Man’s determination to make things right and save the day.
7 The Dark Knight
The Dark Knight is the second film in Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy. The movie introduces the audience to the Joker (Heath Ledger), who is hellbent on causing chaos in Gotham City. When the Joker makes Batman make an impossible choice, those he cares about are permanently damaged. Batman’s former ally Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) turns into Two-Face and the odds are no longer in the Caped Crusader’s favor.
What makes The Dark Knight endlessly rewatchable is Ledger’s performance as the Joker, one of his last before his unfortunate death in 2008. Ledger is mesmerizing, using method acting to capture all the quirks and subtleties of the character that comic book fans are looking for. Even 15 years later, it’s hard to picture Ledger under all of that clown makeup because his portrayal is so good.
Joker.
6 Joker
Another movie featuring the Clown Prince of Crime worth revisiting is 2019’s Joker. Director Todd Phillips decided to give the Joker a backstory, one that’s rich with emotion, context, and setting. Joaquin Phoenix starred as Arthur Fleck, a lonely middle-aged man without a meaningful job or very many friends. He struggles with mental health issues and can’t seem to control the bad thoughts that are constantly running through his head.
The Joker’s gradual meltdown is engaging to watch over and over. Much like Ledger, Phoenix embodies the character, but in a whole different way. Phoenix gives the Joker a human side, once that viewers can relate to. In the end, Fleck gives in to his demons and murders a talk show host live on the air. Joker fans can look forward to a sequel coming soon as Joker 2 recently wrapped filming.
5 The Avengers
Imagine all of your favorite superheroes coming together for the first time in one epic adventure. That was the idea behind The Avengers, and it worked spectacularly. Thor’s brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston) gets ahold of the Tesseract and uses it to unleash an alien army in New York City. S.H.I.E.L.D agent Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) brings together Earth’s mightiest heroes to stop Loki and reclaim the Tesseract.
While fans will forever argue about which Avenger is the strongest, nobody can deny that watching the first film in the Avengers series is always a ton of fun. Every actor in the movie seems perfectly suited for their role, and the addition of a powerful villain (Loki) amps up the energy and the stakes. The Avengers is a classic superhero movie full of great CGI, nonstop action, and quick one-liners that never get old.
4 Captain America: Civil War
Directed by Joe and Anthony Russo, Captain America: Civil War packs a lot of punch into its 147-minute runtime. As calls for the Avengers to take more accountability for their actions grow, the issue splits the team in two. Captain America (Chris Evans) believes his troop should be free to defend the planet without government interference, while Iron Man (Rober Downey Jr.) thinks more oversight is needed.
The spectacle of watching your favorite superheroes duke it out never gets old. It was one of the first MCU movies to throw all the best characters into the mix. The special effects in Civil War are awesome, and it’s an emotionally charged movie with some great acting all around. The huge battle scene at the airport alone makes the film worth rewatching.
3 Shazam!
In Shazam!, Billy Batson (Asher Angel) has dreamed of becoming a superhero his whole life. He’s a foster kid who’s constantly searching for his birth mother and trying to stay out of trouble. When he’s chased into the subway by bullies, Billy accidentally escapes to the Rock of Eternity. Once there, he’s given superpowers by an ancient wizard. All he has to do to transform is say the word “Shazam!”
As a superhero, Shazam (Zachary Levi) is at first unsure and awkward. But after learning more about the past, he realizes that he must protect his real family and the people that he loves. Shazam! is action-packed, funny, and heartwarming, making it a great superhero movie to rewatch with your kids. The movie spawned a sequel, but Shazam! Fury of the Gods earned mostly negative reviews.
2 Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is a highly entertaining movie that will make you want to see it again as soon as the credits roll. Rocket Raccoon (Bradley Cooper) is notoriously quiet about his origins, but the Guardians are forced to dig into his past when a Sovereign warrior (Will Poulter) comes after him. Rocket is left critically wounded, and the team must find out where Rocket came from to save his life. Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) is still reeling from the loss of Gamora (Zoe Saldana), but he must put his pain aside to help his friend.
Written and directed by James Gunn, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is the best installment in the series. It’s an original story that is strong and well-developed. The new characters fit well with the plot and the movie blends action with comedy perfectly. Fans can look forward to watching Guardians Vol. 3 over and over again when it hits Disney+ later this year.
1 Avengers: Endgame
Disney
Avengers: Endgame is a fitting and satisfying conclusion to the MCU universe that began with Iron Man. The movie pulls together so many different plot twists, characters, and storylines so well that it deserves to be seen more than once. After the “snap” that eliminates half of life on Earth, Thanos (Josh Brolin) is living a peaceful retirement. Once again, it’s up to the Avengers to make things right and bring their friends back. Using the quantum realm, the heroes travel back in time and gather the infinity stones themselves, reversing Thanos’ evil plan and setting everything right in the world.
Avengers: Endgame features all of your favorite heroes and their alter egos, allowing the multiple storylines to unfold and take the viewer on one last epic MCU adventure. Not only are the film’s special effects next-level, but it draws you in emotionally as well. You didn’t know you cared about these characters so much until you saw Endgame. It’s a brilliant ending to phase three, and sometimes it’s unbelievable to think that Marvel pulled it off.
This story originally appeared on Movieweb
