After X-Men was released in 2000, comic book movies seemed to exponentially grow in popularity. Sure, we had others before that like Superman, Batman, and even The Ninja Turtles movies, however, there were still many other properties that had not yet been explored and brought to the big screen. Thankfully, like I said, the 2000's changed that because we ended up seeing a variety of properties being adapted for the audience and I am proud to say I grew up with them. So, I have compiled my 10 favorite comic book movies of the 2000's to share with all of you, but keep in mind that they don't exactly have a specific order.
Blade II (2002)
This movie came out when I was way to young to see it. However, I am glad that I did because this is one of my favorite films in general, not just in CBM terms. What can I say? Vampires that don’t sparkle, blood raves, swords, guns, explosions, gore, and kick ass action sequences all add up to create a great experience.
300 (2007)
I’m sure we are all familiar with the term “chick-flick”, but this was a full out man-flick. The film was not only closely adapted from the source material, but also had great acting and directing from the cast and crew. It also had something for everybody whether it was nudity, blood baths, historical elements, or mythological aspects. Even the orchestra made me wanted to jump up and shout, “This is Sparta!” at the top of my lungs. I was a fan of history as it was, but this kicked my enjoyment up a notch.
The Dark Knight (2008)
I’m sure many of you saw this coming, but I can’t help it. Like Blade II, this is also one of my favorite films in general. It’s dark and gritty tone made me interested and I was sucked into the movie instantly. Plus it involved The Joker and Batman going at each other, Gotham in chaos, and a correct interpretation of Two-Face/Harvey Dent! If you throw in the amazing acting, soundtrack, and directing; you get a movie that earns a top spot in the CBM hall of fame.
Iron Man (2008)
It may shock some of you to know that I wasn’t a fan of Iron Man. In fact, I don’t even think I had heard of him a lot until this movie came out. However, I am glad it did because it led to the future movies in Marvel’s Cinematic Universe, like The Avengers, and was a fun experience throughout the film. Plus, RDJ as Tony Stark automatically earns the film some brownie points. I don’t think I have to say why.
Kick Ass (2010)
This movie was a surprise to me because I didn’t know about the comics. I thought that this was going to be an original idea and, although it looked interesting, I didn’t think it would be as amazing as it was. It took the concept of becoming a superhero, made it realistic, and still managed to be close to the source material and feel like a comic book movie. I also stand my ground when I say Nicholas Cage was awesome as Big Daddy in this. Hit Girl was great too and I think she gives Robin a run for his money. All in all, the film really is kick ass (pun intended).
Batman Begins (2005)
The first installment of Christopher Nolan’s “Dark Knight” trilogy, Batman Begins had an even more comic book feel to it than it’s successors. It introduced us to a thorough take on Bruce Wayne and Batman’s origins and even explained to us how we can be Batman (minus being a billionaire ninja of course). It also featured some great villains and the film was still fun even though it was gritty. In the end, this is another example of how to do comic book movies right.
The Punisher (2004)
Here is a film that I think many people will have a problem with. Despite many people saying it was not a good film, I didn’t think it was that bad! Thomas Jane had the best portrayal of Frank Castle and the action scenes he was in were perfect. I know the Russian guy was a little corny, but it worked in the film. The climax was really cool to because it showed how badass Frank Castle really is. Overall, it really showed how far one man would go if he has nothing left to lose.
V For Vendetta (2005)
Symbolism and controversy are just as familiar to comic book movies as good vs. evil. However, this film uses them perfectly and really emphasizes the line between what is right and what is wrong. If you match that up with the good acting, nice dialogue, and those really cool Guy Fawkes masks: you get a great time at the theatre.
Watchmen (2009)
Does anyone else feel like Graphic Novels are great to adapt into a movie? If not, you should check this movie out. Like Kick Ass, I was surprised because I had never read the comics/graphic novel, but I still loved it down to the very last minute. It was interesting to see a movie about heroes that explored how messed up they really were. It also had a ton of great CGI (although I could have gone without the glowing, blue penis for a few minutes), action, acting, and writing. I don’t give out 10/10 ratings very often, but this movie definitely deserves it.
Sin City (2005)
This movie, in my opinion, was a big risk. Even though it had an all-star cast and a cool premise, an R-rated comic book movie that looked like a comic book on screen and was (almost) completely black and white doesn’t really sound like a formula for success. It didn’t even sound too appealing to me personally, but I decided to watch it and it was great. I liked the black and white comic book feel to it and it worked really well for the film. The acting was pretty good and the final battle with Yellow Bastard was cool, even though it made me cringe a little. It’s an entertaining movie that proves you can’t judge something by it’s cover.
Well, there you have it! Let me know what you thought down below and if you like the article, don’t forget to thumbs up. Until next time, this is Hal Jordan signing off.