EDITORIAL: Top 5 Most Critically Under-Rated Comic Book Movies of All Time
Critics are the basis on which movies are seen by many of the general audience. The Rotten Tomatoes score is often a way my friends decide which movies to go see and I would assume this is the same for most people. With that said, which scores gave people the wrong impression of how bad a film truly was? Find out my list after the jump!
DISCLAIMER: Obviously this is a opinion piece as what is underrated to me may or may not be what is underrated to you. I would more than welcome you to make your own article on this but this is my personal piece so please try to remain civil and don't call me stupid for my opinion. However, please feel free to leave your thoughts below while still being respectful! Thanks!
5. Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Rotten Tomatoes score: 89%
Average score: 7.5/10
The first thing that'll pop into mind is: WWWHHHAAATTT? And that is understandable. Captain America: The Winter Soldier is the first SOLO Marvel film to breach 80% since Iron Man. However, I consider Captain America: The Winter Soldier to be THE Marvel film. It is what The Dark Knight was to Batman to Captain America. This film set the bar for all following Marvel films. Heck, even SUPERHERO films. So to only give it a "great" score of 89% and a "great" average of 7.5/10, seems blasphemous to me. With a strong story that honors its villain, along with a strong story that honors its heroes, along with a strong story that establishes the characters and makes the whole film grounded and believeable, it should be receiving the kind of reaction The Dark Knight got...at the very least.
What I think it should've gotten:
Rotten Tomatoes score: 94%
Average score: 8.5/10
4. The Wolverine
Rotten Tomatoes score: 69%
Average score: 6.3/10
The film was a solid film but it wasn't great. The Wolverine, while capturing Wolverine the way he should be captured and bringing in some great elements of his past, didn't feel like the movie to do just that. Wolverine had very little to do with much of the conflict and felt very odd and out of place in the film. However, the dialogue is good and the ending part felt like a fine climax to the film. It felt much like the film that Iron Man 2 was, except without the world building, which makes it much better.
What I think it should've gotten:
Rotten Tomatoes score: 75%
Average score: 6.7/10
3. Iron Man 3
Rotten Tomatoes score: 78%
Average score: 6.9/10
Now, this one is an odd choice to most people (and an unpopular one) but hear me out. I know that, to people like us, what they did to Mandarin is unforgiveable. But, for most people, that doesn't matter. Iron Man 3 did deliver on a plot that made sense, met the expectations of a villain who had proper motivation, plenty of action, but also had plenty of heart. Not only that, but, say what you want about Iron Man 3, but Robert Downey Jr. totally owns the role of Tony Stark and deserves MASSIVE props for delivering such a character to the big screen. Despite a few problems of its own, it definitely, in my opinion, deserves a higher spot for delivering on all aspects that make an enjoyable film.
What I think it should've gotten:
Rotten Tomatoes score: 85%
Average score: 7.8/10
2. Man of Steel
Rotten Tomatoes score: 56%
Average score: 6.2/10
Now, this one gets really controversial. The film's end, itself, was controversial. However, I think it did well in not going into the "classic" reboot troup of spending too much time on the origin story and also allows a great connection to the villain in order to properly set up the villain's return into his life. The story made sense, even if it was, much like The Avengers, way too lacking on a very large one. There were also a lot of plot holes that made the phenomena of suspension of disbelief to occur and took you out of the film. While the action set pieces were phenomenal, Superman doesn't really do that great of a job of protecting civilians until he finally does kill Zod (a little too brutally perhaps). There is a lot about this film that doesn't work but it didn't stop me from enjoying the majority of it, from its emotional beats with Costner to its fight scenes (at least where Superman wasn't killing people) it was a pretty "okay" film, perhaps a little mediocre.
What I think it should've gotten:
Rotten Tomatoes score: 64%
Average score: 6.2/10
1. The Amazing Spider-Man 2
Rotten Tomatoes score: 53%
Average score: 5.9/10
This wound is still raw for some people, but I have had plenty of time to digest this film. I watched it three times opening weekend and have since then seen it twice more. I'm giving it another viewing tomorrow. Needless to say: I loved this film. However, I do not think it deserves the critical acclaim that Sony seemed to think it does. It doesn't deserve The Dark Knight level acclaim despite me enjoying this film more. It suffers from a messy narrative (which I think compliments the comics really well) that doesn't work in the film. A lot of the movie has a lot of comic-bookish characters that really shouldn't sit with people who want a well-made film and not a bunch of charicatures on screen (however, these are not main characters...other than the main villain). All these things combined give you a film similar to Iron Man 2 that is more focused on world-building than delivering a truly great film in the here and now. The thing that probably makes it better than Iron Man 2, however, is the realistic and electric (pun intended) romance between Peter and Gwen. Not only that but when *SPOILER* Gwen dies *SPOILER* the film really handles the emotional pay-off really well. Despite being the Iron Man 2 of the franchise and would otherwise be deserving of the same score I think Iron Man 2 should've gotten, it handles Spider-Man definitively and delivers a PROPER romance, which is so hard to find nowadays in CBMs.
What I think it should've gotten:
Rotten Tomatoes score: 72%
Average score: 6.9/10
Well, that concludes my list. I improved this list over my last one with the use of gifs and just, overall, harder work. I hope that we can keep the comments sections of this one just as civil (I was quite proud) as my last one. Please don't call me stupid for my opinion but, as always, feel free to share your's RESPECTFULLY. And, of course, be sure to check out my top five most under-rated CBMs of all time, available in the sidebar. Thanks!