Top 10 Films of the Decade Pt. 3: Comic Book Films

This is a list I decided to add because of all other genres, the Comic Book film defines the decade. I also made the decision early on to focus on the films that are instantly recognizable as comic films, so there will be no Ghost World, American Splendor or Road to Perdition, films that have comic book roots and are very good, but unless you knew better, you would never know they came from the comic page. So lets begin true believers, excelsior!:

10) Hellboy 2 (2008)



I begin with a very interesting example of a Superhero sequel that is further away from the source material then the original, but it is a better film because of it. Guillermo del Toro and, Hellboy creator, Mike Mignola worked together to come up with a Hellboy film that plays to the strengths of both Del Toro and Hellboy himself. Not adapting anything specific Del Toro was able to play in the world of Fairy Tales as a back drop for Hellboy and as a result he made a film as poetic and lyrical as it was exciting and action packed.


9) Sky High (2005)



Yep, I am fully aware of the fact that Sky High is not based on any specific comic per say, but in spirit and in execution this is the closest we will ever get to a New Mutants style X-Men film. Set in a world where heroes exist and don't develop their powers until around puberty and when they do get their abilities they are sent to a super hero training school. What makes Sky High truly great is that it fuses all the comic elements with cinematic elements from all the best high school movies of the 80's. This odd mix makes a potent mix of excitement and fun. Plus Kurt Russell as a superhero, what more can you want!


8) Wanted (2008)



This film couldn't be any further away from the source material. The original story sees Wesley in a world in which super villains have won, all heroes are dead and he is the son of the greatest villain ever. None of that is in the movie, and I am pretty sure no one really cares. Wanted is a visual splendor, Timur Bekmambetov, Russian director of Night Watch and Day Watch, has a knack for visual flourish. Beyond the look of the film, it is an action marvel. The gun play is outlandish, but it looks so cool. The acting is pretty solid too, this is just all around a fun flick.


7) Spider-Man 2 (2004)



The Sam Raimi Spider-Man franchise just died a very public death, but that doesn't take away from the pinnacle it reached with Spider-Man 2. One of the most well balanced, visually clean looking action films every made. With out the hassle of an origin story Sam Raimi gets to have an entire 2 hour film dedicated to all of the fun elements of the first film. The casting of Alfred Molina as Dr. Octopus is a great example of using an actor against the look of the comic book and his ability overshadowing any superficial differences. I do still hate Kirstin Dunst as Mary Jane which is probably why this is not higher on the list.


6) The Dark Knight (2008)



This movie was a phenomenon, it was a monster at the box office and deservedly so. Christopher Nolan made a dark, and very real drama out of a man in a Bat Suit and was able to get amazing performances out of Heath Ledger and Aaron Eckhart. I don't personally believe this is the ultimate version of the Batman character, but any minimal flaw that can be found in the film is vastly overshadowed by a film that simply works in nearly every way. This is another example of a movie that is a better film then it is an adaptation, and that is alright when the end result is this good.


5) Iron Man (2008)



From, probably, the best comic film of 2008 to the most important. Iron Man open the door to the most important next step in comic book film-making, the concept of a shared universe. The proverbial pebble that started an avalanche, a small end credits cameo of Sam Jackson is going to usher in a new age of comic book films. Aside from the importance of the film, it is damn fun too. Who ever green lit the concept of bringing Downey Jr. back as an action film headliner is a certifiable genius, and the rest of the cast is excellent as well. This film delivered everything it promised and more, can't wait for the sequel!


4) The Incredibles (2004)



Another of the "not exactly a comic book film but it's here anyways" picks, The Incredibles is the perfect Fantastic Four film even if it isn't the Fantastic Four. The family dynamic is at the core of this very good film and it is clear that the first family of Marvel Comics is the inspiration. Brad Bird and the team at Pixar crafted a film that payed homage to more then just comic books, but to James Bond and his earlier days. This was one of the more impressive Pixar films of the decade because it was the first to use human beings are the principle stars of the movie, which was the last hurdle they needed to clear before claiming their crown as the very best animation studio in the world... needless to say they cleared it with flying colors.


3) Sin City (2005)



The style of Frank Miller is probably the most cinematic on paper I have ever seen, so it comes as no surprise that Robert Rodriquez's panel for panel adaptation plays so well. The grim and gritty super-noir stories that intertwine form a piece of cinema that has to be seen on the biggest screen possible. It is kinetic, it is vibrant, it is everything from the comic and it is simply great. It was a smart move by Rodriquez to bring on Frank Miller to co-direct, just as much for keeping it close to the source material as it was for actually getting Miller on board with the project. Miller has a bad history with Hollywood, and it took massive convincing on Rodriquez's part to get Miller to even allow the film to be made. Thankfully it did get made.


2) Watchmen (2009)



There is a lot that can be said about Zack Snyder's opus, more then this little paragraph can hold, so I will simply break down one of the elements that works so well, the casting. Every one is beyond perfect, even the oft maligned Malin Ackerman is perfect for her role as Silk Spectre 2. The stand out of the perfect cast is Jackie Earl Haley as Rorschach, what perfect timing and fateful that he had a come back right around the time this movie was getting off the ground because the world is a better place for him being in this movie. Lofty words but I will stand by them.

1) X-Men 2 (2003)



The fourth sequel on my list of Comic Book movies, and this will come as no surprise to anyone who knows me. I am an X-Fan, to the core, and this is probably a biased opinion but X-Men 2 is the perfect comic book film. It has action, it has heart, it has smart writing that perfectly captures the allegorical nature of the X-Men. It has the best quality of actors and a Director who hadn't yet sullied his name by leaving the franchise in the dust to ruin another. In fact the only flaw that I can muster for this movie is the horrible subtitle X2: X-Men United that thankfully no one uses anymore. This was the peak of comic films of the decade, and my favorite comic film ever.