2017 is coming to a close, and we thought that it was time to reveal our ranking of 2017’s seven biggest superhero films. For the most part, 2017 was a great year for superhero film, so it was hard to rank them. After much deliberation, we were able to pick the best superhero film of the year.
7. Justice League
After the monumental success of Wonder Woman, we were hopeful that Justice League would live up to the hype…sadly, that was not the case. Never mind the blah villain and sometimes awful CGI, the biggest issue with Justice League is that the characters are sorely underused. With such famous and beloved characters as Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman, the film should have at least tried to develop them more. With a runtime of just two hours, the film barely touches on these characters or their relationship to one another, perhaps that is why it is so boring.
Read our full review of Justice League here.
6. Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2
While the only truly “bad” superhero film this year is Justice League, Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2 lands at sixth place because of its occasional lack of unity. The film seems a bit stretched thin as it tries to explore its titular characters relationships with one another while never fully committing to one lead story. Clearly, director James Gunn knew where he was taking this film because the somber tone that does not seem to fit the first part of the film pays off at the end in a rather tragic ending.
Read our full review of Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2 here.
5. Wonder Woman
One of elements that really makes Patty Jenkins’ Wonder Woman shine is Gal Gadot’s performance as the titular character, and the other element is the friendship/romance between Diana and Steve Trevor. I am going to be honest: I cannot stand romance in superhero films because it almost always forced, but this film really made me care about their relationship. As far as the rest of the film goes, there are lows and highs; one low being the obsessive use of slow-motion…I mean, I can only take so many slow-motion hair flips.
Read our full review of Wonder Woman here.
4. Spider-Man: Homecoming
Spider-Man: Homecoming is a refreshingly fun film. Tom Holland plays Peter Parker well, and Robert Downey Jr. brings his usual charm to Tony Stark in the several scenes he is in. Michael Keaton makes a deliciously evil villain; unfortunately, we see less of him outside of his suit than we see of him in it, letting him become similar to the other “I-will-hurt-everyone-you-love” villains. Though the plot is simple, Parker’s character development is interesting enough to carry the film.
Read our full review of Spider-Man: Homecoming here.
3. The Lego Batman Movie
Perhaps one of the most entertaining cartoons and superhero films of the year is The Lego Batman Movie. This film is entertaining on several levels, including it’s many meta references. Batman’s journey to regain his status as ultimate vigilante of Gotham is completely undermined by his refusal to admit that he wants a family; in and of itself, that is an interesting and insightful premise for a film about the Dark Knight.
Read our full review of The Lego Batman Movie here.
2. Logan
The last solo film for Wolverine gives us a look at his rather harrowing existence, while leaving us with some hope for the future of mutants. Hugh Jackman gives a powerful performance as the world-weary mutant, and Dafne Keen shines as young mutant Laura (aka X-23). Overall, this film is able to explore topics rarely explored to much extent in superhero films (i.e. death, old-age, loneliness) without completely compromising action scenes. Logan is one of those superhero films that transcends genre, becoming something different and refined.
Read our full review of Logan here.
1. Thor: Ragnarok
After two rather melodramatic installments of the Thor series, Taiki Waititi turned the franchise on its head with Thor: Ragnarok. First and foremost, this film is a blast! The film never takes itself too seriously, allowing characters to do and say things viewers might not otherwise expect from them without ever becoming cheesy or absurd. There is never a dull moment in Ragnarok; I only wish that were more films like this in general.
Read our full review of Thor: Ragnarok here.
What was your favorite superhero film of 2017? Let us know in the comment section below!
THE FILM ALIEN 