Sometimes a comic book movie doesn’t connect with its audience at the time of its release. Maybe it was before its time, or burned by the reputation of a particular actor, or just flat out bombed at the box office. Whatever the reason, it’s a real shame because there are actually quite a few great comic book movies out there that fans tend to forget about, and we’re going to tell you which ones you should probably give a second chance because these are the 10 Best Underrated Comic Book Movies!
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10. Darkman
Kicking off our list at No. 10 is Darkman. Before he brought Spider-Man to the big screen, director Sam Raimi was already flirting with the superhero genre. The movie features Liam Neeson as the titular hero, a scientist who is disfigured following the murder of his family, but who can also change his identity for a short while thanks to his revolutionary technology. It’s a little rough around the edges, but showcases a lot of the qualities that made Raimi such a good choice to helm Spider-Man in 2002.
9. Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance
No. 9 is Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance. The first Ghost Rider is not a good movie, even if you can get past Nicolas Cage’s awful wig. It was bland and forgettable, and you can’t help but feel like Spirit of Vengeance suffered due to the sins of its predecessor. But aside from the fact that Nicolas Cage returns in the title role, this movie has practically no connection to the first one whatsoever. It’s a darker, R-rated affair that came much closer to understanding the Ghost Rider of the comics.
8. The Rocketeer
At No. 8 I’ve got The Rocketeer. Just like Sam Raimi with Darkman, The Rocketeer was a great stepping stone for director Joe Johnston, who would prove to be the perfect choice to later direct Captain America: The First Avenger. Both films are period pieces set in the 1940s and have a pulpy Saturday morning serial feel to them. If you’re a fan of these types of movies, you might also check out The Phantom with Billy Zane, another oft forgot about comic book movie.
7. Daredevil (Director’s Cut)
Coming in at No 7 is Daredevil, the Director’s Cut. I can already hear most of you bemoaning this choice, and I get it, I’m not saying you’re not allowed to hate Daredevil because it was far from perfect. Just like everyone else, I hate the playground fight. BUT for those of you who saw the Director’s Cut, you know what I’m talking about – it’s a much better, more coherent film with darker action and the added footage really made it a far better movie than the theatrical version.
6. Judge Dredd
No. 6 is Judge Dredd. The Sylvester Stallone version. Yeah, I said it. Look, the 2012 reboot with Karl Urban is awesome, and the best on-screen Dredd we’ve got so far, no question about it. It’s a way better movie… But allow me the opportunity to explain myself – The Stallone version has it’s problems, yes – namely taking off the helmet, giving Dredd a love interest, and having Rob Schneider in it at all. But if you can let go of all that, there’s also some great stuff here: The scenery and costumes are fantastic, the action is great, and Armand Assante as Rico is one of the best on-screen villains to come out of the 90s. If you’re a fan of Stallone action pics, there’s really no reason to not give this a second looksy.
5. Blade
Most fans tend to gravitate towards Guillermo Del Toro’s sequel, but the original Blade is far from a bad movie. It’s a unique blend of action and horror that we hadn’t seen yet and it often gets overlooked when talking about the success of modern R-rated superhero movies.
4. Mystery Men
3. The Punisher
In my opinion, this is STILL the best live-action Frank Castle we’ve seen, and that includes the recent Netflix incarnation. Thomas Jane absolutely kills it in the role, and the movie feels like the character I grew up reading. The fight scene with The Russian is, to this day, one of my favorite comic book fight scenes, and ultimately, it’s too bad we never got a sequel.
2. Constantine
No. 2 is Constantine. Once again, there were a lot of gripes about this film because Keanu’s interpretation varied so greatly from the source material: This Constantine is not English nor does he look like Sting, but if you cast that aside, it’s a really fun superhero horror flick. Tilda Swinton is perfectly cast as the androgynous angel, Gabriel, and the cameo by Peter Stormare as Lucifer is reason enough to give this movie a second viewing.
1. Road to Perdition
But the most underrated of all comic book movies is Road to Perdition, starring Tom Hanks and directed by Sam Mendes. Most people don’t even realize that this movie is based off of a graphic novel, but it was, and if you haven’t seen it, stop what you are doing now and go find it pronto. It’s a visually beautiful movie about a Great Depression-era Hitman who’s family is murdered by the men he works for, so he decides to take matters into his own hand, seeking revenge while also protecting his sole surviving son. Bonus: Jude Law as Macguire is wonderfully creepy.
