You know it is getting to be summer blockbuster season when the first one hits. The Avengers: Infinity War kicked off the summer movie season in impressive fashion, raking in over $1 billion in 11 days, according to Disney. That is a new record. Nothing like super hero movies to come to the rescue of movie theaters worldwide.
From the early stages for film making and television, super heroes have always been a staple of the visual arts. Flash Gordon, Zorro, The Shadow, The Green Hornet, Superman, Batman and more have all graced the silver screen, with some movies more memorable than others.
The small screen has also seen a plethora movies and series dedicated to comic book super heroes. Superman and Batman have certainly been staples for the small screen but there have been productions of Spiderman, Captain America, The Green Hornet, Buck Rogers, and many more.
Whether wide or small screen, super heroes have fascinated audiences of every generation. However, the most recent crop of movies and shows have extended the genre both visually and from a story telling standpoint. The renaissance for this genre has its roots in many different projects but the 1978 Alexander Salkind production of Superman with Christopher Reeve raised the bar both visually and from a store perspective. There were several sequels to the film before subsequent reboots.
Batman has also gone through several manifestations over the years. Adam West breathed new life into the caped crusader in both the television series and a wide screen production but it was the 1989 production of Batman with Michael Keaton and Jack Nicholson that really gave the dark knight gravitas on the big screen.
Marvel began to hit its stride starting in 2000 with the popular X-Men movies and subsequent Wolverine spins featuring Hugh Jackman and Spider-Man in 2002 where Tobey Maguire perfectly personified the comic book character Peter Parker and his super spider enhanced alter ego.
Since that time, we’ve been blessed with a plethora of television shows and movies that have really extended the genre of the superhero movie. To celebrate the opening of the newest super hero movie, here is our list of the top 20 super hero movies based on Rotten Tomato scores.
1. Black Panther – Adjusted Score: 117.875%
Starring: Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira
Directed By: Ryan Coogler
After the death of his father, T’Challa returns home to the African nation of Wakanda to take his rightful place as king. When a powerful enemy suddenly reappears, T’Challa’s mettle as king — and as Black Panther — gets tested when he’s drawn into a conflict that puts the fate of Wakanda and the entire world at risk. Faced with treachery and danger, the young king must rally his allies and release the full power of Black Panther to defeat his foes and secure the safety of his people.
2. Wonder Woman –Â Adjusted Score: 108.964%
Starring: Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Connie Nielsen, Robin Wright
Directed By: Patty Jenkins
Before she was Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot), she was Diana, princess of the Amazons, trained to be an unconquerable warrior. Raised on a sheltered island paradise, Diana meets an American pilot (Chris Pine) who tells her about the massive conflict that’s raging in the outside world. Convinced that she can stop the threat, Diana leaves her home for the first time. Fighting alongside men in a war to end all wars, she finally discovers her full powers and true destiny.
3. Logan –Â Adjusted Score: 108.278%
Starring: Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, Boyd Holbrook, Stephen Merchant
Directed By: James Mangold
In the near future, a weary Logan (Hugh Jackman) cares for an ailing Professor X (Patrick Stewart) at a remote outpost on the Mexican border. His plan to hide from the outside world gets upended when he meets a young mutant (Dafne Keen) who is very much like him. Logan must now protect the girl and battle the dark forces that want to capture her.
4. Thor: Ragnarok –Â Adjusted Score: 107.037%
Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Mark Ruffalo, Cate Blanchett
Directed By: Taika Waititi
Imprisoned on the other side of the universe, the mighty Thor finds himself in a deadly gladiatorial contest that pits him against the Hulk, his former ally and fellow Avenger. Thor’s quest for survival leads him in a race against time to prevent the all-powerful Hela from destroying his home world and the Asgardian civilization.
5. The Dark Knight –Â Adjusted Score: 106.291%
Starring: Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart, Maggie Gyllenhaal
Directed By: Christopher Nolan
With the help of allies Lt. Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman) and DA Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart), Batman (Christian Bale) has been able to keep a tight lid on crime in Gotham City. But when a vile young criminal calling himself the Joker (Heath Ledger) suddenly throws the town into chaos, the caped Crusader begins to tread a fine line between heroism and vigilantism.
