Super Heroes: the Readers Weign In

I threw down the gauntlet, and at least one of you has responded. Marcellus writes in with his pick for best Super Hero Movie. C'mon, the rest of the Hyperion Nation! Are you afraid to get in the game? The rules: send me (an email) of your favorite super hero movie and why, or your top ten list and the criteria you used (and if you want your real name credited). See if you can match the logic of Marcellus, who so eloquently wrote:

I would have to say that the first of the Batman film with Michael Keaton and Jack Nicholson back in '89 is the greatest superhero movie. Here's why:

First of all, that movie pretty much set the standard for a new generation of superhero films both in terms of technology and style, but also in a more realistic portrayal of the hero themselves. Before Batman, superhero, at least in the movies, all seems a little too squeaky clean. The inner turmoil with having a hidden identity and living a fragmented life was all but gloss over. I know that in the original comic books that this was not so. However, for some reason when these superheroes are adapted for the big screen, much of the story was cleaned up so that the characters themselves seem unreal and one dimensional.


The Superman series with Christopher Reeves tries to reveal some of the dark side effects of being the savior of the world. But then, this portrayal was still limited and one of the most enduring image of Reeves as Superman was still that of him flying the Star Spangled Banner and placing it back on top of the
American Congress, an all American good guy saving the day.

With Batman of '89, a new portrayal of the superhero was set. The movie was stylish and hip, with its dark undertone and impossibly fantastic gadgetry. Gone are the tights and silly action scenes. Instead, we see more realism in the superhero as a warrior trained in the art of combat backed up by body armor and every available technology money can buy. The action scenes are solid and bodies are strung across the set as bad guys are no longer just "knocked out".

Bruce Wayne was also no longer seen as a clean shaven Mr. Rogers with the messiah complex. Instead, he is a man tormented by the violent murder of his parents and his desire for revenge is fueling his psychosis as he tries to live two very different lives. This is not a Batman who simply ties up the bad guys for the cops to handle. This is a batman with a lot of money and personal problems out for blood, as portrayed in the comic series.

The movie also portrayed Bruce Wayne as a loner, something that is necessary if he is to live multiple lives. Have enduring relationships is not a luxury that a superhero can have. That's just the reality of life. Much of this was explored in subsequent Batman films and even the latest Spiderman movies highlights
the difficulty of having an hidden identity. Such subjects were not seriously explored in the superhero films prior to Batman.

I guess in the end, what I am trying to say is that the superhero films after Batman are no longer just geared for children, but also adults with more
sophisticated taste. It's the maturing and coming of age for superhero films. That's why Batman of '89 should be the greatest superhero movie and the new
benchmark for this genre.