5 Best Superhero Movies Of All Time, According To Letterboxd

Superhero films are a popular strain of cinema that’s sometimes perceived as inherently having minimal artistic value. Certainly, when considering titles like “Kraven the Hunter,” “Captain America: Brave New World,” and “Jonah Hex” it can seem like superhero films are merely cynical exercises lacking visual and thematic audacity. However, the best superhero movies of all time reflect how much quality storytelling can be found within this space. Some of the biggest film geeks in cyberspace have certainly found plenty to like.

Users on the film logging platform Letterboxd have bestowed high ratings to a deluge of superhero features. The highest rated of these motion pictures reflect the cream of this crop. Looking at which films made the top ten lends insight into what creative sensibilities struck a chord with Letterboxd users, as well as the bold creative risks that define the greatest superhero movies.

There’s exciting tonal variety across them, ranging from R-rated Western homages to spry animated titles to tragic crime stories. Whatever they may be, every creative decision within Letterboxd’s five favorite superhero movies reflect that there’s no one way to make a film in this space.

Some of the highest rated superhero movies on Letterboxd reflect larger franchises or cinematic trends that are extremely popular. “Avengers: Infinity War” and “Endgame,” for instance, being rated among the top 15 theatrically released superhero films epitomize the public’s fondness for the MCU. The lofty rankings for the first two Sam Raimi “Spider-Man” installments, meanwhile, reflect the lingering nostalgia folks have for the web-crawler.

In contrast, “Logan” is a bit of an oddball given that the other Fox “X-Men” movies aren’t anywhere near the site’s highest-rated superhero titles. As of this writing, only three other “X-Men” films on the site have an average user rating above 3.5, a far cry from “Logan’s” 4.1 average rating. This 2017 James Mangold directorial effort took some bold swings in reimagining Logan (Hugh Jackman), Professor X (Patrick Stewart), and the mutant world in an R-rated, quasi-apocalyptical Western landscape devoid of grand theatrics. Clearly it paid off with Letterboxd users, who gravitated towards its contemplative tone and melancholy ambitions.

Hugh Jackman’s central, aching performance and the gutsy ending have especially proven popular with this site’s denizens. Ditto elements like Patrick Stewart’s deeply vulnerable work as Professor X or the film’s haunting imagery. “Logan’s” artistry has proven so memorable that it’s even managed to shatter the typical Letterboxd reception of an “X-Men” movie.

No matter where your favorite  “Superman” movie ranks, it’s clear that the Man of Steel’s cinematic exploits are tremendously popular. But what if the greatest feature rooted in the Superman mythos isn’t even part of the “Superman” franchise? “The Iron Giant” impressively carries on the core tenets of the Kryptonian savior and creates an emotionally captivating movie in the process.

The story of a young boy (Eli Marienthal) befriending an otherworldly robot (Vin Diesel) during the Cold War was one of the biggest animated movie bombs of all time when it was first released. Today, though, Letterboxd users are among the countless people who’ve latched onto the project and its many joys. Director Brad Bird, whose family tragedy fueled “The Iron Giant’s” message, never talks down to children and instead tells a moving story about choosing your own destiny that works for everyone. Vin Diesel’s voicework as the titular lead, meanwhile, is incredibly touching even when he’s just saying a handful of words.

The deeply moving third act is also a triumph of heroism, self-sacrifice, and bittersweet friendship, qualities that often underpin Superman stories and countless other all-time great comic book yarns. That’s a cinematic canon that “The Iron Giant” belongs in, a reality that Letterboxd users have reinforced with a hefty 4.3 rating average.

Perhaps animation is the ideal medium for superheroes to thrive. These characters that originated as comic drawings can really let loose with the stylized imagery and bright colors of their source material. Plus, within animation, artists seem more confident embracing the sillier sides of these characters than in live-action properties. Letterboxd’s love for animated superhero fare certainly epitomizes the upsides.

The tremendous 4.4 rating average greeting “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” on this platform speak to the wonders that are possible when superheroes are let loose in animation. Using its comic source material as a foundation, “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” became an astonishingly involving triumph, especially on a visual level. A multitude of styles jumble together for this masterpiece to create dazzling sights. The script is also a miracle creation, delivering rapid-fire comedy beats while nailing its most intimate instances of pathos.

“Into the Spider-Verse” is at once a testament to the heightened sights of animation and the concept that heroes can truly come from anywhere. It’s the sort of movie that inspires clapping, tears, and cheers with equal levels of ease. That kind of accomplishment both makes “Into the Spider-Verse’s” lofty Letterboxd status more understandable and reflects how great animated storytelling is for superheroes.

How do you top “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse?” Surely only diminishing returns awaited by trying to make that special “Spider-Verse” magic happen twice. Instead, directors Justin K. Thompson, Kemp Powers, and Joaquim Dos Santos, as well as an army of other artists and creatives, delivered a sequel that refused to simply mimic the first film. “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” went significantly further in its scope and visual references, to the tune of a 4.4 rating average on Letterboxd.

The result was a dizzying masterwork bursting with imagination and fun new characters, particularly Daniel Kaluuya’s Spider-Punk. There’s endless layers to what’s going on, and even some things that only adults will notice. Daniel Pemberton’s score overflows with creative flourishes and music cues. At the center of all the multiverse mayhem, though, is the same beating heart and strong characters that made “Into the Spider-Verse” so mesmerizing. The sagas of Miles Morales and Gwen Stacy remain rich and perfectly anchors the spectacle.

The finest intricacies of “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” encapsulate a movie brimming with craftsmanship. It’s also, though, a title that delivers delightful immediate pleasures, like Peter Parked-car. No wonder “Across the Spider-Verse” was temporarily the highest-rated movie ever on Letterboxd, superhero or otherwise.

What else was going to be here? With a current average user rating of 4.5 out of five stars, “The Dark Knight” is also the 24th  highest rated overall motion picture by Letterboxd users. That puts it ahead of “It’s a Wonderful Life,” “There Will Be Blood,” and “Portrait of a Lady on Fire,” among other masterpieces.

That monumental achievement is a testament to how involving Christopher Nolan’s vision of Gotham City remains. After delivering a striking new concept of Batman lore with “Batman Begins,” Nolan and company threw things into high gear for the sequel. Here, the action sequences got even more awe-inspiring, while new characters like Heath Ledger’s The Joker were singular creations you couldn’t stop looking at. This particular movie also functioned as a tragedy, a story about good men becoming corrupted and incomprehensible evil’s presence in the world.

“The Dark Knight” was hailed as a searing, frighteningly relevant gem when it debuted in 2008. Decades later, its artistry remains as compelling and uniquely precise as ever. Letterboxd users love many superhero films, but none come close to “The Dark Knight.”