Top 20 Cringiest Superhero Movie Moments
Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the most awkward and embarrassing moments in superhero flicks. Is there an incredibly cringey scene from a superhero movie that we missed? Let us know in the comments!
#20: Some Kind of Suicide Squad
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“Suicide Squad” (2016)
The 2016 version of this movie has a lot of unpopular moments, and one of the most nauseating comes from this scene. As Deadshot and the rest of Task Force X are debriefed about objectives, Amanda Waller lets them know how dangerous being on the team is. Deadshot then responds with a line that sounds extremely forced. Hey everyone, look! They said the name of the movie we’re watching! It’s like all of those “you’re the American Psycho!” memes. Except that this equivalent actually somehow made it into the final cut. To no one’s surprise, it became a pretty popular target of internet mockery.
#19: Jane’s Catchphrase
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“Thor: Love and Thunder” (2022)
While Jane Foster becomes the Mighty Thor during “Love and Thunder,” unfortunately not all of her one-liners are as mighty as she is. When attempting to get the drop on Gorr the God Butcher, Jane tests out a catchphrase involving colors and rainbows that doesn’t exactly land. Since Thor and Valkyrie mention that the catchphrase is bad, we know the cringe is intentional. But that doesn’t really make it any better. The MCU’s overreliance on forcing humor into everything makes this scene (and the whole movie) arguably one of fans’ least favorites. Maybe focus less on making purposefully bad catchphrases and more on fighting the guy who kills gods. Just a suggestion.
#18: Peter Gets Ordered to Take off His Clothes
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“Spider-Man: Far From Home” (2019)
At a certain point in this movie, a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent called the Seamstress convenes with Peter in Europe to deliver a special stealth suit for him to use. When she hands it over, she orders him to put it on while she’s still in the room watching him. Was this incredibly inappropriate scene really necessary? It’s played for laughs, but there’s seriously nothing to laugh about here. This is a grown woman telling a teenager to do something they’re definitely not comfortable with. It’s not just cringe-inducing, it makes us feel like we’re about to witness a felony.
#17: Steve Kisses Sharon
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“Captain America: Civil War” (2016)
The relationship between Steve Rogers and Peggy Carter was a romance tragically lost to time. We expected that Steve would eventually move on from his World War 2 era love. And he kind of did move on… by making out with Peggy’s niece Sharon Carter. Given that he had a thing for her great aunt, the dynamic is a bit creepy, and it doesn’t help that they kiss shortly after Peggy’s funeral. If you ask us, that's kind of rushing things. Though Steve and Sharon’s romance is technically canon in the comics, you can’t deny that it’s an odd pairing.
#16: Putting a Baby into a Microwave
“The Flash” (2023)
If you think this sounds completely bonkers, trust us it is. In this scene, the Flash tries saving several newborns from falling to their deaths following the collapse of a Gotham City hospital. The “Final Destination”-esque catastrophe could’ve gone terribly, but Flash manages to rescue everyone, including by sticking one of the babies into a microwave. Sure, it's a neat scene that shows off Flash’s inventive problem solving skills, but… he also puts a baby into a microwave! They could’ve easily written another less controversial way to save the infant, so it’s incredibly bizarre that this is what they went with.
#15: Boxing the Blob
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“X-Men Origins: Wolverine” (2009)
There’s plenty to cringe over with this movie, but this scene in particular is worth highlighting. When trying to get information from Fred Dukes on where Victor Creed is, Logan calls the abnormally large mutant “bub.” Though it’s a common name Logan gives people, Fred thinks he’s calling him “blob” and rages out. Logan trying to box Kevin Durand in a fat suit for roughly two minutes is sort of entertaining. But it’s not really what we were expecting in a Wolverine origin story. Did we also mention that will.i.am from the Black Eyed Peas is coaching him through the fight? This whole thing feels like a fever dream.
#14: “They Executed Her?!”
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“Aquaman” (2018)
When a teenaged Arthur Curry learns that his mother is thought to be dead, he takes the news pretty hard. Well, we know that’s what actor Kekoa Kekumano was probably going for. Unfortunately, his acting during this brief scene is infamous for its terrible line delivery and comical facial expressions. What could’ve been an emotional moment instead became something that would have felt at home in some of the worse CW shows. Not even a veteran like Willem Dafoe could carry this scene. We know we shouldn’t be laughing, but the way this turned out, it’s hard not to.
#13: Milo’s Dance Sequence
“Morbius” (2022)
We too, have been known to break into a dance number while getting ready for a night out on the town. Ok, not really. This weirdly choreographed scene and brief moments of Milo morbing out are incredibly strange. But if that weren’t enough, the song they went with just added an extra layer of complete absurdity. Hearing inspired lyrics like “have sex” play over and over as Milo gyrates around in his new vampire body is definitely something. Not surprisingly, this scene got incredibly memed on. We have to imagine Matt Smith regretted his decision to star in this.
#12: It’s Fantastic!
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“FANT4STIC” (2015)
This massive flop was anything but fantastic. At the end of the film, Reed decides they need an official team name. While brainstorming some terrible ideas, he and the Thing reflect on everything that’s happened in their journey and Thing gives an eye-rolling response. If this doesn’t feel like a shoehorned moment then we don’t know what does. Putting it lightly, it’s a pretty lackluster way for Marvel’s first family to earn their iconic name. The only thing fantastic about this scene is the fact that it’s become a punching bag for the internet.
#11: Kal-El No!
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“Justice League” (2017)
After resurrecting Superman, our heroes learn that bringing him back from the dead doesn’t come without side effects. As tensions between the disoriented Man of Steel and the fledgling Justice League flare up, Wonder Woman warns him against fighting. But Gal Gadot’s awful line delivery makes this scene one to remember for all the wrong reasons. Yes, it’s an incredibly short moment, but it’s so bad that it can’t pass unnoticed. What makes it more unintentionally hilarious is that this version of Wonder Woman and Superman barely ever interacted one-on-one. So calling him by his Kryptonian birth name probably wouldn’t have done much anyway. It may only be one line, but it’s one we all wish to forget.
#10: Nic Cage Loses It
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“Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance” (2012)
It’s a film about a pyrotechnic skeleton that rides around on a motorcycle, and yet Nicolas Cage still finds a way to be the weirdest thing in it. In this particular scene, Cage’s Johnny Blaze pins a guy up against a wall and tries to make him talk. What follows is one of the most over-the-top performances in the history of Nic Cage overacting (which is saying something), as he struggles to contain his mad shaking and the sheer volume of his voice. For some, it’s Cage at his absolute best, but for the rest of us, it’s the standout scene in one of Marvel’s most embarrassing movies.
#9: The Seduction Scene
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“Howard the Duck” (1986)
You can’t think of the “Howard the Duck” movie without physically cringing, and this scene, which features Lea Thompson actually coming onto Howard, is one of the biggest reasons why. When Howard reciprocates the gesture as the pair gets under the covers to watch David Letterman, Thompson’s character seems confused, despite the fact that she tempted him into bed in the first place. It’s a scene made up of cheesy performances, embarrassing dialogue, and strange character choices, and it tries to be way too serious for a film about a talking, cigar-smoking duck.
#8: The Bar Scene
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“Suicide Squad” (2016)
Ironically, the bar scene was one of the highlights in the previews for “Suicide Squad,” which got us all excited for this DC flick. Unfortunately, the film’s theatrical release botched some of the best moments in the trailers. The theatrical version notably cuts out Harley Quinn taking drink orders from the rest of the crew, including her suggestion of El Diablo’s water order as a “good idea, honey.” Instead, we’re forced to sit through more forced exposition and backstory. This scene not only lacks any fun or imagination; it also feels like a pointless detour that comes out of nowhere. “Suicide Squad” is often described as a mess, and this unfocused, not to mention uncomfortable, scene perfectly demonstrates why.
#7: I Am the Law!
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“Judge Dredd” (1995)
Sylvester Stallone delivers Judge Dredd’s catchphrase multiple times throughout this movie, and each time it’s met with a chorus of disapproving sighs from fans of the “Dredd” comic books. However, his first “I am the law” speech is by far the most cringe-inducing. Stallone steps off his motorcycle during a siege and yells the famous quote completely inaudibly and without context. In fact, he seems to stop to draw breath in the middle of every sentence, and what’s supposed to be an impressive speech instead has you leaning closer to the screen in a struggle to make out the words.
#6: The Martha Fiasco
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“Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” (2016)
“Batman v Superman” pulled off a disappointing performance both critically and financially, but its most embarrassing moment comes at the end of the titular fight, when the Dark Knight stands over the defeated Man of Steel holding a Kryptonite spear. Despite his earlier attempts to reason with him, Superman’s desperate cry of “Save Martha” is what causes Batman to lower the spear. So let’s get this straight: after nearly killing each other, these two rivals immediately become best buds simply because their mothers share the same name? It only took two movies for the DC Extended Universe to jump the shark.
#5: Throwing the “S”
“Superman II” (1980)
This is considered one of the best Superman movies, as Clark’s battle with General Zod leads to a dramatic showdown in the Fortress of Solitude. The build-up to the fight has you on a knife-edge, but the movie immediately takes you out of it, as Superman draws a sheet of plastic from the emblem on his chest. As if that weren’t cringe-worthy enough already, he then proceeds to throw it over one of Zod’s charging minions, enveloping him in plastic and leaving him almost as stunned as we are. We’re pretty sure that specific move didn’t come from the comics. At least, we hope it didn’t.
#4: The Playground Scene
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“Daredevil” (2003)
Daredevil and Elektra’s playground sparring match is wrong on so many levels. The choreography is cheesy before the fight even starts, as the pair throws their jackets aside at exactly the same time. Matt then performs a throw and catch maneuver with his cane that even a man with perfect vision could never pull off. Speaking of which, why doesn’t anybody care that this woman is fighting a blind man? A bunch of kids even cheer on the fight as Matt gets knocked down. Instead of cheering, they should be laughing at the obvious wirework and the slowed-down seesaw choreography.
#3: The Bat Credit Card
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“Batman & Robin” (1997)
We’ll give this movie credit where credit is due: it is remarkable how many things it got so wrong in this one brief scene. The fact that Batman and his sidekick are locked in a bidding war for Poison Ivy’s affections is already twisted, as is the idea that George Clooney’s Dark Knight bids as high as seven million dollars. What really puts the icing on the cringe cake, however, is when Batman pulls a bat credit card from his utility belt, accompanied by a classic “cha-ching.” This scene alone nearly killed the “Batman” franchise, not to mention the superhero genre in general.
#2: Emo Peter Parker
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“Spider-Man 3” (2007)
It clearly wasn’t enough that Sam Raimi’s third Spider-Man movie was already cluttered with too many villains; the director just had to add in a couple of unwatchable dance sequences for good measure. You’d think being possessed by a symbiote might turn Peter Parker evil. Instead, he turns into a below average dancer, strutting through the streets of Manhattan without a care in the world. The last straw is the infamous jazz club scene, where the new and definitely not improved Peter shows off his moves to Gwen Stacy, and we’re pretty sure even she was cringing on the inside.
#1: The Basketball Scene
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“Catwoman” (2004)
Halle Berry’s attempt at “Catwoman” is the ultimate cringe fest. It’s hard to forget the horrible CGI of the bank robbery scene, but then you remember the basketball scene that happens in this movie, and everything else seems like small potatoes. If you stretch your mind hard enough, you can see the logic behind the scene: it’s a real life situation that shows off Catwoman’s powers. But the thing is, you don’t see any powers, as the claustrophobic close-ups and Halle Berry’s forced grin take center stage. Add in Mis-Teeq’s “Scandalous” and you’ve got an overly sexualized scene that doesn’t belong in any movie, let alone a superhero flick.
