Top 20 Worst Superhero Movies
#20: “Dark Phoenix” (2019)
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The X-Men movies were among the first to show us that superhero movies could be truly great. But “Dark Phoenix” is anything but. While an origin story about mutant psychic Jean Grey is a promising one, “Dark Phoenix” wastes that potential with a dull story and poor characterization. Audiences usually turn out in droves for “X-Men” adventures, but “Dark Phoenix” drew light crowds, losing an estimated $133 million. Disney purchased 20th Century Fox after the film's release, a move that will bring these characters into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Whatever’s next for the X-Men, it has to be better than “Dark Phoenix.”
#19: “Blade: Trinity” (2004)
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The third time was not the charm for the original “Blade” trilogy and its vampire-hunting hero. The final entry, “Blade: Trinity,” basically takes everything good about the first two and gets rid of it. The end result is a complete mess that’s not even so-bad-it’s-good. And as difficult as it is to watch, it was reportedly far more difficult to make. Star Wesley Snipes allegedly clashed with his co-stars and the film’s director, David S. Goyer. This reportedly went as far as Snipes refusing to open his eyes for one scene, requiring CGI eyes to be put over his eyelids. In vampire terms, “Blade: Trinity” flat-out sucks.
#18: “Jonah Hex” (2010)
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“Jonah Hex’s” runtime is only 81 minutes. But watching it feels like it takes 81 years. This wretched DC adaptation comes across as a simultaneous insult to both superhero movies and westerns. Josh Brolin plays the titular Hex, a scarred Civil War veteran out for revenge. Among the other actors wasting their talents in this incoherent misfire include John Malkovich, Megan Fox, and Michael Fassbender. The DC connection wasn't enough to save "Jonah Hex," which performed so poorly that it wasn't even given an international release. With its sloppy storytelling and poor direction, “Jonah Hex” is a superhero movie we have to curse.
#17: “Bloodshot” (2020)
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Vin Diesel's best movies are ridiculous in a fun way. "Bloodshot" is ridiculous, but it's also too bland to be compelling. The film introduces us to the Valiant Comics character, a soldier revived for nefarious purposes by a shady organization. Although “Bloodshot” boasts some impressive effects, it can't make up for how uninspired everything else feels. This includes Diesel, who never feels engaged in the film. "Bloodshot" made a fast and furious exit from our collective memory. When it comes to seeing Vin Diesel play a superhero, we’d much rather go for Groot.
#16: “Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance” (2011)
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You know a movie is bad when even Nicolas Cage going full Nicolas Cage isn’t enough to save it. A step down from its already-lackluster predecessor, “Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance” earned plenty of boos. Cage returns as stuntman Johnny Blaze, a.k.a. “Ghost Rider,” who’s trying to save a young boy from the Devil and break his curse. While Cage is typically energetic, the film is a major bore. A Ghost Rider movie might never be considered high art. But there’s no reason it should be this tedious. We love Ghost Rider as a character, and we’re still waiting for him to get the movie he deserves.
#15: “Morbius” (2022)
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Somehow, “Blade: Trinity” isn’t the worst comic book movie about vampires. That dishonor goes to “Morbius.” Part of Sony's Spider-Man Universe, “Morbius’” release was delayed multiple times, and it wasn’t exactly worth the wait. Jared Leto plays Dr. Michael Morbius who, while trying to cure himself of a rare blood disease, becomes a super-charged vampire. That should be a recipe for a bloody good time, but “Morbius” is a bore. The film has inspired something of a following thanks to people sharing ironic memes about it. But judging by its poor reception, we doubt we’ll be seeing more “Morbius” anytime soon.
#14: “Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie” (1997)
We know that “Power Rangers” is for kids, but young viewers all deserve better than this. You might have some childhood nostalgia associated with “Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie.” But if you rewatch it, you’ll likely see the flaws are glaringly obvious from the beginning. It’s as cheesy as you’d expect a “Power Rangers” movie to be, but “Turbo” is so poorly made that it’s impossible to enjoy even as a guilty pleasure. Box office was way down compared to its predecessor, and there wasn’t another “Rangers” big-screen adventure for 20 years. The only thing that’s mighty about this movie is the effort it takes to watch it.
#13: “Captain America” (1990)
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Don’t worry, we’re not talking about any of the MCU “Captain America” movies. Like “Captain America: The First Avenger,” this film follows Steve Rogers as he becomes the titular super-soldier and fights against the villainous Red Skull. Unlike that and other recent “Cap” chronicles, this one is not well-made in the least. The film is unacceptable both as a “Captain America” story and as a movie in general. If you want to appreciate how far the superhero genre has come in recent decades, try watching five minutes of this movie. We certainly wouldn’t pledge allegiance to it.
#12: “The Spirit” (2008)
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We’d call this clunky superhero noir “style over substance.” But that would imply it has any substance to begin with. Comics legend Frank Miller seems like he’d be the perfect choice to adapt Will Eisner's classic detective strip. But what might've worked in newspapers does not work on the big screen. Though there's some cool cinematography and art direction, the hackneyed dialogue and confusing storyline make it all but unwatchable. Miller may know comics, but directing and screenwriting aren’t his strong suits. Co-stars Samuel L. Jackson and Scarlett Johansson thankfully emerged unscathed from this mess and later starred in some much better superhero movies. ice-ner
#11: “Spawn” (1997)
“Spawn” has an important significance in the superhero film canon, as it was one of the first to star a Black actor. But we can’t say much good about it beyond that. Based on Todd McFarlane’s comic about a resurrected Marine reluctantly working in service of the Devil, this film is hell to get through. Full of effects and action, “Spawn” tries to be stimulating but somehow ends up boring. Star Michael Jai White has criticized the film, claiming he never said he liked it. A reboot, set to star Jamie Foxx, has been in the works for a number of years. If and when it gets made, it’ll hopefully be better than this.
#10: “Suicide Squad” (2016)
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How do you go wrong with a movie about a group of supervillains teaming up to save the world? Watch "Suicide Squad" to get an idea. Boasting a great cast of characters and even greater actors, "Suicide Squad" is one of those movies where you can notice just about every bad decision. There are some positives, like Margot Robbie's great turn as Harley Quinn. But it's not enough to make up for how obnoxious and unsatisfying the film is overall. However, the series has rebounded with Harley Quinn spinoff "Birds of Prey" and the James Gunn-directed sequel “The Suicide Squad.”
#9: “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” (2009)
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There’s arguably no “X-Men” character more iconic than Wolverine. And Hugh Jackman has made the role his own. But unless you’re an absolute “X-Men” completist, you can skip this prequel. The film is meant to be an origin story for everyone's favorite clawed mutant. But it offers no new insights into the character, even in spite of Jackman's best efforts. And it’s overall just another dime-a-dozen superhero movie. It does include the first big-screen appearance of Ryan Reynolds’ Deadpool, except he doesn’t have his red suit and his mouth is sewn shut. Like we said, this movie just doesn’t work. Fortunately, sequels "The Wolverine" and "Logan" were significant improvements.
#8: “Supergirl” (1984)
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Superman himself, Christopher Reeve, declined to appear in this spinoff. We don't blame him, given how it turned out. "Supergirl" was supposed to revitalize the franchise after the lackluster "Superman III." But it arguably brought it down even further. With its cheesy effects and terrible, Razzie-nominated performances from usually-great actors like Faye Dunaway and Peter O'Toole, "Supergirl" is a super-misfire. Although it opened at number one, it was a box office flop overall. Decades later, Star Helen Slater was thankfully able to rebound with the franchise, however, as she later appeared on “Smallville” and the “Supergirl” TV series.
#7: “Howard the Duck” (1986)
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Sure, the “Star Wars” prequels are a mixed bag. But the worst film George Lucas has ever been involved with is this one. Based on the cigar-smoking Marvel waterfowl from another planet, “Howard the Duck” is too suggestive for children but also too stupid for adults. It’s basically a movie for no one, except perhaps bad movie lovers. And the less that’s said about the awkward Howard romantic plot line, the better. The first theatrically-released movie based on a Marvel character, “Howard the Duck” thankfully wasn’t enough to tarnish the brand forever. Watch this ever again? We’d have to cry “fowl.”
#6: “Green Lantern” (2011)
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Ryan Reynolds is blessed to have “Deadpool.” Otherwise, this might be the only superhero movie we associate him with. Reynolds plays test pilot Hal Jordan, who becomes part of the Green Lantern Corps, an elite out-of-this-world team. But nothing about "Green Lantern" feels imaginative, just derivative of other superhero and sci-fi movies. By the time it’s over, you’ll have already forgotten it. The film was panned by critics, and underwhelming box office jettisoned plans for a sequel. Reynolds and future spouse Blake Lively did manage to meet on set. Otherwise, we can’t say much good about “Green Lantern.”
#5: “Steel” (1997)
There’s no question that Shaquille O’Neal is a star, just not a movie star. Things might’ve been different if he had signed on to better projects. “Steel,” based on the heavily armored DC character, is a leaden viewing experience. O'Neal plays weapons designer John Henry Irons, who becomes a superhero known as Steel to stop a rival's evil scheme. “Iron Man,” this is not. Shaq’s magnetic charisma is nowhere to be found, and, even at only 97 minutes, the film feels endless. Quality-wise, “Steel” has been compared to made-for-TV movies. But we haven’t seen many TV movies quite as bad as this.
#4: “Superman IV: The Quest for Peace” (1987)
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The first two Christopher Reeve “Superman” films are timeless classics. The third one is a pered by production troubles, including a massively reduced budget. While previous "Superman" films had been awe-inspiring, this one was yawn-inspiring, with a dull plot, awful effects, and lifeless performances. Its terrible reception brought the once-mighty franchise to a halt. Superman eventually made his way back to the big screen. But it’s a shame this ended up being Reeve’s final appearance as the Man of Steel.
#3: “Fantastic Four” (2015)
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The word “Fantastic” in this title should probably be in quotes. The 2000s “Fantastic Four” movies weren’t particularly good. But they’re absolute masterpieces compared to this reboot. It feels less like a superhero origin story and more like a sci-fi horror movie. That could work under the right hands. But director Josh Trank's darker vision reportedly clashed with studio 20th Century Fox’s expectations. And he tweeted about his dissatisfaction a day before the film’s release. Terrible buzz and awful reviews doomed "Fantastic Four," and it ended up losing between $80 and $100 million. We give this disaster an “F.”
#2: “Batman & Robin” (1997)
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Some of the best superhero movies ever made are “Batman” films. This does not include “Batman & Robin,” a campy disaster that had us wondering if we could ever take Batman seriously again. George Clooney dons the nippled Batsuit for the first and last time, facing off against Arnold Schwarzenegger's Mr. Freeze and Uma Thurman's Poison Ivy. Though the franchise had gotten sillier with “Batman Forever,” this one is so goofy, it feels like a joke. But it’s not a very funny one. That is, unless you have a real weakness for ice-related one-liners. “Batman & Robin” was another superhero movie that derailed a previously-excellent franchise. Fortunately, the franchise rebounded and then some with Christopher Nolan’s great “Batman Begins.” Never count out the Caped Crusader.
#1: “Catwoman” (2004)
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There are countless ways to describe “Catwoman.” But “catastrophe” seems most appropriate. Halle Berry went from Oscar to Razzie winner for her performance as Patience Phillips, a reserved cosmetics company employee who becomes the fearless feline superhero. If you're wondering where Batman comes in, he doesn't. But that wouldn't be an issue if the film wasn't so woefully misguided in every conceivable way. “Catwoman” is laughably bad at best and unfathomably terrible at worst. Among its biggest haters was Berry herself, who attended the Razzies in person and gave an unforgettable acceptance speech. How’s that for taking things in stride?
