I love watching a good superhero movie, but unfortunately there are way more bad superhero movies than there are good ones. One of the main reasons so many of them turn out bad is because they are based on an awesome comic book and the story gets watered down in development hell, but there are actually a lot of great superhero movies that aren't based on any comic book. Here are the 10 bestof them.
Hancock (2008)
Most people with amazing god-like powers would use them to make themselves rich and famous. Not Hancock. He spends most of his time getting drunk and sleeping at bus stops while occasionally saving people's lives. This movie isn't based on a comic book, but I think it might be based on my dad.
Unbreakable (2000)
I definitely live in the camp that thinks that there should never be a superhero origin movie again. This is one of the few exceptions. This movie is great because you don't realize that it's a superhero movie until you're most of the way through it. Sorry if I just spoiled a 13 year old movie, but if you're worried about a spoiler that old then you should never go on the internet.
Super (2010)
I feel like Super unreservedly flew under the radar when it came out. I thought it was one of the best movies of 2010. The cast is amazing and the writing is even better. It's the story of a regular guy played by Rainn Wilson who becomes a pipe wrench wielding superhero after his wife leaves him. Ellen Page is fantastic as his sidekick. If it's wrong to beat someone over the head with a giant wrench then I don't want to be right.
Sky High (2005)
The only thing about this movie that I don't like is that this high school doesn't actually exist. Technically you have to have a super power to attend. I'm really good at shooting snot rockets. I think that with the right kind of training I could have developed my snot rocket ability to be able to take down entire armies. ALL FIENDS COWER AT THE NAME OF THE SNOT ROCKETEER!
Orgazmo (1997)
This is one of the earlier works of South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone. This movie has a movie within a movie about a superhero who has a special gun called the Orgazmorator that causes people to mess their pants with happiness. An evil movie producer kidnaps his fiancé and then he has to become the real Orgazmo and use the Orgazmorator to take down the bad guys. Frankly, if Orgazmo was a real superhero patrolling my neighborhood, I'd probably start breaking as many laws as I could.
Special (2006)
Special is one of the more unconventional superhero movies on this list. Michael Rapaport plays a guy who is taking experimental medication that makes him start to hallucinate that he has developed super powers. Things get pretty out of hand when he decides that he should become a superhero. This movie gets bonus point because you get to see Josh from Drake and Josh play a stoner.
The Incredibles (2004)
I would be shocked if anyone reading this list hasn't seen The Incredibles. Pixar has made a ton of great movies and this one is no exception. The only difference between this one and the other Pixar movies is that this one has never made me cry like a three year old who's favorite ball just rolled down a storm drain.
Chronicle (2012)
This is a found footage film about three friends who develop telekinetic super powers. Of course, one of them turns evil and has to be stopped. Most found footage movies scare the crap out of me, so it was nice to see one that wasn't a horror movie for once. I wish I had known going in that it wasn't a horror movie cause then I wouldn't have had to wear a diaper the entire time.
The Specials (2000)
The Specials is different from most of the movies on this list because there isn't really any fighting in it. Most of the movie is just a bunch of third string superheroes arguing with each other at their headquarters. It's really hilarious. This was one of the movies that my friends and I would quote non-stop when I was in high school.
Darkman (1990)
Darkman was one of the first really great superhero movies that isn't based on a comic book. It was created by a then relatively unknown director named Sam Raimi. It's about a scientist who invents fake skin who then gets horribly disfigured by a bunch of bad guys. Luckily, he's got that fake skin to make himself look like anyone he wants. He mostly just uses the fake skin to look like bad guys for trickery and what not. If I could make myself look like anyone, I'd make myself look like Ian and Anthony!
Who is your favorite superhero that isn't based on a comic book? Let me know on twitter @zachlunch or in the comments below!
