5 Amazing Superhero Movies You Must Watch

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has been a powerhouse for almost two decades, but “The Avengers” remains one of its greatest achievements. Back in 2012, it was just plain cool to see all these superheroes working together. It was the best kind of fan service to see Iron Man, the Hulk, Thor, Captain America, Black Widow, and Hawkeye all together after getting to know them in previous films.

“The Avengers” changed the world of superhero movies. It showed that, yes, audiences can and will follow a complex cinematic universe that spans multiple movies. While other film series have attempted to recapture the magic (and profit) of the MCU with varying degrees of success, none have felt quite as organic as the MCU. Here’s hoping that “Avengers: Doomsday,” coming this December, will continue the Avengers’ legacy of awesome movies.  

2. “Spider-Man 2”

The first “Spider-Man” was a super-fun movie, but the sequel showed the world that superhero movies are here to stay. Alfred Molina’s legendary performance as Doc Ock delivered a supervillain with pathos, which wasn’t as common in 2002 as it is now. You can feel sympathy for him while still rooting for him to lose.

Peter Parker also goes through a journey of growth and discovery as he works through balancing young adulthood with being a superhero. Should he continuously hurt his loved ones as he fights to protect the city, or should he be like everyone else and ignore the troubles of strangers so he can have a regular life? Obviously, he’ll choose to be a superhero, but the movie demonstrates how tempting a regular life is, giving a very human story.

3. “Batman Begins”

Every Batman movie is a fun experience, even when they aren’t the highest quality. Even the incredibly silly “Batman and Robin” is worth watching to get a laugh out of how stupid it is. However, the greatest Batman movie is “Batman Begins,” which launched Christopher Nolan’s amazing Batman trilogy. This movie gave the Batman mythos a sophisticated origin story with an amazing performance by Christian Bale. He perfectly captures Bruce Wayne’s pathos and dual identity.

The casting also features stellar performances by Liam Neeson, Gary Oldman, and Michael Caine. Sure, everyone talks about Heath Ledger’s amazing performance as the Joker in “The Dark Knight,” but not enough people talk about Cillian Murphy as the Scarecrow in “Batman Begins.” While the Joker flaunts his evil, the Scarecrow creeps into people’s minds. His whisper is enough to bring chills. 

4. “X-Men: Days of Future Past”

Combining the two “X-Men” movie timelines could have been a disaster, but strangely enough, the time travel storyline worked, even with some plot holes. It’s a treat to see Hugh Jackman as Wolverine and Patrick Stewart as Professor X again, but it’s equally as much of a treat to see Wolverine interact with the younger version of Professor X, played by James McAvoy, and have to tell him about the future.

Then later on, McAvoy and Stewart get to connect psychically, giving audiences a treat as they observe a character learning from his future self, backed up by wonderful, nuanced acting. This scene alone makes the movie worth a watch, but fortunately, the rest of the movie is a fun, action-filled fest. You’ll only think about the plot holes after the movie ends, but by then you’ll have had so much fun that you won’t care.   

5. “Iron Man”

Robert Downey Jr.’s performance as Tony Stark will forever be one of the most memorable superhero performances in history. He is hilarious, charismatic, and full of personality, to the point where the audience loves him even before his character arc. He has become one of the most beloved characters in the history of superhero movies, and for very good reasons.

This movie also wins because it’s just plain fun. It’s fun to watch Iron Man battle enemies through the skies, and it’s fun to listen to Tony’s quips. This was the perfect way to unleash the Marvel Cinematic Universe on the world. If the MCU’s humble opening movie hadn’t worked, the world of superhero movies might be a very different place today. Fortunately, the MCU grabbed audiences right at the beginning.

Superhero Movies Will Never Die

2026 will, of course, unleash more superhero movies such as “Spider-Man: Brand New Day,” “Supergirl,” and the much-anticipated “Avengers: Doomsday.” Whether you consider yourself a superhero nerd or just a casual fan, the world of superhero movies is a vast, diverse place where you are sure to find something to like. Here’s hoping that this year’s superhero movies will be among the greats.