DC Comics – they’re the comic company that basically invented the concept of a superhero as we know it today. While Marvel heroes are the kinds of ordinary people with regular problems that audiences relate to, DC heroes are the ones who set the archetype of alarger-than-life character in a colorful costume, fighting villains and helping people however they can. It shouldn’t be a surprise that, as a result, their films have set the templates for the genre as a whole.
DC movies have faced their ups and downs over the years, yet nobody can denythey have made some films that can be best described as absolute bangers from start to finish. Heroes likeSuperman,Batman, andWonder Womanhave set the template for what a superhero should be, and their movies have followed suit. Not all the universe’s characters have seen the limelight compared to Marvel, making the films set in the wider corners of the universe even more impactful to DC’s legacy.
10’Wonder Woman' (2017)
Directed by Patty Jenkins
After the divisive response to the DCEU’s first few efforts,Wonder Womanproved to be a strong first film for DC’s third major icon. Diana Prince (Gal Gadot) remembers her childhood as the only kid on the all-female island of Themyscira. One day, her peaceful existence is interrupted when pilot Steve Trevor (Chris Pine) crash lands, bringing news of the Great War happening in the outside world. Suspecting the work of Ares, the god of war, Diana chooses to leave her home to stop the war for good, only to find that it will not be as easy as she thought.
Wonder Womanmakes for a perfect tone re-setter for the DC Extended Universe, full of hope despite hard circumstances. The WW1 setting makes for a refreshing difference in location while allowing room for nuance, humor, andflashy comic book colors to shine through the gray palate. In an age of heroes more concerned with punching bad guys and cracking jokes,Wonder Womanreminds people that the most important thing a hero can do is simply help people.
Wonder Woman
9’Batman Begins' (2005)
Directed by Christopher Nolan
Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) is a young man with a chip on his shoulder. His parents are dead, and his chance to kill the man who murdered them is thwarted. After traveling the world, training with a band of ninjas, and learning to understand the criminal process, Bruce returns to the city he called home,only to find it’s become worse since he left. Now to save his city, he must become something greater than himself, and take on the shape of the very thing he fears – a bat.
While the 1989Batmanintroduced the title character more or less fully formed and shrouded in mystery,Batman Beginsbuilds the caped crusader’s identity step by step into the dark, brooding avenger we know and love.Nolan makes a priority of showing how a hero like Batman could existin the real world, with a Batmobile more so resembling a tank, a Batsuit built out of both combat and ninja gear, and choosing a non-immortal Ra’s al Guhl (Liam Neeson) as the primary villain.
Batman Begins
8’Shazam!' (2019)
Directed by David F. Sandberg
Young teen Billy Batson (Asher Angel) has spent the last 10 years bouncing from foster home to foster home searching for his missing birth mother. But one day, he’s pulled into a cave by a mysterious wizard (Djimon Honsou), offering him the chance to become his champion when he says his name. Transforming into a full-grown adult hero (Zachary Levi), Billy at first does what any kid would do in this situation – buy beer, skip school, and mess around with his new powers –before a new villain makes Billy reconsider his priorities.
The first post-Justice Leaguefilm of the DCEU to hit high acclaim with critics,Shazam!is an effective family film that makes for a great modern update to a classically cheesy hero. Despite Billy being something of a delinquent, his demeanor and reasoning still make him a likable kid, and the conclusion of his character arc is unexpected yet refreshing.A superhero film the whole family can enjoy,Shazam!is a joyful reminder of the appeal of superheroes and their powers for younger audiences.
7’Blue Beetle' (2023)
Directed by Ángel Manuel Soto
Jaime Reyes (Xolo Maridueña) is a college graduate coming home to Palmera City, only to discover his family is in danger of eviction from their home. On a trip to get a job at Kord Industries, he accidentally gets an alien scarab that promptly attaches itself to his back. While the suit gives him impressive new abilities, it also makes him a target for Kord Industries' ruthless CEO Victora (Susan Sarandon), and her bodyguard Carapax (Raoul Max Trujillo).
Blue Beetleadapts the modern incarnation of one of DC’s most prominent legacy heroes with a heartfelt tone, fun characters, and an effective style.It establishes itself as taking place in a world of heroes, but it wisely never bogs itself down in overly complicated mythology, keeping the focus squarely on Jaime and his relationships with those he loves. Not unlikeShazam!,Blue Beetleis a film that emphasizesthe importance of community and family as heroic forces in and of themselves.
Blue Beetle
An alien scarab chooses Jaime Reyes to be its symbiotic host, bestowing the recent college graduate with a suit of armor that’s capable of extraordinary powers, forever changing his destiny as he becomes the superhero known as Blue Beetle.
6‘Batman’ (1989)
Directed by Tim Burton
Batman Beginsmay have a more realistic take on the character, but the 1989Batmanfilm benefits greatly from its director’s style and the performance of both the hero and the lead villain. Jack Napier (Jack Nicholson) is the right-hand man of Gotham City’s chief crime syndicate. But a set-up job and the intervention of a certain bat-themed vigilante leaves him with a broken face and a far more broken mind. Reinventing himself as a clown called the Joker, he decides to take over the city,establishing himself as a new class of criminal.
WhileSuperman: The Moviewent on to define the image of the character for modern audiences, the 1989 Batman film made Batman dark again after theAdam Westshow made audiences treat the character as a joke.With unforgettable production design, an operatic score, and an interesting dichotomy between its two leads, it’s one of the strangest yet effective superhero films in recent memory.
5‘Superman II’ (1980)
Directed by Richard Donner/Richard Lester
Filmed back-to-back with the firstSupermanmovie,Superman IIhad a sudden change in directorial helm,yet both cuts still make for a fun continuation. After escaping from the Phantom Zone, Kryptonian criminals Ursa (Sarah Douglas), Non (Jack O’Halloran), and General Zod (Terence Stamp) arrive on Earth, seeking to conquer the planet and take their revenge on the last son of Krypton. Taking over the White House and eventually teaming up with Lex Luthor (Gene Hackman), the three clash with Superman (Christopher Reeve) in an alien battle for the ages.
Superman IIcontinues the light tone of its predecessor while introducing three new villains for the price of one. The further development of Clark Kent and Lois Lane’s (Margot Kidder) relationship provides the heart of the film, especially when the latter learns the former’s secret identity for the first time on film. It may not be as ground-breaking as the first, butSuperman IIis stillan appropriate sequel to one of the greatest superhero films of all time.
Superman II
4’The Dark Knight' (2008)
The second film inChristopher Nolan’sBatmantrilogy,The Dark Knightis such a beloved superhero film, it has become its own icon divorced from the wider DC mythos. Going even further thanBatman Begins, Gotham is depicted as the most real it’s ever been, to the point where, apart from the bat-suited vigilante, villainous clown, and a man with half a face, it’s more or less set in our reality.
This commitment to a realistic setting allows it to grapple with uncomfortably pragmatic questionsabout justice, the roles we play in our society, and whether or not the people in Gotham will gladly throw away all sense of order if it means their lives can be saved. The film may end with Batman (Christian Bale) triumphing over the Joker (Heath Ledger) and Two-Face (Aaron Eckhart), yet he still has to break his unbreakable rule and cop the blame for killing people and go into hiding all for the sake of upholding the status quo.It’s a somewhat tragic ending to be sure, but one that’s appropriate nonetheless.
The Dark Knight
3’Superman: The Movie' (1978)
Directed by Richard Donner
The first theatrical film based on DC’s flagship character,Superman: The Movieis the film that has defined the character for modern audiences. Released in the gritty, hyper-realistic period of the 70s, this film nonetheless maintains a genuinely positive outlook on the world and a hope that things can get better. Indeed, the lightness of Superman himself is often either undercut or underlined by a cynical sense of humor coming from the supporting cast who are still affected by his presence.
Christopher Reeveis still regarded as the definitive Superman, with a boyish charm, dramatic acting chops, and for showing firsthand how someone wouldn’t be able to tell that Clark Kent and Superman are the same person. The tone may lead towards the outlandish at times, but that’s in keeping with its old-school cinematic sensibilities.It doesn’t even have a true villain until the third act, but witnessing Clark’s journey, shown in full detail from the baby in the rocket to becoming the man of steel, keeps itan engaging watch from start to finish.
2’The Batman' (2022)
Directed by Matt Reeves
Skipping over his origin entirely,The Batmandepicts the world’s greatest detective (Robert Pattinson) in his second year of vigilante work. The cops, citizens, and criminals of the city are terrified of him, and he is not interested in fostering any kind of relationship with them beyond Lieutenant Gordon (Jeffrey Wright). And his latest case will show just how far his influence has gone and put his purpose in a greater picture.
Featuring nods to the likes of the animated series, celebrated comic runs, and even theAdam Westshow,The Batmanisthe closest a live-action film has gotten to feeling like a true noir Batman comic. Pattinson spends more time on camera in the Batsuit than most Batmen, but that only adds to how disconnected he’s become from playing the role of Bruce Wayne. TheTim Burtonfilms and theChristopher Nolantrilogy will always be iconic, butThe Batmanmanages to pay tribute to untouched corners of the caped crusader’s legacywhilst carving a new path.
The Batman
In a dark city plagued by crime and corruption, a masked crusader investigates a puzzling string of crimes linked by cryptic messages. His journey into the depths of the city’s sinister underworld reveals connections among its most powerful citizens and forces him to confront his own complex relationship with justice.
Directed by James Gunn
The Suicide Squadis perhaps the coolest premise of a comic in recent memory, showing a team of C-to D-List supervillains forced into black ops missions by the US Government. This specific team is tasked with a mission on the turbulent island nation of Corto Maltese to destroy a top-secret project with a dark secret. Along the way, all the team’s members facedeath, love, and their inner demons on a mission straight out of hell.
In perhaps the best superhero movie comeback story in recent memory,The Suicide Squadmanaged to not only redeem the titular team in the public eye after the divisive reception of its predecessor, one can argue it inadvertently led toJames Gunntaking the reins of DC Studios. If this is true, it can be inferred that this is because Gunn showed he was not afraid to comb the wider, and wackier, expanses of the DC Universe and showed thatthese elements are part of DC’s appeal, not something to be ashamed of.
