It's that time of year again when millions of people snuggle with friends and family to watch some stuff that'll scare them to their very core, or stuff that's very campy and easy for anyone to enjoy.
Here at Bam! Smack! Pow! we focus on the nerdy comic and superhero content out there, so I wanted to make a list of recommended horror/supernatural comic movies and shows that would be perfect for long-time fans and newcomers. So sit back, relax, and in no particular order, these are my recommended comic-based movies and shows to watch this Halloween season!
1. Del Toro's Hellboy
Ah yes! The iconic del Toro Hellboy films, with legendary creature effects, compelling stories and characters, and of course the iconic portrayal of the titular character by Ron Perlman. Hellboy and Hellboy II: The Golden Army are essential viewing for anyone wanting to get into the more demonic and occult side of comic book movies, or movies dealing with the subject matter in general. Even though the supposed trilogy was never completed (cue sad face emoji), these movies still stand the test of time as essential comic book/horror viewing.
2. Blade Trilogy (Even Blade: Trinity)
There are circles that state that while films like Bryan Singer's X-Men films and Sam Raimi's Spider-Man films ushered in the dawn of modern superhero cinema, I would argue that there's a certain vampire hunting anti-hero who truly laid the groundwork for the successful comic book movies today: the Blade films.
The first Blade film was a success at the time of its release with a total box office of around $70 million on a $45 million budget. By today's standards not the biggest hit ever from a comic book film, but during the time of its initial theatrical run, this was considered a success, and through that success it garnered two sequels, with varying degrees of quality. Blade II saw del Toro take the directing helm, and I would argue is a worthy successor to the original, and in some cases better than the original (mostly in terms of special effects.) While the third film is considered the worst film in the trilogy and one of the worst comic book movies ever made, I would still recommend it to audiences because it not only closes out the initial trilogy, but to me, it's a movie so bad that it's a very entertaining one.
The Blade films might not hold up in certain respects to modern audiences, but these films, especially the first one, should be regarded as the true beginning of the comic book superhero movie boom of the past 20-plus years, and with reports of an MCU Blade movie in the works, this character still has a lot more bite to give audiences.
3. Keanu Reeves in Constantine
Constantine, at the time of release, was considered just plain bad, with a mediocre critical response and a lackluster box office haul, plans for a sequel were basically nonexistent and the fate of Keanu Reeve's Constantine was left up in the air. However, over the years, the film has garnered a cult-like status, with some considering it a good film with a lot of depth that audiences at the time of its initial release couldn't see or fathom.
While I too have come to enjoy the film overall, there are some things about it that still don't sit right with me. For one thing, Reeve's performance as the titular character. I might get some backlash for saying this, but I'm not a fan of Keanu Reeves as an actor. Sure, there are some films he did great in, such as the Bill and Ted films, but overall his acting is very lackluster to me, to say the least.
A lot of the characters in the film are just plain boring, including Constantine himself, and again, some of the effects are very of its time. Despite these flaws, I still find enjoyment in the film, and due to the fan demand for a sequel, their wishes might come true as a sequel is currently in the works. So, I would still recommend this film, because the world-building was very fascinating, and Peter Stormare's portrayal of Lucifer was a highlight for me.
4. Swamp Thing (2019)
The Swamp Thing character has become one of my favorites in all of comics, and Alan Moore's classic run on the character in the 80s is a personal favorite run of all time. So, when it was announced that there was going to be a live-action Swamp Thing show and that it was going to follow the Moore stories, I was very hyped.
When the show came out, I was elated not only with the characters and the very horror-driven nature of the show through its practical effects, but I could feel the love and adoration for the character whenever the Swamp Thing was on screen, and this show to me remains a personal favorite among comic book shows. Too bad it was canceled after the first episode aired. The reasons for the show's cancellation aren't all clear, but the fact remains that the show wasn't canceled due to its quality.
This show was produced by James Wan, creator of the successful Conjuring Universe, so you know he's going to bring the scares, and he does with great practical effects, let's not forget the incredible performance from Derek Mears' Swamp Thing. Combined with the incredible-looking Swamp Thing suit and his very honest performance, I felt the Moore comics came to life. This show is a bittersweet experience for me, because on the one hand, it was a awesome show with great characters and stories, but on the other hand there won't ever be more from this version of the character.
Let's hope James Mangold's Swamp Thing movie carries on the legacy of not just the comic character, but the 2019 show as well.
5. Werewolf by Night Special
The most recent release on this list, Marvel tried to do hour-long specials that delved into different parts of the Marvel universe, and the first one that was released was Werewolf by Night. Based on a 70's comic series, this special was the first time Marvel brought true classic horror to their cinematic universe.
While the Doctor Strange movies did introduce supernatural elements to the MCU, it was this special that truly went all out with its horror aesthetics. Despite being only an hour long, there was so much classic horror monster goodness packed in that didn't feel forced or out of place. The performances were all around solid, with a campy 1940s feel to it, and the werewolf practical effects were very welcome in a CGI-heavy world that the Marvel movies usually inhabit. This has become a Halloween tradition whenever the spooky season rolls around, and it's a highly recommended watch from me to you.
6. Morbius
It's Morbin Time! Psyche!
7. Nic Cage Ghost Rider (Actual Number 6)
This one holds a special place in my heart because not only was this the film that introduced me to the Ghost Rider character, but it was also one of the first films that instilled in me a fascination with the supernatural and all things scary later in my life. When I was a kid, however, this film scared the hell out of me (pun intended), especially some of the scenes with the main villain Blackheart. Now that I'm older, I can safely say that this film, while not as scary or as good as I remember, is still a whole lot of fun.
Nic Cage to me was perfect for the role, in the sense that he made the Ghost Rider scenes and transformations so engaging and insane. Most of the film has that early to mid-2000s comic book movie style of storytelling; weird and out-of-place editing, characters trying to be edgy but coming across as unintentionally hilarious or dull, taking things too seriously one moment and and the next being absolutely bonkers, etc. The less said about the sequel the better, for these attributes were still present in the sequel, despite coming out many years after the first when those tropes were worn out when even the first came out. Ghost Rider is the perfect popcorn movie to get into the spooky season, with some actually badass scenes and another out-of-bounds performance from the Man, Nic Cage.
8. The Batman vs Dracula
Remember in the previous section where I said that there were some films that shaped my fascination with the scary side of the world? Well, this is another childhood favorite in the vein of Ghost Rider, but the twist with this one is that it's actually an unironically good film.
The Batman versus Dracula was based on the 2004 animated series The Batman (not to be confused with Matt Reeves' The Batman), and despite being a show aimed at kids, this movie got really violent and bloody. Not that there's any explicit gore, but you see Dracula and other vampires suck the life out of people who turn into vampires themselves, and they shed much blood in their own right. The scene that still surprises me that Warner Bros. let slide with was when Batman takes on a vampiric Joker in a blood bank, with the latter gulping down galloons of blood with reckless abandon, and having vials of blood rain down on him and covering him from head to toe with blood.
This movie was one of the first movies that made me scared of vampires for many years, and even though they don't scare me as much anymore, there's still that residual uneasy feeling whenever I see vampires in movies or any other medium. The Batman versus Dracula is a movie where if you didn't watch the show it was based on you won't be lost at all, it's a very simple but effective vampire story for all Batman and horror fans to enjoy.
9. Swamp Thing (1982)
Your eyes are not deceiving you and your memory isn't falling by the wayside, because this is an early adaption of the Swamp Thing comics that for better or worse, was forgotten by most.
The film was directed and written by now horror icon Wes Craven, from Nightmare on Elm Street and Scream fame, marking it as an early film of his before he hit the big time with later films. This movie is very much what one would call a B movie because a lot of the characters and the actors who portrayed them were very over the top with their performances. The costume designs, while very out there and interesting looking, are very dated in today's special effects-heavy world, and the design of Swamp Thing, while admirably constructed, did have obvious problems, such as noticeable tears and rips in the suit.
While Swamp Thing does follow the early comics, it makes radical changes that to me didn't work for the film's overall quality. I think the greatest sin that any movie can make is to be boring and dull, and for this film, the whole second act of the film was very dull and repetitive. So why am I recommending this film, you might be asking? I see this film having value not only because it's an early Wes Craven film that horror completionists might want to add to their list, but also because it's the first big-screen adaption of the Swamp Thing character. A flawed adaption, yes, but one that's historically significant to comic book movies from that time until now.
10. Animated Hellboy
Believe it or not, there have been Hellboy movies made where the core cast from the del Toro movies reprised their roles. No, it's not a supposed third del Toro Hellboy, rather, it was two animated films. I recently did an article on how a third del Toro Hellboy movie might be possible by bringing it to animation, and I also went into some detail about these animated films. There were two animated Hellboy movies released between the first and second del Toro movies, and despite having the same core cast, these films didn't follow the continuity of the del Toro films.
The first film was titled Hellboy: Sword of Storms, and this film dealt with more fantasy elements than straight-up horror. In my opinion, it's the weaker of the two films. The second one was titled Hellboy: Blood and Iron, and if the title didn't give it away to you, this movie deals with vampires, and it's much more focused on horror than the previous one. I too watched these movies as a kid, and the second one especially got to me because there's a scene where a vampire kills a mother and baby. It wasn't shown outright, rather you see the dead mother on the ground next to her baby's bloody cradle, giving the viewer all the information they need to know without actually showing anything gory or violent. Both of these films captured the essence of the comics and the del Toro films while having an identity all their own, making it perfect for Hellboy fans itching for more Hellboy content.
11. Dark Man (Sam Raimi)
This is the only pick on this list that wasn't based on a preexisting comic or novel, but an original story from horror and future Spider-Man legend Sam Raimi. Darkman combines aspects of the classic superhero origin with some pulp noir imagery, practical and special effects, as well as injecting his trademark style into the film.
The film follows a scientist who one night was succumbed by criminals intent on stealing his work, but during the struggle, the scientist was seemingly killed in an explosion. However, the scientist survived but was horribly scarred from the accident. His work not only made him super strong, but also very prone to anger, but through this, the scientist vowed to make the ones who wronged him pay. This film does have very generic storytelling beats that audiences have seen many times, but the way Raimi and his co-writers wrote the characters and Raimi's wacky directing style make the film a treat to watch. It doesn't hurt that Darkman was played by Liam Neeson, so that makes this movie that much better. The practical makeup of the scarred Darkman makes this movie more than it actually was, and there was so much love and attention given to this film that it gets a high recommendation from me.
12. Netflix's Sandman
Adapting a well-known and beloved story to the big or small screen will always alienate some people, but Netflix's Sandman does a superb job of bringing the world of Neil Gaiman's classic comic to life. The first season of the show follows the first storylines from the comics, such as the main character Dream, being imprisoned for decades by a mage who wanted to trap Death, Dream's sister. The rest of the season deals with the storyline The Doll's House, as well as the last two episodes having an anthology-like setup adapting the stories Calliope and Dream of a Thousand Cats, both of these stories not related to the main plot of the season but still involving Dream and his core cast.
The performances, special and practical effects, and storytelling are all top-notch, especially Dream's Kingdom that's just so visually pleasing. When Dream visits Lucifer in Hell, that's where a lot of the horror comes in the form of seas of tortured souls, and it's a treat for the senses. The first season was well received, and plans have already been made for a second season coming next year, so we'll just have to wait a while for many stories from this world.