Superhero, LONDON, ENGLAND – APRIL 24: Kurt Russell attends the European launch event of Marvel Studios’ ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.’ at the Eventim Apollo on April 24, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Ian Gavan/Getty Images for Disney)
Through almost nine months, let’s look at how these five superhero movies of 2017 rank.
It’s obvious to say that superhero movies are huge nowadays. We are living in a golden age of pop culture fandom. Even though 2017 isn’t over yet, we’ve had some incredible movies arrive to the theater to entertain and excite our inner-nerd. They must us laugh, they made us cry, they made us mad for sitting through long credit sequences to see a pointless extra scene, or no scene at all.
Regardless, here are the best superhero movies of 2017, ranked, so far…
5. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
There is a lot to like with this sequel to Guardians of the Galaxy. All your favorite characters are back, the wisecracking Starlord, the smart but short-tempered Gamora, the also wisecracking Rocket Racoon, the also short-tempered Drax, and everyone’s favorite Groot in baby form.
The new casting is also fantastic. Kurt Russell ended up being a complex and interesting villain to watch. He didn’t want to take over the galaxy because he’s “just evil,” he truly believes the purpose of his creation was to expand throughout the universe and to make everything one, and when it’s Kurt Russell portraying the character, it’s kinda hard not to be persuaded. Michael Rooker also steals the show as Yondu and has some incredible sequences.
The soundtrack isn’t as strong as the last movie, but there are some hot tracks such as Fleetwood Mac’s “The Chain” and Electric Light’s Orchestra “Mr. Blue Sky” to name a few. The color scheme and production design are worth mentioning, it’s absolutely incredible and might be the best Marvel have done yet. I also loved the homage to North by Northwest, the scene with Gamora and Nebula was one of the best scenes. Any other year, this film would be considered the best of the summer, however, this movie feels to average compared to the others, but is definitely worth seeing.
4. The Lego Batman Movie
This movie surprised the hell out of me! The Lego Movie was hilarious, entertaining for kids and witty for adults. The Lego Batman Movie delivers the same thing. What it may lack in story, makes up for in style and comedy. It gave a fresh take on the Batman character, focusing on the narcissistic and loneliness elements while still making it a thrill to watch. The fact that we can make a gritty and serious version of Batman (The Dark Knight) and a kid-friendly and hilarious version of Batman (The LEGO Batman Movie) that are both really good in their own ways proves how complex and engaging this character is.
The voice cast is amazing, too. Will Arnett reprises his role as the LEGO Batman, perfectly capturing the egocentric tone and humor of the character. He’s paired with his old Arrested Development co-star Michael Cera, who voices Robin the boy wonder. This movie is also full of easter eggs, from Billy Dee Williams voicing Two-face, to the references to other Batman films, The LEGO Batman Movie is a must-see for comic book fans.
3. Spider-Man: Homecoming
Spider-Man is and always will be my all-time favorite superhero. I really love EVERY Spider-Man movie, even the bad ones. I can find enjoyable moments in them because any movie involving Spider-Man is a dream come true. But this new movie, Spider-Man: Homecoming, is one of the best.
Tom Holland is a fantastic Peter Parker and Spider-Man. He’s funny, dorky, naive and yet very ambitious. His arc in this movie is different from other Spider-Man films in the past, he wants to be a big-time superhero like the Avengers, but had to learn how to really be heroic. The character’s brief appearance in Captain America: Civil War had movie fans begging for more. In this movie, we get to go back to high school and stay in high school. The portrayal of real-life Queens is spot on with its diverse cast, my favorite was the hilarious Ned, played by actor Jacob Batalon.
This movie has arguably Marvel’s best villain yet, the Vulture played by the menacing Michael Keaton. The twist of his character near the end of the film plays out very well and shocked my audience. Iron Man makes an appearance too, as the movie gets to explore an interesting mentoring dynamic between Tony Stark and Peter Parker. I’m very excited to see what the future holds for this iteration of Spider-Man.
LOS ANGELES, CA – MARCH 11: Kids dressed up as Wonder Woman onstage at Nickelodeon’s 2017 Kids’ Choice Awards at USC Galen Center on March 11, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
2. Wonder Woman
The DCEU finally has a hit, a really great hit. Wonder Woman is such an important movie for superheroes, women, The DCEU and much more! It features something that has been missing from the DC movies for a while, optimism! Gal Gadot’s take on this iconic character is very unique. she’s charming, confident has a good heart. Chris Pine gives a fun performance as Steve Trevor, serving as Diana’s guide into a world run by men.
The standout scene was Wonder Woman’s walk through No Man’s Land. The stunning action, the powerful symbolism, and the wonderful direction from Patty Jenkins made this one of the best movie scenes of the year! The only reason this movie isn’t number one is because of the weak third act.
A giant CGI battle wasn’t exactly what this movie needed. The other male side characters were pretty one-dimensional, but these weaknesses were small compared to how great this move is. I loved the fighting styles of the women on Themyscira, the big set piece of the Amazon warriors against the German Soldiers was absolutely breathtaking. Warner Bros. is taking advantage of the movie’s success. It looks like they are reshaping their Cinematic Universe to feature more of the Wonder Woman character, as well as promoting the film for award consideration, which would be really cool! Without a doubt, Wonder Woman will be considered a classic for years to come.
LOS ANGELES, CA – MAY 07: Actors Hugh Jackman and Dafne Keen accept Best Duo for ‘Logan’ onstage during the 2017 MTV Movie And TV Awards at The Shrine Auditorium on May 7, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
1. Logan
This film was the first comic book movie of 2017, and so far is still the best comic book movie of 2017. Hugh Jackman’s final portrayal of the character Wolverine (probably) in Logan is a near masterpiece.
The third installment of the Wolverine trilogy, directed by James Mangold, delivers an exciting and unforgettable journey with our favorite mutant one last time. The movie also features an old and bitter Professor X, Patrick Stewart’s final time playing the character. Stewart’s performance was so powerful and so heartbreaking, I hope to see his name in the Best Supporting Actor category this year.
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This movie is very mature, with its intense violence, harsh language, and adult themes. Wolverine finds himself in a situation with his mysterious daughter played by Dafne Keen. This actress is electric and I’m excited to see her in future movie roles. Logan is a groundbreaking film, a homage to gritty westerns and serves as a heavy dramatic piece. One of the most emotional superhero movies or all time — the Wolverine arc is finally complete.