Spring Break
Bringing superheroes to life:
A decade of bad comic book movies
Russ Aaron, Entertainment Editor, raaron@smu.edu
Issue date: 6/3/08 Section: Entertainment
After the success of 2000's "X-Men" and 2002's "Spider-Man," moviegoers could not steer clear of the vast amount of comic book movies coming to theaters. From Marvel to DC to Dark Horse, childhood heroes and villains were given life on the silver screen. However, for the most part, these sub-par films left audiences utterly unimpressed. Why is this genre, one that should produce truly amazing movies, struggling so badly?
Marvel Comics takes the cake for having the most disappointing adaptations of its characters. There was "Daredevil," starring Ben Affleck, which completely tanked, along with its equally terrible spin-off "Elektra." Two movies based on Marvel's famous superhero team, "The Fantastic Four," also received less than fantastic reviews. Nicolas Cage starred in the cringe-worthy "Ghost Rider," a film that showed promise in its trailers, but in actuality was the cheesiest comic book movie of all time. It was hard to tell if it was trying to be serious and failing miserably or making an attempt to be the next "Evil Dead." Academy Award-winning director Ang Lee released an "Incredible Hulk" film so bad that Marvel felt the desire to release a second Hulk film this summer, not as a sequel, but as a "reinvention" of the series. In other words, the studio would like audiences to pretend the first "Hulk" film never happened. Unfortunately, Edward Norton's incarnation of the film will probably be the same movie - a big, computer animated Hulk running around a city and smashing up cars.
Speaking of superhero remakes, 2004's "The Punisher," starring Thomas Jane and John Travolta, was just as bad as its 1989 counterpart. One of the reasons the film was so God-awful is the fact that the Punisher doesn't even have any superpowers. He just shoots people with guns. At least Batman drives a cool car, throws bat-shaped boomerangs and wears a sweet costume.
DC Comics hasn't released as many movies based on its characters, and is batting two for three in the 21st century. Both "Batman Begins" and "Superman Returns" were refreshing titles in a genre full of C and D-quality movies. The unfortunate "Catwoman" starring Halle Berry earned its place as one of the worst comic book movies of all time. Maybe they should have stuck with the two-word formula adhered to by the Batman and Superman films. Who knows, maybe "Catwoman Meows" or Catwoman Naps" would have turned out to be a better movie. And now with all the hype surrounding the next chapter in Nolan's "Batman" franchise, DC Comics is looking to chalk up another point in the win column.
Marvel Comics takes the cake for having the most disappointing adaptations of its characters. There was "Daredevil," starring Ben Affleck, which completely tanked, along with its equally terrible spin-off "Elektra." Two movies based on Marvel's famous superhero team, "The Fantastic Four," also received less than fantastic reviews. Nicolas Cage starred in the cringe-worthy "Ghost Rider," a film that showed promise in its trailers, but in actuality was the cheesiest comic book movie of all time. It was hard to tell if it was trying to be serious and failing miserably or making an attempt to be the next "Evil Dead." Academy Award-winning director Ang Lee released an "Incredible Hulk" film so bad that Marvel felt the desire to release a second Hulk film this summer, not as a sequel, but as a "reinvention" of the series. In other words, the studio would like audiences to pretend the first "Hulk" film never happened. Unfortunately, Edward Norton's incarnation of the film will probably be the same movie - a big, computer animated Hulk running around a city and smashing up cars.
Speaking of superhero remakes, 2004's "The Punisher," starring Thomas Jane and John Travolta, was just as bad as its 1989 counterpart. One of the reasons the film was so God-awful is the fact that the Punisher doesn't even have any superpowers. He just shoots people with guns. At least Batman drives a cool car, throws bat-shaped boomerangs and wears a sweet costume.
DC Comics hasn't released as many movies based on its characters, and is batting two for three in the 21st century. Both "Batman Begins" and "Superman Returns" were refreshing titles in a genre full of C and D-quality movies. The unfortunate "Catwoman" starring Halle Berry earned its place as one of the worst comic book movies of all time. Maybe they should have stuck with the two-word formula adhered to by the Batman and Superman films. Who knows, maybe "Catwoman Meows" or Catwoman Naps" would have turned out to be a better movie. And now with all the hype surrounding the next chapter in Nolan's "Batman" franchise, DC Comics is looking to chalk up another point in the win column.
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