6. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
Officially kicking off the DC Extended Universe, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice saw two of the most iconic comic book superheroes of all time squaring off, marking their first ever live-action confrontation.
Unfortunately, this movie requires a very specific taste. It’s a character study rather than a full-blown action spectacle, with its almost three hour long run-time and overly gritty tone not necessarily appealing to all audiences.
Despite the Ultimate Edition fixing some of the film’s biggest pacing issues, Batman v Superman still feels like DC’s feverish answer to Marvel’s The Avengers, rushing these beloved characters rather than taking the time to fully flesh them out. This leads to some questionable motives, gaping plot holes, and overall poorly executed developments that could have been tackled so much better.
5. X-Men: Apocalypse
Bryan Singer’s returns to the X-Men franchise in the form of Days of Future Past resulted in one of the series’ most entertaining movies yet. Knowing the director would return for the sequel to the prequel reboots (what?) had a lot of fans excited, yet ultimately, X-Men: Apocalypse underwhelmed.
Despite solid performances across the board, X-Men: Apocalypse only further confused the already wonky timeline throughout the X-Men movie franchise, recasting actors and spinning new background stories that were already explored in a different way before.
Still, that awesome Quicksilver scene was just too much fun to hate it entirely. It’s was just that, in fact: fun. Nothing too compelling with exquisite special effects that made for an enjoyable, although far from flawless, summer blockbuster.
4. Suicide Squad
Despite its box office success, Suicide Squad ended up being one of the year’s messiest superhero movies. With a plot that kept jumping back and forth between character flashbacks and waves of recycled action, many viewers found Suicide Squad to be a bit too crammed in some places whereas it felt overly stretched in others.
Adding more fuel to the flame is Jared Leto’s limited screen time as the Joker despite being heavily featured in the film’s promotional material, rubbing both the actor and fans the wrong way. Luckily, its the unique approach to put bad guys in the spotlight that made the movie a hit, which led to some highly enjoyable character moments. The diversity of villains and how well they interacted with each other while maintaining their personalities was easily Suicide Squad’s strongest point. This very aspect is something that will undoubtedly ripple throughout comic book adaptations.
The upcoming Extended Cut could clear some of its issues, like it did with Batman v Superman, but in its current state, while far from unwatchable, Suicide Squad is not quite on par with the high expectations and the insane hype leading up to its official release.
3. Doctor Strange
Doctor Strange officially introduced the Sorcerer Supreme to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, delivering unique and refreshing action sequences complemented by stellar visual effects. However, despite it being a very enjoyable movie overall, Marvel cinephiles will begin to see the repetition in the studio’s origin stories, which does not bode well for the anticipated superhero fatigue.
That being said, Doctor Strange still provides an engrossing story with a likable supporting cast, exploring a whole new aspect of the Marvel Cinematic Universe that’s only been briefly touched upon up until the movie’s release. It’s clear that Cumberbatch will become a memorable part of the MCU, and seeing it unfold sure is spectacular.
2. Deadpool
Deadpool didn’t receive the greatest feedback when he was introduced in 2009’s X-Men Origins: Wolverine, with that version of the character not even remotely resembling the merc with a mouth. A few years and a completely revamped X-Men timeline later, Wade Wilson becomes the foul-mouthed mercenary once more, donning what is arguably one of the most faithfully adapted comic book suits yet.
It’s funny from start to finish, breaks the fourth wall on multiple occasions, and is foul to its very core. In short, it’s exactly what Deadpool is supposed to be, making the film adaptation a risk that most definitely paid off in the end.
1. Captain America: Civil War
Despite being a Captain America film, Civil War featured the largest on-screen superhero ensemble yet, with Team Iron Man squaring off against Team Cap in a grounded battle over right and wrong.
What makes Captain America: Civil War so great is that it serves as a proper gateway for future Marvel Cinematic Universe films. The Sokovia Accords are now in place, and the differences between Steve Rogers and Tony Stark have reached their climax. Now, it’s time to move on to even greater things, with Thanos still posing a menacing threat to the balance of the universe.
On top of all that, Civil War introduced us to some fan-favorite characters, including Black Panther and the long overdue arrival of Spider-Man, which made for some truly astonishing action sequences.
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