With the 21st century almost a quarter through, it’s safe to say that one of the defining genres has been the comic book movie. Even in their absence last year, many found reason to continue discussing them as an art form, wondering what would happen next for their favorite heroes or consuming media, hoping to have some clues of things they may have missed. For this or that reason, it’s the unifying language and a major reason that films like Black Widow (2021) have managed to outdo their competition. Love or hate them, it’s a central topic that refuses to go away, and in a pandemic culture that seems more valuable than ever.
The latest film to join that list is James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad (2021) which continues the unlikeliest of trilogies for “the world’s worst heroes.” The journey has been at times more interesting than the final product, whether with behind the scenes nightmare stories or arguing which film got Harley Quinn right. Whatever the case may be, the film has been sold as an insane diversion from the mold, going into grotesque directions not far removed from Gunn’s early Troma days. In an era where conventions and shared universes are practically the norm, there’s a chance that it will be this delusional, welcomed breath of fresh air.
So here’s the question. In a time where it feels like enough comic book movies come out annually to fill a Top 25, what films exactly are standing out? I’ve decided to do something that I haven’t shared often, which are the comic book movies that I genuinely love, constantly turn to either for escapism or for some deeper study of truth. To me, the 21st century has provided a nice variety that I think is worthy of further observation, moving away from caped crusader properties and into the world of more animated stories that reflect everyday life. The following are just a few of my favorites that I feel reflect what the medium has to offer in the best way possible. There’s plenty more I could discuss (maybe in, a fitting way, a sequel) but for now, these are the top of the top for me, the ones that I reliably put on and enjoy myself.
Feel free to share your own in the comments and let me know if you’re as excited as I am for The Suicide Squad to go buck wild in theaters this weekend.
1. Ghost World (2001)
One of the sadder realities is how few of Daniel Clowes’ comic books have been adapted to the big screen properly. He is by no means a sensationalist, but he does capture the suburban malaise better than anyone outside of a young Kevin Smith or Richard Linklater. His views of the counterculture run rampant through this film that features arguably his most recognizable story, turning it from fragmented comics into a cohesive narrative about growing up. Scarlett Johansson and Thora Birch are bored, fresh out of high school, and doing everything to make the summer less miserable. Add in summer school and hanging out with an older man (Steve Buscemi) and you get a warped view of youth that is authentically Clowes and painfully familiar to anyone who even flirted with the word “outsider.”
Quite simply, it’s a masterwork for director Terry Zwigoff. Every note of the film feels perfectly sarcastic, hiding emotional baggage under smiles and complaints about how lame a 50’s retro diner is. They collect obscure records, but what greater purpose do these have? Even within the friend group, there’s a change of tide that becomes heartbreaking, finding the act starting to wear thin even as the film embraces a wild card group of supporting characters. It’s a riotous experience that perfectly encapsulates the feeling of being lost, unsure of what to do with one’s future. In theory, being 18 should mean that the world’s your oyster… but what if you never figure out where to look? At least you have some awesome janky blues records to show for it.
2. The Dark Knight (2008)
Even if there have been comic book movies that have grossed more, have more of a staying power, few can claim to have had as much of the seismic shift that director Christopher Nolan’s second Batman movie had. While it was responsible for the dark and gritty reboot, it was also a chance to fling comic book characters into the real world, commenting on issues pertinent to viewers, creating a dangerous undertone. For the first time in a blockbuster film featuring The Joker, it was suggested that these stories held more weight, that they could be big action films and have horrifying commentary to go with it. Given that this was released around the time of George W. Bush’s second administration, it makes sense that themes of terrorism and security inform every detail here, pushing the boundaries of moral ambiguity further than they had before.
Cinema would be different if not for The Dark Knight creating a mold that has been largely imitated but never matched ever since (even by Nolan). Still, it’s a film that has the power of a loose cannon in Heath Ledger’s iconic performance, where an Uzi shoots as he falls backward out of a car. He’s about to set Gotham on fire. Maybe Batman will be in the rubble, maybe it will just be another politician to corrupt. Wherever things go, the danger is sure to follow. Meanwhile, the moral complexity of Batman is pushed to his ultimate test, asking if he can die the hero or live long enough to become the villain. How can he possibly fight a force with no end goal? Set to one of Hans Zimmer’s most bombastic scores to date, it’s popcorn philosophy in the best ways possible.
3. Persepolis (2007)
In one of the most shining examples of how comic books are for more than superheroes, Marjane Satrapi decided to discuss her life through art. It’s an autobiographical coming of age story set perfectly to animation as she explores life in 1970s Iran. With The Iranian Revolution happening, she comes face to face with a variety of conflicts both on a social scale, but also very personal. Coming from a religious family means that it comes with more than a few examples of rebellion, where loving punk music and dressing differently comes at a price. As much as this is a story highlighting the joys of finding one’s own voice, it comes with various moments of heartbreak, of sacrifice, and familiar hormonal struggles. It’s a biopic that manages to convey so much with memorable artwork, becoming more complex as the story continues.
As she moves away from Iran and into a safer European lifestyle, there’s a lot to wonder about how she’ll connect with the rest of the world. She has to consider her ties to her family and what is worth sacrificing and keeping. For a teenage story about the formative years, it packs plenty of a punch, finding identity growing and exploring history with the benefit of hindsight. While Satrapi’s later work hasn’t quite lived up to the promise of this film, there’s plenty of moments that suggest that the fire is still alive in her, willing to find something personal inside the larger world. Even as time has moved on, her story feels prescient, giving empathy to a perspective rarely seen in western cinema. That may be why it packs so much of a punch with every frame, asking the audience to look out and recognize the humanity of those stuck in war zones, desperately trying to find a way to get through every day.
4. Atomic Blonde (2017)
One of the greatest travesties of the 2010s was the fact that Charlize Theron made it out without more Oscar nominations. Most of her decisions lead to one of the strongest, most diverse bodies of work for any performer of the time. Not only that, but they all reflected the complexity of womanhood both in fragility and strength, finding a vulnerability in leaders, and the struggles of aging. No matter what she did, there was an effort that made it difficult to ignore. I’d argue topping that list was Atomic Blonde, which director David Leitch used to showcase his finest mix of production design and fight choreography. By the time that the stairwell fight happens (you know the one), it’s clear that we’re witnessing magic, of everyone at the top of their game.
The story itself may be a bit hackneyed, serving as a Cold War spy story that puts on a fake Rashomon (1950) perspective in order to highlight the ways that she is deceptive both in her testimony and to the people in her life. She has a vulnerability that shines through in the dramatic beats, looking for the strength to carry on. Then again, that often features jumping out of windows and driving cars into rivers. With one of the best uses of a retro 80s soundtrack, the whole film plays like the perfect action story where Leitch focuses the camera on the action, allowing them to form personality and make you realize the effort put into every frame. It’s easily one of the most entertaining comic book movies of the decade, finding a drive that I wish more titles had the heart and effort to invest in.
5. Birds of Prey, or the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn (2020)
Is it too early to call this groundbreaking? Okay, I’ll step back and simply say that it’s another high point in modern comic book cinema. While it’s an effective sequel to Suicide Squad (2016), one doesn’t need to see it to appreciate the multicolored fantasy that is on display here. This is ultimately a romantic comedy about life after an embarrassing break-up, where Harley Quinn pushes herself through reckless coping (she even buys a hyena) before accepting that she needs to take responsibility… by buying an egg sandwich. Okay, she doesn’t really become a good person by the end of the story. In fact, the credits roll after she carjacks someone.
Margot Robbie deserves all of the credit for creating a layered performance that has redefined the character in pop culture. Whereas she was previously seen as a sex object, she now comes out an empowered woman – but not too empowered. She’s as likely to fight with a giant mallet and aerobic backflips as she is to be the butt of a joke, tranquilized and unable to fight. Few comic book characters have been allowed to be this shameless, selfish, and at times embarrassing without some fan repercussions. In Birds of Prey, it’s simply a part of her afternoon. There’s plenty to deconstruct regarding the feminism on display, expertly shown in the dynamic supporting cast, but for now, all I’ll say is that it's further signs of where comic book movies can (and should) go. They need to be bolder, stranger, and most of all allowed to express voices that may have previously been ignored.
Bonus
Spider-Man 2 (2004)
Coming near the start of the century was one of the films that catapulted Spider-Man into a household name. While the first film did a great job of introducing the character, director Sam Raimi’s sequel plays like a Greek tragedy, showing the fall of a hero and the push to continue fighting. With several memorable set pieces, it paints a complex portrait of sacrifice set opposite Alfred Molina as the top tier Doc Ock: a scientist run mad with power. So much of the film exists in high emotions, where saving a train full of people is a nail-biting sequence given new life. In an age where these movies tend to have a formula, it only makes what this film achieves seem all the more impressive. Every set piece, every movement of Doc Ock’s arms, they all are mesmerizing pieces of the story. It’s a moment lost to time, but thankfully one that showed that even at their simplest, comic book movies had worthwhile stories to share.
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