Genesis Stories

Posted on November 17, 2011 | Back to Movies and Television

Let the first decade of the 21st century be known as the era of great super hero movies. Sure, we had super hteroes on film much earlier, but they were either campy fun like Christopher Reeves's Superman films, or they were ill-conceived and low-budget nonsense meant mostly to appeal to young children, like the loathsome Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle films.

I think the greatness of many of our current super hero films had its genesis in the success and failures of similar films from the 1990s. Some of these titles are still worth watching, others should be forgotten forever. So, for your pleasure, a short list of both.

The list is not inclusive, but I'd love to hear your additions if you have them.

The Best

Batman (1989): Moody, stylish and sometimes downright weird, this Tim Burton masterpiece really established the cinematic version of "The Dark Knight." Michael Keaton, who no body was certain could pull off Bruce Wayne, did the best job of anyone. And there's a darn good performance by Jack Nicholson as The Joker... often forgotten after Heath Ledger's turn at the role. (Okay, so it wasn't quite from the 1990s. Get over it.)

My rating:

Batman Returns (1992): The superior sequel to Batman, this outing introduced two arch villains for the Caped Crusader to battle. Michelle Pfeiffer and Danny DeVito did amazing jobs as Cat Woman and The Penguin, respectively. Unfortunately, after this film, Tim Burton left the franchise and it was taken over by Joel Schumaker. Much unhappiness ensued (see Batman & Robin and Batman Forever.)

My rating:

The Crow (1994): This film was destined for cult status just due to the tragic demise of Brandon Lee during its filming. In many ways, Lee's accidental death both overshadowed and enhanced the mystique of this dark and morose film. If the sting of Lee's passing has finally softened, go back and watch the film again for its unique style and chilling fascination with revenge.

My rating:

The Phantom (1996): Although not well received at the box office, I liked this film for its unabashed ridiculousness (Billy Zane plays a character named Kit Walker. Kit. Yeah. Kit.) and Indiana Jones-type action sequences. The tongue-in-cheek humor was a good clue that even the filmmakers were embracing their silly concept of a purple-clad pirate with magical skulls.

My rating:

The Rocketeer (1991): One of the most over-looked superhero films of the 1990s, the Rocketeer was unconventional in that there was nothing really super about the main character, played by Billy Campbell. His acquisition of his rocket pack was accidental and his heroics were reluctant. It all culminated in a Greatest-American-Hero-quality that's actually quite charming.

My rating:

The Shadow (1994): A hero who first debuted during the Great Depression, The Shadow retained many of the lofty themes of that era, including personal redemption. Alec Baldwin is great as the pre-Tony Stark-bachelor-playboy-millionaire-inventor-flawed-hero. The production design is also something to be marveled at, as the producers created an amazing Art Deco world for The Shadow and his minions.

My rating:

The Worst

Dick Tracy (1990): As a counterpoint to The Shadow, which had a unique and very cool look, this film was a gaudy nightmare. So much emphasis was placed on making the film look like a 1930's color comic strip, with a glaring palette of primary colors, that the creators forgot to make it interesting. The film was known more as a vehicle for then celebrity couple Warren Beatty and Madonna. Yawn.

My rating:

Barb Wire (1996): Like many superhero films from the 90s, Barb Wire was a great example of the producers casting a big name (and in this case, huge tits) in the title role and then watching the movie implode from a lack of talent. Pamela Anderson may have looked the part, but there was no way she could carry a major motion picture. Her tits not withstanding, Anderson won a Golden Raspberry for worst actress.

My rating:

The Punisher (1989): Dolph Lundgren was the male Pamela Anderson (blond hair under a black dye job, huge chest, no talent) in this low-budget version of the popular graphic novels. Although physically impressive, Lundgren still didn't have what it took to make anyone care about this film. By the way, the Terminator called. He wants his wardrobe back.

My rating:

Batman Forever (1995): The first Batman film directed by Joel Schumacher was more famous for the addition of nipples to the batsuit than anything else. The film also introduced an unnecessary Robin (Chris O'Donnell) and continued the double-villain gimmick. In this outing, it's really Jim Carrey (Riddler) and Tommy Lee Jones (Two-Face) who engage in epic battle to turn in the worst performance possible. Carrey wins.

My rating:

Batman & Robin (1995): George Clooney seemed almost embarrassed on screen in the final outing of this doomed franchise which seemed to embrace a strategy of stuffing more and more into 90 minutes. Two more villains, more overacting (Arnold Schwarzenegger is unwatchable) and Batgirl, too. It would be 13 years until we got The Dark Knight. Not quite enough time to forget this nightmare.

My rating:

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie (1994): The Transformers of yesteryear, the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers was a mind-numbingly bad creation that for some reason made buckets of cash and spawned numerous imitators. This theatrical adaptation of the children's television show proved that size does matter... as it was proportionately worse on the big screen than it was on the small screen.

My rating: