20 Greatest Performances In Superhero Movies
17. Michelle Pfeiffer - Catwoman (Batman Returns)
Michelle Pfeiffer helped usher a whole generation of young boys into puberty with her sizzlingly sexy, deliciously over-the-top performance as Batman's beguiling rival.
Pfeiffer's work here suits the tone of Tim Burton's excellent superhero sequel perfectly, outrageous to a point but also draped in an overwhelming layer of sadness. It's not easy to nail the duality of any iconic superhero, but Pfeiffer's drop-dead gorgeousness and manic line readings combine to make her the best and easily the most memorable of the live-action Catwoman iterations to date.
It's rather unfortunate that Pfeiffer is the only female on our list (something superhero cinema is looking to correct with the upcoming Wonder Woman and Captain Marvel movies), but it proves just how decisively she was able to keep up with Michael Keaton, Christopher Walken and Danny DeVito.