10 Worst Superhero Movies Of The 21st Century
From box office bombs to blatant blunders...
It's easy to focus on all the positives and groundbreaking superhero releases that we've been blessed with in recent years.
Thanks to the renewed rivalry between Marvel and DC Comics, we are getting a higher concentration of superhero films than ever, with a fair amount of these films being excellently produced and instant fan favourites. From Batman: The Dark Knight to Avengers Endgame, we have truly been spoiled by the incredible selection of superhero films in recent years.
But, it is all too easy to get caught up in the glamour of these phenomenal, generation defining films and overlook the less successful movies that have been wiped from our memories. Whether it was down to a lack of intensity, originality or production quality, we have also been exposed to a series of less than satisfying films in this boom period of superhero popularity.
10. Spider-Man 3 (2007)
There is no written formula on how to accordingly keep audiences happy after a great film when it comes to the following sequel. Film series like Lord of the Rings and Star Wars have managed to do this, but not every film series is able to replicate this success.
For example, following one of the best modern Spider-Man films with possibly the worst modern Spider-Man film is exactly how it should not be done. Trying to keep up the positivity and optimism in the franchise following 2004’s Spider-Man 2 proved to be too big of a task for the final installment in the trilogy. Spider-Man 3 sees Peter Parker (Toby Maguire) bond with the Venom entity, increasing his powers and having dire consequences on his personality.
The inclusion of comic book villain Sandman (Thomas Haden Church), also adds a whole new plot line to an already content dense film. Its downfall comes in the frustrating script writing and also the forced compensation acting from Toby Maguire. There are too many sub-stories shooting off from the main plot direction making it hard to keep track of.
Despite the bustling plot, there is still a magnitude of sluggish, slow and sombre scenes that contribute nothing to the film. Toby Maguire’s dancing alone was enough to crank up the cringe, but the main issue arises from the Sandman plot. If Spider-Man and Sandman had just taken a moment to discuss the death of Uncle Ben then their whole feud could have been avoided.
In spite of the huge box office success, reviews were poor and planned additions to the film series were cancelled.