10 Annoying Things Every Superhero Movie Does

5. Stripping Heroes Of Their Powers

Spider-Man 2
Sony

As seen in: Thor, Spider-Man 2, The Wolverine

It goes without saying that the best part of watching superhero movies on screen is seeing how filmmakers have been able to bring to life the limitless possibilities that illustrators have on the page, revelling in the creative powers and abilities that define these characters.

Why is it then, that directors are so preoccupied with stripping the heroes of the distinctive skills that make them who they are?

Admittedly, I've just answered my own question; filmmakers love taking away the "super" part of superheroes to really dive into what makes each of these characters tick, away from the costumes and theatricality.

It's a noble aim, and the trope has acted as the focus of some of the best entries in the genre ever, from Spider-Man 2 to Black Panther, but there should be a way to make these characters feel human without sacrificing the visual spectacle and creativity of the source material.

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Josh has over 11 years of experience as a published writer, having worked nine of those years as a full-time content producer at WhatCulture. In that period he has created hundreds of articles, videos and podcast episodes for multiple WhatCulture channels, specialising in gaming, horror and film & TV. He now primarily works as a senior content producer and presenter on WhatCulture Gaming where he co-hosts the WhatCulture Gaming Podcast, a top 3 UK most listened to gaming podcast that he co-created in 2018. Over the years he has reviewed several high-profile gaming releases, covered industry events with on-site reporting, opined on breaking news, and even kicked off his interviewing career by chatting to childhood hero, Tommy Wiseau.