10 Best Superhero Movies Of The 80s
Batman, Superman, who else is on the list of greatest superhero movies form the 80s?
The 80s – the decade famous for glam rock, leather attire and the other kind of white stuff we are not allowed to talk about. The decade was defined by flamboyance and the rebellious spirit of youth. As such, this aspect of the then zeitgeist was reflected in the movies of the time.
After all, this was the period when studio driven high-concept blockbuster cinema really caught on. In many ways, the current Hollywood blockbuster template is a modern derivative of that formula. And among the vast catalogue of cinematic brilliance that defined this era, the superhero genre was…not there.
Really, the 80s were not a particularly great time for superhero movies. High budget comic book adaptations were few and far between and even those that did make it to the Big Screen, didn’t always fare too well. However, this is exactly the reason to do this list.
A a result of the generalized failure tag that is often given to superhero movies during this period, a number of good movies do not get the recognition they deserve.
Sure you have the likes of Christopher Reeve’s Superman and Michael Keaton’s Batman (more on them later), but aside from a precious few examples, the vast majority of superhero adaptations and original creations have been forgotten in time. So let’s dig through said time and pick out the best among them.
10. Hero At Large
Sometimes the best the superhero stories are the simplest ones. This movie, coming out in 1980 and starring John Ritter and Anne Archer was the most basic use of a superhero template. In fact, the titular Hero wasn’t even an actual superhero, at least not initially.
Steve Nichols is a struggling actor who lands a gig posing as a superhero for an upcoming movie. One day while he is busy helping promote the movie, Steve gets caught in the middle of a bank robbery. Clearly his character had gotten to his head because he actually ends up foiling the robbers. Afterwards, he adopts the persona of Captain Avenger and starts playing superhero in real life.
As things go, politics and selfish interests soon muddy the waters. The Mayor of New York hires him so that Captain Avenger’s popularity would help win votes, only for it all to unravel when the media discovers this link. In the end however, Steve is able to regain his hero image as he casts all ulterior motives aside and saves a young life from certain death.
The whole movie was a nice, simple, comedic romp with a warm ending that will make you smile. What more can you ask for?