1. The Dark Knight (2008)
There's no denying the impact and legacy that
The Dark Knight has had upon comic book movies: aside from the way in which it transformed public opinion as to what superhero movies could be, it was also the picture that helped to ease comic book flicks into the mainstream - a bridge of sorts, shattering views as to how could appeal to the masses, and how a realistic approach to pulpy material could work if it was handled with care. To call it revolutionary might appear to be somewhat hyperbolic, but
The Dark Knight genuinely feels that way in retrospect. For his second movie in this
Dark Knight series, then, director Christopher Nolan played down even more of the comic book-y elements that were still inherent to
Batman Begins: though that movie certainly opted for realism, it wasn't until this entry that we felt like we were watching something grounded completely in our own reality. There are farfetched elements, sure, many of which contribute to the film's - at times - conflicted tone. But this movie feels more like
Heat than it does
Batman Begins - a crime thriller that just happens to feature a caped superhero as its central protagonist. To date, it still reigns champion as the king of "realistic" comic book flicks.
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