Number 5 - X2
I don't believe there's ever been a film made of Marvel characters that achieved its potential. That said, X2 came the closest. Starting with a wonderful use of Nightcrawler and progressing through a wide cast of brilliant heroes and villains. Putting Magneto on the good side was a gutsy move for a film marketed to a mainstream audience. Also, watching Wolverine go feral to defend the school was a lot of fun.
While X-Men 3: The Last Stand brutally slammed the symbolism of mutants as any marginalised group in society into viewers faces with no attempt at subtlety, the preceding film managed to delicately hint at it. The clearest sight of this is Iceman's scene in which he tells his parents he is a mutant. Everything about the film is great but what puts it behind all of the others on this list is that it just doesn't come together as well. The end product just isn't as much fun or as interesting, but still, it's the best Marvel have got (for now).
Number 4 - Kick-Ass
Two things set this film apart from the rest of the list. The first is that nothing within it is impossible or particularly unrealistic. The second is that it came from humble beginnings. Every other film here had the benefit of using some of the best examples of comic books created, but Kick-Ass came from a comic that offered it little to stand on. Every single change that the film team made only improved the story and the characters and that's something you really have to respect.
The lack of any fantasy elements as well as the violence and an offensive little girl gained the film some harsh criticism (albeit from the same people who give harsh criticisms to gay marriages and immigrants) but these things are what give the film its edge. With a separation from the super powers and escapism found in most comic book films came a realism that led to my love of this story that shows just what people could be capable of given enough money or boredom. Beyond that what completed this film was a soundtrack that would be unbeatable, if it weren't for the next three films.
Number 3 - Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
From the lowest of starting points to one of the highest. The Scott Pilgrim comics are one of the funniest creations known to man and the film almost managed to live up to them in every way. Sure, some characters lost depth in the cutting process, but there is only so much you can put in one film, and Kim still manages to be completely brilliant even without 75% of her dialogue. What makes this film great really is the characters, from the evil ex's to Scott's friends and real life enemies (well them and every single beautiful geek reference provided by director Edgar Wright).
Scott Pilgrim's view on the world gives the struggle to get what you want an entertaining twist as the action, the music and the comedy creates a world that's only just outside of our own. In the end, the film is still a love story, and its nice to believe that even someone as immature as Scott can find happiness by beating up enough douche bags.
Number 2 - Watchmen
Terry Gilliam is one of the greatest directors to ever create a film, but even he once deemed the Watchmen graphic novel (and this is one of few comics that deserves that term) "unfilmable". Thank God, then, Zack Snyder decided to disregard those words and film it with epic results. With the complete version coming in at over three and a half hours long, there is so much achieved within the film. Never have politics and personal issues of sanity and inferiority been displayed in such detail in a film about costumed heroes.
Even with the huge run time, some of the finer details are lost from the comic, but all the important things are there as every single character is shown in such depth. If you want to see heroes being heroic, watch Iron Man, but if you want to watch the idea of being a hero used as a backdrop to preview some of the most interesting mind states in literature, then watch this. However, what gives this film its place on the list, and almost won it the title, is that the action is still incredible. The direction and soundtrack lend itself so well to what is happening that the characters do seem heroic, despite all of their flaws. Oh, and one final point, the film ending is better than the comic book ending (no matter what the snobbiest of geeks would have you hear).
Number 1 - The Dark Knight
It isn't often that the world's best director pulls in a selection of the finest actors of multiple generations to play parts they seemed to be born for, set to a beautiful soundtrack with some of the most interesting source material ever provided, but it all happened here. Christopher Nolan toppled an entire genre when he used Batman's two greatest enemies to show more of the hero than had ever been seen. A tale of just how much people will sacrifice for what they believe in, we were shown what it takes to be a true hero, and just how hard it can be to do the right thing.
So much has been said about Heath Ledger's portrayal of The Joker that I won't hang on it, but its clear to see that few roles have ever been dedicated to in the same way. Beyond this is an entire cast giving performances that made me engage more with this film than any other comic book film in history. I'm a Marvel nerd at heart and I always have been, so when I watched this film I really didn't want it to beat X2, but in the end there can barely be a comparison. One is a glossy show of superpowers that's greatest triumph is the display of a metaphor, while the other is a journey into how much it would take to commit to something you believed in while still hanging on to your own ideology.
Of course, there's a chance that Captain America or, more likely, The Avengers could take a place on this list. That's the great thing about comic book films now, there's so many of them that some are bound to be great. And have a look at this...
So that's it, some more random crap that I decided. Thank you for reading. The next blog goes back to me missing Guildford and will be the Top 5 Songs That Will Remind Me of Uni.
No comments:
Post a Comment