Liam Hoofe ranks 2021’s superhero movies from worst to best…
Unless your name is Martin Scorsese, chances are you were happy to see superhero movies return to the big screen in 2021. While there have not been as many as in previous years, there has still been plenty of variety, with Marvel providing us with a sequel, a prequel, and two new franchises, while DC attempted to retcon previous mistakes with a director’s cut and a reboot/sequel. Let’s take a more detailed look at how all of these have stacked up against one another and rank all of 2021’s live-action superhero movies from worst to best.
7: Eternals
After 26 movies, Marvel finally delivered a stinker with Eternals. Phase 4 has felt a lot more disjointed than previous Phases, as the MCU continues to find a path after the events of Avengers: Endgame. Eternals feel as though it added absolutely nothing to the Universe whatsoever.
Chloe Zhao’s intimate approach to filmmaking was totally wasted here, with the film feeling like a 2 and a half-hour exposition dump. Outside of an amusing comic sequence in the middle of the film, nothing about Eternals worked. Thankfully, it doesn’t appear to have been too essential to the bigger picture and Marvel should be able to move on from this easily enough.
6: Zack Snyder’s Justice League
Is Zack Snyder’s Justice League a better movie than the original version? Yes. Does that mean that it is a good movie on its own? No. The much-anticipated Zack Snyder cut of Justice League still suffered from many of the issues of the first movie. It was over-long, convoluted, and just a bit, well, boring.
There was some nice fan service in there, and it was definitely an improvement, but the gulf between the Justice League and the Avengers still remains huge.
5: Venom: Let There Be Carnage
When the first Venom was released back in 2018, I was not shy in my criticism of the film. The movie felt as though it had been made back in the early 2000s, and the tone of the whole thing felt very messy.
Thankfully, Andy Serkis stepped in for the sequel and delivered a much more enjoyable film. Serkis embraced the inherent ridiculousness of Brock’s relationship with Venom, effectively turning the whole thing into a rom-com. The movie was much more enjoyable as a result, with Woody Harrelson chewing up more scenery than the character he was playing and having a blast. What made this all the better was the fact that it was kept under 90 minutes, which made the whole movie feel like an adrenaline shot that was over before you knew it.
4: Black Widow
Fans had been crying out for a Black Widow film for some time, and while it is a shame it had to come after the character had been killed off, it was still a solid entry into the MCU. This felt like a Phase One movie, with a fairly straightforward backstory, largely forgettable villain, fun set-pieces, and the odd chuckle thrown in for good measure.
The lack of consequences for the main character definitely damaged the movie a little but the introduction of Florence Pugh’s Yelena was one of 2021’s MCU highlights. The wider family dynamic also added a new layer to Black Widow’s character and here’s hoping we see some of these again in later movies or TV shows.
3: The Suicide Squad
After the critical disaster that was the original Suicide Squad, Warner Bros. wasted no time in giving the franchise a soft reboot of sorts. Thankfully, this sequel/reboot was exactly what the original should have been. James Gunn’s writing and direction gave the whole film an anarchic feel and the new characters were just so much more fun than the original group.
Sure, it wasn’t without its issues. The continued focus on Harley Quinn is starting to feel a little bit tired and some of the more immature jokes didn’t quite land but on the whole, this was a success and hopefully, we will see some more of this kind of take on The Suicide Squad in the future.
2: Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
Splitting the top two movies on this year’s list was extremely difficult. Shang-Chi could have easily just been another origin story in the MCU but Destin Daniel Cretton did a fantastic job of bringing a whole new side of the MCU to life.
The set-pieces in this were some of the finest Marvel has ever put on screen and the performances across the board were fantastic. Tony Leung’s turn as the movie’s villain was surprisingly poignant and added a real sense of heart to proceedings. The return of Ben Kingsley was also an inspired move that added some comedy to the film. Where Shang-Chi fits in with the wider MCU is still not clear but I for one can’t wait to see what else he has to offer.
1: Spider-Man: No Way Home
Marvel saved the best for last with Spider-Man: No Way Home. The film has been a commercial and critical success for the company and is the best film in Phase 4 so far. It is hard to talk about the movie in-depth without too many spoilers but rest assured, this is fan service done right.
Handling a multi-verse is a difficult task but Marvel has shown that it is capable of handling big projects like this in the past. The whole thing comes together perfectly and it also manages to add a lot of emotion and humour to its fantastic set-pieces and fan-pleasing moments.
How would you rank 2021’s superhero movies? Let us know on our social channels @FlickeringMyth…
Liam Hoofe
Originally published January 1, 2022. Updated January 9, 2022.
