We know that the superhero genre is continuing to dominate the box office year on year, and 2018 was yet another record-breaker for the comic book studios, with no less than eight big-budget blockbusters being released over the last 12 months. However, just which one was the very best superhero movie of 2018?
8. Ant-Man And The Wasp
Ant-Man And The Wasp was the first Marvel movie I felt properly disappointed with in quite a long time, and it remains my least favourite superhero flick of the year as a result.
While it is still a fairly enjoyable film, it’s nowhere near as funny as its quirky predecessor, and with the increasing intertwining of the numerous Marvel Cinematic Universe storylines surrouding the events of Infinity War, there’s something a little too simple and generic about Ant-Man And The Wasp that makes it seem hugely inferior to some of Marvel’s more daring entries in recent years.
Again, if you’re a fan of the MCU and the Marvel formula in general, then Ant-Man And The Wasp is a passable watch, but it’s far from the best the studio has ever produced, and has unfortunately faded from the memory in the few short months since release.
Full review here.
7. Aquaman
A year after the poorly-received Justice League, and an increasing lack of faith in the ever-problematic DC Extended Universe, the franchise roared back into cinemas with Aquaman, trying to change the direction of the series for good.
As far as achieving that goes, Aquaman does a brilliant job, as it proves a far more enjoyable and fun-loving blockbuster that’s not plagued with pretentious or forced universe-building, with an effortlessly charismatic lead in the form of Jason Momoa, and a better, brighter atmosphere than anything we’ve seen from DC before, potentially signalling that the franchise has finally got the basics of a solid superhero movie right, and can move on up from here.
With that said, while it is an entertaining and fun-loving blockbuster at its core, Aquaman remains somewhat of an underwhelming watch, with a barebones plot that relies too heavily on what feel like outdated superhero clichés, sticking out like a sore thumb among some of the more innovative and ambitious genre films that appear higher on this list. Couple that with some still inexplicably terrible CGI from DC, and you’ve got a film that is undoubtedly enjoyable to watch, but never really thrills you in the way that it truly wants to.
Full review here.
6. Venom
Despite it receiving a battering on social media when it was released back in October, I remain one of the defenders of Venom as a thoroughly entertaining superhero blockbuster.
While it doesn’t quite live up to its potential of an in-depth analysis of the ambiguous nature of an anti-hero, as well as featuring some painfully dumb humour from time to time, the movie is a dark, fast-paced, high-stakes and undoubtedly entertaining watch that, with a slightly different take on all things superhero, does more than enough to grab you over the course of its runtime.
Tom Hardy is great in the lead role as Eddie Brock, who develops a dual personality when infected by an extraterrestrial parasite, and with some thoroughly exciting action throughout to complement the movie’s entertaining story, Venom is a film that definitely doesn’t deserve a lot of the hate it received, even if it isn’t quite perfect.
Full review here.
5. Black Panther
The movie that effectively broke the box office back in February, Black Panther was an enormous hit this year, and still even remains in the conversation for a Best Picture nomination at the Oscars.
While that’s maybe one step too far in my book, there’s no doubting the brilliance of Black Panther when it comes to making a triumphant superhero blockbuster, with a great story furthered by strong performances across the board, brilliant action, and a stunningly unique vibe that sees Marvel impart all manner of local African influences on the fictional paradise of Wakanda.
It’s that so-called ‘Afro-futurist’ feel that really sets Black Panther apart from the rest in my mind, a bold and audacious idea from Marvel that comes off perfectly, and has drawn plaudits from all around the world as a result.
With that said, the film doesn’t quite match the lofty heights of some of Marvel’s best, simply because it’s not quite as thrillingly entertaining, lacking when it comes to combining great comedy and comic book excitement, occasionally coming off as a little too serious for its own good, sparking unpleasant memories of the tedious likes of Thor: The Dark World and Captain America: The First Avenger.
Full review here.
4. Avengers: Infinity War
Billed as the superhero movie to end all superhero movies, Avengers: Infinity War was a stunning and bold achievement from Marvel, bringing a plethora of comic book heroes together from all corners of its immense cinematic universe to do battle against the greatest enemy they have ever faced.
In truth, it doesn’t quite manage to tie all of its characters into one story flawlessly, occasionally dragging over the course of its rather excessive 150 minute runtime, however the movie’s ambition and imagination cannot be faulted, pulling shocks and surprises out of the bag when you thought Marvel had already exhausted its entire locker over the last ten years of the MCU.
With stunning action and palpable stakes running right the way through, Infinity War is a truly incredible achievement that signals Marvel’s ingenious work over the last decade, and with a jaw-dropping conclusion, it leaves the door open for something even more exceptional to come in 2019.
Full review here.
3. Deadpool 2
While Deadpool movies are always a hugely exciting prospect, I was feeling cautious about Deadpool 2, in the fact that I didn’t think that it could replicate the fresh, rogue nature that was the shock box office hit of the original.
With that said, however, I was stunned when Deadpool 2 was not only brilliant, but even better than its predecessor, somehow managing to retain that rule-breaking vibe that made the original work so well, with more brilliantly hilarious self-referential humour and fourth wall breaking, as well as a story that was once again just as genuinely exciting as the comedy was totally insane.
If there were times when the original Deadpool felt a little restrained – and there were believe it or not – then Deadpool 2 pushes the boundaries even further as it turns the dial all the up to and beyond eleven, leaving me in fits of laughter from beginning to end.
Full review here.
2. Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse
I cannot begin to explain how much I loved Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse, a truly original, hugely entertaining and visually spellbinding animation that did everything the big boys at the MCU and DCEU would never dare to.
Above all, it’s a film that pops and sings with life and energy thanks to its stunning animation, bringing the format of classic comic books to life on screen in a way that I’ve never seen before, furthered by a brilliantly gritty urban vibe that sets this film’s portrayal of Spider-Man apart from what we know.
As well as that, Into The Spider-Verse thrills with a hugely exciting blockbuster plot, while further pushing the boundaries with its incredibly imaginative premise that sees heroes clashing dimensions, all topped off with an utterly hilarious screenplay that has just as much self-referential humour à la Deadpool as it does brilliantly clever character-driven comedy, proving one of the most entertaining movies of the whole year by a long shot.
Full review here.
1. Incredibles 2
The follow-up to both my favourite superhero movie and animated movie of all time, Incredibles 2 was a breathlessly exciting and stunningly entertaining watch at every minute, and a thoroughly worthy successor to one of Pixar’s most famous properties 14 years on.
While it doesn’t quite top The Incredibles in my book, I can’t remember another film in the last decade that entertained me quite as fully as Incredibles 2 did, with an unstoppable wave of spectacular blockbuster action and hilarious comedy flying off the screen for the entirety of its two hour runtime, as Pixar flex their muscles when it comes to showing just what they can do with their innate talent for animation and filmmaking.
And what’s more, unlike all the other big superhero movies this year, Incredibles 2 remains just as grounded in the ‘real’ world as it does explode on screen with its stunning action, with the quirky super family’s relationship right at the centre of the story, further expanding on the characters that we came to love in the original in brilliantly satisfying fashion.
It might not be the superhero movie that’s been on everyone’s lips right the way through the year, but there’s no doubting the brilliance of Incredibles 2, one of Pixar’s very best films, and the absolute best superhero movie of 2018.
Full review here.
