It's been more common in superhero films recently, but sometimes our beloved heroes aren't blessed with any true superhuman powers. Some of them exemplify the best of human beings, and while it is rare, it is always a great thing to see ordinary people do extraordinary things. This list was extremely hard to compile, as most superhero films revolve around characters that are supernatural in some way, shape, or form. Some may argue that the heroes on this list also have some sort of additional ability that is superhuman, but as far as I know all of these characters are human as can be. There were a lot of possible lists to be done, but this was the most concise option. This weekend sees the release of two biopics, Lee Daniels' The Butler and Jobs, and though a list of the top ten biopics would be great, it was extremely difficult to narrow down to 10. Also, I had thought of doing a list of top ten African-American centric dramas for Lee Daniels' The Butler, but even that just didn't seem right. It just now occurred to me that I could even do a list in support of Paranoia with Liam Hemsworth, Gary Oldman, and Harrison Ford, of movies that star a young male lead popularized from teenage heart throbbing (Abduction with Taylor Lautner anyone?). But on top of those three films releasing this weekend there is also the release of the sequel Kick-Ass 2, sequel to 2010's Kick-Ass. I'm extremely excited for the sequel and I really loved the first so, I think I'm going to enjoy the new one. Especially with the new character Colonel Stars and Stripes played by Jim Carrey, I know it's going to be a blast. I'm really disappointed that Carrey has withdrawn his support for the film due to recent interest in preventing gun violence, but he completed the role and fortunately for us we'll still get to see his crazy, comedic hero. So anyways, here is the list of the top ten super hero films that have human heroes with no powers other than the power of soul and the human heart.
10. Dredd (2012)
Maybe not resembling a human in the closest terms, the futuristic judge, jury, and sometimes executioner Dredd begins the list at number ten. A remake of the of the 1995 Judge Dredd starring Sylvester Stallone as Dredd, Dredd has Karl Urban playing the futuristic super cop. The reason he Dredd makes the list is mostly for being the badass that he is. In the film, he rarely shows a trace of human emotion but uses his moral compass to guide him through his daily job responsibility of judging those who have committed crimes and determining their punishment on the spot. Something about the judge, jury, and executioner role strikes me as intriguing and extremely human because is it not our humanity that allows us to judge others for what they have done? If it weren't for our ethics and morals as human beings, the purpose of the Judges in this movie would make no sense. But it is because of our relation to wanting to be a Judge like character in our every day lives, judging those whom we disagree with, that make the character so appealing. Karl Urban knocks badass out of the park, but shows just the tiniest spark of humanity to show that not all heroes have to have powers or superhuman ability, to save the day.
9. Super (2010)
Super was a much buzzed about independent film a few years back, and rightfully so. Coming off of the heels of Kick-Ass, filmmakers were trying their hand at creating a human hero that audiences could sympathize with. This was to be the ultimate attempt and there were a lot of fans of this film starring Rainn Wilson as Frank Darbo who becomes the Crimson Bolt. Concerned about his wife getting involved in the drug trade, he comes up with his "super" alter ego to scare the pants off his enemies. He eventually befriends Ellen Page who becomes Boltie, his trusty sidekick. I for one, wasn't all that impressed with Super after seeing it and preferred another one of the Kick-Ass mockbusters over it, that wasn't nearly as hyped. I think the fact that Super saw the rounds at some film festivals helped its credit, and starring people that were just far enough removed from A-list that it seemed like an independent hit with these people acting their asses off. Rainn Wilson was his typical self, as was Ellen Page and Liv Tyler. So for me, I wasn't as impressed as everyone else was, but this was still a good dark comedy playing off the success of Kick-Ass and I recommend it if you're a fan of the type of the movie.
8. Scott Pilgrim vs. The World (2010)
I love this movie. I straight up have a dripping heart's full of love for this movie. Directed by Edgar Wright, famously known for the Cornetto trilogy (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, and the upcoming The World's End), Scott Pilgrim vs. The World shows the incredible talents of and up and coming genre director who has quite a following. Surprisingly Simon Pegg and Nick Frost don't make cameos in the film, as they're Wright's buddies and they usually form the trio that has made my favorite movie of all-time (which if you don't know what it is by now, then it sucks to be you). This movie was hyped from the beginning because of the obvious talent in the director's chair, but even once it had been seen by several people it was receiving a lot of good buzz. It's based off of a comic series of the same name, and now that I've read the books I appreciate the film a lot more. It is literally frame for frame, panel by panel nearly what the book is, and the movie look so much like a real life comic book it's awesome. Containing probably the best movie cameo outside of the one in X-Men: First Class, this starred a handful of people outside of the main stars Michael Cera and Mary Elizabeth Winstead. If you haven't seen Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, all I will tell you is this. When Scott Pilgrim wins, his enemies are turned into piles of coins and even though he's human, he always finds a way to defeat his seemingly superhuman enemies, also known as Ramona's seven evil exes. Some may argue the human aspect of Scott Pilgrim, but I'd say he's pretty damn human as he practically walked into victory with each evil ex on accident.
7. The Punisher (2004)
Not really popularly known for being that great, 2004's The Punisher starring Thomas Jane as Frank Castle was one of my favorite films as a teenage boy for obvious reasons. It's packed full of action, but on top of that it had a lot of acting talent in the form John Travolta as the bad guy, as well as one of my favorite actors currently, Ben Foster. This film was part of the resurgence in Marvel properties being turned into feature films, but it was also before Marvel Studios went off on their own to make the movies without production company interruption. I was happy to see this film made because I was a huge fan of The Punisher growing up but I also just loved R-rated movies because I wasn't allowed watching them. I read the novelization of this movie before I was able to convince my dad to take me to see it. Thomas Jane is an action star who has yet to be recognized for it, and he was perfect for the role of The Punisher in my opinion. A big, somewhat hulking man that is stockier than he is tall, got the job done in getting revenge against his family's killers. This is about as compassionate and vengeful a tale as you get, and it shows Castle's heroicism over everyone else in the Marvel universe that he squares off against. It's hard not to get absorbed into Frank's story as a fellow human being, because he loses his family and essentially his entire life in a flash and gets the chance to do what we all would wish to do in that situation. Get revenge, and punish those responsible, ourselves.
6. Defendor (2009)
In the time that Super was popular and generating mass amounts of buzz, this was the film I was talking up in its place. Woody Harrelson plays Arthur Poppington who becomes Defendor and believes that he is now a super hero. He uses everyday techniques to fight crime and is forced to try and save the teenager he befriends in Kat Dennings' Katerina Debrofkowitz. The reason this movie is so much better to me is that it has so much more heart than that of Super. The Crimson Bolt is faced with quite a villain from the getgo in Kevin Bacon who is an absolute douche and drug kingpin, but Defendor is faced with an everyday crime and wants to solve it. There is something about Arthur Poppington that draws a lot of sympathy, and I'm not sure if it's because he is mildly stupid or seems to have some sort of learning disability. He fully and wholeheartedly believes that he is a super hero, and it's that which draws the attraction to the character for me. Also, the platonic relationship he creates with Katerina is heartwarming especially after you see that he's not trying to save a loved one, he just sees wasted innocence and wants to preserve it just like his has been. There is something about Harrelson's portrayal in Defendor that just hit me in all the right places, and if you were a fun of Super, Defendor is a must-see film.
5. Kick-Ass (2010)
The reason for this list in a way, is 2010's Kick-Ass. Touted as a movie that was no-holds barred action but with super heroes that were just kids aspiring to be heroes in costumes, it was a pretty big hit at the box office. Most of the reason in my opinion for it being a hit, was Hit Girl herself played by Chloe Grace Moretz who is slowly building a reputation as she gets older. It was rumored at the time that even she was not allowed to see the final product because it was that hardcore. I will admit, that Kick-Ass definitely didn't shy away from language and blood along with senseless violence, but it wasn't enough to really cause the ruckus that it did, and again is seemingly having people speak out against. Aaron Taylor-Johnson plays the titular hero Kick-Ass, which is based off of a graphic novel by the same name written by Mark Millar and John Romita Jr., and plays the role of a kid pretty well. Also, Nicolas Cage plays Big Daddy who is Hit Girl's father and eventually teaches the two how to fight crime appropriately and by the book. I really like Kick-Ass even though it is very hyperviolent and quite unrealistic, because it has a sense of humor and there is the definite human element. There is actually one scene where Kick-Ass unnecessarily rescues an innocent man from a crime and there are spectators recording the video which becomes the debut of the hero, and it's actually a very heartwarming scene despite the beatings issues on both sides.
4. Watchmen (2009)
Not entirely comprised of human beings, Watchmen is the adaptation to the graphic novel of the same name by Alan Moore. It's a classic fictional work even outside of its graphic novel genre, and the movie is a pretty faithful adaptation because of it. The story mostly focuses on the Watchmen, who are a band of superheroes, some super and some not, that are tasking themselves with fighting crime in their city. Heroes like Doctor Manhattan and Rorschach obviously have some sort of supernatural element to them, but the majority of the Watchmen are human beings and that is where the story focuses. Nite Owl and The Comedian are two of the main heroes of the Watchmen and Nite Owl is the central character, at least to me, when reading the book or watching the movie. A lot of people had problems with this movie, and there were even people that said it didn't do the original book justice. I for one thought that Zack Snyder did a phenomenal job on the movie adaptation, and you all should know by now that I have a bone to pick with him as a director. The director's cut is even better than the theatrical cut too, but it also extends the show time to over three hours which isn't an easy feat for most viewers. I would recommend watching it though, and most of you should know by now through my reviews that Watchmen is easily the greatest graphic novel of all-time, and the story takes a deep and often dark look into the psyche of humans who wish to be supernatural, and superhumans who would do anything to be human again.
3. Batman Begins (2005)
If you know anything about me, seeing this movie at number three should provide you with the rest of the top three choices. Obviously most of you have seen the Christopher Nolan Batman trilogy, but there may be some of you who are still not swept up into the craze yet. Really, they are some of the best films to be made in the action genre, and considering that it's based off of a comic book and a human hero protecting the city he grew up in, it's pretty damn impressive. In Batman Begins, Bruce Wayne's journey to becoming the Batman is chronicled through his life as a child into his journey outside of Gotham where he was trained by Ra's Al Ghul and his school of ninja warriors. Bruce battled many things before he was battling villains like The Joker and Bane, mostly himself. Tormented by the loss of his mother and father, Bruce resolved to protect those who needed protection in Gotham. He did this because of his sympathy for the citizens of his city, and he did not want them to suffer as he had. When his incredible amount of resources showed that he would have everything to protect Gotham at the tip of his fingers, he took it upon himself and created a persona. This alter ego became known as the Batman, as he struck fear into the hearts of the grimy underbelly of Gotham, and thus became known as the city's masked vigilante.
2. The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
Then finally the film that everyone had been waiting for came, The Dark Knight Rises. The conclusion to the epic Batman trilogy by a hopefully now renowned director, Christopher Nolan. As if the analyzation of the character of Bruce Wayne and his crime fighting alter ago Batman couldn't get any more detailed, Nolan found a way to pit him against the apocalypse, or at least the biggest that he could face as one man. Never before had the threat extended past people he know, or beyond the city. Bane found a way to exploit Batman's weaknesses, as a human being, and created a plan that would destroy the very fabric of Bruce's existence. Even though Bane is also a human being, a tough one at that, he is another perfect villain to be alongside Batman in a struggle of good and evil. All of Bruce Wayne's human characteristics are brought to the surface by Bane, and he is truly more explored as Wayne in The Dark Knight Rises than in any other film. The threat became so big that it was almost even too big for Batman, and once it was Batman that was infamously defeated by Bane, it was Bruce Wayne that has to perservere and conquer the evils of Gotham City. This movie comes just about as close to The Dark Knight as it can. The haunting portrayal of Bane by Tom Hardy is a great follow-up to Heath Ledger's Joker, though it could never be topped for obvious reasons. If there was ever a time where I was forced to choose between the latter two films of the trilogy, I don't think I could do it.
1. The Dark Knight (2008)
But where Batman Begins renewed the faith of fans in Batman film, then came the sequel The Dark Knight. Famously known now as Heath Ledger's final complete role, where he plays The Joker, this movie packs one hell of a punch. It is hands down my favorite movie of all-time, and I don't foresee it being dethroned anytime soon. The hype for this movie was insurmountable, and it was all because Christopher Nolan had successfully transformed Bruce Wayne and his alter ego, Batman, into believable human characters. Prior to his trilogy, Batman had become a cartoon character, and really an embarrassment to the character's history via Bat credit cards and terrible puns. What Nolan did with The Dark Knight was further the character analyzation of Batman by pitting him against his number one foe, The Joker. Heath Ledger's performance though captures the essence of evil in human form. The Joker, known for causing mischief in his own dementedly fun way, is also a human being that poses the villainous threat to Batman. Without Ledger's terrific portrayal as The Joker, Christian Bale's Batman doesn't see as much human reflection as it does in the second film. Bruce Wayne is forced to look at himself as a human being, and critique himself on the choices he makes as Bruce, and as Batman. There is a reason I think this is the greatest movie of all-time, and it's not just because it's about Batman, or The Joker. It's because these films that Nolan crafted are so much more than just a good guy against a bad guy, but it truly takes a deep look into what makes Bruce, Batman, and vice versa. This is my love letter to Nolan's Batman trilogy, signed sixthreezy.
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