Zack Snyder is known for taking the beloved superhero genre and infusing it with a gritty aesthetic that tests true heroism in the darkest of hours. The comic book characters he chooses reside in realms of fantasy, but after being launched into a harsh reality, they portray authentic human struggle and rise in the face of extraordinary challenges.
Movies like 300 and Watchmen, as well as all of his DC films, are ripe with visuals that are dark and lived in; the action is brutal and painful and the characters are forced to make morally gray choices. Even characters with god-like powers become vulnerable in the world he builds.
While no movie has duplicated Snyder’s signature style, some cult classics definitely have tapped into similar creative veins. These superhero movies understand that true grit comes from within, not without. This list collects 10 grim but beautifully filmed movies that will appease fans longing for Snyder’s compelling, imperfect heroes navigating a dark and shadowy world.
10 The Punisher (2004)
The Punisher
- Release Date
- April 15, 2004
- Director
- Jonathan Hensleigh
- Cast
- A. Russell Andrews , Omar Avila , James Carpinello , Mark Collie , Russell Durham Comegys , Antoni Corone
Directed by Jonathan Hensleigh, The Punisher is a live-action adaptation of the Marvel Comics character of the same name. Frank Castle, an FBI agent, busts a smuggling operation in Tampa as his last big mission before retiring. But in the process, makes enemies – mobsters who kill his entire family. Waging a one-man war on those responsible, Castle turns into a brutal vigilante willing to shed more blood in his quest for vengeance.
Justice That Serves a Darker Purpose
A gritty and bloody adaptation of the Marvel antihero, The Punisher may not be as influential as 2008’s Iron Man. But the movie created a blueprint for bringing morally ambiguous comic book characters into the world.
Relentless and pumping with action, the movie is shot in a style that places viewers right in the middle of brutal and realistic fights. Its R-rating is greatly appreciated by the superhero genre. Led by Thomas Jane, who delivers a raw performance as Castle, the movie also stars John Travolta as the villain.
9 Chronicle (2012)
A found footage superhero movie (and perhaps the only one of its kind), Chronicle centers around three high school seniors who discover an unearthly glowing crystalline object. They use it for fun and end up gaining superpowers like strength and telekinetic abilities. They first test the limits of their new abilities and make mischief, but soon find themselves with darker temptations as the same powers spiral out of control.
Shot in a shaky and intimate style by Josh Trank, Chronicle is a compelling psychological drama about ordinary youths struggling with extraordinary gifts. The movie is filmed in the form of raw, handheld footage by the characters themselves.
Its premise is incredible because not only does it portray teenage friendship authentically, but it also studies the slowly corrupting psyche of its characters while making a commentary on how bleak and tense power can get. Committed performances from Dane DeHaan, Alex Russell, and Michael B. Jordan also makes it stand out.
8 Kick-Ass (2010)
Kick-Ass tells the story of Dave Lizewski, an unremarkable high school student obsessed with comic books. He dreams of being a real superhero, but when he actually decides to step up and become a vigilante, he gets more trouble than he bargained for. A bigger fight with a criminal leads to an encounter with a father and daughter duo, Big Daddy and Hit Girl, who are determined to take down the city’s most dangerous mob boss.
When Fantasy Seeps Into Reality
Kick-Ass is directed by Matthew Vaughn, and it stars Aaron Johnson, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Mark Strong, Chloë Grace Moretz, and Nicholas Cage in the main roles. Vaughn infuses the superhero movie with satire by showing just how dangerous and amusing costumed crime-fighting would be in the real world.
It leverages the R-rating freedom and pushes genre boundaries with shocking violence, crude humor, and in reverent spirit. Overall, it's a cult classic that influenced the vigilante subgenre greatly.
7 Logan (2017)
Hugh Jackman has been around as a mainstay in the X-Men series for as long as we can remember. But became iconic and unforgettable with 2017’s Logan, which may have been set in the same universe as the rest of the Marvel movies, but didn’t quite look it. The plot sees a weary Logan caring for Professor X at a remote outpost on the Mexican border. But his retirement is upended by a young mutant girl named Laura, who needs to be escorted to a safe place.
The Iconic Hero's Final Stand
The tenth film in the X-Men film series takes Wolverine on a raw and emotional journey.director James Mangold took the liberty to transform the narrative into a beautifully woven Western set against a vast landscape. His use of widescreen compositions and subversive action made the movie dark, desperate and deeply moving. It was as if Logan was more of a eulogy than a comic book film. Jackman’s turn as the reluctant and dissipated hero is worth all the praise.
6 The Crow (1994)
While Marvel and DC adaptations dominate the superhero genre, some rare masterpieces with no connection to these two titans have made it to the top.
Based on a popular graphic novel written by James O'Barr, The Crow tells the story of Eric Draven, a rock musician who returns from the dead to seek vengeance on the gang that brutally murdered him and his fiancée on Devil's Night. He gets help from a mystic crow and uses his supernatural abilities to enact violence in the name of retribution.
Vengeance Becomes an Art in The Crow
Visually arresting, The Crow brought a Gothic atmosphere to its story of vengeance. Director Alex Proyas created dark and brooding set pieces that gave the protagonist’s ultimate mission elegance and flair, no matter how sinister it was.
Brandon Lee delivered a soulful performance as Draven, and even though he didn't live long enough to see the movie's success and the sequels it spawned, Lee has lingered in cinema's history as an actor who took the genre into uncharted territories of style, emotion and visuals.
5 The Dark Knight (2008)
With The Dark Knight, Christopher Nolan threw all sorts of genre conventions out the window and showed the dark side of heroism.
An epic crime drama that got selected for preservation in the National Film Registry over a decade after its release, this sequel to 2005’s Batman Begins sees the titular hero take on a criminal mastermind known as the Joker, who aims to brings Gotham City to the ground by instilling fear and chaos in the minds of its residents. Batman joins forces with District Attorney Harvey Dent to fight back.
Nolan’s Own Brand of Heroism
Grittier, bleaker and more sinister than it leads you to believe, The Dark Knight is a taut and intricate thriller that pushed comic book adaptations to new heights. While the dark visuals and artistic performances by Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Heath Ledger, and Gary Oldman are the highlight of the movie, what will hit home for Snyder fans is the examination of themes of corruption, citywide crime, and moral ambiguity.
By redefining what big-budget films can achieve, Nolan’s movie left an indelible mark on pop culture.
4 Unbreakable (2000)
Written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan, Unbreakable follows David Dunn, a former star quarterback returning home to Philadelphia via a train from New York. After the same train’s fatal accident that killed 131 people, Dunn is surprised to wake up in a hospital, completely unscathed. A man named Elijah Price contacts Dunn and tells him he possesses unique superhuman abilities which he could use to become practically invincible.
When Ordinary Men are Given Power
Shyamalan is known for crafting the most delicately plotted horrors where the characters and their sinister traits are peeled back slowly, layer after another layer. Lending the same tone and expertise to the project, Shyamalan turns Unbreakable into a thought-provoking and twist laden examination of power and perception.
Let's not forget, the movie arrived way before the superhero genre boomed, so it was able to carve its own contemplating path, which may prove to be both heartfelt and unnerving for Snyder fans.
3 Blade (1998)
Wesley Snipes stars as Blade, a human-vampire hybrid known as a “Daywalker.” He possesses the same superhuman abilities as vampires except for the need for human blood. And he can walk around in daylight. Blade is seeking revenge against the vampires for what they did to his mother, but he also joins forces with a group that wants to stop Deacon Frost, a vampire that wants to control his kind.
A Blade That Cuts Through Conventions
Directed by Stephen Norrington, this first film in the Blade franchise brought a much-needed edge, action, and horror into the realm of comic book adaptations. The fact that it arrived when the format was still finding its footing really elevated the possibility of its success. The fast-paced action scenes paired with the ruthless reimagining of vampires as predators allowed for some truly gruesome kills.
A major box office hit, Blade had an aesthetic that was ahead of its time but will now be admired greatly by Snyder fans.
2 Constantine (2005)
Loosely based on the DC Comics/Vertigo Comics Hellblazer graphic novels, Constantine takes a different approach for its main character, John Constantine. It follows the magician-turned-detective as he investigates supernatural threats to Earth while struggling with his own fate when a young detective named Angela Dodson seeks his help to investigate the death of her twin sister. But the forces of Hell may be manipulating events on Earth.
Combines Action and Supernatural Genre
This noir-tinged supernatural thriller is lauded by critics as “a one-of-a-kind hybrid.” Keanu Reeves anchors the eerie mood of the movie as a darkly witty, tortured antihero exploring realms of existence beyond life on Earth. Its sumptuous visuals, slick urban backdrops and lavish demonic designs breathe new life into warfare and myths seen on the big screen.
1 Darkman (1990)
Darkman
- Release Date
- August 24, 1990
Those who think Spider-Man was director Sam Raimi’s launchpad for being catapulted into the world of superhero movies probably haven’t heard of Darkman. The plot of the movie revolves around scientist Peyton Westlake, whose face is horribly burned when gangsters bomb his lab.
Barely surviving with the help of experiments and synthetic skin, Peyton becomes Darkman, a mysterious figure who can mimic anyone's appearance. He uses his skills to get revenge on mobster Robert Durant.
A Story About Masked Vengeance
With Darkman, Raimi pays homage to Universal's horror films of the 1930s as well as pulp heroes. He creates a stylish, warped noir landscape and makes use of grotesque makeup effects to capture the swooping scope of his movie.
Liam Neeson leads as the convincing and unhinged Peyton, capturing the audiences’ hearts with his sick sense of humor and fiendish acts. For Snyder fans, the movie is a perfect watch because it has the potential to make them laugh and scream at the same time.
Comments
Post a Comment