Few superheroes can claim a career even remotely as prolific and longstanding as the Dark Knight himself, Batman. The Caped Crusader’s live-action film career has been going strong for a little less than a century now, beginning with the 1943 serial. After that, the “Bat Train” showed no signs of stopping, featuring the goofy 1966 Adam West iteration, the unmistakably influential Tim Burton and Joel Schumacher films, the grounded and realistic Dark Knight trilogy, and most recently Bruce Wayne’s team-up heavy appearances in the DCEU.
Now Gotham City’s greatest protector is back on the big screen with Matt Reeves’s The Batman, which has proved to be an even more down-to-earth adaptation with a personal Bruce Wayne story, which delves deeper into the character’s psyche than ever before.
The Batman character and his many cinematic iterations have gone on to inspire so many films and stories in the superhero genre, and while DC and Marvel certainly get the most attention, there’s a good selection of films in between that are just as deserving of discussion. Films that don’t have the luxury of a carefully planned, high budget universe and ones that explore themes and character traits not commonly seen in mainstream entries of the genre.
So after you see Batman’s latest adventure, perhaps you should consider these 7 other films that aren’t part of DC or their competitor Marvel that also explore their heroes (and perhaps even villains) in a different light.
Super (2010)
Directed by: James Gunn
Starring: Rainn Wilson, Elliot Page, Liv Tyler, and Kevin Bacon
Super is the sophomore directorial outing of James Gunn, who of course would go on to have a major presence in the comic book movie world with both of The Guardians of the Galaxy films, The Suicide Squad, and most recently Peacemaker. Fans of Peacemaker, in particular, will certainly recognize Super as a major influence on the show, as the protagonists between them share a lot of similarities.
Rainn Wilson stars as Frank Darbo, a below-average nobody who decides to become the wrench-wielding vigilante known as the Crimson Bolt after his wife Sarah (Liv Tyler) leaves him. If you thought The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker were dark, Super matches that darkness with its nihilistic and pessimistic tone. It’s an interesting look into the idea of just a random guy with absolutely no skills or aspirations let alone superpowers trying to be a crime fighter, as well as examining the brutal nature of what that looks like in a real-life setting.
Admittedly, Super does suffer from a lot of issues, branching from certain jokes not landing to a tonally inconsistent conclusion (as well as a wholly unnecessary and borderline problematic subplot involving Elliot Page’s character Libby), but it’s still something that comic book movie fans should look into given Gunn’s undeniable influence on the genre.
Brightburn (2019)
Directed by: David Yarovesky
Starring: Elizabeth Banks, David Denman, and Jackson A. Dunn
Another comic book commentary that James Gunn was part of, though this time from a producing role rather than a directorial one, as well as with his brother Brian Gunn and cousin Mark Gunn as writers. It’s another entry into the “What if Superman was evil” subgenre that has seen a good amount of success in recent years with Invincible and The Boys.
The difference here is Brightburn’s horror-centric tone as well as the Clark Kent-knockoff still being a child. The film’s setup is very similar to Superman’s origin, featuring a couple on a farm who stumble upon a miraculous child who fell from the sky. As the child grows up, he discovers he has incredible abilities like flight and superstrength, but unlike the famous story we all know and love, he begins to hear a voice in his head telling him to do the unthinkable.
Brightburn’s antagonist being so young creates a unique tension, as it’s difficult to decipher where it’s going to go on the first viewing. While the horror feel may initially make one believe the ending will be a tragic one, the film does a good job playing with the audience’s expectations whilst trying to decipher what this superpowered boy is thinking, just like his parents are throughout the whole film.
Hancock (2008)
Directed by: Peter Berg
Starring: Will Smith, Charlize Theron, and Jason Bateman
This is another semi-satirical and self-aware parody of the Superman mythos, but instead of the metahuman in question being a homicidal maniac, he’s just (as a big chunk of the characters call him) kind of an ass. The titular “hero” of this story is an alcoholic homeless man with superpowers, predictably ones that grant him the powers of flight and superhuman strength. He still fights crime, despite being an unlikable curmudgeon, but his blatant disregard for collateral damage has put one too many lives in danger. Thus, he’s more or less forced to work with a publicist to improve both his public image and his negative lifestyle
The theme of superhero collateral damage being in a film from 2008 is pretty ahead of its time, beating more mainstream films like Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice and Captain America: Civil War by nearly a decade. The film really does shine in the first half, with Will Smith still being infectiously charismatic even as a grumpy alcoholic, alongside some entertaining action setpieces. Unfortunately, the second half takes itself a bit too seriously and tries to introduce a complicated backstory, but it’s still one of the better 2000s superhero flicks before the MCU and DCEU began their current dynasty.
Chronicle (2012)
Directed by: Josh Trank
Starring: Dane DeHaan, Alex Russel, and Michael B. Jordan
A bold combination of superheroes and found footage, Chronicle was nearly universally praised as a refreshingly bold take on superpowered beings. It’s a clever twist on an origin tale where instead of the superpowers being the focus and the daily life of the characters being secondary, it’s vice versa.
Chronicle chronicles the story of three high schoolers who stumble upon a mysterious artifact that grants each of them telekinetic abilities. Things start out simple and exciting as the three form a bond and have fun with these miraculous abilities, but as time goes on they realize just how powerful they truly are, leaving the audience to question whether they’ll use their powers for good or evil. This entire journey is told through main character Andrew’s video camera.
Found footage films typically lean towards horror as their typical goal is to provide as visceral and lifelike of an experience as possible, so something that is a bit more of a coming of age tragedy feels like an excellent way to evolve the genre. That being said, it doesn’t completely abandon the horror roots of found footage, as some decisions made by these characters lead to unexpected and horrific consequences.
Unbreakable (2000)
Directed by: M. Night Shyamalan
Starring: Bruce Willis and Samuel L. Jackson
When most people hear the words “superhero movie” they most likely think of some fancy outfits, spectacle-laden action scenes, and some cheesy one-liners and jokes.
Unbreakable has none of those things. The second film from M. Night Shyamalan is a slow-building drama that explores the life of a seemingly everyday man named David Dunn, who somehow miraculously survives a deadly train accident. If that weren’t lucky enough, Dunn didn’t get a single scratch on him, which quickly draws the attention of a mysterious comic book store owner with a few secrets of his own.
Shyamalan was clearly far more interested in an audacious character study rather than a campy crime-fighter flick, and he takes a huge amount of time and care to develop these two characters played by Bruce Willis and Samuel L. Jackson. It may not have that pretty coat of paint that high-budget projects have, but it’s got a huge heart and a lot of interesting details to discover on multiple viewings. It would also go on to be the first of an unexpected trilogy, with Split and Glass coming years after, and while the original film is far and away the best, each entry in the series brings forth a lot of interesting ideas.
Darkman (1990)
Directed by: Sam Raimi
Starring: Liam Neeson and Frances McDormand
Ever wondered what would happen if a Universal monster became a superhero? Well so did Universal, and the world was punished with Tom Cruise’s The Mummy because of it. However, Universal did do that concept justice all the way back in 1990 with Darkman.
Darkman is something of both a spiritual successor to Tim Burton’s Batman and a very clear predecessor to Sam Raimi’s eventual Spider-Man trilogy. Liam Neeson stars as Peyton Westlake, a brilliant scientist on the verge of a breakthrough in skin grafting technology. Just when he’s about to strike gold, however, a run-in with some gangsters leads to him being horribly disfigured. Now using his faulty but effective technology, the phantom Darkman uses his scientific shapeshifting abilities to exact vengeance on those responsible.
While yes, it’s got some campy silliness, this is Sam Raimi campy silliness. It’s an excellently written barrel of fun that takes full advantage of its unique concept. The concept itself feels so fleshed out and thought through that it’s pretty amazing that the film is completely original and not based on an existing IP. Ultimately It’s a hidden gem that deserves far more attention from superhero connoisseurs. Plus, there’s even a familiar-sounding score from Batman composer Danny Elfman himself.
Dredd (2012)
Directed by: Pete Travis
Starring: Karl Urban, Olivia Thirlby, and Lena Headey
Strangely enough, this is the only movie on this list that is actually based on a comic book. It’s also the only film that’s a remake of a pre-existing one, and it’s one of the few remakes that is almost universally preferred over the original.
The Judges are the most feared law enforcement personnel in all of Mega City One, serving not just as judges of extreme criminals, but also as jury and executioners. One such Judge by the name of Dredd, along with his new partner Anderson, find themselves in a fight for survival after being trapped and hunted by a ruthless drug kingpin.
Dredd is what happens when you combine the brains and technology of Batman with the ruthless neutrality of the Punisher. It’s an unapologetic glimpse into a cyberpunk-inspired world that’s devoid of any light, where an already loose sense of law and order is the only thing keeping it together. However, at its core, and like the rest of the films on this list, it’s a realistic look into the pros and cons of being a modern god in a contemporary world.