Thesuperherogenre may identify itself as a staple of modern cinema, but the larger-than-life style of storytelling has been around for decades, and it even predates the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Christopher Nolan’sDark Knighttrilogy. In fact, the firstfeature-length superhero filmdates all the way back to 1920, kicking off a genre that now spans hundreds of big and small-screen adventures.
From comic book adaptations to independent concepts, the superhero genre has also been good for the box office as it regularly mints billion-dollar blockbusters for Hollywood studios. And in the age of celebrity critics, YouTube reaction videos, and social media hot takes, no voice has been more influential – or controversial – than the late, greatRoger Ebert. The Pulitzer Prize-winning film critic never shied away from voicing his opinion, even when it meant swimming against the tide.
This list counts down 10 superhero movies that Roger Ebert hated.
10’Supergirl' (1984)
InSupergirl, Kara Zor-El, Superman’s cousin, embarks on a cosmic journey to Earth in a desperate attempt to recover the Omegahedron, a powerful device that has fallen into the hands of the power-hungry would-be witch, Selena. But unlike her Kryptonian relative, Supergirl also juggles teenage life by enrolling in an all-girls school while battling the many threats conjured by Selena.
Roger Ebert was unimpressed by the movie, giving it two stars and emphasizing the film’s lack of exciting elements. The jarring tonal shift between the other threeSupermanfilms and the mundane and funny trappings of this onefailed to capture the magic of the franchise. He stated:
“When it goes for campy laughs, it falls flat on its face. We do not go to’Superman’and’Supergirl’movies to laugh condescendingly at the characters (which is what the writers, directors, and even some of the actors have started to do). We go to recapture some of the lost innocence of the whole notion of superheroes.”
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9’Blade: Trinity' (2004)
Blade: Trinity
The third installment in theBladefranchise sees the vampire hunter facing his worst challenge yet – the resurrection of Dracula himself. Blade has always been a lone wolf in his crusade against bloodthirsty vampires, but as he battles both the Vampire Nation and the FBI, who have framed him for mass murder, he has no choice but to team up with the Nightstalkers, a group of young vampire hunters led by Abigail and Hannibal King.
Messiest of the Trilogy
In his review ofBlade: Trinity, Roger Ebert lamented that the once-promising Blade franchise had become a lackluster affair. The film’s convoluted plot, uninspired action sequences, and general lack of passion or innovation is quite disappointing. He gave the film 1.5 out of 4 stars, explaining,“It lacks the sharp narrative line and crisp comic-book clarity of the earlier films, and descends too easily into shapeless fight scenes that are chopped into so many cuts that they lack all form or rhythm.”
8’Elektra' (2005)
After her apparent death in 2003’sDaredevil,ElektraNatchios is brought back to life by the blind martial arts master, Stick, who trains her in the art of Kimagure. Now a skilled assassin, Elektra takes on a contract to kill a man and his daughter, only to discover that they are being targeted by the Hand, a secretive organization of assassins Elektra already has beef with.
A Forgettable Franchise Spinoff
Jennifer Garner’s fight to protect the innocent inElektramisfires due to muddled execution and lack of connection toDaredevil. It becomes anisolated, underdeveloped storyas such. The fight sequences are far from crisp and there is no spark in the performances. Ebert was scathing in his review and he openly poked fun at a lot of the film’s ridiculous elements, including villains who dissolve into clouds of yellow powder after being defeated.
7’Fantastic Four' (2005)
Fantastic Four
Focusing on the origin story of the titular group of superheroes,Fantastic Fourbegins with a cosmic storm altering the DNA of four astronauts and granting them extraordinary abilities. Reed Richards becomes the elastic Mr. Fantastic, Sue Storm gains invisibility, Johnny Storm ignites into the Human Torch, and Ben Grimm transforms into the rock-like Thing. Together, they must contend with Victor Von Doom, who turned into the villain Doctor Doom.
A Mediocre Adaptation
According to Roger Ebert,Fantastic Fouris both one of the worst action movies of all time and one of the worst superhero movies of all time. Instead of delivering a compelling action film, it focuses heavily on the team’s internal conflicts. Ebert gave it one star and criticized the weak character dynamics and the underwhelming plot. He also noted how“It’s all setup and demonstration, and naming and discussing and demonstrating, and it never digests the complications of the Fantastic Four.”
6’The Spirit' (2008)
The Spirit
Directed by Frank Miller,The Spiritfollows Denny Colt, a former cop turned masked vigilante, who prowls the streets of Central City, battling a colorful array of villains and femme fatales to seek justice. But when an old flame, Sand Saref, returns to the city with her own agenda, his plans of taking down his nemesis, the unhinged Octopus, take a sharp turn.
An Infamous Misfire
This visually stylized noir adaptation of Will Eisner’s classic comic strip may be drenched in high-contrast cinematography, but it takes no time spiraling intoa chaotic mess of disconnected scenes, over-the-top dialogue, and bizarre action sequences. Ebert was merciless in his one-star review, calling the characters“cardboard.”Miller’sSin Cityand300thrived on their graphics, but this one is“all style—style without substance, style whirling in a senseless void.”
5’Kick-Ass' (2010)
Kick-Assis among the most beloved superhero movies of all time, but Roger Ebert was deeply critical of it. The plot centers around Dave Lizewski, an ordinary teenager with no powers, training, or experience, who decides to become a real-life superhero. He finds himself in over his head after encountering a ruthless crime boss and the deadly father-daughter duo, Big Daddy and Hit-Girl.
A Disturbing Celebration of Violence
Despite the film’s cult following and the endless praise it gets for its subversive take on the genre, Ebert condemned the glorification of violence and profanity-laced spectacle. Particularly the portrayal of Chloë Grace Moretz as Hit-Girl, a foul-mouthed child assassin. While fans appreciated the edgy humor and fast-paced action, he saw it as a troubling and sad aspect of modern cinema.
“When kids in the age range of this movie’s home video audience are shooting one another every day in America,” Ebert explained, “that kind of stops being funny.”
4’Batman & Robin' (1997)
Batman & Robin
Featuring George Clooney and Chris O’Donnell as the caped crusader and his sidekick, respectively,Batman & Robinfinds Gotham City under siege once again, this time by the ice-cold villain Mr. Freeze and the seductive Poison Ivy. The two fall victim to Ivy’s manipulations and, on the side, Alfred’s niece Barbara joins the fight as Batgirl.
Leaves the Batman Franchise on Thin Ice
There’s a lot going on in Joel Schumacher’s movie. The heroes are trying to thwart Freeze’s plans to turn Gotham into a frozen wasteland, Arnold Schwarzenegger is delivering an avalanche of ice puns, the rest of the performances are exaggerated too, with only the neon-lit aesthetic beingdecent enough. And when it comes to critics, Ebert didn’t hold himself back and awarded the film two out of five stars, elaborating that the film is“wonderful to look at, and has nothing authentic at its core.”
3’Catwoman' (2004)
Halle Berry’s Patience Phillips is a timid graphic designer who stumbles upon a corporate conspiracy involving a beauty product. Her wallflower-ing outs her and she is murdered for knowing the truth. But Phillips finds herself resurrected by an ancient Egyptian cat, granting her heightened senses and agility, which she uses to turn into Catwoman and seek revenge.
Widely Panned Superhero Movie
A massive box office disappointment,Catwomanis widely considered to be one of the worst superhero movies ever made. It not only fails to capture the inherent appeal of the DC Comics character, but also lacks any development, relies excessively on special effects, and does not deliver a satisfying conclusion. In his one-star review, Ebert wrote,
“Catwomanis a movie about Halle Berry’s beauty, sex appeal, figure, eyes, lips and costume design. It gets those right. Everything else is secondary, except for the plot, which is tertiary.”
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2’The Green Hornet' (2011)
The Green Hornet
George W. Trendle and Fran Striker created the character back in the 1930s, and even though he showed up in a TV show during the 1960s, he’s largely forgotten as a superhero. So, why would the 2011 movie be any different?The Green Hornetfollows Britt Reid, the spoiled heir to a media empire, who reluctantly steps into the role of publisher, and with the help of his sidekick Kato, he adopts an alternate personality and fights crime in the city.
Does Not Leave a Lasting Impact
In his review ofThe Green Hornet, Ebert described the film as“an almost unendurable demonstration of a movie with nothing to be about.”The film’s lack of narrative passion andreliance on CGI-heavy action sequencesresulted in a frustrating experience. Ebert also called Seth Rogen’s performance exhausting. Directed by Michel Gondry, known forEternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, the film performed decently at the box office, but faded into obscurity.
1’Thor' (2011)
Banished from the realm of Asgard for his ignorance,Thorfinds himself stranded on Earth, stripped of his powers and forced to confront his own shortcomings. As he learns humility and navigates the strange new world of New Mexico, Thor must also contend with his scheming brother Loki and the looming threat of the Frost Giants.
Lacks Depth and Emotional Engagement
Directed by Kenneth Branagh,Thorreceived 1.5 stars out of 4 from Roger Ebert. The movie arrived when the MCU was still establishing its footing, and while Chris Hemsworth’s charisma and Tom Hiddleston’s performance as Loki were praised. For Ebert, though, Thor is an uninteresting character defined solely by his hammer.
“The story might perhaps be adequate for an animated film for children, with Thor, Odin and the others played by piglets… Nothing exciting happens, nothing of interest is said, and the special effects evoke not a place or a time but simply special effects.”
