Best Comic Book Movie (#10-#6)

So let's just get right down to it:

#10: Fantastic Four 2

Ok, I'll admit that I've never really cared that much about the Fantastic Four comic, but I was still excited about this movie for two reasons. The first reason was Jessica Alba who is smoking hot unless you're gay... and blind. I wasn't crazy about how they tried to "smart her up" because I never thought that they needed to. She wasn't running around being a damsel in distress in the first movie. The second thing that had me stoked about the movie was the thought of the Fantastic Four facing off with Galactus. Sadly this never developed and they spent the whole movie trying to save the Silver Surfer from Dr. Doom. I would have even accepted an ending where it was set up for the team to fight Galactus in the third film. But I don't write movies, so there is always gonna be room for improvement.

#9: Blade

This movie started the whole comic book movie revival. The casting was awesome, Wesley Snipes as a third- rate hero? Brilliant. The effects weren't great, and don't quite stand the test of time but the fight scenes kicked ass. As sweet as... the Matrix, which came out one year later. So not only did Blade kick off the comic book movie being fashionable again, but he was the original "the One".

#8: 300

At first glance, this movie was pure machismo. But underneath that lay... pure machismo. Not that I'm complaining, who doesn't like seeing hot chicks topless and excessive violence? It's based on a Frank Miller graphic novel that he based on an actual event. The only downside is that you can't help but feel like "been there, done that" after seeing movies like Braveheart and Gladiator. Like Blade, this movie brought back a forgotten genre: the historically inaccurate film.

#7: I am Legend

While based on an actual book originally, it was adapted into a couple of movies, then a graphic novel, a finally into the latest version starring Will " I save the world everyday" Smith. Sadly, end of the world movies are a dime a dozen these days. Will Smith actually does an awesome job playing Robert Neville. Unlike Daredevil, changing a character's race isn't a big deal if the actor in question can act and the change actually makes sense. My only beef was how all the diseased mutant/zombie whatevers looked the same. C'mon! Spend some of that Will Smith money on making them look somewhat different. At least try.

# 6: V for Vendetta

V for Vendetta combined three things that I love in my movies: an underlying political message that is actually relevant, British culture, and Natalie Portman. Based on an 1980s Alan Moore graphic novel called... you guessed it, V for Vendetta is a rare breed: a pretty smart comic book movie. But Alan Moore doesn't exactly write mindless stupid 12 year old fondler. I do like the fact that the movie was set in our near future and not in the 1980's " near future aka 90s" . Being too faithful to the source material can sometimes scream "I'm lazy and/or too stupid to change things that no longer make sense". So why didn't I rate V higher on the list? Maybe I should...

What is the best comic book movie?

A simple question without a simple answer. Everyone has their favorite comic book character and/or movie but that must be overlooked in this situation. Some of the things to consider instead are story, character development, faithfulness to source material among other things. Special effects, today, must also play a big part. Heroes usually have amazing superpowers and these powers can't look fake or cheesy. But what separates good comic book movies from bad comic book movies is that the good one incorporate all of the above. But deciding the best comic book movie is not an easy choice, and thus some guidelines must made.

First, if a movie is part of a trilogy or series, only the best of the bunch will be considered. Second, special effects will be judged by those comparable to other films of the era. Third, no animated movie will be judged. The movies I will be judging will be 300, Batman Begins, Blade, Fantastic Four 2, I am Legend, Sin City, Spider-Man 2, Superman Returns, V for Vendetta, and X-Men 2. Films that had potential but something went wrong: Daredevil, Hellboy, Hulk, and both Punisher movies. 30 Days of Night, Elektra, and Ghost Rider won't be included simply because I have yet to see them. Ghost World? Please don't waste my time.

I'll start with where the movies that didn't make it into consideration got it wrong.

Daredevil: God, where to start. The casting was horrible all-around. Ben Affleck could almost pass for a believable Daredevil if only he could act. Jennifer Garner had no business playing Elektra. Colin Ferrell hammed it up as Bullseye. Michael Clarke Duncan as the Kingpin? This makes no sense, the comic Kingpin was white not black. Sometimes it doesn't matter, but this call just felt wrong. The fights equal shit. Needs to be remade with all-new cast and director.

Hellboy: Good casting. (Especially Ron Perlman as Hellboy and Selma Blair as Liz Sherman). But slow pace, less than stellar acting, do you even remember the plot?

Hulk: In the comics, "Hulk Smash". "Hulk in Emotional Distress" equals movie killer. Hulk vs... some dogs? Don't get me started. Waste of Jennifer Connelly.

Punisher: First one was kinda cheesy (but in it's defense, it came out in the late '80s when comic book movies weren't taken serious). Waste of Dolph Lundgen, if such a phrase exists. Second movie: Thomas Jane's Punisher was kinda soft. Also John Travolta hammed it up as the villain. This really upset me because I always felt like the Punisher would be the easiest comic character to translate into a movie character. He doesn't have any powers, no Bat-cave, and doesn't fight super villains, but rather gangsters so what the Hell? Waste of Rebecca Romijn.

Next up; movies 10 thru 6.