erik lundegaard

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Thursday August 04, 2016

Rotten Tomatoes Ranks the DC Superhero Movies

DC comics superhero movies ranked

“Ranks” is key there, since only two movies (“The Dark Knight,” “Superman”) are above 90% and half of them are rotten, and that's a generous reading by RT and critics. I mean, “Swamp Thing” is fresh? Because of Adrienne Barbeau? C'mon, boys, grow up. 

Here's their list with RT numbers and any thoughts I might have. (Links go to my reviews.)

  1. The Dark Knight (94%): My No. 2.
  2. Superman (93%): My number one. With a faster-than-a-speeding bullet
  3. Superman II (89%): Way too high. Please see the Donner cut.
  4. The Dark Knight Rises (87%): Too high.
  5. Batman Begins (84%): About right. Has problems, but it's not bloated the way “Rises” is bloated. 
  6. Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (82%): Haven't seen it. 
  7. Batman (1966) (80%): I'm so glad this is way up here. I'd probably have it higher but I'm shocked critics/fanboys love it as much as I do.
  8. Batman Returns (80%): Really? Have people seen this recently? It's absurd. You hardly see the title character for the first 45 minutes. It's all Penguin/Catwoman origin. Per Tim Burton, it's a movie of misfit toys. 
  9. Superman Returns (76%): Has its faults but has charms, too. It's not made by louts, for one.
  10. Batman (1989) (72%): Higher. I know post-Nolan it looks chincey, but it remade supehero movies for a decade. Respect your elders, kids. 
  11. Watchmen (65%): Blech. Dock it even more for abusing Leonard Cohen.
  12. Swamp Thing (64%): Adrienne Barbeau's cleavage ain't all that.
  13. Man of Steel (55%): I'm not exactly a Zack Snyder fan, but I'd have it higher for: 1) the reimagined origin; 2) the fear a superpowered alien would inspire; 3) Henry Cavill.
  14. Constantine (46%): Never seen it.
  15. Batman Forever (40%): About right.
  16. The Return of the Swamp Thing (33%): DC should be embarrassed that this is even on the list. 
  17. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (27%): Below both Swamp Things!! Take that, Zack.
  18. Green Lantern (26%): There are six DC movies worse than “Green Lantern”: ouch.
  19. Superman III (26%): This sucks but it's better than “Green Lantern.”
  20. Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (12%): This should be lower. Possibly basement. Look what they did to my boy. More than the “Death Wish” movies, Golan and Globus have this to answer at the pearly gates. 
  21. Steel (12%): Never seen.
  22. Batman & Robin (11%): Ice to see you.
  23. Catwoman (9%): Never seen. Should I?
  24. Supergirl (7%): The list ends with the two girl/woman movies, and I'd like to think that's sexism, but... no.

RT put the list together because a new DC movie, “Suicide Squad,” DC's attempt to do a kind of “Guardians of the Galaxy,” is opening tonight. Even the early August release date is the same as “Guardians,” but (unlike “Guardians”) it's getting slaughtered by the critics. I'm no fan of the Post's Kyle Smith but he has a good line in his review:

The question isn't whether “Suicide Squad” is as good as “The Avengers,” but whether it's as bad as “Green Lantern.”

According to the consensus, nearly. It's at 29%, which puts it between “The Return of the Swamp Thing” and “Batman v Superman.” But that's bad enough for fanboys who are circulating an online petition urging that RT be shut down because it's mean to bad movies like “Suicide Squad.” Talk about shooting the messenger. 

Posted at 06:07 AM on Thursday August 04, 2016 in category Superheroes