Even though the 2010s has come to be regarded as the high point of superhero movies, it is not the only moment in which this particular genre has flourished. Indeed, there were quite a few notable superhero movies released during the 1990s, and these would go on to establish some of the essential conventions of the genre.

While some might be a bit forgettable, the users at the website Ranker have helpfully identified which of the superhero movies from the 1990s should be regarded as the best and should, therefore, still be watched by today’s audiences.

Batman: Mask Of The Phantasm (1993)

Streaming On HBO Max

Few superheroes have achieved quite the level of cultural ubiquity as Batman, and he has been the focus of many particularly accomplished animated series. Batman: Mask of the Phantasm, a continuation of Batman: The Animated Series has its predecessor’s gritty,  realistic feel, particularly as it focuses on a vigilante who is killing the various crime bosses of Gotham City.

Given both the stylishness of its animation and its dark, more mature storyline, it’s easy to see why this would be regarded as one of the best superhero movies of the 1990s.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret Of The Ooze (1991)

Streaming On HBO Max

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have been the stars of many television series and movies, but they were a particularly powerful force in the 1990s. Though the first movie they appeared in was a gritty affair, its sequel leaned more into the slapstick.

There’s no denying, however, that the four anthropomorphic turtles manage to retain their essential characteristics, and their continuing battle against the sinister Shredder is the movie’s most compelling aspect. Just as importantly, however, it also allows the viewer to understand the origin of the Turtles and Splinter.

Darkman (1990)

Streaming On Apple TV+

Sam Raimi has made several hit films, and he has a particular skill at combining superhero stories with elements of horror. This is certainly true of Darkman, one of his most notable efforts from the 1990s. The movie focuses on the title character, played by Liam Neeson, whose disfigurement by a mobster.

It is a movie characterized by Raimi’s brutal aesthetic, and he pulls no punches as he demonstrates the extent to which Darkman has become a force uncontrolled by morality or normality.

The Mask Of Zorro (1998)

Streaming On Tubi

Antonio Banderas has been in many great movies, and The Mask of Zorro is rightly seen as one of these. In this movie, he stars as the successor to the original Zorro, who is played in this case by Anthony Hopkins. The movie is remarkable for a number of reasons.

Not only is it grounded by strong performances by Hopkins, Banderas, and Catherine Zeta-Jones; it is also something of an homage to an earlier period of swashbucklers in Hollywood. As a result, it has an emotional groundedness not always evident in Hollywood filmmaking.

Spawn (1997)

Streaming On Netflix

Long before Hollywood became obsessed with providing backstories to its villains and various comic book characters, Spawn took that route. As the title suggests, it focuses on the backstory of the character Spawn, played by Michael Jai White.

Though the movie’s story can be a bit difficult to follow at times, there’s no question that it is a visually beautiful concoction, with a vibrant color palette that often works to underscore the brutality and violence of its storyline. It is also notable for being one of the first superhero movies to feature an African American in the lead role.

The Mask (1994)

Streaming On HBO Max

Throughout his career, Jim Carrey has embodied several now-iconic characters and shown that he is one of his generation’s most formidable comic talents. With his very expressive face and his keen understanding of physical comedy, he has often appeared in movies that make full use of his skills.

One of these is The Mask, in which he plays a regular man whose discovery of a green mask turns him into a ludic and powerful superhero (if one who is more irreverent than heroic). As a whole, the movie has a cartoon aesthetic that, while sometimes exhausting, manages to stand the test of time.

The Crow (1994)

Streaming On Prime Video

There are many reasons why The Crow is regarded as one of the best superhero movies of the 1990s. Though its story is a familiar one–a murdered musician returns from the dead to seek vengeance–it has a stylish visual aesthetic that helps to elevate its narrative.

What’s more, it is also a movie with a profoundly melancholic undertone, given that the lead actor, Brandon Lee, was fatally shot during filming. As a result, the movie is very much an homage to his life, and it’s easy to see why the users of Ranker would rank it so highly.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990)

Streaming On HBO Max

Though its sequel would lean more into the slapstick nature of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle aesthetic, the original movie was a dark and at times quite sinister story. As with many of the other entries in the franchise, it focused on the conflict between the Turtles and Shredder, a crime boss with links to their master, Splinter.

The movie is notable for many reasons, not the least of which was the use of costumes created by Jim Henson’s Creature Shop. What’s more, the Shredder remains one of the most terrifying villains of the 1990s.

Blade (1990)

Streaming On Hulu

During the 2010s, Marvel established itself as something of a popular culture juggernaut, with numerous successful movies and TV series. Its success has deep roots, going at least back to Blade, which stars Wesley Snipes as the main title character, a human with vampire strengths.

Like many of the other superhero movies of the 1990s, it is particularly notable for its unique visual style–exaggerated angles, deep shadows, and bizarre costumes–all of which contribute to its unique contribution to the superhero genre.

Batman Returns (1992)

Streaming On HBO Max

Batman was one of the most popular superheroes in much of the 1990s. With Tim Burton at the helm of several of the most notable movies, it’s easy to see why that’s the case. Batman Returns is one of the best that Burton directed, in large part because of the powerful performances, particularly from Danny DeVito as the Penguin.

It is also a particularly dark and violent movie, even though it does manage to showcase Tim Burton’s extraordinary talents and unique directorial vision.

NEXT: 10 Best Superhero Movies Of All Time, According To Ranker