When it comes to superhero movies, there are many movies that critics pan when they are released. Several movies didn't give fans exactly what they wanted, so they dismissed them as well. However, when it comes to many of these movies, looking back on them from a distance allows people to realize they are not as bad as originally judged.
Some movies were misunderstood from the get-go. Some movies had good things about them that fans missed out on because they were so focused on the perceived shortcomings of the movie. Other movies had fans split down the middle, with many fans hating them and others loving them, sometimes for the same reasons.
Man Of Steel - Available On HBO Max
There isn't a superhero franchise more polarizing than Zack Snyder's DCEU. When the movies were released, most people vocally panned them, hating what Snyder did to the comic book characters. However, as time passed, the Snyder Cut fans showed up, praising the same things the people who hated it pointed to.
When it comes to Man of Steel, much of the hate was unwarranted. There are still bad things about the movie, such as Jonathan Kent teaching Superman it's okay to let people die, but overall, the movie was well-acted with some great action scenes. Even the final scene with Zod was not as bad as people claimed when considering the situation.
The Punisher - Available On Max Go
There have been three Punisher movies, and all three were panned upon release. The first was a B-grade action movie with Dolph Lundgren, and the third offered the over-the-top violence fans claimed they wanted but then rejected. However, the second movie was much better than people might remember. The story had problems, that is for sure, but Thomas Jane was perfect as Frank Castle, and the movie deserves a second look if only to see the best Frank Castle performance until Netflix finally did the character right.
Ghost Rider - Available On HBO Max
First of all, Ghost Rider is not a good movie. However, fans shouldn't look at it to see a movie on the level of a Spider-Man, X-Men, or MCU movie. Ghost Rider has never been a high-brow character, and even his comics never take things overly seriously when it comes to the villains and action based around the character. Nic Cage took Johnny Blaze way over the top in this movie, and the movie is a lot of fun when watched as a superhero exploitation film, which is what it is.
Blade: Trinity - Available On HBO Max
Blade: Trinity ended the Blade franchise in its tracks, despite the fact it was clearly setting up a franchise with the side characters of Hannibal King and Abigail Whistler. However, the movie was panned when released, and that might have been unfair to the movie.
The first Blade was a dark, violent movie, and the second was a great film with Guillermo Del Toro as the director. The third movie was an over-the-top action movie that was meant to be fun and even brought in Dracula as the main villain. The movie was judged against the first two and deserved a re-watch.
Dark Phoenix - Available On HBO Max
It seemed that fans hated the X-Men franchise by the end and even started dismissing the fantastic movies in the series, including X-Men 2 and X-Men: Days of Future Past. When Dark Phoenix came out, everyone panned it, from critics to the audience.
This was the second time Fox told the Dark Phoenix Saga, and fans were not happy with the aliens involved, and Jean Grey had not been properly built up yet. However, the story is good, the acting is all great, and the action builds to a spectacular climax. It isn't a top-tier X-Men movie by any shot, but it is not a terrible movie.
Daredevil - Not Currently Available To Watch
When Daredevil came out in 2003, critics and fans hated it and panned it relentlessly. However, it turned out that director Mark Steven Johnson had his movie cut up and released, and the reviews were savage. However, Johnson released his director's cut on DVD, and fans saw how he intended the movie to appear, and it was a drastic improvement.
Ben Affleck was Daredevil, and Michael Clarke Duncan was shockingly great as Wilson Fisk. Add in a sympathetic assassin in Jennifer Garner's Elektra and an over-the-top Colin Farrell as Bullseye, and there is a lot in the director's cut to like.
Hulk - Available On Fubo
Ang Lee is an arthouse filmmaker who decided to make a superhero movie in 2003 with Hulk. Lee took the movie with his eccentric sensibilities and tried to make it look like a comic book, including having cuts, edits, and transitions that looked like comic book panels.
Critics were about average on it, and several comic book fans panned the movie, destroying a chance for a sequel. The MCU took control of The Incredible Hulk, but looking back on Hulk, it is much better than remembered. Some casting was better in this earlier movie, including Jennifer Connelly as Betty Ross and Sam Elliott as Thunderbolt Ross.
Spider-Man 3 - Available On Fubo
Spider-Man 3 saw Sam Raimi quit the Sony franchise after the movie due to creative differences. In this movie, Raimi wanted one villain in Sandman and was forced to add Venom. In the planned fourth movie, he wanted Vulture, and Sony said no. When looking at this Spider-Man movie, the biggest complaints concerned Venom. That spiraled into other areas, such as Peter Parker possessed by the symbiote. However, the Sandman storyline was great, and the sacrifice by Harry Osborn was well-done.
Thor: The Dark World - Available On Disney+
The first Thor movie was not a beloved success, although its Shakespearian story was well done under the hand of Kenneth Branagh. However, Thor: The Dark World was panned, and many MCU fans consider it the worst of all the movies from Marvel Studios.
This movie had two different directors, with Marvel letting Patty Jenkins go, and then Alan Taylor disowned the movie after they took it away in editing. However, there is a lot to like, as it is visually stunning, and Malekith is a good villain, even if not beloved by fans. Loki's sacrifice was also great in the movie.
Iron Man 2 - Available On Disney+
Iron Man 2 is a movie that a lot of MCU fans like to complain about. That is mostly because, after the first few MCU movies taking deep looks at the characters, Iron Man 2 was all about giant explosions, big battles, and superhero adventures. It wasn't a movie that cared too much about inner conflict and problems, as it even glossed over the "Demon in the Bottle" storyline. However, the action is great and if a person wants to see a fun superhero movie with the heroes battling non-stop villains, watch Iron Man 2.