Entertainment
The 15 Best DC Comics Movies, Ranked According to Letterboxd
The common consensus as of late is that DC Comics is on the up and up as of late, thanks to their recent success in theaters and currently on HBO Max, as well. The future is looking bright for the DC Universe, but it’s best not to forget that the brand has been in cinema for quite some time, on and off the theater screen, live-action and animated.
Before James Gunn truly delves into his DCU, it’s fun to look back on films of DC’s past and how people responded to them. There are the obvious ones, yes, but some silent hitters are part of DC’s highest-rated films, according to Letterboxd, a social media platform where people can review films and see how their friends are reviewing their own. Letterboxd is one of the best ways to analyze what fans and general audiences think in the modern day.
15
‘Watchmen’ (2009)
Letterboxd Rating: 3.7/5.0
While Zack Snyder‘s more recent time in the DC Comics universe is relatively controversial (thanks to the mixed reviews for most of his projects following Man of Steel), one of his biggest hits comes in the form of Watchmen in 2009. This gritty and very stylized DC movie is extremely memorable for a plethora of reasons, with Snyder’s directing prowess being one of the primary ones.
One Letterboxd user emphasizes this in their review: “while it’s still one of my favorites just for the sake of how great it looks.” The visuals of this movie are exceptional, and this trait would move forward to be a highlight of his later DC Comics movies, too. The plot and cast are great, but the visuals really drive this one home.
14
‘Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker’ (2000)
Letterboxd Rating: 3.8/5.0
Batman has gotten pretty lucky when it comes to animated projects, specifically in the television space. One of the most popular of them all is none other than Batman Beyond. Understandably, the popularity spawned a film for the franchise, coming to audiences in 2000, titled, Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker.
“The flashback scene is up there with some of the best Batman stories ever told, and it’s only 10 minutes long,” is what one review says, and it’s a prime example of the love and care put into Batman: Beyond: Return of the Joker. The story has such a profound heart and soul within it, and moments like the flashback scene prove that the team behind this project really cared.
13
‘Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 1’ (2012)
Letterboxd Rating: 3.8/5.0
The Dark Knight Returns (1986) is one of the most popular and well-beloved DC comic books of all time. So, it only makes sense when, in 2012, audiences were finally treated to an animated film adapting it. However, it wasn’t all covered in one movie. To ensure the story was adapted correctly, director Jay Olivia split the movie into two. The first part of the project, Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 1, set the standard that the second would have to compete against, and is a great example of how to adapt a comic book accurately.
Bringing an older, elderly Bruce Wayne (Peter Weller) back to the Batman fold, this movie features a protagonist unlike any other Batman movie’s own. He’s changed a lot since he was last the Caped Crusader, and one user jokes about it, putting it very well, in their review: “old man wants entirety of Gotham off his lawn.” While funny, it’s also showcasing that age definitely has changed Batman and made him more gritty and cynical.
12
‘Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox’ (2013)
Letterboxd Rating: 3.8/5.0
If DC Comics has anything, it’s an amazing animated landscape in both the film and television departments, and a strong argument for this is 2013’s Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox. Adapting one of the coolest DC Comics crossover events of all time, director Jay Olivia delivers a super emotional Flash movie.
That’s right, despite it having “Justice League” in the title, this film is a Flash story through and through. Surrounding the repercussions of the Scarlet Speedster saving his mother from dying — shifting the timeline completely — Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox is a story that covers grief and loss, which makes it emotionally compelling beyond most other DC animated flicks. One fan states it best in their review: “Visually incredible, classic butterfly effect story, and phenomenal voice acting.”
11
‘Batman Begins’ (2005)
Letterboxd Rating: 3.8/5.0
With Batman being DC Comics’ most popular character, it should come as no surprise that most of the highest-rated films for the company on Letterboxd are Batman movies. It should also come as no surprise that the Christopher Nolan trilogy surrounding the superhero has most of its films in the top ten. Among the three movies, the first one, Batman Begins, stands out as the one that is closest to the comic book source material.
Despite being part of the same trilogy, the tone here is very different from the two movies that will come after. It includes the fan favorite Scarecrow (Cillian Murphy) as one of the main antagonists, was the first live-action Batman film in quite some time, and introduced the ever-beloved Christian Bale as the iconic Caped Crusader. “In terms of origin stories, this is A-Tier,” is a great depiction of people’s thoughts on the movie, stated by a fan in their review on Letterboxd.
10
‘The Dark Knight Rises’ (2012)
Letterboxd Rating: 3.8/5.0
With how abundantly popular Christopher Nolan’s trilogy is, it makes total sense why all three are found in the top 15 DC movies on Letterboxd. After such a successful second movie (more on that later), the pressure was on for The Dark Knight Rises to land the plane and solidify the trilogy as one of the best in superhero cinema. One user states a similar claim in their review: “3rd best out of one of the greatest trilogies of all time, is still pretty great!”
Bringing the one and only Bane (Tom Hardy) — one of the most famous Batman comic book villains — into the fold, Nolan did a lot of work in bringing Bruce Wayne the greatest physical threat he’s ever faced. While the plot isn’t as strong as the first two, the spectacle is huge, Bruce’s character arc is compelling, and it brings everything full circle in a satisfying manner.
9
‘Joker’ (2019)
Letterboxd Rating: 3.8/5.0
Of course, the most popular DC hero has one of the most popular DC villains—one of the most popular villains of all time, really—so it felt inevitable that the one and only Clown Prince of Crime get a movie of his very own. Despite being a DC Comics film, some people don’t even consider Joker a “superhero” movie, because of how extremely different it is and less action-oriented it finds itself. Joker finds itself providing more drama, crime, and psychological thriller elements, giving commentary on modern society and how it treats the mentally ill.
While it initially was met with a lot of positive reception, it didn’t take long for cinephiles to quickly smack the film for trying to be deeper than it really was. Nothing could beat Joaquin Phoenix’s absurdly good performance, though. Whether one agrees with the negative conceptions of the film, some reviews on Letterboxd show that the positives usually outweigh the negatives, with one saying: “The film pushes its characters’ emotions and narrative tension to an astonishing frenzy, reaching an almost absurd extreme. The male lead’s performance undoubtedly becomes the film’s greatest flourish.”
8
‘V for Vendetta’ (2005)
Letterboxd Rating: 3.9/5.0
Many people may actually not know that V for Vendetta is a DC Comics property, and therefore, a DC Comics film. Many consider V for Vendetta a cult classic, and for very good reason. The thriller film finds itself becoming more and more beloved as time goes on, as it continues to be incredibly relevant to today’s society. Quite a few reviews on Letterboxd point this out, with one simply stating: “Anarchy has never looked so well-spoken.”
V for Vendetta is all about defying oppression and what freedom means in the modern day. It also begs the question of whether change can be accomplished without some sort of anarchy. It being relevant isn’t just what makes it good, though; it’s also a simply well-made movie. The directorial choices of James McTeigue allow this project to achieve a tone that fits its plot perfectly and enhances its messaging to a whole new level.
7
‘Batman: Under the Red Hood’ (2010)
Letterboxd Rating: 3.9/5.0
Despite not being theatrically released or seen by much of the “general audience,” Batman movies don’t get a lot better than Batman: Under the Red Hood. If someone is having an argument regarding whether Batman should break his no-kill rule, Batman: Under the Red Hood is the perfect film to show them. At the end of the day, this animated flick almost perfectly adapts one of the best comic book stories surrounding the Caped Crusader.
Taking what is commonly known as the hero’s “greatest failure,” Batman: Under the Red Hood challenges the iconic DC hero in ways no other movie does. One fan on Letterboxd agrees based on their review: “The perfect balance between nail-biting action sequences and exploring the depths of Batman’s character complexity.”
6
‘The Lego Batman Movie’ (2017)
Letterboxd Rating: 3.9/5.0
If you asked someone a few decades ago that one of the best Batman movies (and DC Comics projects in general) would end up being an animated film set in the Lego universe, no one would have believed it. Well, it’s impossible not to believe it now, as The Lego Batman Movie is one of the most adored Batman films of all time.
Despite being more of a satire, it perfectly captures the true heart and soul of the Batman character. “Amazing love letter to everything Batman, no less!” is what one fan said in their Letterboxd review, and that’s truly a great way to put it. The Lego Batman Movie genuinely understands what makes the character so human and relatable for many, regardless of his dark past and personality.