9 Superhero Movies From The 1990s That You Should Revisit

We're enjoying such a glut of superhero films right now - with everything from cinematic mainstays like Batman and Spider-Man to lesser-known properties like Suicide Squad and Doctor Strange. As such, it's hard to remember the less-populated years of the 1990s, where putting a costumed crusader in your movie wasn’t a surefire success. But remember them we should, as that decade actually produced a number of underrated superhero films that are still worth re-watching even in today’s superhero saturated climate. Movie producers and cinema goers weren’t so comfortable with overt comic book elements back then, so most of the movies are pulp fiction throwbacks or neo-noir efforts, with rarely a fully-fledged supervillain in sight. However, that just adds to the charm of these earlier efforts in the genre. So, without further ado, these are our choices for nine superhero movies from the 1990s that you should definitely revisit at some point. If you have any other underrated favourites that we haven’t mentioned, leave them in the comments section below. 9) Batman Returns (1992) Let’s start with a 1990s superhero flick that does still get talked about, by virtue of it being part of the Batman franchise. This follow-up to 1989’s Batman is probably most known for splitting fans right down the middle. Some love its gothic tone and psychologically-layered characters, while others bemoan the lack of a strong plot or the fact that Batman himself is sidelined. All that being said, you should still give this one a re-watch, as it stands as the most gorgeous-looking Batman film ever – set in a wintry Gotham, Tim Burton fills the screen with his usual eye-popping imagery. With its freakish manchild version of the Penguin and a Catwoman supernaturally granted nine lives, it’s not exactly faithful to the comics, but it is a brave and unique take on the Bat-mythos. Plus, Michelle Pfieffer’s psychotic/sultry Catwoman is one of the best female characters in all of superhero cinema. 8) Mystery Men (1999) This superhero comedy failed to find much of an audience when it was released at the turn of the century, but look back at it now and you’ll realize that Mystery Men was actually just ahead of its time. Starring Ben Stiller, William H. Macy and The Simpsons’ Hank Azaria, Mystery Men follows a trio of Z-list superheroes with useless powers who are finally called upon to save the day. There’s also Greg Kinnear as Captain Amazing and Geoffrey Rush hamming it up as the villainous (and terrifically named) Casanova Frankenstein. Clearly, the film has a terrific cast, but it's also a pretty enjoyable parody of superhero tropes. In a world with movies based on The Avengers and the Justice League, it's certainly worth revisiting this prescient send-up of superhero team-up films. 7) The Crow (1994) The Crow is chiefly remembered for the terrible tragedy that occurred on set – when star Brandon Lee (son of Bruce) died from a gunshot wound caused by a defective blank. The film itself is due a reassessment, however, as it's a moody and stylish effort from I, Robot and Dark City (and, unfortunately, Gods of Egypt) director Alex Proyas. For those who don't recall the plot, it follows rock star Eric Daven who, after the death of his fiancée, rises from the grave to avenge her murder. Apart from the memorable visuals, it's Lee’s film through and through, as he gives a soulful performance that is only underlined by his untimely death. The Crow also spawned a series of straight-to-video sequels and even a TV series. The quality naturally takes a dive from the first film, though, so these are probably only for completists. 6) The Shadow (1994) The same year as The Crow, Alec Baldwin starred in this movie adaptation of early superhero Lamont Cranston AKA The Shadow. If it's remembered for anything, The Shadow is merely seen as an attempt from Universal to cash in on the success of the similarly-themed Batman movies. That’s a little unfair, though, as there is much to merit the film in its own right. As with a lot of the movies on this list, The Shadow has a brilliant visual palette, with a lot of noir-ish and art deco elements. It also sports a sumptuous score from composer Jerry Goldsmith. Plus, Ian McKellen and Tim Curry turn up – and who doesn’t love those two? 5) The Mask (1994) 1994 was definitely the year of obscure comic book character making it to the screen. Whereas The Crow and The Shadow didn’t make much money and have lived on only as cult films, Jim Carrey’s The Mask was one of the smash hits of the year. Still, it isn’t talked about much these days, which is a great shame. At the top of his game at the time, the madcap, OTT character of The Mask is a perfect match for Carrey’s rubber-faced talents. The script is full of quotable lines, as well, and it remains one of the funniest comic book movies ever. There’s also Cameron Diaz in her first ever film role, with what must be one of the most iconic entrances in all of cinema. This one is a rare example of a childhood favourite that has actually stood the test of time. Sssmokin’! 4) Darkman (1990) Ever wondered what it would be like if Liam Neeson played a superhero (haven’t we all?)? Well, wonder no more. In Darkman, Neeson swaps his Irish tones for a noble attempt at a US accent as Peyton Westlake, a man who becomes a demented vigilante after being horribly disfigured by the mob. Directed by Spider-Man’s Sam Raimi, it's a mesh of his earlier horror work with a pulp-y comic book style that hints at the mega successful superhero movies he would make later. The project came into being after Raimi failed to get the rights to both Batman and The Shadow, and their presence is keenly felt on the movie. A homage to more famous characters it may be, then, Darkman is still a worthy entry into the genre in itself. It’s also one of the best superhero movies not based on comic books. 3) The Rocketeer (1991) Before Disney got their hands on Marvel, the House of Mouse’s first dip into the superhero genre was this adaptation of Dave Stevens’ comic character – The Rocketeer. When pilot Cliff Secord (Bill Campbell) finds a prototype jetpack invented by Howard Hughes, he uses it to save his girlfriend (Jennifer Connelly) from a Post-Bond Timothy Dalton as the Errol Flynn-esque Nazi sympathizer/Hollywood star Neville Sinclair. The result is a bright and good-natured throwback to old time-y movie serials, in a similar way to Indiana Jones. Directed by Joe Johnston, this ode to the Golden Age of Hollywood shares a lot of similarities with his later work Captain America: The First Avenger. So if you like that one, make sure to take this film for a test flight as well. 2) Blade (1998) Before X-Men and Spider-Man made superhero movies cool again in the early 21st century, there was Blade – which restored some much needed credibility to the genre after 1997’s Batman & Robin tried its best to sink it forever. Wesley Snipes plays the titular hero, Marvel’s very own vampire hunter in a movie that became the company’s first ever cinematic smash. Conversely, it sports a tone that we now associate more with DC movies. Blade is a wholly grim and gritty film, which wears its comic book status proudly on its sleeve but makes no concessions for goofy, knowing humour. Looking back, it was a landmark film in the genre, which means it deserves to be revisited today. There’s also Blade II, which is a must for fans of Guillermo Del Toro, and Blade Trinity, which you should avoid at all costs. 1) Batman: Mask Of The Phantasm (1993) It's a little known fact that this movie spinoff from the stupendous Batman: The Animated Series actually had a limited cinema release – simply because it was too good to go straight to video as intended. Mask of the Phantasm is at once a fresh take on Batman’s beginnings (with a far better romance than Bruce and Rachel Dawes) and a thrilling whodunit set in the prime of the Bat’s career, as a new vigilante is murdering hoodlums and framing The Dark Knight. Basically, it’s everything you could ever want in a Batman film – complete with an emphasis on detective work. Just as with BTAS, the dark deco animation style is beautiful and the voice acting – from the likes of Kevin Conroy, Mark Hamill and Dana Delany – is pitch perfect. Not to mention the score from Shirley Walker is as good as anything from Danny Elfman or Hans Zimmer. If you haven’t seen this sadly forgotten Batman movie, go check it out now. You'll thank us later.