Comic book movies rule the box office in recent years, but that wasn't always the case. While there were a few notable hits like Batman previously, it wasn't until the 2000s that studios really started embracing these kinds of stories in a big way.
Fans started to see some of their favorite superheroes debut on the big screen as well as some more obscure titles. Looking back on this decade, some great comic book movies have been overlooked while some of the bigger comic book films perhaps got more attention than they deserved.
Underrated: Hellboy (2004)
When the reboot of Hellboy was released last year, many fans dismissed it in favor of the original version. However, that enthusiasm wasn't around when the original Hellboy hit theaters.
Visionary director Guillermo Del Toro brought the comic about a demon who fights paranormal threats to life, with the help of the pitch-perfect casting of Ron Perlman in the titular role. Despite being a fun and beautiful action film, the movie was only a modest hit and the franchise never caught on as it should have.
Overrated: The Incredible Hulk (2008)
The MCU had just started off with the massive success of The Incredible Hulk was a reboot of the franchise after Ang Lee's disappointing 2003 attempt.
Edward Norton stepped into the lead role but left the MCU soon after. The movie's success can be tied to the overall MCU and sometimes gets brought up as an overlooked entry. However, it stands as the least interesting and least fun MCU film to date.
Underrated: Blade 2 (2002)
Few fans that Guillermo Del Toro taking over as director.
Though it was a financial success, Blade 2 is often overlooked as one of the best comic book sequels of all time. Del Toro made a gloriously fun horror-action movie with interesting villains and side characters to Blade on the adventure.
Overrated: Spider-Man (2002)
Though there were other superhero movies that came before it, Sam Raimi's first Spider-Man movie really showed that these larger-than-life characters could work on the big screen and that audiences wanted to see them.
The movie was a massive hit at the box office and was praised by critics. It is certainly a fun adventure with some great Raimi flare to it, but it's not the masterpiece many fans it as. The corny humor, uneven performances, and decision to hid Willem Dafoe under a silly helmet make it a little rough when revisiting.
Underrated: Ghost World (2001)
When thinking of comic book movies, one does not think of a small story like Ghost World. Based on the work by Daniel Clowes, the film follows a pair of high school girls on the verge of graduation whose cynical view of the world around them is complicated by a new friend.
The small indie movie received huge praise from critics but has been largely forgotten and ignored by audiences. It's a shame as the movie is a hilarious, charming, and touching story with some really interesting characters.
Overrated: 300 (2006)
Zack Snyder might now be known for other comic book movies, but he made his debut with the violent adaption of Frank Miller's 300. The film tells a fictionalized and fantastical version of the Battle of Thermopylae in which a small Spartan army took on the much larger Persian army.
The way in which Snyder brought Miller's iconic s to life is impressive, but the film is far less interesting when rewatching. The slow-motion action sequences are repetitive and dull while the over-the-top tone of the film comes off as silly.
Underrated: A History Of Violence (2006)
Another comic book film that doesn't deal with superheroes, A History of Violence is a stunning brutal crime film from David Cronenberg. The movie stars Viggo Mortensen as a family man in a small town who kills two thugs during a robbery. The incident draws attention, including from some people who claim this man is not who he says he is.
The movie came and went without much notice, despite excellent reviews. Fans of the noir genre should certainly seek it out as it is a tense and thrilling story of violence.
Overrated: X-Men (2000)
The iconic X-Men was another comic book property that helped usher in the new wave of comic book movies. The first film in the franchise introduced the various heroes and set up the battle between Professor X and Magneto over the future of the mutant race.
This is perhaps another superhero film looked on fondly more for what followed than the quality of the film itself. It feels like an overstuffed adventure with some particular shoddy CGI and uninspired action sequences.
Underrated: Constantine (2005)
Before becoming John Wick, Keanu Reeves played John Constantine, a popular comic book hero. Constantine is a man who fights angels and demons who are causing trouble on Earth while attempting to earn his own eventual entrance into heaven.
Fans of the comic dismissed the movie for being unfaithful to the source material. However, the movie is nonetheless a hugely entertaining horror-action movie with a great lead performance from Reeves and a solid ing cast.
Overrated: Wanted (2008)
Though it may have been a more obscure comic book, Wanted became one of the most popular action movies of the decade. The film stars James McAvoy as a young man who is brought into a secret society of assassins and trains to become one.
The movie is most known for its memorable "bullet curving" scenes, but beyond that, it's a pretty forgettable movie. The world-building is particularly disappointing and the messy story is not interesting enough to really care about.
