Top 10 Most Realistic Superhero Movies
#10: “Defendor” (2009)
If you ever wanted to see Woody Harrelson as a superhero, then “Defendor” is your movie. The legendary actor plays Arthur Poppington, a loner suffering from fetal alcohol syndrome who prowls the streets as a vigilante. He is the Defendor, and he befriends a sex worker named Angel. She remains his primary motivation throughout the film, as he desperately wishes to save her from a corrupt cop. He also hopes to find a mysterious man known only as Captain Industry, who is allegedly responsible for his mother’s death. It’s a bizarre film steeped in darkness, and its protagonist is a fascinating character. “Defendor” realistically explores what would happen if people took to vigilantism.
#9: “The Green Hornet” (2011)
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In many ways, the Green Hornet is like Batman. They don’t really have superpowers - just a lot of high-tech gadgets and a desire to do good. Seth Rogen plays Britt Reid, a newspaper publisher who teams up with a martial arts expert to fight crime. They become vigilantes and aim to stop a Russian gangster from creating a so-called “super mafia” in Los Angeles. There’s nothing very outlandish or fantastical here. The gadgets are extremely high-tech (like a car that can drive after being sheared in half), but…within the realm of possibility. Furthermore, Britt and Kato have no superpowers to speak of, and they are taking down a local gangster, not a world-ending threat. The movie’s lighthearted, tongue-in-cheek tone certainly helps.
#8: “Noise” (2007)
This is essentially the superhero version of “Falling Down.” It shares a similar premise and the two protagonists share the same type of views on the modern world. Tim Robbins stars as David Owen, a lawyer who becomes fed up with the constant noise of life. Yes, literal noise. Car alarms, beepers, birds, and the general goings-on of the city all get to him. To stop the cacophony of life, Owen becomes The Rectifier and resorts to acts of extreme vandalism. It’s certainly a different kind of superhero - one without powers and one whose aim and methods are…questionable. Still, it’s a really fun concept, and viewers can’t help but relate to Owen. Sometimes the noise is just too much.
#7: “Iron Man” (2008)
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While it takes place within the MCU, “Iron Man” is easily the most realistic of the bunch. Of course, some suspension of disbelief is required. There’s just no way that the Iron Man suit could exist today. But high-tech gizmos aside, the movie is surprisingly grounded in realism. Tony Stark isn’t a quote-unquote superhero, but a weapons manufacturer who manages to build a kickass mech suit. There are also no fantastical elements to speak of. The great threat isn’t some alien, but terrorists and another weapons manufacturer. Along the way they fight with mech suits, rockets, and guns, not unearthly super powers. It’s quite ironic that one of the more grounded superhero movies gave rise to the MCU…
#6: “Super” (2010)
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This film from James Gunn is very similar to “Defendor,” only featuring a far more anti-heroic protagonist. Rainn Wilson plays a chef named Frank Darbo who becomes depressed after his wife leaves him for a strip club owner. He then experiences a spiritual vision and becomes the Crimson Bolt, believing that God wants him to fight crime. Without any superpowers whatsoever, he arms himself with a pipe wrench and begins doling out justice to anyone he thinks deserves it - even if the crime in question is more of an annoying hindrance. “Super” is the anti-superhero movie; one which explores the repercussions of a seriously unhinged man attempting to dole out his own warped sense of justice.
#5: “Special” (2006)
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Many similar films were released around this time, all focusing on a normal guy with a skewed vision of his own importance - and abilities. In this movie, Michael Rapaport plays Les Franken, a comic book aficionado who starts believing that he has superpowers after taking a new antidepressant. He views himself as a telepathic crime fighter while the police view him as a loopy and violent man. The movie’s fun twist is further explored through its filmmaking. For most of the movie, viewers are only given Les’s surreal point of view and prohibited from seeing the reality. Les isn’t really “special” - just hopped up on some hallucinatory drugs. But therein lies all the fun.
#4: “Boy Wonder” (2010)
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The titular boy wonder is Sean Donovan, an antisocial loner who is traumatized by the death of his mother at the hands of a carjacker. Having grown up hating criminals, Sean starts taking crime into his own hands and begins working as a vigilante. He kills the likes of muggers and pimps, but his delusions eventually get the better of him and he ends up killing innocent people. This is the ultimate anti-superhero movie. “Boy Wonder” is not only about the dangers of vigilantism, but it presents a pseudo heroic protagonist who does far more societal harm than good. It’s a wonderful subversion of the superhero genre, portraying vigilantism as the harmful and unfulfilling endeavor that it is.
#3: “The Punisher” (2004)
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This superhero has always been one of Marvel’s more…unique creations. Frank Castle is a very damaged man. To get back at Castle for the death of his son, Howard Saint has his entire family slaughtered. And not just his immediate wife and children. No, his entire family. This in turn kickstarts a whole cycle of revenge, as Castle looks to get back at Saint for getting back at him. Armed with nothing but his military-grade hardware and desire for revenge, Castle becomes the Punisher and starts punishing. The movie is a grounded action drama, utilizing everyday weapons over fantasy or science fiction elements. The violence is also depicted in a realistic and very bloody manner. Despite the Marvel banner, this one isn’t for the kids.
#2: “Kick-Ass” (2010)
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This is another vigilante film about everyday people trying to make a difference. The titular Kick-Ass is young Dave Lizewski, a comic book fan who dons a homemade outfit and a pair of batons. He teams up with a deranged former cop dressed as a Batman-type hero and his young daughter, who he has trained to be a ruthless killer. Together, they conspire to take down not a world-ending threat, but a local mob boss. This movie is very much rooted in the real world, depicting its protagonists not as valiant heroes but as unhinged individuals. It’s also incredibly violent and doesn’t shy away from the physical destruction and pain that superheroes are likely to inflict.
#1: “The Batman” (2022)
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Bruce Wayne has always been one of the more realistic superheroes. Like the Green Hornet and Iron Man, he doesn’t require fantastical superpowers to fight crime - just a lot of fancy gadgetry. While “The Dark Knight” took the superhero genre seriously with a grounded story and mature themes, “The Batman” is arguably even more realistic. In essence, this isn’t even a superhero movie. It’s more like a film noir or old-fashioned detective story with superhero elements. And even then, the superhero elements are very light. Even the villains are depicted without any heightened flair, with Penguin and the Riddler shedding their old comic book-y costumes in favor of a more true-to-life look. This is an excellent superhero movie for people who don’t like superhero movies.
