10 Superhero Movie Disasters That Are Still Must-Watches

Throughout the 21st century, the superhero movie genre has ruled the box office and dominated pop culture conversations with movies like The Dark Knight and Spider-Man. Since well before the turn of the century, though, audiences have been delighted by these stories of people in costumes and capes using their abilities to do the right thing. Not all superhero films are made equal, though. In fact, throughout the years, there have been plenty that are widely considered pretty terrible.

Even then, not all bad superhero movies are made equal. Some are unbearably awful and better left off in the dark pits of oblivion, but others are a blast of fun in spite — or sometimes because — of how bad they are. Whether they’re so-bad-they’re-good gems or simply overhated efforts that don’t deserve the bad reputation, these bad superhero movies are ranked by how much of a must-watch they are, from the least to the most.

10

‘Morbius’ (2022)

Directed by Daniel Espinosa

Probably the only movie that has ever flopped at the box office twice, the woefully miscalculated Morbius was the project that really made it clear that Sony’s Spider-Man-less universe just wasn’t going to work. Poorly written, poorly paced, poorly acted, and with the most generic of generic plots, it’s one of the most noteworthy failures of 21st-century Hollywood.

Despite its poor performance all across the board, though, Morbius has become a crucial part of contemporary meme culture. From the silly catchphrase “it’s Morbin’ Time” to clips of Matt Smith sweeping the dance floor, the film isn’t exactly so-bad-it’s-good — quite frankly, it’s just bad —, but the hilarious reaction it has left in its path is what makes it a must-see.

Directed by Stephen Norrington

Overhated and yet also a bit obscure, the 2003 Sean Connery-starring disaster The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen is based on a comic book series by the legendary Alan Moore and Kevin O’Neill. It’s an absolutely bonkers film full of events that make no sense carried out by characters whose motivations make no sense, but that’s precisely where its campy charm comes from.

It’s certainly not a good film. The plot is incredibly contrived, the performances aren’t particularly memorable, and the CGI is awful, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a film worth watching. Its poorly-executed insanity and its great concept (bringing an ensemble of cool characters in the public domain into a steampunk story) all make it a must-see for those in the mood for a bad but fun superhero film.

8

‘Captain America’ (1990)

Directed by Albert Pyun

It was during the 2000s that the superhero genre really redeemed itself. Throughout the 1990s, it produced some truly abysmal movies — including the perennial punching bag that is 1990’s Captain America. Well before Chris Evans turned Steve Rogers into an icon of the big screen, Matt Salinger turned him into a bit of a joke. A funny joke without a doubt, but a joke nonetheless.

This Captain America movie premiered theatrically internationally but only straight-to-video in the U.S. and didn’t quite finish thawing. Too violent for kids and too terrible for grown-ups, it’s a movie stuck in limbo, never quite knowing who it wants to appeal to — and thus, appealing to no one in the end. It has developed a small cult following of Marvel fans who love how unintentionally hilarious the cheap budget makes the whole thing feel, but that doesn’t mean it’s any less outrageous.

7

‘Catwoman’ (2004)

Directed by Pitof

One of the most infamous action films of the 2000s, Catwoman needs no introduction. Where to even begin with the many reasons why it’s considered one of the worst films of the 2000s? It’s such a mistreatment of the source material that it’s insulting to fans; it’s so poorly written, edited, and directed that it’s hard to believe it’s real; and though Halle Berry tries her damnedest, there’s nothing else here that’s redeemable.

Though many would call Catwoman boring, its badness is so off-the-wall and wild that it’s sincerely hard not to find something here to enjoy unironically. Berry’s charisma is like a shield for viewers to be able to tolerate all the unbelievably bad special effects, dialogue, and storylines. Even aside from all of that, Catwoman is a must-see for superhero film fans if only to see how a movie in the genre should not be made.

6

‘The Pumaman’ (1980)

Directed by Alberto De Martino

One of the many films made prominent by Mystery Science Theater 3000, a comedy show where colorful characters watch old so-bad-they’re-good B-pictures, The Pumaman is one of the most atrociously made disasters that ever screened on the series. Though not nearly as well-known as something like Manos: The Hands of Fate, this English-language Italian production is just as bad.

Amateurish all across the board (though particularly awful-looking whenever Pumaman (Walter George Alton) flies), this so-bad-it’s-good classic is obligatory watching for those who don’t understand how atrocious superhero movies garner cult followings. Ugly, cheesy, and nonsensical in every way imaginable, it’s as hilarious as a superhero romp can get without any of that hilarity being intended. How it managed to score Donald Pleasance remains a mystery.

5

‘Madame Web’ (2024)

Directed by S.J. Clarkson

2024 saw the release of plenty of terrible movies, but many would argue that none were as laughably awful as the one that put yet another nail in the coffin of Sony’s Spider-Man-less universe: Madame Web. Similar to Morbius, the film has been memed to oblivion, and it’s now an essential part of contemporary pop culture.

Even if it were a student film, it would still be unforgivably messy, poorly edited, even more poorly written, and bizarre.

Without a doubt or any room for debate, Madame Web is one of the most awful movies of the 2020s so far. It’s very possible to make superhero origin story movies work, just not like this. Even if it were a student film, it would still be unforgivably messy, poorly edited, even more poorly written, and bizarre to the point that it must be seen to be believed. Madame Web is a spectacle of bad creative decisions and a showcase of Sony’s complete out-of-touch view of what Marvel fans want in a movie.

4

‘Steel’ (1997)

Directed by Kenneth Johnson

It happens less often now, but once upon a time, athletes were obsessed with trying their hand at a Hollywood career. Sometimes, it turned out okay; other times, you got a Steel. Shaquille O’Neal is about as good an actor as he is a three-point shooter, and he proved it in this ridiculous parade of superhero story clichés and complete lack of artistic craft.

Due to its completely boring protagonist, Shaq’s dull performance, the surface-level themes of social harmony, and the surprising amount of sentimentalism found in the script, Steel tends to be present in any and all conversations about the worst movies of all time. Nevertheless, it’s a campy and enjoyable kind of disaster in many ways. Those looking for genuine quality or enjoyment are better off looking elsewhere, but those looking for a film at whose expense they can have a good time should be able to appreciate this fiasco.

3

‘Mystery Men’ (1999)

Directed by Kinka Usher

An ensemble comedy featuring stars of the stature of Ben Stiller, William H. Macy, and Hank Azaria, Mystery Men is nowhere near as atrocious as many of its “bad superhero flick” peers, but what it is is ten times as fun and rewatchable. Much of that comes from the fact that it’s not very good at all, but it’s more than enough to provide an absurd good time.

Poorly paced with overstuffed with characters, terrible editing, and incredibly erratic pacing, it’s not a particularly clever or well-constructed superhero spoof. Nevertheless, Mystery Men is a remarkably entertaining one. Its oddball humor may not always work, but it’s refreshing and effective enough to have a solid time. The cast does an admirable job, and there are a few awesome laughs to be had here and there.

2

‘Howard the Duck’ (1986)

Directed by Willard Huyck

Despite being one of the trashiest movies of the ’80s, the infamous Howard the Duck still somehow manages to find ways to be worthwhile. It’s repulsively sexual, head-scratchingly strange, and tonally puzzling, but those qualities are precisely what gives it the kind of fever-dream quality that makes it a must-see. It’s not an enjoyable film in the traditional sense of the word, but there’s just something about it.

That “something” is definitely not the special effects, which are pretty awful. It’s also definitely not the directing or performances, which fail on every level imaginable, even if there is a hint of self-awareness in Lea Thompson‘s work. It’s not even the humor, which barely ever lands and is often more cringeworthy than funny. Nevertheless, there is still something about Howard the Duck that’s impossible to look away from, a seductive awfulness that only very few cult classics are able to channel.

1

‘Batman & Robin’ (1997)

Directed by Joel Schumacher

One of the most terrible yet most iconic cult classics of the ’90s, Batman & Robin is the movie that killed the Batman franchise before Christopher Nolan was able to revive it with Batman Begins in 2005. For those who love camp galore, bad puns, Bat-credit cards, and Bat-nipples, this is a must-see. For everyone else, it kind of is still an obligatory watch, too.

Batman & Robin is one of the most rewatchable bad movies of the decade, the kind of “you must see it to believe it” trainwreck that every movie fan must watch at least once. It’s a disaster of titanic proportions, a collection of questionable creative decisions that is irresistibly and unironically funny to watch. Is it any good in the traditional sense? Not in any way, shape, or form. But is it so bad that it’s the gold standard for so-bad-they’re-good superhero gems? Absolutely.

NEXT:The Worst Cult Classics, Ranked