The Top 10 Best Comic Book Movies Without Superheroes

5. Scott Pilgrim vs the World 

I have a bit of a soft spot for Scott Pilgrim vs the World because it was one of the first films I ever officially reviewed. Still, that doesn’t make it any less deserving to be on this list of comic book movies and, while there are superheroic elements to it, the hero of the story is far from heroic. Director Edgar Wright is careful to encompass the stylized visuals of Bryan Lee O’Malley’s original comic (which was a sort of imitation manga) and does so brilliantly. The film is a geeky neo-fantasy stuffed with pop culture references, as it follows Scott trying to win the love of a girl by defeating her seven evil exes. Those exes include the likes of Chris Evans, Brandon Routh, and Jason Schwartzman, among others.  I really enjoyed the blend of action and comedy with the ingenious visual effects that were used, and if you’re a true-blooded geek, I’m sure you will too.

4. Hellboy II: The Golden Army

Honestly, you really can’t go wrong with any of the Hellboy movies. However, of the three of them, The Golden Army is my personal favorite. With the characters already established in Hellboy, Guillermo del Toro was able to start really diving into the grand mythos of the world they inhabit. The film introduced elves, trolls, ghosts, and tooth fairies, among other creatures. If only it had led to a trilogy, there’s no telling what we would have gotten. Still, I’m more than happy with this absolute gift of a movie. Everything about the del Toro comic book movies comes together beautifully, from Ron Pearlman as the titular demonic hero to the outstanding visual elements to the intricate and well-crafted plots. That said, I also liked a lot of what the 2019 reboot did. Sure, we were all mad that we didn’t get another del Toro movie, but all things considered, it was a pretty fun flick.  

3. Snowpiercer 

Alright, I’ve got a bit of a weird one here, so try to follow along.  Snowpiercer is an English language, South Korean-Czech film based on a French graphic novel. So, it’s quite worldly as far as comic book movies go. The film is set in a post-apocalyptic future where the Earth has entered a new Ice Age, and humanity is forced to live on a high-speed train that is constantly moving to avoid everyone on board from freezing to death. The problem is that a new caste system has been implemented dividing people into the haves and the have-nots. As you might have guessed, it doesn’t take long for the have-nots to get pissed, and pretty soon we’ve got ourselves a good old-fashioned train war. Like so many other comic book movies, it stars Chris Evans (just to toss a bit of America in there with the French, Korean, and everything else) and he proves he’s much more than “America’s Ass” in this flick.

2. Edge of Tomorrow

Manga is essentially a Japanese comic book, and since there are no superheroes in Edge of Tomorrow, I figured it deserved a spot among the rest of these comic book movies as well. The film is based on the series All You Need is Kill by Hiroshi Sakurazaka and stars Tom Cruise (who actually starred in another comic book movie, Oblivion) as a soldier battling an alien invasion on planet Earth. That might seem like a pretty standard plot at first glance, except when you take into account that he can’t actually die. He just “respawns” each time and the clock is reset with no one but him any the wiser as to the events that have passed. This time loop (and a hell of a mech suit) gives him a bit of an edge in the end. When I first heard of Edge of Tomorrow, I thought it sounded like the dumbest thing ever, but it turned out to be one of my favorite films of 2014.

1. Oldboy (2003)

I was actually really surprised that this dark, twisted, revenge epic was based on a comic series by Nobuaki Minegishi and Garon Tsuchiya. It was an incredible movie, to begin with, but now I can say it’s one of the absolute best comic book movies of all time. Oldboy is actually part of Park Chan-wook’s revenge trilogy, which is definitely not for the faint of heart or those with sensitive stomachs (what can I say, Koreans are masters of the revenge genre). The film revolves around a man kidnapped and kept in a locked motel room for 15 years before suddenly being released with no explanation. Of course, the first thing on the man’s mind is finding out who his mysterious captors were and getting bloody revenge on them all. He sets out on a cat and mouse game to find them and get the answers behind his imprisonment that he’s so desperate for. It’s hard to watch at times, but Oldboy is an outstanding film that comic book fans will definitely want to see.

Honorable Mention: Atomic Blonde 

No one kicks ass these days quite like Charlize Theron. She’s not just one of the best “female” action stars, but one of the best action stars in the industry period. Toss in the fact that she’s joined by David Leitch, one of the men behind John Wick, and Atomic Blonde easily earns a well-deserving honorable mention on this list of comic book movies. Theron takes on the role of a British spy sent to Berlin to investigate the murder of a fellow operative on behalf of MI-6 and the CIA. Once there, she finds herself in a web of conspiracy as friends become enemies and enemies, well, they continue to be enemies. Of course, everyone manages to underestimate how truly deadly Theron is, what with her being a woman and all, and the audience gets to relish watching her kick Soviet ass all across Berlin with her Jason Bourne-esque ability to use everything around her as a weapon. 

Shout Out: Men in Black

I honestly had no idea that Men in Black was a comic adaptation until I started researching this list (yes, I actually do research). Apparently, it’s only “loosely based” on the comics, but I’m not here to gauge how accurate these comic book movies are to the source material, just how good they are. That being said, make sure you stick to the domestic MIB and not the international one. There’s no shortage of secret government agencies in comics, but not many specialize in protecting the planet from the scum of the universe. With their advanced technology and an army of elite agents (most notably Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones), the Men in Black not only keep humanity safe but have even saved the universe a few times. I’ll admit that the quality dropped exponentially after the first film, but the Tim Burton sci-fi comedy is not only one of the best comic book movies, but there isn’t a caped crusader insight.

Dishonorable Mentions: Tons

There you have it, proof that comic book movies don’t add to superhero fatigue. Above there are revenge thrillers, sci-fi epics, and brutal action adventures, in other words, something for everyone. There are a lot of other comic book movies out there though, and I’d love to hear some of your favorites in the comments below. As always, I’ll be updating this list as new ones pop up. So, be sure to check back from time to time to see how the rankings might change!