Roger Ebert’s selections for the worst superhero movies of all time may have looked differently if he had lived to see the blockbuster phases of Marvel’s cinematic universe and DC’s succession of flops. Regardless, the critic shared his thoughts on the heroes of his era, the best, the good, the okay, and the worst. His ratings for sequels leaned lower as he questioned the dedication to developing storylines that weren’t immediate rinse-and-repeats for quick release. With every negative review, Ebert counterbalanced with a title that succeeded where the other failed. Like many genre moviegoers, he found excitement in the potential of revisiting the iconic symbols of Gotham or the nostalgia of placing hope in the hands of a superhero. He commended the mastery of special effects that elevated the premise and not overtake it.

The worst movies of the genre skimp out on the development of the very characters it seeks to endorse for moviegoers to idolize, giving the actors he deemed unfortunate to portray them nothing to work with. These movies pay little to no attention to the emotional and psychological ranges of these superpowered beings, taking away the humanistic element that connects with its audience. For some, they don’t go to the blockbusters of the genre for the story, but rather for the action. For Ebert, it has to be both, and the worst superhero movies, in his opinion, are unable to do both.

• ‘X-Men Origins: Wolverine’ (2009)
• ‘Batman & Robin’ (1997)
• ‘Supergirl’ (1984)
• ‘Thor’ (2011)
• ‘Elektra’ (2005)
• ‘RoboCop 3’ (1993)
• ‘The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen’ (2003)
• ‘Catwoman’ (2004)
• ‘The Spirit’ (2008)
• ‘Fantastic Four’ (2005)