9 Best Superhero Noir Movies, Ranked

While much has been written about superheroes and their ties to various genres, there are three to which the mere concept of superheroes owes its existence. One is science fiction, with many heroes gaining their abilities from an alien planet or through some science-based element. The second is Fantasy, with many heroes owing their powers to mythological or magical creatures, gods, or supernatural forces. But the third, and some will argue overlooked of these genres is the classic Noir.

Because superheroes such as Superman and Batman were created in the 1930s, much of their early work involved them taking on gangsters, criminals, and thugs, more akin to a crime thriller than a superhero film. Since then, many characters such as The Punisher, The Crowand Daredevil have embraced Noir as part of their identities, often with characters of dubious moral quality questioning what it is they’re fighting for, and not always beating the bad guys. As such, while not too many theatrically released, live-action films have managed to fit into that mold, those that do are always noteworthy.

9 ‘Constantine’ (2005)

Directed by Francis Lawrence

John Constantine (Keanu Reeves) is a deeply sarcastic demon hunter, exorcist, and occult expert with a knack for finding demons hiding in our world. He’s taken on this line of work because, after a visit to hell as a teenager, he’s decided to earn as much goodwill from God as he can manage, so he can go to Heaven. But while helping Officer Angela Dodson (Rachel Weisz) investigate the death of her twin sister, Constantine discovers a plot to kick-start the apocalypse by freeing Mammon, the son of Satan, and unleashing Hell upon humanity.

At the time of its release in 2005, Constantine received a divisive response from critics and fans. But over time, it has become regarded as one of Wildstorm Comics’ better adaptations, to the point where a sequel has been announced. It may not be one of Keanu Reeves’ best films, but it has a moody tone with a street-level perspective on almighty beings.

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8 ‘Punisher: War Zone’ (2008)

Directed by Lexi Alexander

While the Dolph Lundgren Punisher film is infamously terrible, and the Thomas Jane version is a fun if stylistically generic action film, Punisher: War Zone has a stylistic edge that stands out among other depictions of the character. Taking heavy inspiration from Garth Ennis’ Punisher MAX, the film sets itself five years into The Punisher/Frank Castle’s (Ray Stevenson) career. By this point, Castle is a one-man army against the criminal underbelly, more than willing to use deadly force.

His latest target is Jigsaw (Dominic West), a young mob boss whose disfigurement at the hands of Castle leads him to seek revenge by getting every criminal and corrupt cop in town on Castle’s back. Needless to say, it’s a bloodbath where only one man will come out on top. Punisher: War Zone is not for the faint of heartwith violence and a bleak tone that would make Quentin Tarantino and Alfonso Cuaron blush. But it adheres to the visual and spiritual tone of a Punisher comic more than either of his other cinematic outings.

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7 ‘The Shadow’ (1994)

Directed by Russell Mulcahy

The Shadow may not be the most remembered superhero among the public, but he is one of the most influential, inspiring the likes of Batman and Darkwing Duck. Set sometime after WW1, the film shows the origins of this classic vigilante, beginning in Tibet as a drug kingpin named Lamont Cranston (Alec Baldwin). At first, he’s a greedy man who seeks only his monetary power. But his outlook is soon changed when he is given the chance to become a force of good by an otherworldly force.

He develops the ability to hypnotize other people and turn himself invisible to those who look upon him (except for his shadow). After training for seven years, he returns to his home in New York and adopts the persona of The Shadow – a wealthy playboy by day, a terror to criminals at night. While it may not be able to escape the influence of a certain dark knight, The Shadow is a fun take on a classic character that deserves more recognition.

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6 ‘Dick Tracy’ (1990)

Directed by Warren Beatty

Films such as Spider-Man and Popeye have attempted to translate the visual sensibilities of a comic book or strip to live-action, but no film has attempted such a thorough dedication to honoring the visual language of its source material more than Dick Tracy. The film shows the title character (Warren Beatty), the toughest, most morally righteous detective in the city, fighting the evil criminal forces of Big Boy Caprice (Al Pacino), his fostering of a street kid (Charlie Korsmo), and his torn focus between two girls who have his heart.

While the story is nothing groundbreaking and there’s no real character journey that Tracy goes through, its dedication to the design and tone of the comics is particularly admirable. Every actor in the film commits to the outlandish tone to the point where nearly every villain wears prosthetic makeup to look exactly like the characters from strips. The script may not always deliver, but the direction of Dick Tracy is impeccable.

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5 ‘Watchmen’ (2009)

Directed by Zack Snyder

The original comic book version of Watchmen is perhaps the most acclaimed graphic novel in history, and the movie does well translating the book’s dark tone to a live-action medium. In an alternate 1985, costumed crime-fighters have influenced much of the world’s history, only to be outlawed into forced retirement. When vigilante detective Rorschach (Jackie Earle Haley) discovers a recently murdered man was once a superhero called The Comedian (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), he and several retired heroes begin to uncover a vast conspiracy that will alter the world’s fate.

While taking a somewhat more bombastic and action-packed approach than its source material, Watchmen remains a hard-hitting deconstruction of the concept of superheroes as a whole, showing them as fundamentally flawed people with traumas and sometimes outright despicable morals. It plays out as a murder mystery with no complete morally right answer to be found, ultimately leaving the moral choice up to the viewers.

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4 ‘Darkman’ (1990)

Directed by Sam Raimi

Once upon a time, Sam Raimi expressed interest in making a movie about Batman or The Shadow. When things didn’t work out, he decided to create his own gothic superhero – albeit more akin to The Phantom of the Opera than Bruce Wayne. Dr. Peyton Westlake (Liam Neeson) has invented a new form of synthetic skin, one that can last up to 100 minutes in the sun before disintegrating. After running afoul of gangsters, Peyton is nearly killed, with his face horrifically burned as a result.

While in treatment, he is given a special treatment that results in enhanced strength and the loss of physical pain but drives him insane. Now, in a single-minded pursuit of vengeance, he adopts an alter-ego known as Darkman. The titular hero wears his influences on his sleeve, yet remains a truly unique character. His inner tussles between protecting those he loves and the revenge he seeks against those who wrong him call to mind classic monsters and Noir characters who have similar struggles.

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3 ‘Unbreakable’ (2000)

Directed by M. Night Shyamalan

One of M. Night Shyamalan’s best movies, Unbreakable was among the first mainstream superhero films to wonder what it would be like if a normal person from our world suddenly got superpowers. Such a thing happened to David Dunn (Bruce Willis), the only survivor of a train crash that killed 131 people. After meeting a mysterious man with extremely frail bones named Elijah Price (Samuel L. Jackson), Dunn discovers he has strength that goes far beyond those of ordinary men, a special sense that allows him to pick up on dangerous people, and an uncanny aversion to water.

Price begins to follow the guidance of Price, who compares his behavior and abilities to the superheroes in the comics he reads. But where there is a hero, there must be a villain, and Dunn’s is closer to him than he thinks. Unbreakable is a superhero thriller that examines how both the traumas of heroes and villains push them into becoming something utterly fantastical and dangerous.

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2 ‘The Crow’ (1994)

Directed by Alex Proyas

Perhaps the most haunting of all superhero films, owing largely to the death of lead actor Brandon Lee during filming, adding another layer to the film’s themes of death, resurrection, and pain. On the night before Halloween, a night of crime known as Devil’s Night, Eric Draven (Brandon Lee) and his girlfriend Shelly (Sofia Shinas) are brutally murdered by a gang attempting to seize their home.

One year later, Eric is mysteriously resurrected by a crow, remembers the man he was in life before, and embarks on a mission of lethal revenge against those responsible for his and Shelly’s deaths. The Crowmuch like its narrative namesake, has a hunting power all its own, with striking visuals, an aggressively bleak tone, and a deadpan sense of humor. Yet it still believes in the power of undying love, and the inner peace a soul can find once their duty is completed.

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1 ‘The Batman’ (2022)

Directed by Matt Reeves

The Batman is perhaps, visually and spiritually, the darkest Batman film yet, owing more to the character’s Noir and detective roots than any of his other cinematic incarnations. Set two years into Batman’s crime-fighting career, a serial killer known as The Riddler (Paul Dano) has begun murdering high-profile figures in Gotham City while leading a trail for Batman (Robert Pattinson) to follow.

As the caped crusader gets further dragged along, he begins to see the effect his vengeance-driven career has had on the city – and the consequences resulting from it. The Batman is a film that deconstructs the idea of Batman’s mission of vengeance, questioning how it truly benefits the city he claims to protect. It also has perhaps the most corrupted version of Gotham City, where nearly everyone has a secret to hide. Yet despite the film’s darkness, it has a powerful sense of hope that even if the city is beyond saving, it’s worth trying regardless.

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Next: The 10 Most Underrated Film Noir Movies From the 1950s, Ranked