Even in the worst superhero movies of the MCU, the DCU, and other franchises that nobody admits to liking, there are moments that stand out as especially good. Long before the beginning of the MCU’s movie timeline, the superhero genre was not well-considered by general audiences. For all of their current success, there were many years when superhero movies were considered one of the worst genres in cinema, due to the lack of any consistent quality and a reliance on limited visual effects technology. This has led to many superhero movies that few openly admit to liking.
However, even outside the wildly popular movies of the MCU, there are terrible superhero movies that feature great moments. Even a movie with multiple glaring issues can contain a flash of greatness, often highlighting the potential of the genre or a simple stroke of brilliance in an otherwise underwhelming тιтle. With that in mind, here are 10 great moments in superhero movies that no one will admit they liked.
10
Thor’s Black & White Battle Scene
Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)
Despite Thor: Love and Thunder’s great cast, it’s one of a select few MCU movies to have earned a majorly divisive reputation. Dismissed as overly silly and lacking any real depth, Love and Thunder is one of the least popular MCU movies in the Multiverse Saga. However, it does contain a few standout moments that are often overlooked due to the movie’s reputation.
The battle in the Shadow Realm saw the movie briefly transition into black and white, with the heroes and villain fighting as the latter hoped to commandeer Thor’s axe Stormbreaker. The scene is beautifully sH๏τ and framed, making use of a specially designed lighting rig in order to perfectly capture the shadows. Despite being a visually striking piece of cinema, its place in Thor: Love and Thunder means that it’s widely overlooked.
9
Power-Switching Battle Scenes
The Marvels (2023)
One of the MCU’s least popular movies, 2023’s The Marvels was not able to replicate the success of its predecessor. The Marvels failed to earn the respect of its audience, and was widely dismissed, with criticisms leveled at its unoriginal plot and forgettable supporting characters. Even so, The Marvels wasn’t entirely without merit, as it featured a few memorable and enjoyable moments.
One early scene in the movie sets up its power-switching narrative with a well-crafted action sequence involving three separate characters. Seeing Captain Marvel, Ms. Marvel, and Monica Rambeau all switching places when using their powers, battling through their conclusion as they are beset by Kree forces makes for an excellent scene. Not only is it an important part of the movie’s narrative, but it’s comedically delivered with some satisfying visual effects to top it off.
8
Diana Learns To Fly
Wonder Woman 1984 (2020)
The movies of the DCEU aren’t universally known for their quality, with 2020’s Wonder Woman 1984 often being cited as an example of the franchise’s mediocrity. The movie was seen as inferior to its predecessor and faced some controversy over its handling of various plot points and characters. Its reputation is largely poor, but that does very little justice to the moments of quality that the film delivers.
Wonder Woman 1984’s ending sees Diana rescind her wish, acknowledging that her abilities and responsibilities are more important than her relationship with Steve Trevor. It’s a moment that sees Diana painfully let go of her past and finally unlock her potential as she takes flight for the first time. It’s a touching moment of symbolism that serves as an unexpectedly bittersweet ending to a movie that very few people openly admit to liking.
7
Daredevil’s Origin Story
Daredevil (2003)
2003’s Daredevil is often considered one of the worst examples of a pre-MCU comic book movie. Its handling of the Marvel source material was harshly criticized, as was its script and the performances of its cast, with Ben Affleck’s Daredevil and Colin Farrell’s Bullseye cited as marked low points. The negative reception to the movie has earned it an incredibly poor reputation, and very few superhero movie fans will actively defend Daredevil from its many detractors.
The movie’s depiction of the hero’s origin story is far better than its reputation suggests, however. In a few powerfully emotional scenes, Matt Murdock’s accident is detailed, followed by his father’s unlikely boxing comeback and then murder. It’s a scene that captures the heartbreak that prompted Matt Murdock to become Daredevil, and stands out as one of the best moments in what is otherwise considered a terrible superhero movie.
6
Logan Kills Jean Grey
X-Men: The Last Stand (2006)
Even among the many underwhelming releases in Fox’s X-Men movie franchise, X-Men: The Last Stand stands out. The movie has consistently been dubbed the worst in the entire franchise, thanks largely to its poor handling of the source material. Its adaptation of multiple storylines at once poorly serviced its characters, leading to it becoming an overall disappointment and earning very few fans willing to admit to liking it.
Late in the movie, when faced with the prospect of the Phoenix Force using Jean Grey’s abilities to destroy the Earth, Wolverine is forced to make an impossible choice. Fighting against the woman he loves, he has no choice but to kill her in what proved to be an unexepctedly poignant and powerful moment. Considering The Last Stand was otherwise hugely disappointing, the moment stands out as an especially good one due to the emotional subtext and the strength of Hugh Jackman’s performance.
5
Ghost Rider’s Transformation
Ghost Rider (2007)
By many metrics, 2007’s Ghost Rider is considered a pretty average example of pre-MCU Marvel movies. It may not be entirely terrible, but it’s mediocre in almost every way, and the unenthusiastic performances from its core cast combined with the technological limitations of the day shown in its CGI make it a movie with few vocal fans. However, one scene in particular remains surprisingly impressive even years later.
The first time that Johnny Blaze is shown fully transforming into the Ghost Rider is great. Nicolas Cage’s manic and pained performance really sells the moment, and its visual effects are genuinely impressive right up until the final sH๏τ. Watching the movie back today, the scene is an unexpectedly good one, even if its CGI issues eventually make an appearance. As such, it’s yet another great moment in a movie no one wants to admit they like.
4
Wolverine & Sabretooth’s War Montage
X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009)
X-Men Origins: Wolverine is yet another тιтle in the X-Men movie franchise that thoroughly underwhelmed its audience. Despite starring the most popular character from the original trilogy of movies, X-Men Origins: Wolverine bombed with critics and fans alike. Its poor handling of the source material, numerous terrible performances, and a plot riddled with holes were all cited as weak points, but it did feature a handful of memorable moments.
One of X-Men Origins: Wolverine’s best moments came during its opening credits. After its brief prologue scene, a montage featuring Wolverine and Sabretooth fighting alongside one another in various wars across the centuries is excellent. It hints at exciting untold stories while also establishing the violent but brotherly bond between the characters, and continues to stand out as one of the best scenes in an otherwise poor movie.
3
Batman’s Warehouse Fight
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice was a divisive movie, as it initially became known for its litany of problems rather than any moments of quality. Though later reappraisals were a little more favorable, it’s still not a movie that has too many vocal supporters. However, it did feature several scenes that deserve to be better remembered among fans of the DCEU.
Widely considered one of Batman’s best moments in the DCEU’s movie timeline is Batman v Superman’s warehouse scene, which sees Batman brutally and efficiently take on dozens of criminals alone. The stark violence and finely choreographed action sequence make the moment genuinely breathtaking and by far the best in the entire movie. However, as Batman v Superman is typically seen as one of the DCEU’s weaker entries, the quality of the scene is often unfairly overlooked by fans of the franchise.
2
ᴅᴇᴀᴅsH๏τ Saves The Day
Suicide Squad (2016)
2016’s Suicide Squad was one of the DCEU’s biggest missteps, and it earned a reputation for its many wasted opportunities. Its handling of specific characters was criticized, as was its script and the inconsistent quality of its CGI. Suicide Squad therefore has very few fans who openly admit to liking the movie, even though it contained one or two moments of brilliance that often go unnoticed or unmentioned.
When the squad finds themselves surrounded by hostile forces, all seems lost until ᴅᴇᴀᴅsH๏τ steps up. Will Smith’s ᴅᴇᴀᴅsH๏τ takes a stand atop a nearby vehicle, cutting down waves of enemies using only his expert marksmanship. It’s a scene that fully outlines the cinematic potential of ᴅᴇᴀᴅsH๏τ, giving Will Smith a chance to apply his natural charisma to the role while also serving as a great action moment. Even so, its place in Suicide Squad makes it unfairly forgettable, as few people will actually admit to liking the movie.
1
Batman’s “Save One Person” Speech
Justice League (2017)
The theatrical cut of 2017’s Justice League was considered by many to be the beginning of the end for the DCEU. The movie’s production issues led to a disastrous theatrical release, with two different directors’ visions battling it out in a single movie. Underwhelming though it may have been, there were still a few great character moments in the film, which are rarely mentioned due to the fact that nobody will admit to liking it.
When a nervous Flash tells Batman he doesn’t know what to do, Batman delivers a short but insightful speech in which he tells the young hero to simply “save one person”. The speech was surprisingly powerful, and spoke to Batman’s experience as a hero and his potential as a mentor. The brief interaction teased an exciting future for the DCEU, and even though it may not have come to pᴀss, it stands out as an excellent moment in the superhero movies of the MCU, the DCU and other franchises that no one admits to liking.
-
Marvel Cinematic Universe
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a multimedia superhero franchise that began in 2008 with Paramount’s Iron Man starring Robert Downey Jr. The franchise quickly grew in popularity, with Disney eventually buying out Marvel Entertainment in 2009. The MCU consists of dozens of movies and TV shows, most notably Avengers: Endgame, WandaVision, and Loki.
-
DC Universe
The DC Universe is one of the biggest comic book franchises and often competes with Marvel. DC Comics started as National Allied Publications, founded by Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson in 1935. Since then, the franchise has exploded with thousands of comic books, movies, TV shows, and video games. 2013 marked the beginning of the most recent iteration of the superheroes, with Zack Snyder introducing Henry Cavill as Superman. After several movies with mixed reviews, DC underwent a soft reboot under the helm of James Gunn and Peter Safran.
Upcoming MCU Movies
-
Thunderbolts*
- Release Date
-
May 2, 2025
Powered by
-
The Fantastic Four: First Steps
- Release Date
-
July 25, 2025
Powered by
-
Avengers: Doomsday (2026)
Powered by
-
MCU Spider-Man 4
- Release Date
-
July 24, 2026
Powered by
-
Avengers: Secret Wars
- Release Date
-
May 7, 2027
Powered by
Upcoming DC Movie Releases
-
Superman
- Release Date
-
July 11, 2025
Powered by
-
Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow
- Release Date
-
June 26, 2026
Powered by
-
The Batman Part II
- Release Date
-
October 1, 2027
Powered by
