The Best Superhero Films And Shows On Amazon Prime Video, Ranked

Feeling overwhelmed with all of the superhero films and shows currently streaming? Don't know where to begin? Here are the five best superhero films and shows on Amazon Prime Video, ranked:

7.  Batman vs Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Like in most crossover films, this one follows a familiar formula –  Batman and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles fight each other the first time they meet, but must soon unite against a common enemy: the Shredder, who has teamed up with Batman's eternal nemesis, Ra's al Ghul. The film plays out like a Saturday morning cartoon, with action sequences that are well-choreographed and smartly animated, and an irreverent sense of humour.

6.  DC's Legends of Tomorrow

Based on characters in the DC Comics, this series debuted in 2016 and is currently in its sixth season. It features Rip Hunter (Doctor Who's Arthur Darvill), a time-travelling superhero who initially goes rogue but soon realizes that a threat from the future could destroy the Earth. He assembles a group of superheroes in a mission to prevent that apocalypse. While the first two seasons are dark and broody, in the vein of Arrow or Flash, the rest have a more cheeky, comic tone.

5. Wonder Woman

Wonder Woman released at a time when the cultural landscape was obsessed with dark, tortured heroes and brooding anti-heroes and won audiences over by being kind-hearted, brave and optimistic — quite simply, purely heroic. It stars Gal Gadot as Diana Prince, an Amazonian warrior who must stop Ares, the God of War, from destroying mankind. Gadot finds a wonderful scene partner in Chris Pine's Steve Trevor, a US pilot, and the film coasts along on their charm, easy chemistry and comic timing.

4. The Tick

The Tick is set in a parallel world where superheroes are an accepted fact of life. A timid accountant discovers that The Terror, a supervillain everyone believes dead, may actually still be alive. He joins a blue superhero named The Tick and a bunch of other superpeople, to fight evil. Dark, funny and downright weird, the show infuses the 'scrappy underdog with a heart of gold' trope with an inherent charm and likeability.

3. Batman Begins

Christopher Nolan's take on Batman's origin story is arguably one of the best first instalments of  a trilogy in recent history. The film doesn't skimp on the promised action and violence, bringing to life menacing comic-book villains Scarecrow (Cillian Murphy) and Ra's Al Ghul (Liam Neeson) but also provides a compelling examination of Bruce Wayne's (Christian Bale) guilt and trauma, his relationship with father figure Alfred (Michael Caine) and struggle to balance the two parallel lives he's leading without losing sight of who he really is.

2. Invincible

One of the best shows of 2021 so far, Robert Kirkman's animated series is part coming-of-age story, part gloriously violent superhero origin story. Full of the twists, turns and teen drama, the series offers a level of maturity (and gore) rarely seen in a superhero story, let alone an animated project. Inventive bad guys, dizzying action, a heartfelt emotional core, superpowered sassy teenagers and a voice cast that includes Steven Yeun, Seth Rogen and JK Simmons. What more could you want?

1. The Boys

What if superheroes were awful egomaniacs? It's hard to imagine them as anything but after watching Eric Kripke's deliciously dark comedy about a world where superheroes are badly behaved celebrities owned by an evil corporation. It's left to a rag-tag team of 'super-hunters' (led by Karl Urban's foul-mouthed Billy Butcher) to smack them when they get out of line. A brutally biting satire on superhero culture and hero worship with plenty of massive set pieces along the way, The Boys is one of the most refreshing superhero stories in years.

Special mentions:

Flash: This seven-season show follows speedster Barry Allen (Grant Gustin), who attempts to strike a balance between his everyday life and his alter ego's dogged pursuit of the supervillain who killed his mother.

Man of Steel: Zack Snyder's take on the Superman origin story sees the superhero struggle to find his place in a world he isn't sure will accept him.

Supergirl: Initially, all Superman's cousin Kara Danvers (Melissa Benoist) wants is a regular life on Earth. Over the six-season show, however, she gradually learns to embrace her Kryptonian identity, and her powers.