Best Netflix Original Superhero Movies According to Rotten Tomatoes

Over the past two decades, Marvel and DC have dominated the superhero movie landscape. This is understandable, considering the source materials have had large fan bases for decades. Other film factories could thus have been forgiven if they chose to stay away from this space and let the experts (Marvel Studios and Warner Bros.) handle it. However, this hasn’t been the case. Many other companies (especially streaming services) have invested heavily in the genre.

Netflix specifically showed early interest in the genre by licensing several Marvel TV shows. And when it lost the rights to these small-screen projects, it still continued catering to fans. So far, 11 Netflix original superhero films have been released, some made in America, others produced abroad. According to critics, these films vary in quality, so if you are only looking to watch the best, parachute to the bottom of this list. And if you are looking to watch everything, here’s how to prioritize.

This list ranks every Netflix original superhero movie according to their Rotten Tomatoes scores.

11

‘Thunder Force’ (2021)

Rotten Tomatoes: 22%

In Thunder Force, Earth is subjected to cosmic rays that give sociopaths superpowers. Thankfully, Emily (Octavia Spencer), a scientist, develops a serum to give ordinary people superpowers to combat the super-powered criminals called Miscreants. When her friend Lydia (Melissa McCarthy) accidentally takes the serum, the two decide to form the superhero team Thunder Force to protect America.

No Lightning in the Bottle

Critics on Rotten Tomatoes summarized that Thunder Force is “neither funny nor exciting,” adding that it’s “an egregious waste of its co-stars’ talents.” That’s accurate. With a cast that includes two former Oscar nominees, the film ought to have been much better. Unfortunately, it neither features any memorable action sequences nor offers fresh discourse regarding weighty topics. This is just another case of ordinary people getting powers and defeating evil people.

10

‘The Old Guard 2’ (2025)

Rotten Tomatoes: 24%

The situation is tougher in The Old Guard 2. Andy (Charlize Theron) is now mortal, frustrated, and prone to angry outbursts. So, how will she deal with her two new adversaries? There’s Quynh (Veronica Ngô), a former comrade seeking revenge, and Discord (Uma Thurman), the first-ever immortal. Good luck to her.

Curse of the Sequel

The enormous success that Netflix had achieved with The Old Guard 2 made it irresistible for the company to try to repeat its winning formula a short time later. Unfortunately, the sequel is a compendium of sequences you might have never hoped to see again. There’s the scene where a character smiles sheepishly after pulling off a major action feat. There’s a scene of the protagonists storming a facility to steal weapons, and so on. There’s little to excite audiences, something critics easily noted. “Bogged down by tedious lore and lackluster execution, The Old Guard 2 finds this budding franchise already long in the tooth,” notes the consensus on Rotten Tomatoes.

9

‘Freaks: You’re One of Us’ (2020)

Rotten Tomatoes: 28%

Wendy Schulze (Cornelia Gröschel) from Freaks: You’re One of Us has been relying on drugs to boost her mental health ever since she was involved in the death of a principal as a child. One day, she meets a homeless man who advises her to stop taking the drugs. Soon, she discovers that she is part of a group of people with powers, and that there is a government conspiracy to use drugs to control her kind.

Trying to Get Answers

Freaks: You’re One of Us is a dull film, so dull that critics never bothered to give a consensus. There are better international superhero movies. But Jennie is great. She is a strangely ethereal, bold, and elusive person. As her fascination with her powers grows, your fascination with her will also hit a peak. And as the German film progresses, there are constant hints that the heroes and conspirators might be drawn into an oddly intimate reconciliation of sorts. Will it happen?

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8

‘Project Power’ (2020)

Rotten Tomatoes: 60%

In Project Power, a mysterious distributor is offering a free supply of “Power” — a drug that grants superpowers for five minutes — to criminals. When her cousin overdoses, teenage dealer Robin Reilly (Dominique Fishback) teams up with detective Frank Shaver (Joseph Gordon‑Levitt) and ex-soldier Art (Jamie Foxx) to stop the drug’s spread.

Become Loki for Five Minutes

“Although it wastes some of the potential of its premise, Project Power is a slick, fun action thriller and features a star-making turn from Dominique Fishback,” notes the summary on RT. Indeed, Fishback shines. Despite being surrounded by greater talents, she stands out as the most likable member of the team. The visuals and action sequences are excellent, too, but while the superhero film sufficiently digs into drug addiction, it never fully tastes the flavor of past conditions that have contributed to the chaos unfolding before us.

7

‘iBoy’ (2017)

Rotten Tomatoes: 69%

iBoy

Release Date

January 27, 2017

Runtime

90 minutes

Director

Adam Randall

Writers

Joe Barton, Mark Denton

Producers

Gail Mutrux, Nate Bolotin, Lucan Toh, Emily Leo

iBoy’s protagonist is the 16-year-old Tom Harvey (Bill Milner). He falls into a comma after being attacked by gang members, and upon waking up, he learns that fragments of his broken smartphone have been embedded into his brain. Tom can now hear phone transmissions and see digital signals, so he goes after the hoodlums who did this to him.

A Rare, Tech-Powered Hero

Tom’s transformation from a sullen, sheen, sensitive boy into a veritable one-kid-army of fury and reprisal is chilling and authentic. The action sequences will also leave you slackjawed, but there’s little else going on besides the revenge mission. Critics noted this, too. “iBoy‘s original premise and Maisie Williams’ strong performance aren’t enough to overwrite a clichéd narrative, too-serious tone, and overall glitchy execution,” reads the site’s consensus.

6

‘We Can Be Heroes’ (2020)

Rotten Tomatoes: 76%

We Can Be Heroes

Release Date

December 25, 2020

Runtime

100 minutes

Prequel(s)

The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl

Aliens have invaded Earth and abducted the greatest superheroes in We Can Be Heroes. Their children are thus forced to step up. Their mission? Infiltrate the alien mothership where their parents are being held, disable a key doomsday pyramid, and make a rescue.

Children Stepping Up

“Although it may be too zany for adults, We Can Be Heroes balances its sophisticated themes with heart and zealous originality,” say critics. Most audiences will agree with the assessment. It’s actually quite surprising that a film like this was made by Robert Rodriguez, whose work tends to be extremely gory. Here, it’s all joy and colors. Besides that, the superpowers are unique. Among the many heroes, there is one who can communicate using art and another who telekinetically manipulates objects by singing.

5

‘Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always’ (2023)

Rotten Tomatoes: 78%

The villainous Robo-Rita Repulsa (voiced by Barbara Goodson) returns in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always, so the original Rangers reunite to stop her. Unfortunately, Trini Kwanis is tragically killed, so her daughter Minh Kwan (Charlie Kersh) seeks revenge.

The Rangers are Back

While some of the early Power Rangers installments can be considered some of the greatest ‘90s superhero movies, the latest film has mostly remained obscure. However, it’s quite a treat, featuring iconic moments such as the initiation of the Bandora Protocol and Minh’s unsuccessful attempt to use Trini’s Power. Children will love it more, but adults will also enjoy some of the pop culture references infused into the dialogue.

4

‘Psychokinesis’ (2018)

Rotten Tomatoes: 80%

Psychokinesis is the story of Seok-heon (Ryu Seung-ryong), a happy-go-lucky bank security guard whose life changes when he gains telekinetic powers by drinking water from a mountain spring hit by a meteor. When he learns that his daughter is being targeted by a real estate company looking to take her land, he vows to help her, despite their estrangement.

Doing it for Family

Directed by Yeon Sang-ho (best known for Train to Busan), Psychokinesis serves as a perfect blend of laughs, melodrama, and social commentary. It also impresses by addressing the ever-thorny issue that is corporate greed. There’s no consensus about it on Rotten Tomatoes, but most critics agree that it’s brilliant. In addition to that, audiences appreciate the fact that this is a superhero movie that’s more concerned with family than about someone trying to save the world.

3

‘The Old Guard’ (2020)

Rotten Tomatoes: 80%

The Old Guard

Release Date

July 10, 2020

Runtime

124 minutes

Writers

Greg Rucka

Andromache “Andy” of Scythia (Charlize Theron) from The Old Guard is a centuries-old warrior leading a covert group of fellow immortal mercenaries. During a mission to rescue oppressed girls in South Sudan, they are ambushed by ex-CIA operative Copley (Chiwetel Ejiofor), who reveals their secret to pharmaceutical mogul Merrick (Harry Melling). The man thus starts hunting them down, eager to exploit them.

Wonder Women?

“The Old Guard is occasionally restricted by genre conventions, but director Gina Prince-Bythewood brings a sophisticated vision to the superhero genre – and some knockout action sequences led by Charlize Theron,” say the main commentators on Rotten Tomatoes. That’s quite accurate. Though it rides on clichés, the superhero flick is fun and pleasant to the eyes. Director Gina Prince-Bythewood shoots on numerous claustrophobic sets, suggesting the close bond of the heroes, with the action sequences rendered in atmospheric lighting and shadow. No surprise when the Critics’ Choice Awards named this the Best Superhero Movie of 2020.

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2

‘How I Became a Super Hero’ (2021)

Rotten Tomatoes: 83%

Set in a near-future version of Paris, How I Became a Super Hero presents a scenario where superheroes have integrated themselves seamlessly into society. All is well until someone makes a drug synthesized from mutant blood, granting powers to ordinary citizens. Lieutenant Gary Moreau (Pio Marmaï) and rookie Cécile Schaltzmann (Vimala Pons) investigate.

Acting Before It’s Too Late

We’ve seen such scenarios before. Unable to take the draining, dehumanizing, mental prison-like routine they’ve been condemned to, people with special abilities try to live normal, virtuous lives. But the past never deserts them so easily. Even so, the familiarity is never discouraging. Here, noir mayhem is fused with the usual superhero genre arcs. All this, coupled with crisp cinematography, makes the movie worth every penny spent on watching it.