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Samaritan is the most recent example of a movie that attempts to present a new take on the superhero concept. With the MCU and other superhero franchises currently dominating the film industry, every once in a while, there’s a new original movie trying to deal with the topics of superpowers and great responsibilities differently.
The possibilities are endless, and movies about characters with superpowers work in horror movies just as well as in action films if done well. Those looking to see some superpowered (but not superhero-focused) media would do well to follow the recommendations of fans on Letterboxd.
10/10 The Innocents (2021) – 3.6/5
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In The Innocents, a group of four children become friends during summer and discover they have hidden powers, creating a powerful yet highly dangerous bond among themselves.
The film deals with how the innocent, confused mind of a child would react to such a thrilling discovery, delving deep into each character’s motivations and backgrounds, explaining how their different realities drastically change the way they perceive their powers and, consequently, cause them to grow apart from each other. The Innocents gradually becomes a chilling atmospheric horror movie with a shocking conclusion.
9/10 Thelma (2017) – 3.7/5
Written by Eskil Vogt, a promising filmmaker with only two feature films so far and also the same person who directed The Innocents, Thelma offers an innovative take on themes such as religious oppression and sexuality, following a young girl trying to cope with dangerous new abilities and a burning desire for a girl she befriends.
Thelma’s powers are directly connected to her environment and her feelings, working almost as a reflection of all the repressed emotions she kept hidden after years under her strict family roof. Things start spiraling out of control eventually, and the film utilizes subtle symbolism and suspense to drive the characters to a point of no return.
8/10 Dark City (1998) – 3.7/5
Dark City is an underrated 90s gem following John, a man with a foggy past who awakens in a mysterious world with no sun ruled by strange beings with telekinetic powers and intentions that can put the whole human race at stake.
As John discovers he’s also capable of performing psychokinetic abilities, it’s clear to him how he represents humanity’s only hope. John could be a typical superhero if he let his powers get over his head, but his ambitions lie in providing humans with a safe shelter where they won’t be abused by beings with superpowers like him. With that, he acknowledges how his presence poses a threat to his utopian plan, but his attitude causes the people to trust him when John reveals all he wants is to be reunited with the woman he loves.
7/10 Matilda (1996) – 3.7/5
Matilda is a great movie to watch right now and prepare for the upcoming Netflix movie coming out in December. One of the best ligthhearted movies featuring kids with powers, the film is an ode to childhood, following the highly intelligent Matilda who sees her world drastically change after discovering telekinetic powers, which end up making things even harder with her uncaring family and with the tyrannical principal of her school.
Matilda offers a magical escape from the obstacles of growing up in a difficult environment. A beautiful coming-of-age story, the film also resonates with many small children who might feel lost at times, finding comfort in the possibility of magic.
6/10 Edge of Tomorrow (2014) – 3.7/5
One of the best sci-fi thrillers in recent memory, Edge of Tomorrow managed to innovate the overdone “reviving-the-same-day” trope. In the film, Major Bill Cage, played by Tom Cruise, develops the special ability to travel to the same point in time every time he dies, unlocking a vague possibility of finally turning the war on the oppressive alien army that threatens to doom humanity.
While the time travel power isn’t necessarily unique, it fits brilliantly in the narrative, and it doesn’t represent any easy solution to the movie’s main conflict. Reviving the same day over and over while trying to survive longer, Major Bill Cage gradually collects valuable information that can change the fate of the war.
5/10 Carrie (1976) – 3.9/5
Carrie might as well be the definitive telekinesis horror film, and the one that best represents high-school oppression in contrast with strict family values. Based on a classic novel by Stephen King, the film tells the story of a shy, troubled girl who is caught up in a dangerous high-school prank, a small event that will spiral out of control and unleash Carrie’s powers upon everyone who gets in her way.
Leading up to satisfying karmic justice, there’s not a single scene in the last half of the movie that isn’t iconic. Brian de Palma conducts tension and suspense in equal balance, and the character of Carrie stands in the center of it all as a terrifying, unstoppable menace.
4/10 About Time (2013) – 3.9/5
It was not the first time Rachel McAdams fell in love with a time traveler, but About Time might the one that hits the hardest. That’s because regardless of the movie being predominantly a romance story, it also deals with themes such as parenting, coming-of-age, and, of course, the fragile passing of time.
The film follows Tim, a man who discovers he can travel in time and change the course of his life, guided by his father, who shares the same power. With all the many things he could try with his newfound ability, Tim decides to use it to get the girl of his dreams, thus starting a heartfelt love story.
3/10 Dune (2021) – 4.0/5
Dune isn’t simply a traditional chosen one story: set thousands of years in the future, it provides important discussions on environmentalism and greed as governments and family houses cross each other violently in an attempt to get ahold of unattainable riches, even if it means destroying everything humanity has built.
Amid all this, there’s Paul, a boy with the potential to become a superhero kind of character, but it’s not quite yet there. Believed to be a prophetical leader, Paul already had access to powerful abilities in Part 1, accurately predicting far into the future and refining the precision of his Voice, a power that lets him control the mind of the others.
2/10 The Green Mile (1999) – 4.1/5
With great power comes great responsibility; the sentence sums up every superhero’s journey but also encapsulates the role of authority in society, something effectively discussed in the film. In The Green Mile, a sensitive man called John, with the remarkable power of healing others by taking their sickness into his body, is wrongly accused of a horrific crime.
John is a giant man with a big heart, and while his size can easily intimidate others, he wouldn’t hurt a fly. During his time on death row, he utilizes his miraculous power to aid the prison guards, but no one succeeds in proving his innocence, resulting in a treasure lost too soon.
1/10 Everything Everywhere All At Once (2022) – 4.5/5
Everything Everywhere All At Once currently sits as one of the 15 highest-rated films in Letterboxd, a brilliant showcase of how a creative story done by the right hands has the power to influence a new wave of styles and genres; it’s just undeniable the influence that the Daniels will have in upcoming original releases.
In the film, an ordinary Chinese immigrant is pulled into an adventure of chaotic proportions, discovering the ability to access all the different versions of herself across countless multiverses. And it doesn’t stop here; an alternate version of her daughter fiercely tries to fit the entirety of existence into a void of nothingness. With memorable action sequences and inventive displays of power, the film touches on delicate emotional topics that definitely resonated with the public audience, turning Everything Everywhere All At Once into the most beloved 2022 movie so far.
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