2020 was initially slated to see the release of numerous superhero movies, only for the majority of them to end up being delayed to 2021 in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. In fact, Marvel Studios didn't premiere any Marvel Cinematic Universe films at all, whereas Warner Bros. debuted a pair of DC Extended Universe titles in Birds of Prey and Wonder Woman 1984. Curiously, however, it's Robert Rodriguez's Netflix Original We Can Be Heroes that has emerged as arguably the best proper superhero movie of the year.
A quasi-sequel to Rodriguez's 2005 film The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl, We Can Be Heroes follows the children of the world's greatest superheroes, the Heroics, as they work together to save the day when their parents are captured by alien invaders. Much like the writer-director's other kids movies, We Can Be Heroes has a low-budget aesthetic and is fueled by dodgy visual effects, which the film actually leans into with its zany tone. But more than that, it has a lot of basic storytelling qualities that were missing from some of this year's far more costly superhero tentpoles.
Above all else, We Can Be Heroes is a well-paced and earnest superhero movie with a clear moral about the value of teamwork, as well as an equally thoughtful message about why older generations ought to listen to and learn from younger people. Whereas a film like Wonder Woman 1984 has been criticized for being narratively messy, over-long, and problematic in its handling of issues like consent and race, We Can Be Heroes is far more focused in its plotting. This, in turn, allows its positive messages to shine through and provides its target audience with inspiring, yet unapologetically goofy superhero entertainment.
We Can Be Heroes is also strong when it comes to representation. In addition to featuring a cast that's very inclusive in terms of gender and ethnicity, the film centers and develops its BIPOC characters in a way that most mainstream superhero films do not. We Can Be Heroes is even considerate in way it portrays Wheels, a young superhero who uses a wheelchair to move around. Although the film doesn't go so far as to cast an actor who uses a wheelchair in real-life, it doesn't depict Wheels' disability as something that needs to be overcome or fixed either, and instead takes the time to flesh out his personality.
On top of all that, We Can Be Heroes is more of a full-blown superhero movie than some of this year's other comic book films. For example, as enjoyably anarchic as Birds of Prey is, most of its characters are antiheroes who are highly skilled at fighting, yet don't actually have super-powers. Similarly, Gina Prince-Bythewood's The Old Guard is a compelling action movie, but outside of having superhuman healing its protagonists act and dress like regular people. We Can Be Heroes, on the other hand, is faithful to comic book superheroes and their campy roots, from their silly names and brightly-colored costumes to their fantastical, yet often goofy super-abilities.
Interestingly, despite being part of a shared universe, We Can Be Heroes works as a standalone story and isn't beholden to other films the way something like Wonder Woman 1984 is. In addition, thanks to its genuine plot twists, We Can Be Heroes doesn't adhere to the origin story formula as closely as 2020 superhero movies like Bloodshot and The Old Guard, yet still includes its fair share of world-building and leaves the door open for sequels. Add it all up and We Can Be Heroes is not only deserving of 2020's superhero movie crown, it might be the most fitting choice for a year as, to put it gently, unpredictable as this one.
Directed by Robert Rodriguez, We Can Be Heroes stars Priyanka Chopra, Christian Slater, Pedro Pascal, Sung Kang, Boyd Holbrook, Taylor Dooley, YaYa Gosselin, Akira Akbar, Haley Reinhart, Andy Walken, Andrew Diaz, Brently Heilbron, Hala Finley, Isaiah Russell-Bailey, Lotus Blossom, Lyon Daniels, Nathan Blair, Vivien Lyra Blair, Adriana Barraza, Brittany Perry-Russell, Christopher McDonald and Dylan Henry Lau. The film is streaming on Netflix.