IRON MAN
Geek rating: 4 Joss Whedons

Robert Downey Jr. and Jon Favreau didn’t exactly set the world alight when they were announced as the title star and director for Iron Man. However, when Iron Man blasted his way onto screen to the sound of AC/DC, sheer exhilaration seemed appropriate.

Robert Downey Jr’s devil-may-care attitude and x-factor have turned the one-man army that is Iron Man into a superstar. Who wouldn’t want to be “a genius, billionaire, playboy, and philanthropist”? Women love him, men want to be him... Iron Man is self-made superhero heaven.

THE MATRIX
Geek rating: 4 Joss Whedons

We’ll forever be indebted to The Wachowski Bros. (now The Wachowski Starship) for The Matrix. Not only did they give hackers some serious street cred, they made us re-evaluate our existence by choosing between the blue and red pill. 

Neo’s journey brought us into direct contact with downloadable martial arts, slow-motion bullet-time, mind-over-matter superpowers and the leather-clad, Scorpionkicking Trinity. Thanks to The Matrix dodging bullets, wearing sunglasses upside down, and that blonde in the red dress, is only a phone call away.

THE DARK KNIGHT
Geek rating: 5 Joss Whedons

Batman is basically James Bond with more money, better toys and home ground advantage. The Dark Knight continued to build on Christopher Nolan’s foundational work in Batman Begins, creating a crime epic with certainly one of the best interpretation of The Joker ever.

Based on the backlash to the casting of Ben Affleck, it’s clear that Christian Bale is the quintessential Batman. But it was Heath Ledger that stole the show, creating a Joker so unhinged, calculated and brutal that he puts Jack Nicholson’s interpretation to shame. Pencil disappearing tricks anyone?

SPIDER-MAN
Geek rating: 4 Joss Whedons

With a massive collection of over 25 000 comic books, Sam Riami was no stranger to world of the webslinger when he took the job as director. Raimi gave every geek the power to win over their high school sweetheart and finish a fist fight in style. The original Spider-Man immersed us in the world of Peter Parker, with a sharp performance from Tobey Maguire, as he went from zero to hero.

Spinning webs, catching thieves like flies, radioactive blood, swinging from threads, crawling walls, hanging from ceilings, swinging through the city, upside down kisses and making headlines as a masked vigilante all in the name of neighbourhood watch... priceless! 

THE AVENGERS
Geek rating: 5 Joss Whedons + 1 real one

Hulk SMASH! Geek god Joss Whedon did the unthinkable when he managed to contain The Hulk and Tony Stark’s ego in the same fi lm. As if one superhero wasn’t enough to save the world, The Avengers managed to mesh several superhero franchises together as if this was a completely natural thing to do.

 Epic seems like an understatement, as the movie gave us the chance to live vicariously through each of Marvel’s most-loved superheroes. Whether you’re unleashing The Hulk, powering up as Iron Man, star-spangling your enemies as Captain America or getting some much-needed hammer time as Thor – The Avengers made it all seem possible.

Article first appeared in TechSmart 121, October 2013.