Tim Burton's Batman movie was visually a departure from the colorful portrayal of Batman in the old comics and 1960s television series. However, that gritty and grim-looking world of the superhero was inspired by Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns comic book series from 1986, and its influence can be seen in films to this day.
After he collaborated with Robert Rodriguez on Sin City, Frank Miller went on to write and direct a superhero film. Borrowing some of the black-and-white visual style from Sin City, The Spirit is a quirky movie whose cast includes Gabriel Macht (S.W.A.T.: Firefight), Samuel L. Jackson, and Scarlett Johansson. Coincidentally, it came out in 2008, the same year Iron Man was released, launching the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Unlike Iron Man, however, The Spirit was a box office failure. Yet, I think The Spirit is so underappreciated. It was a bit comical and had its hero breaking the 4th wall (character faces and speaks directly to the audience) years before the Shazam! and Deadpool films. But it's Frank Miller's clever writing and directing that make The Spirit stand out from other superhero films. The Spirit is another forgotten film that's worth seeing, especially if you're a fan of the genre.
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