Leading up to the arrival of the mighty Dark Knight on Sky Movies Premiere & HD, Action & Thriller showcases some of the best comic book movies ever to have made the giant leap from page to screen.<\/p>","url":"2008/7/18/the-dark-knight-17-3.jpg","width":570,"height":364,"alt":"The Dark Knight"},{"captionHeading":"Iron Man","caption":"
Robert Downey Jr dons the full metal jacket of Marvel Comics’ billionaire techno-genius Tony Stark in a weapons-grade blockbuster. A close shave in Afghanistan leaves Stark with a dodgy ticker but a cast-iron idea for righting his arms-dealing wrongs. Whatever his reasons, the change of heart gets a mixed reaction from plucky assistant Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow), pilot pal Jim Rhodes (Terrence Howard) and business partner Obadiah Stane (Jeff Bridges). Steel yourself.<\/p>","url":"2009/6/25/Ironman-08.jpg","width":570,"height":364,"alt":"Ironman 08"},{"captionHeading":"Spider-Man 3","caption":"
Peter Parker's life appears to be on the up. In love with MJ, whose stage career is taking off, and experiencing uncharted levels of popularity as Spider-Man, it might all start going to his head. He'd better pull himself together – Flint Marco's out of jail and stumbling into a science experiment, a black oil just dropped in from outer space and Harry Osborne has found his father's stash of bombs and gliders... Will Spidey keep the villains in check? Will he become one himself? Director Sam Raimi elevates Spider-Man into the grand realms of the operatic in this third instalment.<\/p>","url":"2008/11/7/Spider-Man-3-1.jpg","width":570,"height":364,"alt":"Spider-Man 3"},{"captionHeading":"Hellboy II: The Golden Army","caption":"
The big red one has pulled what's left of his horns in and is settling into a laidback life of domestic friction and public distaste when he has to square up to his most lethal adversary yet. Power-hungry Prince Nuada (Luke Goss. Yes, him) has plans for world domination and intends to awaken the mighty Golden Army of myth to provide the muscle. Second time around, director Guillermo Del Toro scores another direct hit with a monster yarn as keen on the gags as the global destruction.<\/p>","url":"2008/7/29/hellboy-2-18-1.jpg","width":570,"height":364,"alt":"hellboy 2 18"},{"captionHeading":"The Incredible Hulk","caption":"
After Ang Lee's 2003 blockbuster Hulk, the next instalment in the story of the less-than-jolly-green-giant sees Bruce Banner (Ed Norton) holed up in Rio desperately seeking a cure for the gamma radiation poisoning that turns him into a shorts-shredding monster. Tim Roth is the Abomination, an elite soldier who squares up to the Hulk after a jab of the green stuff. Transporter director Louis Leterrier makes sure the action keeps coming while Norton brings a pleasing vulnerability to the role.<\/p>","url":"2008/11/18/Incredible-Hulk-5-1.jpg","width":570,"height":364,"alt":"Incredible Hulk 5"},{"captionHeading":"X-Men","caption":"
The X-cellent comic-book franchise gets off to a flyer under the audacious direction of Bryan 'Usual Suspects' Singer. In a world where fantastically powered mutants live among us, Patrick Stewart's heroic egghead Professor X leads the good ones (including Hugh Jackman's grizzly Wolverine, Halle Berry's flighty weathergirl Storm and Famke Janssen's telepath Jean Grey) against the anti-human Magneto (Ian McKellen) and his villainous crew. Cool characters, breathless action and great effects - X definitely hits the spot.<\/p>","url":"2009/4/17/X-Men-29-1.jpg","width":570,"height":364,"alt":"X-Men 29"},{"captionHeading":"Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer","caption":"
It’s clobberin’ time again as the cosmically gifted quartet try to stop the global chaos whipped up by the Silver Surfer, herald of the planet-gobbling entity Galactus. With Earth under threat - and old foe Dr Doom back in town - rubbery Reed Richards (Ioan Gruffudd) and see-through Sue Storm (Jessica Alba) have no choice but to put their wedding on hold... again. Returning as Sue’s firebrand brother Johnny and super-strong ‘Thing’ Ben Grimm, Chris Evans and Michael Chiklis make up the fearless foursome. Flame on!<\/p>","url":"2009/4/17/Fantastic-Four-Rise-of-the-Silver-Surfer-14-1.jpg","width":570,"height":364,"alt":"Fantastic Four Rise of the Silver Surfer 14"},{"captionHeading":"Darkman","caption":"
Director Sam Raimi warmed up for Spider-Man duty with this explosive, comic-bookish tale of a disfigured man trying to get his face back. Liam Neeson is the scientist left horribly scarred when a ruthless developer orders his laboratory set on fire. His work on artificial skin certainly comes in handy as he goes in search of revenge... unfortunately each new face only lasts for 20 minutes before melting. Talk about hard graft.<\/p>","url":"2009/5/14/Darkman.jpg","width":570,"height":364,"alt":"Darkman"},{"captionHeading":"Darkman II: The Return of Durant","caption":"
Scientist turned shadowy crimefighter Darkman comes face to face with his arch-enemy Durant. Plenty of robust action, a fast pace and death defying stunts in the follow-up to Sam Raimi's lively horror thriller. The Mummy's Arnold Vosloo takes over the cloak and bandages from Liam Neeson.<\/p>","url":"2009/6/25/Darkman-II-The-Return-Of-Durant-06.jpg","width":570,"height":364,"alt":"Darkman II The Return Of Durant 06"},{"captionHeading":"Darkman III: Die, Darkman, Die","caption":"
The scientist turned crime-fighter clashes with a crime lord who wants to rob him of his super powers. Fantasy thriller with The Mummy's Arnold Vosloo in bandages once again as the scarred vigilante. Jeff Fahey (The Lawnmower Man) and Darlanne Fluegel join the shadowy shenanigans.<\/p>","url":"2009/7/3/darkman-3-02-1.jpg","width":570,"height":364,"alt":"darkman 3 02"},{"captionHeading":"300","caption":"
Do you want some?? In 480 BC, 300 Spartans led by Gerard Butler's King Leonidas face overwhelming odds when they take on a vast Persian army led by Xerxes. Adapted from Frank \"Sin City\" Miller's short graphic novel, this is a visually stunning action epic shot entirely on blue screen - ie in the studio. Girls - and some of the guys - will swoon at the acres of taut, rippling male flesh on show and the battle setpieces will leave you breathless.<\/p>","url":"2009/3/12/300-10-4.jpg","width":570,"height":364,"alt":"300 10"},{"captionHeading":"Transformers","caption":"
Highly sophisticated robots from a faraway world land on Earth to continue a war that's already decimated their home planet. The 'Autobots' protect human life, yet the 'Decepticons' will stop at nothing to reach their goal - will a pair of high school kids and some military bods stop the carnage, or get caught in between? Director Michael Bay puts pedal to metal in an effects-led extravaganza that dazzles, deafens, stuns and staggers... all at the same time.<\/p>","url":"2009/6/12/Transformers52-4.jpg","width":570,"height":364,"alt":"Transformers52"},{"captionHeading":"The Dark Knight","caption":"
In the hysteria surrounding Heath Ledger's death and his menacing performance as a barely certificate-12 friendly psycho, most people missed the fact that this is the best Batman movie to date. Christian Bale's natural intensity finds a perfect outlet in the tightly wound Bruce Wayne and his superhero alter-ego, while director Christopher Nolan targeted Heat as the chief inspiration for this crime epic. For once, critics, fanboys, and regular cinemagoers were all in agreement, making this 2008's box office king. In a word: HUGE.<\/p>","url":"2008/7/18/the-dark-knight-22-3.jpg","width":570,"height":364,"alt":"The Dark Knight"}];