Souped-up people movies

[Weetabix]

I enjoy movies about people who have been souped up somehow - genetically altered, mutated, cyborgs, super hero movies, etc. The souping up seems to be the key. Probably a fantasy thing. That's probably why I liked X-Men more than Superman or Dark Angel better than Thor (which was still good enough). I'll even watch (or start, anyway) a movie I'm pretty sure will be bad, just on the draw of the souped up people and on the chance it might be bearable.

I can't quit figure out why they appeal to me so much. Do I live a Walter Mitty life? Am I escaping from a mundane, quotidian existence?

Oh, well. I probably shouldn't analyze it too deeply, or the joy may go away.

[Weetabix]

I imagine I can guess what enhanced humanity is. What are meta- and post-?

[PawPaw]

Post-humanity. That'd be like zombies? Or more like Woody Allen?

[Weetabix]

Is this it?

Enhanced: Dark Angel
Meta: Thor
Post: X-Men

ETA: What movie recommendations do you guys have for each category?

[dfwmtx]

I gravitate towards humans who become superheroes through their own exceptionalism, not through outside souping up; Tony Stark/Iron Man, Bruce Wayne / Batman, Frank Castle / the Punisher. To me, the goal is more attainable. Other super-heroes get souped-up by mere chance (genetic lottery a'la Clark Kent / Kal El / Superman or any mutant from the X-Men universe, or deus ex machine, like Peter Parker / Spiderman's spider bite, or the toxic chemical spill which created Daredevil and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), which will never happen. You'll get cancer from toxic chemicals, not superpowers. And then there's the guys like Green Lantern who get tech so far out there it might as well be magic (you can say we may not have Iron Man suits now, but DARPA and the military are working on it; we will have Heinlen's Mobile Infantry). Never given much thought to enhanced human heroes, since the science behind those is out of our grasp at the moment.

[Weetabix]

Tony Stark and Bruce Wayne had the enhancements of super genius and billions of dollars. That's not gonna happen to me.

The Punisher I never followed much except the two movies (Lundgren sucked, Jane was good), so I never understood where he got the money to pursue his vengeance.

But since it's all fantasy anyway, I want to go through a solar storm and get all of the Fantastic Four's powers (except that stony-exterior thing) and get Captain America's treatment as well.

[Jericho941]

I can't quit figure out why they appeal to me so much. Do I live a Walter Mitty life? Am I escaping from a mundane, quotidian existence?

If so, is there anything wrong with that, when you get down to it?

I gravitate towards humans who become superheroes through their own exceptionalism, not through outside souping up; Tony Stark/Iron Man, Bruce Wayne / Batman, Frank Castle / the Punisher. To me, the goal is more attainable. Other super-heroes get souped-up by mere chance (genetic lottery a'la Clark Kent / Kal El / Superman

Tony Stark and Bruce Wayne won the genetic lottery so hard, their genes are still being investigated for fraud.

But since it's all fantasy anyway, I want to go through a solar storm and get all of the Fantastic Four's powers (except that stony-exterior thing) and get Captain America's treatment as well.

So, you wanna be a Marty Stu.

[Rod]

Tony Stark and Bruce Wayne had the enhancements of super genius and billions of dollars. That's not gonna happen to me.

The Punisher I never followed much except the two movies (Lundgren sucked, Jane was good), so I never understood where he got the money to pursue his vengeance.

But since it's all fantasy anyway, I want to go through a solar storm and get all of the Fantastic Four's powers (except that stony-exterior thing) and get Captain America's treatment as well.

The Punisher takes the money away from the thugs, criminal gangs and such to pursue his vengeance.

[Darrell]

I think this is what makes the bad guys so effective in David Gerrold's Voyage Of The Star Wolf. Humanity is at war against the Morthans, so called because they are "more than" human. They separated from the rest of humanity long ago, and have been so augmented, genetically, culturally and technologically, that they're nearly alien, and very scary dudes. And humanity is losing the fight when the story begins.

[Old Grafton]

In the Ocean Of Night and the sequels by Gregory Benford. Still Human, but more.