+4
I must admit, for a non-superhero fan the DC stuff released the past few days look pretty freaking dope. I hold reservations because that's always been the case, for example with the Snyder Superman movies, and they end up being disappointments for a lot of people (I haven't seen Batman v Superman, but I was looking forward to Man of Steel being a philosophical, Malick-y superhero film and was sorely disappointed).
Speaking of philosophical superhero films, that's the direction I'd prefer the genre to go, at least somewhat. I mean... look, The Dark Knight is like that and it's the only superhero movie I really love. I feel like a lot of this flicks are just extremely hollow in that regard, without any real depth. That's what I feel is lacking from the Marvel films, personally. I know, a lot of you will say "oh, they're just meant to be fun" and maybe I'm just a sad stubborn man who lacks any fun in his life, but I disagree. I feel like you can be fun and still have an amount of depth currently lacking from a lot of these films.
Nolan's influence on DC is obvious and they need to keep the depth. People are stoked for the new Justice League movie and are saying "this is what it should be! Fun!" Sure... but you can be fun without removing poignant, meaningful material. I guess it's a balancing act.
After The Dark Knight came out the whole gritty superhero thing started getting a backlash, which I think is weird because I thought that element was pretty neat. I think part of the backlash was seeing similarly gritty stuff come out after that wasn't done right and relied to much on that grittiness, which you can't really do. The grit is simply an atmosphere.
What do I want DC to do? Embrace the grittiness and depth of their material, set themselves apart from Marvel and be something better. Each movie they release looks fantastic from the trailers and then are disappointments, and I'm hoping this time is different (as I always am, skeptically, with DC). I thought the Justice League footage was great, and the trailer for Wonder Woman (as well as the fact that it's directed by someone other than Snyder) has me looking forward to that one, too - perhaps even more than Justice League.
But don't shallow up your films just to please a bunch of people who don't know what they're talking about. Don't pander to an audience that wants a carbon copy, stylistically, as the MCU films. Keep setting out to make the kinds of films you want to make, DC, but do it right.
Hopefully DC has just had a bumpy start in regard to getting this cinematic multiverse off the ground. I hope success for them, but I want it to be earned success. Make me a superhero fan by making your stories poignant and meaningful! Make them special! Set yourself apart from the rest of the genre!
I know a lot of you superhero fans will disagree with me, but whatever. My favorite superhero is Batman (granted I'm no superhero aficionado) and it's because I feel meaningfulness when I read or watch the material. There is a level of philosophical attraction and depth I don't feel from, say, the recent Marvel movies.
Anyway... that's my input.