(technological beats)
- The DC extended universe is at something of a crossroads.
While only three films, since their shared cinematic series,
the movie's are becoming increasingly divisive
with each receiving harsher critical reception
than the last.
And while some fans will adamantly defend Man of Steel,
Batman Vs Superman and Suicide Squad,
many also believe that DC
is not delivering on it's intentions.
One area of concern for the way DC is handling
their cinematic film series, is the rush to produce
each and every film.
There's been so much news over the last year,
about all of the different
pictures WB has in pre production.
Everything from Affleck and Matt Reeves, Batman film.
A flash project, which has lost two different directors,
and is now receiving a page one rewrite.
A Suicide Squad sequel,
Gotham City Sirens,
a rebooted Green Lantern series,
and both Shazam and Black Adam movies.
It seems as if DC's biggest aim is to excel
the greater story along, but by doing this, they are leaving
behind key pieces of the puzzle, such as lead characters
and a heavy interesting plot.
Instead, it appears that DC's main goal
is catching up to Marvel as quickly as possible.
But, why?
Why does DC need to have
as many films out by 2020 as possible?
Is the super hero movie bubble, really going to burst
at the end of the decade?
I, and many other observers, highly doubt it.
And the success of films such as Deadpool,
Doctor Strange, Guardians of the Galaxy,
Captain America: Winter Soldier,
and most recently Logan, signify that the key
to keeping the genre alive is to make new
and exciting films.
Which is difficult to do, when your main goal
is to catch up with a rival studio.
And to identify the root problem with DC's films,
we first have to look at the timeline of their releases.
2013's Man of Steel was met with overall praise,
however, instead of building off that with another
Superman movie, possibly introducing Lex Luthor,
and leaving small footprints to a larger story,
DC instead chose to fast track their cinematic universe,
with Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice.
With the film acting as a sequel to Man of Steel,
a Batman stand alone film and a backdoor prequel
to the Justice League.
And while BVS did provide DC fans the opportunity
to finally see these two iconic heroes
clash on the big screen,
suddenly because Batman V Superman tried to do so much
in one movie, the end product,
doesn't feel like a Superman movie.
And it doesn't feel like a Batman movie either.
The only way I can describe BVS is, is a movie by committee.
It's essentially the cinematic adaptation of a checklist
made by studio executives, with ideas on how
to make a DC cinematic universe.
And trying to do all in one motion picture.
And here's the real problem, because of this,
the characters in Batman V Superman, suffered tremendously.
Throughout the film, the characters we are suppose
to be invested in, lack clear motivation, and growth.
The very thing we needed to see from DC in this movie.
In many ways, it feels as if DC are expecting
the audiences to live off the fact that many of us
are familiar with these characters already,
from the comic books and the previous onscreen iterations.
But here's the thing,
in the DC, EU we aren't watching
Christopher Reeve's Superman.
And we aren't reading Grant Morisson's Batman.
We need to fall in love with and resonate
with these incarnations of the characters.
Specifically, looking at Batman V Superman,
although Suicide Squad is equally guilty of this as well,
it seems as if the characters sole job in the movie
is to progress the story.
At no point do I empathize or relate to Superman,
because we aren't given any reason to.
He simply reacts to the plot.
And both of his appearances in the DC, EU,
we rarely see Superman develop, or show real emotion.
At the beginning of Man of Steel,
we see Superman saving people on a burning oil rig.
At the end, we see him saving people from Zod.
We aren't treated to much explanation as to why
Superman helps people
or why he needed to become Superman to do this.
In Batman V Superman, Clark spends the majority
of the film conflicted about his place in the world,
and spends much of his screen time,
asking others around him for help.
Be it Lois, his mother, or the ghost of his father.
At one point, Clark turns his back on the very nature
of being the man of tomorrow, telling Lois that Superman
was little more than his father's dream.
And then commits a truly heroic act of self sacrifice.
In some ways the only character who
experiences real development is Batman.
Despite the detriment of poor editing,
throughout the film, we're treated to key pieces
of dialog between Bruce and Alfred discussing
the forms the view on Superman, as being to powerful
to be left unchecked.
It's even established that Bruce Wayne isn't necessarily
in the greatest place himself.
Alfred makes reference to him changing and becoming cruel.
He mentions Bruce's drinking problem as well
as Batman's more ruthless methods for dealing with crime.
And the looming shadow of a dead Robin over his shoulder.
And while many found the Martha line, during the end
of the conflict to be a thin plot resolve
for them to then team up and fight the big bad,
it does work with what's already established.
Bruce who throughout the film is tormented by nightmares
of the death of his parents, in particular his mother,
has spent the last 18 months viewing Superman
as an alien threat, one with no particular ties to humanity.
Superman's dying plea to Batman,
a man who is about to kill him, not to spare his life,
but to save his mothers.
Accomplishes several things.
Firstly, it shows Batman that Superman is at least
somewhat honorable.
He's not trying to bargain or beg,
or even retaliate.
Superman is prepared to accept his fate,
with his last wish being for Batman, again
the man who hates him, and is about to murder him.
To be a hero and rescue his mother,
additionally it demonstrates to Batman that Superman
is human and through the use
of cardinally placed flashbacks,
reminds Bruce of his greatest loss.
And for a split second, Bruce sees that fateful event
which changed his life in a different perspective.
Like Bruce's own father, Clark's final words,
aren't a concern for his own wellbeing,
but for that of Martha's.
And not only that, but Bruce, the man who vows to fight
crime, rests on the principle of not letting what happened
to him, happen again, is about to do just that.
If Bruce doesn't help Superman, Martha will die.
And this frames their dynamic in a different light.
With Clark in the position of Bruce,
and Batman in the position of Joe Chill.
Clark's plea for Batman to save Martha,
reminds Bruce that not only can he not let this happen
again, but that the death of his parents
is what drew Batman into the dark.
And Superman, the ultimate symbol of hope,
can not be allowed to suffer the same fate.
And through the exploration of this relationship,
Superman's self sacrifice to defeat Doomsday,
should hold more emotional weight than it actually does.
This should have been the moment where Superman's
morals are solidified
in the eyes of Batman and the audience.
As we watch our hero fall, committing one great deed,
to outdo any other great deed.
This lack of character is all because DC's rushing.
The framework is there within the narrative,
to present and interesting dynamic between
the two lead characters.
But it isn't explored nearly enough,
in a film which felt like it was redraft away,
from being finished.
The best thing DC can do now, is take their time.
There's no rush to release any of these upcoming ideas
and projects now.
The audience will still be there waiting
for as long as it takes to do these films correctly.
DC has some of the most recognizable
and renown characters in fiction.
And that familiarity will bring audiences in.
But what brings them back, is great story telling
and compelling characters.
I hope DC can remedy this problem in the future
because as a big lover of the source material,
I want to see DC thrive and succeed.
However long it takes DC, just make sure that when
you use these beloved characters, that you can do them,
justice.
(tranquil music)
Hey everyone, as you can probably tell,
I'm not Scott.
I'm Owen.
But I do want to thank Scott for allowing me to come on
NerdSync Today and talk to you wonderful nerds
about the state of the DC, EU.
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