Movie Zone
Here I will post movie reviews and recommendations, opinions and updates on the world of film, lists/rankings, and the occasional film essay/analysis if I am feeling brave enough
For some time now, it seems like the movie-loving community has been in quite an unhappy state. It’s no surprise to anyone, even those outside the cinephile lifestyle, that there are very specific trends that have taken over cinema in the past ten years or so. It has come to the point where many movie reviewers and goers have declared that they have given up on Hollywood and have lost faith that films will ever return to the glory days where instant classics hit the big screen one after another. There is definitely merit to that argument. But if the movie-goers are so fatigued, why exactly are these trends remaining so popular? In this series of articles, I thought I’d take a look at the biggest (and most controversial) trends in cinema at the moment, including the forever ongoing punch of superhero movies, legacy sequels/reboots, and the rising force of TV series’, as well as where all of this leaves the oh-so rare original and independent films on the radar of popularity. Today, we look at the genre of the comic book film, and my thoughts on this particular genre in general as well as how it stands in cinema today. Colorful pages hit the screenAh, superheroes. There was a time that I thought there wasn’t anything cooler. From preschool age and on, a gigantic chunk of my childhood was made up on the Sam Raimi Spider-Man trilogy, the original X-Men trilogy, and the Tim Story Fantastic Four movies. It was movies like these, as well as Blade and Iron Man that seem to have officially kicked off the attractive box office and audience reception that heralded the age we find ourselves in today… Although apparently I am alone in my enjoyment of the Fantastic Four movies. I suppose an important thing to get out of the way here in the beginning, and for future knowledge, is that I am not a comic book reader. I know next to nothing about anything that happens in superhero comics, so my knowledge and experience relies entirely on the films. And to be truthful, after the copious amounts of Marvel and DC content I have consumed and the intricate information I have struggled to maintain, the idea that the comics are even more expansive hurts my head a little bit. There is obviously a lot to talk about, and I will delve deeper into Marvel specifically at another time. But for now, I will focus on the genre as a whole, which does seem to be dominated by Marvel. DC gains a win every now and then, but mostly juggles box office and/or critical flops, which I find interesting. I think most of us can think back to the “good ol’ days” and remember how exciting those early superhero movies were, whether you are from the generation I’ve mentioned, or the Superman and Batman days earlier on. And there is honestly nothing more heart-warming than seeing young children nowadays getting so excited over the vast amount of superhero content that is currently creating fond memories for them as well. But for the rest of us… I think we’ve certainly reached the point of “too much of a good thing.” In fact, we probably reached it a few years ago. The takeoverIt honestly wasn’t too long ago that I was still a superhero fiend. Anything involving comic book characters and super powers on the big screen sounded great to me. And the idea of a crossover between multiple superheroes? I could have fainted from the thought. But yes, here we all are after Avengers: Endgame, and it’s honestly a faint-inducing shock if a superhero movie nowadays isn’t a crossover event. And it seems most people still have the same feeling I had not too long ago about crossover movies, because the Avengers movies became a phenomenon as well as films like Thor: Ragnarok, Captain America: Civil War, Doctor Strange: Multiverse of Madness, and Spider-Man: No Way Home. Say what you will about how some of these were received critically, but you can't deny it felt like everyone on the planet was talking about them at the time each of them were released. Superhero movies feel like the 80s slasher films of today. It feels like a new one is out every other weekend, and the franchises (ahem, Marvel) are becoming so convoluted that you are doomed if you are a casual fan who wants to catch a showing of the latest movie without doing some hard research on what the hell is happening and in which universe and which timeline at this point. And people thought taking slasher villains to space was digging too far into the barrel. I do find it funny that superhero films are getting to the point where they have created infinite timelines so they can literally pick whichever character they want to make a movie or show about and just go for it, regardless of if that character is even still alive. Multiverses! That’s the medicine for the money-maker! I’m looking at you with an evil eye, Loki. In all seriousness, I can understand why this content is so in demand. It’s a cool and easy thing for kids to be into and, much like Star Wars, there is something for all ages to enjoy. It’s no doubt a source of connection between friends and families, since you’ll be hard-pressed to find someone who doesn't like at least a couple of the most famous superheroes. It’s also just great theater content. I know when I go to the movies, horror and action/adventure are the best genres for a fun theater experience. Superheroes have that great combination of action, sci-fi, and adventure that gets your adrenaline pumping in the theater as opposed to a drama or romcom. And I remember the pure excitement in the air while in wait for the legendary Avengers: Infinity War. A movie event that seemed to catapult the interest and demand for comic book movies even further. On the other hand, I know I am not alone when I say I am more than a bit fatigued. I certainly am not advocating that they stop completely. I know many people still enjoy them. But we do seem to be arriving at a point where movies like this are a bit too focused on getting the laugh from kids and utilizing rushed CG technology in place of real sets and even real costumes. More so, there has of course been all the talk that comic-book films are overshadowing original and/or independent films that hardly seem to get the time and attention. Good or evil?The common arguments that I hear the most against the age of superheroes, are as follows: the barrage of never-ending content overwhelming us seemingly every month; the over reliance of CG that is stretched so thin, it is beginning to look worse than ten years prior; and the overshadowing of other films, particular within the theater, where smaller projects seem to be getting pushed out in favor for the millionth chapter within a comic book universe, or yet another universe scrap-and-reboot, such as we’ve seen with the X-Men universe and the recently with the entirety of the DC universe. These are certainly valid arguments to me, and I think companies spending some time thinking about these common complaints could not only turn a lot of fans back over to their side, but make their current fans even happier. Simply spending more time and attention focusing on a limited number of movies and shows will obviously make the content less rushed with more time to focus on crafting character arcs and storylines that could explore new depths. I am constantly hearing about endless material from the comics that can bring new and intriguing perspectives to the films (including Marvel horror comics? Superheroes turning into zombies? A Frankenstein-Punisher? Yes please!) so it would be nice to see a change in formula, and aesthetic. Of course, I guess Morbius and The New Mutants tried that. So maybe it’s going to take more than just throwing out some new ideas. And of course, a reason why many film fanatics and filmmakers alike are against this overbearing trend, is the domination it has on the movie market. This one, I really don’t know what to say. It’s hard to really pin the blame on the movies themselves when people are willingly going to see them. If people are choosing to spend their hard-earned money on these films rather than non-comic book films, that means that’s just what they want to see, right? It is possible however that smaller films are simply becoming invisible under the power of the mighty superhero. And that is certainly a shame, but is also one of the many unfortunate side effects of these films making an unspeakable amount of money, so much so that their marketing campaign costs more than the entire budget of a regular feature film. I am not of the mindset that superhero movies are not real art. Everything is art to some degree, and I’m sure there are many people who work extremely hard on every single one of these movies and shows, even if most of them are starting to feel rushed, commercialized, and lackluster. In my opinion, a big step back and serious re-evaluation would be very beneficial to both Marvel and DC, or any company looking to cash in on the superhero craze. Look back at why people started loving these films in the first place. Consider that some stories (cough cough, Moon Knight, cough cough Falcon and the Winter Soldier) are perfectly fine being their own two-hour films rather than painfully elongated TV series made only to make sure people aren't only subscribing to Disney+ for The Mandolorian. Also, it may be useful to remember that locations and costumes don’t always have to come out of a computer. We’ve all heard the horrendous demands made on animators for these comic book films to be churned out endlessly, resulting in some of the worst animation in recent memory, particularly in the last couple of years. It is a part of why so many people point out that superhero films don’t feel like films anymore. They feel like commercials, products shoved at us that couldn’t be bothered putting actual real-life clothes on the actors’ bodies, let alone construct a story that doesn’t feel like it came out of Chat GPT. And with recent box office flops, it’s proving that even baiting the audience with cameos from fan favorite characters they shove into the trailers is failing to gauge interest anymore, and can’t cover up the emptiness of the stories and visuals. The next issueIt’s hard to say exactly what the future holds for the comic book film. While many are more than willing to speak out on how drained they are with the whole thing, there are still millions that are lining up at the door, hungry for the next twenty films and fifty TV shows. Especially when it comes to Marvel. Is Disney putting something in our drinks?
In all honesty though, there is good and bad with this current sweep of superheroes. The fact that people still enjoy them and have found a home with these characters and storylines is of course important and meaningful, even if we all may not agree on everything. But studios taking attention and money away from smaller productions in favor of an endless current of only these types of films is a problem. I already feel like we’re seeing less and less original films being released in theaters, instead being dumped on streaming while superheroes get the glory of the big screen. We can hope that recent box office disappointments of just this past year alone, like The Flash, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, The Marvels, and Shazam! Fury of the Gods might start to get the message across that mindlessly throwing out comic books films isn’t the best way to make easy money every time. All we can do is put our support and attention towards smaller movies/original ideas when we can, and keep showing our love for the more intentional and original superhero movies that succeed in breaking from the formula and stand on their own two feet. With movies like Logan and The Batman, we see what superhero movies could still be and how they can continue to grow with their audience over time. I do have faith in this genre, because I am a fan. I think audiences and filmmakers can once again find that special spark that began our obsession with these films, something that Batman Returns, and X2: X-Men United and Spider-Man 2 had that inexplicably drove that adrenaline and passion through us, while each movie felt completely different from the other. Completely unpredictable at times as well, with imperfect characters, a bit of a dark edge that fell in naturally rather than forcefully, and that something that made all of us want to be Spider-Man, or Catwoman, or Jean Grey. Or at least, I did. And I do believe that what is happening currently is just one of the many trends that takes over cinema in every age. Like all seemingly endless crazes, it will pass.
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AuthorCertified non-professional who just enjoys giving her random thoughts on movies and books. Archives
June 2024
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