I’ve written and rewritten this column about 10 times, and I keep coming back to the same conclusion -- we deserve better.
I was extremely excited about "Suicide Squad," had faith in director David Ayer, and taking things even further back to this past December, penned a column on how 2016 could be the best year for superhero movies yet. After "Batman v Superman" and now "Squad," I believe I was wrong.
Read: COLUMN: Why 2016 Could Be the Best Year Ever for Superhero Movies Related: 'Suicide Squad' Sets August Opening Record With $135.1MWhile some fans have gotten behind the latest DC Comics-inspired offering, reviews have been some of the most scathing I can recall for a movie with such hype and a star-studded cast. I can understand the split. The movie has its moments, supported by fine work from the likes of Margot Robbie, Viola Davis and Will Smith. So, fans with little knowledge of the comics or simply looking for a fun night of escapism, might like “Squad.” And there’s nothing wrong with that.
But as a fan of the genre and someone who has seen these movies develop over the last 15 years, and even earlier with the classic “Superman” flicks, I can’t help but feel disappointed and even a bit insulted by the story lines (and editing) coming out of the DC Universe. Plot holes just seem to be ignored and you can’t always say, “Well, it’s a comic movie.”
Put aside all the talk of "DC vs. Marvel,” the “directors vs. the critics” and the millions of dollars that “Dawn of Justice” and “Squad” have raked in this year. If you add in 2013’s “Man of Steel,” you have three disparate films that don’t feel like much of a coherent universe at all, and fail to excite or inspire.
In contrast, we’ve watched as Marvel slowly built an amazing universe, with some sub-par movies, I'll admit (who remembers the second "Thor"?), but overall a story that keeps twisting and turning, with ingenious stories at the core of it all. Every time I feel like the overall story is falling flat, they pull out an “Ant-Man,” with surprisingly fresh takes on the genre plus great casting. Or we get a “Captain America: Civil War,” which could have been a complete disaster, but instead introduced a new Spider-Man in such an organic way that now fans are excited for the third iteration of the web-slinger since 2002. DC has yet to accomplish this feat, minus Zack Snyder's trailers, which have been epic.
It pains me to write this because in my eyes, Superman, Batman and company are the crown jewels of superhero storytelling. Marvel has more relatable heroes, living in real cities like Manhattan, but DC is classic. And let me be clear, if you’re for Marvel, you still want DC to succeed.
If you tell a good Batman story, it just doesn't get any better. (Think “The Dark Knight.”) If you release a good Superman film (cough, cough Christopher Reeve), it can inspire millions and create a lasting beacon of hope. It can create a legend.
Picture if you will, a 5ish-year-old Jewish kid with a bowl cut and tons of curiosity. Only thing is he didn't immediately take to reading. That kid would obviously grow up to be a handsome, accomplished, award-winning writer for ABC News, but at the time, he lacked focus and his imagination ran wild. If you haven't picked up on my sarcasm, like Eminem once wrote, "that boy was me."
So, what did his parents and teachers do? They introduced him to comics and cards. It opened my world.
Aside from hitting up conventions and making friends at the local comic book shop, I can remember waiting for the day of big releases. "The Death of Superman" or Batman's "Knightfall" were a few of the watershed moments in my childhood that we've recently seen played out on screen.
Director Chris Nolan was able to rise to the occasion and tell a compelling Batman story that took me back to those joyous and scary moments seeing Bane jump off the pages, taking Batman over his knee and "breaking" the Caped Crusader in “The Dark Knight Rises.”
Four years later, I had the same anticipation and excitement for "Dawn of Justice," while many around me were skeptical. The trailers were fantastic, drawing on Snyder's background as a music video director, and I got chills watching Ben Affleck drop the hammer on the Bat signal once again. I felt like a giddy child again.
I saw "Batman v Superman" twice, and yes, I've seen the "Ultimate Edition," which is 3 hours long. It's better than what was released in theaters, but that doesn't erase the plot holes, which are the size of the Grand Canyon. How could a movie be released that (spoiler alert) uses two heroes having a mom with the same first name as a way to unite them. Are you kidding?
Also, while Affleck's scenes as Batman were compelling and his rescue sequence at the end was awesome, the heart of the man and his quest was missing for me. Let me be clear, I love this character and I'm sure a solo Affleck film, directed by the Oscar winner, will be great, but if a tree falls in the forest ...
Furthermore (spoiler alert again), "The Death of Superman" plot twist felt way too squeezed in. I don't yet know what kind of chemistry Affleck and Henry Cavill have together, because of the plot, and that's a shame, because maybe that would get us more excited for "Justice League." Cavill is a fine actor and in films like "The Man From U.N.C.L.E." you see his ability to interact and draw you in, while he vexes and annoys Armie Hammer. But "Dawn of Justice" gave us no signs of that moving forward, not to say that it can't happen.
(More Spoilers)
The same chemistry questions continue with "Suicide Squad" and iconic characters in it like The Joker. Jared Leto had great chemistry with Margot Robbie, but I didn’t get to see any interaction between him and Batman. He's rumored, according to IMDB, to be in "Justice League" next year, but in what capacity and can he and Affleck gel together for a solo Batman film?
In any of the recent DC films, there’s been no moment like at the end of “Batman Begins” with the Joker playing card, or at the end of “Iron Man,” or the countless other films that has really gotten fans excited for what’s to come.
Still, the little boy in me, a huge Punisher fan, was filled with delight at the idea of "Suicide Squad." The anti-heroes that are almost more popular and beloved than clean-cut guys and gals like Kal-El and Diana Prince.
But "Squad" seems to have missed the mark. The main villain(s) in this movie is so one-dimensional, whenever they (no spoilers) were onscreen, I kept grimacing at how cliché and boring they were. Again, the “Squad” members themselves were fine and funny. It was the main story line I didn’t understand. Just like the holes in “Dawn of Justice,” didn’t someone think fans would question this film’s motivation?
Was there too much of a desire to be like "Deadpool" or was the backlash from "Batman v Superman" enough to change and lighten the tone through re-shoots? This I don't know. And yes, the movie set August records, clearing more than $130 million on its opening weekend. But is this industry all about money and nothing else? (Wait, don't answer that.)
I surmise that neither DC nor Warner Bros. is interested in making a quick buck if that means burning a bridge and eventually burning out before they can create a cinematic world seen in Reeve's "Superman" or Bale's "Dark Knight," or even Toby's "Spider-Man."
This question is way beyond my pay grade, but a franchise shift or change is not unprecedented by any means.
"The Amazing Spider-Man 2" made north of $700 million for Sony in 2014, but did that stop the franchise form its reboot yet again with Holland? Andrew Garfield is a pretty solid actor, but Sony and Marvel felt like it was time for a change.
Sure, money is the root of all (comic) evil, but when the announcement was made that Spidey was going to be on loan from Sony to join the Avengers and the MCU, it felt like a gift to the fans. Plus, I'm sure it didn't hurt the bottom line when "Civil War" came out.
The same can be said for "Superman Returns," which got a 76 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes (pretty good for a one and done), but just felt a little lackluster. Enter Henry Cavill a handful of years after DC gave it a go with Brandon Routh.
It's not that these DC-themed movies aren't without some excitement and joy, it's just that with Nolan's “Batman,” Downey's "Avengers" and Jackman's "X-Men" in our rear view, we want/need more.
Let's look at exhibit B.
The "X-Men" films, beginning in 2000, really kicked off the validity of big-budget superhero films. After a few successful films and 2006's "Last Stand," 20th Century Fox and the powers that be decided to reset, while not replacing.
"Days of Future Past" in 2014 essentially erased all that happened in "Last Stand" by changing the timeline. Fans may not be overly excited with “X-Men: Apocalypse,” but I applaud the bold move.
This question really, actually is above my pay grade and if you liked "Dawn of Justice" and/or "Suicide Squad," feel free to blast me in the comments. I'm a big boy, I can take it. This should be an open forum. But if you didn't and you love these characters like I do, something needs to change.
This core, canon universe that some really fine actors -- Affleck, Cavill, Will Smith, Margot Robbie, Jeremy Irons, Amy Adams -- have built just doesn't feel right. It feels too dark. It feels confusing. It feels sloppy. It just feels wrong.
Let me close with this. I recently went with a co-worker to see "Star Trek Beyond." She used to watch the classic show and movies with her late father and she walked out, apologizing to me. "Why?" do you ask.
Well, during every reveal, every action sequence, she would scream in delight or nudge me with her left arm. It was clear to anyone in the theater that she was having the best time in the room and was clearly transported back in time.
As you can expect, I instantly replied and told her the exact opposite, that as a movie fan, it was great to see. She wasn't on her phone or asking questions, she was reacting in joy. That's movies folks. And her happiness lasted for days. Yes, a film did that.
Now, why can't the DC Universe do the same for me?
Editor's note: ABC News and Marvel are both part of parent company Walt Disney Co.