That thumbnail looks like it could be from "300" or more likely, its sequel. The scene itself, while more "fantastical" has a remarkably similar look too.
The problem that I have with that fight, is that it is just a big CGI battle, between two groups of people, who I don't know, nor do I care about.
Do I need 10 years worth of movies to know who The Old Gods and New Gods are that I've already learned just by investment of the franchise that I've followed in other media?
The Lord of the Rings is building on the established lore and folktales of Europe - the majority audience at time of publication - its imagery had been common storytelling material for centuries.
Cutting an hour and a half and still having two hours is a sign the movie got away from the writers. Like, no studio was going to accept a four hour movie about superhero’s that didn’t have the word ‘Avengers’ in the title. Zack may have had a bold and grand vision but the series hadn’t earned enough clout with audiences and cinemas to absorb that kind of investment. By the sounds of it, Justice League should have been two movies much later. It is however better to fail due to over ambition than any other reason.
I suppose if you are already invested in these characters, then I can appreciate that it must be cool to see these characters adapted into film, but as someone whose understanding of DC is very Batman-centric, I have 0 appreciation for what is going on here.
Well no; part of the movie’s job is to give context to those who know nothing about it. Another part is getting you emotionally invested. Making you care. If the movie fails at doing that then It’s failed a primary purpose.
I mean I'll grant the movie that same justification for the greek gods, because just like the folktales of europe, most of the western world, are broadly familiar with the greek pantheon, from centuries of them being used in pop media, and a lot of their usage in the recent decades. I just don't have any connection to them in this setting. If we're just going to rely on audience knowledge of greek mythology, to do all of the narrative legwork, then I'm always going to be painting them as rapists and narcissists, and I'm not really going to have much invested in them fighting cgi comic characters. But if some time had been used, to actually flesh out the greek pantheon, to give them some depth beyond their muscle definition and ability to scream at the camera, I might care. But it IS just a flashback exposition scene, so it's not really trying to do that. Which is fine really, the movie isn't The Greek League, so I don't really care that they aren't putting emphasis on these characters. But, that lack of time devoted to them as characters, makes me not really care about them. I have zero investiture in the scene or it's outcome. We KNOW, by the simple fact that Earth isn't a conquest of Darkseid, that they won, so it's sort of pointless narration.
They're not rebooting so much as declaring other movies non-canon. So Man of Steel, BvS, and Justice League are all now non-canon for the DCEU, and all other movies are not connected yet. Like Wonder Woman and 1984 are to be considered their own universe and the fact WW looks like the same WW from Justice League is a coincidence.
I actually find it kind of funny, how much the DC films are reflecting the chaos that is the DC comic world. So many disparate stories, with insanely different power leveled people, all acting independently, but doing things that would impact the other lines in significant ways, that is just....overlooked. but when people do try and moosh it all together, it becomes a huge mess, and they have to flip the table and try and Crisis themselves back to a stable franchise. The movies seem to be barreling head first in that direction.
By all accounts, yes.
Despite still having a lot of problems with the movie, I don't really have the energy to pick on them anymore. Flash is the sole exception. Nothing about him works. He is never funny, he looks like shit, and he only had two scenes where I thought he was even remotely interesting. Kinda sucks that the Flashpoint movie, if it ever comes out, is stuck with this guy.
Speaking of Flashpoint... The Flash solo movie has gone through so many scripts and so many directors, I still really have no idea if its coming out for real and what it's supposed to do. It's gonna have Cyborg (unlikely now given Ray Fisher's feelings towards WB), Batfleck (also unlikely, plus I honestly don't even care about him anymore), fucking Michael Keaton (the only thing I would be interested in).
The problem with DC and the DCEU is their two leading guys have to basically be gods. Batman, despite just being an a dude, can never be outsmarted, never be surprised, never beaten permanently, and always has to have a Oceans 11 style master plan going on the entire time, and because he's always the writer's favorite character he always has to be the coolest. He's basically Freakazoid, where his special power is the writers are on his payroll.
I don't disagree. I will say those problems aren't unique to Bats and Supes, but are just a flow of many protagonists in writing. But yes, Bats has to be a ridiculous manipulator to even hope of dealing with the people he's put up against. It's total bullshit, given the powers established for the antagonists, but hey, that's the reality we live in. Fans want to see batman punch god and win, so writers have to asspull an increasingly insane series of contrivances to make that happen. And yes, with Supes, the ever increasing series of powers they give him, makes it hard to write any story with tension, that is built around conflict.
I actually thought Justice League/Justice League Unlimited did a good job of having Superman being powerful, but there were several heroes on par, and some might have an edge. Like Shazam was every bit as strong and fast, he just didn't have the experience, and his greatest weapon, his magic, was also the only way to beat him.
I love that you said this. Specifically because I had a similar experience, but with the novels. Back when I was in highschool, in the 90s, I tried, multiple times, to read Fellowship, but, FUUUUUUCK was it boring. Chapter after chapter after CHAPTER of the Shire, and all the wacky hijinx of the hobbits! Ooooh, look at those silly Bagginses and Floppinsens, and Toodleflipperies! They have a "heated, generations long -rivalry-" over a set of teacups!! OOOooh, isn't that just so quaint and delightful!! No...no it's not, it's fucking boring. And petty, and spiteful. Oh good, we're leaving the Shire...fucking FINALLY!!! ....wait...who is this prancing, dancing, rhyming shitbag who's literally just dancing his way into the scene like a streaker at a sports game? Tom Bombadil? Oh god....oh god no. He...he thinks he's in a fucking musical. Oh god please make it stop. *puts book down and swears to pick it up again later* *years pass* Hmm, maybe I should give it a try again, but...I don't remember anything, so I'd better start at the beginning again......oh god.....oh god I remember why I stopped reading this. That happened like 3 different times, before I literally had to be TRIPPING ON ACID, and needed something to occupy my mind while I was alone in my dorm room, for several hours. THAT was finally how I was able to get through that fucking book, and then continue the series later when I was no longer tripping. I just, I really don't think the books are as amazing as people make them out to be. And the films are good films, but still, nothing that I really think is amazing.
