"Civil War" Vs "Dawn of Justice" - Which will do it better?

[F-I-D-O]

Even with my dislike of the Civil War comic arc, I see Marvel making out better in films.
If DC took as many risks with live action as they did with their animated stuff, they'd have a nice style and interesting output.
As it stands, Batman v. Superman v. Board of Education looks like an incredibly drab movie, simultaneously empty and overflowing. It's like they forgot that comics can be colorful and fun even when handling life and death. Scenes from Nolan's Trilogy and Man of Steel blur together in my head, and the metropolis flashback shown in the recent trailer doesn't help. All DC movies have felt the same to me, and I doubt cramming more into the film will fix that. And I'm sorry, a gravelly voiced "I thought she was with you" is humorous, but not because of the writing. It just comes off inconsistent to the super-serious Christ and Police state visual metaphor world they made, and that discrepancy gave me a chuckle. They'd almost have been better off with their "no jokes" attitude and sticking to the super gritty tone for some consistency.

Marvel lets each property feel different - it's why I'm still not burnt out on their movies. Winter Soldier, Ant-Man, Iron Man 3, and Thor 2 can be argued over quality but aren't close to the same tones or themes. Hell, even between items in a mini-series each entry changes to reflect that character at that time. Each character has had time to grow into who they are in the movie Civil War. Hell, even the plot seems to be focused on an understandable issue - choosing between friends on two sides - which it then blows to the entertaining superhero level. Marvel could lose it all by spiraling out into the overarching conspiracies and pointless deaths that made the comic event scale between a confusing, rushed mess to a perfectly orchestrated multi-year event depending on how many books you bought.

TL;DR:
Marvel's making a big event small and meaningful on a character level, which they've shown excellence in.
DC's taking a two character story and turning it into the Avengers scale in only two films. Man of Steel and Dark Knight Rises shows the studio has issues when it goes too far from the character-centric start of the stories.

 

[Lightknight]

I always feel like the Marvel vs DC cinematic discussion is a lot like Nintendo vs Sega back in the 90's. Some people will jump on the DC bandwagon whether it be a pre-existing attachment to the comics or a love for the 'grittier' Nolan Batman's, and there's nothing wrong with that. But even though I liked the Genesis back in the day it is pretty clear when you look at it objectively that the SNES was just flat out better.

That really hasn't been the case so much. When a film is good, it's like everyone loves it. Everyone loved Batman for example. If it's bad (see various supermen movies and Green Lantern), it isn't well liked.

It seems more like DC is hit and miss (with the current weight leaning towards miss) and Marvel has been grandslamming stuff to our amazement. I like both comic companies and would prefer good work from all of them.

 

[F-I-D-O]

Then let me correct that. DC is not going to turn Superman into a Pachinko Machine.

And yes I think its very stupid for people to just arbitraly compare to companies even though what they are doing is vastly different. Hence you saying that DC is like Konami is blowing it out of proportion.

*Cough* http://global.rakuten.com/en/store/slot/item/5284/?s-id=borderless_recommend_item_en *Cough*
Granted, it's a Superman Returns pachinko. But they still turned him into a Pachniko machine (because DC and WB probably agreed on how to license DC's most iconic character).
Is DC forcing it's beloved creators out the door? No.

That said, merchandising isn't inherently evil (Han Solo would be dead if it weren't for action figures), and that wasn't the point that was originally made. DC has recently been willing to cancel promising projects or rapidly change the status quo to chase markets rather remain consistent or wait for development. Notably, in the post New52 implementation where promising books get cancelled after only 9 issues or so. Compared to Marvel's current publishing efforts which have books continue and have larger ramifications, even those with smaller audiences. That attitude I think is the crux of the issue - Marvel had the luxury to take time when building to Avengers, and could release things like Thor. DC has to step to that, and is willing to cut logical narrative and timing corners to reach Justice League as soon as possible. Their animated efforts have a much different pipeline since they have no real competition, and it shows.

Comparatively, when Marvel realized that reboots sell, they didn't immediately do an ALL NEW MARVEL run. They built some new teams, changed up iconic characters, and launched into the event over the course of three years. Remember that period last year where every week Marvel had a new event announcement, only to bring it into one mega "Greatest Hits" in Secret Wars? It was cold, calculated, and done to make sure everything had the time for a comfortable run into the soft reboot.

The only thing Marvel's seemed to rush is their animated shows, which pale in comparison to DC's older Teen Titans or Batman:AS (best Batman ever, btw). Seriously, the new Guardians cartoon is just bad. Marvel cancels and changes animated plans with the same gusto as DC publishing.

 

[McElroy]

I just watched the trailers and both spoil basically everything. Winter Soldier had such a good trailer, oh the olde times. I bet both will do "it" about similarily well, but Marvel has the nerd-support. If they manage to get a moment of tension into Civil War, it will likely be a better movie overall. Or if they go full comedy. The first Iron Man 3 trailer was serious too...

 

[F-I-D-O]

MCU all the way, although if you look at the basic movie plots they are actually very similar. Superheros we love going up against each other for reasons. the thing is MCUs heroes are evenly matched (Cap and Bucky vs Iron Man) but not only that because they have back story and history their is reason why perhaps Ironman would hold back or Cap is sorry about having to fight him the whole thing is better developed and better reasoned and that's why it has more chance of working.

Couldn't Iron Man just fly up out of Cap's throwing range and bomb the crap out of their 5 feet squared area with rockets?

I get there's reasons why he's down there talking with them and trying to defuse things face to face, but yeah, I owuldn't say its an even fight for any reason that might not also apply in bats/Supes (Supes won't nuke Batman because he doesn't believe he's an insane threat ot the world that needs to be killed, just a misguided overall good guy)

Cap's shield is literal plot armor, just as Iron Man's durability can change based on how desperate/inventive they need him. The shield makes bullet/explosives useless (it blocked Thor's hammer), and can reflect the lasers (even the fancy IM2 end fight ones). Bucky's arm is similarly durable, even if it doesn't protect him as much. Having two super agile people both able to use that shield effectively and working together, it's a relatively even fight against the standard Iron Man suits. In addition, Tony doesn't have carpet bombing capability. He'd have to engage from a long range, which gets into the same situation as asking why Superman doesn't just heat ray Batman from orbit.
Post Extremis virus Tony or Hulkbuster is a completely different matter that would likely end in a patriotic smear on the ground.

That said, the fighting between Supes and Bats seems to be pretty well reasoned with ideology differences and Bruce getting terrified by the destruction Superman is capable of. It's not a hard sell for the story, and Man of Steel established Superman would do anything to save people. Cramming it in with

Spoiler: It's in the new trailer

Darkside,

Lex Luther, and Wonder Woman runs the risk of losing that focused ideological difference, and really making the fight irrelevant even in its own movie.

I would love to see two Superman fights in the new movie - one against Batman where he holds back and another "World of Cardboard" level moment. Then DC just has to balance their character writing and they have my full attention.

 

[F-I-D-O]

Unless they left a huge plot related point like that out of the trailers (which is possible) the Civil War is about Bucky and solely Bucky.

I have a hard time believing that enormous stack of papers with "SOKOVIA ACCORDS" printed on them are all about Bucky. Bucky is doubtlessly involved somehow, but I think it's unfairly reductive to say it's all about Steve protecting his friend.

We still haven't seen Spider Man in the Civil War trailer, and I don't see why Black Panther would show up because Steve and Tony are arguing over who gets best friend privileges. There's hopefully something bigger.
The Winter Soldier trailer was thought to give away the whole plot when it first came out. Hell, it even had Fury crash, helicarriers come down, SHIELD agents attacking Cap, and the shield catch. But they hid the whole Hydra reveal until the movie came out. Considering it's the same team making Civil War, I'm more likely to believe something else is coming around.

 

[Evonisia]

Much as I have preferred the later films of the MCU to the earlier ones[footnote]Excluding Captain America: The First Avenger which is still my favourite of the bunch.[/footnote], I'm getting increasingly fatigued to them. Civil War will probably be competent but bland, and any plot movements of interest will just be unceremoniously resolved by one of the spin-off shows just like they did with Winter Soldier. That includes any character development, too.

As for Dawn of Justice, I'm honestly feeling optimistic about this one. It looks like it will be bloated, but it looks silly enough to be fun. Given how much flack DC gets for being all grim and gritty, this film looks like it will have a lot more humour in it. Civil War tonally seems like Winter Soldier 3.0. Hopefully one day Marvel or DC tries recapturing the tone or effective management of multiple superheroes from the newest X-Men films but I guess these two films will be fine.

 

[Lunar Templar]

Seeing as WB has yet to do a good comic book movie that isn't staring Batman...

Civil War will be unquestionably better.

 

[Belaam]

MCU. I have zero faith that Batman v Superman will be any good. Overstuffed, overly gritty, and not fun to watch. I mean I'm not generally a fan of J.J. Abrams and hate what he did with Star Trek, but I have more faith that The Force Awakens will be a good film that the mess that BvS seems to be, because there seem to be some checks on his worse tendencies built in with key crew members from previous Star Wars films. But Snyder doing Nolan has little to comfort my worries.

 

[Cicada 5]

To tell you the truth I am not sure about either of them. Civil War MIGHT be good I think but I am worried that it might go down that 'been there done that, not trying as hard' formula that Avengers seems to be sinking into especially after Avengers 2. However I am hoping that it might turn out to be as good as Winter Solider or Guardians of the Galaxy or Antman were despite my doubts. As for BVS I have this nagging feeling that it will either be mediocre or really bad. I mean they keep flashing a bunch of special effects with no real set or clear story, kind of like what the latest Fantastic Four did. Not to mention not only are they falling into the same trap that other hero movies have done with doing too much too fast for a single movie and losing coherence and depth along the way.

And seemingly in an attempt to jump pass Marvel as quickly as possible who already have anchored themselves into a complex story line with fleshed out characters and have their climaxes all ready to go with Civil War and Infinity War. Like Dorkly pointed out they are basically started off with something that should have been a climax instead of a beginning while stuffing in too many heroes and villains something that should have been more fleshed out and carefully done.

I know some people will run to see BVS and insist that it is good no matter what and rage on about it and blame everyone and everything for what goes wrong but for sensible people I have a feeling that BVS might be no where near as good as people insist it is. The question is not which one people will be more brick headed about, it is which one will be the better movie.I mean both sides have made bad movies. Why is everyone so very sure one will be better than the other when both companies have made stinkers? I mean have people already forgotten Batman and Robin,Superman Returns and Man of Steel so quickly? I mean I haven't forgotten about Daredevil, Ghostrider and Elektra

No one's forgotten about Batman and Robin or Superman Returns. You may not have liked Man of Steel but clearly a lot of people did. ANd I see way more "brickheadedness" from Marvel fans who insist that there favorite company can do no wrong than from DC/WB fans.

 

[Cicada 5]

How can I not think this is all one big Marvel vs DC fan war?

I don't care if you consider yourself helpless to not hold the position that there is a gigantic conspiracy taking place between a studio that makes popular movies and a studio that makes unpopular movies. I care that you make the choice to express this conspiracy theory in a way deliberately intended to insult others.

OK where did you bring up this whole Conspiracy Theory allegation? Because I did not made that comment thinking about any conspiracy at play here.

My comments come from a stance I am one of the few that appreciates the new DC movies and I constantly see too many people bashing on it.

And I admit I apoligize about the accusation that everyone is blind Marvel fan I mean I am sure they are speaking as DC fans aswell from past works.

People constantly bash on Marvel animated movies just fine. Why is it people fly into fury the moment people point out that Marvel makes better live action movies and are better at it then DC is? I don't understand what is this bash on this but don't bash on that attitude people have or thinking everyone has an ulterior motive the moment they think differently from what you think. I mean did you just stop to think MAYBE people honestly have more doubts about the BVS movie than the Civil War movie?

I mean no one said that BVS sucks for sure but I mean we are talking about the people who can barely make a live action superhero movie work properly and now are trying the whole multiple hero thing, something Marvel only has now gotten the hang of and now DC is just throwing money at making it as expensive as possible and overhyping like crazy using the overly used 'Batman fights Superman over a misunderstanding' shtick they have been doing for years. My theory is that people know very well Marvel is better at this and if BVS fails not only will it make enforce that their name mud in the superhero movie business but could easily put the breaks on any future movies about everyone else. So you are all sensitive because you know that people are already watching them harder than Marvel and ready to destroy them if they make any mistakes. No one is going o kick Marvel in the gut if Civil War is mediocre but BVS has hyped itself up so much it will fall much further if it doesn't produce results on all fronts

No one said BVS sucks for sure? Have you been reading the comments in this or any other part of the net. The amount of bile thrown at DC/WB cannot be understated. I don't see enough attention given to Marvel's animated movies for them to be bashed. But I see a lot of online contempt for DC's live action films. Especially from MCU fans and even some of the actors.