Making sense of the DC Extended Universe

Disclaimer: This article is going to be my very personal take on the DCEU so far. This might not be that palatable to some. But I just need to vent out this angst that I've been carrying since I saw the Justice League movie. So I don't think this is a review of the film. And hopefully you won't think that I'm defending Zack Snyder (even if it would sound like I'm a Snyder apologist), because I'm just writing this piece to get my head straight on whatever happened to the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) in terms of how I took Snyder's vision when he started this whole thing. With that said. Justice League didn't work for me. I really do appreciate and I'm glad that a lot of fans and general audience seems to love this movie compared to the past DC movie outings (not including Wonder Woman) that had Snyder involved in one way or another. Sure Justice League was fun. It had humor. It had a Superman that for once in this iteration is acting like how Superman should be acting. And I'm truly happy to those who genuinely love the movie. However, Warner Brothers' attempt to give in to the formulaic demands of the general movie going audience fell flat on their face when it comes to the weekend box office numbers that they expected to match Avengers money. It was a no win situation at all the moment Snyder's name was involved in the movie. Despite trying to give in to the superhero movie standards dictated by the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) formula. Despite bringing in one billion dollars producing Avengers director Joss Whedon himself to save the movie. DCEU's attempt to go toe to toe with Marvel was just totally wrong from the inception. And that is me saying if the outright expectations of those involved that they could match Marvel's Cinematic Universe on the get go. Why? Because everyone could not wait for their own Cinematic Universe to develop. Everyone expected a lot in a fledgling Five film DC Cinematic Universe. Let me illustrate:


The Box Office Numbers

Given that DC was a late comer to the whole cinematic universe thing, they have outpaced the MCU in its initial 5 movie run while Marvel hit the One Billion mark with Avengers after a relative 5 movie build up. This with Justice League still in theaters and we still are far off from getting the final numbers. We also should omit the profit and loss in this argument for the meantime because we are not really privy to the actual costs. That being said, it is relatively unfair for Justice League to expect an Avengers like number box office number considering that there were no proper build up to each of the Justice League members in the same way that Marvel gave Iron Man, Captain America, and Thor their solo movies (I omitted Hulk because only a few could remember that the Edward Norton Hulk was actually one and the same with the MCU Mark Ruffalo Hulk). There was no audience empathy for the Justice League characters. And the very few characters like Superman and Batman, was far from being likable because both characters started on the wrong foot. Only Wonder Woman was truly loved by the viewing public. Superman and Batman were characters whose mythology in the DCEU was incomplete as of the moment. Whose mythology I believe would have come full circle if only Zack Snyder was allowed to complete his vision for the DCEU. Remember, Justice League was supposed to be a two-part movie. So to expect Justice League to achieve Avengers like money is ridiculous even if both of these teams are the premier superhero teams for both companies. So let's not use the Box office numbers when saying which film is superior. After all, we are not the Business executives who invested on these movies. I also don't want to touch on critics' opinions. Because their opinion is as good as yours and mine.


Superman Returns

Now much have been said about how flawed Snyder's vision of the beloved superhero characters. But from DCEU's initial inception, they were already playing catch up to Marvel's well executed cinematic universe. The MCU was already shifting its gears for the culmination of their cinematic universe's phase one when DC decided to enter the superhero cinematic universe game. While they were highly successful with their Chris Nolan Batman trilogy, that "Nolanverse" was a standalone trilogy that was too perfect for its own good. There was no way you could see that Batman interact with gods, immortals, and meta humans. DC had to start from scratch. And Superman was the chosen focal point for an expanding DCEU. Now Superman is not relatively an unknown cinematic figure like Iron Man was. Superman himself is dragged down by a heavy baggage full of nostalgia with the untouchable Christopher Reeve Superman mythology casting a heavy shadow over the cinematic character. Remember, DC tried to restore that Reeve Superman via the Brandon Routh starred Superman Returns. Director Bryan Singer tried to tug the heart strings of those who still love the Reeve Superman. And true enough, for a generation of critics who still love the Reeve Superman version, they gave the film favorable reviews. The movie however did not connect well with the "modern" audience. I for one generally like the movie, but I personally wanted to see more action. And that's also the sentiments of the majority of the viewing public during that time. DC could have opted to move the story forward and allow the character to progress, but they eventually pulled the plug for Singer's (and also to an extent Reeve's Superman) Superman. So what to do? Enter Zack Snyder.

Zack Snyder's Superman

Zack Snyder was a highly critcized visionary director who had previously made polarizing adaptations of classic DC comics property like Frank Miller's 300 and Alan Moore's Watchmen. To kick start the DCEU, Snyder and WB agreed to follow the tone of Christopher Nolan's highly successful Batman Dark Knight trilogy. The chosen tone was to ground Superman in realism in the same way Nolan's Batman was rooted in. And Superman, as an alien, would bring the unknown, fear, uncertainty to the world in a post 9/11 world. Instead of being given a Superman that wears bright colors and be accepted easily by humanity as a superhero from the get go, we are given a fresh take on his mythology. Unfortunately this darker tone did not sit well for many Superman fans and superhero fans in general who grew more accustomed to Marvel's way of presenting their superheroes. Which is, light, fun, humorous, and easily well loved by the end of their solo movies. But to give credit where credit is due, at least Snyder was brave enough to break the traditional mold of superheroes. After all, DC's superhero mythology (except Batman of course) is more larger than life when compared to Marvel's superheroes. Man of Steel was generally an alien invasion story, where an alien (Superman) is trying to find his way in a world that he wasn't born in. Perhaps, trying to bring in the ultimate immigrant story, Snyder was building a Superman mythology where our beloved hero is acting (or feeling) his way in a world where his place is unsure yet. I was totally sold in Snyder's vision that we can't just easily accept an alien in our world. And in the movie, Superman pretty much acts like his shoulder is heavily weighed by the dilemma of saving/resurrecting his home planet (and his entire species) or saving a world where he is alien to. So obviously, we won't be seeing the grand majestic Superman that we are accustomed to. And by the end of the movie, there emerged a Superman that was more menacing than lovable. Despite the fact that he saved the world from utter destruction and annihilation. But his story does not end there. And if you have understood his version of Superman, then you'd probably understood why Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice had to happen.

Build up to Justice League

Snyder's Superman would only bring two responses from humanity. One out of fear, and another one out of appreciation. Now I'm not saying that Batman V Superman was a movie without flaws. But there was a good narrative that Snyder intended to deliver but unfortunately was poorly executed in the theatrical version. One should watch the extended cut to fully appreciate the narrative that Snyder intended to communicate to the audiences. Batman's basic motivation was dealing justice and stopping the alien Superman from creating more destruction and damage to the world. He sees Superman as a threat. He wanted to keep this godlike alien in check. Superman on the other hand was a clueless superhero wanna be who wanted to save the world in ways that he knows. Perhaps to the point of being too naive to think he can save the world by himself. As per Snyder's iteration of this Superman, he's just a year and a half in his career as Superman. These concepts were not delivered by Snyder very well and perhaps were just too deep for audiences to consume after being spoiled by simpler superhero movies like the Marvel formula. The movie culminates with the Death of Superman. A payoff that I personally think kind of felt hollow because Superman wasn't that Super to the audiences at this point. It also didn't help that the introduction and cameos of the Justice League made the movie convoluted. Though DC fans surely got a kick seeing a couple of teases and concepts that served as a peek of a larger DCEU. Snyder pushing Superman's death imagery as hope and inspiration to Batman and Wonder Woman was a step in the right direction. Something which I personally think the pretty condensed Justice League movie ruined. A quick run down of Snyder's succeeding DCEU movies would give us Suicide Squad and Wonder Woman. Suicide Squad was the U.S. government's answer to build a meta human team (albeit by using villains) under their beck and call to be their weapon to fight against meta human threats. Their immediate answer to Superman's death. A plan that failed, which eventually gave Batman even more motivation to form his own meta human team. Wonder Woman on the other hand didn't do much in terms of pushing the DCEU forward as the movie basically happened in Wonder Woman's past. It does however tell the back story on how she eventually kept her heroic self from being involved in the world until that fateful night when she had to reveal herself to the world again by fighting alongside Batman and Superman in thwarting Doomzod (I don't wanna call it Doomsday because Snyder ruined the chance to make a more compelling Death of Superman movie adaptation by bringing in Doomsday too early in the game).

Joss Whedon's Justice League, Where did it go wrong?

So that brings us to Justice League. Whedon's Justice League. Again the movie was fun, exciting, and they got their heroes and tone right. A lot of my friends are raving about Superman finally being Superman. In fact, I totally love the fact that my son has now become a Superman fan when he used to gravitate towards Batman even if his Dad is a huge Superman fan with countless Superman collections littered all over our home. But now I just realized by writing this article, to appreciate Justice League, one would have to erase Snyder's previous works from being connected with Justice League. Because everything no longer makes any sense. Justice League is said to be a course correction. Let's just view it as a stand alone movie, a beginning of a new DCEU and forget about Snyder. Which is well and good for those who genuinely love the movie. But for someone like me who is totally invested on Snyder's vision, however flawed and incomplete it might be, JL ruined a much more interesting DCEU. A DCEU in the long haul that would have made more cinematic relevance than any Marvel movie in the past could ever do. Whedon had to stitch the movie within a limited time and resources to try to correct Snyder's Justice League. A tall order for someone who might not be totally into Snyder's vision. Snyder's DCEU world building is supposed to be rooted in a deeper and more meaningful mythology that would bring Superhero movie appreciation to a more mature level. I believe Snyder's Justice League would have redeemed his Superman in the right way possible to bring him to become the Superman that we are more familiar with. Originally intended as a two part movie, we would have seen a resurrected black suit Superman (under Steppenwolf's influence) fighting the league in Justice League Part One. Thus wonderfully connecting to Batman's Knightmare dream sequence from BVS. The Lois Lane as the key pay off would have even more meaning as revealed by Flash in Batman's dream sequence in BVS if it didn't feel so rushed like what happened in the JL movie. How could you explain the closing scenes in BVS where the dirt on Superman's casket began to float. Steppenwolf surely had a hand on it. And in the course of the movie, for sure Superman would have been redeemed and helped the League in combating Steppenwolf. And the talks about Superman being a symbol of hope, and inspiration, would have even more meaning. You see, I've been told many times too often by non-Superman fans about the ridiculousness of the idea of Superman as hope and inspiration to humanity. Inspiration for what? To choose to do good even at the face of insurmountable odds? They mockingly tell me that Superman is an immortal while we are only human. Superman can do heroic stuffs and not die unlike us mere mortals. What hope and inspiration are we talking about they tell me. But in the context of Snyder's DCEU, Superman is the symbolism of Hope and Inspiration for the Justice League to rally on. There must be a grand plan of Snyder on how to make this work. And a brighter, more heroic DCEU would have began with Superman. DC Heroes' inspiration for truth and justice. The people's hope that Superman could rally other meta humans to do good instead of turning into a life of crime. And this would have opened a floodgate of DCEU movies rooted on Superman as the anchor, inspiration, and moral compass in their respective movies. Warner's impatience ruined this opportunity to fix a darker DCEU through more meaningful means. By letting a half baked Whedon "repair" Justice League, it only ruined Snyder's DCEU movie building. We now have before us a Justice League movie that is fun, humorous, exciting, full of fan service, but has an empty soul. No one could seriously connect Whedon's Justice League to any of Snyder's past movies. It's a stand alone Justice League movie, period. Therein lies my disdain for the Justice League movie before me. Perhaps by being too "invested" on Snyder's vision, I've ruined myself from thoroughly enjoying the movie. To me the movie felt empty. Disposable as a one off fun popcorn feel good movie and then totally forget about it in the succeeding years to come. It won't be as meaningful as say Reeve's Superman movie.
               
Flashpoint Is The Key

The best thing WB could have done was to at least let Snyder finish his Superman trilogy. Flashpoint is just around the corner to clean up the mess in case Snyder continues to screw up. Flashpoint was the best "course correction" vehicle for WB to pick up/build new universes where they could probably follow the Marvel formula without ruining the Snyder DCEU's mythology. It's a clean slate where they could push a new narrative for their DCEU. They could even use the "Dark" Snyder DCEU as Flash's motivation to set things right. There's a reason why I totally love Fox's X-Men: Days of Future Past so much. That movie totally rebooted their X-Men franchise without ruining the well loved original X-Men trilogy. Not only that, but by introducing alternate timelines, they are afforded to come up with stand alone movies like Deadpool and Logan without muddling their cinematic universe. It also gave directors creative freedom to do what they want to do with other X-Men properties without sacrificing the tone of their main cinematic universe. Imagine the possibilities if Flashpoint became the rebooting vehicle for DCEU. But then the Flashpoint movie is still currently in flux. They might still go the rebooting way like how I said it, but there's a real danger that Flashpoint would be cancelled if JL's final box office tally won't satisfy WB. To move forward in this highly contentious and debatable "course correction" for DCEU, Warner Brothers should exercise more patience. During the production of Justice League, Warner was still unsure on the direction that they would want their DC properties to take. Now that they have chosen a path with this course correction via JL, it would be best for them to follow through from Justice League and not second guess themselves on what course to take. If they want to follow the Marvel Formula because they believe that this is what the audience wants, then the hell just do it. Just make sure that DCEU won't be a pale comparison to Marvel's Cinematic Universe. And they also better hope and pray that sticking to a certain formula for superhero movies won't cause the eventual implosion of the Superhero movie genre. As for Snyder, win or lose, at least the guy attempted to break the traditional superhero movie mold. And for that, I appreciate his bravery in trying to present a much mature and realistic take on the Superhero movie mythology. I'm still gonna watch Justice League for the second time around. And this time, I'm gonna be disabusing myself from Snyder's vision and treat JL as a stand alone movie. Maybe this time, with a fresh set of mindset, I would be able to appreciate Justice League more.