My Thoughts On A Justice League Movie
So I was reading today that they threw out another script for Justice League, and figured I would weigh in with my two cents: http://swiftonthefringe.blogspot.com/2013/02/justice-league-movie-youre-...
Thanks for reading, and feel free to comment.
-Swift
I for one have been more than just a bit disappointed with almost every big budget, live action "superhero" outing. Any Bruce Timm cartoon is a dozen times better.
The Rocketeer, The Shadow, Zane's toothy version of the Phantom, even that venerable 60s Green Hornet series...these all took themselves seriously, and should be considered "How to" manuals (no...BIBLES) for making live action hero flicks...but NOOOOOO...
Let me be clear.
- Rule Number 1 is that the hero must look fabulous in his costume, which must be on-model. Sorry...sprawling, oval-shaped eyeholes in facemasks make ANY character look stupid...like that horrid Spirit train wreck. And why does every movie hero seem to feel the need to apply heavy black pancake all around his EYES, under his mask these days?!
- Rule Number 2 is that most superheroes wear stretchy outfits...not S&M leather harnesses and bondage gear. Look. If you really believe that the unwashed, jaded public will abandon any theatre, shrieking with laughter the instant spandex is displayed...then make some other kind of movie...like one about little heroic dwarfs with furry, bare feet...sheeez.
- Rule Number 3 is that casting "big name" actors is utterly unnecessary, distracting, and steals away funds that might pay for better writers, directors, costumes, props, etc. Sorry but the wildly overrated Moron Brando will never be MY Jor-El, even if you pay him a zillion dollars to phone in his lines!
- Rule Number 4 is that the classic premises & tales already exist and don't need to be reimagined from the ground up. I almost cried when I saw that shimmering rainbow bridge, Bifrost, was now just some dumb Star Gate teleporter...
DC's pathetic attempts...Superman, Batman, GL, Smallville, Arrow, yadayadayada...all unalterably horrible. But Marvel's attempts have fared FAR worse. I will not be unhappy if Disney REBOOTS every live action movie line Marvel ever limped onto a soundstage. ALL the Spidey films (along with ALL the hapless X-men & Craptastic Four abominations) belong in some compendium of bad, bad movies...bad casting...bad writing...BAD SINGING & DANCING?!! The Avengers movie was tolerable...while Hulk, Cap (and its silly, PC attempts to rewrite actual history), and Thor were anything but. But who was that ugly pug with the bow & arrow? Don't tell me!! Hawkeye? And the Black Widow? LAME! Where's Giant Man & the Wasp? And is THAT supposed to be Nick Fury (much less Heimdall)...WHY?!
The JLA was always a silly comic book team, IMO. If it ever makes it into a 21st Century feature film, it will elevate that vintage, made-for-TV, JLA movie (with "Dr. Charles Winchester" as the Martian Manhunter) to the level of great theatre, by comparison.
Warners is right to be hesitant about a Justice League movie, because if they screw it up they'll do a lot of damage to a whole lot of potential movies. I don't think you want to jump into a JL movie right off the bat and if they do what Marvel did (by that I mean individual movies) you can still screw things up (I'm looking squarely at the Hulk, although I liked both movies). I think the best thing to do is meet half way. I can see a Wonder Woman movie or Flash movie working if they do it right, but right now it's too soon for a Green Lantern movie and I honestly don't think you could get people to check a Aquaman movie out. Plus with doing individual movies you might get people thinking that they're copying Marvels approach. So, as I said, let's go half way. Start with a World's Finest movie where Superman and Batman have to team up to bring someone down but let it end with something of a question mark, with both heroes realizing that something bigger is happening and that they'll need help to stop it. You could even casually throw in lines through out the movie about other heroes they have meet or worked with (maybe even show a cameo somehow). Then if that movie works you lead to a JL movie and then if that works out branch out from there.
On spandex vs the body armour/leather jumpsuit Superhero uniforms of the 90's, BATMAN-Dead End showed that You can do Batman in spandex & you can make it serious & work.
Thats what one of my biggest problems was with the daredevil & cap film.
For a JLA Film,I have to agree a Batman/Superman film would be better to start with then continue to a second with more JLA members in it.
I would hope warners wouldnt go crazy with high priced actors and big rubber chests uniforms to try to go down the typical "DC super hero film".