DC vs Marvel: Batman & Superman should have watched Daredevil season 2
Obviously there may be spoilers here…BUT most people who wanted to see Batman v Superman have already watched it. The same goes for those who are watching Daredevil Season 2 on NetFlix
I had a pretty painful suspicion that Batman v Superman was going to be…um…interesting when the negative reviews began raining in. Now, usually when the critics tear into a film I can’t WAIT to see it. Especially the reviews from the typical, average movie critics at major publications. But this time, I just couldn’t stop making that well-known Star Wars quote, “I have a bad feeling about this.” After watching Batman v Superman, I have a little bit of advice for DC: In future films, stick with the source material, or better yet, watch some Daredevil on Netflix, especially season 2.
Stick with the source material
MAYBE Zack Snyder thought he could beat Mike Tyson and forgot that Bats & Supes are the equivalent of Iron Mike: in their primes no one was going to beat them. For me, Superman was bigger than life in the Fleischer Studios animated shorts of the 1940s, the tv series of the 1950s, and the 1977 film starring Christopher Reeve. Every kid had a t-shirt, comic book, toy, or a pair of Superman underoos. We couldn’t wait to watch the Superfriends on saturday mornings. WHY? Because of Batman & Superman. Everyone else on the show was a distraction (Can you name any other hero from the show besides The Flash, Wonder Woman, or Aquaman?). Years later, and despite the Smallvilles & GREAT animated films of the last 10 years, Superman has yet to regain his level of popularity. Batman was “aiight” when I was a kid, my 2nd choice if my brother snatched up the Superman action figure before I woke up. We laughed at the 1960s tv series and watched the animated series of the 70s. But Batman completely eclipsed Superman after Frank Miller’s Dark Knight Returns series in 1986. Thirty years later and Frank Miller’s work can be found in almost every facet of superhero movies and tv shows. The reason Batman has fared better than Superman is the Miller influence in Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight Trilogy as well the DC-produced animated films.
But I need to clarify a few things. This isn’t a Frank Miller kiss-ass fest; but his work is an example of excellent source material that DC appeared to simply sprinkle throughout the film. John Byrne’s run on Superman or Jim Lee’s Superman Unchained could have also been tapped for a more fleshed out Kal-El.
We’re all familiar with the gritty, no-holds-barred Batman. However, what the average movie-goer doesn’t realize is that Frank Miller revived and redefined Batman AND Daredevil. Miller first brought his realistic, unapologetic style to the Man Without Fear in the early 80s before 1986’s Dark Knight Returns. It was Miller who introduced Elektra, The Hand, and gave us Daredevil’s atypical mentor, Stick. There were also painful stories about the rising drug epidemic, child abuse, and the day to day personal struggles we all experience.
What the Daredevil series gets right and B v S doesn’t, is that each DD season is like your standard artist-writer run/story arc of Daredevil; with each episode flowing like subsequent issues of the comic book. There weren’t major changes to the Daredevil story. He’s a partner of a struggling law firm who does a not-so-good job trying to balance his civilian and hero personas. The influential, well-known characters like Kingpin or Stick haven’t been killed off or ignored. The writers of the show understand that you can write interesting original episodes within the DD universe without rocking the boat. Did you spot Jimmy Olsen in B v S? He’s the photographer who gets killed in the opening desert scene with Lois Lane. JIMMY OLSEN. And director Zack Snyder’s explanation? Weak.
Continuity
One of my biggest big screen disappointments is with the X-Men franchise. Some films were better than others, but overall, FOX wrecked my favorite mutants’ timeline. Nightcrawler was thrown in here, Angel smashed in there, Iceman & Rogue are teenagers. And dating each other. Don’t even get me started on the wannabe Deadpool with his mouth fused together. Finally FOX realized what a mess they created and tried to clean it all up with Days Of Future Past. The animated tv show of the 90s did an amazing job of staying close to the source material (and timeline).
ALAS, DC must have forgotten about FOX’s attempt and subsequently “Foxed up” their movie as well. When trying to make a compelling, influential film like B v S, the writers decided to adjust the timeline and cram bits of other DC stories into the movie without explanation. Or clarification. Did Batman have to be a “Dark Knight Returns” older version of himself? Superman & Batman are typically similar in age. At least in the source material they are (with one exception-Supes appears immortal in Dark Knight Returns). Bruce Wayne’s “dream sequence” is a mash up of The Flash’s Flashpoint Paradox , Justice League: War, and Injustice: Gods Among Us. The film also manages to throw in The Death Of Superman…. how was the civilian/non-nerd supposed to figure out ALL of that? It just felt like they were trying to fit TOO MUCH into one movie.
Listen to the fans. LISTEN
Daredevil scored more points for keeping it simple by understanding what the fans expected. Were it not for the fans, these heroes would have never risen in popularity and gotten the notice of the studios. When the studios decide to treat the material as “just another film”….well, you get the X-men. The Elektra Saga/story arc was the highlight to Frank Miller’s run on Daredevil. Her complicated & tumultuous relationship with Daredevil played out from issue #165 through to her death at the hands of Bullseye in issue #181. The shock and sadness that affected fans was similar to Jean Grey’s death in X-Men. And even though DD season 2 throws a plot twist into the mix; I didn’t feel the writers ignored the fans and decided they “didn’t have room for Elektra in our big pantheon of characters, but we can have fun with her, right?”
And I can’t forget how much of an impact The Punisher made on the series. Frank Miller’s Punisher was cold and calculating. At one point Daredevil compared him to a machine. The season 2 writing team took what some would call a crazed vigilante in Frank Castle/The Punisher and created a multi-faceted character who was both tortured and ruthless. Eventually even Karen Page begins to glimpse the humanity in Castle and goes to bat for him legally in an effort to clear his name. She admits that he’s a killer but can see the catalyst of his downfall. At some point Karen even begins sounding like a well-known Chris Rock joke. To paraphrase Chris: “I wouldn’t kill a room full of people…..But I understand.” It would have been something else to see Ben Affleck’s character move beyond the traumatized-wounded-child-vigilante cliche’ and allow us to see a more fleshed out human being.
Believe it not, I have to say that Batman V Superman was NOT as bad as the critics were saying. Even though I fell asleep at some point during the 1st hour of the film, things DEFINITELY picked up the 2nd half. The battles were impressive and Wonder Woman brought the pain. Smiling; while slicing and dicing Doomsday had me whispering, “wow”. Superman is beaten up, Batman is running for his life, yet the Amazon ENJOYED getting into a “good scrap” as Wolverine would say. Nerds are aware that Wonder Woman is nearly as powerful as Superman (truth), but to SEE her handling business was WILD. I was disappointed that WW wasn’t given a more prominent role in the 1st half of the movie, but I’m going to see her solo feature for sure. Hopefully someone will feed her skinny behind some pork chops in time for her film. How are you gonna be an Amazonian Warrior Princess and SKINNY?
I gave the movie a “C” because of the reasons I mentioned earlier, not to mention putting me to sleep for about 15 minutes in the beginning, according to my wife. STILL, if you haven’t seen it yet, please go check it out if only to finally see two former heavyweight champions battle it out on the big screen. And yeah, I’m going to see X-Men Apocalypse memorial day weekend. Fox still has me drinking the kool-aid.
