Are you more critical of DC or Marvel films?

[ComicJunkie21]

I'm more critical of dc films because:

1) I'm a DC fan and know more about their characters than most marvel characters outside of x-men and spiderman. For better or worse this makes me critical of movies because I hate seeing characters that I like taken out of character to the point that they are unrecognizable (ie. Superman that kills in a non-injustice storyline or batman that kills and uses guns)

2) I've seen good-excellent DC films and TV shows from Christopher Reeves Superman, Tim Burton's Batman, Nolan's Batman, Wonder woman TV show, and the full arrowverse. So the bar has been set and it's high.

Not saying I'm not critical of marvel films because I am harder on spiderman and will be hard on any wolverine remake (Hugh Jackman nailed that role). But honestly most marvel films I go into I have little to no expectation because of no prior investment in their characters.

How about you, which brand are you more critical of and why?

[Comic-Reader Lad]

For me, it's just the opposite. I'm also more of a DC Comics fan than Marvel, so because I have less interest in their characters and universe, Marvel has to go the extra mile to wow me.

That's why I've not really been wowed by Marvel movies. They're fine and enjoyable as disposable popcorn entertainment, but I don't really sit and ponder them the way I would a DC movie. The only way I really deep-think about a Marvel movie is to pick apart all the logical inconsistencies and annoying quippy dialogue that grates on me, whereas in a DC movie, I might be more inclined to let those things slide.

Even the much-vaunted Infinity War 2-parter (IW and Endgame) would have meant more to me if the exact same storyline were happening to the DC characters.

[WillieMorgan]

Probably the DC films. Like yourself it's because I'm predominantly a DC fan.

I've enjoyed the hell out of the MCU. Part of the reason for that is not having any comic book source material to compare the series to. I haven't read a Marvel comic since the mid 1990's. That's not the case with DC at all.

Thing is, I'm quite open minded about the DCEU too. At least part of that is because, although they are certainly important, the movies mean a lot less to me than the comics themselves do.

[superduperman]

I'm more critical of DC because they know better. They can make a good Superman movie, they're simply choosing not to. Marvel has a pretty decent formula that works for them. They're not trying to re-invent the wheel or anything which I feel that DC has been trying to do in recent years.

[ComicJunkie21]

I'm more critical of DC because they know better. They can make a good Superman movie, they're simply choosing not to. Marvel has a pretty decent formula that works for them. They're not trying to re-invent the wheel or anything which I feel that DC has been trying to do in recent years.

I used to get so mad at DC because they were always trying to re-invent the wheel but now I'm actually okay with the high risk approach that they take now. Like you said Marvel has a formula that works for them now but it's not necessarily something new and it's not going to work forever. I've already seen and heard die hard fans of their movies grow tired of the same type of storyline development(Captain Marvel comes to mind). However with DC we get some horrendous films but also some groundbreaking great films that redefines the genre itself. Also, Marvel and DC built their structures differently so what works for Marvel will not always work for DC and vice versa. While Marvel can pull off humorously fun films because most of their characters have the versatility to go in that direction but DC is the opposite where most of their characters have the versatility to go in a more dramatic/thriller type direction. Let's face it if DC made films using Marvel's formula we'd get films like Batman & Robin non-stop which would make everyone roll their eyes.

[superduperman]

I used to get so mad at DC because they were always trying to re-invent the wheel but now I'm actually okay with the high risk approach that they take now. Like you said Marvel has a formula that works for them now but it's not necessarily something new and it's not going to work forever. I've already seen and heard die hard fans of their movies grow tired of the same type of storyline development(Captain Marvel comes to mind). However with DC we get some horrendous films but also some groundbreaking great films that redefines the genre itself. Also, Marvel and DC built their structures differently so what works for Marvel will not always work for DC and vice versa. While Marvel can pull off humorously fun films because most of their characters have the versatility to go in that direction but DC is the opposite where most of their characters have the versatility to go in a more dramatic/thriller type direction. Let's face it if DC made films using Marvel's formula we'd get films like Batman & Robin non-stop which would make everyone roll their eyes.

I'm actually looking forward to the new Joker movie because it doesn't follow the same old superhero formula. But I don't think that sort of experimental approach works with Superman. When he killed Zod at the end of MOS I walked out of the theater traumatized. Joker is at least supposed to kill people. And, yeah, the Marvel movies can get a little stale. I had to have my arm twisted to get me to see Endgame. I had already seen Captain Marvel just a few weeks earlier and really wasn't in the mood to see a movie I felt obligated to. Don't get me wrong, I liked it. But this "you have to see another movie every month to follow what's going on" thing gets old fast.

[useridgoeshere]

I used to get so mad at DC because they were always trying to re-invent the wheel but now I'm actually okay with the high risk approach that they take now. Like you said Marvel has a formula that works for them now but it's not necessarily something new and it's not going to work forever. I've already seen and heard die hard fans of their movies grow tired of the same type of storyline development(Captain Marvel comes to mind). However with DC we get some horrendous films but also some groundbreaking great films that redefines the genre itself. Also, Marvel and DC built their structures differently so what works for Marvel will not always work for DC and vice versa. While Marvel can pull off humorously fun films because most of their characters have the versatility to go in that direction but DC is the opposite where most of their characters have the versatility to go in a more dramatic/thriller type direction. Let's face it if DC made films using Marvel's formula we'd get films like Batman & Robin non-stop which would make everyone roll their eyes.

It’s interesting that you think “the Marvel formula” would lead to Batman and Robin. I think it led to Aquaman which I find very similar to a Marvel movie. And I’m sure Marvel will have another disappointment like the Hulk, but at this point, predicting that isn’t prescient, it’s playing the odds. They’ve accomplished something unprecedented. Watching everyone else falter and disappoint really shows how amazing their record is.

I’m with the people who are brand agnostic in their like or dislike of a movie. I do feel like DC and Fox fans can play victim too much, like there’s some kind of reason beyond the films for the disappointment, but I think the recent DC movies have deserved whatever praise or criticism they’ve received. I’ve agreed with most of the general responses.

[Pinsir]

I always try to criticize the MCU more than the DCEU because the MCU is garbage, where as the DCEU is not.

[ComicJunkie21]

It’s interesting that you think “the Marvel formula” would lead to Batman and Robin. I think it led to Aquaman which I find very similar to a Marvel movie. And I’m sure Marvel will have another disappointment like the Hulk, but at this point, predicting that isn’t prescient, it’s playing the odds. They’ve accomplished something unprecedented. Watching everyone else falter and disappoint really shows how amazing their record is.

I’m with the people who are brand agnostic in their like or dislike of a movie. I do feel like DC and Fox fans can play victim too much, like there’s some kind of reason beyond the films for the disappointment, but I think the recent DC movies have deserved whatever praise or criticism they’ve received. I’ve agreed with most of the general responses.

I guess I should have differentiated what I meant. While i think the Marvel Formula can work for some DC characters such as Shazam and Aquaman and I think that has to do because for Shazam it works because the character is supposed to be humorous and fun and for Aquaman it worked because of Jason Momoa's looks and the fact that for the general audience Aquaman was always a joke character because of the super friends era but for the more well known characters such as Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Arrow, and Flash the formula wouldn't work as well and I think the finished product of any attempt with those type of characters would be a bad film such as Batman and Robin.

I do think it's the same for Marvel though when it comes to the DC formula of dark and gritty movies, they don't do as well there. While Logan was a great movie, they struggle overall when trying to go in that direction. Examples include X3, Spiderman 3, Dark Phoenix, the wolverine, X-Men Apocalypse, & Hulk.

Both companies do well in certain creative areas. Overall what works for one won't always work for the other.

[Theleviathan]

I’m with the people who are brand agnostic in their like or dislike of a movie. I do feel like DC and Fox fans can play victim too much, like there’s some kind of reason beyond the films for the disappointment, but I think the recent DC movies have deserved whatever praise or criticism they’ve received. I’ve agreed with most of the general responses.

Honestly, with how bad Batman vs. Superman was....I think DC got off light. People put a billion dollars into watching Aquaman, which is shocking considering just how awful everything preceding that movie was.

I will say that I think Henry Cavill was a great Superman reduced to being in some mediocre to downright awful movies. He could've been their Chris Evans had the movies been less dreadful.

[DrNewGod]

I'm more critical of DC films because since The Dark Knight Rises on, I feel they have given me more grist of which to be critical.

I will say that I have become more critical of Marvel since AoU on, because it felt to me as tho they were drifting too far away from their source material, sometimes making characters inspired by the source rather than faithful to the source. However, I have to admit that I found IW/Endgame an absolutely brilliant wrap-up to the franchise so far.

[AJBopp]

I'm critical of poorly-done movies. I don't care if the logo is Marvel or DC or Dark Horse or whatever.

Thor: Ragnarok and Man of Steel I'm equally critical of because they were crap movies. A lot of people liked them and that's wonderful for them. But the storytelling was just structurally awful and the characterization was so jarring that there was no chance for me to immerse myself in any entertainment value they might provide. They just kept throwing shit in my face and all I could do while sitting through them was get mad.

I'm more critical of DC because they know better. They can make a good Superman movie, they're simply choosing not to.

I think they used to know how to. But I don't think they actually have known how to for over 20 years.

[AJBopp]

Marvel has a pretty decent formula that works for them.

Like you said Marvel has a formula that works for them now but it's not necessarily something new and it's not going to work forever.

I am genuinely curious what you think is distinctive about "the Marvel formula" from every other action/adventure movie since Predator. Or even James Bond.

[Punisher007]

Neither. If I think its good, I'll say so. And if I don't, well I'll say that to. I've gone against the grain a number of times already in this regard.

[ComicJunkie21]

For me, it's just the opposite. I'm also more of a DC Comics fan than Marvel, so because I have less interest in their characters and universe, Marvel has to go the extra mile to wow me.

That's why I've not really been wowed by Marvel movies. They're fine and enjoyable as disposable popcorn entertainment, but I don't really sit and ponder them the way I would a DC movie. The only way I really deep-think about a Marvel movie is to pick apart all the logical inconsistencies and annoying quippy dialogue that grates on me, whereas in a DC movie, I might be more inclined to let those things slide.

Even the much-vaunted Infinity War 2-parter (IW and Endgame) would have meant more to me if the exact same storyline were happening to the DC characters.

I enjoy MCU films too but I always find logical inconsistencies. Endgame while fun had so many issues, with the worst of them being the time travel piece that they explained and then broke their own rules on.