Batman Star just explained how to save superhero movies

by Chris Snelgrove
| Published 8 seconds ago

Despite his handsome face being buried under a small mountain of strange prosthetics, Colin Farrell did a great job as the Penguin, for the first time in Batman And later on his own Penguin TV series. He recently told Variety Batman 2 The script is “a work of contemporary genre brilliance” because it “works on multiple levels, both as pure entertainment and as an investigation into the psychology of the characters.” Even though he was promoting his own film, I couldn’t help but marvel at the fact that Farrell had just described the perfect formula for making superhero movies.

The problem with modern superhero movies

Traditionally, superhero movies have had a problem with going too far in one direction or another. For example, like movies dead pool They work great as superheroes because they mostly focus on delivering funny one-liners and great action scenes. It’s always fun to wrap your mind around and watch a film like this, but anyone who wants a more in-depth study of the characters of the heroes and villains will walk away disappointed.

Conversely, some films focus less on entertainment as they get involved in the psychological exploration of the characters. For example, Eternals It had a large cast of complex characters, and the film did a surprisingly good job of analyzing the minds and motivations of heroes who have been wandering around for thousands of years. Unfortunately, the movie was terrible boringand it is difficult to care about the psychological exploration of characters who often sit and do nothing.

What makes the best superhero movies successful?

Historically, the best superhero movies meet Farrell’s description and combine pure entertainment value with crunchy psychological exploration. The gold standard for this approach is Dark Knightwhich can be enjoyed by mainstream audiences as a film full of action, explosions, and executions. But the film also gives us a chilling look at human psychology joker And what his chaotic actions do to Batman’s mind, all while Harvey Dent’s tragic story shows us how quickly a good man can be corrupted.

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse It works the same way: the movie is full of great fights, hilarious humor, and stunning animation, making it perfect for casual moviegoers. But it also explores Miles Morales’ decision to be a hero while giving Peter B. Parker a kind of redemption arc. However, those who want something a little meatier can enjoy the story of two men who overcome their demons and become heroes dedicated to saving the world.

Who will save the superheroes?

The kind of balance Farrell is talking about is easier said than done, of course. But words of praise for him the Batman 2 It surprisingly serves the formula of making a great superhero movie. And we can only hope that future directors heed his wisdom: the DCEU is dead due to audience disinterest MCU It’s on the decline, and unless something changes, we may see the superhero genre disappear entirely.

While some may say that’s a good thing, there are still great superhero movies out there, including Matt Reeves’s. Batman. This genre may not disappear completely as long as we have talented creators who know how to make films with entertainment value and in-depth characterization. But whether or not other creators are willing to learn from visionaries like Reeves and James Gunn may ultimately determine whether or not Marvel thrives. DCOr everyone else can get over superhero fatigue and return to the days of blockbuster movies always grossing over $1 billion at the box office.

---