Films of DC Comics 1978-2013
By: TFG1Mike
The DC Comics films for most people have been hit or miss. There have been blockbusters, and then there have been complete and utter failures.
This is solely an opinion piece, I’m not covering all the history of each of these films.
I’m gonna be giving my opinions on the films I have seen, and just my first impressions on the ones I have not seen.
DC Films are pretty much Batman and Superman, and in this bunch there are only three I have not seen. One film I really have no interest in seeing as the only time I was introduced to Jonah Hex was in JLU, and a animated short, and the other two films I’ll give a shot to when and if they hit netflix.
A lot of people gripe at me that I don’t watch things and have a “uninformed” opinion on them. That I judge films by trailers. Well that’s what trailers are for goddamnit. There are some films I’m absolutely stoked for, and then there are others that the trailers make me cringe. I will not waste money on films I have no interest in seeing in the theater. Hell there are even some that I won’t waste a dollar on at RedBox, because said film just isn’t my thing.
Just so you know I’m only focusing on the mainstream comic book/superhero franchise live action films released to theaters. AND. HERE. WE. GO.
1978: Superman: The Movie
Well obviously I wasn’t alive yet when this came out, but I do remember seeing it as a kid and freakin loving it. I believe I saw this between the ages of 4 and 7. As a 32 year old adult I truly think that this is one of DC’s greatest masterpieces in film. I’m sure that there are plenty of nitpicks, like Clark/Superman X-Raying Lois, and stalking her. However just watching the film and not analyzing it I loved every bit of it. The casting and acting are great. The action and effects are amazing for their time. As far as the acting all the roles were done to a T. Christopher Reeve an unknown steps into the role of Clark Kent/Superman, Margo Kidder is Lois Lane, and Gene Hackman is Lex Luthor. Reeve turned Superman into a big screen icon, and when most people think of Superman in the media they think of Christopher Reeve.
1980: Superman II
Thanks to the 14 disc ultimate Superman collection ?I have seen both the Lester and Donner cuts of this film. As a kid though only seeing the Lester cut I really did enjoy it. Again the casting and acting were great, and also the effects and action was superbly done.
Watching the Donner cut to me makes the first film obsolete, and I’m in the camp of I like the Lester cut better.
1983: Superman III
I think as a kid why I liked this film was Good Vs Evil Superman. Again I’ believe I saw this between the ages of maybe 4-8 years old. Overall even now I still like this one, is it as good as the first two films? Nah, but it still has its merits. Richard Pryor’s character felt like a Jimmy Olsen type to me. Even though yes I know Jimmy is in this series of films. I also loved the whole return to Smallville arc in the film. Granted the villains, if you can call them that are just money mongers, this film overall is a decent superhero movie.
1984: Supergirl
MMMMMMMM Supergirl! This movie is best summed up as follows:
-Take battery city lights turn off.
-Return battery city lights up again
As a kid I sooo had the hots for Supergirl. Sure the plot of the film is sketchy at best, but again the acting and effects are superbly done for the time. This is an easy watch for me, simply because it’s one of those films, that if you find it on TV, you are like oh hey lets watch this. At least that’s how I feel about it.
1987: Superman IV: The Quest For Peace
I know I saw this political nightmare when I was 8 or 9 years old. I even remember having the VHS in 1990. For some stupid reason I’d listen to Madonna’s The Immaculate Collection CD and have this on in the background. I have no idea why. I can honestly say that the only aspect of this one that I like is Gene Hackman voicing Nuclear Man. The whole Lacy Warfield character felt forced to me, and lets face it Superman for all his powers is just one man. He can’t be in 20 different places at once.
1989: Batman
“Tell me something, my friend. You ever dance with the devil in the pale moonlight?”
“Where does he get those wonderful toys?”
I think I saw this in the theater, but I do not remember. Before this film my only exposure to Batman was the 1966 TV Show reruns in the 80s. Does this film have huge gaping flaws? Sure, but I love it nonetheless. This brought a true Batman to the big screen. Because of this film Batman: The Animated Series was created! At the time of this film’s release, I did not look at the character of The Joker the same way in live action again after Jack Nicholson’s portrayal. Michael Keaton I think is a great Batman, but a weird super creepy Bruce Wayne. The other thing I loved about this film was the Batmobile! EVERYONE LOVED THE BATMOBILE ADMIT IT!!!! Plus the one liners in this film, are quoted everywhere in pop culture! Before we move on I always love the Diet Coke ad from this film.
1992: Batman Returns
And then there was this! I DID see this in the theater. Outside of the sexiness of Michelle Pfeiffer in the catwoman suit, this film is VERY flawed. It took a much darker tone, and the plot was all over the place. Hell the Penguin design was so monstrous Kenner would not make a toy of it. They instead used the classic Penguin design. I again loved the Batmobile in this one. Other than that I’m not too much of a fan of Returns.
Exit Tim Burton Enter Joel Schumacher.
I heard on the DVD commentaries that Schumacher wanted to get away from the dark and gritty, and make the last two Bat films more comic book like.
1995: Batman Forever
Now Batman Forever was my kinda movie! We get Robin, and a super sexy Nicole Kidman as Dr. Chase Meridian! I believe I saw this in the theater as well, but I do not remember the experience. What I do remember is drooling over the Chase poster…..
OK now that is outta the way. The plot of this one again suffers from too many storylines at once. You have the creepy Ace Ventura like Riddler on one hand, then there’s the Robin storyline, and on the flip side of that coin is the Two Face story. Add in Chase Meridian’s sexual tension for Bats, and you’ve got one plot that is everywhere. That does not mean I dislike the film, I absolutely loved it. In this film you have an actor who portrays Bruce Wayne better, and Batman not so good. Kinda flipping the coin from Keaton to Kilmer. Again the Batmobile is a star in this, just as Chris O’Donnell’s Robin is pretty cool. The soundtrack for this was pretty awesome as well, and it really launched Seal’s A Kiss From A Rose to mega level mainstream success.
1997: Batman & Robin
OK I gotta say that just from seeing my media class teacher Mrs. Logsdon having the poster in her classroom I was stoked for this film as a 17 year old. Here are the good aspects of B&R that I love:
-Skysurfing
-Alicia Silverstone in and out of the Batsuit
Well that’s about it for the stuff I loved. Again Batman gets a new actor, this time George Clooney. WTF? The dude from ER really? The only time he’s halfway decent as Batman is when he and Robin are arguing over Poison Ivy. His Bruce Wayne sucks! Did Arnold take a pay cut to be in this? Seriously… wayyy tooo many freeze puns. Uma Thurman as Poison Ivy is sexy looking as hell, but she makes recycling and plants creepy as all hell. B&R is by far the worst film in the franchise, yet I can still watch it when it comes on TV as a fall asleep type of film.
2004: Catwoman
I have never seen this, nor will I ever see it. I’ve read reviews, and listened to podcasts about it. For how bad everyone says it is I’m not wasting my time with it.
THUS YE SHALL ENTER THE BATMAN NOLANVERSE!
2005: Batman Begins
And lo a Batman movie franchise is upon us. 2005 saw the year the Bat came back to theaters. This time around there were no campy villains, it was dark, and serious in all good ways. Christian Bale is the new Batman, and Michael Cane is the new Alfred. Gary Oldman takes the role of James Gordon, and does very well in it. This film showed us Bruce’s training with Qui Gon Jin, oh wait I mean Ras’ Al Ghul, and it has the Scarecrow as the main villain. It also has Katie Holmes as Rachel Dawes, the love interst, but the less said about that the better. I did not see this until it hit DVD. However I do love the film for rebooting the Bat film franchise properly.
2006: Superman Returns
After Bryan Singer did so well with the first 2 X-Men films over at Marvel, there is this. My general opinion of this film is that Singer got down on his knees and sucked Dick Donner’s dick long and hard.
I understand going with an unknown in Brandon Routh, after all Christopher Reeve was an unknown as well. However that doesn’t make up for the shitty script this movie was “blessed” with. The shining moment in this is in the acting of Kevin Spacey as Lex Luthor I really enjoyed that.
2008: The Dark Knight
I said before in this blog that Jack Nicholson’s Joker changed how I looked at the character in live action. Now Heath Ledger’s portrayal has changed the way I view Joker yet again in live action. Here we have the continuing adventures of Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne/Batman, and this time around Batman is chomping on a lot of gravel. I’d say that is my only complaint about this film. We also get Aaron Eckhart as Harvey Dent/Two Face, and wow Two Face was very well done in this. I absolutely loved every moment of this film, and saw it in theaters twice.
2009: Watchmen
I’ve heard that this was an excellent film, but I’ve not seen it. I never read the graphic novel, and the trailer didn’t grab me enough to want to see this in theaters. I’m not saying that I think the film is bad, far from it. It does look amazing, and I’ll see it eventually. It just wasn’t something I was compelled to see in the theater.
2010: Jonah Hex
Having only seen the trailers and hearing bad reviews, I’m not gonna waste my time with this one.
2011: Green Wilder, I mean Green Lantern
My friend Spada The Baltmatrix and his father walked out of this film. The trailers did not impress me, and I’m not a Ryan Reynolds fan at all. This to me is just Van Wilder before he grew up with a power ring. If and when it hits netflix I’ll give it a shot, but cmon the yellow fear monster really? They could have picked a better villain.
2012: The Dark Knight Rises
This comes out on July 20, 2012, and it concludes nolan’s Bat films. I’m absolutely looking forward to seeing how this legend ends. More thoughts after the film is released.
2013: Man Of Steel
It seems that Zack Snyder is taking his turn in the cape. Everythingn I’ve heard about this has been positive. I’m very much looking forward to it when it releases June 14, 2013
So there ya have it. My thoughts in brief on the DC Comics films from 1978-2013. I do really enjoy a lot of the DC Films, however I think that the only ones they seem to do right for the most part are Superman and Batman films. Now be sure to check out my thoughts on The Marvel Films.
