Dear Readers,
Let’s talk superheroes. With new trailers dropping every week for this year’s superhero blockbusters and with the most recent T.V. seasons racing toward their close, spring is a fantastic time to be a superhero fan-girl. So this is going to be a quick anticipatory overview of upcoming films based on the trailers with a rants and raves style look at the most recent seasons in the superhero television universes to come later this month.
So 2017 started out with a hit with The Lego Batman Movie. This fun and clever film lovingly lambasted everyone’s favorite genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist superhero (honestly… Tony Stark doesn’t hold a candle to the Dark Knight). For more on Lego Batman, see my previous post (link). But basically, this quirky “kid’s” movie kick 2017 off with a bang.
Next on the superhero line up is Logan. Honestly, I am not a big fan of the X-Men universe in general, and of Wolverine movies more particularly. So while a lot of my friends were rejoicing over the prospect of a film that does a variation on the “Old Man Logan” story-line, I was underwhelmed. The trailer did nothing to allay my ennui. This film looks like another mopey, gratuitously violent flick that takes itself too seriously and forgets the joy in absurdity that comes with “superhero-dom.” This has been a consistent problem with the “Wolverine” movies specifically; while the character is fascinating, and works well in a team like the X-Men, placing him as the central focus in a film has been problematic. While I will definitely watch Logan when it comes out on DVD, between the trailer and past problems with Wolverine stand alone movies, I don’t see this as a “must see in theaters.”
Coming at the beginning of May, we have Guardians of the Galaxy 2. With the surprise success of the first film, it is no shock that Marvel slated this film for prime release position at the very beginning of their summer movie season in a position previously held by both Captain America and Iron Man. There has been a lot to love in the teasers and trailers for this film. I am particularly anticipating seeing how Baby Groot plays as a character… Groot was the emotional heart of the first film, and I look forward to seeing how a more juvenile version of the character will affect the dynamic within the team, particularly with Rocket. The teaser we had of Rocket telling Groot not to push the button that will blow everyone up was (I hope) an excellent preview of what that relationship will look like in the film. I am also really interested to see the development of the character of Drax. While more people are focusing on Star Lord in the trailers, in anticipation of him meeting his father, I have been fascinated by a shift in the character of Drax, In the previous film, Drax was very much the “straight man” of the comedic group… he did not understand humor very well, and he was obsessed with obtaining vengance for his family. In the recent trailers, however, we have been getting a much lighter version of the character, in which he is constantly laughing, and joking at the expense of his teammates. This is a very different direction, and I look forward to seeing it play out in this new film. Overall, Guardians of the Galaxy 2 looks like a solid sequel, and is one of my top anticipated films of 2017.
In June the D.C. cinematic universe gets its first shot at 2017 glory with Wonder Woman. I am a bit on the fence about this movie. So far, the D.C. cinematic universe has been plagued with poor writing, dark cinematography, and a fundamental misunderstanding of certain characters that has made their two most recent endeavors less than successful (more on this in my Batman vs. Superman review, link). D.C. has been teasing this movie for over a year now, and the trailers have been good, but unexceptional. That being said, Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman was one of the few bright spots in BvS, and I am very much looking forward to seeing how she does in the spotlight. If the film is able to take those attributes; the badass, no nonsense approach to a fight, the disdainful humor toward the overbearing men around her, and combine it with the innocence and optimism we have glimpsed in the trailers, then I believe that Wonder Woman could be a win for D.C. I sincerely hope this movie does pull through for D.C. because there are a number of projects they have scheduled down the line that I am really looking forward to that are dependent on the success of this cinematic universe. A final word on Wonder Woman before I move on; as a woman, a feminist, and a critic, I also hope that this movie is better than both its predecessors and the trailer make it out to be. As the first major superhero movie with a female lead we have had in a very long time, a lot is riding on its success. There is a danger that, if Wonder Woman fails that other projects, both in D.C. and in Marvel that highlight powerful female characters will be seen as too risky and will be pushed back or canceled. I am not saying that I want Wonder Woman to do well simply because it has a female lead (that’s just as sexist), but I am hoping that this “first” film will be successful so that it does not close the door for other heroines.
July takes us back to Marvel for the premier of Spider-man: Homecoming. A lot of people are anticipating this movie, and I can see why. We glimpsed the potential of Tom Holland’s web slinger in Captain America: Civil War, where his humor, innocence, and enthusiasm where a delight for the entire audience (more on Civil War here). The trailers for this movie have also been very well received; highlighting the relationship between Tony Stark and Peter Parker and focusing on Spidey’s struggle to balance being a superhero (particularly with a mentor like Iron Man) with the everyday difficulties of being a teenager in high-school. While I am excited for this movie, I do have a few concerns. First, over the last fifteen years we have had 5 films featuring Spiderman, 2 different actors, and while Holland was great in Civil War, I wonder whether we actually need another stand alone Spiderman movie right now. Power, responsibility, and being a struggling high-schooler are all things we have seen before, five times in the last decade or so. I would much rather have seen Marvel take the same sort of track with Spiderman that they have taken with the Hulk, including him as a part of other story-lines without committing to a standalone film. That criticism aside, my other concern with Homecoming is more technical. The trailers have been a bit too specific for me. They seem to be laid out in a chronological order, and they detail the entire plot of the film from beginning to end. This is not necessarily a bad thing; sometimes anticipation is greater when you know how a story will unfold than if you are surprised, but it is nice not to be mentally checking boxes “yep, now we are at that part in the trailer, yep, knew that thing was going to happen” while you are watching a movie. But this is a really minor criticism, and I have a great deal of confidence in Marvel as a studio and in their ability to make a thoroughly enjoyable and exciting superhero movie. I will certainly see this movie in theaters, and I look forward to doing an extensive review when I have actually seen the final product.
There is a bit of a lull until November, where we have the first big D.C./Marvel head to head. On November 3rd is the release of Thor: Ragnarok. The recent trailer made it clear that director Taika Waititi is taking the film in a more humorous and satirical direction than the previous Thor movies (my review here). I thoroughly enjoyed the preview for this film, and personally, it is my most anticipated superhero movie of 2017. I like the fact that it is less Earth-bound than the other Thor movies, and that it seems to be dealing with some wider threats. I love the satirical approach to the subject we have seen in both the trailers and the end credits teaser. I also like the interweaving of other heroes and story-lines; the end credits scene on Dr. Strange (review link) promises the appearance of that hero at some point in Ragnarok, while the trailer plays heavily on the inclusion of the Hulk and a potential telling of a “Planet Hulk” story arc, which would be totally awesome! All in all, Thor: Ragnarok looks to be one of the highlights of superhero 2017, and is a “must see” in my opinion.
A mere 10 days later, we have the premiere of Justice League. As with Wonder Woman, I have my reservations about this film, but I also have a great deal of hope. I love the cast for this movie: Ben Affleck’s Batman was one of the best parts of Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice, despite the poor writing and stupid plot twist that effectively ruined the climax of that film. Gal Gadot is returning in a leading role as Wonder Woman, and, again, based on her BvS performance, could be a highlight for the film. We also have the highly anticipated debut of Ezra Miller’s Flash and Jason Mamoa’s Aquaman. I am especially looking forward to seeing Mamoa bring a new grit and intensity to Aquaman, whose prior incarnations have always been slightly ridiculous. This is an extraordinarily badass character that is finally getting a chance to come into his own. Miller is also a fantastic actor, and has already been a great source of levity and delight in the trailers for this film. My concerns about this film are based on the issues with script, direction, and tone that we have seen in all three of the previous D.C. cinematic universe entries. Zach Snyder demonstrated a fundamental misunderstanding of Superman in both Man of Steel (review here), and BvS that I worry will carry over into Justice League. While it makes sense to have Batman be dark and brooding, Superman has to stand above that to some extent, and he has not in Snyder's last two renditions of the character. Similarly, while the Flash can (and should) have some contemplative and heartfelt moments, one of the defining features of the character is that he is a force of light for heroes who are constantly fighting in the darkness. While I like that they film looks to focus on Barry’s relationship with his (wrongfully imprisoned) father, I hope that this is not the defining portrayal of his character. I also am worried about the tone of this film. It looks to be following the previous Snyder installations by working in a darker color pallete and emphasizing the “grittiness” of the world. Again, while this works for some characters (Batman and potentially Aquaman), it might present a problem for some of the lighter characters like Superman, the Flash, Wonder Woman, and Cyborg. Speaking of Cyborg, that is another spot of trepidation for this Justice League film. Not only is he traditionally a lighter character, which could be problematic within this D.C. universe, but his portrayal in the trailers is unsettling for a number of viewers. The CGI looks unfinished at best, and if the Cyborg we see in the trailer is what we will get in the film there is reason for concern. The cybernetic suit looks disjointed and unreal, and if there are no improvements before November, could become a difficult aspect of the film in removing the audience’s suspension of disbelief. Ultimately, I will be seeing this film with a certain amount of trepidation based on the previous issues in this cinematic universe, however, I will also go with a great deal of hope based on the fantastic casting, and potentially lighter tone promised by the trailer.
So there you have it… the 2017 superhero movie line up. If the films live up to the promise of their trailers than superhero nerds will have a fantastic year (however, we all know it is possible to make an awesome trailer for an awful movie). I look forward to reviewing each of these films as I see them, and to examining in more detail the transition from comic to cartoon to live action film that defines any superhero movie. For more on the wider superhero universes, please come back later this month to check out my reviews on the most recent seasons of from “the Arrowverse,” along with a look at “Gotham,” Agents of Shield,” and “Legion.” Finally, there is a definite possibility that I missed a movie or two on my list because it want on one of the major franchise (D.C./Marvel/X-Men) lists. Please feel free to comment on what I might have missed so I can check out those trailers and add reviews down the line.
Well, back to reality.
