Why Exactly Is The BATMAN v SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE Teaser Trailer So Underwhelming?
The first teaser trailer for Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice leaked last night, but the response has been mixed. What is it about this first look at the movie which is ultimately so disappointing? Read on for my thoughts and to cast your vote on the divisive preview...
Last night, the first trailer for Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice found its way online. However, it was via a camera phone in a South American theater rather than through official channels, and it has since been viewed millions of times (the preview is still online and can be viewed here). There's been talk of this being an international trailer and extra footage being shown at those IMAX screenings on Monday, but chances are that it was the version set to be released online next week.
It's been incredibly popular - if you were here on CBM last night, you'll know that the site could barely handle the way it was being hammered by traffic - but despite that, why did our first look at the most highly anticipated movie of all-time feel so underwhelming? I actually liked it. Lex Luthor's line about devils coming from the sky in reference to Superman is excellent (and just the kind of great dialogue you would expect from Argo's Chris Terrio), while that confrontation at the end - "Tell me, do you bleed? You will." - was nothing short of epic. Despite that, it felt like it was missing something. As a teaser trailer, it undoubtedly works. It teases how the world views Superman, it teases this new Batman, and it teases the fight between the two. What is it lacking then?
Play this trailer in front of a regular moviegoer and it will work. For comic book fans though, it's missing the kind of stuff which will leave them talking for weeks. If I lived near one of the participating IMAX theaters, I'd probably go for a few seconds of extra footage and some free swag, but creating an event around this doesn't seem like a smart move, especially as the reaction on social media (and even CBM) has so far been mixed.
Being "released" on the same day as the Star Wars: The Force Awakens probably didn't do this first look at Batman v Superman any favours either, especially as that trailer did such a great job of intiguing/pleasing fans and regular moviegoers alike. This teaser was also joyless, and while that tone mostly worked for Man of Steel, it now seems like the DC Cinematic Universe is going to be a very dark and depressing place to spend time in when compared to Marvel (a company which manages to balance serious drama with humour and levity). I didn't want to hear the two leads cracking jokes here, but this was bleak, and while it would be unfair to make assumptions on the movie's tone based on this preview alone, "dark", "realistic", and "gritty" are words we've heard a lot from Warner Bros. execs. Do we want more superhero movies in the vein of The Dark Knight?
I'm still excited about the movie, and can't wait to see more from it over the coming months. I also have no doubt that the next trailer will be the one to truly blow us all away, and expecting the Justice part of Dawn of Justice to show up in a teaser was expecting a bit much. However, I can't help but feel that there would be a lot more buzz around this teaser if it had ended with Wonder Woman standing in front of Batman and Superman instead of such a familiar sight. Overall, it just seems like a shame that this first look has left so many thinking Batman v Superman simply looks good rather than creating the kind of excitement and postive discussions that other recent trailers have. This is just a teaser, yes, but it's an underwhelming one for a movie with so much potential.
What do you think?