Foreword
If you cannot take semi-harsh critism of your favorite comic book movies, leave now. While I love the MCU, and I cannot wait for Age of Ultron, I will be speaking some hard truths. I am not condemning these films, I am not saying they are bad, I am going to discuss an underlying problem with them. I am not saying you are stupid or worse for enjoying these films, I am simply stating how the superhero film industry has dissapointed me in recent years.
2008: A Super Odyssey
2008 was a monumental year for comic book movies. It is the year the entire subgenre changed. The year it became mainstream. Why is this? Because of 2 films, the Dark Knight and Iron Man. Despite your personal feelings on each film, you cannot deny they both sparked new and unique waves of comic book and superhero movies. The Dark Knight spawned serious and dark interpratations, while Iron Man spawned light hearted and comic book-y films. Most of you will prefer one over the other, and most will say the Iron Man method. This is also the year the super hero film began it's process of death.
Death by Victory
?? Like I said, 2008 was a good year and generated the buzz needed for comic book movies to become reinvigorated. After 2010, there was a boom in comic book movies. 2011 gave us First Class, Green Lantern, Thor and Captain America. At the time, 4 comic book films seemed excessive. Just 5 years later in 2016, we are en route to see 8. I cannot even list them all. The genre is over stepping it's bounds and fast. The most damning part is the lack of innovation, we keep seeing the same formula being used by each studio. With the right creative team, this formula can create a great film ala Winter Soldier. The problem still remains though, how many Winter Soldiers can the general public see until it becomes mundane? I am sure, alot, but there isn't along term goal.
Captain America: The First Dissapointment
This is completely a taste issue. When I heard Thor and Captain America announced, I was so excited. I thought they were going to get the Iron Man treatment and completely change the way people want to make comic book movies. These dreams were crushed when i saw the first image of Thor. For any Marvel Fan, that image was a dream come true. It kept the neo-sci fi look of 60s asgard, but up to date with the MCU style. I was expecting a viking, furs, ripped cape, real metals, giant bolts, and a long sexy beard. Instead we got Thor, which was exactly what most people were looking for. I wanted it to be the 300 of the MCU, vicious and norse, a redemption on par with Jaime Lannister.
Then came Captain America. I don't think I am unjustified in my dissapoint with captain america. To my own fault, I went in expecting something completely differant. I expected a WW2 movie with Captain America and Red skull in it. Not a superhero movie with a weird cartoon WW2 backdrop. I expected to see Nazis and a Red Skull who cut his face off. I certainly didn't expect to see lasers. What I saw through my own eyes, was yet another a generic superhero movie, yet a highly entertaining one at that.
What are you getting at, Mr Strong Opinion?
To kind of sum up my feelings, I have been longing for Superhero genre films. Now I know some people will call the winter soldier a politcal thriller, but it's not. It's an action movie with an interesting political thriller esque plot. But it's still a superhero action movie. The same can be said about nearly any superhero movie. Not just marvel ones either, the Dark Knight movies suffer from this, specifically the Dark Knight Rises. Despite my love for the X-Men movies, I can say these films do the same thing. They are period peices and unique, but still just action movies. There is so much potential to be more than just action movies.
Before I go any futher, I know I am getting my hopes too high. Dont worry about it.
Fant4stic's Role in This
Fant4stic looks to be what i have been looking for. It doesn't look like an action movie, it doesn't look like generic super hero movie fodder. I recognize that's not what people want, but that's what the industry needs. We need superhero genre films. We need a war drama starring captain america or the punisher, we need fantasy epics starring Thor or Aquaman, we need superhero movies that aren't afraid of taking themselves seriously. Fant4stic appears to be a sci fi drama, and a very competent one at that. Does this mean it isn't faithful to the source material? No, it appears Trank is creating the film as a love letter to the various incarnations of this family through the comics. He isn't adapting, he is interpretting. Do I expect perfection? No, but I expect something new and fresh, which these films have seriously been lacking in for the past 7 years.
Conclusion
I am probably completely off base and totally wrong about all of this, but I just wanted to share why I am so excited for this film. Possibly even more than Batman V Superman, and coming from a huge DC fan, that means something. Please tell me why my opinion is wrong in the comments, seriously I love it when you guys have it out in the comments. Thats why I come to this site everyday.