Living here in the UK, April 26th was a fairly momentous day for any comic book fan. It's genuinely hard to fathom how such a massive undertaking such as Whedon's superhero marathon ever actually came to fruition. With such a rich history of failed attempts at various adaptions, this was perhaps the one that seemed the most unlikely to happen.
And yet it has...it's proved to the masses that a bunch of seemingly ridiculous costumed superheros can be just as exciting as Harry Potter & Luke Skywalker. Perhaps more importantly, it's proved to the studio execs that there is momentum in superhero flicks, that they can lead on to something even greater...an amalgamation of franchises that, aside from the near infinite lucrative gain, can open the doors to the untapped adaptions.
Whedon's epic was a film that certainly lived up to the hype. I was grinnng from ear to ear, watching my childhood heroes finally come to life & finally seeing the Hulk become the smashing force he always should have been. This is how excited I wanted to feel when I came out deeply disappointed by Superman Returns. Despite being neither a core Marvel or Dc fan, my preference has always leaned towards the big blue boy. Superman has always inspired me.... so SR was most definitely a bitter pill to swallow. Yet, if watching the Avengers Assemble (twice) has proved anything to me, it's that the idea of a Justice League movie is now far more... approachable.
It was once thought almost absurd to imagine both the man of steel & the dark knight sharing the same screen space. To the average movie goer, the very notion would be the appetiser to a SNL parody sketch. Yet, here we are in 2012, with a green monster, a Norse god, an iron man & a paretic super soldier sharing the limelight. & it's going to be the most successful film this year... mark my words. But was it the perfect comic book movie?
Not by any stretch of the imagination. I adored the Avengers... I will be seeing many times again in the coming weeks. It was an incredibly well contracted, thrill of a ride movie. However, it had it's faults... as does any film. Nothing that ruined the experience for me at all... but in retrospect, these faults not only reminded me tha a sequel could be even more accomplished... but that, with the right director & writers involved, a Justice League movie could be a far more epic & maybe deeper movie than I previously anticipated.
And to explain this, here's my top five reasons why a JUSTICE LEAGUE movie can improve upon the AVENGERS.
1) THE HISTORY OF THE CHARACTERS: There is no doubt in my anyones mind that both DC & Marvel have a rich tapestry of characters. Many have commented on the relatabity of Marvels top stream characters, such as Iron man & Spiderman... the common man using his grey matter to win against the odds or gain superhuman powers. They are very much today's Everyman... & that's accessible. Yet the regal, almost historic backstory to DC's finest, I believe, could make this film far more sprawling with the right direction. Think of Wonderwoman with the Amazonian backstory (I.e Thor) mixed with the Martian Manhunters tragic destiny. Combine this with Superman's link to his past & Batmans very "human" angle... You have what the Avengers have... just an a far more epic, sprawling scale.
2) LEARNING FROM MISSED OPPURTUNITIES: You know, as great as Avengers was, I was expecting a little bit more character analysis. Yes, they had their misunderstandings & their heart to hearts... but take Caps relationship with Banner... That could have been far more expanded. Starks relations with Banner. Yes, they had a lot to fit in & they did an admirable, amazing job... but this is where JL could soar. Bruce & Clark, Superman & Batmans misgivings towards each others approach? The simmering tension between Wonerwoman/ Diana & Kalel? The lone Martian & the Closed, Dark knight? The story arcs are endless..... which leads me onto my next point....
3) USING VILLIANS EFFECTIVELY: Hiddleston was perfect as Loki... He brought just the right amount of darkness, yet a sly, wry wink to the screen with the evilness of his character. Yet, in my opinion, the character was slightly misjudged in this film... nothing to do with the performance, simply how he was wrote. He seemed one tone for such a rich, intregal character... I adored the battles he ensued in... all of them. But one, in particular, right at the end, fell somewhat flat for me. DC have the opportunity to make their foes truly something to behold. Darkeseid.... coming to conquer the Earth... Almost anilhiating Superman... combining forces with Lex Luthor. Mongul, ruler of worlds. Brainiac, bringing the power of Krypton to earth. It just need the right direction.....
4) JUDGING WHO "GETS" THE JUSTICE LEAGUE: Whedon was simply the right choice for Avengers. He understood the intricacies of the relationships between these "lost souls". He knew what beats to use when & if he had to. Yes, there was definite room for improvement. The film sometimes looked somewhat... flat, small on scale, in some of the more sombre character moments. What it made up for in scale with the battles & the set pieces... It somewhat missed an opportunity to give a... stylised look, if you will. With the right director, JL could not only be a grand, sprawling epic... but it could have a style all of it's own. The darkness of Gotham, the grandness of Metropolis... mixed with the opera of Mars & Krypton. Trust me... with the most gifted, passionate director... this could be a masterpiece. Zack Snyder & Chris Nolan seem a juicy proposition... as do the casting of Christian Bale & Henry Cavill... which leads me to my last point....
5) MASTER CASTING: If Avengers proved anything absolutely perfectly, it was that Marvel hold a stroke of genius when it comes to casting. Each individual film,( which, coincedntially, I don't believe DC need ) has had a sublime lead. Evans was stoic & heroic, Hemsworth was godly, egotistical yet approachable & Downey was... well, himself. The important thing is that they embodied their characters to the enth degree. Here's where I believe DC could really excel with the right direction. I have faith Cavill will have the regal heroism yet humbleness of Superman in nex years MOS... & if they can't involve Bale with JL, then there's a whole host of prolific actors who embody Wayne... The same goes for the rest of the cast of characters. Christina Hendricks as Wonder Woman? The list is infinite.
The key is though...These characters can be made to work...you just need the right people to believe in them.