There is a lot riding on the success of Justice League in November. Film industry analysts have already suggested that the future of the DCEU in its current form depends on the box office performance of the film as well as the critical reception.
Some fans were dissapointed to learn that the superhero team-up event would only run for two hours (or to be ridiculously specific 01:59:53). Social media discussions have even lead to speculation that the film’s length might be a sign of its poor quality.
However, as this list shows, a fantastic comic book movie does not have to feel like a Lord Of The Rings-style epic. After all, the butt-numbing runtime of Batman V Superman certainly did not do it any favors in the eyes of critics.
1. Deadpool
Deadpool has a lot to accomplish in its surprisingly short runtime. The movie actually only lasts 108 minutes, and that’s including the fantastic post-credits scene. In that time, the film manages to spin an origin story in an unconventional way, cut in two epic fight scenes, add a sprinkling of a love story and even dabble in body horror.
There are almost certainly fans who would have watched the merc with a mouth giddily break the fourth wall for three hours and yet the short time of the movie certainly doesn’t detract from the quality. Deadpool was a bonafide hit with critics and the short and sweet nature of the movie left audiences wanting more.
2. X-Men
Back in 2000, there had never been a successful superhero team-up movie. Enter Bryan Singer’s X-men, a film that needed to introduce an entire population of mutants, a brand new world that audiences had never before seen on screen and keep them entertained enough for a sequel.
Whether or not you are a fan of the X-Men franchise as it stands today, the first movie was a hit with critics and audiences. It earned well over double its budget, and it is marked fresh on Rotten Tomatoes. As well as that, it kicked off a franchise that is close to earning a tremendous 5 billion in total box office revenue. It did all this with a runtime of just 104 minutes!
3. Guardians Of The Galaxy
James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy was a massive success on a level that most people couldn’t predict. It’s wonderful mixture of humour, emotional moments and spellbinding optimism made it a hit with audiences worldwide.
There are certainly tear jerking moments as well as character development throughout the movie for each of the characters. These include Groot’s sacrifice, the unspoken acts of torture that Rocket has had to endure, and even Peter’s mom’s tragic death. But more than anything else Guardians of the Galaxy is 122 minutes of epic fun which makes it’s fairly modest runtime an absolute pleasure to sit through.
Anyone doubting that a film can introduce a team of heroes, add in emotional moments, let characters evolve and include incredible action packed moments needs to sit down and watch this movie one more time.
4. Spider-Man
Finally, there’s Sam Rami’s Spider-Man. It’s difficult to imagine now after two reboots, but back in 2002 Spider-Man had never been seen before on the silver screen. The origin story was untold, characters had never been introduced, and the Green Goblin never received a previous movie to set up his motives.
Instead, everything needed to be squeezed into a 121-minute runtime, and it worked rather well. The first Spider-Man movie while nowhere near the quality of the sequel was an action-packed, fun, fast-paced thrill ride through New York with everyone’s favourite webhead. And, like Guardians of the Galaxy, it still managed to fit in some heart-wrenching moments.
So there you have it. Proof, if you needed it, that the runtime of Justice League may be nothing to worry about.
Are you disappointed with the length of the superhero teamup movie or do you think it could be two hours of pure comic book movie fun? Let us know in the usual place.