(Not) Overrated: Superhero Movies

[Pip Madeley]

Controversy in the offing...

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, its the annual deluge of superhero spectaculars, ready to turn summer into the usual intellect-free zone of fanciful fantasy and vapid CG. You can run and you can hide, but you simply wont be able to avoid Spider-Man 3 when it hits UK cinemas on 4 May. As soon as Tobey Maguires puppy-faced web-slinger departs, his place will be taken by the Fantastic Four sequel, which promises (or should that be threatens?) the arrival of the Silver Surfer alongside its returning posse of mutant daredevils. Oh, and we probably shouldnt forget Underdog, a Disney offering about a talking pooch suddenly invested with super-canine powers. The mind truly boggles.

Or it would, had we not zoomed down this road so many times before. Cast your mind back 12 months ago and youll recall the similar hoopla that surrounded Superman Returns (dull and worthy) and the third X-Men pic (dumb and noisy). The year before that it was Batman Begins and the original Fantastic Four movie; the year before that we had Spider-Man 2 and The Incredibles. Admittedly the latter was a cut above the average, if only for being animated and having a sense of humour about its dysfunctional masked crusaders. Even so, the fact it was made at all was proof that there are simply too many of these capers around a state of affairs that, thanks to the publics seemingly insatiable appetite for such empty spectaculars, shows no signs of abating.

Ive complained before in this column at the way the likes of Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings infantilise their audience with their fatuous iconography and juvenile escapism. If theres one thing that enrages me about the superhero genre, however, its the way its been colonised by superior filmmaking talents who really should know better. Im old enough to remember when Sam Raimi was a force to be reckoned with, shocking the bejesus out of us with the Evil Dead films before effortlessly graduating to such mature thrillers as A Simple Plan and The Gift. How did he allow his genius to be confined by the box-office behemoth that is Spider-Man? One could inquire the same of Christopher Nolan as he embarks on his second Batman opus, or two-time Oscar nominee Edward Norton as he prepares to play the Hulk. Dont they know that once you sell out theres no going back?

Throw in the usual fanboy obsessiveness the kind of hysterical infatuation that turns the belated appearance on DVD of Richard Donners lost Superman II cut into a major media event and a studio system whose existence depends on finding new properties to exploit and you have a disaster in the making that no caped crime-fighter could avert. On TV comedy Entourage, a running joke revolves around movie star protagonist Vince playing Aquaman for Terminator helmer James Cameron. The irony is theres probably a hundred executives out there kicking themselves that they didnt think of it first.

By Neil Smith

Neil's views and opinions are expressed as his own and MSN neither endorses or necessarily agrees with the statements made in Neil's columns. MSN disclaims any and all liability for the views expressed in Neil's columns.

He's got a point or two.

[Ralph]

I've never been a fan of these kind of movies even "when I were a lad" (in best northern accent)

The only reason I watched Batman was because Jack Nicholson was in it, at the bits in between I was bored. I remember falling asleep at one of those late night drunken lout cinematic performances.

[Alex]

I don't think this is anything particularly new though, the big summer blockbusters have always been a tad on the vacuous side of things, and when one of them's successful, we automatically get a lot of similar movies - Star Wars kicked off the sci-fi boom in the late seventies, Indiana Jones bought the slightly tongue in cheek action movie back in to favour in the eighties, Gladiator was responsible for a lot of poor historical epics recently, etc, etc.

Once audiences get tired of them they'll inevitably stop making them for a bit and the studio's will run around looking for the next big hit, and then there'll be a lot of similar films to that in the offing.

I think he's being unfair with a lot of the films he's chosen to mention as well, Spidey 2 was a lot of fun, as was Batman Begins and Superman Returns, and The Incredibles was just brilliant imho. Of course there's always going to be misfires, and soulless attempts to get the audience's cash, but I think it's great that the genre has attracted directors of integrity who have raised the standard of the Summer Blockbuster for once.

Dont they know that once you sell out theres no going back?

That's absolute rubbish too. I mean David Lynch made Dune back in 83, and look at the sort of films he's making now. Same goes with Tim Burton, who clearly likes to direct big budget films, before going back to more personal films.

Ahem. Sorry Pip, but I really think that piece is a tad on the naive side of things, and ill-informed too.

[Pip Madeley]

I'm not one for superhero movies to be honest (Daredevil made my arse numb) but I love the Batman films. Well, except Batman & Robin obviously.

I thought I'd post it to see some counter arguments and get some discussion going, the lifeblood of message boards

[Alex]

Oh, I wasn't having a go, it's just that that article annoyed me a bit! I'm not normally one for Summer Blockbusters but the recent boom of Superhero movies has actually made the summertime much more interesting film's wise. Tis just my view too, I could be completely wrong of course!*




*Well, normally, but not in this case.

[Andrew Curnow]

I don't see anything wrong with superhero movies - after all, you know what to expect from them. Anybody going in looking for a Merchant Ivory-style study of Edwardian manners is obviously going to be disappointed, as that's not the genre. And inevitably some are better than others. Despite the above piece, though, I thought "Superman Returns" had been very well-received when it came out; and likewise "Batman Begins" has been praised all over the place. For my money, though, nothing will ever top the original two Superman movies with Christopher Reeve, but that's probably because I was about 10 when they came out and were just awesome.

[Jon Masters]

So Mr Neil Smith doesn't like superhero movies.

Big deal. Personally I'd rather gouge my own eyes out than watch yet another 'wacky romantic comedy' / seriously up its own arse political thriller / poignant period drama / big action heist movie/ pointless disaster movie. And I ain't going to shell out hard earned cash for psycho-horror-schtick or luvvies staring into the middle distance in some remote wilderness wrestling with their personal angst.

That's why the only films I go bother to go and see at the cinema are the ones the kids like. So that'd be......films like Spiderman and the rest. At least they usually have a plot, and the creators usually care quite a lot about how their characters are portrayed. Its no worse a bandwagon to jump than 90% of the other unoriginal tosh that big studios churn out.

[Rob McCow]

I’ve complained before in this column at the way the likes of Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings infantilise their audience with their fatuous iconography and juvenile escapism.

Childish escapism is for wimps!

I want real films about real people shooting and molesting each other.

Hollywood have always wanted to do superhero movies, but now the technology is there to actually make it possible.

Big deal. Personally I'd rather gouge my own eyes out than watch yet another 'wacky romantic comedy' / seriously up its own arse political thriller / poignant period drama / big action heist movie/ pointless disaster movie.

The best superhero movies deal with real life through metaphor. When it's just an enormous punch-up it gets a lot more boring. Bits of the Matrix sequels were like that.

[SiHart]

The only problem I can see with some (but by no means all) superhero movies is when they go for spectale over story. This was seen most notably in X-Mne 3, where the story and dialogue was poor, but the effects linking them were really, really good. There needs to be a decnt stab at storytelling as well as amazing WOW effects. You need something to make people come back for more.
That's why the Spidey films are my favourites of the genre. Good stories, plenty of spectacle and great dialogue. Hooray!

Si xx

[Si Hunt]

So he doesn't like Spiderman, Batman, Superman, Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter. Sounds like someone just hates Sci-Fi.

Well so what. Neil Smith can go and see something else. Anyone would think he is being FORCED to go and watch these films.

There may be superhero films on all summer, but cinemas do have many different screens. There's always something else on at the same time if he doesn't like them.

Si.

[Trudi G]

I can't generally stand those sorts of films...although the Transformers movie looked like it might be worth a watch.

[Paul Monk]

Maybe Neil Smith could get off his fat behind and go for a bike ride or a nice walk or something instead of lurking in darkened cinemas.
I agree with what Alex said earlier. I love Superhero films and tv shows and I'm particularly looking forward to Spiderman 3

[Wayne]

I agree with the general concencus that it's all a matter of taste. Niel sounds like a right miserable old git. I thought for a minute i was reading a post by a certain ex-poster with a superhero as part of his user name.
I'm not mad on these kind of films myself, (although i do have the Spiderman movies) But they're meant to be escapist fun. That's the whole point of them. Something which Neil doesn't seem able to grasp. It's not as if other kinds of films don't get made. What's he moaning about?

[Dirk Gently]

They are also IMO aimed at the 12 to 17 year old market with the fan of comics & sci fi/fantasy in mind. If you're not a fan of the genre then you're not going to like them.

[Alex]

I just find it strange to be against a type of genre anyway, as long as a film's good I don't care what type of film it is. I suppose I have genre's which I don't like as much as others, westerns are probably my least favourite, but then there are some superb westerns out there, and I love the tv series Deadwood.

[Ralph]

westerns are probably my least favourite, but then there are some superb westerns out there, and I love the tv series Deadwood.

Just on Westerns:

I wouldn't say I'm into Westerns but I do think the following Westerns for me trascend the genre just to be great entertainment and I think anyone whose not seen them is missing out on some great films:

A Fistfull of Dollars
For a Few Dollars More
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
Once Upon a Time in the West
A Fistful of Dynamite
Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid

In all of these the music stands out, the direction is fabulous and the actors sparkle in some of the finest performances seen on the silver screen

[MacNimon]

Add in The Magnificent Seven, The Outlaw Josey Wales, Lonesome Dove and perhaps Unforgiven and you have the greatest westerns of all time. Bubbling under we have High Plains Drifter, Two Mules For Sister Sarah and a few others which are enjoyable but not in the same league. And we can't ignore my favourite western tv series of them all, Alias Smith & Jones. I love it!

As for the debate on superhero films, I've got to agree that it's a matter of taste. I grew up with a lot of these characters, and when I see a superhero film what I want is a film that's well made, but more importantly, a film that's also true to the spirit of the comics I grew up with. If they manage this, then generally we have a good film...Spider-Man being the prime example. But like every other genre, there are good films and bad films....it's unfair to lump them all together in one sweeping statement.

[Alex]

Just on Westerns:

I wouldn't say I'm into Westerns but I do think the following Westerns for me trascend the genre just to be great entertainment and I think anyone whose not seen them is missing out on some great films:

A Fistfull of Dollars
For a Few Dollars More
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
Once Upon a Time in the West
A Fistful of Dynamite
Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid

In all of these the music stands out, the direction is fabulous and the actors sparkle in some of the finest performances seen on the silver screen

Cheers for the recommendations Ralph, I've seen Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid which I absolutely love (I'm a big fan of Paul Newman, especially in the 60's), and I'll have to give the others a go. I guess the ones that have put me off the genre a little bit were the John Wayne westerns which I found a little dull - I know The Searchers is supposed to be a classic but it does little for me - but like I said I'm prepared to give anything a go!

[Ralph]

Well Alex I'd be happy to help out as i've got copies of all these - just let me know and I can lend some out to you - it would be good to hear what you think of them

[Ralph]

On superhero films I think the most successful one of all has to be James Bond - he must surely qualify!

[Wayne]

But he's not really a superhero is he? The Bond films don't really belong to the superhero genre.

Superman vs James Bond wouldn't be a very long film.

[Ralph]

But the best Superheros are the tangible ones!

I think Bond could sort out Superman no problem with the right gadgets from Q branch.

Certainly Bond knocks all these other superheros on the head for durability and he's had far more outings plus he doesn't wear his smalls over his trousers

[Wayne]

But the best Superheros are the tangible ones!

I think Bond could sort out Superman no problem with the right gadgets from Q branch.

Certainly Bond knocks all these other superheros on the head for durability and he's had far more outings plus he doesn't wear his smalls over his trousers

But he's not a superhero. He's a spy, like Harry Palmer. It's a different genre.

[Jonno]

Certainly Bond knocks all these other superheros on the head for durability

Hardly - the likes of Superman and Batman pre-date the Second World War!

[Ralph]

The anoraks have got me cornered