5 Things The DC FILMS UNIVERSE Actually Got Right This Year

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Suicide Squad came under fire from fans and critics alike this year, but there are some things they actually got right in the newly established DC Films Universe...

By JoshWilding - Sep 24, 2016 08:09 AM EST

Filed Under: Suicide Squad

2016 has not been a great year for Warner Bros. and their DC Comics adaptations. Both Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Suicide Squad were met with a negative response from critics and didn't quite live up to expectations at the box office (at least in the case of the former anyway). For whatever reason, the studio just hasn't found the right recipe to make the DC Films Universe work.

Despite that, it's fair to say that both of these movies got at least some things right. With Wonder Woman and Justice League expected to serve as a turning point for this world next year, there are at least a few - five to be exact - things that the DC Films Universe has already done well enough that could pay off in a big way down the line either in sequels or unrelated big screen adaptations.

5. A Handful Of Cool New Villains

Over in Batman v Superman, Doomsday was a total misfire, while Lex Luthor was very hit and miss. The potential for him to be a great villain is definitely there, but until he gets a plan which is a lot more cohesive and better written, time will tell when it comes to whether or not the now bald bad guy can live up to his iconic comic book counterpart. Suicide Squad however did a much better job when it came to introducing some villains with the potential to become a major part of the DC Films Universe moving forward.

Deadshot and Harley Quinn are the two biggest victories for Warner Bros., while the studio would be nuts if they fail to make Amanda Waller an evil Nick Fury type who makes her presence felt in most of these films moving forward. Captain Boomerang is another character with the potential to return, and while the likes of Katana and Killer Croc were arguably wasted in Suicide Squad, they too could be better utilised at some point. When it comes to villains, the DC Films Universe has the Marvel Cinematic Universe beat as of right now.

Like Spider-Man in Captain America: Civil War, there's no denying that Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman was shoehorned into Batman v Superman. However, also like the wall-crawler, her role in the movie worked perfectly as both an introduction and memorable set of scenes. While it would be good to see Justice League elaborate on her present day Diana Prince persona, the arrival of the Amazonian warrior - accompanied by that fantastic score - was arguably one of the best moments in 2016's superhero movies.

The movie firmly established her as a badass force to be reckoned with and instantly increased the excitement levels surrounding the Wonder Woman solo outing heading to theaters next summer. Achieving that in such a short space of time is definitely something Zack Snyder deserves credit for, especially as it's now hard to find anyone complaining about the fact that Gal Gadot has been cast as the iconic DC Comics character. The other Justice League cameos in this movie may not have worked that well, but this was a winner.

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3. The Joker (Yes, Really)

There's no getting around the fact that Jared Leto's take on The Joker in Suicide Squad was very divisive, but much of that should really be blamed on Warner Bros. butchering the actor's performance in the editing room. Look closely though and it's fair to say that the Oscar winning actor definitely delivered something special here. Offering a fresh spin on the gangster Clown Prince of Crime who appeared during the villain's early comic book misadventures, Leto's Joker also stands out due to the fact that he was in love, something we've never seen on the big screen before now.

Watching the lengths he was willing to go to in order to get Harley Quinn back - even if a darker version of the movie we'll never see made that more about control than affections - proved to be fascinating, and with the right direction and a stronger script, there's every chance that this Joker could come close to Heath Ledger's version in The Dark Knight. Ben Affleck seems like the best man for that job, though time will tell if there's room for both The Joker and Deathstroke in that movie.

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2. Pretty Much Everything Batman Related

The fact that the Caped Crusader killed was obviously a major issue in Batman v Superman, and while it's been said that his viscous methods will be addressed in Justice League, that's probably now better off just forgotten. In fact, his murderous ways aside, and Ben Affleck's Batman was pretty much perfect. The actor fits the role like a glove (despite the initial outcry on social media), and did both Bruce Wayne and Batman justice regardless of your feelings on his hatred for Superman or sudden switch in outlook after the whole "Martha!" thing.

Throw in things like his arsenal of weapons, vehicles, and relationship with Alfred, and it's fair to say that this version of Batman is probably the most comic book faithful portrayal to date. That too is something Zack Snyder deserves to be applauded for, especially as Batman v Superman established the character's world (something likely to be followed up on in Justice League with the addition of Commissioner Gordon). The filmmaker has also laid the groundwork for Affleck to score a touchdown with his solo movie a few years from now.

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1. The Death Of Superman

As I mentioned at the start of this feature, Batman v Superman's Doomsday just didn't work. From his poorly designed appearance to the baffling decision to have him absorb energy in an unnecessarily CGI heavy final act, it's still shocking that a comic book fan like Zack Snyder dropped the ball in such a major way here. That aside though, and while it may not have been handled as well as in the source material, the Death of Superman was definitely a great moment.

A truly heroic moment from the Man of Steel, seeing him impaling himself on Doomsday's "sword" in order to fell the beast was the sort of scene which should send chills down the spines of fans everywhere and a fitting conclusion to both this battle and the character's story arc that kicked off in his solo outing three years ago. Did the final few seconds teasing his return cheapen Superman's death in some ways? Not really as him being part of Justice League was always an inevitability, and it should be a lot of fun to see exactly what state the hero is in when he returns in 2017...

Do you agree that the DC Films Universe got these things right? Have we missed any other positives from their rocky 2016? As always, share your thoughts in the comments section below.

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281 Comments

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

TheRationalNerd - 9/24/2016, 8:45 AM

Though I don't favor how early they killed off Superman within their universe I do believe that he now has a clear idea of what it means to redeem himself through sacrifices. Im Man of Steel Zod was willing to sacrifice himself to save the last remains of Krypton whereas in BvS you have Superman sacrificing himself to save the millions of people that could've been put in harms way with Doomsday on the loose.

Invictor - 9/24/2016, 10:16 AM

@TheRationalNerd - That new avy, though.

SisterSunday52 - 9/25/2016, 12:33 AM

@TheRationalNerd - You are indeed The Rational Nerd. That's precisely why he did it. Earth is his world, Lois being one of those who is willing to stand by someone that everyone else including themselves has given up on is a representation of what he wants for the world, and he dies to protect that.

TheRationalNerd - 9/25/2016, 10:02 AM

@Invictor - Bruhhhh!!!! That's my jam!!! Nas!!! Thanks for sharing that bro. Needed that boost before I headed into work today. lol

BloodyBed - 9/24/2016, 8:46 AM

BloodyBed - 9/24/2016, 8:48 AM

bvs absolutely in no way shape or form, handled the death of superman well.

it simply should not have happened yet.

TheRationalNerd - 9/24/2016, 8:47 AM

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5 Things The DC FILMS UNIVERSE Actually Got Right This Year

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Suicide Squad came under fire from fans and critics alike this year, but there are some things they actually got right in the newly established DC Films Universe...

5. A Handful Of Cool New Villains

4. Wonder Woman's Introduction

3. The Joker (Yes, Really)

2. Pretty Much Everything Batman Related

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