With great source material comes great responsibility
There has been an alarming trend in the movie industry over the last 15 years. Between 2000 and the coming 2016 release calendar, we had the opportunity to see two "Superman" films, three "Batman," one "Superman vs. Batman," seven "X-men," five "Spiderman," three "Fantastic Four" and an entire ensemble of Marvel Universe characters. Some great, some bad and an unfortunate number that are aggressively mediocre. Regardless of quality, there are just too many.
The main issue I have with comic book movies is at their core they have turned into a cash grab by production companies. Comic book characters have been around for ages and come with established storylines, fan bases and merchandise. With the built in support, these projects often find funding easily. Ideally, these conditions should lead to unique and engaging films such as "Guardians Of The Galaxy," but we often end up with duds such as "Spiderman 3" and the new "Fantastic Four."
In an interview with The Independent, Andrew Garfield, star of the rebooted Spiderman franchise said, 'Hollywood is the epicenter of worldly values where a piece of art is judged, not on how many lives it touches or what change it makes, but as long as that film makes money. Only then is it a success. Or as long as that film gets awards then it's a success, it's worthy to be here.'
A culture based on financial motivation is horribly unhealthy for an art form. As we have seen, it leads to endless reboots and sequels that no one really asks for, but will pay for regardless because of the familiar source material. We shouldn't settle for movies that shoot for the lowest common denominator form of entertainment just so they can remain accessible to a large market.
When I go to a superhero movie, I of course want to be entertained. However, some thought provoking stories are being overlooked for the sake of being inoffensive and family friendly. There are chances to explore the ethics and responsibilities that come with great power, but instead we get feel good stories where justice triumphs over evil in the final hour, and the hero never dies. When cities are being leveled and a handful of individuals are responsible for millions of lives, we should be talking about more than the value of teamwork and determination.
We have seen that superhero movies can be simultaneously entertaining, thought provoking and award winning in films such as "The Dark Knight" and "Watchmen." We need films that provide the adventure and action we crave, while still confronting the morality and social issues implicit in a world with heroes and villains.
Now, I don't want to say that all of these films are bad, or that you should feel bad for liking them. I have my taste, you have yours, and many superhero inspired movies are genuinely great. In fact, I'll admit that the genre seems to be on an upward trajectory in terms of storytelling and production quality. However, I am not interested in seeing another movie that aims to rehash old material with lazy storytelling, in an attempt to coax me past the box office window.
