18 votes

The problem with DC action scenes

11 comments

  1. [9]
    Catt
    Link
    That video captures a lot of my issues with dc! And it's extra frustrating because it's all in the comics. The way different characters move, talk, interact and all that, it's all already there.

    That video captures a lot of my issues with dc! And it's extra frustrating because it's all in the comics. The way different characters move, talk, interact and all that, it's all already there.

    5 votes
    1. [8]
      smit2300
      Link Parent
      Agreed. I think one interesting point is how well Batman: The Animated Series does everything he's talking about. The fluidity of batman is completely impossible but it gives you such a real sense...

      Agreed. I think one interesting point is how well Batman: The Animated Series does everything he's talking about. The fluidity of batman is completely impossible but it gives you such a real sense of the limits of his movements and how he can use them creatively against whoever he's fighting. But in general I think throwing Batman into Justice League situations typically reduces a lot of the suspension of disbelief necessary for superheroes.

      2 votes
      1. [7]
        Catt
        Link Parent
        For sure, and not just Batman: The Animated Series, a lot of their current animated films are decent. Assault on Akrham captures everyone so much better than Suicide Squad. In the movies that can...

        For sure, and not just Batman: The Animated Series, a lot of their current animated films are decent. Assault on Akrham captures everyone so much better than Suicide Squad. In the movies that can all be the same person. Any line can be delivered by anyone.

        2 votes
        1. [6]
          smit2300
          Link Parent
          Oh nice I didn't even know Assault on Arkham existed! I'll have to check it out. Anywhere easy I can find it? I agree also, all of the DC animated media has been absolutely killing it except,...

          Oh nice I didn't even know Assault on Arkham existed! I'll have to check it out. Anywhere easy I can find it? I agree also, all of the DC animated media has been absolutely killing it except, ironically, Killing Joke. Thought they did a terrible job of stringing out a concise, cryptic, and artful comic into a full story with too much going on but no real addition to the story. But I think it's been the only misstep in an otherwise pretty flawless run from them.

          Also that's a great point about the dialogue. Just completely lifeless superhero shell characters. No real principles driving their actions or dialogue. No real thought behind what they say, just generic superhero one-liners pulled out of a hat. The issue they had with Batman specifically was trying to make him somehow more relatable with the shock-value cursing in the movie or expressing character-breaking fear that's actually been done unbelievably well in the comics or the Justice League cartoon (specifically when Superman catches him as he's about to fall to his death). The best thing about Batman as a dramatic character is how clear his emotion can be even if he's just silent. Some of the best emotional responses from him are silence in response to something Robin or Nightwing asks him, looking for assurance, when you can tell he's being silent because he doesn't know if everything will turn out all right.

          2 votes
          1. [5]
            Catt
            Link Parent
            I actually saw Assault on Netflix, not sure if they still have it. I also found a lot of the DC animated movies and trades at my local library. Guess we have a comic book fan procuring. Arg...I...

            I actually saw Assault on Netflix, not sure if they still have it. I also found a lot of the DC animated movies and trades at my local library. Guess we have a comic book fan procuring.

            Arg...I will forever be bitter about The Killing Joke. I can kinda accept the source material was dated, but I can't believe they managed to get to release of the animated movie without someone saying, "This is garbage!"

            The best thing about Batman as a dramatic character is how clear his emotion can be even if he's just silent.

            I completely agree. At it's core, Batman is a detective, who tries to remain completely objective, but he's human and can only do his best. This is never conveyed in the movies.

            2 votes
            1. smit2300
              Link Parent
              That's why the only faint glimmer of hope I have for the DC cinematic universe is the Affleck standalone batman movie because in original talks about it when he was still considering writing it he...

              That's why the only faint glimmer of hope I have for the DC cinematic universe is the Affleck standalone batman movie because in original talks about it when he was still considering writing it he said he wanted to make it basically a noire film and I would be ecstatic if that ended up being the case. Detective batman is best batman, when the super power he displays isn't being a genius and inventing some shit that lets him fight gods, but rather his intuition and persistence with a mystery. The best batman writing is when he unfolds how he solved the mystery and it completely wrenches you in the other direction from what you thought the resolution was going to look like.

              2 votes
            2. [3]
              smit2300
              Link Parent
              Watched it earlier today and loved it! Did such a good job in all the places the live action ones have failed. Specifically with the small portrayals of Batman in it. Completely outwitting rather...

              Watched it earlier today and loved it! Did such a good job in all the places the live action ones have failed. Specifically with the small portrayals of Batman in it. Completely outwitting rather than outfighting, but not at the expense of some ass kicking.

              Specifically when he takes care of the brief hostage situation by making him think he missed with the Batclaw and hitting him with the brick it grabbed. So refreshing after BvS where the resolution to Martha being taken hostage was just to shoot the flamethrower on the guy’s back. Completely ruined the tension of that scene in an already rough movie. Great suggestion though, thanks!

              2 votes
              1. [2]
                Catt
                Link Parent
                I am so glad you enjoyed it! I thought it was so much fun. And I just enjoyed so many of the characters - Batman, Harley, Joker. It's the little things, like how Batman obviously has a bit of a...

                I am so glad you enjoyed it! I thought it was so much fun. And I just enjoyed so many of the characters - Batman, Harley, Joker. It's the little things, like how Batman obviously has a bit of a soft spot for Harley. His fights with her are always a little less intense and he's always trying to talk to her.

                1 vote
                1. smit2300
                  Link Parent
                  Yes exactly! I didn't realize the movie was in the videogame universe before I watched it too, where you see a lot of that sympathy for her being a human in a truly viciously abusive relationship....

                  Yes exactly! I didn't realize the movie was in the videogame universe before I watched it too, where you see a lot of that sympathy for her being a human in a truly viciously abusive relationship. I loved him sort of having trouble dealing with her at the beginning because he's trying to talk to her and then when he has to take down quickly because there's a squad of other villains to deal with, he's able to just let her take herself out because of the weight balance of the oversized hammer. Completely zen in exactly the way Batman is great at portraying and the live action movies are utterly, criminally unaware of.

                  1 vote
  2. PostPostModernism
    Link
    Nerd writer is such a good channel. There was a while last year where his quality dropped off but he took a bit of a break it seemed and I really like his recent content.

    Nerd writer is such a good channel. There was a while last year where his quality dropped off but he took a bit of a break it seemed and I really like his recent content.

    1 vote
  3. [2]
    Comment deleted by author
    Link
    1. SleepyGary
      Link Parent
      It's cherry picked, but not by a lot, you can tell because he didn't include any footage of Flash, the only hero in JL that had any good dialogue from what I can remember. Everyone else in that...

      It's cherry picked, but not by a lot, you can tell because he didn't include any footage of Flash, the only hero in JL that had any good dialogue from what I can remember. Everyone else in that movie may as well have been a cardboard cutout.

      One of the points he didn't touch on that was a major example of his these heros being blunt instruments and not creatively using the character was the fact that the final battle in JL did not happen anywhere near water. Why bother even having Aquaman in the movie if you're not going to summon a sharknado and have Batman finally say "So you can talk to fish" which they foreshadowed at least twice?