5 Things I Look For in a Good Superhero Movie
There are no lack of superhero movies, between Marvel and DC and the other franchises. Young people today have no idea how long we waited between seeing a new superhero movie.
Some are suggesting that we are now experiencing superhero fatigue. I do not exactly accept that, although the comment does reflect a real shift. People are no longer drawn to the novelty of a superhero on the big screen. They expect more.
I can only speak for myself but there are things that I look for in a really good superhero movie. Here are five of those things.
- Respect the source material. I am not super strict in this, in the sense of requiring the hero look exactly the same as in the comic. But the movie should demonstrate that the people behind know and respect the comics that the hero is based on.
- Finding the balance on humour. These movies tend to fall into the extremes of super dark or a complete comedy. There is a place for humour and it can be used well without becoming slapstick.
- Telling a story worth telling. Some people get excited if their favourite superhero is getting their own movie. And yet we have seen plenty of these movies bomb. It is not enough to just get them on the screen. There needs to be a good story.
- Having a good villain. What I have noticed after watching dozens of these movies is that most often, a superhero movie is only as good as the villain. Superhero movies need that conflict between the good and the evil. When the villain is boring, so is the movie.
- Appropriate CGI. CGI allows so many new opportunities that were never available to previous generations. It can be used very well. But it can be overused and the CGI can be very bad. Some of the big name superhero movies of recent years had some terrible CGI. It needs to be used in the right way and only as much as can be done well.
What about you? What do you look for in a good superhero movie?
