Movies News Talk
The superhero genre, has gone from a niche type of movie production to become an almost dominant part of cinema. Audiences love them - critics often disagree. There are many superhero films which don't quite measure up, but the Tomatometer doesn’t always reflect reality. It’s especially common for superhero Movies - especially when those movies were initially produced by marvel studios or even those released through Sony Pictures. Critics may hold a negative outlook.
However, the "audience opinions" can provide a strong defense against this bias. Often those superhero Movies have received high "Popcorn" ratings. There's often an inconsistency with those critical reviews - for instance, Spawn which was first released in 1997 has a 34% Tomatometer, but fans of this series would know there’s a special affection that it's earned and also a love of its special effects.
Marvel, with its incredibly high output of blockbuster movies has set the bar high - generating billions of dollars worldwide, as they deliver an array of iconic heroes, villains and even epic, large-scale productions. Those who follow marvel Studios know the next wave of productions is also anticipated.
A handful of movies from this studio (those most prominent and even those in development), continue to make headlines: "Avengers: The Kang Dynasty" - is an expected production for 2025, followed by "Avengers: Secret Wars" in 2026. These two films have been considered a monumental task to undertake and, in a sense, may be part of a shift for this studio to make the jump from producing high-octane superhero movies to large-scale epic films, a natural step for marvel.
Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice is one of the most divisive productions in the history of comic books, the franchise has made an effort to take those superheroes - often in the world of comic book movies - and to explore just how their power can impact a society and its various institutions, particularly as it’s examined from the perspective of those who are at odds.
With a high 73% Popcorn score and an average 29% Tomatometer rating, it does point to those key differences with critics versus fans, especially with a series of powerful performances featuring the heroes. Those viewers who enjoyed this film and even those interested in a potential “Batman vs Superman 2” - would agree that the story was an exciting, but complex blend of storylines. Those watching the show are also able to make connections, in some cases to Amazing Spiderman to learn more about the universe's overall intricacies. It also serves as a strong premise to those who like to watch this type of production.
The superhero film genre is, to a great extent, a complex entity within cinema - a space for many types of storytelling.
While there is a constant, sometimes obsessive level of interest, critics have been known to disagree on just what elements make up a good superhero film and what falls short. A common theme that arises, in many cases is a criticism that Superhero movies are too similar. Another element is a suggestion that their storylines aren’t compelling. This is often centered on “The Death of Gwen Stacy,” where there was a general sentiment that there wasn’t a more complex narrative or emotional impact to its production as some might expect, specifically as viewers, might find this event, often being cited, as one of the most influential and dark moments in the comics’ universe.
With several Superhero Movies coming out and dominating the box office - these films have taken the movie universe by storm. With each film, however, a shift has also taken place as these productions have undergone drastic change. While these may appear subtle at first glance, the more prominent and evident differences are reflected in their overall budget. Many of those earlier productions may have been considered smaller with smaller production crews or lower visual effects (special effects ), particularly in an effort to compensate for their low budgets.
As time passed those in the studio's productions realized that this genre could provide a path toward massive revenues. One can make a comparison of how Daredevil - an Early 2000s superhero outing, in its time had a budget of 78 million dollars (Superhero Adaptation). There are an increasing number of films, from those early productions that had a significant increase in budget, particularly in an effort to match the overall, highly competitive landscape within superhero blockbuster , that are in constant rivalry - as these films seek to reach the greatest number of audiences. One can even make the comparison with "The Amazing Spiderman," which had an increase in budget. It also had a more diverse team and was supported by a larger amount of crew - leading to larger and even more incredible sets, including an expansion of those special effects (visual effects) - such as more complex computer animation - to help bring this world to the big screen.
The rotten Tomatoes ratings, are often used as a tool for understanding those movies, television shows and, especially for those seeking to watch movies, are a popular metric - though not always accurate.
Those who are following the superhero films may have found an assortment of films that are very similar - but also may have a "mismatched" set of ratings - a combination of those high critical scores as well as the "audience scores". For instance, the “Dark Phoenix storyline” - while highly praised for being a significant storyline and even an inspirational part of those comic book events. However, when it was brought to the screen, it generated a less-than-favorable outcome - making it one of the more contentious films. However, audiences have even expressed a willingness to enjoy it. Another film that has seen similar challenges was X-Men: The Last Stand.
Constantine , a Superhero Film that took place during the mid 2000's (when Superhero Adaptations began to rise, but before the current dominance), was based on the DC Comics universe - which featured a darker, complex look at the protagonist John Constantine - whose purpose was to hunt down the demon who had threatened the world. It’s interesting to consider this movie since it stands apart - with the “theatrical version” - released in 2005 - had a fairly average rating on rotten Tomatoes, at 46%.
But those who enjoy the series and are interested in this story can consider the “Director Cut” (often called an alternative edit or version - which sometimes is offered as a BluRay or as an alternate streaming release on services like Netflix). In its re-imagined state - this version provides an alternative - often giving viewers a more engaging and richer storyline. For fans of the dc Universe , it often stands out as a very satisfying, engaging storyline, featuring several characters such as the archangel, Gabriel, as well as the Devil Lucifer - bringing to the production those dark themes that are usually absent from many Superhero Films.