Batman Vs Superman: Why I’m Worried.

Let me first begin by saying that I’m an unapologetic Batman fan. I grew up a DC Comics kid, which puts me a little in the minority for fanboys my age. The first comic I ever read was my Dad’s copy of Detective Comics #241, the story of the Rainbow Batman. The book that got me back into reading comics after my high school hiatus was Ed Brubaker’s Batman: Fugitive arc in 2000. He’s one of the most iconic characters in not only comic book history, but in American Pop-Culture.

So when I critique onscreen representations of Batman, it’s not because I “don’t get it” or that I’m a Marvel kid that hates the other side of the aisle. It’s because I know just how great a character The Caped Crusader is, and how great films about him could be.

I grew up in an era when the only non-four color incarnations of Batman were things like the schlocky 1966 series starring Adam West. I spent countless recesses trying to convince the other kids that he was a serious character and that comics weren’t all dumbed-down rubbish. I knew he was an important part of the fabric of our culture.

In 1989 my brother and I sat in a mercifully air-conditioned movie theater waiting nervously for the premiere of Tim Burton’s Batman. We had no idea what to expect from the first real DC film since the Superman franchise went down like the Hindenburg. In the first few rows there was a group of teenage kids who were standing in the aisles and singing the “nanananana” Batman 66 theme and obviously mocking the entire enterprise while everyone was finding their seats. I hated them. They had no idea how important Batman was, and all I wanted to do was yell at them for being so ignorant.

Batman was an enormous box-office success and set a new standard for superheroes in “mainstream” culture. It was a bit absurd, but dark, gritty, and void of “gee whiz” moments. At the time, it was everything I wanted.

Later on I had my gripes about it. I watched that bold new vision crumble into the crime against humanity that was Batman and Robin, and I felt like Icarus. I flew too close to the sun on wings of newsprint, and my golden age of comics being taken seriously was over.

Without getting into the zeitgeist of modern Geek Culture, (that’s a whole post for another day), Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins was a godsend for Bat-fans. With writer David Goyer he crafted a tale that recalled the gestalt of pre-McCarthy era comics, borrowed directly from Frank Miller’s heavy take on the character, but kept the feel of Denny O’Neil’s Noir Detective stories.

We’d finally shed Bat-shark-repellent and returned to the great American icon that patrolled the rooftops of Gotham before the blunt trauma of the Comics Code Authority. Nolan’s Batman was a clinic in compelling character-driven drama and grounded, believable character development. You truly believed this world could exist even though he maintained the over-the-top superhero elements that made it true to it’s source material.

Now, here’s where my concern for Batman Vs Superman comes in. Warner Bros. tried to replicate the formula of success that Nolan’s trilogy utilized by re-introducing Superman for a new generation in Man of Steel. They imported David Goyer, they toned down the character’s flashiness by bring in sepia-happy director Zack Snyder and tried desperately to “ground” the style of story telling.

In my opinion, they failed miserably.

Man of Steel was the perfect example of style over substance. Meticulous detail was applied to set design and tone, while character motivations fell flat. Carefully staged aesthetic scenes rang hollow with poor pacing and ZERO attention to naturally flowing dialogue. Plenty of action scenes, few genuinely touching moments.

So why should we expect better from Batman/Superman? It features most of the same creative team. The studio doesn’t seem to see flaws in Man of Steel. No matter how much fan pushback beleaguers the film project, it appears to continue unapologetic. (see here) The fact of the matter is, “making it gritty” doesn’t make it good. Joss Whedon managed to make a brilliantly hard-hitting Avengers film without “grounding” the characters. Other than perhaps Hawkeye, all of those characters were right off of a four color page. He embraced who and what they were and the film rang true.

Take the casting of Jeremy Irons as Alfred, for instance. I like Jeremy Irons. I think he’s a good actor. But doesn’t it seem like Zack Snyder is just casting for someone who can play a stuffy British butler? Michael Caine brought a nuanced, rich depth to the Alfred role. His performance was real and believable, displaying wisdom and heart. I simply don’t see that from this film. I think they’ll be lucky to pull off Michael Gough from Batman Forever.

Of course, I could be wrong. We could see the same Zack Snyder who did Dawn of the Dead make a reappearance. For all of its flaws – many of which were the same as in Man of Steel – Watchmen had its own glimmers of competence. Perhaps the stars will align, perhaps we will forget it’s Ben Affleck under the cape and cowl. Perhaps Gal Gadot will physically transform into something that vaguely resembles Wonder Woman. Perhaps Zack Snyder will execute scenes of dialogue that don’t seem like they’re shot by an undergrad film student.

There are a lot of “maybes” hovering over Batman Vs Superman, and that’s all we have to go on right now. What I hope and pray for is DC creative-types putting ego aside and getting back to the core of these characters that mean so much to fanboys like me. David Goyer and Zack Snyder have a chance to define these heroes for a new generation of fans, but if they don’t get it right DC’s chances of matching Marvel in the cultural arms race are slim.

Here’s hoping they know that.