Ever since the launch of their cinematic universe, D.C. has had a difficult time making a good movie. Marvel Studios launched their cinematic universe with the release of “Iron Man” in 2008. Not all of the films in the Marvel cinematic films have impressed, but fans and critics alike have received them well. That is not the case with D.C. Entertainment’s latest movies.
A string of disappointment
The D.C. Extended Universe has not had a very long life, but it has yet to add a genuinely good movie to its name. Every movie that they have put out so far has divided audiences at best. They have released “Man of Steel” in 2013, “Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice” and “Suicide Squad” in 2016 so far, and all three of them have been divisive at best. While some fans really enjoyed these movies and still defend them, most people remain upset with them. Just take a look at their Rotten Tomatoes ratings. Their highest rated movie is “Man of Steel” at 55 percent, followed by “Batman v. Superman” and “Suicide Squad” at a dismal 27 percent and 26 percent respectively. You really begin to see the problem when you compare these ratings to those of Marvel’s films. The lowest rated Marvel movie is 2013’s “Thor: The Dark World” at 66 percent, which still rates higher than “Man of Steel.”
Many fans have become fed up with this trend of D.C. making disappointing movies. They are in desperate need of a good movie to help restore faith in their cinematic universe. Their next attempt comes with the release of “Wonder Woman” in June 2017. This will be the first time that the character has had a live-action solo feature film and fans are hoping that D.C. get it right.
A chance at redemption
D.C.’s latest movies have received criticism for not accurately depicting their characters. This began with how they depicted Superman in Zack Snyder’s “Man of Steel” in 2013. Superman has become known for fighting for “truth, justice and the American way.” As a character, he has risen as a symbol of hope by embodying altruism, but in Snyder’s hands he becomes more reminiscent of objectivism. D.C. have gotten Superman’s character wrong in this current incarnation. They attempted to depict him as a gritty and violent character that toppled a city at the end of the movie. As D.C. tries to make up for lost ground in subsequent releases, the importance of getting Wonder Woman’s character right reaches a critical level.
Many directors, writers and artists have depicted Wonder Woman in several different ways since her creation in 1941. She has been depicted as a fierce warrior who never runs from a fight and other incarnations have depicted her as someone who prefers finding a peaceful solution before violence. However, she has always represented female empowerment. Wonder Woman was created by William Marston to counteract the over masculinity of superheros. She remains one of the most powerful heroes in the D.C. universe and her movie must depict that properly if they hope to avoid the pitfalls of previous films.
Besides Wonder Woman, the only films that D.C. has in production are two Justice League movies, which will ultimately determine the future of the D.C. Cinematic Universe. With all the recent drama concerning the “Flash” and “The Batman” movie, “Wonder Woman” may indeed become one of D.C.’s last chances to redeem themselves.
