Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is finally here! That film was the official goodbye to the DCEU. Surprisingly, the first Aquaman is the only film to ever reach the billion-dollar mark within the DCEU. Sadly, it’s been downhill for the once-popular brand ever since. However, despite the clear flaws of the DCEU, there were plenty of positives that came from these live-action films.
On the surface, the DCEU as a whole wasn’t bad. Sure, they’ve had plenty of stinkers, but none of the films were ever horrendous. The DCEU ultimately lacked strong direction as the executives were so focused on trying to play catch-up to Marvel that the quality of their product suffered because of it. But some moments highlighted why the DC brand was so beloved in the first place. In fact, a lot of these things helped separate DC from Marvel and made them stand out in a very good light.
The DC Films Weren’t Afraid To Experiment With Bold Storytelling
Marvel has its formula: light and comedic content suited for the masses. Now, there are some deviations like Captain America: Winter Soldier and Werewolf By Night, but for the most part, Marvel has a consistent pattern that they stick to. That isn’t to say it’s a bad thing. In fact, Phases one through three are nearly perfect. But there are some drawbacks to sticking to one formula; it means that the brand can’t truly take any big risks. Wouldn’t it be cool if Deadpool kills the Marvel Universe came to fruition? Or even something totally out there such as Marvel Zombies?
DC didn’t go too crazy on their end either. Comics like Batman Who Laughs will likely never see the light of day because the dark knight is their bread and butter as the titular hero. But DC wasn’t afraid to diversify the filmography within their universe. The extended version is quite good for all the flack that Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice gets. The biggest thing is how Batman dropped his no-killing policy. Plus, it was supposed to be a continuous build on the Red Son arc for Superman.
It wasn’t just that they played with the characters in the DCEU. The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker are some of the best products out of the live-action spectrum. They’re violent, crass, weird, and fun. These two aren’t trying to appeal to the masses. It highlighted the uniqueness of the DCEU and the complex stories that they have in the comics. They may have not hit every story out of the park, but DC’s decision to be more diverse in their storytelling is a much-appreciated difference from Marvel’s.
DCEU Had Better Female Characters
Admittedly, Birds of Prey and the Emancipation of One Harley Quinn was just not a good film. There were several strong female characters like Huntress though. Of course, I can’t forget about the first DC female-led movie: Wonder Woman. Gal Gadot was a standout in Dawn of Justice and Patty Jenkins did a fantastic job with the first solo film. Sadly, it did crash down in the sequel, but it doesn’t negate the fact that Wonder Woman is arguably the best female-led superhero movie ever made.
Even then, Quinn and Amanda Waller were great in The Suicide Squad. Leota Adebayo and Emilia Harcourt (Peacemaker) were other notable additions to the DC family. This isn’t to say that Marvel doesn’t have a good female character; Natasha Romanoff is easily their best. But Black Widow‘s solo film faltered big time. The difference between most of the female characters in DC is that they feel like genuine humans.
They laugh, cry, and have flaws like a normal person. Plus, they aren’t a walking message board that continues to shove political messages down everyone’s throat. Because DC’s female characters are deeply layered, we care about them. Again, not every female character in the DCEU is a winner, but there’s a diverse pool in the live-action realm that trumps most of Marvel’s attempts to craft strong women.
The Villains
The general consensus is that DC always had better villains in the comics. However, Marvel has notably struggled to craft memorable and multi-layered villains in their live-action films. Thanos remains their best villain and it doesn’t come close. Too many of Marvel’s villains tend to be one-note and rote.
However, names like Lex Luthor, Peacemaker, Amanda Waller, Joker, and Harley Quinn represent the incredible roster of villains that DC has. They’re not just some “I want to take over the world” villains; they’re treated as multi-dimensional beings with a twisted moral compass. DC has done an excellent job in the way they craft their villains in live-action form. Not everyone is a winner, but even their weakest villains outshine some of Marvel’s most notable ones.
Follow Us
