First of off, let me just say, I love Christopher Nolan. I’m a fan of every movie he’s made from Memento to Inception and The Dark Knight is my favourite movie of all time. But, that been said, I think if DC really wants to take on Marvel with a cinematic universe of their own, they need to let go of Nolan. Nolan is a great director – everytime I hear him describe a film in an interview I get the sense that he’s making the movie to tell a story and not to secure a paycheque. This is a great characteristic if you’re looking for someone to direct an indie movie but not so great if you’re looking for someone to launch a franchise.
Take a look at The Dark Knight Trilogy and, more importantly, at the quality of The Dark Knight Rises. Nolan had stated numerous times that he didn’t think The Dark Knight needed a sequel and this lack of enthusiasm is reflected in the decline in quality of TDKR when compared to The Dark Knight. Now I know, he isn’t directing the new Batman v Superman movie but if you think he isn’t gonna have an influence on its tone and style, you clearly didn’t watch Man of Steel. Yes it was technically Snyder’s movie but the dark tone and gritty realism that make all Nolan films so compelling was ever-present. Zack Snyder movies always have two things: great speeches and slow motion. Man of Steel only had about two great speeches and no slow-mo. Now one could argue, Snyder decided to adapt his style to challenge himself or whatever but I think Nolan – either directly or indirectly – had a great influence on how the movie was made. I’m not saying Nolan actually went into the editing studio and told Snyder how to make the movie but the success of The Dark Knight Trilogy and the desire to recreate that success must have had an influence on Snyder’s approach.
I love Nolan’s Batman and what he and Christian Bale did to resurrect Batman from the heap of ashes Joel Schumacher left him buried in was nothing short of miraculous but if DC wants to take on and beat Marvel they need a new approach to their movies. Not every movie needs to be shot through Nolan’s lense of gritty realism; not every movie needs the dark tone of The Dark Knight Trilogy.
Do you agree? Leave a comment below and let me know what you think.
KG's Movie Rants 
I agree in the sense that each movie should have a different tone and style in order to keep their films interesting. Whilst the Marvel Cinematic Universe films all take place in the same universe and share themes and a generic ‘tone’, they are each incredibly different (Winter Soldier and Guardians for example), I think that DC needs to do something similar rather than laying the same gritty style over each of their movies.
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Well, I agree that DC has to adjust their style a little bit. One style doesn’t fit every superhero. I also think that the audience is a little bit tired of all those depressing endings. Real life is currently depressive enough. Nothing against going gritty, but there should be an uplifting element in the story.
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Definitely, it’s fine to have the dark, gritry style for a hero like Batman but Superman is a boyscout, you should feel happy and hopeful after that movie. Too many movies today are about dystopian futures and unhappy endings. I’m so desperate for anything that’ll make me smile.
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That’s why Guardian’s of the Galaxy is such a success imho. It is such a “feel good” movie.
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I totally agree, but at the same time DC does some things better than Marvel. Marvel still needs to give us a proper villain. Loki’s the only worthwhile villain they have but he’s more of an anti-hero than proper villain.
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Alexander Pierce was great (honestly, I first thought that he HAD to be the villain, but he played the good guy so well that I was actually doubting him being the bad guy by the time the reveal came around), and I think Ronan was well done (not the most layered villain, but for the story they were trying to tell, he was perfect). I also have hopes for Nebula in the sequel. And that Red Skull will turn up again eventually.
Otherwise you are right, though. The villains are usually the big weaknesses of the movies.
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