The DC Extended Universe movies, ranked including The Suicide Squad

Date:
Sun, 29 Aug 2021 13:00:56 +0000

Description:
From Batman Vs Superman to The Suicide Squad, which of the DC Comics movies
is best?

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Thanks to the success of the Marvel Cinematic Universe , interlinking superhero franchises are all the rage right now. Their closest competitor is Warner Bros DC Extended Universe , but in reality its not that close. There have been more lows than highs for Superman and company on the big screen in recent times, and its undeniable that the DCEU is a lot messier than it
should be 11 films in.

The upcoming Flash movie which will reportedly be adapting elements from the popular Flashpoint comic book arc that reset the universe may help remedy that. But with The Suicide Squad having recently landed in theaters, now is
as good a time as any to look back on the bad, the good, and the great of DCs live action offerings over the past eight years. Best HBO Max movies Best superhero TV shows New movies 2021 11. Suicide Squad (Image credit: Warner Bros.)

The jury is still out on whether or not well get to see David Ayers purported cut of Suicide Squad (though it seems unlikely). But the movie that was released in 2016 was a terrible, badly edited mess. The reason for the squad assembling in the first place is nonsensical, the villains-become-family arc is unearned, and the performances by Jared Leto as The Joker and Cara Delevigne as The Enchantress are among the worst in the genre.

The lone saving grace is in the casting of Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn and Viola Davis as Amanda Waller, two characters who show up in the sequel. But not even they, along with the charisma machine that is Will Smith, can save this one. 10. Justice League (2017) (Image credit: Sky)

The biggest problem with 2017s Justice League is that its the product of two different visions colliding. When Zack Snyder left the project due to
personal tragedy, WB brought in Joss Whedon to finish the project. The
results werent pretty, from humor that felt forced and at times inappropriate to visuals that looked flat-out ugly.

The audience were left unsatisfied, and its become clearer and clearer in recent times that the actors who worked on the movie werent happy either,
with Cyborg actor Ray Fisher accusing Whedon of "gross, abusive, unprofessional, and completely unacceptable" conduct. Gal Gadot shared her
own story about the experience, too. The first live action team-up of DCs
most iconic heroes deserved much better. 8. Batman v Superman: Dawn of
Justice (Image credit: Warner Bros/DC Entertainment)

Batman v Superman : Dawn of Justice is what you get when the writers and director dont understand what makes their titular characters special.
Doubling down on the broody Superman established in Man of Steel is bad enough. But turning Batman into a killing machine is a choice so incompatible with the character that it breaks the world of the film (why would Commissioner Gordon still light the Bat-signal if Gothams famous vigilante
was dropping bodies? He should be hunting him down).

One of the few bright spots in all the doom and gloom is the introduction of Gal Gadots Wonder Woman, who makes a fun splash in the final battle against Doomsday. 8. Wonder Woman 1984 (Image credit: Warner Bros)

The first 20 minutes of Wonder Woman 1984 in which we see a young Diana compete in a Themyscirian Olympics, and then watch as Gal Gadots lasso-wielding heroine take down a group of robbers in 1984 are incredible. Unfortunately, the rest of the film is a bit middling. With the hunt for a MacGuffin, two villains, and the return of Steve Trevor (under icky circumstances that are never really examined), there are ultimately too many spinning plates for this sequel to satisfyingly service.

Still, there is plenty to like here. Chris Pine and Gadot remain a charming double act, and Pedro Pascal and Kristen Wiig both acquit themselves well as Maxwell Lord and Barbara Minerva/Cheetah respectively. And as heavy-handed
and cheesy as it is, the earnestness of the movie is hard to dislike. 7. Zack Snyder's Justice League (Image credit: HBO Max/Warner Bros.)

Zack Snyders Justice League benefits from a unified vision that the 2017 cut didnt have. For one thing, character decisions make more sense and the chemistry between the team is more pronounced. For another, the beefed up Cyborg storyline is complex and emotional.

But some of the problems when it comes to Snyders vision for these characters still remain, and theres at least 20 minutes of unnecessary footage that
could and should have been excised from this four-hour cut. No one needs to hear an extended Icelandic ballad in a Justice League movie. 6. Man of Steel (Image credit: Warner Bros)

There is so much about Man of Steel that works. Supermans first flight sequence is an all-timer, and his suit looks great. Hans Zimmers score is markedly different from John Williams standard setting work in the 1970s, but no less stunning. We can even get on board with the 20 minute prologue in which Russell Crowes Jor-El rides a lizard with dragonfly wings. But this counts for little if you dont get the core tenets of Kal-El right.

And even before the Man of Steel snaps Zods neck in the final battle, there are signs that the filmmakers behind this interpretation of Superman werent nailing the simple things (for one thing, if your name isnt Lois Lane, youre probably not getting saved in this movie). Its a shame, because with the
right script Henry Cavill could have really done something special with this character. But he, and we, are still waiting for it. 5. Aquaman (Image
credit: Warner Bros.)

How to stop people thinking that Aquaman is a joke? Step 1: Cast Jason Momoa. The once and former Khal Drogo brings his unique energy to the role, and it works a treat. Whether hes taking down villains on a submarine or bouncing
off of Amber Heards Mera, hes always fun to watch. Step 2 is hiring James
Wan.

When Aquaman leans into its fantasy elements, the visuals are often spectacular. The film loses points for not utilizing Yahya Abdul-Mateen IIs Black Manta enough, and a few more for some really strange soundtrack choices that feel like they belong in another movie. But overall, were definitely laughing with the King of the Seas rather than at him. Bring on Aquaman 2 .
4. Shazam! (Image credit: Warner Bros)

In its best moments, Shazam! has an excellent balance of humor and heart. The central conflict of blood family vs. foster family is given the right amount of weight, and the film gets a lot of mileage out of the idea that a teenager can transform into a muscle-clad superhero with just one word.

David F. Sandbergs movie can also lay claim to having the best joke in the entirety of the DCEU to date, in which Mark Strongs villain try to monologue to a hero who cant hear him. At times it feels a bit too lighthearted, with jokes that undercut genuine emotion at the wrong times. But with fun performances, a great message, and an exciting setup for the sequel, this
film set the stage for characters I cant wait to see more of. 3. Wonder Woman (Image credit: Warner Bros)

After the back-to-back-to-back disappointments of Man of Steel, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and Suicide Squad, the DCEU desperately needed a win, and thanks to director Patty Jenkins they got it with Wonder Woman.

The No Mans Land sequence in which Diana strides confidently across the battlefield deflecting bullets while Rupert Gregson-Williams score soars is still the best 2 minutes of the DCEU to date. Add that to a beautifully visualised first act that focuses on the warrior women of Themyscira and the instantly winning chemistry between Gadot and Pines Steve Trevor, and only some third act problems hold it back from a higher placing on this list. 2. Birds of Prey: The Fabulous Emancipation of one Harley Quinn (Image credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures/ & DC Comics)

There are no such third act issues with Birds of Prey in fact, it might be the best thing about a movie, a riotous action sequence in which a hair clip is exchanged mid-battle proving to be one of many highlights. Theres lots to like before that inevitable throw-down too, much of it do to Margot Robbies pitch-perfect performance of Harley Quinn.

Freed from Jared Leto and The Joker, she truly makes the character her own with this movie, from Quinns mannerisms to her attitude. Throw in a fantastic Daniel Pemberton score and a supporting cast who do a lot with a little (Mary Elizabeth Winstead is especially fun here as The Huntress), and you have one of the DCEUs best films. 1. The Suicide Squad (Image credit: Warner Bros.)

The Suicide Squad debacle of 2016 didnt exactly have people hankering for
more movies focused on Task Force X. That all changed when James Gunn got hired to write and direct a sequel.

Having made two movies about the MCUs Guardians of the Galaxy, Gunn had form when it came to making us fall in love with a group of rogues, and he proves it again here. Theres just the right balance of humor, character, and action, with multiple third act payoffs and a body count that remembers what the
title of the movie is. Put simply he understood the assignment. Best Netflix movies



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