Superheroes checked
Where it once made moviegoers believe “a man can fly!”, CGI no longer dazzles these days, especially if the film’s script and storyline don’t fly
SOME film genres have enduring appeal, others come and go. The Western perhaps had its heyday in the 1950s, but since then has had limited appeal, despite the occasional film such as Silverado (1985) prompting speculation about a revival of the Western’s fortunes. The same might be said of “sword and sandal” epics, despite Gladiator.
More recently, superhero films have ceased to be the almost surefire successes they once were, though it would be premature to say that the superhero film has had its day. Films based on Marvel characters have generally fared better than those featuring DC heroes, but they have also begun to flag – witness the lacklustre Thor: Love and Thunder (2022), a critical comedown from its predecessors, and The Marvels (2023), the first Marvel-comic-inspired film to make a loss at the box office.
There are reasons why specific superhero films (such as 2019’s Avengers: Endgame, the highest-grossing superhero film to date) still do well at the box office and others do not, but there’s surely a problem embedded in the genre itself, particularly the weight it gives to special effects. These have come a long way with the increasing sophistication of computer-generated imagery (CGI).
Share with us your feedback on BT's products and services
