To those who haven't been paying attention, the Summer of Superheroes is upon us! (Ah, hyperbole. The cornerstone of comics marketing.)
Superhero films kicked off the summer with the "megahit" Iron Man, which was swiftly followed by Speed Racer, The Incredible Hulk, and Wanted, with Hancock, Hellboy II, and finally The Dark Knight waiting to overtake the box office on the respective opening weekends. For comic fanboys, this summer is like a three month long trip to San Diego's lauded Comic-Con. Film and comics have collided in the perfect marriage of accurate adaptations and mainstream appeal. Now, comic films have been fairly popular since the turn of the century, but this year comic fans seem especially enthused. The root of their enthusiasm? Comic films that are not only accurate but action-packed. Fanboys finally get to see Iron Man ascend to the heavens just like in the comics, they get to see Batman tangle violently with The Joker, and, most importantly, they get to see HULK SMASH!
As more of a film fan than comic fan, the desire to see Hulk Smash concerned me as soon as the Hulk reboot (The Incredible Hulk, TIH) was announced. Message boards applauded in near unison the opportunity to see a Hulk film with more power than pathos, more action than angst. But was the last film really that bad? And for that matter were other films that took a less "popcorn" approach to comics (Superman Returns and Batman Begins) unsuccessful simply because filmmakers approached the material with reverence for the stories behind the action.
For years comic fans have complained about the lack of respect for the comics medium, yet as soon as reverence is given, it is rejected. Violently. Critics and fans cried foul when their favorite four-color characters sulked and pondered the weight of their existences instead of bashing heads. Ang Lee's Hulk, which plunged into the root of the Hulk's anger, and Bryan Singer's Superman Returns, which examined the isolation of a god, have been the major targets of this vitriol (Batman Begins escaped this torment mostly because it erased the memory of lesser attempts and because it was just so damn good!) Needless to say, this condemnation is undeserved. As films, both are technically solid and true to the essence of the character. As adaptations, they probe the depths of their respective leads to create characters that are more than power fantasies. These films give each character the humanity they deserve.
I understand why this approach is unsuccessful with comic fans: as the humanity of these characters is revealed, the fantasy diminishes. If the all-powerful Superman and Hulk are too busy being depressed about the same things that bother average viewer then they are no longer fantasies. They are too human to take us from our concerns. As a non-super powered viewer, I appreciate that concern. But as a mature filmgoer, who knows that the best characters are three dimensional humans, not two dimensional gods, I am at stark (no pun intended) odds with comic fans. Characters should be fully developed, and if action is sacrificed in favor of character development, then so be it. I've seen action flicks with 2-D leads, I expect more from my heroes. And truly what is a hero who doesn't even overcome his or her own problems to save the day.
Another issue with these films was the lack of substantive villians. With Superman and Hulk, we have two heroes with less than stellar rogue's galleries and arch-nemeses that are mere mortals. Ask a non-comics fan who Superman's rogue's are and see if any one knows someone besides Lex Luthor. Same for Hulk. Can anybody name a Hulk villian? Besides the military and the angry general who always chases him and has been the villian, to some degree, in both Hulk flicks. Go ahead, I'll wait... It's hard to ask filmmakers for villains when the audience doesn't know the villains. Granted, it's the filmmaker's responsibility to establish the characters, but a known property is easier to sell than an unknown.
Ultimately, the choice to appreciate or denigrate these films belongs to each viewer. Whether you prefer action packed Hulk Smash popcorn goodness or melodramatic character exploration, the choice is yours. I prefer to see what makes these guys tick. What makes someone wear their underwear outside a pair of tights. What makes a man, or a superman, get up every morning and make it through the day.
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