I’m not going to see Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. I’ve dutifully fronted up to every single movie ever made that features the Man of Steel and the Caped Crusader, from the heights of The Dark Knight with Heath Ledger’s Joker to the depths of Superman IV: The Quest For Peace, in which Superman battles the dastardly Nuclear Man.
But for me, this latest instalment is one retreaded tale about billionaires and aliens too many.
Although its box office has been healthy, the reviews have been dreadful. Rotten Tomatoes currently has it at 29%, and Slate reviewer Jonathan Fischer wrote “To put it delicately, this comics fan hated Batman v Superman with the fury of a thousand red-dwarf suns.” By most accounts, it makes Kryptonite seem palatable.
But the high risk of turkey exposure isn’t the main reason I’m staying away. I just can’t imagine what entertainment can be offered by yet another version of the same story. They’ve already cycled through so many iterations of the two alternative New Yorks called Metropolis and Gotham that I’m utterly bored by the prospect of more of the same.
We all know that superhero movies have been doing well at the box office lately, but surely our interest will grind to a halt unless they can find some fresh stories. Marvel has been combing through its back catalogue, which is why we got the previously obscure Guardians of the Galaxy and Ant-Man on our screens recently.
Both did brilliantly, and I suspect the prospect of a completely new, satisfying story was part of the appeal.
The yawnworthy repetitiveness of 'Batman v Superman' reflects a broader shortcoming in our culture.
The well is only so deep, however. The way things are going, we’ll soon see a $100 million movie being made out of some vague idea Stan Lee once scrawled on the back of a cocktail napkin – look out for Another Bourbon Man, coming soon to a multiplex near you.
It’s not a great surprise that Hollywood lacks ingenuity or goes for safe options when it’s making a tentpole movie, but the yawnworthy repetitiveness of Batman v Superman reflects a broader shortcoming in our culture. Nearly all of our mainstream, high-budget movies tell stories about the same boring white male characters fulfilling the same kinds of boring quests in the same boring places that we’ve seen on our cinema screens since the medium was invented.
Today’s movie industry has no shortage of amazing actors or incredible special effects – what it need some fresh stories. But instead of searching through the archives to find more obscure stories about white men, international filmmakers would be well advised to turn to the rich storytelling traditions of other cultures.
Anyone who grew up watching Monkey and was inspired to read Wu Cheng’en’s Journey To The West will know that this character puts most Western superheroes to shame. He’s a rascal who’s constantly struggling with his exuberant nature, and needs the headband controlled by Tripitaka to keep him in line, but ends up achieving heroism, assisted by the amusing Pigsy and Sandy. His adventures are both delightful and lengthy – there’s enough for half a dozen movies in that one book. Plus, he has a magic cloud which would leave the Batmobile for dead.
From India, there’s a whole pantheon of deities to choose from, each with a fascinating and generally fairly dramatic biography. Ganesha has the head of an elephant, rides a mouse and battles demons. If you’re a movie executive, that one-sentence pitch undoubtedly has you reaching for your chequebook right now. He also loves sweets – just think of the marketing tie-in opportunities.
And closer to home, there are the Quinkins, who are depicted in the cave paintings of Cape York. I grew up reading Percy Trezise and Dick Roughsey’s brilliant tales of the dastardly Imjin, who try to lure kids to their doom, and the delightful Timara, who save them. Then there’s Turramulli, the giant Quinkin, who terrified me as a kid, and would highly likely make mincemeat out of the Hulk.
In recent years, a few filmmakers have looked beyond the comic shop for inspiration, reinterpreting the Ancient Greek battle of Thermopylae for 300, and bringing an Old English poem to life for Beowulf. But there’s so much more to be found if we delve more deeply into other cultures, particularly those outside of Europe.
Source: Wikipedia
The Phantom and Superman are generally credited as the first superheroes. That may be true in terms of modern comic books, but around the world, many cultures have been telling stories about extraordinary supernatural beings with special powers for several millennia.
Instead of rehashing the same old tired characters, the movie industry should explore the incredibly rich storytelling traditions found in other parts of the world.
In fact, I’ll make Hollywood a deal – if they’re willing to make it, I’ll definitely go and see Batman v Superman v Ganesha. Who will win, by the way. Not only is Ganesha known as the Remover of Obstacles, but as opposed to some rich dude with bat ears or a goody-two-shoes alien, he’s a god. With the head of an elephant. Riding a mouse.
