The road has been rough for the DC Extended Universe. Starting in 2013 withMan of Steel, the DCEU began with a mixed response that only seemed to get worse with films likeBatman v Superman: Dawn of Justiceand 2016’sSuicide Squad. While the DCEU was certainly ambitious, bringing these gargantuan comic book heroes together on the big screen like this for the first time, this universe never had the successes, the high points, or the cohesiveness that the MCU often has. But this mixed response to the DCEU overall has made the solid movies shine, as films likeWonder WomanandThe Suicide Squadhint at what this universe could’ve been. As the DCEU comes to a conclusion to restart under the guidance ofJames GunnandPeter Safran(with a few characters leaking over to this new vision), let’s take a look at the DCEU and rank them from worst to best.
Please note that a DCEU movie has to have some link with other DC movies, so that’s why we haven’t included films likeJoker,The Batman, andCatwoman, even though they come from DC Comics. We’ve also not includedZack Snyder’s Justice Leaguebecause, by Snyder’s own admission,the movie is not canon for the DCEU.
14Suicide Squad
Directed by David Ayer
‘Suicide Squad’ Review: Rotten to the Core
Strong performances can’t save this chaotic, overwrought mess.
What an absolute mess.I was so excited forSuicide Squadbecause it looked weird and different with a great cast andDavid Ayerbehind the camera, but it couldn’t have turned out to be more disappointing. The film couldn’t even come up with a solid reason for why a team of superheroes would be entrusted with a mission, and the main conflict is a result of Amanda Waller being a total dummy (Viola Davisshows she can do anything by making you believe in that character even though on the page Waller is a dope). Yes, the cast is packed with colorful characters, but it doesn’t really know what to do with them.
What’s even more frustrating is that the marketing is more colorful than the movie. For a cast that’s filled with psychopaths,Suicide Squaddoesn’t know if it wants to be grim and gritty or loose and zany. It falls apart on pretty much every level of filmmaking, and while you can point to a few bright spots likeWill SmithandMargot Robbie’s performances, those are mired in an awful story that does a disservice to their characters.
The kicker is that I don’t thinkSuicide Squadis entirely a lost cause. I think there’s room in the superhero landscape for a movie that follows a team of villains, but they have to be given a much better reason for fighting (perhaps a black ops mission where they’re required to kill) and strong character arcs. I wouldn’t mind seeing this group back together again if Warner Bros. trusts a filmmaker to follow through with his or her vision as opposed to letting a trailer company cut a version of the movie and splitting the difference. —Matt Goldberg
Suicide Squad
A secret government agency recruits some of the most dangerous incarcerated super-villains to form a defensive task force. Their first mission: save the world from the apocalypse.
13Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (Extended Cut)
Directed by Zack Snyder
‘Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice’ Review: No Heroics
Zack Snyder’s superhero sequel is a bloated, convoluted mess that can’t find a soul through its overbearing darkness.
The Extended Cut (aka the “Ultimate Edition”) ofBatman v Superman: Dawn of Justiceis slightly better than the theatrical cut only insofar as the movie makes slightly more sense. There’s still no explanation as to what Lex would have done with Doomsday had he succeeded in killing Superman or why Bruce Wayne’s dreams can see into a possible future, but you at least get a clearer sense of whatZack Snyderwas going for with his superhero smackdown.
Unfortunately, his approach essentially retreads the worst elements of his previous movies,WatchmenandSucker Punch. Like withSucker Punch, Snyder is both condemning and condoning his audience. He wants us to question the very nature of superheroes like Batman and Superman rather than give them our unquestioned reverence, which would be fine, except he also wants us to enjoy the mayhem those heroes unleash. When Batman beats down a warehouse full of henchmen, we’re not supposed to be aghast at his unilateral vigilantism. We’re supposed to cheer. We’re supposed to question Superman as a god-figure filled with self-doubt, but we’re also supposed to be happy when he punches Doomsday a bunch.
This kind of deconstruction is perfect forWatchmen, but it does a disservice to the characters featured inBatman v Superman. If you’re going to have Batman kill people, you need to then ask how is that true to what the character became? Yes, Batman killed in his earlier comics, but he left that behind, and it’s for the better because otherwise why would he let criminals like Joker live? Yes, Superman can feel distant from humanity, but then where does he get his desire to do good? This isBatman v Superman, notRorschach v Dr. Manhattan, and Snyder’s desire to re-contextualize his title characters ends up doing both of them a disservice.
The failure to depict his superheroes asheroesis the main problem inBatman v Superman, but it’s far from the only one. The plot, even in the extended cut, still doesn’t make a whole lot of sense,Jesse Eisenberg’s performance as Lex seems divorced from the rest of the movie, and everything is oppressively dark from the very beginning and almost seems to luxuriate in that darkness without ever questioning how that tone serves the overall picture. —Matt Goldberg
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
Batman is manipulated by Lex Luthor to fear Superman. Superman´s existence is meanwhile dividing the world and he is framed for murder during an international crisis. The heroes clash and force the neutral Wonder Woman to reemerge.
12Justice League
‘Justice League’ Review: Beyond Saving
There are more than a few nice moments in the superhero spectacle, but adding up to more than ‘Batman v Superman’ doesn’t make ‘Justice League’ a good movie.
Yes, it’s slightly better thanBatman v Superman, and yes, given its turbulent production, it could have been much worse. But when you look at all the potential,Justice Leagueshould have been so much better.Warner Bros. had just as much time from the start of their universe (Man of Steel) as Marvel did (Iron Man), but in four years, they couldn’t crack the formula and instead created a rush job where they tried to simply pile in a bunch of new characters and hoped that audiences would get on board, or at least interested enough that they’d go see the eventual solo movies.
Arguably the most frustrating thing aboutJustice Leagueis that the movie belongs to no one, and for such an important team-up, its only effects will likely impact Warner Bros. The superhero genre is strong and other studios are finding ways to push the envelope and go interesting places, butJustice Leagueis a film striving for basic coherence rather than anything that would make it stand apart. I understand that Warner Bros. didn’t want to be left behind, but this is a gamble that didn’t really pay off even though, as you can often say DC movies, “Maybe they’ll get it right the next time.”
Justice Leagueisn’t a total failure. Flash and Wonder Woman are good, there are glimpses of a Superman who isn’t an aloof, uncaring god-figure, and occasionally you’ll get a character beat or moment that works. But those moments are few and far between, and what remains is a slog where we have a lousy villain with basic motivations and a team with no identity. For a movie that should have been epic and possibly groundbreaking given the pedigree of the characters,Justice Leaguejust kind of exists. —Matt Goldberg
Justice League
Fueled by his restored faith in humanity and inspired by Superman’s selfless act, Bruce Wayne enlists the help of his new-found ally, Diana Prince, to face an even greater enemy.
11Wonder Woman 1984
Directed by Patty Jenkins
‘Wonder Woman 1984’ Review: I Wish This Were a Better Movie
Patty Jenkins’ sequel is a well-intentioned but sloppy punch against Trumpism.
There are things to like inWonder Woman 1984.Pedro Pascal’s Maxwell Lord is an absolute blast, andKristen Wiigacquits herself well as Barbara Minerva/Cheetah. Also, like in the first Wonder Woman, the Diana/Steve Trevor stuff fires on all cylinders asGal GadotandChris Pinehave tremendous chemistry, and 1984 provides a nice inversion by having Steve awed by the world rather than Diana like in the previous movie.
But every strength in this film is smothered under an avalanche of atrocious screenwriting. This script was not ready for filming, and the result is a muddled, confusing, and limp story where every theme gets undercut and every plot point is belabored. It isn’t the grim slog ofBatman v Supermanor the director-less franchise gruel ofSuicide SquadorJustice League, but everything intended to be fun or thoughtful inWonder Woman 1984falls flat, especially when compared to the more assured and direct original.
For a film about the dangers of excess,Wonder Woman 1984participates in that same excess without understanding the faults of its behavior.For a film about not taking shortcuts, it’s a film where characters randomly appear because a fight scene needs to happen. It makes totally unforced errors like requiring Steve to come back by taking over some random guy’s body, but doesn’t feel the need to explain how a wall can magically appear in the desert. But perhaps its greatest sin is failing to center the movie on Diana and her journey, which leads to a film that feels adrift without its endearing hero. —Matt Goldberg
Wonder Woman 1984
Diana must contend with a work colleague, and with a businessman whose desire for extreme wealth sends the world down a path of destruction, after an ancient artifact that grants wishes goes missing.
10Shazam! Fury of the Gods
Directed by David F. Sandberg
‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods’ Review: A Superhero Film Where the Hero Is the Problem
Both Shazam the hero and the film series are struggling to reach their true potential.
Look, there have clearly been worse DC movies thanShazam! Fury of the Gods, without a doubt, but I don’t know that there’s ever been a more irritating DC hero thanZachary Levi’sShazam inFury of the Gods. The character’s dialogue boils down to exhausted pop culture references and lazy jokes that don’t anywhere near Marvel’s attempt at a high-school superhero in Spider-Man.It’s a shame that the weakest part ofFury of the Godsis its title hero.
Fury of the Godsalso has the issue of having too many characters and spreading most of them too thin. From Billy Batson’s (Asher Angel) foster family, to their antagonists, the Daughters of Atlas (Helen Mirren,Lucy Liu, andRachel Zegler). Most of these characters are relegated to a single interest or purpose—many of which are left without any real purpose or resolution—instead giving time for unfortunate jokes and Skittles commercials.
And even thoughFury of the Godscan be awkwardly unfunny, and the action can be unfortunately generic, there is fun to be had here, asJack Dylan GrazerandAdam Brodyare both a lot of fun when they’re on screen, and the return ofDjimon Hounsouas the wizard Shazam is a joy.Fury of the Godsalso sets up some interesting possibilities for Shazam going forward that could put Batson on a much more compelling path. But in a world where we’re getting a new superhero movie every month or so,Fury of the Godsjust feels too bland to really stand out in this landscape. —Ross Bonaime
Shazam! Fury of the Gods
The film continues the story of teenage Billy Batson who, upon reciting the magic word “SHAZAM!” is transformed into his adult Super Hero alter ego, Shazam.
Directed by James Wan
‘Aquaman’ Review: DC Is Better Down Where It’s Wetter
James Wan’s DC Comics movie is a colorful mess, but a mess that washes over you like a tidal wave of good times.
The biggest problem withAquamanis that it’s massive without being ambitious.It would be one thing if directorJames Wanhad crammed plenty of crazy ideas into his superhero sci-fi fantasy, but the plot is painfully conventional, and the film seems desperate to steal ideas from other movies without every finding much of a personality of its own. That’s a shame becauseJason Momoais incredibly genial and charismatic, putting his own stamp on the character that makes him feel unique among superheroes.
There are the occasional fun bits like an octopus playing the drums or a giant battle with crab people, but more often than not,Aquamangoes with what’s safe and predictable, crushed under plodding exposition, clunky dialogue, and set pieces that feel desperate to keep our attention every ten minutes.Aquamanis a lot of movie, but for all of its colorful visuals, it never achieves the joy or charm it hopes to convey.
The best thing to be said about Aquaman is that all the elements are there for a better sequel. They have the right actor in Momoa, and Wan has crafted a brilliant, eye-popping world under the sea. But if the film does get a sequel, the filmmakers will need to be far more ruthless with the script (there’s no reason anAquamanmovie needs to be almost two-and-a-half hours) and go for a less staid and well-worn plot. —Matt Goldberg
Arthur Curry, the human-born heir to the underwater kingdom of Atlantis, goes on a quest to prevent a war between the worlds of ocean and land.
8Man of Steel
MAN OF STEEL Review
Man of Steel review. Matt reviews Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel starring Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Michael Shannon, Kevin Costner, and Russell Crowe.
Like withBatman v Superman, I can see kind of what Zack Snyder was going for withMan of Steel. He didn’t want to do whatRichard DonnerandBryan Singerhad done with the character, and it felt like he needed to go in a more “realistic” direction while still delivering big-screen bombast that would allow him to really throw down against a worthy opponent. So technically,Man of Steelsucceeds at what it attempts to do insofar as it tries to be more realistic with Clark’s abilities—likening them to a special needs child who must adapt—while also providing an epic fight against General Zod.
The problem is what surrounds these items. When it comes to Superman’s upbringing, it’s difficult to know how he gets his moral compass. Part of why the Superman story has worked for so long and connected with so many people isn’t just that he’s a guy with lots and lots of powers. It’s that he’s part of the heartland, and those “heartland values”, are imbued in him growing up to help people. But inMan of Steel, that runs up against Pa Kent’s belief that the world isn’t ready for Superman, and that it’s far better for Clark to hide his powers. While that’s an understandable desire for a parent, it doesn’t get us to why Superman helps people. The answer “Because he’s Superman,” doesn’t work if you’re trying to re-contextualize the character into a more “realistic” story.
The big fight against Zod also runs into a problem because while it’s neat to see Superman trading blows with someone who’s equally as powerful, there’s a lot of collateral damage. Even if you buy the excuse, “It’s his first day!”, that’s awfully careless for a guy who tells us that as a child he was taught to control his powers. So if Superman knows that he can wreck stuff if he’s really unleashed, shouldn’t he attempt to get Zod away from the city? To try and make an excuse for Superman’s actions is to ignore the obvious truth of the scene: it’s exciting to watch stuff blow up and get destroyed, but the movie didn’t think about the repercussions of these actions, so Superman looks careless.
It’s not a movie completely without merit, and I wish Snyder (or someone) had a little more time to develop Superman’s character and his place in the world before tossing him into the middle ofBatman v Supermanwhere he’s immediately tested,but we still don’t have a strong grasp on who he is as a hero.—Matt Goldberg
Man of Steel
An alien child is evacuated from his dying world and sent to Earth to live among humans. His peace is threatened when other survivors of his home planet invade Earth.
7Black Adam
Directed by Jaume Collet-Serra
‘Black Adam’ Review: Dwayne Johnson’s Murderous Antihero Is a Welcome Addition to the DCEU
Tell them the Man in Black sent you.
After over a decade of trying to bring the title character to the screen,Black Adamisn’t exactly the DCEU revolution thatDwayne Johnsonthought it would be. TheJaume Collet-Serra-directed antihero story stumbles in many of the ways that these films always have: a bland villain, plenty of MacGuffins, and an occasionally convoluted story. And yet,Black Adamallows DC to play in darker themes for the first time in a way that doesn’t feel like an odd choice for these characters and this world. By letting Johnson’s Teth-Adam embrace his murderous, rage-filled rampages, DC can have their darkness cake and eat it too.
Black Adamworks so well because of its characters. Of course, it’s nearly impossible to root against Johnson, even when he’s throwing enemies to their doom and zapping the flesh off their skeletons with his powers. ButBlack Adamalso introduces a new collection of heroes that includes Hawkman (Aldis Hodge), Doctor Fate (Pierce Brosnan), Atom Smasher (Noah Centineo), and Cyclone (Quintessa Swindell). The film’s dynamic between the attempts at wholesome superhero antics and the fury of Black Adam makes for a nice combination that works well as we get to know these new characters within this world, making us like both sides of this conflict immediately.
And while it’s not a major part ofBlack Adam, it’s hard not to appreciate how the film sets up the future of this usually overly-complicated universe, whether through bringingViola Davis' Amanda Waller andJennifer Holland’s Emilia Harcourt into the mix, or setting up a massive superhuman battle for the future.Black Adamisn’t necessarily the massive shift that the DCEU has needed for quite some time, but it does hint that the future could be fairly bright. —Ross Bonaime
Black Adam
In Black Adam, an ancient super-powered being emerges in the present day, bringing with him a unique sense of justice. As he grapples with his own nature and new-world challenges, he faces opposition from heroes and enemies alike, leading to a confrontation that could reshape paradigms of power.
‘Shazam!’ Review: A Fun and Sweet Delight When It’s Not Being Disturbingly Dark
For the most part, David F. Sandberg’s superhero movie hits the mark, but when it misses, it misses badly.
Shazam!benefits from largely knowing exactly the kind of movie it wants to be. It’sBigwith superheroes. That’s a simple enough premise, but directorDavid F. Sandberggets a lot of mileage out of it by leaning into the humor and heart of a kid who gets superpowers. The film also doesn’t shy away from the irresponsibility a teenager would have by being a superhero, and naturally young Billy Batson (Asher Angel) who transforms into the adult Shazam (Zachary Levi) when he shouts “Shazam!” has some growing up to do.
The biggest fault withShazam!largely deals with the villain, Dr. Sivana (Mark Strong). Sandberg, who has a background in horror movies, kind of overdoes it with Sivana’s villainy, missing the nuance available to the character and instead just leaning into the horrors he inflicts, especially on a hapless group of executives who are at the mercy of the supervillain and his monstrous hench creatures, the Seven Deadly Sins. In these moments, the film succumbs to a darkness that doesn’t fit with its upbeat tone.
Thankfully, these moments are few and far between, andShazam!is happy to be a joyous movie where kids get to revel in the fantasy of having superpowers while still absorbing a good message about the importance of family. There may be nothing Earth-shattering inShazam!, but it’s a fun film that invites the audience to have a good time. There’s nothing false about its upbeat attitude, and you can enjoy it as a light superhero romp. —Matt Goldberg
Billy Batson, a 14-year-old foster kid, gains the ability to transform into an adult superhero with a single magic word. With the help of his foster brother Freddy, Billy explores his new powers and learns what it means to be a hero. As he faces off against the villainous Dr. Thaddeus Sivana, Billy must master his abilities to save his family and the city from impending doom.
5The Flash
Directed by Andy Muschietti
‘The Flash’ Review: DC Makes a Solid Multiverse Film but a Poor Time Travel Story
Andy Muschietti finally brings the lightning-fast superhero to the big screen in his own adventure, with mixed results.
After decades in development, several delays, and shifting creating teams, Barry Allen’s (Ezra Miller) solo cinematic adventure mostly brings to life the promise of the highly-ambitiousFlashpointcomic storyline. DirectorAndy Muschiettiheads into this multiverse of madness with playfulness and plenty of fan service, from the return ofMichael Keatonas Batman, to some truly shocking cameos in the final act. DC has never quite played with its long cinematic history in this way, and it’s quite a bit of fun watching them embrace the possibilities and many different iterations of this world that have existed over the decades. However, the final act ofTheFlashis where the film begins to lose the point, as the film attempts to have its character learn a major lesson, while then having the character forget this again for the sake of more fan service and potentially setting up future installments.The Flashdoes end Allen’s first solo film with promise, but at the sake of hurting the overall narrative.—Ross Bonaime
Barry Allen uses his super speed to change the past, but his attempt to save his family creates a world without super heroes, forcing him to race for his life to save the future.
