JP Jones said:
You can't deny that the newer Batman, Bond, Spider-Man, Superman, and Apes movies are more realistic, mature, serious, whatever. Tell me why or get the Hell out.
I am not in denial about that. But what separates us is that I don't think it ruins those properties.
I suspect part of this is because you think being dark, moody and gritty means a movie
can't still be entertaining or gripping. It almost sounds like you equate 'dark and gritty' with a complete borefest. Which really is not true, and is like reverse-snobbishness.
Example: The Daniel Craig Bond films are treated as actual real-life espionage thrillers, and have a Bond more faithful to the books by Ian Fleming, where he was quite a cold, nasty thug. And yet, they have thrilling action, excellent acting and are a really good character study of Bond. But it sounds like anything less than the outlandish, campy Bond of yesteryear is 'not fun' to you, when part of the reason these new Bonds are so well liked is because it treats the material seriously, not as a big joke like the Moore films did.
Hell, even the Connery Bonds, while slick and fun spy movies for their time, would be hard to pull off nowadays in this age where feminism has a massive presence in media and there is lots of controversy over government actions concerning spying. Craig's Bond speaks to the current generation, that would never allow James Bond to prosper unless if he were treated as what he is: a messed-up human being who's not nice at all, but is forced by circumstance to be a hero.
That is compelling drama, and keeps him relevant. But...hey, its dark and gritty, so its boring and an affront to 'fun' cinema, right?
Has it occurred to you that moviegoers just aren't innocent anymore? Its like bemoaning grown adults no longer embracing the story of Santa Clause, and their desire for more mature, serious, dark storytelling is some awful loss of respect for good ol' childlike wonder. Apply that to this argument, and hopefully you'll see why its not fair to act like more serious, dramatic takes on stories is a sign that people all have sticks up their behinds.
And again, I remind you that the Marvel superhero films try to be fairly fun and light-hearted romps...and currently rule the box office and hearts of most moviegoers. Just because Captain America 2 did the awful crime of doing a genre shift into political thriller doesn't suddenly mean Marvel's now becoming dark and 'boring.' Guardians proves that wrong like crazy.
And you seriously think Dawn of the Planet of the Apes would have benefited from a lighter tone and more 'fun'? Its being praised precisely because its done as a spectacular tragedy with exceptional execution. Because it treats it seriously. Because it actually tries to treat the material with the same gravity as an Oscar-worthy drama. Is that not something to be excited about, that the stigmas around genres are being torn down and allowing for higher-quality movies made about the subjects? Sheesh.