6 Lessons We Learned From 2016’s Superhero Movies

1) Focus On The Story

Ultimately, what we most want what from a superhero movie – just like any movie – is for it to have a good, solid story. On too many occasions, comic book films are clearly rushed out to make some cash without a good enough story to support it. Either that, or they start with good intentions, and then things get thrown at the movie as it goes along and, by the end, it’s a bloated mess.

Suicide Squad is the chief example of this from 2016. Director David Ayer reportedly wrote the script in just six weeks – and it really shows. As we’ve already said, the villain was poor, the character’s motivations were sketchy at best and their development was pretty much non-existent. Batman v Superman, on the other hand, had a strong basis in its Dark Knight Returns-esque battle between Bats and Supes. Along the way, though, it had the weight of carrying a newly-minted franchise put on its back which left it unfocused and flabby.

That’s not to pick on DC, however, as even Fox’s Deadpool relied on a pretty standard superhero origins story format. The same goes for Doctor Strange, beneath its additional elements of magic and mysticism. Civil War, meanwhile, probably has the easiest ride of it – as we already care about its characters and were immediately emotionally plugged into the conflict between Tony and Steve. Still, it served up a thrilling story of friendships breaking down and heroes turning into fugitives all on its own.

Yes, we love to see great visual effects and awesome fight scenes, but first and foremost audiences want an engaging story. The quicker movie studios remember that, the better.