Rather than risk derailing individual threads why not discuss this specific issue separately?
For comic based movies of the contemporary era there is a tendency to reinvent what we've long accepted as familiar. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. The look of Nolan's Batman costume works for their approach, but it's quite divergent from the familiar. With Batman still being essentially normal and not super powered the rubberized and over detailed body suit doesn't look right to me as the ideal way Batman could look---it's just overdone. The previous Batman live-action films had the same problem. To me the character just looks weighed down and as such doesn't look like he could make the seemingly effortless ninja like moves Batman makes. These comic films are somewhat SF or sci-fi and so why not a suit that looks deceptively simple yet is made of advanced materials?
Nolan's Joker look worked for me because it was contextual withe everything else. On the flip side I thought Raimi's look for the Green Goblin was overdone. I liked Raimi's take on Spidey's suit, but you did have to overlook the thought of how a cash strapped guy like Peter Parker could afford such an elaborately fashioned suit. And after it gets damaged he somehow manages to replace it or get it flawlessly repaired.
Iron Man's suit worked because of the thinking leading up to it onscreen. It's supposed to be an unmistakable high tech suit of armor. And Tony Stark (like Bruce Wayne) has the financial means to develop what he wants or needs.
Captain America's WW2 suits worked because they were visually grounded in the era and because Steve Rogers is physically beyond the human norm. His early promotional suit played homage (in a comical way) to the simplicity of the comics while his actual combat suit looked credible enough to work for someone with far beyond normal strength. I found his helmet/mask interesting because it didn't look much different from early flying head gear. We'll have to wait and see how his modern era suit will look and work onscreen.
I haven't yet seen Thor or Green Lantern and so I can't really comment much on those. But I can say I disliked the thinking behind how GL's suit was depicted and the sequences I have seen of it don't look right to me.
Superman's costume has evolved over the years, but for the longest time it was pretty straightforward. I think for Superman it really comes down to the actor wearing the costume. It's a matter of presence, quiet dignity and confidence. George Reeves and Christopher Reeve had it and made it work. The darker tones and embellished "S" couldn't help Brandon Routh just as Dean Cain always looked self-conscious in costume. The jury is still out (for another two years!) on Henry Cavill, but I can't say I care for what I see so far. I don't think the rubbery or plasticky and over textured suit with raised/embossed chest shield works at this point. And if it also doesn't have the red briefs to visually break up all that blue then it will be a fail for me.
I think much the same thinking applies to Wonder Woman. A lot of it has to do with the actress and how she "wears" the role.
I'm sure there are examples and characters I'm overlooking (including villains), but at least this can get the conversation going.
For comic based movies of the contemporary era there is a tendency to reinvent what we've long accepted as familiar. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. The look of Nolan's Batman costume works for their approach, but it's quite divergent from the familiar. With Batman still being essentially normal and not super powered the rubberized and over detailed body suit doesn't look right to me as the ideal way Batman could look---it's just overdone. The previous Batman live-action films had the same problem. To me the character just looks weighed down and as such doesn't look like he could make the seemingly effortless ninja like moves Batman makes. These comic films are somewhat SF or sci-fi and so why not a suit that looks deceptively simple yet is made of advanced materials?
Nolan's Joker look worked for me because it was contextual withe everything else. On the flip side I thought Raimi's look for the Green Goblin was overdone. I liked Raimi's take on Spidey's suit, but you did have to overlook the thought of how a cash strapped guy like Peter Parker could afford such an elaborately fashioned suit. And after it gets damaged he somehow manages to replace it or get it flawlessly repaired.
Iron Man's suit worked because of the thinking leading up to it onscreen. It's supposed to be an unmistakable high tech suit of armor. And Tony Stark (like Bruce Wayne) has the financial means to develop what he wants or needs.
Captain America's WW2 suits worked because they were visually grounded in the era and because Steve Rogers is physically beyond the human norm. His early promotional suit played homage (in a comical way) to the simplicity of the comics while his actual combat suit looked credible enough to work for someone with far beyond normal strength. I found his helmet/mask interesting because it didn't look much different from early flying head gear. We'll have to wait and see how his modern era suit will look and work onscreen.
I haven't yet seen Thor or Green Lantern and so I can't really comment much on those. But I can say I disliked the thinking behind how GL's suit was depicted and the sequences I have seen of it don't look right to me.
Superman's costume has evolved over the years, but for the longest time it was pretty straightforward. I think for Superman it really comes down to the actor wearing the costume. It's a matter of presence, quiet dignity and confidence. George Reeves and Christopher Reeve had it and made it work. The darker tones and embellished "S" couldn't help Brandon Routh just as Dean Cain always looked self-conscious in costume. The jury is still out (for another two years!) on Henry Cavill, but I can't say I care for what I see so far. I don't think the rubbery or plasticky and over textured suit with raised/embossed chest shield works at this point. And if it also doesn't have the red briefs to visually break up all that blue then it will be a fail for me.
I think much the same thinking applies to Wonder Woman. A lot of it has to do with the actress and how she "wears" the role.
I'm sure there are examples and characters I'm overlooking (including villains), but at least this can get the conversation going.
