A new trailer for Superhero Face Punch debuted on Jimmy Kimmel last night—that’s Marvel’s backyard but Kimmel and Ben Affleck are pals—and for the first time, I am totally on board with this movie. It looks RIDICULOUS, like the grimdark, “no jokes”, moody-broody DC hero treatment has come all the way around to straight up camp and I am 100% into that. If this ends up being the 300 of superhero movies—i.e., awesome action and visuals combined with blatant homoerotic overtones that will sexually confuse all the fist-pumping bros just there to see a throw down—I will be so happy. This trailer is pure fromage and it should fill you with joy.
The unintentional comedy is off the charts. Check the music cue after the guy says, “That is Bruce Wayne.” Come on! That’s soap opera levels of cheese! And everything about Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor is pure camp villainy. I know he’s a dick and we all hate him now, but it really feels like Eisenberg is the only person who understood that this movie is ludicrous and adjusted his performance accordingly. (Sidebar: I get that Lex Luthor and Bruce Wayne know each other, but why on EARTH would Lex Luthor know who Clark Kent is?)
Oh don’t get me wrong—it’s a terrible trailer. It gives away practically the entire movie, including confirming that the real villain is Doomsday (the big monster with laser eyes) and that Batman and Superman are only fighting because Lex Luthor conned them into it. It also shows Luthor doing weird sh*t to Zod’s body and his villain machine built out of parts of the world engine from Man of Steel, and if you thought that movie featured over the top destruction, here are still more city blocks completely vaporized for your viewing pleasure.
I love Batfleck’s little smile after Clark asks about the “bat vigilante”, but I hate that he has another dumb Batman voice. It’s like they’re doubling down on everything people (rightfully) complained about in the previous DC movies—the dumb Batman voice, the reckless property destruction, the completely joyless portrayal of Superman. I don’t think Superman smiles once in this movie. Batman can be miserable all day long, he’s an asshole. But Superman is supposed to be the uplifting one that inspires you, and there is nothing inspirational about this Superman. He’s a bigger asshole than Batman.
Then there is Wonder Woman. We still aren’t seeing Gal Gadot act—or actually do anything—but she at least looks hella cool. Except for her weirdly tiny skirt, which I hate almost as much as the dumb Batman voice. Also, when Henry Cavill’s hair is slicked back in Superman mode, all I can see is his struggle hairline, and we’re right back to unintentional comedy.
After the first trailer came out, I thought about revoking this movie’s honorary title because it looked too dour and grim for a fun title like “Superhero Face Punch”. But no, it’s earned the honorary title. Superhero Face Punch looks goofy as f*ck.
