Things We Saw Today: Screen Junkies Takes on the DCEU in Their 400th Honest Trailer

Few franchises can withstand the test of time without aging poorly or becoming irrelevant. Thankfully, Screen Junkies’ Honest Trailers never has to worry about that, because few things are more enduring than talking smack about movies and television. The indefatigable team behind Honest Trailers just dropped their 400th trailer (were we ever so young?), where they take on the unwieldy behemoth that is the DC extended universe.

Of course, HT has already delved into the individual films, but this time they take on the epic mess that Warner Bros. has made of the most iconic heroes of DC Comics. In the 8-minute video, they unpack nearly a decade of DCEU drama that touches on the studio’s longstanding issues with its directors and actors (hello Ray Fisher), the wild tonal shifts of the universe, and the DCEU’s penchant for post-credits scenes that go nowhere. After all, as the trailer notes, when the closest thing you’ve got to a Kevin Feige is Steven Mnuchin, you know you’re in trouble.

The trailer sums up the Justice League as follows: “Superman doesn’t want to save people, Batman is a murderer, Wonder Woman is an incel, and Harley Quinn takes 3 movies to break up with Joker who looks like my coke dealer!” The trailer continues, comparing the MCU’s “boring, reliable B student” to the DCEU’s “chaotic goth nerd who never lived up to his potential,” aka the aptest description for the DCEU I’ve ever read.

Because let’s be honest, while the DCEU gave us some solid films (Wonder Woman, Birds of Prey), it’s largely defined by its grim aesthetic, its sad heroes, and its convoluted plot devices. The trailer divides the protagonists into 3 categories: naïve fish out of water (Shazam, literally Aquaman, Superman), angst-fueled warrior made out of sadness (Cyborg, Wonder Woman, Batman), and quippy jokester stuck with Joss Whedon’s B material (Harley Quinn, The Flash). It also smartly categorizes the villains as fussy (Lex Luthor, Roman Sionis), faceless goons (parademons), and an angry lump of CGI (literally every big bad in every DCEU film). Throw in a mother box full of MacGuffins and throw out colors that aren’t black white and grey, and you’ve got most of the DCEU.

There’s so much to like about this DCEU takedown, which perfectly embodies everything we love about Honest Trailers: strong editing, killer snark, and insightful pop culture analysis. Here’s to 400 more Honest Trailers.

(image: screencap/Screen Junkies)

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• This thread fancasting the faculty/staff of a magical HBCU is A+++. (via Twitter)
• Journalist Emily Wilder gives a statement on being fired by the Associated Press:

• That J.J. Abrams Portal movie is still a thing that is happening. (via Dark Horizons)
• Many tech companies failed to follow through on their commitment to diversity and racial equity after the murder of George Floyd. (via Fast Company)
• Silicon Valley is researching anti-aging treatments to extend the life of dogs (yay!) in the hopes to apply that knowledge to humans (meh). (via Bloomberg)
• Huh, the kids really are alright:

Hope you’re having a swell Tuesday, Mary Suevians!

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Chelsea Steiner

Chelsea was born and raised in New Orleans, which explains her affinity for cheesy grits and Britney Spears. An pop culture journalist since 2012, her work has appeared on Autostraddle, AfterEllen, and more. Her beats include queer popular culture, film, television, republican clownery, and the unwavering belief that 'The Long Kiss Goodnight' is the greatest movie ever made. She currently resides in sunny Los Angeles, with her husband, 2 sons, and one poorly behaved rescue dog. She is a former roller derby girl and a black belt in Judo, so she is not to be trifled with. She loves the word “Jewess” and wishes more people used it to describe her.

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