Ranking the DCEU So Far

Hey friends! With Justice League now in theaters, it’s safe to say the DCEU has kicked into high gear. Today I’ll share with you my rankings for the 5 films that have been part of DC’s Extended Universe thus far – and yes, this list includes Justice League! So without further ado, let’s get started with… 

#5: Suicide Squad 

This movie was a huge disappointment. I remember liking it okay the first time I saw it, and then I realized how much of a hot mess the movie was upon rewatch. The marketing, which featured Sweet’s “Ballroom Blitz” and Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” was on point, but the film itself was not. While Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn and Will Smith’s Deadshot were standouts, Cara Delevingne was laughably bad as the movie’s main antagonist, Enchantress, and the soundtrack, while featuring some great tunes, was very distracting. This movie is for Hot Topic customers, not fans of these DC villains, some of which you completely forget were in the film because they make so little of an impact here (looking at you, Katana).

#4: Justice League 

It may be a bit of a bummer that the ultimate DC movie up to this point, Justice League is second-to-last on my list. And quite honestly, it kinda is a bummer. But I did like Justice League a lot. I had some issues with it such as a rushed first act, a weak villain, and some poor CGI, but it was also a really good time. I had been waiting my entire life to see the Justice League come together in live action on the big screen, and this movie made my dream come true, so I can’t hate it too much. 

#3: Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (Ultimate Edition)

If I were to place the theatrical cut of BvS on this list supposed to the Ultimate Edition, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice would probably sit at #4 on my list. But the extra half hour of the Ultimate Edition really elevates the movie for me. The theatrical cut’s main issue was that it was poorly edited, but the “Director’s Cut” was able to make the movie a lot more coherent (at least for the most part) in my eyes, simply by extending a couple of scenes. BvS‘ main selling point was seeing Batman and Superman fight one another, and while brief, the fight did not disappoint. Ben Affleck’s Batman is super intimidating, and I love it. And I believe the infamous “Martha” scene is one of the most misunderstood scenes in cinema history. It’s actually brilliant, so miss me with your memes. 

#2: Wonder Woman

Though I liked 2/3 of the installments in the DCEU prior to Wonder Woman, the majority of critics weren’t fans of any of the 3. That changed though, as Wonder Woman was a triumph critically, as it earned a (pun intended) wonderful 92% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Director Patty Jenkins was able to craft an origin story that was equal parts exhilarating and inspiring. It was so nice to see Gal Gadot skeptics come around on her portrayal of Diana Prince after this film. And if that No Man’s Land sequence didn’t give you goosebumps… 

#1: Man of Steel

Man of Steel kickstarted the DCEU very divisively. While some loved Zack Snyder’s more-humanistic portrayal of Superman, others weren’t fond of the film’s destruction-filled conclusion that climaxed with Supes snapping Zod’s neck. If you haven’t already guessed, I sat on the former end of the spectrum. This was a superhero story grounded in reality. It showed us what our world would look like if a god was living in it. Superman’s first flight is an all-timer. I mean, that score. So awesome.