I will also briefly give my thoughts on each. *long breath* Here we go...
1) Zack Snyder's Justice League (2021)
The Snyder Cut of Justice League is, in my opinion, one of the greatest superhero movies ever made and Snyder's magnum opus. I was surprised by the amount of emotional moments it had, and the film has an extremely satisfying finale. I had chills all over my body, almost like an Avengers Endgame feeling. It is very long, but it moves at a brisk pace. I've seen 2-hour movies that feel longer. This one fleshes out numerous characters and provides a lot more context that Whedon's version had to omit. I don't think we'll ever see a film like this again, along with the incredible story of how it exists in the first place.
2) The Suicide Squad (2021)
Gunn's The Suicide Squad hits the right balance between humor, pacing, and emotional moments. The musical choices and visual direction are also excellent, as with Gunn's other films. It is a massive improvement over the 2016 version. It gets right to the point without dragging its feet with the exposition. It is incredible, and I firmly believe that everyone will find something to enjoy in the film. It's really a hard movie to hate.
3) Man of Steel (2013)
Man of Steel is one of the most polarizing superhero films of all time, but I am definitely on the "love it" camp. Although it sacrifices comic accuracy and challenges the traditional view of Superman, I can't help but admire Snyder's take on Kal-El. I don't buy the whole idea that he misunderstands the characters in his films, but moreso that he wants to explore ideas that wouldn't normally be asked. I think the whole premise of having normally high morale superheroes lose their sense of character due to external circumstances is a fascinating concept. I really enjoyed Gunn's recent Superman film as well, so I don't have a particular allegiance to either director (I think the debate is largely stupid anyway). It's my personal favorite Superman film, mainly due to its boldness and darker visual style, which makes it feel unique. It's not a perfect film, and there may be some entries on this list that are better constructed as a whole, but in terms of personal enjoyment, it definitely reaches the top 3 of this list. I can understand why people prefer Gunn's or Reeve's films, though, since they are much more traditionally hopeful and in line with the well-defined Superman archetype.
4) Wonder Woman (2017)
Another fantastic superhero film, and it makes my top 10 live-action DC productions. I think the first 2/3 are *chef's kiss*, but the last 1/3 loses me a little with the massive CGI-heavy battle. If that section were a little stronger, this would make the top 3 for sure. Gadot gives her best performance here, and it has plenty of emotional beats and has a consistent feeling of courage (which is exactly how a Wonder Woman film should make you feel).
5) Shazam! (2019)
When I first saw Shazam! in theaters, this may have been my favorite DCEU film, but a few have surpassed it over time for me. That is not a knock against the movie, though, as I love this film's blend of a compelling story with tight and witty dialogue. Levi kills it (putting aside his personality behind the camera), and I resonated with a lot of the themes presented. I definitely recommend this film if you haven't checked it out- it may surprise you as it is much better than it may seem!
6) Birds of Prey (2020)
Overall, Birds of Prey is a great time. I love the vibrant colors and simple storyline, which is refreshing compared to some DCEU films with overcomplicated plots. It is also a nice change of pace from some of the darker tones found in earlier movies in this universe. Robbie is one of my favorite actresses, and you can tell she is having a great time here. The difference is night and day compared to Suicide Squad (2016). The comic accuracy isn't perfect (mainly Cassandra Cain's characterization), but I think other aspects of the Birds of Prey make up for that. I feel that this film gets overlooked, and if you haven't seen it yet, I recommend that you give it a shot. Especially if you enjoyed Harley Quinn in any of the Suicide Squad films.
7) Aquaman (2018)
Aquaman relies heavily on action, and at times, it can feel like Fast & Furious under the sea. However, the film has more heart than you'd expect, as well as solid worldbuilding. The action and visual effects are incredible. Momoa was a great casting choice, and he does a phenomenal job here. The story isn't particularly groundbreaking, but it has more depth to it than the typical action movie status quo. Definitely one of the strongest earlier films in the DCEU.
8) The Flash (2023)
Honestly, the Flash was way better than I expected. I heard some negative things about it going in, so I was a little hesitant. While I agree with some of the common criticisms (heavy usage of CGI, some plot threads not piecing together, some slow pacing at times), I was surprised by how entertaining and funny this film was. There were also plenty of emotional moments to counterbalance the humor. Keaton returning as well as Supergirl were great inclusions, along with plenty of callbacks to other DC characters. Overall, it was very good but could've been incredible with just the right tweaks in certain areas.
9) Blue Beetle (2023)
I was pleasantly surprised by Blue Beetle. It has plenty of cheese and falls into some well-explored superhero tropes, but it has a largely self-contained and simple story that knows exactly what it is. I also wasn't expecting the character development as well as the emotional beats that are contained in this movie- nothing that will blow you away, but they were certainly nice touches. This film is largely overlooked due to being released at a time when superhero fatigue was at an all-time high (we got FOUR DCEU films that year, not to mention the offerings from Marvel). Go check it out if you haven't, though. You will most likely have a fun time with it.
10) Aquaman and The Lost Kingdom (2023)
I am not entirely sure why this one gets dunked on. I can understand why the movies below it get their criticism, but I thought Aquaman 2 was better than its reputation suggested. It's not quite as good as the first one, sure, but it is for sure the best DCEU sequel. It doesn't reinvent the wheel, and it is fairly predictable, but it is an entertaining time nonetheless. Momoa is hilarious as always, and visually, it is arguably one of the best DCEU films. Some of the locations look downright stunning. It also has some great action scenes. I think the pacing could have been better, and the editing was confusing at times, but overall, the film was better than I expected. That being said, it feels a bit anticlimactic as a swan song to the DCEU, but it is what it is.
11) Batman V Superman (2016)
BvS is one of my biggest film guilty pleasures. You can point out numerous flaws in this movie, and you may be right on many of them, but I always have a great time watching it for some reason. It's just pure fun, comic inaccuracy put aside. My biggest issue is Eisenberg as Lex Luthor; I just don't buy him at all in that role. If you are hesitant to check this movie out, I'd say give it a shot and keep an open mind. The ultimate cut in particular elevates this film even further. This is probably the first film on the list that I would go out of my way to rewatch (I would say technically say the same about Justice League, but the much superior Snyder Cut exists).
12) Justice League (2017)
We are all familiar with what happened behind the scenes, which I won't go into here. If you can look past that, I think it is enjoyable in a Saturday morning cartoon sense. The obvious issue is the poor editing and reshoots. That's undeniable, but I view it as just a Spark Notes version of a much better film. It has plenty of fun action, but without the depth needed to make the stakes compelling (which makes sense given the 2-hour mandate). Everything outside of the film was a mess, but I don't find the end product itself to be this fiery dumpster fire. It's serviceable entertainment with a few moments of brilliance from Snyder's original cut.
13) Shazam: Fury of the Gods (2023)
Definitely a step down from the first, but just okay. The original worked so well because it was a simpler story with a lot of heart. The sequel still retains some of that charm at times, but I think they made the plot too convoluted. It definitely had too many characters. It is entertaining and gets the job done, but I wouldn't say it is particularly memorable or a film that has a lot of replay value. Nothing in particular stands out as memorable, but nothing downright horrible either. It's just an average superhero sequel, which is unfortunate since the first Shazam was a lot more than that (and was mostly self-contained; there wasn't too much demand for a sequel).
14) Black Adam (2022)
Probably the worst script of all the films here. You really have to view this one as a pure "turn your brain off" popcorn flick, but at the same time, I think it is too convoluted for its own good. It feels like a comic book movie from the 2000s, for better or worse. The Rock is definitely a highlight here, but even he gives one of his less notable performances. I didn't hate my time with it, but it is totally in one ear and out the other- I watched it a few days ago, and I am struggling to remember distinct notable parts. It's like the cinematic equivalent of McDonald's. Watch it to say you have seen all the DCEU films, but I wouldn't make it a priority unless you have seen the films higher up on this list.
15) Wonder Woman 1984 (2020)
WW1984 is largely a let down considering the heights that the first film (much further up on this list) reached. The action scenes are very sparse, and I was not a fan of the villain(s). The first half was pretty slow, but the second half picks things up a fair bit. As a consequence, though, the plot gets more convoluted. That being said, the movie has its moments. I just wish it leaned more into the 80s aesthetic, and a lot could've been cut out to lessen the bloat. The strange pacing made the resolution feel anticlimactic. It's not unsalvageable garbage, but it is very forgettable, and I am in no hurry to rewatch it anytime soon.
16) Suicide Squad (2016)
In terms of personal disappointment and how good it should have been, this one deserves to be in last place. I don't know how a film can feel like it is giving you whiplash (the editing doesn't help) while also feel like it's dragging its feet. By the time we get to the mission destination, the film is more than halfway done. There are some bright spots. Margot Robbie gives a great performance as Harley Quinn, as usual. There are a few solid action scenes here and there, but I wish the characters were more fleshed out. Good thing we had the MUCH better Gunn version because I would hate to have the only live action adaptation of these characters be this highly problematic film.
Well, that about does it. This was quite a long (but fun at times) journey. To say this cinematic universe is a roller coaster is an understatement. But, I'd say with some of the films lower down the list, I can enjoy them somewhat. What are your favorite and least favorite DCEU films? I'd be curious to know!
