Parenting
By Alex Grayson
Updated: November 24, 2020
Originally Published: March 27, 2016
(Image via Shutterstock)
Superhero films today seem to have shifted far from their family-friendly roots. Recently, I had the rare chance to enjoy a movie night, and thanks to my parents, we didn’t need a babysitter! However, taking our kids along was out of the question. Although Batman and Superman were once beloved characters for children, the latest superhero flicks are often unsuitable for young audiences. In fact, finding a superhero movie appropriate for kids has become increasingly challenging.
Take “Batman v Superman,” for instance. The film opens with intense scenes reminiscent of 9/11, features Batman wielding a machine gun, and presents him in a long trench coat that evokes unsettling imagery. Not to mention, the characters engage in adult language and themes. Superman is depicted as conflicted and uncertain, while the storyline takes some dark turns that are hardly suitable for children.
These characters were part of my childhood, yet the narratives crafted around them are decidedly aimed at adults.
It’s one thing to adapt Batman’s complex persona into serious dramas with societal commentary—after all, his lack of superpowers allows for a more relatable storyline. But turning him into a dark, brooding figure feels out of place when he’s sharing the screen with fantastical beings. It raises the question: where did the kid-friendly superhero movies go?
As a lifelong fan of superheroes, I appreciate their evolution and recognize that as we mature, our storytelling can also deepen. Nevertheless, this shift should not come at the expense of our children. Even Marvel films, which manage to balance stakes without excessive darkness, often pit heroes against each other. What happened to celebrating the heroism of characters like Superman?
In my youth, the Christopher Reeve films were the gold standard for comic adaptations. “Superman” and “Superman II” are thrilling without being overly serious, providing excitement without grimness. It’s fine to explore Batman’s darker side, but let’s not overshadow Superman’s legacy. He embodies hope and strength, and while we may lose some of that brightness as adults, our children deserve to see him as he was intended: a beacon of heroism.
This new portrayal of Superman, alongside the more serious tones of recent superhero films, simply doesn’t resonate with the innocence of childhood. Consequently, my children won’t be watching the latest superhero films anytime soon, which is truly unfortunate.
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Summary:
Superhero movies have evolved into darker narratives that often exclude younger viewers, leaving parents questioning where the kid-friendly adaptations have gone. With iconic characters like Superman now depicted in a serious light, many families are left to seek out alternatives that resonate with their children’s innocence.