Martin Scorsese Only Liked One Superhero Movie Of Them All
One superhero movie that managed to win Martin Scorsese’s heart.
Martin Scorsese is no doubt one of the biggest names in the film industry. We all know him for his amazing directing skills and his strong opinions. One topic that has caused quite a stir is his criticism of superhero movies.
Scorsese has been publicly criticizing mega-blockbuster movies, including the Marvel franchise. He's been saying that the huge franchises with crazy budgets are hogging the spotlight in Hollywood and making it harder for up-and-coming filmmakers to catch a break.
Scorsese’s opinion about the superhero genre is very similar to the one Quentin Tarantino has. In a 2019 interview with Empire Magazine, Scorsese straight-up said that the MCU movies are not even real cinema.
However, there's one superhero movie Scorsese publicly complimented. In a documentary called A Decade Under the Influence, way back in 2003, Scorsese admitted to enjoying Sam Raimi 's Spider-Man films.
In this interview, Scorsese said “Spider-Man films — Sam Raimi’s films I like actually. And I’m really glad that was a big success. But it widens the gap.”
Scorsese's appreciation for the Spider-Man films tells us that he does recognize the talent and creativity involved in making some superhero blockbusters. He gives credit where it's due and understands the joy they bring to audiences.
What made Scorsese admire Raimi’s Spider-Man is probably the same things that attracted both viewers and critics, — the heart and soul poured into this project. While Spider-Man is indeed a superhero movie, these films (at least the first two of them) explore a number of deep themes.
While Scorsese probably liked the editing, the use of practical effects, and relatable characters in Raimi’s films, his comment about "widening the gap" is basically expressing the same opinion that the rise of superhero blockbusters has shifted the industry's focus away.
In his eyes, this shift from thought-provoking themes makes it harder for filmmakers to create movies with substance and meaning.
Sam Raimi hasn’t publicly addressed Scorsese’s comments on his films and the superhero genre as a whole. But Raimi makes it clear that he is still up to working in this genre, as he directed one of the MCU’s movies, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, released last year.
Source: Empire Magazine