10 Ways Suicide Squad Shows The DCEU Is Irreversibly F*cked
6. The "Fan/Critic" Debate Is Their Go-To
Clearly Warner Bros. haven't handled the DCEU in the best way, but they've not been totally inept; their stoking of the fan/critic divide is nothing short of diabolical genius.
You see, all those "it's for the fans, not the critics" defences originated from the studio, with everyone involved in Batman V Superman making the claim, some even before the reviews hit; Henry Cavill was the most polished, but Zack Snyder and even Amy Adams and Ben Affleck got in on the act. It's nasty, undermining a key part of cinema culture, but damn if it hasn't worked. DC fanboys have taken it as a point of praise, defending Dawn Of Justice with more dedication than they could have ever mustered otherwise.
And the line was brought back out for Suicide Squad. By now it's seeped into the cultural vernacular, so would happen in the face of negative reviews anyway, but the cast and director were all quick to decry critics in a manner than has to have been studio mandated.
What this means is that, along with the usual posters, trailers and junkets, sh*tting all over reviews has become an essential part of the release for an DCEU movie. And that's only going exacerbate things further, creating a bubble free from criticism.