The WORST Scene In Every DCEU Movie
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VOICE OVER: Rudolph Strong
WRITTEN BY: Saim Cheeda
If only we could pretend these hadn't happened. Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're taking a look at scenes from each DC Extended Universe film that made us cringe hard. We may mention crucial plot points, so this is your spoiler warning. Our countdown includes scenes from movies “Justice League”, “Birds of Prey”, “Black Adam” and more!
Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re taking a look at scenes from each DC Extended Universe film that made us cringe hard. We may mention crucial plot points, so this is your spoiler warning. Which DCEU scene made you roll your eyes? Let us know in the comments.
The inaugural DCEU epic took a lot of risks with a revisionist Superman origin. Audiences were mixed on "Man of Steel"'s lumbering character drama, but especially polarized by its action-packed climax. The last Kryptonians do battle from Smallville to Metropolis, leaving an apocalyptic path of destruction. Superman didn't seem to think about protecting civilians. His brutal method of killing Zod also stretched the limits of his morals, yet he still wins a poorly timed kiss from Lois Lane after the carnage. The suggestion that everything worked out afterward was a disturbing departure from the rest of the movie's relative realism. The controversy surrounding this reckless spectacle was answered in "Batman v Superman," which focused on the complicated aftermath of this Black Zero Event. Nonetheless, such horrific collateral damage set an unsettling tone for a less idealized Superman.
It’s been said that the DCEU’s so-called Snyderverse takes itself way too seriously, and often clumsily. Even canonical coincidences are treated as sweeping opera. When "Batman v Superman" finally gets to its namesake, the showdown abruptly ends when Superman begs Batman to rescue his kidnapped mother Martha. This triggers Bruce Wayne's guilt over the murder of his own mother, also named Martha, and humanizes his enemy. This revelation is effective in theory. But contrary to Batman's philosophy, not everything makes sense if you force it to. Superman actually referring to his mom by name and the cheesy montage of Bruce's childhood trauma emphasize the cop-out. This moment may be the summation of everything wrong with the Snyderverse. It’s clearly as memorable as any DCEU misfire.
Zack Snyder’s isn’t the only divisive director signature in the DCEU. Urban crime auteur David Ayer had the daunting task of introducing everyone’s favorite Gotham villain in 2016’s “Suicide Squad.” A nightclub scene establishes the Joker as an unhinged gangbanger, with slicked-back hair, a silver grill, and lots of tattoos. Sure, the clown’s mythos is frequently subject to reboot. But this was considered one of the most misguided overreaches in the DCEU’s brand experimentation. It even became a blight on Jared Leto’s distinguished acting career. He got a chance at redemption with a dream sequence in “Zack Snyder’s Justice League,” albeit as a more pretentious Joker. It’s still considered better than the inked-up and wiry version that the DCEU still struggles to walk back.
The DCEU practically popularized the term “villain problem.” Even the largely acclaimed "Wonder Woman" was criticized for its bland baddies. Fans were particularly disappointed in Ares, the Greek god of war supposedly responsible for World War I. British diplomat Sir Patrick is revealed to actually be Ares in a generic villain speech, before being killed off in a flashy action sequence. Viewers felt this was an uninspired climax and a frustratingly brief tenure for one of Wonder Woman's biggest nemeses. Never mind that it affirmed her problematic theory that one of the great tragedies of human history was a supervillain conspiracy. This just goes to show that even when a DC movie does most everything else right, it tends to fumble on its villains.
After director Zack Snyder left “Justice League” over a family tragedy, Joss Whedon came on to head up post-production. This infamous debacle is displayed in the finished product’s new prologue. Because Henry Cavill had grown a mustache for another role when he was called in for reshoots, Superman's clean shave had to be restored with CG. Limited editing time and an extreme close-up made the effect glaringly obvious. Superman's fuzzy lip became a massive meme, symbolizing the folly of Whedon’s “Justice League” from its very first shot. Several years later, Snyder answered the outrage with an extensive re-edit of the film, now widely considered the definitive cut. His footage may not have had facial hair to work around, but Superman's lip still haunts the DCEU.
The first “Aquaman” movie obliterated the box office, grossing over $1.1 billion worldwide. But even this crowd-pleaser has a scene that’s as cheesy as they come. The villainous Orm sends a tsunami to the surface as part of his plan to become Ocean Master. While that sounds promising, the execution of the scene leaves a lot to be desired. We see Arthur searching for his father under the water, but instead of being tense and chaotic, the scene seems messy and overloaded with CGI. The scene also introduces Mera and her powers, but feels too conveniently placed for her to save the day. Superhero movies require a suspension of disbelief, but this might have been pushing it too far.
Heroes like Batman and Superman took something of a backseat in the DCEU after 2017’s “Justice League” came up short at the box office. The Shazam solo movie was generally well-received by audiences. Still, there was a significant flub that disappointed many. The film’s final scene sees Billy at school in his superhero form, with another surprise in store. He has befriended the Man of Steel, who arrives to have lunch with the kids. It wouldn’t have been so bad if Henry Cavill had appeared. But with just a stand-in, viewed only from the neck down, the scene was more of an insult to audiences.
A group fight tends to be most enjoyable when it features characters with a genuine connection. In “Birds of Prey,” though, the squad seems like they’re mostly just thrown together. Up until the climactic encounter with Black Mask and his goons, the characters don’t spend a lot of time together. They don’t have a ton of chemistry, and their personalities don’t gel together. Add in some awkward quips and the tone of the scene is all off, despite it still having some fun action moments. Black Mask doesn’t really seem like the kind of antagonist that warrants an entire team to band against him anyway. It’s probably best that the final confrontation focuses just on him, Cassandra, and Harley.
The loss of Steve Trevor in the first “Wonder Woman” was tragic. About as tragic, however, was how he returned in “1984.” Through the power of the Dreamstone, Diana conjures her lover’s spirit in the body of a total stranger. The man is then depicted as Steve, but Diana is actually passionately kissing a man who had no say. She then pulls him into a dangerous mission to save the world. With this possession being way off from Steve’s arc in the comics, it feels like a lazy way to keep the character around. Maintaining Wonder Woman’s love story also reflects the decline in this series’ feminism. Steve’s avatar may be alright in the end, but his predicament shows how ill-conceived this sequel was.
It’s not every day your potential mother-in-law turns out to be a Martian in disguise. But that’s how it is when Lois Lane receives a visit from Martha Kent. The moment of truth is almost comical. It turns out that Calvin Swanwick — the military guy first seen in “Man of Steel” — is masquerading as Martha. The scene confirms his real identity as the Martian Manhunter, but it also robs Martha’s character from her investment in the story. There’s no impact on the plot, either, since the Martian waits until the end of the movie to reappear. It’s as if Snyder had no idea how to introduce the character and randomly decided to shoehorn him in as Martha.
Make no mistake — “The Suicide Squad” is one of the strongest films in the DCEU, propelled by its quirky ensemble and over-the-top action sequences. Even so, the film’s unrelenting violence reaches the point of overkill thanks to the villainous Mateo Suarez. After Harley Quinn kills his predecessor, Suarez assumes the role of General Presidente of Corto Maltese. His brutality is introduced to the audience in an awful way. Suarez swears to show off the might of his country as his cronies set fire to Luna’s aviary. The mark of a wicked villain, we suppose, but this act has no bearing on his plan or the film. Worst of all, it’s just downright cruel.
The DCEU has always struggled to find direction. Many saw “Black Adam” as a step backward in quality and creativity, with a post-credits stinger that took a misguided step forward. With Amanda Waller concerned about the dangerous super-anti-hero Black Adam, she sends the ultimate muscle to keep him in line. Henry Cavill’s surprise cameo ostensibly declared Superman’s comeback to the franchise. Unfortunately, fans have been burnt too many times to get excited about a sequel that may never come. Sure enough, Cavill quickly announced that he had been let go from the DCEU, which plans to reboot Superman’s arc. Whether Black Adam will ever face someone’s Man of Steel, this overzealous stinger found DC once again jumping the gun. Hopefully, James Gunn will do better.
The DCEU’s cameo troubles continued with the second “Shazam!” — this time with Wonder Woman. She shows up near the end of the movie, while Billy’s family mourns his sacrifice. Diana repairs the Wizard’s staff and uses it to bring Billy back. But it feels like an unearned twist since Wonder Woman had no role in the story before this scene. Not only did this act as a mishandled piece of fan service, but the film uses a potentially great character in Wonder Woman as basically a plot device. Billy’s immediate attempts to flirt with Diana further deprives the moment of any emotional weight, as his corny jokes fail to land.
When a story is about the fate of the multiverse, it might make sense to add some cameos. Unfortunately, “The Flash” has no idea how to incorporate them in a gratifying way. In the final act of the film, various versions of DC heroes appear as CGI recreations. It’s entirely obvious that the actors aren’t actually present, essentially making it cheap fan service. It also seeps some of the tension from a pivotal moment in the film, as the main characters pause just to look around the visually unappealing multiverse. The use of CGI to reanimate deceased performers stirred additional controversy. Nicolas Cage and Tim Burton also expressed some hesitation about the final scene. After watching it, can you really blame them?
Unlike many entries on this list, there’s nothing abhorrent about this particular scene. It’s a tender exchange between Jaime Reyes and his father, Alberto. Not to mention, it fits right in with the family-centric themes of the film. However, you could say that it fits in a little too well. Rather than allow the viewer to organically witness Jaime’s emotional progression, the scene spells out all the lessons he’ll learn as Blue Beetle in one fell swoop. Oh, how we love that time-honored technique of “tell, don’t show.” A harmless scene, to be sure, but let’s just agree that Uncle Ben did it better.
Staying true to Arthur’s knack for mocking his half-brother and the latter’s ignorance of human customs, this scene features Orm trying out a cockroach. Arthur convinces Orm that cockroaches are a delicacy for surface dwellers, so the younger sibling gobbles it up. It’s not an offensive scene, but it seems a bit lazily put together. It destroys the last traces of seriousness the film might have had. The credits scene calls back to this moment, going for another cheap laugh. As the last DCEU film, you’d think it might conclude with a heartfelt sendoff. Instead, “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom” spares time for this weak joke.
#1: Superman Destroys Metropolis
“Man of Steel” (2013)The inaugural DCEU epic took a lot of risks with a revisionist Superman origin. Audiences were mixed on "Man of Steel"'s lumbering character drama, but especially polarized by its action-packed climax. The last Kryptonians do battle from Smallville to Metropolis, leaving an apocalyptic path of destruction. Superman didn't seem to think about protecting civilians. His brutal method of killing Zod also stretched the limits of his morals, yet he still wins a poorly timed kiss from Lois Lane after the carnage. The suggestion that everything worked out afterward was a disturbing departure from the rest of the movie's relative realism. The controversy surrounding this reckless spectacle was answered in "Batman v Superman," which focused on the complicated aftermath of this Black Zero Event. Nonetheless, such horrific collateral damage set an unsettling tone for a less idealized Superman.
#2: The Two Marthas
“Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” (2016)It’s been said that the DCEU’s so-called Snyderverse takes itself way too seriously, and often clumsily. Even canonical coincidences are treated as sweeping opera. When "Batman v Superman" finally gets to its namesake, the showdown abruptly ends when Superman begs Batman to rescue his kidnapped mother Martha. This triggers Bruce Wayne's guilt over the murder of his own mother, also named Martha, and humanizes his enemy. This revelation is effective in theory. But contrary to Batman's philosophy, not everything makes sense if you force it to. Superman actually referring to his mom by name and the cheesy montage of Bruce's childhood trauma emphasize the cop-out. This moment may be the summation of everything wrong with the Snyderverse. It’s clearly as memorable as any DCEU misfire.
#3: Jared Leto’s Joker
“Suicide Squad” (2016)Zack Snyder’s isn’t the only divisive director signature in the DCEU. Urban crime auteur David Ayer had the daunting task of introducing everyone’s favorite Gotham villain in 2016’s “Suicide Squad.” A nightclub scene establishes the Joker as an unhinged gangbanger, with slicked-back hair, a silver grill, and lots of tattoos. Sure, the clown’s mythos is frequently subject to reboot. But this was considered one of the most misguided overreaches in the DCEU’s brand experimentation. It even became a blight on Jared Leto’s distinguished acting career. He got a chance at redemption with a dream sequence in “Zack Snyder’s Justice League,” albeit as a more pretentious Joker. It’s still considered better than the inked-up and wiry version that the DCEU still struggles to walk back.
#4: Wonder Woman vs. Ares
“Wonder Woman” (2017)The DCEU practically popularized the term “villain problem.” Even the largely acclaimed "Wonder Woman" was criticized for its bland baddies. Fans were particularly disappointed in Ares, the Greek god of war supposedly responsible for World War I. British diplomat Sir Patrick is revealed to actually be Ares in a generic villain speech, before being killed off in a flashy action sequence. Viewers felt this was an uninspired climax and a frustratingly brief tenure for one of Wonder Woman's biggest nemeses. Never mind that it affirmed her problematic theory that one of the great tragedies of human history was a supervillain conspiracy. This just goes to show that even when a DC movie does most everything else right, it tends to fumble on its villains.
#5: The Invisible Mustache
“Justice League” (2017)After director Zack Snyder left “Justice League” over a family tragedy, Joss Whedon came on to head up post-production. This infamous debacle is displayed in the finished product’s new prologue. Because Henry Cavill had grown a mustache for another role when he was called in for reshoots, Superman's clean shave had to be restored with CG. Limited editing time and an extreme close-up made the effect glaringly obvious. Superman's fuzzy lip became a massive meme, symbolizing the folly of Whedon’s “Justice League” from its very first shot. Several years later, Snyder answered the outrage with an extensive re-edit of the film, now widely considered the definitive cut. His footage may not have had facial hair to work around, but Superman's lip still haunts the DCEU.
#6: The CGI Tsunami
“Aquaman” (2018)The first “Aquaman” movie obliterated the box office, grossing over $1.1 billion worldwide. But even this crowd-pleaser has a scene that’s as cheesy as they come. The villainous Orm sends a tsunami to the surface as part of his plan to become Ocean Master. While that sounds promising, the execution of the scene leaves a lot to be desired. We see Arthur searching for his father under the water, but instead of being tense and chaotic, the scene seems messy and overloaded with CGI. The scene also introduces Mera and her powers, but feels too conveniently placed for her to save the day. Superhero movies require a suspension of disbelief, but this might have been pushing it too far.
#7: Superman at School
“Shazam!” (2019)Heroes like Batman and Superman took something of a backseat in the DCEU after 2017’s “Justice League” came up short at the box office. The Shazam solo movie was generally well-received by audiences. Still, there was a significant flub that disappointed many. The film’s final scene sees Billy at school in his superhero form, with another surprise in store. He has befriended the Man of Steel, who arrives to have lunch with the kids. It wouldn’t have been so bad if Henry Cavill had appeared. But with just a stand-in, viewed only from the neck down, the scene was more of an insult to audiences.
#8: The Team-Up
“Birds of Prey” (2020)A group fight tends to be most enjoyable when it features characters with a genuine connection. In “Birds of Prey,” though, the squad seems like they’re mostly just thrown together. Up until the climactic encounter with Black Mask and his goons, the characters don’t spend a lot of time together. They don’t have a ton of chemistry, and their personalities don’t gel together. Add in some awkward quips and the tone of the scene is all off, despite it still having some fun action moments. Black Mask doesn’t really seem like the kind of antagonist that warrants an entire team to band against him anyway. It’s probably best that the final confrontation focuses just on him, Cassandra, and Harley.
#9: Romantic Possession
“Wonder Woman 1984” (2020)The loss of Steve Trevor in the first “Wonder Woman” was tragic. About as tragic, however, was how he returned in “1984.” Through the power of the Dreamstone, Diana conjures her lover’s spirit in the body of a total stranger. The man is then depicted as Steve, but Diana is actually passionately kissing a man who had no say. She then pulls him into a dangerous mission to save the world. With this possession being way off from Steve’s arc in the comics, it feels like a lazy way to keep the character around. Maintaining Wonder Woman’s love story also reflects the decline in this series’ feminism. Steve’s avatar may be alright in the end, but his predicament shows how ill-conceived this sequel was.
#10: Martian Manhunter Is Martha
“Zack Snyder’s Justice League” (2021)It’s not every day your potential mother-in-law turns out to be a Martian in disguise. But that’s how it is when Lois Lane receives a visit from Martha Kent. The moment of truth is almost comical. It turns out that Calvin Swanwick — the military guy first seen in “Man of Steel” — is masquerading as Martha. The scene confirms his real identity as the Martian Manhunter, but it also robs Martha’s character from her investment in the story. There’s no impact on the plot, either, since the Martian waits until the end of the movie to reappear. It’s as if Snyder had no idea how to introduce the character and randomly decided to shoehorn him in as Martha.
#11: Birdies Ablaze
“The Suicide Squad” (2021)Make no mistake — “The Suicide Squad” is one of the strongest films in the DCEU, propelled by its quirky ensemble and over-the-top action sequences. Even so, the film’s unrelenting violence reaches the point of overkill thanks to the villainous Mateo Suarez. After Harley Quinn kills his predecessor, Suarez assumes the role of General Presidente of Corto Maltese. His brutality is introduced to the audience in an awful way. Suarez swears to show off the might of his country as his cronies set fire to Luna’s aviary. The mark of a wicked villain, we suppose, but this act has no bearing on his plan or the film. Worst of all, it’s just downright cruel.
#12: Post-Credits Stinger
“Black Adam” (2022)The DCEU has always struggled to find direction. Many saw “Black Adam” as a step backward in quality and creativity, with a post-credits stinger that took a misguided step forward. With Amanda Waller concerned about the dangerous super-anti-hero Black Adam, she sends the ultimate muscle to keep him in line. Henry Cavill’s surprise cameo ostensibly declared Superman’s comeback to the franchise. Unfortunately, fans have been burnt too many times to get excited about a sequel that may never come. Sure enough, Cavill quickly announced that he had been let go from the DCEU, which plans to reboot Superman’s arc. Whether Black Adam will ever face someone’s Man of Steel, this overzealous stinger found DC once again jumping the gun. Hopefully, James Gunn will do better.
#13: Wonder Woman Saves the Day
“Shazam! Fury of the Gods” (2023)The DCEU’s cameo troubles continued with the second “Shazam!” — this time with Wonder Woman. She shows up near the end of the movie, while Billy’s family mourns his sacrifice. Diana repairs the Wizard’s staff and uses it to bring Billy back. But it feels like an unearned twist since Wonder Woman had no role in the story before this scene. Not only did this act as a mishandled piece of fan service, but the film uses a potentially great character in Wonder Woman as basically a plot device. Billy’s immediate attempts to flirt with Diana further deprives the moment of any emotional weight, as his corny jokes fail to land.
#14: Multiverse Cameos
“The Flash” (2023)When a story is about the fate of the multiverse, it might make sense to add some cameos. Unfortunately, “The Flash” has no idea how to incorporate them in a gratifying way. In the final act of the film, various versions of DC heroes appear as CGI recreations. It’s entirely obvious that the actors aren’t actually present, essentially making it cheap fan service. It also seeps some of the tension from a pivotal moment in the film, as the main characters pause just to look around the visually unappealing multiverse. The use of CGI to reanimate deceased performers stirred additional controversy. Nicolas Cage and Tim Burton also expressed some hesitation about the final scene. After watching it, can you really blame them?
#15: A Father-Son Talk
“Blue Beetle” (2023)Unlike many entries on this list, there’s nothing abhorrent about this particular scene. It’s a tender exchange between Jaime Reyes and his father, Alberto. Not to mention, it fits right in with the family-centric themes of the film. However, you could say that it fits in a little too well. Rather than allow the viewer to organically witness Jaime’s emotional progression, the scene spells out all the lessons he’ll learn as Blue Beetle in one fell swoop. Oh, how we love that time-honored technique of “tell, don’t show.” A harmless scene, to be sure, but let’s just agree that Uncle Ben did it better.
#16: Orm Eats a Cockroach
“Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom” (2023)Staying true to Arthur’s knack for mocking his half-brother and the latter’s ignorance of human customs, this scene features Orm trying out a cockroach. Arthur convinces Orm that cockroaches are a delicacy for surface dwellers, so the younger sibling gobbles it up. It’s not an offensive scene, but it seems a bit lazily put together. It destroys the last traces of seriousness the film might have had. The credits scene calls back to this moment, going for another cheap laugh. As the last DCEU film, you’d think it might conclude with a heartfelt sendoff. Instead, “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom” spares time for this weak joke.
