Superman Racing Flash Proves Joss Whedon Didn't Understand DCEU Fans
Joss Whedon never understood the DCEU nor its fans, and the race between Superman and Flash at the end of Justice League made that especially clear.
2017's Justice League is maligned for a number of reasons, but its after-credits scene might be the most obvious indicator that replacement director Joss Whedon had no understanding of the DCEU nor its fans. At the very end of the film, Henry Cavill's Superman and Ezra Miller's The Flash race one another. The scene brings a scenario that has played out several times in the comics to the big screen, but it is ultimately just an instance of fan service, offering little stakes or insight on the otherwise momentous race.
Superman and The Flash first raced in the comics in 1967. More recently, Superman's inability to keep up with The Flash and Kid Flash suggests he is indeed slower than Barry Allen, who has the Speed Force working to his advantage. Of course, the DCEU had the opportunity to offer its own interpretation of this fascinating inquiry. And to a certain extent, Justice League does engage with this debate. Earlier in the film, when the Justice League must fight Superman, the Man of Steel is able to counter Flash's speedy attacks. However, the question still remained as to who has more straightaway speed in a race around the world. Joss Whedon's after-credits race between the two characters may pretend to address this debate, but it ultimately does not.
Justice League is a film caught between two very different directorial visions. While both perspectives are valid, it is clear that Zack Snyder has a deeper understanding of what DCEU fans want out of their movies. One needn't look further than the immense anticipation for Zack Snyder's Justice League to understand just how much DCEU fans respect his vision for the franchise. Whedon, to his credit, understood what made the MCU so great when he delivered The Avengers in 2012. The MCU has always aimed for more family-friendly fare, so fan service and purely comedic moments are more welcome in Marvel films. Fans of the DCEU, on the other hand, have been consistently enthralled with Snyder's dark and sprawling vision for the franchise - despite strong division outside the core fanbase - and the race between Superman and The Flash demonstrates just how much Whedon missed this essential point.
The trouble with Whedon's vision of Superman and his race with Flash race is that it refuses to engage with the source material in any meaningful way. He could have incorporated a scenario in which they must race into an earlier scene in the movie, giving the moment actual stakes. Instead, he tacks it on the end as a throwaway joke, which may also be a reflection of how after-credits scenes have damaged blockbuster storytelling. Still, the scene is even worse off for not actually addressing who wins the race! The scene mostly depicts The Flash and Superman bantering with one another before the race gets underway. They are neck-and-neck when the image freezes and cuts to black. Whedon is therefore relying on fan's preexisting interest in this scenario, rather than fully engaging with their interest and offering his own interpretation of who might win between the two metahumans.
Well beyond his cinematic output, Whedon's reputation has taken a huge hit in recent months. His problematic behavior on the set of Justice League makes him an easy target for ridicule, but the actual product he put together makes it even easier to question his understanding of the DCEU and its fans. Whedon was content to create a generic superhero blockbuster, one that entertains with spectacle and humor, but offers little in the way of innovation or exploration. Snyder's ambition may not always result in great films (just look at the mixed reception for Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice) but at the very least, the director is constantly looking to push the DCEU into new and exciting territory. This kind of ambition ensures that every moment matters, and that Snyder's films will always pay tribute to that which came before, as the director plans to do with his upcoming Army of the Dead as well.
Joss Whedon's take on Justice League only cursorily glances at that which came before it, failing to ask any difficult questions or advance the themes put forth by Snyder and the countless other creatives involved with the project. His decision to tack on a race between Superman and The Flash at the end of the film only further supports this point, as the race was devoid of any meaning. Snyder may not be perfect, but it is abundantly clear that he understands the DCEU fandom, and Joss Whedon does not.