They tried with dark and brooding and it didn't work. Not because it wasn't cool, but because it wasn't smart, but that's besides the point. DC had made a lighthearted movie about a kid that discovers superpowers and has to use them kindheartedly against a petty all evil villain who only wants death and pain. And if it sounds cliche, it's because oh it so painfully is. OK, it's lighthearted, but it's very very dumb. At no point did I make any connection with any of the characters. Because of the cretinous script and the silly performances the only person I really cared about was Mark Strong's character, who sometimes slipped the evil mask and was clearly having fun, but still did a better job than all the other actors combined. The direction, I think, was OK. Who would have thought that the creator of the short videos torturing poor Lotta on YouTube was going to direct a DC movie? Watch those for more plot than this film had.