SPOILER WARNING: The following article contains spoilers for JOKER.
“The mirror is my best friend because when I cry it never laughs.”
-Charlie Chaplin
Mirrors become an essential element in the visual storytelling of JOKER. Working as a clown for hire, Arthur (Joaquin Phoenix) repeatedly stares at himself while applying the makeup for the job. Yet, as the opening scene shows, each time he returns to the mirror, a sad and lonely face stares back. Even before the title character fully becomes the famous Batman villain, Arthur is presented as a man searching for help from others but is ultimately left alone to face his own fate. A tired and gaunt face stares back at Arthur, who struggles with his own identity and the dark thoughts that fill his head. It’s not until he assumes a new identity that he’s comfortable in his own battered and bruised skin. Batman lore has always explored the idea that the Dark Knight wouldn’t exist in a world without the Joker, and vice versa. Yet, writer and director Todd Phillips explores their connection in fascinating ways by taking a new approach to the source material and not just saying that they need each other to survive, but that their stories share several dark parallels.
The Internal Darkness Projected Outward
How JOKER physically manifests mental illness is the most grueling element of the film. Despite talk of its violence, it’s Joaquin Phoenix’s physical performance that causes audiences to squirm in their seats. His gaunt frame becomes a pallet for bruises as the world around him lashes out because of their misunderstanding of his illness. What’s even more excruciating is how the character’s internal madness escapes forth in uncontrollable pain as he tries to stifle his manic laughter. Laughter becomes a coping mechanism when he’s in situations that make him uncomfortable, but it also rears its head at random moments. It becomes Arthur’s worst fear because it’s the one element of his psychosis that he can’t hide from or subdue – he has to face it and learn to accept it.
In the comics, Bruce Wayne eventually turns his greatest fear into his biggest strength. Bruce dons the symbol of the bat because it represents what he was most afraid of as a child. His internal darkness and fear of being alone in a cave are brought forth in his black bat costume. This external release for both characters in order to feel alive is at the center of this version of their origin story. Arthur’s transformation into Joker mirrors the transformation in the comics of Bruce Wayne wearing the cape and cowl. He embraces the laughter by dressing as the one character that consistently causes himself pain and gets him beat up on the street. You have two men, each with multiple personalities that change based on whether they embrace and wear their fear on their sleeve. By accepting what they once saw as their one true weakness, they both head confidently into the night, unafraid of Gotham’s judgment.
We’re Born Alone, We Live Alone, We Die Alone
“For my whole life, I didn’t know I really existed. But I do, and people are starting to notice.” Many have been quick to call out JOKER for speaking to the “angry boy” culture that grew up posting anonymously online and is fueled by Mountain Dew and self-loathing. But lines like the one above aren’t meant to incite fervor in these incels looking to lash out at society who rejected them – it’s meant to mirror the duality of Bruce Wayne and Batman. Bruce Wayne is the billionaire who hides himself away in his large mansion, whose only real friend is the childhood butler who raised him. Even as an adult running Wayne Enterprises, he has always felt alone and never understood by anyone but his childhood guardian. Arthur and the Joker are presented in a similar light in this new origin story. Living and taking care of his mother occupy Arthur’s time when not performing as a clown for hire. Like Alfred, she is the only person he can confide in, even though their relationship often brings out feelings of resentment and mistrust.
Bruce and Arthur are, essentially, both figures of isolation. Despite the fact that one might have more resources than the other, they both seem destined to die alone. They’ve accepted this, and in turn, learn to reject any notion of love. The irony, of course, is that when they go out into the world as their alter-ego that they attract the attention of the media and legions of fans. Adults and kids watch on TV and read in the papers of these figures and become fascinated by them. While both characters have followers and people that look up to them, these fans are essentially both idolizing a masked vigilante operating outside of the establishment. Yet, as is tradition with the male archetype, these legions of fans can not match the acceptance of that between a father and a son. You can have all the praise in the world, but hearing it from your father will mean more. A central plot point in JOKER is Arthur’s search for his father’s identity. It’s this denial of a father-figure in both Bruce Wayne’s and Arthur’s life that is another new parallel in this version of the story.
A Mirror Reflects What You See, and a Black Mirror Shows the Dark Side of It
In a pivotal scene in the middle of the film, Arthur comes face to face with a young Bruce Wayne. He captures the attention of young Bruce through a circus act that involves a red nose and a magic trick. And while the two might be separated by the iron gate of Wayne Manor, they see each other. In fact, Arthur reaches out and touches Bruce’s face and makes him smile. He uses his fingers to create the same forced smile that Arthur did to himself as he looked in the mirror with tears in his eyes at the start of the film. It’s the first time that the hero and the villain of this universe see each other, and in turn, see where they came from and what they will soon become.
This isn’t a gate separating them – it represents the mirror that connects these two lives. In this universe, Batman and Joker aren’t divided into separate sides of the same coin. They are shown to be one, connected by the same fate. This connection is further emphasized if you take into consideration that the Joker’s actions by the end of the film lead to the death of Bruce’s parents. In JOKER, Arthur may have chosen to become the title character – much like Bruce Wayne will eventually choose to become Batman – but despite their personal choices, they will always be linked by a dark parallel destiny and will forever see their nemesis when they look in the mirror.
When you have a character that can communicate with fish, you either tread hesitantly in the shallow end or dive right in and embrace the rocky waters. Director James Wan shows no signs of a fear of water. The world of AQUAMAN is certainly goofy and Wan leans happily into the goofiness and cheese, but as customary with his flashy directing style, there’s a level of cool splashed in as well. The aquatic hero’s first solo film is a bright and bold visual adventure, but it’s also bogged down by an overly familiar superhero story preventing it from standing out from the other fish in the sea.
Jason Momoa plays half-human, half-Atlantean Arthur Curry. After Atlanna (Nicole Kidman) washes up on the shore of a lighthouse attendant (Temuera Morrison), the queen of Atlantis falls in love with the human world and give birth to Arthur. Flash forward decades later, and the half-merman now spends his time downing beers and stopping hijackers in international waters. Mera (Amber Heard) leaves Atlantis to warn Arthur of his brother King Orm’s plan to rage war on the surface world by uniting the undersea kingdoms (Patrick Wilson in one of several miscast roles). Once Arthur decides to fight for his rightful claim to the throne and stop his brother’s plan, the film shifts into a travelogue, Indiana Jones adventure where Arthur and Mera travel by sea and by plane as they are hunted by the villain Black Manta (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) who is on his revenge-fueled mission.
If you can’t get past fish-people riding atop sharks, just stay away. If you can’t get past a neon-colored underwater kingdom that looks like a cross between TRON and AVATAR, just stay away. If you can’t get past lines like, “That thing will destroy us,” followed by, “We have no other choice!”… then please, just stay away. AQUAMAN is weird and strange and by all normal standards, even plain bad, at times. And yet, it’s strangely captivating. The weirdness mostly works, mainly because it seems like a departure from the other DC films that came before it.
Wan successfully retcons many of the missteps that Snyder and his team took with the character and the overly dark tone of the other DC films. For starters, we’re treated to the classic character suit and Trident. Arthur’s dark, brooding rock star persona from JUSTICE LEAGUE slowly becomes unraveled throughout the film. Unlike other superhero films where a “normal” guy has to find his inner confidence in order to be a leader, here we have a cocky asshole who learns humility as the film goes on, calling to mind the original IRON MAN. By the end of the film, the macho know-it-all has been broken down and we’re treated to more of a dumb meathead that now realizes after being exposed to the real world that he doesn’t have all the answers.
Who serves as his teacher is his female partner. Amber Heard’s character, Mera, may not go through as much change, but at least she’s given agency – a trait not often given to female leads in these types of films. She’s not treated as “arm candy” or the damsel in distress. In fact, she’s the one that’s properly putting him in his place while occasionally saving him from death. While Heard confidently plays the strong and stoic leader, the rest of the supporting cast doesn’t fare as well. Dolph Lundgren looks like he’s playing dress up and Willem Dafoe seems to be reading off a teleprompter every time he’s on screen.
Still, it’s hard not to get swept up in the action, especially a death-defying chase through the streets and across the tile rooftops of Sicily. Jason Momoa’s commitment to the character is felt throughout but especially during these scenes. Having DC hire Momoa turned out to be a blessing that many of us didn’t expect. He may not look and act like the blonde-haired, blue-eyed version from the comics, but that’s not a bad thing. More importantly, the energy Momoa instills in the character has certainly made more of an impact on screen than Affleck’s Caped Crusader. The actor’s Polynesian roots are even incorporated into the film at times through some of his fighting stances, proving he’s more than just a “Wet Thor.”
Yet, for all its smart choices, AQUAMAN still suffers from an unwatchable final battle. Hundreds of lasers and creatures fly across the screen at every given moment, creating yet another CGI nightmare that may rival even the worse offenders of the superhero genre. New worlds may be explored with great enthusiasm in AQUAMAN, but the same old mistakes are made when it comes to story and connecting audiences with these heroes. Sure, strange and fantastical imagery will astonish audiences, but shouldn’t we ask for more from our superhero films in 2018? After several classics have come out of the genre over the past decade, a director with a confident voice and a film with a unique visual pallet aren’t going to be enough to create a splash when the bar has been raised so high.
Overall score: 2.5 out of 5
AQUAMAN opens in theaters Friday, December 21st, 2018
JUSTICE LEAGUE will be available on Blu-ray next Tuesday, March 13th
Ok, I get it, the jury is in, the Justice League bombed at the box office and most critics were less than kind. I don’t care, I saw it three times (not as often as Wonder Woman) in theaters. I love it anyway. Even though I had my own problems with this latest DC Universe movie.
My problems, in brief: First, the missing and deleted scenes. Youtube was loaded with many and various previews for Justice League leading up to its release, all of which had scenes and lines of dialog that didn’t make it into the final cut. I sincerely hope the blu ray will present an extended or director’s cut of Justice League. And of course the blu ray release has been delayed.
Second the threat is too generic, Steppenwolf never does seem like much of a villain and the “ParaDemons” are too much like the Alien Army in the first Avengers movie, cannon fodder for the heroes with no personality. And the Macguffin the villain is after is way too much like the power box, again, in the first Avengers movie. Making three magic boxes instead of one, that makes it different? Right……
And to me the most egregious mark against the Justice League, J. K Simmons. Not the actor, he is one of the best actors working now and has an Oscar to prove it. My problem is, why hire J. K Simmons and give him nothing to do? Commissioner Gordon is used to working with The Batman, would he not have something to say to, I don’t know, Wonder Woman or Cyborg other than “How many of you are there? “ How about “Are you people crazy?” or “Why in the hell are you doing this?”
Oh well, to my simple mind these are minor problems. There is much I love in Justice League starting with:
10. Ezra Miller as Barry Allen “The Flash” Miller is a little guy but has a huge talent. Don’t believe me? Check out a movie called We Need To Talk About Kevin, a movie more relevant than ever in the wake of yet another school shooting. With a face that looks like it was designed by an artist Miller’s take on the Flash is wonderful. His comment that Barry Allen “needs friends” is heartbreaking. In fact Justice League more than hints at the notion that all these characters “need friends” most of all Batman and Cyborg. Miller brings humor to a movie that needs it, he makes an impossible character believable and likeable, all the actors do quite frankly. Which brings me to:
9. Jason Momoa as Arthur Curry “The Aquaman” I saw Conan the Barbarian in a theater and have it on dvd. Momoa really didn’t make much of an impression in that project. He must have been working on his craft because he is flat out wonderful in Justice League. Steals every scene he’s in and, for a man who can live and breathe under water is the voice of reason and sanity and common sense in a comic book universe. How many comic book super heroes are there that not only drink whisky straight out of the bottle but litter the landscape with their empties? Aquaman does. And I love his “truth to tell” rant due to his sitting on Wonder Woman’s lasso. Aquaman was never one of my favorite DC heroes, I now look forward to his stand alone movie. Justice League is worth seeing for Momoa alone.
8. The first battle scene. I love the idea of all the Justice League members being dependant on Batman’s various vehicles and gizmos. The fight in the tunnels under Gotham Harbor is complex and involves a lot of movement; it could have easily degenerated into confusion and chaos, much like the (rightfully) disliked Batman vs Superman Dawn of Justice final battle. We never lose track of anyone’s location and who is doing what to whom. This battle can stand alongside any of the action set pieces in the Marvel Universe.
7. Henry Cavill as Kal El, Clark Kent, “Superman.” I will be the first to admit Cavill is not the most versatile actor in the business. Want real proof? Try The Man from Uncle Movie with Cavill as Napoleon Solo and Armie Hammer as Ilya Kuryakin, if you can make it all the way through. However, if there was ever an actor who looked exactly like a comic book character Cavill is it. I will be honest, I grew up with the George Reeves Superman television series and to me he will always be Clark Kent/Superman. I also very much enjoyed Christopher Reeves take on a classic character (except for that fourth movie!) Cavill looks exactly like the Superman of the 1960s DC Comics. And he brings his A game to the project and, as I told my sweetheart Radah Sheah, when we watched Superman Vs Batman Dawn of Justice (which she hated) “you can’t kill Supes, can’t be done!” And yet another issue I have with Justice League, when Superman finally (finally!) joins the fight against Steppenwolf and his cartoon minions we fully expect him to pound the living shit out of the Bad Guy and slam him back and forth on the concrete (much like what The Hulk did to Loki in the first Avengers movie) No, we see Supes get in a few licks and then run off to save “civilians!” Whatever!
6. Another visit to Paradise Island/ Themyscira/The Amazon Kingdom. I love the Amazons, LOVE the Amazons, adore them! I saw Wonder Woman 7 times last year, in theaters (that’s Seven times!) And not just for Gal Gadot. When I was 10 years old I became obsessed with the legend of the Amazons (yes obsessed is a good word, although it may not be strong enough!) I read of them in a children’s encyclopedia and checked out books, written at an adult level, from the library on Greek and Roman history and mythology for any information about the Amazons.
I even wrote my own stories about Amazons in my grade school classrooms, when I should have been paying attention to Geography and Arithmetic lessons. Other boys drew pictures of tanks and fighter planes; I scribbled out stories of women warriors defeating entire armies of men. The first time I saw Wonder Woman, during the entire opening on Paradise Island I wept, cried tears of absolute joy! I had forgotten all of my youthful enthusiasm for the Amazons.
There are other movies about the Amazons. Tarzan and The Amazons with Johnny Weissmueller, 1945, depicted a very cool Amazon kingdom in Tarzan’s territory. Ironically those Amazons defeated men armed with guns using bows and arrows, spears and swords, much like the Amazons of Wonder Woman. And during my time in the Navy when I ran the ship’s tv station on the USS AMERICA I broadcast a later day Italian peplum movie, War Goddess aka Amazons from 1973. Depicting the Amazons dealings with the Greeks and a disputed power struggle, it has its moments. Those Amazons apparently spent all their money on eye makeup. Those movies were ok, but Wonder Woman’s movie depicted the Amazon Empire exactly as I had pictured it at 10, 11 and 12 years of age. Except my Amazons had a bowling alley, equipped with pin ball machines, bumper pool tables and a soda fountain. My Amazons also got to use automatic weapons, grenade launchers, tanks and what have you. Hey, they were MY stories and I enjoyed that I could give them anything I thought they should have! So Wonder Woman is a very special movie to me and I was ecstatic that Justice League took us back to Themyscira and populated the Amazons with many of the same actors and athletes who portrayed the Amazons in Wonder Woman. I would love to see them have their own stand alone movie. A sweeping historical epic about their wars with the Greeks and Romans, and especially how they got mixed up with Hercules! It would be a perfectly logical reason to bring back Robin Wright as Antiope, one of the most awesome woman characters ever captured on film! I should add too, my Amazons always won, every engagement they kicked ass and took names. And they never even had any casualties (again, they were my stories, and no, none of the stories survived. Whenever recess was called I would throw my stories in the trash. I wrote them only for my own amusement and I was convinced that if any one, especially adults, found out about my obsession I would be put in an institution! I am NOT kidding!)
5. The second battle scene. In the DC and Marvel Universe there seems to be a great concern about collateral damage. And rightfully so, if super heroes and super villains really did exist and had epic battles in urban areas, the damage would be catastrophic. In Justice League the final showdown happens in what appears to be Chernobyl. Very few civilians present and the League members take great pains to get them out of harm’s way. And again, we never lose track of who is doing what, when, where and why. And the action, once it gets rolling, is truly awesome.
4. Ray Fisher Victor Stone “Cyborg” This is the one character I was not familiar with. I have not bought a comic book since about 1985. It finally dawned on me that I could no longer afford to buy and store huge amounts of paper collectibles. So Cyborg was a new character to me and Ray Fisher brings a lot to the project. I read at least one comment on the web that Cyborg is based on Robocop. Not really, Cyborg made his debut in 1980, Robocop the original movie, was released in 1987. If anything Robocop owes a debt to DC Comics and the character of Cyborg. What’s left of a man housed in a robotic body and finding himself stronger, faster and with many other powers not possessed by mundane people, like you and me. We get all that with Fisher, the pain of being different, an outcast, alone. And even better we have the incredible Joe Morton, star of John Sayles classic cult movie Brother From Another Planet as his suffering Father. Cyborg and all the other Justice League members are to have their own stand alone movies. I am looking forward to all of them.
3. Ben Affleck Bruce Wayne “The Batman” I have a co worker who refused to see Batman Vs Superman: Dawn of Justice or Justice League because she cannot stand the idea of Ben Affleck playing Bruce Wayne/Batman. I could not possibly disagree more. Affleck makes a good Batman and an even better Bruce Wayne. I will readily admit I am a sentimental old fool when it comes to these characters. I saw all the faults of Batman Vs Superman and loved it anyway, mainly for the thrill of finally seeing Batman, Superman AND Wonder Woman in the same movie. Don’t get me wrong, I love the Marvel Universe and have seen most of their movies. But Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman were there first. There was no Marvel Comics publisher during that time frame of the late 1930s and 1940s. Captain America was published by an outfit called Timely. I treasure what is probably the best moment in Dawn of Justice “Is she with you?” “I thought she was with you!” And I love the moment when Diana literally pulls Batman’s ass out of the fire. Affleck is a fine Batman, there is an epic sadness to this Caped Crusader. Bruce Wayne in Justice League is about, literally, at the end of his rope. A reluctant leader.
I love the idea that he would much rather have Superman back or somehow goad Wonder Woman into taking the lead. It’s heartbreaking when he openly admits that Superman is a better man than him. In fact this Batman seems to think that Wonder Woman is a better man than him! Of course Supes is a better man than anybody, and everybody! I would put Affleck’s Bruce Wayne/Batman about midway between Michael Keaton and Val Kilmer (my personal favorite of all the contemporary actors who have played Batman.) Affleck has proved himself as an actor and he’s an even better director, The Town and Argo prove that beyond any doubt. I’m going way out on a limb here and say it for the whole world, Justice League is the best Batman movie since Dark Knight. You want to see a bad DC movie? Try sitting through Dark Knight Rises more than once.
2. Gal Gadot Diana Princess of Theymyscira “Wonder Woman” If you’ve read this gibbering nonsense this far here is a no brainer. Of course I adore Gal Gadot and Wonder Woman. Here is the best example I can think of for an actor to be inseparable from a comic book super hero character.
Don’t get me wrong, I loved Lynda Carter but her television show was to Wonder Woman what the 1960s Batman show (which I loved too, Adam West will always be the “real Batman”) was to the Caped Crusader. A goofy, pop art, more comic than book, take on this iconic character. Patty Jenkins and her crew gave us what is probably the greatest superhero movie that will ever be made.
I’ll say it again, I saw Wonder Woman seven times last year, bought the blu ray the day it went on sale, and could watch it every day the rest of my life. My co workers during the summer of last year, told me to shut up about Wonder Woman (and most of my co workers are women!) I also treasure the movie Professor Marston and the Wonder Women, which I also saw in a theater.
I love that Wonder Woman was created by a man, who truly believed women were superior to men. Marston’s my man, I have believed that for years, decades. Jenkins is on the record, Wonder Woman is only about 20% of what she had in mind! I would love to see how she originally envisioned this masterpiece.
I love that Gadot is, apparently, the real deal. She is an Israeli Army veteran and was a combat trainer, hand to hand and firearms., She downplays that and says it was no big deal. I doubt that, during my time in the US Navy we had class room training, one class involved “know your allies and your enemies” a rundown on various countries different military outfits. I distinctly recall being told the Israeli army is one of the toughest and most well trained in the world. I rest my case.
I had a co worker tell me that I kept going to see Wonder Woman because of Gal Gadot’s astonishing looks. No, if she were just another pretty face I would have seen it once, maybe twice. Part of what kept me going back is her incredible acting talent. The male super heroes, both Marvel and DC, when they go into combat mode, look very grim, determined, no nonsense. When Diana cuts loose and runs amok on the German Army she has this lovely smile, of utmost confidence and, could it be…..joy? Her smile, after she knocks aside her first bullet with those bracelets (one of my few problems with Wonder Woman, I would like to have an explanation of what those are and why they work the way they do. I also don’t think the Germans of WWI would be so quick to open up on one lone woman crossing No Man’s Land, some hesitation would be in order, but these are minor quibbles.)
When she comes busting through that window and lands in a roomful of heavily armed Germans her smile says it all “I’ve got this! You people are about to enter a world of pure, agonizing pain!” What she does after that is the best example of what I would call “running amok!” And she wears that smile of determination in Batman Vs Superman Dawn of Justice, repeatedly. Every time she gets knocked down by Doomsday she has that smile, gets back up and goes right back to knocking the shit of “a creature from another world.”
I could write page after page of how much I loved Wonder Woman’s movie, the humor, the valor, the team work, the pure joy of knocking the piss out of somebody who has it coming. And Gal Gadot brings all that to Justice League, and a whole lot more. The lady has talent and charisma and style to burn. I could watch her take a nap on the couch. Of course if she woke up and saw me she’d scream bloody murder and beat the shit out of me (I should be so lucky!)A good friend made a very rude comment when I showed him my Wonder Woman poster, which I shall not repeat on the internet. I told him the truth, such comments are sacrilegious, blasphemous, “I do not see this woman as a sex object, I worship her as a Goddess (I am only half joking!)
1. And finally; this is the Justice League movie. This IS the Justice League movie! Good Bad or Indifferent this is a movie aging comic book fan boys, and girls, like me have looked forward to for years. In the 1960s when I was reading comic book and monster magazines and science fiction books and magazines I never dreamed there would be a whole series of Marvel Comic movies,, or DC, that brought these wonderful characters to life. If someone had told me that in the future there would be movies as good as Spider Man Two or Dark Knight or The Avengers or Captain America: Winter Soldier or Wonder Woman, or a complete filming of The Lord of the Rings, I would have called them out for bull shit artists. And yet , here we are. As I said I am a sentimental old fool, at the end of Justice League I wept, again, at seeing Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Cyborg, Flash and Aquaman in the same shot, dust still in the air, with the American flag behind them.
And there are other moments I love, Jeremy Irons joins a long list of great actors who have played Alfred, Bruce Wayne’s right hand man. His Alfred has several great moments. And Diane Lane is probably the best Ma Kent we will ever see. There is a video on Youtube of Chris Hemsworth, Thor in the Marvel Universe, at Comic Con. He was asked about the DC Universe series; he laughed and said something to the effect that “those guys are just trailing in our dust!” Don’t get me wrong, I like Hemsworth, and Thor. I thought Thor Ragnarok was a very fine piece of work, loved it. But that was a rude thing to say. There is room in the market place for Marvel and DC. Although if somebody ever makes a Thunder Agents movie I’ll know for sure we are really living in the end times (or Blue Beetle or Plastic Man for that matter!) So yes, I love the Marvel Universe and DC, I thought Justice League was fine. Could it have been better? Of course, any movie could, unless you’re talking about directors at the level of Kubrick or Hitchcock. Having said all that, at some point in the future, if it’s possible, I would love to see a Justice League meets the Avengers movie. Of course the threat would have to be colossal, the fate of the entire solar system? Galaxy? The Universe itself? All of life hangs in the balance? I would just imagine that Superman and Thor would have something to talk about. And I would love to hear a conversation between Tony Stark and Bruce Wayne, technical innovations and high finance? But what I would really treasure, the moment I dream of, I would love to see Diana, Princess of Theymyscira, Wonder Woman, sit down with Agent Romanov; The Black Widow and The Scarlet Witch and have a nice cup of espresso and a croissant and talk about how messed up it is to try and deal with male super heroes. I can hear it now “you think Tony Stark is a jerk! Let me tell you what Bruce Wayne did! What he said!” “Sister you have no idea!”
And how would this be for a slow motion team walk:
Superman, Batman, Iron Man, Captain America, Wonder Woman, Black Widow, Spiderman, Antman, Wasp, Black Panther, Flash, Aquaman, Hulk, Thor, Cyborg, Scarlet Witch, Hawkeye, The Vision, War Machine, Green Lantern, and what the hell, Suicide Squad, Guardians of the Galaxy, The X Men, Fantastic Four and everybody else in the Marvel and DC Universe, striding towards the camera with a “terrible resolve” to face down an implacable and unstoppable enemy. If I’m going to dream I may as well dream big!
I have friends, good friends, who don’t care for the super hero movies. To paraphrase a line of dialog from My Favorite Year “ I need my heroes, I need them bigger than life! As big as I can get them!” And I thank everyone who works on these movies, in the DC and Marvel Universe. And I am so happy for Stan Lee, the Marvel movies are something he dreamed of for years.
And so, yes I love the Justice League, for all this and so much more.
“Bruce Wayne is a rich man. He’s an aristocrat. Superman grew up as Clark Kent on a farm bailing hay, and he’s got a boss that shouts at him if he’s late to work. He’s actually more human.”
– Grant Morrison
This quote from comic book legend Grant Morrison is what’s at the heart of the problem at why so many of the recent DC films have not worked and why so few have. It’s not that these films were missing the comedy aspect like some critics and fans have expressed. I think it’s more complex than just adding a few clever one-liners. As Grant Morrison suggests, these men and women aren’t just heroes that save the world. Even though the Marvel formula has clearly worked for the studio, the answer to DC’s prayers isn’t that they need to resemble that formula. It’s more that these stories need to show their humanity. The heroes need to resemble us… or at least remind us that they are like us. That’s why we read comic books in the first place. It’s not for the splash panels comprised of superhero poses and cataclysmic fights – it’s because we want to be reminded that inside these all-powerful Greek Gods and Goddesses there lies a reflection of ourselves. Hearing Batman grumble, “Do you bleed?” in BATMAN v SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE isn’t going to do that. Nor is watching him brand criminals in a weird sadomasochistic way with the bat symbol. How we relate to the Caped Crusader is his loss. That’s something we have all felt. And it’s this feeling of loss and regret that fuels him in JUSTICE LEAGUE.
The death of Superman following the events of BvS: DAWN OF JUSTICE brings a dark cloud over the events and characters in JUSTICE LEAGUE. Hope is lost and there are feelings of shame and regret exhibited by the community as a whole. But a bigger cloud seems to be spreading as Batman faces off against an invasion of Parademons (aka- flying baddies from another dimension) throughout Gotham. In order to stop this new threat, he calls on the help of Wonder Woman and some new recruits, as you can expect. These Parademons are working alongside Steppenwolf, the new villain of the week who is on the hunt for three Mother Boxes – one guarded by the Amazonians, one by Atlantis, one by humans – that will grant him the ability to destroy Earth.
If the faceless, robotic-like henchmen, magical portal to another dimension, and a group of heroes from different backgrounds coming together all sounds familiar, then yes… you’ve seen a couple of comic-book films over the past couple of years. Despite the surface level familiarity with the proceedings, JUSTICE LEAGUE is mainly fun if solely to get to know some characters we haven’t seen previously on screen. Yes, I did say fun when describing a DC film.
The first half of the film serves as an introduction to these new faces while serving as a recruitment film. You would think with a few new recruits and a new villain to introduce that the film would feel very disjointed, but actually, the first half moves smoothly between each character-building sequence without feeling like it’s jumping from comic book panel to panel. What’s most important though is that these moments early on establish a universe where you care about the men and women behind the costumes.
Unlike some of the recent Marvel films where every character delivers sarcastic one-liners, each member of the League has their own defining characteristics. Since Batman and Wonder Woman have previously been established, more time is given to Cyborg, The Flash, and Aquaman. Cyborg serves as a nice departure because he’s presented more as a tragic monster than wannabe hero (like The Flash). Ray Fisher carefully portrays the Victor Stone/Cyborg character as a Frankenstein-like creation, confused about his place in life and angry with his creator for his mere existence. Flash, on the other hand, is all unbridled energy and quips. A backstory is not entirely fleshed out and works to an extent thanks to Ezra Miller’s commitment to the role, but his sophomoric dialogue fails to hit the comedic mark it’s desperately striving for. Aquaman (Jason Momoa) on the other hand, surprisingly, works even if he strays the furthest from his comic book roots. His cool whiskey-chugging, cocky swagger is a welcome departure from the rest of the motley crew, although it comes with one too many “Yeaahhh!” exclamations for my taste.
It’s when these characters come together and interact with one another where their guards begin to lower and we see their human side, bruises and all (quite literally, as seen in one tender scene between Batman and Wonder Woman). While many of these moments might be seen as Joss Whedon flexing his emotional and comedic chops (he took over directing duties after Zack Snyder left the project to deal with a family tragedy), I can’t help but wonder if some can be credited to Snyder as well. What becomes the true test for the gang and is also where the film really comes alive is when a new character enters the story at the beginning of the third act. It’s an expected surprise but is executed in a way that feels warranted while creating an exciting shake-up to the story just when it needed it.
Of course, like every one of these DC films, it all comes to an end with a CGI spectacle that is disastrously ugly and hard to watch. Between the color scheme and the effects, the finale is downright laughable. Yet, it is a perfunctory way to end a plot that wasn’t really the main focus of the story in the first place – a plot that many will complain is paper-thin instead of acknowledging that it’s a backdrop that lets the heroes of the story shine.
MAN OF STEEL and WONDER WOMAN – the two most successful films in the DC universe – work because of their simple and relatable theme. Both center around outsiders struggling to belong. Again, a human dilemma that we’ve all felt, but one that can also be used to describe the problems the DC film universe has faced finding its way. JUSTICE LEAGUE can now be added to that short list of successes (though minor in comparison to this year’s WONDER WOMAN). It’s a film that gives me hope that these heroes are discovering who they are and carving out their own identity on the big screen.
Overall rating: 3 out of 5
JUSTICE LEAGUE is now playing in theaters everywhere
It’s fun to root for imperfect people that run amok in an imperfect world. Flaws are what makes characters on-screen appear human, and yet, the greater and more abundant the flaws, the more villainous they are usually perceived. You can’t have a strong hero without an equally matched villain. Thankfully, the DC Comics’ universe is populated by the most colorful and deliciously evil around (sorry Marvel).
Amanda Waller is one of those great villains in a film chock full with hitmen, gangsters, and other villains known as “meta-humans.” As a government operative, she wants to protect the public, but does so at a cost. She manipulates evil to defeat even greater threats through a group nicknamed the “Suicide Squad.” She’s the puppet master pulling the strings of these imprisoned villains while offering reduced sentences for their services. It may sound like a sweet deal, but it is very clear that Waller doesn’t care who gets caught in the crossfire to protect the greater good.
On this squad you have Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie), Deadshot (Will Smith), Killer Croc, Boomerang, Enchantress, Diablo, Slipknot, Katana, and their leader Rick Flag (Joel Kinnaman). There’s no need to fret if some of these names don’t ring a bell. Lengthy intros are presented for most of the Squad, though a few are left on the cutting room floor for some reason, despite Deadshot and Harley both getting intros even before the opening credits… and then given another set of intros from Waller at dinner with her cronies not too long after. The real mission is trying to squeeze everyone in along with a Joker (Jared Leto) as the wild card who occasionally shows up. It becomes evident within the first few scenes that this mission of finding balance is doomed for failure.
SUICIDE SQUAD is as sloppily assembled as any major studio film I’ve seen in a while. The first hour is haphazardly edited together and has no structure or sense of rhythm. It becomes a series of music videos where five minutes can’t go by without a pop song blaring – everything from The Rolling Stones to Eminem to The White Stripes is thrown in. It’s like an ADHD child scanning through the radio dial for almost an hour with no regard that the music is actually overtaking some of the dialogue. After an hour of flashbacks and meetings and skipping around between characters in cells, you are finally given the opportunity to see these loose cannons run wild in this twisted playground. Or so you thought. Try as hard as they may, the talented cast is never really let loose to explore their characters or to bounce off each other. The character moments that made the trailers so darkly whimsical are few and far between. They are a team of misfits, but it never feels like an odd-ball team because of a weak script that doesn’t embrace the quirkiness of each of its members.
The mission has the setup of ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK, complete with injections into their bodies and a mission to save a secret someone that is trapped in a post-apocalyptic landscape. Sound familiar? Like most of David Ayer’s filmography, the second half becomes a standard issue military film where the mission and macho posturing share center stage. When Rick Flag isn’t barking orders at other military guys who tagged along, he’s at odds with Deadshot while the rest of the squad is relegated to the background. This battle of bravado goes on like a merry-go-round until the next action sequence comes about to show off the fetishized gunplay. In between these darkly lit scenes occupied with (literally) faceless enemy thugs, more humor and character beats could have been injected. All of this eventually builds to a nonsensical final battle where there’s a magical swirling portal that has to be closed. You know the routine: there’s flashing lights, banter from the big baddie, and nothing at stake. At this point, you will be wondering more if there’s a mid-credits stinger than if the gang is going to live to tell the tale.
SUICIDE SQUAD is never as weird as it thinks it is. It should feel exciting or downright a little dangerous to enter into a world where you are forced to root for the bad guys; the type of men and women who would kill or do anything to get ahead in life. Yet, we are given repetitive shoot-outs, a derivative villain, and a lackluster final set-piece that undermines the thrill of seeing these great characters on-screen. In a way, you almost wish that Batman or Superman would show up just to rattle the cage a little (even if I’m still washing out the bad taste from this year’s previous film). It’s important to have two sides to a coin – to pit good vs evil. SUICIDE SQUAD attempts to present a new type of comic book movie: evil vs. more evil. However, this is just a thin facade created by a writer/director who doesn’t truly have a firm grasp of the characters and the property. Whether this is because of producers and studio meddling is yet to be confirmed. Yet, one thing is for certain, this time around, it doesn’t feel good being bad.
Overall rating: 2 out of 5
SUICIDE SQUAD is in theaters everywhere August 5th
New York Comic Con officially kicked off yesterday for press, professionals and anyone with a 4-day pass. In a few hours I will be heading to the Javits Center to attend the first full day of the convention. Contrary to the event name, NYCC has a lot more to offer than just comics. Below are just a few of the movie / TV related panels, screenings, guests and booths that we recommend checking out. Be sure to keep checking back on WAMG for more NYCC coverage. And follow me on twitter (@GetStuck) for some tweets and pics from the show floor.
PANELS
Comics, Hollywood – What Creators Need to Know
Friday, 2:30 pm – 3:30 pm
Location: 1A03
Description: More comics are being turned into films, & creators have important questions about how Hollywood works. Get actionable information from top creators who have navigated the TV & movie business. Featuring special guests: Jimmy Palmiotti – Comic book writer Jonah Hex & Screenwriter Painkiller Jane, Ken Levin – Hollywood entertainment attorney, co-founder First Comics, Jane Espenson – Screenwriter Buffy, Battlestar Galactica, Angel, The O.C. Host: Buddy Scalera of Comic Book School.
DC Universe Animated Original Movies gives an early look at Batman: Year One, Catwoman & Justice League: Doom
Friday, 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Location: IGN Theater
Description: Warner Home Video, Warner Premiere, DC Entertainment and Warner Bros. Animation proudly present an action-packed hour of first looks with the premiere of the animated short Catwoman, an inside glimpse of Batman: Year One, and the New York Comic Con exclusive first footage of Justice League: Doom, the highly-anticipated next entry in the ongoing series of DC Universe Animated Original Movies. Panelists include the ultimate voice of Batman, Kevin Conroy, executive producer Bruce Timm, casting/dialogue director Andrea Romano. Moderator Gary Miereanu will offer a first-look glimpse into the 2012 DC Universe Animated Original Movies slate, give away some exclusive prizes to inquisitive audience members, and quite possibly introduce a few surprise guests. Warner Home Video will distribute Batman: Year One and Catwoman on Blu-Ray™ and DVD on October 18, 2011.
Robot Chicken
Friday, 5:15 pm – 6:00 pm
Location: IGN Theater
Description: Seth Green (co-creator), Matthew Senreich (co-creator), Doug Goldstein (head writer and co-producer) and Zeb Wells discuss their popular series Robot Chicken and provide a sneak peek of season 5.5, premiering on Oct. 23rd on Adult Swim.
Comedy Central
Friday, 6:15 pm – 8:30 pm
Location: 1A22
Description: We’ve had a big year here at Comedy Central. So big, in fact, we’d like to give back to the fans by celebrating South Park’s Year of the Fan! We might be showing exclusive video outtakes from 6 Days To Air: The Making of South Park and we have another BIG surprise! As if that’s not enough, brush up on your South Park Trivia for a chance to win exclusive South Park memorabilia or just drop by for some free Cheesy Poofs. Recommended for mature audiences.
Attack the Block
Saturday, 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
Location: 1A22
Description: From the producers of Shaun of the Dead, winner of the Audience Award for Midnighters at 2011 SXSW and one of the best reviewed films of 2011, ATTACK THE BLOCK is a fast, funny, frightening action adventure movie that pits a teen street gang against an invasion of savage alien monsters. Join writer/director JOE CORNISH and star JOHN BOYEGA for a first look at the ATTACK THE BLOCK Blu-ray and DVD, coming October 25th.
Eagleheart
Saturday, 4:45 pm – 5:15 pm
Location: American Airlines Theater, 1A06
Description: Join series star Chris Elliott and co-star Maria Thayer, along with executive producers Jason Woliner, Andrew Weinberg and Michael Koman, as they discuss the live-action comedy Eagleheart and show never-before-seen footage. Produced by Conan O’Brien’s Conaco Productions and Dakota Pictures, the series premiered in February and recently wrapped production of its second season.
AMC’s The Walking Dead
Saturday, 5:15 pm – 6:15 pm
Location: IGN Theater
Description: Join Robert Kirkman (Creator/Writer of The Walking Dead comic) along with Greg Nicotero, Gale Anne Hurd, Norman Reedus, Steven Yeun, Chandler Riggs, Lauren Cohan, Laurie Holden and more from The Walking Dead…as they discuss the success of season one and what to look forward to in season two. The panel will also include a special sneak peek at the new season. The Walking Dead returns October 16 at 9/8c. Only on AMC.
MARVEL STUDIOS: Marvel’s The Avengers
Saturday, 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm
Location: IGN Theater
Description: Continuing the epic big-screen adventures started in “Iron Man,” “The Incredible Hulk,” “Iron Man 2,” “Thor” and “Captain America: The First Avenger,” in “Marvel’s The Avengers” the world’s greatest Super Heroes must assemble to pull the world back from the brink of disaster when an unexpected enemy threatens global security. This special presentation will feature never-before-seen footage and appearances by special surprise guests.
SCREENINGS
Pizza Man
Friday, 8:45 pm – 10:00 pm
Location: MTV Theater, 1A10
Description: Join Joe Eckardt, producer/director and stars of the family superhero film PIZZA MAN, starring Frankie Muniz (Malcolm in the Middle), Stan Lee, Adam West, Shelley Long, Corbin Bernsen, Diamond Dallas Page & Rowdy Roddy Piper. PIZZA MAN is a film for all ages to enjoy. The panel will include Frankie Muniz and Diamond Dallas Page!
Boy Wonder
Saturday, 6:45 pm – 8:15 pm
Location: 1B01
Description: In this riveting and gritty psychological-thriller, a young Brooklyn boy witnesses the brutal murder of his mother and grows up obsessed with finding her killer. Thus begins his life as a quiet, straight-A student by day and a self-appointed hero at night. But what is a real hero? And who decides what is right or wrong? As the boundaries blur, Sean’s dual life wears on his psyche and his two worlds careen dangerously close to colliding. Like a graphic novel you can’t put down, Boy Wonder challenges morality, distorting perceptions of what is right and what is justified, as it races to its shocking conclusion.
Work on the Martin Campbell-directed GREEN LANTERN is well underway, as production began earlier in the month in New Orleans. With that comes set visits, and, with that, comes news that Warner Brothers couldn’t keep under their hat for very long. /Film is reporting the famed, green suit Ryan Reynolds’ Hal Jordan will be donning won’t be practical, but computer generated.
According to what /Film was told, Reynolds is wearing a motion capture suit on set and the suit we see in the finished film will be almost entirely made out of 1s and 0s. The CG suit will be designed by Ngila Dickson who worked costume design for LORD OF THE RINGS, THE LAST SAMURAI, and for a little TV show called “Xena: Warrior Princess.” Take from that what you will.
Evidently, there are those who are making comparisons to Reynolds on set to how Billy Crudup looked on the set of WATCHMEN, though don’t expect Reynold’s suit in the finished film to be as revealing as that of Dr. Manhattan’s. Warner Brothers is claiming the finished version of the suit will look cool, but that isn’t really saying much, a studio claiming something in one of their upcoming, tent pole movies is going to look cool. They’d be stupid to claim otherwise.
I’m sure we’ll be able to tell just how cool this all turns out when the film’s trailer begin to hit, but we’ll know for sure once GREEN LANTERN hits theaters in June of 2011.
Another day, another failed attempt at getting a DC project off the ground. Thanks to the falling US dollar and the Australian dollar hitting a 27-year high against it on Friday, Warner Brothers has pulled production on GREEN LANTERN out of Australia. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the studio claims “the current global economic situation, including fluctuations in currency valuation and overall costs†are what forced the decision. In a nutshell, with the differences in the value of each country’s dollar, the latest inflation would add an estimated $20 million to the film’s production budget. The studio and agency Screen NSW also made the claim that they would have to reassess filming the project in other countries, as well.
The report claims industry insiders say production could be moved to Mexico or Canada, though nothing has been officially announced.
Production was to have begun in November with Martin Campbell at the helm and Ryan Reynolds donning the green suit. The release date is currently shakey at its Summer 2011 schedule, though expect this to change soon.
I’m going to jump right in and tell you that I hate the animation style of this movie. I prefer the clean lines of Batman The Animated Series to the subpar character work of this movie. If you don’t have the budget to make it look better than a Saturday Morning Cartoon, then go for style instead of clarity. It’s just that simple. That doesn’t mean the movie is bad, just not as pretty as I’d like it.
The Public Enemies story is about a world where Lex Luthor becomes the president of the United States of America, and ends up outlawing caped crusaders unless they come work for him. Lex’s group of Heroes includes Black Lightning, Power Girl, Katana, Starfire, Major Force and Captain Atom… if you’re not familiar, then don’t worry, Power Girl is the most famous, and not because she’s a great super hero but because of other assets.
The real story starts when a meteor the size of a small country is headed for earth in a week. The entire thing is made of Kryptonite. Luthor has a genius plan to destroy the meteor with a new enormous missile, but claims that he needs to meet with Superman just incase they need a back up plan. His real goal is to trick Superman into a fight with new Secret Service agent, Metallo, who’s powered by a Krytonite core, evening the playing field between the two. A large battle ensues with Batman coming to Superman’s rescue, Metallo gets away, but is soon found dead. Superman is framed for the crime and Luthor puts a bounty on his head for 1 billion dollars.
Superman and Batman embark on a mission to clear Superman’s name, stop the giant meteor from hitting earth, and try to stay alive while super villains from all over the DC universe try to take Superman out for the bounty. It’s definitely a good story… at least in theory. The execution, especially in the second half is so bad that it becomes laughable.
Comic books have a level of well… comicness they can get away with before an adult, no matter how big of a fan, starts to just laugh and remark on how stupid what they’re watching truly is. This came in the last act for me. The entire film started to break down into action sequence after action sequence, which can be fine, but that means you’re missing out on what could be the bets Batman detective story of all time. Batman having to prove Superman isn’t a criminal? Well you can see how cool that could be right? Instead that entire plot line is almost completely thrown away, Batman is never really a “public enemy†and we get one of the douchiest moments I’ve seen in these films…
Much of the dialogue in Public Enemies are cliches that feel like they’re out of a bad Schwarzenegger film. To top that off, most of the banter between Batman and Superman comes off more than a little homo-erotic, and very catty. If they spoke like this on the big screen people wouldn’t openly moan at how bad it is. Even Kevin Conroy, who IS BATMAN can’t save this film.
Oscar nominee Michael Shannon and SNL vet Will Arnett have both signed on for roles in the comic book Western, ‘Jonah Hex.’ Â Jimmy Hayward is directing, and Shannon and Arnett are joining a cast that already includes Josh Brolin, John Malkovich, and Megan Fox.
‘Hex’ tells the story of scarred bounty hunter tracking a voodoo practitioner who wants to raise an army of the undead to liberate the South.  Brolin is starring as Hex with Malkovich playing the film’s villain.
Arnett will play a Union soldier who enlists Hex and is blindsided by the dirty fighting style of his enemies. The role is not inherently comic.
Shannon plays Doc Cross Williams, the bizarre ringleader of a brutal gladiator circus event.
Production is due to start this month in Louisiana.
