Elektra Review

(As a manga otaku, not a comic otaku, I will strive to reflect on connections to the comic canon or lack thereof in the films I review, animated or live action. I owe that much to the real fans)

Elektra as a film is not a direct sequel to Daredevil, more of a spin off. Supposedly the film barely made enough in the box office to necessitate the sequel, but I do remember it coming out in theatres, though I didn’t get the DVD until probably a year after its release. It advertises itself as an action fantasy adventure, owing to Elektra’s more mystical background as an assassin/ninja. As usual with any adaptation, there are discrepancies with the canon, but I’ll get to that as we progress. So onto the even less popular Marvel Comics film, Elektra.

We’re told of an ancient war between Good and Evil (because capitalization makes things really important) that has been waged for millennia. The conflict can take place between countries or in the soul of an individual (hinting at Elektra no doubt). The narrator also mentions a special woman who is meant to be used as a weapon, called the Treasure. An unnamed man hides at an undisclosed location, trying to avoid Elektra, which he has managed to do for some time, even being protected by the Hand, the present manifestation of the Evil spoken of in the introduction, but Elektra still manages to defeat every bodyguard the man puts in front of her. Elektra’s new look is shown and she quickly kills her target. We shift to a meeting headed by Roshi, the leader of the Hand, where it’s mentioned that they are looking for the Treasure and trying to keep it out of their enemy’s hands. Kirigi, Roshi’s son, notes that he is better suited for the job, Roshi sending another man and urging Kirigi to be patient. Elektra is approached by her manager, McCabe, about a new job, which she notes is quite expensive and must be specifically for her, which McCabe confirms. She accepts and en route to the location, she flashbacks to her being resurrected by her previous master Stick, and her training in Kimagure, the art used by the Good to combat the Evil that is the Hand. Elektra is told she does not understand the way, but only pain and violence which was what led her there before and after her resurrection. Elektra has another flashback to training with her father as she swims following her OCD organization of the house (involving fruits and toiletries). She comes in and catches Abby, a girl who was stealing a necklace of Elektra’s, sending her off. She’s woken up by a nightmare about her mother’s death and after training for most of the morning, meets Abby’s father. Later, Abby comes to invite Elektra for Christmas dinner, Elektra reluctantly accepting. At dinner, Elektra notes Abby’s Indonesian warrior beads after becoming adjusted to what is no doubt something uncommon for her (socializing with people not related to business). She observes Abby and her father’s interaction, reflecting her commonality to Abby (both being motherless and Elektra in particular orphaned, though pressured by her father in training) and disappearing abruptly. The next morning, Elektra gets the information from her clients, indicating that she’s to kill Abby and her father, a shock that she doesn’t take very well, going against her duty for once and stopping herself from killing them just as she has a clear shot. After realizing she can’t do it, Elektra nearly leaves, turning back at the last moment and stopping two assassins from the Hand (who explode into green smoke; must be a Hand ninja thing, because that’s what they’re dressed like, stereotypical ninja). Kirigi and his other fellow “ninjas” Stone, Typhoid, Tattoo and Kinkou (Kinkou a random character not based on any Marvel character in the slightest, the others based off of Marvel or Elektra characters) are given the task to find the Treasure and if they succeed, Kirigi will lead the council in Roshi’s place. Elektra finds Stick at a pool hall (bringing Mark and Abby along to protect them), but Stick refuses to help them. Elektra says she can’t help them either, but goes against this to take Abby and Mark to a safe place. Tattoo’s bird tracks them, allowing the assassins to continue to hunt Abby and Mark for reasons still yet unknown. Elektra brings them to McCabe’s place to lay low for a while, Abby changing her appearance and bonding with Elektra a bit, while Mark and Elektra hit it off in a more romantic direction (not like one shouldn’t expect such a subplot in any such movie to draw in females, even though the film’s protagonist is a female). Kirigi’s group manages to find them thanks to Tattoo’s eagle and McCabe holds them off, to no avail, as Kirigi finds out where they’re headed already and then kills McCabe. Typhoid, Stone and Tattoo, along with Kinkou, chase the three, Stone and Kinkou eliminated. It’s shown that Abby can actually fight and Kirigi reveals that she is the Treasure they’re searching for, though what that is has not yet been revealed. Stick and some white ninjas save the group from Kirigi as they retreat, Elektra saved from Typhoid’s poisonous lesbian kiss by Stick. Abby is revealed to have been a prodigy, which is why the Hand wants her. And unless she stays with Stick and the Kimagure clan, she isn’t safe. Abby and Elektra train a bit and Elektra sees a bit of herself in Abby. She then calls a single battle between her and Kirigi, going back to her family’s house to finish their conflict once and for all. The fight goes badly for Elektra until Abby comes in. The two escape and after being chased by Tattoo’s snakes, Elektra manages to kill him as he’s in the trance summoning them. Abby is caught off guard by Typhoid who poisons her, while Elektra finally gains the edge against Kirigi and slays him, quickly killing Typhoid afterwards. She then finds Abby, on the brink of death, but after a sudden enlightenment, she gains a new perspective on things and manages to revive Abby. Abby and her dad leave, while Elektra is inspired to pursue her new perspective on life by Stick, leaving her house as the film ends.

Jennifer Garner does Elektra very well, just as she did in Daredevil. Her personality this time was changed drastically, less sassy and more emotionless, cynical at best (since she died and came back to life and all, I’d bet she’s kind of moody). Her background is extended further as well, but still portraying a ninja assassin in red clothes excellently. Terence Stamp as Stick is good as well even if he is minor in his involvement. His role as a master to Elektra is crucial to really understanding the position Elektra came from and why she has to suffer in order to learn from her mistakes and redeem herself as a person. Kirsten Prout portrays Abby Miller, starting off as a teenager with authority issues and advancing into something of a mini clone of Elektra, though much more outgoing and suffering less than Elektra has in her short 13 years so far. Even losing her mother and being pressured as a prodigy is not nearly as much as Elektra has gone through and she makes you hope that she won’t go through so much in the future. Will Yun Lee is Kirigi, the one villain I found to be compellingly evil and someone that you can see virtue in with his respect for the divisions between the Hand and Kimagure as well as his slow and methodical way of fighting through the film. His ambition to control the Hand is admirable as well, albeit one might think he would’ve been willing to kill Roshi, but his father’s role was minor and actually unresolved as to what his fate was, though perhaps Roshi expected Kirigi to fail since he was not taking his advice to be patient. The other enemy ninjas are interesting as side characters, as is McCabe, all dying relatively uneventfully. Kirigi is not the last to die, Typhoid dying last probably since she said she was originally the Treasure, not revealed beforehand or even indicated. The flatness of these minor characters is a flaw the film suffers from in leaving so many plotlines unresolved or not delved into enough, such as Roshi’s fate and why Typhoid was originally the Treasure and not Kirigi, which would reinforce his desire to take her as his student. Daredevil is only referenced in the Director’s Cut in a single scene, when his background with Elektra might’ve served a useful role in the narrative.

The primary theme is the battle between good and evil (on the various levels: Hand v. Kimagure and Elektra’s internal struggle esp.) and how Elektra demonstrates that even the truly good must sometimes resort to violence to combat the truly evil. Elektra advances as a character, understanding herself and that her true nature is not evil or cold hearted, but feels and suffers and can therefore recover. Her recovery takes place through the film, connecting with Abby and her father and even reconnecting with Stick through his sagely, albeit vague, advice. There is also the relationship between Elektra and Abby in particular, both being pressured in some sense to face a destiny that they don’t want. Elektra was shown to have been trained by her father harshly (though in Daredevil she said it was the various sensei that made her strong, so already the continuity of the films is ruined) and Abby is a natural prodigy, possessing enough potential to be hunted down by the Hand and also pressured into staying with the Kimagure to stay safe, even though she herself doesn’t want this life. Her eventual resurrection by Elektra mirrors Elektra’s shown through flashbacks. Both of these revivals serve as focal points for the characters to pursue a new path and improve themselves. Elektra’s path took much longer, though she worries for Abby as well, but there is also the possibility that since Elektra influenced her, Abby may turn out even better.

The film progresses at a decent pace, but the action is less exciting than I recall. The fights against the two assassins are either nonexistent or Elektra dodging darts. And concerning Kirigi’s thugs, Stone is killed by the tree he knocked down, Kinkou by his own knife, Tattoo by his neck being broken as he sits in a trance, Kirigi by getting stabbed in the gut by Elektra as he rushes at her and Typhoid by a carefully thrown sai. The fight scenes seem to rely too much on the special effects and less on real choreography for hand to hand or even weapon to weapon combat. Kirigi in particular is an example of a failure on both parts, the weapon fighting scenes too short for what they could be and the use of the illusion of the flying tablecloths also ruining what could’ve been a good fight, now more visually confusing than necessary (his super speed effect already a challenge to Elektra). The progression of Elektra’s personality and relationships with Abby and Stick I can view as necessary (along with the general build up to the epic final battle between the representatives of the Hand and Kimagure), but for all the fight scenes promised, the film disappoints heavily. Even Daredevil had more in depth fight scenes than this and that had its own distracting problem with the romantic subplot which had some value regardless. This film would get one of my lowest ratings so far in hindsight after being so enthralled in it as a teen (possibly by the kunoichi appeal of Elektra and just seeing Jennifer Garner in a much more skimpy outfit). The star rating would be a 3 out of 5, due to the imbalance of a fair plot progression with a fantasy/ninja theme of good versus evil on the one hand and short lived or anticlimactic fight scenes and poor advancement of plotlines, such as the Treasure, etc, on the other. The recommendation would be around 50%, since it is some exposure to Elektra, even if they reversed at least one character’s role (Stone was originally a good guy in the comics) underpowered Kirigi as well (he could regenerate and was super strong, near invincible, in the comics) and even raped the continuity established in Elektra (since her father was not only changed to a direct training role, but the actor changed to a younger male, her father in Daredevil a white haired elderly man). I can’t take this movie as much more than pulling Elektra from Daredevil and trying to put her in a sequel film to cash in on her sex appeal and potential draw to female fans of comics, neither of which works especially well. It falls on both accounts: her sex appeal is subtle and not nearly what you’d expect even with her outfit redesigned, and her appeal to females hinges on her clairvoyant powers and also the use of what might be understood as a more female weapon in the sai, not to mention her physical toughness is less than expected. Disappointing on the one hand, but still possessing potential on the other. This could be extended into a television series and I would watch it, especially if you progressively introduced Elektra’s backstory as well as slowly intertwine her story with that of Abby’s as the Treasure, hunted by the Hand. All in all, this was a somewhat depressing but still heartening endeavor. Until next time, Namaste and Aloha.

Daredevil Review

(As a manga otaku, not a comic otaku, I will strive to reflect on connections to the comic canon or lack thereof in the films I review, animated or live action. I owe that much to the real fans)

Daredevil is my second favorite Marvel character besides the Punisher. The fact that he is a disabled character and yet able to fight off much stronger characters already makes him stand out; plus he’s one of the few noteworthy blind heroes that people can name from memory. It might be the costume that reminds you of a devil with the horns, it might be the weapon combat with billyclubs combined with the acrobatics that are less than believable with a blind character feeling it the whole way, but the character from Hell’s Kitchen in New York has persisted through the decades and this live action film attests to it (however much many may not enjoy it). I know I didn’t think much of it initially, seeing the ending fight between Daredevil and Kingpin and thinking it was cool, but not to the extent I’d want to buy the film. And about 4 years later, I watched the film and promised myself I’d review it soon in the future. So now I’ll make good on that promise.

The credits open with what are apparently Braille versions of the main four actors’ names, changing to regular characters, which is a nice start. We have a flash forward to events much later in the film with Daredevil falling into a church, bleeding profusely and being found by the priest there. He then begins to flash through his life, beginning as a child of a semi-retired boxer, Jack “the Devil” Murdock. Living in the slums of Hell’s Kitchen, Matt was bullied, but his father taught him that he can do anything if he’s not afraid. He finds his father beating a guy up for protection money, discovering he is working for Falen, a crime boss in the city. Running away, he is involved in an accident and is blinded by an unknown chemical. He wakes up with enhanced hearing to the point he has sonar like vision, his initial exposure showing his great weakness of sharp and sudden loud noises. He and his father then began to work towards their goals. His father gets back into boxing and Matt begins to self-train himself to adjust to his blindness with the aid of his “Daredevil vision”. Stan Lee makes a short appearance at 13 minutes in as the story progresses into Murdock Sr. being pressured to throw a fight, which he rejects. But afterwards, he is beaten to death by Falen’s goons, orphaning Matt, but pushing him to two goals: to become a lawyer to defend the less fortunate, but also becoming the crime-fighter alias, Daredevil. We shift to Matt as an adult, sleeping in a water coffin to guard against the sounds of the night, living cheaply and frugally as a lawyer. He fails to convict a man of rape, the guy getting off because of his status in contrast to the woman with a history of drug and alcohol abuse. His frustration is justified and he proceeds to take justice into his own hands later, Quesada (the man in question) falling onto the subway tracks and being summarily run over. An investigator into Daredevil’s urban legend, Ben Urich, reveals Daredevil’s interesting mark he leaves at the scenes of his “crimes”, overlapping D’s. Matt returns home to reveal his failing love life, which we’ll get into later. He goes to confessional, speaking to his priest about his being Daredevil, the priest reflecting that his path of violence is only going to hurt him in the end (also indicating he knows he is Daredevil). Matt and his partner Franklin run into an unknown woman whom Matt pursues. The two turn out to both be quite skilled fighters, Matt learning the woman’s name is Elektra Natchios. We shift to Kingpin, speaking with who appears to be Elektra’s father about business issues. Elektra and Matt hit it off after their fight and Kingpin sets a plan in motion to make Elektra’s father out to be the Kingpin. He also calls for the assassin Bullseye, an Irish expert in turning anything into a throwing weapon, including a paperclip and a peanut in two different situations. Meanwhile, Daredevil chases down another of Kingpin’s thugs, scaring the crap out of a kid in the process, Matt insisting he’s not the bad guy. The next day, Matt finds he’s been invited to a party at the hotel Elektra’s dad owns, but he insists he shouldn’t even bother going since she’s out of his league. He later meets Elektra and their relationship takes a turn for the better, no doubt motivating Matt to go to the ball. Though he is pressured by Elektra to stay with her even though the audience knows he hears a man being roughed up by Kingpin’s thugs elsewhere. At the party, Matt and his partner meet Wilson Fisk, the real Kingpin, but Matt’s adherence to his code of justice makes him something of an enemy already. Matt meets Elektra and the two speak on their relationship a bit, Elektra scared at how her meeting Matt seems too good to be true and Matt feeling bad that he can’t see Elektra all dressed up as she is. Bullseye obtains a motorcycle, while Kingpin puts a rose in Nikolaos Natchio’s breast pocket, indicating that he has been marked to be killed. He and Elektra leave Matt at the party. Bullseye finds the Natchios’ limo and takes out the drivers, fighting against Daredevil (missing for the first time) and then using Daredevil’s club to impale Elektra’s father, making Elektra think Daredevil murdered him as Bullseye gets away. Elektra meets Matt at the funeral and insists she must seek revenge, Matt pleading with her to stay with him and forget vengeance, which she rejects as she leaves. Ben Urich is shown that the Daredevil club recovered at the murder scene resembles Matt Murdock’s walking cane. Kingpin then sends Bullseye to kill Elektra, allowing him to kill Daredevil if he can as well. Ben Urich tells Matt that he thinks Natchios was set up by the real Kingpin, while elsewhere Elektra trains to kill Daredevil. Elektra ambushes Matt and eventually manages to overwhelm and injure him with one of her sai. After realizing she killed Matt, she is stunned. Then Bullseye shows up and begins to turn the tables, killing her with her own sai. Daredevil escapes and we shift to the scene from the opening as Bullseye bursts in to fight and kill Daredevil in the church. The two fight up the organ and into the upper belfry, where Bullseye uses stained glass shards as weapons after running out of his own supply. Daredevil is then disoriented by Bullseye striking one of the bells and causing other reverberations, also discovering that Fisk is the Kingpin but fate strikes as Bullseye’s hands are struck by a sniper’s bullet through Daredevil’s use of his radar vision, allowing Matt to knock him out of the top of the building onto a cop car. Elsewhere, Fisk tells his security to go home and prepares to fight Daredevil himself. Kingpin’s brutal style (created to take advantage of his size and strength) initially gives Matt a difficult time, but with creative use of the sprinkler system, he defeats Kingpin, disabling him by taking out his knees. Kingpin threatens to reveal his identity, but Daredevil retorts that he doubts he’d be bragging about getting beaten by a blind man. The next day, after leaving the coffee shop, Matt finds evidence that Elektra may still be alive. Also, Ben Urich reveals he knew Matt’s identity and leaves him to continue to protect the city, his alias safe.

Ben Affleck portrays Matt Murdock and Daredevil both very well. The attitude as a smooth talking lawyer raised in the slums is excellent and the Daredevil stunts, while not all done by a person (some in CG) are reminiscent of Spiderman’s moves. Jennifer Garner as Elektra is great as well, the depiction accessible to a non-comic audience with her attire adjusted, her personality and brutality from her training still maintained. Michael Clarke Duncan plays one of the two more controversial characters, Wilson Fisk/Kingpin. The original character is white and a bit more heavyset than Duncan, but I find that Duncan brings a good portrayal of what was his favorite character as a child. The important part of Kingpin is not his race so much as what he stands for, a heavyset businessman willing to go to blows to protect his reputation and economic status. Colin Farrell does Bullseye, another somewhat objectionable character in relation to comic canon. He had no Irish accent originally and the outfit was adjusted significantly, the bullseye on his forehead now an imprint/brand instead of part of his black full body suit from the comics. The insane demeanor and malice directed towards his targets is done just as well and I think that’s what’s important to his character. Joe Pantoliano does the minor character Ben Urich, who I feel has importance in a similar way that Detective Soap did to Frank Castle in Punisher Warzone, as a person who develops into a confidante for the character. Urich’s position as a reporter does differ from Soap’s, who is more in the police force than Urich, who is only indirectly involved, but he still stands out as a pseudo sidekick to the horned avenger.

One theme runs through the film: justice as blind and yet able to hear (as Matt puts it). The blindness of justice is reflected in Elektra’s character, that she seeks out revenge in a Punisher fashion and it gets her killed. The blindness of love is also part of this since Matt and Elektra would have been happy had the Kingpin and Bullseye not gotten involved. The whole tragedy of their romance is a subtheme in itself and a subplot that many find distracting. The director’s cut does have a subplot that I imagine delves more into the dark nature of Daredevil, but I’d have to look into that in the future. Justice being able to hear is reflected with Daredevil and his initial weakness to the various sounds, eventually maturing to be able to focus on particular sounds to find his targets and using the understanding he has of his radar sense to defeat Kingpin. The fact that he has to slowly understand that justice should not resort to killing people is also related to his premise that justice can hear even if she is blind. Initially we see Matt as heartless in his quest for justice as Daredevil, but slowly realizing that he must not become the bad guy or even appear as such. He must be firm against evil, but not resort to evil as it is. His Catholic background reflects on this in a sense with the popular understanding of Catholic exorcists as having understanding of evil, but not using evil to cast it out to use the Biblical turn of phrase.

All in all the film deserves a good rating, even if it doesn’t reflect the exact tone of the comics, which was close to Punisher without becoming excessively violent. Not to mention there is the masked aspect of this comic, making Daredevil a good comparison in Marvel to DC Comics’ Batman. The conformity to the canon of the comic is altered with regards to Matt’s father not being the indirect cause of Matt’s blindness, since in the comics Matt saved a blind man, which then initiated the spill of the radioactive substance in his eyes. There was also a subplot I read about involving Daredevil’s first girlfriend Karen Page, which was included in the Director’s cut in more detail. At least they did that, unlike in Spiderman where Gwen Stacy is cut out completely as a character. A decent 4 out of 5, because of the difficulty of really getting into this cut with the distractions of the romantic subplot and less emphasis on the crime-fighting as Daredevil, but still an 80% recommendation since it does introduce people to what is no doubt one of Marvel’s popular underdogs. Until next time, Namaste and Aloha.

Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow Review

(As a manga, not a comic, otaku, I will strive to reflect on connections to the comic canon in this animated or live action adaptation. I owe the fans at least that much, since I read my comics backwards mostly)

The Avengers are not a Marvel group I know much about, though they’re becoming well known and widespread recently, especially with the rumors of an Avengers film coming out in 2011. Captain America, Thor, Iron Man, there’s lots of famous names in the group (Captain America being sadly lacking in a movie I want to watch with just him). And there are two other Avengers films I’ll review. This one’s a bit different, since the Avengers are notably absent in their original form. But I’ll get to that with synopsis.

We begin with an unknown person telling a group of four children a story of the Avengers and how they eventually took to creating lives outside of crimefighting. Captain American and Black Widow fell in love, as did Giant Man and Wasp, and Black Panther and Storm (implied and also canon, I believe). Also, Thor left the group to go to Asgard. And oddly enough Hulk was never mentioned in the group, which will be explained later on. The four children who are being told the story are suggested to be the four children of the Avengers. But a new threat appears, Ultron, and the Avengers are sorely defeated without Thor’s help, but the children are hidden away in a place where Ultron cannot find them, so that they are at least safe from his wrath and that there would be hope for the future. We shift to 12 years later and the children are enjoying themselves, albeit Thor’s daughter is depressed, but takes out her anger on Pym (son of Giant man and Wasp) and Azari (son of Black Panther and Storm) playing tag. James (son of Captain America and Black Widow) is awoken, generating a conflict between them since James feels nothing impressive will happen and his friends are less than realistic about the way things are. They’re stopped by one Tony Stark, one of the few surviving Avengers. Tony tries to comfort James in his frustration, but James rejects him. An alarm goes off and the children hide in their quarters, but meet Vision (another surviving Avenger) as he tries to sneak in, revealing that Ultron’s power is expanding, damaged from his wanderings in his city. Tony goes to repair Vision, telling the children to stay where they are. They ignore him of course and get into Tony’s secret lab. They find the Iron Avengers, android imitations of the original Avengers, and Vision reveals that Hawkeye’s son is alive. James unknowingly activates the Iron Avengers and they launch off to attack Ultron. This lets Ultron onto their location and he summarily defeats and takes control of the Iron Avengers. Ultron attacks the base, Tony keeping him distracted in his Iron Man suit as the kids are ordered to leave the base. Vision forcefully hacks the ship and they jet away, Tony being captured. Vision runs out of energy and the kids take the ship to Ultron’s city, though they are forced to leave it before it is destroyed. In the process of attacking the city, they meet up with the son of Hawkeye (the archer in the opening story), Francis Barton, who rescues them. He reluctantly guides them to Ultron’s citadel so they can rescue Tony. The kids find Ultron’s collection of the fallen superheroes’ costumes and items and are discovered, but manage to escape with Tony after Hawkeye Jr. decides to help them. The group escapes to find Bruce Banner, the Hulk, who was an unmentioned and unofficial member of the Avengers. Bruce rejects their invitation, but the kids decide to draw Ultron to Hulk’s hideout. Torunn (daughter of Thor and Sif) begs her father for aid and her sword that she lost in the city before returns to her magically. The group fights against the Iron Avengers, defeating them. Pym then manages to bring out the Hulk and he fights against Ultron with decent success. But after he is knocked out by Ultron’s power, Pym yet again provokes the Hulk to mercilessly pummel Ultron and tear him in half. Afterwards, Torunn takes on the responsibility to throw Ultron into space. She is saved by her father who returns her to earth in Asgardian armor and the group mobilizes to destroy the rest of Ultron’s empire after he is gone as the movie concludes.

There are eight important characters, five of them being the titular Next Avengers themselves. James, son of Captain America and Black Widow, has a classic older teen personality, laid back and cautious, an interesting blend of his mother and father’s traits. Torunn has something of a father complex in that she desires to meet his expectations, even speaking in an Old English form on and off with regular teen idiom, influenced by her being raised primarily on Earth. Azari, commonly the voice of reason and a stand out minority character, has the interesting dual traits of Black Panther’s enhanced agility and Storm’s electricity (not her full control over the weather, if only to lower his power to a comparable level). Pym is the youngest and the shortest, serving mostly as comic relief along with being a tech expert in the group. Easily scared and easily amused as well, he reflects his youth very well through the film. Francis Barton is the last of the Next Avengers to be revealed and possibly the oldest, though we don’t get any real age references to determine the kids’ ages beyond being in their early to late teens. Sarcastic, self serving and very self reliant, he’s one of the members without any apparent enhanced resistance and like his DC counterpart in Green Arrow, has issues with authority, but begrudgingly helps those in need. Tony Stark and Bruce Banner are the last surviving Avengers and maintain their general behavior from their glory days: Tony pushing himself hard to improve himself and Bruce being excessively withdrawn in order to serve the greater good in preventing the Hulk from being released. Betty Ross makes an appearance, a balance and control to Hulk’s anger and Bruce’s isolation. Ultron is the last character with significant importance, the antagonist with enough power to intimidate, but not the sheer potency that comes with other larger Avengers foes like Loki and Skrull invaders.

Two themes run through the film, one of them more character centered, the other emphasizing the overall importance of the Next Avengers. Torunn presents a large subtheme with her Asgardian heritage as well as the recognition of the plot that her father is still alive, unlike her other siblings’ parents. Her belief that she is immortal and invulnerable leads to her losing her sword in their first fight against Ultron’s robots, not to mention it gives her a strong reality check that she is less than invulnerable. She eventually realizes that her humanity, even if she is Asgardian, is something she has to accept. In embracing this, she even takes on the task of flying into space to throw Ultron into the depths and is praised by her father for her courage. The cycle is complete as Torunn is praised as an Asgardian and invited to live in Asgard with her parents. But she admits that her place is with the human/mutant family she has on Earth. The other theme is the Next Avengers accepting and taking on the responsibility they have as the next generation of surviving superheroes. This is truly a large responsibility, since we get the indication that Ultron wiped out almost all the superheroes in the world, not just the Avengers. James is the impetus to this change in their motivation, taking after his father who started the original Avengers. And the others follow suit, fully realizing their powers; Azari projecting a panther of electricity, Pym managing to increase his size along with his original power to decrease it, Torunn fighting with an Asgardian’s strength, and Hawkeye Jr. taking on his father with just his bow skills. The previous Avengers either leave in peace or follow behind as old experts who can guide the new Avengers into the future.

All in all the film is good, even if there is an awkward mix of a child friendly approach to Marvel comics with the younger characters along with the realization by adult viewers that the children are for all intents and purposes orphaned, as well as the dystopian feel the film also gives to a viewer. The kids’ less than intelligent actions and phrases (except Francis’ less than intimidating threat to James of “If you talk about my dad again, I will punch you in the face,”) can be excused, and their ambition can be admired, fighting against villains stronger than them and taking on very adult responsibilities to save the world from a global threat. But the moments of comedy kind of make this an awkward view, albeit this is a decent attempt to introduce the Avengers to a younger audience, in contrast to what the Ultimate Avengers movies will no doubt present to us in the future. A 4 out of 5, with a 90% recommendation, the star lost because of the sheer paradox of kid humor with what is a decidedly angst filled setting of the end of the world along with a few confusing plot holes (they never say who Francis’ mother is, though it’s implied from canon it’s Mockingbird, along with why Pym Jr. didn’t use his size increasing powers from the start as opposed to at the end). But I still recommend this if only for the “What If” potential it inspires. Until next time, Namaste and Aloha.

League of Extraordinary Gentlmen Review

(As a manga otaku, not a comic otaku, I will strive to the best of my abilities to reflect on connections of the adaptation in question to the comic canon it derives from. I owe that much to the fans.)

I had seen the trailer for this film years ago, and thought little of it, similar to the adaptation of Sherlock Holmes recently out in theatres. But I decided to take a consumer risk and buy this and after watching it, I was hooked for a time into understanding the comic backstory and discovering that there were actually multiple leagues through history. But historically speaking, this film is very nice for people who are literary and history buffs. The fact that the film roots you in the beginning of the 20th century is impressive enough, but the fact that we’re primarily in Europe only further emphasizes how foreign the locales may be to an American viewer, even with Tom Sawyer as an unofficial member of the league in this film. But enough of my waxing on the literary appeal; let’s summarize the plot instead.

We begin with some text indicating what I just told you, the time being 1899 and the nations of Europe being at an uneasy peace. The indication is that new weapons will be used and they are. The England Police are powerless against the single tank that trudges through the town and crashes through the bank. And the men inside are Germans, breeding suspicion among the English. The Germans deny this and another group attacks a factory in Berlin, further confusing everyone as to who is behind this group, led by a man with a cane with a skull on it and a metal mask. The scene shifts to Africa, where the British Empire calls on the services of one Allan Quatermain, who reluctantly agrees after some soldiers attack the building he was hiding out in. The intent is to create a group of unique individuals to combat the mysterious group that threatens to hurl Europe into a war of unheard of proportions. Quatermain is escorted to London where he meets three other members of the newly formed League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Captain Nemo (from 20000 Leagues Under the Sea), Rodney Skinner (not the Invisible Man himself, but close enough) and Mina Harker (from Bram Stoker’s Dracula). Their mission is to stop the man responsible for the attacks, one Fantom, from attacking a conference of the world’s leaders in Venice. Their employer, M, directs them to find two other individuals, Dorian Grey and Dr. Jekyll. They find out about Nemo’s impressive technological advancements, like his car. They first seek out Dorian Grey and are attacked by Fantom, aided by Tom Sawyer who assists them. Fantom escapes and Dorian eventually decides to join, if only because he’s bored and has a hard on for Mina (who is revealed to be a vampire). After discovering Nemo has a subarmine, Tom (who joins the League) and Allan capture Dr. Jekyll’s counterpart in Paris, Mr. Hyde, and he is convinced to join as well. After a series of interactions between the various members (Tom rejected by Mina, Allan showing Rodney he isn’t as stealthy as he thinks, conversing with Nemo on his past and showing Tom about the English way of shooting, and Allan reflecting with Mina about trust issues within the League, as well as Dorian making moves on Mina and Dr. Jekyll confronting his inner demon as well as noting Nemo’s past). The group arrives in Venice and manages to stop Fantom’s attempt to collapse the entire city of Venice by destroying the many pillars underneath it with a combination of Tom’s ambition and Nemo’s technology to stop the chain of dominoes. Quatermain chases Fantom, saying he’s discovered the spy, suspected to be Skinner, but it’s revealed on the Nautilus that it was Dorian, who shoots Ishmael, the second mate. Not to mention the even larger revelation that M is actually the Fantom. Dorian escapes as does M. Nemo seeks to track them, but it is revealed by M that there are bombs onboard and that he has planned to collect samples of each of the League to create an even stronger army than before. The sabotage nearly sinks the Nautilus, but with Jekyll’s decision to collaborate with Hyde, the Nautilus is saved and repaired. It’s discovered that Skinner stowed away with Gray and knows the location of M’s secret base. The group follows him to Mongolia where the group meets with Skinner and devises a plan to sabotage M’s plans. Skinner will plant bombs to destroy the labs, Nemo and Hyde will rescue the prisoners, Quatermain and Sawyer will seek out M and Mina will confront Gray for his treachery. Tom and Allan find M, and Nemo and Hyde are found out by a soldier as they free the prisoners, the two split up, Nemo rescuing the scientists while Hyde holds off the attacking soldiers. M manages to escape after it is revealed he is James Moriarty, rival of Sherlock Holmes. Dorian and Mina face off, Mina eventually stabbed and apparently killed, but turning the tables and impaling Dorian against the wall, revealing his photo and killing him for good. Meanwhile, Sawyer fights off Reed and with Skinner’s help, manages to stop an armored soldier, Skinner burned badly and Sawyer taken hostage by Reed, still invisible. Hyde also has his share of problems fighting an unnamed henchman (Dante, I think), who overdoses on Jekyll’s elixir and becomes a monstrous entity of pure muscle and strength, which Hyde manages to defeat as they get it cornered in a room with a narrow opening where the explosion started by Skinner buries him. And in the final confrontation between Quatermain and Moriarty, Quatermain saves Sawyer from Reed, but is fatally wounded by Moriarty as he escapes. But Sawyer manages to take Quatermain’s advice and take out Moriarty with a shot from 600 yards or so and saves the day, even though Allan succumbs to his wound and dies. The League buries him in Africa and as the film ends, we get the potential for a sequel as Allan seemingly comes back from the dead, since a witch doctor blessed him, saying Africa would never let him die.

All the members of the League are depicted excellently. Sean Connery as Allan Quatermain is irreplaceable, sardonic, old, wizened and experienced from the 19th century as the great white hunter in Africa. Shane West portrays Tom Sawyer, the only American and the ambitious young adult who takes on the promise of the new century as the League begins to come into the light after all those years of hiding. Naseeruddin Shah is Captain Nemo, actually depicted as his Indian ethnicity from the books, is a true exotic character, fighting only hand to hand and with a blade, with seemingly peak human strength, but no special powers or superhuman strength like the others. Peta Wilson depicts Wilhelmina “Mina” Harker, the only female member, but a true vampire, summoning bats and sucking blood like no one’s business. Tony Curran does Rodney Skinner, the original comic character who stole the invisibility formula, and the comic relief, but also a surprisingly courageous soul who comes through in a pinch. Jason Flemying portrays Dr. Henry Jekyll, also getting into makeup for Mr. Hyde occasionally, a divided personality, withdrawn and timid on the one hand and bestial and rough on the other, eventually lining up in some way with the titanic monstrous form without and the intelligent personality within. Stuart Townsend does Dorian Grey as well as I can imagine with a comic book spin, suave, debonair and as he put it “complicated”. Richard Roxburgh portrays M, the Fantom and Moriarty, three radically different and yet interrelated characters, each with personality traits, voices and behavior within the narrative itself.

The two themes in the film are spread over time, the main one being the progress of the future and the danger and promise it holds for the new generation. This is emphasized by Moriarty’s characterization, probably being still relatively young, but as he said reborn after his accident, which according to my research would’ve been only 8 years ago in 1891 when he and Holmes fell off Reichenbach Falls. The ambition on his part to push the world into the future with advanced industrial technology as well as gaining profit from selling it could be seen as a capitalist virtue, but his desire to do this even at the cost of sacrificing lives does make his dream seem twisted in comparison to Nemo’s technological progress, who would be according to the history of the novels, at least in his 50s, if not his 60s (though they could’ve altered the history in the graphic novel in relation to Nemo to make him younger in contrast to his appearance in the Jules Verne novel set in 1866, which would have him aged 30+ years from then to 1899). The other theme is more related to the oldest and youngest characters, Quatermain and Sawyer. This comes about with the interaction of their English and American thinking as well as Quatermain’s relationship to Sawyer as a projection of his lost son and the eventual conviction that his young protégé will carry on the future as well as he did in the 1800s. Other more minor themes of sorts are Jekyll resolving his internal conflict with Hyde and Dorian and Mina’s romance ending with Mina noting that her immortality is less tragic than Dorian’s, dependent on the hiding away of his cursed picture. Nemo’s theme is not confronted as much, though I imagine his decision to come into the light in the ending indicates he is at least at peace with the issues he had from the Jules Verne novel (which I won’t spoil).

All in all, this film is great, though the accessibility issues I reflect on with a lot of these adaptations commonly harm my recommendation percentage. But even if one doesn’t understand the rooting of these characters in English prose from the 19th century by such great authors as Jules Verne, Mark Twain, Arthur Conan Doyle, Bram Stoker and Oscar Wilde, there is still the action/superhero atmosphere presented persistently, keeping you on the edge of your proverbial seat. The subplots balance out what would’ve been an otherwise unnecessarily action packed film with more mature themes, but not mature enough to give it an R rating, so the kids and teens can go to this legally with their parents, who can probably appreciate the literary influences more than the kids. On a concluding note on the comic relations, this is very much a sampling of what is a much larger storyline to my knowledge, involving other big villains, like Fu Manchu, Professor Moreau. It does involve Moriarty, although in a somewhat different vein and as the main overall antagonist, not to mention Rodney Skinner replaces the original Invisible Man, who according to this timeline would’ve been dead as per the events of the book and original characters such as Reed and Dante also make this very much a redux of the original premise which was much larger, spanning many eras and even travelling to Mars at one point I believe. But overall, a 5 out of 5 with a 60% recommendation. Until next time, Namaste and Aloha.

The Invincible Iron Man Review

(As a manga otaku, not a comic otaku, I will still endeavor to reflect on connections and disconnections from the canon of comics, even those as complex as DC and Marvel’s)

Iron Man is not my favorite Marvel superhero, though I can appreciate his position as a technologically progressive guy. Though I’m admittedly more right brained and artistically minded, I can say that progression of machines, computers and technology is important, when done with the right intent. Iron Man also reminds me a bit of S.T.R.I.P.E. from Justice League; a somewhat middle aged guy piloting a mecha to fight bad guys. Except Tony Stark’s notably rich and also a womanizer. Not to mention his alcoholism that comes up in the comics and the live action movies I think. Anyway, onto synopsis.

We start in China, where the friend of Tony Stark, James Rhodes (who will become War Machine in other adaptations), is helping the Chinese government raise the ancient city of the Mandarin. But he’s also being attacked by the Jade Dragons, who don’t want it to be raised, for reasons they’ll reveal later. Rhodes’ plane delivering the last of the liquid steel they need to raise the city is attacked. Rhodes calls Tony Stark (who is in the hot tub with a woman suspiciously similar in appearance to Pepper Potts, though it’s just a coincidence more likely) about his supposedly shipping weapons to help Rhodes’ crew defend themselves, but Tony denies he authorized it. Tony promises he’ll fly to China to settle these things, but in the meantime travels to the main building of Stark Enterprises to a company meeting that he’s late for. He’s told in somewhat extensive terms that he has been relieved of his duties and his division scrapped. His objection to his father (the chairman) is met with quick dismissal as we shift scenes again. Rhodes is beginning the raising of the city by vibrating liquid steel and then letting it solidify so that the city is stuck over a thick layer of solid steel. But the Jade Dragons attack and kill all the workers, capturing Rhodes as well, motivating Tony to fly out immediately. Rhodes is told he is merely bait to draw Tony Stark to China. Tony’s tank taking him to the ruins is attacked and Tony taken to the Jade Dragon’s hideout. He is critically injured in the attack and Rhodes seeks to help him. We also learn about a woman in the Jade Dragons with a certain responsibility that we are not told about in detail, but we do find that it obligates her to stay with the group. And we find that with the Mandarin’s city raised above ground, four elemental guardians: water, air, fire and earth, have been summoned from statues and they go to search for something. Tony’s father is told that the company is in danger because of Stark weapons being associated with Chinese radicals and that he must make a decision to protect the company’s reputation. Tony awakens to find he is nearly dead but saved by both a monk in the Jade Dragons keeping him alive before Rhodes arrived and his medically adept friend who developed a machine that kept shrapnel from piercing his heart. Li Mei is introduced to Tony, the same woman who had some important destiny from before. She muses on the past on a bridge, rejected by her father because she was not his son and apparently unworthy for the destiny she possesses. The four warriors find the first ring and continue their search elsewhere. Tony is told that he has fulfilled a prophecy that foretells that when the ancient city is raised above ground that the Mandarin’s servants, the four elementals, will seek the 5 bands of the underworld to resurrect him, otherwise known as rings. The monk is then killed by the Jade Dragon’s leader, Wong Chu, after Tony’s initial refusal to help him reverse what he did. Tony and Rhodes then secretly build a prototype mecha as well as try to soften the fiber steel that raised the city (not really). He then asks Li Mei why she is with the group and she tells him of her yet unspecified duty passed down through her family and that she is the only one left alive. Tony reflects on his connection to her disappointment from her father. The elementals find the second ring as the scene then shifts to Rhodes distracting Wong Chu while Tony gets into the mecha suit. Wong Chu is killed by Li Mei and Tony saves Rhodes and Li Mei, leaving with just Rhodes as Li Mei insists that she must stay behind. One of the Jade Dragons points out part of the prophecy to Li Mei stating that an Iron Knight will face the Mandarin, Li Mei ambivalent as to whether she believes Tony is that Iron Knight. Tony and Rhodes return home to find they are under arrest for giving weapons to the Jade Dragons, sold out by Tony’s father, but they manage to escape in a bulletproof car. Li Mei takes the remaining Jade Dragons to the Mandarin’s city and all of the members are killed. Li Mei, the only survivor, is confronted by a shadowy dragon. Tony and Rhodes manage to contact Pepper, Tony’s secretary, and get her to distract the agents searching the building long enough so Tony can get into his office. He reveals a secret area in his office where he tells Rhodes he needs his help in using the various mecha he’s designed so he can find the rest of the rings. Rhodes reluctantly accepts and Tony follows the elementals to the location of the third ring underwater. He fights them, managing to destroy the fire elemental, but the other three defeating him and escaping with the third ring. Tony returns and confronts his father about selling him out, the two unable to come to any agreement. He leaves in frustration and returns to the secret office area, found out by one of the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents in the building. Pepper distracts the guard pursuing him, giving Tony the chance to seal himself in the room, also getting arrested in the process. Rhodes also gets himself captured to give Tony the opportunity to find the fourth ring which is hidden in a volcano. Fighting the elementals again, Tony destroys the water and air elementals, but the earth elemental escapes with the ring after trouncing the volcano suit (surprisingly similar in appearance to the Iron Man suit we know today). Tony is forced to return home on his own since the suit was damaged beyond repair. Li Mei meets with Tony outside Stark Building, Tony calling his father who warns him away from asking him for help. He gets into the jet where he had the original mecha stowed away and flies back to China. The earth elemental summons an army of stone soldiers, Tony flying in to fight him and defeating him after a new idea occurs to him. He retrieves the rings, finding that the fifth ring is the band around Li Mei’s arm and that her destiny is to resurrect Mandarin as his last descendant. Li Mei denies that she has any purpose outside of bringing Mandarin back to life and goes into the palace as the stone army is brought to life and attacks him. Tony fights off the army and Li Mei is put through the procedure of resurrecting the Mandarin, each ring a step in the sequence. After defeating the army, Tony fights the fifth elemental, a giant dragon which he defeats with another unique solution. Li Mei is taken over by the Mandarin’s spirit and made his puppet to fight the Iron Knight, Tony. They fight briefly and Tony is beaten nearly senseless as he tries to draw Li Mei’s mind back out of the trance she is in. Li Mei resists the Mandarin’s control, pulling off each of the rings and sending him back to the grave. Li Mei, her sacrifice made, dies and Tony is left alone to mourn her. Tony regains control of the company by having purchased 51% of the shares. He promotes Rhodes to Chief Engineer for his Advanced Technologies division and gives control of the company to his father, who fires the entire board and reacquaints himself with Tony as the film ends with a pan out to the two Stark towers.

The 5 main characters are all well done, even if Li Mei is an original creation for this particular adaptation of Iron Man into film form. Tony Stark is the same, a womanizer, smooth talker and business savvy to boot. And he’s got guts to take on elemental monsters that could no doubt tear him to pieces if they had the chance. James Rhodes, Tony’s friend and business aide, is important as well, though not in the vein of becoming his partner in crime, but assisting him nonetheless even if he sometimes feels like he is unappreciated by Tony as an equal. Virginia “Pepper” Potts is technically a secondary character even in this film, only assisting Tony indirectly with getting him into the building and helping him regain control of the company in the end. But her relationship with him as a secretary and overall maternal figure in place of his deceased mother does solidify her importance to shaping Tony’s character. Tony’s father Howard Stark is decidedly minor, but reflects an important theme I’ll get to later their relationship and roots in the company. Li Mei is the other character, an unintentional antagonist in the end and a good contrast for the other theme of the film in her confrontation and eventual rejection of her consigned fate to be the empty vessel for the Mandarin’s return.

Two main themes run through the film, the narrative quest of Tony confronting the evil Mandarin’s elemental guardians being the main plot, the themes resulting from character conflicts and interactions. Tony’s relationship with his father is the less important of the two since one can see it eventually being resolved anyway, since we learn that the death of Howard’s wife, Tony’s mother, was an event that affected them both deeply. Tony’s feelings of betrayal by his father as well as his father’s strong influence in the company reinforce Tony’s potential inferiority complex in regards to pushing himself to improve the company from his father’s initial plans of a military company. With his development of the exo-suits, he hopes to change the company from a military weapons company to a technological company with contracts to explore various locations. The second theme is Li Mei’s feelings of being chained to her destiny being countered by Tony’s insistence that she is not bound to it. While she denies this throughout, she eventually overcomes it through what appears to be a romantic interest in Tony, though possibly she is just motivated by his passion and sincere concern for her as a person and not for any relation she has to the Mandarin. Tony doesn’t have as much of a relation to Li Mei in this way except as it relates back to his father issues, his father speaking as if he wanted Tony to keep the company as one that sells weapons, Tony influenced by his late mother to be somewhat pacifist. In this way, his issues with the destiny bestowed on him by his father are a pittance compared to Li Mei’s continuing a lineage that hopes to resurrect the Mandarin but also being shunned by her father for what was probably his fault to begin with (since women cannot help but contribute X chromosomes to a child, only men able to affect whether the child is male/female). She also helps the Jade Dragons, who keep her around for incentive to stop her if need be, I imagine, which puts the emphasis again on her divided loyalties.

I cannot say the movie conformed to my expectations for continuity with the comics, but the route they take is good, even with potentially questionable events, such as Tony’s suits managing to take multiple blows from the elementals, which are supposed to be more supernatural entities. Not to mention the especially punishing beating he takes from the earth elemental, but the idea persists as in the comics that Iron Man represents technology, while the Mandarin represents magic. Even if the Mandarin is not a real enemy in his own right, his presence in the film really strikes me as reflecting his eponymous role as Iron Man’s main nemesis. The subtle romance potentials are mostly unimportant, except for the ending scene with Li Mei kissing Tony before she dies, which I am ill equipped to really understand apart from a tragic romance that never came to be. An overall rating would be 5 out of 5 again, but recommendation would be a low 60%, since Iron Man is a treasured Marvel icon and the significant changes here, especially reducing the Mandarin’s rings to 5, one of them actually an armband, would sorely disappoint many a comic book fan of the mechanical suited warrior. Until next time, Namaste and Aloha.

Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker Review

(I am not a comic otaku and as such I will take precautions to reference the comic canon in relation to the film in a reasonable manner so as not to seem biased towards the animated medium)

Batman Beyond has not been a series I’ve had much interest in, but when I heard there was a movie with the Joker involved, I was already hooked and bought it. The premise gets complex with involvement of a Robin more familiar to newer fans, not to mention the whole background of Earth in the 23rd century or so. But I imagine this film can’t be all bad when you involve the Joker coming back. So let’s explain the plot.

We start with the Jokerz, a group of thugs basing their theme on the long deceased Joker, stealing equipment from a warehouse, but they are confronted by Batman (the Terry McGinnis version). They manage to escape and even with Terry beating them off, they get what they wanted (in the form of a microchip) and go back to their hideout elsewhere. Meanwhile Batman Sr. (Bruce Wayne) is practicing his skills (just for the fun of it) and Terry returns, noting the oddity of the Jokerz seeking out high tech equipment. Batman suggests it’s for black market interests and they watch to a news report, where it is revealed Bruce is returning to active ownership, though some members, one Jordan Price, are not as enthusiastic. Bruce notes that he’ll be willing to keep him if he follows his terms, since he worked so hard to regain his family’s company that he is not going to bend to pressures like Price would exert on him. Terry then goes to a rave party (from the looks of it), though he’s not getting enough rest, so he’s dozing off to the chagrin of his girlfriend, Dana. Meanwhile, we meet the head of the Jokerz and see his brutality first hand as he shoot a freaking flag spike into Bonk (though in the uncensored version he just sprays him with Joker gas and he is incapacitated for the rest of the film). Joker then motivates the group (through fear more than anything) to look for the last piece of equipment he needs. They find it in the same location where WayneCorp is welcoming Bruce back into his original position. The Jokerz attack (Bruce still competent in his old age) and the original Joker is revealed to still be alive, and the group succeeds in getting the tech they needed. Afterwards we hear that Bruce is less than concerned with that for the moment or is dodging the issue of the Joker’s resurrection. Meanwhile we see who is supposed to be Tim Drake reacting negatively to the Joker’s reappearance as well. Terry inquires about the Joker to Barbara Gordon, now the Commissioner and she insists he should stop questioning about him as well, Tim Drake coming in for an appointment, making one suspicious about his involvement with the Joker in the past. Terry discusses the issue again with Bruce in the Batcave and he reveals that the original Joker has been dead for decades. Bruce then shocks Terry with the request to return the Batman suit, which Terry disputes. Bruce leaves in frustration, mulling on how none of his protégés really understood why he took them in. Terry throws the suit at him in frustration and runs off. Terry then tells his family through breakfast that he’s not working for Bruce anymore. We then shift to him enjoying himself at the rave club with Dana, but the Jokerz attack. We suddenly change scenes to Bruce making Joker anti-toxin and being attacked by the Joker who apparently has figured out his identity. The Jokerz persist in their attack on Terry in the rave club. He manages to kick their butts with sheer guts and goes back to the Wayne Manor, thinking Bruce is in danger since he isn’t answering his phone. Bruce has been infected with the Joker toxin, but Terry manages to save him. We then get more backstory from Barbara about what happened to the Joker. It turns out he kidnapped Tim Drake and tortured him, nearly turning him to evil as a twisted adopted son, but Tim managed to break free, though in the process he killed the Joker and it took years for him to recover. Bruce was wounded as well, supposedly explaining his limp and Barbara saw Harley fall to her apparent death. Batman Sr. blamed himself for what happened and forbade Tim from being Robin again. Terry suspects Tim is somehow involved and he inquires, seeing Tim’s resentment towards Bruce, but also not seeing any evidence that Tim is connected to the Joker. Investigating Jordan Price, it is discovered that he helped the Jokerz break into WayneCorp, but now the Jokerz have been ordered by Joker to kill Price. Terry saves him after he is nearly killed by a giant beam from the sky. He and Bruce discuss the possibility of Tim being the Joker, since Tim noted he hated the Robin suit, it being the only suit damaged when Joker attacked. Along with Joker’s resentment for Robin killing him, the pieces start linking up and the conclusion is that somehow Tim Drake is the new Joker. There’s also the evidence of the giant beam from a defense satellite being shot and the Jokerz having stolen equipment enabling them to build a satellite jamming system, something Tim Drake would know how to do. Bruce accepts this and they team up again, Terry heading out to confront Tim about his connection to the Joker, Joker trapping him and revealing his plans. Terry escapes, discovering the new hideout at an abandoned candy factory. The Joker finds out and chases Terry with his satellite beam, but eventually gives up for some reason. Terry takes out the Jokerz, finding Tim Drake in the hideout. But it is revealed through a sudden transformation sequence and explanation afterwards that Joker had put a microchip in the base of Tim’s skull encoded with his DNA, slowly changing Tim into Joker’s replacement. The dominance over Tim has become effortless now, and so Joker continues with his plan of domination through his hacked satellite defense system. He threatens various locations of people close to Terry, who surprises Joker by sending Ace the dog to stop him and get him free from the restraint Joker put on him. Joker fights back, but Terry sabotages his satellite plan and causes it to be programmed to head straight to their present location. Joker continues to fight, revealing he has the advantage, knowing everything the original Batman and Robin did in their prime. But Terry reflects that he knows nothing about him and turns the tables on him with some of Batman’s advice and his own reflection that he’s unpredictable and unknown to the Joker in full. He starts taunting Joker and eventually drives him to fight back more directly. Terry’s in serious danger (being choked by the Joker), but he manages to turn Joker’s joy buzzer on himself and sever his connection through the microchip, defeating him and getting Tim out of there as the beam destroys the factory. Meanwhile, the Dee Dee sisters are taken in by their grandmother, Harlequin, who managed to survive her fall and is now reformed. Terry, Barbara, and Tim reminisce on valuing the people they care about, Bruce returning and telling Terry that he deserves to be Batman, and that he has made Batman better by being himself. Terry then flies off into the city as the film ends.

Terry McGinnis as a character conforms to the animated series as best my memory recalls him. A tough kid with something of an attitude who nevertheless respects and agrees with Batman’s quest and continues it on in his mentor’s stead. Bruce Wayne is also quite similar to his Batman Beyond depiction, old and yet maintaining his personality. His dog Ace gives us the reflection that he has accepted his frailty, but we also see that he keeps himself in as good shape as a man of his age can and aids Terry in his own way. The Joker’s personality is depicted excellently by Mark Hamill, the new look only reflective of the times, but his general demeanor is the same, resenting Batman and yet dependent on him to derive any meaning in his own career as a supervillain. Tim Drake is the third Robin and the one I’m the most familiar with, having watched Teen Titans as a teen and reading the Robin comic series as a kid. His personality also reflects the passing of time, somewhat resentful of Bruce, but also appreciative in the end of having kept on his quest in the form of his new student. Barbara Gordon’s involvement is important if only because she gives us the other side of the story, from one that was also enlisted by Batman grudgingly and closer to Tim’s age, but an age so as to have some accessibility to Bruce as well. Not to mention she tells the backstory behind the Joker’s death almost better than Batman could, though it is obviously noted that he really doesn’t want to think about it or talk about it, since he feels so responsible.

The two main themes are the observed relation between Bruce and Terry as two different but similar Batmen. There is some backstory from Batman Beyond I could spoil, but suffice it to say, they behave very much like they are family, even if they may not be in all technical senses. Bruce’s resignation to being Terry’s support and desire to take over his company balance his character as someone who has passed on the mask in all but advice he can still give to Terry. The new Batman fights dirty and can relate more to the punks he fights as he admits he was a bad kid himself. His devotion to the mission of the Batman is striking; sacrificing even his relationship with his girlfriend to an extent and staying distant from his family for all that he still loves them, much like Bruce did in the past. The relation between them is especially clear in that willingness to sacrifice and also to learn from each other’s perspectives on how they approach being the Batman. The other strong theme is Batman’s feeling that he is not right for involving others in his quest. He feels especially guilty for inevitably causing Tim’s capture and torture, changing him into Joker’s twisted son and driving him into madness. But even through all this, Terry notes to him that even with all the resentment involved that he, Tim and Barbara, as well as Nightwing (otherwise known as Dick Grayson) all agreed on one important thing and that was seeking to protect Gotham from evildoers. However much even he and Bruce differ, both Terry and Bruce recognize that each of them complements each other in the quest for good and protecting Gotham.

While not my favorite Batman movie, it would definitely rank among my top 5 movies featuring Batman, considering there are others that might not be as good: Batman vs Dracula coming to mind. The progression of Joker’s involvement as well as the use of the science fiction background to involve Joker in a real sense makes it a good complement to Joker’s involvement in Mask of the Phantasm, however late he appeared. Mark Hamill’s portrayal is probably what keeps him legitimate and especially chilling. And involving Tim Drake and Barbara Gordon solidifies how we can connect this to the original Batman animated series from the 90s. Final ranking of this film is another 5 out of 5, though my recommendation suffers down to about 70% because of the potential unfamiliarity people would have with the setting of Bruce Wayne aside as the original Batman in favor of Terry McGinnis. Until next time, Namaste and Aloha.

Batman: Mask of the Phantasm Review

(Not being a comic otaku, I will still strive to connect this to the comics as best I can. Batman is one of my favorite comic book anti heroes and I will pay respect to him as best I can in this review of a film adaptation)

Batman: Mask of the Phantasm is a film made in the early 90s depicting an original idea without much reference to comic canon (if at all). Inspired by the success of Batman: The Animated Series, the film was a collaboration of the show’s writers. It portrays a darker version of Batman, yet still relates it to the series itself. This was one of my favorite films as a kid and for good reason. The plot flows well, the themes are excellent, the atmosphere is decidedly like the comics (dark, seedy, earthy) and characterizations are spot on, especially Mark Hamill as the Joker, continuing his role from the animated series. This is everything that made the
Batman animated series great compressed into a feature length film. Onto synopsis.

We pan onto Gotham City and zoom in on illegal money laundering going on in a fancy conference room with one Chuckie Sol. Batman kicks ass, but Chuckie manages to escape in the confusion. He gets jumped by another dark figure who seeks to kill him. He runs from the Phantasm (as it’s called) and failing to run it over, he crashes through the side of the parking lot building, slamming into the building across from it. And Batman just happens to be there, people assuming he did it. Batman gets a shard of glass with evidence on it and leaves the crime scene. Arthur Reeves, the councilman of Gotham, accuses Batman of being unstable and dangerous to the city in the aftermath of Chuckie Sol’s death. Meanwhile Bruce is investigating the substance on the glass, noting it is a complex chemical polymer (which is never elaborated on in more detail, sadly). Meanwhile, a woman riding a plane is speaking to Mr. Reeves about their upcoming date, indicating both in the conversation and her behavior that she previously dated Bruce Wayne. At a fancy party at Bruce’s mansion, he is conversing with many women and one expresses her fury at being scorned by him, splashing him with wine. Bruce then slips away from the party and mulls about the past while looking at a picture of his dead parents. The memory relates to Andrea Beaumont (the same woman from the plane), who we find meets up with Bruce as they both are at the graveyard speaking to dead relatives and they click instantly. Bruce tries his hand at crime fighting and manages to stop the criminals, almost getting squashed by a truck in the process. His ninja antics almost make you laugh out loud though, wearing a ski mask to boot. Andrea meets with Bruce the next day as he’s practicing jujutsu and their chemistry predictably ignites flames as they make out on the lawn, Alfred nearly dropping the lemonade he was bringing to them. We heard about Bruce’s desire to fight crime and truly strike fear in his enemies as well, indicating that this flashback is long before he was Batman. We return to the present and the scene shifts from Bruce’s party to Buzz Bronsky bringing flowers to Chuckie Sol’s grave and getting “whacked” by the Phantasm, who manages to dodge a shovel handle thrown at it through its smoke “powers” and crushes Buzz with a statue near an open grave. Buzz’s men see Batman afterwards, again reinforcing the confusion we get between Batman and the Phantasm. We see one Salvatore Valestra, an asthmatic or something, shocked to discover Buzz is dead. Arthur Reeves is shocked that Commissioner Gordon won’t believe that Batman killed Buzz Bronsky, suggesting to the others that they seek out Batman on their own. Meanwhile Batman stumbles on Andrea who suspects Batman might be Bruce. Batman spies on Arthur and Andrea’s date and then flashbacks to a date he had with Andrea at the Gotham World Fair, depicting a future with planes and other scientific advances (in a Jetsons sort of way). Afterwards, Bruce agrees to meet Andrea’s father, and unfortunately also meets the younger Salvatore Valestra, no doubt threatening Andrea’s father in some way. Bruce then tries to save a guy getting robbed, but eventually gets his butt kicked and the robbers escape. Afterwards that night, Bruce ignores Andrea’s phone call, no doubt concerned for him, because he’s still trying to make the choice between committing to Andrea and fighting crime as his yet undetermined alias. Bruce pleads to his parents that he wants to be happy even if he is unable to keep his promise to avenge their deaths. Andrea meets up with him and the two conclude that perhaps his parents sent her to make him happy. Back in the present, Salvatore Valestra brings Arthur Reeves into his car, convening on Batman’s potential threat to him, Arthur abruptly leaving. Batman begins to link Chuckie Sol and Buzz Bronsky’s deaths to their other partner, Valestra. Seeking out information on him, Bruce flashbacks to Andrea telling him she might be going to Europe, Bruce trying to convince her to stay by proposing to her. Bats fly out a hole below them as Bruce discovers the fear struck by bats, inspiring his identity no doubt. Andrea is brought home by Bruce and we shift to him exploring the cave. He is given a letter attached to his ring by Alfred from Andrea, who abruptly cuts off their engagement. Bruce is then further driven to take on his Batman identity in a scene where even Alfred is shocked by Bruce’s Batman costume at first. Back in the present (again), Bruce takes a picture for evidence and we shift to the ruins of the Gotham World Fair, where Valestra meets the Joker of all people, who decides through his own twisted logic to take out Batman to indirectly protect Valestra, though we get a hint that Joker kills Valestra so he doesn’t seem like he’s defending an old friend (or because he’s crazy, who knows?). Andrea is brought home from dinner by Reeves and then she meets Batman who tells her he thinks her father is involved with the other mobsters killed. Before leaving, he’s dealt a low blow by Andrea who suggests she isn’t ruled by her parents, indicating the scene at the graveyard before. Meanwhile, the Phantasm seeks out Valestra, discovering he is dead (by the Joker), and the Joker tries to kill the Phantasm with a bomb. Batman chases the Phantasm and after a fight, Batman is left to be pursued by the police. He manages to escape, getting injured in the chase and general chaos of police shooting where there are inflammable materials around, and is saved by Andrea, driving him away. She reveals that she had figured him out as Batman and then reveals that her dad was pressured by Valestra into giving him the money he owed him, forcing Andrea and her father to run through Europe to avoid them. She suggests that her father might be the man in the costume killing them. She says she’s ruined his life again, Bruce not agreeing as they make out again and make Alfred awkward yet again. The next morning, they discuss the future and Andrea leaves, promising to meet Bruce that night. Bruce mulls on whether he can be happy with Andrea as well as pursuing his Batman identity, suddenly having a hunch that reveals that one of Valestra’s other thugs was the Joker. Joker comes to Reeves’ office, revealing Arthur knew of Valestra and was friends with Joker previously. Arthur is then attacked by Joker, being driven insane by his drugging. Batman interrogates the raving Reeves, revealing that he helped Beaumont and was dependent on his money, selling Andrea’s father out to Valestra to get more funds for his election campaign. Batman seeks out Andrea, but is attacked by Joker sending a plane of the future with a bomb attached. We find out (through another flashback) that Andrea’s father was found and killed by the mob as she walks through the World Fair ruins. Joker converses with a robot “wife” in the World Fair exhibits and is attacked by the Phantasm, whom Joker deduces is Andrea Beaumont, which is revealed to be true. Joker fights her off and runs away, Andrea following and almost being chopped up by a giant fan, but for Batman saving her. Batman reveals he had been suspicious that she was the Phantasm, arguing that her quest is insane. But Andrea notes that Batman is also seeking vengeance, so he cannot say he is more just than her. She leaves him after they reach an impasse and Batman follows the Joker. After a fight in a miniature city which Batman manages to emerge victorious in over the planes of the future, Joker reveals he has wired the tunnels below the World Fair with explosives which are set to go off soon. Batman manages to stop Joker’s attempt to jetpack away. Joker is taken by Andrea to places unknown while Batman manages to escape the ruins as they explode all around him. Afterwards, Bruce reflects on how Andrea was down a dark path to revenge, Alfred suggesting that she was probably long gone before he realized it. Bruce finds the locket of Andrea’s, realizing she has finally left him for good. Elsewhere on a boat, Andrea is approached by a guy, who she blows off, finally consigned to her fate to be alone. Batman then is shown swinging into Gotham to begin his fight for crime anew.

Batman is presented well in conformity to comics, moreso the animated series, since this was a spinoff of that. Andrea Beaumont, as far as original characters go, is excellent, a romantic interest and a good foil for Bruce as well as an opponent as the film progresses. Arthur Reeves serves as part of the love triangle that exists between himself, Bruce and Andrea. His involvement with Andrea, Batman and the Valestra crime group all links together in creating conflicts and explaining loose ends that are left otherwise unanswered. The crime lords are minor characters, the true villain being the Joker, who is spot on as well, Mark Hamill’s voice truly defining the character as he becomes the real opponent. Alfred is minor, but does have the usual banter with Bruce on his many issues, romantic or otherwise, being his closest confidante.

The main theme of the entire film is the two types of tragedy bred between Andrea and Bruce. Bruce’s backstory is not explained to the viewer, but the connection is able to be drawn of Bruce’s loss of his parents, Andrea’s loss of her own father driving her into deeper darkness than he. One reflects that Bruce was orphaned much younger, so his thought was able to be mediated by Alfred’s influence, focusing on justice and not vengeance. Whereas Andrea, who was orphaned as young adult, was already so set in her ways that the idea of forgiveness or justice without revenge is meaningless to her. In this way, the theme of their romance is all the more tragic since they would’ve otherwise been happy together. But Bruce’s desire to keep his promise to his parents divides him against becoming committed to anyone too closely in a very giri/ninjou kind of way (giri and ninjou the Japanese expressions for duty and human feelings, a classic conflict in film). And Andrea, who was otherwise willing to go through with it, is then pushed into a situation where she is so desperate that her only conclusion is that since Valestra’s men ruined her chances for happiness with Bruce that they must die. The complacency and later cowardice of Andrea’s father could be said to be how he fell, though Reeves’ revelation that he ratted him out only makes us see the tragedy again with people you trusted betraying you for profit.

All in all, there is little I can object to in this film. It’s sufficiently basic for a kid to appreciate it, though gets into more adult themes and complexities of relationships so that an adult can also get something from it. The voice actors portray the characters’ range of emotions and once again, I have to emphasize Mark Hamill’s role as the Joker, which he will reprise in Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker as well (look forward to that review). A definite 5 out of 5, with a 70-90% recommendation due to it being a bit darker than parents might be used to with Batman animated films, not to mention a bit of liberal usage of flashbacks. Until next time, Namaste and Aloha.

Superman/Batman Public Enemies Review

(I am not a comic otaku, but I will do my best to reflect the connections of the adaptation to the comics, as I do for any other film based on a comic or literature.)

The premise of this film confuses me a bit and sifting through it at a random point in the film does make the pairing a bit odd, though Batman and Superman are decent friends. The difficulty is that they are somewhat on opposite sides of at least one fence: the issue of how to advance justice. Batman’s much more of a vigilante, while Superman follows the law to the letter, not killing and especially not using dirty tactics (as he would accuse Batman of doing). But only a minute into the film and I can see why the two would eventually ally with each other: Lex Luthor has become president. So onto plot synopsis.

We’re introduced to a series of scenes with news commentary in the background showing the world spiraling into chaos with economic depression as a major cause. Lex Luthor is running for president on a third party campaign and people are understandably skeptical, not to mention suggesting he’s buying the election. Lex suggests otherwise on what appears to be the Larry King Show and insists he’s the best man for the job. He makes defending America from aliens and vigilante superheroes the main thrust of his campaign. He recruits Captain Atom, Black Lightning, Power Girl, Katana and Major Force (the last one’s esp. ironic, since Major Force is Captain Atom’s nemesis in the comics, so their teaming up makes me think he’s gonna change sides eventually) for the side of America, against Superman and such, it seems. Superman stops a guy from causing a major traffic accident, reprimanded by Luthor’s goons (the two nuclear men and Power Girl) that he’s not doing the best he could, Superman replying that he helps where he’s needed. But his former “friends” insist that he should admit that Luthor is actually in the right for trying to get metahumans on the side of the government. Not to mention Power Girl observing that the world is actually stable for once. Superman doesn’t buy it though, but Captain Atom insists that at this point Superman’s just jealous that Lex is putting his intellect to work helping people, while Superman can only throw around his power. Superman refuses their offer a second time and flies away, Captain Atom suggesting Superman is being selfish. Elsewhere, Lex finds out through his scientists that a meteor of pure kryptonite is due to hit earth in 7 days. Lex replies that there won’t be an impact, Amanda Waller (fat blob of lard she’s depicted as here) asking what he means. Lex suggests missiles, Amanda a bit skeptical, mentioning that he could use the superhumans under his influence, but Lex denies this plan, thinking it needs to be done by him, not “freaks and monsters”. Superman and Batman convene as Lex requests to meet with Superman about the meteor, Batman saying that even if Superman went up with a lead suit he couldn’t smash it without destroying the suit. Batman has a plan of his own he’s working on, but it’s pushed to the side as the two part ways and say that they won’t help each other or expect help if things go bad. Superman meets with Lex, who provokes him by suggesting that his backup plan is to use Superman as his soldier, the representative of the country that Superman has sworn to protect. It is then revealed that Lex has Metallo as a failsafe to stop Superman. Lex escapes while Superman and Metallo fight, the balance shifting back and forth for a while until Batman manages to save Superman, but nearly gets killed himself. Metallo takes a shard of the kryptonite in his chest and shoots it at Superman. Batman disrupts Metallo’s constitution again and tries to help Superman with the kryptonite bullet. Metallo buries them, but Batman has a plan of escape, getting into the sewers under the graveyard. The two exchange friendly banter as they retreat to the Batcave, where Alfred fixes up Superman and the pair finds that Lex has now accused Superman of murdering Metallo (which would be impossible, since there’s one suspect that could’ve killed him that we saw in the background). Lex supplants his accusation with the hypothesis from his scientists that the Kryptonite meteor is affecting Superman psychologically, making everyone more paranoid of him than they were before, not to mention he puts a bounty of a billion dollars on Superman’s head. Power Girl argues with Lex that Superman didn’t murder Metallo, but Lex twists her mind with the idea of Superman and him not being so different in being able to change drastically. At S.T.A.R. Labs, Batman is breaking in, Superman coming back from a fight with Lois (I guess). Superman smells something odd as Batman is hacking the computers, and they discover Metallo’s corpse. They are forced to escape, but are separated by Silver Banshee. Superman fights against her, while Batman is confronted by Captain Cold, Icicle, Killer Frost and Mr. Freeze. Superman takes out Silver Banshee and then the other ice themed villains, Batman disabling Banshee for the moment as they continue to be pursued. Superman fights off Mongul, while Batman is nearly drowned by a surprisingly talkative Solomon Grundy, but takes him out with gas from his mask. But Batman is suddenly assaulted by Lady Shiva of all people. He beats her off, as Superman does Mongul and Nightshade attacks them, but then it turns out that Gorilla Grodd has been controlling all three and they subsequently kick his butt. But then an even larger group of villains out for the bounty attack, the battle stopped by Captain Atom’s group (plus Starfire) blasting into the center. Elsewhere on a helicopter, Lex seems to be having a migraine, but he gets over it as he is eager to put his plan into action. Captain Atom directs a tirade against Superman, saying he doesn’t have a choice, that he’s just doing his job as a soldier. Batman and Superman fend off the group, Superman summoning a huge tornado with his speed and escaping with Power Girl who he senses is on their side. Lex is decidedly frustrated and Captain Atom responds to Major Force’s suggestion that they kill them that the military doesn’t kill (without need), which Major Force laughs at. Superman talks with Power Girl about trusting her instincts about Lex when Captain Atom’s group finds them again. Batman, fighting off Major Force, inquires whether Metallo was surprised, indicating he knows Major Force killed him. He insists he was doing what was right for his country, Batman responding that he was just looking for an excuse to kill. Power Girl punches Major Force so hard his containment suit starts to leak and Captain Atom manages to seal it, likely absorbing all of Major Force’s power in the process, killing the nuclear counterpart and knocking him out. Lex’s missile plan fails, as the radiation detonated the warheads before they impacted. Superman and Batman try to sneak into the facility nearby, thwarted by Hawkman and Captain Marvel, who they beat back by eventually switching enemies, but are thwarted by tricks pulled on both of them. Lex is predictably unpopular with the failure of his supposed research plan (that’s the line he gives on the big screen anyway).But it’s revealed he’s been taking steroid cocktails and liquid Kryptonite injections and doesn’t care if the meteorite hits, since he plans to use the chaos of the aftermath to take over the remaining population. Superman and Batman appear disguised as Captain Marvel and Hawkman and force Lex to give them the data they need, but he deletes all the files. Amanda Waller expectedly switches sides and gives them the info they need. Lex runs away from the government attempting to arrest him, gets into a huge power-suit and kicks the army’s ass. Elsewhere in Japan, a different version of Toyman is pissing off Powergirl with X-ray goggles and reveals he has made a huge mecha of Superman and Batman fused together. Lex attacks the facility and eventually Batman is forced to pilot the mecha himself, since Toyman’s calculations weren’t quite finished when Lex smashed his computer. Superman and Lex continue fighting with Lex at a significant advantage for a while, but after Batman leaves, Superman gets serious, convinced Batman will die piloting the ship to the meteorite. Batman is nearly to the Krypto-meteor, while Lex is chased by Superman across the world (practically) and Superman finally hands Lex his ass, while Batman impacts the mecha. Superman imagines Batman is dead and even with Lex’s threat that he’s the president, Superman knocks his lights out. Superman is told that Batman might have survived, flying into space while Lex’s previous servants now proceed to beat him up more off screen (I imagine). Superman saves Batman, Lex still raving on about being the president in his less than sane state after all those injections. Batman leaves Superman for the Batcave and Clark hugs Lois as the film concludes, the world saved for another day.

Superman and Batman, the most important characters, are depicted well. Superman has the characteristic individuality without being as rebellious as Batman, but he also fights for what’s right alongside his pointy eared partner. His appearance seems more youthful than usual, not to mention his demonstrably ripped physique, usually suppressed. Batman is the no nonsense and reasonable side of the team, dependent on his wits and his technology, unlike Superman with his raw power. Lex Luthor is portrayed well, a charismatic but egomaniacal person who insists that his genius intellect gives him the right to do whatever he feels is necessary to advance whatever agenda he has. His descent into madness is classic of many plots in the DC animated universe involving him (Justice League Unlimited had about 3 I think) and in this case, the use of liquid Kryptonite and steroids was a nice touch. Amanda Waller is a key foil for Luthor, but her depiction would have made me spit take if I was drinking anything. She looks like a freaking toad bulging out of a suit. Her Justice League Unlimited counterpart was heavyset, but the animation style was more gracious to her, whereas this version is just ugly on purpose. Her contrast with Luthor is only evident as he is driven mad by his lust for power and she takes a more practical approach to save America. Power Girl, Captain Atom, Black Lightning, Katana and Major Force are all somewhat critical to the conflict between Lex and Superman as well as that between the previous friends of the Man of Steel against him by duty to America (though Black Lightning and Katana are minor players). Major Force is predictably a wolf in sheep’s clothing and Power Girl is one of the only women in the film to play an important role (though I question how she’s to be taken seriously when her cleavage is out there for all to see). Captain Atom is a neutral party for a time until Lex is revealed to be truly evil.

The primary theme is emphasized with the conflicts of the two groups of superheroes, Power Girl changing sides as well. On the one hand there are those that don’t trust someone like Lex Luthor, however much he may insist he has changed. And there are those that think that a sacrifice of values, such as serving under Lex Luthor as President, is for the betterment of the United States, while realizing eventually that they’re being manipulated to serve the ends of his egomania. The conflict between Batman and Superman is resolved rather quickly since they both see where they agree even if Batman is not so much a people person and prefers the dark and less than legal methods sometimes, whereas Superman is very much a social hero and tries to follow the law, not killing anyone or threatening them. In short, the themes are better reduced to character relationships more than abstract ideas represented by the characters.

In conclusion, this film is excellent, adapting the first part of the Superman/Batman comic series well and not confusing one too much. The length is only several minutes over an hour, shortest I’ve watched so far and the plot progresses well enough without excessive distractions from the main narrative. The fights between heroes as well as the unexpected involvement of various villains seeking out Superman’s bounty keep one’s eyes glued on the action. I rate this film a definite 5 out of 5, with a 60% recommendation due to issues of animation style for Amanda Waller especially, not to mention the sexualized issue surrounding Power Girl. Until next time, Namaste and Aloha.

Green Lantern: First Flight Review

(I am not a comic otaku, but I will reflect on the connections and links to the original material as much as possible. This is to appease any comic book fans who feel I’m ignoring the original canon or how it makes them feel. Can’t make any promises I’ll agree with you, though)

We saw Hal Jordan’s backstory in more detail in Justice League: The New Frontier, extended over the entire film. This time around, we get more into details of the aftermath of his bestowal of the role of Green Lantern, confronting his nemesis Sinestro and becoming a highly respected member of the Green Lantern Corps and a trusted friend of the Guardians. Without further ado, onto synopsis.

We begin with Hal Jordan flying a jet into the blue sky, in actuality doing a simulation and nearly failing while flirting with his employer, Carol Ferris. The scene shifts to a ship crashing in the desert and a mysterious figure in green and black using a ring to summon someone. As we return to Hal’s simulation, we discover that Hal was the one summoned, ripped from the building by a green light that transports him to the injured alien. He tries to help him, but the alien communicates that the ring has chosen him to be the new Green Lantern, one of the protectors of the universe. He mentions that his superiors, the Guardians, will send for him. The ship then explodes and Hal is left alone to contemplate his destiny. He then returns to the base as if nothing happened, hiding his identity as the Green Lantern who brings the ship back with a mask. Hal then tells Carol he has to go for about a week, seeing new sights (no doubt practicing with the ring a bit), cutting the conversation short as he sees three green beams shooting down to earth. He is attacked by one of them, and discovers they are other Green Lanterns who are looking for one Abin Sur, whom Hal succeeded. Since his body was destroyed in the subsequent explosion after Hal got the ring, Sinestro, the leader of the quartet of Lanterns notes that the Guardians still have to decide whether he’s worthy of the ring. The group then takes Hal to the planet Oa. The Guardians explain that the title of Green Lantern involves a responsibility to an entire sector of the universe, one of 3600, not to mention the power that the ring each is given holds. The Guardians are skeptical due to their distrust of humans and their abuse of power, not to mention the many “atrocities” they have committed. But one of them notes that the ring chose him, so he must be worthy in his own way. Sinestro offers to take Hal under his wing to confront an issue in his sector. The Guardians accept and Sinestro puts Hal through a quick session to gain the information from the Central Battery. Sinestro notes that he likes humans and their contempt for authority, noting that the Guardians are less than impressive as the leaders of the Corps. Travelling to Cadmando to find the person who killed Abin Sur, a squid man named Cuch. We’re first exposed to Sinestro’s methods of coercion and cruelty through interrogating the bouncer and later through the owner of the bar where they investigate for Cuch’s whereabouts. Hal defies Sinestro’s orders to not interfere, suggesting he is too cruel, but they are interrupted by Cuch storming in the bar. Sinestro chases Cuch, losing him in the sewers. Hal is knocked into the sewers through the bar and manages to catch Cuch on his own. Sinestro is frustrated that Hal was being too soft in defying him. He insists that he needs to rule through fear in the chaotic and unpredictable galaxy. His goal is to bring ultimate order to the galaxy by eliminating all the crime and evil in the world, even if he must use less than pleasant means to achieve that end. Other Lanterns appear and Sinestro calms, taking Cuch to the nearest substation for interrogation. Boodikka talks to Hal about Sinestro’s position, seeking out Kanjar Ro, who is in possession of information on the only known weakness to the Green Lanterns, the Yellow Element. She tells the story of the Guardians building the Green Battery and their sealing away of the Yellow Element for fear it would be abused. Kanjar Ro found the Yellow Element and Abin Sur went undercover to find it. He was discovered by Cuch and managed to escape and was then found by Hal when he crashed on Earth. Boodikka is impressed that Hal took down Cuch by himself. Sinestro calls a meeting, revealing he has acquired information from Cuch about Kanjar Ro’s whereabouts and that the group will finally discover him and take him down for good. The Guardians inquire about Sinestro’s methods and accuse him of warping the Green Lantern idea of justice. Sinestro agrees to let the Guardians interrogate him when he is captured. The Green Lanterns arrive at the station, Hal made to watch around the outer perimeter while the others split up. It is revealed that Sinestro is working with Kanjar Ro and needs him in order to discover where the Yellow Element is, being developed into some sort of weapon. Hal is ordered to change to a new location, but in transit, he discovers Kanjar Ro’s men and proceeds to stop them, Kanjar Ro escaping. He creates a disturbance to get the Lanterns off his back, managing to escape, but the Lanterns trailing him with Sinestro’s insistence that the masses can be ignored as a sacrifice to stop the evildoers. In the warp tunnel, some of them die, but Hal gets on the ship, sneaking in. He confronts Kanjar Ro, who knocks him out from behind, Sinestro killing Kanjar Ro and making Hal a scapegoat to cover his tracks. Hal is summarily court marshaled (even with Sinestro’s attempt to defend his actions as self defense) and gives up his ring, while Sinestro revives Kanjar Ro’s corpse to discover the location of the Yellow Element at Qward. Hal, Boodikka and Kilowog, through Hal’s intuition, discover that Sinestro is a traitor in the middle of his act of necromancy. Boodikka reveals she has been working with Sinestro from the beginning. But with Kilowog’s help and a little ingenuity with the unstable yellow element staff Kanjar Ro holds, Hal stops Boodikka, albeit accidentally killing her in the process. Sinestro acquires the Yellow Element and changes to his new yellow and black outfit, proceeding to Oa to wage war on the Guardians. He summarily defeats countless Green Lanterns, returning to Oa and proving the Guardians’ trust in him as mistaken. He continues to wreak havoc on Oa, and even manages to power down the Green Battery, almost killing the Green Lanterns. But Hal manages to power it back on, absorbing a vast amount of its power. He manages to destroy the Yellow Battery by pulling two planets together on it (along with hitting it with a giant golf club and baseball bat) and after a tough battle defeats Sinestro, leaving him all but powerless as Kilowog breaks his hand and his ring in the process. Hal Jordan is then reinstated as a Green Lantern and the film ends with his reciting the Green Lantern pledge and then returning to Earth.

The characters are all portrayed well and conform mostly to the backstory of the Green Lantern canon. Many Green Lanterns don’t even get a name drop and are killed off, but I suppose lack of identity is part of a military group as the Green Lantern Corps. The main characters would be Hal Jordan, Sinestro and Kilowog, though Boodikka could be considered important as well, though mostly in relation to Sinestro. Hal develops as a character, full of wisecracks and a somewhat laidback personality at his introduction. But when it comes to a conflict, he takes action and gets the job done, in the many creative ways he does this throughout the film, surprising even senior members. His interactions with the other Lanterns also speak to his honorable personality, accepting consequences, but also staying true to his beliefs in fighting for what’s right. Sinestro is introduced as he is in Green Lantern, a senior member and trusted by the Guardians, but harboring jealousy and fear of the failure of his ideal, resorting to ill means to achieve his end of complete order in the universe under his power. His conflicts with Jordan are balanced somewhat by his initial respect for him, but his overcoming by the Yellow element’s power serves as his eventual downfall. Boodikka is presented as sympathetic to Hal’s plight in the beginning (even thought of as a love interest by me), but in the later part of the film betrays him and her role is served, being killed off, since she is otherwise unimportant to the rest of the plot, though her potential disagreement with Sinestro or her being overwhelmed and destroyed by the Yellow Element would’ve been points of interest. Kilowog is a fun portrayal, similar to his Justice League series counterpart, but rougher looking, less accessible to children, the film overall being more for teens. He’s very strict and as sergeant at arms is expected to be very devoted to the Corps, which he shows through both words and actions. His resistance to Hal is eventually overwhelmed by both Hal’s rescuing him at one point and his courageous attitude to the mission of fighting evil. He even saves Hal from Boodikka as she tries to kill him and later as he nearly falls to his death after defeating Sinestro, not to mention smashes Sinestro’s hand as well, reflecting on his persistent importance to the plot, even as a secondary character to Hal and Sinestro’s conflict. The Guardians would’ve been more important, but their power was admittedly more evident in the past. Now they’re just short little blue dwarves that can use telepathy, telekinesis and the like.

A primary theme is the conflict between Sinestro and Hal on the methods to achieve order in the universe. Hal progressively questions Sinestro’s methods and eventually figures him out. Sinestro’s persistent desire for power motivated him to deceive everyone around him and betray anyone that was not useful to him, Kanjar Ro serving as a good example. Not to mention he cares little even about Boodikka’s death, showing his callousness even more. Hal is able to win over Kilowog as an ally even though initially he distrusts him, not only because he’s not trained, but that he is a human, which apparently many aliens distrust for one reason or another. The Guardians’ problematic way of managing a universe wide protection force is shown to be problematic at least by Sinestro’s logic, though Hal proves that even an individual Green Lantern is meant to fight to the last breath, even when the situation seems hopeless, only cementing our appreciation of Hal Jordan as a character over and against Sinestro.

The film does a good job of introducing a newcomer to Green Lantern history and setting up one of the greatest rivalries in Green Lantern canon as well. While there are differences from the comics, such as Boodikka not being allied with Sinestro and Kanjar Ro not being the source of Sinestro’s association with the Yellow Element. Kanjar Ro was originally more a villain of Hawkman and Hawkgirl, only indirectly conflicting with the Green Lantern Corps. But all this aside, I would agree with another short review I stumbled across that suggests it could serve as the beginning of a new series. Like Wonder Woman, it gives the character’s backstory and sets up a consistent villain and opponent as well as offering potential for new villains, though admittedly Sinestro’s plight is deeper than Ares’ in Wonder Woman, losing his Yellow Battery. My rating would be another 5 out of 5, with a 70-80% recommendation due to unfamiliarity that many would no doubt feel with Hal Jordan as the Green Lantern to those used to John Stewart. Until next time, Namaste and Aloha.