JUSTICE LEAGUE - Movie Review

Title: Justice League
Running Time: 120 min
Director: Zack Snyder
Writers: Chris Terrio, Joss Whedon
Starring: Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot, Ezra Miller, Ray Fisher, Jason Momoa, Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, J.K. Simmons

Review:
Here we are. After four years of establishing their cinematic universe, DC is finally bringing their big superhero team-up to the silver screen. It's been a weird and rocky road so far. "Man of Steel" was deemed 'okay' by most people. Despite a small and vocal fan-base, "Batman V Superman" and "Suicide Squad" were shred to pieces by the media. "Wonder Woman" on the other hand was a critical and commercial smash hit. Then, "Justice League" was produced. Just before filming was finished, Zack Snyder dropped out due to his daughter's tragic death. Joss Whedon took over to direct the rest of the film and Warner Bros. Studios ordered extensive reshoots to match the final product with the lighter tone of "Wonder Woman" rather than Snyder's much darker vision. So with all this trouble in the forefront, how did this movie turn out?
The short version would be: Fine. The long version is a little more complex. A lot of the movie going experience depends on ones expectations. If you were afraid to see a "Batman V Superman" level clusterfuck, you will be pleasantly surprised. If you've loved all of the DC movies so far, you'll probably love this too. If you were expecting something completely innovative in superhero movies, you will not find it here. There is some stuff that works and some that doesn't.
The whole "getting-the-team-together" part actually works quite well. The reason these heroes come together certainly seems dynamic, and it is always fun to see a recruitment dialogue. In general there are some cool exchanges between characters. Wonder Woman making clear to Cyborg that she outsmarted him. Batman telling a self-doubting Flash, that he should just save one person. Aquaman being involuntarily vulnerable. It's like an extension of the one good piece of dialogue we saw in "Batman V Superman", where Bruce Wayne and Clark Kent have a conversation in which they both insinuate to know each others secret identity. The conversations especially work because of the great cast. Each one of the actors fits their role well and gives a more than convincing performance. Especially Jason Momoa managed to get quite a lot out of one of the most laughed at superheros. And then there are some incredibly cool shots that look like they are taken straight out of the comic book panels. Flash's use of the speed force is great and when Superman fights him despite of it, it makes for a pretty memorable sequence.
But the movie certainly has flaws. A minor gripe is that it kind of ignores some of the things that were presented in"Batman V Superman". Although it is understanable that the film makers wanted to distance themselves from that disaster, it is odd to see believes or character traits contradicting what came before. Most noticable is the lack of care for secret identities (Aquaman for example casually identifies Bruce Wayne as Batman in front of an entire village). Other than that, though the film brings up a lot of intriguing plot threats and themes, it doesn't take the time to explore those thoroughly. A two hour run time for a superhero film might be refreshingly short, but when a movie has to set up so much, it is not enough. Another big issue is the way the film handles its female team member. Gal Gadot is once again fantastic in the role. But next to the unpleasant feeling that her skirt got a little shorter, there are too many low angle camera shots that very obviously only there to showcase her butt. And a quick Flash-fell-inot-her-cleavage joke wasn't missing either. In the wake of the #MeToo-debate it is especially painful to witness this recent cinematic female icon become sexualized after all. Too me, this was more upsetting than the final battle being so CGI-heavy.
But in the end, there is fun to be had with "Justice League". While other DC outings have almost been offensively bad, this one is not worth having strong feelings about. It's fine. Imperfect and yet showing some good approaches to steer this cinematic universe in a better direction, you should watch this if you've loved DC so far; if you want understand upcoming continuity; or if you want to see some superheros do some bad-ass superhero fighting.

For Fans Of:
Man of Steel (2013)
Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
Batman Forever (1995)
Superman III (1983)
Transformers (2007)
Suicide Squad (2016)

Click Here To Watch Trailer!

WONDER WOMAN - Movie Review

Title: Wonder Woman

Running Time: 141 min

Director: Patty Jenkins

Writer: Allan Heinberg

Starring: Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, David Thewlis, Robyn Wright, Connie Nielsen, Danny Huston, Elena Anaya

Review:
After Christopher Nolan had finished up his critically acclaimed "Dark Knight Trilogy", Warner Bros decided they want to catch up with Marvel Studios and start their very own cinematic DC Extended Universe. The first entry, "Green Lantern", was such a flop that they immediately removed it from the canon. "Man of Steel" turned out to be more "'Meh' of Steel", and in 2016 both "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" as well as "Suicide Squad" completely crashed and burned. As these films became pinnacles of what is wrong with today's movie industry, the pressure on the "Wonder Women" film became bigger and bigger. So is this the motion picture experience that can save the DCEU? Or the final nail in this franchise's coffin?

Well, the executives at Warner Bros Studios can surely breath a sigh of relieve, because "Wonder Woman" is not only the best film in the DCEU to date, it is also an absolutely fantastic superhero movie in general. In a time, where many different studios constantly try to one-up each other by cranking out multiple films a year, it gets harder and harder for a movie to stand out from the crowd. And yet, "Wonder Woman" does, for multiple reasons:
First of all, this is a film that completely stands on its own, which is unfortunately unusual for today's superhero flicks. There is no cameo or set-up of another DC character. There isn't even a post-credit scene. Therefore the filmmakers were able to take their time with the development and emotional journey of their main character. As a result, the movie feels well-rounded, and the dramatic moments had enough set-up, so that they really pay off. This is also where the great casting comes in. Gal Gadot shines as the iconic heroine. Her layered performance is miles away from what she offered in "Batman v Superman". She sells both, the dramatic part as well as the action, and shows us that naivity and strength are not contradicting character traits. Thus, her portrayal gives Diana Prince the humanity the audience needs to connect to an Amazonian Goddess. Her love interest is played by Chris Pine, who is more charismatic than he has ever been. Even though he always brings his trademark charm to a film, his comedic timing as well as his chemistry with Gadot are perfect in this movie.
And while we are already on the topic of men and women interacting, I should probably address the elephant in the room. Because "Wonder Woman" is the first female led superhero movie since Rob Bowman's horrible incarnation of Elektra 12 years ago. So in addition of having to save the DCEU, the future of women in film rested on this movie's shoulders as well. Fortunately, "Wonder Woman" does it exactly right. Other self-proclaimed feminist movies have empowered their main characters by dumbing down the men around them, which only leaves the sour taste of the idea that women can only be strong when men are weak. But in this film our heroine exhibits strength despite the fact that she is surrounded by highly competent men. Even though she is obviously superior when it comes to her abilities, they are always true equals that fight side by side. And. The. Fighting. Is. Epic!
Yes, as soon as the first big action set-piece on the beach of Themyscira begins, you know that badassary knows no gender. The amazingly choreographed and beautifully shot battle of Amazons vs German Soldiers leaves you in awe. And it is not the only fighting sequence to give you goosebumps. The great thing about the action scenes in this film is also that they have a purpose for the character growth of Diana. After every battle, she has learned something new about herself or the world she lives in, and so there is always an emotional charge to these scenes that truly engages you.
Having the film take place during World War I of course adds to the stakes, but despite the darkness that comes with the setting, the film is incredibly uplifting. Because unlike many of her male counterparts nowadays, Wonder Woman is not the typical brooding cynic of the postmodern era. She has a purity to her character that makes her the same beacon of hope that Superman used to be in the late seventies. Her innocent look at the world is something an embittered society as ours today could really use more of. This might also be, why this movie has already become a world-wide phenomenon.
It might not be completely flawless (one could argue about the CGI heavy showdown or the sporadically weird performance of Danny Huston), but it is still an outstanding blockbuster with a whole lot of heart. This western superheroine that is played by an Israeli actress is someone we all, regardless of gender or race, can look up to. Buy your ticket now!

For Fans of:
Superman: The Movie (1978)
Gladiator (2000)
Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
Spider-Man (2002)
Thor (2011)
Iron Man (2008)

Click Here To Watch The Trailer!

SUICIDE SQUAD - Movie Review

Title: Suicide Squad
Running Time: 123 min
Director: David Ayer
Starring: Will Smith, Margot Robbie, Jared Leto, Cara Delevingne, Viola Davis, Jai Courtney, Joel Kinnaman, Jay Hernandez, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje

Review:
Everyone was quite confused when Marvel Studios announced they would be making a movie about a superhero team including a talking racoon and a tree alien with Hodor-level vocabulary. But this group of misfits and D-list comicbook characters took audiences by storm from the first trailer all the way to the Box Office. Fox made its own risky move early this year by releasing Deadpool, which ended up proving that your protagonist could as well be a foul-mouthed, ruthless killer. Warner Brothers and DC were watching closely and have now answered with a combination of the two: "Suicide Squad" became one of the most anticipated movies of the year and spawned tons of cosplays and merchandise even before its release. Everyone seemed pumped to see Will Smith's charismatic portrayal of Deadshot, the beautiful Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn, and of course Jared Leto's introduction of a brand-new version of the Clown Prince himself. All eyes were on the DCEU this summer. Audiences were expecting the extravagant fun ride that was promised in the trailer. Warner Bros hoped for an all around hit. Critics sought redemption for BvS. Should this be the film to please them all?
Unfortunately it is not. "Suicide Squad" leaves you with the same overall impression you seem to get from every cinematic DC property nowadays: Extremely cool idea, frustratingly sloppy execution. Yes, frustrating it is, because in its core there is actually a lot to love about "Suicide Squad". Will Smith is back in action and brings his trademark charm that has been missing on screen the last couple of years. In the second third of the film he has a scene where Deadshot is just on a roll, shooting folks left and right as if he never did anything else. It's pretty phat. Next to him is Margot Robbie, showing that she has not only a bombshell body, but also a crazy-fun persona that absolutely enchants you. Even Jai Courtney, who has been terrible in everything else he was in (but seems to have the best agent in the world as he keeps getting roles in big budget blockbusters), is absolutely hilarious as the weirdo from downunder. Generally unkown Jay Hernandez is surprisingly genuine, Joel Kinnaman definitively redeems himself for the RoboCop Remake and Cara Delevingne's first few transformations into the Enchantress look just god-damn cool. The costume and prop department do a fantastic job in making these comicbook characters come to live in a stylish and unique way (with few exceptions, but we'll get to that). And then especially Harley Quinn and Captain Boomerang have some pretty comedic moments that totally work. Furthermore, the soundtrack of the movie consists of some dope tunes from years past, but this is also the point where problems start to surface:

Too often do these songs feel shoehorned in so unsubtle that you can almost hear the filmmakers shouting at you: "Just look how cool and rebellious this is!" Then there are the character arcs which aren't really arcs for most of them but rather straight lines. Slipknot's is more like a dot, and Killer Croc doesn't bring much more to the table. He is basically just a walking prop that is just there for looking bad-ass. 

The way the film is put together is problematic as well. A series of flashbacks explains a lot of backstory, but they seem to be scattered through the film randomly. Sometimes we don't really know what that flashbak is supposed to tell us, sometimes we already know the things the flashback tells us. It's a little messy. And as so often with DC, the movie doesn't quite know what kind of story it wants to tell. On one hand it tries to be a movie about "the worst of the worst", on the other hand it tries to humanize them and make them "not-so-bad-after-all". It is a very apparent contradiction. And let's not forget there is a Harley Quinn & the Joker story in there as well. What you get to see of their relationship really envokes your curiosity but is too little to completely grab you. The same goes for the Joker himself. Jared Leto's performance is a unique one, and he creates something of his own instead of trying to replicate what Ledger and Nicholson have done. Whether you are on board with his interpretation is certainly a question of taste, but even if you enjoy his take on Gotham's Craziest there simply isn't enough to give you a fully realized picture of the character. If you can believe Jared Leto there were a whole lot more scenes that ended up on the cutting room floor. One could argue that this footage probably would have been very interesting to explore, but then again the movie is already convoluted enough.

And with all the fuzz and all these crazy characters, the film ends with a third act that couldn't be more generic. The Enchantress, who started as an intriguing character, turns into a cookie-cutter female version of the X-Men's boringly executed Apocalypse, striving for the most uninspired villainous goal of them all: world domination. She does so by using a gigantic blue beam to destruct/attak earth as previously seen in The Avengers, Man of Steel, Fant4stic, Avengers: Age of Ultron and so many more. By this time her outter appearance has already turned from a bad-ass creepy witch into an awkwardly dancing CGI disaster that would have blended in better with a schlock fest like "Gods of Egypt". Oh, and she brings her (even worse looking) brother along, who brings as much depth to the screen as the fake plastic baby from "American Sniper". The Squad however is able to defeat them with the power of friendship. It is really really lazy.

There was a hell of a lot of potential in "Suicide Squad" that sadly stays untapped. Still, you can find a good amount of fun in this film and you can not help but get excited for what they could do with the characters in the future. With all its flaws it stays a watchable blockbuster. Already there is talk about a director's cut that apparently fixes the problems. So if you are just seeking two-hours of simple entertainment then this film does the job. But (unlike people who piss Amanda Waller off) your mind will not be blown.

For Fans Of:
Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)
X-Men: Apocalypse (2016)
Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
The Expandables 2 (2012)
The Losers (2010)
Batman: Assault on Arkham (2014) 
Man of Steel (2013) 

Click Here To Watch Trailer!

GOTHAM - Series Premiere Review

 Title: Gotham
Premiere: 22nd September 2014
Episode Length: ca. 50 min
Creator: Bruno Heller
Starring: Ben McKenzie, Donal Logue, Jada Pinkett Smith, Robin Taylor, David Mazouz, Camren Bicondova, Cory Michael Smith, John Doman

Review:

Joel Schumacher killed the Batman franchise in 1997 with lame one-liners, goofy sets and the infamous bat-nipples. Eight years later, Christopher Nolan managed to revive the caped crusader, going back to the darker, more serious tone that made this superhero without superpowers so special. The Dark Knight might be more popular than ever before and we already know that Ben Affleck will be the next actor to put on the mask.
In the meantime, "The Mentalist" creator Bruno Heller brings us a brand new TV Series set in this masked manhunter's comic book universe, but.... without the Batman himself?!
Yes, "Gotham" might evolve around the world's greatest detective, but in this particular case that would be Jim Gordon. It is his origin story, and it starts with his biggest case yet: The murder of the Wayne Family! As we follow his path, we explore this sinister city with all its inhabitants, including but not limited to low life criminals, gang leaders, mobster, dirty cops and a few good ones as well.
The series started off very strong on Monday night. Its characters and their relationship with each other were cleverly constructed, and quite interesting and fun to watch. Among other things this is probably due to the show's perfect casting, and especially Robin Taylor shines in his role as Oswald Cobblepot. Also, when it comes to scale, this show really has the ambition to be able to compete with the movies.
This is where it has some minor problems though: the great strength of television is that it has the possibility to take its time with character development, and with a setting like Gotham I would have wished to see it go more of a neo-noir route, putting an even bigger focus on Gordon and exploring his personality even through the quiet moments when he is alone. Even more filming at night would have strengthend the atmosphere as well. This premiere felt just a little bit overcrowded and story wise they could have easily ended with a cliff-hanger about half way through. Also, the introduction of well-known Batman characters like the Riddler, or the Penguin was a little on the nose and i wish they would have trusted the audience enough to figure out who these people are by themselves.
But now I am nit-picking, because firstly, a perfect pilot is rare, and secondly, this one was already great. "Gotham" has a cool concept, seems extremely promising and shouldn't be missed by comic-book fans. If it calms down just a little bit with its story-telling, it might become a truely excellent TV experience!

For Fans Of:
Arrow (2012 - TV series)
Batman Begins (2005)
Batman: Year One (2011)
Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (2013 - TV series)

Click Here To Watch Trailer!

Movie Newsflash: FIRST GLIMPSE AT BEN AFFLECK'S BATMAN & NEW COMIC BOOK TV-SHOWS

 Hello there puny humans,
the 21st Century is a great time for comic book- and film fans, and hardly a week goes by without any news about costumed heroes on the big or small screen. So let me sum up the most recent ones:

Firstly, (and this made me very happy) ABC announced that they renewed Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. for a second season. The show evolves around Agent Coulson and his Team of Shield-Agents solving mysteries and weird cases, and ties in heavily with the Marvel Cinematic Universe (including guest appearances of Nick Fury, Maria Hill & Lady Sif). And if that wasn't enough, they also announced that there is going to be a new mini-series about the adventures of Agent Carter, whom you might remember as Captain America's love interest from his first movie. She was also featured in a Marvel One-Shot, that appeared  on the Iron Man 3 BluRay Edition, and was pretty much the kick-start for this series. Even though she is an "Agent of Shield" herself, the show will most likely have a different tone than the first one, as it will be set just after World War II, with an old-school (and hopefully Indiana Jones like) vibe.

But where there's a Marvel announcement, a DC-Comics one won't be far, and they too announced two new TV-Shows: One of those is Constantine, and yes, that is the same demon-chasing Constantine as in the 2005 Keanu Reeves movie of the same name. Both are based on the Hellblazer Comics and the first look promises, that the TV-Show will be much more faithful to the source material. The other show DC is putting out there is a show called Gotham, a show about the Dark Kight's famous hometown. However, the show will take place before Bruce Wayne became the Caped Crusader and rather focus on a young Jim Gordon. New to Gotham, he will have to face the town's biggest criminals, including younger versions of the Penguin, Riddler, Catwoman and others.

Speaking of Batman, there was another big reveal yesterday, concerning Man Of Steel 2 aka. Batman vs. Superman. After casting Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor and Jeremy Irons as Alfred back in January (before this beauty of a blog existed), Zack Snyder now twittered a first picture of Ben Affleck in his costume with the Batmobile behind him:

I shot this with my @Leica_Camera M Monochrom. #Batman #Batmobile #Gotham http://t.co/WPHKLxgBLM pic.twitter.com/p5DEf6fLzJ
— ZackSnyder (@ZackSnyder) 13. Mai 2014

Seeing the new suit, i can imagine that it was inspired by Frank Miller's Dark Knight Returns Comics, that showed us a grumpier, grittier and older Batman, which could be pretty cool  for this movie too. I personally think it looks bad-ass (or should i say bat-ass?) and it just makes me more excited for the team up. Hopefully, it will be the Batman vs. Superman movie we deserve AND the one we need right now! So fingers crossed that Batfleck learned from his Daredevil days....and maybe George Clooney gave him some advise warnings too...

Sincerely,
Your Cinemartian!

PS.: I know I've been lazy, but my X-Men, and Godzilla Review will be up in less than two weeks!