Movie Review - The Batman (2022 film)

There have been several Batman films that I've loved, a few I've liked, and some I didn't care for. The trailer made this movie look like it would fall into category 3, but all the positive hype convinced me to watch it anyway.

The Batman is a 2022 crime drama and mystery film. It is rated PG-13 for language, violence, and disturbing images. It is appropriate for teens and up.

The Good

Mystery. This movie has a really good mystery. The first 2.5 hours really hold your attention as it moves from one clue to the next with an interesting conclusion.

Sets & Architecture. The buildings and sets had a real artistic feel to them and added to the gothic feel. If only they had been better lit so we could have seen them better and enjoyed them more.

Music. There were several cues that hearkened back to Danny Elfman's score on Batman Returns that were really nice and added to the atmosphere and were the only parts that made the film feel like Batman.

The Bad

Not Batman. This was NOT a Batman film. The main character could have been called the Purple Giraffe and would have made as much sense. This film lacked the Batman costume and movements, the cool gadgets, cool vehicles, and bizarre villains. Batman was very generic and just walked around in his nondescript costume.

Pacing. This movie is paced like a miniseries on a streaming service like Netflix. It felt like a collection of individual episodes each with rising action and a climax instead of one cohesive unit.

Color. This movie was so dull looking with nothing but greys and browns. Blah.

Disappointing Ending. If this movie had ended 30 minutes sooner, it would have been really good. But unfortunately the movie continues with one epilogue after another that just make the movie disappointing. They add nothing to the overall story or characters.

Commissioner Gordon. This part was badly miscast and badly written. He was uninteresting and uninspiring. He isn't very smart and just does what Batman tells him to do. He can't figure out anything himself or take any initiative.

Overall

The Batman is a 2022 crime drama and mystery film. This movie has a really good mystery. The first 2.5 hours really hold your attention as it moves from one clue to the next with an interesting conclusion. This movie is paced like a miniseries on a streaming service like Netflix. It felt like a collection of individual episodes each with rising action and a climax instead of one cohesive unit. This was NOT a Batman film. The main character could have been called the Purple Giraffe and would have made as much sense. This film lacked the Batman costume and movements, the cool gadgets, cool vehicles, and bizarre villains. Batman was very generic and just walked around in his nondescript costume. Commissioner Gordon was badly miscast and badly written. He was uninteresting and uninspiring. He isn't very smart and just does what Batman tells him to do. He can't figure out anything himself or take any initiative.The buildings and sets had a real artistic feel to them and added to the gothic feel. If only they had been better lit so we could have seen them better and enjoyed them more. This movie was so dull looking with nothing but greys and browns. Blah. If this movie had ended 30 minutes sooner, it would have been really good. But unfortunately the movie continues with one epilogue after another that just make the movie disappointing. They add nothing to the overall story or characters. I give it 3.5 out of 5 boxes of popcorn. 

   

Movie Review - Zack Snyder's Justice League

 I'm a huge DC Comics fan, and I loved most of their movies until The Dark Knight Rises, Man of Steel, and the other grim and gritty trying to beat Marvel films. I was so excited for a Justice League movie and so disappointed by what we got. I, like many others, wondered if the original cut of the film might have been better.

Zack Snyder's Justice League is a 2021 live-action superhero film based on characters appearing in DC Comics. It is rated R for language and fantasy violence and is appropriate for teens and up.

The Good

Story. This movie had a story. The story made sense. The story logically progressed from one scene to the next. That was all absent in the theatrical cut.

Fan Service. This film included a lot of characters and a lot of fan service, but it did it in a way that made sense and added to the story (for the most part).

The Bad

Music and Soundtrack. The music and soundtrack was one area this film fell short. It wasn't memorable. It didn't add to the emotion of the film. In places it was just plain boring or made no sense.

Lack of Great Fight Scenes. This film does have several fight scenes, but none of them were really great or memorable. They were short, looked like quickly rendered video games, and lacked choreography.

Not the Justice League We Wanted. While this is a really good film, it's not the Justice League film any fan really wanted. It didn't look or feel like the Justice League fans have grown to love in the comics and cartoons.

 

What I Would Like To Have Seen

I wish the film would have been more true to the comics and cartoons.

 

Overall

Zack Snyder's Justice League is a 2021 live-action superhero film based on characters appearing in DC Comics. Unlike the theatrical version, this movie had a story. The story made sense. The story logically progressed from one scene to the next. This film included a lot of characters and a lot of fan service, but it did it in a way that made sense and added to the story (for the most part). The music and soundtrack was one area this film fell short. It wasn't memorable. It didn't add to the emotion of the film. In places it was just plain boring or made no sense. This film does have several fight scenes, but none of them were really great or memorable. They were short, looked like quickly rendered video games, and lacked choreography. While this is a really good film, it's not the Justice League film any fan really wanted. It didn't look or feel like the Justice League fans have grown to love in the comics and cartoons. I recommend this film and give it 4 out of 5 Boxes of Popcorn.

    

Blu-ray / DVD Review - Batman: Soul of the Dragon

I am a fan of Bronze Age comic books. So when I heard DC was planning and animated movie set in that era in the Bruce Timm style, I said to myself, "Self, you should watch that movie." And I did

Batman: Soul of the Dragon is a 2021 animated martial arts film. It is rated R for violence and is appropriate for tweens and up.

The Good

Vibe. This movie has a great vibe from the visuals to the music to the action to the pacing that really evokes 70s martial art films and 70s TV.

Characters. This film has a great variety of characters form 1970s DC comics that either haven't appears before on the screen or have had very small appearances. The cast of characters had great chemistry together and worked together well.

Art Direction. The look and feel of the characters, backgrounds, vehicles, and action was very nostalgic while still feeling current and not retro. The look was unique while hearkening to a familiar era.

The Bad

Corner Cutting. My biggest complaint is the filmmakers didn't explore this world as thoroughly as they could. The plot was pretty simple and straightforward which is perfect for lots of side trips to explore the world. And while there were a few along the way, they weren't as fully explored as I would have liked, and there weren't enough of them.

 

What I Would Like To Have Seen

I wish the filmmakers had gotten a little more excited about this project and had put a little more energy and heart into it.

Overall

Batman: Soul of the Dragon is a 2021 animated martial arts film. This movie has a great vibe from the visuals to the music to the action to the pacing that really evokes 70s martial art films and 70s TV. This film has a great variety of characters form 1970s DC comics that either haven't appears before on the screen or have had very small appearances. The cast of characters had great chemistry together and worked together well. My biggest complaint is the filmmakers didn't explore this world as thoroughly as they could. The plot was pretty simple and straightforward which is perfect for lots of side trips to explore the world. And while there were a few along the way, they weren't as fully explored as I would have liked, and there weren't enough of them. I wish the filmmakers had gotten a little more excited about this project and had put a little more energy and heart into it. Overall it's a very enjoyable film. I give it 4 out of 5 Boxes of Popcorn.

 

Blu Ray / DVD Review - Batman: Death in the Family

I really enjoyed Batman: Under The Red Hood and wished they had spent more time on the Death in the Family part of the film. Well Christmas came early this year because that happened.

Batman: Death in the Family is a 2020 animated superhero film. It is rated R for violence and gore and is appropriate for teens and up.

The Good

Concept. The concept is pretty clever. This is a choose-your-own-adventure style story where the story branches off and you can choose what happens. What I like about this is it really explores several of the what ifs which is really fun and opens up new story possibilities.

Stories. The storytelling was really strong and really engaging. This story went in a lot of different directions, many of them ending very differently.

The Bad

Corner Cutting. My biggest complaint is the filmmakers didn't go far enough. A lot of the footage was recycled from Batman: Under the Red Hood with the new footage at a much lower quality. Much of it was still frames or very limited animation with voice-over narration. While this wasn't necessarily bad and still provided a lot of entertainment, it was a sign of the whole approach to this. Many of the stories ended too soon not fully exploring the possibilities, and a few went in directions that were too similar instead of exploring a wider set of possibilities.

Additional Shorts. I like the characters they chose for the additional shorts, I just wish the filmmakers had chosen better stories to tell that weren't so dark and generic. I wish the stories better reflected the nature of the characters and what make them unique.

 

What I Would Like To Have Seen

I wish Warner Bros had put more money and resources into this project to fully realize it, because what they did do was really well done.

Overall

Batman: Death in the Family is a 2020 animated superhero film. The concept is pretty clever. This is a choose-your-own-adventure style story where the story branches off and you can choose what happens. What I like about this is it really explores several of the what ifs which is really fun and opens up new story possibilities. My biggest complaint is the filmmakers didn't go far enough. A lot of the footage was recycled from Batman: Under the Red Hood with the new footage at a much lower quality. Much of it was still frames or very limited animation with voice-over narration. While this wasn't necessarily bad and still provided a lot of entertainment, it was a sign of the whole approach to this. Many of the stories ended too soon not fully exploring the possibilities, and a few went in directions that were too similar instead of exploring a wider set of possibilities. I wish Warner Bros had put more money and resources into this project to fully realize it, because what they did do was really well done.  I give this film 4 out of 5 Boxes of Popcorn.

    

 

Comic Book Review - Robin 80th Anniversary 100-page Spectacular

I've been a fan of Robin since I first saw him star with Batman in their Saturday Morning Cartoon adventures. I collected the issues with Tim Drake becoming the third Robin and followed his three mini-series and solo series for several years. And now he's 80. He still looks like he's in his 20s. Why can't I age as well?

Robin 80th Anniversary 100-page Spectacular is a one-shot comic featuring several Robins over the years with stories by many different teams. It is available as a comic with several variant covers and as an eBook. It is appropriate for most ages.

The Good

A Little Nudge. This story explores Robin as he literally leaves the nest of Wayne Manor to go out on his own. Marv Wolfman and Tom Grummett write and draw a very classic tale in a very classic style. There's nothing stand out here as it plays out exactly as you expect it too, but for those who like their classic Robin, this is your cup of tea.

Aftershocks. This story is a brief incident during the Cataclysm story line that preceded No Man's Land. Chuck Dixon and Scott McDaniel write and draw like they're still on the original Nightwing title in 90s, so for those who were reading comics then, this will be a nice trip back to the past.

Team Building. This story features Nightwing leading The Titains fighting bad guys and makes a pretty obvious statement about team building and leadership. The art is very stiff.

The Lesson Plan. This story features Dick Grayson as Agent 37 during his Grayson faze. It's basically a long fight scene where Dick shares the lessons he learned from Bruce with his newest partner. The contrast and parallels are well done. The art is not the best.
 
More Time. This story features Jason Todd as Red Hood remembering a time when he was Robin and finishes something he started back then. The art is scratchy, but it fits the tone of the story.

Extra Credit. This story features Tim Drake in High School speaking with a guidance counselor about his future while contrasting it with his nighttime activities as Robin. This was my favorite story, because it does the best job of getting inside Robin's head and exploring him as a character in an everyday situation. The art was not my favorite style, but well done.

My Best Friend. This story features Damian writing a report about his friendship with Superman's son. The art and fight scene that make up the story are very weak and uninspired, but the narration and exploration of the Super Sons' friendship is really good and what saves this yarn.

The Bad

Boy Wonders. This story takes place in the present and features Tim Drake as Red Robin talking to each of the other past and current Robins for advice about what path his live should take. While the idea was good, the art and execution were very poor.

Fitting In. This story features Stephanie Brown, the least interesting of the Robins and is the weakest of the stories in concept, art, and storytelling. It basically shows her struggles to fit in as Robin and the problems she has with the suit and the legacy. Very prosaic, obvious, and disappointing.

Bat and Mouse. This story features Damian Wayne, Batman's son. The story basically shows the conflict between father and son and that there are secrets between the two. The art is weak. The writing tries too hard. The story doesn't succeed very well.

What I Would Like to Have Seen

Where was Carrie, the Robin from Dark Knight?

Overall

Robin 80th Anniversary 100-page Spectacular collects several stories from several different teams about several different Robins over the years. Being an anthology, there are some real gems and a few misses. The best stories are the ones that explore Robin as a person in an everyday situation. The art isn't the best, but there are a few stories that shine. I  recommend this book and give it 4 out of 5 eReaders.

   

 

Blu-ray Review - Batman vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

I'm a huge Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle fan, but the idea of them crossing over with DC or Marvel characters never seemed like a good idea. The first comic book mini-series this film is based on was pretty disappointing. But Amazon had the rental on sale, so I thought, "What the hay?"

Batman vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is a 2019 direct-to-video action superhero film featuring the DC Comics hero Batman (created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger) and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (created by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird). It is rated PG-13 for language and violence and is appropriate for teens and up.

The Good

Story and Pacing. This movie had a solid story that made sense, wasn't contrived, and moved logically from one scene to the next. The pacing was deliberate and slow enough to develop the story but fast enough to never become boring.

Animation and Art Direction. While this wasn't my favorite look for the characters, it worked really well for the story and the movie.

Action. The fights were so fun and so well done showcasing so many characters and most of their abilities and unique traits. It was fun to see Batman and Shredder so evenly matched and such a long struggle to fight each other without a quick resolution.

Titles. The titles were gorgeous with black and white cityscapes and colored characters in front. The end credits with famous comic book covers recreated with Batman and the Turtles were also very clever.

Fan Nods. There were a lot of easter eggs and nods to the fans as well as references to previous incarnations both in film and print of the characters that really made the world rich.

Voice Acting. All the voice casting choices were new, but they felt classic.

The Bad

Violence and Swearing. I get this movie is meant to appeal to an older audience, but the action and sophistication of the story would have done that. The extreme violence and cussing actually detracted from the film.

Science of Ooze/Mutagen. The fact that the ooze works instantaneously and can only be cured within a short window makes absolutely no sense. Everything else was well thought out and well considered. The major McGuffin of the story not being well considered was kind of strange.

What I Would Like to Have Seen

I wish the Batmobile had been a cooler design.

Overall

Batman vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is one of the best animated films I've ever scene. The story is solid and well considered, the action is fast and fierce and showcases each character's unique abilities, the voice casting sounded classic, and the titles were gorgeous. Even though this film was targeted to an older audience, the amount of violence and harsh language detracted feeling contrived and forced. I give this film 4.5 out of 5 Boxes of Popcorn.

   

TV Show Review: Titans (2018) Episode 3 - Origins

So far, Titans has been an excellent series easily rivaling what Marvel has put out.

Titans is an 11-episode DC Universe series based on the characters appearing in DC Comics. It is rated TV-MA for language, violence, and blood and is appropriate for older teens and up.

The Good

Characters. Brenton Thwaites continues to nail the post-Batman Dick Greyson character. In this episode the others characters are finally starting to be fleshed out and become interesting.

Story. This episode presented the origin of Robin and more of Starfire and Raven's backstories. Their inclusions were very organic and added to the overall story.

Pacing. The pacing was very methodic. It was slow but didn't feel slow. Instead every element of the story was given an appropriate amount of time to breathe and develop.

The Bad

Politics. This episode paints the traditional family in a bad light, which is pure propaganda and socially irresponsible.

What I Would Like to Have Seen

Being able to binge watch all the episodes in one or two sittings.

Overall

Origins, the third episode of Titans (2018) continues to meet my expectations. The cast is perfect, the story had room to breath and develop, and the story continues to unfold at a great pace. I give this show 4.5 out of 5 remotes.

    

TV Show Review: Titans (2018) Episode 2 - Hawk and Dove

The first episode of Titans was solid, and the the second featured Hawk and Dove which both looked like cool versions of their comic book counterparts, so I was pretty excited for episode 2.

Titans is an 11-episode DC Universe series based on the characters appearing in DC Comics. It is rated TV-MA for language, violence, and blood and is appropriate for older teens and up.

The Good

Dick Greyson. Brenton Thwaites continues to nail the post-Batman Dick Greyson character both as Dick and as Robin. The romance is believable. He makes a convincing police detective. And the fight scene where Robin saves Hawk and Dove is classic!

Story. This episode presented a complete, stand-alone story that introduced several characters, their relationships, and a beginning, middle end. And it fit into the larger story.

Pacing. The pacing was very methodic. It was a little slow but didn't feel slow. It felt like every element of the story was given an appropriate amount of time to breathe and develop.

Hawk & Dove. The actor and actress cast fit the roles so well and had the appropriate chemistry with each other and with Robin. I can't wait to see their spinoff series.

The Bad

I had to wait a week for the next episode.

What I Would Like to Have Seen

Being able to binge watch all the episodes in one or two sittings.

Overall

Hawk and Dove, the second episode of Titans (2018) was as good as I was hoping the series would be. The cast is perfect, the story had room to breath and develop, there was a complete story in this episode, and the action at the end was great. I give this show 5 out of 5 remotes.

    

TV Show - Titans (2018 pilot)

I've never been a fan of the Teen Titans in the comics or cartoons, but I was curious how they would adapt them in live action knowing the producers planned a diametrically opposite approach.

Titans is an 11-episode DC Universe series based on the characters appearing in DC Comics. It is rated TV-MA for language, violence, and blood and is appropriate for older teens and up.

The Good

Dick Greyson. I really enjoyed the character of Dick. The actor they hired and the way he was presented was interesting and the best part of the episode. He feels like the character in the comics and like he has a lot of aspects of his character and life to explore.

Mystery. This episode presents an interesting mystery that made me want to watch more episodes.

Story. The story in the pilot is fairly solid and brings the characters together in a logical, organic way.

The Bad

Pacing. This episode moved a little slow.

Raven and Starfire. So far, neither of these characters is interesting or compelling, nor do either seem anything like their comic book versions.

Dark. This episode is very dark, and not in a grim way. It's visually dark and hard to see anything, even during the middle of the day.

What I Would Like to Have Seen

I wish there had been more action and more happen. The pacing felt deliberately slow like the film makers were trying too hard to make this feel dark and gritty and important with dramatic pauses instead of actual content.

Overall

Titans (2018 pilot) is off to a good start. It's not Marvel and Netflix's Daredevil good (which is what I think they were going for) but it is well casted, well acted, has a solid story so far, and in intriguing enough to make me want to watch the next episode. The Dick Greyson character was especially interesting and well done. I give this show 3.5 out of 5 remotes.