EPIC REVIEW: Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice

Howdy people of the internet, today I’m finally getting around to reviewing Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Now I saw this film during the midnight screening yesterday and I’ve been meaning to talk about it since then, but I’ve had work. But I’m free now and after having some time to think about it I think I’m ready to pass judgement.Oh and before we begin I’m just gonna state right now that I’m throwing the rating system out of the window for this review because it would be irrelevant and troublesome.

The story can be described as the following:

“Fearing the actions of Superman are left unchecked, Batman takes on the man of steel, while the world wrestles with what kind of hero it really needs. With Batman and Superman fighting each other, a new threat, Doomsday, is created by Lex Luthor. It’s up to Superman and Batman to set aside their differences along with Wonder Woman to stop Lex Luthor and Doomsday from destroying Metropolis.”

Annoyingly the film’s story starts out well connecting to the events of Man of Steel, but after that things get a little messy. This film had a lot to do especially when it came to introducing us to what’s taken place since MoS, showing us the public’s view on Superman and his actions, why Bruce Wayne has come into play and showing other key elements that place in the main and sub plots. But not too long after the film began the problems arose, what became immediately noticeable to me was the fact that there was a multiple things happening with at once with the story, but not all of it was relevant or engaging, plus some of the editing was strange as we cut to a from several things that messed with the film’s pacing and coherency. We also have plot points that go nowhere or are failed to be properly explained and a lack of proper character motivations lead to some questionable choices as the film progresses. The film jumps all over the place with flashbacks, visions, dreams and current day stuff and it ranged from being interesting to downright annoying as they would show up when up least expected them to. As for being a “Batman vs Superman” film it did some of those elements well with could drama and set up, but some of the motivations and story elements that lead up to their major confrontation felt convoluted and out of character for each of these characters (especially when you compare them to the comics). And the “Dawn of Justice” aspects of the film with the connections to the future DC films was certainly interesting and some of it got me hyped to see some of these solo films, it’s too bad that their place felt random and shoehorned into the film. Oh and I don’t think I can talk about this film without mentioned the length, dear god  I felt the length of this film, so much happens, but believe me if certain plot points had been streamlined or taken out altogether this film would have been so much better for it.

As for the cast they were pretty good, though some people were really wasted or did not well at all. Let’s start with Ben Affleck as Bruce Wayne/Batman. Easily the best part of the film was Affleck as Batman, this man was able to capture the duality of the character well and just the delivery of his dialogue to his facial expression just made me love him. And can I just say that this is the most badass Batman we’ve ever had? This dude in a monster! Batman rolls around like the boogeyman brutally taking people out, he’s scary as hell and you don’t want to mess with him, and while I don’t entirely agree with his characterization (because he’s more like Wolverine or the Punisher), I can’t deny that this version of the Dark Knight was kick ass. Henry Cavill was fine as Kal-El/Clark Kent/Superman, but I had hoped for more. Superman is interesting here because he’s got a lot of stuff to deal with him saving people, having the world both love and hate him and trying to sustain a relationship with Lois too. I feel bad for Cavill as he is a good Superman, but he’s given such uninteresting material to work with and he’s a bit plain and dull. Amy Adams as Lois Lane was a character I didn’t really like in the last film and in this film I think she may have gotten worse. Lois has her own little sub plot which wasn’t all that interesting, she made a lot of stupid decisions, was the damsel in distress again and I still don’t buy the relationship between her and Superman.

Oh and then there’s Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor… Just gonna say it now, he is as bad as you feared. Okay to his credit there were moments, small moments where the guy was actually pretty smart and dangerous, but those glimmers of hope were squashed by Eisenberg’s silly and cooky mannerisms, the guy is just strange and hardly a threat. Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman was surprisingly good, I mean the acting was amazing, however, the characters was a lot more interesting than I expected and this film has made me want to see the new solo film in 2017. Diane Lane as Martha Kent was fine, but was more a backseat character until the story required her to show up and Laurence Fishburne as Perry White was decent as well but his appearance in this film has no significance on the main story. Jeremy Irons as Alfred Pennyworth was awesome, every time he was around he was insightful, funny and delightful, I just wish there had been more scenes with him in the film. And finally Holly Hunter as fine as Senator June Finch but her character didn’t add up to much in the grand scheme of things.

When it comes to the presentation it was pretty cool. As with most Zack Snyder films the action is pretty hardcore with very crazy and intricate cinematography and visual effects which were put to good use in a lot of action sequences for sure. Though some of the action wasn’t as well-choreographed as I’d hoped considering that this was moment to be major confrontation between Batman and Superman. But I will say the best material was the Batman material, his fights were so insanely hardcore, well-made and man this is the best material we’ve ever gotten in live-action. The film score provided by Hans Zimmer and Junkie XL was a mixed bag, whenever the soundtrack was playing in the background I could tell the difference between Zimmer and XL’s style with Zimmer being a little more classical and XL’s style being a little more aggressive and electronic in sound which felt a little out of place at times. But I will say that the Wonder Woman theme that played during her scenes was pretty cool.

In conclusion Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice was a mixed back. Not since Man of Steel have I been this divided about whether I liked a film or not. On the one hand the film gave me what I wanted and it certainly had moments of badassery and drama, but at the same time the film never became more than it could have been and a lot of the problems I knew I’d have with the film were realised. I could talk about this film for days but I don’t think you’ll stick around for that haha, I recommend BvS to everyone just so you can form your own opinion on it as everyone’s views will be different as it has been shown to be online so far, this film wasn’t terrible, but it wasn’t great either.

So what do you think of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice? Did you love it, hate it or fall somewhere in between like me? Whatever your thoughts are be sure to drop them in the comments below and I’ll see ya on the next review. Laters! 😀

 

Jesse Eisenberg and Jeremy Irons Cast in the Batman Vs. Superman!

Well damn, the world of film news just gets more and more controversial by the day, in another crazy news story from the upcoming Batman vs. Superman film we get some new casting news and it already has the internet in a frenzy. Trust me when I say there is no way I’d miss out on talking about this myself. Anways the following info comes from superherohype:

“Warner Bros. Pictures announced today that Jesse Eisenberg has been set to star as Lex Luthor and Jeremy Irons will play Alfred in the upcoming Zack Snyder untitled Superman/Batman film. The dual announcement was made today by Greg Silverman, President, Creative Development and Worldwide Production, and Sue Kroll, President, Worldwide Marketing and International Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures.

Snyder stated, “Lex Luthor is often considered the most notorious of Superman’s rivals, his unsavory reputation preceding him since 1940. What’s great about Lex is that he exists beyond the confines of the stereotypical nefarious villain. He’s a complicated and sophisticated character whose intellect, wealth and prominence position him as one of the few mortals able to challenge the incredible might of Superman. Having Jesse in the role allows us to explore that interesting dynamic, and also take the character in some new and unexpected directions.”

The director added, “As everyone knows, Alfred is Bruce Wayne’s most trusted friend, ally and mentor, a noble guardian and father figure. He is an absolutely critical element in the intricate infrastructure that allows Bruce Wayne to transform himself into Batman. It is an honor to have such an amazingly seasoned and gifted actor as Jeremy taking on the important role of the man who mentors and guides the guarded and nearly impervious façade that encapsulates Bruce Wayne.”

Eisenberg received Academy Award, Golden Globe Award, Screen Actors Guild Award and BAFTA Award nominations for his starring role as Mark Zuckerberg in David Fincher’s The Social Network. He also starred in Woody Allen’s To Rome with Love and Louis Letterier’s Now You See Me. He next appears in The Double and NightMoves.

Irons won the Academy Award for his portrayal of Claus von Bülow in Reversal of Fortune. His work in the film also garnered him a Golden Globe Award. He won an Emmy Award and a Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Award for his performance in the TV miniseries “Elizabeth I,” opposite Helen Mirren, and recently starred on the small screen as Rodrigo Borgia in Neil Jordan’s highly acclaimed Showtime series “The Borgias,” for which Irons earned a Golden Globe nomination. He was recently nominated for a SAG Award for the PBS Great Performances television miniseries “The Hollow Crown,” for his performance as Henry IV.”

Ah shit, looks like crazy stories be happening again and it honestly makes for some great blogging material. I swear the people working on Superman Vs. Batman are doing this on purpose, just hiring actors to send the internet into a frenzy. First they did it with Ben Affleck, then Gal Gadot and now Jesse Eisenberg, its bloody mental. So let’s start with Irons first and then move onto the bigger casting news surrounding Eisenberg.

So now we have Jeremy Irons as good ol’ Alfred Pennyworth. At first I was not overly jolly about his choice just be cause I wasn’t sure if he had the right look I personally imagined, plus I didn’t think of him as that old. But the more I’ve thought about it, the more I’m okay with it. He is a great and established actor, also at the age of 65 he fits into the role age-wise just fine and while I haven’t seen too many of the films he’s in what I have seen makes me feel like he’s up to the task.

Now let’s move onto the casting news that’s gotten loads of fanboys panties in a twist…

BAM! JESSE EISENBERG AS LEX LUTHOR! CRAZY RIGHT? WHO SAW THAT COMING? ANYONE WHO CLAIMS THAT THEY DID IS LYING! XD

So yeah I read this and I thought I was reading the article wrong, but nope, it’s confirmed and is as real as I am a Sonic-obsessed nerd. Firstly I don’t understand. Of all the people in the world, Eisenberg gets chosen. And don’t misunderstand me, I really like Eisenberg. He was good in Zombieland, brilliant in The social Network and pretty good in Now You See Me. But when I see him I don’t immediately think “Ah yeah Lex Luthor!” I dunno if Eisenberg has the emotional range to carry such an iconic villainous role, plus I can’t see it in his face. Plus Eisenberg as much as I like him he kind of acts the same way in most of his films so that doesn’t give me much hope for a great Lex Luthor interpretation. I’m gonna give the guy a chance because I like him, but damn he’s gonna have a battle on his hands trying to fight off all the haters that wished that it was Heisenberg (Bryan Cranston) and not Eisenberg as Lex Luthor.

So now I pass it onto you lot, what do you think of the casting news? Are you in support of it or do you loathe it with passion! Drop your comments below.

 

Now You See Me Review

Howdy people, time for me to review another film in the form of Now You See Me, a film that I’d been hearing a lot about for months now. I’d heard mixed things about the film, but the majority of thoughts on the film were good, but I was sceptical. So I saw the film last week and I thought it was a surprisingly awesome and I’m gonna tell you why in this review.

The story in the film involves small-time magicians Daniel Atlas, Merritt McKinney, Henley Reeves and Jack Wilder when they’re invited to attend a meeting in a weird apartment. One year later, they reappear as The Four Horseman in a show in Las Vegas sponsored by the millionaire Arthur Tressler and they heist a bank in Paris from the stage and distribute the money to the audience. The FBI agent Dylan Rhodes is assigned to the case and the Interpol sends the agent Alma Dray to be his partner. Dylan and Alma are completely lost in the investigation and the exposer of illusionists Thaddeus Bradley gives hints about illusion. When the Four Horseman steal the bank account of Arthur Tressler during a show in New Orleans, Dylan and Alma believe that these heists are only distraction for a huge scheme but they are never sure about of what is true or illusion.

I thought the story in this film was very good and had a good number of twists and turns. It really is intriguing to see how these four magicians go from being individuals to a big-time Las Vegas act with all their amazing tricks which stun the general audience and make them targets for the police. I love films with complex plots or stories that have layers that get more and more mysterious as they progress, the problem sometimes is that these types of films either get too complicated for their own good or are just too smart for me haha. Luckily the plot in this film is at that level where it is smart, complex and layered but not overdone and easy for the general audience to understand.

Now let’s talk about the cast who are all fantastic in their roles. Firstly there’s Jesse Eisenberg as J. Daniel Atlas, I thought Eisenberg was great as this cocky, wise-cracking dude who was really good at illusion and visual-based magic. While his character was a bit of a jerk, I couldn’t help but like him especially since Eisenberg’s performance was very similar to the one he gave in The Social Network. Then there’s Woody Harrelson as Merritt McKinney, he’s a street Magician with the powers of prediction and hypnosis. As I’m starting to discover, Woody Harrelson is great in anything, he’s funny, smart and always a scene stealer. Isla Fisher as Henley Reeves plays an impressive escape artist, I loved her in the role and she was the most level-headed in the group. And the last member in this group is Dave Franco as Jack Wilder who played a street magician, I think this is Dave Franco’s best role to date as it really showcased his acting talent and charisma on-screen in a way that made him feel relevant and look totally cool.

Mark Ruffalo plays Dylan Rhodes, a FBI agent to great effect. I can’t say I was a big Mark Ruffalo fan until after The Avengers came out, but now I’m starting to see why people talk about his acting talents so much, he was so awesome in this film. He was hell-bent on capturing the magicians and goes through so much trouble to get them. Mélanie Laurent as Alma Dray was great as an Interpol agent assigned to help the FBI, I hadn’t seen Laurent since Inglorious Basterds so I was happy to see her again in a wonderful role where she was sophisticated, smart and didn’t take shit from anyone. And finally Michael Caine as Arthur Tressler and  Morgan Freeman as Thaddeus Bradley were incredible as always, turning in performances that were convincing, cool and familiar if you’re fans of their work.

I thought that the presentation in this film also worked in both departments. Visually the film is shot well and there is a good use of visual effects too that really help reinforce the illusion-based performances. As for the soundtrack, I really liked it. Bryan Tyler seems to be scoring a lot more films and his music is sounding a lot more impressive these day than ever before. What I like about this soundtrack is that it has that trademark Tyler bombastic sound, its load, stylish and full of flavour!

In conclusion Now You See Me was a mighty impressive film. I knew that the film would be good, but I didn’t expect it to be SO good. It was just such a smart film with good twists and turns, a solid story and cast and lovely presentation. This is a film I highly recommend film, it is some kick ass stuff.

Rating: 8.5/10 (I wonderfully great piece of film that get better as the film progresses)

So what did you think of Now You See Me? Whatever your thoughts are drop in the comments below and I’ll see ya on the next film review yo!