EPIC REVIEW: Spider-Man: Homecoming

Howdy people of the internet, how’s it going? So today is a special day as I finally get to share my thoughts on the latest film from Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures in the form of Spider-Man: Homecoming. For those of you who aren’t aware, Spider-Man is my favourite superhero and when he was introduced in Captain America: Civil War last year I knew I was ready for his solo film straight away. So with a decent marketing campaign and a lot of hopeful interviews from the cast and crew about how this latest version of Spider-Man would turn out, is it a successful reboot or another disappointing session? Well read on and find out! 🙂

So the story can be described as the following:

“Several months after the events of Captain America: Civil War, Peter Parker, with the help of his mentor Tony Stark, tries to balance his life as an ordinary high school student in Queens, New York City while fighting crime as his superhero alter ego Spider-Man as a new threat, the Vulture, emerges.”

Straight away what I like about Homecoming as an overall film is that it is familiar, and yet totally unique from the previous versions we’ve had in the past. Instead of getting the conventional origin story from the comics, we instead get a different kind of origin that feels more like “Spider-Man: The Early Years” instead of “Spider-Man: The Beginning“. There were a lot of recognizable elements on display for those aware of Spider-Man’s source material when it comes to Peter being a high school student, balancing his superhero life with his personal life and basically just growing up and dealing with the highs and lows that life throws at you. What’s great is that the story beats you know about the Spider-Man mythos are executed very well, but this also took a few risks as there were numerous surprises that really caught me off-guard and enhanced my experience of watching this film. Also tonally the film is perfect, Homecoming has the right balance of light-heartedness, action and heart that’s enjoyable for kids and adults. Plus the references to the comics is great for those paying attention with some cool verbal and visual material, oh and Spider-Man also fit into the MCU wonderfully, this adventure for all the travelling still felt small in scale with just the right amount of references from other films without being overbearing.

The cast for this film was excellent with there being memorable performances from everyone in the main cast to the minor roles and cameos too. Firstly there’s Tom Holland as who was perfect as Spider-Man/Peter Parker, I knew as soon as I saw Holland in Civil War that he’d crush it in this film but I didn’t know he’d kill it this well. Holland was the perfect Peter Parker, he was relatable, endearing, funny, heroic, a little cocky and tenacious, plus he was so charming and engaging to watch, that when you watch the successes and failures of this character you give a damn. Michael Keaton was really good as Adrian Toomes/Vulture, I appreciated how his character was not just a villain doing bad things for the sake of it, but had a logical reason for hs actions, he was perceptive and smart, and I thought the Vulture was elevated by Keaton’s performance which really gave the character a tough and intimidating presence. And then there’s Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark/Iron Man and he was great too, seeing Stark transition into the mentor role for Peter worked well for this story, his presence was notable but not nearly as overstated as the trailers would have you believe. Stark was used sparingly but his scenes had purpose, dramatic weight and the trademark humour that makes RDJ so fun to watch. Oh and the return of Jon Favreau as Happy Hogan was great, he was so gruff and serious andhis dry sense of humour lended itself to this film well.

Jacob Batalon was fabulous as Parker’s best friend Ned, I liked how funny, quirky and nerdy he was, but also how he was a genuine friend to Peter offering useful advance and helping him out once he discovers Peter’s secret. Zendaya was good as Michelle was pretty cool, she was this weird loner who was smart and rude but also quite funny, Zendaya really got into the role and you could tell she was having fun with the role. Also Laura Harrier as Liz was wonderful, she was so cute and kind and Harrier’s performance was so captivating. Tony Revolori as Flash was an interesting new take on the classic character, I liked how charismatic and hot-headed he was and he certainly had some memorable moments. Marisa Tomei as Aunt May was wonderful, I feared from the marketing that her role would be next to nothing, but thankfully May was upbeat, humourous and caring, but she also wasn’t a fool and said what was on her mind and Tomei made the character shine and stand out. I enjoyed what Donald Glover brought to the film as Aaron Davis, Hannibal Buress was really funny in his role, Bokeem Woodbine and Logan Marshall-Green were pretty solid too and finally Abraham Attah as Abe was easily one of my favourite people in the film with his dialogue making me laugh a lot.

When it comes to the presentation it was really good. Visually the film had good cinematography, good choreographed action sequences that when quick, funny and hard-hitting, oh and the CGI was really solid with some great attention to detail especially for Spider-Man’s suit. Besides certain scenes at night that were really dark and inconsistent visual effects, the visual side of things was great. And the film score by Michael Giacchino was pretty good, though not as impressive as I had hoped. Now don’t get me wrong, it captured the right kind of tone for the film and during some of the more upbeat/fun, adventurous or emotional moments the music was gorgeous and tapped into that signature sound that Giacchino is known for in his previous films, however, I felt like as an overall score it wasn’t as good as some of his previous material.

To conclude Spider-Man: Homecoming was wonderful and everything I wanted it to be and then some. And while I reckon Spider-Man 2 is still my favourite Spidey film, this first solo film in the MCU had the heart and soul of a good superhero film that gets better the more I think about it. Now I’m sure some people will find reasons to hate on this film but I can’t when it is so fun. 😀

So have you seen Spider-Man: Homecoming and if so what do you think of it? Be sure to drop me a comment and I’ll see ya on the next review! 🙂

 

QUICK REVIEW: Spider-Man: Homecoming Trailer #1

Howdy ladies and gents, how’s it going? Its been a while but it is time for another trailer review! There’s been many trailers dropping left right and center over the course of the last few months or recently like I’ve really enjoyed like Logan, Wonder Woman, The Belko Experience and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 to name a few, but I’ve just not had the time to talk about them… However, when I found out that two new trailers were coming out for Spider-Man: Homecoming I knew I’d have to drop my thoughts online. 😛

Oh and before we continue I’ll be talking about the main trailer and not the international one.

So here’s the trailer below:

So my first reaction after seeing this film was “Nice, very nice.” This trailer wasn’t amazing, spectacular or sensational haha, however it was solid and it makes me confident that we’ll get a solid Spider-Man film, at least that’s what I hope.

There’s another trailer which you can watch here which has some interesting different shots of Michael Keaton’s Vulture, and Tony Stark and Peter Parker’s interactions among other things.

First thing I like about this trailer is that it feels like it fits within the style and tone of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, from the cinematography to the colour palette and style of the action, it feels in line with what’s come before especially with the Russo Brothers Captain America films. That being said the film certainly seems to have enough unique elements that will hopefully allow it to stand alone from the other MCU films despite the inclusion of Tony Stark and the ties to Captain America: Civil War. Another thing that I enjoyed was how well this trailer illustrates a day in the life of Peter Parker, we get to see his school life, take out bad guys as Spider-Man, and hang with Tony Stark. Seems like Peter Parker will get up to a fair amount of stuff, most of which falls in line with what Peter has dealt with in the comics/previous films, but with the heavier focus on Peter’s school life, the mentorship of Tony Stark and the introduction of the Vulture I believe this film will offer up some nice variation on what we’ve seen from previous Spider-Man films. My favourite parts of the trailer were: 1) Seeing Spidey take out those robbers in the avengers masks, that felt like classic Spidey with the jokes and action. 2) The Tony Stark and Peter Parker interaction in the car was so delightful, Stark’s comments about the do’s and don’ts of being a superhero was great, but that awkward hug/opening the door moment was the best. And 3) The final shot of Iron Man and Spidey flying through the sky together, that is pure comic book fan service and I love it! The only concerns I have is 1) Will Michael Keaton’s Vulture be a good villain or another forgettable villain for not only the MCU but also for the Spidey films since the last good villain was Alfred Molina’s Doc Ock). And 2) Will Stark’s inclusion in the film take focus away from Spidey in his own film? I hope not. I really hope that this is the film that taps into the Spectacular Spider-Man Animated Series realm of awesomeness and translates some of that story and character material into this film, it’s unlikely but I can still dream. 😛

To conclude the first trailer for Spider-Man: Homecoming looks pretty good. The film looks like it not only fits in with the rest of the MCU films, but it also feels true to the source material while also providing something different in its style and aesthetics. The trailer didn’t blow me away, but it didn’t have to, it just needed to reassure me that the film would be worth watching; and this trailer did just that. Bring on July yo! 😀

So have you seen the first trailer for Spider-Man: Homecoming and if so what do you think of it? Are you more or less excited than before? Be sure to drop me a comment and I’ll see ya on the next review! 🙂

 

QUICK REVIEW: Spotlight

Howdy people of the internet, time for another review and today I’m going to be talking about Spotlight. I first heard about this film during a live Q&A with Mark Ruffalo on Facebook a few months back and once I saw the trailer I was interested, and then when all the Oscar buzz started floating around I really got hyped. So I saw it last night and now I’m ready to pass judgement.

The story can be described as the following:

“The true story of how the Boston Globe uncovered the massive scandal of child molestation and cover-up within the local Catholic Archdiocese, shaking the entire Catholic Church to its core.”

I thought this was a fascinating tale of conspiracy, corruption, and the search for the truth, and it was handled with a great deal of detail and care. I will admit that at first the story was interesting but not all that engaging when the news team began their investigation into the questionable priests and victims, however, there was a point when a major revelation gets dropped and then the film had my attention. And from there the level of damage and cover ups done by the church and legal system just got larger and larger, and the depths of the moral and ethical corruption went so deep that it becomes emotionally engaging and heartbreaking to know that this actually happened. Watching this film made me feel dirty and it wasn’t just because priests had their way with children, but it was because of the system they were part of and how they allowed it to happen and went to great lengths to keep it from going public. While some of the details were a little hard to follow because there’s a lot of history and individual stories to take into consideration, it was balanced very well.

The cast was fabulous and this was certainly a case where you could say that this was a team effort as there wasn’t a single bad  performance. When it comes to the Spotlight team Michael Keaton was great as Walter “Robby” Robinson, I really enjoyed seeing Rachel McAdams who was wonderful as Sacha Pfeiffer, and Brian d’Arcy James was really good as Matt Carroll, but Mark Ruffalo as Michael Rezendes stood out the most, Michael was very passionate about this issue and to see him get so worked up and emotionally invested made me root for him. Liev Schreiber’s calm yet stern demeanour worked well as Marty Baron, also John Slattery did a great job as Ben Bradlee Jr. and Stanley Tucci was fantastic as Mitchell Garabedian, an attorney who had a lot of knowledge of the corruption of church activity but a fair amount of issues to deal with professionally and personally.

So while Spotlight wasn’t the mind-blowing, amazing film that some critics made it out to be, it was an incredibly dramatic, intriguing and unnerving and it’s a film that I believe everyone should watch because it has a story that needs to be seen.

Rating: 8/10

So have you seen Spotlight and if so what did you think of it? Be sure to comment below and I’ll see you on the next review, laters!

 

QUICK REVIEW: Minions

Howdy ladies and gents, time for another film review and today I’ll be talking about Minions. Now I’ve never been overly fond of the Minions, but I’ve appreciated them in a stupid kind of way like the Rayman Raving Rabbids (before they became over-saturated). So when I heard they’d be getting their own spin-off film not too long after the release of Despicable Me 2, I was disappointed and sceptical, however I wanted to give the film a chance. And while the trailers were good, after the reviews came out I decided to give it a miss, though after some time and curiosity I gave it a watch today to see what is like.

The story can be described as the following:

“Minions Stuart, Kevin and Bob are recruited by Scarlet Overkill, a super-villain who, alongside her inventor husband Herb, hatches a plot to take over the world.”

The story in this film was serviceable and had moments of adventure, chaos and humour, but overall it was not nearly as captivating as the Minions’ adventures with Gru. The main problem with the film is the Minions and how they are the main focus, the cool thing about the Despicable Me films was that Gru was the focus and the Minions was there for support, but without a story and characters as interesting as those pervious films, the events of this film come across as less engaging and fun. That is unless you’re just in love with the Minions, then you should be fine. As for the humour it was a mixed bag. There were individual moments where the humour was great or completely random as hell. There’s three moments in particular involving a robbery, a sword and watching TV which were pretty funny, but beyond that there wasn’t much else to love. Most of the humour was hit and miss, clearly aimed at children and had the most generic of slapstick elements incorporated.

The cast was good though. Pierre Coffin did such a great job as Kevin, Stuart, Bob and the Minions, but what I really appreciated about this film was how it gave the three main Minions specific personality traits. Sandra Bullock’s voice work as Scarlet Overkill was awesome, Scarlet as the supervillain wasn’t as interesting, at first she was fun, but got really petty and annoying towards the latter half of the film. Jon Hamm was as Herb Overkill, this guy was so relaxed and weird but in a good way and it really helped with Hamm’s delivery of some of his lines. I also loved Michael Keaton and Allison Janney as Walter and Madge Nelson, they were so charismatic and fun. And Geoffrey Rush was great as the narrator too. Everyone else like Steve Coogan as Professor Flux and Jennifer Saunders as Queen Elizabeth II were fine but not nearly as memorable.

In conclusion Minions was alright but a wasted opportunity for sure. Having a film primarily focused on these weird little characters is all and well for hardcore fans and young children, but the story was a little lame and messy and in my mind there was nothing to balance out the madness of the Minions like the Despicable Me films.

Rating: 5/10

So did you see Minions and if so what did you think of it? Be sure to comment below and I’ll see ya on the next review, laters! 😀

 

RoboCop (2014) Review

So here we are in 2014 with the remake/reboot of RoboCop, a film that a lot of people haven’t been looking forward to. From the time the set pictures showed up with the new suit loads of fans freaked out in disgust. However since the trailers showed up, it’s changed some people’s opinions. Now I’ve bashed almost everything to do with this film prior to its release, but something told me I’d end up watching it for a review at some point. So is this film worth a watch or was this franchise better left off in the 80’s? Read on and find out!

The story is not necessarily new and those who are old enough to remember the original film know what the deal is, but for those not in the know he is a quick summary:

“In 2028 Detroit, when Alex Murphy – a loving husband, father and good cop – is critically injured in the line of duty, the multinational conglomerate OmniCorp sees their chance for a part-man, part-robot police officer.”

Even though things were changed, the story is very similar to the original 1987 film, and for what it is the story here is decent. The film basically takes the original source material and mixes up a few things, it really is a modern re-telling of the 80’s film and that has advantages and disadvantages. When it works, the film feels modern, interesting and the aspect that stood out the most was the tampering of human life and what it means to be human or a machine. But the disadvantages include the fact that this film also lacks the originality, over-the-violence and 80’s charisma that made the original it so fun. Also, the new focus on the human aspects of Alex Murphy especially when it comes to his family had too much focus, it just felt boring and any time the wife and kid were involved the film lost my interest and the pacing slowed down. All that being said, the film does have heart, good action, moral dilemmas and deception on both sides of the law.

As for the cast, they’re decent however the characters are a mixed bag with some solid people and some not so good ones. Joel Kinnaman does an okay job Alex Murphy, he’s a likeable enough person, if a bit bland, only after he become RoboCop does he become more interesting and even then it takes Kinnaman a little while to find his groove as the new cyborg, but when he’s serious and kicking ass he’s actually cool. Someone who is not boring is Gary Oldman who is awesome as Dr. Dennett Norton. In my opinion Oldman was the best character in this film. Norton is a scientist who clearly wishes to use his work for good, but when it comes to crafting RoboCop he is faced with a moral dilemma and from there he has to try balance the line between doing his role at OmniCorp and moral and ethical implications of his actions. He really is the Dr. Frankenstein of this film and I liked that complex they created for him. Another good performance comes Michael Keaton as Raymond Sellars, he is actively trying to get the robot in America ban reversed and trying to change public opinion with RoboCop. He is a man who has a way with words, he’s smart and yet crafty at the same time.

Not to be overlooked, Samuel L. Jackson as Patrick “Pat” Novak is amazing. Pat is the host of a notable TV show and he is very strong-willed, opinionated, charismatic and funny, and this role is really elevated thanks to the greatness that is Sam Jackson. There is one great moment with Jackson that channels his performance from Snakes On A Plane to great effect. Abbie Cornish was the weakest link as Clara Murphy (well besides the kid, no offence but I didn’t buy his performance at all). As Alex’s wife, Cornish just slowed down the film and while I understood her emotional scenes, I didn’t buy her acting like everyone else. Jackie Earle Haley was interesting, cool and funny as Rick Mattox. Michael K. Williams was cool as Alex’s former partner as Jack Lewis, Williams puts on his badass act and has some moments of humour too. Jennifer Ehle as Liz Kline and Jay Baruchel as Tom Pope are pretty good too, I especially liked the humour that came from Baruchel’s character.

When it comes to the presentation it is pretty good, the action sequences are good and were a little more inventive and aggressive than I thought they’d be, though nothing here was overly unique or memorable like the current set of superhero films that own the action genre when it come to creating memorable action set-pieces.

In conclusion RoboCop, as much as I hate to say it wasn’t that bad. I really wanted to leave the film saying I hated it, but I can’t deny that there were elements I did enjoy. The film still doesn’t hold a candle to the original, but it is one of the better reboots of recent years. If you need any more convincing let me leave you with this, I’ll take this film over the 2012 Total Recall remake any day.

Rating: 7/10 (I don’t give this rating lightly, but it was actually goof)

So what did you think of RoboCop? Did you think it was good or bad and how do you think it fared when compared to the original? Whatever your thoughts are drop them below and I’ll see ya on the next review yo! 😀

 

Month of Superhero Film Reviews: Batman Returns

Howdy ladies and gentlemen and welcome to Day #23 of my Month of Superhero Film Reviews! During this month I’ll be reviewing of some of the best and worst comic book adapted films. So we’ve covered the first Batman film, now let’s talk about the slightly controversial sequel in the form of Batman Returns.

So now we return to a film that I remember liking a lot after seeing it the first time. Many Batman fans and critics hate on this film because of its darker, twisted and more Tim Burton-esque style, but honestly I thought that was what made the film so much better than the first film. And that was my frame of mind for the last 2 years, so now that I’ve seen it again with a fresh pair of eyes has my opinion changed at all? Well  read on and find out in this review yo!

Now let’s talk about the plot. In Batman Returns egoistical businessman Max Shreck sets a plot against Gotham City in motion. He is joined by Penguin, a deformed and rather deranged man abandoned at birth by respectable parents. Penguin, backed by hoodlums and real penguins, runs for mayor. The plot is further complicated by Selena, a wronged secretary who transforms into Catwoman, a villain with mixed motives.

I really liked the plot in this film. What is apparent from the outset is how much more of a Tim Burton film this is, from the atmosphere, tone, music, everything screams Tim Burton! It’s tale of misguided characters, deceit, revenge moral and ethical choices. As with any good Batman story there’s a lot more going behind the scenes. I liked how this film connected and referenced things from the previous film and presented situations and stakes that were higher and more complex for the characters involved especially when it comes to Bruce Wayne and his time as Batman. I think one of my favourite aspects of this film was the connection between Bruce and Selina, both are people with issues that different but at the same time are complex. They are like kindred spirits both as normal personas and as their alter egos, its interesting to see how they attract and to see we they differ on morals and ethics. The character’s story that wasn’t as interesting was Penguin, I wasn’t too interested in his back story and his whole time in the public eye, it was only after his life went to shit and he decided to mess up Gotham that he became worthy of my time.

Now let’s talk about the cast. Firstly let’s take about Michael Keaton as Bruce Wayne/Batman. Keaton is still very good as Bruce Wayne offering us a character who is still alone, complicated and dedicated to his life as the dark knight. I like how his character was still getting over Vicki Vale and how he found interest in Selina Kyle. And as Batman he’s still cool, intimidating, if a bit careless at times. Then there’s Danny DeVito as Oswald Cobblepot/The Penguin. DeVito honestly looks the part and in a lot of ways I couldn’t imagine anyone else in this role and for the most part he was good, psychotic and freaky. But I found his character’s back story and motives to be a bit generic, lame and not nearly as captivating as the Joker, though anyone trying to follow-up the Joker has massive shoes to fill.

And then there’s Michelle Pfeiffer as Selina Kyle/Catwoman. Selina Kyle at first is this timid little secretary who wants to say a lot but doesn’t have the cuts to do it, and she’s also a bit dull and boring. But after her little accident she adopts a much more fiery persona both as herself and as Catwoman. And Holy Christ was she hotness! Catwoman in this film is fierce, seductive and all sorts of crazy, but that’s what I like about her. Sure she was a bit looney and hard to take seriously, but at the same you could see that she was just a little messed up and wanted to get revenge for the people that wronged her beforehand. Christopher Walken as Max Shreck was pretty good, he played this right asshole who was a good guy in the public eye, but behind closes doors he was definitely a bad man with a massive ego and had some funny moments, but I expect nothing less from Christopher Walken. And lastly Michael Gough as Alfred Pennyworth, he was just around to suggest certain things to Bruce or provide other moments of humour through some good dialogue. Gough just makes for a good and effective Alfred even though his screen time isn’t that big.

Now let’s talk about the presentation. Visually the film is still cool, Gotham City looks distinctive, dark and creepy and I love the art direction and set design, it really does the comics justice. You can also see that there’s a lot more CGI in this film but luckily it’s used in a very minimal and effect manner. There’s a lot more action in this film with Batman fighting Catwoman and Penguin’s thugs, Catwoman’s athletic scenes and all of the explosions that go down in Gotham, in all makes for some great viewing material. As for the soundtrack by Danny Elfman, it retains the main theme from the last film while incorporating new material into the film. Honestly this soundtrack sounds more in line with Tim Burton’s other films, I was especially getting A Nightmare Before Christmas vibe from this score so I think of it as the precursor to that film.

And lastly how does it compare to the comics? As I said before my knowledge mainly comes from the Batman cartoons and research online. Even though this film was very Tim Burton, there were some aspects taken from the comics and translated into this film pretty well. Batman’s costume still looks awesome as does his vehicles. And feel like Catwoman’s costume was decently crafted with a sleek and leather design. I guess the Penguin looked okay, but I’m used to his black suit and monocle. Character wise I’d say there were a few iffy bits and bobs about Selina Kyle/Catwoman and Penguin, but it’s not stuff I’ll lose sleep over.

So to conclude Batman Returns is a film I don’t love as much as I did when I first saw it, but is still a film I greatly appreciate in the superhero genre. Sure it is a lot darker, creepier and silly than the previous film and it a bit misguided in the choices it made for the story and its characters. But there are a lot of things to love about the main cast, action and Tim Burton style of direction. Most people dismiss this film as a failure when compared to 1989’s Batman, but I believe Batman Returns is a good piece of work and it deserves some respect.

Rating: 8/10 (A great sequel that’s on par with its predecessor)

So there’s my review people, only 7 more to go. So have you seen Batman Returns and if so what are your thoughts on it? Drop me a comment and let me know your thoughts yo! Come back tomorrow and I’ll have a new film review online, until then peace out!

 

Month of Superhero Film Reviews: Batman

Howdy ladies and gentlemen and welcome to Day #22 of my Month of Superhero Film Reviews! During this month I’ll be reviewing of some of the best and worst comic book adapted films. Alright so we’ve talked a lot Marvel films recently, time to get back to DC films. So for the next few days we’re talking BATMAN! So let’s go back to 1989 with the first live action adaptation of the character with Tim Burton’s Batman.

Wow, didn’t think I’d ever have a reason to watch this film again. Now don’t get me wrong, Tim Burton’s first Batman film was one I watched for the first time around 2 years ago, but I wasn’t overly keen on it and didn’t really see what all the hype was about. And that’s not because I’d seen the Chris Nolan films already, it’s because on a personal level it wasn’t the Batman film that I liked that much. So now we’re in 2013 and I’m watching it again, so have my opinions changed at all? Read on to find out.

The plot summary for this film can be described as the following:

“In Gotham City, a dark knight known as Batman helps to defeat evil and keep the city’s citizens safe. When Jack Napier is transformed into the evil, Joker, he promises to take over Gotham City it is up to Batman to stop him in his tracks before it is too late.”

The story was pretty cool. It’s interesting how in this film we don’t get an origin story, Batman is already out there taking the law into his own hands with street thugs freaking out and the Gotham police trying to figure out if he’s real or not. Then you have Bruce Wayne whose life gets a bit more complicated once Vicki Vale got involved and then there’s the Jack Napier, the bad guy who literally turns into a freak of nature after becoming the Joker and decides to terrorize Gotham just to be noticed. There was a lot of great elements of danger, mystery, corruption and the central theme of two freaks going up against each other as polar opposites. I really liked the script because there are some funny as hell moments in this film, some on purpose and some that are completely random and some of the dialogue written for this film is great especially when it comes from the Joker. I feel like the story dragged at points with there being scenes focused on some irrelevant matters and in final sort of 15-20 minutes of the film I feel like the finale could have been shorter too.

Now let’s talk about the cast. Michael Keaton does well as Bruce Wayne/Batman. Initially I was never keen on him in the role because he didn’t have the look of Bruce Wayne to me, a while I still believe that, Keaton definitely a handle on the character. Keaton portrays the character as a man who is cool, calm and assertive but with a lot to hide and a complicated life behind the scenes. As Batman he’s pretty cool and thank god he doesn’t have a stupid gruff voice like the Chris Nolan version. Next we have Jack Nicholson as Jack Napier/The Joker. Nicholson has always been a very charismatic actor and his performance in this film just looked like he was having the time of his life. He did emulate a lot of the Joker’s good qualities like his sick sense of humour, maniacal laugh and crazy physical movements and was very similar to the Cesar Romero version from the 1960s TV series. Though at times I couldn’t but see him more as Jack Nicholson playing Jack Nicholson.

Kim Basinger as Vicki Vale was incredibly pretty and I liked what she did with her character but did scream a lot and when it comes to love interests for Batman I’m not overly interested. Michael Gough was fabulous as Alfred Pennyworth, he really did a good job at having a presence even when he wasn’t the main focus on the screen, his dialogue, mannerisms and actions were cool and sometimes hilarious too.

Robert Wuhl was pretty funny as Alexander Knox, I liked his moments in the film though his character was a little annoying at times. As for Pat Hingle as Commissioner Gordon and Billy Dee Williams as Harvey Dent they were both good in the small roles that they had, but I feel like they weren’t around long enough to leave an impression.

Now let’s talk about the presentation. Visually the film is great, Gotham City is a very stylized, dark and moody place and it is well presented with interesting set design and great lighting. There are some wonderful shot of Batman just standing or moving through barely lit locations and it adds a good level of mystery, creepiness and makes the character look cool and iconic. Though it is clear that some of the special and practical effects are old now and do look very questionable by today’s standards. As for the soundtrack by Danny Elfman, well, this was the soundtrack that won him an Oscar. If that doesn’t tell you something about his skills then I don’t know what will. Elfman crafts a score that is loud, full of epic instruments and know just how to create the right mood for each scene. “The Batman Theme” is pretty epic, though I prefer the reworked version that found its way into the opening credits of Batman: The Animated Series. While I don’t believe its Elfman’s finest work, it is a pretty cracking score on the whole.

And lastly how does it compare to the comics? When it comes to Batman I’ve only read a few comics, most of my knowledge comes from years of watching Batman cartoons and research online. From what I understand this film took most of the elements from the comics and translated them to live-action pretty well. Batman’s costume is very good as is his vehicles the Batmobile and Batwing. I feel like this film captured the look of Gotham well and the mood and atmosphere was pretty cool too. I’d say the only things that were odd was the fact that Harvey Dent was suddenly black and the annoy way that the Joker had to keep putting on make up to conceal his bleached skin.

So to conclude Batman is a film I underestimated and is definitely a lot better than the last time I saw it. There are wonderful aspects like the story, cast and presentation that makes this film work not only as an adaptation of the source material but also as a standalone film. The film has definitely aged and there are a good few strange, inconsistent and silly things going on in this film, but I do like it and for comic book fans willing to look a little further into the past this film is worth your time,

Rating: 8/10 (While its ages somewhat, there are still a lot of great things to be found in this film)

So there’s my review people, only 8 more to go. So have you seen Batman and if so what are your thoughts on it? Drop me a comment and let me know your thoughts yo! Come back tomorrow and I’ll have a new film review online, until then peace out!