Not every character who has graced the pages of a comic book needs an origin story. Many characters can be fleshed out from page to screen successfully when their tale is interwoven with another’s. The back and forth, like the ebb of the tides, is a manner of storytelling that (when done correctly) creates intrigue, character development, a good pace, and investment in the unfolding story. Sony’s Madame Web is absolutely none of these things!
In Madame Web, the main character is Cassandra Webb (Johnson), a paramedic partnered with Ben Parker (Scott). Yes, that Ben Parker. The film thinks it’s set in 2003. However, multiple pop culture references throughout the film indicate that research and continuity meant nothing to the movie’s creators. So, let’s stick with 2003. While Ben’s character is largely inconsequential to the film, it’s a nice nod to his character being depicted by someone other than an old man.
The hot mess of a storyline centers around Cassandra, aka Cassie, trying to save three teenage girls, Julia (Sweeney), Anya (Merced), and Mattie (O’Connor), from a man in a black bodysuit, Ezekiel (Rahim). Spider-man doesn’t exist yet and won’t for a while, so I’m not saying spider-suit because it creates the wrong image in your mind. Ezekiel has powers and visions of the three girls above killing him one day, though, in his vision, they are much older and have powers of their own. To survive, he has to kill them first. No other motivation or explanation exists. There is also zero indication of how these three women will one day become versions of Spider-Woman. Putting the three of them in costumes for less than a minute of screen time and overhyping that in the trailer is nothing short of catfishing by the studio.
Isabela Merced, Dakota Johnson, Sydney Sweeney, & Celeste O’Connor in ‘Madame Web.’ Image: Sony via hollywoodreporter.com
This story has no character development, thus no creation of intrigue of what will happen next to any of the characters, so you’re not invested in the outcome of any of them. This is all on top of Cassie’s clairvoyant powers, which are so heavily visualized in the film, so there is no tension or suspense because you already know what will happen or not.
Sony does what they want with the Marvel characters they own the licensing rights to. The problem is that despite doing films with these characters “in association with Marvel,” Sony doesn’t ever seem to care about how much better their characters could be or how much money they could make by not cutting off their own nose to spite their face. For example, in the comics, Madame Webb is a mutant. Given that Marvel will hopefully utter the “M” word at some point in a live-action project again one day, why would Sony create this origin story? Not all roads need to intersect, but why try and fix what isn’t broken? Cassie’s origin in Sony’s telling undermines the iconic and older origins of Peter Parker’s Spider-Man. Considering how well each iteration of his storyline has done for Sony over the last twenty years, it’s not a leap to wonder why.
Dakota Johnson in ‘Madame Web’ Image: Sony via ImdB.com
Rahim’s Ezekiel is the primary source of terrible audio dubbing throughout Madame Web, though he’s not the only character. So, in films, when it’s too loud to catch a line an actor has said, or when it gets muddled during an action sequence, actors go into a studio after the fact and re-say their lines so they are clear and understandable. Good audio editors will add them and match the words with the mouth movements, and the audience is none the wiser except when it’s not. Even worse is when the studio is too lazy or cheap to reshoot the scene in question when that doesn’t match up, or the lines are outright changed long after the scene has been shot. In foreign films, I get it. When it happens in the original language of the project, no.
Holding up Ezekiel to every other actor who has depicted a Marvel villain associated with Spider-Man, he sucks. There is no comparison between him and William Dafoe or James Franco’s Goblins. Madame Web’s attempt at a bad guy is a first-year film school lesson on what not to do. Madame Webb as a character should have been performed by someone able to play indifference well. Dakota Johnson gives off that vibe without any effort. As for the teenage trio, they run around with little to do than bicker.
Tahar Rahim in ‘Madame Web’ Image: Sony via superherohype.com
Sony won’t, but Marvel should forget this film ever happened in terms of reusing characters and introducing them later into the MCU. Retcon this movie, relegate it to someplace in the multiverse no one will ever visit. Except to recast Sydney Sweeney as Felicia Hardy/BlackCat one day. Next to Morbius (another Sony/Marvel film so terrible I won’t even review it), Madame Webb is a hot mess unworthy of your time or higher brain functions and has no place on your watchlist. Sony really should stick to making TVs and audio speakers and not on filmmaking; it’s not where they shine.
A Pen Lady
Director: S.J. Clarkson Rated: PG-13 Runtime: 1h 56m Studio: Sony/Marvel Studios Screenwriter: Matt Sazama, Burk Sharpless, Claire Parker Cast: Dakota Johnson, Sydney Sweeney, Isabela Merced, Celeste O’Connor, Tahar Rahim, Adam Scott, Emma Roberts
Some debate exists that franchise movies are what’s wrong with modern cinema, that they’ve poisoned the well of what a well-crafted story should be. That growing character arcs and constant leveraging of world-building should be reserved for television. While I could start with Star Wars as an example for the sake of that debate, I won’t. Instead, I’ll focus on the beast that is comic book adaptations. Enter DC’s Blue Beetle.
Blue Beetle is the second-to-last of the projects greenlit by the previous DC bosses at Warner Brothers. Based on how it did at the box office, it will not make its way into James Gunn and Peter Safran’s rebooting of DC projects within the studio. Perhaps I was naive, but I hoped they would get this movie right. That hope was in vain, like Wonder Woman 84.
If you’ve ever seen the TV series Young Justice, you can understand where I hoped they’d go with this film; with massive tweaking, sure, but an entry point for new and younger characters and stories. The origin story for that Blue Beetle is vastly different from the one in the movie. The movie version brings nothing new to the plot. An ancient alien artifact is found, and some evil family member who runs a powerful company wants to use it for evil and greediness. It’s a tired vehicle to introduce a character/plot; frankly, it’s insulting. If you’re going to use something that audiences have seen before (over and over again), you must add something to make it fresh.
Xolo Maridueña as Jaime Reyes/Blue Beetle in DC’s ‘Blue Beetle.’ Image: DC via IMdB.com
Blue Beetle is lackluster and cliché. The fight scenes are boring and predictable, and basing them off a video game didn’t transfer well to real life, in this case. If you are familiar with Jaime Reyes’s character, you know it takes him ages to get along with the Blue Scarab, and when it’s allowed to let loose on enemies, kicks ass. This version had kid gloves on and is still pulling punches. There is so much wasted potential here, like everything Warner Brothers touches regarding DC projects. The only positive I have is that the suit looks awesome.
Aside from the fact I’m not a George Lopez fan, who is just as predictably annoying as I’d expect as Uncle Rudy, nothing stands out to me about the performances of the rest of the cast. This is one of those instances where I won’t judge the cast on what I’d call mediocre performances, at best, because it’s not their fault the story sucks. Changing a bit of Jaime’s family dynamic for the film to include a larger Latino representation was (in theory) wonderful. Why not? Yet, when a movie ends up being terrible, it comes off more as a missed opportunity because audiences like to forget or rag on films that bomb.
Carapax (Raoul Trujillo) looks like a Transformers knock-off instead of a DC villain in ‘Blue Beetle.’ Image: DC via wegotthiscovered.com
My hope, if Gunn and Safran did reuse these characters in their reboot, would be to get to the origins of the Scarab and introduce that into the DCEU. There is so much potential with established characters (we don’t need an origin story for everyone) and their protégés. It would be a fantastic on-ramp to many aspects of what Warner Brothers has epically failed to do for decades, mainly because it moves away from Batman. I’m probably being too naive again, but DC makes it easy to buy into the ‘franchises killed good story writing argument.’
Blue Beetle is the cinematic equivalent of going to eat a hardboiled egg only to find it’s still raw because you forgot to turn the stove on. You will miss out on nothing by excluding Blue Beetle from your watchlist.
-A Pen Lady
Directed: Angel Manuel Soto Runtime: 2h 7m Rated: PG-13 Screenwriter: Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer Studio: Warner Bros. Cast: Xolo Maridueña, Bruna Marquezine, Becky G, Susan Sarandon, George Lopez
This is the perfect example of how to do a movie trailer! That was an excellent use of a Beastie Boys song, too.
The Marvels has a solid, serious plot yet, at the same time, is lighthearted and fun. After the decade-long buildup to Avengers: Endgame and Infinity War, Marvel Studios had nothing left in the tank, and phases 4 and 5 showed that. The best thing to come from those periods was their TV show, Ms. Marvel. The titular character in the show, Kamala Khan/Ms. Marvel, played by Iman Vellani, is the burst of fresh energy the MCU desperately needed. Iman, like Kamala, is every comic book superhero fan personified by her character’s unbridled wonder and enthusiasm. She represents what every kid (and some adults) wonders, ‘What if I had superpowers?’
Kamala’s biggest role model is Captain Marvel/Carol Danvers (Larson). Larson reprises her role in what is effectively the second Captain Marvel movie. Larson and Villani are joined by Teyonah Parris, who reprises her role from WandaVision as a grown version of Monica Rambeau. Their mix of technical, brooding, and unabashed joyful personalities create this solid dynamic. And what makes the audience feel for the characters and their journey as they are thrown together.
Iman Villani, Brie Larson, & Teyonah Parris in ‘The Marvels’ Image: Marvel Studios via Complex.com
This film still doesn’t address why Carol hasn’t aged in thirty years but shows why she never returned to Earth. That is the springboard for the plot of The Marvels. While the Kree are still entirely unlikeable in this film, because of Carol’s actions, you can feel why the villain of this film is doing what she is. Zawe Ashton plays Dar-Benn, the (now) leader and general of the Kree.
I liked how The Marvels built on the origin story of Kamala’s powers and seamlessly and believably worked it into space, the Kree, and time travel. Those are where Carol and Monica operate, along with Nick Fury (Jackson) and Goose the Flurken. It feels organic in their meetup rather than manufactured as an excuse to get these characters together in the same room (project). I especially loved that they have Kamala’s family in the film, too! They are all wonderful in the Ms. Marvel TV show and a welcome addition to the film as well. I love the energy and love they all display. So happy they were included.
Iman Vellani, Saagar Shaikh, Zenobia Shroff, & Mohan Kapoor in Marvel Studios film ‘The Marvels’ Image Credit: Marvel Studios via Geekculture.com
The first Captain Marvel film, and Brie Larson in particular, have endured a lot of hate and bullshit since its 2019 release, all of which is unnecessary. Many don’t love Iman Villani because viewers don’t like a TV show geared towards a younger audience. Or, they don’t respect that heroes are global and come from cultures different from Steve Rogers’s. Haters gonna hate. The MCU is a worldwide phenomenon, and as such, it should represent heroes from many backgrounds. While many movies come from America, it’s not just us who watch them. Many people worldwide come across this blog, so if this content isn’t your thing, don’t rag on it. Move on.
Only some things need to be CGI heavy, and The Marvels is a good blend of special effects and actual people. It connects to the multiverse and answers previously unanswered questions while leaving the doors open to other areas of the MCU. Those areas can be tied to existing ones fans still hope to see manifested on screen. I appreciate the story of The Marvels for what it is: a needed stepping stone or foundational piece to building up new characters and stories. Viewers who always expect constant action without the buildup to the action don’t have an appreciation for storytelling. They also don’t have an attention span. I say that, and I have ADHD! Viewers are expected to care about the plot when watching a TV show or film and to be invested in the character’s journey. To do that, you need a buildup.
Zawe Ashton as Dar-Benn in ‘The Marvels’ Image: Marvel Studios via heroichollywood.com
The Marvels is the return to a fun comic-based story with a point the MCU sorely needed. It helps set up the re-entry for old and new characters, continuing to intertwine Earth, space, and beyond and all the characters that come with it. The MCU’s phases four and five were a horrible intermission break, but time will show how the start of the second act with The Marvels was the way to go. This movie belongs on your watchlist.
Based on: ‘Iron Man’ comic by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Don Heck, Larry Lieber
Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Micky Rourke, Sam Rockwell, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jon Favreau, Samuel L. Jackson, Don Cheadle, Paul Bettany, Scarlet Johansson, Greg Clark,
Iron Man 2 picks up six months from where the first one left off. Here Tony (Downey) must deal with the downside to coming out as Iron Man. His company, health, and reputation are suffering, and through all that, some heavy choices and discoveries happen.
Marvel Studios’ and Paramount Pictures ‘Iron Man 2’ Trailer 2 via YouTube.com
The main question that’s asked, ‘is the Iron Man suit a weapon?’ If so, should it just be handed over to the government? This question is one of the main conflicts. The idea/fear is that not just anyone should build such a device; just because they can. That’s logical from a legal perspective; people can’t make explosives at home and use them. Or a nuke, if one was resourceful and intelligent enough. For Tony, it’s more-it’s also keeping him alive, so he argues. And yet, it’s the device in his chest that does that, not the suit. Still, it’s proprietary. He created it. Tony’s grandstanding and ego aside.
Mix the above with the lifetime grudge Ivan Vanko (Rourke) has for the Stark family, and the story begins to take shape. On his own, Ivan’s character and mission could never hold up as a plot. However, when Justin Hammer (Rockwell) joins the party, things fall into place. Yeah, Hammer is like that guy that shows up and tries to fit in but never quite does. Still, his desperate efforts and use of Ivan’s hatred tie in effortlessly with the government’s issues with Tony Stark as Iron Man. The merging of the subplots is clean, logical, and drives the story forward.
Samuel L. Jackson and Robert Downey Jr. in ‘Iron Man 2′ Image Credit: Marvel Studios’ and Paramount Pictures via Screengeek.com
Iron Man and many of the components of the film also move forward seamlessly because of the CGI. The costumes, flying, explosions, race sequence, and fight scenes all add to the film but don’t overpower it. It’s balanced.
Agent Coulson (Clark), Happy Hogan (Favreau), and the voice of JARVIS (Bettany) all return for their respective roles. Other new additions are Nick Fury (Jackson), Natasha Romanoff (Johansson), and Lt. Col. Rhodes was recast with Don Cheadle. Everyone has more of a role in this film, and they execute their characters very well. It’s always nice to see character growth (development) with established characters.
Rourke’s performance is forgettable, but his character is meant to be. Ivan’s merely a plot device to further Tony’s journey and nothing more.
Hammer has always been a cast-off, a joke in the comics. Hammer tech is the two-star rated company you settle for because the best-rated ones are out of stock/back-ordered, and you can’t wait. Sam Rockwell really does a suburb job of bringing his character from page to screen.
Sam Rockwell and Mickey Rourke in ‘Iron Man 2′ Image Credit: Marvel Studios’ and Paramount Pictures via Gamerant.com
A real treat is watching Natasha Romanoff (Johansson) bust some ass-kicking moves on a group of security personnel. In this film, the audience gets a glimpse that theres’ more to her than she lets on. Her character is instantly one you want to see more of.
RDJ continues to shape the character of Tony Stark/Iron Man in a performance that never disappoints.
Iron Man 2 is a good sequel and is a staging ground for many stories and characters to come. The film is worth a place on your watchlist for a fun watch with a good story and engaging characters. Be sure to stick around for the end credit scenes.
Directed by: Jon Favreau Rated: PG-13 Runtime: 2 hrs 6 mins
Studio: Paramount Pictures & Marvel Entertainment
Screenwriters: Mark Fergus, Hawk Ostby, Art Marcum, Matt Holloway
Created by: Stan Lee, Larry Lieber, Don Heck, Jack Kirby
Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Terrence Howard, Jeff Bridges, Gwyneth Paltrow, Clark Gregg, Paul Bettany, Jon Favreau
Iron Man isn’t the first superhero film out there. Not by a long shot. It will, however, be remembered as the first film of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). The one that launched Marvel into its golden age of cinema.
For those keeping track, this film is third chronologically.
Paramount Pictures & Marvel Entertainment’s Official Trailer for ‘Iron Man’ via YouTube, We Got This Covered
Tony Stark is Iron Man, and they are played by Robert Downey Jr. (RDJ). RDJ’s depiction of the decades-old character is spot-on in multiple ways. It’s as if Tony Stark was a real person at some point in time, then reincarnated into RDJ, who would go on to play… himself. It’s rare to find an actor/actress who performs so well in character you forget it’s not real. But that’s how well RDJ cultivated this character.
The original material and RDJ’s natural charm and charisma were only two of the three ingredients that brought Iron Man to the masses. The third is director Jon Favreau. A genius for casting and creating in his own right. RDJ’s casting approval from Marvel came from Favreau not taking no for an answer to RDJ’s inclusion in the film.
If Iron Manis your favorite Marvel character, now or ever, because of the films, thank RDJ (duh!) and especially thank Jon Favreau.
Tony Stark/Iron Man’s story originally began in Vietnam. Shifting it to Afghanistan constructs a template for modern-day events and cultural relevance.
Gwyneth Paltrow and Robert Downey Jr. in ‘Iron Man’ Image: Paramount Pictures & Marvel Entertainment
Both settings represent tension, greed, and war efforts, a sign of the respective times in each place. And yet, cinematic Iron Man follows his comic book material in de-escalating his companies role in war. A bold move considering the ongoing war in 2008. Still, the writers and Favreau re-crafted Tony Stark’s origin story to grow from that and not suffer the fate of his book material’s namesake. This Iron Man was destined for bigger things.
A rich weapons manufacture turned humanitarian, turned hero works as a plot. Audiences get to see the process, how it’s made, how it works, how much it can do, how far it can go. It’s a nerd and engineer’s dream.
The supporting cast members are terrific! Pepper Potts (Paltrow) is exactly right, as was Terrence Howard as Col. Rhodes. Their personalities and demeanors are an excellent counter-balance to Tony’s self-indulgent, eccentric, hyper-focused qualities. Obadiah Stain (Bridges) is the representation of how many view those that run gigantic companies. Hopefully without the literal cutthroat mentality. Bridges never has to work for presence in his scenes; he exudes it naturally.
Robert Downey Jr. in ‘Iron Man’ Image Credit: Paramount Pictures & Marvel Entertainment
The pace is something this story has from start to finish. Between the dialogue or action sequences, it flies along, shifting from scene to scene with ease.
Iron Man is more than explosions and destruction and amazing CGI. It’s rooted in the human condition and a compelling story with fantastic acting. The costume, a prop designed mainly through CGI, helps establishes this illusion of realism. A tool to keep Tony Stark alive, to right wrongs, and boggle the minds of engineers everywhere.
While Iron Man isn’t this writer’s favorite Marvel character or a top-five MCU film pick, it’s worth a spot on your watchlist. Alone, or indeed, if you’ve decided to follow the MCU road.
Screenplay by: Chris Terrio Story by: Zack Snyder & Chris Terrio and Will Beall
Cast: Henry Cavill, Gal Gadot, Ben Affleck, Jason Momoa, Ezra Miller, Ray Fisher,
Amber Heard, Amy Adams, Jeremy Irons Rated: R
**This movie is LONG! Unpacking it is a chore, so I am breaking my review/commentary on it into two parts. Look for the second half on Monday. Thanks everyone!**
Zack Snyder’s cut of the Justice League movie was born from the efforts of a devoted fanbase. That is why this movie exists, pure and simple. They are all proud of this, and I might applaud their efforts if most of them weren’t so toxic. That is a conversational beast that doesn’t belong here. My review isn’t for them. They need no convincing to see this film one way or the other.
Once a bell is rung, it cannot be un-rung. In the same way, I cannot un-see a movie already watched. The memory is there, that crucial first impression ingrained. My goal is to review just ‘the Snyder Cut’ without comparing it too much to the 2017 Justice League.
‘Zack Snyder’s Justice League’ Official Trailer via ING, YouTube.
That said, the first scene in Zack Snyder’s Justice League shows the audience the end of the fight scene in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Except that it’s not. This scene is clearly meant to imply this sequence happened, but it didn’t. Basically, Snyder added it to this film in a show of ego of how he could improve something he didn’t have the foresight to do the first time around. This intro sequence certainly would have improved upon Lex Luthor’s (Jessie Eisenberg) lines said at the end of Dawn of Justice. Cementing the seriousness of what was to come in ‘Justice League.’ That aggravating clarification aside, Snyder does get points for including information in this introduction in a concise, straightforward way that explains how Lex knew certain things in the first place.
Kal-El’s (Cavill) cries are like a supersonic whistle that only three guarded boxes can hear. Pushing aside the 2017 Justice League movie, assuming you, the reader, haven’t seen that film, this introduction works:
It connects this film better to the previous one.
It sets the tone.
It sets up the plot.
All in the first five minutes without one spoken line. Not bad.
Ben Affleck and Gal Gadot in ‘Zack Snyder’s Justice League’ Image: Warner Bros. Pictures via cbr.com
This film’s premise is that Bruce Wayne/Batman (Affleck) has been warned of a force coming to destroy the Earth in the wake of Superman’s death. With a fresh resolve to make up for his previous notions of Superman before his death, Bruce seeks out metahumans, with Diana/Wonder Woman’s (Gadot) help to protect Earth. Snyder presents this task and journey in the film into seven parts.
Sectioning off the film into parts doesn’t come across as chapters in a narrative as smoothly as they could have been. If anything, they serve to avoid jagged scene transitions. Personally, I find that lazy. Let’s review the film by these parts, not because I’m lazy but because it will act as headers and make it easier to read.
PART 1
In the 2017 film, I didn’t know who to blame for giving Arthur Curry/Aquaman (Momoa) ice-blue eyes, Whedon or Snyder. They both knew a stand-alone Aquaman film was in the works, so why not consult about the character? In the 2017 film, his eyes were better looking than in ‘the Snyder cut’ because there is more color and brightness. Snyder has this depressing, overcast, muted tone thing going on in this movie. It loses the effectiveness of the choice to have his eyes this color the first place. Since then, the Aquaman movie came out and Zack Snyder’s choice to not change Arthur’s eye color to match is ridiculous. When establishing a movie franchise universe with different directors and visions, SOME consulting should be a given! A professional courtesy.
Jason Momoa as Aquaman. Image: Warner Bros. Pictures via Looper.com
You’re probably thinking I’m just ranting and not reviewing, but I am. This lack of acknowledgment is repeated frequently in this film. When a director and studio allow this to happen, it can damage what is trying to be built. It also can confuse the audience. I’m giving my thoughts without giving anything away. Or trying to, at least.
The introduction and general use of Lois Lane (Adams) are better here. It connects her relationship to Clark, and the loss, in a way that is relatable for anyone who’s lost someone important. She’s not just a last resort plot mechanism.
There is a sequence in a bank where Wonder Woman busts out some unbelievable moves. Diana has impressive reflexes, true, but she’s not faster than the Flash. She’s not faster than (modern-day) speeding bullets either. It’s an example of speeding up a character beyond their established capabilities. It also made me question if children in Europe actually go on field trips to banks? We don’t in America, so it seems like a comic cliche add-on.
Steppenwolf in 2017 ‘Justice League’ on LEFT & ‘Zack Snyder’s Justice League’ on RIGHT. Image: Warner Bros. Pictures via ScreenCrush
A favorite DC setting is brought back, the island of Themyscira. Here we get a look at another aspect of Amazonian responsibility. This is where Steppenwolf, the antagonist of the movie, is introduced. Previously, in the 2017 version, he looked more organic. In Zack Snyder’s Justice League, he resembles the shiniest, chrome-plated Decepticon ever seen. An expansion of what happens on the island in this version shows what goes down is more than just a short keep-away game. In that, and this is in the trailer, so it’s not a spoiler, think what it would take to destroy part of an island created by a god.
PART 2
Steppenwolf’s goals and place in the universe are made more evident in this film. The audience gets a sense of it when DeSaad materializes to converse with Steppenwolf about his progress towards redeeming himself to Darkseid. The being Steppenwolf answers to. However, Snyder struggles to effectively elude to his ultimate plot within a plot.
Snyder does give a more intimate, personal introduction to Victor Stone/Cyborg’s (Fisher) storyline than he previously received. Ray Fisher does a wonderful job of portraying Cyborg, which I discuss in my review of the 2017 film.
Ray Fisher as Cyborg in ‘Zack Snyder’s Justice League’ Image: Warner Bros. Pictures via The Hollywood Reporter
The scenario where a woman jumps, climbs, or runs in high heels is a personal gripe I have every time it happens on TV or cinema. It’s a great example of men writing women characters poorly. Diana, who’s always in heels, jumps in hers and lands with them intact. Doesn’t break her shoes or ankles. She really is a Wonder Woman.
There are two moments where I question the musical choice for scenes. Like, what kind of mood are you trying to create from the one I was just in. The tone change doesn’t transition well. One is with Aquaman, the other is later with the Flash. Music is a fantastic tool in cinema, and this film’s musical scores did nothing for me. Both ‘Everybody Knows’ by Sigrid and ‘Come Together’ by Gary Clark Jr. & Junkie XL from the 2017 film are removed in the Snyder Cut. The removal of ‘Come Together’ is understandable; its tempo is too energetic for Snyder. Sigrid’s song is great, but there is no place for it in this movie, even one four hours long.
After almost an hour, Vulko (William Dafoe) finally refers to the three boxes as ‘Mother Boxes.’ I still don’t like how the boxes were adapted from how they are utilized in the comics. This scene could have benefited from Aquaman director James Wan and Snyder swapping notes since it messes with what ends up being part of Arthurs origin story.
Darkseid in ‘Zack Snyder’s Justice League’ Image: Warner Bros. Pictures via Looper.com
In part two, Diana explains to Bruce who/what Darkseid is. She recounts the story of when he came to Earth before, and the wording is ambiguous. It’s frustrating because the script is so vague here. The writers hope the audience isn’t paying too close attention to details because they are not concise in their storytelling. They simply lack the imagination to connect this part of the storyline to a future plot point. I could sum it up, but that would involve spoilers. It creates questions for me about Aquaman and Wonder Woman’s original stories. Snyder blows some of that away without a care to the directors who gave fans notable films and storytelling. It’s so professionally fucking rude!
Who needs continuity in a franchise or any story? Right?
PART 3
The Flash’s intro. In the 2017 version, Barry Allen/The Flash (Miller) was the best part of the movie for me. He was a mix of vulnerable, funny, and honest, appreciating and in awe for what he was joining. His reactions were tremendously different from everyone else. He’s what a young Flash should be, too bright for his own good, quick with quips and occasionally putting his foot in his mouth, but in an enduring way. Zack Snyder got rid of that. Pity. In his version, Barry/Flash starts off as an excuse-ridden idiot with attention issues.
His intro sequence involves the introduction to Kiersey Clemons as Iris West. She’ll be in the stand-alone Flash movie for relevance. That said, she’s only in one scene, and frankly, it could have been shortened or cut altogether. The entire sequence does nothing for Barry’s character overall. There is an Easter egg here. This is the other scene when the musical choice makes me feel like I’ve been transported momentarily into a different film.
Ezra Miller as The Flash in ‘Zack Snyder’s Justice League’ Image: Warner Bros. Pictures via Screen Rant
Victor Stone’s story is fleshed out more and elaborates better on how he became Cyborg. Every time his character’s backstory comes up, the audience sees a well-rounded character in development that you want to follow along with.
Barry meets Bruce, and that’s the same. There wasn’t anything wrong with that whole setup. What is tweaked is how Diana and Victor meet for the first time, but she is still patient and empathetic towards him, and that matters.
Steppenwolf goes to Atlantis, and I think Mera (Heard) is fleshed out a bit more, but not much. As is King Orm, who is only mentioned but gives the audience an idea of who he is before the Aquaman movie. I do wish Mera’s magic was utilized more; it’s an underused attribute of her character. A significant example in this section of the movie contradicts Mera’s character in this film against the Aquaman stand-alone. It’s like Zack Snyder has never bothered to see James Wan’s Aquaman! If you see this movie, can you pick up on it?
Directed by: Time Story Rated: PG-13 Runtime: 1 hr. 45 mins.
Studio: 20th Century Fox Screenwriters: Mark Frost, Michael France, Stan Lee
Cast: Ioan Gruffudd, Jessica Alba, Chris Evans, Michael Chiklis, Julian McMahon
When you’re too broke to go to space on a whim to research a cosmic event that might help improve humanity, where do you turn? Your old school mate to ask to borrow his space station. Even though you two can’t stand each other. What could go wrong when cosmic radiation is in the mix, and you’re too smart to ever be wrong?
The Fantastic Four has had a horrible journey to the silver screen every time someone needs to put them there. Put them there? Yeah. It’s pathetic that each of the times this superhero team has been made into a film, it’s so some company wouldn’t lose their rights to create or distribute it. The two are not mutually exclusive. There was a 1994 Fantastic Four film made, but it should never be brought up in conversations. It was so awful it was never released. Marvel extended the rights to Constantin Films to make something better within seven years. Enter 2005s Fantastic Four.
‘Fantastic Four’ trailer – Fox Home Entertainment UK via YouTube
While the introduction to the plot is rushed, it gets you where you need to be. There is a strong character setup right out the gate. It sets up the situations or circumstances that helped shape the purpose of the first scenes. It comes across as organic, which is something you should expect in people with history.
Julian McMahon was a great choice to portray the villain, Dr. Victor Von Doom. In this iteration, he’s a massive company CEO, but he’s also a scientist. That’s not a spoiler, but it helps those that don’t follow along with comics because it’s not overtly stated in this film. Otherwise, he comes off as a rich guy who wants to live vicariously through others via a power trip when he goes to space. That’s in the trailer, so, also, not a spoiler.
Dr. Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic, played by Ioan Gruffudd, has a history with Von Doom. That is displayed decently in this movie. You get the gist of their history without getting too deep. Gruffudd was a good casting choice for Richards, one he can act (like McMahon), and he looks like the image depicted in comics. When you first start off with a franchise based on something, it’s nice to stay faithful to the source material. It is what the fans are used to. Tweaking stuff can come later, depending on the box office results.
‘Fantastic Four’ still of Julian McMahon as Dr. Doom. Image Credit: 20th Century Fox Entertainment
Tweaking stuff is the most basic explanation for what happens to the characters in this movie. Again, cosmic radiation is at play. None of them was “tweaked” more than Ben Grimes, the Thing, played by Michael Chiklis. Seeing emotion on his rock face is critical to connecting him to the human being he started off as. Chiklis did a decent job of performing (stunts) and acting (his lines) in that suit. With most superhero films’ costumes, I wonder how easy it is to get out of when you need to use the bathroom?
Decent acting is how Jessica Alba’s performance as Susan Storm/The Invisible Woman can be described. This is probably one of her better roles. She convincingly comes across as Reed’s irritated ex and Johnny’s annoyed sister. Her performance as The Invisible Woman was mediocre, but the script left her little to work within this area. Her character could have been developed better, but the movie itself was campy in many ways.
Campy, comedic-showboating, cheese describes many of the early 2000 films. However, in Fantastic Four, Chris Evans’s depiction of Johnny Storm/The Human Torch is gold. He’s cocky and impulsive with an obvious need for adrenaline. Yet, he also comes across as caring for Sue, Reed, and Ben. When he’s not annoying Ben like a little brother. Evans ability to bring to life this iconic character without going overboard is an aspect that makes this film fun to watch.
‘Fantastic Four’ still via TOR.com Image Credit: 20th Century Fox Entertainment
Kerry Washington is a stellar actress who is in only two scenes in this film. I want you to seriously consider if she’s a vampire. She has aged so well since this movie. Short though her part was, it is a humanizing connection for Ben’s character.
The movie moves at a pace that is balanced between the science and action sequences. At the time, this script’s casting choices were a fantastic mix (no pun, I swear) and performed better than this script deserved.
Fantastic Four has never been done right on the big screen, and it would take some magic to make it happen. Until a time comes when someone does this team/family justice, this adaptation is the best by far. So, if you want a fun watch that’s not too heavy with expectations of greatness, put Fantastic Four on your watchlist.
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