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Joe Goodhart (27 KP) rated Justice League International, Vol. 4 in Books
Nov 30, 2020
The 80s. I know, right? What the heck happened??! When did things get so confusing and angstastically heavy?! I mean, beside the frelled up election result for 2016??
Thankfully, despite all of that, there are many good outlets to remind us how to have fun and to also remind us that WE actually used to be FUN! Keith Giffen and J.M. DeMatteis truly know how to have fun times with the likes of Batman, Blue Beetle, and Martian Manhunter, just to name a few of the characters within.
The art, from artists Mike McKone, Ty Templeton, and Kevin Maguire was equally enjoyable, further enhancing the suing fun times. The only art I wasn't wowed by was Bill Willingham's. Not that it was bad or anything of the sort, I just thought it wasn't one of his stronger contributions. But, yeah, the other guys were all aces!
The only reason it didn't warrant Five Stars, or even Four for that matter, was the last issue in the TPB: "Teenage Biker Mega-Death!" (Vol. 1, Issue #30). The story itself was a weaker offering from Giffen and DeMatteis, only made weaker by the art from Willingham. The "big bad" of the story was neither <i>big</i> nor really very <i>bad</i>! Again, not the worst, but not the best.
Overall, though, this is yet another great example of how to make comics fun and enjoyable! If only they had gone this route for 2017's JUSTICE LEAGUE film!
Thankfully, despite all of that, there are many good outlets to remind us how to have fun and to also remind us that WE actually used to be FUN! Keith Giffen and J.M. DeMatteis truly know how to have fun times with the likes of Batman, Blue Beetle, and Martian Manhunter, just to name a few of the characters within.
The art, from artists Mike McKone, Ty Templeton, and Kevin Maguire was equally enjoyable, further enhancing the suing fun times. The only art I wasn't wowed by was Bill Willingham's. Not that it was bad or anything of the sort, I just thought it wasn't one of his stronger contributions. But, yeah, the other guys were all aces!
The only reason it didn't warrant Five Stars, or even Four for that matter, was the last issue in the TPB: "Teenage Biker Mega-Death!" (Vol. 1, Issue #30). The story itself was a weaker offering from Giffen and DeMatteis, only made weaker by the art from Willingham. The "big bad" of the story was neither <i>big</i> nor really very <i>bad</i>! Again, not the worst, but not the best.
Overall, though, this is yet another great example of how to make comics fun and enjoyable! If only they had gone this route for 2017's JUSTICE LEAGUE film!
MichaelS (0 KP) rated Justice League (2017) in Movies
Feb 20, 2018
"Meanwhile, at the Hall Of Justice..."
This movie is the culmination of a childhood full of Saturday mornings in front of the tv in pajamas with a bowl of cereal. "Superfriends" was superheroes at it's most basic. The bad guys wanted to take over or destroy the world and the good guys have to stop them. That was the depth of the plots for both those classic cartoons, and this movie. It's pure cartoon fun brought to life, and I loved every minute of it.
The plot only serves as a reason for these heroes to come together. So you can say that story is not a top priority. Character is the name of the game here, and on that level, the movie is gold. Each character is fully realized, with their own individual situation they need to grow from. Every hero is given his or her moment to shine as an individual. When they stand as a team, it's some of the best superhero action we've ever gotten.
The performances of the League members is spot on across the board. Every character is presented exactly the way they should be. Ben Affleck continues to prove all the doubters wrong, by giving us the best live action version of Batman we've ever seen. Right from the start you see how he demands fear from evildoers, but filled with hope for the good things in the world. Gal Gadot IS Wonder Woman. If there was any doubt left after her solo movie, it should be thoroughly erased now. She's strong in body, mind, and spirit. Jason Mamoa forever erases the idea of Aquaman being the wimpiest superhero. His "surfer dude" take on the character brings all the recklessness and abandon you'd expect from a beach bum. He's almost like a Spartan soldier that lives for the excitement of battle. Ezra Miller brings a youthful excitement of someone who is simply jazzed by what he, and others, can do with their abilities. He's almost the comic relief until you realize that the excited reactions he gives to everything is exactly what we would to if we were dropped in that situation.
SPOILER TERRITORY....skip to "END SPOILERS" if you don't want anything ruined
Although it should really come as no surprise to anyone, Superman does indeed return from the dead in this movie. Not only is that he's resurrected very cool, but the aftermath gives us the best fight scene of the film. Superman vs The Justice League. 'nuff said? I've always loved Henry Cavill as Superman, but now he owns the role. He has grown from a man filled with self doubt, trying to find his place in the world, to a man who now fully realizes who he is, and what purpose he serves to mankind. Lots of great Superman stuff in this movie, and that is the thing I'm most thankful for.
END SPOILERS
This is the most fun I've had with a superhero movie in a long time. It may not have the deepest plot, but that is fine with me, because this is truly a comic book come to life. It's full of the action and joyful spirit that the boy in me tuned into every weekend. Now, if the post credit scene in the movie delivers, it REALLY will be everything that the classic Challenges Of The Superfriends, and reduce me to that boy in pajamas again, cereal in hand, and a smile on my face.
The plot only serves as a reason for these heroes to come together. So you can say that story is not a top priority. Character is the name of the game here, and on that level, the movie is gold. Each character is fully realized, with their own individual situation they need to grow from. Every hero is given his or her moment to shine as an individual. When they stand as a team, it's some of the best superhero action we've ever gotten.
The performances of the League members is spot on across the board. Every character is presented exactly the way they should be. Ben Affleck continues to prove all the doubters wrong, by giving us the best live action version of Batman we've ever seen. Right from the start you see how he demands fear from evildoers, but filled with hope for the good things in the world. Gal Gadot IS Wonder Woman. If there was any doubt left after her solo movie, it should be thoroughly erased now. She's strong in body, mind, and spirit. Jason Mamoa forever erases the idea of Aquaman being the wimpiest superhero. His "surfer dude" take on the character brings all the recklessness and abandon you'd expect from a beach bum. He's almost like a Spartan soldier that lives for the excitement of battle. Ezra Miller brings a youthful excitement of someone who is simply jazzed by what he, and others, can do with their abilities. He's almost the comic relief until you realize that the excited reactions he gives to everything is exactly what we would to if we were dropped in that situation.
SPOILER TERRITORY....skip to "END SPOILERS" if you don't want anything ruined
Although it should really come as no surprise to anyone, Superman does indeed return from the dead in this movie. Not only is that he's resurrected very cool, but the aftermath gives us the best fight scene of the film. Superman vs The Justice League. 'nuff said? I've always loved Henry Cavill as Superman, but now he owns the role. He has grown from a man filled with self doubt, trying to find his place in the world, to a man who now fully realizes who he is, and what purpose he serves to mankind. Lots of great Superman stuff in this movie, and that is the thing I'm most thankful for.
END SPOILERS
This is the most fun I've had with a superhero movie in a long time. It may not have the deepest plot, but that is fine with me, because this is truly a comic book come to life. It's full of the action and joyful spirit that the boy in me tuned into every weekend. Now, if the post credit scene in the movie delivers, it REALLY will be everything that the classic Challenges Of The Superfriends, and reduce me to that boy in pajamas again, cereal in hand, and a smile on my face.
RəX Regent (349 KP) rated The Lego Batman Movie (2017) in Movies
Feb 19, 2019
Batman reigns supreme. Dark, Gothic, self important egotist with serious commitment issues. The Lego Batman Movie could have been little more than a cash in on a popular character from the 2014 surprise hit, The Lego Movie (2014), but instead we get a film which would seem to cement the future of this spoof, family entertainment franchise.
The “Real” Batman, as we all know, is struggling along the rest of hid Justice League pals to break back in to big leagues, but as long a Marvel are ruling the box office this is an uphill task, but here we have a movie and franchise which is limitless in its possibilities, plotting and imagination as anything and everything can be pulled out for the bag for the most entertaining, if not bizarre mash ups imaginable.
Not just limiting himself to DC, director, Chris McKay of Robot Chicken fame, other movies and toys of all ages can band together to create these plots but that said, these are not just cynical product placements, they are taken from the minds of the audience, whether they be three years old or 80, as Batman is himself referenced to be in this film.
Also, drawing on Batman’s long and lavish history as much as possible, we have it all, from the earliest comics, theatrical serials, every previous feature film and a few new twists to be thrown in at will. In short, this is as much fun as you can imagine and it lives up to its potential if not surpassing it from the opening black frames to the final credit.
Recommended for all the family whether you are Batman fans or not.
The “Real” Batman, as we all know, is struggling along the rest of hid Justice League pals to break back in to big leagues, but as long a Marvel are ruling the box office this is an uphill task, but here we have a movie and franchise which is limitless in its possibilities, plotting and imagination as anything and everything can be pulled out for the bag for the most entertaining, if not bizarre mash ups imaginable.
Not just limiting himself to DC, director, Chris McKay of Robot Chicken fame, other movies and toys of all ages can band together to create these plots but that said, these are not just cynical product placements, they are taken from the minds of the audience, whether they be three years old or 80, as Batman is himself referenced to be in this film.
Also, drawing on Batman’s long and lavish history as much as possible, we have it all, from the earliest comics, theatrical serials, every previous feature film and a few new twists to be thrown in at will. In short, this is as much fun as you can imagine and it lives up to its potential if not surpassing it from the opening black frames to the final credit.
Recommended for all the family whether you are Batman fans or not.
Brecoles Nine (16 KP) rated Aquaman (2018) in Movies
Mar 13, 2019
The Aquaman
Contains spoilers, click to show
Aquaman has never been my favorite hero among DC Comics. Nor have I ever liked him. Once I saw Justice League with Jason Mamoa cast as Arthur Curry/Aquaman, I fell in love with this representation of the character. The movie kept my attention the entire two and a half hours, the scenes were big and beautiful. Mamoa was the perfect choice for the role, everything just fits well with each other. The casting for the entire film was brilliant. There were bits and pieces in the film that my wife and I were sort of chuckling at, not as in humor but more so the designs of some things. (I tagged this review with spoilers because of this.) Arthur finds his mother in the center of the Earth and she explains he has to go fight a big monster to get the ancient trident he so desperately needs, pretty standard superhero stuff right? Arthur does all that stuff, he comes back up and in this beautiful, cinematic scene he's standing there looking at Mera and his Mother, it reveals the "Aquaman Suit." Now, the original Aquaman suit was an orange and green scaled onesie. Which this new suit definitely is, just more metal and pointy parts to it. It was hard to take the suit seriously, and maybe it was because the entire movie we were so used to seeing Jason Mamoa shirtless, that seeing his torso covered was just strange. Other than a few choice designs in the movie, it was amazing, it was great, it was entertaining. I highly recommend watching it if you haven't already.
Fred (860 KP) rated Justice League (2017) in Movies
Jul 26, 2018
Flash, Wonder Woman, Batman, Superman, Aquaman, Cyborg (3 more)
Steppenwolf is great!
Action was great
Story was good
Horrendous special effects. Cyborg looks terrible. (1 more)
Dialogue was iffy
Was surprised by this one. It's good!
I have to admit. Most time I avoid reviews of movies, because quite frankly, they may affect my feelings towards a film. However, I heard only bad things about Justice League & was totally going to skip it, considering what I did hear about it & my disappointment with the recent string of superhero films. So, when a friend of mine said it was actually good, I gave it a shot. I'm happy I did.
The film is very good. Not great, but when put up against Wonder Woman, Black Panther & Superman v Batman, it shines.
The chemistry between the actors is great. They really come across as a team, unlike the Avengers. The new guys are great! Flash is funny, as he should be. Aquaman is a badass, because if he wasn't, he'd be boring "Superfriends" Aquaman. And Cyborg, well...Cyborg let's just say, is a great character & acted well, but special effects that bring his body to life aren't so...special. He looks out of place, like a cartoon put against a real background. When he moves his head, it floats around on his neck. It's not just one time, but every time. And the end battle takes place in a CGI town that looks worse than the first season of Beast Wars:Transformers.
But I can overlook that, because besides the flaws, we got a fun film to watch. And stay after the credits. You won't be disappointed.
The film is very good. Not great, but when put up against Wonder Woman, Black Panther & Superman v Batman, it shines.
The chemistry between the actors is great. They really come across as a team, unlike the Avengers. The new guys are great! Flash is funny, as he should be. Aquaman is a badass, because if he wasn't, he'd be boring "Superfriends" Aquaman. And Cyborg, well...Cyborg let's just say, is a great character & acted well, but special effects that bring his body to life aren't so...special. He looks out of place, like a cartoon put against a real background. When he moves his head, it floats around on his neck. It's not just one time, but every time. And the end battle takes place in a CGI town that looks worse than the first season of Beast Wars:Transformers.
But I can overlook that, because besides the flaws, we got a fun film to watch. And stay after the credits. You won't be disappointed.
LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated Justice League Dark: Apokolips War (2020) in Movies
Sep 23, 2020
The DC Animated movies are a mixed bags. There are some great ones, and a whole bunch of not so great ones. The top of the pile for me has always been the 2-part adaption of The Dark Knight Returns, until now that is.
Apokolips War is the final movie in the 16-part connected DC Animated Movie Universe, which started back in 2013 with The Flashpoint Paradox, and as a culmination of this particular storyline, it's near perfect.
In terms of plot, things are batshit insane from the get go - notable heroes are slaughtered as Darkseid lays waste to Earth, leaving a broken and small crew left to hold the fort and try and claw a win from a seemingly desperate situation. Everyone gets involved - Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Swamp Thing, Etrigan, Shazam, Martian Manhunter, Raven, the whole Suicide Squad roster, just to name a few, and with all these heavy hitters in tow, it's an absolute pleasure to have Constantine at the forefront of it all, once again voiced by the fantastic Matt Ryan.
He's joined by the likes of Rosario Dawson, Tony Todd, Rebecca Romijn, Jerry O'Connell, Taissa Farmiga, Jason O'Mara, Camilla Ludington, John DiMaggio - it's a stacked voice cast to say the least.
The animation is wonderful, the action is non-stop and brutal, gritty yet smooth - it just feels like the creative team on this one pulled out all the stops to make sure the DCAMU finished with and Avengers Endgame sized flex.
It knocks spots off the first Justice League Dark entry and is ultimately my pick for the finest animated DC feature out there.
Apokolips War is the final movie in the 16-part connected DC Animated Movie Universe, which started back in 2013 with The Flashpoint Paradox, and as a culmination of this particular storyline, it's near perfect.
In terms of plot, things are batshit insane from the get go - notable heroes are slaughtered as Darkseid lays waste to Earth, leaving a broken and small crew left to hold the fort and try and claw a win from a seemingly desperate situation. Everyone gets involved - Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Swamp Thing, Etrigan, Shazam, Martian Manhunter, Raven, the whole Suicide Squad roster, just to name a few, and with all these heavy hitters in tow, it's an absolute pleasure to have Constantine at the forefront of it all, once again voiced by the fantastic Matt Ryan.
He's joined by the likes of Rosario Dawson, Tony Todd, Rebecca Romijn, Jerry O'Connell, Taissa Farmiga, Jason O'Mara, Camilla Ludington, John DiMaggio - it's a stacked voice cast to say the least.
The animation is wonderful, the action is non-stop and brutal, gritty yet smooth - it just feels like the creative team on this one pulled out all the stops to make sure the DCAMU finished with and Avengers Endgame sized flex.
It knocks spots off the first Justice League Dark entry and is ultimately my pick for the finest animated DC feature out there.
Lee KM Pallatina (951 KP) rated Constantine - Season 1 in TV
Apr 15, 2020 (Updated Apr 15, 2020)
It says master, does it? I should really change that to petty dabbler
Contains spoilers, click to show
My name is John Constantine. I am the one who steps on the shadows, all trench coat and arrogance. I'll drive your demons away, kick 'em in the bollocks, and spit on them when they're down, leaving only a nod, a wink and a wisecrack
Demon hunter and master of the occult John Constantine decided to cease fighting evil since his soul now belonged to the netherworld.
when demons target the daughter of one of his closest friends, he reluctantly rejoins the battle.
discovering Liv (the friends daughter) has second sight, an ability to see other worlds and predict supernatural occurrences, a power that makes her a threat to the new evil, She and Constantine take their combined skills on the road, travelling the country finding demons and send them back to hell.
Matt Ryan stars as john Constantine "master of the dark art's" who after failing to save an old friends young daughter from a powerful demon that dragged her to Hell years prior, leaves that life behind...until now.
This show was short lived, it was eventually accompanied by a animated mini series & an animated movie.
The character was voiced by Matt Ryan of course allowing that version of the character to continue, also being a main character in the DCAU movie justice league dark.
The character also appeared in the CWs arrowverse & is currently a mainstay in CWs legends of tomorrow, Ryan is casting perfection and is a fan favourite.
Demon hunter and master of the occult John Constantine decided to cease fighting evil since his soul now belonged to the netherworld.
when demons target the daughter of one of his closest friends, he reluctantly rejoins the battle.
discovering Liv (the friends daughter) has second sight, an ability to see other worlds and predict supernatural occurrences, a power that makes her a threat to the new evil, She and Constantine take their combined skills on the road, travelling the country finding demons and send them back to hell.
Matt Ryan stars as john Constantine "master of the dark art's" who after failing to save an old friends young daughter from a powerful demon that dragged her to Hell years prior, leaves that life behind...until now.
This show was short lived, it was eventually accompanied by a animated mini series & an animated movie.
The character was voiced by Matt Ryan of course allowing that version of the character to continue, also being a main character in the DCAU movie justice league dark.
The character also appeared in the CWs arrowverse & is currently a mainstay in CWs legends of tomorrow, Ryan is casting perfection and is a fan favourite.
Goddess in the Stacks (553 KP) rated Superman: Dawnbreaker (DC Icons #4) in Books
Jul 23, 2019
This is the fourth in the DC Icons series, all of which I have now reviewed. It started with Wonder Woman, then moved through Batman and Catwoman before culminating in Superman. All four books have been written by popular young adult authors, from Leigh Bardugo to Marie Lu to Sarah J. Maas. Superman went to Matt De La Peña, who I had not actually heard of before. He apparently wrote a book called Ball Don't Lie that was made into a movie in 2011, and another book titled Mexican Whiteboy. What I'm trying to say is that De La Peña's Hispanic background makes him a perfect choice for this book. Because whatever else can be said about Superman, his is the ultimate immigrant story.
And this book not only tells Superman's immigrant story, but deals heavily with immigrant issues around him as well. Smallville is deliberating a new law that is basically stop-and-frisk; Hispanic people are going missing; undocumented immigrants are getting beaten in the streets. Clark is rightly horrified, and vows to get to the bottom of the disappearances.
The book is very timely, and I love what it says about one of our country's greatest fictional heroes. It reminds me of Justice League: Gods and Monsters, in which Superman is the son of General Zod, and was raised by illegal Mexican immigrants instead of the all-American Kents. (It's a fantastic animated movie, and well worth watching.)
Lex Luthor makes an appearance, and for a while I thought Clark's best friend, Lana, was a stand-in for Lois, but Lois is mentioned ever-so-briefly late in the book.
This is the fourth and final book in the DC Icons series, and taken as a whole, they're quite good. I wish they were a little more entwined with one another, but I understand that would be difficult with four different authors. But they are a very neat re-work of the four characters' origin stories.
You can find all my reviews and more at http://goddessinthestacks.com
And this book not only tells Superman's immigrant story, but deals heavily with immigrant issues around him as well. Smallville is deliberating a new law that is basically stop-and-frisk; Hispanic people are going missing; undocumented immigrants are getting beaten in the streets. Clark is rightly horrified, and vows to get to the bottom of the disappearances.
The book is very timely, and I love what it says about one of our country's greatest fictional heroes. It reminds me of Justice League: Gods and Monsters, in which Superman is the son of General Zod, and was raised by illegal Mexican immigrants instead of the all-American Kents. (It's a fantastic animated movie, and well worth watching.)
Lex Luthor makes an appearance, and for a while I thought Clark's best friend, Lana, was a stand-in for Lois, but Lois is mentioned ever-so-briefly late in the book.
This is the fourth and final book in the DC Icons series, and taken as a whole, they're quite good. I wish they were a little more entwined with one another, but I understand that would be difficult with four different authors. But they are a very neat re-work of the four characters' origin stories.
You can find all my reviews and more at http://goddessinthestacks.com
Ryan Hill (152 KP) rated Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) in Movies
May 25, 2019 (Updated May 25, 2019)
" You are my World"
Contains spoilers, click to show
Ultimate Edition review
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice was really unlucky. Not only did the movie hit the market during the heyday of the MCU, it also had to be cut for the cinema by 30 Minutes. Too bad, because this movie could not stand against the Marvelhype, let alone convince critics and viewers with the holey story of the theatrical version. After all, Warner bros has released an Ultimate Edition, in which you can see this movie in its true splendor. And the film in this cut is still one of the best superhero movies for me.
Let's start with the most obvious. The soundtrack of the movie is more than great. Hans Zimmer and Junkie XL have created an incredibly exciting, suitable and just really good soundtrack. You can listen to this at the beginning, during the Opening Credits sequence. If only briefly, but effectively, as the fate of the young Bruce Wayne is shown. This is already known from other Batman films, but it is especially important for this movie. But more on that later.
The rest of the Sountrack kicked ass consistently. Whether it's The Red Capes Are Coming, Is She With You or Beautiful Lie, everything is great!
Ben Affleck as Batman is perfect. His acting is really good, he convinces in every second, with every emotion. In addition, Henry Cavill here again shows what he can do as supes and it's awesome. Jeremy Irons as Alfred is great too, he plays Alfred really well and I liked him alot. Even Amy Adams, Gal Gadot, Holly Hunter and the usual suspects like Diane Lane, Laurence Fishburne and Harry Lennix are great.
The action in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is also spectacular . Whether the great Batmobile chase, the battle of the giants or the final battle against Doomsday. In addition the action was clear and not too fast cut, so that one could follow and admire everything well!
Of course, the action was always supported by the successful effects. Everything looked great at all times. Doomsday may take some getting used to, but I found the effects good at all times!
I would also like to mention the humor, which is rather rare, but nevertheless effective and well placed.
I would also like to mention the introduction of Wonder Woman and the rest of the Justice League. I thought it was good and logical that Luthor has the information about the meta-beings and so Batman came to this, although he was actually looking for something else.
I also liked how the events in Man of Steel influenced this movie! But more on that later.
Incidentally, I think the already mentioned Opening Credits sequence is really good. At the same time showing the death of Bruce's parents and his meeting on the bats with Beautiful Lie in the background, I found a very successful and convincing start to this masterpiece!
Now I would like to come to the story, with which unfortunately most have problems. Because I find it consistently great!
Already at the beginning you can see how Bruce witnesses the death of his parents and how his dying father only says "Martha". This already shows directly that Batman is traumatized. This can also be seen by his dependence on alcohol and medication. With the appearance of Superman and the destruction of Metropolis that Bruce witnessed, he begins to despise Superman.
Lex Luthor, who through his many means knows who Batman and Superman are, tries to incite them against each other. But why? Because he was abused as a child by his father, now he's just crazy and wants to kill him because of his powerlessness over Superman. For in his world absolute power can not be innocent, and that power Superman has. And since Luthor knows he can not kill him, he wants Batman to do it.
And it is precisely this impotence that drives Bruce to despise Superman.
With the help of the attack, a few letters and the kidnapping of Martha Kent and Lois Lane, Lex then manages to fight day and night. Every move, every murder, everything was well thought out and planned. I think both Lex Luthor and his plan are well implemented here. In my eyes, without any logic holes, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, especially in the first half is a superhero drama in which the world wonders if it needs Superman at all and in which there is anger in Batman, Lex Luthor and so on Superman is dammed and unloaded in the explosive finale! All characters act absolutely sensible, natural and human.
I would like to go into the Martha scene.
How can anyone make fun of such a serious scene? Superman has to kill Batman to save Martha, his mother. But when he is defeated, he only wants to ask Batman to save his mother. In saying his name, Bruce unleashes his traumatic memory, the death of his parents, in which his father says his last word, "Martha." And when Lois says that Martha (Kent) is Superman's mother, Batman realizes that Superman also has a human side, and that he is even more human than himself. He also notices that his anger was meaningless. And to save Martha and stop Lex, they both come together. What is wrong with that? I think that's great!
All in all, in conclusion, I can only say again that Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is an outstanding superhero action drama! Wonderfully written, performed and filmed.
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice was really unlucky. Not only did the movie hit the market during the heyday of the MCU, it also had to be cut for the cinema by 30 Minutes. Too bad, because this movie could not stand against the Marvelhype, let alone convince critics and viewers with the holey story of the theatrical version. After all, Warner bros has released an Ultimate Edition, in which you can see this movie in its true splendor. And the film in this cut is still one of the best superhero movies for me.
Let's start with the most obvious. The soundtrack of the movie is more than great. Hans Zimmer and Junkie XL have created an incredibly exciting, suitable and just really good soundtrack. You can listen to this at the beginning, during the Opening Credits sequence. If only briefly, but effectively, as the fate of the young Bruce Wayne is shown. This is already known from other Batman films, but it is especially important for this movie. But more on that later.
The rest of the Sountrack kicked ass consistently. Whether it's The Red Capes Are Coming, Is She With You or Beautiful Lie, everything is great!
Ben Affleck as Batman is perfect. His acting is really good, he convinces in every second, with every emotion. In addition, Henry Cavill here again shows what he can do as supes and it's awesome. Jeremy Irons as Alfred is great too, he plays Alfred really well and I liked him alot. Even Amy Adams, Gal Gadot, Holly Hunter and the usual suspects like Diane Lane, Laurence Fishburne and Harry Lennix are great.
The action in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is also spectacular . Whether the great Batmobile chase, the battle of the giants or the final battle against Doomsday. In addition the action was clear and not too fast cut, so that one could follow and admire everything well!
Of course, the action was always supported by the successful effects. Everything looked great at all times. Doomsday may take some getting used to, but I found the effects good at all times!
I would also like to mention the humor, which is rather rare, but nevertheless effective and well placed.
I would also like to mention the introduction of Wonder Woman and the rest of the Justice League. I thought it was good and logical that Luthor has the information about the meta-beings and so Batman came to this, although he was actually looking for something else.
I also liked how the events in Man of Steel influenced this movie! But more on that later.
Incidentally, I think the already mentioned Opening Credits sequence is really good. At the same time showing the death of Bruce's parents and his meeting on the bats with Beautiful Lie in the background, I found a very successful and convincing start to this masterpiece!
Now I would like to come to the story, with which unfortunately most have problems. Because I find it consistently great!
Already at the beginning you can see how Bruce witnesses the death of his parents and how his dying father only says "Martha". This already shows directly that Batman is traumatized. This can also be seen by his dependence on alcohol and medication. With the appearance of Superman and the destruction of Metropolis that Bruce witnessed, he begins to despise Superman.
Lex Luthor, who through his many means knows who Batman and Superman are, tries to incite them against each other. But why? Because he was abused as a child by his father, now he's just crazy and wants to kill him because of his powerlessness over Superman. For in his world absolute power can not be innocent, and that power Superman has. And since Luthor knows he can not kill him, he wants Batman to do it.
And it is precisely this impotence that drives Bruce to despise Superman.
With the help of the attack, a few letters and the kidnapping of Martha Kent and Lois Lane, Lex then manages to fight day and night. Every move, every murder, everything was well thought out and planned. I think both Lex Luthor and his plan are well implemented here. In my eyes, without any logic holes, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, especially in the first half is a superhero drama in which the world wonders if it needs Superman at all and in which there is anger in Batman, Lex Luthor and so on Superman is dammed and unloaded in the explosive finale! All characters act absolutely sensible, natural and human.
I would like to go into the Martha scene.
How can anyone make fun of such a serious scene? Superman has to kill Batman to save Martha, his mother. But when he is defeated, he only wants to ask Batman to save his mother. In saying his name, Bruce unleashes his traumatic memory, the death of his parents, in which his father says his last word, "Martha." And when Lois says that Martha (Kent) is Superman's mother, Batman realizes that Superman also has a human side, and that he is even more human than himself. He also notices that his anger was meaningless. And to save Martha and stop Lex, they both come together. What is wrong with that? I think that's great!
All in all, in conclusion, I can only say again that Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is an outstanding superhero action drama! Wonderfully written, performed and filmed.
Joe Goodhart (27 KP) rated Justice League International, Vol. 5 in Books
Nov 30, 2020
I've been enjoying this trip down Memory Lane. The 80s were a fun time, especially the comics! I remember I couldn't get enough "Bwa-hahahaha", i.e. anything JLI, JLA, or JLE-related, in my life! When they brought then-newcomer Adam Hughes on as artist, JLA got turned out up to 11! Unfortunately, this was not that volume; that's the next volume)!
When I think back to this point in the 80s, the fun times, laugh riot that was the JLA brings a great amount of joy to my collective consciousness. I can't even remember anything I didn't like about any of the stories in the run. Then, I started reading Vol. 5..
So, yeah, the characters were still great fun! I miss the fun Wally West/Flash! :( Giffen and DeMatteis continued to churn out some of the funniest JLA stories! The JLEurope ones weren't AS funny as the JLAmerica/JLI stories were, but still fun nonetheless.
Now, the art? OOF! That's a whole other thing! I don't recall disliking it when I first read the issues in the 80s. I can recall meeting Bart Sears at a comic shop signing around the time of the series debut, and I thought he was friendly and likeable.
However, after this re-visit, I am disappointed to say that I found Sears' art to be not as enjoyable. The characters, both male and female, looked distorted and, in some cases, wicked muscular. And the facial expressions? Um, NO! Yeah, the art was enough of a disappointment that I almost gave it 2 Stars.
The saving grace of this TPB was the last story, from JLI Annual #3, "Around the World with the Justice League". Not only was it the first appearance of the island of Kooeykooeykooey, but it also featured some knockout pencils from Mike McKone and even more stellar inks from Bruce D. Patterson! if memory serves, the team of McKone-Patterson continued to do the annuals for the remainder of the JLI/JLA run.
It's not a perfect TPB, but again, the writing was on target, and the art in the last part of the book was pretty solid. Overall, you can read it, but it won't wow ya! Jus' sayin'...
When I think back to this point in the 80s, the fun times, laugh riot that was the JLA brings a great amount of joy to my collective consciousness. I can't even remember anything I didn't like about any of the stories in the run. Then, I started reading Vol. 5..
So, yeah, the characters were still great fun! I miss the fun Wally West/Flash! :( Giffen and DeMatteis continued to churn out some of the funniest JLA stories! The JLEurope ones weren't AS funny as the JLAmerica/JLI stories were, but still fun nonetheless.
Now, the art? OOF! That's a whole other thing! I don't recall disliking it when I first read the issues in the 80s. I can recall meeting Bart Sears at a comic shop signing around the time of the series debut, and I thought he was friendly and likeable.
However, after this re-visit, I am disappointed to say that I found Sears' art to be not as enjoyable. The characters, both male and female, looked distorted and, in some cases, wicked muscular. And the facial expressions? Um, NO! Yeah, the art was enough of a disappointment that I almost gave it 2 Stars.
The saving grace of this TPB was the last story, from JLI Annual #3, "Around the World with the Justice League". Not only was it the first appearance of the island of Kooeykooeykooey, but it also featured some knockout pencils from Mike McKone and even more stellar inks from Bruce D. Patterson! if memory serves, the team of McKone-Patterson continued to do the annuals for the remainder of the JLI/JLA run.
It's not a perfect TPB, but again, the writing was on target, and the art in the last part of the book was pretty solid. Overall, you can read it, but it won't wow ya! Jus' sayin'...