Justice League: Gods and Monsters - Review

"Someone once asked if I wanted to save the world or to rule it. Today... it's going to be hard to tell the difference."

Those words should already tell you what kind of characters you're going to be dealing with.

The Plot

In an alternate universe created by DC Animation's Mastermind, Bruce Timm, comes a gripping story focused on an entirely new Justice League. In this grounded world, there is no Kal El/Clark Kent, Diana Prince, or Bruce Wayne. But there is still Superman, Wonder Woman and Batman. But they are completely different. Superman (Benjamin Bratt) is the son of General Zod raised by Mexican immigrants. Wonder Woman (Tamara Taylor) is the New God, Bekka, who chose Earth to be the home of her self imposed exile from Apokalips. And Batman (Michael C. Hall) is Kirk Langstrom, a scientist who accidentally turned himself into a vampire trying to cure his lymphoma. These incarnations of the Justice League are not like their original counterparts, and are willing to cross the line when the situation calls for it. So much so that when several scientists are brutally murdered, leaving evidence that points to the Justice League as the culprits, the world does not believe they are innocent. As the body count continues to rise, the brutal superheroes must find a way to clear their names before the world finally decides that it doesn't need them anymore.

Review

For a detailed backstory of the creation of this film, check out my review of the prequel web series right here: Justice League: Gods and Monsters - Season 1

This film is pretty much a return to form of the beloved 90s and early 2000s DC animation created by Bruce Timm. The film brings back a huge level of complexity that not many people would be expecting from a film like this. Especially when the selling point of the film is that this is a darker and grittier take on the DC Universe. And given the state of DC Fans hating the constant need of having their beloved properties injected with dark and gritty, it is no surprise that their initial reaction will be negative without even seeing the final product. Well I'm glad to report that this film is not dark and gritty. It is actually a mature take on the DC Universe with a slight edge. Yes there are dark themes in the film, and yes the violence is not toned down, but it is no different than the beloved animated series Timm has created in the past. If there is a difference, it is in the characters themselves.

Benjamin Bratt plays this incarnation of Superman named Hernan Guerra. This Superman is more akin to a soldier and has a rougher upbringing given that he was raised by Mexican immigrants. This adds a completely different layer to him as a Superman who grew up poor and in the lower class who literally rises up to become the success story of the American Dream. This upbringing makes his sense of justice far more complicated as he knows that justice sometimes needs a heavy hand but also must have limits. Bratt does an excellent job of balancing a man who clearly has a lot of anger, but tries to manage it in more positive ways. If there is one negative that I have to give about this movie involving his character, it is the outright acknowledgement that he is the son of General Zod. It is not a spoiler, as it is used in the promotions and first 5 minutes of the film, but this Superman had no idea General Zod was his father and when he learns this information for the first time it would've been a more powerful moment if the audience didn't know already.

Tamara Taylor plays this incarnation of Wonder Woman named Bekka. Her Wonder Woman is clearly a lot more aggressive and sexually active. The best way to describe it is think of her as a less overly flirty version of Catwoman but with multiple super powers. However the reason for her aggressive and overt sexual nature stems mainly from her origin, which is pretty much a Disney Princess story that horrifically turns into a Game of Thrones wedding. This automatically makes you understand why she's the way she is, and why she still wants to be a good person. Her backstory doesn't add much to the overall plot of the film as say Superman's or Batman's, but it is arguably the most hard hitting of the three. Tamara had a fine line to walk of having this cocky and sexually active Wonder Woman who hides her vulnerable side, and luckily she does an excellent job showing the complexity of Bekka.

Michael C. Hall plays this incarnation of Batman named Kirk Langstrom. It should come no surprise why the actor who played Dexter was hired to play this incarnation, primarily because he's a vampire who feeds off of criminals. Parallels aside, strangely enough, despite the very un-original take on the caped crusader, this iteration of Batman is probably the most relatable of the new heroes. Granted, Batman has always been touted as the most relatable of the DC heroes, but here we actually feel that he is someone we can be. Given that he is now Kirk Langstrom and not billionaire Bruce Wayne, we actually see him more as a normal person who is gifted that winds up gaining a horrible vocation. Hall's portrayal of Batman is mostly monotone, but when he does show emotion, the tone of his voice changes just enough for it to register that he does still have feelings despite being a monster.

But at the core of the movie is the murder mystery that is the central plot of the film. It is a highly commendable achievement for Bruce Timm and his writing partner Alan Burnett (also a DC animation alumni) to weave these entirely new backstories seamlessly into the central plot. However, that means that there wasn't enough room to truly delve deep into the mystery of who is killing the world's greatest scientists and are the Justice League innocent? I blame the 75 minute runtime for this problem, as the film only need 15 more extra minutes to develop the mystery further as well as the antagonist driving the mystery. It is still a compelling story, despite being a plot that has been used in Superhero stories over and over again. This is again thanks to Timm and Burnett's great execution with the writing, but hardcore DC fans will be able to solve the mystery in an instant. That still doesn't take away from this dark, edgy and FUN alternate universe.

If there is one thing that I have to really complain about, it is the fact that the animation is not really up to par for movie standards. As much as I love that they returned to Timm's classic animation style, I find it hard to believe that they didn't have enough time to make the animation smoother. It is a nice callback to the old 90s and early 2000s, but it is hard to deny that the animation could use a few more extra frames to really sell the action or even dramatic moments.

Final Thoughts

While it may not be the best thing Bruce Timm has ever done, it is definitely the best animated film Warner Bros. animation has produced in almost a decade. The animation and voice acting is a loving call back to a time when DC animation was considered king, and also shows that it is okay to think outside of the box when it comes to the DC Trinity. Small problems and pretty predictable story aside, this is probably the most relatable and fascinating iteration of Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman in a long time. If you have a love for alternate stories or have an open mind for change, this movie will definitely entertain and enlighten you. If you are incapable of accepting other interpretations of the characters you hold so close to your fanboy/girl heart...then don't bother because you are absolutely going to hate this no matter how good it is. I have an open mind, and this is the Justice League I want in my life. I now have Season 2 and hopefully a sequel to this film to look forward to in the future.

SCORE: 8.5/10 - Despite being predictable, it is a great and welcoming return for Bruce Timm

Ant-Man - Review

"Baskin Robins always knows."

Great use of product placement there. No one is going to forget that anytime soon. Including me.

The Plot

After being released from prison, burglar Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) decides to go straight for the sake of his daughter. But when he is unable to keep an honest job due to his crooked past, as well as pressure from his ex-wife (Judy Greer) and her fiancé (Bobby Cannavale) for child support, Lang has no choice but to go back to his old habits to make ends meet. Re-teaming with his friend, Luis (Michael Peña), and his new crew (Tip "T.I." Harris and David Dastmalchian), Lang plots to rob a vault thanks to an anonymous tip through the grape vine. What he discovers in the vault changes his life forever, as he discovers he has been recruited by Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) to become the second Ant-Man to stop Darren Cross (Corey Stoll) from replicating the Pym Partical shrinking power. With Pym's daughter (Evangeline Lily) and several species of Ants as his allies, Lang must conduct the biggest, yet also smallest, heist job of his life.

Review

The film community is well aware of the production woes of this film. However most of the people who will watch this movie won't care. So I won't bother to write a long extensive lamentation of having one of my favorite directors, Edgar Wright, attached to this project then leaving it due to a disagreement with Marvel. Because again, the general audience doesn't care. I care, but they don't. So what does the general audience care about? Is the movie good? That's what they care about. And frankly, good is the word I'd use to describe it.

Ant-Man is a pretty good cliched Marvel film which has the major benefit of feeling more like a small independent film that happens to have superheroes in it. Which is probably the most welcoming aspect about this film within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. While indeed the crisis could cause massive amounts of destruction upon the world, it didn't feel like the world was going to end. Which is usually how Marvel movies are. Villain threatens the world, hero saves the world. And by world that usually means the planet. But in this film, the world is a small one. Very small. Which is much more fitting given what the title character's power is. Shrinking.

In a sense, the film is a Marvel film with all the now famous Marvel tropes shrunk to a smaller scale. The characters are not larger than life but rather very small compared to the rest of the world. They are businessmen, cops and thieves. Individuals who you see or probably know about in everyday life. Yeah, Michael Douglas is a tech genius, but he's no Tony Stark. Which works really well in having everyone be pretty much everyday people who happen to be battling over something very powerful. But because they are like everyday people, that doesn't make them memorable people.

Paul Rudd does a great job playing this overly cliche role of a good thief who doesn't like killing, only stealing, for the sake of his daughter. His comedy is not exactly my cup of tea, but he was definitely a passable lead for what role he is given. I'm sure he'll probably blow me away in another outing, but for now he was just okay. Evangeline Lily was a great supporting character, though her description is pretty much stated by a character in the film as "mean pretty lady." Throw in a dash of "father and daughter issues" and you have her character, Hope Van Dyne, in a nutshell. She was good. Then there is Corey Stoll as the villainous Darren Cross. Despite having an added layer of doing evil things in order to please someone, that still doesn't stop him from being a standard Marvel villain. However, there are some standouts.

Michael Douglas as Hank Pym is probably one of my favorite performances in a Marvel film to date. Pym is known in the comics for being a heavily complex character, and occasional wife beater, and while the wife beater part is gone he is still pretty complex thanks to Douglas. He was the most fascinating character in the film, and makes me crave for an Ant-Man prequel about his days as the original Ant-Man side by side with his wife who was The Wasp. But he isn't the only Michael in the film who was a standout. Michael Peña, who plays Luis, is probably the big highlight of the movie. Him and his crew played by rapper T.I. and David Dastmalchian of The Dark Knight fame were responsible for most of my favorite parts of the film. Especially Peña's character, as he reminds you so much about that one friend you know, making him the most likable character in the movie. I wish there was more of them, but in the end they were utilized very effectively.

But what about the action? Well....there isn't a lot of action. This movie is a heist film, so the action is more dedicated to characters, and ants, breaking into things rather than battling other characters. But that doesn't prevent it from being boring. The shrinking action is breathtaking with smart uses of the power put on full display. Particularly one scene involving a certain Avenger that will make up for the long absences of action. They are used at the appropriate times, but they are not the focus of the movie. But when they happen, they are brilliant.

Final Thoughts

I was hoping that this would be a movie that I would love after the disappointing Avengers: Age of Ultron. While it does make for a good film, I don't think it is a great film. Or a movie that I would actually go about to buy. Mainly because I believe I set myself up to have expectations lowered. But as reviews started piling it calling it the best superhero movie to happen in a long time, my low expectations became sky high. I wish I could've kept my low expectations, because this sudden burst of high expectations made this movie enjoyable for me, but not to the level that everyone else feels. An admirable small superhero movie within a larger superhero movie universe. Good job, but its just not for me.

SCORE: 7/10 - Entertaining, but ultimately don't think I'll care about it after

INDEPENDENCE DAY - Review

"WE WILL NOT GO QUIETLY INTO THE NIGHT! WE WILL NOT VANISH WITHOUT A FIGHT! WE'RE GOING TO LIVE ON! WE'RE GOING TO SURVIVE! TODAY WE CELEBRATE OUR INDEPENDENCE DAY!"

God Bless Americ....I mean the world.....Yeah, the world. Cause the movie President says its no longer exclusive to America. So the world.

The Plot

On July 2nd, gigantic spaceships surround the world, hovering over major cities. When a cable company analyst (Jeff Goldblum) discovers a hidden signal from their satellites that acts as a countdown of destruction, he contacts his estranged wife (Margaret Colin) who is aide to the President of the United States (Bill Pullman) to enact a large scale evacuation. But it is too late, as the aliens destroy every major city around the world. On July 3rd, the surviving military forces, including a cocky air pilot (Will Smith), launch an assault on the ships. Only to discover their weapons have no effect. But on July 4th, the aliens move to make their final strike on the planet, as humanity makes one last desperate attack on their invaders.

Review

What better way to celebrate the Fourth of July than watching the most patriotic pro-American movie ever made.... but ironically directed by a German Director. Roland Emmerich is pretty much the disaster movie king, a title he earned by creating this very film. Jaws may have been the first blockbuster film, but when people look back at what defines a Summer Blockbuster, it will be this one. 

Independence Day is a type of High Concept Summer Blockbuster film that we don't get much in the post Superhero Age of Cinema. A film that pretty much solidified to studio execs what a blockbuster film should be like. Epic storytelling, epic visual effects, massive amounts of action, and relatable yet extremely heroic everyday characters who don't have to be developed too much. It may not have been the first of its kind, but it is heavily considered the best of its kind. Because this movie was the very definition of what cinematic spectacle is suppose to be. From the dogfights to the epic wide shots of  spaceships the size of cities hovering over a famous landmark, this film has everything that is now attributed with popcorn cinema. And I pretty much love it.

The film was created in 1996, post-Jurassic Park, which means that CGI still hasn't been refined to its fullest potential yet. This is where we see a true blending between our modern visual effects and the old school practical effects that have been around for decades prior. The inferno destruction of the major American cities due to the alien blast, still holds up after so many years. Mainly because the destruction of cities was done with miniatures that were built painstakingly detailed, only to be blown with real explosions. This gives it a very tangible feeling that has gotten lost with CGI films, mainly because no matter how much watching a CGI city getting destroyed may be more accurate, there is still that realm of knowing what you see isn't real. But in here, most of what is seen on the screen is completely real. Yes, there is CGI in the movie. But to create the appearance of massive spaceship and jet fighter armadas in the background, while real miniature models fly in the foreground. It is no wonder why this film won the Oscar for best visual effects, because no matter how old this movie gets I can guarantee it will still hold up.

But that's enough praise for the spectacle and the special effects. Because one of the weakest points of the film is its characters. Yes, Jeff Goldblum, Will Smith, Bill Pullman and Randy Quaid are pretty much the only memorable aspects of the film. And an argument can be made that Brent Spiner, the guy who plays the wacky Area 51 scientist, is also the other most memorable actor in the film. However the fact that I can't remember the names of their characters or any other characters for the matter, kind of tells you how important they really are. Because the film is pretty much all story, with the characters acting as drivers for the plot rather than participants. There is some character arc developments for Goldblum's and Quaid's characters, but the changes are so small that it doesn't really seem like so much of one. Everyone in the film is pretty much a capable and heroic version of what we hope we can be if we were ever put in that situation. And given that the only true bad guys of the film are aliens, performed by animatronic puppets, it is pretty clear that the movie is not going for the type of really in depth characters we demand so much in modern blockbusters. This is a film that brings back the simple notion that the first Star Wars movie was about: Good versus Evil. Simple and clean.

The only thing that would really date this movie though is that it is pretty obvious that it is a product of the 90s. Blockbuster films of that era are known to have an occasional over the top character as well as tech that would make youngsters of this generation cringe. In an age when Superhero movies offer good guys and bad guys with a lot depth, this one is just pure fun good versus evil shoot em up.

Final Thoughts

Overall, this movie is a product of a forgotten age of high concept blockbuster cinema. In the Superhero Age of Cinema, there are rarely any original high concept films like this anymore. The closest that we have to something like this is Pacific Rim, which pretty much has a similar story except we have giant robots to fight with against giant monsters, and San Andreas, a very dumb movie that is high popcorn entertainment. I wish we can return to a time when blockbusters were something worth seeing, and not sequels or reboots of existing properties. Which ironically enough is happening with this film in the form of Independence Day: Resurgence. Why can't we have more new ideas? Why? Oh well. Watch this movie to have fun, and that's all.

SCORE: 8.5/10 - AMERICA! F#CK YEAH!