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Tag Archives: Batman

Vic’s Review – “Batman: The Killing Joke” (2016)

31 Sunday Jul 2016

Posted by Victor De Leon in Movie Reviews, Vic's Review

≈ 13 Comments

Tags

alan moore, Animated, Animation, based on the book, Batman, brian azzarello, brian bolland, Comic Books, DC Animation, DC comics, Graphic Novel, kevin conroy, Mark Hamill, sam liu, The Joker, The Killing Joke

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Batman: The Killing Joke

What’s it About?

As Batman hunts for the escaped Joker, the Clown Prince of Crime attacks the Gordon family to prove a diabolical point mirroring his own fall into madness.

Directed by  Sam Liu

By Vic

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DCU’s mainstay animation director, Sam Liu (Batman Year One, All Star Superman, JL v Teen Titans) brings Alan Moore’s and Brian Bolland’s (who was inspired by the classic silent film “The Man Who Laughs” with Conrad Veidt) “The Killing Joke” to life along with comic book scribe Brian (Wonder Woman) Azzarello. The films marks the return of Mark Hamill (Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Village of the Damned) voicing The Joker and Kevin Conroy (Batman: The Animated Series) returning as Batman. The Eisner winning graphic novel, which was released way back in 1988, was a seminal one shot book that set the bar really high and is considered to be one of the best Batman / Joker stories ever published. It includes a uniquely dynamic and visceral backstory in which Moore explores, in parallels, how The Joker came to be and how he still remains in the present, trying criminally to show Batman how they are actually so much alike as a result of “one bad day.”

The book also is very important for having a singular incident befall a beloved character in the DC universe, resulting in said character to absorb a completely new identity as hero in Gotham. Having re-read TKJ a year or so ago and trying to retain all the material, I must say that the book remains very relevant and completely absorbing psychologically and artistically. In other words, it still hold up.

Unfortunately, over 25 years later, as a adaptation to the little screen (Or big screen depending where you may have seen it), by Liu, DC and company, the film falls way off the mark and is surprisingly flat, boring, outdated and uninspired. A disappointing effort that, given the source material, is rendered practically inert by a distracting and protracted prologue at the film’s beginning that feels like fluff in order to whet our appetite for the actual meat and potatoes, which ironically, in turn seems rushed and expedited. The start of the “The Killing Joke,” AKA “Batgirl Gets Horny,” begins innocuous enough with a VO of Barbara Gordon (Tara Strong) as Batgirl.

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She take us into her world of Gotham while expounding on the trials and expectations of looming dangers living in Batman’s world. Strangely, Batgirl comes across reckless, perpetually cocky, emotional and just plain amateur-ish at times as she tries to bring down an impetuous young mafioso in Gotham who has an Uncle in the way of his obtaining his empire in Gotham’s underworld. Within this story, Liu displays enough truck chases, fisticuffs, shots to the head and explosions to whet our palette, but I couldn’t help but feel like this whole affair was tacked on and just padding to fill out the running time. If it was the intent to add more depth to Barbara and Batgirl then it didn’t work and it just came off hokey and transparent. We already know and like Batgirl and have an emotional investment so why this prologue at all? Was it to set something up? If that was the case, then we’ve been played Batgirl fans.

What I think really annoyed me was the sexually driven narrative. I know better than anyone else that sex sells, but come on! Please, don’t insult my intelligence, DC. I won’t go any further than that, gang. Just be warmed. And in my opinion, it was all just unnecessary and comes across pretty trite. If Liu and Azzarello wanted to make a Batgirl flick then they should have made a Batgirl flick. Batgirl here, just comes across as a whiny, sexually frustrated and really immature hero that plays into the opposite of her also being a bad ass girl dark knight that can still kick your ass. Batman, here, only serves to swoop in occasionally and be broody and disapproving of Batgirl’s antics.

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What is quite frustrating is that this intro leaves nothing to the imagination or provokes thought regarding the dangers and psychology of living as a dark hero in Gotham (Batman is kind of a moody version of a big brother scolding his carefree little sister trying to school her in being a better hero) and only serves as a disconnect to what come after.

And getting to that…when the film becomes the “Killing Joke” in true form, the first thing we notice is that the animation style stands out quite nicely but then eventually becomes a bit inconsistent. In some scenes, (Batman’s attempt to talk to The Joker in AA for example) it looks pretty well rendered in shadow and color while others look underdeveloped and thick, like Joker’s facial expressions (his eyes looking tiny and weird) and some backgrounds like those at the abandoned carnival grounds.

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Liu and company try valiantly to replicate some fine moments from the Bolland’s art style in the book and succeed for the most part only in the animation but in the narrative and style in is sorely lacking in any real tension and build up. Do look for the great “pulled from the pages” shot of the Joker going mad after the botched robbery at the chemical plant, though! My only gripe with Bats here was his suit, bat emblem, ears and cowl. It all seemed a bit off to me but I am nitpicking and in the end is not such a distracting point. Perhaps it all was an attempt to emulate Bolland’s vision of Batman as a whole.

The film competently tries to follow Moore and Bolland’s book narrative regarding The Joker’s escape from Arkham, Joker’s flashbacks to his family and career woes, Batman trailing the Joker to the carnival including Gordon’s abduction and the almost demise of Barbara Gordon. I just wish they could have delved more into these story points with more depth and exposure perhaps using more dialog or even more visual explorations. Which brings me back to the forced rom com intro that needn’t have been thrust upon us in this particular DC animated outing (It also serves to sully and debase the character of Barbara Gordon imo). All it succeeded in doing was sucking the time that could have directed to more of the true Moore / Bolland story.

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Hamill and Conroy slip right back into their character’s warm slippers and do a commendable job as the voices of the Joker and Batman. I knew, for obvious reasons, that this was the only real saving grace to be had from this convoluted mess. Hamill and Conroy are just barely enough of an excuse to watch “The Killing Joke” in my opinion. They elevated it to perhaps an “episode of the week” entry with strong interaction and dynamic voice ranges as their prospectative characters. It is just pretty cool listening to these two again but I would have wished it could have been as another story or adaptation or an original story for the screen. Any other circumstance but this film. Shit, I could listen to those two do radio car insurance commercials.

None of the real impact of the the book is on display here and any of the psychological manipulations the characters go through are made minimal here by an uneven pace and vapid deflections. None of the explored themes jump out at you and because of the lack of exploration there does not seem to be any real danger or connection felt between Batman and The Joker.

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The fact that they do not fit in the real outside world but are so much alike is never really explored except through a lame musical number by The Joker which is just embarrassing to watch. Everything just reeks of average-ness in The Killing Joke which is a shame since this was a highly anticipated feature. Perhaps the book was kept shelved too long before being made into a movie, who knows? It could have been served better as a late 80’s or early 90’s live action adaptation made by Tim Burton or someone of his ilk at the time.

Liu and Azzarello just do not keep the focus on any one thing that made the book a stand out and as a DC animated film, it is only just a curiosity piece and nothing more. The high standards, with the exception of some of the animation and of course Hamill and Conroy, are not displayed here and I cannot fully recommend “The Killing Joke” to anyone who is a true fan of the Moore and Bolland collab. But it you must indulge, and are a completist and enormous Batman fan, since the film does have some neat action and mayhem in parts, then consider “The Killing Joke” only as a rental.

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Vic’s Review – “Justice League vs Teen Titans” (2016)

12 Tuesday Apr 2016

Posted by Victor De Leon in Movie Reviews, Sci-Fi Movies, Vic's Review, Vic's Reviews

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

animated feature, Animation, based on the comics, Batman, blu ray, cartoon, cyborg, Damian Wayne, DC comics, DC Universe, DCU, direct to blu ray, High Definition, Jason 'O Mara, jon bernthal, justice league, Movies, raven, robin, rosario dawson, sam liu, Sci Fi, Shemar Moore, Superman, taissa farmiga, teen titans, Wonder Woman

“Justice League vs. Teen Titans”

Justice_League_vs._Teen_Titans

What’s it About?

Robin is sent to work with the Teen Titans after his volatile behavior botches up a Justice League mission. The Titans must then step up to face Trigon after he possesses the League and threatens to conquer the world.

Directed by Sam Liu

By Vic

Acclaimed animation director Sam Liu helms the latest DCU effort in “JL vs TT” (Yep, it has a “vs” in the title. Wink. Wink.). This is the 24 or 25th DCU animated feature, I believe. I’ve actually lost count. As is the routine with the DCU films, the big guns, The Justice League, are brought out to start off things with a big, loud and grandiose battle in the middle of the City, with the Legion of Doom, no less. Each of our fave heroes (Cyborg, Bats, Flash, Supes and Wonder Woman), fighting their villainous counterparts, get chances to shine in the early fisticuffs with the baddies.

While all of this big, bam, boom is going on we get to witness the lastest Robin, the impatient Damian Wayne (Stuart Allan), sitting on the sidelines grudgingly taking orders from Batman. The ensuing battle manages to lead up to Damian taking things into his own hands with the Bat-Wing and some Missiles, in order to stop Weather Wizard, who is taken over by a yet unknown entity.

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After the bratty, querulous and grousing Damian is tore a new one by Batman (with humorous defending by The Flash and Superman taking place), Robin is driven by the first Robin, Dick Grayson (now Nightwing voiced by Sean Maher) to the HQ of The Teen Titans, in a sort of “exile” boarding school move by Batman. There, he is to try and and fit in, in a team environment. And Robin is none too pleased. As Nightwing tells Starfire (Kari Wahlgren), Damian has had no childhood and has spent his formative years learning to kill. And it shows. Liu shows us Damian’s baby steps into getting used to being part of the team but not without it’s roadblocks. He’s still prying, suspicious, defensive, moody and combative (he even picks a fight with Blue Beetle and gets pretty messed up) to just about every one in the group but I did like the brief “X Men” – like dynamics woven into the story and the characters.

From the film’s onset we are introduced to what will be the antagonist and main plot filament that binds the film: Trigon (Jon Bernthal). Trigon being an infernal inter-dimensional bad ass that can possess the heroes (he tries his hand at Superman as well), and after a Carnival showdown with demonoids, we eventually discover a familial connection to Raven (Taissa Farmiga), who Robin has taken to in his own inimitable way. Raven gives us some backstory and then things become quite clear, then we are off to the races. The JL are taken over by Trigon and the TT, headed by Damian as determined to help Raven at any cost.

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“JL vs TT” has much to offer in terms of hero interaction, inevitable humor and clashes (watching Superman get the JL back to “normal” was rad), which are well rendered and dynamic and one could expect no less from a DCU animated quickie like this one. It’s short running time, clocking in at 80 mins or so, works in it’s favor, too. There is no real time left for too much exposition (except on Raven’s part) and even though there are some missteps in coherence and logic, the movie plays out pretty fast and furious but it all stills feels rushed and under-cooked in places where maybe catching a breath would have added more cohesive-ness. But in the end it may all just be nit-picking when you go in with tempered expectations.

Liu’s film can feel entry level at times and can come across routine in it’s execution story-wise and the secondary like trappings can distract, but not terribly. It’s a decent time waster to get your JL superhero and animation fix all rolled into one, but don’t expect another “War,” “DKR,” or even “Flashpoint Paradox.” Damian’s arc is resolved nicely but with a bit of melodramatic flourish and yeah, he’s still kind of a jerk. Plus, Batman has been given next to nothing to really do here, but lay around knocked out, which is a shame. (Oh and stick around for an enigmatic little scene during the credits)

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This DCU flick one has an ok Saturday morning vibe that is none too shabby if that’s what you need. Definitely consider as a rental first before a purchase unless you are a completist and need it in your DCU Animated Collection.

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DC Exclusive “Batman v Superman” Resin Statues Coming in 2016

08 Wednesday Jul 2015

Posted by Victor De Leon in Movie Reviews

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Batman, batman v superman, ben affleck, DC comics, dc exclusive, dc movies, Henry Cavill, Man of Steel, Superheroes, Superman, Zack Snyder

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Three 12 inch resin Statues, available in January of 2016, will run for approx. $150.00. They will also be displayed at the latest San Diego Comic-Con.

The Man of Steel

The Man of Steel

Batman will be played by Actor Ben Affleck

Batman will be played by Actor Ben Affleck

Armored Batman, sculpted by James Marsano

Armored Batman, sculpted by James Marsano

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Eric’s Review – “Batman vs Robin” (2015)

21 Thursday May 2015

Posted by Victor De Leon in Eric's Reviews, Movie Reviews, Sci-Fi Movies

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

Action Film, Animated Film, Animated Movie, Batman, batman vs robin, blu ray, Comic Book Movies, Comic Books, Comics, court of owls, damien wayne, DC comics, DC Universe, DCU, Deacon's Den, eric's review, Superhero Movies

Batman vs Robin Blu ray Cover

Batman vs Robin Blu-ray

What’s it About?

While Damian Wayne struggles to cope with Batman’s no-killing rule, he soon starts to believe that his destiny lies within a secret society known as, The Court of Owls.

“Batman vs Robin”

Directed by Jay Oliva

Reviewed by Eric Jones

I really love these DC Universe animated movies. They excel for me in telling some of the top DC story-lines without the viewer having to invest in years of comic mythology to understand them. Recently they have taken an approach similar to the Marvel Cinematic Universe and have began adapting stories from their New 52 era. Batman vs Robin, is the 4th film in this new continuity and sequel to the film Son of Batman.

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Son of Batman introduced the character of Damien Wayne. Bruce’s son with Talia, the daughter of Ra’s al Ghul. At the end of that film, the young Wayne goes to live and fight alongside his father. While Son of Batman had good action throughout, it was slightly boring at times.

This one? A much better effort. Like all the other films there is no shortage of action, but there is decent amount of character work in this as well. 

Batman vs Robin picks up with Bruce and Damien patrolling Gotham. Everything is not well with the two however, Bruce has not yet publicly cliaimed his son. Meanwhile Damien feels that Bruce does not trust him. A chance encounter with a character named Talon leads both father and son to the Court of Owls, something Bruce knew as an urban legend from his childhood.

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There is some great character moments in this film that are worth taking note of. First is we get to see that despite Damien’s arrogance and at times bloodthirsty nature, this due to his training by Ra’s al Ghul, that he is still a child like any other. He wants his father’s approval. He wants to be trusted. He doesn’t want his father to think the worst of him. He doesn’t say it, but all his actions indicate this. Bruce on the other hand, is a man not ready to be a father, plain and simple. Gotham is his child and his closest relationship is still with Alfred. You can see that even with Dick Grayson, now Nightwing, that Bruce still hasn’t totally opened up.

The animation in this is top notch as expected from this line of DC film. The action is very fluid and at times pretty visceral. Most noticeably in the fight scenes. Bruce has a more acrobatic and somewhat majestic fighting style when compared to the roughness of his son’s. 

Another quality entry into the DC animated canon. Better than Son of Batman, you get the same quality stories, great action and animation and very good character drama and interaction between a father and son finding their place in each other’s lives.

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Eric’s Rating: 4/5

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Eric’s Review – “Justice League: Throne of Atlantis”

16 Monday Feb 2015

Posted by Victor De Leon in Movie Reviews, Sci-Fi Movies

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

Action, Animated, Animated Movie, Aquaman, Based on The Comic, Batman, Comic Book Movie, Comics, DC comics, DC Universe, Graphic Novel, green lantern, JL, justice league, the flash, Throne of Atlantis, WonderWoman

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I wanted to take a moment to introduce the very first movie review from Eric Jones, of Deacons Den, for Vic’s Movie Den. Eric has already contributed a couple of fantastic posts to The Den and this will be his first full fledged review for me. It is of the latest DCU animated film, “Justice League: Throne Of Atlantis.”

Thank you, Eric, once again, for helping me out with content and for being patient and kind enough to submit a very cool write up!

– Vic

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What’s it About?

In the aftermath of Justice League: War, the world is at peace or so it seems. When Atlantis attacks Metropolis for the death of their king. 

Justice League: Throne of Atlantis

Directed by Ethan Spaulding

By Eric

8 out of 10

The newest of the DC Universe Animated Movies, “Throne of Atlantis” takes place after Justice League War. These movies have lately taken a Marvel style approach with a shared universe based on The New 52. The film is based on the 2012 story arc of the same name.

In the film’s story, Orm, the half brother of Arthur Curry, leads a coup to take over the throne of Atlantis. Arthur must embrace his heritage to win back the kingdom that is rightfully his.

That’s the story in a nutshell. However even with the straightforward narrative, I was engaged from start to finish. Unlike the previous DC animated movies, JL: War, Son of Batman and Flashpoint Paradox, I did not read the source material before viewing. So the story was totally brand new to me. Also, I have never read an Aquaman story, so I paid much closer attention being a first timer to his world.

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The action is top notch here. I appreciate that DC is using that PG-13 rating to take advantage of some more mature action and themes with these films. My one issue is that although Justice League is in the title, they are still not fully formed yet. By the end of film they will be one step closer to becoming that vanguard we all recognize.

Since the focus is on Aquaman and Atlantis, we still don’t spend time getting to know the characters even though as comic fans we already are. I know that I’m familiar with all of them, but I would have liked to see a bit more interaction between Batman and Superman or Green Lantern, Flash or Wonder Woman.

DC has proven they continue to make solid animated superhero films that a pretty good adaptations of their stories. Throne of Atlantis is no exception. As a comic fan I was not disappointed even if I was not familiar with the source material. Just give me a bit more character interaction and keep up the high quality action.

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Netflix and Amazon Prime Streaming Alert / November 2014 Additions

26 Wednesday Nov 2014

Posted by Victor De Leon in Netflix

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

24: Live Another Day, Agents of Shield, Amazon, Amazon Prime, Amazon Streaming, Batman, Batman Returns, Defiance, Nebraska, Netflix, netflix streaming, Seven, Snowpiercer, The Ex, Under the Skin

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Hey everyone! Vic here with a new Netflix and Amazon Prime Streaming Alert for November, 2014. Netflix and Amazon have made available a bunch of really great titles.  I hope you all find something worthy to check out.

Some titles will be available in “High Definition” for those who have a High Def TV and High Speed Internet.  Amazon Prime is a streaming service which provides members with many new and old Movies, TV shows and Documentaries.

If you find anything notable while browsing that I may have missed, just give me a shout and I will add it to the list!

So, sit back and check out what’s new and enjoy the list and some trailers!

Amazon –

14.01.21-Instant

Transparent

24: Live another Day

Gortimer Gibbons: Life on Normal Street

Sons of Anarchy Season 6

Downton Abbey Season 4

The Ex

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory

Defiance

Airplane!

Under the Skin

Kingpin

Hours

Bram Stoker’s Dracula

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

Bad Grandpa

Nebraska

Netflix –

Netflix Streaming_0

Marvel’s Agents of Shield

Batman (1989)

Batman Returns (1992)

Helix

You’ve Got Mail

Phenomenon

Stretch

Dumb and Dumber

Total Recall

Se7en

Snowpiercer

The Cabinet of Dr Caligari

Last Passenger

Altman

Firestorm

Still Mine

Thanks for stopping by, everyone! I hope you all find something you may enjoy or love on the list of films and shows.

Until next time, keep streaming!

– Vic

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Vic’s Review – “Son of Batman” (2014)

01 Thursday May 2014

Posted by Victor De Leon in Movie Reviews, Sci-Fi Movies

≈ 13 Comments

Tags

Animated Movie, Based on the Comic Book, Batman, Comic Book Animated Movies, Comic Book Movies, Damian Wayne, DC Animation, DC Universe, DCU, Deathstroke, Ethan Spaulding, Giancarlo Esposito, Jason 'O Mara, Killer Croc, New 52, Nightwing, Ra's Al Ghul, Slade Wilson, Son of Batman

Son-of-Batman-Blu-ray-cover-art

What’s it About?

Batman learns he has a violent, unruly pre-teen son, secretly raised by the terrorist group the League of Assassins.

“Son of Batman”

Directed by Ethan Spaulding

By Vic

“Son of Batman” from director and animator Ethan Spaulding (The LooneyTunes, The Simpsons, Avatar: The Last Airbender) is an exciting but flawed DC Universe Batman film. “Son of Batman” is written by Joe R. Lansdale and based on the comics written by Grant Morrison and drawn by Andy Kubert. SoB is not a shining example of what DCU can do best and what has done very well in the past but it has a few seminal moments in the story and animation that keep it from completely sinking under the weight of some heavy handed execution with dull characterizations and weary and sluggish voice over work.

One of Batman’s greatest enemies, Ra’s al Ghul (Giancarlo Esposito), sheltering his daughter Talia (Morena Baccarin) and Grandson Damian (Stuart Allan) inside his hidden fortress, is assaulted by a desciple of his named Slade aka known as Deathstroke (Thomas Gibson) in an attemot to usurp him and the League of Assassins. Young Damian, attempting to protect the compound from a bloody assault, injures Slade by taking out his right eye. Talia, meanwhile, stays above fighting the assassins from a turret tower with a mechanical arrow gatling gun in a very violent and exciting action sequence. Eventually, Slade and al Ghul face off and al Ghul is overtaken and Slade escapes. Talia and Damian try desperately to have al Ghul heal in the Lazarus Pit but to no avail, al Ghul sucuumbs.

Fearing for the life and upbringing of Damian, while she tries to track down Slade herself, Talia decides it is time to take Damian to Gotham to keep out of sight and to raised by his biological father: Bruce Wayne aka Batman. Once there, Damain and Bruce take a very long time to bond since Damian is a bit rough around the edges being raised and trained by assassins and al Ghul and Talia. He is defiant, angry but skilled and ultimately undisciplined. In one scene, Damian shows up at Wayne Enterprises and brazzenly tells Bruce that he is there because “All of this wil be mine one day.” Yeah, he’s a bit of a Bat Brat and needs a kick in the ass.

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Damian is frosty with just about everyone (he constantly bosses Alfred around and calls him “Pennyworth”) and hard to really get along with. Eventually as Batman trains and reins in Damian, he continues to investigate some chemical factory heists and robberies that lead him to Killer Croc and Dr Langstrom (Man-Bat). But when things are connected, then Batman, with the help of Nightwing (who also clashes and fights with Damian after defeating Ubu), Alfred and Damian they figure out there is someone more deadly at the root of the crimes. You may be surprised by who eventually shows up in Gotham. Or not.

For anyone who has read the books, it may not be too much of a shocker but I felt that the story, which wobbles along in spots, still had some legs towards the third act. I think, though, that Spaulding’s film never fully realizes the characters and the smart exchanges and interactions between Damian, Batman and Nightwing (done well by Morrison in the books) are scarce. I am trying to keep everything spoiler free, here and you can bet that there are some pretty wicked action and fighting sequences involving Deathstroke, Batman, Nightwing and Talia. Killer Croc, who is in the film too briefly, is well done and voiced with menace. The action scenes are bloody, realistic and brutal keeping in touch with the flair and style done in the books by Kubert. But, I felt that the voice over work in spots were very bland and unenthusiastic. Allan as Damian doesn’t have enough attitude and comes across very cartoony (I know, ironic) and not eager enough. Jason O’ Mara’s Batman is, unfortunately, a bit dull and uneven. I felt Esposito’s Ras al Ghul was strong and Baccarin fares the best as Talia making her voice presence very vigorous and athletic.

The one character that suffers the most, in my opinion, is Slade/Deathstroke. He is portrayed as a whiney, stodgey and lifeless assassin with a dumb motivation for revenge on the Wayne family and Gotham. He is the least fleshed out of these interesting characters and comes across very underwritten and he NEVER even throws a punch or kick in Batman’s direction. Where in the books it took Robin, Nightwing and Batman to take him down. The animation is a mixed bag and inconsistent. The flow and look of the characters change from sequence to sequence. One moment favoring Anime style then to more of a traditional comic book style. But that is not really a bad thing, I suppose. Spaulding’s film still has strong presence, vibrant colors and good shadowy detail. The choppy editing during some of the fight scenes (Ubu’s fight with Damian is a bit wonky) stand out and one can’t be helped but feel that the movie is rushing to it’s conclusion. Slade’s connection to Ras al Ghul makes no sense and the exclusion of Tim Drake and Jason Todd will piss fanboys off here for sure.

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“Son of Batman” is my least favorite of the recent New 52/DCU films. It is a bit uninspired and cliché. The film embraces very stylized and violent action over good characterizations and execution. At the end of the day, though, this is still a comic book based animated film made to entertain and be a short diversion between live action superhero films. In that regard, the movie is an ok watch and if you do not go in expecting Oscar winning voice over work or drama of Shakespearean proportions then “Son of Batman” can be fun and quite genuine. If you don’t mind stupid one liners and dumb dialog at times with a dose of silly characters doing uncharacteristic things then the movie can be enjoyable but just not that memorable. I hope that DC gets a bit more back on track if they continue their “New 52” story-lines in the animated universe. With SoB, they don’t totally strike out but it could have been done with more flair, drama and heart. OK for a one time watch. If you really expect a very accurate adaptation of the books then proceed with caution or look else where. Owning is probably for completists only.

Son_of_Batman_Deathstroke-1 son-of-batman-movie Untitled

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Vic’s Review – “Justice League: War” (2014)

24 Friday Jan 2014

Posted by Victor De Leon in Movie Reviews, Sci-Fi Movies

≈ 18 Comments

Tags

Alan Tudyk, Batman, Comic Book Movies, DC Animated, DC comics, DC Universe, Jay Oliva, Jim Lee, Justice League: War, Justin Kirk, Michelle Monaghan, Sean Astin, Shemar Moore, Super Heroes, Superman, Warner Brothers Blu Ray

justice-league-war-dvd

What’s it About?

The world’s finest heroes found the Justice League in order to stop an alien invasion of Earth.

Directed by Jay Oliva

“Justice League: War “

8 out of 10

By Vic

Ok, I’m going to get this out of the way, right out of the gate, “Justice League: War” was a pure fanboy adrenaline rush. From start to finish. It’s a geek-gasm that lasted the entire run of the movie. Am I biased as a comic book fan? Yeah, probably. Is the film perfect? Um, maybe not but I’d be hard pressed to come across anyone who likes their animated hero films fast and furious, to dislike this entry. At least not for very long.

Those looking for a wealth of exposition and back story on every JL hero in this re-telling, will be a tad disappointed. Honestly, the movie is called “War” not “War Story.” The film starts with the proverbial bang and ends with one and for 79 minutes the movie does not let up one iota.

“Man of Steel” storyboard artist Jay Oliva (Batman: Under The Red Hood, TDKR Parts 1 and 2, All Star Superman) capably steps in to direct this latest DC Animated film. Oliva, who brought us the previous JL adventure, “The Flashpoint Paradox,” continues his streak in delivering a solid comic book flick with a good eye for detail and his characters.

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“War” is based on the reboot JL issues from DC, known as The New 52, written by DC Chief Creative Officer Geoff Johns (The Flash) and drawn by the iconic artist Jim Lee (Superman for Tomorrow, Batman: Hush). Having read the issues, which I found entertaining but flawed, I had pretty high hopes for any adaptation that may have come down the pipe. Heath Corson (Aim High) stepped in to write the film and does a commendable job at keeping the essence and spirit of these beloved heroes true.

“War” begins simply enough with the Green Lantern and Batman duking it out. Not after GL expresses surprise at Batman for actually being “real.”  Corson’s writing includes plenty of witty, hip and smart banter that comes across fresh and contemporary. It seems that everyone’s favorite DC bad guy, Darkseid (Voiced by Steve Blum) has been leaving alien tech boxes around different parts of the world and even in Gotham.

Batman, on the trail of a “Parademon,” runs afoul of GL, and after they stop fighting each other, they eventually figure out there may be  an imminent invasion of Earth by superior foes with superior firepower. The tech and Parademon are sent to Star Labs to be looked into by Silas Stone, father of college football player, Victor Stone. Victor, who after a freak accident with the alien hardware, is turned into Cyborg, with the help of Silas and his team along with some untested tech.

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Oliva’s film explores, much like the comics do, the different divergent story-lines that introduce us to the heroes. Wonder Woman in Washington, acting as a political envoy (there is an exchange with a small girl involving ice cream that is quite cute) on her way to see the President. With her is Steve Trevor. At Central City, Barry Allen aka The Flash, is a CSI tech in touch with Silas trying to get to the bottom of the alien tech. In a funny and light moment, Barry has his lunch stolen by his co-workers.

Vic Stone, playing a rough game of Football, without his father present, meets a strange but spunky kid (who has a bigger part to play) who sneaks his way into the game. All of these parallel sequences help to establish the canon and history with respect and reverence for the characters. All in all they are pretty cool and fun to watch.

GL and Batman make it to Metropolis to find out how Superman fits into all of this and (after a huge fight between Supes, GL and Batman) when Darkseid eventually makes an appearance then the film takes off as all of the heroes must put aside their differences and get to know and trust each other in order to defeat Darkseid and his Parademons. Oliva’s “War” is brutally violent and full of the best kind of animated comic book action. There are exciting clashes, one after the other. Cyborg’s origin is savage and engaging. The Air Force One attack by the Parademons is truly breathtaking and merciless. The movie continues like that and never lets up. Wonder Woman and The Flash join Superman, Batman and GL to stave off the terra-forming that Darkseid is attempting. As a added bonus we get Shazam in the mix. Yes, you heard right. Shazam!

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“War” excels in the animation and character designs as well. Favoring huge, muscular and bulky anatomy for the male heroes and wonderful curvatures for Wonder Woman, the heroes all look very impressive. The animation sports a nice anime flavor in certain action sequences and the flow of the background layouts with the moving animation is both absorbing and eloquent.

The remarkable mech and tech designs of Cyborg, the Parademons, Apokolips and even the various labs, weapons and equipment are all on great display here. When we do have time to catch our breaths and marvel at the animation, it is very well done and precise. My only gripe would be that the neck muscles on some of the heroes are a tad too huge and some faces just too freakishly broad, but I am nitpicking.

I enjoyed the heck out of “JL: War.” It has humor, action, epic fights and battles. The doses of casual swearing and animated violence are amazing and the film just flies by at a meager 79 minutes. There are enough superhero quips, one liners and “battle talk” for 3 other animated movies. Each hero has a “moment” where we cheer them on and when we do, we feel like a kid all over again.

I’m glad these recent DC Animated movies are in good hands and that they are being done with care and respect. Oh, and I must give kudos to the voice over cast. They all shine, here and I was impressed by how well the dialog flowed between characters. Oliva, Corson and cast all do remarkable work in this DC movie and I hope they keep up the great work. Recommended!

Voice Cast

  • Sean Astin as Shazam
  • Zach Callison as Billy Batson
  • Christopher Gorham as Flash / Barry Allen
  • Justin Kirk as Green Lantern / Hal Jordan
  • Michelle Monaghan as Wonder Woman
  • Shemar Moore as Cyborg / Victor Stone
  • Jason O’Mara as Batman
  • Alan Tudyk as Superman
  • Steven Blum as Darkseid

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DCU Animated Movie “Justice League: War” coming to Blu-ray February 2014 / Includes Clip

03 Sunday Nov 2013

Posted by Victor De Leon in Sci-Fi Movies

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

Alan Tudyk, Animated DC Movie, Batman, Comics, DC comics, DC Universe, Geoff Johns, green lantern, Jim Lee, Michelle Monaghan, Sean Astin, Steve Blum, Superman, the flash, the new 52, Wonder Woman

justice-league-war-dvd

Vic’s Note: Don’t forget to read my review of “Justice League: War” now currently up on Vic’s Movie Den!

– Victor

Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has officially announced the Blu-ray release of Justice League: War, the next original DC Universe Animated Original Movie. Based on “The New 52” origin story from Geoff Johns and Jim Lee, Justice League: War arrives on Blu-ray on February 4, 2014.

Here is the new clip added today! 01/06/2014 Enjoy!

Official Synopsis:

When the powerful Darkseid and his massive, relentless forces invade Earth, a group of previously unaligned super heroes — misunderstood and, in some cases, hunted by the authorities — discover the only way to fend off the attack will be to work together as a cohesive unit. Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Flash, Shazam and Cyborg combine their respective talents in an all-out battle to save the planet. Based on the 2012 graphic novel, “Justice League: Origin,” by writer Geoff Johns and artist Jim Lee, Justice League: War provides a glance into the world before the Justice League was created, and offers the initial animated incarnation of DC Entertainment’s “The New 52.”

Cast:

Michelle Monaghan as Wonder Woman

Alan Tudyk as Superman

Sean Astin as Shazam

Shemar Moore as Cyborg

Justin Kirk as Green Lantern

Christopher Gorham as The Flash

Joason O’Mara as Batman

Steve Blum as Darkseid

George Newbern as Steve Trevor

Justice League: War features 1080p video and DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround. Bonus content has yet to be revealed, but is expected to be detailed soon.

JustinKirk-JLWar

Justin Kirk Voices The Green Lantern for “JL: War”

batman_jlwar GLinJLWar jlwarww3 JusticeLeagueWar sneak-peek-at-justice-league-war-animated-film-header

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DC Animated Movie “Justice League: Flashpoint Paradox” blu ray coming soon

03 Friday May 2013

Posted by Victor De Leon in Movie Reviews

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Animated DC Movie, Batman, DC comics, JLA, JLA Flashpoint, Superheroes, Superman, the flash, Wonder Woman

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Warner Home Video and DC Animated Universe will be releasing “JLA: Flashpoint Paradox” on Blu Ray,  July 30th, 2013. It is A new feature length original movie from the popular line of DCAU films.

Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox (2013)

What’s it About?

“Flash traverses time to right a violent, decades-past crime against his mother, but the ripples of his good intentions prove disastrous, as a fractured, alternate reality now exists in place of the familiar one. Stumbling through this twisted reality where even Superman is nowhere to be found, The Flash seeks the trusted wisdom of Batman, only to find a grittier, more violent Dark Knight in his place. Together with the help of Cyborg, they race to restore the continuity of Flash’s original timeline while this new world is ravaged by a fierce war between Wonder Woman’s Amazons and the Atlanteans, led by a battle hardened Aquaman.”

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Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox Blu-ray™ has over three hours of exciting extra content, including:
• A Flash in Time: Are there other dimensions? Can time travel get us there? And if The Flash existed, could he really travel through time? Interviews with experts in mythology, theoretical physics and top DC writers will examine the science and legacy of the storytelling behind the fiction.
• My Favorite Villians! The Flash Bad Guys: Acclaimed DC Comics writer Geoff Johns and others share their favorite Flash villains in this short film that gives viewers a glimpse into the Flash’s world through the eyes of some of the nefarious characters he has encountered over the past 70 years!
• A Sneak Peek at the next DC Universe animated movie:. An in-depth look into the next DC Animated feature film, spotlighting the cast and crew.
• From the DC Comics Vault: Bonus cartoon episodes
• The Flashpoint Paradox Audio Commentary

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Vic’s Top 10: Favorite “Batman” Comic Book Stories

22 Saturday Dec 2012

Posted by Victor De Leon in Top 10

≈ 8 Comments

Tags

Arkham Asylum, Batman, Batman / Dracula, David Mazzuchelli, graphic novels, Noel, The Dark Knight Returns, The Joker, The Killing Joke, The Long Halloween

jim-lee-batman-international-111410

Here are my Top 10 Favorite Batman Comic Book stories. I hope you have enjoyed some of these as much as I have.

Vic’s Note: They are not in any real order with the exception of the Top 3 of Course. Enjoy the pics!

10 – “Hush”

Written by Jeph Loeb

Art by Jim Lee

Inks by Scott Williams

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9 – “The Killing Joke”

Written by Alan Moore

Art by Brian Bolland

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8 – “Son of the Demon”

Written by Mike W. Barr

Art by Jerry Bingham

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7 – “Batman Reborn”

Written by Grant Morrison

Art by Mike Quitely and Phillip Tan

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6 – “Red Rain”

Written by Doug Moench

Art by Kelley Jones

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5 – “Arkham Asylum”

Written by Grant Morrison

Art by Dave McKean

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4 – “Batman – Noel”

Written by Lee Bermejo

Art by Lee Bermejo

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3 – “The Long Halloween”

Written by Jeph Loeb

Art by Tim Sale

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2 – “Batman – Year One”

Written by Frank Miller

Art by David Mazzuchelli

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1 – “The Dark Knight Returns”

Written by Frank Miller

Art by Frank Miller

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RUNNER UP:

DEATH OF THE FAMILY

By Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo

Batman: "Death of  the Family"

Batman: “Death of the Family”

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Brian’s Review – “The Dark Knight Rises” (2012)

29 Sunday Jul 2012

Posted by Victor De Leon in Brian's Reviews

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Bane, Batman, Batman Trilogy, Catwoman, Christian Bale, Christopher Nolan, Gary Oldman, The Dark Knight, Tom Hardy

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“The Dark Knight Rises”

Directed by Christoher Nolan

 9 out of 10

By Brian I apologize if some of my review sounds a little vague but my aim is to keep it spoiler free. Thank you!

I really had my doubts about 45 minutes into this one that it was going to be anywhere as good as the previous two in the Christopher Nolan Batman Trilogy. It opens with a spectacular introduction to Bane’s character and then meanders and lulls for almost an hour before it picks up again. To the film’s credit, all of that exposition explains what has happened to Bruce Wayne since the events of the Dark Knight and sets up the ending, which I wouldn’t dare give away here. But, there’s almost zero action whatsoever and the plot isn’t really progressed as it is updated.

However, once you see Batman show up, the film absolutely soars and at the end of the day comes out as the second strongest in the recent Batman series (Dark Knight is in a word…perfect). The performances are all spot on. Christian Bale is still the best Batman ever and has a lot more dramatic weight to his character this time around. Michael Cane is still the perfect Alfred, Anne Hathaway shines as Cat-Woman, and Tom Hardy’s Bane is far more interesting than the comic book version of the character ever was.

 

 

As great as the performances are, it’s still the writing and directing of Christopher Nolan that has elevated this trilogy to more than summer blockbuster fare. There’s a brain behind all of the gadgets and comic book bravado. One of the key choices that Nolan made in the writing process is to have the motivations of the villains not be to destroy Gotham City but to have Gotham City’s own citizens destroy themselves. In all 3 films, those opposing Batman were anarchists that wanted to put the guns in the hands of the people and then watch them shoot each other.

I’d hate to give away more and ruin the plethora of surprises that await you at end to this groundbreaking comic book trilogy. I’ll just say this is by far the “biggest” film of them all. Gotham has never taken a pounding like it does in this film and Bane truly turns Batman into an underdog. And the ending is the perfect cap to those who have patiently awaited the final installment. It’s great to wait several years for a film and NOT be disappointed.

 

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