The Dark Knight – Movie Review

This has been the best summer for superhero movies. Ever.

Falling in the same league of greatness as Iron Man and Hellboy 2, The Dark Knight holds up just as strong. Though truth be told, the movie doesn’t really feel like a superhero movie. Sure, there is a hero running around in a costume (occasionally unintentionally looking humorous), and a villain intent on madness and mayhem, but in a post-9/11 world, the amount of terror that the Joker brings to the city of Gotham feels frighteningly real. With no superpowers, no random freak accidents, no displays of too-futuristic technology (there is some, but like in Iron Man, the technology seems genuine and believable, even if we don’t actually have it yet), this movie seems almost plausible.

But what makes the movie most enjoyable is the almost non-stop suspense. The Joker makes it apparent very early that he does not hesitate to kill and shows no mercy. As such, nearly every character featured is placed in a life-threatening situation, and some do die. Adding to the suspense is the slow and gradual revelation of the many facets of the Joker’s plan. This causes me to ask “Do you think he plans it all out ahead, or makes it up as he goes along?” (And yes, I stole that from Pirates of the Caribbean.) Not only is The Joker an extremely well written character, Heath Ledger is perfect for the part. As much as Robert Downey Jr. was Tony Stark, Heath Ledger is the Joker. It is therefore both satisfying and saddening that this is his final role. This is by-far the best super-villain adaption to grace the silver screen yet.

Yet with all the focus on The Joker, it feels as though he is the main character – and indeed, he may be. Harvey Dent seems to be the other chief player, as we see the major evolution (or is it devolution?) of his character. Both characters maintain a believable persona, and while extreme, they never seem over-the-top. Batman seems to take side stage as he’s put more on a reactionary role to the various crimes of The Joker and other gangsters. Nonetheless, Batman is successfully able to display the symbol of heroism that he is throughout the film.

While I thoroughly enjoyed this film, my main complaint can be summarized in three words: “Why so serious?” The Dark Knight is perhaps the most aptly named movie that I have seen because it is simply that: dark. Between all the scenes of grungy crime, of terror-filled suspense, and occasional grotesqueness, there is very little room for any humor. Given this is supposed to be a depressing film, but its serious overtone seems to weigh it down in several places. Even in the rare moments when we do get a chuckle, it is almost always the result of dark humor. Am I the only one who thinks edge-of-your-seat movies can still make you laugh? Cloverfield sure did. (Grade: A-)

-M. Staples

A Second Opinion

I am sure most of you now know what the movie is about so let me just cut to the chase and say that The Dark Knight actually manages to live up to the hype. Heath Ledger IS that good as The Joker and his Oscar worthy performance should go down as one for the ages. The grounded storyline IS a crime epic that manages to transcend the comic book trappings in just about every way. The cast IS that good, as everyone brings their “A” game to each and every scene.

To be totally honest, the only complaints I can think of have to do with the nature of Batman in general. As Staples mentions in his review, there are moments where Batman feels just a touch out of place amongst the deadly serious, realistic tone of the film. Also, Bale’s “Batman voice” works well enough, but when given lots of dialogue to speak in that voice, it comes off as forced and a bit silly. These are minor complaints, however, and I only mention them to justify why I did not give the film an A+ instead of…(Grade: A)

-Kyle Posluszny

A Third Opinion

This is easily the best comic book movie ever made. It’s also the best movie of 2008 (so far). When stripped down, the movie’s a crime drama with just a hint of superheroics (and super villainy) thrown in as dressing. Its relevant subject matter – the post 9/11 theme – is disturbing, yet compelling. A lot of people compare this movie to Michael Mann’s Heat, and I agree with that. And while there may be some parallels the two movies share, The Dark Knight easily stands on its own as a superior offering (not to mention more unique).

This version of The Joker is perhaps the scariest incarantion yet. He’s not a man transformed, nor is he a man with an agenda. He’s pure chaos and when he says that all law abiding citizens are just a small push away from becoming just like him, it’s easy to believe. Throughout the movie, The Joker uses this mantra to test the law, the citizens, and all the key players that dwell in Gotham City. And in the end, he’s proven wrong on a broad scale. But the damage he inflicts to Gotham’s infrastructure is undeniable. Everyone who survives his onslaught of terror is changed morally for the worse. No one is left unscathed, clean, or innocent.

I can’t say enough about how tight the script to this movie is. Never did I ever feel a single line of dialogue felt out of place or cheesey. The runtime definitely feels like two and a half hours by the end of the movie, but it’s by no means a slow movie. It’s just emotionally exhausting, and you’ll understand when you see what these characters go through. I won’t go into performances since you’ve probably read through all the initial buzz, but I will say the entire cast is spot on perfect. Because of Heath Ledger’s untimely demise, most of the attention is being directed towards his performance which is brilliant. However, I must stress that Gary Oldman and Aaron Eckhart do beyond exceptional work as well.

I can’t see Christopher Nolan making a better Batman movie than this. Part of me just wants him to hang it up and move on to something else. But another part of me never wants his unfettering vision of Gotham City to ever die. Because a super hero movie has never felt so grounded. So real. No other villain will ever be able to challenge Batman at this level. The only person I can see Batman taking on next and having some semblance of urgency is Superman (Dark Knight Returns style). (Grade: E for Epic)

– J. Montes

Hellboy II: The Golden Army – Movie Review

Hellboy 2 was definitely better than its predecessor (which is still quite good). While the first one may have more of a root in “real” history with the whole look at the Nazi research into the occult, this sequel has its roots in much older “history.” As the movie opens, we see Hellboy as a young child in the 50s being told a bedtime story by Professor Broom. In the story, men warred with elves and other magical creatures for the dominion of the earth. With mankind poised to win, the elf king had the goblin-smiths create the Golden Army, an unstoppable mechanical horde. The Golden Army was so absolute in its destruction, that the king regretted his decision and decided to make a treaty with man: the elves and magical creatures would live in the forests if mankind would stay in the cities. Mankind agreed, and the Crown of Bethmora, which allowed the rightful owner to control the Golden Army, was split into three parts. Two for elfkind, and one for man, and the Golden Army was stored deep in the earth. The elven prince, who did not agree with his father’s decision, left his father and twin sister to go into exile, swearing to return one day and reclaim the land.

As you can probably guess, in modern times the prince resurfaces and steals mankind’s portion of the Crown, seeking to get the other two pieces from his father and sister. Of course, the only people to stand in his way are the B.P.R.D. While the main storyline concerning the Golden Army is certainly enjoyable, what truly makes the movie memorable is the characters. As all of the B.P.R.D., including new member Ectoplasmic Man, interact with one another we get a lot of great dynamics. Perhaps most amusing is the scene shared by Hellboy and Abe Sapien as they discuss (and sing) their romance problems over a couple of beers. But the theme that runs throughout the movie is that you don’t really have to be a human to be human. Touched upon in the first movie, these guys may all be “freaks” of nature, but they still have the most important of human qualities and that’s why they’re so likable. True, this type of story has been used in countless other movies (in fact they make a reference to one when Frankenstein is seen playing on TV in one of the scenes), but the way it is presented here is both entertaining and poignant.

Of course, those who don’t go to theaters to be taught a “moral” will still get plenty of enjoyment from this action-packed movie. Whether it’s the downright creepy fight against “tooth fairies” in the beginning, the mass-advertised brawl with the troll (you know, the one where they punch each others’ hands), or Hellboy’s climactic duel to the death, there is more than enough of the obligatory violence of a comic book movie to satiate the average fan.

Not everyone will like this because of its weird or bizarre flavor, but if you enjoy (or at least don’t mind) these kinds of movies, and if you like comic book movies, you will very likely be entertained by Hellboy 2. And for those who are already looking forward to seeing this, know that the ending leaves the doors wide open for a Hellboy 3. (Grade: A-)

-M. Staples

A Second Opinion

Ron Perlman remains the standout of the franchise. He’s an actor I always hoped would “make it big.” Sadly, being one of the best actors ever under make up doesn’t appear to be enough to get up to A-list status. Still, his performance as Hellboy is one of his best. Perlman brings a sort of beer-drinking, man’s man sort of charm to the character that is uninhibited by all the makeup. The action sequences are better than the original, though some of them (notably the climax) feel short. Another step up over the original is how much better the CG is. In the original the CG was pretty glaring and at times distracting, what a difference a few bucks makes.

Guillermo Del Toro is an excellent director, and his passion for the character is unmatched by anyone short of series creator, Mike Mignola. That said, a lot of the negatives I feel are pointed at him. With the budget of the film, and success of the original, Del Toro was seemingly given a blank check for adding weird stuff to the movie. His imagination is both his biggest strength and weakness, and we get to see examples of it being both in the film. All of the creatures look great, but there’s too many of them to really appreciate. The elements of comedy are really funny, but at the same time there’s too much comedy. If you look at the original as a darker version of Men In Black, Hellboy 2 is, well, like regular MIB. Del Toro’s premise is definitly strong, but something about the film feels really disconnected. I’m interested in seeing a director’s cut, since the movie feels like its missing some pieces. The beginning is very dark and ominous, in line with the original, but once the BPRD team hits the troll market, the comedy and goofiness step up to center stage.

I wanted to like Hellboy 2 a lot more than I did. That’s not to say it’s not a good movie, it is, I just think there was a lot more potential than what was shown. At times, it felt like a big budget test run for Del Toro who is moving on to other projects. It’s full of good stuff though, and definitely is worth seeing in the theaters if you liked the original. (Grade B-)

– Ben Berger

A Third Opinion

Hellboy II is a great, fun, action movie. It also made me realize how stupid the MPAA rating system is. The movie has lots of decapitations, monsters eating humans, deaths by swords, and as long as it doesn’t show blood, it’s only PG-13 (what the frak?!). But for me this is an R-rated movie. There is a lot of tension and always a fear of death for the main characters (though you know that it won’t happen – but it’s there).

I’m not familiar with the comics, but liked the first movie. This sequel goes far and beyond. More humor, big battles and lots of monsters. I loved the design work here – in particular the Johann Kraus character. One thing that tickled me in the first movie was Liz’s blue fire. It got fixed this time around and I couldn’t be happier.

Oh and here’s a piece of useless trivia: The opening sequence was made into a comic book and given away at WonderCon 08. Pretty cool, eh? (Grade: A-)

-Daniel Yanez

A Fourth Opinion

I’m not a fan of the first Hellboy movie. I own it on Blu-Ray, but its ending really annoys me. I was expecting this grandios Cthulu-inspired fight to happen between Hellboy and that god but instead, I got a fight that was over in a matter of seconds – all because of some simple grenades. Talk about anti-climactic. Thankfully, that doesn’t happen in this sequel.

Hellboy 2 is by far, a superior film. It feels complete, not rushed, and epic in scale.The opening of the movie is imaginative and brilliantly executed. It’s a fable come to life and very reminiscent of how Francis Ford Coppola opened Bram Stoker’s Dracula (just not as creepy). Guillermo Del Toro deserves a lot of credit for being able to mix a fantasy-based movie into an almost reality-based setting. Creature and set designs are top notch, and the action is visceral – though I do think Del Toro tosses Hellboy around a bit too much. The final fight at the end is exactly what I wanted to see, and frankly, I can’t think of a better way it could have been handled.

As gushing as I am about this movie, it’s not perfect; I agree with the reviewers above on many of their criticisms. There’s a bit too much comedy for my tastes. The little musical number in the middle of the film is definitely funny – and a crowd pleaser – but, my god, does it feel out of place. Selma Blair also looks tired throughout the film and at times (near the end of the movie), seems to be struggling with her dialogue delivery. Then there’s Ape Sapien in that ridiculous black body suit that screams, “Hey guys, there’s a human running around with a fish mask on his head!” And don’t get me going about how awkward Ron Perlman looks in the beginning of the movie when he’s slouching in his apartment with his shirt off. Where did his neck go? Oh yeah, it’s somewhere under that muscular body suit he’s wearing. This stuff is, sadly, very distracting, and it’s stuff you’ll murmur about to your friends after seeing the movie.

But in the end what matters is if this movie is good. Yes, it is. In fact, it’s great. Don’t get me wrong, it’s highly very predictable, but its delivery as a story and the journey our folks at the BPRD go through is  entertaining and the movie does its job of transporting the audience into its world. That’s all we really ask for in the end, a good dose of escapism, right?

Hellboy 2 has actually done something for me that rarely happens: It’s has me interested in reading the series (and its 2 billion spin-offs). I think if any movie can pull new readers into comic stores, this is probably it. And if that happens, we’re all better off in the end. (Grade: A-)

– J. Montes

The Incredible Hulk – Movie Review

When Marvel Studios released Iron Man, their first movie, last month I knew us comic book fans had a good thing coming. With Incredible Hulk, Marvel Studios has continued to keep its promise of releasing high quality comic book movies. I don’t see Hulk being as well received by everyone as Iron Man was – there will certainly be people who don’t like it – but it will garner a lot of new fans as well. As with Iron Man, this is a very character driven movie. Incredible Hulk is not about a big green monster who smashes things, it is the tragic story of how a monstrous alter-ego affects the life of Bruce Banner and all those around him. It also serves as a great counter point to Iron Man, which was a fun-filled, light story where the only thing that kept a romance from occurring between the two main characters were the characters themselves. Hulk, on the other hand, is a much darker movie and the two main characters certainly make their feelings for each other known, but they find difficulty in sharing a romance because of the chaos that Hulk causes (in fact, one scene shows this quite literally). Despite being dark, Hulk has plenty of humorous moments.

No good superhero (or antihero in this case) movie can be made without action, and there is plenty of action in this movie. Virtually the only complaint I heard about Iron Man was “not enough action.” Anyone who said that will be thoroughly pleased by this movie because it seems we get frequent trade-offs with action and story scenes throughout. Likewise the inevitable Hulk vs. Abomination fight at the end is just as epic and as “smashing” as you probably imagine it will be.

Perhaps the most pleasing moments for me were the numerous “Easter eggs” littered throughout. If you are a Marvel Comics fan, this movie is practically required viewing because we are likely the only ones who will “get” these inside hints, and trust me, these hints aren’t just all about Hulk. In fact, it is strongly suggested that Hulk’s origin may have stemmed from the origin of another famous Marvel hero. Likewise, these little gems continue to establish the “Marvel Movie Universe” that was launched in Iron Man.

This movie certainly isn’t without its flaws. It’s much more “comic-booky” than Iron Man, but cheesiness is kept to a fairly minimal level. There are a couple of groan worthy moments, but when one examines the movie as a whole, these moments are mostly forgivable. Perhaps the greatest fault is a lack of characterization of Emil Blonsky. Originally, we are given fairly good reasoning why he wants to help combat Hulk, but when he decides to become the Abomination, it is seemingly mostly because he just “wants power.”

Overall, with great characters, story, action, and special effects, I highly recommend The Incredible Hulk. I can’t stress how much comic fans need to see this. As for non-comic fans, give it a try, you may find yourself surprised. (Grade: B+)

-M. Staples

A Second Opinion

If anything, Hulk left me feeling very conflicted. On one hand, the movie did a lot of things necessary to move the cinematic Marvel Universe concept forward – which is a very good thing. It made the inner fanboy part of me ecstatic. On the other hand, the movie felt disjointed, rushed, and somewhat incomplete. I wanted to love it, but the movie just wouldn’t let me. That said, when the movie actually does find just the right groove, it is a lot of fun.

My biggest complaint about the movie is a bit complicated to describe so, please, bear with me. The entire film we hear Bruce talk about how he has no control over the Hulk side once it takes over. He also talks about how he doesn’t want to control it, only get rid of it. The problem is that whenever we see the Hulk, he shows signs of control and restraint. For a movie that puts Hulk smashing above all else, I found it interesting that we never got a glimpse of Hulk smashing uncontrollably. Bruce says he can’t control it, so why does it seem like he can the entire movie? Maybe it won’t bother others as much as it bothered me, but when it’s obvious that the action was placed above all else, an uncontrollable Hulk seems like a glaring omission.

The acting in the movie is passable, though nothing special. Ed Norton isn’t exactly stretching his considerable acting talents, William Hurt is pretty one-dimensional, and Liv Tyler does well with what she’s given. Tim Roth and Tim Blake Nelson are the clear standouts. Roth is menacing and maniacal in all the right ways and Nelson is a great casting choice to be a future Hulk villain.

Let me just state the obvious here, the action is the real star. The action scenes are well choreographed, sufficiently brutal, and incredibly entertaining. A battle on a college campus is particularly incredible and may, with time, become one of my favorite action scenes of all time. Also, I can’t help but mention how the campus fight is a great teaser for a possibly Captain America movie as we get to see the Super Soldier Serum at work.

Overall the Hulk is disappointing, but entertaining. I was never bored, but found it hard to be engaged whenever the Hulk (or some sort of fanservice) was absent. It’s a good superhero movie, but it’s no Iron Man. However, the film expands the potential Marvel Universe more than Iron Man and that alone makes it a must see for fans. (Grade: C+)

-Kyle Posluszny

A Third Opinion

I tried to avoid reading any advance reviews for this picture but a colleague at work told me it only got “two stars”, so that gave me a “bug gnawing at the back of my mind” feeling. Add to that the general vibe I’d been picking up on various chatboards that this movie would be a disappointment and not up to the quality of Iron Man (but come on now, Shellhead is a tough act to follow so that’s unfair) and I found myself walking to the theater with a sense of dread. So while I usually head into a movie armed only with a mega-super-deluxe-monster-jumbo popcorn and coke combo and an open mind, I entered this one prepared for disappointment. Fortunately, tonight was not the night for disappointment. My worst fears were unfounded and I really enjoyed the film.

The new film is a reboot of the franchise and intended as a separate entity from the earlier Hulk movie, but that doesn’t mean we need to go through the origin of the Hulk. The origin is successfully summarized in a montage of photos, newspaper clippings and documents (including a reference to Nick Fury) during the opening credits. This allows us to pick up with Dr. Banner in the middle of the action, on the run, in Brazil. It’s a simple plot: Banner is on the run, keeping a low profile and hiding out. He studies martial arts and meditation as a means to control his anger and contain the beast within while trying to work out a cure with the help of a mysterious online penpal named Mr. Blue (I had hopes that this would turn out to be Reed Richards). Of course, General Ross locates him (with Stan Lee in his accustomed cameo playing an important part) and we are treated to an early appearance of the Green behemoth. From that point on Bruce attempts to stay one step ahead of Ross and his men while reuniting with Betty Ross. It’s executed well. The plot moves smoothly from episode to episode with a good amount of action (two solid Hulk appearances before the climactic showdown) mixed in.

Ed Norton does a convincing job as Banner and Liv Tyler is good as Betty Ross. There is a nice contrast between the two as Banner wants only to be rid of the Hulk curse while Betty suggests that maybe he can learn to control it – a suggestion that opens possibilities for the sequel. William Hurt as General Ross seemed a bit flat, which surprised me. There seemed to be a touch of sinister intent to him, but as I’ve always understood him, he is a man consumed by his job. Emil Blonsky, portrayed by Tim Roth, is rightly brimming with sinister intent. Blonsky is a man spoiling for action (for actions sake) and when he gets a taste of power he becomes gradually seduced and lusts after it until his final transformation into The Abomination. A solid job all around and I look forward to seeing these actors in these roles again.

The thing I worry about most of all with CGI action stuff is that the scenes will come off looking too much like a video game instead of approximating something “real.” I was especially worried about this with the climactic fight with The Abomination. Much to my delight the final battle is actually one of the strong points of the film and one of the better fight sequences in a super hero film. The Abomination is clearly stronger and more vicious and really takes it to our hero. The Hulk simply takes it, perseveres and wins out in the end. There are some nice recognizable classic Hulk moves thrown in such as the thunder clap with the hands and the two-fisted pound the ground shock wave with a “Hulk Smash!” thrown in for good measure. The Hulk looks especially good in close-ups, sporting the square-jawed Marie Severin-drawn look that I like.

There are a ton of little references for the longtime Hulk fans thrown in. A Bill Bixby cameo, Banner comically trying to render the classic “you wouldn’t like me when I’m angry” line in Portuguese, Lou Ferigno as a security guard, the reprise of the TV show’s theme song, and even Samuel Sterns whose name, curse me a fool, I didn’t recognize at first, but who looks to be the likely villain in the sequel. Of course we also have the much anticipated Tony Stark cameo at the end. Apparently he’s putting a team together or something.

Was there anything not to like? Sure. There is a great chase scene through city streets in Brazil, but it looked like it started at night, then seemed to be taking place in late afternoon / early evening, only to conclude in the dark of night. Maybe it’s just me, but that seemed off. I wasn’t sure why Blonsky, on loan from the British, would be wearing an American soldier’s uniform. Now maybe that’s proper, I don’t know, but at least if he’s wearing a dress uniform he could shave. That would be proper.

What I like most about the movie is that it is clearly placed in a universe concurrent with Iron Man and there seems to be clear thoughts in place about the possibilities for what will come next. I can see where a non fan may not be grabbed by it, and I think it is a cut below Iron Man, but damn it, I had fun and isn’t that what comic books and movies are all about? (Grade: B+)

-Arthur Cooke

A Fourth Opinion

Something’s not right here. My wife loved this movie more than I.

This movie was alright for me. I think my expectations were just too high or maybe my head’s still swimming with all the ownage Hulk did in World War Hulk, because the behemoth we have here isn’t really a wrecking machine – he’s a Frankenstein with a conscience. I think it’s awesome that Hulk finally does some talking and he is able to show more compassion, but I would have loved it more if he was intelligent and used some of the fighting knowledge he learned as his Bruce Banner alter ego.

What surprised me more than anything is this movie has some semblance of story and structure. I was expecting (and hoping for) lots of action, but instead got a decent story. Yet, that almost bored me believe it or not! I just wanted Hulk to smash stuff up and when he eventually does, boy, are we in for a treat. The action portrayed in this film is outstanding and hard-hitting as it oughta be. The middle fight with Blonsky amped with the “Super Soldier Serum” serves as the perfect precursor to what we’ll be seeing with Captain America, and that made me giddy.

Other things I enjoyed include the homages to the old Hulk TV show, the nod to The Leader (which I can’t wait to see next), references to the Marvel Universe, the outstanding performances by the cast (for the most part), Betty Ross going off on the cab driver, Bruce taking the “David Banner” alias at the end of the movie, the excellent amount of character put into the Hulk’s eyes, and of course, the appearance of Tony Stark which had people in my theater mumbling with excitement.

Things I didn’t like include some times where the action is incoherent (pull the damn camera back), the lack of development on Blonsky’s character (not to mention wooden dialogue), The Abomination doing too much ownage on the Hulk (come on, who are we kidding here?), the lack of tactical intelligence on Hulk’s part, and well, and the removal of the Captain America cameo (poor excuse, Marvel, poor excuse).

I’m not going to compare this to Iron Man like the other guys have – it just wouldn’t be fair. It’s faithful to many things that make the Hulk special and that’s what really counts. I enjoyed Ang Lee’s film (except the ending), and if they somehow managed to use his directorial style with this movie (the panel work was so awesome in that first movie), this might have been the perfect Hulk movie. Anyone who says this newest film doesn’t spend just as much time brooding as Ang Lee’s version is fooling themselves. There’s plenty of brooding here, but the elevated action sequences and a proper villain have bolstered this film above its predecessor. That, and no “Hulk Dogs”! (Grade: B-)

– J. Montes