RespawningCouch Podcast: Game Review: Batman Arkham Origins

This week, Nick and Jack give their thoughts on the third instalment of the "Arkham" franchise. Does this build on the stellar nature of the previous two? Or is it suffering from a lack of innovation? 

Things A "Movie Lover" Collects: Statues/ Figures

A very recent and expensive voyage I’ve taken has been into the world of overly priced and highly addictive action figures and statues. Namely Hot Toys and Sideshow, my unfortunate obsession with the Marvel Femme Fatale ‘Black Widow’ and the LiveForFilm website brought them to my attention after their Avengers line had been announced. Hot Toys, a Hong Kong based company, specialises in 1/6th and 1/4th representations of iconic and recent film characters. Acquiring film licences such as The Dark Knight, Predator and The Avengers, the end result has been a stream of specularly recreated figures that are simply works of art. From the headsculpts and costumes to the buckles on their footwear, Hot Toys’ artists/ craftsmen spend an incredible amount of time and effort to implement these intricate details and screen accuracies: 

 

On the other hand Sideshow, an American distributor of Hot Toys, has also made a name for itself through their foray into 1/4 scale statues. Similarly attaining licences from Iron Man, Star Wars and actual comic books, they have produced an impressive breadth of highly detailed and well crafted representations. With prices ranging from £200-500, my collection only comprises of Black Widow from Iron Man 2, obviously:

I myself had always had an apprehensive train of thought towards the idea of collecting statues and figures. Back in the good old days Star Wars was the craze with the re-releases in the cinemas. Naturally my brother and I collected the figures, sets and ships that are all currently presiding in the attic. Gundam Wing and Totoro Plushes increased with my exposure to my Japanese roots, but the thought of spending £155 on a “toy” never crossed my mind. But are they worth it? Some people collect these things as an “investment”, and while I stand to make a tidy sum if I were to sell them, to me their simply works of art created by fans and enthusiasts of films and cinema. I love the characters and, for the most part, the films. While the likes of Sucker Punch and The Spirit were absolutely terrible, their costume designs and visual look always appealed.  A larger percentage of my collection surrounds The Avengers, primarily because of their creative and unique designs. Whether it’s Captain America’s iconic red/white/blue design, to Iron Man’s impressive stature, there’s a joy in gazing upon each figure and changing their poses. 

In a cynical light, the hobby could be labelled as glorified ‘doll collecting’, but after spending a lot and time staring/ displaying them, I can’t help but appreciate these as a near-perfect, artistic and physical representations of beloved film characters. Like the rise of vinyl toys, these optimise the new pop-cultural nature of "art" in general. Mind you, my wallet is crying. 

Favourite Film and TV Characters: The Dark Knight Rises’ Bane

While The Dark Knight Rises remains a film that has split the fans, Tom Hardy’s Bane has been universally met with approval. I’d go as far as arguing that he was the most notable character of 2012. From his strong physical presence to his unique voice, Bane offered a significant challenge to the Bat that was evident during his screen time. The original character of Bane is a complex one that, as with the very nature of the comic book industry, has a variety of backstories and personalities. The initial creation of the character had been for the sole purpose of breaking Batman’s back during the Knightfall storyline in the early 1990s. However the sheer popularity surrounding him resulted in the character becoming a regular villain in the Batman franchise. 

My first exposure to Bane was through Joel Schumacher’s horrendous Batman and Robin. Subsequently and understandably, the character cemented himself as a Luchadore with an terrible case of uncontrollable rage. It was only through reading Knightfall and Bane’s other comic appearances that he revealed himself to be a more engaging and profound individual. While the general populace see him as a giant brute with the capability of toppling buildings and picking up cars, there’s a tragic angle that distinguishes him from the likes of Killer Croc and Scarecrow. Surprisingly I’m not a massive fan of Knightfall, primarily because it’s rather dated. The writing and the art obviously resonates with hardcore fans of Batman, but the comic never clicked for me. This was Bane’s first appearance and while it was an intriguing one, it left more to the imagination than the series was actually capable of showing and facilitating, which inevitably was the problem of his original purpose. Nolan’s Bane, on the other hand, offered a realistic perspective that was genuinely more interesting and confounding . 

After Heath Ledger’s Joker stole the entirety of The Dark Knight, Rises was always going to have a tough time replicating the sheer impact and presence that he brought to film. The choice of Bane was undoubtably a challenge for both the film’s writers and fans to wrap their heads around. Taking a drug fuelled, “mexican wrestler” and framing him within the context of Nolan’s gritty and realistic world wasn’t an easily comprehendible notion. Yet the end result offered both a clever and physically impressive adversary that was distinctive and undoubtably inspiring. 

At the heart of my love for the character is Tom Hardy. Hardy’s performance, both physically, vocally, and especially through his eyes, was a captivating one that managed to surpass the impact of much of the film’s cast. His physique silenced some of the hardcore fans, but more importantly was the fact that he and Nolan used their freedom with the character to bring something different. This villain wasn’t simply a fully-charged brute, but like the comics he was an highly intelligent and formidable antagonist.

His voice, while criticised, has a menace and bellow that resonated throughout the film. Apparently Hardy drew inspiration from Bartley Gorman, an Irish traveller and boxer known as the “King of the Gypsies”. Other sources have linked him using the likes of Richard Burton and other British actors to formulate the voice. Either way it still remains distinctive and effective. The distorted and mechanical mix and various inflections resulted in simple chit-chat and breathing seeming a lot more threatening and fierce. Meanwhile, his appearance channels a militaristic but constricted look. The mask and the general abundance of straps showed a character restraining his descent into sheer pain-induced rage, but one that’s visually striking as he stand over a crippled Batman. The physical prowess is there through Hardy’s toned physique, and so too was the scarred mien from his tormented ordeal in “The Pit” and his past. 

But where Hardy’s performance surprisingly succeeded was the manner in which he captured Bane’s human side. Behind the “swagger” that persists through his taunts and general laid back attitude as he watches Gotham fall, there was a mysterious and emotional angle to the character. His origins and early existence are all shrouded in ambiguity, with his adoption into “The League of Shadows” and his relationship with Talia Al Ghul providing an more ardent exploration into his psyche than was previously expected. His expulsion from the League and dismissal by Ra’s Al Ghul hinted at a darker and vindictive expansion of the character that went beyond the intentions and notions the group stood for. Meanwhile the tears he sheds towards Talia proved to be an unexpectedly, fascinating divulgence that offered a touching moment showing a robust chemistry between the two. In some respects it’s pretty impressive to see a character suddenly exposed in an almost sympathetic light. And this is where Bane differed from the previous antagonists of the trilogy. While Ra’s Al Ghul and the Joker offered a constant state of unpredictability throughout the course of the films, their onscreen persona’s did little to change from the madness and panic that surrounded them. Here for this solitary scene, we’re shown the tragedy and frailties of Bane’s character. And that proved to be more intriguing then the rest of the film and his anti-climatic exit. 

I really like The Dark Knight Rises even with its flaws and problems. But Bane in particular stood out. From a great idea in concept and writing, his comic book persona caught an interesting balance within Nolan’s perspective. Bringing him back to a more “human” character with more of an emotional stake in the narrative and characters, Bane offered a distinctive looking and sounding adversary to the omnipotent Batman. Tom Hardy’s great performance managed to add something other than a physical presence, and less of the stereotypical hulk many understand the character to be. Even with the endless parodies and impersonations, Bane still remains captivating to watch and undoubtably one of my favourite film characters.