My Thoughts on Batman Vs Superman: Dawn of Justice

The superhero genre continued its dominance of the box office in 2016. The year saw the likes of Captain America: Civil War, Deadpool and Doctor Strange. But there was one film that I was really looking forward to; Batman Vs Superman: Dawn of Justice. And while the film became the talking point for many cinema-goers and comic book fans, I don’t think it was for the reasons Warner Bros. Pictures and DC were hoping for. I personally wasn’t too thrilled that they had chosen to skip a sincerely needed sequel to Man of Steel in favour of making their own version of The Avengers. Yet while I understand and share the common complaints and criticisms that many had, I still found a significant amount of enjoyment from watching it. 

My early skepticism about the film’s narrative and the studio’s eagerness to please its audience came to fruition in a film with an unnecessarily contrived and cluttered plot. With the sole precursor to Snyder’s “DC Universe” being an origin story for Superman, the task of establishing an entire franchise in 151 minutes and with little setup was a disaster waiting to happen. I’d argue that a considerable amount of the narrative issues could have been alleviated by a Man of Steel 2. The iconic question “Does the world really need Superman?”, the notion of him being the last Kryptonian, the “complex” character and motivations of Lex Luthor, and the existence of other superheroes could have been addressed in a story told immediately after the destruction of Metropolis and General Zod’s death. This would have suitably set the framework for a future confrontation with Batman and the eventual formation of the Justice League.

I particularly hated Jesse Eisenberg’s turn as Lex Luthor which was a completely dreadful and unnecessary attempt to reinvent the quintessential villain. And it hurts even more knowing that he is now a permanent part of this franchise. Elsewhere, the previously strong approach to Louis Lane’s character in Man of Steel was squandered by her reduction to the damsel in distress role yet again. Put simply, Batman Vs Superman suffers from a monumentally shoddy approach to its writing.

So what did I actually like about the film? First, I love the look of the film. I’ve stated numerous times that while Zack Snyder’s filmography is a hodgepodge of quality, his understanding of the visual side of film is pretty good. From Superman standing in front the US Capitol building to Bruce Wayne’s apocalyptic nightmare, Batman Vs Superman feels and looks very much like the pages of a comic book. Meanwhile the titular fight, though brief and enhanced with digital effects, manages to capture the weight of these two titans being thrown around. It’s simply a joy to watch. 

Second, Ben Affleck as Bruce Wayne/ Batman was undoubtably the best part of the entire film. I can even excuse Synder’s vision of the capped crusader as a cold-blooded murderer, unlike many. This version of Bruce Wayne is weathered, spent and bleak, which is perfectly shown in his tense exchanges with Alfred. The entire warehouse scene in particular, vigorously displayed a new approach to the iconic character that was brutish and terrifying. I’m really looking forward to seeing more of Batfleck, especially with in the eventual standalone film. I also thought Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman offered a pretty stellar performance in her limited screen time.

In the end, Warner Bros. Pictures’ haste to achieve the same dominance as Marvel backfired and the studio is reeling from it. I don’t think there’s a conspiracy against the studio or DC, but I feel that in the wake of Marvel’s success, comparisons are inevitably going to be drawn between the two. And on that basis, Warner and DC are going to struggle to compete. Wonder Woman is on the horizon and so too is the Justice League, and if those fail to turn heads, then I’m afraid that we'll likely see a revamping of the franchise yet again in the near future. 

Noteworthy Films of 2014: Gone Girl

David Fincher’s last film The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo was a slick yet ultimately unnecessary remake of the Swedish thriller of the same name. Fincher’s dark, brooding style has become inseparable from the thriller genre and continues to garner critical acclaim and box office profits. It was therefore fairly predictable that Gone Girl, an adaptation of Gillian Flynn’s novel, wouldn’t be a massive departure from the director’s usual morbid and intense offerings. And while it lacks a certain distinctive edge within the genre, it’s still a captivating and sophisticated thriller with great lead and supporting performances. 

Dealing with the manipulative sensibilities of the press, the mundanity of suburban life, the economic crisis, the modern concept of “family”, depression, and murder, Fincher seems to be at home in an environment of unhappiness and spitefulness. And it becomes progressively clear through the course of the film that he intends to throw the audience head first without buoyancy and restraint. While the motives and the sequences of events are questionable at times, Gone Girl’s sheer temperament and ever-changing pace proves to be rather engrossing.

As with most of Fincher’s work, the term “likeable” never truly fits into his characters' compositions. Gone Girl is no different. Glimmers of compassion and goodwill come from Carrie Coon and some light humour from a surprisingly good Tyler Perry, but they’re battling an uphill struggle against the grim themes of the film. Rosamund Pike’s mentally unstable Amy, brings back memories of a crazed Glenn Close in Fatal Attraction. With a spectacularly vocal and physical presence, she easily steals every scene and arguably the entire film. Her pale complexion, starry gaze and machiavellian smile leave a lasting impression that lingers throughout. Meanwhile Ben Affleck’s acting renaissance continues as the conflicted and clueless husband tumbling through the consequences of both his and Amy’s actions. The film’s depiction of a conflicted household and local community is an uncomfortable yet engaging one that draws comparisons with Thomas Vinterberg’s magnificent The Hunt, which I highly recommend. 

Gone Girl isn’t a perfect film. The story can be incoherent and absurd at times, and happiness never breaches the harsh surface of misery and bitterness. Yet from the superb production design and cinematography to the uncompromising subject matter and memorable characters, this is unquestionably a David Fincher film. And a very good one at that. 

RespawningCouch Podcast: Audio Review: Argo

The latest instalment of Ben Affleck's fantastic directing career is another one with great performances, intelligent writing and sophisticated direction.

The Town

The Town 

Ben Affleck’s Gone Baby Gone (Highly Recommended) really showed the actor’s potential as a director. His acting career has, lets say.........., been relatively rubbish in the politest of terms. With films such as Pearl Harbour and Gigli under his belt, it isn’t hard to see why Affleck might want to improve his career image, through his directing. The Town keeps his directing career intact and proves Gone Baby Gone wasn’t a fluke. It also ends up being his best acting performance (but that’s not really hard). The plot follows the story of four professional bank robbers and lifelong friends in Boston: Doug MacRay (Ben Affleck), James Coughlin (Jeremy Rainer), Albert Magloan (George Carroll Jr) and Desmond Elden (Owen Burke). After a risky bank robbery, Doug must make sure that the female bank manager, Claire Keesey (played by Rebecca Hall) , doesn’t know who the robbers were. He meets her and the two eventually build a strong romantic  relationship. This alongside the constant harassing by the FBI results in Doug wanting to leave the gang and start over. Yet, James and their mysterious ‘boss’, Fergus Colm, still want Doug to do one more job. 

For those who have seen Michael Mann’s fantastic Heat, this film will feel very familiar. Substitute Al Pacino for Jon Hamm, who plays Special Agent Adam Frawley, and change Robert De Niro for Ben Affleck, and you’ve got similar stories and similar scenes. The Town has the structural split between following the criminals and the cops, and the relationship story as Heat did. Even the final robbery of Fenway Park, has a resemblance to Heat’s bank robbery scene. However this, by all means, isn’t a bad thing, Heat was an amazing film, and The Town is brilliant. The film’s direction is fantastic and the script is great. The car chases and shootouts really have a realism and grittiness to them, with the sound being immersive and gripping. 

The acting is great, with no actor leaving a bad impression. As already mentioned Affleck’s performance, is probably his best. Rebecca Hall’s performance, whilst being good is overshadowed by Blake Lively’s, who plays a drug mule and single mother. It certainly is a massive step away from her Gossip Girl typecast, and hopefully will gain her credibility as a true actress, in the future. Jeremy Rainer, who was nominated for an Oscar for his supporting role, is intimidating and unnerving and plays the sadist and brutal character very well. The late Pete Postlethwaite, who hasn’t masses of screen time, plays his character well. He comes across very calm whilst being serious and threatening. This being his ‘last completed’ film, it was a great performance. 

The Town is a superb film which hasn’t gained the critical reception and widespread recognition it deserves. The acting is fantastic, the dialogue is well-written, and it is very well-directed by Affleck. While Michael Mann’s Heat will be compared to the film, is that really a bad thing? One of 2010s best films. 

8/10