"SUICIDE SQUAD" SHOWDOWN
The 2016 D.C. Extended Universe (DCEU) film, "SUICIDE SQUAD", featured an interesting post-credit scene between A.R.G.U.S. Director Amanda Waller and billionaire Bruce Wayne aka Batman. In the wake of Task Force X aka Suicide Squad's confrontation with former team member, the sorceress Enchantress, Ms. Waller requested a meeting with Bruce for a special favor.
Apparently, Ms. Waller found herself in hot water with the U.S. Department of Defense, due to the Enchantress' attempt to wreck havoc upon the world and rule it. After all, the sorceress was known to be a former member of the Suicide Squad. Ms. Waller met with Bruce in order to use his Washington D.C. connections to protect her from the backlash against her role, as Task Force X's creator, in the Enchantress' rampage. In return, she provided him with government files files on the expanding meta-human community . . . along with documents on both Barry Allen aka the Flash and Arthur Curry aka Aquaman. Following Bruce's agreement to help Waller in exchange for the files, the pair had this little conversation:
Amanda Waller: There’s the difference between us. You believe in friendship, I believe in leverage.
Bruce Wayne: Good night.
Amanda Waller: You look tired. You should stop working nights.
Bruce Wayne: You should shut it down, or my friends and I will do it for you.
When Ms. Waller had first hinted that she knew Bruce was Batman, his first response was to warn her to shut down the Task Force X team, also known as the “Suicide Squad”. When I first saw the movie, I had taken Bruce's warning at heart. Especially since she had asked for him to protect her from facing the consequences of using Dr. June Moone aka the Enchantress as part of her Task Force X. And the recently formed Justice League would be more than capable of physically breaking up the squad and keeping its members behind bars. In the end, it took me a while to realize that on a deeper level, Bruce’s warning was hollow. It was just as hollow as Waller's insinuation that she knew he was Batman.
One, the formation of Task Force X "Suicide Squad" was not illegal. It was sanctioned by the Department of the Defense and the White House. With the exception of Task Force X leader Colonel Rick Flagg and his bodyguard, Tatsu Yamashiro aka Katana, the other members were convicted criminals. Which meant that Waller or any other member of the government or law enforcement had the right to “recruit” them to work in the interest of the country/community. The Thirteen Amendment (1865) of the U.S. Constitution abolished slavery and involuntary servitude, except as punishment for a crime. Which meant that convicted and imprisoned criminals can be used as forced labor. And this is exactly what Waller did when she had nano bombs implanted in their necks and coerced them into working on behalf of the government . . . with the threat of death if any Suicide Squad member did not cooperate.
Two, if Batman and other future members of the Justice League had interfered with any of the Task Force X’s operations, they would find themselves in legal trouble. Especially since the Task Force X is a legally sanctioned intelligence unit. And when Bruce had issued his warning about the squad, he should have remembered that Ms. Waller not only knew about his identity as Batman, she also knew about secret identities of the Flash and Aquaman. After all, she was the one who had provided Bruce with information about the pair. Considering Ms. Waller’s talent for acquiring information, it would have been a matter of time before she discovered Diana Prince's identity as Wonder Woman, Victor Stone 's identity as Cyborg and Clark Kent as Superman. If she does not know the truth about them already. After all, Lex Luthor does.
Three, Waller's insinuation that she knew about Bruce's identity as Batman struck me as equally hollow. Even if she had exposed him as the Dark Knight, chances are Bruce would not hesitate to find a way for her to face the consequences of her role in the Enchantress' rampage. If he could not personally achieve, Bruce would probably arrange for his security chief, Alfred Pennyworth to expose Ms. Waller on his behalf.
Perhaps it would have been best for both Bruce and Ms. Waller to realize that when it came to secrets and protection, they were in a standoff. Waller should have never made such a useless threat. And Bruce should have realize there would be legal consequences if he and the other members of the Justice League had interfered with Task Force X. And both should simply consider leaving each other alone.
"COMIC BOOK MOVIES: CRITICAL HYPOCRISY"It just occurred to me that none of Marvel’s Captain America films ended on a happy note. Yet, they have never been criticized for possessing too much angst or being depressing. On the other hand, D.C. Comics films like 2016's "BATMAN V. SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE" have been accused of being dominated by these traits. And I have never understood this contrasting attitude toward the two comic book movie franchises. In "CAPTAIN AMERICA: FIRST AVENGER", Steve Rogers lost his close friend, James “Bucky” Barnes during a mission. He was forced to crash the HYDRA plane into the cold Atlantic Ocean, where he froze for the next 66 to 67 years. Because of the crash, his burgeoning relationship with S.S.R. Agent Peggy Carter abruptly ended, with her believing that he had died. The movie ended with Steve awakening in 2011 New York City as a fish out of water and the world completely changed.Although I love it with every fiber in my body, "CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER" proved to be a rather depressing film, if one is completely honest. The only positive thing that came out of it was Steve’s new friendship with Afghanistan War veteran, Sam Wilson. Otherwise, the movie featured the downfall of S.H.I.E.L.D., the very agency that his old love Peggy Carter, Howard Stark and Chester Philips had created, due to a major mistake they had committed. And that mistake turned out to be the recruitment of former HYDRA scientist, Armin Zola into the newly formed S.H.I.E.L.D. agency. Steve discovered that despite Johann Schmidt aka the Red Skull’s death, HYDRA continued to exist and that it had infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D. and the U.S. Senate. He also discovered that his former best friend, Bucky Barnes, was not only alive, but also a brainwashed assassin for HYDRA. Everything eventually went to shit by the end of film, including Steve’s career with S.H.I.E.L.D."CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR" proved to be another depressing film. It introduced the Sokovia Accords, a United Nations sponsored document that forced enhanced beings like himself and other members of the Avengers to register with and be regulated by various governments. The main drive behind the Accords was Secretary of Defense and former U.S. Army General Thaddeus Ross, who had been the nemesis of Bruce Banner aka the Hulk. The Sokovia Accords finally gave Thaddeus Ross the opportunity to control a team of enhanced beings. The ninety-something Peggy Carter finally died. And the Avengers faced another threat - a Sokovian named Zemo, who wanted revenge for the destruction of his country - an event caused by Tony Stark’s creation of an artificial intelligence (A.I.) called Ultron. And Zemo also used the still brainwashed Bucky Barnes, whose past involved being coerced by HYDRA into murdering Howard and Maria Stark, to get his revenge. Between the Accords and Zemo, the Avengers suffered a permanent split by the end of the movie.On the other hand, many film critics and moviegoers have criticized about "darker" aspects of the DCEU films. They have accused director Zack Snyder and the production teams behind the DCEU movie franchise of being too depressing or portraying its major protagonists as a bit too angsty. One, I see nothing wrong with morally and emotionally complex comic book hero movies. Also, at least two of the DCEU movies, "MAN OF STEEL" and "SUICIDE SQUAD" ended on a happier note. "MAN OF STEEL" ended with Clark Kent aka Superman moving to Metropolis and joining the staff of The Daily Planet as a junior reporter and exchanging a knowing smile with his love, Lois Lane - the only person other than his mother who knew of his identity as Superman. "SUICIDE SQUAD" told the story of a group of super villains (two of them, meta-humans) who were forced to battle a powerful sorceress, bent upon world-domination by the director of A.R.G.U.S., Amanda Waller. Although Waller's right-hand man, Colonel Rick Flagg, had allowed the villains to walk away after she had been kidnapped, the "Suicide Squad" assisted Flagg in taking down the Enchantress anyway. They were repaid with a reduced prison sentence and a few benefits. Also, "SUICIDE SQUAD" was filled with a great deal of humor - something that many critics and moviegoers have complained that the DCEU was lacking. I find it ironic that "MAN OF STEEL" and "SUICIDE SQUAD" have been criticized for being "depressing and angst-riddled", along with the DCEU's boogeyman, "BATMAN V. SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE" (which I also adore with every fiber of my being). Yet, the MCU's Captain America films have managed to evade such criticisms, despite their ambiguous endings. Why have many critics and moviegoers have been so hard on the DCEU films about their ambiguity and given the Captain America films a pass? Hypocrisy much?
"IRRELEVANT BASHING"
I am another moviegoer who is getting sick and tired of the regarding Marvel/Disney’s Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) films and Warner Brothers/D.C. Comics’ D.C. Extended Universe (DCEU) films. I have come across articles in which fans of both movie universes have accused the other of excessive bashing.
I never understood this rivalry between Marvel and DC Comics movie franchises. To be honest, I find it unnecessary. And I believe today's audiences are getting too caught up in this so-called rivalry, thanks to the media, the studios and the two comic book conglomerates. I have seen both DC Comics and Marvel since "SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE" first came out in 1978. Why do certain films from one comic book company need to be better than those from another one? I have seen films from both that I found very impressive. And I have seen films from both that left me feeling disappointed. For me to decide whether the Marvel films or the DC films are better strikes me as ridiculous.
Some fans have claimed that since the MCU films perform better at the box office, they are without a doubt, the superior series of films. One major problem with this reasoning was the box office performance of the five major comic book movies released in 2016. Marvel’s "CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE CIVIL WAR" proved to be the second (or third) biggest box office success of that year. Yet, D.C. Comics’ "BATMAN v. SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE" proved to be that year’s fifth biggest box office success. Although both the DCEU’s "SUICIDE SQUAD" and the MCU’s "DOCTOR STRANGE" never reached those heights in terms of box office, both were successful and ironically, the DCEU movie proved to be a bit more successful.
However, I believe that box office performance is not a true reflection of a movie’s worth. No one knows the true reason behind the critics’ current and more positive reaction to the Marvel films. Not really. True, some film critics might honestly believe they are better. Then again, it is possible that some film critics were bribed to praise the Marvel films to the sky and/or bash the D.C. Comics movies. Personally, I had stopped regarding their opinion as fact a long time ago. After all, their opinions are dictated by personal tastes, or . . . other means, just as the opinions of moviegoers are dictated by personal tastes. - Yes, there might be more people who believe that the current Marvel films are better. But I have encountered a great number of opinions that favor the current DC Comic movies. And I cannot help but wonder if the MCU fans are simply the loudest. Also, judging a film based upon box office success or the number of fans for a certain franchise strikes me as irrelevant. There are a lot of fans of the "TRANSFORMER" films. A lot. Which is why those movies generated a good deal of money. In the end, it is all subjective.
I am fans of both the MCU and the DCEU. I have been aware of some bashing of the MCU films by certain DCEU fans. However, their bashing seemed to be minor in compare to the consistent and excessive stream of criticism and bashing directed toward the DCEU films … and I believe this bashing is getting out of control.
Sometimes, I get the feeling that a lot of Marvel fans (or perhaps I should say the Marvel/Disney company is threatened by the three movies released by DC Comics between 2013 and 2016. These three movies signaled the end of the Marvel/Disney’s monopoly on a series of comic book movies based upon a collection of titles. The bashing for the DCEU has become utter ridiculous and excessive. I am also beginning to wonder if those who had accused Disney/Marvel of paying off the critics to bad mouth ALL THREE DCEU movies that have been released so far … had been right after all. Because this criticism has become over the top. It has now extended to both "WONDER WOMAN" and "JUSTICE LEAGUE" and they have yet to be released. Has bashing the DCEU movies become the "in" thing to do? Just as bashing the "STAR WARS" Prequel films is still a popular past time? I hope not. For I had almost bought it myself.
When "MAN OF STEEL", "BATMAN v. SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE" and "SUICIDE SQUAD" first hit the theaters, I was reluctant to see all three, because I had stupidly accepted the bad opinions about them. Yet, I overcame my reluctance and went to see them, anyway. And when I finally saw those three movies, I enjoyed them. All of them. Very much. In fact, I regard "BATMAN v. SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE" as one of the best comic book hero movies I have ever seen. And that was when I finally realized that a film critic’s opinion was worth dog shit. No more. I am simply going to form my own opinion of any movie I am interested in seeing. And I refuse to be some mindless drone and accept the views of others simply because it is the in-thing to do.
The idea that we are supposed to be accept that the Marvel or MCU films are better than the DCEU films, because many film critics or movie fans say so is irrelevant. It is irrelevant, because their views are matters of opinion. Preference. I do not accept this view "numbers matter" regarding the artistic quality of a film, because I do not share it. I have watched a lot of comic book movies in my time. From my perspective, only my opinion of an individual movie count. I do not care whether any those movies are based upon the titles of Marvel, DC Comics or any other comic book company that exists. And considering that art and entertainment are subjective in the end, what is the point in declaring that MCU films are better or that DCEU movies are better? It seems like a waste of time to me. I think we all should focus on which individual movies that appeals to us and not bother on which company makes the better films.
Warner Bros./DCEU is scheduled to release two movies in 2017. Disney/MCU has scheduled three to be released. I plan to see all five movies this year. And I will be damned if I pay attention to any film critics or moviegoer . . . until after I have seen these movies. Regardless of who performs better at the box office, I am the one who will decide which films I want to see and which ones I want to buy, regardless of whether they came from DC Comics or Marvel.
"BATMAN V. SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE" (2016) Review
Following on the heels of the success of 2013's "MAN OF STEEL", I had expected the Warner Brothers Studios to follow up with another movie about Superman, starring Henry Cavill. To my surprise, the studio had announced another movie featuring Superman, only the comic book character would be sharing top billing with another from the pages of D.C. Comics.
Warner Brothers surprised me with the announcement that their next comic book movie would feature Superman aka Clark Kent co-starring with none other than Batman aka millionaire Bruce Wayne. And the latter would be portrayed by Ben Affleck. Needless to say, I was not pleased by this announcement. I saw it as a personal insult to Cavill, who had really impressed me as the Man of Steel. And I felt that Warner Brothers could have given Affleck his own stand-alone film about the Caped Crusader, before rushing into some attempt to rush into a "Justice League of America" situation, similar to the one featuring the Avengers for Marvel Films and the Disney Studios. About a week before "BATMAN V. SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE" was due to be released in movie theaters, I read a series of reviews that literally bashed the film. Now, I have never been a major fan of director Zack Synder in the past. And I was pleased that he did not go overboard with the angst factor in "MAN OF STEEL" as he has done with his previous films. But after reading so many negative reviews . . . well, I did not expect to like this movie. However, I had to see it just to satisfy my curiousity.
"BATMAN V. SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE" began during the last events of "MAN OF STEEL". It began with billionaire Bruce Wayne aka Batman arrival in Metropolis to assist Wayne Enterprises employees caught up with the city's citizens in the destruction caused by Superman's battle against fellow Kryptonian General Zod. Unfortunately for Bruce, one of his top executives is killed and the legs of another employee named Wallace Keefe are permanently damaged from falling debris. Due to these events, Bruce begins to view Superman as a destructive threat to Earth and desires to find a way to bring down the Man of Steel. Nearly two years later, Daily Planet reporter Lois Lane is visiting a North African country to interview a political figure believed to be a terrorist. However, her interview is cut short when the men who had accompanied her kill the terrorist's men and many local villagers. Superman aka Clark Kent manages to rescue her from the terrorist, but Lois ends up feeling very disturbed by the event. But she is not the only one. Many people, including a Kentucky senator named June Finch blame Superman for the incident and like Bruce, begin to view him as a threat. Many are unaware that Metropolis' top billionaire, Lex Luthor, was behind the incident in Northern Africa. Like Bruce, he began to view Superman as a threat . . . but to his own plans and his sense of worth. Unlike Bruce, he commences upon a plan to exploit the distrust of Senator Finch and others to bring down Superman and other meta-humans of whom he has become aware.
When I first learned that Warner Brothers had decided to follow up "MAN OF STEEL" with a movie in which Superman was to share top billing with Batman, I was not thrilled. In fact, I had hoped they would do a second Superman movie. And while the movie was being shot, I was more than determined not to like this film. Reading the movie's negative reviews made me believe that disliking it would come very easy to me. And then . . . lo and behold! I ended up leaving the theater with a positive view about the film.
Mind you, "BATMAN V. SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE" was not perfect in my eyes. I had two problems with it - one major and the other minor. My minor problem with "BATMAN V. SUPERMAN" has a lot to do with my virulent dislike of Snyder's 2009 movie,"THE WATCHMEN". The director utilized a device that he had carried over from the 2009 movie - namely the use of graffiti in some scenes. I thought he had overused it in "THE WATCHMEN" and continued to do so in this film. And the graffiti only brought back unpleasant memories of the 2009 film.
My major complaint against "BATMAN V. SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE" has to do with the relationship between Batman and Lex Luthor. In one scene during the film's last half hour, Luthor revealed to Clark that he had created situations not only to slowly direct public opinion against the latter, but also Bruce Wayne, whom he knew to be Batman. Luthor figured that Batman would go after the Man of Steel and the latter would eventually kill the former. I must admit that I found this very confusing, considering that the movie never hinted that Luthor was interested in killing Bruce in the movie's first half. In fact, the Luthor Corp. files that Bruce had uploaded and Diana Prince aka Wonder Woman had stolen did not even contain any information on Batman. I had assumed that Luthor only became interested in killing Batman . . . after the latter had stolen the Kryptonite his people had discovered in the Indian Ocean and destroyed a LexCorp lab. And the movie that I had seen in a theater seemed to verify my assumption. Like I said . . .confusing!
So . . . what did I like about "BATMAN V. SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE"? Well, the story. Okay, I really enjoyed it. I liked the fact that the movie eventually promised what its title had hinted . . . a conflict between Superman and Batman that eventually led to the promise of the Justice League of America. And screenwriters Chris Terrio and David S. Goyer presented this development with a very emotional and complex tale. What I found particularly interesting is that nearly everything in this tale is a direct result of the events from "MAN OF STEEL". This was especially the case for both Bruce Wayne and Lex Luthor's hostility toward Superman. In fact, Luthor used the dead body of General Zod (courtesy of the U.S. government) to not only study Kryptonian physiology, but also create the monster Doomsday, which would prove to be a threat in the movie's final action sequence.
The movie also featured some excellent emotional development for the main characters. Again, this seemed to be the case for Clark Kent's growing despair from the public and the government's reactions to the events in Northern Africa; his disapproval toward Batman's more violent vigilante activities; the latter's anger towards the events from "MAN OF STEEL" and the heady mixture of paranoia and ego that drove Lex Luthor to investigate other meta-humans and plot against Superman.
For a movie heavy on action, it featured some interesting dramatic moments. My favorites included Clark's clashes with Daily Planeteditor-in-chief Perry White over investigating Batman's activities in Gotham City; the first meeting between Clark, Bruce and Diana Prince at a party held by Luthor in Metropolis; Bruce's lingering anger over what happened in "MAN OF STEEL"; Luthor's clashes with Senator Finch over his plans to deal with Superman; Clark's conversations with his adoptive mother Martha Kent about his activities as Superman and with the ghost of his adoptive father, Jonathan Kent; Lois Lane confrontation with Luthor before the final action began; and also, Diana and Bruce's comments on the public's fickle attitude toward Superman. The movie also featured further development of the relationship between Clark and Lois, which culminated in a very charming and sexy moment in a bathtub. I thought Sndyer handled these scenes very well, which is not surprising. He has always managed to get great performances from his actors . . . even in his movies that I dislike.
However, first and foremost, "BATMAN V. SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE" is a comic book hero film . . . an action-adventure film. And Snyder was certainly in his element as a director. This especially seemed to be the case in those scenes that featured Lois and Superman's adventures in northern Africa, Bruce's dreams about leading a group of rebels against Superman, Batman's attempt to steal the kryptonite from Luthor, his rescue of Martha from Luthor's henchmen, and the attempt to rescue both Metropolis and Gotham from Luthor's newly created monster, Doomsday.
However, one half of the movie's title is called "BATMAN V. SUPERMAN". Many movie fans and critics had dismissed the idea of an effective battle between the Man of Steel and the Caped Crusader. So did I. After all, Batman was not really a meta-human - someone with super abilities - merely a highly trained costumed crime fighter. The movie made me realize that many of us had forgotten that Bruce Wayne also had brains. Through his investigation of a Russian weapon-trafficker named Anatoli Knyazev, he learned that Luthor was not only investigating meta-humans, but had found a possible weapon against Superman. Kryptonite. By creating weapons from the kryptonite he had stolen from Luthor Corp. and a powered exoskeleton suit, Batman was able to put up a good fight against the Man of Steel. And surprisingly, their battle proved to be very effective to me . . . even if many still believe otherwise.
The other half of the movie's title was "DAWN OF JUSTICE", which hinted the beginning of the Justice League of America aka the Super Friends. I found it interesting that Bruce Wayne and Lex Luthor's reactions to the events from "MAN OF STEEL" not only led to their fear of Superman and attempts to find a way to destroy the latter, but also to hints of the forthcoming creation of the Justice League of America. It all centered around Luthor's investigation of other meta-humans and the files Bruce and Diana had found within Luthor Corp.'s computer mainframe. The file not only contained information and video clips on Diana's past as Wonder Woman during World War I, but also on Barry Allen aka the Flash, Arthur Curry aka Aquaman and Victor Stone aka Cyborg. But it was that one scene in which Superman, Wonder Woman and Batman finally decided to form a team to battle the monster Doomsday . . .
. . . that led to memories of the old ABC animated series, "SUPER FRIENDS" and its theme song going through my mind. It was a wonderful moment for me.
There was one aspect of "BATMAN V. SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE" that left a heavy imprint on my mind was the fickleness of human nature. We humans are a fickle, controlling and very selfish specie. Snyder and screenwriters Terrio and Goyer really did an excellent job in portraying those aspects of our nature through the character of Superman. I found it interesting that many viewed Superman as a savior or angel. This was apparent in the statues raised in his honor and this almost selfish demand that he serve as their savior and nothing else. I can recall one moment in which victims of a flood had left the symbol on his costume painted on their roof to attract his attention. On the other hand, there were many others viewed him as a real threat against humanity . . . even after he had saved them from General Zod's plans in "MAN OF STEEL". Both Bruce and Senator Finch blamed Superman for the destruction that had occurred in Metropolis nearly two years ago, conveniently forgetting that it was Zod's arrival on Earth that had led to that destruction. I came away with the feeling that people like Bruce, Senator Finch and Wayne Enterprises employee Wallace Keefe used Superman as a scapegoat, since the latter ended up being the last Kryptonian left standing. I do not find this surprising for using others as scapegoats is a very human thing to do. After the Congress bombing, even those who had seen Superman as a savior began to think otherwise. They did not come to this conclusion via any investigation on their parts. Superman was the last person standing and ergo, became "Suspect Number One" . . . just as he had become following Zod's death. No wonder Clark had fallen into despair and walked away for a while. And no wonder Diana had such contempt toward the public's renewed good opinion of Superman following the battle against Doomsday.
I have been talking about the plot so much that I forgot about other aspects of "BATMAN V. SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE" - namely its technical and artistic effects. I might as well start with Patrick Tatopoulos' production design. Tatopoulos did not have to create an alien world or a setting from the past. But I was impressed by his duel designs for not only the cities of Metropolis and Gotham, but also the northern African town at the movie's beginning, Washington D.C. and the damage caused by Doomsday in the two fictional cities. He had ample support from the art direction and visual effects teams. I was surprised that Zack Snyder did not use Larry Fong as cinematographer for "MAN OF STEEL". Because the latter had worked with Snyder on both "300" and "THE WATCHMEN". In a way, Fong's style, which struck me as sleek, rich in color and slightly dark, reminded me of Wally Pfister's work for many of Christopher Nolan's films. I have noticed that a good of Han Zimmer's movie scores have seemed a little heavy-handed lately. And it certainly seemed to be the case for "BATMAN V. SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE". But there were moments when that heavy-handedness seemed to mesh rather well with certain scenes, especially during those that hinted the future Justice League of America and the battle against Doomsday.
Ben Affleck became the eighth actor to portray Bruce Wayne aka Batman on screen (television or movie) and the public had not reacted well to the news of his casting. I found this astounding, considering that Affleck is a first-rate actor, who had previous experience portraying a costume hero when he played Matt Murdock aka Daredevil in the 2003 movie about the character. Affleck did an excellent job in portraying the paranoid aspects of Wayne's nature in a very intense and at times, slightly scary manner. Henry Cavill was equally effective in his continuing portrayal of Clark Kent aka Superman. The loneliness that seemed to mark his performance in "MAN OF STEEL" seemed to have been replaced by satisfaction in Clark's relationship with Lois Lane, intense determination to investigate Batman's activities and frustration with Perry White's unwillingness to allow him to embark on that investigation. My favorite scene with Cavill involved Clark's quarrel with Perry about investigating Batman. And my favorite Cavill moment was the "What the fuck is wrong with you?" expression he gave Luthor when the latter introduced him to the Doomsday monster. But following the Congress bombing, that old despair and loneliness returned in full force. When I first heard about this movie, I thought Amy Adams' role would be reduced from what it was in "MAN OF STEEL". Thankfully, my fears were abated, for not only did Lois continue to play a major role in this DC Comics universe, she also played a major role in exposing Luthor's plans and eliminating Batman's anger toward Superman. Being the consummate actress that she is, Adams did a superb job in conveying not only Lois' emotional vulnerability regarding Clark and what happened in northern Africa, but also her intelligence and determination to discover the truth.
The movie also featured an exceptional performance from Jesse Eisenberg as main villain, Lex Luthor. Not only was his movie exceptional, but also rather surprising. It was not that I thought him incapable of portraying a villain, but I just could not see him as Lex Luthor. I was wrong. He gave a fantastic performance. It seemed both subtle and overly dramatic at the same time . . . in a good way. He made Luthor seem very eccentric . . . again, in a good way. Diane Lane returned to portray Clark's adoptive mother, Martha Kent. Her portrayal of Martha struck me as rather unusual. In other comic book hero movies, maternal types like Martha tend to give speeches to the main hero in order to motivate them in serving the public. What I liked about Lane's Martha is that she was more concerned about Clark's well being and happiness than him fulfilling some destiny as a hero or savior. It may seem selfish, but it also seemed very real to me.
Gal Gadot became the first actress to portray Diana Prince aka Wonder Woman in a very long time. Ever since Lynda Carter ended her run with the ABC/CBS series in 1979, Hollywood seemed reluctant to bring the Amazonian Princess back to the screen. Thankfully, Warner Brothers, Snyder and Nolan ended that dry run by hiring Gadot for the role. And she was perfect . . . spot on. I never thought another actress could do justice to the role - except for Marvel alumni Jamie Alexander from "THOR". But Gadot was perfect and I look forward to seeing her solo movie. Jeremy Irons, to my utmost surprise, became DC Comics' new Alfred Pennyworth. His portrayal seemed so different from past performances - a little less of a servant and more of a companion for Bruce. More importantly, I really enjoyed the sardonic wit that Irons had infused into the character. But he was not the only one. Laurence Fishburne returned as Clark and Lois' boss, Daily Planet editor-in-chief Perry White. In "MAN OF STEEL", Fishburne had infused a touch of dry wit into his portrayal. In this movie, that wit was in full force and even more sharper - especially in the actor's scenes with Cavill. I really enjoyed his presence in this film. The movie also featured some excellent supporting performances from the likes of Holly Hunter, who gave a wonderfully sarcastic speech to Luthor in her portrayal of Senator June Finch; Harry Lennix, who returned as former General now Secretary Calvin Swanwick; Scoot McNairy, who portrayed Wallace Keefe, the Wayne Enterprises employee who had been crippled during Superman's battle with General Zod; and Kevin Costner, who returned with a poignant performance as the ghostly figure of Clark's adoptive father, Jonathan Kent.
To this day, I am flabbergasted by the media's negative campaign against "BATMAN V. SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE". I do not understand it . . . period. I could have understood if the movie had drawn some criticism. But this unrelenting criticism struck me as unreal . . . especially after I had seen the film. But you know what? I realize that I should not care. I saw the movie twice and I enjoyed what I had seen. Yes, "BATMAN V. SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE" (what a mouthful!) had some flaws. What movie does not? But overall, I was very pleased by this film. I like to think that I understood what director Zack Snyder, along with screenwriters Chris Terrio and David S. Goyer were trying to say. And I enjoyed the performances of the cast led by Ben Affleck and Henry Cavill very much. More importantly, I am glad that the cinematic version of the Justice League of America has finally commenced. Regardless of the opinions of others, "BATMAN V. SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE" more than satisfied me. It has become my favorite movie of 2016 and one of my favorite superhero movies of all time.
Below is a list of my top ten (10) favorite movies from the Summer of 2012. Any movies missing from this list either have not been seen by me or simply failed to impress me.TOP TEN FAVORITE MOVIES OF SUMMER 2012
1. "The Avengers" - In what probably is my favorite comic book hero movie of all time, various Marvel heroes band together to battle an alien invasion led by Thor's stepbrother, Loki. The movie featured superb writing and direction by Joss Whedon.
2. "Men in Black 3" - In this well written and entertaining addition to the MEN IN BLACK franchise, Agent J travels back to 1969 to prevent his partner Agent K from being erased from existence and prevent an alien invasion. Directed by Barry Sonnefeld, the movie starred Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones and Josh Brolin.
3. "The Bourne Legacy" - In this latest action-filled addition to the BOURNE franchise, government assassin Aaron Cross and a medical researcher evade Federal assassins after their black ops program is ended, following a political scandal. Written and directed by Tony Gilroy, the movie stars Jeremy Renner and Rachel Weisz.
4. "The Dark Knight Rises" - Christopher Nolan and Christian Bale collaborate for their exciting, yet flawed last entry in the DARK KNIGHT trilogy, in which Batman resurfaces to deal with a brutal terrorist named Bane. Tom Hardy and Anne Hathaway co-star.
5. "Snow White and the Huntsman" - In this surprisingly entertaining spin on the Snow White tale, the princess manages to convince Erik the Huntsman, who had been recruited to find her, to help her evade the evil Queen Ravenna. Directed by Rupert Friend, the movie starred Kristen Stewart, Chris Hemsworth and Charlize Theron.
6. "Lawless" - Shia La Beouf, Guy Pearce and Tom Hardy starred in this fascinating Depression era tale about three Appalachian brothers, whose bootlegging operation attract the unwanted attention of a malevolent Federal officer. Based on Matt Bondurant's 2008 novel, "The Wettest County in the World", the movie was directed by John Hilcoat.
7. "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter" - Benjamin Walker portrays the 16th U.S. president in this adaptation of Seth Grahame-Smith's novel about the political's second career as a vampire slayer. Timur Bekmambetov directed.
8. "Dark Shadows" - Johnny Depp starred as Barnabas Collins in Tim Burton's hilarious adaptation of the ABC television series about the vampire and his 20th century descendants. Michelle Pfieffer and Eva Green co-starred.
9. "The Amazing Spider-Man" - Andrew Garfield starred as the web slinger in this entertaining reboot of the Marvel Comics comic book hero. Directed by Marc Webb, Emma Stone and Rhys Ifans co-starred.
10. "Total Recall" - Colin Farrell starred in this second adaptation of Philip K. Dick's 1966 novella about a post-apocalypse worker, who discovers that he is actually a spy. Unlike many others, I enjoyed this version, which was directed by Len Wiseman and co-starred Jessica Biel and Kate Beckinsale.
