By Bryson Beach
Haha! I’m back! Baltimore Bob hasn’t given me the pink slip after my first mess of an entry! Boy, did he create a monster. Before I start, I just want to toot my own horn (“If you don’t put yourself over, no one will”). This past Thursday at Great Flood Brewing, a fine establishment located on 2120 Bardstown Rd in Louisville, my trivia team dominated and reigned victorious in Seinfeld theme night. I’d like to say this was all my doing, but one of my teammates in particular knew everything. You win as a team fortunately, so go me! [Editor's Note: Bryson currently holding the Shameless Plug Belt].
Now, back to business. Sticking with the comic book/superhero theme this week as I returned back to my hometown {for Easter} to watch Batman vs Superman. When the title was first announced however long ago, I was excited. Very excited. I actually enjoyed Man of Steel, and Batman is one of my favorite heroes (a list with Luke Cage, Gambit, and Black Panther amongst others). [REDACTED, Editors Note: WOAH Bryson! This is a family friendly blog! I will relay to the readers that your excitement lowered upon hearing of the casting of Ben Affleck and Jesse Eisenberg.]
Despite what I assumed were questionable casting decisions, I remained optimistic. Then the critical reviews came. Lawd have mercy. The movie must have been brutal, terrible, atrocious, and any other negative adjective known to man! I went from 100 to 0 real quick (Sorry, Drizzy). My previous optimism was only restored Friday morning when a co-worker raved about his opening night experience and got me feeling as a giddy as an adolescent getting their first kiss. Before I knew it, it was seven o’clock on Easter Eve and I had a cold Icee (still waiting Leslie!) in my hand, ready to take it in.
Some spoilers after this point! Proceed with caution! [Editor's Note: I'm going to hold off on reading/editing the rest of this one until I see the movie. I hereby acquit myself of any responsibility if Bryson says something offensive or racist, or endorses Trump on behalf of the blog. Proceed with caution indeed!]
I’m still working on an exact science and format on how to do these, so please be patient with your boy. We’ll see how the feedback goes with this trial. I enjoyed this film and I am completely baffled by the negative reviews from critics. Is there an agenda? Did the director rub someone the wrong way? I’m not saying this film is on the pedestal the Dark Knight or First Avengers film should be on, but it does not belong anywhere near the comedy hall that Final Four or the Green Lantern have been relegated to.
Now, as I hinted the film had its imperfections. Something that bothered me out of the gates of this tremendously long (2 ½ hours!) film was the way it jumped around early on. I understand Mr. Snyder was trying to build towards something greater but we get 5 minutes with a tormented Bruce Wayne here, a second with Lex there, then 7 with Lois Lane. I could follow what was going on, but I felt some things could have been consolidated a bit better. That’s not being a nit-pickier either.
The jumping around from many short scenes was likely done to cram as much in as possible. After an email conversation with Baltimore Bob and crabicurious correspondent Zack Hubbard, it dawned on me that the director really had to throw the kitchen sink at the movie. The audience, hell, the world, is familiar with Batman and his story, and Man of Steel re-introduced us to Clark Kent’s rise, but I doubt everyone is as well-versed in Aquaman, The Flash, Cyborg, or even Wonder Woman’s story. The director also had the task of building up Lex Luthor as he was absent from Man of Steel. I’ve read criticisms of the movie critical of making the movie feel like it was just a big vehicle to establish the future justice league project. I think that’s lazy writing. We did get a glimpse at our future team, but it was done as a complement to the film’s plot. Unfortunately, I doubt someone less aware (the majority) of the DCU than myself may have felt lost at some points.
When you think of Jesse Eisenberg do you think of Zombie land or The Social Network? I couldn’t shake these images from my head going in, but I tried my damnest to give him a fair shake. After watching the movie, I have to say he did an excellent job as the intelligent, quirky, psychotic genius bad guy. He was believable this role and quite the foil to the serious tone of the movie. BUT, this isn’t the correct depiction of Lex Luthor. In all other media I’ve read or watched, I’ve known Lex to be a lot more calculating, reserved, conniving, and dare I say regal. Lex Luthor has also been known to be a pretty in athletically build guy physically. I am not the one who needs to call anyone out on their physique (I’m just more to love if we’re being honest), but maybe I am calling out the casting directors. If I didn’t know any better, it felt like Eisenberg was directed to be Joker-lite. It bothered me the entire time, and I couldn’t let go of it. A villain by any other name would have been sweeeeeeeet.
Eisenberg’s performance may have been confusing, but I have to eat my words on another performance. Batfleck was dope! Playing the grizzled veteran Bruce Wayne/Bat of Gotham provoked thoughts of Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns incarnation. Also, the Bostonian definitely worked to get in tip top shape for the role. His mannerisms, facial expressions, and illusion of reality were all on fleek! (Wait, kids aren’t saying that anymore, right?).
Batman works and flourishes in the dark setting DC is known for. I felt like the dark tones of the cinematography and storyline were perfect. We have a world that cannot reach a consensus on Superman anymore, despair, destruction, and see our heroes humanized through self-doubt, mirages, and Dark Knightmares (see what I did there?). There was subtle humor when needed, but it stayed rather serious, which fit perfectly.
The conclusion of the movie gave me chills. [My excitement returned] when Gal Gadot (aka bae) join The World’s Finest in the final battle against Doomsday. The music was epic, the fighting was enthralling, and the ending was fitting, if not predictable. It should be no surprise, but all of the fighting was superb. The scene in which Batman takes on the goons holding Martha Kent hostage made me want to replay the Arkham trilogy as he showed the savagery and martial arts skill needed to accomplish his goal was fantastic. The fight we get between the two main characters was even better. It gets a bravo from me, even if some of the writing and psychology behind Lex’s plan was a little broken.
The acting was very solid, even if the directive was misguided in Luthor’s case. The movie was dark as it should have been, and we got a glimpse at so much more from the DC Cinematic Universe. Could Brainiac or Darksied be on the way? Will we get the Flashpoint Paradox storyline? Injustice: Gods Among Us? Possibilities are set in place. The cramming and Lex Luthor mistake aside, this was a very good movie that did more than enough to set the tone for what will be DC’s own universe. The company is usually undefeated in their animated features dating back to Batman: Mask of Phantasm, but now it appears they’re back on the right track with feature films (The Dark Knight trilogy not withstanding)
3 out of 4 Crabs!