The Dark Knight Returns Part 2 (2013) Direct to DVD animated movie

Overall verdict: 8.5/10

The Good: Faithful to the source, elaborates and expands on the original comic book, superb animation and artwork, talented voice cast,

The Bad: replacing the original muted colors with a more generic animation color style, dips in animation near the end

Current Availability Status: On DVD and Blu Ray

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The animated adaptation of Frank Miller's epic classic Batman tale concludes in "The Dark Knight Returns: Part 2". Whatever made part one great makes this one just as enjoyable. The producers continue their policy of adapting 100% the critically acclaimed graphic novel while expanding on story elements that could not have been expanded upon due to a lack of space in the original 4 issues worth of comics.

Spurred on by Batman's actions in the first part, The Joker uses a clever ruse to return to crime and senseless murder. As Batman attempts to bring the increasingly chaotic city under control, numerous forces are out to get him. The Joker wants to bait him into the ultimate showdown, the Cops under a new commissioner want to arrest him, the United States Government wants to end him. All the while, a war is brewing that would tear the country apart. Driven to the brink, Batman does the unthinkable and the government brings in a red and blue secret weapon who is faster than a speeding bullet.

Easily the most powerful conclusion and the finest animated production from Warner Premiere, the whole thing looks superb. Animation is of the highest quality, rivalling that of big budget anime movies. Fight scenes are in full motion, bristling with a kinetic sense of energy and without a single short cut. All of it set to a unique score by composer Christopher Drake which combines blockbuster orchestral tunes with a futuristic noir inspired synthesizer sounds. Again, the main complaint is more with the art than the animation. Frank Miller's art is faithfully replicated but in certain scenes, the quality of the art takes a nose dive. One such scene involves superman taking on a naval fleet; the way the ships are drawn look pathetically cheap compared to the rest of the movie.

And the final fight between Superman and Batman has some laughable dips in quality too. 

Telling a story in a new medium would warrant some tweaks. For example, Fans would remember that the comic featured walls of text to give exposition and explanation. In animation, the story is expanded enough so that said exposition is not necessary. Events flow naturally into each other and scenes that were slightly confusing to the casual reader makes perfect sense: scenes like Joker's final moments, the war with the Russians, why Gotham is suddenly snowing when it was a heat wave in the first movie etc. Just one of the examples of how this movie expands and improves on the original. The only thing lacking is that Frank Miller littered his narrative with characters' inner monologues. These give us an insight into the thoughts and personality of the characters; these are also, sadly, missing. And with it goes that insight that audience could have been given.

The voice cast are just as top notch as the previous installment. Michael Emerson's Joker is oozing with a certain homoerotic creepiness, quipping in a psychotic slur. Just listen to his dialogue during his climatic hand to hand showdown with Batman, it is almost traumatising. On the downside, Peter Weller seems to gave grown a little bored of the role as Batman. His deep baritone becomes almost monotone and his inflection is.....all wrong. Just listen to that half hearted "I Am the Law" speech he gives to the ex-mutant gang. Yes the script is the same as the book, but the delivery is below expectations.

Yet with its strict adherence to the source material, this animated movie also carries over the flaws of the source material. A good number of going-ons require some suspension of disbelief. Like how does Joker get his hands on lip stick that can mind control people? How does someone make near sentient robot dolls that spew poison gas and flies and has the strength of Superman? Oh well.....

It can be said that Dark Knight Returns, when both parts are viewed as one whole movie, is a true animated epic worthy of some awards. Perhaps the slight dip in some animation quality was due to the fact that they were producing Part 2 concurrently with the "Superman Unbound" animated feature. Nevertheless, this is a solid animated feature with good production values. DC and Warner Premiere keeps topping themselves, and the next animated feature will be hard pressed to keep this level of quality. The Dark Knight Returns duology is a must watch for any comic book fan.

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Go For it: if you loved part 1

Avoid it: if Frank Miller's squarish, squat and musclebound art puts you off

Entertainment: A
Story: A-
Characters: A-
Animation: A
Art: B+
Music: A-
Voice work:A-
Replay Value: A
"Brains": B+

G I Joe Retaliation (2013) movie review

Overall verdict: 6/10

The Good: Returns to the less juvenile comic book roots of  the G I Joe story, numerous fan references to past franchise, takes itself seriously as an action movie, great cast chemistry,

The Bad: hectic cuts, franticly unclear camerawork during fights, cliched premise, too convenient plot revelations, under developed political themes, has little connection to the previous film

********************Review********************

In the near future, a crack unit of anti-terrorism specialists are framed for a crime they did not commit. A few of them promptly escape from a devastating counterattack and flee back to Washington. Still wanted fugitives under the order of the President, the remaining G I Joes must uncover the truth and clear their name. Yes there are similarities to the premise of "The Losers" and "A-Team" but G I Joe Retaliation heaps in that familiar premise with a good dose of comic book action and blockbuster thrills. However, it's loyalty to the G I Joe comic books cannot make us overlook the convoluted narrative, bland characters and overall inappropriate directing style.

Following the events of the previous film "G I Joe: Rise of Cobra", The president of the united states has been replaced with an impostor working for the clandestine terror organisation "Cobra". Working from within the system, he frames the G I Joe unit, engineers the escape of Cobra's leader, Cobra Commander, and disarms the world thus leaving them powerless against Cobra.  The remnants of the devastated G I Joe unit, led by special agent Luke Hobbs.......I mean, "Roadblock" (who is hardly any different from other characters played by Dwayne 'the rock' Johnson) attempt to clear their names by pulling John Mclane out of retirement......I mean "General Joe Coulton" (the original G I Joe played by Bruce Willis) out of retirement. In the meantime, The black power ranger and yellow power ranger go seek out the White Ranger........I mean, the ninja Snake Eyes and his apprentice Jinx seek out Cobra operative Storm Shadow in order to learn Cobra's plans.

If G I Joe: Rise of Cobra captured the spirit of the cheesy 80s era Saturday morning cartoon, G I Joe Retaliation oozes with the feel of the grittier G I Joe comic books written by Larry Hama. The tone from the get go is one of desperation and tension. The stakes are high and there is little chance of the good guys winning, yet they will pull it off somehow. Sadly, that is not necessarily a good thing. Hama was enamoured with his ninja characters and it shows here in the movie. Cutting between the Joes trying to clear their name and the ninjas on their quest to the Himalayas is like cutting between 2 very different movies.

Only the most hardcore of G I Joe comic fans will "get it". The film is littered with references to the comics (such as the Blind Master of Arashikage Clan, the look of Cobra Commander, etc) that will be lost on normal audience. Furthermore, this movie feels less like a sequel and more like a reboot of the franchise. Other than the fact that the President is a Cobra impostor, almost nothing from the previous film is present in this sequel. The G. I Joe team is no longer the Global counter terrorism organisation with a vast underground base full of high tech gizmos. They are now a normal commando unit under America's jurisdiction using conventional weapons and tactics. All these inconsistencies raises baffling questions. How did Cobra turn into this vast underground terror organisation after it was obliterated in the first movie? Why does everyone acknowledge Cobra Commander as supreme leader when in the first movie he only declares himself as "Commander" to one person (who aside from a brief cameo, never has an active role in this movie).

While the story is a bit of a mess, the screenplay by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick (writers of Zombieland) is very well written, mixing the occasional humor with down to earth banter that fits each character's personality. Dwayne Johnson works best with their script as his character of Roadblock shares such a marvellous chemistry with Channing Tatum's Duke. Jonathan Pryce shines as well playing both the President and his imposter. Sadly, the rest of the cast do not seem as invested in the story as the main leads. The bad guys seem underwhelming, the new G I Joe members Flint and Lady Jaye are overshadowed by Dwayne Johnson's screen presence and Bruce Willis is barely there. His character could have been played by anyone and it would not have made a difference. All in all, it was a good script handled badly. The narrative suffers the same fate; it has some good underlying political themes about America's international presence, attitude toward foreign intervention and nuclear disarmament. Yet these are only touch and go, never elaborated on or even satired. A little more "brains" in this blockbuster could have scored it more points.
 
"Step Up" director Jon Chu seems out of his element directing a big action blockbuster. You got some cool visuals here, especially one particular stand out battle between Cobra H.I.S.S tanks and Roadblock driving a rocket loaded "Ripsaw" assault vehicle. Seriously, this is the battle you reenacted countless times with your toys. Jon Chu manages to sap all the thrill from the combat scenes with his camerawork. His scenes are too tight and his camerawork too frantic for any of the action to shine. At least Stephan Sommers had a good grasp on how to showcase big action scenes with a good mix of wide angles and long shots. Chu loses them in blurry close ups of shoulders, elbows, and everything BUT the full action. Could it be a case of a director who is out of his element? He takes the screenplay and gives it such lousy pacing laced with a good measure of exposition. The dialogue heavy scenes seem long and drawn out. Convenient plot twists abound and one particular character has a logic defying switch of allegiance.

Tone wise, the film can never seem to decide if it is going for a more realistic feel or comic book action. You have high flying stunts on a cliff side, bullet time shootouts, over the top villainous plots to blow up cities and rule the world, high octane vehicle combat, but at the same time you have scenes of characters just shooting at each other from cover like soldiers do in real life. The ninjas got this whole "realistic touch" thing the worst. After a spectacular deflect-the-shurikens-with-bullets scene, the ninjas Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow proceed to........wrestle each other. That's right, no kung fu, no high flying kicks or lightning fast fist cuffs.

 In the end, G I Joe Retaliation comes across as an overindulgent piece of fan fiction. The creative team seems more obsessed with sticking as close to the visuals of the comic books than to give a deep, character driven narrative. Whichever "genius" got a director best known for street dancing movies and that Justin Bieber biopic to come and direct a big budget action blockbuster ought to be fired. Fans will no doubt be willing to overlook all the flaws on the single notion that it adheres closely to the source material these fans have come to love.

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Go For it: if you want a G I Joe movie adaptation that is most faithful to the famous 1980s G I Joe comic book series written by Larry Hama. Or if you like military sci fi films in general. Oh, and ninjas.
Avoid it: if you like your big budget action showcased in a clear concise manner, your stories to have more substance beneath the narrative or your sequels to at least acknowledge continuity.

Entertainment: B
Story: B-
Acting: B-
Characters: B-
Music: C+
Replay value: B-
"Brains": C-

Cloud Atlas (2013) movie review

Overall verdict: 9/10

The Good: a veritable showcase of acting talent from an all star cast, exquisite set designs, powerful interconnected stories with deep thinking themes, emotionally charged narrative, beautiful soundtrack

The Bad: non linear narrative style and thematic juxtaposition of 6 seperate stories may confuse many

*******************Review********************

Cloud Atlas is possibly one fo the trickiest movies to review. Here is a case of either you "get it" or not. It is by no means a typical drama. Here is a movie that encompasses so much of the emotional spectrum, transcending the very genre of what a movie is meant to be like.

The Wachowskis (creators of the Matrix Trilogy) deliver yet another thinking man's mind bomb via this narratively faithful but structurally different adaptation of David Mitchell's award winning novel. In the novel, each of the 6 interconnected stories are presented as a tale within a tale; the first story taking place in 18th century is presented as a lost diary that the protagonist of the second story finds. Likewise the second story is presented as a series of letters read by a supporting character in the 3rd story. What the Wachowski siblings do instead is present the stories as running parallel to each other, joined by thematic similarities within their narrative. Themes of love, loss, hope, despair, revelation, rebellion, defeat and triumph connect the scenes from each story which in themselves influence on another.

Yes, those initiated to non-sequential storytelling would be left lost. Each story follows a set genre style too. At one moment we follow a 19th century lawyer named Adam Ewing on his journey home to england from america, his fateful choice involving a stowaway slave.. The next we hop to 1936 as Robert Frobisher, a bisexual aspiring musician starts working on his masterpiece, the "Cloud Atlas Sextet" while his mentor seeks to claim credit for it. Then we get a great tribute to pulp spy thrillers in 70s and see the exploits of reporter Luisa Rey as she tries to uncover a conspiracy involving nuclear research and runs into some people seeking to silence her. Punctuating these more serious stories is the present day comedic ordeal of elderly Michael Cavendish as he is tricked into "incarceration" at a spartan nursing home and how he continually tries to find a way to escape.From the present to the far future, a clone slave named Somni bears witness to untold horrors in a so called Utopian world, thus fueling a rebel movement through the power of the media. And finally, during earth's last days, an era where cannibals rule the land, one unlikely couple seeks to escape their fate.

For fans of the Wachowskis' work, there are many similarities with this and the Matrix.  In all those stories, the central theme involves an imposed restriction and how an individual tries to break out from that restriction. Their act of defying the status quo would echo in the years to come and live on to inspire other such acts. Similar scenes are thus thematically juxtaposed and infused with bits of philosophy, not unlike The Matrix trilogy. Slavery, a desire for the truth, breaking free, futile rebellion, defeat but ultimately vindication. That similarity is most apparent in the Somni story, which could just as well be "The Matrix ver 2.0". With startling special effects, tremendous amount of thought which went into replicating the environments, tone, clothing and designs of each unique time period.

The all star cast brings their "A" game to screen delivering award winning performances. Even though we have so many characters to follow, the emotional connection is formed almost immediately.  Adding an element of fun to this movie is the ongoing game of "guess that face", as the actors play multiple roles across the various time periods. Sometimes they even play against type and against gender. Accompanying this time spanning epic is a emotionally powerful music score by Tom Tykwer, Johnny Kilmek and Reinold Heil. It is a simple melody which, like the movie, is performed in a variety of styles that matches the tone and time period of the scene.

Cloud Atlas will draw you in and thrill you as much as baffle you. One can only hope that the DVD or blu-ray release comes with both this ingeniously structured theatrical cut and "regular cut" which places the stories in chronological order (for those who can't follow flashback/flashforwards). With all the spectacle of a big budget blockbuster and the overall feel of a complex artsy film, Cloud Atlas is ambitious in challenging the norms of filmaking. Hopefully, its success will inspire generations to come.

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Go For it: if you like complex movies that challenges you to think

Avoid it: if non-linear storytelling gives you a headache or if you dont like to think that much into movies

Entertainment: A

Story: A-
Acting: A

Characters: A

Music: B

Replay value: A

"Brains": A-

Wreck-It Ralph (2012) CGI movie review

Overall verdict: 9/10

The Good: seamless blend of multiple art styles, solid characterisations, emotionally rich narrative, nostalgia laden setting and soundtrack, heart warming underlying themes, numerous video game references and cameos

The Bad: CGI seems mediocre at times considering the movie's high budget

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When the lights go off at Litwak's Arcade, it's just the end of another day on the job for all the video game characters.  Like any working stiff after a days work, they go home and party, visit friends, chill at a bar. Using Game Central Station, characters can leave their own game and live their lives until the Arcade reopens the next day. One such life is that of Wreck-It Ralph, the "villain" in the game "Fix-It Felix Jr". Having become disenfranchised with never getting the love and recognition the "good guy" does, Ralph decides to leave his game and enter another game to win a medal hoping that doing so would finally win him acceptance among the other characters in his game. He journeys through Game Central, to a "First person shooter" game called "Hero's Duty" where he unwittingly unleashes a "psy bug" virus into another game, a kart racing game called "Sugar Rush". Along the way, he interacts with well known video game characters, unwillingly causes a near disaster, uncovers a hidden conspiracy and finally finds acceptance in a most unlikely friend. 

 

Wreck It Ralph is to video games what Toy Story is to children's playthings.  The story itself feels familiar; we've seen variations of this family friendly, all ages appeal type of story in many previous films from disney and pixar, just in a different narrative setting. Yet director Rich Moore (better known as director of many Simpsons episodes) present this tale in an ingenious and fresh way. He cleverly uses the CGI format to tap into the boundless imagination and joy that one finds in video gaming. Some of the characters even move in that jerky fashion as seen in old games and designs span the whole gamut of evolving styles from cartoony retro to stylised modern. There is a smart play on irony here too: real life gamers play games to escape, to become another character that they are not in real life, and yet the characters themselves are unable to do that since they are programmed to be who they are and nothing can change that. Escape from reality is precisely what Ralph tries to do.  

Key to the appeal of the movie is it's characters. Although lacking in "A-list" hollywood cast members, the voice acting is top notch. Every role is infused with that much personality and emotion that, like any good movie, you forget about actors or their roles and just see these characters as characters. Ralph himself is very easy to relate to; the outcast misfit trying to gain acceptance and to come to terms with a purpose for which to use his talents. Not surprisingly, this sounds like the stereotypical profile of the big sized socially inept gamer boy. Another perspective is that he represents the adult reality; a working stiff who has grown jaded of his job and just wants to escape into another game world. Along the way he meets the annoying Venelope Von Schweets who is the very definition of the word "brat". Yet Venelope herself is a character with many layers and below the rude bratty exterior lies a little girl who, like Ralph, just seeks acceptance for who she is. her happy go lucky nature easily represents the inner child without a care in the world yet forced to grow up under less than ideal circumstances. Ralph and Venelope play off each other with perfect chemistry, allowing for one truly heart wrenching scene near the movie's climax. 

Cheeky pokes on video game genre stereotypes and at how gaming has evolved through the years. From the simple pleasures of 8-bit platformers to cutsey kart racers to high definition badass First Person Shooters (FPS). Even the characters within those games are parodied. For example, Sgt Tamora, a character in the FPS Hero's Duty gets a tragic backstory so common in such characters. Fix It Felix Jr speaks in an overly polite style with dated slang, further highlighting his game's retro status. Special mention goes to the music score by Henry Jackman who combines orchestra with electronic synths. It goes from a purely electronic simple melody for the retro games, segues into j-pop inspired tunes for the candy inspired Sugar Rush kart game and even lampoons the heavy metal style music in science fiction FPS games. 

There is something truly nostalgic here and it is just oozing from the art style, the music, the very concept of the show. The film's only shortcoming is it's animation which looks surprisingly mediocre considering it's 165 million dollar budget. Perhaps a lot of the money went into buying the rights to use characters in cameos like Zangief and Bison from Street Fighter, Sonic the Hedgehog, PAC Man, and other famous video game characters. Another let down is the misleading advertising campaign. Posters and wallpaper featuring all these famous characters walking next to Ralph, or even featured more prominently than the true main protagonists, implying that their role in the film will be a substantial one. Alas, all we get are cameos that never last beyond a minute.

Yet something about the story just tugs on the heartstrings of the inner child. Gaming adults and pop culture enthusiasts will have a thrilling time picking out all the little references and homages while children and children at heart will be amazed by the colorfully creative repackaging of a familiar story. The game world is a world of unlimited potential. Who knows if we might see Ralph, Venelope and their friends move beyond the arcade and into the world of internet Cyber gaming! Now THAT calls for a sequel and fast!

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Go For it: if you want to see what could possibly be the best video game movie that is not actually based on a video game, if you love heartwarming tales of friendship and if your inner child craves something to take you back to simpler days of youth
Avoid it: if you never did like family friendly animated stories in the first place.


Entertainment: A
Story: A
Characters: A
Animation: B-
Art: A
Music: A
Voice work: A
Replay Value: A
"Brains": C+

Starship Troopers: Invasion (2012) direct-to-video animation review

Overall verdict: 6/10

The Good: Visually captivating designs, top notch Computer graphics for a modest budget, unrelenting action, professional voice cast

The Bad: little character development, messy story narrative, generic stock characters, lacks any of the clever underlying themes of its predecessors, relies too much on eye candy.

Current Availability Status: on DVD in local shops. Blu-ray available online

**********************Review********************

The Arachnid Bugs are back but not in some second rate low budget Direct-to-video movie. This time the Starship Troopers franchise explodes onto screen as an R-Rated, cutting edge CGI feature film from the director of Appleseed Ex Machina and Halo Legends. The result is the beautifully animated but ultimately shallow STARSHIP TROOPERS: INVASION. At very least, this movie has learned from previous mistakes and manages to be decent entertainment fare with enough action and eye candy to thrill all.

Although in CGI, this is not a continuation of the critically acclaimed "Roughnecks: Starship Trooper Chronicles" CGI TV series. Instead, it is a continuation of the movie series that started with Paul Verhoven's first film and continued in two direct to DVD live action movies.

A big plus,especially for fans of the franchise, is that the characters from the first Starship Troopers movie return and play major roles in the story. Johnny Rico, Carmen Ibanez and Carl Jenkins are now seasoned veterans with Rico now a general leading his "Marauder" Mech squad (introduced in Starship Troopers 3), Ibanez a fleet captain and Jenkins the ever secretive head of paranormal warfare. Sadly, STARSHIP TROOPERS: INVASION relies too much on tying into the previous movies that it is barely able to stand on its own.

No introductions or character development are given to the returning characters. A cast of new characters are featured but none of them go beyond your typical "hard edged space marine squad" stereotype characters. There is the token Asian character who (surprise surprise) practices kung fu, big tough African American, the tough chick and the quiet gal for sexy factor, strong silent hero, the list goes on. At least the voice cast does a top notch job that is only limited by the mediocre script which only calls for wannabe "tough talk".

The story also starts off in a complete mess with a Mobile Infantry taskforce sent to evacuate Fort Casey, a base overrun by the Bugs. Carl appears with a secret weapon and with no explanation steals a ship, Captain Ibanez takes another ship and goes in pursuit, a Bug Queen is introduced, our main squad tries to retake the first ship and people die. No one knows the characters motivations or their personalities aside from the superficial characterizations. Beyond that, newcomers who are not familiar with the franchise would just be lost among the jargon, the characters who all just seem to know each other without any introduction to who they are or a recap on what they had gone through in the past together. The film's main mistake is grounding itself too strongly in what has come before and thus making the film near inaccessible to newcomers to the franchise.

If it is not the convoluted heap of a story that would win over viewers, it is definitely the action and the visuals. STARSHIP TROOPERS INVASION brings back the powered suits and the mechs that were featured in the original novel but absent from the first movie. Not only is this movie the closest one can get to the book in terms of the Federation's weapons and tactics, but it looks awesome too. The CGI featured in this film is nowhere near the big budget Pixar movies, but it gives Final Fantasy Advent Children and Resident Evil Damnation a run for their money in terms of visual splendor. Hair flows, movements are smooth, and the filming style mimics that of live action movies, thus making the CGI look a lot better than it really is. The movie truly earns its R rating with bloody dismemberment, gore and even explicit nudity.

 Yes, more explicit than this.

 Battles are rapid, tight and epic; they would have definitely required a budget higher than the previous 3 movies combined if they were in live action. All this is set to a soundtrack score by Tetsuya Takahashi who successfully incorporates themes from the previous Starship Troopers movies.

Leave it to the Japanese to be able to visualize Starship Troopers right. Ironic in that Starship Troopers (the novel) was highly influential in the creation of the "Real Robot" genre first popularized by Mobile Suit Gundam. But like previous Japanese CGI projects, style overpowers substance and no amount of visual beauty, creative directing or eye candy can excuse a confusing, convoluted mess of a story with none of deeper themes that its predecessors had nor the complete lack of character development. Watch this purely for the action, the visuals and maybe that one nudity scene.

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Go For it: if you are a fan of starship troopers and would like to see the film franchise continued in a new, visually astounding medium. Or if you liked japanese CGI productions like Appleseed and Final Fantasy
Avoid it: if you yearn for the dark humor and clever political themes of the original Starship Troopers movie as there are none here, or if you prefer character development over character nudity and dismemberment.

Entertainment: B+
Story: C-
Characters: B-
Animation: A-
Art: A
Music: B+
Voice work (english): A-
Replay Value: B
"Brains": D

The Dark Knight Returns Part 1 (2012) Direct to DVD animated movie

Overall verdict: 9/10

The Good: Faithful to the source, elaborates and expands on the original comic book, superb animation and artwork, talented voice cast,

The Bad: replacing the original muted colors with a more generic animation color style

Current Availability Status: DVD and Blu rays in stores now

******************************Review********************

 

One of the most beloved Batman tales finally gets the animation treatment. So influential was Frank Miller’s “The Dark Knight Returns” that it inspired Tim Burton and Christopher Nolan when they were crafting their live action Batman movies, as well as the 1990s Batman animated series (which gave birth to an entire universe of DC animated shows). Warner decided to split the tale, originally spread over 4 issues, into 2 movies. Turns out that it was an excellent decision which not only successfully adapted the first half of Frank Miller’s epic, but added layers to the story and characters that the limited page count of the graphic novel could not leave in. 

 

Rarely does an adaptation surpass the original source material. But Dark Knight Returns part 1 is just such an example of an animated movie that is not only true to its source material, but expands upon it. The original was great; the animated adaptation makes it better. The story will sound familiar to anyone who watched Christopher Nolan’s “The dark Knight Rises”. It has been years since Batman went into retirement. Billionaire Bruce Wayne now drifts from day to day hoping that the people of Gotham can take care of themselves. But now, a new threat emerges: The Mutants. A vast gang of street thugs led by their grotesque but incredibly strong and savage leader. Despite his age, Bruce is forced to become Batman once again to save his city. But can the aging crime fighter stand up to a threat that is faster, stronger and more powerful than he has ever been?  And what happens when Batman comes face to face with his old nemesis Two-Face?

Beyond the narrative lies a thorough deconstruction of the Batman character, especially when played opposite the two main villains, Two Face and the Mutant Leader. Both villains serve as a dark reflection of Batman himself. Like Two Face, Bruce Wayne and Batman are presented as two separate personalities fighting for control. But is Batman truly just a mask Bruce wears? Or is it the other way around? And as for the mutant leader, both he and Batman operate as a symbol to inspire others to action. One a symbol of chaos and crime, the other a symbol of hope and justice. But if the mutant leader’s extreme acts can rouse Batman to return to vigilantism, so too can Batman’s actions rouse criminals to return to their old ways (as one character claims in the story).

The characters are brought to life by a fine voice cast who nail their roles perfectly. Peter Weller of Robocop fame takes the role of Batman; a role that may comes across as a monotone baritone at first. But Weller infuses Batman’s voice with nuance and subtlety which fits the character well. The only downside is that despite wanting to show a dichotomy between Batman and Bruce Wayne, Weller uses the same tone of voice throughout the whole movie; Compared to previous voice actors, like Kevin Conroy, who used different speech patterns and tones for Wayne and Batman.

A lot of deep themes about the nature of heroism vs vigilantism abound in this tale, all of which were in the original comic but just expanded upon in the animation medium. On that note, the animation presented here is the perfect balance of fluidity and art detail. Iconic frames, memorable battles and atmospheric scenes are replicated faithfully. Movie goers will be able to see many scenes that Nolan’s Batman trilogy lifted from THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS, including a fight scene illuminated intermittently by a gun’s muzzle flash. Its only downside is that Warner decided to use its generic color palate rather than replicate the muted tones and heavy grays colored by Lynn Varley in the original artwork.

 

Fans would be pleased at how true to the original this is and how it expands on the original, smoothening out the rough edges while adding a whole new dimension to the characters. The action is intense and beautifully animated, accompanied by an epic score by Christopher Drake. This is a true ADAPTATION that does not translate the comic wholesale but translates the comic while making full use of the animated movie medium.

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Go For it: if you want to see the all time favorite batman classic masterfully adapted to animation with top notch voices, action and well developed characters
Avoid it: if you never liked the source material in the first place


Entertainment: A
Story: A
Characters: A
Animation: A
Art: A-
Music: B+
Voice work: A
Replay Value: A
"Brains": B+

Dredd (2012) movie review

Overall verdict: 8/10

The Good: Awesome visual experience despite modest budget, fast paced plot that maintains sense of tension, "no nonsense" protagonist, straightforward action narrative, intensely violent combat scenes, stays true to the spirit of the original comic

The Bad: plot feels like a generic special forces raid/crime film,  lack of more subtle underlying themes, much superficial thrills with little depth

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The world slows, colors are more vibrant, words are pin sharp, everything is more brilliant. No it is not the ad for the new iPad but the effects of the drug “Slo-Mo”. One experiences a moment of true beauty and wonder; a fleeting moment that feels like an eternity until the “Slo-Mo drug wears off and you are snapped back to a harsh painful reality. Reality is a scorched earth with the remnants of humanity crammed into the overpopulated “Mega-City One”. Reality is rampant crime and chaos; the death of a man is a common occurrence that is treated with as much dignity as taking out the garbage. In this grim reality order is maintained by the Judges: futuristic police given the authority to judgment without trial be it a year in an isolation cell or a death sentence. Most notably among them, is the mysterious Judge Dredd (Karl Urban).

Resolute, unwavering, and seemingly devoid of bias, pity or empathy, Dredd represents the strict and uncompromising law that he serves; a law that is just as extreme as the criminals he deals with. On a routine training assessment for rookie Judge Cassandra Anderson (Olivia Thirlby), Dredd and Anderson end up at the notorious “Peach Trees” mega block: 200 floors of slums controlled by a gang run by a sadistic drug lord “Ma-Ma” (Lena Headley). When the Judges capture one of Ma-Ma’s head henchmen, she locks down the entire block and orders the death of both Dredd and Anderson. The sentence for the attempted murder of a Judge is death; a sentence that Dredd is more than happy to carry out. It is guns-a-blazing action as Dredd and Anderson blast their way up the Mega Block, going up against enemies within and without toward their ultimate goal of dispensing justice.

For fans of the original comic, one would say that this movie does to Judge Dredd what Christopher Nolan did for Batman. This “Nolan-ised” Judge Dredd sports a uniform more akin to modern day Special Forces gear than his comic book get-up. Gone are the aliens, robots, hover bikes and space ships. This is a future that is grounded in our current reality. Other than the presence of the Mega Blocks, the city wall and the Judges’ Hall of Justice, Mega-City One is your standard crowded metropolis of today with familiar architecture.

Yet the movie succeeds in remaining true to the spirit, heart and soul of the concept and the character (a lot more so than the  1995 Judge Dredd movie starring Sylvester Stallone). Karl Urban IS Dredd. His mannerisms, body language and voice are a perfect fit for this faceless lawman of the future. All the other roles are played so well that you forget about the actors and just see them as the characters they are. This proves once again that one does not need big name actors to make a good movie, just good actors. .

Director Pete Travis and his team manage to find the perfect balance between no-holds-barred action and quiet lulls between the gunfire. At no point does the movie drag; the “talk time” serves to flesh out the characters and build up tension which is then released in the many stylish shootouts. Accompanying the carnage is a synth rock soundtrack by composer Paul Leonard Morgan. In this age of loud bass, heavy percussions and grand orchestral movie scores, it is refreshing to hear DREDD’s synth soundtrack. The composer weaves a familiar heavy metal and electronic rock sound that is agile beyond belief; going from intense pulse pounding to match the action scenes to an ethereal and surreal feel for the “Slo-Mo” scenes.

On that note, DREDD is one movie that turns slow motion into a true work of art.  Drops of water shimmer like diamonds as they fall, smoke billows like clouds in heaven. This creative cinematography and use of special effects make the slow motion scenes stand out from other abusers of slow motion filming such as Paul WS Anderson’s Resident Evil retribution.  

DREDD is able to prevent itself from being a typical “all action no brains” movie. Within its narrative lies unique characters, a frightful vision of our possible future and a small snicker of satire. Its fast paced plot, grim protagonist and gritty violence hearkens back to the golden age of the 80s action films while its creative cinematography matches that of high concept arts films.The bottom line is, everything from the visuals, the story, the music and the characters fit together to produce one magnificent adaptation of the beloved UK comic book.

Truly a rare diamond in the rough amidst the run-of-the-mill modern action flicks. And  despite critical acclaim, DREDD is no doubt destined to be serverely underrated by box office takings.

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Go For it: if you yearn for the days where action heroes were strong, tough and more than glad to fulfil their violent purpose with extreme prejudice or if you love easy-to-follow "Cops and Guns-a-blazing" movies.
Avoid it: if you expect deep philosophical, political or social themes such as in "The Dark Knight Rises" or if you demand a strict adherance to the original comic book's outlandish setting and style

Entertainment: A
Story: B+
Acting: A
Characters: A
Music: A-
Replay value: A
"Brains": C-