Arrow S1/E05: "Damaged" Review

Arrow has been a certifiable hit for The CW, and "Damaged", the series' fifth episode, makes a pretty good case as to why. Picking up where the previous episode left off, Oliver has been arrested for being "the Hood" (what a ridiculous notion) by Detective Lance, who is not keeping his personal feelings separate from his work. As always, spoilers ahead.

Oliver's stint as a vigilante may be at an end as he had been caught on camera with some of his Green Arrow-gear...or not, most likely not, especially since getting caught is all a part of his larger plan. Flashing back to his time on the island, the show reveals the first time he shot an arrow (badly), how he met Deathstroke and recieved some of his first scars (painfully), and indicates that the Oliver of the old was not completely the selfish cad he had been indicated to be. In the present, however, Oliver has drafted Laurel as his defense attorney (despite the six or seven conflicts of interest) and is planning to throw a prison-themed party while under house-arrest. Meanwhile, Walter is uncovering some of his wife's dirty secrets, Moira is still dealing with the cryptic "well dressed man", Thea is becoming suspicious of Oliver, and Diggle dawns the hood while Oliver is trapped at home.

The series, though still maintaining a villain of the week, seems to be moving towards a more a serialized narrative. The focus in this episode is on character progression, with the taking down of a nasty arms dealer seeming to be more of an afterthought than anything. The only major character actually not receiving any sort of legitimate development is Tommy, who is onscreen only briefly. The episode's A-plot is predictable, though solidly handled, but the subplots are more surprising, which keeps the episode tense throughout.

The episode also addresses some issues with the characters I had noted from the previous episodes, and new wrinkles to characters at risk of becoming stale. Laurel has finally asked if Oliver suffered like she did during the five years he was on the island (he definitely did), which, for a character seemingly quite intelligent and compassionate, was overdue. Thea has become legitimately skeptical of Oliver's story, and appears to be researching the arrowhead "trinket" Oliver gave her, despite his assurances that it was bought at the airport. In addition, Moira may not be the villain she originally appeared and Walter seems to be a legitimately good fellow (which was a nice surprise). And maybe most importantly, this episode establishes that Diggle is going to be a partner, and not a sidekick: he had very little trouble donning the hood and stopping an arms deal all by himself.

Two of the highlights of "Damaged" were the fight scenes between Oliver's island mentor and a silent Deathstroke, as well as between Oliver and an assassin sent to take him out. The fight choreographer deserves special praise for the sequences: they lack the fast cuts and use of stunt doubles so common in television hand to hand sequences. There is also some good attention to detail: Oliver and Lao Fei, his mentor, both use a couple of the same moves during their bouts.

The acting on the show has improved as the characters have become more fleshed out, particularly the performance of Stephen Amell as Oliver Queen. Amell, who I had thought a bit wooden, ably plays the different versions of Oliver: the naive and immature Oliver of five years ago, the brutal and confident vigilante Oliver, and the light-hearted, slightly withdrawn Oliver he presents to his family and the world. Katie Cassidy, as Laurel, does good-work, though she tends towards the melodramatic. Willa Holland, as Thea, is doing a good job with the limited screen time she gets and Paul Blackthorne is solid in the somewhat thankless role of Detective Lance.

Arrow is improving as it goes, and considering it was good to start with, the CW may have something special on their hands should they keep up the good work.

8/10

Additional Notes:

• Laurel: "Ah, yes. I wore those horrible fishnets." (if only she knew the outfits to come)
• Oliver: "You know us billionaire vigilantes, we do love our toys."

National Comics: Madame X #1 Review

Note: I love the cover art (except for the ad)

Truthfully, going into this one-and-done issue I had very little idea who Madame X(anadu) is - I just had vague recollections of an appearance on an episode of a television show I had watched - however, after reading National Comics: Madame X #1 from writer Rob Williams and artist Trevor Hairsine, I feel that I now possess a somewhat decent grasp on the character that is presented. 

This New Orleans based issue focuses on a murder mystery involving a dead mayoral candidate, a zombie, and a fair bit of voodoo mysticism. Madame X, Nima to those who know her, is a disgraced former stage psychic (think Zatanna with less fishnets) with legitimate tarot-based precognitive abilities working with a law firm to help prove their clients' innocence. 

The plotting and writing in this issue is top notch, if a bit rushed near the conclusion, and develops Madame X's strange little world rather well considering the restraints inherent to the one-shot format. Rob Williams does an excellent job of providing all of the necessary details about Madame X in the single issue, though her characterization can feel a bit shallow at times. The only real complaints I have about the story-line is the unnecessary, though surprising, cliffhanger and the slightly, but not terribly, abrupt manner in which the issue's central mystery is resolved.

The art by Trevor Hairsine, while a bit rough for my tastes, fits the issue's story and tone very well and creates a very atmospheric visual experience on the whole. The colors done by Antonio Fabela are definitely owed much for helping to create the book's "feel" with certain scenes, like those in the swamps, being legitimately eerie in large part due to the coloration. One minor gripe that I had with this issue's art is that in images with closeups of faces, the eyes seemed to be a touch out of proportion.

On the whole, this one-shot put out by DC is well worth picking up and manages to provide a good introduction to the character and her world. Despite this, I can't help but feel that this issue reads like a pilot episode (complete with the episodic format and a spunky law firm based heroine) that will sadly never get picked up for a series. 

8/10

Additional Notes:

• I believe that this issue is completely out of continuity with the rest of the DC universe, considering there are, apparently, already two books featuring Madame Xanadu already put out on a monthly basis.
• The cover done by Fiona Staples is visually striking and well done, and I will definitely pay attention to her work henceforth.

Batman: The Movie (1966)

Years before the Christopher Nolan Batman films there were the Tim Burton Batman films; years before the Tim Burton Batman films there was this: 1966's gloriously campy and compulsively watchable Batman: The Movie.  Directed by Leslie H. Martin, it stars Adam West as Batman and Burt Ward as Robin the Boy Wonder in addition to a (pardon this, I am in the mood for wordplay) fearsome foursome of foes: the Joker, the Riddler, the Penguin, and Catwoman.  Sporting a incoherent plot and holy-let's-just-go-with-it-Batman attitude, it stands in stark contrast to the much darker and grittier Nolan films and serves as an example of how to properly do a campy superhero movie (take note, Joel Schumacher).

The plot of the film involves the standard superhero plot: deadly villains, theme gadgets, and a taking-the-world-hostage sort of evil scheme.  Batman and Robin answer an urgent cry to save a stolen ship (with deadly new invention aboard) and end up battling a shark (mid-air) while the ship apparently disappears.  Following vague clues, they manage to deduce that the scheme has been formulated by the Penguin, the Joker, the Riddler, and Catwoman (Burgess Meredith, Cesar Romero, Frank Gorshin, and Lee Meredith).  The villains hatch a plan to lure Batman to them by having Catwoman, under the guise of the Russian Miss Kitka, seduce a millionaire and, through kidnapping him, bait Batman.  Naturally, the millionaire chosen is none other than Bruce Wayne, Batman's alter-ego.  Being the ladies man he is, he deems the seductive "Kitka" worthy of (actual dialogue) "International Relations."  He promptly escapes their grasp and seeks to stop there dastardly scheme.  The specifics of the scheme are not important, some key points are as follows: a billion dollars, a penguin-based submarine, and a means of dehydrating world leaders.

The plot of the film, though clearly ridiculous, is ideal for the campy tone and is utterly hilarious when viewing the final product.  The scheming done by the four antagonists is so out-there and incomprehensible it would make the writers of the James Bond films starring Roger Moore blush.  All that being said, the writing of the film is so ridiculous and over-the-top that it becomes endearing.  "What is six ounces, sits in a tree, and is extremely dangerous? A sparrow with a machine gun."  By the end of the film the Riddler's ridiculous riddles, such as that one, that Batman and Robin solve with apparent ease, almost make sense, almost.  For this, the writers must be given credit, nothing except for good writing could account for such a miraculous and shocking thing.

The acting of the film is excessive, hammy, and unbelievably fun to watch.  As our caped crusaders, Adam West and Burt Ward embrace the material with a veracity that inspires not a small amount of awe, and not a small amount of pity.  The quartet of villains also go hammy and generally succeed in doing so; though they are not quite as successful as one would hope.  Of the four, only Lee Meriwether as Catwoman really stands out.  The other three villainous roles seem as if they could have been condensed into one without losing much of their effect.  Meriwether replaced Julie Newmar (who appeared as Catwoman on the television series) and she created the cat-suit that was to be filled when Michelle Pfeiffer would slip into it over thirty-five years later.

Another facet of the film that must be mentioned is the amount of bat-gadgets that are in the film.  I counted four different vehicles used by the Dynamic Duo: the Bat-Mobile, the Bat-Copter, the Bat-Cycle, and the Bat-Boat.  In addition to that, they have a Bat-Ladder (a rope ladder with a sign that says "Bat-Ladder") and Shark Repellent Bat-Spray among many, many others.

Overall the film is highly enjoyable and so campy it makes one want to start singing "Camptown Races" around a fire.  If you want to see a gritty Batman film that also creates a realistic human-drama: see Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins and The Dark Knight.  If you want to see a hammy, over-the-top action film with physical comedy taken directly from the films of Charlie Chaplin: see Batman: The Movie.  As a parody of the super-hero genre, it is, to quote my favorite villainous feline, "Purr-fect."

8/10

Note: Though the official name of the film is Batman, it was marketed as Batman: The Movie.  I credited as the latter to avoid confusion with the Tim Burton film of the same name that I will eventually review.

Additional Note: This review was previously posted on another blog I wrote.

Batman (1989)

A mugging in a dark alley in the crime-ridden streets of Gotham, the muggers think they pulled it off without hitch, little do they know, the night hides someone else watching: the Batman.  Tim Burton's 1989 film Batman, starring Michael Keaton and Jack Nicholson, is often heralded (along with 1978's Superman) as one of the primary inspirations for the modern superhero film.  The film focuses on Batman's attempts to thwart the sinister plots of the newest and most deadly member of his rogues gallery: the Joker.  All the while, his alter-ego Bruce Wayne tries to charm Vicki Vale.  The supporting actors include Kim Basinger, Michael Gough, Jack Palance, and Billy Dee Williams.

The film begins with reports of a shadowy Batman stalking criminals in the night trickling through Gotham's underbelly: petty thieves, corrupt cops, and tabloid journalists.  A high-level mobster, Jack Napier, is betrayed by the mob boss Carl Grissom (Jack Palance) and is left horribly scarred.  Bruce Wayne meets and falls for Vicki Vale, the paper's new star photojournalist.  Napier, taking on the name "Joker," plots to take over the city's organized crime with a (substantial) bit of pizazz.  As Batman becomes something of an icon in the city of Gotham, the Joker, not one to be outdone, seeks to become all the more outrageous in order to become the favored "freak" among the citizenry; but Batman will not ignore the Joker's crimes and remain in his cave for very long.

The acting in the film is good, but not great.  Michael Keaton does good work in the lead, despite his being miscast; he only truly encompasses one (important) facet of the Batman character: the inner turmoil.  Batman is supposed to be one thing in particular, which Michael Keaton is not: physically intimidating.  Jack Nicholson is good as the Joker, even though Burton commits the (oft committed) fatal flaw of focusing on the villain and not the hero.  Kim Basinger does her job; her job being to portray the type of character first addressed as follows: "Hello Legs."  Michael Gough is good as the faithful butler Alfred, even if the character is underused and does some objectionable things that a superhero's confidante should never do (at least according to the generally agreed upon comic-book rules).

The Gotham city that Tim Burton and his crew created for the film is absolutely wonderful to behold.  Despite the obvious (and necessary) use of some matte paintings, the Gotham city seen in the film is both (relatively) realistic and comic-bookish.  Wayne Manor, Bruce Wayne's mansion home, is both luxuriant and slightly creepy, which is befitting the Gothic nature of the titular character and his alter-ego.  The vehicles used in the film are befittingly ridiculous and outlandish, but it would not be a Batman film without them; though I did find the Bat-plane a tad unnecessary and particularly outlandish.

The film's plot is fairly standard and does not do either the actors or the characters justice.  Many details of the plot seem unnecessary and forced (such as the Joker being the one who killed Bruce Wayne's parents).  The score, one of the earliest by Danny Elfman, is both good musically and is an excellent fit for the film in terms of subject matter and tone.

Despite having a severely miscast lead (though Michael Keaton does a great job, he just wasn't right for the role) and a confusion of who the film is about, 1989's Batman is a decent Batman flick, but is nowhere near the seminal superhero film many seem to remember it as; it is inferior to its sequel Batman Returns (granted it is far superior to both Batman Forever and Batman and Robin) and is far inferior to the Christopher Nolan films released in recent years.

6/10

Note: This review was previously posted on another blog I wrote.

Superman (1978)

Pure spectacle, and little else, 1978's Superman rode the wave of renewed interest in science-fiction films all of the way to the bank.  Directed by Richard Donner, it can be (accurately) deemed the first modern superhero movie and is beloved by many, but not by me.  The Man of Steel is played by Christopher Reeve, his costars include Gene Hackman, Marlon Brando, Margot Kidder, Ned Beatty, and Terence Stamp.  Wildly influential and iconic, it is difficult to imagine a film that is a better representation of the superhero genre's virtues and limitations.

The film begins with Jor-El (Marlon Brando) of Krypton warning the other Kryptonian leaders of an upcoming planetary disaster; they dismiss him and Jor-El accepts his fate.  He does not, however, accept it for his son; he sends him in a spaceship to the planet earth, where he can blend in (in appearance), but not truly belong.  He crash lands on earth, and is discovered by a kindly couple living in a small town (Smallville).  He grows up as Clark Kent, aware of, but unable to flaunt, his abilities; following his adoptive father's death, he leaves in search of who he is.  In the grand superhero tradition, he finds it in a convenient location (a ready-made "fortress of solitude").  Jor-El educates him from beyond the grave, and he becomes Superman.  He arrives in the city of Metropolis (New York) and begins to work at the Daily Planet newspaper.  He meets, falls in the love with, and embarrasses himself repeatedly in front of his coworker Lois Lane (Margot Kidder).  All the while, the sinister Lex Luthor (Gene Hackman) plots to destroy the west coast in an evil plot to make a lot of money off of a manipulated land deal.  In many instances, Superman proves himself by saving the day; Lois takes notice (but ignores Clark) and becomes infatuated with Superman (she begins an interview with: Are you married?).  As Luthor's plot comes to fruition, the lives of Superman, Lois, and millions of people are put into danger.  

The film's story is competent and interesting enough for the film's purposes, but does not truly reach its potential.  The first half of the film focuses entirely on the man; his upbringing, his loneliness, his confusion; the second half of the film focuses on the cape.  Much of the film sacrifices character development for special effects.  This is a fatal flaw that has been repeated countless times in the superhero genre.  Superman, as a superhero, is remarkably boring and all but invincible.  Superman, as a man, is rife for a proper character study (note: I do not have high hopes for such a thing in the upcoming Zack Snyder reboot) and could be the center of a fascinating movie focusing on the isolation of a man within a crowd.  This is not that movie.  In fact, I do not believe that I can properly assess Christopher Reeve's performance; the Clark Kent/Superman role in this film requires little more than charisma.  Not to put down Reeve's work in the film, it was just what the screenplay required of the character; it is hard to imagine anyone other than Reeve in the role (no cigar, Brandon Routh).  Gene Hackman is at his scenery-chewing best as Lex Luthor and the only bad thing to remark about his character is that he deserved more screen-time and a less ridiculous sidekick.  Marlon Brando is adequate as Jor-El but the role did not require an actor of his caliber (and he did not deserve the ridiculous salary he recieved).  One character that was not given their proper due was Lois Lane: she completely ignores Clark and rudely brushes him off several times.  This makes it hard for her to be a likable love-interest and makes it unrealistic that Superman would become so smitten.

The score of the film, composed by John Williams, is grand, rousing, and memorable.  The score is perfectly suited to the film and is almost as iconic as the film itself.  John Williams, a composer of particular renown for his many memorable scores, composed one of his best in Superman.  The film's special-effects are magnificent, groundbreaking, and excessive at times (you can't re-form the San Andreas fault through mere strength, you just can't).  The special-effects are now a little dated, but still hold up well enough to not hinder the enjoyment of the film. 

Overall, Superman is a fairly enjoyable superhero epic unmatched in terms of influence and scope.  The film, though influential, has a shallow screenplay that does not exploit the large amount of potential a film based on the Superman character has.  Compared to later films of the superhero genre, such as The Dark Knight and Iron Man; Superman lacks dramatic merit, but it is still wonderful to look at.

5/10

Note: This review was previously posted on another blog I wrote.