For many moviegoers, the first thing that comes to mind when they hear The Dark Knight is not its titular character, nor director Christopher Nolan, nor DC comics. They first think of the late Heath Ledger's turn as the Clown Prince of Crime and Batman's archnemesis, the Joker. I remember a time before Ledger's tragic and untimely passing, a time in which he was announced to play the Joker, and a large amount of internet commentators said that they didn't want "the gay cowboy from Brokeback Mountain" (their words, not mine!) following Jack Nicholson's classically cuckoo performance as the Joker. Others were a bit less vitriolic, being cautiously optimistic but also holding reservations that Ledger could pull off such a demanding role. And others were not only excited that Nolan's acclaimed reboot Batman Begins (2005) was getting a sequel, they were also just excited that the Joker would once again feature in a live-action Batman film. I still remember the viral marketing campaign of "Why so serious?" posters and "I believe in Harvey Dent" slogans. This film had been shaping up to be not just a movie, but an event long before Ledger's death.
Of course, the rest is history. The Dark Knight recently celebrated its 10th anniversary, and ten years later it is easier to distinguish whether or not its general consensus was sincere or a product of hype. By and large, the massive critical acclaim the film has received is sincere. The Dark Knight not only feels like a sequel to Batman Begins, it also feels like a stand-alone. In fact, a lot of casual moviegoers in 2008 were unaware that The Dark Knight was a sequel. Upon its release and since, no other Batman film has been praised or analyzed to the degree or extent that The Dark Knight has.
The cast is, once again, excellent, with its weakest link being Maggie Gyllenhaal as Rachel Dawes, who was recast in the role after Katie Holmes had to leave the project over scheduling conflicts. As with Katie Holmes, in Gyllenhaal's defense, the character is pretty bland, mostly serving as a reason for Bruce Wayne to want to abandon the cape and cowl someday. Christian Bale is once again fantastic as Bruce Wayne and Batman, pullinh off both the playboy and the authentic Wayne, as well as believably transforming into the Batman. Over the years, I've had a love-hate relationship with Bale's signature Bat-growl. As of writing this review in 2018, I love the voice. It is memorable, transformative, and fun to imitate (although my tonsils hate me for it).
Equally fantastic is Michael Caine as Wayne butler and father-figure, Alfred. The Nolan films truly contain the best depiction of the Bruce Wayne and Alfred relationship. Alfred serves as the voice of reason, often seeing things before Bruce Wayne does. It is obvious to the audience that Alfred is trying to protect a man who is essentially a son to him. Morgan Freeman is once again a welcome addition as Lucius Fox, keeping Wayne Enterprises afloat and desigining cool gadgets for Batman. The always terrific and versatile Gary Oldman especially shines here as Commissioner Gordon, who, on his crusade against crime and corruption, manages to still be blind to much of the corruption directly in front of him. In other words, he is both heroic, inspiring, and flawed. And Aaron Eckhart is riveting as both Gotham's white knight, district attorney Harvey Dent, and the warped, damaged, tragic alter ego Two-Face. As Dent, Eckhart portrays the character occasionally behaving in morally questionable ways when not in the public, such as flipping a coin to decide whether or not he shoots a mentally insane patient that the Joker manipulated, which makes his fall from grace in Act 3 that much more believable.
That leaves Heath Ledger as the Joker, a role for which he was posthumously awarded the Best Supporting Actor Oscar. Even if Ledger had not won the Oscar had he lived to see his performance, the argument that he should have won could still be made. When I watch his performance, I do not see any trace of Ledger...I see the most frightening film iteration of the Joker yet. From laughs ranging in length, rhythm, and pitch, to the way he roars "LOOK AT ME!" at one of his torture victims like the devil incarnate, it is truly something to behold. The role is not only defined by his line delivery or costume design and makeup (which definitely adds a lot, giving us a grungier, more unhinged-looking Joker), but also by the way he moves and the subtle, odd mannerisms. There's the way he often flicks his tongue in between pauses while talking, for one. There's the way he uses his hands in wild gestures. He is the perfect antithesis to Bale's stoic (and sometimes unfairly called "boring") Dark Knight. Batman is a character with a strict moral code of not killing. The Joker is the exact opposite, an agent of chaos who delights in murder. The film pushes the issue of the opposing force of good and evil coming to a head, both Batman and the Joker being physical embodiments of that eternal struggle. For me, the moment most illustrative of this is the moment where The Dark Knight crosses over into "classic" territory: the interrogation room sequence. Most of you reading this need no explanation as to why I feel this way. Essentially, Batman loses his cool because both he and the Joker realize that Batman cannot intimidate the Joker to get information. The Joker LAUGHS as Batman beats him to a pulp because he wants to corrupt Batman. Ultimately, that is the only thing the Joker fails to do (to prove that Batman and the most of the citizens of Gotham can be corrupted), as depicted in another classic-cementing moment. In this sequence, Batman drops the Joker from the edge of a tall building before the Joker can detonate the ferries, after Gotham's citizens on either ferry proved the Joker wrong and did not detonate the other (there's nothing saying that BOTH ferries wouldn't have blown up anyway, which is clearly what the Joker was going to do himself). The Joker is cackling madly as he seemingly falls to his death, only to cease immediately as Batman's grappling hook finds him. Batman raises the Joker up until they are face-to-face, with the Joker hanging upside down. Nolan then has the camera rotate upside down, so that the Joker appears to be dangling upward; in my opinion, it is his way of showing thatr ultimately, the Joker is elated. Batman is his only true challenge, and as Joker states, he is an unstoppable force that has met an immovable object. Meanwhile, he has still managed to corrupt Harvey Dent, even if not the people of Gotham. Harvey, as Joker gleefully tells Batman, in his ace in the whole. To Batman's horror, the Joker tells him how he twisted Harvey Dent into a monster, and just before Gotham's SWAT team arrives atop the building to take him in, he gives his final line (and my personal favorite of his MANY great lines): "See, madness, as you know, is like gravity. All it takes is a little push."
While hand-to-hand fight choreography has never been Nolan's strongest point as a director (excluding Inception), they are still shot better than in Batman Begins, and fortunately aren't the main focus here anyway. The standout action setpiece of The Dark Knight is Batman on his Tumbler (Batmobile which later self-destructs to form a bike) going after the Joker. And even this feels very small scale relative to other contemporary blockbusters, which is certainly no slight on the film. In fact, it impresses me more and more to this day. Nolan has always made extensive use of practical effects over computer-generated imagery whenever possible, and this film is no exception. Therefore, the film has not aged at all visually; it looks timeless.
The big advantage Nolan gives The Dark Knight, and the reason it transcends the superhero film genre, is that it is more of a crime drama like Michael Mann's Heat (Nolan has cited this as a primary inspiration). Much of The Dark Knight is wrought with slow-burning tension, much like the three-hour Heat. This is a big reason why I no longer criticize the ferry scene, because its length, Hans Zimmer's score, and the close-ups of Gotham's citizens on either ferry add so much memorable suspense to the film.
That leads me to Zimmer's score. While his theme for Batman isn't as hummable as Danny Elfman's main theme for Tim Burton's 1989 film, it still manages to be quite beautiful, memorable, multilayered, and representative of the caped crusader. It also is evolved from Zimmer's main theme from Batman Begins, into something more poignant and defined. In contrast, Zimmer's Joker theme is more chaotic and uninged, like the character it represents. It sounds very unpredictable, the violin strings sharp-edged. His melody is somewhat akin to the shark's from Jaws (Zimmer, I believe, has compared his Joker theme to the iconic Jaws notes). It is uneasy, slowly building up to the reveal of the monster. When the monster is revealed, the music is at its loudest and harshest. When it comes to District Attorney Harvey Dent, the theme is hopeful and heroic, and for the "fallen angel" Two-Face, it is tragic and twisted. And the theme when Batman allows himself to be framed for Dent's murders at the end is heroically tragic and hopeful at the same time.
I could go on and on about The Dark Knight and what it has done for superhero films and big blockbusters. Maybe someday in a podcast, I'll explore it more. As Gary Oldman's Commissioner Gordon states, "He's a silent guardian, a watchful protector, a dark knight." I give The Dark Knight a 9.5/10, which is also an A+ on my scale! How about you? Thanks for reading!
Tuesday, August 21, 2018
Sunday, August 5, 2018
Batman Begins (2005) Movie Review
It's easy to take Batman Begins for granted in a post-The Dark Knight world. While Batman Begins' more popular 2008 sequel rightfully gets acknowledged for being a superhero movie that is primarily a crime drama, the successful relaunch of the Caped Crusader hinged on Batman Begins. Believe it or not, at one point, Batman was not a recipe for box office success (in fact, as the more recent Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice and Justice League indicate, he isn't today, either). After Joel Schumacher's trainwreck/hilarious-as-a-comedy Batman & Robin (1997) singlehandedly dismantled the movie franchise, Warner Bros. was afraid to touch another Batman film for a long time. After more failed attempts to continue/resurrect the franchise (seeing as Batman & Robin was both a critical and financial failure), the ball finally got rolling with Christopher Nolan's script for Batman Begins (yes, David S. Goyer is credited as the writer, but Nolan himself did a ton of touch-ups on the script). Batman Begins was both a critical and financial success, not a massive financial success, but still a sucess nonetheless. But it really is the film's cult following after DVD sales that spurred it to become such a beloved film. It took the character of Batman seriously, setting him in a grounded world that felt real (even with its fantastical elements, bolstering an era where comic book movies took themselves a bit more seriously (for better or worse depending on the film).
I was 12 in 2005 when Batman Begins came out, and I first saw it on a DVD my mom rented from Blockbuster (RIP). I remember liking the film, but not loving it. I remember liking 2006's Superman Returns more, and I think it was because it was more superhero-y. Sure, Batman was always a more grounded character even in his comics, but Batman Begins felt too serious and boring to me at the time. Fortunately, age 13 was when I started development different sensibilities about film, so I revisited Batman Begins soon afterward and fell in love with it. Eventually, The Dark Knight was announced, giving me more of a reason to revisit this film's ending scene with the Joker's calling card. But the rest of that movie before the ending was enough reason to.
Batman Begins gives us an in-depth origin story of the Batman, simultaneously cutting between Bruce Wayne returning to Gotham after being gone for 8 years training, to flashbacks of his childhood. The most notable flashback is the most well-known aspect: young Bruce Wayne and his parents leave a play of Zorro early because Bruce is afraid of bats, and Bruce's mother and father get robbed and murdered by Joe Chill in a dark alley. While Batman Begins is an even better re-watch now that Nolan's The Dark Knight Trilogy is complete, it was already a great watch beforehand. The acting all across the board is strong. Christian Bale is excellent at capturing all aspects of a younger Bruce Wayne, from guilt to sadness to rage to love to a yearning to do good. Michael Caine as his father figure and butler to the Wayne family is equally excellent and convincing. Other standouts are Liam Neeson, Bruce's mentor who taught him the necessary skills to become the Batman, who (in a twist that was surprising to me when I first saw the movie) turns out to be the film's main villain, Ras Al Ghul. Tom Wilkinson is particularly despicable and entertaining as mob boss Carmine Falcone, chewing up every scene he is in. Morgan Freeman is very good as Bruce's Q, Lucius Fox. Cillian Murphy as Dr. Jonathan Crane/Scarecrow is believable as a lunatic masquerading as a sane individual, and Katie Holmes is adequate but pretty bland as the (also pretty bland) Rachel Dawes.
The action sequences are overall well done...except for the fight scenes. Hand-to-hand fight scenes Nolan's biggest weakness as a filmmaker, in my opinion, although he has come a long way since this film. The hand-to-hand scene are shot with a lot of shaky cam, and the choreography you can make out is sketchy and often unconvincing. That said, the staging for them is excellent. The cinematography is very good, capturing the bleakness of Gotham while also making it feel realistic. And Han's Zimmer's score, while not instantly memorable in the way that Danny Elfman's Batman 1989 theme is, is absolutely riveting and still memorable in its own way.
It's ultimately the writing and story of this film that shine. The common theme is conquering one's fears to become something more. My favorite scene in the entire film is not even a "Batman" scene, but it is, in my mind, the scene in which Bruce Wayne first becomes Batman in his head. It's when he faces Carmine Falcone, only for Falcone to show him (indicating throughout the club) that he has plenty of corrupt cops and a judge in his pocket. You can practically feel the rage emitting from Bale as Bruce Wayne, as well as the gloating from Wilkinson's Falcone for putting a rich, spoiled playboy in his place. This is definitely the scene that made me fall in love with this movie. And it makes the first appearance of the Batman where he takes out Falcone's thugs and apprehends Falcone that much sweeter.
I have a lot more I could say about this film, but that will be saved for any future in-depth discussions I write about the film. Batman Begins gets a strong 9/10 (A-) from me. How about from you?
Monday, July 16, 2018
Ant-Man & the Wasp (2018) Movie Review
THIS REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SOME SPOILERS
Thanks to the wonderful new AMC Stubs A-List program ( I promise I'm not a sponsor), I watched Ant-Man & the Wasp three times in a row between the Thursday, Friday, and Saturday of its debut week. Two of those times were in Dolby Cinema, which is a fantastic way to watch a film if your ears aren't too sensitive, particularly a blockbuster film like this.
Ant-Man & the Wasp is the 20th Marvel Cinematic Universe ("MCU" for short) film, coming hot off the heels of the massive Avengers: Infinity War. While the smaller scale may result in less interest for some moviegoers, for many (myself among them), this smaller, more self-contained superhero film is a breath of fresh air. In fact, as fun and as self-contained as Ant-Man (2015) was, I would make the argument that Ant-Man & the Wasp is even more self-contained. By the way, that definitely is no slight on the fantastic Infinity War (more on that in another review).
So, what are my overall thoughts on this movie? It has been over a week, and my thoughts have mostly stayed the same, although I have listened to varying thoughts which I feel have further shaped my perspective. The takeaway here is that I had a blast watching this movie all three times, and may see it one more time during its theatrical run! I don't have any strong problems with the movie, but I do think certain criticisms are valid. The flaws are just inoffensive to me as a viewer because both this and the first Ant-Man are fun, inoffensive movies in that regard. That said, I will still address the flaws in order to be fair. I will start with Walter Goggins' villain (whose name I don't even remember). While he makes for some humorous moments (and an incredible action sequence I will get to momentarily), his character is somewhat of a distraction any time he pops up. There is also Randall Parks' FBI agent character. While hilarious, he's pretty unbelievable as a top FBI agent and is essentially a doofus. Obviously that was the point, but I think a slightly more grounded approach could have worked better and added more emotional stakes for Scott Lang, who is almost done with two years of house arrest after the events of Captain America: Civil War (2016). Furthermore, the story of this movie, while nice and streamlined, is mainly focused around retrieving Janet Pym from the Quantum Realm, and probably could have been a 15 minute short movie, and everything else in the movie just seems like obstacles created to get in the way of that one thing. And while I thought Hannah John-Kamen's Ghost was an interesting character, the way her backstory is presented to the audience is an expedition dump that, while it is supposed to make us care about her character, doesn't really do so in my opinion. Lastly, Peyton Reed's direction, as with the first film, while adequate, is quite bland and really does make me wonder how Edgar Wright (who directed 2017's excellent Baby Driver among other cult favorites) would have done with the direction.
That makes it sound like I dislike the film, right? Well, I certainly don't! While I acknowledge these things to be legitimate flaws, I still love Ant-Man & the Wasp much I like love the first Ant-Man. In fact, I think I love the sequel slightly more, although further viewings will tell. The main ingredient to me loving this film is Evangeline Lilly as Hope van Dyne/the Wasp. Hope was one of the best aspects of the original. With her sleek bob cut, fighting prowess, intellect, and cool, confident demeanor, Hope was overqualified for having a superhero suit of her own, even moreso that skilled master thief and ex-con Scott Lang. The only reason she did not get one in that film was because her father, scientist and original Ant-Man Hank Pym (played in both films by Michael Douglas) wanted to protect his daughter. Let's just say that Hope's "It's about damn time" at the end of the first film is fully realized in the sequel. She. Is. Awesome. In her first action and most notable sequence, she takes down Walter Goggins and his thugs in brutal, creative ways, using a combo of her suit and her own martial arts prowess. The choreography is excellent her, some of the best of any MCU film. The suit itself is a departure from the comics, but I love it. I'm sure the classic black-and-yellow bodysuit would have been great as well, but I love everything about this suit and how confidently Evangeline wears it. I almost think this film should have been called The Wasp & Ant-Man instead just because she really is the star here.
That is no slight on the great Paul Rudd, who once again brings his genuine goofy likability back to his role as Scott Lang/Ant-Man. He is just as terrific here, and thankfully Scott Lang is not downplayed to make Hope seem cooler or smarter. Scott continues to brings his own set of skills to his role as Ant-Man, and I think his best moments are those tender moments with his daughter Cassie, played by the talented and adorable Abby Ryder Forston. Also, while I mentioned aspects of Ghost being flaws of the film, I did like the character and Hannah John-Kamen's performance. And Laurence Fishburne's character Dr. Bill Foster helps me care more for Ghost than I otherwise would, since he provides yet another father-daughter relationship (in this case, being a surrogate father to Ghost).
Michael Douglas is once again great as Hank Pym, bringing wacky intelligence, humanity and hilarity to his performance. Michelle Pfeiffer doesn't have much to do here, but she definitely does well as Janet van Dyne. Michael Pena, David Dastmalchian, and T.I. are all once again hilarious as Scott's ex-con buddies. The visuals are consistently great, and the Quantum Realm is certainly interesting to look at. Christophe Beck's musical score is once again fun, particularly his main Ant-Man and Wasp themes. And the mid-credits scene is perhaps the best of any film in the MCU thus far (hint: Infinity War tie-in).
Does Ant-Man & the Wasp suffer from certain flaws? Sure, it does. I still thoroughly enjoy this latest entry into the MCU, and I give it an 8.5/10 or B+, although I think the 3rd film in the Ant-Man series should hire a different director for a fresher take on it. How about you?
Thanks to the wonderful new AMC Stubs A-List program ( I promise I'm not a sponsor), I watched Ant-Man & the Wasp three times in a row between the Thursday, Friday, and Saturday of its debut week. Two of those times were in Dolby Cinema, which is a fantastic way to watch a film if your ears aren't too sensitive, particularly a blockbuster film like this.
Ant-Man & the Wasp is the 20th Marvel Cinematic Universe ("MCU" for short) film, coming hot off the heels of the massive Avengers: Infinity War. While the smaller scale may result in less interest for some moviegoers, for many (myself among them), this smaller, more self-contained superhero film is a breath of fresh air. In fact, as fun and as self-contained as Ant-Man (2015) was, I would make the argument that Ant-Man & the Wasp is even more self-contained. By the way, that definitely is no slight on the fantastic Infinity War (more on that in another review).
So, what are my overall thoughts on this movie? It has been over a week, and my thoughts have mostly stayed the same, although I have listened to varying thoughts which I feel have further shaped my perspective. The takeaway here is that I had a blast watching this movie all three times, and may see it one more time during its theatrical run! I don't have any strong problems with the movie, but I do think certain criticisms are valid. The flaws are just inoffensive to me as a viewer because both this and the first Ant-Man are fun, inoffensive movies in that regard. That said, I will still address the flaws in order to be fair. I will start with Walter Goggins' villain (whose name I don't even remember). While he makes for some humorous moments (and an incredible action sequence I will get to momentarily), his character is somewhat of a distraction any time he pops up. There is also Randall Parks' FBI agent character. While hilarious, he's pretty unbelievable as a top FBI agent and is essentially a doofus. Obviously that was the point, but I think a slightly more grounded approach could have worked better and added more emotional stakes for Scott Lang, who is almost done with two years of house arrest after the events of Captain America: Civil War (2016). Furthermore, the story of this movie, while nice and streamlined, is mainly focused around retrieving Janet Pym from the Quantum Realm, and probably could have been a 15 minute short movie, and everything else in the movie just seems like obstacles created to get in the way of that one thing. And while I thought Hannah John-Kamen's Ghost was an interesting character, the way her backstory is presented to the audience is an expedition dump that, while it is supposed to make us care about her character, doesn't really do so in my opinion. Lastly, Peyton Reed's direction, as with the first film, while adequate, is quite bland and really does make me wonder how Edgar Wright (who directed 2017's excellent Baby Driver among other cult favorites) would have done with the direction.
That makes it sound like I dislike the film, right? Well, I certainly don't! While I acknowledge these things to be legitimate flaws, I still love Ant-Man & the Wasp much I like love the first Ant-Man. In fact, I think I love the sequel slightly more, although further viewings will tell. The main ingredient to me loving this film is Evangeline Lilly as Hope van Dyne/the Wasp. Hope was one of the best aspects of the original. With her sleek bob cut, fighting prowess, intellect, and cool, confident demeanor, Hope was overqualified for having a superhero suit of her own, even moreso that skilled master thief and ex-con Scott Lang. The only reason she did not get one in that film was because her father, scientist and original Ant-Man Hank Pym (played in both films by Michael Douglas) wanted to protect his daughter. Let's just say that Hope's "It's about damn time" at the end of the first film is fully realized in the sequel. She. Is. Awesome. In her first action and most notable sequence, she takes down Walter Goggins and his thugs in brutal, creative ways, using a combo of her suit and her own martial arts prowess. The choreography is excellent her, some of the best of any MCU film. The suit itself is a departure from the comics, but I love it. I'm sure the classic black-and-yellow bodysuit would have been great as well, but I love everything about this suit and how confidently Evangeline wears it. I almost think this film should have been called The Wasp & Ant-Man instead just because she really is the star here.
That is no slight on the great Paul Rudd, who once again brings his genuine goofy likability back to his role as Scott Lang/Ant-Man. He is just as terrific here, and thankfully Scott Lang is not downplayed to make Hope seem cooler or smarter. Scott continues to brings his own set of skills to his role as Ant-Man, and I think his best moments are those tender moments with his daughter Cassie, played by the talented and adorable Abby Ryder Forston. Also, while I mentioned aspects of Ghost being flaws of the film, I did like the character and Hannah John-Kamen's performance. And Laurence Fishburne's character Dr. Bill Foster helps me care more for Ghost than I otherwise would, since he provides yet another father-daughter relationship (in this case, being a surrogate father to Ghost).
Michael Douglas is once again great as Hank Pym, bringing wacky intelligence, humanity and hilarity to his performance. Michelle Pfeiffer doesn't have much to do here, but she definitely does well as Janet van Dyne. Michael Pena, David Dastmalchian, and T.I. are all once again hilarious as Scott's ex-con buddies. The visuals are consistently great, and the Quantum Realm is certainly interesting to look at. Christophe Beck's musical score is once again fun, particularly his main Ant-Man and Wasp themes. And the mid-credits scene is perhaps the best of any film in the MCU thus far (hint: Infinity War tie-in).
Does Ant-Man & the Wasp suffer from certain flaws? Sure, it does. I still thoroughly enjoy this latest entry into the MCU, and I give it an 8.5/10 or B+, although I think the 3rd film in the Ant-Man series should hire a different director for a fresher take on it. How about you?
Incredibles 2 (2018) Movie Review
THIS REVIEW DOES CONTAIN SPOILERS
As of today, I have seen Incredibles 2 in theaters six times, the most I have ever seen a movie in theaters. Five of these times were within its first week of release. The first question you likely have out of the gate if you haven't seen Incredibles 2 by now (it has been a month, so if not, WHAT are you doing???) is "is it worth the 14-year wait?" My answer has not changed between viewings 1-6: YES.
The film picks up right where the first one ends as the Parrs are about to battle the evil Underminer. Right away, the film makes us feel like we're catching uip with old friends who never truly left. The battle against the Underminer is exhilarating and showcases some of the best team dynamics in any action movie. The heroes (including Frozone) fail to defeat the Underminer, who escapes with the money he stole, but they succeed in stopping his drill tank from destroying buildings and harming civilians. And superheroes are still illegal at the end of The Incredibles and the beginning of Incredibles 2. Since their home was destroyed at the end of the last film during the final battle with Syndrome, the Parr family has been staying at a motel provided by Agent Rick Dicker, whose agency is soon to be out of operation. Bob and Helen know that one of them needs to find a job soon, before they are out of the motel and homeless.
Enter the Deavors. Wealthy siblings Winston and Evelyn Deavor notice the return of the supers during the Underminer battle, and they plan a set of undercover missions in order to make supers legal again. Much to the woe of Mr. Incredible, who has been itching to get out and fight crime again, Elastigirl is the top program candidate, as her past crimefighting statistics show that she is a sleeker, cleaner crimefighter than the messy, destructive Mr. Incredible. Of course, after some persuasion, Elastigirl takes the job, while Mr. Incredible takes on the task of staying home with his three super-powered kids.
Incredibles 2 works in the areas where its predecessor worked and then some. The animation is gorgeous. While the first film's design and animation stands the test of time, the technology has come a long way in the 14 years since. Colors are more vibrant all-around, and the human faces have flesh tones and even tiny hairs. The action sequences are both more numerous and more dynamic this time around, and writer/director Brad Bird utilizes the animation "camera" to its fullest potential, capturing movements and angles that live-action blockbusters like Avengers: Infinity War can only dream of. There is an even greater sense of urgency to the action sequences here compared to the first film, particularly in Elastigirl's solo moments, from her saving an ambassador in a hijacked helicopter to fighting the film's villain the Screenslaver, to perhaps the most memorable one of her attempting to stop a runaway train.
The film is also absolutely hilarious. Once again, the family dynamics are realistic and are all the funnier because of it. While the 2004 original admittedly has a wittier script, that is by no means a slight on the visual gags of the sequel. The scene-stealer of Incredibles 2 is baby Jack-Jack. Watching the family and other characters discovering his powers never gets old, and in the hands of a lazier filmmaker, it would have simply been juvenile. Sure, there is a poop joke, but it is earned, not crude, and doesn't overstay its welcome. The most notable Jack-Jack sequence out of many is his surprisingly epic, well-staged battle with a raccoon. This is a scene viewers will be talking about for years to come.
Composer Michael Giacchino returns once again for the musical score, and it is even better than the first film's. It brings over the classic main themes, while adding new ones. The score more fully complements the action sequences, matching and enhancing their intensity and fun. Elastigirl, Mr. Incredible, and Frozone each get retro theme songs not dissimilar to the classic Wonder Woman , Batman , and James Bond themes of the 1960s and 1970s.
While the first film's story had more dramatic heft, Incredibles 2 also has a great story that truly does feel like the logical follow-up. Seeing Mr. Incredible raising the kids at home is furthering his arc from the first film, in which he goes from being emotionally distant toward his family to rediscovering just how much they mean to him. Meanwhile, Elastigirl still has a lot to offer to the cause of making superheroes legal again, despite her commitment to her family. Violet goes through heartbreak not atypical to a teenage girl, but she also continues to showcase her newfound self-confidence and mastery of her powers. Dash is still hyperactive, but the events of the first film have matured him as well. He knows how to slow down and think up solutions to bad situations. And superhero fashion designer Edna Mode is as spectacular as ever.
Once the mastermind behind the Screenslaver is revealed to be Devcorp technological innovator Evelyn Deavor ("evil endeavor"), my appreciation of Incredibles 2 goes way, way up. I would say that she is neither better nor worse than the classic megalomaniac Syndrome from the original. Rather, she is her own character and is still great, even if the twist was predictable (I thought it was her brother or the two of them together, so that doesn't fully apply to me). Her mantra that relying on supers to save the day encourages complacency is a compelling one, even if her methods of going about it are wrong. As with Syndrome, the best villains are those who are fully convicted that what they are doing is right, and Evelyn is no exception.
Thus, Incredibles 2 is an excellent film and sequel, one that I love just as much, if not slightly more, than the original. Of course, it gets a 10/10 score from me. Brad Bird, I respect that you have other idea to explore and I want to see them all, but please don't take another 14 years for Incredibles 3!!
As of today, I have seen Incredibles 2 in theaters six times, the most I have ever seen a movie in theaters. Five of these times were within its first week of release. The first question you likely have out of the gate if you haven't seen Incredibles 2 by now (it has been a month, so if not, WHAT are you doing???) is "is it worth the 14-year wait?" My answer has not changed between viewings 1-6: YES.
The film picks up right where the first one ends as the Parrs are about to battle the evil Underminer. Right away, the film makes us feel like we're catching uip with old friends who never truly left. The battle against the Underminer is exhilarating and showcases some of the best team dynamics in any action movie. The heroes (including Frozone) fail to defeat the Underminer, who escapes with the money he stole, but they succeed in stopping his drill tank from destroying buildings and harming civilians. And superheroes are still illegal at the end of The Incredibles and the beginning of Incredibles 2. Since their home was destroyed at the end of the last film during the final battle with Syndrome, the Parr family has been staying at a motel provided by Agent Rick Dicker, whose agency is soon to be out of operation. Bob and Helen know that one of them needs to find a job soon, before they are out of the motel and homeless.
Enter the Deavors. Wealthy siblings Winston and Evelyn Deavor notice the return of the supers during the Underminer battle, and they plan a set of undercover missions in order to make supers legal again. Much to the woe of Mr. Incredible, who has been itching to get out and fight crime again, Elastigirl is the top program candidate, as her past crimefighting statistics show that she is a sleeker, cleaner crimefighter than the messy, destructive Mr. Incredible. Of course, after some persuasion, Elastigirl takes the job, while Mr. Incredible takes on the task of staying home with his three super-powered kids.
Incredibles 2 works in the areas where its predecessor worked and then some. The animation is gorgeous. While the first film's design and animation stands the test of time, the technology has come a long way in the 14 years since. Colors are more vibrant all-around, and the human faces have flesh tones and even tiny hairs. The action sequences are both more numerous and more dynamic this time around, and writer/director Brad Bird utilizes the animation "camera" to its fullest potential, capturing movements and angles that live-action blockbusters like Avengers: Infinity War can only dream of. There is an even greater sense of urgency to the action sequences here compared to the first film, particularly in Elastigirl's solo moments, from her saving an ambassador in a hijacked helicopter to fighting the film's villain the Screenslaver, to perhaps the most memorable one of her attempting to stop a runaway train.
The film is also absolutely hilarious. Once again, the family dynamics are realistic and are all the funnier because of it. While the 2004 original admittedly has a wittier script, that is by no means a slight on the visual gags of the sequel. The scene-stealer of Incredibles 2 is baby Jack-Jack. Watching the family and other characters discovering his powers never gets old, and in the hands of a lazier filmmaker, it would have simply been juvenile. Sure, there is a poop joke, but it is earned, not crude, and doesn't overstay its welcome. The most notable Jack-Jack sequence out of many is his surprisingly epic, well-staged battle with a raccoon. This is a scene viewers will be talking about for years to come.
Composer Michael Giacchino returns once again for the musical score, and it is even better than the first film's. It brings over the classic main themes, while adding new ones. The score more fully complements the action sequences, matching and enhancing their intensity and fun. Elastigirl, Mr. Incredible, and Frozone each get retro theme songs not dissimilar to the classic Wonder Woman , Batman , and James Bond themes of the 1960s and 1970s.
While the first film's story had more dramatic heft, Incredibles 2 also has a great story that truly does feel like the logical follow-up. Seeing Mr. Incredible raising the kids at home is furthering his arc from the first film, in which he goes from being emotionally distant toward his family to rediscovering just how much they mean to him. Meanwhile, Elastigirl still has a lot to offer to the cause of making superheroes legal again, despite her commitment to her family. Violet goes through heartbreak not atypical to a teenage girl, but she also continues to showcase her newfound self-confidence and mastery of her powers. Dash is still hyperactive, but the events of the first film have matured him as well. He knows how to slow down and think up solutions to bad situations. And superhero fashion designer Edna Mode is as spectacular as ever.
Once the mastermind behind the Screenslaver is revealed to be Devcorp technological innovator Evelyn Deavor ("evil endeavor"), my appreciation of Incredibles 2 goes way, way up. I would say that she is neither better nor worse than the classic megalomaniac Syndrome from the original. Rather, she is her own character and is still great, even if the twist was predictable (I thought it was her brother or the two of them together, so that doesn't fully apply to me). Her mantra that relying on supers to save the day encourages complacency is a compelling one, even if her methods of going about it are wrong. As with Syndrome, the best villains are those who are fully convicted that what they are doing is right, and Evelyn is no exception.
Thus, Incredibles 2 is an excellent film and sequel, one that I love just as much, if not slightly more, than the original. Of course, it gets a 10/10 score from me. Brad Bird, I respect that you have other idea to explore and I want to see them all, but please don't take another 14 years for Incredibles 3!!
Friday, June 22, 2018
The Incredibles (2004) Movie Review
The Incredibles was released in November 2004, and was Pixar's sixth animated film. Written and directed by Brad Bird, who had previously directed the critically acclaimed flop The Iron Giant for Warner Bros. Animation, The Incredibles centers around a family of superpowered individuals who are living in a time in which being a "super" (as they dub it) is illegal. Gone is the golden age of superheroes which Bob Parr, previously Mr. Incredible, remembers. His wife, Helen Parr, was Elastigirl, and together they raise three children, shy teenage girl Violet, hyperenergetic pre-adolescent boy Dash, and infant Jack-Jack. In every other way, they are your normal suburban family, except that they have superpowers.
I was 11 when The Incredibles made its cinematic debut in 2004, and I am 25 now in 2018 as I eagerly await/see Incredibles 2. Unfortunately for me in 2004, I never got to see it in theaters as a punishment for talking back to my mom. Thanks to proper parenting, I instead saw it when it finally hit Blockbusters (RIP) for rental in early 2005. At the time, I enjoyed the movie just fine, but it did not quite fulfill my expectations for a Pixar movie. Being 12 at the time, the Pixar movies I knew were Toy Story and Toy Story 2, A Bug's Life, Monsters, Inc., and Finding Nemo. I expected more jokes and thought that the superheroes and villains would be "goofier."
With The Incredibles, Brad Bird brought a more mature tone to a Pixar movie, which I did not fully understand or appreciate until I was 17 revisiting the film. First of all, I have nothing but love and affection for the other works of Pixar that I named. They are films targeted at both kids and adults, with mature themes and sly jokes that adults appreciate, as well as plenty of heart. The Incredibles continues this tradition, except that it seems to be made primarily for adults, yet teenagers and younger kids can still enjoy it. And it is treated like any live-action, big budget superhero film would be treated in terms of camerawork, musical score, and scope. Throughout his career, Brad Bird has often stated that animation is a medium, not a genre; in other words, it is merely an alternative technique to live-action filmmaking rather than its own genre of film. This means that with animation, it is possible to make comedies, westerns, science fiction, horror, and alas, superhero films.
As with every Pixar film at the time of its release, The Incredibles featured breakthroughs in computer animation, in terms of hair and human facial expression and body movements. It holds up even 14 years later, although the progress made since is evident. One of the standout visuals is a curtain of lava that both separates and comes together. The action sequences are absolutely exhilarating, from Mr. Incredible's opening heroics saving civilians to his first confrontation with the villain, Syndrome, to Mrs. Incredible/Elastigirl outmaneuvering missiles in an airplane to 10-year-old Dash discovering he can run on water (arguably the film's standout scene). The final confrontation with Syndrome's bot in the city, as well as seeing baby Jack-Jack use his assortment of powers to defeat Syndrome, are nothing to sneeze at, either. The animators use "camera tricks" to full effect here, having the camera kinetically follow characters during chases sequences, for instance. All of these moments are accentuated by Michael Giacchino's incredible (pun intended) score. The film has many quieter espionage/spy film moments akin to Mission: Impossible featuring either Mr. Incredible or Elastigirl. And the main theme that plays at the beginning action scene and at the start of the end credits is an instant classic heroic riff.
While all the technical elements of a film help it "sing," without a great story and characters, they don't amount to much. Fortunately, for all its technical achievements, it's the story and ensemble of The Incredibles that has helped it endure as a classic. At its core, aside from being a family movie, it is the story of a man enduring and overcoming a mid-life crisis. The themes are handled in a very real and honest fashion, and while they occasionally make for comedy, it is never reduced to parody or slapstick. Rather, it is funny because of how relatable it is. Bob Parr, being super strong, at one point accidentally makes a dent in his car door and breaks its windows. He has arguments with his wife, Helen, aka former superhero Elastigirl, over how to deal with the current superhero situation. Meanwhile, they struggle to raise their superpowered kids Violet, Dash, and unbeknownst to them, Jack-Jack. Each of the Parr's powers reflects their roles within the family/their lives. Bob Parr has super strength, having to be strong as the man of the house. Helen has elastic/stretching powers, stretching every which way to keep her family together and healthy. Violet can turn invisible and create invisible protective barriers, Dash can run at incredible speeds to match his energy level, and Jack-Jack is just full of metaphysical surprises. Add to the basic premise a very naturally worked-in subplot of Helen fearing that Bob is having an affair, and you have a truly unique American animated film.
Then there's the villain, Syndrome. We first meet him as a young teenager, Buddy, in the prologue. He christens himself Incrediboy, equipped with no superpowers but with technology and a costume, naming himself as Mr. Incredible's crimefighting partner. To Mr. Incredible, Buddy is an extremely obsessive, annoying stalker of a fanboy, so he rejects Buddy's offer to be his partner moment after moment. What appears to be throwaway comedy with a goofy kid becomes the origin of a supervillain, Mr. Incredible's archnemesis, Syndrome. Buddy becomes Syndrome, a villain using technology rather than powers to hunt down and kill retired supers, and to render ordinary people with the ability to be superheroes, thus taking away the power and exclusivity of "supers." Syndrome is truly where Brad Bird excels, once again. What could have been a slapstick idiot of a villain is actually a psychotic, socipathic genius. Syndrome breaks Mr. Incredible and pushes him to the very limits of his moral code, and his actions impact the story and stakes.
Supporting the great story, characters, and voice cast (which features the likes of Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter, Sarah Vowell, Spencer Fox, Samuel L. Jackson, Jason Lee, and Brad Bird) is the intelligent, witty script. The family scenes play out very realistically, and the dialogue flows naturally due to both the writing and delivery from the actors. Then there's moments such as Mr. Incredible and Frozone reminiscing about supervillains "monologuing" (when the villain won't shut up about their master plan while having the hero trapped, only to let their guard down and have the hero escape and defeat them). And who can forget Lucius Best's/Frozone's "Where is my super suit?" scene with his unseen wife, Honey?
I would like to be the brilliant, unbiased, objective critic who manages to find a flaw or two with The Incredibles. However, there is nothing to dislike here from a fan or critical standpoint. This film fires on all cylinders, and it earns nothing less than a 10/10 from me! What do you guys think of The Incredibles? Do you hold nostalgia for it, and does it hold up to that nostalgia? Where does it rank for you among other superhero films? And who is your favorite Incredibles castmember. I'll elaborate more on that in my upcoming review of the recently released Incredibles 2! See you there!
I was 11 when The Incredibles made its cinematic debut in 2004, and I am 25 now in 2018 as I eagerly await/see Incredibles 2. Unfortunately for me in 2004, I never got to see it in theaters as a punishment for talking back to my mom. Thanks to proper parenting, I instead saw it when it finally hit Blockbusters (RIP) for rental in early 2005. At the time, I enjoyed the movie just fine, but it did not quite fulfill my expectations for a Pixar movie. Being 12 at the time, the Pixar movies I knew were Toy Story and Toy Story 2, A Bug's Life, Monsters, Inc., and Finding Nemo. I expected more jokes and thought that the superheroes and villains would be "goofier."
With The Incredibles, Brad Bird brought a more mature tone to a Pixar movie, which I did not fully understand or appreciate until I was 17 revisiting the film. First of all, I have nothing but love and affection for the other works of Pixar that I named. They are films targeted at both kids and adults, with mature themes and sly jokes that adults appreciate, as well as plenty of heart. The Incredibles continues this tradition, except that it seems to be made primarily for adults, yet teenagers and younger kids can still enjoy it. And it is treated like any live-action, big budget superhero film would be treated in terms of camerawork, musical score, and scope. Throughout his career, Brad Bird has often stated that animation is a medium, not a genre; in other words, it is merely an alternative technique to live-action filmmaking rather than its own genre of film. This means that with animation, it is possible to make comedies, westerns, science fiction, horror, and alas, superhero films.
As with every Pixar film at the time of its release, The Incredibles featured breakthroughs in computer animation, in terms of hair and human facial expression and body movements. It holds up even 14 years later, although the progress made since is evident. One of the standout visuals is a curtain of lava that both separates and comes together. The action sequences are absolutely exhilarating, from Mr. Incredible's opening heroics saving civilians to his first confrontation with the villain, Syndrome, to Mrs. Incredible/Elastigirl outmaneuvering missiles in an airplane to 10-year-old Dash discovering he can run on water (arguably the film's standout scene). The final confrontation with Syndrome's bot in the city, as well as seeing baby Jack-Jack use his assortment of powers to defeat Syndrome, are nothing to sneeze at, either. The animators use "camera tricks" to full effect here, having the camera kinetically follow characters during chases sequences, for instance. All of these moments are accentuated by Michael Giacchino's incredible (pun intended) score. The film has many quieter espionage/spy film moments akin to Mission: Impossible featuring either Mr. Incredible or Elastigirl. And the main theme that plays at the beginning action scene and at the start of the end credits is an instant classic heroic riff.
While all the technical elements of a film help it "sing," without a great story and characters, they don't amount to much. Fortunately, for all its technical achievements, it's the story and ensemble of The Incredibles that has helped it endure as a classic. At its core, aside from being a family movie, it is the story of a man enduring and overcoming a mid-life crisis. The themes are handled in a very real and honest fashion, and while they occasionally make for comedy, it is never reduced to parody or slapstick. Rather, it is funny because of how relatable it is. Bob Parr, being super strong, at one point accidentally makes a dent in his car door and breaks its windows. He has arguments with his wife, Helen, aka former superhero Elastigirl, over how to deal with the current superhero situation. Meanwhile, they struggle to raise their superpowered kids Violet, Dash, and unbeknownst to them, Jack-Jack. Each of the Parr's powers reflects their roles within the family/their lives. Bob Parr has super strength, having to be strong as the man of the house. Helen has elastic/stretching powers, stretching every which way to keep her family together and healthy. Violet can turn invisible and create invisible protective barriers, Dash can run at incredible speeds to match his energy level, and Jack-Jack is just full of metaphysical surprises. Add to the basic premise a very naturally worked-in subplot of Helen fearing that Bob is having an affair, and you have a truly unique American animated film.
Then there's the villain, Syndrome. We first meet him as a young teenager, Buddy, in the prologue. He christens himself Incrediboy, equipped with no superpowers but with technology and a costume, naming himself as Mr. Incredible's crimefighting partner. To Mr. Incredible, Buddy is an extremely obsessive, annoying stalker of a fanboy, so he rejects Buddy's offer to be his partner moment after moment. What appears to be throwaway comedy with a goofy kid becomes the origin of a supervillain, Mr. Incredible's archnemesis, Syndrome. Buddy becomes Syndrome, a villain using technology rather than powers to hunt down and kill retired supers, and to render ordinary people with the ability to be superheroes, thus taking away the power and exclusivity of "supers." Syndrome is truly where Brad Bird excels, once again. What could have been a slapstick idiot of a villain is actually a psychotic, socipathic genius. Syndrome breaks Mr. Incredible and pushes him to the very limits of his moral code, and his actions impact the story and stakes.
Supporting the great story, characters, and voice cast (which features the likes of Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter, Sarah Vowell, Spencer Fox, Samuel L. Jackson, Jason Lee, and Brad Bird) is the intelligent, witty script. The family scenes play out very realistically, and the dialogue flows naturally due to both the writing and delivery from the actors. Then there's moments such as Mr. Incredible and Frozone reminiscing about supervillains "monologuing" (when the villain won't shut up about their master plan while having the hero trapped, only to let their guard down and have the hero escape and defeat them). And who can forget Lucius Best's/Frozone's "Where is my super suit?" scene with his unseen wife, Honey?
I would like to be the brilliant, unbiased, objective critic who manages to find a flaw or two with The Incredibles. However, there is nothing to dislike here from a fan or critical standpoint. This film fires on all cylinders, and it earns nothing less than a 10/10 from me! What do you guys think of The Incredibles? Do you hold nostalgia for it, and does it hold up to that nostalgia? Where does it rank for you among other superhero films? And who is your favorite Incredibles castmember. I'll elaborate more on that in my upcoming review of the recently released Incredibles 2! See you there!
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