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Movie Night: Venom: The Last Dance

09/11/202418/11/2024Dr. K1 Comment

Released: 25 October 2024
Director: Kelly Marcel
Distributor: Sony Pictures Releasing
Budget: $120 million
Stars: Tom Hardy, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Juno Temple, Clark Backo, and Stephen Graham

The Plot:
Now a fugitive wanted for murder, Eddie Brock/Venom (Hardy) go on the run while being hounded by the vindictive General Rex Strickland (Ejiofor) while evading a monstrous being sent to hunt them by the ancient symbiote god, Knull (Andy Serkis).

The Background:
Fist appearing as simply a black costume acquired by Peter Parker/Spider-Man on an alien world, Venom would later take on a whole new lease of life when he bonded with the unhinged Eddie Brock to antagonise Spider-Man. Since then, Spidey’s dark doppelgänger has become a popular anti-hero and one of Spider-Man’s most recognisable foes. Venom’s popularity led to them appearing in videogames and cartoons prior to being shoe-horned into Spider-Man 3 (Raimi, 2008), though the idea of doing a live-action Venom film had circulated since 1997. This finally came to pass when Tom Hardy took on the role in a commercially successful solo film that, despite mixed reviews, led to an equally successful sequel in 2021 that was received a bit more favourably. With Hardy having signed on for three films from the start, a third was never in doubt, with Hardy and Venom: Let There Be Carnage director Andy Serkis both expressing interest in crossing over with Sony’s other Marvel films and the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Tom Holland was even open to appearing in a cameo but, in the end, writer Kelly Marcel took over as director and favouring the introduction of Knull, who she hoped would return as a prominent supervillain in later films. Although Serkis was unable to return to direct, he took on the Knull role and Hardy returned for a cool $20 million payday. The casting of Chiwetel Ejiofor and Rhys Ifans confused some and the trailers led to speculation about Venom’s place in the MCU, a sneaky tactic from Sony that no doubt contributed to the film’s box office of over $430 million. Reviews remained mixed, however, with many praising Hardy’s performance and the dynamic between Eddie and the symbiote while criticising the moronic plot and squandering his talents. Despite this, and the narrative presented in the film, Hardy remained open to the possibility of returning in some capacity later down the road.

The Review:
If you told me that we’d get an entire trilogy of Venom movies that didn’t involve Spider-Man, the guy who Venom owes their entire existence to, I’d say you were crazy. But then I’d remember that this is Sony we’re talking about, and this is exactly the kind of nonsense they’d sign off on these days. Yeah, spoilers: no version of Spider-Man appears in Venom: The Last Dance, despite the movie making the ridiculous decision to revisit one of the most pointless post-credits scenes in all of superhero cinema by showing Eddie at a bar in Mexico in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He’s then unceremoniously transported back to his world not by a magical portal created by Doctor Stephen Strange, but seemingly by a similar portal generated by Knull, the long-imprisoned creator of the symbiotes who sits entombed in a dark prison in a far away galaxy. Once back in his world, Eddie is ravaged by a combination of a drunken headache, a hangover, and a migraine caused by the teleportation that renders him a confused, fatigued, and ultimately bizarre character for the duration of the film. As much as I love Tom Hardy, his portrayal of Eddie has always irked me. Once again, he adopts a weird accent, and he plays Eddie with this weird, twitchy, socially inept awkwardness that makes many scenes (particularly in this movie) difficult to watch. Despite once being a ballsy, confident reporter who took on mega-corporations without fear, Eddie is a paranoid, largely clueless, and often bumbling figure who constantly bickers with his dark passenger. The banter between Eddie and the symbiote is one of the highlights, as ever, and is put to greater effect here through the second act’s “road trip” format as the two randomly decide the best way to avoid the authorities is to head to New York City. However, the symbiote is a growling, gruff character who’s difficult to understand and continues to be childish and unreasonable at times. Impulsive and reckless where Eddie is measured and reserved, the symbiote still desires to bite off heads as a “lethal protector” while Eddie prefer to lay low, meaning their ideals continue to clash in a way that irks me as a Venom fan since the whole point is that they’re supposed to be united in their cause.

*Hounded and branded a murderer, Eddie and the symbiote go on the run and reflect on their lives.*

Still, it makes for some amusing moments, such as the symbiote impulsively knocked people out (much to Eddie’s dismay) to steal their clothes and his immediate addiction to gambling when they make a pit stop in Las Vegas. Eddie’s easily at his lowest point here. Thanks to the events of the last movie, he’s been branded a murderer and forced to go on the run, separating him from his lost love, Anne Weying (Michelle Williams), who’s sadly absent in this film. After being spotted on CCTV cameras, Eddie attracts the attention of General Rex Strickland, who mobilises his forces to capture Eddie on sight. At first, this is seemingly to arrest him for the murder of Detective Patrick Mulligan (Graham) and others, but in actual fact Strickland oversees both the decommissioning of Area 51 and the symbiote research centre, Area 55, located beneath it. Thus, his mission is more to obtain symbiote samples, if not entire symbiotes, for the “Imperium”, a shadowy government organisation that’s running vague experiments on the symbiotes. Once Strickland learns there’s more to Eddie than he expected, he puts together a crack squad to capture the symbiote and kill Eddie but doesn’t reckon with the two’s abilities and is driven into a vengeful rage when his men are killed in the act. Eddie’s stunned and bewildered to learn that the two of them now carry a “codex” after the symbiote resurrecting Eddie in the climax of Venom. This one-of-a-kind McGuffin is the key to releasing Knull from his prison, and therefore means the two are also hounded by the monstrous Xenophage. This insectile beast can instantly detect the codex whenever Venom fully transforms, meaning much of the film focuses on Eddie as it’s too dangerous for him to fully let Venom out. Unless they happen upon kindly shopkeeper Mrs. Chen (Peggy Lu) in Las Vegas. Then it’s perfectly fine for Venom to overtake Eddie and engaging in a dance sequence with Mrs. Chen to the tunes of ABBA. Except it’s not as, predictably, the Xenophage shows up, wrecks the hotel, and Eddie is both captured and consequently separated from the symbiote. Thus, we’re denied a lot of true Venom action, leaving the symbiote little more than a floating, frothing head, unless the film decides it needs to suspend what little logic it has for an action scene.

*Teddy is fascinated by the symbiotes and determined to study them, no matter the risk.*

Eddie and the symbiote are taken to Area 55, an underground laboratory where the United States military and a band of scientists – led by Doctor Teddy Payne (Temple) and Sadie Christmas (Backo) – research the symbiotes that landed in the first movie. Unlike the experiments performed by the Life Foundation, these seem to be largely unobtrusive and benign; Teddy is in awe of the alien lifeforms and wishes only to understand and communicate with them. Even Strickland doesn’t want to destroy them, only Venom (and that’s for personal reasons), and this strange turn of event sis only further compounded by the revelation that the symbiotes aren’t actually evil. Instead, they were fleeing from Knull’s wrath and came to Earth looking for safe haven. Quite how we’re supposed to believe this when every symbiote we’ve seen up to this point, including Venom, has been sadistic and violent and wished to either eat humans or drain their bodies completely is beyond me. such concerns are further compounded by the bizarre backstory given to Teddy. As a girl (Brooke Carter), Teddy and her brother (Fflyn Edwards) were inexplicably struck by lightning, which killed him but somehow left her with only a lame arm. since then, she’s dedicated herself to living her brother’s dream of investigating life beyond our world and is fascinated by the symbiotes. It’s thanks to Teddy that Mulligan’s life is saved as she bonds him with a symbiote and learns of Knull’s threat; yet, despite being explicitly told that the only way to stop Knull is for either Eddie or Venom to die, she vehemently opposes Strickland’s offensive against Venom since it would deprive her research. While Teddy is shoe-horned in and a poor substitute for Anne, she at least has some agency and a character arc. Sadie is just kind of there; her “thing” is she likes Christmas and is named Christmas and that’s about it. Then, in the final act, she suddenly gains prominence when a symbiote latches onto her and creates Lasher, who aids Venom in their battle with the Xenophages, while Mulligan and his symbiote are unceremoniously consumed before they can help. This bugged me as I would’ve preferred to see Eddie, Anne, and Mulligan (and maybe Teddy and Strickland) fight together with symbiote partners, but it’s doubly odd as the first movie established that a true symbiosis is very rare and yet Sadie shows no signs of being consumed by her symbiote.

*Strickland’s bias almost leads to ruin when the Xenophage’s attack on Knull’s orders.*

In place of Venom’s more familiar supporting cast, Eddie stumbles upon hippie Martin Moon (Rhys Ifans) and his family – equally hippie wife Nova (Alanna Ubach), his enthusiastic but scared son Lef (Dash McCloud), and his apathetic daughter Echo (Hala Finley) – who are on a road trip to Area 51 to realise Martin’s lifelong dream of seeing an alien. Though Eddie’s reluctantly to tag along with the Moons, the symbiote insists and, while enduring their cringey singing and crackpot quirks, the two dwell on how they’ve been denied a normal life. Again, I feel like it would’ve made much more sense for Anne and Doctor Dan Lewis (Reid Scott) to have maybe seen or sensed Venom’s danger on the news and come out to help him, especially as the Moons keep sneaking back into the plot simply to put some innocents in peril. What’s really weird is that Reid Scott does feature in a cameo as the shadowy head of Imperium, a man who authorises Strickland’s employment of “The Six”, which you’d think would be a troop of symbiote-infused soldiers but is simply just another strike team. Like Martin, Strickland is shameless stunt cast with an actor known for their previous Marvel work simply to trick people into thinking Venom: The Last Dance is somehow tied to the MCU’s Multiverse Saga. While it technically is, the casting amounts to a bait and switch and nothing more, though Chiwetel Ejiofor was enjoyably charismatic in the role. In contrast, Knull is a complete waste of time. Aside from dumping a bunch of clunky exposition in our laps at the start, he does nothing but send Xenophages after Venom. Why he can’t conjure a portal to release him from his prison is beyond me, and we never see him and Venom interact, meaning it’s up to the scary and surprisingly gory Xenophages to carry the main threat. This would be fine (and admittedly spares us the same nonsensical symbiote-on-symbiote action of the last two films), but the Xenophages are functionally invincible. They immediately heal from all wounds and devour their foes and are extremely aggressive, but immediately lose interest once they can’t see the codex, making them dangerous but also paradoxically dumb.

The Nitty-Gritty:
Venom: The Last Dance feels tonally confused. Like its predecessors, it lacks the gore and violence I’d expect from a Venom movie and tries to make up for it with a few s-bombs and even an unexpected “motherfucker!” from Martin. It also delivers some startling gore in depicting the Xenophages’ preferred method of attack, which is to eat their victims whole and spewy their bloody remains from vents on their back! Venom bites the heads off a few bad guys but is again a far cry from the “lethal protector” they wish to be, and I know from the comics. In this instance, it makes sense since Eddie’s on the run, but he makes some baffling decisions in trying to evade Strickland. He wanders around in plain view, constantly being spotted by CCTV, has a good old time in Las Vegas, and his end goal is to go to New York and blackmail a former editor into helping him. The middle part tries to be a road trip movie, but it doesn’t really work; the Moons quickly outstay their welcome and it’s ridiculously convenient that they’re heading towards where all the action’s about to take place. This is why I think Anne and Dan would’ve made just as much sense, if not more. It’s also odd that Eddie mentions he and the symbiote have only been bonded for a year. I find it difficult to believe that these three films take place over a single year and, if that is the case, that’s even more disappointing. The film also squanders any potential from the ending of the last movie; we never see Venom interact with Tom Holland’s Spider-Man and his jaunt into the MCU is nonsensical, at best. I’ve always hated the idea that these films take place in a separate universe when it would’ve been so easy for Sony and Disney to collaborate on a more cohesive spin-off series. They don’t even take place in the same universe as other Sony-Marvel films, or previous Spider-Man continuities, meaning any hope of a Venom/Spider-Man interaction is tossed out the window in favour of him easily evading the Xenophage and never even seeing Knull.

*Venom moments are few and far between thanks to annoying side characters clogging up the runtime.*

It’s a shame as the film does look really good. The symbiotes held captive at Area 55 look a little dodgy but, when they bond to a host, they look fantastic. Venom, especially, looks amazing whenever they full transform. I love how slick and oozing the symbiote skin is, how they have this impossible, exaggerated teeth, and the way their bodies are all distinct and unearthly. Mulligan’s symbiote, for example, is like water and radiates an awesome presence that rightfully captivates Teddy’s imagination and Strickland’s distrust. Lasher also stands out in the finale, simply because they adopt a Christmas tree colour pattern and are so prominent in fending off the Xenophages. Venom’s abilities are displayed quite well; Eddie makes a crack about the symbiote’s inability to fly so it attaches them to an aircraft to jet him along at supersonic speeds, which was fun. It also jumps to other animals, such as a fish, frog and, most prominently, a horse. However, this sequence is simply a retread of the motorcycle chase from the first movie, which also gets a callback in the finale. Because of this, and Venom simply taunting, manhandling, and beheading some Mexican lowlifes, Venom: The Last Dance doesn’t really gives us anything new in terms of Venom’s portrayal. The symbiote does show fear at the mere mention of Knull; it’s not really clear why but it does establish that Knull is this awesome threat. Sadly, while Knull cuts an intimidating figure with his emo hair, massive sword, and swirling prison of darkness, he’s essentially a non-factor. The Xenophages are the main threat, which again is at odds with the trailer, which suggested that the symbiote’s people were invading Earth. This plot point seems to have been dropped, along with any notion of Strickland employing symbiote soldiers, to tell a far more basic story. There are some decent moments between Eddie and the symbiote where they reaffirm their bond and their desire to live in peace, but they spend so much time at odds or goofing off or being forcibly separated that it falls a bit flat for me.

*The symbiote makes the ultimate sacrifice to save its adopted world, though Knull survives the conflict…*

Thanks to Eddie defending himself and the initial Xenophage, Strickland pursues Venom relentlessly, ultimately taking them by surprise after a Xenophage attack, separating Eddie from the symbiote, and bringing them to Area 55. Having learned from Mulligan’s symbiote about Knull’s threat and the codex, Strickland is happy to execute Eddie for the greater good, only for the Xenophage to track the two to the bae after the symbiote rebonds with Eddie to save him from a gunshot wound. In the battle, Mulligan is killed and the symbiotes are released, bonding with Sadie and other nearby scientists to assist Venom. This was odd as everyone knows how dangerous the codex is so I would’ve assumed at least some of his brethren would see the value in killing Venom over sacrificing themselves to save them. Regardless, more and more Xenophages arrive, slaughtering the symbiotes and their hosts, wrecking Area 51, and putting the Moons in mortal danger. Luckily, Venom and the symbiotes are on hand to save them, with Lasher chastising Strickland’s reckless use of a rocket launcher and finally convincing them that they’re all on the same side. However, no matter how many bullets and blade can stop the Xenophages, which simply stitch themselves back together, devour Sadie’s symbiote, and mortally wound Strickland. Pinned down with no way to win, Eddie and the symbiote realise that the only way to stop the Xenophages is to sacrifice themselves. Thus, Venom leads the Xenophages to the gigantic acid tanks Strickland was using to decommission Area 51, absorbing the Xenophages into their body and forcibly dragged them into position. Despite being prepared to die alongside his friend, Eddie is aghast when the symbiote spits him out and shields him from the acid shower and the resultant explosion that destroys the entire base. Thanks to having obtained a symbiote, Teddy rushes herself and Sadie to safety as Agony and can only watch as Strickland, the Xenophages, and the Venom symbiote are destroyed. In the aftermath, Eddie finally makes it to New York, now a free man, and gazes upon the Statue of Liberty while remembering the symbiote, unaware that Knull is still waiting in the dark void and determined to enact some kind of vague revenge. Oh, and a piece of Venom also survived. Not to mention the piece he left in the MCU, meaning there are ways for Venom to return and completely squander what’s sold as an emotional ending.

The Summary:
Honestly, I didn’t expect Venom The Last Dance to involve Spider-Man. Even if it had, I probably wouldn’t have been happy or impressed that it took three movies to see what should’ve been done in the first film. For me, the Venom movies should’ve been a two-part affair: one involving Spider-Man and the other involving Cletus Kasady/Carnage. Bringing in a more modern antagonist like Knull was a good idea on paper, but the movie doesn’t commit to it. Like, why not have Knull come to Earth leading a symbiote/monster army and have Venom team up with Anne, Mulligan, and other symbiotes to fight them off? The Xenophages were horrific alien creatures, sure, but they’re simply ravenous beasts. We never see Venom tangle with their master and that’s a huge missed opportunity, as is the chance to up the stakes with a world-ending threat. Instead, we have a much more reserved film, one that tries to explore the relationship between Eddie and the symbiote but instead meanders along, squandering any potential it might’ve had. The Imperium plot point goes nowhere, Area 55 is a cauldron of contradictions, and I didn’t really care about Teddy or her confusing characterisation. It’s disappointing that this series ends on such a flat note; it does nothing to earn its sombre conclusion, and I just feel robbed of what I really wanted to see from these characters. I like Tom Hardy, but his portrayal of Eddie is so weird and all over the place, the actual Venom action is disappointingly light, and it just feels like everyone’s going through the motions because they’re contractually obligated to. Add to that the fact that the film’s another example of Sony blatantly lying to audiences with its trailers and trying to trick people into thinking it’s something it’s not and you have an uninspiring end to a franchise that somehow worked when it never should’ve. I can only hope that we get a proper, accurate, and definitive version of Venom sometime in the future… though I’m also happy to let the character lie dormant for about ten years after these efforts.

My Rating:

Could Be Better

Have you seen Venom: The Last Dance? If so, what did you think to it? Were you disappointed that Venom couldn’t fully transform or did you enjoy the new spin on their relationship? What did you think to new characters like Teddy and Strickland replacing Anne and Dan? Were you also annoyed that there wasn’t a showdown between Venom and Knull? Which of the other symbiotes was your favourite? What are some of your favourite Venom and/or Knull stories from the comics? Leave your thoughts on Venom: The Last Dance down below and go check out my other Venom content.

Movie Night: The Crow: Salvation

30/10/202430/10/2025Dr. K4 Comments

Released: 23 January 2000
Director: Bharat Nalluri
Distributor: Dimension Films
Budget: $10 million (estimated)
Stars: Eric Mabius, Kirsten Dunst, Fred Ward, Grant Shaud, Tim DeKay, and Jodi Lyn O’Keefe

The Plot:
Alex Corvis (Mabius), wrongly executed for killing his girlfriend, Lauren Randell (O’Keefe), is resurrected by a supernatural crow to uncover the truth alongside her grieving sister, Erin (Dunst).

The Background:
The creation of James O’Barr as a means to cope with losing his fiancée, The Crow started out as a comic book published by Caliber Comics in 1989 and quickly became an underground success. With dark comic book narratives gaining popularity in Hollywood, the concept was adapted into a critically and commercially successful film despite the tragic on-set death of star Brandon Lee. Regarded as a cult hit, The Crow (Proyas, 1994) spawned numerous sequels; The Crow: City of Angels (Pope, 1996) released just two years later as a direct response to the original’s financial success. Studio meddling contributed to The Crow: City of Angels’ dismal box office and the film was (rightfully) slandered by negative reviews. Undeterred, series producers Edward R. Pressman and Jeff Most sought to continue the franchise, initially tapping rock star Rob Zombie to helm a more horror-centric approach. This clashed with the producers’ vision for the franchise, leading to frustrations and Zombie’s eventual departure, leading to Most shifting focus towards a younger avatar for the Crow mantle. Eric Mabius – who had auditioned for the lead in the first film – this finally got his chance to play the role. Released straight to video, The Crow: Salvation received lukewarm reviews, with most only able to praise it for being slightly better than the previous film. The dialogue, cheap presentation, and bland, charisma-less cast were all criticised, though some regard it as an under-rated entry. Ultimately, the film’s poor reception did little to sour the studio on producing another entry five years later, a film so reviled that it cast the franchise into Development Hell for nearly twenty years.

The Review:
I’ve been a big fan of The Crow since I was a kid and randomly discovered it recorded on one of our VHS tapes. I remember, at the time, a fair bit of intrigue surrounding The Crow: City of Angels; still photos mis-sold the film as a bad-ass action/revenge film, but it turned out to be an ugly mess that I struggled to comprehend, let alone enjoy. Still, I was intrigued by the third movie, which I’d heard was slightly better, so I picked it up on DVD a long time ago, watched it maybe two times, and then promptly discarded it simply because there was no need to clog my collection up with such sub-par movies. The film begins with young Alex Corvis a state-wide figure of controversy; having already been tried and convicted for murder, the braying, judgemental masses call gleefully for his execution, which has been held off for three years so he can be old enough to suffer his punishment. Though he’s maintained his innocence the entire time, pinning the blame on a mysterious man with a scarred forearm, the public and even the prison guards regard him as a reprehensible monster, largely because his victim suffered fifty-three stab wounds during the assault. Before he even returns as an undead wraith, Alex carries a tremendous amount of guilt and self-loathing for not only failing to protect Lauren but also failing to find her true murderer, powerful emotions that fuel his later thirst for revenge. Though he tries to maintain his composure, his resolve falters as he’s strapped to an electric chair, fitted with a gruesome helmet, and forced before not just the judgemental eyes of those in attendance – including Lauren’s younger sister and her father, Nathan (William Atherton) – but also (unbeknownst to him) the corrupt cops who screwed him over and, to his anger and horror, the scarred forearm that has tormented his days.

*Youngster Alex returns from the grave to uncover the true culprit behind his girlfriend’s murder.*

Unlike his predecessors, Alex gets no time to rest; moments after he’s unceremoniously wheeled into the morgue, a supernatural crow brings him back to life and he’s stripping the gloopy remains of his flesh from his face. I quite liked this aspect, that the helmet he wore scarred his face into the familiar Crow look, and it makes for a gruesome, gory sequence. Through Alex’s escape from prison, we witness him discovering his newfound powers: the crow seems to communicate or at least “push” him towards his goal, he sees visions through tactile contact, and his wounds almost instantly heal. This youngster revels in these abilities with a cocksure bravado but also demonstrates the truly bizarre ability to turn into a crow at will! As before, Alex and Lauren’s relationship is primarily related through flashbacks; amidst the usual lovey-dovey moments (though the inclusion of the “Only forever?” line is a nice touch), we see them arguing, Lauren acting erratically, and Alex’s frustration with her. This is all part of the mystery surrounding her death and makes up the evidence against him, but the crow leads him to the cops who testified against him. Lamenting his newfound unlife, Alex heads out with his literal kill list to discover the true murderer’s identity. Shown to be a more spiritual and reflective character, Alex is prone to waxing lyrical on the divine and Biblical rather than quoting Poe, which just comes across as shamelessly imitating Brandon Lee. I don’t mind Eric Mabius but he’s painfully generic; I appreciate that he has his own visual style, one spruced up when he acquires an overcoat, but he doesn’t cut an intimidating figure. Instead, he’s just a screwed up kid looking to confront those who wronged him, using Lauren’s murder weapon, no less. No one recognises him because of the scarring and Alex doesn’t immediately identify himself, making him more of an anonymous avenger at times. The only one who believed in his innocence is his lawyer, Peter Walsh (Grant Shaud). Peter vows to find the true culprit and is accosted by Detective Vincent Erlich (Dale Midkiff), one of the corrupt cops, when Alex starts ticking names off his list. Peter’s astonished when Alex appears to him and asks him to investigate Nathan’s dealings with the cops and a recurring company name, D.E.R.T., which directly leads to both Peter’s murder and Nathan to kill himself out of remorse.

*Distraught Erin eventually supports Alex’s crusade against the corrupt cops.*

While we don’t really learn anything about Lauren apart from seeing her as a sweet, playful girl, she gets a proxy in Erin. Much younger and expressing her grief through her hatred of Alex, Erin is confused and lost and initially hostile towards him until he brings her proof that her father was doing business with corrupt Detectives Madden (Bruce McCarty), Martin Toomey (Tim DeKay), Erlich, Stanley Roberts (Walton Goggins), and Phillip Dutton (Bill Mondy). Like Alex, Erin carries a great deal of guilt and pain, not just at because she’s lost her sister but also because she pointed them in the direction of where she might be when they came looking for her. When these emotions overwhelm her and make her wish she were dead, Alex forces Erin to experience Lauren’s terror and ordeal at the hands of the cops to show her what a fighter her sister was even as she was being stabbed to death, all to teach the distraught Erin that “life is worth living”. The dirty cops launder money through a strip club and engage in drug dealing and, when Lauren witnessed Roberts murder a man in cold blood, he and his cohorts went after her to silence her. When their base instincts took over, they all joined in with the stabbing and the killing after she dared to fight back. This is an interesting twist on the concept and allows The Crow: Salvation to stand out from its predecessors and presents us with morally corrupt lawmen whose testimony trumped that of a young, troubled kid. Alex’s first target is the sleazy Dutton, who delights in using his authority to sexually accost young, intoxicated women. Erlich takes a more authoritative role in the group, informing them of Dutton’s death, but his only defining character trait is his tendency to pull pranks on the group. Of them all, Roberts stands out the most thanks to being played with a squirmy glee by Walton Goggins. When he realises he’s next on the list, he accosts witness Tommy Leonard (David Stevens) and his family, killing him since he refuses to believe Alex has returned.

The Nitty-Gritty:
One of the main issues with The Crow: Salvation is similar to what dragged down the first sequel; while it’s shot far better and I’m not feeling nauseous due to disturbing mustard mist, everything just looks very cheap. The framing of shots, the quality of the film, even the crow’s-eye view scenes are all very direct-to-video and the movie even has the gall to recycle shots from the first film to imply it takes place in the same city. Structurally, it sticks very close to the same formula as the last two films; Alex really has no reason to work his way up the food chain of forgettable corrupt cops and could just go right to the source, but then the movie’s runtime would be much shorter and the filmmakers couldn’t rehash what worked so well in the original film. While interiors are perfectly serviceable, if unusually claustrophobic (again, seeming more like a television production), exteriors are painfully bland. The movie returns to the dump where Lauren died a few times and it’s a dull, lifeless location. The film lacks the gothic identity of even the second movie which, for all its obscuring fog and shadows, at least tried for a distinct visual identity. It doesn’t help that Alex is decked out not in leather and straps but his prison jumpsuit. Yeah, the coat helps but he looks like a kid playing dress-up, desperately trying to emulate Brandon Lee’s performance and failing miserably. Alex easily overpowers his victims; safe and even revelling in his invincibility, Alex freely stabs himself and walks into gun shots. He even blasts himself through the mouth to intimidate his prey, gleefully ending them out of frustration at their instance that there is no scarred man. Sadly, Alex’s mission is tainted by the budget; he tries to look badass by walking away from an explosion (that also destroys a police helicopter), but it’s painfully brought to life through dodgy rear projection.

*The budget, visuals, and performances aren’t up to the task of equalling the gothic, moody first film.*

Alex executes Dutton via gunshot to the head, drives Erlich into a bus and blows him up, and adds a twist to his venge-filled killings by using Lauren’s murder weapon, even inflicting the same fifty-three stab wounds and carving Lauren’s pet-name for Erin (“Daisy”) into Dutton’s forehead. He also continues the traditional of leaving the crow’s symbol and encourages a young stripper (Noname Jane) to give up her life of drugs and debauchery. Alex’s infiltration of the Key Club sees him first scurrying about the rafters to avoid a hail of gunfire and then forcing the gaggle of corrupt cops to expend all their bullets, though it does result in Roberts taking a pipe through the back, and Toomey being blown to pieces. The mystery of the true killer is built up right from the opening credits, where we see his trademark forearm scar, as well as his knowledge of/fascination with the supernatural crow in his macabre embalming hobby. All throughout the film, Alex is haunted by the image of that zig-zag scar and frustrated by his victims refusing to give him a name. Instead, they insist, even in the face of their death, that Corvis made the whole thing up. Even if he didn’t immediately reveal that he’s as corrupt as his detectives, you’d probably guess that Captain John L. Book is the true culprit simply because he’s played by the immortal Fred Ward. A gruff, uncompromising figure, Book exudes authority and elevates even this drab material just by Ward’s screen presence. Having “studied [the crow] phenomenon before”, Book is the only one not surprised to learn Alex has returned from the dead to seek revenge and is learned enough to know that Alex’s mission will be complete and his powers lost once he finds the man with the scar. Thus, he sets a trap at the Key Club, implanting the scar into Peter’s severed arm and tricking Alex into thinking he’s got his man.

*Alex ultimately finds his man and avenges his losses in this cheap, dull imitation.*

The fulfilment of his mission sends Alex into a disorientated daze; haunted by visions of Lauren, he loses his grip on reality and struggles to reacclimatising to feeling the pain of his wounds. When he returns to Peter’s office and finds Erin missing and that the Book is the man he’s been looking for, Alex immediately heads to the police station to confront him. However, despite knowing that he has a loose end to tie up and still being accompanied by the crow, Alex remains mortal and is brutally stabbed by Book. As he dies (again), Book taunts him and makes him doubt his innocence, twisting his memories and trying to ensure he doesn’t return anew. Erin, tied up and with her lips sewn shut (!), is forced to watch as Book, his unnamed woman (Kelly Haren), and Madden prepare to stuff and mount his corpse. However, the crow brings Alex Erin’s locket, reviving Alex, restoring his powers, and reminding him of the truth. Although Alex shrugs off Madden’s bullets, the crooked cop and the secretary have better luck by attacking the crow, whose pain Alex can feel, and he’s so distracted offing them that Book escapes with Erin in tow. When Erin stabs him and flees, Book is reduced to a crazed maniac in his pursuit of her, though Alex easily catches up to them. Finally getting his hands on his man, Alex takes Book to the electric chair and delivers a melancholy soliloquy regarding the painlessly of electrocution and revealing that it’s actually pure agony. Still, Book remains defiant to the end; cursing them both, he mocks Alex and Lauren’s relationship and vows to return to get his revenge. In the end, it’s Erin who pulls the lever and the two watch on as Book is incinerated by electricity. After finally witnessing Book’s prolonged and painful death, Alex bids farewell to Erin, returning him to happier times with Lauren and renewing the girl’s belief in life…and love.

The Summary:
The Crow: Salvation proves, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that the original film was lightning in a bottle. By moving so far away from a serious theatrical production and reducing the concept to a direct-to-DVD release, the movie dilutes and disrespects both the source material and the original film. It’s a shame because there are some good elements here. I like that the avatar is completely new, a younger character who exhibits different abilities and a different perspective on the powers. Alex isn’t a cool rockstar or an amateur magician/trained mechanic; he’s just a kid who’s been dealt a bad hand and now has the power to avenge himself. I liked the whodunit mystery and the suggestion that Alex might actually have been guilty; in some ways, I wonder if this might’ve been a better twist ending since it was obvious Fred Ward was the culprit once he appeared onscreen. I liked that Alex was going after corrupt cops, people in positions of trust and authority who abused their power, and that I could actually see what the hell was happening this time around. Sadly, the execution and performances are severely lacking; Fred Ward, William Atherton, and Walton Goggins are the only memorable or commendable performances. Kirsten Dunst is pretty, but woeful as an overly dramatic wreck, and Eric Mabius just doesn’t have the screen charisma or acting ability to captivate in the role. The film is also really cheap, using obvious jump cuts, recycled footage, and awful visual effects. To make matters worse, it’s still too similar to the original, repeating many of the same story beats and action moments but without the budget, passion, or care exhibited in the gothic cult classic. The Crow: Salvation just comes across as a cheap, bland cash-grab, one doomed to fail no matter what they did. However, for having actors who didn’t make me want to pull my teeth out and being visually more coherent than the last film, it gets one extra star but it’s ultimately a forgettable film that even die-hard Crow fans will have a hard time connecting with.

My Rating:

Could Be Better

Did you enjoy The Crow: Salvation? If so…why? Do you think it was better, overall, than the second film? What did you think to Eric Mabius’s performance and Alex as a younger avatar? Did you guess who the true killer was or was the reveal a surprise to you? What did you think to the antagonists being corrupt cops? Were you disappointed by the low-budget production values? Which of The Crow’s sequels was your favourite, if any, and would you like the see the character return in some form or another in the future? How are you celebrating Devil’s Night tonight? Whatever you think about The Crow: Salvation, join the discussion below and check out my other Crow content on the site..

Movie Night: Spawn

24/10/202411/11/2024Dr. K3 Comments

Released: 1 August 1997
Director: Mark A.Z. Dippé
Distributor: New Line Cinema / Todd McFarlane Entertainment
Budget: $40 to 45 million
Stars: Michael Jai White, John Leguizamo, Martin Sheen, Melinda Clarke, and Nicol Williamson

The Plot:
United States Marine Force Recon Lieutenant Colonel and Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) operative Al Simmons (White) is betrayed and murdered by his employer, Jason Wynn (Sheen), and his enforcer, Jessica Priest (Clarke). After agreeing to lead Hell’s armies, Simmons returns heavily-scarred and bound to a symbiotic suit, but determined to avenge himself.

The Background:
After cutting his teeth in the comic book industry with Coyote, avid artist Todd McFarlane made a name for himself by revitalising The Amazing Spider-Man with his signature art style. However, McFarlane grew dissatisfied with his lack of creative control at Marvel and formed his own independent comic book publisher, Image Comics, alongside other Marvel creatives, in 1992. At the forefront of this was Spawn, a hellborn anti-hero first sketched by McFarlane as a teena g er. Spawn #1 was an immediate hit; its 1.7 million sales set records and made it the most successful creator-owned comic of all-time. Naturally, Hollywood was eager to capitalise on this success, with McFarlane eventually selling the rights to New Line Cinema for a mere $1 in exchange for creative input and merchandising rights. New Line president Michael De Luca, himself a comic book fan, was eager to remain true to the source material while reaching a wider audience with a PG-13 rating and brought in Alan B. McElroy to pen the script. Attracted to Simmons’ tragic backstory, martial artist-turned-actor Michael Jai White eagerly signed on, enduring hours in the make-up chair and stuck in uncomfortable prosthetics. He didn’t suffer alone though as co-star John Leguizamo suffered from claustrophobia and heat exhaustion to be transformed into the Violator’s diminutive Clown form. Most of the film’s budget was naturally spent on digital effects, courtesy of Industrial Light & Magic, which included a digital rendition of Hell, digitally bringing Spawn’s living cape to life, and the creation of both an animatronic and CGI representation of the Violator’s true, demonic form. Unfortunately, a box office return of just over $87 million meant Spawn failed to match the success of the comic book. The movie was widely panned, criticised for its muddled plot and overreliance on special effects, though Leguizamo’s performance and some visual aspects have been praised. Michael Jai White was dissatisfied with the film, and a sequel was quickly halted. Since then, rumours of a reboot have persisted, with McFarlane constantly claiming that an R-rated reimagining is in the works, only to run into dead ends each time.

The Review:
Spawn immediately gets off to a bit of a bad start by presenting a chronological tale. One of the appeals of the original comic was its disjointed narrative; Simmons was dumped on Earth with fragmented memories and slowly pieced together his background over many issues. Hell, new revelations were being revealed and retconned in years after he first appeared, which added extra layers to his character and tragedy. Instead, Spawn spends some time with Simmons, a callous and deathly efficient CIA operative who meticulously and ruthlessly eliminates his targets. However, Simmons isn’t some cold-hearted killing machine; he has a conscience and is enraged when his latest mission causes the deaths of innocent bystanders. Later flashbacks show that his beloved wife, Wanda Blake (Theresa Randle), feared his life as a glorified assassin was slowly stripping him of his humanity and this, coupled with Director Jason Wynn’s increasing disregard for collateral damage, drives Simmons to bluntly state his intentions to resign his commission. While his rival, the sadistic Jessica Priest, scoffs at this and mocks Al’s decision, Wynn seemingly accepts his resignation on the condition that he completes one last mission for A-6, the counterterrorism offshoot of the CIA that Wynn commands. This mission sees Simmons sent to North Korea to destroy an extremely dangerous biological weapon. However, he finds the facility has already been rigged to blow and is blindsided by Wynn and Priest. Wounded and doused in flammable liquid, Simmons is helpless to keep the two from blowing the factory and spreading their pathogen to a nearby town, infecting and killing thousands to engineer “Heat-16”, a particularly aggressive virus that Wynn plots to use to manipulate the world’s governments into bowing to his every whim.

*Assassin with a conscience Al Simmons is resurrected as a warrior for Hell.*

In a flash of burning fire, Simmons awakens in a dank, filthy alley – Rat City – wracked with pain and covered in horrendous burns. Here, he’s immediately accosted by young Zack (Miko Hughes) and the mysterious Nicholas Cogliostro (Nicol Williamson). Confused and disoriented, Simmons heads home, only to discover that five years have passed and that Wanda is now married to his best friend, Terry Fitzgerald (Sweeney), who now acts as A-6 public relations correspondent. Wanda and Terry also have a young daughter, Cyan (Sydni Beaudoin), and have found a happiness that no longer includes Al. Tormented by heartbreak and agony, Simmons is hounded by the rancid Clown (Leguizamo), who delights in Al’s pain and takes great pleasure in jogging his memory by transporting him to his gravesite. Simmons learns he was burned alive and blown up by Wynn and, for his many murderous actions, sent to Hell. There, the gigantic demon, Malebolgia (Frank Welker), promised to “let [him] see Wanda again” if he agreed to lead Hell’s armies against the forces of Heaven. Desperate to be reunited with his love, Simmons readily agreed, only to miss out on five years and be bonded to a symbiotic, “Necroplasmic” armour. This painfully emerges from his scarified skin and sprouts chains, a ridiculously large CGI cape, and heals any wounds near instantly. Dubbed “Spawn”, Simmons is left festering with rage at Wynn’s betrayal and immediately arms himself to get revenge, despite Cogliostro warning that giving in to anger and Hell’s whims will only make things worse for him (and, indeed, the entire world). True to the source material, Simmons struggles to reconcile his newfound life. He angrily rejects Zack and Cogliostro (while also being disgusted by the Clown) and even accuses Terry of betraying him, only to eventually learn that he’s part of a far bigger (and unnecessarily convoluted) plot by Hell to bolster their forces. Michael Jai White does a decent enough job in the title role; he certainly looks the part, especially in his comic accurate suit. However, his line deliveries often leave a lot to be desired and the nature of the suit means he gets few opportunities to show off his fighting prowess, so Spawn’s fantastical abilities are often disregarded in favour of simple gunfights.

*Spawn struggles to reconcile his past with his new cursed destiny.*

Although he prefers to work alone in his vendetta, Spawn has some allies to both steer him in the right direction and appeal to what’s left of his humanity. Zack, a homeless child left scrounging through rubbish for rotting food alongside his abrasive father, Glen (Michael Papajohn), immediately offers Simmons aid and tries to befriend him. While Spawn repeatedly rebukes him, he defends Zack when Glen gets a bit too handsy and eventually opens up to the boy, entrusting him to care for his dog, Spaz, and is guilt-ridden when his battle with the Clown’s true demonic form, the Violator, causes Glen’s death (among others). Spawn is mentored by vague former Arthurian Knight turned Hellspawn, Cogliostro, a wise (if cryptic) old man who pleads with Simmons to let go of his anger, and his former life, and embrace his new destiny as Spawn, while also turning that hell-born power against his demonic creators. While he mainly observes and offers ambiguous advice, Cogliostro has enough Necroplasm left to conjure a sword and even fights alongside Spawn in the finale. Pained to see Wanda, Terry, and Cyan as a loving, happy family, Simmons largely distances himself from them both because of his horrific appearance and because he’s determined to kill Wynn. Still, he befriends Cyan, finding her sympathetic to his plight, and Terry aids him by association by using his high-ranking position to earn Wynn’s trust and obtain incriminating evidence regarding his Heat-16 plot. Still, Simmons is haunted by memories of and his love for Wanda; flashbacks portray them as a loving couple, and he literally sells his soul just to see her again. However, as attractive as Melinda Clarke is, she’s easily the weakest part of the film. In the five-year time skip, Wanda has been advocating to help the children affected by the incident in North Korea, but her address is so dry and her delivery so robotic that it impacts her relationships with other characters. Sydni Beaudoin is similarly cringe-worthy as Cyan but I can forgive a young child for struggling and, ironically, the relationship between Wanda and Cyan was the only one I believed in. She has little onscreen chemistry with Al or Terry, meaning the core emotional hook of Spawn’s journey fell flat for me and left me with an angry, stubborn soldier wielding incredible powers.

*The forces of Hell hatch a convoluted plan to commit mass genocide.*

Spawn’s target is Jason Wynn, the gruff, boisterous director of A-6 with designs for world domination. He colludes with the Clown to kill off Simmons, his best operative, and create Heat-16, a pathogen he uses to strong-arm governments into joining his “consortium” but which Hell plans to unleash to wipe the Earth clear for conquest. At Clown’s suggestion, Wynn has a heart monitor installed, ensuring that he cannot be assassinated without unleashing the virus, though he’s unaware that the Clown is purposely riling Spawn up specifically so that he’ll kill Wynn and set off the bomb. Why, exactly the Clown doesn’t kill Wynn or set off the bomb himself is beyond me but Wynn, for all his authority and intellect, unquestionably follows Hell’s orders, believing he’ll rule the world for his obedience. He’s joined by Priest, a highly killed assassin in her own right, but she’s quickly felled by Spawn when she defends Wynn. Thus, Spawn’s greatest physical challenge is the Clown, a belligerent and vile creature who constantly badgers Spawn, spitting threats that Simmons laughs off until the squat antagonist transforms into a towering, slobbering demon and attacks him in Rat City. Seemingly able to teleport and showcasing superior physical strength and durability, the Violator easily trounces Spawn, leaving him impaled on a railing, and promises to kill him if he ever steps out of line. The Clown is jealous of Spawn’s high standing in Hell’s army and wishes to prove himself superior in Malebolgia’s eyes, though acquiesces to his demonic overlord’s orders out of fear of reprisal, which only fuels his antagonistic relationship with Simmons. Leguizamo is the film’s highlight, relishing the Clown’s sadistic, spiteful demeanour with a devilish glee and chewing the scenery at every opportunity. Malebolgia is correctly positioned as the mastermind behind the film’s events, but has little direct influence on Earth; instead, he acts through the Clown, who in turn manipulates Wynn. While the Violator is the Devil’s primary agent on Earth, Simmons openly opposes and rejects Malebolgia. However, it takes him some time to realise that, while he thinks he’s acting independently in targeting Wynn, he’s actually playing right into Malebolgia’s hands and needs to choose a different path to make the most of his hell-given powers.

The Nitty-Gritty:
If, for some reason, you’re confused by Spawn’s premise, the movie has you covered. The unnecessarily mysterious Cogliostro is on hand to provide both an opening and closing narration, interludes, and even describe what’s happening onscreen at various points. Then, he and the Clown and even the Devil himself, constantly reiterate both the plot, the details of Spawn’s powers, and the deal Simmons made to be returned from the underworld. After a while, it feels a bit like padding and gets quite insulting. After all, the premise is extremely simple (former soldier is betrayed, murdered, sent to Hell, and returns with funky powers) so it baffles me that we need so much exposition. The film’s pacing is woefully disjointed; I can’t help but think the narrative would’ve been better served by telling the story out of sequence, like The Crow (Proyas, 1994). Skipping Cogliostro’s obnoxious narration and opening with Simmons awakening in Rat City, only to be tormented by fragmented memories of his former life and then experiencing more complete flashbacks as the film progresses, would’ve better captured the mystery so prevalent in the source material. The film is also shot like a music video; while the kinetic editing calms for exposition, the camera is all over the place during action scenes. Insufferable jump cuts and a barrage of demonic imagery are thrown at the viewer for scene transitions or tossed in whenever we need another reminder of what happened to Simmons and what his motivations are. Characters also not only routinely narrate their actions, but Terry even interacts with a touchscreen computer that helpfully displays and announces his surreptitious actions. Some scenes also appear to be missing from the final film, resulting in Spawn speeding through Cogliostro’s training without so much as a montage and Wynn inexplicably sporting a broken wrist for the finale.

*Occasionally, the film brings McFarlane’s art to life with striking visual fidelity.*

It’s a shame as there are some instances where the film really impresses, at least visually. Rat City is suitably desolate, rainswept, and gothic, perfectly capturing Spawn’s unkempt dwellings from the comic books. Spawn himself also looks fantastic and, thankfully, spends most of the film garbed in his slick, sticky armour. While he looks best when his glaring mask envelops his scarified face, the make-up effects used to bring Al’s burns to life are very impressive and make the actor barely recognisable. Unfortunately, as good as Spawn’s suit looks, its abilities aren’t featured all that much. Mostly, he sprouts spikes and chains as a defensive measure and his cape is entirely absent except in dire emergencies or to give us bad-ass (if dated) shots of Spawn brooding or sweeping into action. There are a few offhand warnings that draining his power will kill Spawn, but no visual indicator of how limited his abilities are like in the comics. Simmons breezes through Cogliostro’s training and quickly masters the suit, conjuring solid armour during his explosive motorcycle chase with the Clown rather than the suit instinctively hiding him or flying him from danger. When in Hell, Spawn unleashes a barrage of Necroplasmic lasers to eliminate most of Malebolgia’s forces and even uses eye beams to extract Wynn’s heart monitor, but it appears the effects budget ran out at this point as these are poorly executed. Similarly, Hell itself is an unsightly mishmash of flaming rocks, lava plumes, screaming Hellspawn hoards, and an absolutely abhorrent CGI rendition of Malebolgia that apparently replaced a far more impressive puppet. The Devil’s mouth doesn’t even move, for God’s sake, and the film just looks like an early PlayStation cutscene whenever the action shifts to Hell. Again, it’s a shame as the Violator looks fantastic (thanks, in part, to also having an animatronic counterpart). The Clown’s transformation is suitably gruesome and it’s clear more time, effort, and money went into animating the Violator, which looks like Todd McFarlane’s artwork come to life. Sadly, he’s only onscreen for one brief fight scene in the alley, a confusing acid trip of a Hell fight, and a surprise jump scare at the end.

*Though triumphant, Spawn’s victory is tainted by some ugly-ass CGI.*

So, yeah… Hell’s plot was to recruit Simmons before “the other side” since he somehow has the largest kill count in human history and is the perfect candidate to lead Malebolgia’s armies. Malebolgia then immediately ensured Spawn would defy him by screwing him over, then had Clown manipulate Wynn into creating a genocidal pathogen that they want Spawn to unleash by taking his revenge, for some reason. It’s all a bit confusing, needlessly so, but the thrust is that they’re trying to foster Spawn’s hatred and anger and strip him of his morality and humanity. Although he tethers on the edge of fulfilling this destiny, Spawn is pulled back from the brink by Cogliostro, Zack, and the happiness Wanda and Terry have found with Cyan. Still, his love for Wanda is so strong that he speeds to her house to save her from the Clown, who shows up with Wynn to take the Fitzgeralds hostage. There, Wynn threatens Wanda at knifepoint to force Simmons into reaffirming his allegiance to Hell and stabs her when he hesitates, causing Spawn to fly into a rage. Despite having seen the love of his life killed, Spawn opts not to kill Wynn and simply removes and destroys his heart monitor, ending his threat. However, it turns out to have been another double cross as the Clown was masquerading as Wanda and gleefully pulls Spawn and Cogliostro into Hell for a big, blurry CGI fight scene. There, the two Hellspawn fend off the Violator and Spawn finally rejects Malebolgia, eradicating most of his army and fleeing in a burst of Necroplasm, only for the Violator to appear one last time to try and bite Spawn’s head off. However, thanks to Cogliostro’s training, Spawn skewers the Violator and then beheads him with his chains, reducing the Clown to “a little head” and sending him back to Hell. Finally accepting that his old life is gone, Spawn seemingly agrees to take up Cogliostro’s fight, returning to Rat City and watching over the city like a dark protector, ready to oppose Hell should it ever try to resurface.

The Summary:
My first introduction to Spawn was when I was a pre-teen; a friend of mine randomly had a Violator action figure and the design obviously stuck with me because I recognised it in the Spawn trailer and was super excited to see the film at the cinema at the time. I remember enjoying the film as a kid and, for the longest time, I had a soft spot for it due to my deep love for the character, but Spawn hasn’t aged well at all. The visual effects are all over the place (and, I suspect, too ambitious even at the time), presenting a cartoonish version of Hell and a horrendous representation of Malebolgia that drags the film down considerably. This is juxtaposed with a fantastic recreation of Spawn’s suit and an impressive CGI and animatronic Violator. I can even defend Spawn’s terrible CGI cape, but none of these aspects make up for the shoddy CGI elsewhere. Even if the effects were up to scratch, the pacing and narrative is all over the place. Often resembling a frantic music video, Spawn is an almost insulting barrage of visuals and exposition that spells everything out to the audience like they’re children. The performances are similarly disjointed: John Leguizamo is the obvious standout, embodying the role with a rancid glee, and Martin Sheen desperately tries to elevate the material. But Michael Jai White falters as a leading man and Theresa Randle fails to impress as Wanda. I just didn’t buy into their chemistry or their relationship, which is the entire crux of Spawn’s motivation. It’s a shame as the film is a pretty accurate adaptation of at least the early days of the comic book and occasionally brings Todd McFarlane’s artwork to life with impressive fidelity. The rocking soundtrack fits with the quasi-gothic/urban setting and I enjoyed seeing Spawn in action but seeing him rely on toothless gunfire and stumble through what should be emotionally impactful moments hurts my enjoyment. In the end, it’s a decent effort but relies too much on nonsensical, explosive action, terribly dated CGI, and frantic, disjointed editing, bombarding the audience with clunky exposition and failing to hold together under close (or even cursory) scrutiny.

My Rating:

Could Be Better

What did you think to Spawn? Were you a fan of the character back in the day? Did the constant exposition and barrage of visuals also put you off? Were you also disappointed by some of the performances? Do you think the plot was needlessly convoluted and muddied? What did you think to Spawn’s suit, the Violator effect, and John Leguizamo’s turn as the Clown? Do you think we’ll see a live-action reboot before the heat death of the universe? Whatever you think about Spawn share your thoughts in the comments and take a look at my other Spawn content.

Movie Night: Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance

17/10/202417/10/2024Dr. K3 Comments

Released: 17 February 2012
Director: Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor
Distributor: Columbia Pictures / Sony Pictures Releasing
Budget: $57 to 75 million
Stars: Nicolas Cage, Johnny Whitworth, Violante Placido, Fergus Riordan, Idris Elba, and Ciarán Hinds

The Plot:
After selling his soul to the Devil, who’s taken mortal form as Roarke (Hinds), and being transformed into the demonic Ghost Rider, Johnny Blaze (Cage) has withdrawn from the world. However, when he’s charged with protecting Nadya and Danny Ketch (Placido and Riordan) from Roarke’s enforcer, Ray Carrigan/Blackout (Whitworth), Blaze discovers a chance to both redeem and rid himself from his nightmarish curse.

The Background:
Gary Friedrich, Roy Thomas, and Mike Ploog’s Ghost Rider first appeared in the pages of Marvel Spotlight #5 and has spearheaded many supernatural Marvel adventures since while invariably appearing in Marvel’s television ventures. After a long period in Development Hell (pun intended) Ghost Rider finally made his live-action debut with noted comic book fan Nicolas Cage portraying a quirky, damaged version of the character that left many critics disappointed. Though labelled as one of the worst films of the decade, Ghost Rider’s (Johnson, 2007) almost $230 million box office was a catalyst for a sequel, with Cage eager to explore a darker side to Blaze’s character. David S. Goyer signed on to pen the sequel, which was strangely framed as a quasi-reboot and lumbered with a far smaller budget than its predecessor. Visual effects studio Creative-Cartel took on the task of bringing the flame-headed spectre to life, producing around 850 visual effects shots and fitting Cage with an LED helmet to help perfect the lighting of Ghost Rider’s flaming skull, which was designed to express the character’s demeanour. Unfortunately, Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance failed to match its predecessor’s box office or redeem Ghost Rider’s live-action career. Reviews were scathing, criticising Cage’s wacky performance, slapdash narrative, and dreadful 3D conversion. While it’s since developed a small cult following, Cage’s dissatisfaction with the film and the role scuppered any chance of a sequel and the character was eventually reacquired by Marvel in 2013.

The Review:
Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance is a quasi-sequel, quasi-reboot of the franchise that picks up some years into former stunt rider Johnny Blaze’s cursed life as the titular Spirit of Vengeance. Thankfully, for those unfamiliar with the character and concept, Blaze is on hand to provide an opening narration (and a few narrative interludes) to catch us up on the story. Similar to the first film, Blaze was devastated when his father contracted terminal cancer and, in desperation, made a literal deal with the Devil to save his life. It’s not related what happened after that, just that the Devil (here given the unremarkable mortal name of “Roarke”) twisted the deal, bonding Blaze to an ancient demon that transforms him into a monstrous, flame-headed creature in the presence of evil. Haunted by this decision, and the guilt behind his selfish reasons for making it in the first place (Blaze later emotionally confesses to charismatic priest-cum-wine connoisseur Moreau (Elba) that he made the deal because he couldn’t bare to lose his father), Blaze flees halfway across the world, avoiding all human contact wherever possible. Unlike in the previous movie, where Blaze hid his tortured soul behind wacky eccentricities, Blaze is now withdrawn, socially awkward, and constantly battling against the demon that rages inside of him. Living a simple life in near squalor, he fights nightly to keep the Ghost Rider at bay. Sensitive to the light and with little interest in helping others, Blaze is initially hostile towards Moreau but is convinced to hear the bombastic priest out when he promises to take Blaze to his sacred order and have his curse finally lifted. Still, he’s naturally reluctant since he has little to no control over the Ghost Rider. The demon possesses him, seemingly taking full control of his body, and both cannot distinguish between those who are truly wicked and those who are merely misguided and has no desire to, simply relishing in violence and satiating its never-ending hunger.

*Cage is more unhinged than ever as the tortured Blaze and demonic Ghost Rider.*

Later, when sheltered by Methodius (Christopher Lambert) and the other monks from Moreau’s order, Blaze learns the origins of the demon possessing him. It’s said to have once been Zarathos, the Spirit of Justice, an angel sent to defend humanity. However, Zarathos was somehow captured, tortured, and driven insane in Hell, transforming it into the unrelenting Spirit of Vengeance that now engulfs Blaze’s body. The Ghost Rider is a bizarre, disappointingly silent creature of vast, near-unlimited power. There’s little physical threat against his awesome Hell powers. He easily reduces every nameless, faceless goon to ash and cinders with his flaming chains and shrugs off bullets, relishing intimidating his prey by swaying about and striking odd poses. Exhibiting superhuman strength and durability, the Ghost Rider can transform any vehicle, no matter how big, into a flaming vessel but, of course, favours a bitchin’ motorcycle. His most powerful technique remains the Penance Stare, here changed to be the flaming demon simply screaming in his victim’s face for an awkward amount of time. Blaze says that the Ghost Rider consumes souls, but we don’t actually see that happen onscreen; his victims simply cower in fear and burst to ash, which is a bit of a disappointment. At one point, he does absorb and regurgitate a full clip of gunfire at one hapless goon, and he’s left unscathed by bazooka fire, though a desperate grenade shot by Carrigan is strangely enough to incapacitate him. Indeed, the only thing that can even stop the Ghost Rider is the word of Hell, a talent exhibited by Roarke’s unwitting son, Danny, who both commands the Ghost Rider to stop and returns his power in the finale. The Ghost Rider’s presence has clearly been infesting Blaze, driving him half mad; when the demon “[scratches] at the door”, Blaze descends into manic insanity trying to hold him at bay. He also seems to gleefully relish the demon’s incredible power as it literally bursts from him, melting his attire and transforming him into a wicked, bizarre creature said to have no conscience or morality.

*Moreau recruits Blaze to keep Nadya and Danny safe from Roarke’s evil plot.*

This belief is tested when Moreau begs Blaze to help keep Nadya and Danny safe from Carrigan (and, by extension, Roarke). A Gypsy beauty once caught up in Carrigan’s world of violence and drugs, Nadya was left near death after a botched job and, in desperation, made a deal with the Devil to save her life, unaware that his intention was for her to give birth to a “vessel” for his demonic essence, essentially making Danny the Anti-Christ. Living life on the run, forced to swindle horny businessmen out of their wallets and cars, Nadya is reluctant to trust anyone and seeks only to keep Danny safe and maybe one day build a real life for him. Though a snarky teen with a chip on his shoulder, Danny truly loves his mother and actually enjoys their life as outlaws, despite him longing for a normal family life. Still, he struggles with his half-human heritage; he wants to understand the dark power within him, but both fears and is allured by it. The Ghost Rider can sense his presence, drawn to his blood and power, and Blaze tries to impress upon the boy that he doesn’t have to let his dark side define his life (hollow words considering Blaze’s own struggles with that). Devoid of a father figure, Danny quickly bonds with Blaze, seemingly enamoured by his incredible power and his whole stunt biker aesthetic but resents him for giving up the Ghost Rider at the first opportunity. This comes courtesy of Moreau, easily the most enjoyable and appealing character in the film. Also an accomplished rider, Moreau is a man of deep spiritual belief who’s also very handy in a firefight. Verbose and incorrigible, Moreau gleefully leaps head-first into battle, ready to give his life to keep Danny safe (or rescue him) and Elba’s scenery-chewing enthusiasm makes even clunky exposition scenes entertaining to watch. It’s genuinely a shame when he’s killed by Carrigan, especially as he had a lot of potential as a secondary Ghost Rider.

*Though weak, Roarke’s power is enough to transform Carrigan into a demonic being.*

Speaking of Carrigan, he spends the first act of the movie as little more than an arrogant mercenary. Since Roarke’s human body is slowly dying from the incredible power within it, he contracts Carrigan and his goon squad to do his dirty work. Carrigan has a history with Nadya, resenting her for leaving him, and knows his worth; he demands a bigger payday after barely surviving his first encounter with the Ghost Rider and ups his arsenal for the rematch. However, this leaves all his men dead and him crushed under debris, barely mustering the strength to spit an insult in Roarke’s face before dying. However, death is merely an inconvenience for the Devil and Roarke revives and transforms Carrigan into an adaptation of Blackout, here realised as a zombie-like sadist able to decay anything (unless dramatically convenient) with a touch and rapidly attack foes from a surreal shadow dimension. Unhinged, drunk with demonic power, Carrigan delights in reducing anyone in his path to agonised, decaying husks, leaving them little more than screaming skeletons, slaughtering Methodius and his monks and even killing Moreau. It seems to be the Devil’s modus operandi to birth half-demon creations capable of ending him since, like the Ghost Rider, Carrigan’s demonic power is so strong that even Roarke snaps at him when he goes to touch him, indicating that Carrigan could’ve simply killed the Devil’s mortal form and usurped his position. Lacking the gravitas of Peter Fonda and simply appearing as a broken, half-crippled old man in a suit, the Devil has never been weaker than in this film. His human body is decaying quickly since mortal forms can’t contain his power, so he’s desperate to get his hands on Danny and perform a bizarre ritual that will transfer his essence into the boy’s half-demon body. Still, the Devil exhibits an alluring presence; though he’s still unruly around him, Danny is curious to learn more about the darkness Roarke implanted in him. Roarke also clearly has the power, money, and influence to keep Carrigan and a veritable army of gun-toting minions on hand to be summarily slaughtered by the unstoppable Ghost Rider.

The Nitty-Gritty:
It’s definitely far more accurate to label Ghost Rider: Spriit of Vengeance as a soft reboot, and that really irks me. Blaze’s opening narration uses weird, animated segments to tell a truncated version of his origin when footage from the last movie could’ve easily been supplanted. He also explains how the Devil has taken many forms before, showing Roarke once masqueraded as some of history’s worst dictators (and Jerry Springer…), meaning it would’ve been easy to name-drop Mephistopheles. Instead, the film essentially distances itself from the last movie but remains irrevocably and awkwardly tied to it through Nicolas Cage’s casting. It’s a bit like when Judy Dench stayed on as “M” when Daniel Craig took over as James Bond. Like, it’s obvious it’s a new film continuity but not recasting the lead muddies the water and just has me asking why it wasn’t a straight-up sequel. The movie is also a strangely surreal affair. Whereas Ghost Rider was painfully generic and toothless at times, Spirit of Vengeance is often like an acid trip, skipping frames, using odd camera angles, and utilising a rushed editing style to frame the Ghost Rider as a terrifying, unpredictable figure. In this regard, these techniques are surprisingly effective, but it also results in a confused tone. Sometimes, it wants to be this gritty, gothic horror; other times, it’s got a camp comedic edge (mainly through Moreau’s infectious personality); and at other times, it’s a reluctant meditation on the struggle between good and evil. Nowhere is this more evident, as expected, than in Cage’s crazed performance. I get it when he’s desperately trying to keep the Ghost Rider in check, but that’s no excuse for Cage’s weird mannerisms and line deliveries. It paints Blaze as painfully awkward; he constantly struggles to console Danny and Nadya, and is definitely a man whose actions speak louder than words.

*The Ghost Rider effects and action scenes look better than ever, despite his bizarre characterisation.*

On the plus side, the Ghost Rider looks absolutely fantastic here! He looked pretty great in the last film, but the effects are way better this time around. His skull is charred and spews black smoke; his leather drips and bubbles from his intense Hellfire; and his flames are more realistic than ever. It’s like Clayton Crain’s gothic, realistic artwork has been brought to life and I loved that we got loads of sequences where the Ghost Rider is in action in broad daylight. It really is top-notch effects work that belongs in a better film and any scenes with the Ghost Rider, even when he’s acting like a complete moron, are a highlight. Of course, it helps that he’s an absolute menace; he’s so overpowered that nothing is a threat to him and he can afford to just knob about, toying with his victims before roaring in their face (…err, I mean, consuming their souls). Given the Ghost Rider’s nature, there are a fair few chase sequences here; the Ghost Rider turns cars and even a construction crane into a burning vehicle, decimating everyone in his way. Since Blaze successfully has Zarathos exorcised from his body at Moreau’s temple, he, Moreau, and Nadya are forced to use more traditional firearms and stealthier techniques to infiltrate the Uzak Gökten in the finale. Moreau acquits himself well here, throwing Roarke’s guards off with his brazen antics and openly firing upon his hooded followers. Like Methodius and the other monks, he tries to fight Carrigan and, like them, is rapidly decayed but not before delivering a defiant headbutt. Carrigan’s action sequences mostly take place in a peculiar dark dimension, where he slips up behind, outmatches, and dispatches his foes as easily as Ghost Rider incinerates them with his chains. Not to be outdone, Nadya has a lot of fight in her, even when overpowered or outmatched. She proves a crack shot with a sniper rifle, covering Blaze and Moreau’s backs, and is smart enough to flee with Danny whenever things start to get hairy for them.

*Ultimately, the Ghost Rider triumphs and regains his sanity, bringing some peace to Blaze.*

Having successfully dispatched Carrigan and his goons, Blaze brings Nadya and Danny to Moreau’s sanctuary and successfully has his curse lifted. This is a two-stage process that begins with Cage hamming up Blaze’s darkest confession regarding his deal and then being bombarded by strange lights and a cacophony of visuals that, apparently, banish Zarathos from his body. Although Methodius decides it’s better to simply kill Danny to prevent the Devil’s plot, Carrigan shows up and slaughters him and the other monks, kidnapping Danny, and bringing him to Roarke so he can be sedated and forced into a strange ritual. To the chanting of his influential, hooded followers, Roarke comes close to completing the demonic transfer before he’s interrupted by Blaze and Moreau, covered by Nadya and armed with the monks’ impressive arsenal of firearms. Though Moreau is killed by Carrigan and it seems like Danny is ready to embrace his demonic heritage, the boy tricks Roarke and restores the Ghost Rider’s powers to Blaze. Now empowered to exist in daylight, the Ghost Rider aggressively pursues Roarke when he flees with Danny, finally dispatching Carrigan in anticlimactic fashion and violently sending Roarke’s vehicle end over end. His body further damaged by the crash, Roarke is left a helpless wreck before the Ghost Rider’s power. Defiant to the last, Roarke curses the day he made the deal with Blaze but is powerless to avoid being forcefully sent back to Hell by the Ghost Rider’s chain. Nadya is horrified to find that Danny has been…injured? Killed? He’s unconscious, at least…in the crash. However, conveniently, Blaze feels Zarathos’ true nature resurface, changing his flames from red to blue and restoring the angel’s sanity and power as the Spirit of Justice. This allows him to revive Danny and abruptly end the movie with him reaffirming his identity as the Ghost Rider, essentially completing the same character arc we saw in the last movie.

The Summary:
Ghost Rider somehow took one of comicdom’s most visually interesting anti-heroes and delivered a generic action flick that lost momentum halfway through and was bogged down by Nicolas Cage’s bizarre mannerisms. A toothless, impotent affair, it barely scratched the surface of what the character and concept are capable of, disappointing in it squandering its potential. Much of the same criticisms can be lobbied at this awkward re-quel, which is again hampered by too low an age rating to really bring the Ghost Rider to life and Cage is wackier than ever, screaming with a maniac glee or mumbling clumsily through every scene. However, Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance has far more positives than its predecessor: the Ghost Rider looks better than ever, tearing through goons with a vicious relish and impressing whenever he’s onscreen, and Idris Elba steals the show as Moreau, clearly enjoying chewing the scenery. It’s a shame, then, that the Ghost Rider is portrayed so unpredictably. On the one hand, he’s pretty terrifying and an unstoppable force of nature; on the other, he’s lollygagging around or awkwardly screaming in people’s faces. I enjoyed Nadya and Danny’s characters; the actors gave good performances and I liked seeing the kid bond with Blaze, though I think this could’ve been emphasised more in the middle portion. Carrigan was just the right level of camp and menace; like Blaze, he’s gifted with incredible demonic power. Unlike Blaze, Carrigan truly embraces it and relishes rotting his victims, whereas Blaze is constantly at odds with his dark half’s power. However, Roarke is a massive step down from Mephistopheles. Ciarán Hinds isn’t bad, but he’s no Peter Fonda and it’s difficult to reconcile the ham-fisted retconning of the previous film. For me, I would’ve much preferred that the film was a standalone sequel that either used footage from the last movie or didn’t outright contradict it. Therefore, it’s better to treat Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance as a straight-up reboot, as nonsensical as that is. Ultimately, I do think it’s the better of the two, but the flaws still keep it from being a significant improvement over the previous film thanks, ultimately, to Nicolas Cage’s ridiculously over the top performance.

My Rating:

Pretty Good

Do you think Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance surpassed its predecessor? Do you think it’s a stronger adaptation of the source material? What did you think to Nicolas Cage’s performance this time and the retconning of the last movie? Do you agree that the Ghost Rider looks far better here? What did you think to Roarke and Carrigan and the way the Ghost Rider decimated his enemies? What are some of your favourite Ghost Rider stories and moments? Whatever your thoughts on Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance, share them below and be sure to check out my other Ghost Rider content on the site.

Movie Night: Blade II

10/10/202422/10/2025Dr. K3 Comments

Released: 22 March 2002
Director: Guillermo del Toro
Distributor: New Line Cinema
Budget: $54 million
Stars: Wesley Snipes, Leonor Varela, Luke Goss, Ron Perlman, Norman Reedus, Kris Kristofferson, and Thomas Kretschmann

The Plot:
Half-human, half-vampire vampire hunter Blade (Snipes) is recruited by vampire overlord Eli Damaskinos (Kretschmann) to lead an elite vampire team against the genetically-engineered “Reapers”, led by Jared Nomak (Goss), who threaten the survival of both humans and vampires.

The Background:
Created by Marv Wolfman and Gene Colan, the extremely obscure, culturally problematic vampire hunter Eric Brooks/Blade debuted in the pages of The Tomb of Dracula and, as unlikely as it was, kick-started the modern superhero genre as we know it back in 1998. After years of development and rewrites, Blade (Norrington, 1998) was both a commercial and critical hit and virtually redefined star Wesley Snipes’ position in Hollywood. Plans for a sequel immediately made the rounds, with writer David S. Goyer initially wanting to feature Doctor Michael Morbius as a main villai. Though rights issues prevented that and director Stephen Norrington refused to return, the production scored noted auteur Guillermo del Toro. A noted comic book fan and desiring vampires to be scary once more, del Toro brought a visual language to the film that drew inspiration from various media sources and ensured the film’s visual effects would stand the test of time by incorporating traditional practical effects, bringing in Tippett Studio and XFX to achieve the best of both. Additionally, Snipes was excited to revisit the role, working hard to maintain his physique and given a lot of creative freedom regarding the character’s portrayal. Despite a worldwide box office return of $155 million, Blade II was met with mixed reviews that praised the gory action but questioned the mindless narrative. Of course, this wasn’t the end for Blade. It was followed by a widely–panned third film two years later, a short-lived TV show two years after that, and Snipes even surprisingly reprised the role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe ahead of a complete reboot.

The Review:
Blade II takes place some years after the first film (at least two, it seems) and opens with Blade giving a quick recap of his origins, powers, and mission statement while also clumsily retconning one of the most emotional moments of Blade. Attacked by Deacon Frost (Stephen Dorff) and left mortally wounded, Blade’s gruff mentor and surrogate father, Abraham Whistler (Kristofferson), demanded Blade leave him his gun so he could finish himself off and avoid turning into the thing they both hated, a blood-sucking vampire. However, it turns out that Whistler either didn’t kill himself or was found by another group of vampires or was potentially too late to stop the change or somehow revived and turned after killing himself as he was spirited away all over Europe. Kept alive in stasis and constantly moved around for reasons not explained here (or ever), the now vampiric Whistler eluded Blade during the time gap, but Blade II catches up with the stoic Dhampir finally locating his lost mentor. Once again, Blade can’t bring himself to finish Whistler off and instead chooses to take him back to his base, despite the inherent risk he poses to him and his new mechanic/armourer/lackey, Josh Fromeyer/Scud (Reedus). Yet, Blade isn’t blind to the possibility that Whistler is beyond salvation. He shoots Whistler up with a concentrated dose of his serum (the only thing keeping Blade’s “thirst” for blood at bay) and threatens to burn him to ash if he hasn’t gone “cold turkey” by the morning. Although Whistler appears to fully recover (except for his gammy leg), the question of his trustworthiness is raised multiple times throughout the film, with Scud and Blade’s newfound vampire allies both being aggressively suspicious of the grouchy old man’s true intentions. Yet, Whistler remains one of the few people Blade truly cares for. While I’m not a fan of undoing Whistler’s poignant death, he’s a great foil to the others, barks some amusing lines, and adds a great deal of emotional depth to Blade, a character largely known for hiding his humanity behind a grim-faced façade.

*Stoic Blade risks everything to rescue his mentor and join forces with his hated enemies.*

Still, Blade II gives the character (and Snipes) more screen time and more of a chance to showcase some emotional range. He says a lot with just a glance or some quick hand gestures but isn’t above mocking Scud’s reluctance to assist in the Reaper autopsy by calling him a “sissy” and seems to enjoy winding up the Bloodpack. In particular, Blade develops a quick rivalry with unashamed sadist Dieter Reinhardt (Perlman), humiliating the outspoken racist in front of his peers and engaging in a constant game of one-upmanship that naturally results in them coming to blows by the film’s end. A quiet, solitary individual, Blade lives only for his mission. He’s still at war with his base instincts, taking his aggression out on the creatures that created him, but embraces his animalistic side when near death to effortlessly dispatch Reinhardt’s goons. Blade’s physical prowess is at its peak here; Snipes excels in fight scenes, which showcase his dexterity and agility, and Blade easily manhandles and outfights multiple foes, even while unarmed. Gifted with all a vampire’s strengths but none of their weaknesses, Blade can afford to be cool and confident in battle, quickly healing from any wounds and taking the lead whenever their mission ventures into sunlight. When approached by Asad (Danny John-Jules) and Nyssa Damaskinos (Varela) and taken to Overlord Damaskinos with the promise of a truce, Blade goes along out of curiosity, his awesome trenchcoat packed full of explosives, and immediately recognises that getting into bed with the vampires to combat the Reapers will inevitable result in them being betrayed. However, he’s eager to delve deeper into the inner world of his enemy and learn more about them to fight them better, and constantly demonstrates that he can take out the Bloodpack, despite them training for two years specifically to fight him, thanks to his superior skills and fancy toys. Although Blade is initially incredulous about Nomak’s threat since the Reapers actively hunt vampires, he recognises their threat to humanity and the vampires must reluctantly defer to his orders since the best method of fighting the Reapers is to use ultraviolet light. While there’s no mention of what happened to Doctor Karen Jenson (N’Bushe Wright), Blade battles Nomak using a variation of the anticoagulant weapon she developed that finished off Frost, though he’s just as dependent on his serum as ever and it doesn’t appear to have been improved between movies.

*Blade’s notoriety makes him a feared and hated (but largely respected) bogeyman.*

In her place, Blade has a new love interest: Nyssa. Nyssa delivers a unique insight into Blade, revealing that vampires think of him as a bogeyman, and she’s just as interested to see his world as he is to see hers. While most of the Bloodpack is antagonistic towards Blade and his allies, Nyssa respectfully defers to Blade’s orders while warning him not to interfere in vampire business since their mission is to target Reapers. As they encounter the voracious vampire variants, Blade constantly moves to either protect Nyssa or keep her from being burned up by sunlight. He could easily let her run into danger or be vaporised by Scud’s ultraviolet grenades, but time and again holds her back and orders her to seek cover. Indeed, he saves her life and showcases a honourable valour so often, even slitting his wrist to revitalise her after a Reaper attack, that Nyssa comes to greatly respect him as a warrior and equal. Just as Whistler worries Blade’s loyalties are becoming divided by Nyssa’s allure, so too are Nyssa’s loyalties to her family and her kind tested by the conflict she feels over the man painted as her hated enemy. These feelings are only exacerbated when it’s revealed that Damaskinos engineered the Reaper strain, even infecting his own son with it, and cares little for his children, firmly setting her against her father and her dishonourable species by the finale. Blade brushes off Whistler’s concerns, confident that he retains the upper hand, but Scud remains suspicious of Whistler, especially as the old man leaves his post and seems to have recovered unnaturally quickly. Scud, a pot-smoking rebel, appears to have no love for vampires and delights in pimping out Blade’s muscle car and cobbling together new tech for him, including a small bomb Blade implants on Reinhardt’s head and those ultraviolet grenades.

*Nomak’s voracious, monstrous Reapers easily overwhelm even the most elite vampires.*

Although Asad and Nyssa seem excited (or, at least, intrigued) to be fighting alongside Blade, the same can’t be said for the rest of the Bloodpack. These colourful and largely one-dimensional, leather-clad vampires have spent the last two years training to hunt and kill Blade and, seeing him before them, struggle to not simply jump him. While mute swordsman Snowman (Donnie Yen) seems to at least respect Blade, Reinhardt doesn’t. He accosts Blade right away, comes close to shooting him in the vampire club, and is happy to leave him to fight legions of Reapers alone. Reinhardt’s hatred of Blade is matched by the pugnacious Chupa (Matt Schulze), who transitions his aggression towards Whistler when the old man’s brief desertion leads to the infection and slow, agonising death of his friend, Priest (Tony Curran). Although Priest immediately and painfully begins to mutate into a Reaper shortly after being bitten, the brutish Lighthammer (Daz Crawford) somehow resists turning for about a day. When he does, he blindsides Snowman with his massive battleaxe and ends up being incinerated by his lover, Verlain (Marit Velle Kile), who takes herself along with him. Though well-equipped, the Bloodpack are slow learners; despite seeing first-hand how ineffectual bullets (both regular and silver) and even blades are against the Reapers, they continue to waste ammo, presumably out of fear of roasting each other with their ultraviolet torches. The Reapers prove to be especially vicious and durable foes; essentially grotesque mutations of vampires, not unlike the goblin-esque Damaskinos, their hunger is likened to that of a crack addict, meaning they quickly spawn an aggressive army. Sporting superhuman strength, advanced healing, and a nigh-impenetrable skeletal structure, the Reapers leap at their prey and latch on with their horrifying split jaw, feeding and creating new minions for Nomak’s crusade against his father. Though they’re also destroyed by sunlight, the Reaper’s physiology is incredibly resilient and Nomak easily recovers from broken limbs and even a bullet to the head. Nomak demonstrates a reluctance to fight Blade, believing they have a common enemy and should be on the same side, but Blade vehemently rejects such a notion and chooses the devil he knows in opposing the new threat since, by and large, the Reapers are far more animalistic than the more sophisticated vampire nation.

The Nitty-Gritty:
Retaining the slick, gothic aesthetic of the first film, Blade II continues to marry leather fetish with a gritty, urban vibe, one bolstered by a surprising earworm of a soundtrack. I’m not really a hip-hop kinda guy but I can never get Massive Attack and Mos Def’s “I Against I” out of my head after watching Blade II. Having manipulated or forced their way into positions of political and social power, there are few resources the vampires don’t have, but only those under Damaskinos’ command enjoy these benefits. Indeed, the Bloodpack are disgusted by the ravers in the club since they’re not “Pure Bloods” and Priest would have happily killrf everyone there to weed out the Reapers. Indeed, one reason Blade’s so quick to join the Reaper hunt is to get a closer look at the high-level vampire hierarchy, quickly learning that fear of him has seen them be less open about marking their clubs and safe houses so as to avoid his attention. The juxtaposition between the elite and the lowers is best exhibited in Nomak’s grubby attire. He’s literally dressed like a vagrant, sporting haggard clothing throughout the film, in contrast to Damaskinos’ elaborate robes, the Bloodpack’s form-fitting leather, and Blade’s armoured attire. The Reapers also scurry about on all fours, often naked, appearing like goblins, shrieking and roaring and swarming their prey like wild animals. Though Nomak, as the carrier and progenitor of the virus, is the exception (essentially the reaper equivalent of a “Daywalker”), the Reapers lack the eloquence and sophistication of the vampire nation. For the most part, vampires keep their hunger in check unless angered or feeding, instead assuming a holier-than-thou allure and utilising their own language and writing. As such, even a brute like Lighthammer is disgusted by the Reapers, which are seen as base vermin, despite the creatures only existing because Damaskinos was trying to engineer Blade’s unique physiology to strengthen the vampire race even further.

*Monstrous effects and a greater focus on action make this* *perhaps the best in the trilogy.*

Naturally, Blade II is as impressively gory as the first movie, if not more so. The Reapers attack with a ravenous fury, causing arterial blood to splatter across walls and the creatures clutch and bite at their prey with an intensity that puts vampires to shame. The Reapers themselves are horrifically ghoulish creatures; hunched, spindly, and shrieking, they sport this awesomely gruesome split jaw and a probing tongue that rivals that of a Xenomorph. Even when dead, their bodies desperately try to feed; Preist’s severed head even appears to still be alive after he’s roasted, and the creatures think nothing of disembowelling themselves to escape. Vampires are largely ineffectual against Blade, despite their superior numbers and mostly being armed; thanks to his silver-tinted weapons and superior physical skill, Blade easily turns them to flaming ash with his signature sword, boomerang-like blades, and hefty rapid-fire pistol. Blade II ups the fight sequences from the previous film, showcasing Wesley Snipes’ impressive fighting prowess against multiple foes. Though there are a few questionable instances of CGI doubles (and shades!) involved here and there, the fights all have a raw brutality and are enjoyable to watch. The vampires are constantly overwhelmed by the Reapers and backed against the wall and the Reaper physiology means Nomak offers Blade a physical challenge not readily apparent by his dishevelled appearance. While most of the Bloodpack don’t get much character development, they do at least stand out with their signature weapons. Snowman, especially, makes an impression with his effortless swordsmanship, respectful demeanour, and focused intensity. Chuba hefts a massive machine gun and Lighthammer of course has his big-ass, caveman axe/hammer. While Reinhardt favours a simple shotgun, he takes a fascination with Blade’s sword. Avoiding its booby-trapped hilt, he relishes in brandishing the weapon before the captive Whistler and even claims it for himself when he believes Blade is dead, then tries to skewer him with it when he’s revived by the bloodpool and splits his ruthless rival in two with one simply swipe.

*Empowered by a bloodbath, Blade triumphs over Novak, but not without suffering a loss.*

After wiping out most of the Reapers with Scud’s ultraviolet bomb and saving Nyssa’s life, Blade’s efforts are rewarded with an inevitable betrayal. Although Blade explosively reveals that he was well aware of Scud’s true allegiance to Damaskinos, the Daywalker is stunned by taser batons and taken to Damaskinos’ secret lair/laboratory. There, Blade once again endures having his life’s blood drained by the vampires to help them engineer a sunlight-resistant variant. However, Whistler escapes and frees the weakened Blade, getting him to a bloodpool to revive and empower him, leading to him easily making short work of Reinhardt. Thanks to the Reaper pheromones sampled by Nyssa, Nomak infiltrates the stronghold, intent on avenging himself on his father. Easily slaughtering Damaskinos’ guards, ripping open his blast doors, and penetrating his inner sanctum thanks to Nyssa turning on her father, Nomak confronts his father, seemingly looking for his approval. In desperation, Damaskinos tries to welcome his wayward son back and offer him a place at his side, only for Nomak to see through the deception and rip the ghoul’s throat out. He then attacks Nyssa before battling Blade once more, proving again to be the Daywalker’s physical equal. However, when Blade stabs Nomak through the heart, forcing his blade past his armoured ribs, the cursed deviant chooses to finish himself off, exploding in a burst of blue flame. Already feeling the Reaper strain threatening to destroy her personality, Nyssa requests that Blade allow her to die with dignity, as a vampire, by the rising sun. Out of respect and a genuine affection for her, Blade stoically agrees, embracing her as she turns to cinders. The film then ends with Blade making a special trip to London to track down Rush (Santiago Segura), a cowardly vampire who earlier led him to Whistler, ending the movie on an amusing note as he had previously promised to tie up that loose end.

The Summary:
Blade was a fantastic action/horror flick back in the day; simple, grounded, gory, and gritty, it was only letdown by some dodgy CGI in the finale. Blade II takes a much more action-orientated approach, increasing the threat against Blade, the fight scenes, and the cast of characters to great effect. I loved the twist of the vampires being so threatened by the Reapers that they were forced to turn to Blade for help, and the added swerve that it was all part of an elaborate deception to get their hands on the Daywalker and synthesise his blood. The Bloodpack, though largely underdeveloped, were surprisingly memorable through their aggression towards Blade, their signature weapons, and simply by being an elite vampire team forced to fight alongside their hated enemy. Wesley Snipes was peak Blade here, impressing in his trenchcoat, armour, grim façade, and slick fighting style. He exudes a cool, convincing authority while still being snarky and witty when necessary…or descending into full-blown animal fury. I loved the humanity Blade shows in his continued shame at relying on the serum, his respect and admiration for Nyssa, and his quest to retrieve Whistler and when reunited with him. Though, as I said, I don’t think it was necessary to bring Whistler back, Kris Kristofferson steals every scene he’s in as the cantankerous old man who’s had enough of this shit, but I wonder if the film might’ve been better swerved to have brought him back as or revealed him to be a vampire, just to add to Blade’s emotional journey. Nomak was a surprisingly effective bad guy; eloquent and expressing some relatable grievances, he and his Reaper kin represent a gruesome, monstrous threat that threatens even the all-powerful vampire nation. Honestly, Blade II is my favourite of the Snipes trilogy; it just as this cool allure to it that elevates it above the first film and stands it head-and-shoulders above the third, especially as it ups the obsession action films had with leather and sunglasses and infectious beats throughout the nineties. However, my personal bias isn’t enough to give it a full five stars. Tweaking a few things (the Whistler conundrum and the Bloodpack’s characterisation, as mentioned) would’ve changed that, but that doesn’t diminish my enjoyment of the film or the fact that I regularly choose to watch it over either of the others.

My Rating:

Great Stuff

Did you enjoy Blade II? Do you think it’s the best of the original three? What did you think to the Bloodpack and Blade’s rivalry with them? Were you annoyed that Whistler’s emotional death was undone? What did you think to the Reapers, and Nomak’s threat? Did you see Scud’s betrayal coming or did it take you by surprise? What Blade storylines do you enjoy? Whatever your thoughts on Blade II, feel free to share them below and go check out my other Blade content on the site.

Back Issues: Vampire Tales #8/9

08/10/202408/10/2024Dr. KLeave a comment

Story Title: “Beware the Legions”
Published: 1 October 1974 (cover date: December 1974)
Writer: Don McGregor
Artist: Mike Vosburg

Story Title: “Bloodmoon”
Published: 3 December 1974 (cover date: February 1975)
Writers: Marv Wolfman and Chris Claremont
Artist: Tony DeZuniga

The Background:
Eric Brooks/Blade, the creation of Marv Wolfman and Gene Colan, was inspired by the 1970’s “Blaxploitation” and came about once comic creators were allowed to publish stories involving vampires and other supernatural creatures. Marvel Comics took advantage with their Tomb of Dracula series, where vampire hunter Blade would battle the titular Count and other supernatural creatures. Heavily inspired by the classic Hammer Horror films, it took some time for The Tomb of Dracula to find its feet as different writers and artists came and went, before Wolfman and Colan turned things around. Originally depicted as a jive talking, mortal vampire hunter, elements of Blade’s origin and motivation were first revealed in these two issues. However, Blade was basically a bit-player in Marvel Comics, despite his association with groups like the Nightstalkers and the Midnight Sons. Regardless, New World Pictures purchased the character rights in 1992, and the subsequent success and popularity of Blade (Norrington, 1998) transformed the character into a stoic, bad-ass Dhampir and saw him become an integral part of Marvel’s supernatural and horror stories.

The Review:
This gothic, black-and-white tale kicks off down a squalid London side-street, a back-alley slum for the poor and destitute suddenly brought to macabre life as “Billy-Blue’s” lifeless body is tossed through a window, drained of his blood, with “Beware the Legions” carved into his chest. His body is stumbled upon by courtesan Meva Whytte, leaving her distraught and vowing to avenge herself against “The Legion”. Next, we find exotic dancer Safron Caulder heading back to her dressing room when she’s suddenly grabbed by an unseen assailant, who turns out to be smooth-talking Blade. Since they’re lovers, she’s perfectly happy to be grabbed, smothered by a kiss, and get a playful smack to the ass by the jive Blade, though he’s far too jetlagged for much else. Blade heads to his hotel for a relaxing shower but is interrupted by Neva, who breaks down in tears and blames herself for not running away with Billy-Blue when she had the chance. Since Blade owes his life to Lady Vanity, the head of Neva’s vampire stalking organisation, he doesn’t hesitate to comfort Neva and get involved in the situation. On the drive, Blade relates how Lady Vanity saved and delivered him, how his mother was butchered by a mysterious vampire posing as a doctor, and how Lady Vanity raised him, teaching him everything he knows. Since then, Blade has devoted his life not just to hunting down vampires but also searching for the one who killed his mother, and that extends to defending Lady Vanity’s promiscuous cohorts from the judgemental comments of the local coppers.

*When Blade’s allies are threatened, he leaps into action, despite being outnumbered.*

One of Lady Vanity’s girls, Tamsin Ling, relates that Billy-Blue came knocking for Neva, like usual, but he was anxious, shaking, desperate for them to leave that very night. Then, a strange man arrived, one reeking of rotting fish and appearing little more than a gaunt skeleton. He commanded Ling to direct him to Billy-Blue and she was forced to obey by the power of his mesmerising gaze, leading to him being jumped and slaughtered by a bunch of bloodsuckers. Blade spends the next three nights preparing and sharpening his stakes, then visits Billy-Blue at the city morgue. The corpse awakens, sporting vampiric fangs, and Blade forces him to reveal where the vampire coven hangs out before regretfully cutting his throat, severing his head, stuffing it with garlic, and burning the remains. His thorough work accomplished, Blade heads to the address Billy-Blue gave and crashes in, stake at the ready, killing the vampires with a near-superhuman deftness. Though one pins him down and threatens to force him into joining their Legion, Blade easily stakes him through the back and tackles the remaining hoard with the same moxie, only to be subdued by the sadistic Lord Anton Vierken. However, while Vierken bites Blade’s neck, he refuses to kill him, instead revelling in his bite having made the vampire hunter little more than a mindless zombie. Blade is therefore helpless as Vierken boasts of their plot to use science to walk freely in the daylight and conquer the humans, even the accursed Van Helsings, enslaving them as livestock, slaves, and entertainment. Vierken’s speech is interrupted by a summons from his mistress, Marguerite D’Alescio, a sultry vampire queen who acts as a mediator between the Legion and their true master, Count Dracula.

*Blade’s hatred of vampires only intensifies after Vierken kills his closest allies.*

Speaking through Marguerite, Dracula orders Vierken to remain focused on eliminating threats to their species rather than getting distracted by his science projects. The irony is, of course, that Dracula’s distraction allows Blade to slip away, and with crucial data as well, since he has “a built-in immunity to vampire bites” that meant he was simply playing along this whole time. Through sheer tenacity and experience, Blade eliminates the one vampire who tries to stop him and returns to Lady Vanity for some backup, realising the even he can’t take on the entire Legion alone. While they tend to him, Blade calls up Quincy Harker to lend his aid and check out the information he stole from the Legion, but the call is interrupted when a swarm of vampires come crashing in as bats. They target Lady Vanity, biting her and cracking her skull against a wall, enraging Blade, who makes creative use of the nearby fireplace to take out the murderous vampire bats and avenge the only mother he’s ever known. However, the vampires also kill Ling and Neva, spilling their life’s blood across the floor, and flee before the breaking dawn, leaving Blade distraught and incensed at having witnessed his closest allies so brutally murdered before his eyes. A few days later, the crippled Quincy arrives, only to chastise Blade for being so caught up in his need for revenge that he refuses any further help. Marguerite (and, by extension, Dracula) is furious at Vierken for failing to kill Blade. Despite Blade being just one man (though an incredibly lucky one), Vierken is stunned to learn that Dracula fears the hot-headed vampire killer. Despite the superior strength and numbers of the vampires, Marguerite orders that Blade’s death be Vierken’s top priority from now on…or his life will be forfeit, and the story ends with the two seemingly on a collision course.

The Summary:
Ooh, baby! The jive is funky in this one! While the Blaxploitation aspects of Blade’s early appearances are problematic, at best, they certainly do add a lot to Blade’s characterisation. This, as much as Blade’s English heritage, adds a distinctive “voice” to the character you don’t see with many, if any, other Marvel heroes from this time. It’s not exactly politically correct, but it sure makes Blade a jivin’, silver tongued bad ass. He’s alluring even to a coven of promiscuous ladies of the night, cocksure, and full of bravado, happily dropping into a gaggle of vampires without hesitation. His cavalier attitude towards his mission is juxtaposed with an incredible efficiency. The narration is almost poetic in describing how his movements are fast, sure, and precise, painting him as a character his overconfident, vicious foes often underestimate. At the same time, Blade’s hatred of vampires is a very personal one; he wants to make them all pay for one vampire killing his mother. More broadly, he has been searching for the one responsible for her death and come up short but is happy to settle for any other bloodsucker that crosses his path. This vendetta only gets more personal by the end of this two-part arc as Vierken and his hoard kill the closest thing Blade had to a mother, Lady Vanity, his lover, and a close friend of his. This enrages the already hot-headed Blade so much that he refuses even old ally Quincy Harker’s aid (despite calling him for exactly that reason) and he’s determined to make the Legion of the Damned pay for their senseless slaughter of his closest allies.

*His depiction might be dated, but Blade sure brings a lot of personality to his vampire slaying.*

Vampires are presented as demonic, voracious creatures. They’re eloquent enough, showcasing an awareness of impending danger (daylight, fire, and such) but seem overcome by an insatiable bloodlust. They’re also depicted as overconfident; sporting supernatural powers, they’re used to easily swarming and manhandling their prey. Blade, however, has twenty-eight years of training and experience under his belt and is purposely armed specifically to kill the undead. Therefore, he easily catches them unawares, staking them through the heart and even taking the time to properly dispose of Billy-Blue’s body when simply staking him would’ve been sufficient (say what you will about Blade, but he’s thorough!) Lord Vierken appears to be an anomaly among his kind; despite sporting a traditional, decrepit look, he turns to science to improve his race. He’s been so focused on perfecting his daylight research that Count Dracula himself is starting to question his focus, especially as his Legion seems happy to indulge and draw attention to themselves by leaving carved up bodies for the police to find. Vierken’s followers are onboard with his project, but far more comfortable sinking their teeth into human prey or attacking as a swarm of bats. There’s not much to note about Marguerite D’Alescio; indeed, the story doesn’t explicitly state that Dracula is talking through her. Sometimes (especially at the end), it’s not clear which character is meant to be talking. However, she appears to be revered as Dracula’s emissary and shares his goal of wanting Blade dead, simply because he’s a very dangerous man the other vampires constantly fatally underestimate. In the end, this was an interesting glimpse into Blade’s backstory, the scope of his operation, and his reputation amongst the vampire nation. The black-and-white style captures that atmosphere of classic Hammer horrors and allows for some surprisingly bloody action, though it did seem to end anti-climatically and to primarily exist to establish an ongoing vampire threat.

My Rating:

Pretty Good

What did you think to this glimpse into Blade’s backstory and world? Did the Blaxploitation aspects of the character bother you? Were you surprised by the violence on show her? What are some of your favourite Blade stories? No matter what you think, share your thoughts below and be sure to check out my other Blade content.

Movie Night: Hellraiser (2022)

07/10/2024Dr. K1 Comment

Released: 7 October 2022
Director: David Bruckner
Distributor: Hulu / Paramount+
Budget: $14 million
Stars: Odessa A’zion, Brandon Flynn, Drew Starkey, Adam Faison, Goran Višnjić, and Jamie Clayton

The Plot:
Recovering drug addict Riley McKendry (A’zion) steals a mysterious puzzle box that summons the Cenobites, who demand six sacrifices. When her brother, Matt (Flynn), is taken by the Cenobites, Riley attempts to uncover the truth behind the box and avoid her fate.

The Background:
In 1986, British novelist, playwright, and filmmaker Clive Barker published volume three of his Night Visions anthology series, which included the novella The Hellbound Heart, a horror story heavily influenced by his time as a hustler and experiences in S&M clubs. Just as Barker was being heralded by iconic horror author Stephen King as “the future of horror”, The Hellbound Heart caught the attention of Hollywood and, unsatisfied by previous adaptations of his writings, Barker insisted on writing and directing the adaptation himself despite his lack of experience. Thanks to the macabre Cenobites and the alluring presence of actor Doug Bradley, Hellraiser proved to be a critical and commercial hit, kick-starting a horror franchise that, unfortunately, failed to live up to the original and quickly descended into direct-to-video releases that removed all subtlety and nuance from the concept. For years, Barker distanced himself from later entries, particularly the rushed “ashcan” sequel/remake that was so awful that slasher icon Bradley refused to participate for the first time. The series finally got a shot in the arm with the generally well-received Hellraiser: Judgment (Tunnicliff, 2018) and, after years of fighting to regain the rights to produce a much-needed reboot, Barker finally got his wish to revitalise and return to the franchise when this remake was announced in 2019. Although Bradley turned down a chance at a cameo to preserve his legacy, the real story here was the announcement that his iconic role as “Pinhead” would be played by a woman, a decision that caused a ridiculous amount of backlash that even Bradley admonished. Specifically said to be drawing more from Barker’s original novella and film and with make-up effects by Josh and Sierra Russell, this new Hellraiser made its debut exclusively on streaming platforms like Hulu and Disney+. Hellraiser made a modest $12,640 and garnered mostly positive reviews. Critics lauded the return to form for the redesigned Cenobites and praised it as the best entry in years, despite criticisms of the characterisations. The film’s success was enough to warrant the production of a sequel, though development of an unrelated television series continued to tread water.

The Review:
At first glance, Hellraiser has much in common with another horror remake, Evil Dead (Álvarez, 2013). Not only is it more of a “re-imagining” of the source material, but the main plot revolves around a damaged, recovered addict. Riley McKendry has wasted most of her life to drink and drugs but, after putting her brother, Matt, his boyfriend, Colin (Faison), and their friendly roommate, Nora (Aoife Hinds), through hell with her mood swings and antics, she’s finally on the right path towards sobriety. However, for the long-suffering Matt, there’s still a problem: Riley’s boyfriend, Trevor (Starkey), who she met while going to group therapy and following the “12 Step” program. Not only is Matt immediately suspicious of Trevor because of this and because he so obvious looks like a drug dealer and user, he’s also worried that Riley mixing with a recovering addict will only drag her down when Trevor inevitably relapses. Riley naturally lashes out against Matt’s judgements; whatever trauma drove her to addiction is clearly deep-rooted within her and she latches onto Trevor as a source of escape and sexual comfort. Indeed, when Matt suddenly vanishes after being cut by the mysterious puzzle box, the first thing Riley does is find comfort in Trevor’s arms and it’s in him, not her friends, that she confides in and turns to to help her figure out what the deal is with the box. Speaking of which, it’s Trevor’s fault the puzzle box even ends up in Riley’s hands in the first place. When she mentions that she needs to find a “better job” to start paying her share of the rent and get Matt off her back, Trevor encourages her to help him break into an abandoned warehouse and swipe whatever’s inside, said to belong to some rich asshole, and split the profits. Unfortunately for her, and all of them, what they find is a strange, gold-and-brass puzzle box that immediately enthrals Riley. However, when she returns home drunk and gets into a blazing row with Matt, her brother finally snaps and throws her out, leaving her wandering the city streets late at night in an alcohol and pill-fuelled daze.

*Troubled Riley is desperate to solve the mysterious puzzle box when her brother vanishes.*

Riley finds solace in a playground. There, her head spinning from the drugs, she tinkers with the puzzle box and is amazed when it starts to move and shift, changing form in her hands. Unlike hapless stooge Joey Coscuna (Kit Clarke) in the film’s prelude, Riley avoids a nasty cut from the box’s blade but is suddenly overwhelmed by a bout of nausea and the distant tolling of bells. As she drifts in and out of consciousness, Riley spies a horrific, scarified creature –The Gasp (Selina Lo) – who demands that Riley offer a blood sacrifice since she missed being sliced. Riley’s thoughts turn to Matt who, either sensing his sister’s plight or enchanted by the Cenobites’ power, heads out to find her, suddenly convinced she’s in danger. Though Matt finds her half out of it in the playground, he accidentally stabs himself on the box and, when he goes to clean up, the Cenobites hungrily abduct him. When Colin and Nora accompany the ambulance crew in finding Riley, they’re all driven out of their minds with worry by Matt’s disappearance. None of them believe Riley’s claims that it’s tied to the box, believing she was off her head at the time. Frustrated, terrified, and burdened by guilt (to say nothing of being haunted by visions of the Cenobites), Riley turns to Trevor to get answers. Though he claims to believe her and shelters her, Trevor’s clearly disturbed by the box. When he tries to dispose of it, Riley launches into a tirade, obsessed with understanding its secrets so she can find her brother and atone for her awful behaviour. Reluctantly, Trevor accompanies Riley to an assisted living facility, where they question former lawyer Serena Menaker (Hiam Abbass), who’s listed as the owner of the warehouse they found the box in. She reveals that box belongs to disgraced corporate mogul Roland Voight (Višnjić). She also exposits some titbits about the box, freaking Riley out as she describes a lot of the same stuff she’s been seeing, and then forcibly tries to take it for herself, ending up cut in the process and being claimed by the Cenobites. Riley then uses the power of the internet to read up on Voight, a hedonistic millionaire who disappeared and was presumed dead, and fixates on breaking into his fortress-like mansion, no matter how hard Trevor tries to dissuade her.

*Despite Trevor’s concerns, Riley gets her friends mixed up in her nightmarish situation.*

While Matt takes an instant dislike to Trevor, primarily out of concern for Riley’s wellbeing, his assumptions are a little off the mark, at least initially. Trevor’s a surprisingly attentive miscreant; he genuinely seems to care for Riley, even accidentally letting slip that he loves her during sex, and enables her wild claims at every turn. He does, however, try to inject some logic into her increasing mania, which she doesn’t appreciate. No matter how often he tries to dissuade her from investigating the box and Voight, Riley persists like a rebellious child and Trevor’s forced to tag along to keep her safe, seemingly presenting himself as the opposite of the bad influence Matt believes him to be (even if Trevor does encourage her to steal the box in the first place). Matt doesn’t get much screentime but he’s a pivotal plot point since Riley’s entire journey is first about finding and making amends with him, and then about saving and resurrecting him. It’s clear he loves his sister and desperately wants her to turn her life around, but he’s grown tired of her reckless and self-destructive ways and can’t help but lose his patience when she repeatedly throws her life away with Trevor, drink and drugs. Matt’s spectre haunts Riley as much as the Cenobites; she dreams of him, hears him calling for help, and is even confronted by his presence in Voight’s mansion. This is potentially a Cenobite trick since he asks, “Do you want me to be?” when she asks if it’s really him. Embracing him and tearfully apologising for her actions, Riley’s horrified when she catches a glimpse of Matt’s true, skinless form. Reading Voight’s notes teaches Riley about the “gifts” offered by the Cenobites’ “God” and she becomes obsessed with solving the box and bringing Matt back using the box’s dark magic. Matt’s disappearance devastates Colin, who struggles to wrap his head around what’s happened and understand Riley’s babbling about the box and its demons. Then there’s Nora. Nora’s kinda just…there. She’s friendly enough and clearly has Riley’s best interests at heart, but she’s mainly there to add to the body count once they all end up trapped in Voight’s mansion.

*Voight desperately seeks to summon the malformed Cenobites and relieve his pain.*

The Cenobites are very different to what we’ve seen before. Gone is the bondage leather and dark robed façade, replaced with rendered, pinky-white flesh. It’s a startlingly alternative look, making them more like mutilated angels than gothic demons. They walk around completely naked, exposed muscles and weeping genitals on full display, unashamed of what they perceive as their “beauty” and “perfection”. While I’m not against a drastic redesign for the Cenobites and they each have enough similarity to their predecessors to be identified as suitably Clive Barker-esque, I do think a slightly more traditional look should’ve been used for the pin-headed Hell Priest (Clayton). As is, the Priest is easily mistakable for the Gasp from a distance, and I just feel a being of their stature and authority would’ve benefited from some slick, gory black leather robes. Still, Clayton exudes a cold menace akin to that of the legendary Doug Bradley in bringing this androgynous creature to life. The Hell Priest is ruthlessly stoic, demanding Riley make blood sacrifices – or sacrifice herself – to appease their carnal desires. The Hell Priest may speak in riddles but they’re brutally honest, promising gifts like “power”, “sensation”, and “resurrection” to those who complete ethe puzzle box. Voight, however, learned too late that the Cenobites’ idea of “pleasure” is twisted and sadistic, offering only exquisite suffering, relishing in the agony of their victims. A decadent, self-serving millionaire who thinks nothing of sacrificing others to the Cenobites’ lusts, Voight relished an audience with their God, Leviathan, desiring to experience true sensation. He was rewarded with a horrendous device lodged in his chest that continuously twisted his nerve endings, keeping him in perpetual agony and unable to die. Desperate for relief, Voight spent the next six years trying to summon the Cenobites once more, finally manipulating and bribing Trevor into bringing him a suitable patsy while he lurked in the hidden passageways of his mansion. The box is also very different, sporting six “configurations”, each with a different solution and thankfully being more taxing to solve than just…rubbing it like in previous Hellraiser films. Interestingly, neither the box or the Cenobites care who is sacrificed to its power, allowing Riley to stab and summarily tear apart the gruesome Chatterer (Jason Liles) and concoct a scheme to use Voight’s specially prepared mansion to do the same to the remaining Cenobites and escape her predicament.

The Nitty-Gritty:
It’s inaccurate to describe Hellraiser as a “remake”. It’s more akin to a re-imagining or an all-out reboot since its ties to The Hellbound Heart and Barker’s original adaptation are tenuous, at best. Indeed, this isn’t a suburban tale of hedonistic sex, violence, and lust; instead, it’s a rumination on an addict’s guilt and torment. The characters are all original to the series, with only Voight being analogous to one of Barker’s characters, and the situation is very different. Thanks to the changes made to the Cenobites and the puzzle box, there’s a persistent sense of dread hanging over Riley. She’s not braining unsuspecting bankers to sacrifice them to her lover, or even her brother. Matt may be trapped in what we’ll call “Hell” for simplicity’s sake and sport a skinned form, but he doesn’t escape the Cenobites nor does he truly appear after being taken. Instead, Riley has a ticking clock hanging over her head as she desperately tries to figure out what the box is and how it works to find a way around the Hell Priest’s demands for a sacrifice. The box has a mesmerising power, seemingly calling to any who see it and compelling them to mess with it. Once cut, its victims become dazed and confused and reality shifts, allowing the Cenobites to arrive and claim their victim. When Riley drags her feet appeasing the Hell Priest, the mutilated cleric forcibly cuts her, delivering a final ultimatum and spurring Riley to venture to Voight’s ominous mansion. Although Voight claims that the box is one of a kind, I feel there’s enough leeway here to imagine this is one of many puzzle boxes (we’ve seen copies before, after all) and you could easily think of Hellraiser as a re-quel without too much effort (the Hell Priest has changed forms before, as well). Still, the links to the original are strong, both visually and thematically. The Cenobites favour barbed chains, we see their spinning column of human flesh, Hell is represented as a cold, stone maze, Leviathan (a welcome and unexpected return) is visually similar to what we’ve seen before, the Hell Priest grimly and expertly delivers some of Doug Bradley’s most famous threats and, above all, Ben Lovett’s haunting score draws upon Christopher Young’s previous work, the music now diegetically linked to the puzzle box and the coming of the Cenobites.

*The Cenobites return to their roots as disturbing, terrifying, and alluring creatures.*

Of course, it wouldn’t be a Hellraiser film without some sex and gore, and there’s plenty of that here. Riley throws herself at Trevor whenever she’s stressed to try and block out her pain and guilt, only to be tormented by visions of the Cenobites or face the judgemental looks of her friends and family. Voight has a fully stocked sex dungeon and is said to be a sadistic hedonist, though it’s very much a case of “tell, don’t show” when it comes to exploring the depraved things he got up to before solving the puzzle box. Hellraiser wisely takes its time building up to the reveal of the Cenobites and their power; Joey’s torn apart in the background and Matt vanishes offscreen with a scream. When the Cenobites appear, they’re initially visions that bombard the drug-addled Riley. However, they soon appear in all their scarified glory, callously observing and patiently stalking their prey, savouring every moment. Of course, we have the familiar Hell Priest with their signature pins, and the ghastly Chatterer, but the Gasp is somewhat analogous to the Female Cenobite (Grace Kirby) as well. Like the Hell Priest, the Gasp is eloquent and vindictive, taking a perverse pleasure in Serena’s pleas for forgiveness just as the Priest delights in tormenting the strung-up Nora. There’s also the strangely fish-like Weeper (Yinka Olorunnife), the Asphyx (Zachary Hing) which wanders around blindly, its vision obscured by its own taught flesh, a disturbing pregnant Cenobite (Gorica Regodić), and, briefly in the finale, the Masque (Vukašin Jovanović), a Cenobite whose face has been removed from its skull! While their primary method of subduing and torturing their victims is their hooked chains, the Cenobites also employ metal wire, pins, and sheer brute force when necessary. Flesh tears and wounds spurt with gore as the Cenobites impale and torment their victims, stringing them up like puppets, drinking their blood as they bask in their agony, and finally tearing them apart. Perhaps the most memorable is poor Nora, who’s stabbed by Voight and drawn into Hell while in the back of a van. It’s a disturbing visual, seeing the back of the van extend into the Labyrinth’s stone corridors. While Riley catches a glimpse of Nora’s predicament, she’s too late to help her and all that’s left is a splatter of blood.

*Riley’s research proves key to evading the Cenobites, who further reward Voight’s carnal desires*.

Riley pours through Voight’s diaries and learns of the different gifts offered by the puzzle box, believing that she can bring Matt back by asking for his resurrection. When she learns that that the Cenobites are happy to slaughter one of their own as a sacrifice, Riley desperately plots to use Voight’s mansion to lure in the remaining demons and stab them with the box, sparing herself and her friends. While Voight has transformed his mansion into the perfect trap for the Cenobites, keeping them and their chains at bay with a series of gates and doors, Riley’s horrified when Voight, half-mad from his constant torment, lurches from the shadows and stabs Colin to solve the box. She’s even more enraged to learn that Trevor was working for Voight all along, though is numb to his claims that he tried to warn her off and blind to the fact that he did everything he could to keep Riley and her friends from being harmed. When Colin gets tied up in the Cenobites’ metal wire and prepared for a filleted, Riley first begs the Gasp to spare him then offers Trevor as a substitute, stabbing him in the gut when he tries to retrieve the box from her and sparing Colin from a gruesome fate. Meanwhile, Voight finally gets the audience with God he so longed for when Leviathan descends from the tumultuous skies. Confronted by the Hell Priest, Voight demands to be relieved of his pain so he can finally die and is distraught to learn that his gift cannot be taken away, merely exchanged. Impassively stunned that Voight is displeased by his agony, the Hell Priest offers to grant him that which he has truly coveted his entire life: power. Voight readily accepts and is giddy with euphoria when the archaic device falls from his chest and his wounds heal, restoring him and freeing him from his pain. His elation is short-lived, however, as he’s summarily impaled by Leviathan’s gigantic chain and dragged into the heavens to be granted the Cenobites’ greatest gift. With Voight taken away to be brutally transformed into a new Cenobite, a process that sees his flesh peeled back and his body and mind horrifically altered by Leviathan’s unknowable lights, Riley has her own confrontation with the Priest. Although she’s offered her brother, Riley realises that Matt is gone and that the Cenobites gifts are twisted promises and choses to live with her guilt. The Hell Priest is pleased since choosing a life of regret with bitter and brief suffering is almost as torturous as their barbed chains. The Cenobites then vanish and Riley leaves the puzzle box behind, her and Colin wondering if they made the right choice in the end.

The Summary:
Despite my childhood trauma watching Kirsty Cotton (Laurence) unwittingly summon the Cenobites, I’ve become quite accustomed to the Hellraiser franchise. I consider the first the best, have a soft spot for the fourth, and have long hoped for a dark, gritty, atmospheric remake that returns to the ambiguous and intriguing notions raised in the first film rather than muddying the concept with overtly religious nuances that don’t really fit with the franchise since the “Hell” depicted isn’t the Judeo-Christian version. It took a while but, thankfully, we finally got there! Hellraiser may be as far removed from the source material as the other sequels, but it captures its spirit far better than any previous entry. The Cenobites are once again unknowable, strangely alluring creatures that callously mix pain and pleasure into a cacophony of vindictive torture and, while they appear as twisted angels and are referred to as demons, they’re not tied down to religious constructs. I love their redesign, and the changes made to the box; the torment Riley feels trying to figure it out before they take her and her friends is palpable and presented the narrative in a fresh, new way. Riley was a compelling protagonist; damaged and flawed, she’s ripe for the Cenobites’ manipulations, but she’s constantly trying to find ways to outsmart them. Her desire to be reunited with Matt drives her forward and her arc is learning to let him go, to live with what she’s done and, hopefully, grow from it. While Nora and even Colin weren’t much to shout about and Goran Višnjić was hamming it up a bit as Voight, the characters were decent enough and it was a blast seeing them be so cruelly tormented by the Cenobites. Hellraiser has a lull in the middle and a few performance flaws but, overall, is a fantastic reimagining of the concept. It mixes and matches elements from the book and the various films into a bold new presentation that finally makes the Cenobites scary again and leaves an indelible impression that’s on par with the original movie, finally delivering a Hellraiser worthy of the name.

My Rating:

Great Stuff

Did you enjoy this reimagining of Hellraiser? How did you think it compares to The Hellbound Heart, the original adaptation, and the other sequels? What did you think to the redesign of the Cenobites and Jamie Clayton’s performance as the Hell Priest? Did you like the changes made to the puzzle box and Cenobite lore, and the influences from the other films? What did you think to Riley, her issues, and her desire to resurrect Matt? Which of the Hellraiser sequels was your favourite, if any, and would you like to see a sequel to this movie? Whatever your thoughts on Hellraiser, feel free to share them below and go check out my other horror content on the site!

Movie Night [00-Heaven]: The Living Daylights

05/10/202405/10/2024Dr. K1 Comment

To celebrate the release of Dr. No (Young, 1962), the first of the James Bond movies (Various, 1962 to present), October 5^th is known as “Global James Bond Day”. This year, I’m spending every Saturday commemorating cinema’s longest-running franchise, and one of the most recognised and popular movie icons.

Released: 31 July 1987
Director: John Glen
Distributor: United Artists
Budget: $40 million
Stars: Timothy Dalton, Maryam d’Abo, Jeroen Krabbé, Joe Don Baker, Art Malik, and John Rhys-Davies

The Plot:
British secret agent James Bond/007 (Dalton) helps KGB officer Georgi Koskov (Krabbé) defect and learns that a policy of assassinating defectors has been instated by new KGB head Leonid Pushkin (Rhys-Davies). After being betrayed by Koskov, Bond’s only lead to him – and a greater plot involving shady American arms dealer Brad Whitaker (Baker) – is naïve cellist Kara Milovy (d’Abo), whom he must coerce into helping him track Koskov down before it’s too late.

The Background:
MI6 super spy James Bond was created by writer Ian Fleming in 1953 based on his time as a Navy intelligence officer. The character was most famously brought to life by Sean Connery, kicking off an unparalleled cinematic franchise. When Connery tired of the role, Roger Moore stepped in and made it his own as a softer, gentler Bond. Though Moore was beloved in the role, his movies took a critical and financial downturn after twelve years and seven films. Moore stated he left the franchise due to aging out of the role, and the search was on for the new James Bond. Although San Neill was initially considered, it was actually Pierce Brosnan who was first cast based on his work on the television series Remington Steele (1982 to 1987). However, the announcement caused renewed interest in the show, meaning contractual obligations would keep Brosnan from the role until 1995 and Timothy Dalton (eventually) agreed to sign on in his place, eager to separate himself from Moore’s portrayal with one more in line with the source material. Although the film’s title was taken from Octopussy and The Living Daylights (Fleming, 1966), very little material was taken from the book beyond the opening sequence, with the film initially planned to include recurring KGB General Anatol Gogol (Walter Gotell) in Pushkin’s role, but Gotell was too sick to handle such a large part. The film saw the return of Bond’s iconic Aston Martin, and complex (and dangerous) mid-air stunts made more troublesome by unfavourable weather. Perhaps due to Bond’s nearly-five-year absence, The Living Daylights outperformed Moore’s last film with its $191.2 million box office (actually making it more profitable than five of Moore’s movies), but was met with mixed reviews. Many both praised and criticised Dalton’s more gruff and serious Bond; while the stunts impressed, the middling plot and unappealing villains drew criticism and, while some have argued that it is an under-rated entry, others maintain Dalton’s second attempt was more fitting for his version of Bond.

The Review:
Everyone has their favourite Bond, and everyone has the Bond of their generation; sometimes they don’t align, and sometimes people prefer aspects of one Bond to another. For me, Pierce Brosnan was both my Bond and the Bond of my generation thanks to 007’s lengthy absence from cinema screens during my childhood. Yet, when I first started getting into the Bond franchise, I had an affinity for the suave, light-hearted take offered by Roger Moore. It might be surprising to learn, then, that I’ve always been a fan of Timothy Dalton’s edgier, more serious take on the character. While this was influenced by his short time in the role and thus often being underappreciated, when I later researched Bond for my Master’s degree, I developed a greater appreciation for his surprisingly faithful portrayal of the character, who’s often a pretty dark character. The differences between Dalton and Moore are apparent right from the start: he takes the deaths of his fellow agents very seriously (almost personally), and throughout the film he’s shown to have more of an edge than his predecessor. He is visibly frustrated with Kara throughout the film and barking his displeasure and just exuding a feeling of exasperation at having to hold himself back because of etiquette or duty. At the same time, Dalton shows a softer, caring side; he begrudgingly goes out of his way to retrieve Kara’s cello and enjoys wooing her while on the move. Yet, he has a ruthless, biting delivery and always seems to be on the verge of snapping into a violent rage, which makes him seem volatile and unpredictable, qualities that I find really enjoyable after the previous flawless, almost superhuman incarnations of the character.

*Dalton gives Bond an edge, making him a gruff and blunt character despite his natural charisma.*

The Living Daylights coyly toys with the audience in its opening sequence by masking Dalton’s appearance, making the unveiling of the new Bond a dramatic reveal that’s designed to explicitly say, “This is the new guy!” To me, this is plainly establishing that The Living Daylights is supposed to be a soft reboot of the franchise, but this does get decidedly muddled. “M” is still portrayed by Robert Brown, who previously portrayed Admiral Hargreaves but was presumably promoted during Moore’s era, and “Q” is still portrayed by Desmond Llewelyn, suggesting Dalton’s Bond is the same character as the previous iterations. Yet the sudden youthful appearance of both M’s secretary, Miss Moneypenny (Caroline Bliss), and Bond himself lends credence to this being a soft reboot, one that retains many of the previous actors and in which it can be implied that Bond went on similar missions to his predecessors. I think this is probably what The Living Daylights is going for but it’s understandably a little muddled since reboots ad re-quels weren’t part of the mainstream cinema lexicon at this time. This is a Bond with very little time for quips and glib remarks; sure, he does make them but they’re drier than the desert sand. He also tends to be late, flippant, and easily distracted especially by his vices, (booze and women, for example). This, as much as Bond’s arrogance and his standoffish, “lone wolf” persona irks the likes of Saunders (Thomas Wheatley), who prefers to go by the book rather than improvise like 007. Yet, Bond’s reputation as “the best” precedes him; Koskov only agrees to defect if Bond personally protects him, yet Bond has little regard for his orders. Indeed, he seems to welcome the idea of being fired for his insubordination and is portrayed more as a man living on the edge, facing the threat of death every day, and preferring to take the most direct course of action to achieve his objectives. Bond’s instincts do earn him the disapproval of M, meaning he’s reprimanded for sparing Kara, and his disbelief at Koskov’s claims about Pushkin, a man Bond knows quite well, is dismissed after the General is spirited away by KGB enforcer Necros (Andreas Wisniewski). Although Bond refuses to hunt down and kill Pushkin, despite his name being on his Smiert Spionam, he agrees to take the assignment only so he can more efficiently circumvent M’s orders and follow his gut, which tells him to investigate the sniper he wounded.

*Naïve cellist Kara fails to impress with her wide-eyed awe and abject cluelessness.*

Kara catches Bond’s ear (and eye) almost immediately; he picks her out of her entire choir and admires his beauty and talent, but even he is stunned when she pulls out a sniper rifle. Recognising that the girl has been setup as a decoy, Bond purposely shifts his aim to only graze her since he “only kills professionals”, angering Saunders but showing that Bond has the wherewithal to spot a patsy. Intrigued by her, Bond follows her to discover her exact involvement in the narrative, only to find she’s simply a naïve girl blinded by love and loyalty. Of course, Bond’s instincts are dead right and it turns out Koskov manipulated her to make his defection appear genuine, but Kara’s so infatuated with Koskov that she defends him, even when interrogated by Pushkin and the KGB, and is visibly excited at the knowledge that his “friend”, Bond, has been sent to take her to him as promised. Naturally, Bond is perfectly happy to manipulate her feelings by assuming the role of a concerned mutual friend and keeping her on the move, placated with false promises, half-truths, and sightseeing, in the hopes of luring Koskov out. Bond assumes an almost paternal relationship with her, even requesting two bedrooms and treating her to lavish gifts and experiences, all under the guise of looking after her in Koskov’s absence. Despite her love and devotion to Koskov, Kara is smitten by Bond, whose mask slips the more he gets close to her, but Koskov’s influence runs deep. All it takes is one phone call and a few kind words and Kara is convinced to drug Bond, believing him to be a KGB agent. However, even as he’s crippled by the poison, Bond reveals Koskov’s true nature and that he spared her life while Koskov wanted her dead. Kara realises she’s been taken for a fool when Koskov hands her over to Colonel Feyador (John Bowe) as Bond’s accomplice and, while she shows some fighting spirit in the action-packed finale, remains little more than a wide-eyed, cheerfully enthusiastic (and, ultimately, extremely forgettable) hinderance.

*Despite his abrasive nature, Bond finds allies in high, low, and the strangest of places.*

At the start of the film, Bond is paired with Saunders and immediately gets on his bad side by being late, distracted, and overly critical of Saunders’ carefully planned out extraction plan for Koskov. Saunders goes by the book and thinks very little of Bond’s cavalier attitude; his anger at Bond deliberately missing Kara turns to humiliation when Bond usurps his operation, showcasing a field awareness and experience that paints Saunders as ineffectual and bumbling, but is convinced by Bond to investigate Koskov. While Saunders comes through and reveals Koskov’s partnership with American arms dealer Brad Whitaker (Baker), and he and Bond find a mutual respect, it indirectly leads to his death as Necros murders him before Bond’s eyes, enraging the already uptight 007. Although he’s a new character to the franchise, Pushkin is said to be a former acquaintance of Bond’s. Bond, ever the remarkable judge of character, smells a rat when Koskov claims that Pushkin has designs on being the next Joseph Stalin but is driven to confront him after Saunders’ death. Holding Pushkin at gunpoint and callously using his mistress, Rubavitch (Virginia Hey), as a distraction to subdue his guard, Bond demands answers and prepares to execute Pushkin as per his orders. However, Bond is convinced to stage an elaborate public execution of Pushkin to try and draw Koskov out, which attracts the local authorities and Bond’s his old ally, Felix Leiter (John Terry), who’s also been monitoring Whitaker’s operation and later helps him breach the arms dealer’s fortified base in the finale. While escaping from his cell in Afghanistan, Bond casually frees Kamran Shah (Malik), who turns out to be the leader of the rag-tag Mujahideen rebels and helps them flee the Soviet air base. Though he shelters them and is grateful for their assistance, Kamran initially refuses to help Bond due to the insurmountable odds and finds his resolve amusing but is convinced to provide him with what little arms and aid they can offer when he learns of the greater threat posed by Koskov’s plot.

*Koskov allies with the psychotic Necros and militant Whitaker for a complex scheme to usurp power.*

Koskov is initially portrayed as a willing defector to the British government; a terrified, almost bumbling Soviet General who greatly admires Bond, much to 007’s chagrin (though they do share an affinity for fine foods and wines). In exchange for amnesty, he offers information on Pushkin that paints the General as a threat not just to the free world but to Western spies through his Smiert Spionam initiative. Koskov claims Pushkin is targeting spies as part of a diabolical scheme to create political unrest due to a mad lust for power, but it’s simply a ruse conjured by Koskov to coerce Bond into eliminating his chief rival. Of course, this deception isn’t uncovered until later in the film, meaning Bond plays right into Koskov’s hands in his frantic search for the turncoat General, which leads him into conflict with Pushkin and the revelation that they’ve all been fooled by the same man. Koskov. Koskov’s primary enforcer is Necros, a psychopathic KGB assassin who stands out like a sore thumb with his large physique and yet fools everyone with his disguises and accents, Necros makes an immediate impression by infiltrating the highly secure MI6 state house, garrotting victims and tossing explosive milk bottles, and applying a brutality and surprising theatricality to his methods, fully capable of holding his own when his cover’s blown and killing without remorse. Instantly recognisable by his headphones and that annoying song that plays through them, Necros acts as Bond’s physical threat. Easily able to take and dish out punishment, Necros embodies the callous ruthlessness of the “Red Menace” yet takes pride in his methods and is also said to be part of a revolutionary operation. Koskov’s backed by would-be conqueror Brad Whitaker, whose military credentials and credibility are questioned by Pushkin, who terminates their arrangement after learning of his disrepute. An aggressively patriotic nutjob with a fascination for warfare and military tactics, Whitaker has his own private war museum all setup with model recreations of history’s most infamous battles for him to study and even life-like mannequins of him dressed as infamous military leaders (or “surgeons”, as he views them), much to Pushkin’s disgust. Although a blowhard who’s more talk than action, despite his short temper, Whitaker proves a surprisingly threatening opponent for Bond thanks to his proficiency with cutting edge weaponry, his use of theatrics to disorientate 007, and being garbed in “the latest body armour” to essentially resemble a futuristic riot cop.

The Nitty-Gritty:
We might have a spirited, aggressive new Bond but, sadly, the trademark title sequence is still as lacklustre as ever. I know it’s kind of blasphemous to say but very few of the early title sequences wowed me thanks to featuring bland font and surreal, often nonsensical visuals of women and guns, and The Living Daylights is no exception. Sure, the song by a-Ha is a banger but I’m not sure what all the sultry women holding guns and projected 007 logos is supposed to be suggesting, or their relevance to the film’s plot. Still, it’s as traditional as the opening gun barrel sequence and many of the usual Bond cliches are here, too, including a mission debriefing from M, overt flirtation with Miss Moneypenny, and Q’s continued exacerbation with Bond’s childish antics. Indeed, Dalton’s Bond may have more of an edge to him, but he still relishes in winding Q up with his antics, though I’d say that the age gap has slightly altered their relationship into something more akin to a rebellious son acting out against a father figure. Tonally, The Living Daylights can be a little jarring. For all Dalton’s grouchy edge, there are strange moments of levity (no doubt holdovers from Moore’s era), such as his ally, Rosika Miklos (Julie T. Wallace), using her curvaceous girth to distract from Koskov’s escape, the escape itself (which sees the General blasted through a gas pipeline), and the usual shenanigans at Q branch with “ghetto blasters” and trap sofas. While I’m not against comedy in Bond films, and it’s nowhere near as bizarre as that seen in Moore’s outings, it does noticeably clash with the more serious focus on Smiert Spionam. Indeed, “Cold War” tensions are perhaps more rampant than ever here as the lines between ally and enemy are blurred through deception and subterfuge.

*Despite being a more grounded Bond, the film still features some wacky and inventive stunts.*

Dalton certainly looks the part in sharp suits and Bond’s trademark tuxedo, and wielding 007’s trademark Walther PPK, but his entire demeanour is one of disinterest, frustration, or childish banter, especially on the job (he brazenly smokes in the MI6 offices, appears visibly frustrated with the daily red tape, and takes pleasure whenever he can since his job is so dangerous). Despite Q branch being as wacky as ever, Bond’s field gadgets are noticeably toned down in The Living Daylights to keep things more grounded. He has a fancy looking but otherwise entirely unremarkable pair of binoculars (especially compared to Saunders’ night vision goggles), a practical tuxedo jacket that turns into a stealth suit with a simple strip of Velcro, yet Q’s built a firing ghetto blaster, Bond lugs around a massive sniper rifle at the start, and Q provides him with a whistle-operated explosive device (with built-in skeleton key) that seems more impractical than a simple grenade. The Living Daylights sees Bond back behind the wheel of an Aston Martin, this time the sleek, sexy V8. Yet, in another example of the film’s inconsistent tone, Bond’s car is outfitted with a bevvy of gadgets that include a laser that severs a pursuing police car from the rims, hidden missile launchers in the front bumper, bulletproof glass, and even ski attachments and a self-destruct! Amusingly, Bond not only ends up escaping the Czech police by driving across a frozen lake and blasting over their blockade with a rocket boost (the naïve and awestruck Kara too exhilarated by all the gunfire and explosions to question his implausibly explanations) but also evades his pursuers and crosses into Austria by using Kara’s cello case as a makeshift sledge! After “assassinating” Pushkin, Bond makes a dramatic escape across the rooftops of Tangier, and the third act culminates in a massive shootout between the Mujahideen and the Soviets and Bond fighting with Necros while dangling precariously out the back of a cargo plane in mid-flight!

*Despite an explosive finale and showdown with Whitaker, this was a* *dull first outing for Dalton.*

As you expect from a Bond movie, The Living Daylights is quite the globe-trotting adventure. Thanks to Bond bouncing Kara all over the place to rendezvous with Koskov, the film journeys to Vienna, Austria, Whitaker’s personal museum in Tangier, and ends in a Soviet air base in Afghanistan. Bond is taken there by Koskov, who plans to turn him in for Pushkin’s “murder” and be heralded a hero, installing him and Whitaker into a position of wealth and power. While travelling with Mujahideen, Bond also learns that Koskov and Whitaker have been buying opium from them to sell for a profit to fund their arms dealings with the Russians, thus putting the Mujahideen and many others at considerable risk. With Kamran’s help, Bond smuggles some C4 into the bags of opium, ending up trapped in the cargo plane when his flimsy disguise fails him. While the Mujahideen provide a distraction, Bond commandeers the plane and takes off with Kara onboard, only for Necros to leap on at the last second and attack Bond in mid-flight. Massively outmatched by the larger foe and facing a ticking clock thanks to the C4, Bond’s forced to improvise and send the cruel assassin plummeting to his death, disposing of the bomb (and saving the Mujahideen from the Soviet forces in the process), and inexplicably escaping the crashing plane in a jeep when it runs out of fuel. With Felix guiding him, Bond then confronts Whitaker at his museum who surprises Bond with his tenacity, tricks, and advanced weaponry; pinned down and outgunned, Bond gets the upper hand with Q’s quirky explosive gadget, felling Whitaker with one of his own statues. Having narrowly escaped a fiery death at the air base, Koskov swoops in and tries one last deception, but Pushkin doesn’t buy it and has Koskov arrested (and, presumably, sentenced to death). In the aftermath, back in Vienna, Kara receives a standing ovation for her solo performance, which M, General Gogol, and Kamran and his soldiers also attend to offer their congratulations. Although upset by Bond’s absence due to a mission, Kara is overjoyed to find him waiting in her dressing room, with a veritable forest of flowers, for a more personal celebration.

The Summary:
I definitely feel like Timothy Dalton is perhaps the most under-rated James Bond. It’s certainly jarring going from the charming, whimsical Roger Moore to the more gruff and serious Dalton, but, though he really does capture the edge of the character as conceived in the books (at least the ones I’ve read), it’s difficult for Dalton to really impress here. Not only is The Living Daylights bogged down by a pretty middling and confusing plot, but it also still contains a lot of the same over the top elements that made Moore’s run paradoxically so enjoyable and so fantastical. Just as it didn’t suit Moore to be channelling Sean Connery’s meaner spirit, so too does it not suit Dalton’s strengths to be in some of these ridiculous situations, turning a witty quip into a spiteful bark and clashing with the more grounded nature of the film. Still, he is one of my favourite Bond’s; I love how he seems so tense and ready to snap at any moment, his disregard for the rules, and this sense that he does what he does because it’s his job, but that he also takes it very personally. Sadly, Kara didn’t really impress me as a Bond Girl; she’s just kind of there and this naïve, lovesick girl who I have a hard time believing Bond would fall for beyond a passing fancy. Koskov and Whitaker were more enjoyable with their bombastic, almost cartoonish personalities, but Necros really stood out for me. Barring that annoying song that’s always accompanying him, I think he was a really good physical foil for Bond, and I would’ve liked to see more of him. There are some decent stunts and set pieces here, but I find The Living Daylights quite tedious. The tone is all over the place, the plot isn’t that engaging, and I always find myself tuning out near the third act. Dalton was capable of more, and his next film leaned into his strengths a bit more, but this was a pretty disappointing first outing for him and probably doesn’t help bolster his reputation as a Bond actor.

My Rating:

Could Be Better

Are you a fan of The Living Daylights? Where does it rank against the other James Bond films for you? What did you think to Timothy Dalton’s edgier take on James Bond? Did you find the tone jarring and the plot a bit dull? What did you think to the collusion between Koskov, Whitaker, and Necros? Were you impressed by the film’s stunts, or did they clash with the more serious atmosphere? Which Bond actor, film, story, villain, or moment is your favourite? How are you celebrating Global James Bond Day today? Whatever you think about The Living Daylights, or James Bond in general, feel free to leave a comment on my social media or drop your thoughts down below.

Back Issues: Doom

01/10/202403/10/2024Dr. K1 Comment

Story Title: Untitled (or, perhaps, simply “Doom” or “Kneed Deep on the Dead!”
Published: May 1996
Writers: Steve Behling and Michael Stewart
Artist: Tom Grindberg

The Background:
First-person shooters (FPS) existed before Doom (id Software, 1996) but, thanks to having been ported to every console and format available, the genre was basically defined by Doom, which inspired a craze of copycats and popularised online “Deathmatches”. The brainchild of id co-founder and lead programmer John Carmack, Doom’s deathmatches were so popular that it caused servers to crash and it was installed on more computers than Windows 95! Doom’s success inspired both controversy and sequels, but also some ancillary media. Of course, there was the critically-mauled live-action adaptation, but there was also a one-shot comic book created a part of a 1996 giveaway. An obscure piece of merchandise that was as gory and over-the-top as its source material, Doom was a true collector’s item for fans of the game that fetches a high price for those unlucky enough to have missed out winning a copy.

The Review:
The Doom one-shot comic book doesn’t waste any time getting to the advertised “scenes of graphic violence”, beginning with the unnamed Union Aerospace Corporation (UAC) marine (henceforth referred to as the “Doomguy”) in the midst of a Berserker rage. Doomguy’s bloodlust is so overpowering that even his inner monologue reads like a man half-addled by insanity. Enraged and empowered, he believes himself to be invincible, untouchable, and effortlessly rips a roomful of Imps, zombies, and other assorted demons to shreds with his bare hands. Driven to a gibbering madness, the Doomguy screams at his felled foes, clutching a severed spinal cord, and eagerly kicks a door down in search of his next victim. Despite coming face-to-face with a mammoth Cyberdemon, the Doomguy launches into a full-frontal attack, determined to “rip and tear” the horned demon’s guts out, only for his punch to have no effect. The Berserker rage quickly leaves him, returning his thoughts and speech bubbles to normal and turning him to more rational ideas, such as fleeing for his life in such of “a gun […] a big gun”. Running head-first into a roomful of gun-packing zombies, the Doomguy grabs a convenient nearby chainsaw and gets to slicing, severing their heads with one swipe and taking a double-barrelled shotgun for himself. Faced with a pitch-black room and fresh out of torches (or “flashlights”), the Doomguy fires off a few shots to light his way before finding a light switch and revealing his errant shots have blown holes in a fresh crop of demonic nasties. Poking around in their corpses, the Doomguy is elated to upgrade his arsenal to a hefty chaingun, which he readily turns on an Imp that catches him from behind with a burst of flame.

*Despite his maniac rage, the Doomguy desperately seeks a big gun to destroy the demons.*

Suitably emboldened, the Doomguy guns down more Imps and zombies, daring any and all challengers to try their luck against him. Even when he’s tackled to a sewer full of radioactive ooze by a slobbering Pinky, the Doomguy is ceaseless in his slaughter, tearing through the bullish demon with round after round and leaving it little more than two dripping halves. Covered in radioactive goop, the Doomguy takes a moment to decry humanity’s inability to safely dispose of such dangerous materials and our predication for poisoning future generations with our reckless ways….then notices his gun’s out of ammo and realises the environment is the least of his concerns. Taking a convenient teleporter, the Doomguy materialises right in front of a couple of Cacodemons. Luckily, a plasma rifle is lying right there, allowing him to fry the grinning spheres and flee into a storage room full of barrels of toxic waste. When he’s blindsided by an invisible Spectre, the Doomguy lights up the barrels, blowing the demon to pieces, before finally spotting his goal: the Big Fucking Gun (BFG). All that stands in his way is a slaughter of bloodthirsty demons currently engaging in in-fighting. However, the Doomguy simply shrugs his way through the fracas and tearfully claims his prize, strolling over to the Cybderdemon and taking it out with one shot from the massive cannon. Having proven his superiority over the demonic masses, the Doomguy stands victorious and prepares to head to Earth and take out the rest of the invading creatures, his resolve boosted by the knowledge that “righteous” power in the hands of a “strong man with the biggest, baddest gun in the world” can restore order to chaos.

The Summary:
Doom is a very brief and shallow reading experience. In many respects, it’s the perfect adaptation of the source material, which honestly had the simplest plot you could ask for. Rather than wasting time establishing the setting, the plot, or even delving into the Doomoguy’s life before things literally went to Hell, Doom just drops us right into the middle of the action and barely lets up across its scant page count. Driven into an insane bloodlust by the Berserker rage, the Doomguy’s thought and comments dwell on nothing other than his physical superiority and his lust for demon blood. How did he get in this state? What does the Berserker power-up look like in this context? Who knows…and who cares? All that matters is that the Doomguy is powerful enough to render skin and muscle from bone…until the power fades and leaves him desperately seeking the biggest gun he can find. Though his thoughts are no longer clouded by the Berserker rage, the Doomguy is no less crazed. When he’s not stealing other hero’s catchphrases, he’s flip-flopping between childishly simple comments and strangely eloquent mediations on the nature of humanity, the struggle of good against evil, and our destructive nature, especially regarding our environment. These polarising character changes paint the Doomguy as either out of his mind or suffering from a personality disorder and there’s little compassion or nuance to the Doomguy beyond these conflicting moments. He offers no explanation of what’s happened or how, doesn’t seem to care that his fellow marines are either being slaughtered or have been turned into zombies. He is simply a ravenous, crazed lunatic giving a taste of what the first two Doom games have to offer players.

*A brief, bloody story that offers a tease of the mayhem available to players.*

In this regard, Doom works quite effectively. You get a sense of what one of the most iconic power-ups does to a player, see the chainsaw and double-barrelled shotgun in action, and witness the Doomguy retrieving bigger, better guns from corpses or the environment. The battle for the BFG is a simple affair for the Doomguy, one that effectively brings the story and any further conflict to a close due to the gun’s awesome power (here sadly represented as merely a streak of energy that shreds holes in the Cyberdemon). Similarly, Doom showcases some of the game’s most common and memorable enemies and even gives hints on how to defeat them. The Doomguy is surprised by an Imp, which pops up out of nowhere and tosses a fireball just like in the games. A Pinky tackles him out the blue and he expresses brief concerns about the dangers of toxic waste, two things that can sap your health in seconds in the game. A Spectre also blind-sides him and the Doomguy demonstrates the effectiveness of using explosive barrels as an assist and, most notably, he showcases the intelligence of fleeing from an unwinnable fight until you have a more powerful weapon. In fact, the only gameplay mechanics Doom doesn’t delve into are the collection of keys and maze-like structure of the games, but the bare basics of the Doom experience are on offer, however briefly. While I didn’t really care for the Doomguy’s characterisation (an omniscient narrator talking us through things would have been better than the traditionally mute avatar gnashing his insanity all over the pages), the depiction of blood and gore satiate my needs as a Doom fan. It’s not an especially deep or complex story, but Doom does an effective job of advertising the first two videogames, though you’re not missing much if you’ve never flicked through its obscure pages.

My Rating:

Could Be Better

Were you lucky enough to snag a copy of Doom? What did you think to the Doomguy’s characterisation? Did you enjoy the gore and monster selection on offer? Do you prefer it when the Doomguy is mute? Would you like to see more Doom comics be published? Whatever your thoughts on Doom, drop a comment below and go seek out my other Doom reviews.

Movie Night [Bat-Month]: Batman: Mask of the Phantasm

21/09/202402/07/2024Dr. KLeave a comment

In the decades since his first dramatic appearance in the pages of Detective Comics, Bruce Wayne/Batman has become a mainstream, worldwide, pop culture icon. The brainchild of writer Bob Kane, Batman was brought to life by artist Bill Finger and has been a popular staple of DC Comics and countless movies, videogames, and cartoons over the years. So, as today is “Batman Day”, I figured this was a perfect excuse to spend every Saturday celebrating comic’s grim and broody vigilante.

Released: 25 December 1993
Director: Eric Radomski and Bruce Timm
Distributor: Warner Bros.
Budget: $6 million
Stars: Kevin Conroy, Dana Delany, Hart Bochner, Bob Hastings, Efrem Zimbalist Jr., and Mark Hamill

The Plot:
Early into his crimefighting career as the Batman, Bruce Wayne (Conroy) finds mobsters being slain by a mysterious and vicious, Grim Reaper-esque vigilante “The Phantasm” (Stacy Keach). In trying to uncover the Phantasm’s identity, Batman reconnects with his lost love, Andrea Beaumont (Delany), and uncovers a terrible connection between the two.

The Background:
Artist Bob Kane may have dreamed up the idea of a new masked crimefighter to capitalise on the success of Clark Kent/Superman’s debut, but it was the long-suppressed efforts of artist Bill Finger that the “Bat-Man” became such an iconic figure. Decades later, the likes of Dennis O’Neil sought to correct the Batman’s image following the gloriously camp (and incredibly popular) 1960s television show, but the release and relative success of Batman (Burton, 1989) and Batman Returns (ibid, 1992) saw renewed interest in the character. Consequently, Bruce Timm, Paul Dini, and Eric Radomski spearheaded a new animated series influenced by both films that became one of the most beloved and influential cartoons of its era. Batman: The Animated Series aired eighty-five episodes between September 1992 and 1995 before being succeeded by twenty-four episodes of The New Batman Adventures (known as The Adventures of Batman & Robin in the United Kingdom) between 1997 and 1999, but its initial success convinced Warner Bros. to task Alan Burnett with writing a full-length animated feature. Heavily influenced by Batman: Year Two (Barr, et al, 1987), the film was set to feature a Grim Reaper-like counterpart to Batman while also acting as something of an origin story for both the Dark Knight and his long-standing nemesis, the Joker. Filming was completed within eight months, and Warner Bros. made the last-minute decision to release it theatrically. Although this negatively impacted its box office return, Batman: Mask of the Phantasm made up for this in home media sales and is widely regarded as one of the best superhero films ever made. Critics praised the presentation and score, the slick animation, and its mature themes, and it remains one of the quintessential adaptations of the character for many Batman fans.

The Review:
I watched Batman: The Animated Series as a kid, alongside a host of other popular cartoons at the time, but my memories aren’t massively clear. This is a general statement of my childhood in this regard, and I think it’s because I usually slept in at the weekends and didn’t get up until after a lot of the big cartoons had already been on, then I’d spend the rest of my time eating, playing videogames, or watching the same video cassettes over and over. Still, Batman: The Animated Series definitely made an impression on me. It was dark, surprisingly violent, and probably the most readily available incarnation of Batman since it didn’t involve buying any books or comics, so it was massively exciting when this animated feature aired on television for the first time or you saw the VHS available for purchase. The film begins in present day Gotham City, where Batman has established himself as a nocturnal vigilante but is still early enough in his career to large be considered an urban myth. As a result, Chuckie Sol (Dick Miller) has no qualms about conducting his business in the dead of night, which naturally means his money laundering deal is interrupted by the Batman. Although Chuckie slips away with his counterfeit money, he’s intercepted by a mysterious, Grim Reaper-like figure we now know as the Phantasm and so intimidated by the spectre that he drives out of the parking lot to a violent death.

*The mystery of the Phantasm puts Batman in the frame, but their true identity may surprise you!*

Thanks to the Phantasm, and the testimony of bystanders, Batman is fingered for Chuckie Sol’s death and councilman Arthur Reeves (Bochner) wastes no time publicly declaring Batman a violent vigilante who needs to be brought to justice. When Commissioner Jim Gordon (Hastings) remains adamant that sensationalist claims that Batman has snapped and gone on a killing spree are against Batman’s very nature and washes his hands of the entire debacle, Reeves personally leads numerous unsuccessful attempts to apprehend the Dark Knight. Batman is more concerned with analysing a piece of Chuckie’s windshield, which is stained by chemical residue from the Phantasm’s smoke, and investigating the graveyard where Buzz Bronski (John P. Ryan) was killed. Batman: Mask of the Phantasm does a wonderful job of depicting Batman’s detective skills and it’s a nice change of pace from all the thrilling action, chase, and fight sequences to follow his investigation into the murders. Additionally, there are two pressing mysteries in the feature: the identity of the titular Phantasm and the connection between the mobsters left dead in their wake. Of course, these end up overlapping but there’s a decent attempt to throw some red herrings our way. Reeves, Andrea’s father Carl (Keach), and Andrea are all potential suspects but it’s the latter who turns out to be behind the cloak and hand-scythe of the Phantasm. There’s an argument to be made that this isn’t too surprising given we’ve never heard of Andrea before this film, but the stature and physicality of the Phantasm definitely helps to keep this a dramatic reveal at the finale. Unlike the Batman, the Phantasm isn’t above killing; Andrea utilises theatricality to equal Batman, appearing to appear and disappear in a cloud of smoke, brandishes a dangerous scythe-like gauntlet, and is garbed in a heavy-duty armoured suit that makes her more than a match for Batman’s skills and gadgets when they inevitably come to blows.

*Kevin Conroy delivers another stellar performance as Bruce is torn between his vow and his heart.*

While Michael Keaton may have set the bar for live-action portrayals of Batman, make no mistake that Kevin Conroy remains the standard for depictions of Batman. Any actor looking to take on the iconic role must depict his three dominant personas: Public (Bruce Wayne, socialite and playboy), Private (Bruce Wayne, brooding and melancholy), and Vigilante (the grim and stoic Batman) and Conroy perfectly nails all three of these. When Bruce is attending functions and banquets, he’s a suave and smooth-talking ladies’ man known for being extremely generous with his family’s wealth, hands-on with charities and opportunities from growth and employment in Gotham, and for stringing along a seemingly endless parade of bimbos and lusty women. At home, in both the solitude of Wayne Manor and the sanctity of the Batcave, this public mask slips, allowing Bruce to confide in his faithful butler and father-figure, Alfred Pennywoth (Zimbalist Jr.), and is the closest he gets to being truly honest with anyone. And, of course, under cover of night, he stalks the criminal underworld as a theatrical vigilante, and Conroy expertly depicts the differences in each of these personas and situations with subtle changes to his tone, line delivery, and inflections that really went a long way to making this version of Batman one of the most well-realised, complex, and layered interpretations of the character. This really comes to the forefront here thanks to repeated flashbacks to an earlier time in Bruce’s life where he struggled with how to make good on the vow he made to avenge his parents’ death by tackling the criminal scum that took their lives. At this point, he’s still an angry, directionless young man whose vigilante debut goes sideways because, while he has the physical means to overpower even armed crooks, he’s at a disadvantage because he’s seen as just a man, rather than a force of darkness and justice (as he puts it: “They weren’t afraid of me!”) While brooding at their gravestone, he crosses paths with the beautiful Andrea Beaumont. Though she comes across as dismissive and aloof, she’s actually intrigued and somewhat taken by him since he has all this wealth and privilege but always seems so melancholy. As she’s also lost someone, her beloved mother, the two bond over their shared grief and, when she comes to visit him, she impresses him with her combat prowess and the two begin a whirlwind romance.

*As if the mysterious and brutal Phantasm wasn’t enough, the Joker shows up to steal the show!*

Bruce is so taken by Andrea that he questions his vow and contemplates a life of happiness as a benevolent entrepreneur with her by his side. He is therefore devastated when she suddenly rejects his proposal and leaves the city, forever setting him on a path of grim vigilantism. When Andrea returns to Gotham some years later, in the present day of the story, Bruce is a fundamentally changed man. A chance encounter between her and Batman accidentally reveals his true identity to her, and she greets the Batman with a cutting hostility when he’s forced to question her as part of his investigation into the recent killings (delivering a biting jibe about how he’s controlled by his parents). Buzz Bronski, a mob associate of Chuckie’s, is the Phantasm’s next target; his henchmen see him chased by the cloaked figure and crushed to death under a gravestone and mistake the “Angel of Death” for Batman, which causes a media sensation. Startled by the murders of his associates, the decrepit Sal Valestra/The Wheezer (Abe Vigoda) fears for his safety and turns to the Joker (Hamill) for protection. As if touching upon Batman’s origins wasn’t enough, Batman: Mask of the Phantasm thus provides a glimpse into the background of the typically mysterious Clown Prince of Crime. Although not named as such here, the Joker was once Jack Napier like in Batman, but we also learn that he was once a chauffeur and assassin for the mob before taking his dive into disfiguring acid. While I appreciate the effort to flesh out the Joker’s backstory a little, and the film does a decent jump of bringing him in late into the runtime, I can’t help but feel like the Joker’s inclusion was a little forced and unnecessary. It’s as though the filmmakers didn’t quite trust the intriguing mystery of the Phantasm, the glimpse into Bruce’s past, or the narrative of Batman being hunted by the police and felt they had to shoehorn the Joker in to make things more exciting.

The Nitty-Gritty:
Of course, I’d be doing Batman: Mask of the Phantasm a disservice if I didn’t mention the absolutely haunting score from the late, great Shirley Walker. Having collaborated with composer Danny Elfman for Batman, Walker was the perfect choice to evoke the same melancholic, gothic undertones of Burton’s blockbuster reinvention of the character, and she’s at her absolute best here. The sweeping, operatic score really gives Gotham City an ominous, looming character, punctuates the action, and makes the more poignant moments of the film all the more heart-breaking and that’s all thanks to Walker’s absolutely iconic and memorable orchestral number. The animation must also be praised; thanks to an emphasis on shadows and darkness, Batman moves like a slick, otherworldly figure and comes across as fearsome, intimidating, and efficient all at once. Nowhere is the use of lighting more impressive than in scenes in the Batcave, where deep, never-ending shadows and darkness are at their most prominent, and this all really adds to the stark contrast between the inky black of night and the brighter, dull pastels of the few day time scenes.

*The feature provides a tantalising glimpse into* *Bruce’s motivation to become the Dark Knight.*

One thing that helped Batman: Mask of the Phantasm stand out as an animated feature was how surprisingly adult it was. Batman: The Animated Series always expertly towed the line with the censors by depicting guns and bullets rather than laser pistols, and the feature film gets away with even more to depict people smoking, modern-day pistols rather than Tommy guns, a bit of blood when Batman takes a beating, and an unexpectedly high body count for a “kid’s film” thanks to the murderous Phantasm. A central aspect of the film is the exploration into the motivation and tragedy that pushed Bruce into assuming the Batman guise. Despite travelling the world and gaining the physical and deductive skills to be a crimefighting detective, Bruce is torn between seeing his vow to the fullest extent and using his wealth to benefit the city while living a happy life with Andrea. Alfred naturally pushes him towards the latter, and Andrea even believes that his parents “sent [her]” as a sign that he can go back on his vow. Unfortunately, fate intervenes. Right after she accepts Bruce’s proposal, Carl Beaumont forces Andrea to leave the city after his dealings with the mob threaten both of their lives and, rather than explain the situation to her love, Andrea left him heart-broken and rejected. With his one last chance of a happy, normal life denied him, Bruce returns to his vow and, in a hauntingly impactful scene, embraces the cape and cowl of the Batman, losing himself to the darkness of his never-ending crusade and shocking even Alfred with his monstrous transformation.

*The climatic finale sees Batman engage with the Joker, and seemingly lose his one true love forever.*

Batman takes his investigation up a notch after figuring out that the Joker is involved, and the cackling madman quickly takes a perverse pleasure in hunting down the one responsible for killing his old buddies. This involves murdering Valestra and wiring to explode, reducing Reeves to a hysterical mess with his laughing gas, and trying to off the Batman with ludicrous contraptions cobbled together from the abandoned world’s fair that the Joker’s taken as his hideout. Oddly enough, once Andrea’s true identity is revealed, the Joker actually holds his own in a fight with her thanks to his acid-spitting flower and turning the fair’s animatronics and rides into death traps. Andrea, however, is driven by a murderous bloodlust. Since the Joker was responsible for killing her father, she has no problem fighting dirty, kicking him in the nuts and tracing him across the hazardous amusement park in a bid to have her revenge. Naturally, Batman makes a dramatic save and chases down his most persistent nemesis, leading to a somewhat ludicrous conclusion where Batman battles a jetpack-wearing-Joker through the skies of a dilapidated amusement park wired to explode. Determined to see the Joker pay, Andrea ignores Batman’s pleas to leave and seemingly perishes along with the Clown Prince of Crime as the world’s fair is dramatically engulfed by explosions, leaving Batman not only heart-broken but guilt-ridden at his failure to save his former flame. In the darkness of the Batcave, he finds solace in Alfred’s reassuring words and Andrea’s pendant, giving him hope that she’s still alive. Hardened by the experience, he returns to the night as the Batman, grim avenger of injustice, while Andrea sails off to an unknown future with only her own heartbreak for company.

The Summary:
It’s hard to get much better than Batman: Mask of the Phantasm for pure, unadulterated Batman action. In many ways it, like the cartoon it spun out from, is one of the most striking, influential, and unapologetically faithful renditions of DC’s Dark Knight ever put to screen and perfectly captures the dark, gothic melancholy of the titular vigilante, his city, and his never-ending crusade against crime. This was one of the rare, few glimpses into a time of Bruce’s life where he was struggling to make the transition from angry, vengeful young man to grim avenger of the night and it’s absolutely tragic to see how close he came to abandoning his crusade for true love and was forced to fully commit to his dark alter ego once fate set him on that path. One of the things I absolutely love about Batman: Mask of the Phantasm is that it’s not afraid to show Batman’s more cerebral side. The mystery of the Phantasm and the killings is as crucial to the narrative as the romance between Bruce and Andrea, and is far more of a focus than the handful of fantastically realised and slickly animated fight and chase sequences. Batman also feels fallible and human while still being a fearsome and intimidating figure. He easily outmatches street level scum but can be hurt by the likes of the Phantasm and the Joker thanks to their skills and/or gadgets. As I’m also a big fan of Batman: Year Two, the Phantasm struck me as a brilliant foil for Batman. As cold and stoic as the Dark Knight, Andrea’s gruesome, cloaked persona is a dangerous and ruthless foe out for blood and nothing more, but more than a match for the Caped Crusader thanks to gadgets, theatricality, and a degree and physical ability. While I find the finale a bit over the top thanks to the focus shifting towards the Joker, you can’t deny that Mark Hamill steals the show at every turn with his maniacal performance, delivering every line with a sadistic glee that makes the Clown Prince of Crime a joy to watch. Honestly, if you know anyone who isn’t sure if they want to get into Batman or who wants to learn more about Batman, I would absolutely recommend you point them towards Batman: Mask of the Phantasm as you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better representation of everything that makes the Dark Knight such an enigmatic and alluring character.

My Rating:

Fantastic

Are you a fan of Batman: Mask of the Phantasm? Where would you rank it against other Batman films, live-action or otherwise? What did you think to the Phantasm, their depiction, and the reveal of their identity? Were you a fan of the Joker’s inclusion or, like me, did it kind of overshadow the rest of the plot for you? Did you enjoy Batman: The Animated Series growing up? What are some of your favourite episodes, and where would you rank Kevin Conroy’s performance? What was your first experience of Batman and how are you celebrating his debut this month? Feel free to share your thoughts on Batman: Mask of the Phantasm down below, or leave a comment on my social media, and be sure to check back in for more Batman content in the near future!

My Rating:

Could Be Better

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My Rating:

Could Be Better

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My Rating:

Could Be Better

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My Rating:

Pretty Good

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My Rating:

Great Stuff

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My Rating:

Pretty Good

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My Rating:

Great Stuff

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My Rating:

Could Be Better

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My Rating:

Could Be Better

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My Rating:

Fantastic

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