movie night

Movie Night: Joker: Folie à Deux

Dr. K3 Comments

Released: 4 October 2024 (Hey, that’s my birthday!)
Director: Todd Phillips
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Budget: $190 to 200 million
Stars: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson, Catherine Keener, and Harry Lawtey

The Plot:
Two years after killing Murray Franklin (Robert De Niro) on live television, Arthur Fleck/Joker (Phoenix) is incarcerated at Arkham State Hospital, experiencing musical madness through a shared delusion with Joker fan Harleen “Lee” Quinzel (Gaga).

The Background:
The Joker has been a staple of DC Comics for decades and is inarguably Bruce Wayne/Batman’s greatest foe. Created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane, the “Clown Prince of Crime” first appeared in 1940 and has been responsible for many tragedies in the Dark Knight’s life, including the death of Jason Todd/Robin and the crippling of Barbara Gordon/Batgirl. The Joker has also appeared in live-action many times: Cesar Romero famously refused to shave his moustache for the role in the sixties, Jack Nicholson set a new standard in Batman (Burton, 1989), Heath Ledger received a posthumous honour for his incredible turn in The Dark Knight (Nolan, 2008), and Jared Leto’s screen time was significantly cut from Suicide Squad (Ayer, 2016). A standalone Joker movie was initially planned to spin out from Suicide Squad before numerous blunders saw Warner Bros. shift towards an unrelated interpretation of the character. Filmed on a modest budget, Joker (Phillips, 2019) was the first “R” rated DC Extended Universe movie and an unprecedented critical and commercial success, despite its protesters and controversy. Though planned as a standalone and the first in a series of darker, more experimental DC films, star Joaquin Phoenix personally lobbied for a follow-up after dreaming up the premise of a musical sequel. After briefly considering a Broadway show and unanimously deciding against transforming Arthur Fleck into a traditional criminal mastermind, Phoenix and director Todd Phillips developed the musical concept further, bringing in Lady Gaga as a new version of Harley Quinn that required her to change her approach to singing. The musical numbers were performed live, which proved an editing nightmare for Philips, who was given an extraordinary level of autonomy over the project, which ultimately failed to replicate the financial success of its predecessor. Reviews were equally far more scathing this time around; indeed, while Phoenix ’s performance was praised and Lady Gaga was seen as underutilised, many questioned the use of musical numbers and criticised the pacing and tedious, plodding narrative. In the wake of James Gunn rebooting DC’s live-action ventures, it seems our time with this alternative Joker is over not just because of these factors but also because Phillips stated he was finished with the character and this fictional world.

The Review:
I’m proudly in the minority of people who didn’t care much for Joker. Even it had somehow been a decent film, in my opinion, I still would’ve found it annoying to have an alternative version of the Joker running around in a Batman-less Gotham City. As a psychological thriller that made you question the sanity and reliability of its narrator, it was okay; but I would still rather watch the vastly superior American Psycho (Harron, 2000) for that fix. Either way, Joker: Folie à Deux (ridiculous title, by the way) picks up two years after the first movie and finds a heavily emaciated, largely silent Arthur Fleck committed to Arkham State Hospital, where he’s routinely harassed, abused, and mocked by bullish guards like Jackie Sullivan (Gleeson). While Joker ended with the suggestion that some of the film’s events were part of Arthur’s twisted imagination, Joker: Folie à Deux confirms that he did kill five people (actually, it’s six, but it’s not common knowledge that he killed Penny Fleck (Frances Conroy), his overbearing and abusive mother), with Murray Franklin’s live execution inciting a riot and a gaggle of clown-themed protestors calling for Arthur’s release. Despite finding his true self and experiencing a euphoric empowerment by embracing his psychotic urges, Arthur is a broken shell of his former self. Lethargic and largely mute, he’s easily bossed around by the guards and kept under the whim of his daily medicines. Jackie and the others regularly taunt him, forcing him to kiss other inmates and rewarding him with cigarettes whenever he tells one of his bad jokes, but the strong, confident, self-assured Joker is absent in the early going of the film (and, truthfully, for much of it). Arthur’s so mellow that his lawyer, Maryanne Stewart (Keener), is working to convince him, a jury, newly elected assistant district attorney Harvey Dent (Lawtey), and basically anyone who’ll listen that the meek Arthur and his psychotic Joker are distinctly different personalities. Her goal in aiding him, in trying the change the public’s opinion of him as some crazed murderer or a martyr to the lower classes, isn’t to prove he’s innocent, of course, since he absolutely is guilty of murder. Instead, she wants to show the tragedy behind his childhood, the mitigating circumstances around his killings, and prove that he’s a disturbed individual who needs real medical help, not to be caged in a veritable torture chamber or sent to the electric chair for actions outside of his control.

A broken down Arthur is given new life as Joker through Lee’s musical influence.

Arthur is largely apathetic about all this. He endures his daily torment and routine without so much as a peep and does his best to go along with Maryanne’s plan, taking solace in his fantasy world where he imagines his life as a classic Warner Bros. cartoon, relives the trauma he suffered at the hands of others and his mother, and seemingly longs for the feeling of empowerment he felt when he embraced his Joker persona. All this changes, however, when he passes through B Wing, a low security section of Arkham housing non-violent inmates, and catches the eye of Lee Quinzel. When Jackie arranges for Arthur to participate in the same musical therapy class as Lee for good behaviour, Arthur finally opens up to this self-professed Joker fan. Instantly enamoured by Arthur and having been inspired by his actions, Lee claims to have struck out against her own abusive family and landed herself in the nuthouse after burning down her apartment building. The two grow closer as Lee professes her admiration and love for the ideal Arthur embodied when he killed Murray Franklin and Arthur, love starved and craving attention, falls head over heels for her in return. The two express themselves through song almost constantly, either in Arthur’s warped imagination or, seemingly, for real. As in the first movie, it’s not always clear when things are real or not, though many of the musical numbers take place in Arthur’s head. These imaginary sequences are also the only times Arthur shows his violent side, braining and beating people to death with footstools and mallets, and are seemingly his new way to work through his pain and frustration and emotion. Unlike Arthur’s obsession with his neighbour, Sophie Dumond (Zazie Beetz), Lee is quite real. Others see and acknowledge her, though it’s debatable whether she really did blag her way into his cell to seduce him and much of her character is called into question when Maryanne reveals that Lee lied about her past to get closer to Arthur. Indeed, rather than being a downtrodden and forgotten member of the lower classes like him, Lee comes from money, is studying psychiatry, and willingly committed herself to meet him, reframing the usual Joker/Harley dynamic as she’s the one subtly influencing him to coax out what she sees as his “true” self.

Faced with daily abuse and a death sentence, Arthur retreats into a musical fantasy.

Lee’s influence sees Arthur become bolder, more confident, regaining the spark that took Gotham’s crooks and destitute by storm. A parade of supporters surrounds the courthouse during his trial, which is broadcast live since he’s such a high-profile killer, and witnesses testify against Arthur’s mental state. Encouraged by Lee to embrace his status as a cult symbol, Arthur snaps and fires Maryanne and opts to represent himself, donning the Joker makeup and persona once more and strutting around the courtroom ranting about his shitty life. By his own admission, however, Arthur knows nothing about the legal system, resulting in him mocking his traumatised former co-worker Gary Puddles (Leigh Gill). These moments, and where Arthur is wailing or uncontrollably cackling in despair, are where Phoenix excels in the role. I’ve never liked the idea of a definitive origin for the Joker, but he certainly brings his A-game in personifying Arthur’s depressing bleakness and Joker’s manic insanity. For the most part, Lady Gaga does well enough as a heavily revised version of Harley Quinn. After she checks out of Arkham, we’re told that Lee campaigns on Arthur’s behalf and she slowly adopts more clown-ish makeup and mannerisms in support of him. When she’s not singing (and she sings all the damn time), she’s an intriguing character, one who I would’ve liked to see more from. She seems to want Arthur to embrace his Joker persona and lead his followers in some kind of revolution (to “build a mountain”, as they say) but it’s not clear why or what their ultimate goal is rather than simply sticking it to “The Man” and unapologetically being true to oneself. Arthur’s main antagonist is himself, as ever; he’s riddled with insecurity, feelings of abandonment and helplessness, and is thus depends on Lee for emotional support. However, while he relishes frolicking around like Foghorn Leghorn, Arthur’s outbursts and rantings see him anger Jackie and the other guards. While the Arkham inmates and Joker’s supporters cheer and applaud his antics, the guards mercilessly beat and seemingly sexually assault him, with Jackie even throttling Arthur’s fellow inmate, Ricky Meline (Jacob Lofland), for being a little too outspoken in his rambunctious support.

The Nitty-Gritty:
Despite some confusion in the marketing and various interviews, Joker: Folie à Deux is very much a musical. Even before Arthur meets Lee, his fantasies favour belting out Frank Sinatra and, after they get closer, this only increases, to the point where almost every conversation becomes a musical number. I like musicals; I’m not against the idea of a musical. I like the idea that Arthur’s warped imagination has evolved to where he retreats into musical fantasy. However, I don’t think it was executed well here and it became very tedious. It seems the only reason these musical numbers is because of Lady Gaga’s stunt casting as Harley Quinn (sorry, “Lee”), and I definitely feel it would’ve been more impactful to just have three or four of these numbers. Indeed, it bothered me that Arthur was suddenly so into singing when surely his fantasy should be being a stand-up comedian or a talk show host like his former idol? Either way, it was physically exhausting seeing mundane conversations turned into songs and it got tired very quickly. While the first half of Joker: Folie à Deux mostly examines a beaten-down Arthur as he shuffles through daily torment in Arkham and his blossoming relationship with Lee, the second half is a courtroom drama, where Arthur’s very presence causes controversy even before he’s prancing around in his clown makeup. Personally, I found the courtroom stuff more interesting, but it was also a joke. The idea that anyone would acquit Arthur when thousands of people saw him commit murder on live television is laughable, to the point where Dent seemingly only endures the circus to bolster his career using the publicity. Things seem to turn a corner when Arthur represents himself as Joker, finally standing tall as a taunting, unhinged figure and stirring up a fresh wave of support from the incels who worship him as a martyr. However, beneath the makeup and the façade is lowly old Arthur Fleck, a damaged man who struggles to live up to expectations. Dent argues that Arthur is faking his mental illness and Arthur’s brief euphoria at reassuming his Joker guise soon comes crashing down following Jackie’s assault, leading him to openly denounce his persona, admit to his wrongdoings, and essentially criticise not just those who support him, but the myriad audiences who hailed Joker a subversive hit.

Ultimately, Arthur fails to live up to Lee’s expectations and ends up shanked like a bitch.

Indeed, Joker: Folie à Deux appears to be taking all the goodwill of the first movie’s success and purposely flushing it down the toilet. Arthur is taken right back to square one, being pushed around and bullied like a feeble, pathetic child and his number one supporter, Lee, is shown to be a deluded, obsessed super fan who encourages Joker’s outbursts with no real end goal in mind. His anonymous supporters rally for him but mostly use the Joker persona as an excuse to lash out, attack the police and government, and commit petty crimes. They’re not trying to overthrow the elite or get equality; they just want an excuse to act like assholes. After seeing how traumatised Gary is and suffering Jackie’s malicious abuse, Arthur snaps again and the empowerment he rediscovered leaves him. His public denouncement of Joker sees Lee leave in disgust and either kill herself or bluntly reject him, depending on which scene you want to believe is real. As the jury delivers their unanimous guilty verdict, the courthouse is attacked, leaving Dent mildly wounded on one side of his face, and Arthur escapes. He’s briefly picked up by some Joker fanatics, who desperately try to shield him in hopes of inciting a revolution, only to be astonished when he flees in fear, wanting no part of their movement. After Lee rejects him, Arthur is immediately and easily apprehended and dragged back to Arkham, ending the film right where he started: a small, broken, screwed up little man facing the death penalty. However, when he’s called to see a visitor, Arthur is stopped by a fellow inmate (Connor Storrie), one of many who gleefully watched Arthur’s trial and supported his manic actions. Disgusted that the lauded Joker is nothing but a worthless nobody who doesn’t appreciate his following, the inmate spitefully tells Arthur a joke and then repeatedly shanks him, mutilating his own face with a Glasgow smile as Arthur bleeds out on the floor and, presumably, dies.

The Summary:
I didn’t care for Joker. I thought it was largely pointless and meaningless since we’d never see this version of the character in the larger DC extended universe and the idea of doing a Joker movie without Batman seemed like a waste of time to me. I’ll admit, it was a decent, gritty, psychological thriller but…it wasn’t the Joker. Joker: Folie à Deux hammers that home explicitly; by the end, it’s obvious that Arthur Fleck was never supposed to be the Clown Prince of Crime and was, instead, the catalyst for psychotic copycats to spread terror and discord. This wouldn’t be a bad concept if the movie was actually good. Maybe if it had taken some time to explore how Arthur’s actions influenced people, perhaps shown us more of Gotham from Lee and Dent’s perspectives and juxtaposed them with Arthur cackling it up in Arkham, I could’ve endured the obnoxious musical numbers. Alas, this isn’t the case and the film instead devotes itself to stripping away everything people loved about the first film except the performances, and even those are called into question by the tedious singing. I didn’t like the idea that Arthur regressed while in Arkham; he ended Joker on a high but it took the obsession of a woman to get him back in gear, which made him seem weak and lack agency. Lady Gaga may as well have been an entirely different character; she’s as removed from Harley Quinn as Arthur is from Joker. In that regard, the idea makes perfect sense but it’s hardly providing a quintessential adaptation of these two popular characters. What really bugs me about these Joker films is how some audiences will grow up or go around thinking that this is what Joker and Harley should be, when the actual intent seems to be the exact opposite. But, by messing with our expectations and presenting this weird, poorly paced, nonsensical musical, Joker: Folie à Deux wastes more of my time than I would’ve liked. It’s not clever or saying anything new; indeed, much of its runtime treads the same ground as the last film. The singing is annoying and gets in the way of the story, and any potential of seeing Arthur truly embody the Joker persona is done away in favour of trolling audiences. I’d love to know where the $200 million budget went on this titanic insult of a film. Still, hopefully now that Arthur is dead we’ve seen the last of his “Joker” and we’ll never have to worry about this terrible incarnation of the character ever again.

My Rating:

Rating: 1 out of 5.

Terrible

Did you enjoy Joker: Folie à Deux? If so…why? Name one thing you enjoyed; I dare you! What did you think to Lady Gaga’s version of Harley Quinn? Were you disappointed that Arthur didn’t truly embrace his Joker persona? What did you think to the musical numbers? Are you glad Arthur was shanked in the end or are you insane and think this is the best Joker ever? What are some of your favourite Joker-centric stories over the years? Whatever you think, good or bad, about Joker: Folie à Deux, drop a comment down below and let me know your thoughts.

Movie Night [Back to the Future Day]: Back to the Future Part III

Dr. K3 Comments

In Back to the Future Part II (Zemeckis, 1989), Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) travels to October 21, 2015, which is known as “Back to the Future Day” to celebrate the franchise and science.

Released: 25 May 1990
Director: Robert Zemeckis
Distributor: Universal Pictures
Budget: $40 million
Stars: Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Thomas F. Wilson, and Mary Steenburgen

The Plot:
After witnessing his eccentric scientist friend, Doctor Emmett “Doc” Brown (Lloyd), forcibly transported to 1885 in his time-travelling DeLorean, high school student Marty McFly (Fox) travels to the Old West to save his friend from an untimely death, only to discover Doc endangering  the timeline by falling for schoolteacher Clara Clayton (Steenburgen).

The Background:
Back to the Future (Zemeckis, 1985) started as a passion project for long-time collaborators Bob Gale and Robert Zemeckis to recover from a few critical and commercial failures. After refining their script and securing Michael J. Fox for the lead, the duo succeeded in making the sleek and futuristic DeLorean an iconic cinema vehicle and a blockbuster commercial and critical success now recognised as one of the greatest science-fiction films of all time. As Zemeckis never planned for a sequel, the filmmakers faced script and cast issues but ultimately decided to film Part II (Zemeckis, 1989), also a critical, commercial, and influential release. It was apparently Fox who suggested setting Part III in the Old West, which involved constructing elaborate sets on location to depict the burgeoning Hill Valley. The film was not without its dangers: Thomas F. Wilson performed many of his own stunts and Fox almost died while filming the hanging scene! Industrial Light & Magic again worked on the film’s practical and visual effects, including an elaborate model train and track for the thrilling final sequence. With a box office of $245.1 million, it was the lowest-grossing movie in the franchise and yet is still highly regarded for bringing the trilogy to a satisfying close, the performances, and the new character dynamics introduced. With this film, Back to the Future is widely regarded as one of cinema’s best trilogies. While another film has been long rumoured, and the story has continued in comic books, videogames, and a short-lived cartoon, Zemeckis repeatedly stated that there would never be another entry as long as he’s alive.

The Review:
When I was a kid watching the Back to the Future trilogy for the first time, there was a clear hierarchy of preference for me: the second one was the best because of all the fun future stuff, the third was the second best as it had more action than the first, and the first took the bottom spot as it was a little slower and had less visual appeal for me. This was somewhat begrudgingly as I’ve never been a big fan of Westerns; I find them visually dull and narratively repetitive, so it helps when Westerns have a sci-fi or horror bent to them. Over the years, I’ve come to regard Back to the Future III even higher because of the satisfying and emotional way it repeats, continues, and wraps up these characters and the entire franchise to make for one of the most consistently strong trilogies in all of cinema. The film begins by once again replaying the final moments of the first film, in which Doc helps a time-displaced Marty return to 1985 by redirecting a lightning bolt into the time machine. Elated at seeing one of his inventions finally working, and by the prospect of the future to come, Doc celebrates in the street and prepares to head home, eager to get started on his greatest invention, only to be shocked when Marty suddenly reappears before him! This is, of course, a slightly different, older, and more experienced version of Marty, one who’s just seen Doc’s future self blasted back to the Old West by an errant lightning bolt after having revisited 1955 to fix his mistakes from the last film, but the sudden shock is enough to cause Doc to faint in the street.

After a shaky start, Marty eventually embraces and adapts to the Old West era.

Marty takes Doc back to his house and desperately tries to explain the situation to him. I like this scene as it recalls the disbelief and confusion Doc showed towards Marty in the first film (Doc even sarcastically calls Marty “Future Boy!”) However, thanks to Future Doc sending Marty a letter corroborating these events, Past Doc’s adventure with Marty, and the fact that the film needs to get moving, this confusion doesn’t last too long and the two are soon working together like before to unearth the time machine from an abandoned mine at the cemetery. While there, both are horrified to discover Doc’s tombstone stating that he was shot dead by Buford “Mad Dog” Tannen (Wilson) just one week after writing the letter, meaning he never got to enjoy the retirement he’d always dreamed of in Old West. After reading up on Tannen and confirming that the tombstone is real since Doc’s family line didn’t arrive in the United States until long after 1885, Marty resolves to take the repaired time machine and rescue his friend. Thanks to Doc’s detailed schematics, Past Doc makes the necessary repairs and uses his knowledge of fourth dimensional science to get Marty on his way. This is a recurring aspect that Marty struggles with in the film; he has to put his faith in Doc (“You’re the doc, Doc”) that he knows what he’s talking about since he doesn’t understand spatial or quantum physics. What he does know, however, is Westerns. He’s not impressed with the clown-like getup Doc dresses him in and even more embarrassed when his ancestor, Seamus McFly (Fox), helps him avoid social faux pas by gifting him a hat, neither of which fit his idea of Western icon Clint Eastwood. Indeed, Marty even uses the actor’s name as a pseudonym but, rather than being seen as a bad-ass, he’s routinely mocked by the locals. It therefore makes it all the more cathartic for him when he not only adopts a poncho and outfit resembling Eastwood’s “Man with No Name” but also borrows the same “bulletproof vest” trick from A Fistful of Dollars (Leone, 1964) to best Tannen.

Although Marty’s often the uncharacteristic voice of reason, he still has to overcome his vices.

Marty’s friendship with Doc is at the forefront of Back to the Future Part III. Before, Marty relied on the eccentric scientist to advise him and the youngster was mainly cleaning up messes that he’d made. This is still true here but Marty’s whole motivation for defying Doc’s wish to stay in the past is entirely predicated on him wanting to save his friend’s life. However, thanks to an errant arrow, the time machine suffers a fuel leak and the two are stranded in the past similar to the first film. With no gas stations and horses proving ineffectual, the two scramble to find a viable way to get the DeLorean to eighty-eight miles per hour before Tannen makes good on his threat to shoot Doc dead. Doc takes the threat very seriously and, while he’s happy to live out his boyhood dream working as a blacksmith in the Old West, immediately recognises the danger. However, things are further complicated when they happen upon an out of control carriage and rescue schoolteacher Clara Clayton from a fatal fall. Despite being a man of science, logic, and reason, Doc is immediately smitten by Clara and re-evaluates his situation accordingly. This has the unique knock-on effect of briefly switching Marty and Doc’s roles (Marty becomes the voice of reason and Doc becomes the irrational, emotional one), which is further emphasised when Marty also runs afoul of Tannen. Like the first film, this sees their actions impact the future and the tombstone depict the death of “Clint Eastwood” by Tannen’s hands. This comes about because of Marty’s refusal to back down to a challenge and him getting triggered whenever anyone brands him a “chicken” (or “yellah”, in this case). Marty is so riled up by accusations of his cowardice (a holdover from his previous life where his father was a snivelling coward and Marty’s attempts to avoid the same stigma) that he readily agrees to a shoot-out with Tannen, confident that he and Doc will have returned to 1985 by then. However, he’s both horrified to learn he could be forced into a fatal dual and angry at Doc’s suggestion that his pride has negative consequences in his future, something we saw in the second film but which Marty remains unaware of. Thus, Marty’s character arc here is listening to his friend and ancestor over the jeers and opinions of others and realising that it’s better (and braver) to turn the other cheek rather than to step up to an unwinnable fight just to prove himself to a bunch of strangers and assholes.

Love, for better and worse, and allows Doc to discover new aspects of life and himself.

Doc also undergoes some significant character growth here. Having devoted his entire life and fortune to science, Doc’s dreams of seeing the progress of mankind and understanding the nature of existence have been tarnished by witnessing the dangers of time travel. Thus, his instructions and intentions are explicitly clear: he wants the time machine destroyed once they’ve returned to 1985. It’s because of this that he’s perfectly happy living out the rest of his life as a blacksmith in the Old West. He’s quickly established a reputation in the small settlement of Hill Valley and has clearly been enjoying cobbling together steam-powered apparatus and would’ve gladly stayed there if not for the threat against his life. He’s completely caught off-guard, then, when he falls for Clara; initially dismayed to learn that they altered history by saving her, he’s quickly smitten by their shared love for science, astrology, and Jules Verne. Although he scoffs at the idea of love at first sight, Doc can’t deny his feelings for Clara, and he’s fully prepared to stay in 1885 with her but is left heartbroken when she angrily rebuffs him after he’s convinced by Marty to tell her the bizarre truth. In despair, he turns to alcohol and rambling about the future to the locals. After being sobered up by Marty, Doc re-commits himself to their elaborate train heist, having deduced that the only possible way to get the DeLorean to eighty-eight miles per hour is to hijack a train, strap the time machine to it, and boost the train’s engine with controlled explosions. I enjoyed the new wrinkles to Doc’s character here; unlike Marty, he’s comfortable in the Old West and he’s definitely come out of his shell, standing up to Tannen and socialising with the locals. I liked seeing him discover there’s more to life than just science, and his friendship with Marty was explored in new ways through this altered dynamic that saw Marty being the voice of reason for a change.

Buford lives up to his nickname and is a cruel gunslinger who needs taking down a peg.

Once again, Marty and Doc are opposed by one of the Tannen family. This time, it’s Biff’s (Wilson) surely and uncivilised ancestor Buford, who is also accompanied by cackling underlings and has a reputation as a cruel gunslinger and thief. Tannen makes his entrance as all in his line, by confronting a McFly in a bar, and regularly flaunts the law (represented by Marshal James Strickland (James Tolkan)) by dragging Marty through the streets and threatening to hang him as well as sneaking a gun into the town festival. While there is a lawmaster in town, Buford thinks nothing of publicly threatening those who he feels have wronged him and challenging them to a dual. While Buford is as dumb as previous Tannens, easily confused by words and phrases (even those not from beyond his time period) and numbers, he’s a ruthless and callous individual. Although he may hate the nickname “Mad Dog”, it’s entirely appropriate given his drooling, snarling, brutish disposition and he’s little more than a growling thug in a Stetson. Tannen believes Doc owes him $80 after his horse threw a shoe and refuses to be placated by reason since he believes he’s been slighted. When Marty openly defies him at the festival, saving Doc’s life in the process, Tannen shifts his aggression towards the youngster and challenges him to a morning shoot-out, much to the chagrin of Seamus and Doc. Marty, however, is confident he won’t have to think about drawing a gun but that doesn’t end up being the case. Although they have the DeLorean ready and a plan to escape, Doc’s heartbreak causes them to be late and forces Marty to face Tannen in the streets. However, Marty wisely chooses to fight smarter, not harder, once again outwitting the bullish gunslinger and sending him crashing into a pile of manure.

The Nitty-Gritty:
Back to the Future Part III continues the formula established by the last two film that time often repeats. This means we get a sweeping shot of Hill Valley and the clock tower (before still under construction), a McFly/Tannen confrontation in a bar, a chase through the streets, and ruminations on the dangers of messing with time travel. However, rather than being derivative, these are all re-framed in new and visually interesting ways. The Old West setting is an extreme reconfiguring of the 1955 setting of the first film, with Marty and Doc being hampered and severely limited by the technology and resources of the time, only things are way more dangerous now as everyone’s walking around with a gun on their hip and even things as simple as petroleum are impossible to come by. Like in the first film, time itself is a major antagonistic force here. Marty and Doc have less than a week to figure out how to get the DeLorean running and the photograph of the tombstone is a constant reminder of this ticking clock (though, strangely, they never once consider hopping on a train and leaving town for a bit. Considering Buford is later arrested for robbery, this might’ve actually worked!) This is only exacerbated when Buford grows restless for a gun fight and Doc falls into despair over Clara, which is naturally all in service of Marty again getting the better of a Tannen and a thrilling train heist for the finale.

While I enjoy the setting and the timeless effects, Clara’s character felt a bit weak to me.

Although it takes Marty a bit to adapt to the Old West, I’d argue both he and Doc acclimatise to 1885 much faster and better than either did to 2015. Both enjoy walking the streets in their era-appropriate getup, Doc revels in applying his scientific acumen in new ways as a blacksmith, and Marty definitely gets a kick out of parading around with a gun and calling himself Clint Eastwood. While Marty’s gunslinging was mocked in 2015, he impresses in 1885 and he still finds new ways to adapt to the times, such as tossing a Frisbee-branded pie plate and protecting himself with a furnace door. One of the reasons I dislike Westerns is because of how visually repetitive and boring they can be but that’s not the case here, largely because I’m so familiar with Hill Valley from the last two films and it’s fun seeing it reimagined as a dangerous and often disgusting smattering of wooden structures in a desert. While I prefer the fantastical technology of the future setting, I’ve grown to appreciate the simplicity of the Old West aesthetic and I liked seeing stuff like Marty’s Nikes and modern slang being completely lost on the locals. For me, Clara is a more prominent downside to the film. I never found her to be particularly interesting or charismatic and she seems oddly plain in a way that I find distracting. I like that she’s just an unassuming schoolteacher, a slightly insecure and mousy woman who is as uncertain about her newfound feelings as Doc, but I feel like she could’ve been given more to do. Mostly, she’s just kind of there and bolstered only by her convenient fascination with science and literature and she’s often in peril a little too much for my liking. I appreciate that she stands up to Buford, and her physicality in the finale as she rushes to reconcile with Doc, but I think it might have helped to see her at work in her profession or exhibiting a little more personality. On the plus side, this allows the new dynamic between Doc and Marty to shine brighter but I can’t help but feel like the romance between Doc and Clara is a little rushed and flat. The film tries to salvage this by stating that it’s unexplainable love at first sight and by Doc’s obvious inexperience with romance, but just a little more agency like she showed at the festival to make her seem like more of an equal would’ve gone a long way for me.

Although the DeLorean is destroyed, the future is left unwritten and hopefully for all.

As ever, Back to the Future Part III makes use of some fantastic practical and traditional effects and models shots. While the film isn’t as grandiose as the last one, the stunt and horse work on display is impressive and the costume design alone should be a selling point for any fan of Westerns. Marty cuts a resplendent, mature figure in his Clint Eastwood cosplay and it’s exhilarating seeing him and Doc frantically chase after the train on horseback. Once aboard, they clamber over the carriages and politely hijack the main engine, decoupling all the carts and attaching the DeLorean to the cow catcher. Thanks to some specially prepared explosives, Doc pushes the train’s speed and capabilities further than intended, but staggers the explosions so as not to destroy the train prematurely. However, Clara catches up with them, having heard of Doc’s distress over her and become convinced that he was telling the truth, and almost falls from the train in a bid to join them on their journey. Doc’s character growth comes full circle as he braves the trip back to get to her and Marty also puts aside his personal feelings to help save them by slipping them the hoverboard. His friends then glide to safety as the DeLorean finally hits eighty-eight and returns to 1985, the train crashing into a ravine thanks to a spectacular model shot. Fourth dimensional science sees Marty safely arrive in 1985 but his elation is short-lived as he has to quickly abandon the time machine and can only watch, with a mixture of despair and gratitude, as Doc’s wish comes true and the DeLorean is obliterated by an oncoming train. Marty immediately reconnects with his girlfriend, Jennifer Parker (Elizabeth Shue), not only finally telling her the truth but also altering his future when by refusing to race Douglas J. Needles (Flea). While mourning the loss of his friend, Marty is stunned when Doc suddenly arrives in a time travelling steam engine…alongside not only Clara but their young children, Jules (Todd Cameron Brown) and Verne (Dannel Evans). Although the film makes no attempt to explain how Doc built this contraption, this ridiculous oversight is secondary to the heartfelt farewell he and Marty bid to each other and Doc’s impassioned, enthusiastic speech about Marty and Jennifer being free to decide their own futures.

The Summary:
Even now, it’s hard to name a film trilogy that’s as consistent and enjoyable as the Back to the Future films. Each one has strengths and unique, enjoyable aspects that help to keep the themes fresh and engaging, and the story arc for Doc and Marty across the three movies is beautifully realised here. I loved how Marty was now much more confident and surer of himself in his new setting and how he took on the more adult voice of reaso. Him realising that he doesn’t have to answer every challenge to prove himself was also nicely resolved here to show that he’s really learned from his adventures. Similarly, I enjoyed that Doc found something else to live for besides science and his work. Although disillusioned with time travel, he discovers love for the first time, its highs and lows, and is a better person for it, with him and Marty become more well-rounded characters by learning from each other. While I would’ve liked to see more from Clara, she was serviceable enough and I think Buford may be the best and most dangerous Tannen we’ve seen yet. He’s a dog of a bloke and it’s great to see him bested once again. Add to that the visuals, thrilling action, and emotional finale and you have a film that wraps up the franchise in such a perfect way that it really would be a shame to spoil it with a remake (although I would’ve loved to see a re-quel with an older Marty dealing with a rebellious son). While I still prefer the imaginative visuals and high stakes of the second film, Back to the Future Part III has become a firm favourite of mine for how well it uses its Old West setting and its thematic and emotional conclusion to one of the best sci-fi stories (and cinema trilogies) of all time.

My Rating:

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Great Stuff

Are you a fan of Back to the Future Part III? How do you rate it compared to the other two films and which of the trilogy is your favourite? What did you think to the Old West setting and the pitfalls facing Doc and Marty? Were you a fan of the romance between Doc and Clara and the role reversal between Doc and Marty? Can you name a better cinematic trilogy? Where would you go if you had a time machine? How are you celebrating Back to the Future Day today? Whatever you think about Back to the Future Part III, feel free to share your thoughts below.

Movie Night: Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance

Dr. 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:

Rating: 3 out of 5.

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: Event Horizon

Dr. K4 Comments

Click here to listen to my guest spot on the Silver Screen Podcast discussing this film

Released: 15 August 1997
Director: Paul W. S. Anderson
Distributor: Paramount Pictures / United International Pictures
Budget: $60 million
Stars: Laurence Fishburne, Sam Neill, Joely Richardson, Richard T. Jones, Sean Pertwee, and Jason Isaacs

The Plot:
The experimental Event Horizon returns after a mysterious seven-year absence. However, when its designer, Doctor William Weir (Neill), and Captain S.J. Miller’s (Fishburne) crew investigate, they find the ship haunted by a presence from beyond our universe.  

The Background:
It’s not hyperbole to say that Mortal Kombat (Anderson, 1995) made Paul W.S. Anderson’s career. The film’s critical and commercial success saw him bombarded by offers; he turned them all down, even a Mortal Kombat sequel, to make an R-rated horror. Attracted to Philip Esiner’s pitch of a “haunted house in space”, Anderson and producer Jeremy Bolt worked to tweak the script to emphasise these elements and veer away from comparisons to Alien (Scott, 1979), though fans later considered the film a spiritual prequel to Warhammer 40,000 due to similarities between the two. Many effects were done practically, such as constructing moving sets to bring the ominous Gravity Drive to life and harnesses to simulate zero gravity, all on sets said to be oppressive and claustrophobic for the cast. A rushed shooting schedule and pressure from studio executives led to Anderson struggling to deliver a final edit. Test screenings later complained of the extreme gore and subsequent cuts led to the excised footage disappearing, despite fan outcry for a director’s cut. With a box office of just $42 million, Event Horizon was a commercial failure; reviews were equally negative, saved for some praise for the special effects and visuals. However, it has since been re-evaluated and considered a cult classic, inspiring the Dead Space franchise (Various, 2008 to 2023) and getting its due from contemporary reviews, to the point where additional films and even a television series have circled the rumour mill.

The Review:
In the world of Event Horizon, humanity has finally spread its reach beyond our home planet and started to colonise space. First, there was an outpost established on the Moon; then commercial mining began on Mars (where promiscuous women are said to frequent). Then, finally, mankind strived to expand further into the galaxy. To facilitate this, the United States Aerospace Command (U.S.A.C.) first built hyper-fast ion drives and stasis booths to protect their crew from the intense g-forces, then turned to Dr. Weir to develop a prototype for faster-than-light travel. As pilot W. F. Smith/Smitty (Pertwee) and Dr. Weir correctly point out, all the laws of science make light speed unobtainable but, luckily, Dr. Weir found a way around this small hurdle. He developed an elaborate spherical engine, the Gravity Drive, that used focused particles and other complicated pseudo-science to generate an artificial black hole, essentially “folding” space and time and allowing the Event Horizon to instantaneously travel across the galaxy. However, the Event Horizon vanished during its maiden voyage; dubbed the worst disaster in space history, its failure has weighed heavily on Dr. Weir, who focused all his time and attention into the project to the detriment of his marriage. He was so consumed with his work that he failed to notice the failing mental health of his wife, Claire (Holley Chant), until it was too late, and by then she’d already slit her wrists in their bathtub. Haunted by guilt and grief and suffering from constant nightmares of his loss, Dr. Weir is exuberant when the Event Horizon suddenly reappears in Neptune’s orbit transmitting a distress signal and seeks to investigate in hopes of salvaging his life’s work. The true fate of the Event Horizon hasn’t been made public; U.S.A.C. instead concocted a story about it being destroyed due to a power overload. Thus, the rag-tag crew Dr. Weir partners up with to investigate the ship are initially sceptical both of the mission and the Gravity Drive’s ability to tear a hole in the fabric of the universe.

Miller and his crew are roped into a nightmare when Dr. Weir investigates his haunted ship.

Consequently, Dr. Weir is met with a cold reception when he joins the crew of the deep space salvage vessel the Lewis and Clarke. The crew, led by their “skipper”, Captain Miller, are already disgruntled at being recalled from a well-deserved leave and sent to the outer reaches of the galaxy, especially as the last rescue attempt that went that far never returned. They therefore react with hostility when Dr. Weir explains his research to them. Despite also harbouring a resentment towards Dr. Weir, Miller, a by-the-book commander who inspires respect amongst his tight-knit crew, nevertheless chews out some of his more unruly crewmen when they dismiss Dr. Weir’s explanations and is determined to see the mission through as quickly and efficiently as possible. Miller is close to each of his crew, with all of them regarding young engineer Ensign F.M. Justin (Jack Noseworthy) as a surrogate son (they dub him “Baby Bear” and he frequently refers to the ship’s medical technician, Peters (Kathleen Quinlan) as “Mama Bear”). Miller’s served with each of them for a long time and they have a natural rapport based on mutual respect. Miller allows Smitty to light up a cigarette for a job well done and isn’t above joining in with the banter between the crew, ribbing smooth-talking rescue technician T.F. Cooper (Jones) by questioning his contribution to the ship. Like Dr. Weir, however, Miller is carrying a secret pain. He’s wracked by guilt at having left behind a young bosun, Edmund Corrick (Noah Huntley), a decision that has haunted him ever since and driven him to be the efficient commander he is today, expecting nothing less than the highest standard from his crew. As his second-in-command, he expects a lot from communications officer Lieutenant M.L. Starck (Richardson). As their situation worsens, his demands for answers become more forceful, though Miller’s reluctant to entertain her theory that the Event Horizon brought back some lifeforce from wherever it’s been. As Miller is tormented by visions of Corrick and witnesses that suffering of his crew, he directs his grief and anger towards Dr. Weir and the two quickly clash since Dr. Weir comes to be mesmerised and possessed by the ship and Miller’s efforts to escape are constantly thwarted by forces beyond his comprehension. Eventually, Miller’s forced to see that Starck was right and that something has tainted the ship, especially as its influence drives his crew to hysteria and costs him his beloved Lewis and Clarke.

Things go from bad to worse as the ship’s evil influence tortures the crew with visions.

Upon first reaching the Event Horizon, the crew find it to be an ice-cold “tomb” devoid of all life signs (despite driving their scanners crazy) and filled with an ominous dread. When Justin investigates the Gravity Drive, the ship suddenly comes to life; the core (or “gateway”) opens and sucks him in and, though Cooper rescues him, Justin is left catatonic and the Lewis and Clarke is badly damaged. While Smitty works around the clock to repair the damage and the crew risk suffocation aboard the Event Horizon, Peters toils through the ship’s log and is dismayed to find Captain John Kilpack (Peter Marinker) and his crew were driven to a macabre insanity, slaughtering and mutilating ach other in a gore-drenched orgy, the remains of which are still plastered to the ship’s walls. Dr. Weir’s nightmares also come to him while he’s awake. He sees visions of Claire’s eyeless face and hears her voice whispering to him and is enthralled by the Gravity Drive, which slowly influences his decisions and turns him against the crew, dismissing their claims and concerns and causing Smitty to fly at him in a rage. Following a disturbing seizure in which he warns of the impending arrival of “The Dark”, the traumatised Justin is compelled to enter an airlock and kill himself to avoid going back there. To the horror of his crew, Justin is almost killed by decompression, though Miller gets him back in the ship and their resident doctor, the grim-faced D.J. (Isaacs), stabilises him. With Justin sedated in a stasis tank, D.J. is forced to reveal that Kilpack’s distress call, which consisted of Latin, was actually a warning to others to “save [themselves] from Hell”. Though neither Miller or D.J. are the religious type, it seems something evil has latched onto the ship and their situation only worsens when Dr. Weir sabotages their escape plan by blowing up the Lewis and Clarke with an emergency explosive, killing Smitty in the process and trapping the survivors on what is now clearly a very haunted ship.

The ominous Event Horizon transforms Dr. Weir into its demonic agent.

The Event Horizon is the primary antagonist of the film. A needlessly ominous, gothic ship, it looms in space like a haunted cathedral and creates a foreboding presence with its dark, claustrophobic hallways, abundance of spikes and chilling silence, to say nothing of the remnants of Kilpack’s gory orgy the crew eventually find. From the moment the crew step onboard, the ship influences them; not only do Miller and Dr. Weir hear and see their worst fears but Peters is routinely tormented by visions of her infirm son, Denny (Barclay Wright). These are so traumatic that she refuses to work in the medical room, much less alone, and later drive her to a tragic and brutal death when she chases what she thinks is Denny around the Gravity Drive and takes a fatal fall in the process. Of course, the Event Horizon has the greatest influence on Dr. Weir, arguably getting inside his head before he even reaches his beloved ship. Once onboard, his visions intensify; he’s already very protective of the ship and comes up with quasi-logical explanations for the strange events happening, but the crew don’t buy it. Eventually, the ship forces him to relive Claire’s suicide and he’s driven completely off the deep end; he comes to see the ship as “home” and gouges out his eyes, leaving him a half-crazed, demonic figure who coldly destroys the Lewis and Clarke. Miller is deeply affected by Smitty’s death but this explosion also flings Cooper out into space; however, thinking fast, the jovial rescuer blows his air tank and jets back to the Event Horizon. However, he finds Dr. Weir determined to reactivate the Gravity Drive and return to whatever lies beyond. It’s not clear where, exactly the Event Horizon has been; even Dr. Weir doesn’t know where the Gravity Drive leads to. Kilpack dubs the space between dimensions as “Hell”, a name that sticks even for the scarified, possessed Dr. Weir. Rather than jumping from one point in space to another, the Event Horizon punched a hole in reality itself and ventured to “a dimension of pure chaos… pure evil”. While there, the ship was infected by the dimension’s influence and drove its crew mad, apparently gaining a level of sentience and satiating itself on taking their lives (and, presumably, their souls). Accordingly, it delights in torturing Miller and his crew with their worst fears and toying with its prey. It constantly creates roadblocks, forcing them aboard and then trapping them there, intent on dragging the survivors back to Hell to expose them to even more macabre sights and suffering.

The Nitty-Gritty:
Although Anderson may have sought to move away from being compared to Alien, the sci-fi/horror classic’s influence is greatly felt in Event Horizon. For one thing, this is a very gritty, “lived-in” sci-fi world. The controls and technology and aesthetic of the Lewis and Clarke, in particular, are very low-tech, full of buttons and exposed gears, and her crew are very much analogous to the Nostromo’s complement of “truckers in space”. These are working-class space farers, paid a minimum wage and doing the best they can with obsolete technology, and their down-and-dirty attitude makes them very relatable characters who are easy to root for. Miller can be a bit uptight, but he has a great rapport with his crew, even if he gives Starck a hard time more often than not. D.J. is their more sullen crew mate, bluntly introducing himself and even threatening Smitty with a scalpel when he rages at Dr. Weir for perverting the laws of physics. Smitty and Cooper are the most grounded of the crew; however, whereas Cooper is cheerful and fancies himself a ladies’ man, Smitty is more gruff and would rather leave as soon as possible. Honestly, I’m so glad Cooper survived as he’s a fantastic character. He calls Dr. Weir out on his bullshit, earning himself a dressing down from Miller, and brings some infectious levity through his ridiculous return to the ship, which always makes me grin. Peters was perhaps the least interesting for me but she’s given emotional depth through her clear love for her son, while Starck was just trying to be pragmatic and keep her cool. Smitty and Starck immediately sense the bad vibes from the Event Horizon, a ship bathed in a perpetual thunderstorm courtesy of Neptune and constantly seeped in ominous darkness. All too late, Miller turns on the ship, ready to escape and blow it to pieces, only to be scuppered by the cruel-hearted Dr. Weir and his crew picked off one at a time by the ship’s visions or Dr. Weir’s mad designs.

The macabre, gory imagery and effects are especially disturbing, even in brief flashes.

Describing Event Horizon as a haunted house in space is extremely apt, but it’d also be just as fitting to dub it “Hellraiser (Barker, 1987) in space”. In this latter regard, the film performs exceedingly well, offering a far more entertaining and disturbing experience than the actual Hellraiser in space we got. There’s a constant sense of dread as the crew wanders the ship’s dark and claustrophobic corridors. Flashes of lightning reveal disgusting gore on the walls and the frenetic ship logs offer but a taste of the horrors Kilpack and his crew endured while in Hell. The Event Horizon itself is a menacing construction; there’s no reason for it to be as long or intimidating as it is, and yet the Gravity Drive is protected by a “meatgrinder” corridor and full of spikes, creating an unsettling vibe even before the gateway opens. Obviously, there is some dated CGI and green screen effects, most notably in rendering the gateway and when the crew are wandering around the frigid, zero-g interior of the Event Horizon. However, the film makes up for this was some incredible set design (again, everything feels very Alien and suffocating in its aesthetic) and practical effects. Unfortunately, due to studio mangling, we’re denied seeing the full extent of Hell’s wrath and exactly what Dr. Weir does to D.J. but the horror of the unknown lands just as hard. When the scarified Dr. Weir assaults Miller in the finale, he forces Miller to see visions of his crew being raped, tortured, mutilated, and brutalised in Hell. Maggots, scenes of D.J. being strung up in a blood eagle, and flashes of Starck, Justin, and Cooper being flailed and impaled bombard Miller (and the audience) like a fever dream. It’s a disturbing cacophony of frenzied editing, but it works since it forces you to experience Miller’s visions as he’s being shown them. The makeup effects on Dr. Weir are particularly gruesome; first, he tears his eyes out and is left a mutilated, taunting villain obsessed with taking Miller and his crew to Hell. Then, after being blown out of the ship, he’s returned as a completely naked, demonic entity covered in weeping scars, completing his transformation into the personification of the ship’s evil.

Though Miller sacrifices himself to stop Dr. Weir, the ending suggests the nightmare is far from over…

After working tirelessly to repair the Lewis and Clarke, Smitty is dismayed to learn that Dr. Weir has planted an explosive on the ship. Though he frantically searches for it, Smitty’s too late to deactivate it and is blown up with his beloved craft. Angered, Miller arms himself with a harpoon-like nail gun and prepares to make Dr. Weir pay for costing him his ship and his crew. Though he finds Starck alive, he’s left at the scarified Dr. Weir’s mercy, horrified to find the doctor has lost his mind and gouged his eyes out. Now completely consumed by the ship’s influence and determined to defend it at all costs, Dr. Weir activates the Gravity Drive, though he’s seemingly killed when he decompresses the bridge trying to kill Cooper. Miller gets Starck and Cooper to safety and concocts a plan to utilise the Event Horizon’s emergency lifeboat feature. As related by Dr. Weir earlier, the ship was designed to be split in half using explosives placed along its otherwise unreasonably long central corridor. After ordering Starck and Cooper to prepare the foredecks for their departer, leaving them to be assaulted by a very Shining (Kubrick, 1980) inspired torrent of blood, Miller is attacked by Corrick’s enflamed spirit and driven towards the Gravity Drive. There, he sees through the vision and is confronted by the now-demonic Dr. Weir. Subjected to horrifying visions and outmatched by the doctor’s augmented strength, Miller is left with no choice but to set off the explosives to deny Dr. Weir his full victory, sacrificing himself to the Hell dimension to save his crew. Many days later, the wreckage of the Event Horizon is discovered. However, the experience has left Starck traumatised and the film ends with the suggestion that the remains of the ship may be just as haunted as the half that was sucked back to Hell.

The Summary:
I discovered Event Horizon by accident. As a kid, I taped some other movie off the television and accidentally left the VHS running, recording the next movie, which just so happened to be this one. Despite not being into horror back then, I gave it a watch and was immediately enthralled and, to this day, Event Horizon is one of my all-time favourite, go-to horrors. I love the aesthetic of this movie, with its lived-in, gritty, clunky technology and the depiction of Miller and his crew as average Joes caught up in a nightmare they wanted no part of. Laurence Fishburne makes for a great, hard-assed leading man but he’s bolstered by some of Hollywood’s most underrated character actors. Sean Pertwee is always a delight and he’s great as the outspoken Smitty; Jason Isaacs brings a quiet intensity to D.J. who’s just barely keeping his shit together; but the standout was Richard T. Jones as Cooper. He’s just such an infectious and charismatic personality that steals every scene he’s in with his cocksure bravado and blunt honesty. Sam Neill also puts in a great performance as the haunted Dr. Weir; this is a man wracked with guilt who seems on the verge of suicide, and yet who sees the Event Horizon as a second chance. While he’s initially shocked and dismayed by the horrors and death that infest the ship, Dr. Weir is mesmerized by its influence and comes to protect and even love it, willing to butcher Miller’s crew to satisfy his creation’s macabre lust. The horror on offer here is palpable; the Event Horizon is a menacing presence throughout and looms over every scene, seemingly watching and infecting the characters’ every movement. It’s a shame we’ll never see the full extent of the gory visuals but the film works incredibly well despite that. The brief, frantic bombardment of torture and death are enough to hammer home how desolate and wicked Hell is and there’s still plenty of gore on offer. The fantastic use of disturbing practical effects, the unsettling depiction of Justin’s decompression, and Dr. Weir’s transformation into an eloquent and cruel demonic sadistic all make Event Horizon an unnerving and terrifying cult classic. With great performances, some incredible visuals and set design, and a truly frightening premise, Event Horizon will always be highly recommended by me and, if you haven’t seen it or want to see Hellraiser in space done right, now’s the time to change that!

My Rating:

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Great Stuff

Have you ever seen Event Horizon? Do you agree that it’s an under-rated cult horror classic? What did you think to the visuals, the gothic construction of the titular ship, and the foreboding atmosphere? Which member of the crew was your favourite? What did you think to Dr. Weir’s descent into demonic insanity and Miller’s selfless sacrifice? Would you like to see the excised footage full restored to this movie? I’m always happy to talk about Event Horizon so please leave your thoughts below and go check out my other horror content across the site!

Movie Night: Blade II

Dr. 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:

Rating: 4 out of 5.

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.

Movie Night: Hellraiser (2022)

Dr. 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:

Rating: 4 out of 5.

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

Dr. K1 Comment

To celebrate the release of Dr. No (Young, 1962), the first of the James Bond movies (Various, 1962 to present), October 5th 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:

Rating: 2 out of 5.

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.

Movie Night: Doom

Dr. K5 Comments

Released: 21 October 2005
Director: Andrzej Bartkowiak
Distributor: Universal Pictures
Budget: $60 to 70 million
Stars: Karl Urban, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Rosamund Pike, Raz Adoti, Richard Brake, and Dexter Fletcher

The Plot:
In the year 2046, the Union Aerospace Corporation (UAC) sends a squad of marines – led by Sergeant Asher Mahonin/Sarge (The Rock) – to answer a distress call at their Mars facility, where an alien chromosome has transformed the inhabitants into bloodthirsty demons.

The Background:
The influence of Doom (id Software, 1993) cannot be understated. It popularised first-person shooters (FPS) with its online “Deathmatches”, controversial violence, and addictive acclaim. Followed by bigger, faster sequel within less than a year, Doom remained relevant through its many ports and some obscure ancillary media before the long-awaited release of Doom 3 (ibid, 2004), which reinvigorated the franchise with its claustrophobic atmosphere and bloody gameplay. Development of a live-action adaptation can be traced back to the mid-nineties, when Universal Pictures and Columbia TriStar vied for the rights, though real-world tragedies kept the film from being produced. After production stalled at Warner Bros., producers Lorenzo di Bonaventura and John Wells returned to Universal and a script, heavily influenced by Doom 3, finally emerged, courtesy of screenwriter David Callaham, though many aspects were cut due to time and budgetary reasons. With director Andrzej Bartkowiak onboard, The Rock was offered the lead role after Arnold Schwarzenegger and Vin Diesel declined, only to gravitate towards the darker role of Sarge, and he and the other actors underwent two weeks of rigorous military training for the movie. The demonic creatures were created by Stan Winston Studios using a combination of practical effects and animatronics and CGI. Visual effects guru Jon Farhat also directed an extended first-person sequence, which was painstakingly edited to appear as one continuous shot and divided critics with its execution. Failing to make even $60 million at the box office, Doom was critically panned. Yet, while The Rock disowned the movie and Rosamund Pike expressed embarrassment at her unfamiliarity with the source material, Doom co-creator John Carmack enjoyed the film. Though few had anything good to say about Doom, the success of the 2016 reboot saw Universal produce a direct-to-DVD restart, one that did little to improve the franchise’s silver screen prospects.

The Review:
Unlike the videogame source material it’s based on, Doom follows not one half-crazed, nigh-superhuman space marine but a whole squad of trigger happy, overconfident soldiers seemingly influenced by Aliens (Cameron, 1986) but who occasionally come across as bland and one-dimensional as the troopers seen in Jason X (Isaac, 2001). The film opens with the Rapid Response Tactical Squad (RRTS) anticipating a well-deserved shore leave, only to be frustrated when their tight-ass commanding officer, simply known as “Sarge”, cancels their leave and orders them to gear up for a “game”. The UAC research facility Olduvai, based on Mars around the site of an ancient, fossilised remains, sends a distress call following a mysterious attack, a call Sarge is only too happy to answer. Stern and by the book, he absorbs his orders without question but also interprets them to suit his needs. While “extreme prejudice” is authorised, he’s fully prepared and committed to “search and destroy” despite first being ordered to contain and protect the UAC scientists and research data based in Olduvai. Still, at the start, Sarge is tough but fair; he’s sympathetic to his men being denied a break but demands nothing but professionalism from his soldiers. Therefore, he reprimands Gregory Schofield/Duke (Adoti) when he voices his frustrations the loudest and Duke responds by immediately reaffirming his loyalty to the corps, like a good soldier. Sarge is also proud to welcome Mark Dantalian/The Kid (Al Weaver) into the RRTS for his first mission. Though excited to finally be getting some action that isn’t cleaning floors, the Kid quickly becomes anxious and hesitates at facing the unknown, earning him not just ribbing from the likes of the lewd Dean Portman (Brake) but a dressing down from Sarge. However, while Sarge orders all his men to fall in line, he initially recommends that his point man, John Grimm/Reaper (Urban) take the leave and stay behind since he has history (both past and present) with Mars and the Olduvai facility, though Reaper naturally chooses to come along and “face his demons”.

Sarge leads his team to Mars, where Reaper’s forced to confront his past.

Specifically, these are events related to Reaper’s past. Ten years previously, he and his sister, Doctor Samantha Grimm (Pike), worked and learned alongside their parents on the dig site, only for them to witness their parents dying in a freak cave-in. Since then, Reaper has stayed away from Mars and grown apart from his sister, who followed in their father’s footsteps to become a genetic researcher. Sarge is sympathetic to this awkward situation in the first act or so and, though Reaper maintains his professionalism, it’s clear there are unresolved issues between him and Sam. For one thing, she doesn’t exactly approve of his dangerous and violent lifestyle; for another, he feels guilty at his estranged relationship with his non-identical twin sister. Sam has orders to download Doctor Todd Carmack’s (Russell) research data which, as far as she’s aware, isn’t anything troublesome or unethical. Instead, she believes they’ve been researching the mysterious humanoid remains found in the dig site, remains that speak to a Martian race that eliminated all diseases and gained superhuman strength through an additional fourth chromosome. As the bodies start piling up and monstrous demonic creatures start attacking the RRTS, Sam discovers Dr. Carmack was actually using C-24 in human experiments, creating the abominations that run riot throughout Olduvai. While Reaper shares her horror at these revelations, Sarge remains focused on their orders; he chews Reaper out for suggesting they destroy UAC property and refuses to believe that the infected masses can be cured of their condition. Indeed, the more the demons attack and the more men Sarge loses, the more the commander loses his grip on reality. At first, he’s seemingly willing to listen to reason and even has the civilians evacuated from the quarantine zone to Earth via the disturbing teleportation system (known as the Ark), but soon he’s ordering a mass purging to contain what he sees as an uncontrollable and violent outbreak. Sam’s the first to see the change in him, though Sarge’s own men and, soon, Reaper question his methods and orders. His obsession with killing all the scientists leads to him being dragged away by the demons, a fate he vehemently rejects, and being infected by C-24, which is naturally drawn towards the vile and wicked.

Despite some undesirable character quirks, the RRTS amount to glorified dead men walking.

The RRTS are a colourful bunch at times. Each one has their own gamer tag handler ID and a couple even have unique weapons; Roark Gannon/Destroyer (Deobia Oparei), Duke’s surrogate family, carries a massive chaingun, for example. This tells you everything you need to know about Destroyer; he’s the big muscle who seldom speaks and gets up close and personal with his foes. Duke is far more outspoken and much more likely to crack wise; he’s immediately smitten by Sam and puts the moves on her even as she’s dissecting a demonic corpse. Excited by her passion, he even braves a nanowall, a piece of technology which he greatly fears, and is distraught when Destroyer is found beaten to death by a Hell Knight (Brian Steele). Eric Fantom/Goat (Ben Daniels) is even more uptight than Sarge, rightly expressing disgust with Portman’s filthy mouth and imagination. He’s also devoutly religious, ritualistically scarring himself whenever he takes the Lord’s name in vain. This means he’s the first to identify the mutated creatures as demons, and his faith also drives him to bash his brains in after he’s infected and begins to transform into a demon. Katsuhiko Kumanosuke Takahashi/Mac (Yao Chin) doesn’t get much to do or say; he’s left in charge of Marcus Pinzerowski/Pinky (Fletcher) and then gets his head lopped off before he can do much of anything. Luckily, the repulsive Portman is on hand to carry the load; a vile, self-styled ladies’ man, Portman disgusts his team with his antics (even Sarge rolls his eyes at his demeanour). However, he’s also the first to outright question Sarge’s orders; despite them facing a clearly unprecedented situation, Sarge stubbornly refuses to call in reinforcements and the two almost come to blows. Portman then takes it upon himself to defy orders and call for help, though his abrasive personality keeps Pinky from alerting the team when he’s attacked and killed. Finally, there’s the Kid, who’s so shaken up by the bloody situation that he begs Portman to slip him some pills. Inexperienced and hesitant, the Kid struggles with his abandonment issues as much as he struggles with Sarge’s orders, eventually standing up to his commander and being summarily executed for daring to defy him.

It’s a shame the film relies so heavily on zombies as the demons look great.

Sam’s research reveals that C-24 (and, by extension, the demons) triggers specific changes in different people based on their genetic makeup. For some, it grants accelerated healing and superhuman strength; for others, it turns them into unholy, monstrous creatures somewhat similar to the demons from the videogames. This means there’s no portal to Hell and no true demonic invasion; Goat coins the creatures demons based on his religious beliefs and Grimm dubs Olduvai “Hell” simply because bad things always happen there. Still, Olduvai is haunted by ravenous, mindless zombies; many of the scientists, including Dr. Carmack, are found this way, with limbs missing or greedily feasting on their victims. Others undergo a more extreme metamorphosis, become analogous to Imps (Doug Jones) and Hell Knights. This is about where Doom ends with its monsters; there are no Cacodemons, Lost Souls, or Cyberdemons here. However, Pinky is apprehended by an Imp and summarily infected. Apparently, his treatment of Portman was enough to trigger a disturbing transformation into a handicapped, bullish demon that catches Reaper off-guard and gnaws on his leg. The overreliance on zombies is disappointing (we’re even denied armed zombies), doubly so because the Imps and Hell Knights are brought to life through some great practical effects. Thanks to some great use of lighting (parts of the film are fittingly as dark as Doom 3), there’s a constant sense of dread in Olduvai’s tight, claustrophobic corridors. When the monsters do appear, it’s in low lighting and quick cuts, with them manhandling even the brutish Destroyer, tearing off limbs, and splattering arterial blood across the walls. Since the RRTS are unprepared for such a threat, their numbers are whittled down across the first two acts. However, when Sam takes a chance and injects C-24 into Reaper to save his life from an errant ricochet, he easily puts down zombies, Imps, and Hell Knights alike in a sequence most akin to the videogames (specifically Doom 3) but which also seems oddly out of place and literal for a videogame adaptation.

The Nitty-Gritty:
The primary human element in Doom is the troubled relationship between Sam and Reaper. Though she sent birthday cards over the years, it appears they haven’t spoken since their parents died and their paths and personalities couldn’t be more different. Sam revels in scientific exploration, excited at the prospect of learning more about Mars’ long-dead natives and potentially curing diseases, while Reaper is the consummate soldier, following orders without question until he sees the heinous experiments performed by Dr. Carmack. This even drives him to turn on Sarge, a man he’s seen to have a very amicable relationship based on mutual respect. Indeed, it’s Reaper who chides Portman’s insubordination, making it all the more significant when he first raises his weapon against Sarge after the demented soldier kills the Kid in cold blood. The C-24 thing is a bit odd, and not very Doom. It’s much more like Resident Evil (Capcom/Various, 1996 to present), as is the overuse of zombies; ironically, the inclusion of more vaguely recognisable demon-like creatures actually makes Doom a more accurate Resident Evil adaptation than Pul W.S. Anderson’s dismal efforts. It’s odd that the film takes this scientific angle on the source material, especially considering the rest of the film borrows so heavily from Doom 3. Like, it’s still set on Mars, still has the teleporter, still uses the recognisable weapons (even if “Big Fuckin’ Gun” is just a nickname here), and mirrors the dark, claustrophobic horror of Doom 3. Hell, there’s even blood writing on the walls, a 3D map system, and the screens all look very similar to those in Doom 3. So, you have a lot of visuals and the basic plot lifted from the game, but draw the line at literally having demons invade from Hell? Maybe it was a censorship thing, but then Doom has a lot of curses and bloody action, so it’s just weird to get so close to the source material and pull away from what really made the games so unique.

Doom‘s faithful recreation of the source material extends a little too far to a dedicated FPS sequence.

On the plus side, as I mentioned, the demons do look great. You never really get a good look at them but, like Alien, this only adds to the allure and horror. By its very nature, the film’s more Aliens than Alien, placing heavily armed Marines and gunfights at the forefront, but the foreboding atmosphere and mounting dread occasionally recalls Alien. The Imps and Hell Knights are grotesque, monstrous abominations; they don’t throw fireballs and plasma blasts, but one is wielding a chainsaw at one point and they’re not afraid to tear limbs and head off. In this version of the story, the demons attack everything in sight but only infect those whose DNA marks them as wicked or “evil”. The RRTS are perfect targets in this regard as even the most virtuous of them are marked by their violent lives and high body counts. Even being a spiritual man doesn’t spare Goat, so naturally Reaper is hesitant to get shot up with C-24 lest he be transformed into a monster. Instead, it turns him into a super soldier and essentially gives him the Berserk, Quad Damage, and Invincibility power-ups from the games as he embarks on an action-packed search for Sam, blasting anything that gets in his way, parkouring around the tight corridors and shaking off any damage. This entire sequence is shot in a first-person perspective, a dramatic shift from the rest of the film, and it’s certainly a choice. I enjoy it as an action sequence; it’s definitely unique and helps the scene stand out, but I wonder if it’s maybe too literal an adaptation of the videogames. Like, an earlier scene established the RRTS all have “kill cams”, a system barely utilised unless it’s to suggest the team’s in danger. This FPS sequence could’ve been reworked to an over-the-shoulder perspective that switched to the kill cam whenever Reaper took a shot. Or maybe we could’ve seen Pinky watching the team killing zombies from the kill cam’s perspective just to prepare us for this shift. It reminds me of the shifting comic panels used in Hulk (Lee, 2003), a stylistic visual choice that’s memorable, for sure, but lands a little hollow considering it just makes me wish I was playing the game instead of watching Reaper.

Disappointingly, the film ends with a fist fight rather than pitting Reaper against a demon overlord.

So, yeah, Sam has a look at the demonic corpses and realises they’re the Olduvai staff, infected by the creatures and transformed based on their DNA. She surmises (correctly, it pans out) that some will be empowered by C-24, but her and Reaper’s pleas fall on deaf ears and Sarge orders Duke and the Kid to execute everyone to contain the outbreak. Sarge is dragged off during an attack that also leaves Reaper bleeding out from a bullet, but he’s saved and becomes superhuman thanks to Sam’s intervention. However, by the time they catch up to Sarge, his morals and mind warped by the C-24’s influence, he’s killed all the survivors; he even murders the Kid, chastising his remaining men for their insubordination and firmly setting Reaper against him. However, Sarge has armed himself with the BFG, a massive cannon that fires an acidic plasma burst, leading to an explosive shoot out between the two that sees them exhaust their rounds and resort to settling things mano-a-mano. Yes, the Doom adaptation doesn’t end with Reaper facing off against a Cyberdemon or the Spider Mastermind, but in a fist fight with the Rock. Luckily, Reaper is super strong at this point and the fight is pretty brutal, with some tight, fun choreography (Sarge pulls out some ridiculous, physics-defying throws and slams) but it’s still a bit disappointing. Sarge doesn’t even mutate all that much from the C-24; he just grows some fangs and gets funky eyes and roars a bit, adding to the disappointment. I mean, at least give him a demon arm with claws, maybe screw up half his face, have him sprout spikes…just, something other than being the Rock looking annoyed. Thanks to them both having accelerated healing, the fight’s stakes are further lowered as they can’t really hurt each other. In the end, Reaper sacrifices his hand, impaling it on a length of metal Sarge wraps around his fist, to toss his demonic commander through the Ark. Naturally, Reaper immediately heals from this wound and finishes off Sarge by tossing a simple grenade through the portal; he doesn’t even blast Sarge in the face with the BFG or anything remotely cool. Reaper than gathers up Sam and takes the elevator back up to the surface, apparently relieved at having literally slayed his demons, and the film doesn’t even have the balls or the courtesy to end on a cliff-hanger to show the Earth’s been overrun by demons (or killed Reaper’s rabbit).

The Summary:
I’ve always had a soft spot for Doom. I first watched it when I’d only really played the first game and I enjoyed it for what it was, impressed by the practical effects, the dark atmosphere, and the obvious influence of Aliens. The Rock is pretty good here, playing against type and giving us a surprisingly nuanced character. You’d naturally expect him to be the main protagonist and, though he’s harsh, he’s a fair commander for the most part. But then he slips further into madness, before being infected and becoming a spiteful, vindictive antagonist. As I remember, Doom was the first time I became aware of Karl Urban and he’s great here. He plays the tortured, morally conflicted Reaper really well, being the likeable but tough soldier who steps up against injustice even if it means defying his commander. The rest of the RRTS are decent supporting players; some are more one-dimensional than others and just there to make up the body count, making me wonder if a smaller team wouldn’t have been better. It’s not like there weren’t civilians and scientists to be slaughtered by demons, after all. Speaking of, the demons look great; they’re shot just right so you never really get a good look at them and they’re absolutely brutal when they appear. Sadly, they’re just not in it enough and the film spends too much time building up to all Hell breaking loose. Consequently, Doom flounders in the middle, losing what momentum and intrigue it has. It tries to claw it back with the FPS sequence, but I wouldn’t blame you if you didn’t enjoy this as it is tonally odd with the rest of the film and, again, too literal an adaptation. Film is a completely different medium from videogames; no one pays to watch a movie to sit there and wish they were playing the game. It’s more miss than hit, as unique as it is, but the final fight between Reaper and Sarge is the most disappointing thing about Doom. Well, that and not committing to the Hell angle of the source material. Thus, Doom is a decent enough sci-fi action/horror with some fun moments but fails to live up to its potential and merely stands as a basic distillation of the videogames mixed with some liberal borrowing from other, better movies of the same ilk.

My Rating:

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Pretty Good

Did you enjoy Doom? Do you think it did the source material justice or were you put off by the more science-based angle? Were you surprised that the Rock turned out to be the bad guy? What did you think to the FPS sequence? Were you impressed by the practical demons or annoyed by the dark lighting? Would you like to see Hollywood take another crack at adapting Doom? Whatever you think about Doom, or videogame adaptations, share your opinion in the comments and go check out my other Doom content.

Movie Night [Bat-Month]: The Dark Knight

Dr. K5 Comments

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. “Batman Day” fell on 21 September this year so I’ve been spending every Saturday celebrating comic’s grim and broody vigilante.

Released: 18 July 2008
Director: Christopher Nolan
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Budget: $185 million
Stars: Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman and Michael Caine

The Plot:
After his dramatic debut as “The Batman”, billionaire vigilante Bruce Wayne (Bale) is cracking down on organised crime within Gotham City. However, his mettle is tested by the clown-faced anarchistic “The Joker” (Ledger), who seeks to disrupt social order and corrupt upstanding district attorney Harvey Dent (Eckhart).

The Background:
After Joel Schumacher effectively killed the live-action Batman franchise with his dismally received camp adventures, Warner Bros.’ desperate attempts to get a new movie finally paid dividends when visionary writer/director Christopher Nolan, writer David S. Goyer, and star Christian Bale explored Batman’s origins in the highly regarded reboot Batman Begins (Nolan, 2005). Despite teasing the Joker at the finale, Nolan was initially unsure if a sequel would be greenlit but worked closely with Goyer and his brother, Christopher Nolan, to develop a suitable follow-up once Warner Bros. prioritised a sequel. The filmmakers took inspiration from seminal Batman stories like The Long Halloween (Loeb, et al, 1996 to 1997) and some of cinema’s most memorable movie villains to bring their versions of the Joker and Harvey Dent to life. Despite Jack Nicholson’s memorable performance as the character, Nolan confidently cast against type after being impressed by Heath Ledger, who mentally and physically threw himself into the role. In keeping with his preference for practical effects, Nolan signed off on the construction of a fully-working Batcycle, redesigned the Batsuit to be more flexible, blew up a building for real, and flipped an 18-wheeler truck using a massive piston! Sadly, the editing process proved particularly difficult after Ledger unexpectedly died from an accidental overdose; the film was summarily dedicated to him. Following an aggressive viral marketing campaign, The Dark Knight enjoyed a record-setting $1 billion+ box office and was met with widespread critical acclaim. It is widely considered one of the best and most influential comic book movies ever made, praised for its performances and socially relevant narrative, with many praising Ledger’s portrayal of the Joker which won him a posthumous Oscar. Immediately regarding as the best Batman movie of all time and recognised as setting a new standard for comic book movies, The Dark Knight’s success more than justified the production of a third and final (and far more divisive) entry some four years later.

The Review:
After the disaster that was Batman & Robin (Schumacher, 1997), I think it’s safe to say that everyone thought Batman’s feature film career was dead in the water. For me, that’s why Batman Begins was such an exciting and enjoyable experience. Finally, after decades of Batman being either a goof or a psychopath, we got a live-action film that really nailed the heart and drive of the character. The extended and in-depth exploration of Bruce’s psyche, determination, and training to become “more than just a man” really put him at the forefront of the piece and allowed the most accurate depiction of the Dark Knight ever seen in cinema at that point as Bale deftly shifted between numerous subtle personas. With Batman Begins’ conclusion masterfully teasing the Joker, expectations were high for the sequel, but reactions to Ledger’s casting were mixed at the time due to his reputation as a “pretty boy”. To address this, Nolan opens his film with an intense and engaging bank heist, filmed entirely in IMAX, in which the mysterious Joker showcases his hands-on, manipulative abilities by arranging for his clown-faced goons to knock off a mob bank and off each other once their specific tasks are completely, allowing him to easily slip away in the chaos. It’s been about a year or so since the last film and Batman now appears at crime scenes to liaise with Lieutenant James “Jim” Gordon (Oldman), much to the chagrin of cops like rookie detective Anna Ramirez (Monique Gabriela Curnen) because of his vigilante status and the corruption that continues to infest the Gotham City Police Department (GCPD). However, neither Batman or Gordon initially place much stock in the Joker’s continued threat since their focus is solely on taking down the last vestiges of organised crime in the city, represented by mob bosses Salvatore “Sal” Maroni (Eric Roberts), Gambol (Michael Jai White), and “The Chechen” (Ritchie Coster), a decision that’s entirely logical bit which comes back to bite them in due time.

Batman’s war on crime is thrown into chaos by the maniacal Joker.

Bruce has been extremely busy in the time between films. Although he’s forced to operate out of a penthouse and highly equipped bunker in the city as he waits for Wayne Manor to be rebuilt, he’s established quite the reputation both in and out of his cowl. As Bruce Wayne, he’s the bored, party-going philanthropist who’s just as likely to abscond with a bunch of actresses to an isolated yacht as he is to fall asleep in board meetings. Although Bruce is seen by many as an aloof, reckless, and embarrassing billionaire, this persona effectively keeps anyone from questioning his nightly jaunts and he’s still savvy enough to fund and promote any programs or individuals who are committed to bringing Gotham City back to glory, such as Harvey Dent. As Batman, Bruce’s reputation is even stronger; criminals are now so afraid of the Dark Knight that they think twice about being on the streets when the Bat-Signal is in the sky and mobsters hold their meetings during the daytime. Although the Batman is still something of an urban legend, many in the city have been inspired to dress up as him and take the law into their own hands, something Bruce is disturbed to see since it results in a bunch of out of shape blokes with itchy trigger fingers wearing “hockey pads”. Still, Batman’s presence has had a positive impact on the city. He and Gordon collude to tackle the city’s mob, eventually entering a shaky alliance with Dent to apprehend mob banker Lau (Chin Hau) and make mass arrests, and Batman even detains Doctor Jonathan Crane/The Scarecrow (Cillian Murphy) in during the opening, finally taking the maniac’s drugs off the streets. However, night after night fighting crime and getting into fist, fire, and dog fights takes a toll on Bruce. His faithful butler and father figure, Alfred Pennyworth (Caine), continues to offer wry commentary and deep concern for his master’s welfare but Bruce is determined to clean up the streets and make the city safe before even considering giving up his crusade.

The loss of Rachel takes a heavy toll on Gotham’s “White Night” and drives him to murder.

However, Batman’s positive impact, the arrest of hundreds of mobsters, and the public’s approval of Dent give Bruce pause to reconsider his path. Since the last film, Bruce has been keeping a close eye on childhood friend and crush (and assistant district attorney) Rachel Dawes (Gyllenhaal), who works closely with Dent to prosecute the criminals and the corrupt. Thanks to Gyllenhaal being a far superior actress to her predecessor, Rachel has much more gusto this time around. She exudes a confidence and determination that was lacking in Katie Holmes’ performance and allows her to not only appear effective when interrogating Lau but also sees her fighting back against the Joker when he targets her at Bruce’s fundraiser for Dent. Although Bruce is clearly rattled by how close Dent and Rachel have become (the two are shown to be in a relationship) and somewhat condescending towards Dent’s marketing campaign, he’s as impressed by the D.A.’s conviction as the rest of the city. Dent is a square-jawed patriot who makes a buzz in the court room with his no-nonsense approach towards criminals and inspires the wealthy and the destitute alike with his commitment to justice. Dent is also an avid supporter of the Batman and determined to do whatever it takes to keep the city streets clean, even if just for six months, but he’s not as squeaky-clean as everyone believes. Gordon is sceptical of Dent due to his past in Internal Affairs, while Dent is highly critical of the corruption within the GCPD, but the two form an efficient trio alongside the Batman when they agree to pool their resources to bring Lau back from Hong Kong. Dent proves to be a surprisingly complex man. He believes so strongly in the iconography of the Batman and in not giving in to the Joker’s demands, no matter how many lives are at stake, that he publicly outs himself as the Dark Knight to keep the myth alive but also proves that he’s not above threatening criminals at gunpoint, showcasing an unexpectedly erratic side to his character. This is only exacerbated when Dent and Rachel are targeted by the Joker and Batman is forced to choose which one to save. Naturally, he picks Rachel but both he and Dent are horrified to learn that this was a double-cross that leaves Dent hideously scarred and despondent, his faith in both justice and the caped vigilante shattered and replaced by a cruel devotion to “chance”.

Bruce’s allies believe in the Batman and play a hands-on role in aiding and advising him.

As before, Bruce is supported in all things by Alfred, who acts as a field surgeon, conscience, and advisor to his duties both in and out of the Batsuit. We learn a little bit more about Alfred in this film through his entertaining exchanges with Bruce, in which the two share a banter that is both amusing and heart-warming. Alfred spent some time in the Peace Corps in Burma, indicating he’s seen combat and has a military background, and his insight into chaotic aberrations such as the Joker are almost on par with Bruce’s years of training to learn the criminal mind. Initially, Bruce dismisses Alfred’s insight, however, refusing to believe that the Joker is anything more than a thug with a gimmick, but is forced to admit that he’s underestimated his foe when the Joker pushes him to breaking point with his killing spree. Interestingly, Alfred actually encourages Bruce not to give in to the Joker’s demands, to “endure” the slings and arrows so as to maintain the Batman’s incorruptible persona, and also secretly shields Bruce from the knowledge that Rachel ultimately chose Harvey over him to spare his surrogate son further pain. As before, Bruce is provided with new toys and even a sleek new suit by Wayne Enterprises Chief Executive Officer Lucius Fox (Freeman), who now exhibits a working knowledge of Bruce’s dual identity despite both never outright saying it. Fox plays a pivotal role not just in helping Bruce apprehend Lau but also in throwing off the suspicions of Coleman Reese (Joshua Harto) when his number crunching exposes Batman’s identity, and in the creation of a fantastical device that allows Batman to pinpoint the Joker’s location by hacking every cell phone in the city. Though Fox threatens to resign if the device isn’t destroyed because of the dangerous invasion of privacy it offers, his loyalty is rewarded when Batman rigs the machine to self-destruct once the Joker has been located. Finally, we have Gordon, who publicly disavows any knowledge of Batman but regularly colludes with him to fight the mob. Gordon’s role is also crucial to the film as he is seemingly killed protecting mayor Anthony Garci (Néstor Carbonell), only for this to be revealed as an elaborate plan by him and Batman to capture the Joker, a gamble that sees Gordon promoted to police commissioner after the Harlequin of Hate assassinates commissioner Gillian Loeb (Colin McFarlane). Although horrified by the Joker’s murderous antics, Gordon’s riding quite the high when he, Dent, and Batman finally get their hands on the city’s mob, but his hubris comes back to bite him when Dent specifically targets him as failing to protect Rachel since Gordon’s forced to work with corrupted cops and a wayward vigilante.

Ledger delivers a star-making performance as the chaotic and unhinged Joker.

And then there’s the Joker, played with an unnerving, scene-stealing performance by the late Heath Ledger. Unlike in Batman (Burton, 1989) where the Joker was provided with a hefty original backstory, this Joker is a complete enigma. A self-styled “agent of chaos” who proudly showcases both his gruesome facial scars and boasts that he’s simply “a dog chasing cars”, the Joker is as manipulative and psychotic as he is unpredictable and hypocritical. With no identification or fingerprints, the Joker is like a ghost. When he’s introduced, it’s like he’s been conjured by the city itself to challenge Batman’s presence and there’s no definitive explanation for who he is and why he does what he does. Indeed, much like popular depictions of his comic book counterpart, the Joker himself offers conflicting versions of his origin, scars, and motivations. The film suggests he’s been “rippin’ off mob bosses” for some time, he’s shown to have an intense hatred towards city officials and authority figures, and he even openly mocks the city’s mob bosses, threatening and murdering them with a gleeful menace. Although he favours knives over guns since they’re “more personal”, he’s proficient with firearms and, especially, explosives, hinting at a military background but, in true Joker fashion, his origins are completely irrelevant as he “just wants to watch the world burn”. Initially, the Joker encourages the mob to pay him to kill the Batman so they can run rampant over the city but he becomes infatuated by the Dark Knight’s incorruptible nature and refusal to kill. Thus, his motivation switches to opposing Batman’s ideology by corrupting the city’s “White Knight”, Harvey Dent, and breaking the will of the city by exposing their heroes as flawed human beings, demanding that the Batman publicly unmask and forcing both criminals and civilians to make life or death choices to test their mortality. In combat, the Joker is wild, dangerous, and apparently suicidal. He laughs manically in life-threatening situations, practically begs Batman to run him down, and is more than willing to die if it means forcing Batman to breaking point. Although his greatest strength is his unhinged imagination (he absolutely does have a plan, despite his claims, and carries them out with an almost supernatural foresight), the Joker gets the best of even the Batman thanks to appropriating mobsters for his own use and surprising Batman with his tenacity. But his true goal isn’t to simply fight Batman to the death but to instead cripple Gotham City by proving that anyone can turn to psychotic madness after one bad day, necessitating extreme actions from both Batman and Gordon to ensure that Dent’s reputation remains untarnished.

The Nitty-Gritty:
The Dark Knight represents how ingrained Batman’s iconography has become not just in the fictional world, but in ours. Just the fact that we got a Batman movie that omitted the character’s name entirely shows how synonymous this description is with the character, and it takes on a double meaning here since Batman is depicted (and, by the end, explicitly referred to) as a “Dark Knight”, a necessary evil to keep Gotham in check, since a “White Knight” has little chance of surviving the crime and corruption that infests the city. Indeed, Bruce is actively considering hanging up the cape and cowl when he sees how effective and unanimously beloved Dent is. Dent is the hero Gotham deserves without a masked persona, giving Bruce a sliver of hope that he can make good on his promise to be with Rachel once the city no longer needs Batman, but he vastly underestimates the destructive influence of the Joker, who perfectly encapsulates Gordon’s previous concerns about “escalation” through his unique brand of anarchy. The Joker is depicted as a man even Bruce “doesn’t understand”, someone beyond reason, intimidation, and bribery, and we see this when he shows no fear when interrogated by Batman and simply cackles with glee when the Dark Knight unloads on him since the Joker always has an ace up his sleeve (both literally and figuratively). Thus, the film very much focuses on the “battle for Gotham’s soul”, with the Joker shifting his motivation towards opposing and destroying not just the city officials and authority figures, but Batman himself since he’s the ultimate symbol of incorruptibility, to the point where he and his allies allow five people to die rather than reveal his identity because the Batman has become such an iconic force for justice within the city.

Some impressive practical effects and stunts make the film instantly memorable.

Speaking of Gotham, we’re shown a much different side of the city this time around. We’re firmly topside amongst the towering, glistening skyscrapers rather than in the dingy alleys of the Narrows, which is thematically relevant since the Joker is targeting the upper-class façade of the city but does rob it of a lot of its bleak, gothic identity. The Dark Knight also continues Batman’s crusade not against the street-level crime that killed his parents, but organised crime. He, Gordon, and Dent believe cutting the head off the proverbial snake will kill the body, and this is reflected after their big arrest that sees the lower-level scum facing at least six months in jail, giving the city breathing time to recover. However, this has the knock-on effect of reducing Batman’s street-level crimefighting to near zero since he’s more focused on nailing the likes of Maroni and the Joker and less on stopping random muggings and such. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing because, sadly, there’s little to no improvement in the fight scenes here. Nolan again opts for a close quarters, frenetic depiction of Batman’s fighting that does paint him as a brutal and efficient animal but robs us of seeing what he’s truly capable of. On the plus side, The Dark Knight explores Bruce’s detective skills; while it’s a bit confusing how he recreates fingerprints from bullet casings and he’s constantly one step behind the Joker, I liked how he colluded with Gordon and Dent to apprehend the mob and he’s given some fancy new toys to help him in these endeavours. The most prominent remains the tank-like Tumbler but, when this is destroyed by the Joker, Batman spends the remainder of the film blasting through the city streets on the sleek, bad-ass “Batpod”, a motorcycle-like vehicle that performs all kinds of unlikely turns and tricks with its near-spherical wheels, When extraditing Lau from his office building, Batman makes impressive use of his cape to soar through the skyline and then uses a “skyhook” to yank himself and his quarry out of there, just one of many impressive practical effects utilised in the film, with two more being the Joker’s insane truck flip and the fully practical, full-scale hospital explosion.

While I don’t like the new Batsuit, the Joker and Two-Face look especially impressive.

As mentioned, Batman gets a new suit this time around once he realises that he’s “carrying too much weight” and needs more flexibility. Sadly, I’m not a fan of the new suit; it allows full head movement and is less bulky, sure, but the Bat-symbol is too small, it’s unnecessarily “busy”, and just seems incredibly impractical to put on. It’s also far less durable; separation of the plates means Batman’s more vulnerable, which levels the playing field in his fight with the Joker, and the whole suit just looks too plastic-y and ugly for me. On the plus side, the Joker looks amazing; this might be my favourite depiction of the Joker and he looks ripped right out of a Lee Bermejo comic. While he still sports a permanent grin thanks to his facial scares, his clown make-up is haphazard and intimidating, specifically applied to resemble “war paint” and even degrades to reflect his insanity. His suit is also absolutely perfect, and I love how it’s filled with “knives and lint” and little booby traps, like grenades and such. The Joker also assumes various disguises, included dressing up as one of his own henchmen in a callback to the 1960s TV show, masquerading as a police offer at Commissioner Loeb’s funeral, and, most disturbingly of all, dressing up as a nurse to have a heart to heart with Dent! This is where the film really surprised me; obviously I half-expected Dent to become Two-Face (or “Harvey Two-Face” as films insist on labelling him…) but I never expected Nolan to go so comic-accurate with the depiction of Dent’s burns. Two-Face is absolutely gruesome to behold and the perfect example of how CGI can be used sparingly to enhance practical effects. You can see tendons, muscle, and charred flesh as Dent talks and he really does look like the comic come to life, almost to a fault as I find it difficult to believe that he’s talking so coherently and functioning so efficiently despite refusing pain medication. Similarly, I think we could’ve had a few more scenes exploring Dent’s dark side and his “lucky coin” before his scarring. His descent into vengeance and anarchy seems purely motivated by grief, perceived betrayal, and anger at having “lost everything” rather than having always had a dark side deep within him. Sure, there’s one scene where this is hinted at but it’s not what it seems; Dent never leaves anything up to chance since his coin is double-sided, meaning the odds are always in his favour. Accordingly, he was never actually going to hurt anyone, though this is twisted when he goes on a killing spree as Two-Face as he shoots his enemies dead based on the flip of that same coin.  

Crushed by Rachel and Dent’s deaths, Batman sacrifices his reputation to keep hope alive in Gotham.

Another element that doesn’t sit right with me is how everyone (and I do mean everyone) is aware of Batman’s code against killing. Maroni and the Joker challenge him on his “one rule” and Batman openly champions it at every turn, severely diminishing his threat somewhat and presenting a familiarity with him that irks me for some reason. A huge part of the Joker’s final plan is predicated on the notion that even “civilised people” will kill to survive. He even rigs the game in his favour to prove this point and is so determined to tarnish the Batman’s heroic visage that he plummets to his death with a maniacal laugh. However, Batman saves him at the last second and the two have an unnerving conversation about their duality and intertwined fates. This is made doubly uncomfortable not just because of Bale’s strained Bat-voice but knowing that they would never tangle again due to Ledger’s untimely death, and part of me wonders if it might’ve been better to insert an edit that shows the Joker willing die after giving his speech. When I first saw The Dark Knight in the cinema, I was so engrossed in the Batman’s fight against the Joker that I completely forgot about Two-Face and, as much as I enjoy the entire film and the finale, I wonder if it might’ve been better to incorporate Two-Face’s actions into the third film and cap things off here. Regardless, both Dent and Bruce are devastated when Rachel is brutally murdered by the Joker. This helps tip Dent over the edge and to kill those who’ve wronged him, but he forces Gordon to choose which of his family should be killed to teach him a lesson in pain and loss. When Batman arrives to confront Two-Face, both he and Gordon desperately try to appeal to Dent’s better nature and fail. Disillusioned and broken, Two-Face disregards Gordon’s pleas and prepares to kill his son (Nathan Gamble), forcing Batman to tackle him to his death. Glossing over the fact that Batman just killed a man (I guess, technically, it was the fall), Batman decides to heed Alfred’s advice and maintain Dent’s reputation by assuming responsibility for Two-Face’s murders. Though reluctant, Gordon realises that it’s the only way to keep people from losing faith in the justice system and begrudgingly agrees to paint Batman as a murderer, ending the movie with Batman a wanted fugitive who willing endures any punishment, mental, spiritual, or physical to ensure peace in Gotham.

The Summary:
I absolutely loved Batman Begins when it first came out. It was the dark, gritty, comic-accurate Batman I’d been hoping for for years and I was really excited to see where Bale and Nolan took the character in the sequel. To say that The Dark Knight exceeded expectations would be an understatement. The film is an absolute masterpiece not just of comic book cinema, but of the thriller genre. Bale continues to deftly embody the conflicting personalities and introspective drive and determination that fuels Batman’s crusade, and his Batman continues to be the definitive version of the character for me, despite the dodgy fight scenes and my dislike for the new suit. At its core, The Dark Knight works as an intense thriller depicting the fundamental conflict between justice and anarchy, logic and sanity, and truly elevated the genre to a new level by taking elaborate and colourful concepts like a clown-themed terrorist and a guy with half his faced burned off and treating them seriously. Naturally, Heath Ledger steals the show here; we may never see a better performance of the Joker and you can see that he’s as lost in the role as Bale is as Batman. Ledger’s manic energy and subtle touches really create a feeling of dread, mystery, and unpredictability to the villain, and it remains a tragedy that he didn’t live on to have more dramatic roles like this. Add to that the impressive practical effects, sweeping cinematic score and visuals, and the engaging discussion regarding Batman and his influence on the city and its criminal element and you have, for my money, one of the finest Batman movies ever put to cinema. The film masterfully pulls from some of Batman, Joker, and Two-Face’s most iconic and engaging stories to present an emotional and gripping tale of adversity for the Dark Knight. The film absolutely set the standard for both Batman and comic book movies going forward and, while the third film might have stumbled in concluding the story so wonderfully established here, it doesn’t diminish the timeless appeal of The Dark Knight in the slightest.

My Rating:

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Fantastic

Did you enjoy The Dark Knight? Where would you rank it against the other Batman movies? What did you think to Heath Ledger’s portrayal of the Joker? Were you a fan of the new Batsuit or do you also find it a bit too busy? What did you think to the effects and stunt work used in the film? Were you also surprised by how gruesome Two-Face’s scars were? Did you agree that Bruce had to maintain his identity, or do you think you should’ve come forward sooner? How did you celebrate Batman Day this year and what is your favourite Batman movie? Whatever your thoughts The Dark Knight, or Batman in general, share them below or leave a comment on my social media.

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

Dr. 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:

Rating: 5 out of 5.

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!