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The Batman (2022)
THREE HOURS....why???
So I have been looking forward to this movie for awhile. The reviews on IMDB are mostly positive, 8/10 stars is the average rating. I went to see it last night with my brother and both of us had very mixed feelings about this one. Here's my take:
PROS: Robert Pattinson as Batman/Bruce Wayne. I think Pattinson is a very talented actor who has shown a lot of range in the roles he has chosen. This Batman is a very dark, brooding character. He's dealing with a lot of grief and he channels it into rage against the bad guys in Gotham City. Yes, he IS Vengeance.
I blame the writers for not giving us much time with Bruce Wayne, who is equally a very sad and wounded soul. It would have been good to see more of him and to understand where all the sadness is coming from.
The music and soundtrack is very good. "Ave Maria" is featured heavily throughout and it is brilliant. Also there is a constant pounding of music in the background that is used effectively to intensify the suspense. Loved all of it.
Colin Ferrell plays the Penguin, but you would never know it. The heavy makeup of scars on his face make him completely unrecognizable. A+++ to Mr. Farrell's performance and the make-up people for pulling this off.
Special effects and cinematography: both are STELLAR. The city is very dark but elegant and beautiful at the same time. The camera contact lenses used by Selena (aka Catwoman) were brilliant.
Acting by the full cast was excellent, I didn't find any problems with anyone, except for one specific character, which I'll talk about in the CONS....
CONS: The movie is THREE HOURS LONG. And you know what? It felt like a THREE HOUR movie. It also could have easily been chopped down to two hours and it would have been much better. Three hours is ridiculous and indulgent, and in this case completely unnecessary. The last 30-40 minutes were pure torture for me.
Cat Woman was fine, Zoe Kravitz did a decent job playing the role, but yet....the movie would have been just as satisfying without her.
The chase scene between Batman and Penguin....unnecessary. Could have shaved off 20 minutes if they took it out.
The ending, with all of the explosions, flooding and terror.... I didn't like it at all, it just felt like it was too much. There's another 20 minutes that could have been saved.
Finally.....there is the Riddler. The villain that has been plaguing Batman throughout the movie, killing off politicians in new and interesting ways. When we finally meet him near the end, my first look at him without the mask: NO. Nope. Not buying it. He looked nothing like I expected him to be. Paul Dano is a fine actor but IMO he was miscast. When they discovered hundreds of journals rambling about nothing, I was reminded of John Doe in Se7en. So I blame the writers for that part of it. I just didn't like him, didn't believe anything he said. He was a huge disappointment.
OVERALL RATING: 6 out of 10 stars. Not the worst I've seen but far less than what I was expecting.
Next time there is a BATMAN movie longer than 2 hours run time, I am waiting to watch it at home!!
Broadway's Finest (2012)
D.I.Y. is Dangerous. How far would you go?
RATING: 4 1/2 STARS * * * * SOME MINOR SPOILERS AHEAD * * * *
If you've watched the trailer for "Broadway's Finest", you probably have a pretty good idea of what this movie is about. Three guys get together and decide that they are going to write and star in a crime drama. The only problem is, they don't have the knowledge or experience to write about taking down a dangerous drug lord. The only way to write about it is to LIVE it...and if they look and act like cops, people are going to believe they really ARE cops.
This film, written and directed by Stephen Marro, is either a dramatic comedy or a comedic drama. Either way, there is plenty of humor, action and suspense to keep the viewer hanging on for the ride, waiting to find out what's coming up next. The three main characters, played by John Lavelle, Nick Cornish and Adam Storke, are fun to watch as they find themselves in some very awkward yet funny situations (ie Nick Cornish as a firefighter/stripper...HILARIOUS!!). When they get in way over their heads, it is almost hard to keep watching, especially near the end of the movie. But you HAVE to keep watching...Marro's clever twist at the end really caught me by surprise, but in a very satisfying way.
I thought all of the lead actors did an excellent job, but for me Adam Storke's performance was exceptional. His portrayal of Lewis, the deeply troubled guy trying to break away from past mistakes, still trying to make his mother proud...it was really powerful. Lewis kept screwing up, but he never really gave up on finding himself, and you can't help rooting for someone like that.