Take 4: Comic Book Review
It's been a while since my last review, but now it's time to get back in the swing of things! This time around Take 4 takes a look at the world of comic books, from movies based on comics to ones that revolve around the world of comics and comic book culture. Read on, true believers!
The Basics: Comic book-based action/fantasy/thriller starring Jennifer Garner; Rated PG-13 for action violence; Running time of 97 minutes
The Starting Premise: Elektra, the heroine from the Ben Affleck bomb Daredevil, is brought back from the dead and earns her living as a brooding assassin so stealthy that she is spoken of as existing only in legend. Oh, yeah...spoiler...she died in Daredevil.
And Then?: Elektra takes on "one last case" (how many times have we heard THAT line before?), only to find herself in the middle of a crisis of conscience. Enter a gang of super-assassins with super-powers, and Elektra finds herself using her skills to protect those she was originally supposed to eliminate.
And I Quote: Stick: "Her name was Elektra. She was a warrior. She was also dead. Well, nobody's perfect. Only a warrior can come back from death and even then the second life is never quite like the first."
Random Trivia: Due to the low level response from the previous film, Daredevil, promotion for this movie claimed ties to the movie X-Men instead, which had a much higher popularity response. The first promotional mention of ties to the Daredevil movie only took place one week before the Elektra movie was to be released.
Curt's Take - Worth Considering: On the one hand, this is much better than Daredevil...although that isn't saying much. Also, you don't have to have seen Daredevil to get much out of Elektra (it was nice of the filmmakers to not put folks through that). On the other hand, the acting isn't great...but it doesn't necessarily have to be for an action/adventure flick. The art direction and fight choreography make up for that, though, and the acting kind of fades into the background. In the end, it's an enjoyable comic book adaptation (a comic I've never heard of, mind you) with a heroine that's pleasant enough to look at, and five super-villains that are pretty bad-ass...except for their names. I mean, a woman named "Typhoid" who spreads sickness and disease? "Blight" or "Clap" are so much more pleasant on the ears. Anyway, you might want to check this out...it isn't that bad (by comparison, at least).
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The Basics: Comic book-based action/sci-fi flick, starring Ron Perlman, John Hurt, Rupert Evans and Selma Blair; Rated PG-13 for sci-fi action violence and frightening images; Running time of 122 minutes
The Starting Premise: Back in 1944, near the end of World War II, Hitler's Nazi forces turn to dark magic and the occult as a means to win the war. A contingent of American troops come across the Nazis (and the Russian "mad monk," Rasputin) attempting to open up a portal to another dimension to bring through big dark, evil baddies from beyond space and time to help them take over the world...or destroy it, as would likely have happened had the American forces not foiled the attempt. Turns out something DID make it through the portal, though...a scared, horned red child-like being that the forces adopt as their own and name Hellboy.
And Then?: Fast forward some sixty years or so, and we watch as Hellboy grows up under the care of a young professor who had been accompanying the military forces. He's now part of a government group known as the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense (BPRD), and along with a telepathic fish-man, they investigate and handle matters of national security that the government doesn't want to see in the headlines. Enter a recent FBI graduate, recruited to act as "best friend/babysitter" for Hellboy, a former BPRD member who is having trouble controlling her powerful pyrokinesis, and the possible return of Rasputin, and the world finds itself in need of a hero like Hellboy more than ever.
And I Quote: Professor Broom: "In the absence of light, darkness prevails. There are things that go bump in the night, Agent Myers. Make no mistake about that. And we are the ones who bump back."
Random Trivia: Director Guillermo del Toro for years considered this film a dream project and had always wanted to cast Ron Perlman in the lead, but could never secure a budget or studio approval. After the massive success of Blade II, del Toro was offered Blade: Trinity or Hellboy, and though he briefly considered trying to schedule both in, he chose Hellboy.
Curt's Take - Worth Considering: On the one hand, the special effects are great, and the movie maintains a real "comic book feel" to it. And while it doesn't take itself too seriously, the thought-out storyline (based on several Hellboy comics) was pretty interesting and Perlman did a great acting job as Hellboy. On the other hand, Perlman is one of the few decent actors in the movie (I'm looking at you, Selma Blair). Luckily, most people won't be going into this to see the great acting chops. I think a lot of folks are going to have a hard time getting past the seemingly ridiculous title, but if you're looking for a decent action flick with a decent story, I suggest you stop judging books by their covers and check this out.
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The Basics: Dark comedy starring Donal Logue, Cary Elwes, Michael Rapaport, Natasha Lyonne, DJ Qualls, Eileen Brennan, and Danny Masterson; Rated R for language, violence, some sexuality and drug content; Running time of 92 minutes
The Starting Premise: The owners of two rival comic book shops discover that a local recluse has passed away and hear a rumor that he left behind a treasure trove of mint-condition comic books that he had been collecting over the past fifty years. Raymond, a slacker/comic book connoisseur, sees the collection as his chance to join the upper ranks of the comic book elite and make a name for himself, while Norman and Judy link see the collection as a huge financial windfall that will change their lives forever.
And Then?: When the rivals go to check out the collection, they find that it is being held onto by the deceased's mother, in remembrance of her son. They each try to ingratiate themselves with her and insinuate themselves into her life...but when push comes to shove, the comic book store owners begin to escalate matters until they quickly spiral out of control.
And I Quote: Conan: "My mom's hot. She's trying to date the UPS guy."
Random Trivia: When Raymond asks Norman if he's ever been to San Diego, he's referring to Comic-Con, the world's largest comic book conventions (and the setting for the last DVD that I review, below). While it was original designed to showcase comic books, sci-fi/fantasy, and film/television (and related popular arts), it has since expanded to include a larger range of pop culture elements, including horror, anime, manga, animation, toys, collectible card games and video games. This past summer, it drew over 127,000 attendees.
Curt's Take - Not a Priority: On the one hand, I was drawn into this because it was quite a different feel from the previous two "comic book" movies I reviewd. Plus, it had a surprising number of people in it that I recognized (see The Basics above). The writing and acting was pretty decent, too. Nothing to write home about, but still watchable. On the other hand, you can quickly predict the direction that the plot is going to take, and there aren't a hell of a lot of surprises in it. Plus, it begins to drag a bit towards the end...a fact amazing in itself because 1) that's when the most action takes place and 2) the movie is only an hour and a half long. In the end, while I was glad I got to see it, I can't saw I'd necessarily recommend it to anyone. Don't steer clear, necessarily...but also don't go out of your way.
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The Basics: Mockumentary, starring Mark Hamill and Donna D'Errico, with cameos by such convention icons as Stan Lee, Matt Groening, Bruce Campbell and Kevin Smith; Rated PG-13 for language, sexual content and some drug references
The Starting Premise: Donald Swan is a huge fan of comic books, and one of the foremost authorities on legendary World War II-era comic book character, Commander Courage. Now it's the 21st century, and Commander Courage has been re-imagined as a hero named "Codename: Courage," a terrorist-fighting vigilante. A Hollywood studio is set to turn the comic into a movie, and brings Donald out to California to act as an expert consultant on the film (to lend it credibility), and to visit Comic-Con in San Diego with a camera crew where the film is being announced.
And Then?: It turns out Donald isn't a fan of the redesign of his favorite hero, and tries to persuade the studio marketing folks that new isn't always better, blindsiding them with one stunt after another during their visit to the world's biggest comic book convention.
And I Quote: Paul Dini: "They did put him in Vietnam and they tried to put a more whimsical skew on his adversaries. There was a character called Ho-Ho-Ho Chi Minh who was sort of a combination...like, a gagster version of a Vietnamese madman."
Random Trivia: At one point, Donald (Mark Hamill) and the crew ask to sit at a table with three men, but they are scared away. The three men at the table are Hamill's co-stars from the original Star Wars trilogy: Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca), David Prowse (Darth Vader), and Jeremy Bulloch (Boba Fett).
Curt's Take - Don't Bother: On the one hand, this gives an interesting insider's look at what it's like at the world's largest comic book convention. On the other hand, the acting and camerawork are pretty damn bad, and the improvisational aspects are painful to watch. Truth be told...I wasn't able to sit through it all. It seems like they had what they thought was an interesting concept for a mockumentary, and it just failed on the follow through. It really just tries to hard to mix this fictional story of Donald and his passion for "Commander Courage," with a film that captures the essence of comic book culture. So skip this...unless you're a huge comic book fan and haven't been able to make it to Comic-Con, and just want to get a flavor of what it's like. But be warned...this is DAMN close to getting a "Run in Fear" rating. It's pretty bad.
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Elektra (2005)
The Basics: Comic book-based action/fantasy/thriller starring Jennifer Garner; Rated PG-13 for action violence; Running time of 97 minutes
The Starting Premise: Elektra, the heroine from the Ben Affleck bomb Daredevil, is brought back from the dead and earns her living as a brooding assassin so stealthy that she is spoken of as existing only in legend. Oh, yeah...spoiler...she died in Daredevil.
And Then?: Elektra takes on "one last case" (how many times have we heard THAT line before?), only to find herself in the middle of a crisis of conscience. Enter a gang of super-assassins with super-powers, and Elektra finds herself using her skills to protect those she was originally supposed to eliminate.
And I Quote: Stick: "Her name was Elektra. She was a warrior. She was also dead. Well, nobody's perfect. Only a warrior can come back from death and even then the second life is never quite like the first."
Random Trivia: Due to the low level response from the previous film, Daredevil, promotion for this movie claimed ties to the movie X-Men instead, which had a much higher popularity response. The first promotional mention of ties to the Daredevil movie only took place one week before the Elektra movie was to be released.Curt's Take - Worth Considering: On the one hand, this is much better than Daredevil...although that isn't saying much. Also, you don't have to have seen Daredevil to get much out of Elektra (it was nice of the filmmakers to not put folks through that). On the other hand, the acting isn't great...but it doesn't necessarily have to be for an action/adventure flick. The art direction and fight choreography make up for that, though, and the acting kind of fades into the background. In the end, it's an enjoyable comic book adaptation (a comic I've never heard of, mind you) with a heroine that's pleasant enough to look at, and five super-villains that are pretty bad-ass...except for their names. I mean, a woman named "Typhoid" who spreads sickness and disease? "Blight" or "Clap" are so much more pleasant on the ears. Anyway, you might want to check this out...it isn't that bad (by comparison, at least).
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Hellboy (2004)
The Basics: Comic book-based action/sci-fi flick, starring Ron Perlman, John Hurt, Rupert Evans and Selma Blair; Rated PG-13 for sci-fi action violence and frightening images; Running time of 122 minutes
The Starting Premise: Back in 1944, near the end of World War II, Hitler's Nazi forces turn to dark magic and the occult as a means to win the war. A contingent of American troops come across the Nazis (and the Russian "mad monk," Rasputin) attempting to open up a portal to another dimension to bring through big dark, evil baddies from beyond space and time to help them take over the world...or destroy it, as would likely have happened had the American forces not foiled the attempt. Turns out something DID make it through the portal, though...a scared, horned red child-like being that the forces adopt as their own and name Hellboy.
And Then?: Fast forward some sixty years or so, and we watch as Hellboy grows up under the care of a young professor who had been accompanying the military forces. He's now part of a government group known as the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense (BPRD), and along with a telepathic fish-man, they investigate and handle matters of national security that the government doesn't want to see in the headlines. Enter a recent FBI graduate, recruited to act as "best friend/babysitter" for Hellboy, a former BPRD member who is having trouble controlling her powerful pyrokinesis, and the possible return of Rasputin, and the world finds itself in need of a hero like Hellboy more than ever.
And I Quote: Professor Broom: "In the absence of light, darkness prevails. There are things that go bump in the night, Agent Myers. Make no mistake about that. And we are the ones who bump back."
Random Trivia: Director Guillermo del Toro for years considered this film a dream project and had always wanted to cast Ron Perlman in the lead, but could never secure a budget or studio approval. After the massive success of Blade II, del Toro was offered Blade: Trinity or Hellboy, and though he briefly considered trying to schedule both in, he chose Hellboy. Curt's Take - Worth Considering: On the one hand, the special effects are great, and the movie maintains a real "comic book feel" to it. And while it doesn't take itself too seriously, the thought-out storyline (based on several Hellboy comics) was pretty interesting and Perlman did a great acting job as Hellboy. On the other hand, Perlman is one of the few decent actors in the movie (I'm looking at you, Selma Blair). Luckily, most people won't be going into this to see the great acting chops. I think a lot of folks are going to have a hard time getting past the seemingly ridiculous title, but if you're looking for a decent action flick with a decent story, I suggest you stop judging books by their covers and check this out.
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Comic Book Villains (2002)
The Basics: Dark comedy starring Donal Logue, Cary Elwes, Michael Rapaport, Natasha Lyonne, DJ Qualls, Eileen Brennan, and Danny Masterson; Rated R for language, violence, some sexuality and drug content; Running time of 92 minutes
The Starting Premise: The owners of two rival comic book shops discover that a local recluse has passed away and hear a rumor that he left behind a treasure trove of mint-condition comic books that he had been collecting over the past fifty years. Raymond, a slacker/comic book connoisseur, sees the collection as his chance to join the upper ranks of the comic book elite and make a name for himself, while Norman and Judy link see the collection as a huge financial windfall that will change their lives forever.
And Then?: When the rivals go to check out the collection, they find that it is being held onto by the deceased's mother, in remembrance of her son. They each try to ingratiate themselves with her and insinuate themselves into her life...but when push comes to shove, the comic book store owners begin to escalate matters until they quickly spiral out of control.
And I Quote: Conan: "My mom's hot. She's trying to date the UPS guy."
Random Trivia: When Raymond asks Norman if he's ever been to San Diego, he's referring to Comic-Con, the world's largest comic book conventions (and the setting for the last DVD that I review, below). While it was original designed to showcase comic books, sci-fi/fantasy, and film/television (and related popular arts), it has since expanded to include a larger range of pop culture elements, including horror, anime, manga, animation, toys, collectible card games and video games. This past summer, it drew over 127,000 attendees.
Curt's Take - Not a Priority: On the one hand, I was drawn into this because it was quite a different feel from the previous two "comic book" movies I reviewd. Plus, it had a surprising number of people in it that I recognized (see The Basics above). The writing and acting was pretty decent, too. Nothing to write home about, but still watchable. On the other hand, you can quickly predict the direction that the plot is going to take, and there aren't a hell of a lot of surprises in it. Plus, it begins to drag a bit towards the end...a fact amazing in itself because 1) that's when the most action takes place and 2) the movie is only an hour and a half long. In the end, while I was glad I got to see it, I can't saw I'd necessarily recommend it to anyone. Don't steer clear, necessarily...but also don't go out of your way.
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Comic Book: The Movie (2004)
The Basics: Mockumentary, starring Mark Hamill and Donna D'Errico, with cameos by such convention icons as Stan Lee, Matt Groening, Bruce Campbell and Kevin Smith; Rated PG-13 for language, sexual content and some drug references
The Starting Premise: Donald Swan is a huge fan of comic books, and one of the foremost authorities on legendary World War II-era comic book character, Commander Courage. Now it's the 21st century, and Commander Courage has been re-imagined as a hero named "Codename: Courage," a terrorist-fighting vigilante. A Hollywood studio is set to turn the comic into a movie, and brings Donald out to California to act as an expert consultant on the film (to lend it credibility), and to visit Comic-Con in San Diego with a camera crew where the film is being announced.
And Then?: It turns out Donald isn't a fan of the redesign of his favorite hero, and tries to persuade the studio marketing folks that new isn't always better, blindsiding them with one stunt after another during their visit to the world's biggest comic book convention.
And I Quote: Paul Dini: "They did put him in Vietnam and they tried to put a more whimsical skew on his adversaries. There was a character called Ho-Ho-Ho Chi Minh who was sort of a combination...like, a gagster version of a Vietnamese madman."
Random Trivia: At one point, Donald (Mark Hamill) and the crew ask to sit at a table with three men, but they are scared away. The three men at the table are Hamill's co-stars from the original Star Wars trilogy: Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca), David Prowse (Darth Vader), and Jeremy Bulloch (Boba Fett).
Curt's Take - Don't Bother: On the one hand, this gives an interesting insider's look at what it's like at the world's largest comic book convention. On the other hand, the acting and camerawork are pretty damn bad, and the improvisational aspects are painful to watch. Truth be told...I wasn't able to sit through it all. It seems like they had what they thought was an interesting concept for a mockumentary, and it just failed on the follow through. It really just tries to hard to mix this fictional story of Donald and his passion for "Commander Courage," with a film that captures the essence of comic book culture. So skip this...unless you're a huge comic book fan and haven't been able to make it to Comic-Con, and just want to get a flavor of what it's like. But be warned...this is DAMN close to getting a "Run in Fear" rating. It's pretty bad.
posted by Curt at 9:36 PM
1 Comments:
Of course, the best part of Elektra: Jennifer Garner in skin tight leather. Yum. That's really the only reason the movie got made.
Is anyone else getting just plain tired of comic book movies?
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