Tag Archives: metahuman

Superman

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Vampire Owl: I will always miss the Man of Steel version.

Vampire Bat: I feel that we are going back to the stone age.

Vampire Owl: Well, it is in Jio Hotstar, so we have to watch it.

Vampire Bat: Yes, after watching this one, we will watch the classic one.

Vampire Owl: I am worried about the state of DC after this.

Vampire Bat: We know that DC will never be the same without that darkness.

Vampire Owl: That versions of Aquaman and the Flash were too good.

Vampire Bat: We also know that people do not appreciate the best.

Vampire Owl: Aren’t they the same people who abandoned John Carter and Battleship?

Vampire Bat: If it was not for India and China, Pacific Rim would have also been done.

[Gets a savala vada and three cups of Wayanad tea].

What is the movie about? :: Clark Kent a.k.a. Superman (David Corenswet) was having a smooth run as the friendly superhero and part of world’s conversations while involved in saving people in trouble before he decides to illegally interfere in international matters and mess up diplomacy at a global level, destroying balance by stopping the nation of Boravia from invading its neighboring country known as Jarhanpur, after forcing himself upon the former. He even threatened its President with brutal force, making it impossible for most countries and their leaders to think about diplomacy and the need for the existence of countries on Earth. But soon enough, he is defeated for the first time by Hammer of Boravia (David Corenswet), who keeps a step ahead of Superman, and almost kills him before he is revived in his safehouse, the Fortress of Solitude in Antarctica with the help of his superpowered dog Krypto which also arrived from the same planet. He is only healed eighty three percent, but goes for it, only to be beaten up until the villain finally leaves.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: Superman finally agrees to be interviewed for media by Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan), as she his girlfriend as much as his colleague at the Daily Planet. Luthor uses a fire-breathing alien creature as a distraction while he manages to get into Superman’s fortress and overpower the robots while kidnapping Krypto. They also manage to find and translate a message from Superman’s parents with the help of Angela Spica a.k.a. The Engineer (María Gabriela de Faria) who has nanotechnology in each part of her body helping her to hack as much as to fight. Superman rescues the civilians while fighting the creature with the superhero team known as the Justice Gang including heroes Green Lantern (Nathan Fillion), Mister Terrific (Edi Gathegi) and Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced). Despite Superman not wanting to hurt the creature too much, Mister Terrific kills it. But this success is short-lived, as this was supposed to be a moment when Superman would find that revelation which he would have never wanted in his life, but becomes the biggest weapon for his enemies.

And what more is to follow here as things are supposed to get much worse with chaos ready to unleash itself on Earth? :: Luthor broadcasts the Kryptonian message in which Superman’s parents ask him to conquer Earth and take many women of Earth as sex slaves to restore the Kryptonian race. Superman had not listened to that last part of the message as it was somewhat damaged and could not be heard before it was corrected and amplified enough. The master brain behind all of these is Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult), the CEO of Luthor Corp who wishes to end Superman forever to make sure that his plans work out as expected. But he reveals that he desired for his business, but his true inspiration was always his hatred for Superman. Public opinion turns against Superman in no time, and his anger while searching for Krypto only makes it worse. Lois reassures Superman that she believes in him and he can only be good. Superman decides to surrender himself to the government, but they hand him over to Luthor as they doubt in their own ability to contain him. Lois asks Justice Gang to save him, but the question remains if they will respond and if they will be enough against Luthor’s seemingly unstoppable force of mercenaries.

The defence of Superman :: David Corenswet makes a pretty good Superman as long as too many comparisons are not made. Isabela Merced is the best part of the movie that gets so less space on the screen. While Nicholas Hoult makes a tough villain, María Gabriela de Faria’s performance makes her that one villain coming so close to killing Superman and such greatness is written on that side of antagonism. Rachel Brosnahan’s Lois Lane also remains memorable. The visuals are nice for most of the time even though not at same level all the time. There are lots of fight sequences around, and they remain effective even though not as fiery as the earlier movies. The final fight remains memorable and the pocket universe is something of another level. There is a certain amount of optimism and hope in this movie, even though it is something which can get us all killed – this is a motivation speaker special. The humour is effective at times, and the supporting cast does the job really well. The movie also leaves a nice beginning for what can follow with the same superhero and his newfound friends. A weaker Superman is also good for future.

The claws of flaw :: The movie does not feel that much power-packed for a superhero movie. There is too much focus on the dog, and that should explain how it would work better for the United States scenario. In other parts of the world where children get bitten by stray dogs, the interest in such a character are rather less. Even otherwise, a comparison would make it less interesting. The loss of that feeling of real danger as in the earlier universe cannot be felt here, and we just care less for the main character and his dog. The dialogues and emotions do not touch the hearts that much with this one, and the return of Superman to the more traditional clothing is rather strange, as this kind of a going back to comics is not applied to many other characters that could use it. The focus on Green Lantern and Hawkgirl are rather too less, even though they were the most interesting characters in the whole movie. If DC is going to go the new Marvel way without keeping its essence, there might not be a future for the franchise at least in this part of the world. The engagement is just so week at parts, and there feels like too much politics wander around the movie. Even the graphics and CGI as well as the music remain inferior to the earlier Krypto-alien journey.

How it finishes :: Superman will not match or seem satisfying for the fans of Man of Steel, the movie which set new standards for the character of Superman. A weaker Superman is still a bonus considering how ridiculously powerful and terrible character Captain Marvel ended up to be, and that too without weaknesses. Still, we wonder if the team of Green Lantern, Hawkgirl, Mister Terrific and Metamorpho can match Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman and the Flash who were such classic characters and provided the feeling of being another level and having such class that could be unmatched by any other. This movie also makes us wonder where Batman can stand in such a light environment? There are lots of questions which are left to be answered with the future of DC, which struggles just like Marvel did with the return of the Fantastic Four. The future might be a struggle for both sets of superheroes, as there are local superheroes from Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra, Minnal Murali, Gundala and others from different industries catering really well to the audience from those parts of the world.

Release date: 11th July 2025
Running time: 129 minutes
Directed by: James Gunn
Starring: David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan, Nicholas Hoult, Edi Gathegi, Anthony Carrigan, Nathan Fillion, Isabela Merced, María Gabriela de Faria

<<< Click here to go to the previous review.

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

The Fantastic Four

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Vampire Owl: We should have been the fantastic two.

Vampire Bat: So, you do not wish to include Vampire Penguin and Vampire Panda to make it four.

Vampire Owl: This would be more than enough. Anyone else would make Vampire Alligator and Vampire Crocodile too angry.

Vampire Bat: You can still have a fantastic four plus two.

Vampire Owl: Why would I wish to make too many people become fantastic?

Vampire Bat: Maybe we can develop a team good enough to fight zombies all by ourselves.

Vampire Owl: To fight such mindless creatures, random vampire troops will be enough.

Vampire Bat: We do not have a standing military force anymore.

Vampire Owl: We, the vampires are always military civilians.

Vampire Bat: We are no longer the hunters that we used to be.

[Gets a tea cake and three cups of Valparai tea].

What is the movie about? :: Reed Richards (Pedro Pascal) with the ability to extend his body to any lengths, Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby) who can be invisible and also generate force fields, Ben Grimm (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) with superhuman strength and durability, and Johnny Storm (Joseph Quinn) who can control fire and fly, together makes the superhero team known as the Fantastic Four that keeps their Earth safe from evil that tries to keep unleashing on the common people. After after they gained superhuman abilities from exposure to cosmic rays during a space mission as astronauts, they have been appreciated and celebrated by media. The team became celebrities like no other, with on other heroes to rely on on that Earth. Reed’s inventions have improved technology while Sue’s diplomacy has brought peace for most of the world. When Reed and Sue reveal that they are expecting a child, thing could not be any better, with their world even thinking about a kid with superpowers, making it a Fantastic Five team instead of the usual four.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: One day, they witness meteors in the sky, and along with then, a humanoid alien called Silver Surfer (Julia Garner) descends on a surf board. She tells them that Galactus (Ralph Ineson), a gigantic cosmic creature has chosen to consume their planet and that all life on Earth shall perish without leaving any sign of previous existence. He is someone who predates the universe as everyone knows it, existing like a cosmic vampire as well as an unstoppable godlike power lasting for billions of years, feeding on planets. Silver Surfer has been providing Galactus assistance in his objectives in exchange for him sparing her planet. She has been traveling through space on a surfboard in search of the right planets for Galactus to feed on. The team decides to go to space to stop Galactus from coming to Earth and destroying it. They do not feel that this is something they cannot handle, as negotiation was also an option along with fighting just two superpowered aliens.

And what more in to follow as a planet faces total annihilation? :: They track the Silver Surfer’s energy signature and reach a planet which is quickly destroyed by Galactus, only to escape for the devastation at the last moment. The team is found by the Silver Surfer and brought to Galactus, who tells them that it is his need to feed on planets to hunger that has been going on for billions of years. Galactus senses that Reed and Sue’s unborn child has an immense cosmic power and could take on his place, thus freeing him from hunger. He offers to spare their planet in exchange for the child, but the team refuses and escapes to the spaceship. The team, with a tough effort, manages to delay Silver Surfer who was chasing them, and reaches Earth with Sue giving birth during the journey in space. As Reed reveals the details of their encounter with Galactus during a press conference, their decision to save one child over billions of humans on Earth leads to negative opinions on them. People call for the sacrifice of the child, as saving them is what superheroes should do, and one life should not be valuable than billions of lives. As time keeps running out, what can Fantastic Four finally figure out to save both the world and the newborn child?

The defence of The Fantastic Four: First Steps :: The movie has an interesting cast that begins well, except for the emotional lag, as they get into action nicely. The visuals are nothing less than stunning with focus not only on what happens on Earth, with other areas also getting some nice detail. Galactus, his spaceship and Silver Surfer, all look really good. There seems to be a lot of effort to make the whole thing close to comics as well as suitable for the real world in live-action. There are some stunning action scenes which keep the viewers thrilled as danger is that huge with almost no hope left for Earth, as even superheroes just hope and believe rather than go for anything with full confidence. Back on Earth, the retro-style futuristic world is something that will keep us interesting, and the nice use of colours do not cease to amaze us, as a new Earth is brought to us. The fact that origin story is skipped gives us some more time to work with the world, as we do know how these particular superheroes came into being, and the small reminder added in the beginning helps the new viewers too. It is to be noted that any connection made to the superheroes of the other universes is going to make the whole thing so huge.

The claws of flaw :: None of the new cast matches the team of Ioan Gruffudd, Jessica Alba, Chris Evans and Michael Chiklis, with Jessica being the one true Invisible Woman as we know them – the new cast still got a long way to establish themselves in their newfound roles. That movie was just classic nostalgia material which could not be matched by that one reboot which came next either. Compared to that which had lots of fun, this movie becomes an emotional absurdity at times, especially related to a kid who is valued more than a billion lives. Even the antagonist’s helper seems to know this and values human lives, as she herself has gone through personal sacrifices to save others. This over-emotional side seems to curse the movie more than anything else, as the cheap melodrama often gets into our heads. The final battle also feels like the four members of the team having too much power against such a godlike cosmic undefeated creature, especially the character of Sue, which feels overdone in not just emotions, but also with the powers and meaningless anger. The characterization and story struggle often shows up as if it needed to be there.

How it finishes :: The superhero team in a fresh universe with a retro-futuristic 1960s model provides this particular movie with a new style, as this one also seems to get the critical appreciation on its favour, even though I would always love the Jessica Alba starrer above others for its simplicity with a classic tale without messing it up with too many misdirected emotions – the reboot never came close after that. There is some bigger action here and real danger, even though the attempts at solving problems seem to be misdirected, and emotional get the weaker side of superhero despite movie trying to make some characters feel too strong. Yet, the team of cast seems to work well as one, and the beauty of the visuals cannot be easily matched, whether on Earth or outside. For a fan of the Fantastic Four series, this version is surely more ambitious, and might mean more when connected with the universe with a sequel or as part of other Marvel movies. As we remember seeing a Fantastic Four spaceship in Thunderbolts, we know that something grand is yet to be seen and Avengers: Infinity War or Avengers: Endgame might not be the biggest Avengers movie on Earth.

Release date: 25th July 2025
Running time: 114 minutes
Directed by: Matt Shakman
Starring: Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Joseph Quinn, Julia Garner, Sarah Niles, Mark Gatiss, Natasha Lyonne, Paul Walter Hauser, Ralph Ineson

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@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Infinite Earths I

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Vampire Owl: Do you feel that our different realms would count as infinite Earths?

Vampire Bat: There are no parallel universes in our world

Vampire Owl: You mean that there is no different version of us?

Vampire Bat: I am sure that it is impossible in different realms with a wide variety of creatures.

Vampire Owl: So, there is only one me, right?

Vampire Bat: Yes, none of us shall be replicated, especially in the vampire form.

Vampire Owl: So, we really have to go to those areas and make an introduction.

Vampire Bat: You do not need to go to those darker worlds beyond shadow realm.

Vampire Owl: I have always considered myself to be a person of many realms.

Vampire Bat: Well, vampires are not welcome in all realms. There will always be the anti-vampires trying to throw us out.

[Gets a masala dosa and three cups of Vagamon tea].

What is the movie about? :: The Flash a.k.a. Barry Allen (Matt Bomer) has been experiencing time trips from different moments of his life, making a linear reality almost impossible. With the support of Batman a.k.a. Bruce Wayne (Jensen Ackles), Superman a.k.a. Clark Kent (Darren Criss), Green Arrow a.k.a. Oliver Queen (Jimmi Simpson) and others, he forms the superhero team known as Justice League. It is then that they are attacked by Amazo (Nolan North) who had earlier defeated them, and this time under the influence of Lex Luthor (Zachary Quinto), has his primary objectives manipulated. This alteration would make him kill anything which is not human, shifting the focus to Superman as the main adversary. Even though Amazon could see and sense what each superhero is about to do and defeat them, he finally understands the villainy of Luthor and how he and his creator had to suffer due to the same, leading to him helping the superheroes. Luthor is captured and that problem is solved.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: But this would be the smallest of their problems, as something big seems to be coming, and they would not be prepared for the same, neither would the superheroes of other parallel earths. When he is ready to be married, a creature appears and takes the superheroes to a space station known as satellite to be informed about a grave danger that awaits them. There are superheroes from different earths who have been gathered there to serve the purpose. The coming danger is an anti-matter wave, which can destroy entire universes, and it threatens the multiverse this time. These waves would destroy whole group of planets, starting with the earths of each universe. There might be nothing that could stop them, and Flash remembers that he had seen such a thing wiping out an entire earth which had Crime Syndicate ruling the world, but failing to stop the wave. Now, it remains to be seen about how many worlds will survive this anti-matter tsunami-like wave.

The defence of Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths Part One :: This has already been established as the first movie of something grand which is to come in three parts. The feeling of danger is nicely established here, and we understand the grandeur of things. There are so many superheroes whom most of us might be seeing together on the screen for the first time, and most of them do not lose their importance at all. This also feels like the beginning of the end of everything that would be justified with all movies of the franchise finishing in style. The idea of sacrifice and ageing together works nicely here. The action sequences and voices work well here. The bravery when facing the inevitable keeps things going. The suspenseful ending keeps things open for the next movie, and we look forward to get all the complications removed. We are ensured that there is still something to be brought to light that would change things by a long way.

The claws of flaw :: This does not stand alone and never does it remove any possible complications, and seems to feel that it takes the audience as granted as if they know a lot of things about this particular universe, its characters – more than what has been shown in the live action movies. The feeling of lagging is there as much as there is rush, especially for those unfamiliar with the previous animated universe tales and the comics. If someone is expecting the usual DC entry like Man of Steel, The Flash, Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice, Aquaman, Wonder Woman or Justice League, there would be definite disappointment and lack of interest. Well, we know that most of the viewers are of that kind only and comics and series related to superheroes are not really considered to be part of the world by the audience around here. There is the feeling that something might have been said somewhere, but we never knew. A basic idea of superheroes might not be enough to run through this world as an upgrade seems to be in demand.

Soul exploration :: There is much of soul exploration to be done here, but most of us are not really aware of the premise here. Some of these superheroes might not be appealing to all viewers either. But the idea seems to be moving towards the sacrifices that some of these metahumans are supposed to make. There might be the feeling that there are too many superheroes and we just cannot remember them all. The original villain also does not come into the picture here and seems to be reserved for later. Multiverse science, those anti-matter waves and all are not explained deeply enough here to make us understand – we just know that life is going to be erased from multiple earths. It tells us that humanity needs to find a way to survive, and do the same quickly. This will also be a wandering through the souls of all these superheroes to see whether they are all super and heroes, not just random metahumans.

How it finishes :: The movie seems to stay close to the comics from which it was adapted. So many DC characters and different universes make the tale very interesting, despite a certain struggle with the non-linear timeline. There might be the feeling that this could have been closer to the movie mode than the comics. With the emotional side also working in favour along with action, there is something always keeping things interesting despite the confusion in between. The first movie of the series might be the confusing among them all, as there are so many unanswered questions, and too much of wandering through the story keeps the struggle active, but enjoyable as we know that there is a lot more to come in the next movies. The sequels would explain a lot of things, and therefore watching only this flick will not be a completely satisfactory experience. These one and half hours would just serve as a beginning for something which is to come, and unlike the live action movies, it cannot stand alone either.

Release date: 9th January 2024
Running time: 93 minutes
Directed by: Jeff Wamester
Starring: Matt Bomer, Jensen Ackles, Darren Criss, Meg Donnelly, Stana Katic, Corey Stoll

<<< Click here to go to the previous review.

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Shazam II

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Vampire Owl: Shazam has not been on the list of our favourite superheroes.

Vampire Bat: But it is surely on the funny list.

Vampire Owl: You mean to say that there is another list?

Vampire Bat: Yes, we have to separate the comic side from the serious.

Vampire Owl: So, you mean to say that all superheroes are not considered on the same list?

Vampire Bat: No two superheroes are the same.

Vampire Owl: Not when we consider a few from different comics.

Vampire Bat: You mean to talk about Marvel’s parallels in DC.

Vampire Owl: Well, there are exceptions.

Vampire Bat: I would work on those exceptions.

[Gets a chocolate brownie and three cups of green apple tea].

What is the movie about? :: Billy Batson a.k.a Shazam (Zachary Levi and Asher Angel) is trying to keep his family of superheroes going, but it seems that everyone wishes to go on their way as they have grown up. Billy is further worried about being thrown out of the family when he turns eighteen, and his elder foster sister, Mary Bromfield (Grace Caroline Currey) feels that the day will come rather soon. It is then that the Wizard (Djimon Hounsou) provides Billy with a warning that the “Daughters of Atlas” are coming to get them. Hespera (Helen Mirren), Kalypso (Lucy Liu) and Anthea (Rachel Zegler), the three daughters of the titan have decided to unleash their wrath on humans. They would steal the wizard’s broken staff from the Acropolis Museum in Athens and take it to the Wizard who is already imprisoned by them. They forcibly use the powers of the wizard to fix the staff and reactivate its powers with a grand plan to bring back the world of the gods.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: The daughters manage to capture Freddy Freeman (Jack Dylan Grazer) and trap everyone in the city within an indestructible forcefield created out of godly magic. They imprison Freddy along with the Wizard in the realm of gods. Billy makes an attempt to negotiate with the sisters, while Anthea gives tips to the Wizard and Freddy to escape from captivity. Back home, the battle sees more members of the Shazam family losing their power, and Hespera is captured by them to negotiate another more even deal. But it is revealed that she allowed herself to be captured so that she could steal something from their lair. This would help her to make their world greater than ever, and at the same time, destroy the other worlds including that of humans. Can the remaining members of the Shazam family manage to stop the daughters, or will there be chaos unleashed? Will the Wizard finally believe that she should not have given the power to Billy who has almost no true wisdom?

The defence of Shazam II: Fury of the Gods :: The attempt to keep the funny side alive has worked again for the DC Extended Universe, and we see this world colliding with another, as we see the connection more than once. The movie’s best new addition might be Rachel Zegler, and the idea of the family that runs through, maybe even more than Fast and Furious franchise. The action sequences are nicely done, and we see the aerial battles with all the effectiveness. The different worlds are created well with the special effects, and this can be said with those location with derive power from the settings. The film keeps us going and whenever it seems to lose some strength, something stronger always comes up and adds to the occasion. The movie serves as a reminder that DC has come up above Marvel after the end of the greatest superheroes like Captain America and Iron Man, while the darker heroes of this side have more to prove, and even bring some of the best villains around.

The claws of flaw :: The childish side which is present in this movie never really leaves us – the silliness could have been kept to the minimum as some points seem to be not maintaining a certain amount of quality. The lack of seriousness at some points feels to be rather strange, even though not that ridiculous as we have seen in Deadpool and its sequel. The deviation that the movie takes from the other films of DC Extended Universe works only at times. Some of the moments travel too far away from the core and seems to favour an animated movie, and the lightness of this particular flick often becomes rather too much. The magic could always look better and bring a more stylish spectacle, something which Doctor Strange has perfected so well. This movie could have also used some support from Black Adam, as The Rock would make things eternally grand.

The performers of the soul :: Zachary Levi manages the humour in this sequel with ease, and the emotional side also comes strong with him around. The work here becomes a fine extension of what he did in the first movie. Jack Dylan Grazer’s work is to be remembered next, and remains something that rises to the occasion with the humour as well as the emotional elements. Grace Caroline Currey who was earlier credited as Grace Fulton with the previous movie continues to have a memorable impact here. Rachel Zegler brings a great amount of charm to the movie, and her avatar remains a truly memorable one with an emotional touch as much as the magic that surrounds her. Lucy Liu becomes the villain that catches our attention more while Helen Mirren also contributes effectively to the process. Djimon Hounsou’s work remains notable as the one wizard who keeps the magic alive. The cameo from Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman will stay with us for a long time too, but the earlier moments had left us thinking if that was to come at all.

How it finishes :: Shazam II: Fury of the Gods takes the deviation from the other superheroes of the franchise very seriously, and could have even used Black Adam around here. There are many interesting moments here, and the emotional side is also working, with messages that work with effectiveness. The entertaining side stays strong, and we know that there is always something bigger to come, and it could manage to be better than the earlier movie with ease. The messages stay strong and about family and the underdogs, we know how it manages to go as expected. This is another movie which keeps DC flying high enough, even though not as much as it could have managed. This one manages to be interesting for both adults and kids, as the action or the funny side never shows up alone. Marvel could not have achieved such balance with such material after Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: End Game – maybe with the looks, but not with the rest.

Release date: 17th March 2023
Running time: 130 minutes
Directed by: David F Sandberg
Starring: Zachary Levi, Asher Angel, Jack Dylan Grazer, Rachel Zegler, Adam Brody, Ross Butler, D. J. Cotrona, Grace Caroline Currey, Meagan Good, Lucy Liu, Djimon Hounsou, Helen Mirren

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@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

The Flash

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Vampire Owl: I have once proven that I could be faster than The Flash.

Vampire Bat: Vampires have speed as one of their special skills.

Vampire Owl: Yet, it is certainly not fast enough.

Vampire Bat: You cannot ask for so much of speed when you have other skills.

Vampire Owl: Drinking blood do not count as a skill.

Vampire Bat: I understand that it is a quality.

Vampire Owl: I was going to call it a necessity.

Vampire Bat: Vampires can live without any necessities.

Vampire Owl: Humans call necessity to be the mother of invention.

Vampire Bat: We do not need to invent anything, as we have everything here already.

[Gets a mango cake and three cups of Vagamon tea].

What is the movie about? :: Barry Allen a.k.a. The Flash (Ezra Miller) is living his life as the superhero who is meant to save the world regularly along with Bruce Wayne a.k.a. Batman (Ben Affleck) and Diana Prince a.k.a. Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot). After stopping a robbery and after saving children from a hospital, Barry gets back to his normal life which includes the trial of his father Henry Allen (Ron Livingston) who is supposed to have killed his mother Nora Allen (Maribel Verdu) a long time ago when he was a child. It was the one incident which changed his world permanently, and it is still has the chance to get him further down in depression. Understanding that his father would remain in prison for the murder which he never committed, he is overcome by emotions and ends up traveling back in time. Despite the advice of Bruce not to do it, he ends up changing his past, making sure that his mother never forgot to buy a can of tomatoes, and was not left alone in the kitchen while his father had left for the supermarket. This seems to have left his mother alive and his father out of prison.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: Barry feels that he has solved everything by just changing a little bit of the past, but he is thrown out of the world of speed by another quickly moving person. As he falls out of there, he finds himself in 2013, and finds his parents at home, with another version of him arriving there at the same time. This version does not have the powers as he does not go to the same places, and in an attempt to make sure that the superpowers are achieved, they reach the location to get hit by lightning, but Barry ends up losing his powers while the younger version in this timeline becomes the metahuman. The other version of him do not know how to use the powers, and without them, he cannot get back to his timeline, and that creates a clear problem out there. He has to go back in time before there is any more problem being created, but this is the same moment when an alien from outer space sends a threatening message to humans to provide them with someone belonging to their species or meet instant doom. Now, with no metahumans to be found in this world and with no Justice League, Barry wonders what can be done.

The defence of The Flash :: It can be seen that The Flash begins really well, with some slow motion moments that steal the show – even before that, we know that the film will be more light-hearted than anything else. The actions sequences are nicely done, especially the final ones. The journey through the timeline and within the Speedforce remain interesting. Some of the references to what lies beneath work with effectiveness. The idea of not trying to alter the past for personal gains maintains the upper hand, and a certain amount of stoicism can also be seen. At the same time, the movie serves its fan with determination, and we are impressed with multiple worlds reminding us of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness just because that film came earlier. Sometimes we feel that we just need that particular version of Supergirl to appreciate the work done here – not all worlds need Superman-power, and some are not ready for the same. Well, not all worlds need to have everything, and it could be more divergent than having some versions of all heroes everywhere.

Positives and negatives :: When the speedster metahuman is involved, there is always scope for more, not just with the story, but with the visuals which would have no real limits – we know that the tale can always be expanded from that series from some time ago. It is to be noted that the Flash is not really a much remembered superhero in this part of the world, and often makes us feel that Quicksilver always had the advantage in the slow-motion sequences – Marvel’s early introduction of its metahumans could be blamed for the same, but even after the speedster returned, the ball never really arrived at his court to provide him the advantage. The negativity in relation to the movie is not justified though, as the movie works so well, and it maintains quality in the proceedings. If Spider-Man with its multiverse can work nicely, this does the same with the use of speed even better. The movie struggles a bit during the first return to 2013 timeline and the a few minutes there do not go off – things only get better with the discovery of Batman in this particular world.

The performers of the soul :: Ezra Miller handles the character of Flash with ease. The elements of humour have been maintained well by him here. The comic side remains strong, thanks to him, and in their very small presences, Gal Gadot and Ben Affleck also supports the humorous side really well. The one who steals show as the surprise package is Sasha Calle who becomes the first Latina actress to portray the role of Supergirl. The extra-terrestrial species of the planet of Krypton seems to be scoring really well with their characters beyond Superman too. Sasha is remarkable as the Supergirl who rises to fight for the new species that she does not know, and excels in those shots of classic superhero action that elevates the movie. We would love to see her in more action movies, maybe with a science fiction or horror touch. Michael Shannon’s return as General Zod makes the same impact as the last time. Antje Traue has the supporting role with the antagonist, and remains somewhat notable. Michael Keaton comes in the role of Batman of the new timeline, and it is not something new for those who have seen him playing the role before in the 1990s.

How it finishes :: The Flash can be considered as a misunderstood movie which could have done a lot better business and surely deserved a better reception from the audience. Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is surely a better flick which also only did better, but not as much as it should have done. Well, these days, we do see that most of these DC movies are actually better than the Marvel flicks after Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: End Game. The overpowered Captain Marvel never really needed to make a comeback either and The Marvels never required to even exist as it never seemed to have shows there. We would have required more of movies from Doctor Strange and maybe a film with Hawkeye at the centre from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. For DC, there could have been more of Batman and Wonder Woman too. For now, it is good to have The Flash around with a Supergirl whom we are going to remember for a very long time. You have to make the movies interesting, rather than trying to create characters and situations for the sake of pleasing people, and this movie deserves the applause for keeping it entertaining at all times.

Release date: 16th June 2023 (Theatre); 15th November 2023 (Jio Cinema)
Running time: 144 minutes
Directed by: Andy Muschietti
Starring: Ezra Miller, Sasha Calle, Michael Shannon, Ron Livingston Maribel Verdú, Kiersey Clemons, Antje Traue, Michael Keaton

<<< Click here to go to the previous review.

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Blue Beetle

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Vampire Owl: So, are we looking for a Vampire Beetle?

Vampire Bat: Beetles are too small to be transformed into vampires.

Vampire Owl: Well, they can be trained to bite people secretly.

Vampire Bat: We are vampires. We can bite people publicly in our territory.

Vampire Owl: Beetles can infiltrate other territories for our people.

Vampire Bat: We are not in war with any other territories.

Vampire Owl: With the exception of werewolves, zombies and witches.

Vampire Bat: The witches will identify a vampire from miles away.

Vampire Owl: With the right amount of magic, the beetle can go through.

Vampire Bat: No, we have always preferred resistance to magic.

[Gets a vancho cake and three cups of elaichi tea].

What is the movie about? :: Jaime Reyes (Xolo Mariduena) is a recent graduate from college in law who comes back to his home after a long time, only to find that his family is going to be evicted from where they have been staying. His parents Alberto Reyes (Damian Alcazar) and Rocio Reyes (Elpidia Carrillo) more than just happy to see him again, and are glad to be together as a family and asserts that they would solve this as one as they have always done with their troubles. His sister Milagro Reyes (Belissa Escobedo) finds both of them a job at a mansion and resort owned by Victoria Kord (Susan Sarandon), the CEO of Kord Industries. He comes across a heated argument between her and her niece Jenny Kord (Bruna Marquezine) about the company which was earlier headed by Jenny’s missing father manufacturing dangerous weapons able to trigger a third world war. As Jaime intervenes, Victoria immediately fires him and his sister. But Jenny asks him to meet her at the Kord Tower on the very next day to discuss the possibility of a job opportunity.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: Victoria has been using an ancient alien artifact known only as Scarab for her One Man Army Corps (OMAC) projects creating a large number of super-soldiers. Jenny steals the same and hides it inside a burger box which she gives to Jaime who arrived there to see her, as she runs away while being chased by the security after the alarm is set off. As Jaime opens the box, the Scarab activates and fuses with his body. Jaime is not able to control what the Scarab is doing as it forms an exoskeleton on his body, leading him to search for Jenny for answers. They decide to infiltrate Kord Tower again to retrieve a smart watch that belonged to Jenny’s father, only to find them being attacked by Ignacio Carapax (Raoul Max Trujillo) who is a cyborg-like soldier serving as Victoria’s personal bodyguard and meant to lead the future group of super-soldiers. They just manage to escape from there, but can they make sure that the OMAC never gets built? Can they stop Victoria before she brings the war to everyone?

The defence of Blue Beetle :: It can be seen that Blue Beetle becomes another movie that focuses on the superhero of the family, something which would make the Fast and Furious franchise proud. This particular focus on family makes sure that there is a lot of heart associated with the movie, and the feel-good also has a role to play. This also leads to the assurance that there will be an emotional side that runs strong in between. The action sequences are really good, even when not done in a grand mode – the battles are never really overdone, and controlled within the possibilities of the main characters. With its family-friendly content, it is the kind of movie which one can watch with the whole family and enjoy without second thoughts. The skill to keep the world not that complicated, can also be appreciated, as we can smoothly go through this one, and yet the movie does not compromise on quality. The final moments also assure the possibility of a sequel which can follow with a grand sequence of proceedings, expanding the world by a long way. This is the movie which surely deserved better reception in the theatres, and the funny side is also pretty good.

The claws of flaw :: There can be no doubt about the fact that this movie could have done better with the action and the use of antagonists. The visuals could have created better detail with the battle suits as well as the special effects during combat. The predictability factor does have its presence in this movie, and very often, this is the superhero movie that follows the usual procedure – often resembling movies outside Marvel and DC Extended Universes too. One cannot be blamed for making the wish to watch something divergent, as Marvel has done most of the things possible with the worlds of superheroes already, and ending a wave of grandeur well with Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. There are so many DC movies which have deserved better, including Black Adam, and Blue Beetle sadly did not do that well at the box-office, but we hope that the same will be watched more in the OTT platform. A good viewership there would be the reminder that this is one movie which is much more than what the box-office numbers say.

The performers of the soul :: Xolo Mariduena makes the character of Blue Beetle a fun watch, and he works with the bonding with family as well as the superpowers really well. The Brazilian actress Bruna Marquezine plays the female lead here, and makes a good point to become an action heroine running through DC Extended Universe, as the character is left with lot of options. We never really have enough billionaires who can help the superheroes in their work, unless the hero gets to be among the richest people around. We have always remembered Elpidia Carrillo in relation to an original Predator and Arnold Schwarzenegger hunting as well as being hunted, and it is good to see her around here. Damian Alcazar makes a lovely father figure here, while Adriana Barraza adds on as the grandmother in style. Susan Sarandon is pretty much an interesting antagonist, while Raoul Max Trujillo makes the nemesis who gets all the action sequences to perform. George Lopez also makes a fine impact here while Belissa Escobedo adds to the family well.

How it finishes :: Blue Beetle might feel like Antman from a distance, but we know that they are not similar as it begins and gets the first interesting sequences. It really deserved to be a grand success with the content that never ceases to be entertaining. In the DC Extended Universe, this particular superhero has the chance to be something big, but considering the lack of success of this film might have blocked that opportunity – I would find that choice of audience surprising though, as the strangest of superheroes have done better, and Deadpool might be the weirdest that deserved no big attention. The movie here could have brought more though, and if there is no sequel, that cannot be achieved – this is that kind of a film which can broaden its scope by a long way. We would remain hopeful against a future with a sequel, and at the same time, consider this as an interesting origin story. Until then, we enjoy this movie, and consider this particular superhero as someone who can rise even above some of the well-known superheroes.

Release date: 18th August 2023
Running time: 127 minutes
Directed by: Angel Manuel Soto
Starring: Xolo Mariduena, Bruna Marquezine, Adriana Barraza, Damian Alcazar, Raoul Max Trujillo, Susan Sarandon, George Lopez, Elpidia Carrillo

<<< Click here to go to the previous review.

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Aquaman 2

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Vampire Owl: I have heard news about an aqua vampire.

Vampire Bat: I am pretty sure that Aquaman is no vampire.

Vampire Owl: He could be the first vampire out of water.

Vampire Bat: When have we ever been fans of water?

Vampire Owl: Well, there is always a first time for everything.

Vampire Bat: Are you imagining an underwater kingdom for vampires?

Vampire Owl: I don’t see why not. There is less human interference there.

Vampire Bat: So, you choose tranquility over everything else.

Vampire Owl: I choose a life without human nonsense.

Vampire Bat: I don’t see why we should not opt for the same.

[Gets a vancho cake and three cups of Munnar tea].

What is the movie about? :: Arthur Curry a.k.a. Aquaman (Jason Momoa) has gone through his share of adventures, and after marrying Mera (Amber Heard), had a child and is living his life between land and sea, not being fixed at one space. He has not stayed away from his responsibilities as the King of Atlantis though, but his attempt to unite the people of land and seas is ruined due to the intervention by elders of the underwater world. Everything seems to be going normal for Atlantis, until David Kean (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) decides to have his vengeance with another attempt at the life of Aquaman. He wishes to have the whole family of Aquaman destroyed along with whatever he finds precious in return for the life of his father. He works with Dr. Stephen Shin (Randall Park) who wishes to prove to the outside world that Atlantis in not a myth. In the search for Atlantean artefacts, they come across a black trident which possesses David, as it offers him the strength to destroy Arthur and maybe do even better by spreading devastation in Atlantis.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: Soon, David attacks Atlantis and steals a rare mineral called orichalcum which he uses to power some ancient machines which he had unearthed while finding the black trident. The attack leaves Amber Heard seriously injured and Atlantis defenses destroyed like never before. As orichalcum which emits greenhouse gases has raised planetary temperatures and caused extreme weather all around the globe, he decides to stop a global disaster and meltdown from happening. For the same, he decides to take the help of his brother Orm Marius (Patrick Wilson), even though almost everyone warns him against taking such a step as Orm is not be trusted. But he chooses to go with his instincts, and manages to break out Orm from his prison in the middle of a desert, thus threatening the treaty between different kingdoms of ocean. Orm is not really happy about what has happened to him, and neither is he happy about what has happened to Atlantis with its defenses breached and many citizens dead. Their mother Atlanna (Nicole Kidman) still hopes that they can work together to save the world.

The defence of Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom :: In a time when world has gone to the brainless mass masala fans, our movie here has managed to maintain a fine plot and a certain amount of class with its use of heroes. The movie automatically becomes the best choice for Christmas to watch with family including children and in that fine 3D format – the visual effects are nothing less than stunning with deep blue sea all around. The world underwater has been created nicely, and there is no room left there for complaining, with another breath-taking world created on an island. The creatures underwater continue to be a sight of beautiful variety and so are the colours of flora and fauna that creates even better visuals. You see the 3D on the screen nicely contributing to the ocean coming to you better than ever. The message about the need to save multiple worlds from the dangers of global warming and its extensions is also present there. The environmental message in a superhero is often lost in its path, like overpowered nonsensical overpowered creatures of mass destruction like Captain Marvel, but not when a determined underwater king is in control.

Positives and negatives :: The first movie was surely better than this one, as it had the Aquaman-Mera combination that was a joy to watch, with some of the most innovative action sequences, making the best out of available resources. The film remains light-hearted, and some of the humour is really nice, even though there could have been more. The action sequences keep catching our attention, even though the first movie had the more classic versions which would be remembered for longer. The background music makes some good impact, but not at all times. Ideas of brotherhood and family are asserted well throughout the movie along with the need to save the world from the powerful evil which comes in many forms. It also maintains the respect for divergence unlike Black Panther which has been disrespectful to the world outside Wakanda with a racist and bourgeoise nature. A better use of some of the characters would have served the movie better, but even with all the negativity around, it is to be noted that DC universe is now doing better than Marvel which has too many of dumb young characters for anybody’s liking – as it seems, most of them might not even make it to a number of theatres in this part of the world.

The performers of the soul :: Jason Momoa does what he did earlier, and asserts his role as the hero underwater, diverging from the usual superheroes above the ground. He continues to prove as the right choice for the role. Patrick Wilson provides some fine support here, and his combination scenes with the hero keeps us further interested. Out of The Conjuring and Insidious, he manages the other big role nicely. Amber Heard remains here as Mera, and she continues to have our attention, and she would remain the perfect queen of this world. She also excels in the action sequences, with her presence underwater being a thing of joy to watch. Yahya Abdul-Mateen II remains a strong villain as he continues the fine form from previous movie, and this is surely not the end of the road for such pure villainy. Nicole Kidman also becomes the one evergreen underwater queen that we are sure to remember for long, and she is another person who seems to be not aging at all these days. Jani Zhao as Stingray has a very notable job, while Randall Park is one full human character that is noted more than the rest. Temuera Morrison continues that particular father role with ease.

How it finishes :: Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom keeps its level high in comparison to the so called action thrillers from Bollywood and other industries, as a certain amount of class can always be seen along with the top quality graphics making a true spectacle. It is unlike the artificial spectacles that we see with so called superstars – those stars should not be endorsing toxic masculinity and illegal immigration like they are doing now. The trouble between Amber Heard and Johnny Depp seemed to have affected the film despite the high entertainment value. The number of shows for the movie is less, as people are not that much into quality superhero stuff these days. This movie should have had more screens, and those theatres which do not have at least one show of this movie feels pre-historic in nature. There was a time when we could enjoy superhero movies in fully-packed theatres, but that is not the case now. Even Marvel has struggled to get its audience, and in that case, the situation of DC comes as no surprise. Maybe, the corona virus itself will make a comeback again, and until then, let us enjoy our favourite superheroes without fail, and the Aquaman sequel is surely worth it.

Release date: 22nd December 2023
Running time: 124 minutes
Directed by: James Wan
Starring: Jason Momoa, Patrick Wilson, Amber Heard, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Randall Park, Dolph Lundgren, Temuera Morrison, Martin Short, Nicole Kidman

<<< Click here to go to the previous review.

<<< Click here to go to the previous English film review.

<<< Click here to go to the previous full superhero film review.

<<< Click here to go to the previous DC superhero film review.

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Wakanda Forever

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Vampire Owl: So, this is another group of people dealing with the case of “forever”.

Vampire Bat: We are the only true immortals around here. The others have endgame.

Vampire Owl: Well, Black Panther was never supposed to be forever. He didn’t even have a true bloodshot.

Vampire Bat: I have always considered him to be a lesser superhero.

Vampire Owl: I have never cared about such overrated heroes.

Vampire Bat: And the type of stories which feels ridiculous with the content.

Vampire Owl: More unreal than almost all other superhero flicks.

Vampire Bat: I have never really been fond of this Wakanda either.

Vampire Owl: There is nothing much to be fond of.

Vampire Bat: These rich superheroes and the attention that they get.

[Gets a marble cake and three cups of mint tea].

What is the movie about? :: Princess Shuri (Letitia Wright) attempts to heal her brother, the king and Black Panther who has been suffering from a terminal illness, but her attempt to recreate the medicine does not work and he dies. After the death of the king and protector, the nation of Wakanda comes under heavy pressure from other strong nations to share their powerful and extraordinary metal called vibranium to be used as weapons. Ramonda (Angela Bassett) is able to stop the attacks by the mercenaries sent by different nations, and issues a warning to the possible attackers. But the attacks seem to keep happening again and again, even though there is not that much of a success. The attempts of CIA and the United States government to locate possible vibranium deposits makes them come up against a group of blue-skinned superhumans from underwater led by a man named Namor (Tenoch Huerta Mejia). Namor also manages to bypass the defenses of Wakanda and reach the queen and princess, and provides them with a warning that if they do not bring him the scientist who invented the vibranium detector, he will destroy them all.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: As Namor is determined to destroy anything that brought trouble to his lands, Ramonda decides that it is time to find the scientist first before anything troublesome happens. The scientist would be the only hope for them to save more than one world, as Namor seems to be a man of action and not of just words. She is supported by Okoye (Danai Gurira) and they get the advice of the old friend named Everett K Ross (Martin Freeman) who leads them to this particular person, Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne) who is basically studying in a school, and it is her school project that became the vibranium detector. She is hesitant at first, but decides to leave with them, only to find them chased by FBI. As they manage to evade the American team, Namor’s group of warriors come out of water at a bridge, and catches up with them. Okoye is defeated by the fighters from underwater and is thrown away from the bridge, while the princess and Riri are taken to Namor.

And what more is to follow in this world of chaos and destruction? :: This situation would create more than one problem to so many people involved. Americans never really knew what they deal with, and there is more than what meets the eye for them. Namor has a grand underwater kingdom named Talokan which is rich in vibranium. But it turns out that his plan is not to keep it to himself anymore, as he feels that he is stronger than any other ruler, commanding a nation with the power like nobody else in the world. Namor looks forward to Wakanda to help him in taking over the world after initiating a war against all other nations. But Wakanda would not agree to the same, and they would even try to take the princess back by murdering a few guards. This would be considered as an act of war, and something disastrous would follow, even without the rest of the world knowing about it. Wakanda would not be ready for any attack from even equals, as they have been living in the shadow of Black Panther for too long with enough defence only against the known forces.

The defence of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever :: The creation of a new world might be the biggest advantage that this movie possesses. The underwater world, despite not being of the power that Aquaman’s universe possesses, manages to look good. The visuals have been well-managed despite the possible restrictions put on it to make Wakanda look like the classic heaven. Yet, underwater worlds never lose the power, and we know that even in the absence of Atlantis, something can always be created. There is some imagination involved here, even though plagued by the usual limitations. The beginning of the movie was indeed a new one, and it starts and ends well, and we can give it credit for the same. The ending is also a reminder that we could get a better Black Panther in another movie, as this one had irritated enough with some overdose. The one who stands out in this movie is indeed the villain played by Tenoch Huerta Mejia, and he could have the spin-off which could work better than what Black Panther and Wakanda could come up with. Having an Avengers: Infinity War with the forces around an underwater city could be a fine dream coming true in the form of a classic spectacle like never before.

The claws of flaw :: It can be seen that Black Panther: Wakanda Forever does not come up with anything new to cherish, as it keeps falling deeper into trouble in the absence of its main character. It is rather too long for anyone to be impressed with it, and there are so many moments which feel unnecessary. The emotional moments do not raise much of feelings at all, as we do not feel the need to take side of anyone in the film. The movie runs out of ideas on rather too many occasions, and it ends up coming up with the idea of oppression and plays the victim card all the time. This happens at a time when superhero movies are undergoing some positive changes. It is surprising that this movie attempts to claim greatness out of nothing, and is seemingly trying to be some Avatar 2 thing. This one also lacks the entertainment side and the action and adventure never really gets to be strong enough. When presented with some interesting opportunities, the movie does not stay strong enough, and it fails to take the options which are presented before them.

How it finishes :: Black Panther: Wakanda Forever remains somewhat clueless and has the repetitive ideas seemingly for no solid reason. It could have been much more in a world which doesn’t seem to have enough of superheroes of class. The replacement that it finds for the original Black Panther is as ridiculous as it can get, and is too much reliant on the predictability – it even gets too funny with the new avatar in that suit. There is the lack of emotional power due to the way the situations are dealt with. But otherwise, there is always some new superhero stuff which never gets old in style. There is enough action in there, and there are some spectacular visuals to support the same. There is also some hope left for making some better movies in future, and we understand that there is still the need to believe in something grander to follow. If the makers of this particular superhero understands what the viewers all around the world really wants, things would be much brighter for this side of the superhero franchise too.

Release date: 1st February 2023 (Disney-Hotstar); 11th November 2022 (Theatre)
Running time: 161 minutes
Directed by: Ryan Coogler
Starring: Letitia Wright, Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Winston Duke, Florence Kasumba, Dominique Thorne, Michaela Coel, Mabel Cadena, Tenoch Huerta Mejía, Martin Freeman, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Angela Bassett

<<< Click here to go to the previous review.

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Black Adam

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Vampire Owl: I have heard about this person before.

Vampire Bat: He is not the Adam from your Frankenstein’s tale.

Vampire Owl: Doctor Frankenstein has already confirmed it.

Vampire Bat: Mr Frank cannot claim to know these many people.

Vampire Owl: He has lived enough to come with such a claim.

Vampire Bat: Well, he is not a true old immortal like us.

Vampire Owl: He has been a semi-immortal with the help of science.

Vampire Bat: There is no semi-immortal. We only have immortals and mortals.

Vampire Owl: You should be better aware of the ways of science.

Vampire Bat: The ways of science do not work in our realm.

[Gets a Hyderabadi biriyani and three cups of Vagamon tea].

What is the movie about? :: Black Adam (Dwayne Johnson) was provided the powers of ancient deities of Egypt as he fought a tyrannical ruler in Kahndaq who had enslaved the people of his nation a long time before the great civilizations of the world held their powers. The king who was trying to use the artifact known as Crown of Sabbac to attain power like no other mortal could, but is defeated by this new champion, thus ending the evil reign. Adrianna Tomaz (Sarah Shahi) who lives the same city in the present finds her people oppressed by an international criminal organization named Intergang. As the new hope for resistance and as a renowned archeologist, she is determined to make sure that the Crown of Sabbac does not fall into the hands of any of those mercenary groups. As she almost reaches the crown, she is ambushed by a team sent by the organization which wants to use the artifact to control as much of the world as they can. The group looks forward to a kind of world domination like never done before with the ultimate control in Kahndaq. The group has the military strength with air, land and water support like most of the nations of the world can never dream of.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: As she is captured by the mercenaries who look forward to kill her, she uses her last option and chants the incantation which awakens Black Adam from beneath the tomb. It is seen that the newly unleashed metahuman is extremely powerful and he violently destroys all the enemies of Adrianna who keeps shooting at him without success. As Adam is wounded by one of the rockets which he catches on the way, he is taken to Adrianna’s home, where he begins to realize things and understand the new world, he lives in. He understands that the ways of the world have changes the situation is much different now. Considering his murder of many assassins, he is considered as a threat and the Justice Society sent to annihilate him, even though the Suicide Squad was also an option. The team includes the leader Hawkman (Aldis Hodge), the veteran sorcerer Doctor Fate (Pierce Brosnan), molecular manipulator Atom Smasher (Noah Centineo) and wind-controlling Cyclone (Quintessa Swindell), a team which seems to have members with their own inner struggles.

And what more is to follow in this tale of a centuries old superhero? :: Hawkman doesn’t consider this to be too much of a task, but Doctor Fate who has seen many dark futures doesn’t think so. They arrive at the city only to find Adam murdering more mercenaries. The battle goes very much in favour of Adam, as he seems to have an answer to everything which is thrown at him. It is then that Adrianna’s teenage son Amon Tomaz (Bodhi Sabongui) is kidnapped by Ishmael Gregor (Marwan Kenzari), who had disguised as a friend for a very long time. Ishmael wishes to gain the powers of the six powerful demons of Hell: Lucifer, Aym, Belial, Beelzebub, Asmodeus and Crateis using the crown. As the Justice Society and Adam fight each other, there seems to be other forces gaining control of the situation. Can the superheroes find a way out of it? How much can this possible terror from hell be stopped or delayed? Can Black Adam, with a troubled past defeat his enemies on all sides? Will he understand the new world and adjust to live in it? Will this ancient city be finally free in the end? The situation seems bleak for everyone around him.

The defence of Black Adam :: There is a lot of entertainment that goes around this movie, especially with Dwayne Johnson in the lead. There is no lack of fun when he is around, even if he did not have those superpowers. Unlike the overrated all-powerful heroes like Captain Marvel, Black Adam is the kind of superhero who seems to be more believable and enjoyable inside the willing suspension of disbelief with the addition of ancient magic. Despite being a dark enough movie with demons ready to be unleashed and having wrath of the ancient gods in control, the movie manages its light-hearted moments really well with a touch of effective humour. The comic side never gets out of control, and the Rock provides an assurance about it. Sarah Shahi nicely blends in, and looks even younger with some moments of action added to her work. Marwan Kenzari’s villainous side would also be memorable, as the sinister side works really well. We can be assured that Black Adam will have a bigger role to play than most of those overrated superheroes who jump around in the different comics universes, as there is a certain amount of class written over this particular character played by Dwayne Johnson, and that too beyond this world.

Positives and negatives :: The movie is a visual stunner as expected, and the graphics used here is really good. The setting is interesting, as we have a city away from the usual areas, and the need for protection that it requires and the type of hero that it gets, are all different in nature. The action sequences with the display of superpowers manage to be really good, and the Justice Society makes an interesting group of people, and the presence of Pierce Brosnan as Doctor Fate stands out, seemingly asking for Doctor Strange of the of the other universe to do better. The movie also has a strong villain, and finding one has not been easy in this particular universe in comparison to that of Marvel Cinematic Universe. There is the presence of the usual repeated elements, but we know that it is supposed to happen in almost every superhero flick. It doesn’t deviate and become that dull superhero movie even though the tendency was always there, and the length is surely a little more than the requirement. The movie still rises a long way above the usual Shazam movie which is too childish for anyone to make it the top favourite superhero movie.

How it finishes :: Black Adam is a nicely done superhero film which is powered by the Rock a.k.a. Dwayne Johnson who never ceases to entertain us. This has been one film which we have been waiting for, and seeing him as the superhero brings no surprises, but appreciation. Most of us have always wondered how a full-superhero movie would look with him around, and a full-horror film would look with the Undertaker around. We can be sure that no other WWE wrestler can make the impact in film industry like the Rock has done with the movies like Jumanji, Fast and Furious and others, with action films like How it will bring the power to the DC Extended Universe is yet to be seen, even though, the final moments and the end credits scene do provide us with a lot of hope. These are the times when Marvel Cinematic Universe has been losing in power, especially by making Thor a silly person and with having the tales move through series instead of movies where it should have always focused. Marvel’s overuse of humour will only come back to strike it one day, and DC finding balance will elevate its status as the superior comic book adapted universe.

Release date: 15th Match 2023 (Amazon Prime Video); 21st October 2022 (Theatre)
Running time: 125 minutes
Directed by: Jaume Collet-Serra
Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Aldis Hodge, Noah Centineo, Sarah Shahi, Marwan Kenzari, Quintessa Swindell, Pierce Brosnan

<<< Click here to go to the previous review.

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Venom: Carnage

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Vampire Owl: Here is someone who seems to be close enough to vampirism.

Vampire Bat: I am sure that he is closer to zombies than vampires.

Vampire Owl: You are saying so just because he eats brains.

Vampire Bat: We never really evolved in that way, did we?

Vampire Owl: Well, zombies also have blood in their own way while eating brains.

Vampire Bat: It is only a little bit of blood. That won’t count.

Vampire Owl: If we were blood-starved, that would have surely counted.

Vampire Bat: We have evolved enough to go vegetarian when required.

Vampire Owl: Such a requirement is shame to us vampires though.

Vampire Bat: We have had enough control over blood-thirst for centuries now.

[Gets a paneer puffs and three glasses of pista shake].

What is the movie about? :: In an early flashback, we see that a girl is taken away from St. Estes Home for Unwanted Children to a more secure place known as the Ravencroft Institute, as she seems to have special powers related to sound. One of the boys in the children’s home seems to resist the same, but he is helpless against the decision made by the authorities. As she uses her supersound sonic scream powers to attack young police officer, he shoots her in the eye and believes that he killed her. But the girl remains alive, and she is taken to Ravencroft where her abilities are restricted with the use of advanced science and technology, while she remains angry at everyone in the absence of her one eye. Cletus Kasady (Woody Harrelson) grows up from that boy in the children’s home to become a serial killer whom everyone would be afraid of. He had promised carnage in the first movie, and has something special in his mind as he calls for Eddie Brock a.k.a. Venom (Tom Hardy) to the cell where he is imprisoned.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: Many years have passed since humans explored space and other planets for new habitable worlds, and a comet covered in symbiotic lifeforms was discovered, among which all are believed to have been destroyed, the only exception being Venom who lives with Eddie in secret. Venom is still not happy about Eddie not allowing him to eat enough people and devour their brains. Detective Patrick Mulligan (Stephen Graham) allows Eddie to make a visit to Cletus as he hopes to somehow get some information about the victims of the serial killer. As Eddie speaks to the serial killer as a journalist, Venom manages to discover the area where the corpses of the victims are hidden, from the drawings in his cell, this giving the man a huge boost in the career of journalism like never before. At the same time, Eddie’s former girlfriend Anne Weying (Michelle Williams) gets engaged to Dan Lewis (Reid Scott), an act which both the human and the symbiote seem to dislike.

And what more can happen as carnage also has its say in a world of chaos? :: Despite Venom’s warning, Eddie decides to accept Cletus’ invitation to visit him one last time, as he will be put to death with the bodies being found. As Cletus mocks and insults Eddie, Venom unleashes himself, and gets bitten by Cletus who tries to escape. The part of the symbiote which gets inside Cletus seems to have its effects. At the same time, back home, Eddie and Venom get into a heated argument about having the freedom to eat criminals, which leads to them attacking each other and going on their separate ways, as the latter feels insulted. As Cletus’ execution is about the begin, a red symbiote emerges out of him, and goes on to attack everyone in the prison, and a number of inmates also escape in the process. This new symbiote known as Carnage agrees to help Cletus in breaking his love out of the institute in exchange for his help in eliminating the original symbiote, Venom from which he was born, thus making him all-powerful in the process. Can the now separate Venom and Eddie unite to stop them?

The defence of Venom: Let there Be Carnage :: A fine performance from Tom Hardy enhances the movie well, and Michelle Williams contributes nicely. Woody Harrelson also becomes a strong villain, thus elevating the level of the film. Stephen Graham also plays a fine detective in between, and might have scope for more in a possible sequel. The special effects are splendid, and it has to be looked at by some dumb mass masala movies around here which claim to have Hollywood-like effects, but has nothing in comparison. The action is very much effective, and two symbiotes fighting each other is indeed a fine sight to behold. The ending does leave scope for a sequel with Venom joining Spider-Man and team sooner or later. With its shorter run-time, this one never goes on the drag as the anti-hero turning superhero had lots of opportunities to stretch this one – keeping the romance to minimum was indeed a boon. The shots of the city are nicely done, and the emergence and transformations of alien symbiotes remain cool at all times. The quality maintained here makes sure that the whole thing will always remain better than Deadpool.

The claws of flaw :: Venom: Let there Be Carnage had opportunities to make it more interesting and at a bigger level with the grandeur on the screen. There are moments when the film does feel rather repetitive, a nature which could have been avoided as we have an alien at the centre of everything. Just like the first film, this one also has a very much a similar villain, another thing of symbiotic and alien nature, even though a better antagonist stays inside it. The movie could have used its humour in a better way, as the creature which decided to stay could have contributed a lot to comedy. The serial killer could have also had more role to play as himself by taking over the alien creature. After the first few minutes, it does take some time to get to the interesting parts, and it also lacks the scares which could have come up with the dangerous aliens. The predictable elements could have been avoided by adding a few twists here and there, or having some deviations at certain areas – after all, we have had so much of similar superhuman stuff in the past.

How it finishes :: Venom: Let there Be Carnage continues the action from the first movie, and even makes it better. While watching the original, one had a certain amount of doubt if this could be made better, but the second movie here has made it possible. The idea of Venom has managed to level up with its symbiotic relationship with the protagonist. With the Infinity War and Endgame finishing off the Avengers for good, we have been in need of more superheroes of quality, and this one nicely fills in that gap, coming years after the release of the first movie. There are the strong action sequences and the emerging fight against a strong villain which will keep us interested at all times. It is always to see the one person whom we have watched only as a villain in those early 2000s Spidey movies coming back to make an impact while saving the world. This one only makes us hope for more sequels as well as more entries in the franchise in relation to this.

Release date: 1st October 2021 (Theatre); 1st March 2022 (Netflix)
Running time: 97 minutes
Directed by: Andy Serkis
Starring: Tom Hardy, Michelle Williams, Naomie Harris, Woody Harrelson, Reid Scott, Stephen Graham, Peggy Lu, Sian Webber

<<< Click here to go to the previous review.

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Justice Society: WW II

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Full Title: Justice Society: World War II

Vampire Owl: Do you know that I had participated in the Second World War?

Vampire Bat: I am not sure if you are talking about the war that we know about.

Vampire Owl: I am talking about that very long and tiring magical war between vampires, zombies, witches and werewolves.

Vampire Bat: I am glad that you are not talking about that useless human war.

Vampire Owl: Human wars are those of greed and are always useless.

Vampire Bat: What did you do in our world war?

Vampire Owl: Ask me what I didn’t do then.

Vampire Bat: You were quite a young vampire during that time.

Vampire Owl: There is a story about my victory against the zombies.

Vampire Bat: There was no victory against the zombies. They just left the battle as there was the need for search for brains to eat.

[Gets a masala dosa and three cups of ginger tea].

What is the movie about? :: In Earth-two, the parallel universe, Nazi Germany has conquered most of Europe, winning most of the battles of the Second World War, and also possesses some magical artifacts. The United States gets involved in the war, as a team of superheroes called Justice Society of America has been formed with Steve Trevor (Chris Diamantopoulos), Wonder Woman (Stana Katic), Hawkman (Omid Abtahi), The Flash (Armen Taylor), Black Canary (Elysia Rotaru) and Hourman (Matthew Mercer). Hourman who has been a scientist, has developed a chemical called Miraclo which enhances all of his skills for about an hour. Black Canary has her sonic sound abilities. The Flash, with his superhuman speed, has been a full-time crime fighter always willing to serve his country. Hawkman, an ancient Egyptian in a modern Egyptian’s body, is also available for service. Wonder Woman will lead this team, as they hope to end this war before the Nazis get hold of all those artifacts and use them against the United States.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: Back on Earth-one, its Flash (Matt Bomer) is going through a picnic with Iris West (Ashleigh LaThrop), but their plans to get away from the usual work is disrupted by Superman (Darren Criss) fighting Brainiac (Darin De Paul), a seemingly extra-terrestrial android with mechanical minions to support him, and has been the person responsible for the destruction of the planet of Krypton. The enemy is basically a supercomputer with artificial intelligence and an android body which gives him superhuman strength, durability, healing, flight, telekinesis and many other abilities which allows him to bring a strong fight to Superman. As Brainiac fires a Kryptonite bullet towards Superman, Flash tries to stop it, but he runs so fast that he channels the Speed Force. This means that he arrives at a time when the Nazis are fighting the Justice Society, and he feels that he has arrived in the past, when the Second World War was happening in their world. With the superheroes on their side, the United States, Britain and its allies seem to do better in a Nazi occupied France.

And what more is to happen with the superheroes here? :: But even after two years, the war doesn’t seem to end. The team is initially suspicious about him, but understands that he is also like them, and only wants to help humanity as a superhero. Barry as Flash also saves Trevor and also a number of civilians. They also feels that he is from the future. The team does take Barry into their team. They feel that they can use him in saving a codebreaker from a Nazi fortress, as only he can decode an encrypted message. But everything is not that right with the team, as the Black Canary feels that there is no point in doing all of these as they are not even remembered due to the whole thing being top secret, while the two Flashes have gone weaker in strength with them being together. Wonder Woman does have the romantic problems, and Hawkman still has trouble with dealing with his past life. It is then that the Flash realizes that this is not the world that he knows about – then there is Aquaman whom they come across on the way. He has to find a way to return to the other Earth, but it won’t be that easy.

The defence of Justice Society: World War II :: The movie has managed to make use of the parallel universe idea well, and has nicely placed the Justice Society during the time of World War II. The superheroes who are basically unknown to us are also introduced well. After all, the world can always use more imaginary superheroes, as we are all going to suffer in this world of chaos, and hope for the impossible is necessary. Black Canary, Hawkman and Hourman are not the kind of heroes with whom the audience of this part of the world are that familiar – they do get some introduction here. Unless one has been watching the series and all, the idea of the second Earth will also feel new, and it also gets the introduction here. The whole thing has also been nicely blended into the Second World War’s procedures. It is interesting enough to make us think about many other parallel universes, and also those with the Nazis winning. The underwater world has also been nicely incorporated into the story, and there are also some nice twists, even though they can be guessed up to an extent.

The claws of flaw :: Some of the characters could have been better, especially Wonder Woman, who doesn’t seem to be that interesting as Gal Gadot had portrayed her. From the clothing itself, this one seems to be very much unlike the one we know, even in a parallel universe – the freedom there doesn’t do well enough to make the character interesting. The other superheroes of the parallel universe are the ones whom we know less about, and therefore their versions only count as a positive addition. There could have also been more action, as there is scope for this movie to increase the total running time. The Nazi elements could have also been developed further, as we don’t see enough of them doing what we expect them to do. We don’t even get to their main areas with those special villains becoming part of them. Instead, we are having some of those rather weaker antagonists along with the talk about Nazis taking over the whole world. They could have developed this in a different way, and at the same time, without being repetitive with things.

How it finishes :: Here is another superhero movie which has Justice League-style coming together of heroes to save the world, even though in another parallel universe. It is a clear thing that humanity is going destroy itself, whether there are wars or not – the imaginary presence of these superheroes are indeed belonging to hope, and therefore, we always have our eyes in this genre. Amazon Prime Video does have this flick, and we can only be happy that they do, because people in this part of the world won’t be able to watch it otherwise. The film is the usual superhero thing in essence, and we can watch it just like we go through the rest of the movies of the genre. This is also that kind of a movie which can be divided into three parts to watch as a series. Well, superheroes need to bring that faith, belief and hope, don’t they? One can only wonder what the evil humans will have to think about it – hope for the superheroes to die maybe?

Release date: 27th April 2021
Running time: 84 minutes
Directed by: Jeff Wamester
Starring: Stana Katic, Matt Bomer, Elysia Rotaru, Chris Diamantopoulos, Omid Abtahi, Matthew Mercer, Armen Taylor, Liam McIntyre

<<< Click here to go to the previous review.

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Major Grom

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Vampire Owl: It is a shame that vampires don’t have the ranks of major.

Vampire Bat: We do have titles like vampire-at-arms and master vampire.

Vampire Owl: They seem to be a little too much limited in scope.

Vampire Bat: Scope is what Uncle Dracula talks about it.

Vampire Owl: Uncle Dracula is no longer interested in matters of war.

Vampire Bat: He is not against the peace which prevails among vampires, werewolves and zombies of all realms.

Vampire Owl: He is too old for another war, just like the vampire elders.

Vampire Bat: The wars are led by vampires-at-arms and master vampires.

Vampire Owl: But there is always one Uncle Dracula banner in the front side.

Vampire Bat: The limitations of not having a new banner designer. Nothing more.

[Gets a masala dosa and three cups of iced tea].

What is the movie about? :: Major Igor Grom (Tikhon Zhiznevsky) is chasing three bank robbers dressed like clowns, supposed to look like hockey players from a popular Soviet cartoon. He manages to catch them, but at the same time, causes a lot of damage to public property. Colonel General Fedor Prokopenko (Aleksei Maklakov), Igor Grom’s boss and head of the Saint Petersburg Police doesn’t like what has happened in the streets, causing ten million of currency to be lost, putting the blame on the police department. He doesn’t like the fact that Grom is not wearing police uniform and not having any police equipment. He asks Grom to quit, but tears apart the resignation himself, as he feels the need for his presence in the police department. It is then that the trial of Kirill Grechkin (Yuri Nasonov), the son of a billionaire, takes place, and he is accused of a hit-and-run incident under the influence of alcohol. Kirill, despite being apprehended with proof by Grom himself, feels that he won’t be convicted.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: Aleksei Lyosha Makarov (Oleg Chugunov), a boy from the same orphanage where the girl who was hit by Kirill lived, feels that the court is corrupt, and is against the common man. He is extremely disappointed, and is also supposed to have disappeared somewhere after the verdict acquits the rich boy. IT millionaire Sergei Razumovsky (Sergei Goroshko), who is the founder of a new social network Vmeste, and his friend Oleg Volkov (Dmitry Chebotaryov), who grew up in the same orphanage as the murdered girl, are not happy with the court’s decision. A masked man attacks and burns Kirill Grechkin, whose car is also destroyed completely. With flame throwers, armour and great skills in combat in possession of the killer, Grom is not able to catch him. Lyosha is taken by the police for the murder, but Grom tells everyone about the incidents of last night, which the police dismisses. He investigates on the case, but it seems that almost everyone wanted the boy to be dead, as he was such a nuisance.

And what more is added to the tale as something strange is coming up? :: Yulia Pchyolkina (Lyubov Aksyonova), a blogger and journalist also wanted a role in the investigation. Later, Oleg comes to Razumovsky and confesses the truth that he is the man on the streets with the flamethrower. Razumovsky is upset by this, but doesn’t want to turn his friend in to the authorities. It is then that videos of a strange man known as Plague Doctor appear on the internet. He wears a mask and a combat suit, and has bombs and flamethrowers – he promises to clean the city and take it out of all the criminal mess. Olga Isaeva (Anna Nevskaya), head of RosGarantBank is the next victim of the Plague Doctor, as she is accused of taking away the money of the poor. There seems to be a war on the rich and influential, called on by the Plague Doctor, while Lyosha is released. The newly formed vigilante is now considered as a hero by many people, who don’t want him to be caught. What does this change do to the law and order situation in the city?

The defence of Major Grom :: The movie does have a hero played well by Tikhon Zhiznevsky, and Sergei Goroshko makes a fine antagonist. Lyubov Aksyonova plays the lead well too. The film can also boast about its stunning visuals, which is interesting in more than one way. There is the feeling of quality here, which is maintained at all times. The beautiful world of Saint Petersburg is a boost, and we do get some fine action sequences around here, with the strong antagonist who seems to be better than the most. The protagonist here is not a Batman, Thor, Superman, Aquaman, Wonder Woman, Captain America, Iron Man, Ant-Man, Spider-Man – kind of hero, as he has no specific superpowers or a lot of money, except for the fact that he is strong and surely has an expertise in fighting. The film focuses on his strengths and moves forward well. Even for a seemingly superhero movie, it does stay close to reality, and keeps the hero somewhat flawed too. There is also the presence of some humour which works, and keeps the pace quick at all times.

Positives and negatives :: The movie basically follows the usual plot, and that too, without trying too hard. It is not really different from the usual superhero movies, with a villain having a grand motive, and also having those psychological problems, but talks about being ideologically superior. The choice of the villain’s costume is interesting as well symbolic, as he intends to take away the plague in the form of a few people, from the city, striking as the Plague Doctor providing treatment. It is no surprise that movie makers outside Hollywood are making some fine superhero films these days, for the cultural difference is contributing very nicely to making these flicks more interesting than seeing something which we have seen for a very long time. Yet, there is always more that these kind of movies can do, with creative imagination that can go beyond some comics, suiting the age. A superhero can be built differently, and transformed as much as a creative thinker can – something which would make the admirers of the genre proud. After all, you are never really far away from finding the perfect superhero.

How it finishes :: Here is another interesting heroic adventure of our times, based on another comics. For a change, we do have the superhero policeman, and not the common man who takes the law into one’s hands, mostly due to circumstances. Well, we require our superheroes in all forms, even without the superpowers – defeating what seems to be a supervillain is surely what matters the most. It does remind us of those other superhero movies, but with its setting, as well as with the choice of cast, it does stand apart. There are not many superheroes who can get a strong villain like this one, and therefore, just like Minnal Murali, this one powers up well enough. In a world populated by humans who have been degrading further into their evil ways, the requirement of a superhero seems to be understood better these days, along with the understanding that one can never have such a hero in reality. With the same, the movie does provide some good escapism, even though it is still close to reality than most superhero works.

Release date: 5th May 2021 (Netflix)
Running time: 137 minutes
Directed by: Oleg Trofim
Starring: Tikhon Zhiznevsky, Lyubov Aksyonova, Aleksei Maklakov, Aleksandr Seteykin, Sergei Goroshko, Dmitry Chebotaryov, Mikhail Evlanov, Oleg Chugunov

<<< Click here to go to the previous review.

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

The Suicide Squad

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Vampire Owl: Do you remember watching the last Suicide Squad?

Vampire Bat: That was rather too long ago to remember.

Vampire Owl: There is never too long ago with superheroes.

Vampire Bat: These are the supervillains though.

Vampire Owl: We are now living at times when there is not much of a difference between the two. The borders have been blurred.

Vampire Bat: I would have some exceptions with these particular people though.

Vampire Owl: They are not really the ones we would like to have in the vampire realm.

Vampire Bat: You mean to say that there cannot be a Vampire Suicide Squad with freaks.

Vampire Owl: An immortal squad for suicide? That cannot be.

Vampire Bat: Well, immortality can be ended with a well-planned suicide if you are good enough to do that.

[Gets a chicken cutlet and three glasses of chocolate shake].

What is the movie about? :: Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) gets a team known as Task Force X, also called The Suicide Squad – consists of prison inmates who agree to carry out extremely dangerous and often near impossible missions for her in exchange for lighter sentences. As they come up against their first mission, there are two teams, and from the first one, Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie) is the only inmate who survies along with Colonel Rick Flag (Joel Kinnaman) who was leading the team. The second team is able to sneak in between, under the leadership of Bloodsport (Idris Elba), and supported by Peacemaker (John Cena), King Shark (Sylvester Stallone), Polka-Dot Man (David Dastmalchian), and Ratcatcher 2 (Daniela Melchior). They are now at a small South American island nation of Corto Maltese which had its autocratic government overthrown by an anti-American one. They have to destroy a Nazi-age laboratory which still holds a secretive experiment known as Project Starfish. It is supposed to be extra-terrestrial in nature.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: While Bloodsport and Peacemaker are expert marksmen, Ratcatcher controls rats. King Shark seems to be the strongest among them while Polka-Dot Man seems to be more of a distraction than anything else. King Shark almost eats Ratcatcher before being stopped by her pet rat, while Bloodsport and Peacemaker cannot get along at all, going on competing with each other instead of concentrating on the mission. Polka-Dot Man seems to be all lost in between. They find Flag among the rebel soldiers and Sol Soria (Alice Braga) who leads the soldiers agrees to assist them, so that their country could be free from military control, and also as part of vengeance. Harley Quinn who is caught by the government soldiers is taken to the palace, and she understands the new regime’s plan to destroy the other nations using Project Starfish. The team has to find The Thinker (Peter Capaldi) who is in charge of the operation before the situation gets any worse.

The defence of The Suicide Squad :: The colours and shades that we see in The Suicide Squad are beautiful, and it seems to be a quality which it has inherited from its predecessor. You can always keep your eyes on the screen, and be happy with what is seen on the background with settings that keep one interested. The visuals are all good, with the world looking beautiful. There are some fine action sequences in the final moments of the movie, and the use of humour works at times – the same is done best by Harley Quinn herself. The use of rats contribute nicely to make a visual spectacle, and the lights during the darkness nicely contribute to making the world better. The fights in the movie can be seen an worth one’s time. The action had also started much early, and there is not much time wasted with that. There is also scope for some fine sequels and spin-offs left in the end too. The stylish part stays strong too.

The claws of flaw :: The movie required a better human villain to keep things strong, but that cannot be seen around here. The villainy among the main characters also fall flat with not much being done with it. There was always something special to be done with a film like this, and better heroes could also make way here. The blood and gore is very much unlike the usual superhero films, but with its big extra-terrestrial antagonist, it chooses to go dumb in the looks and not scary, which is also strange. There is also no shortage of usual repetitions around here. With a fine premise, it losses so many opportunities which were there to be taken. The big iconic character, Harley Quinn, is also not used to the best advantage, as we know that she has always deserved more. Some of the humour here also feels dumb enough – the dark humour doesn’t work that effectively. This required to maintain its quality at all times, but we see that it has some regular ups and downs.

Performers of the soul :: Throughout the movie, one can surely see Margot Robbie dominating the proceedings again as Harley Quinn. There are moments which seems to be about her only, even though nothing matches what he did in the earlier Suicide Squad – the absence of Joker will always be the big missing point. The one tale that catches our attention the most is that of Daniela Melchior, who dominates the proceedings in a beautifully passive way. She is the one who deserves a possible spin-off among all the characters around here, something bigger and smarter than Birds of Prey. This is one character to which we are also emotionally attached, and this attachment is to stay, as long as the last rat is alive on this planet. There is a certain amount of cuteness in the psychotic beauty that is attached to everything about her. Idris Elba’s character is rock solid, while John Cena’s is just ridiculous. There is no strong villain among the performers either, even though there were so many signs in the earlier stages of the movie.

How it finishes :: The Suicide Squad is a journey down from the original Suicide Squad, which was poetic, and fun from the beginning to the end, and had a human antagonist worth fighting against, unlike what we have now. Even the characters or similar characters reflecting the first movie are not that good here, whether with the costumes or with the action. Yet, this movie also holds its ground, and manages to be better than DC’s superheroes coming together. When the team of villains do better than Justice League every time, one cannot wonder about the fact that the world is going with evil over goodness. The evil that we have seen in this world through the ages will only get worse, that is for sure. The Suicide Squad is a reminder of the same, and it makes another interesting film. Until DC gets the better superhero movies like Aquaman back here, you can always watch Minnal Murali, the first Malayalam superhero movie on Netflix, which gets the origins better than most of the others in style.

Release date: 24th December 2021 (Amazon); 5th August 2021 (USA)
Running time: 132 minutes
Directed by: James Gunn
Starring: Margot Robbie, Daniela Melchior, Idris Elba, John Cena, Joel Kinnaman, Sylvester Stallone, Viola Davis, Jai Courtney, Peter Capaldi

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Birds of Prey

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Vampire Owl: There are not many kinds of vampire birds.

Vampire Bat: But not all of our birds hunt.

Vampire Owl: You stopped letting the birds hunt?

Vampire Bat: Well, the sky needed to be safer for the gargoyles.

Vampire Owl: You are calling for the gargoyles during a pandemic?

Vampire Bat: They are made of stone, and immune to any pandemic.

Vampire Owl: Are you sure that these can’t catch the virus?

Vampire Bat: They are immune to the injection too.

Vampire Owl: That saves us some vaccines.

Vampire Bat: I would have loved to believe that the undead are basically immune, as the virus cannot affect the dead even after rising from the grave. But the research from Doctor Frankenstein says otherwise.

[Gets a vancho cake and three cups of masala tea].

What is the movie about? :: A number of years have passed after the defeat of Enchantress in the hands of the team of supervillains, Suicide Squad, and Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie) has broken up with Joker (Jared Leto), and despite going through the procedure many times, this time she believes that they are separated forever. She remembers her time as psychiatrist and also her time before that, as she tries to go on with her lonely life, and for the same, she also gets a hyena, but nobody really believes that she really broke up with Joker. She doesn’t really have any good friends, but everyone seems to know her for the association with Joker. To announce her break up to everyone, she blows up Ace Chemicals were she had her best time with Joker, and this time, she gets the attention of everyone. Renee Montoya (Rosie Perez) is the first one to come after Harley for exploding Ace chemicals, and others who have held a grudge against her also follows. Ending the relationship with Joker does have its own negative effects for her.

So, what happens with the events here? :: A good number of people now wants her dead, or at least punished for what she had been doing. This includes not just the criminals and police, but also anyone on the streets whom she had offended – it includes a large number of people. Without Joker’s protection, she finds it difficult to move around safely. But she figures out that she will live her life her own way this time. The biggest mafia leader of the area is Roman Sionis (Ewan McGregor), the crime lord who wishes to have full control over the Gotham City. Dinah Lance (Jurnee Smollett-Bell) earlier worked as a singer in his club, but gets a promotion as his driver during important meetings, after he sees her fight on he streets. Victor Zsasz (Chris Messina), the right hand man of Sionis losses a diamond which was supposed to be very important to him, and it turns out that it was taken by Cassandra Cain (Ella Jay Basco), a young pickpocket who doesn’t hesitate to steal anything from anyone on the streets. The girl also swallows the diamond before being taken to the police station.

And what else is to follow with this strange series of incidents in Gotham City? :: At the same time, a vigilante known as The Huntress (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) also appears on the streets, killing people all around the city, and nobody really knows what she is after. It does gives more of a head ache to Renee though, as she has been someone not able to get the credit even after working so hard in the police department. With murders happening with crossbows, and Harley also on the loose, Sionis wants the diamond back as soon as possible. For the same, he asks the help of every mercenary in the city, including Harley, who had also started calling herself a professional mercenary with her previous experience in Task Force X, the government funded group of criminals and supervillains. Harley breaks into the police station, and a number of mercenaries also follow her, but she manages to escape with the pickpocket kid, only to be continued to be hunted throughout the city. Dinah and Renee want to save the kid too, but time is running out.

The defence of Birds of Prey :: The film scores with its cast as expected, and while Margot Robbie has already proven herself as the crazy lover of Joker with a PhD in Psychiatry and experience with treating the craziest, Mary Elizabeth Winstead who is known more as the scream queen of horror flicks, has done fine work here – others are okay, even though I wouldn’t consider them to belong here as much as these two manages. The final fight scene scores high with the ambience being used there, and it is something which suits a horror movie more. There are also some humour added here and there, and for that too, the film is highly dependent on Margot Robbie, who seems to have got into that character so well again, and that makes one wonder what would have happened if Joker was also there. The fight sequences are nice, mostly when related to her, and even though left with less number of scenes, Mary Elizabeth Winstead also drops in nicely. The film is also full of colours, and they provide a special feeling to the movie.

The claws of flaw :: The absence of at least a cameo from Joker does have some effect on this film which could have used a little bit more of madness, as there seems to be a little bit too much sanity in here. Along with the same, the character of Rosie Perez seems to be weaker in comparison, and Ewan McGregor plays not that strong a villain as one would expect, with him being only a billionaire with a lot of henchmen – nothing more for him here. Some moments in the movie are also too silly, even when staying within the limits of silliness, and could have been avoided. The movie could have been shorter that way, and it should have stuck to Quinn to make that happen in a better manner. It is also a little bit too violent without reason, a quality which is not the best explored by a DC film. The film also leaves a question if it was trying to be a little bit of Charlie’s Angels by focusing on it as an action movie, but it is understandable, because Harley Quinn is that kind of a character, and only a little bit of the metahuman strength is unleashed here by anyone.

How it finishes :: DC Extended Universe always required more films which though differently, and this is surely one of them. There is a space being left behind after Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame nicely finished the biggest events of Marvel Extended Universe, and now it is up to DC to do the same and bring something grand, despite Justice League not doing that well as it should have managed, and Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice failing to gain appreciation. Unlike what was expected, Aquaman and Wonder Woman are the hopes of DC, and I would say that Suicide Squad was one too, even though many people were not really able to get their heads into it. Taking Harley Quinn out of it, and making this film will only help the next part of the second film on the squad when released, for Birds of Prey is a fun-filled entertainer which maintains the same feeling up to an extent, even though not beautifully poetic as that film happened to be. Once again, fun is guaranteed for sure.

Release date: 7th February 2020
Running time: 109 minutes
Directed by: Cathy Yan
Starring: Margot Robbie, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Rosie Perez, Jurnee Smollett-Bell, Chris Messina, Ella Jay Basco, Ali Wong, Ewan McGregor

<— Click here to go to the previous review.

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Freaks

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Vampire Owl: It has been very long since we had a German film to watch.

Vampire Bat: You could have always watched German movies at will.

Vampire Owl: Well, we should watch them together as part of vampire brotherhood only.

Vampire Bat: You know that I am not always available.

Vampire Owl: Still, you are here now and ready for films.

Vampire Bat: I have been available only as part of my requirement to sign into Dracula Castle.

Vampire Owl: You only need to be here as much as you can. We can always find some worthy vampire horror time.

Vampire Bat: You can still watch as many movies as you want at the castle with the Vampire Crocodile or the Vampire Alligator.

Vampire Owl: You know that they watch films underwater.

Vampire Bat: Well, you asked them to watch a movie with you on the top of a mango tree.

[Gets a chicken cutlet and three glasses of orange shake].

What is the movie about? :: The movie begins with a quick flashback showing a destroyed area of a school, a crying child and blood as well as a destroyed building which seems like a school. The child is really upset, and we are quickly taken to the present where the rest of the action takes place. Now, Wendy Schulze (Cornelia Groschel) has grown up, and is living with her husband and son, while working at a diner. She seems to have some psychological effect of that incident as a child, and she is taking some pills which were prescribed by her psychiatrist, but mostly, everything seems quite normal. One day, she meets a homeless man named Marek (Wotan Wilke Mohring), and that brings a deviation to her life. His advice to her is to stop taking those pills which are prescribed to her, and he also reminds her that she is one of them, even though Wendy has no idea what is happening – she is quite shocked to see him jumping off a highway bridge only to be run over, but he is the same on the very next day, alive and seemingly even stronger.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: Wendy does feel that there is something fishy about everything that has been happening around her, and decides to stop taking the pills, as he had advised. When she is attacked after leaving her shift, she discovers that she has some special powers, and uses them to get rid of the attackers with ease. Her colleague Elmar Mund (Tim Oliver Schultz) notices some of her skills, and as he also has similar powers, they have to work together to find the secret behind these superpowers – it seems that the government has been watching them, and there is more to it than what meets the eye. There could be a vast conspiracy behind all of these, and getting to the bottom of it would require more than one or two superpowers. Is Wendy good enough to live up to the new powerful lady reputation that she has gained, or will some sinister forces have the upper hand? What role does the other people with superpowers have to play, and why is the government so much interested in this?

The defence of Freaks :: Freaks acts as an origin story for a superhero franchise, like Gundala did in Indonesian, and it seems that there is a lot of scope in that. This movie does build up very nicely with that, and the first few moments are really good at doing the same. The music is really good here, and there is something beautiful about the same too. It could really support the superhero stuff when its at full strength with a sequel. The setting is also good, and very much suitable for the superhero stuff here, and there are some beautiful shots too support the same too. There is also some fine humour being added here, and this feels like something nicely managed with less special effects and graphics. New superhero movies are always welcome, and this one has an ending which calls for some more films to follow in a possible long franchise. The world has always been in need of its superheroes, and you even got Shazam! earlier and accepted the same.

The claws of flaw :: Freaks could have actually been more divergent, and there could have been the idea of bringing more variety to the superheroes. You do feel that you have seen this before, as you are aware of so many superheroes. There are similarities to Split and Glass which we can easily recollect, as superhero powers are suppressed, and the existence of such heroes are also not brought to light. There could have been some innovation in that, as going by the usual path seemed rather unnecessary. A few things are also too direct with this one, and even for an origins story, there is a certain amount of predictability being drawn here. The few moments before the climax are not that effective either, and one does wonder if this could have been better there. Some other superpowers could have also been unleashed here, along with more action. When so many of similar films have already been done, this one should have come up with the divergent ingredient, for it was also immensely possible – you learn from what you already have.

Performers of the soul :: Cornelia Groschel leads the way in the movie, as she does in the poster, and that is done really well. She is very good from the beginning, and her transformation is also worth it. She would make a fine superhero in a costume, and can come up with some fights if there is a sequel for this one – Freaks didn’t have that much of action to boast about. She could have surely used some of it though. At the same time, Tim Oliver Schultz does make a fine villain in the making, and if there is a sequel, that could serve his character really well, as changes to the same possible supervillain can be seen from a distance too. Wotan Wilke Mohring does some solid work as the experienced superhero, or metahuman as often referred to. Nina Kunzendorf plays the usual human antagonist going against humans with ease, and there are moments for her to be remembered too. The rest are lesser characters, even though we know that some of them are going to be very much relevant for a sequel, if there is one.

How it finishes :: It hasn’t been easy to find the best German movies, unlike the case with Spanish, French and Korean which were recommended by so many people. Movies of the Soul has had only three German movie reviews before this, the full-length Kidnapping Stella and Breakdown Forest, as well as the short film named AUFDRUCK. Freaks is a fine addition to that list, and is very much fun to watch. You don’t always need your Avengers and Justice League teams, for you can stick to the lesser ones which are also interesting enough. We have had our mutants, the X-Men who were too good. We can surely have more, and even though those from Bollywood have kept disappointing us, the others won’t. Freaks will serve as an example of the same. We could have superhero movies in all languages, for so much of budget is often not necessary – with Tovino Thomas starrer Minnal Murali also coming to Netflix, the Malayalam movie industry will not be that far away from the genre either.

Release date: 2nd September 2020
Running time: 92 minutes
Directed by: Felix Binder
Starring: Cornelia Groschel, Tim Oliver Schultz, Nina Kunzendor, Gisa Flake, Wotan Wilke Mohring, Frederic Linkemann, Finnlay Berger, Thelma Buabeng, Ralph Herforth

<— Click here to go to the previous review.

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.