“Sonic the Hedgehog” Movie Review

    Growing up in the 1980s, we had no idea how fast technology would evolve.  We thought things couldn’t advance past the current standards we had, how could it?  We were young and naive but that nativity played right into the hands of video game developers.  Nintendo and Sega both introduced systems which would revolutionize the home entertainment market and create a new generation of video game zombies in the wake of Atari’s former dominance.  We had so many options for consoles and all the choices came with their own benefits.  Nintendo/Super Nintendo had the Mario franchise and the Sega Genesis had the Sonic franchise.  Due to their cost at the time, most of us kids had to choose which console we got, if we were even so lucky to get one.  It wasn’t an easy choice but most of us had to make it.  My brother and I ended up sharing a system and we ended up settling on the Sega Genesis primarily because of the Sonic games.  As a result, I was naturally curious about the film.

    The movie follows Sonic the Hedgehog as he grows up in a small town called Green Hills and lives in hiding.  One day after an accidental power outage caused by Sonic, the government sends a team led by Doctor Robotnik to investigate the cause of the incident.  After accidentally shooting Sonic with a tranquilizer, Sheriff Tom Wachowski agrees to help Sonic locate the rings he lost to escape this world after Doctor Robotnik becomes aware of him.  Doctor Robotnik will stop at nothing to capture and study Sonic however, even if it means killing him to do so.

    This movie is surprisingly good considering everything it had going against it before it’s release.  Films based on video game franchises are typically notoriously bad (although I do admit to finding several of them, including “Super Mario Bros.”, entertaining in their own right).  “Sonic the Hedgehog” is a legitimately good movie though.  It is simple and knows it audience is primarily made up of kids and families.  It doesn’t try to be edgy or risqué, the film just has fun with it’s characters and it works.

    A great deal of the success of this film comes from the strength of Jim Carrey’s performance as Doctor Robotnik.  Carrey is weird, creepy and just a plain jerk which makes it easy for the audience to root against him.  Carrey also hams it up in ways he hasn’t done for years and he seems to have a good time doing so.  I am not the biggest Jim Carrey fan, but he delivers in this role.  James Marsden is also charming as usual as Sheriff Tom Wachowski.  Having co-starred in huge hits like “X-Men”, “Enchanted”, “Westworld”, and “Superman Returns”, Marsden takes on the co-lead with ease and proves once again he remains one of the most under appreciated talents of his generation.  Lastly, Ben Schwarz of “Parks and Recreation” fame voices Sonic and does a stellar job bringing the blue hedgehog to life.

    I would like to take a minute and praise Paramount Pictures for their actions regarding this film.  When the first trailer for this film was released, the design for Sonic was universally panned by fans of the Sonic franchise.  Instead of attacking the fanbase (like Sony decided to do when it’s “Ghostbusters” trailer was universally disliked), Paramount wisely decided to listen to the constructive criticism and changed the design of Sonic.  This cost the studio money and they had to delay the film, but it also helped build good faith with the fanbase and as a result, “Sonic the Hedgehog” now has the highest opening  weekend for a film based on a video game of all time, besting even “Pokémon: Detective Pikachu”.

    It certainly didn’t hurt the film that so many things behind the camera worked as well.  I really enjoyed the music and hearing musical nods from the video game was special to me.  The production design overall was amazing.  Also, despite the major overall on Sonic’s design, the special effects were actually far better than I thought they would end up being considering the animators time crunch.

    At the end of the day, every film is subjective but in my opinion, this was a very solid family film.  It amazes me that Sonic has managed to stay relevant even after nearly thirty years after his debut.  Make sure you stay after the film ends for a post credit surprise.

Grade: B

"Man of Steel" Movie Review

    I remember seeing the first trailer for “Man of Steel” attached to “The Dark Knight Rises” and the preview sent chills down my spine.  I am a huge Superman fan and seeing the names Zack Snyder and Christopher Nolan attached to the project brought me much hope and delight.  When the film came out, I remember thinking Warner Bros and DC had a hit on their hands because it had everything the critics complained about “Superman Returns” lacking, namely a fresh more realistic take and more action.  I was extremely surprised at the time to see the same critics also panning “Man of Steel” for delivering exactly what they wanted.  After the dust settled, “Superman Returns” ended up getting better critical reviews than “Man of Steel”, although “Man of Steel” did manage to do slightly better at the box office.

    “Man of Steel” proved to also be just as divisive among fans.  It seems like some people wanted a more classic take on the character while others were extremely happy with the vision Zack Snyder had for the film.  I very much enjoyed both “Superman Returns” and “Man of Steel” but after awhile, it became more and more clear that Bryan Singer wasn’t going to be allowed to make a sequel to “Superman Returns”.  The studio wanted a reboot and they hired Zack Snyder, hot off of “300” and “Watchmen”, to direct the film while “The Dark Knight” director Christopher Nolan would act as a sort of figurehead to the film.

    The film tells the story of Kal-El/Clark Kent and his journey to becoming Superman once again.  The film opens on Krypton with Jor-El sending his son Kal-El to Earth in order to escape the planet’s destruction.  As Kal-El is sent into space, General Zod’s rebellion on Krypton is stopped with the help of Jor-El and General Zod is sent to The Phantom Zone.  When Kal-El arrives on Earth, he is adopted by Jonathan and Martha Kent who name him Clark.  Clark Kent grows up with amazing powers and soon realizes he is more than a typical man, he is a Superman!  Just as Clark starts to feel comfortable with new powers, General Zod arrives on Earth having escaped the Phantom Zone with one goal, start a New Krypton on top of the ashes of the Earth.  Only Superman can stop him!

    At the time it seemed like a wise decision to launch the DC Extended Universe with it’s oldest flagship character, the last son of Krypton himself, Superman.  I think making General Zod the main antagonist of the film was wise due to his ties to Krypton.

    As far as casting goes, this remake took a cue from the Richard Donner “Superman” movies and cast Hollywood heavyweights around a lesser known lead.  Henry Cavill steps into the role which Christopher Reeve and Brandon Routh had played before him.  Cavill was a fan favorite for the role and was almost cast years before when McG was still set to helm what would become “Superman Returns”.  Cavill is a capable Superman but can be wooden at times as Clark Kent.  Kevin Costner and Diane Lane play Jonathan and Martha Kent with the weight you would expect from two iconic performers.  Michael Shannon plays a creepier and more menacing version of General Zod than seen before.  Still, I have to say I personally prefer Terence Stamp’s quiet nobility as the evil Zod in the original Donner films.  Amy Adams doesn’t hurt the film as Lois Lane but doesn’t vastly enhance it either.  Rounding out the main cast is Russell Crowe as Jor-El and Crowe is one of my favorite performers in this movie.

    Now, aside from the visuals, one of the most memorable aspects of the Superman movies was always John Williams fantastic score.  Everyone and their mother knows the main Superman theme so when I found out that Snyder wasn’t using the theme, I was a little angry.  Imagine my surprise when I hear the theme Hans Zimmer delivers and I really love that score as well.

    Looking back, I personally feel like “Man of Steel” was a fantastic start to the DCEU that hit a snag when all the critics decided to unfairly dump on it.  It told a solo Superman story well while including Easter eggs setting up future movies and characters without being in your face.  I guess every film is truly subjective though, with this film continuing to divide critics and the fan base.  Count me as someone who was all aboard for future DC films.

Grade: A-

"Superman Returns" Movie Review

    After Christopher Reeve was tragically left paralyzed following a horse riding mishap, it seemed like Warner Bros. could only remake a film version of Superman.  Indeed, plans for a remake were in various stages for a number of years at Warner Bros. with everyone from Tim Burton to McG to J.J. Abrams attached at various stages of development.  It wasn’t until Bryan Singer took the director’s chair that things finally started seeing progress.  Singer was fresh off of two highly successful X-Men films and sought to reintroduce Superman to the world.

    “Superman Returns” follows the events of the first two Superman films while ignoring what transpired in the last two Reeve Superman films.  Erasing only two films from continuity while still acting as a sequel to the first two films proved to be a confusing and needlessly confusing move.

    The plot was simple enough, acting as a character piece with some romance and a little action sprinkled in.  Superman had left the Earth before the events of this film to search for any remaining life from Krypton.  Upon returning to Earth, Superman has to find his place in a world that has moved on without him.  While trying to find purpose, Superman must stop a new real estate scam from Lex Luther that could kill numerous people.

    “Superman Returns” serves as Singer’s love letter to the Richard Donner and Christopher Reeve Superman films.  Unfortunately, the Donner Superman films balanced the humor, action, and romance better.  Donner’s Superman film was set up into a three act play with act one taking place on Krypton, act two taking place in Smallville, while the final act takes place in Metropolis.  Singer’s Superman film is a little more all over the place.  It is also about thirty minutes too long which definitely effects it’s pacing.

    Now, this isn’t to say the film is bad, it is still a pretty darn good movie.  It’s just it could have been a masterpiece with a few tweaks.  The easiest move for the movie would have been to add a few more action pieces.  The few action scenes that Singer filmed will leave you dropping your jaw.  The airplane rescue scene is beyond amazing.

    As far as the cast goes, Brandon Routh makes for a fantastic Superman.  He really embodies the big blue boy scout of the comics.  I would say that I personally preferred the performance of Routh over Henry Cavill.  Kate Bosworth added little as Lois Lane and makes you long for Margot Kidder.  Now, for the elephant in the room, Kevin Spacey as Lex Luthor.  If you can divorce yourself from all the gossip and all the terrible allegations surrounding Kevin Spacey, I thought his performance was fantastic.  Out of all the actors to have played Lex Luthor on the big screen, Spacey is my favorite.  The film also uses archive footage of Marlon Brando as Jor-El.  Seeing Brando once again added a sense of continuity to the film.

    Speaking of elephants in the room, Bryan Singer did an amazing job directing this film.  Yes, there are flaws and the film needed some of the filler trimmed, but the visuals are incredible and the character study of Superman was an interesting approach.

    It’s a shame that “Superman Returns” didn’t receive a sequel because it could be argued that this film was as good or better than the Zack Snyder remake “Man of Steel”.  The film isn’t perfect but deserves to be seen by true comic book fans.

Grade: B+

“Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” Movie Review

    I don’t think I am the only person to have been extremely excited for seeing “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice”.  We were all excited to see a “Man of Steel” sequel, a new Batman film, an adaptation of Frank Miller’s “The Dark Knight Returns”, and a prelude film to “Justice League” all rolled into one film and it actually looked liked it would work.  Then the final trailer was released and it became clear that “The Death of Superman” storyline was also going to be included.  That seemed like it might be too much.  It turns out, it was too much.  Which isn’t to say the movie was terrible.  In fact, it was better than it had any right to be.  It is just sad that after watching the movie, you knew there was a masterpiece in there somewhere with a few tweaks and changes.

    “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” starts off extremely strong, showing the destruction of Metropolis during the events of “Man of Steel” from Bruce Wayne’s point of view.  It is extremely effective showing how helpless a regular person would feel watching two super humans slog it out.  It showed the human cost of the destruction which was a complaint a lot of people had in regards to “Man of Steel”.  Nothing that follows this scene is quite as effective as that opening scene.

    Director Zack Snyder made many interesting casting choices for the film and I believe for the most part, they paid off.  Returning star Henry Cavill fits the Superman suit perfectly although he doesn’t completely fill the boots left by the great Christopher Reeve.  I would actually make the argument that Brandon Routh brought a little more of the spirit of his comic book counterpart in "Superman Returns" than Cavill brings to the role in this film.  That being said, Henry Cavill does seem to be growing into the role and he seems more comfortable and confident than he did in "Man of Steel" (which fits the character development of the films perfectly).  Most importantly, Cavill looks like Superman, which is extremely important to such an iconic character.  Amy Adams also returns but isn't given a lot to do which is a shame because she is a very gifted performer.

    Among the many new additions to the cast is Ben Affleck, who shines as the DCEU's new caped crusader, Batman.  Ben Affleck had some big boots to fill himself.  Christian Bale had just come off the highly popular Dark Knight trilogy and it was hard to picture someone else in the role.  Affleck was the perfect choice and played off of Cavill well.  Part of what makes Affleck's performance so great is the fact that he plays both Bruce Wayne and Batman so well.  It's not easier basically playing two different characters yet he pulled it off.  Also joining the cast to great success was Gal Gadot.  Though she wasn't in the film long, her performance as Diana Prince/Wonder Woman was a highlight and made me excited to see her in "Wonder Woman" and "Justice League".
    Now, I will discuss a casting choice which didn't completely work, Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor.  Let me start by saying I did not hate his portrayal but I also felt like a different interpretation of the character would have fit the film better.  For the tone of that film, I pictured someone more like the "Superman: The Animated Series" Lex Luthor.  I didn't hate the casting choice but I think another actor would have brought something more interesting to the role.
    I can't talk about the film without going into it's script.  The DCEU decided to go in a darker and more adult direction with this film.  I didn't mind this vision but a lot of fans feel like the character of Superman should be in a lighter film because the character is a beacon of hope.   I don't think the character has to be in a lighter film for him to work but a lot of people disagree and it is important to note that for this review.  I am just one person with one opinion.  The main problem with the script is that it was stuffed way too full.  I love the characters of Batman, Wonder Woman, Lex Luthor, and Doomsday; but they are a lot to cram into a film which is basically acting as "Man of Steel 2".  It just made an already full film overly complex and hard to follow the villain's motivations.
    On a final note, I can't talk about the film without ignoring the "Martha" scene which is now a popular meme and was laughed at when the film was released.  I am in the minority here but I actually liked the concept of the scene.  I like the idea of Superman and Batman boding over something as simple as their shared love of their mother.  That being said, the idea should not have been explored as a way to end a fight scene.  I think that was the main problem with the idea.  If someone is ready to kill you and ignores a ton of other good reasons to spare you, a shared mother's name likely isn't going to do the trick.  I did like the idea of the scene though and I wish it was explored differently.
    I guess it depends on how you want to look at films in general.  There is plenty to love with this film and it is easy to gloss over the negative aspects.  It is also easy to nitpick all the things wrong with the movie and let it sour your overall experience.  I am not one of the people and I very much enjoyed the film even being aware of it's failings.  I just hope it is remembered in a more positive light in the future.  Only time, or possibly someone with x-ray vision, will tell.

Grade: B

"Superman II" Movie Review

    There are not many examples of sequels being as good or better than their predecessors, especially when the first movie is widely considered a masterpiece.  I can't imagine how anyone could have pictured a movie surpassing the brilliance that was Richard Donner's "Superman: The Movie" upon it's release.  "Superman II" may not be the game changer that the first movie was but it might just be more fun.  When you are talking about summer popcorn films, fun is a very important factor.
    "Superman II" takes place right after the first film and sees the Kryptonian criminals General Zod, Ursa, and Non released from the Phantom Zone and coming to Earth.  Superman is doing his usual big blue boy scout good deeds when Lois Lane figures out that he and Clark Kent are in fact one in the same.  Clark Kent/Superman admits to Lois the truth and the two spend a romantic afternoon in the Fortress of Solitude.  Clark is unaware that General Zod has arrived on Earth as he sacrifices his powers to be with Lois Lane.  General Zod teams up with Lex Luthor in a plot to take over the world as a now mortal Clark Kent realizes he now has to make a choice.  Clark Kent can stay human and let General Zod take control of the world or risk his newly mortal life in an effort to try and restore his powers in an attempt to stop General Zod and his lieutenants.
    The project was unusual as it was originally partly filmed by Richard Donner.  Donner started filming "Superman II" while he filmed "Superman: The Movie" making it one of the first productions to be ambitious enough to film more than one movie back to back.  Richard Donner had filmed roughly 75% of the film when he got into heated arguments with the producers.  Donner agreed to stop the remaining work on the sequel and instead completely focus on finishing the first film.  After the first film was finished and released, Donner was fired from the sequel by the producers and did not get a chance to finish work on his film until his version of the film was released in conjunction with "Superman Returns".  Richard Lester was hired to finish the film but Donner's firing caused problems with the already troubled production.  To receive sole directing billing, Lester had to refilm a majority of scenes already filmed by Donner and had to reshape the beginning and ending of the movie.  Adding to the problems, actors such as Gene Hackman refused to return for reshots upon hearing of Richard Donner's departure so stand ins had to be used for a few scenes.
    Despite all the problems the film faced, it actually somehow turned out okay.  One could argue that most of the spirit of Richard Donner's original take on the sequel remained since he provided a blueprint for Lester and many of Donner's scene still remained in the film.  Basically Richard Lester was brought in to finish and polish an already solid sequel.  Now, I may seem critical of Lester but he did contribute a lot to the film's lighter tone and humor.  While it got a little hammy in a few parts, the humor worked for the most part in the film.
    It was also nice to see a movie in which Superman could cut loose and showcase his powers.  This film gave Superman an equal in General Zod and allowed him to throw a punch and fight.  While seeing a man fly was a marvel in itself, seeing a man have to handle someone with the same powers was pure ecstasy.
    The cast once again was at top form.  Christopher Reeve once again embodied Superman with a purity rarely conveyed by most actors.  The chemistry he shared with Margot Kidder was rewarded with tender moments in this film.  Both Kidder and Reeve shine as a couple and only serve to enhance each other as performers.  Gene Hackman was at his slimy best as Lex Luthor as Lex tried negotiating for land with General Zod.  Lastly, Terence Stamp absolutely shined as the evil General Zod.  Who could ever forget Stamp's delivery of "Kneel before Zod"?
    "Superman II" is the rare film that shouldn't have worked yet somehow did.  It remains one of the best comic book movies ever made and despite some of the more outlandish fashion showcased in the film, still stands the test of time.  What more could you ask for in a superhero film?

Grade: A-