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On Zack Snyder’s Justice League

Snyder’s return merely reshuffled and added stuff from the cutting room floor to make the many subplots more intelligible and up the wow factor.

By Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)

Spoiler Alert

Fans of Zack Snyder‘s DC Universe are not likely to see his set of films completed. He told Vanity Fair his vision and all we can do is sigh and start the #restorethesnyderverse movement. After years of campaigning, reshoots and post-production madness, a new cut of Justice League still has fans divided. The good: the story makes much more sense and the heroes–namely Cyborg (Ray Fisher)–have a role to play. The bad: the setup for the finale won’t see fruition when considering all the politics involved to get this expanded takes finessed for all to view.

This version sets up the coming of Darkseid proper and does not shy away from showing us how bad he can be. They look more like creations from Michael Bay’s imagination, and I doubt there’s a cinematic villain who can rival Ming the Merciless’ fashion sense from Flash Gordon!

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All Eyes are on Superman & Lois

It’s hard to say where this new series fits in the Arrowverse since the Crisis of Infinite Earths crossover event. I suspect it has to be before the alternative dimensions merged.

Superman and Lois By Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)

Thankfully, Superman & Lois‘ entry into the Arrowverse is a departure from all the other DCEU television shows. When most of these programs are dealing with superheroic adventures of the title character to save the Earth (or someone) from a villain of the week, this take has a different focus. These parents have to teach their values to the next generation!

The world found here continues with Tyler Hoechlin playing Clark Kent. I still have trepidation whenever he’s in Kal-El mode. He’s certainly gained some mass since appearing in Supergirl, but the look doesn’t work. Part of the reason is that his hair is too slicked back. Over the years after Reeve took on the role in cinemas, finding the ideal actor who can fill in the suit (after his passing) has been tough. Brandon Routh’s swagger makes playing Supes easy and he easily channels the awkwardness of being a Clark that Christopher made famous.

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Back to the Past with Wonder Woman 1984 and the Future of the DCEU

Diana’s role as a curator or director of antiquities in all the films she’s been in suggests she’s an Indiana Jones type figure. I’m game with seeing sequels about her adventures to rescue lost artifacts like the Dreamstone and continue to deal with tricksters wanting to keep them in play to ruin humanity.

By Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)

Limited Release
Please check local listings for theatres screening near you

Wonder Woman is a heroine for all ages, and Gal Gadot is embracing the character lock, stock and barrel. In the comics, she represents the independent woman. The first film gave us hints of where she came from, and this sequel continues down a similar path.

The prologue is set back in the island paradise of Themyscira and teaches the very young Diana Prince (Lilly Aspell) an important virtue–you can’t take shortcuts to get ahead. Perhaps including being careful in what you wish for should be added too. The rest of the film attempts to explore the latter in Max Lord (Pedro Pascal), a business executive with less than stellar credentials. He wants a high life. The fact someone loved him enough, and they had a son suggests he was truly happy once. But he’s a single parent, and I’m curious why he isn’t with his kid more. The picture isn’t complete. Just why he is interested in ancient artifacts is not made clear either.

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On Where DC’s Stargirl Sparkles

A lot of questions are raised in the premiere episode of Stargirl which had a bit of an Iron Giant vibe.

DC’s Stargirl has the golly gee feel of classic Americana, and I can’t wait to see the mecha S.T.R.I.P.E. in action! In this latest live action superhero treatment, high school student Courtney Whitmore (Brec Bassinger) has a lot to learn about her past. Her biological dad went missing and she’s the next in line to carry his badge of honour. Pat Dugan (Luke Wilson) is part of this mystery, and when he becomes her stepdad some time later, that can either lead to problems or he has a secret agenda.

Technically, the story is set in the modern day in Blue Valley, Kansas. It’s as laid back as it can be, more reminiscent of the bygone era when we had radios belting out the tunes than smartphones.

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An Apokolips War is Here in Justice League Dark

Justice League Dark is much more fun when trying to figure out how some character arcs are finally wrapped up.

Justice League Dark: Apokolips War (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital) — Available to purchase on Amazon USA

The six-year animated journey that began with Justice League in 2014 is headed towards a war with Justice League Dark, Apokolips War. However, jumping in to this last film in this DC Animated universe story arc may have a few viewers confused if they have not been keeping tabs on all the films released in between. Flashpoint is very important in the grand scheme of things.

To say which battle is better, Infinity or Apokolips since comparisons are the fuel for nerd arguments has me believing Darkseid is far more powerful. The swing of Thor, hence causing that version of the story to head in the direction that it did. Going back in time or visiting the Lazarus Pit are two methods to bring back the dead.
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On X-Men: Dark Phoenix and Tales of Future Past

Superman and Lois

By Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)

Writer-Director Simon Kinberg redeemed himself from his involvement in the lamented X-Men: The Last Stand, the third chapter of the saga about mutants just looking for a place to belong in modern human society. This subtext has been running throughout the films and it’s been explored in the past films to varying degrees of success.

His film, The Dark Phoenix, gets a treatment that is not too out there and it works without having to resort to sending the mutants to the moon.

When I have seen all the movies to date and followed the saga of the Phoenix up till the mid-90s (Excalibur, Series one), I had specific expectations in mind. While Kinberg’s work lightly touches upon a few things coming full circle, I suspect The New Mutants will have to provide some answers about the human and mutant relationship before Marvel Entertainment rewrites the mutant chapter for Phase Five of their narrative plan.

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