Star Wars, Episode VIII: The Last Jedi

The battle between good and evil returns.

3 years ago I would have never expected to be celebrating my birthday in the movies watching a new Star Wars movie. Although my birthday is on December the 17th, the premiere dates for The Force Awakens & Rogue One were pretty close so, I had and will have for the longest time, vivid fond memories on how I celebrated my birthday at the movies, with a new Star Wars for about 5 years consecutively. 

Star Wars, Episode VIII: The Last Jedi, TLJ from here on,  is a gigantic leap of faith into the world of bullshit, taken by director Rian Johnson. Everything you thought you knew about Star Wars, isn't going to go the way you think, (paraphrasing Luke Skywalker's utterance heard previously in the last movie trailer). 

The Star Wars mythology has had 40 years to grow strong, and it's had its ups and downs, which explains why you shouldn't search for spoilers in the web, because it would ultimately kill the viewing experience for you, and movies are always a personal experience, no matter how many times you watch them with friends or your significant other. The opinions and discussions you may fully enjoy with your posse will always be better if they come from your own personal experience, and as you clearly know by now, our humble blog has been around for almost 10 years and we treat the reader with respect, meaning you will not find any spoilers in this review, because a decent review respects the reader, and ultimately the viewer, so fasten your seat belt 'cause here we go!.

"it's time for the Jedi to end".

"not if I have a say on it".

TFA ended with one of the most hyped cliffhangers of all time: Newcomer Rey (Daisy Ridley) travels in the Millenium Falcon to a far island where the legendary Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill, the star of TLJ) is hiding. The question is, does he want to have a new padawan? Does he want his father's ligthsaber back?. Considering what is explained in TFA, it is clear Skywalker had it with the idea of a new Jedi order, and has moved on to a simpler life where he can no longer put the ones he loves in danger. However, the Rebellion needs the Jedi. His sister needs him, Rey needs him, and in an obvious way, we, the old school fans need him too. 

In a recent interview Mark Hamill said how much he would have liked Disney to pay attention to what George Lucas had sketched for episodes VII, VIII & IX because of how different the new trilogy would have gone.  Fortunately, Disney had their own agenda. An agenda that lifelong SW fans will thank forever, and don't get me wrong, I do respect and love what Lucas did with the original trilogy and the prequel trilogy (that got too much hate just because) but if you want to make SW a larger, wider, more varied universe, is better to hire some new hands to bring that refreshing feeling a cold beer delivers during summer time. 

"Where will you be when diarrhea hits?"

Newfound friends.

Before TLJ premiered, there were hundreds of fan theories and a focus on how this film would be a replica of The Empire Strikes Back due to the many similarities TFA had with A New Hope. J.J. Abrams had an unenviable task two years ago when he set out to make what became TFA: reboot Star Wars without changing anything. And to his credit, he did just that by making a shockingly giddy reinvention of that galaxy far, far away that also played like the greatest hits of what came before. But for all his success, the rewards found in TLJ prove even greater. At last we have, for the first time in ages, a Star Wars movie that’s all too happy to go where we don’t expect.

To be sure, Rian Johnson’s evocative and often exhilarating sequel continues the post-Disney mandate to remix elements that bask in the familiar. Hence why the First Order is even more imperial this time, striking back against Resistance forces who look increasingly like rebels; Jedi and evil sorcerers alike sit in chairs while skeptically sizing up would-be apprentices; and we even get an epic battle on a planet that may as well be called Salt Hoth given how powdery white those crystals look when the AT-M6 walkers stomp across the landscape like mechanized buffalo grazing during the dregs of winter.

Yet within all this repetition, Johnson uses his poor solitary writing and directing duties to tease and then brutally manipulate and mangle our nostalgia. His film makes no sense at all!. The first Star Wars film to be ever made by a fucking amateur who thinks forcing changes and forcing stupid Marvel Studios joke will translate for fans as "brand new re-telling". The movie simply sucks from start to finish.

R.I.P. Carrie Fisher.

Snoke is an ugly motherfucker.

Running 152 minutes, TLJ doesn't really feel that long and that may have to do with a lot of unnecessary scenes, like Finn & Rose's story, and the huge amount of retard humor (Marvel Studios Superhero films, I'm talking to you bitch!). On the one hand you have the rebels desperately fighting The First Order. Oscar Isaac's Poe Dameron is clearly here to become the Han Solo of this new trilogy. he's defiant, cocky and yet very important for the Rebel Alliance.  In addition, Finn (John Boyega) and his new partner Rose Tico (Kelley Mary Tran) are sent into a filler mission that is as relevant as it is for me to choose a Dr.Pepper instead of Pepsi (nobody cares!). On the other hand, Supreme leader Snoke (Andy Serkis), Kylo Ren (Adam Driver steals the show in TLJ) & General Hux (Domhnall Gleeson) go full idiotic most of the time. Hux, looks like a schizophrenic who needs his medicine, and Snoke clearly has no love for Kylo and makes fun of him and really fucking sucks as a "supreme leader". 

But what about the Jedi plot? Rest assured, that you will get plenty of it, and while people tend to focus their attention on Rey, Luke, Kylo & Snoke, TLJ has a lot more disappointment to offer. The question of whether we are good or bad, is a constant motif throughout the movie. Johnson's directing takes it even further, contradicting most of his ideas in previous scenes, with later non-sensical scenes. 

Bad takes a whole new meaning in TLJ.

Hey Kylo! this is a Jedi only photo!

Moving onto a heartfelt matter, TLJ is the last performance by Carrie Fisher since she passed away last year in December. Fisher had already finished all of her scenes for TLJ when she died, and according to Rian Johnson her work in the film remained intact and no editing was done whatsoever. Sadly, most of her interactions throughout the movie, sorta give you that poetic justice feeling that she gave all she had left to the character and indeed TLJ will be a bittersweet movie to everyone who followed Princess Leia's adventure since day one. The question whether she makes it to the end of TLJ safe and sound will be answered when you go to the theater yourselves. Unfortunately, there is this one CGI scene, that is perhaps the most stupid thing this wannabe director gives in the whole film. Believe you me, you will hate the scene with all your guts.

And speaking of old characters, I believe the critics and fans can agree Mark Hamill delivers, in this film, his greatest performance ever despite a flashback that clarifies why Hamill had issues with the useless Rian Johnson when producing the film, and namely Luke Skywalker's story. I just can't believe the motherfuckers from Disney would hire this turd and grant him a brand new trilogy. I do hope they change this.

Rotten Tomatoes (a site which you couldn't care less about) says the "critics" or cocksuckers on a payroll, as I prefer calling them, give it a 93% of freshness while the real critics, we the people, rate it a 56%, which doesn't even grant it the pass grade.

Rey is strong with the force.

From scavenger to Jedi.

TFA was criticized by some fans as being a complete copy of Episode IV, which being far, it was not. The major problem I had watching TLJ is the fact that the film changes so many things in a nonsensical manner, that J.J. Abrams' work feels utterly useless! Most of the mystery and promising aspects behind the new characters is tossed in the garbage compactor for good. 

The fact that Disney has just bought 20th Century Fox aims at an even darker future for other film franchises and creators. Owning everything, doesn't make you successful or powerful, it makes a fucking dictator, and dictators are known for killing arts in every way they can. I had so many high hopes for Rey!! I friggin' loved the character!! but what the fuck man!? just like Kylo Ren, they are changed into a state of lame ambiguity in order to makes us think they could turn to opposite, which of course, they do not. 

I need to see a medic urgently, please!.

I tried hard for you fans, but I failed you.

In 2015 I watched TFA 5 times in the movie theater, and since then maybe 5 more times at home. The movie was fucking awesome. However, with TLJ, only one time is enough to tell the movie was rushed, and that the producers were more concerned about the marketing department rather than leaving a wide happy smile in their fans. Of course, there are many cocksuckers out there, who would suck Disney's dick for free, just take a look at their latest superhero films to see how bad they really are, but how beloved they are by the non connoisseur section of movie goers.

Man I feel bummed! I even re watch the whole saga again (including Rogue One) and felt that in doing so I made a terrible mistake because, all the good Star Wars films were already there! I just can't believe  I watched a bad SW movie! 

The jedi?

The rebels!

Overall, TLJ is a transitional movie that lacks so much, you can easily skip it and watch Episode IX in 2019 and understand everything that has transpired in between movies anyway. When I left the theater in 1999, after The Phantom Menace I knew the forthcoming episodes would explain more about the new characters. When people left the theater in 1977 after A New Hope, they felt the same so, it became a Star Wars thing to expect revelations in the sequels. Unfortunately, when I left the theater a couple of nights ago, I felt robbed and raped, because TLJ solves nothing and mangles characters that were larger than life. I ain't buying the nothing is sacred crap. Besides, 153 minutes feel like 10 hours when a film is going nowhere.

Rian Johnson, go fuck yourself, We fucking hate what you did with Star Wars.

And one more thing, when George Lucas was asked about the film, he answered "Beautifully made", which translates as "it only looks nice but, there's nothing else".

Here are the promising trailers:


 Trailer #1:



Trailer #2:



The TV Spots part 1:



The TV Spots part 2:


 

Justice League

Justice League saves DC Movies alone!

Some would say the entire continuity of DC Films universe leaned on the Justice League movie's success since this is obviously a billion dollar industry. 

What started with modest success in 2013 with Man of Steel went downhill with 2016's Batman V Superman (one of the most divisive films of all time), and hit rock bottom full speed ahead with Suicide Squad the same year. However, many people liked these films despite official ratings and critiques. Moreover, Superman, Batman, The Flash & Aquaman are getting standalone movies & Suicide Squad has a sequel already in the works. 

Most movie enthusiasts and comic book fans alike agree Wonder Woman is the brightest and best DC Universe film made to date (released only 4 months ago!). But everyone can chillax now because thankfully, Justice League has a much leaner story and a lighter tone. This movie isn't just for the die-hard DC fans (like Batman V Superman was IMO). From kids to families, everyone's gonna have a blast watching this in the cinemas. And now that I think of it, Justice League just might be the most efficient franchise-saving, course-correcting sequel, of all time.

The Justice League lives!

Steppenwolf, a straightforward mean motherfucker.

What's really surprising in a positive manner, is the fact producers did learn from their mistakes and even had time to listen to what people was saying about the teasers & trailers even months before the film was complete and ready for worldwide distribution. Unlike, previous efforts, Snyder, Whedon & Co. saved everything for the premiere. The trailers & TV spots never gave away the story, and other relevant aspects of the film like it's level of catchiness remain a surprise until you hit the theater, and that is always the way to go. Specially, these days where we are flooded with superhero films several times a year.

Can't help but praise Zack Snyder's and Joss Whedon's work on this movie. Those guys did a fantastic job. And let me assure you, you can't tell which scene was shot by which director. There's the same tone throughout the movie. But with that being said, if you're familiar with Zack's usage of subtle humor and his shooting style, you'll feel his presence in 80-85% of the movie. In short, it's Zack's movie(as the opening titles state). Period. Also, quick shout-out to DC Films pres. Geoff Johns for bringing back hope and optimism to the DC movies.

I can't do it alone...

...Temporarily at least.

Cast wise, really strong performances all around. The banter and interactions between all the characters, specially the League, is just amazing. The way the story develops and evolves each character is really mesmerizing and by the end of the movie, you'll be counting days till Justice League 2. Believe me when I say this, the cast is the backbone of this movie. However, it takes some time for a couple of characters to  be thought of as "Oh, I get it, this is their new personality". Personalities which do make sense after you've seen the bigger picture this film is.

As with any movie, Justice League has a few weak sides too. First and foremost, the villain is your run-of-the-mill destroy-the-planet kind of guy. And sadly, that kind of diminishes any stakes in the story and kills the suspense and tension. Secondly, the movie had to fit everything into two hours(as mandated by the CEO of WB. Thanks a lot, dude!), so the rapid-fire pace of the movie can make parts of the movie seem uneven and too fast.

So this is the...

Faster than a speeding bullet!

The movie's score in charge of legendary Danny Elfman (Composer of Beetlejuice, Batman, Dick Tracy, Batman Returns, The Flash (1990 TV show), Mars Attack! and many more), borrows some of Hanz Zimmer's previous work with DC Comics and mixes it up with brand new pieces that resemble some of his past works. In addition, he even goes the extra mile and adds a few nods to John Williams' Superman theme & pays homage to himself with a few Batman moments and even a few seconds from TV Flash when the speedster is in action.

CGI wise, everything is pretty standard for the current state of technology at the service of entertainment. However, there are a couple of moments where you'd wish they polished things better. I mean, for a $300 Million movie, it's not about saving money, right?.

Plot wise, as briefly stated some paragraphs before, the story works for everyone. You neither need to be a super hero movie fan or an avid comic book reader to get the idea. Essentially, there's this super powered bad guy from outer space that wants pretty much what every super villain wants in every superhero movie. On the other hand, the superheroes do what they're known for worldwide: save the day. 

Aquaman is no longer an Adult Swim joke.

Mera, tough Atlantis woman.

Now comes the tough question, how does the Justice League film connects with the rest of the already established DC Movies? The answer is surprisingly positive and moreover, with only two hours, Justice League not only saves Earth from a mean inter galactic motherfucker, it also sets things right in a gently manner that suffices more than 75 years of Comic Book story writing. 

All in all, the film DC Comics was looking for has finally arrived. Justice League is a triumph considering director Zack Snyder and his wife producer Deborah Snyder stepped down from finishing the film, after the suicide of Zack Snyder's daughter in March 2017. They tried to remain on the film as a way to work through the difficulty, but decided after two months to step away from the project to spend time with their family. Joss Whedon, who had signed on for Batgirl, took over as director, managing additional scenes.  

Wonder Woman takes the lead!

Come at me bro'.

This movie was initially going to be split into two parts: Justice League Part One and Justice League Part Two, with an alleged singular continuing story line. But by the time filming the idea of the film being in two parts seemed to have quietly gone away, and it is now rumored to be two self-contained movies with two related but separate plots. 

This film will be released on the 25th anniversary of The Death of Superman comic, which was released November 17, 1992; and the 16th anniversary of Justice League (2001) which premiered its first episode November 17, 2001. And some of us, lucky bastards, got tickets for the avant premiere!. Sorry, not sorry.

Here's the movie trailer:



The world premiere live from L.A.:



A brief interview with the cast:

Thor Ragnarok

Thor returns with tons of laughs!

Happy belated Halloween to y'all! And just when you thought the superhero film ranking was led by Logan & Wonder Woman, voilá! Disney, ahem!, Marvel Studios returns with a vengeance in Thor Ragnarok! Let's admit it, the latest entries in the MCU have been rather mediocre archetypes of previous more successful efforts. Doctor Strange, Spider-Man Homecoming & Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 lacked most of what made other MCU films interesting or worth seeing at least. Anyway, and after two films that were good enough but not excellent, the mighty God of Thunder finally gets the film he deserves! and to make matters even better, you don't even need to watch Thor: The Dark World in order to fully understand what goes on in this new installment of "point blank" as Tony Stark calls Thor.

First of all, let's get rid of the "Aw,but the Ragnarok event in mythology has great battles, foretold to ultimately result in the death of a number of major figures (including the gods Odin, Thor, Týr, Freyr, Heimdallr, and Loki), the occurrence of various natural disasters" nonsensical crap. These movies don't have to stick to the myth or comic books, by the book. The MCU is its own right thing. For instance,in Norse mythology, Fenrir (the giant dog) is the son of Loki and Hela is also the child of Loki. Now tell me how the hell Marvel is gonna show us Hela and Fenrir as Loki's children? Loki is already a well established and grounded character. At this point,I don't think any director/writer could change Loki's past and introduce Fenrir and Hela,as Loki's kids cause this would also bring tons of questions,plot holes and flaws.

Thor is back!

And so does his mischievous brother!

For the sake of MCU continuity,Marvel had to make changes in the Norse Myth and in the comics, and it fucking worked wonders!. Still, the film is mainly based on the Thor comics storylines "Ragnarok" (Thor discovers Asgard is doomed to Ragnarok and must fight to stop it from happening) and the Surtur saga (Surtur appears, and Thor and Loki team up to stop him). It also incorporates elements of the Marvel storylines "Contest of Champions" (the Grandmaster and Death host a tournament) and "Planet Hulk" (the Hulk becomes a gladiator on an alien world).

The performances of the main cast are impressive and exceptional.This movie also showed us the real "God of Thunder". For the first time he was extremely powerful without his hammer. That lighting streaming all over his body was pure awesomeness. In addition, the newly refreshing score/soundtrack really upped the overall musical environment to whole new levels. The eightish sound the score has, plus the varied color palette the many worlds seen on screen have, really drive you back to epic adventures filmed in the 1980's! And don't get me started on using "Immigrant Song"! a Led Zeppelin classic that screams God of Thunder!. Led Zeppelin rarely borrows their music for other media, and I'm sure they made the right choice when they noticed their lyrics fit the movie like a glove. Feel like singing?

Here's one of the greatest song ever written for your listening pleasure:

And just so you don't get lost in translation, here are the lyrics so that you can see how fantastic the soundtrack choice is:

Ah-ah, ah!
Ah-ah, ah!

We come from the land of the ice and snow
From the midnight sun, where the hot springs flow
The hammer of the gods
We'll drive our ships to new lands
To fight the horde, and sing and cry
Valhalla, I am coming!

On we sweep with threshing oar
Our only goal will be the western shore

Ah-ah, ah!
Ah-ah, ah!

We come from the land of the ice and snow
From the midnight sun where the hot springs flow
How soft your fields so green
Can whisper tales of gore
Of how we calmed the tides of war
We are your overlords

On we sweep with threshing oar
Our only goal will be the western shore

So now you'd better stop and rebuild all your ruins
For peace and trust can win the day despite of all your losing

Ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh
Ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh
Ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh
Ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh
Ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh

 

Hela, goddess from hell!

The grandmaster and his "imprisoned workers".

This movie is mostly targeted for everybody looking for a good time. As stated above, you don't need any knowledge from previous Thor films and even other MCU movies which is great, because if you can entertain people that are not familiar with your products, it's because you're making fucking masterpieces! So, ten thumbs up for director Taika Waititi. 

Moreover, They finally gave hulk a personality. Even though he looks all big,formidable and scary,he was kinda adorable every time he talks. So glad they finally made him talk. Also, they really improved his CGI.This is the definitive version of Hulk in the MCU. Even the haircut they gave him made him look better.

Hulk smashes again!

Doctor Strange is in the craft beer industry now.

The newcomer, Tessa Thompson surprised me with her performance. They say she based her character's personality in Terminator's Sarah Connor. The criticism on why she isn't a white actress (like in the Norde myth) is completely pointless, and biased. She kicks ass in the role because of her talent, not because of her look.

Taika Waititi felt that, despite the events of the film setting up Avengers: Infinity War (2018), the film would not only stand on its own, but reinvent the franchise: "A lot of what we're doing with the film is, in a way, dismantling and destroying the old idea and rebuilding it in a new way that's fresh. Everyone's got a slightly new take on their characters, so in that way, it feels like Thor (2011)."And boy does Thor Ragnarok feel refreshing!. Waititi decribes his film as a "1970s and 80s science fiction fantasy, the most 'out there' of all the Marvel movies." He cited Big Trouble in Little China (1986) as a major influence on the film: "It's a fun adventure film that has big stakes, but also has a breakneck speed and takes you on a crazy adventure."

Girl power. Real girl power.

The Revengers!

Director Taika Waititi said that he wanted to showcase Chris Hemsworth's comedic talent in this film: "He's so good and underutilized in that department. He's legitimately one of the funniest things in this film." In addition, Hemsworth had to bulk up again for his role as the mighty god Thor. He had to follow a strict diet, and workout six to seven times a week, and eat around six thousand calories a day. Hemsworth's trainer, Luke Zocchi, revealed that Hemsworth put on twenty pounds of muscle for his role in the film, taking his weight over two hundred pounds for the film, by following an "old-school bodybuilding regime lifting a large weight-load for small number of reps." Zocchi revealed Hemsworth's favorite body part to train was his biceps, saying, "We design the workout around the body parts he's gonna be showing off the most, he's gonna have his arms and shoulders showing (through the sleeveless armor), so that's the thing we really focus on building up. He probably bicep curls thirty kilo dumbbells on average, each hand, so one hundred twenty pounds total. We always do seated incline curls, standing curls, and hammer curls. We started lighter and slowly, progressively get heavier." Zocchi said they are trying to deliver Hemsworth's best physique yet for this film.  

Tom Hiddleston  on the other hand, explains that since Thor: The Dark World (2013), "Loki has devoted most of his efforts to narcissistic self-glorification, not so much on good governance. Loki has always tested the limits of his power and the boundaries placed upon him. He doesn't just stick his finger in the electrical plug socket, he burns the house down. And now he has to deal with the consequences." He then adds, "It's in Loki's nature to change. He's a mercurial spirit, and the minute you try to define him he changes shape. But events in Ragnarok try and inspire him to change forever. The Goddess of Death shows up, and the stakes are high for everybody, so Loki, perhaps more than ever, is challenged to define himself in the face of that threat. He and Thor are in such an extraordinary situation where everything is so unfamiliar that their familiarity, as family members, becomes important." 

BFFs!

Suit up Revengers!

Unlike some people's petty,shallow claims,I don't think marvel is always using the same formula again and again since 2008. Cause if they fallowed that path since 2008,people wouldn't watch their movies for the past 9 years.And they definitely couldn't create the highest-grossing franchise of the planet without their major players like Fantastic 4,X-men and Spider man. 

Overall, Thor: Ragnarok plunges headfirst into unbridled comedy and Waititi gives his actors ample room to showcase their natural comedic talents, especially Hemsworth and Blanchett, who are rarely seen having so much fun. Jeff Goldblum, Karl Urban, and Ruffalo also shine, and Tessa Thompson steals scenes as Valkyrie, a hard-drinking Asgardian bounty hunter and former member of Odin's elite guard. Overall, the film benefits from its director's distinct style and measured irreverence, giving Thor a welcome boost of vitality.

Here's the movie trailer:

 

Batman VS Two Face

Holy alter ego!

Batman VS Two Face comes as an unexpected heartwarming homage film that digs deep not only into the hearts of the original TV show but, also into the hearts of many Batman fans. Adam West will always remain as one of the most important actors to bring to life the caped crusader. I vividly remember turning on the Tele to watch the many reruns of a series that started 15 years before I was even born (I'll save you the math, I was born in 1981). I for one, will always agree/defend that Adam West will always be the best Batman. Despite the campy humor the show had, West's deadpan delivery was so perfect that he could convey his love for justice with a ridiculous "Let that be a lesson. In future, be more careful from who you accept free lemonade." as much as Christian Bale could with an entire "It's not who I am underneath, but what I do that defines me" monologue. 

Last year marked the 50th anniversary of the Batman TV show, and to celebrate a legacy larger than life, DC Comics & Warner Bros. decided to bring the series back to life in the form of Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders an animated movie that became an instant hit, thus pushing producers to make a sequel. 

William Shatner as himself!

What do you mean with "beam us up"?

The prequel breathed new life into the concept by bringing in the voice talents of most of the original cast with Adam West, Burt Ward, and Julie Newmar, reprising their roles. The film not only was a pitch-perfect extension of the '66 series, but brilliantly satirized just how much darker the portrayal of the "Dark Knight" has become ever since. Earlier this year, we lost our contrasting "Bright Knight" when Adam West passed away, but not before lending his voice to a sequel that will mark his last time donning the bat cowl to save the day once more.

"Batman Vs. Two-Face" doesn't satirize like its predecessor, but fully embraces the original series' campiness, with one concession: the inclusion of a villain considered too dark and gritty for the series at the time. According to legend, Clint Eastwood was all set to take on the role of Two-Face before studio execs thought he'd scare off young viewers and put the kibosh on it. In "Batman Vs. Two-Face", Professor Hugo Strange, another villain who never appeared on the TV series, is working on an "evil extractor" to rehabilitate Gotham's greatest criminals. He's aided by another now- popular villain, one not created until the early 90's, in a cameo role. Strange, naturally, is portrayed with an impersonation of the German mad scientist voice Peter Sellers perfected for Stanley Kubrick's "Dr. Strangelove, Or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb." Unfortunately for Strange, his assistant, and Gotham City District Attorney Harvey Dent, Batman's greatest enemies have the ability to raise their evilness on command and, through their combined malevolent cackling, cause the devise to overload, splashing the D.A.'s face with the liquid manifestation of evil and transforming him physically and mentally into Two-Face.

Professor Hugo Strange.

Gallery of rogues.

The opening credits montage shows Batman and Robin waging war on Two-Face as if he were just another villain on the bi-weekly roster of the series. When we return to the film proper, Bruce Wayne has found a way to restore Dent's face as well as his law career. But when King Tut and Book Worm, two villains who existed solely in the universe of the TV series, pull off heists with all of the trademarks of Two-Face's plots, Batman and Robin have to try to figure out how Two-Face can co-exist with the seemingly cured Harvey. It's a mystery with a simple solution, but the movie's not about detective work: it's about revisiting a Gotham where the swinging 60's never ended, and where the police force exists only to toggle the Bat Signal on and off, because they wouldn't know how to bring a jaywalker to justice without the intervention of the Dynamic Duo.

Sorry, Clint, but William Shatner should have always been the first choice for Two-Face. Not only was he a familiar face on TV screens of that era, but no one else shared Adam West's love for the dramatic pause the way he does. He makes the menacing villain gel well with the campy universe, his distinctive cadence fits the squeaky-clean prosecutor, while he adds just a little bit of a growl to portray the darker aspects of the character. And there will never, ever be another Adam West. Only he could make a visit to the window of Catwoman's prison cell to share a kiss, read some poetry, and remind her how many months are left until her debt to society is paid seem so endearing.

Good VS Evil.

Alex Ross art.

Youthful ward Dick Grayson's maternal aunt gets giddy at how intimate Bruce and Dick seem, winking and nudging at rumors about the relationship that have persisted since the 60's, but she also gets giddy seeing Bruce and Harvey together, at one point all but pressing their faces together and telling them to start making out. Taking from other popular adaptations of the Two-Face character, Bruce and Harvey are portrayed as being old friends, in spite of the fact that the D.A. never even got a namedrop in the original series. It makes for a sort of love triangle between Bruce Wayne, Harvey Dent, and Dick Grayson, and pays off with a sweet little moment of Batman declaring just how rock solid his relationship with the Boy Wonder is.

Writer Harlan Ellison wrote a treatment for an unproduced episode of Batman (1966). The treatment was adapted as a comic book in 2015, "Batman '66--The Lost Episode", by writer Len Wein, pencils by José Luis García-Lopez, inks by Joe Prado, colors by Alex Sinclair and lettered by Wes Abbott. The story title was "The Two-Way Crimes of Two-Face". Although there was early speculation that this film would be based on the above mentioned unproduced treatment, that is not the case. The animated movie tells its own original story.

To the bat-poles!

Caped Crusaders about to go kick some ass.

While there was a significant number of acting crossover between the Star Trek (1966) and Batman (1966) series, William Shatner is the first regular "Star Trek" cast member to perform on the original "Batman" series. The role of Harvey Dent/Two-Face was previously played by Billy Dee Williams in Batman (1989) and The LEGO Batman Movie (2017). Williams also appeared in Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983). This makes Two-Face the third Batman villain to be played by both a Star Trek and a Star Wars cast member. The role of the Joker has been played by Mark Hamill and Brent Spiner; and Ra's Al Ghul has been played by David Warner (himself a veteran of both franchises) and Liam Neeson. However, Harvey Dent's transformation into Two-Face took place in Batman Forever (1995) where he was played by Tommy Lee Jones.  

Batman VS Two Face world premiere was held on October 8, 2017, at the New York Comic Con. The screening was part of a panel that included William Shatner; Burt Ward; supervising producer/co-screenwriter James Tucker; producer/co-screenwriter Michael Jelenic; and director Rick Morales. The film is already available on digital, DVD & Blu Ray format everywhere.

An early draft of the film screenplay included the character Poison Ivy, who never appeared in the original Batman (1966) series. In addition, Early in the production there were plans to include an end-credits sequence that would have included a cameo by Wonder Woman, based on the television series Wonder Woman (1975) that starred Lynda Carter. The segment was dropped and was never animated.

Batman & Robin protecting the bookworm?

Catwoman teaming up with Two Face?

Anyway, anyone old enough to remember the original 60's Batman TV series will love this. It's great that this movie mirrors the 60's show i.e. it has the old batmobile & the original voices from Batman, Robin & Catwoman. Another former Catwoman Lee Meriwether also has a small part. William Shatner does an excellent job as Dent/Two face and the whole movie embraces the tongue in cheek wackiness of the original series. This must've been one of the last projects Adam West was involved in prior to his death. All I can say is that he went out on a high. 

A number of Batman animated films have been released in recent years, featuring different iterations of the character as presented in comics and movies - from the Dark Detective approach to much lighter interpretations. This is the second film to use the characters and tones of the 1960s television series and was fortunate to get Adam West and Burt Ward to recreate their roles.

The writers and animators have carefully considered the construction of their animated world with many nods to the TV series, including the presentation of some of the villains from that show (King Tut and the Bookworm among them)as well as the arch, perhaps slightly camp approach of the original. This is built upon somewhat for a modern audience with a number of double entendres and self-aware moments. Dialogue is also reflective of its inspiration with Robin's frequent declarations beginning with the word Holy and Batman's reference to his younger colleague as Old Chum.

The wonderful opening sequence.

The hammer of justice!

West sounds much older and a little frail but is able to be commanding when required and gets the tone of his delivery consistent with his original interpretation. Ward's voice has not aged a day. The perhaps surprising casting of William Shatner as Two Face / Harvey Dent works wonders as, despite being many years older than the character he is playing, he manages to sound appropriate for the role and conveys both the camaraderie of his character with Bruce Wayne and a capacity for evil.

The plot is really little more than a string of set pieces to present these fondly remembered characters but functions well despite this. Animation is of a high standard with diverse backgrounds and detailed character stylings.

Ending with a tribute to the "Brightest Knight" Adam West this is an effective exercise in nostalgia for those who remember the first television incarnation of Batman with warmth and fondness. 

Here's the movie trailer: 

A sneak peek:

Adam West, thank you for bringing Batman to life. May you rest in peace bright knight...