Review: "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story".

RECAP:

Taking place inside of the nineteen-year gap between the Prequel and Original trilogies, while opening four years after the infamous events of Order 66's mass-murdering of the majority of the Jedi Knights throughout the galaxy and the ascension of the Galactic Empire, as seen in "Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith": We meet the Ersos, a peaceful farming family who've gone into self-imposed exile after the patriarch, Galen, abandoned the Empire following his near completion of the iconic weapon-of-mass-destruction known as the Death Star for the Empire.

Soon located by the film's primary antagonist, Director Orson Krennic - the Imperial Manager of Advanced Weaponry, the Erso family are tragically torn apart when Krennic has Lyra Erso, the wife of Galen and mother of Jyn, murdered for their family's resistance to return back to the construction zone of the Death Star until its completion. Her father kidnapped, mother dead, and hiding in a cave herself, the story amplifies when Clone War hero Saw Gerrera, a friend of Jyn's parents, takes the seven-year-old girl under his care. Jumping ahead by fifteen years, we reunite with Jyn as a twenty-two-year-old woman in an Imperial prison, played by Felicity Jones: Hardened after years as the protege of her mercenary guardian Saw and experienced as an outlaw since we'd last seen her, we're treated to a barrage of examples as to how time has since changed our heroine, by acts of violence perpetrated by her, immediately after she's sprung from prison by the Rebellion in a ploy by them to find her father and sabotage the final touches on the Empire's Death Star by any means necessary.

Battling hordes of Stormtroopers with her newfound allies in order to reach Saw and Bodhi Rook, a defected Imperial pilot who was entrusted with a vital message for the rebels by Galen, Jyn is assisted on her journey by Cassian Andor - a handsome senior spy for the Rebel Alliance; Chirrut Îmwe - a lethal-yet-friendly and blind force-practitioner; Baze Malbus - an Alliance-leaning mercenary, as well as Chirrut's best friend; and finally K-2SO - Cassian's witty enforcer droid, who longs to be respected as an equal to organic beings.

Finding Saw and Bodhi eventually, thanks to the assistance of her newfound friends, Jyn witnesses her father's message for herself finally: In it, it is revealed that there's an intentional flaw in the design of the Death Star, as created by Galen himself, that could destroy the weapon and possibly even level the battlefield for the Rebel Alliance if exploited. However, the obstacle of obtaining the blueprint for the Death Star remained and would require the rebels to steal them by force on the planet Scarif, unfortunately an Imperial stronghold.

It's not long, however, until Jyn and her rebel friends' pit-stop at Saw's compound runs short thanks to a blast from the Death Star (under the command of Krennic and Governor Grand Moff Tarkin) annihlates the capital city of Planet Jedha, in an effort to kill Gerrera's uprising against the Empire there. Forced to flee, the group escapes the planet just before the destruction claimed the life of Saw Gerrera himself, who'd decided to stay behind on his own.

Arriving at a testing site where they'd traced her father Galen to, the contrasting values between Jyn and Cassian are explored when it's revealed that Cassian plans on killing Jyn's father despite his consistent efforts to assist the Rebel Alliance. Unwilling to let that happen without a fight, however, Jyn attempts to save her father from both Cassian and Krennic who both have a vested interest in Galen's hypothetical death when he's outed as a traitor, a death of which comes to fruition when Alliance bombs inadvertently kill him in the midst of a surrounding dogfight between the Alliance's X-Wings and Empire's Tie-Fighters. Dying in her arms, Jyn commits fully to her father's cause against the Galactic Empire, though the irony of his death being the fault of the Rebel Alliance isn't lost on her whatsoever.

Overlooking the nature of her father's demise, however, Jyn proposes a plan to the leaders of the Rebel Alliance after arriving on Yavin 4, the Alliance's long-established headquarter planet: Though proving futile at first, considering that the proof of her father's intentionally-botched design of the Death Star had been lost on Jedha at Saw's compound. Unable to secure the support of the High Command, Jyn and her team volunteer to steal the Death Star's schematics on Scarif on their own, leading them to commandeer a ship independently, which Bodhi would fatefully improvise the call-sign "Rogue One" for when pressed for verification by Imperial personnel at a checkpoint during the mission. 

Bloody, the infiltration mission into the Empire's data bank would go on to cost the Rogue One crew their lives, one by one, including Jyn and Cassian when Tarkin commanded the Imperial base on Scarif destroyed by way of the Death Star in a ruthless act of all-out war, however not before Jyn confronted Director Krennic as revenge for his past trespasses against her family - and by successfully relaying the Death Star blueprints to the Rebels' supporting fleet in Space: Jyn's heroic and final act of defiance before getting vaporized with Cassian by the Death Star's blast-wave. Jyn dies, yes, but she dies for her beliefs and that's all any of us could ever aspire to do.

In a last act of desperation, however, the film's epilogue showcases Darth Vader absolutely decimating the crew members of a Rebel command ship where Jyn's blueprint transmission had been traced to. Narrowly passing the schematics along like a baton, despite all of them succumbing to Vader's crimson saber and proficiency with the force, the sensitive plans successfully make their way to Princess Leia Organa who proclaims the information as "hope" - a scene which takes us minutes ahead of the opening events of "Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope", effectively designating "Rogue One" as the new prologue to the franchise's original story as well as acting as an explanation for the Death Star plans' mention in Episode IV's opening crawl.

THOUGHTS:

As predicted, I really enjoyed this film and am proud to say that I completely consider it canon unlike the case with J.J. Abrams' "Force Awakens" from last year. Providing many tastefully-executed retcons, filling in many long-discussed plot-holes, and proving itself to be the product of great storytellers, there wasn't much that left me unhappy with this standalone film in the "Star Wars" franchise. In many ways, even the aspects that I'll list as my gripes with the film are so insignificant that they can be written off as nitpicky - honestly because I couldn't find much not to love in this film: I simply adored it as a fantasy fan, as a "Star Wars" franchise buff, and as a writer myself. So, for the sake of discussion, here's everything that I enjoyed about "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" and (not really) the things that I didn't.

POSITIVES:

- Jyn Erso/Felicity Jones' Performance: A strong female character is something rare to come across in media and something that I admire very much, which may come as a surprise to the feminists who've criticized me in the past. Jones' performance in this film made me believe in the danger that her character was going through and got me to care about what happened to the character. Showcasing an amazing range of emotion and telegraph, this role may possibly be Jones' most iconic -popularity-wise - going forward in her very promising career, even as a former Oscar nominee already. A credit to Jones' ability as an actress, too, I left the film wanting to know even more about Jyn and would love to see the character's adventures (and capers) with Saw Gerrera as a teenager explored, perhaps through a novel or comic book.

Proactive, independent, resilient, human, and capable: Felicity Jones' Jyn Erso, to me, is a great addition to the long line of strong female characters perpetrated by the "Star Wars" franchise in the tradition of Padmé Amidala, Leia Organa, Jaina Solo, and yes, even Daisy Ridley's Rey - which was one of the very, very few things that I objectively enjoyed about "The Force Awakens".

- Faithful to the Original Vision:

"Star Wars", like the "Terminator" franchise beside it, has become so vast that it's hard to remember the intent of the series' creators unless you're a hardcore fan and have done your due diligence as far as research and time-investment is concerned.

If anything, my biggest problem with "The Force Awakens" was that Disney went ahead and contradicted the established character traits like Luke's apathetic reaction to losing an apprentice, or the relationship dynamic between Han Solo and Leia Organa - as far as the way they crumbled as a couple post-"Return of the Jedi" after their son turned heel; Whereas the original stories, overseen and consulted on by George Lucas himself, featured the couple's relationship surviving not only a child of theirs turning to the Dark Side, but also the loss of two of their closest friends in Mara Jade Skywalker & Chewbacca, as well as the death of both of their sons: One of which was killed in combat by their own daughter. 

Here in "Rogue One", however: The tone felt faithful to its era (The point of by blowing up the second Death Star and killing the Emperor & Vader in Episode VI was futile, going by "Force Awakens" logic), all characters had their parts to play (Who cares about Captain Phasma outside of having a shiny chrome suit for the sake of toy sales?), and the villain here actually meant business (You won't catch Krennic throwing tantrums on machinery like Fanboy Ren did). And though I know it won't last because the Sequel Trilogy will take the reigns back again next year, "Rogue One" was a very nice throwback: Not only to the rules and aesthetic of the Original Trilogy, but to the intention of the franchise's creator also. Which I appreciated.

- Focused Storytelling:

To the advantage of being a prequel, there was always an intended place for the story to go but to the credit of both the writers and director of the film: This film made it's own argument for it's existence by showcasing serious characters, high stakes, and real consequences for both heroism and villainy - all things of which aren't common in Hollywood storytelling nowadays unfortunately. By the end of the film, you look at "A New Hope" in a brand new light and that was the intention. Also, for what it's worth: That's an incredible feat to pull off for a film that'll see its fortieth birthday next year.

- Visual & Practical Effects:

Like one of the other few things that I enjoyed about "The Force Awakens", "Rogue One" made phenomenal use of practical effects: Something that many other people missed during the Prequel Trilogy. When I looked into the eyes of K-2SO, I felt like I was looking into the eyes of a being with a soul or some sort of sentience, both of which I knew to be false in reality but it was true in my heart and that's a credit to the effects department on this film. However, I must give credit where it's due and acknowledge the use of facial reconstruction here in this film for characters like Grand Moff Tarkin (whose portrayer passed away in 1994) and Princess Leia (whose portrayer is currently 60-years-old, a far stretch from the 19-year old character featured here in this film).

Though it wasn't that long ago, the notable facially-reconstructed Marlon Brando in 2006's "Superman Returns" and Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2009's "Terminator: Salvation" pale in comparison to the ones seen here in "Rogue One". The authenticity of Tarkin and Leia's portrayals here will probably be the subject of much discussion for a long while.

- Diversity:

In accordance with the theme of inclusiveness in the series' legendary storyline, it was nice to see a large cast featuring many people of color and women in important roles in this film. Hot off the heels of HBO's excellent "The Night Of", I hope that Riz Ahmed's turn here as Bodhi Rook propels him even further into the critically-acclaimed stratosphere like none other. Notable, as well, I won't be forgetting Donnie Yen as the awesome Chirrut Îmwe anytime soon neither.

- The Message:

By the end of the film, the rebels succeed in evading defeat by working together across philosophical, gender, ethnic, and species lines. In an era where Donald Trump, a man who's race-baited and instigated and hate-mongered is in place to hold the most power in the world come next month and spitefulness is the brand of the week: It was great to spend two hours and thirteen minutes with a story that demonstrated the rewards of inclusiveness, tolerance, hard work, and sacrifice for the heroes - all traits of which run counter to arguably the most morally-bankrupt President-elect and supporters in the history of the United States of America.

NEGATIVES *(Nitpicks):

- The Length

A hallmark of any good film, like "Skyfall" when I saw it in theatres, you should want to see more of it by the time it finishes. While surely, I wanted to go home and re-watch Episode IV for the thousandth time since I was probably six-months-old or younger, I wouldn't have minded if this story had ran a little longer. As mentioned earlier, I wouldn't have complained one bit to see more of Forest Whitaker's Saw Gerrera care for and train a teenage Jyn Erso for about ten or fifteen minutes to add even more depth to an already-deep story.

- No Bail/Leia Interaction

The relationship between Leia Organa and her adoptive parents has always been a piece of the "Star Wars" mythology to evade deep exploration and I would've liked to see that explored a bit more here in the story given Bail Organa's cameo, which could've done much to contextualize Leia's infamous stoicism following his death on Alderaan. Perhaps Bail had parted ways with Leia with words of encouragement for her mission, hence why she kept a strong front on throughout "A New Hope"? We may never know, and I think that that was a really missed opportunity here. What this story did to legitimize the plot-hole of the Death Star's easy destruction, it could've also done to explain Leia's seemingly nonchalant attitude as well.

- No Climactic Orson Krennic Fight Scene

A pretty decent villain, I would've loved to see much more of a fight between Jyn and Krennic during the climax of the film. Not that I minded Cassian saving Jyn from him but a struggle to Krennic's death might've worked better for the character. Throughout the film, I got the impression that Krennic was much more dangerous than he'd led on but the final scene between he and Jyn ended slightly anti-climatically, though it didn't take anything major away from the story for me. 

CONCLUSION:

Hard to accomplish, especially since I'm in the minority of people who actually appreciate the Prequel Trilogy, "Rogue One" highly impressed me. It's a film I'd recommend to anybody, especially those not familiar with the "Star Wars" franchise, and I will be buying it on DVD when it is released. Without a doubt, Gareth Edwards' "Rogue One" will always be apart of my personal canon from now on. Phenomenal experience watching this story unfold on the big screen!

My Rating: 5/5.

Review: "Batman V. Superman: Dawn of Justice".

Three years after Zack Snyder's highly divisive "Man of Steel", which was the first chapter in the DC Cinematic Universe, we pick up again with legendary characters, both new and old to the big screen, as they're adapted from the extensive DC Comics stable for "Batman V. Superman: Dawn of Justice": The on-screen universe's sophomore effort on the road towards the highly anticipated "Justice League" crossover film that's set for release next year. As with anything else that Snyder has done in his filmmaking career though, "Dawn of Justice" has proven to be just as controversial as his previous work was before it. So, with all of that out of the way, here's my review of the latest DC film installment!

The story opens with two cold-openings.

The first: A flashback to the iconic deaths of Thomas and Martha Wayne (played well by dual "Supernatural" and "Walking Dead" alums Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Lauren Cohan) thirty-five years ago in Gotham City's notorious crime alley at the hands of a mugger while their young son Bruce looks on at the tragedy, a defining event that traditionally changes him for the rest of his life.

The second: A flash-forward soon afterwards to Metropolis thirty-three years later as Bruce, now a grown man (played by Ben Affleck), is forced to look on as his city's twin is destroyed in the wake of Superman and General Zod's god-like combat, as covered in 2013's "Man of Steel". The unintended consequences of superheroics feel real here, unlike in most other comic book films, and the realization that Bruce has lost most of, if not all, of his company's Metropolis-branch employees to what's essentially an act of terrorism weighs down heavily on the audience and makes a convincing argument for Batman's point of view against the alien: Superman.

The story truly begins in the first act where we pick up a year and a half after the events of "Man of Steel" with Lois Lane, played once again by Amy Adams, as the iconic character finds herself in the middle of some sort of turmoil. This time she's been kidnapped by a Boko Haram-like terrorist organization after their swift and brutal slaughter of her crew. It's not long until Henry Cavill's Superman classically flies on to the scene from above, leaving a vintage sonic boom behind him on his trail. The Man of Steel saves the day, as per usual, but not without controversy this time around. When the couple returns home to the United States, Clark Kent and Lois Lane are surprised to learn that Superman has been accused of murdering the African village where Lois was kidnapped. This accusation, while obviously false and scoffed at by an unconcerned Clark, serves to fuel a large portion of the public's distrust of Superman while posing the important question about the character in general: While traditionally portrayed as appreciated by the world's populace, would we be just as grateful to him for solving all of our problems in the real-world? Probably not, according to the film, and convincingly so.

At one point in the film, we're treated to a deeply touching scene where Clark consults his adopted mother Martha Kent (Diane Lane) about his optics issue with the fearful people of Earth. She convinces Clark to go all-in as a hero instead of quitting altogether to live an average life with Lois but while following his mom's advice by saving countless innocents around the world in a montage scene, numerous clips from the media feature stubbornly contrary talking-heads like Senator Finch (played by Holly Hunter of "Saving Grace" and "Raising Arizona" fame) and Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson, amongst others, and neither are as particularly praiseworthy of the Kryptonian hero as one would usually expect after becoming familiar with other incarnations of the "Superman" mythology over time.

The story does itself a favor by setting up the impending and inevitable titular showdown between Batman and Superman by pitting their respective alter-egos, billionaire philanthropist Bruce Wayne and newspaper reporter Clark Kent, against each other at an exclusive fundraiser held by Lex Luthor (played by Jesse Eisenberg). The vital scene acts as the film's first mission statement and finds Clark intellectually challenging Bruce to a war of wits after the former had already been instructed by his Editor-in-Chief boss Perry White (played by the returning Laurence Fishburne, this time around with noticeably more personality) to drop his investigation into the famous "Bat of Gotham" acts of vigilantism in Gotham City, which stretch back for twenty years in this story.

Additionally, there's a stark dichotomy between Bruce and Clark's respective mindsets about the topic of vigilantism which demonstrates exactly what makes their legendary relationship so interesting in a general sense but more-so in this story where Bruce is cynical about what he feels is futility concerning the capacity for goodness within people after being worn down by Gotham's underworld over the course of two decades, whereas this version of Clark is still optimistic, or at least hopeful, about the future of humanity due to the encouragement of his mother Martha and girlfriend Lois, his deceased father Jonathan's belief that the course of the world would be drastically effected by his very own decisions, and in memoriam of the thousands who perished during his battle with Zod in Metropolis nearly two years prior. The scene plays out very well, overall, and it's made more interesting because of the clues that Bruce drops concerning his former rogues gallery in comparison to Clark's ever-growing one; Bruce plays the disillusioned veteran while Clark plays the naive rookie who's in for a rude awakening, and the roles fit them very well.

Meanwhile, we're introduced to the beautiful and mysterious antiquities dealer Diana Prince, played by Gal Gadot. Her initial interactions in the film are with Bruce Wayne and the chemistry between the two characters are convincing enough to make us believe that there could be more between them romantically down the line. Independently, though, we learn of Diana's true motivations for attending Luthor's event and that is revealed upon Bruce's retrieval of Lex's personal files later on when it's revealed, amongst other secret files on the rest of the future Justice League members, that Diana was captured in an irrefutable photo while dressed in her Wonder Woman gear from World War I in 1918, appearing as young then as she does now.

On another note, Eisenberg's Lex Luthor does a good job of being the bad guy of the story. If the job of a villain is to make the audience hate you then Eisenberg did well in that regard. It's his character who pushes the story along on a routine basis: The first example of this is when Lex, obsessed with defeating the most powerful being that he's ever seen, murders an entire committee on Capitol Hill that was chaired by Senator Finch, who refused to work with him on an exclusive deal to manufacture kryptonite-laced weapons, as well as his own personal assistant Mercy Graves. The second example led the story into its climax when Lex executes the plan he'd contrived to kill Superman by kidnapping both of the women in Superman's life, Lois Lane and Martha Kent, in hopes of pressuring him into a death match with Batman. This is where the film draws the first part of its title from.

The big fight between Batman and Superman had been one that fans always debated over, wondered about, and simply wanted to see on the big screen. And it didn't disappoint, at least not to me.

Batman popularly inquires of Superman about if he's capable of bleeding at one point in the story and he got his answer rather quickly by outwitting the Man of Steel and outmaneuvering him, as well, with advanced weaponry and kryptonite bombs - all the while as Superman pleaded with him for assistance in saving his mother Martha Kent, whose first name struck a convenient chord with Bruce since his very own mother, now many decades deceased, once shared that namesake as well. Batman comes to his senses, clearly having won the fight, and pulls back from delivering a deathblow to Clark with a kryptonite spear. He decides, instead, to partner with the Man of Steel against Lex Luthor and takes on the task of saving Martha Kent from Luthor's henchmen in memory of his late mother Martha Wayne.

The ensuing fight between Batman, with the technical assistance of Jeremy Irons' well-portrayed and wise Alfred Pennyworth, against the mercenaries stands out as one of the film's silver linings: It's aggressive, well-choreographed, and does wonders for Batman's redemption arc from that point onwards once Martha is successfully saved.

The story takes its penultimate turn when Diana Prince returns to the fold by prematurely leaving her flight after witnessing Batman and Superman's struggle against Lex Luthor's amalgamated monster Doomsday on live television. The heavily-promoted image of DC's live-action Trinity uniting for the first time should've been one that didn't work after months of heavy rotation in the media but it actually did when viewed in the context of the film and served as the second part of the film's title. Without a doubt, Diana - in full Wonder Woman gear - joining the big boys on screen for the first time after seventy-plus years in existence alongside them spelled out this universe's titular "Dawn of Justice": An era where heroes will reign supreme in the new DC Cinematic Universe.

However, tragedy follows this regal event when Superman says his final goodbye to Lois and wins a Pyrric victory against Doomsday by stabbing it in the heart with Batman's kryptonite spear, killing the monster, while Wonder Woman held it down with the Lasso of Truth and Batman shot it with a kryptonite bomb.... but not before Doomsday could deal a killing blow to Superman by stabbing the hero in the heart with one of his bone protrusions.

The film ends with Lex in prison with his head shaved bald as per his signature comic book look by way of prison policy, Bruce and Diana vowing to form the Justice League in the wake of Superman's death in order to protect the world in Superman's absence, Lois receiving a posthumous engagement ring from Martha Kent on Clark's behalf, and two simultaneous funerals: A token one for Superman in Washington, D.C. and an actual one for Clark Kent in Smallville, Kansas where Lois drops a handful of soil on Clark's casket. The dirt that she dropped begins to levitate upon her departure and it signifies Clark's obvious survival (or resurrection) ahead of next year's highly anticipated "Justice League" film.

Now, with that all said, here are my thoughts on the film. I'll begin with the aspects that I enjoyed the most first, followed by my criticisms:

The Positives:

1. Realistic Characterizations

In a world where a man possesses immeasurable power, a woman can't die, and another man beats down whomever he feels like while dressed up as a bat, it's hard to imagine the public's response to these characters as being anything else outside of fearful in the real world. Zack Snyder understood this fact and took an obvious page out of one of his very own previous adaptations: Alan Moore's "Watchmen". Superman substitutes for Moore's Dr. Manhattan here in terms of controversial public perception and Batman substitutes for Rorschach in terms of championing the moral fight against what he feels is an absolutely powerful man who can easily be corrupted absolutely, in this case Superman.

Another great example of Snyder's realistic approach to these characters is Martha Kent's advice to her son Clark when she's consulted: "Be their hero, Clark. Be their angel, be their monument, be anything they need you to be. Or be none of it. You don’t owe this world a thing, you never did."; Her advice to her son, like that of her late husband's in this incarnation, may sound contrary to what we've come to expect in comparison to other incarnations that we've come to know but when dissected, the advice is as positive and powerful as it possibly could be because it encourages full commitment from what's basically God on Earth. It's supportive advice like his mother's and the encouragement from his girlfriend Lois when he's feeling under pressure, that keeps the Man of Steel pure and from crossing the line of nonchalance that Manhattan did in "Watchmen".

"If God is all-powerful then he cannot be all good, and if God is all good then he cannot be all-powerful," proclaims Jesse Eisenberg's Lex Luthor. Whereas comics traditionally portray the concepts of right and wrong at face value, it's a breath of fresh air to witness the material treated with three-dimensional depth by questioning societal norms the way it did in "Dawn of Justice". The tactic does wonders for the realistic approach that Snyder worked hard to establish between "Man of Steel" and this film.

2. World-Building

Many hints, cameos, and easter eggs are dropped in this film. Everything ranging from Lex's personal files on the future Justice League members, to the hint of Darkseid's impending arrival, to Joker's past mayhem in Gotham preceding the film, and Wonder Woman's influence on world history. Collectively, they do much to progress the idea that we're out of the era of pocket-universe solo storytelling for DC characters and entering an ambitious brand new shared universe where everyone and everything is connected: The way it should be, the way it is in the comic books.

The world-building in this story works and it does what it sets out to accomplish as an opening act for "Justice League, Pt. 1". Therefore, it was a successful ingredient of the story in my eyes.

3. Adaptation of Multiple Comic Book Storyarcs/Eras

"Batman V. Superman" borrows much from it's source material: Frank Miller's "Batman: The Dark Knight Returns" for Batman and Superman's big fight, Brian Azzerello's "Superman: For Tomorrow" for Metropolis' healing after a major tragedy, and Dan Jurgens' "Death of Superman" for Superman's demise at Doomsday's hands in the film. Where DC's main competitor, Marvel Studios, choose to adapt their projects by adapting the correct tone from the comics instead of specific storylines, Snyder's choice to combine numerous storythreads that were originally told in the comics made for a great trip through memory lane for avid comic book enthusiasts such as myself.

4. Incredible Action Sequences

Featuring amazingly choreographed hand-to-hand combat sequences, huge explosions, creative use of superpowers, and high personal stakes for its characters, "Dawn of Justice" shines the brightest when it's allowed to forgo its own aspirational hopes of achieving high artistry by letting loose and having fun. You'd be hard-pressed to find an action scene in 2016 (so far) that could send chills down your spine more than Batman's fight to save Martha Kent from Lex's henchmen in this film.

Also, I enjoyed the smugness of the vindication that I felt while seeing Batman defeat Superman at the conclusion of their big fight. Not because I necessarily love Bruce more than Clark, which I don't, but because it was an outcome that I predicted a couple of years ago upon learning of the project's development. Having Batman win the fight here in his first appearance in this Cinematic Universe cemented the character as a strong force to be reckoned with and was the only logical route to go in order to make the Caped Crusader the intimidating being that he should always be. I'm glad that it worked out this way because the character deserved the strong opening.

5. Exceptional Acting

Featuring a stellar all-star cast, none of them disappointed me in this film. Everybody had their part to play and they played them well. Archetypally, it reads like a Roman tale: Henry Cavill plays the conflicted hero in Superman, Ben Affleck plays the disgruntled veteran in Batman, Gal Gadot plays the quiet observer in Wonder Woman, Amy Adams plays the faithful loyalist in Lois Lane, Laurence Fishburne plays the cynical everyman in Perry White, Diane Lane plays the supportive mother in Martha Kent, Jeremy Irons plays the wise mentor in Alfred Pennyworth, and Jesse Eisenberg plays the strategic villain in Lex Luthor.

Perhaps most distinctive of them all though, would be Ben Affleck's praiseworthy portrayal of Bruce Wayne/Batman. Arguably the most iconic anthological role in Comic Book Film history, Affleck had much to prove by taking over the reigns from Christian Bale's phenomenal era as the character in Christopher Nolan's "Dark Knight Trilogy", as well as to bury his often-maligned portrayal of Matt Murdock/Daredevil from the 2003 movie which unanimously pales in comparison to Charlie Cox's version of the character in Marvel's Netflix series. Affleck's Bruce was cerebral, brooding, intimidating, and nihilistic. It was everything that this mature incarnation in this story required and I was very impressed by it.

On another note, I feel a bit more impartial towards Jesse Eisenberg's Lex Luthor, though I appreciated his performance objectively. His portrayal wasn't the usual for the character, and it didn't necessarily need to be, but it was harder to gel with as a viewer and expert on these characters. However, the charismatic portrayal of Lex honestly did mesh well with the mad-scientist incarnation of the character from the 1940s and 1950s (which casual audiences are largely unfamiliar with) but I do feel that going the ruthless businessman route from the 1990s and 2000s would've fit this story's attempt at realism much better. When all was said and done though, Eisenberg's Luthor didn't ruin anything for me enjoyment-wise.

The Negatives:

1. Death of the Clark Kent Persona

Surely the biggest gripe that I had with this film was the fact that the ending puts Clark Kent, the alter-ego of Superman, in an almost impossible position to return again. Killing Superman, the super-powered being who's capable of miraculous feats, is one thing; Killing Clark Kent, a seemingly normal man in the eyes of the everyday person, is something completely different, it's nearly irrevocable.

I feel that they put the Clark Kent persona on hiatus incorrectly because in this shared universe, which supposedly aims for realism, reporters shouldn't die and come back to life: It's extremely unlikely in real life and would compromise the integrity of the DC Cinematic Universe's believability if resolved with ease in a future installment. This was a misstep on the storytellers' parts and I wish they'd simply had Superman go missing and PRESUMED dead after the fight with Doomsday, this way Clark could simply be declared temporarily missing instead of permanently dead. This gripe of mine may change if resolved in the future in a sequel, surely, but it'll nag at me until then.

2. Lack of Disguise Explanations

Another issue that I had with the film was its lack of explanation for why the masses couldn't identify either Batman or Superman out of costume. We do see the photo of Wonder Woman from 1918 and its only reason for ringing suspicious in the story is because both Lex and Bruce have obviously identified Diana Prince out of costume. It's logical because she doesn't wear a mask. Meanwhile, in this story which takes place in the same universe with the same rules and logic, Clark Kent can hide behind a pair of glasses from anybody who isn't Lois Lane, and an internationally-known celebrity like Bruce Wayne can go unrecognized even though the entire lower half of his face is uncovered.

I give the storytellers kudos though for introducing a voice-modulator for Batman to disguise his voice when he speaks but when other heroes in other media like Elektra can figure out Matt Murdock's identity as Daredevil over TV footage in the Marvel Cinematic Universe because of his revealing cowl, which is similar in structure to Batman's, then that flaw contradicts the stated realism of the universe that the story tries numerous times to uphold. Additionally, it gives DC's competition a leg-up on responsible storytelling. Hopefully this flaw will be rectified in a sequel too. 

3. Missed Opportunities

When Lex uttered the word "Mercy" in reference to his personal assistant at the Senate hearing, I nearly jumped out of my seat with joy. Mercy Graves, like Harley Quinn, was always one of my favorite supporting DC characters from the animated series. Like Harry Osborn and Aunt May in the "Spider-Man" mythos, Mercy was a character that I always considered to be a staple in the "Superman" comics, especially the ones that I grew up with. She's lethal, intelligent, and suffers from serious Stockholm Syndrome for Lex. In other words, she's an interesting character to explore. However, she's treated like a fourth-rate extra in the film and is killed off without many lines, if any at all. Similarly, Zack Snyder confirmed in an interview that the unnamed photographer in the story who was swiftly killed in the beginning was basically Jimmy Olsen, another signature character from the "Superman" mythology.

Both deaths spelled a lack of creativity and utter laziness to me when both characters could've been used in subplots or as MacGuffins, if not in this story than in future ones. These decisions, for whatever reasons they were made, seemed very short-sighted to me and were symptomatic of the powers-that-be not knowing what to do with some of these iconic characters, unfortunately.

In Conclusion:

I really enjoyed "Batman V. Superman: Dawn of Justice". While it had several flaws, as any story does, none of them were potent enough to distract me from the bigger picture of what the film did correctly in more ways than it did wrong. The film set out to have Batman and Superman fight over opposing philosophies and to set up the groundwork for the Justice League in the DC Cinematic Universe; it succeeded in completing both of those objectives, and in considerably creative and convincing fashion. By the end of the film, I felt comradery with all of the characters on some level, was impressed by the action, and was moved by the drama at the core of the script. Why the mainstream critics bashed the film straight to Hell is a mystery to me but a small part of me suspects that three things were at play there: A) The critics couldn't see the beauty of the film because they were unfamiliar with the tone of it outside of solo "Batman" outings, B) They'd been influenced by the lighter tone of the Marvel Cinematic Universe films, and C) Because they weren't familiar with the comic book references and therefore couldn't appreciate the nuances of this adaptation.

I think that the film will enjoy an admirable legacy, especially after the Director's Cut makes its way to release this coming summer, and I feel that folks will appreciate the vital part that this film played in laying the groundwork for what will surely become another vast and rich shared universe in pop culture. And without a single doubt, this was a definitely a project that I appreciated.

Overall, "Batman V. Superman: Dawn of Justice" ranked pretty well in the pantheon of comic book films in my opinion:

Better Than: 2006's "X-Men: The Last Stand", "X-Men Origins: Wolverine", "X-Men: First Class", "Hulk", "Spider-Man 3", "The Amazing Spider-Man 2", "Blade: Trinity", "Elektra", "Ghost Rider", "Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance", "Iron Man 3", "Steel", "Batman & Robin", "Catwoman", "Superman Returns", and "Green Lantern".

Outshined By: 1978's "Superman", 1989's "Batman", "Watchmen: The Director's Cut", "Batman Begins", "The Dark Knight", "300", "Sin City", "Hellboy", "Blade", "Spider-Man", "Spider-Man 2", "X2: X-Men United", "X-Men: Days of Future Past", "Iron Man", "The Avengers", "Guardians of the Galaxy", and "Captain America: The Winter Soldier".

On Par With: 2000's "X-Men", "Man of Steel" (it's own predecessor), "Captain America: The First Avenger", "The Amazing Spider-Man", "The Incredible Hulk", "The Dark Knight Rises", "Ant-Man", and "Thor".

However, this film was good enough to keep me looking forward to more DC Cinematic Universe material, especially for August's "Suicide Squad" as an early birthday present to myself. And on that note, my review is concluded! Let me know what you all thought about the film and about my thoughts on it. Keep an eye out for more of my reviews as they come.

My Rating: 4 out of 5.

Stockholm Syndrome.

How any black person in the 21st Century can actively claim a religion that was knowingly forced upon their ancestors during times of slavery, genocide, and rape is a mystery to me. It takes a special kind of collective self-loathing to keep passing down such a detrimental mindset to your own children, generation after generation after generation, knowing full-well its origins in relation to your culture and the condition of your people. I can't imagine the descendant of a Holocaust-surviving Jew who'd sing the praises of the Third Reich or a Native American condoning Columbus. It's as if some of our people are like roaches for raid, I swear.

Welcome to the World, Child.

My baby Batgirl, Ms. Cassandra Sophia Arya Cain. 

DOB: 2/25/16, 5:45 AM.

Thank you for the most precious gift of all time, Jasmine DeLeon. Our girl is perfect.

Will She Be Vilified?

Really wonder if white people will question her upbringing too. The cops are never wrong: Right, White America? Right.

Black.

What if only black people had superpowers in the United States? What would our society look like then? Find out in "Black" by Kwanza Osajyefo, Tim Smith III, Jamal Igle, and Khary Randolph.

I supported this project with a donation and was very happy to do so. People of color need to start supporting each other's endeavors, it's the only way we'll ever see ourselves portrayed in a perpetually positive light that we'd appreciate.

Also, stories like these are ones that conglomerate publishers like Marvel and DC have historically been too politically-correct and afraid to deal with on a large scale, so when independent creators take the responsibility on their shoulders to tackle these issues, I think they deserve immense support from the comic book community for the sake of creativity and diversity. There's nothing like independence, and independent creators will be the ones who ultimately save our ailing industry.

‎What Magic Is Made Of‬.

Coldplay got their big break as an opening act for U2, who are both me and Chris Martin's all-time favorite band ever. However, those days are long over and Coldplay no longer need to play second-fiddle to anybody anymore. Not Beyonce, not Bruno Mars, not U2.

My love for Coldplay, beyond their music, stems from the fact that no matter how many bandwagon-riders try to downplay their musical quality, no matter how many lame screenwriters and B-list actors make jokes about them in stupid movies, no matter how much crap they get from critics for experimenting with their own art, no matter what trials they go through in their personal lives: Coldplay persist as brothers-by-bond on a constant musical journey in their own way. I respect that stubbornness and I admire it more than anything else conceivable.

The Ballad of Titus O'Neil: "Suspended For Hugging" AKA "Negro Wake-Up Call" AKA "Not One Black WWE Champion Ever".

This is all your fault, Titus.
You can't get away with what the white wrestlers get away with.
Have you forgotten your place in this world, black man?

Hurt (V2).

Click For Song: HERE

I hurt myself today....

....to see if I still feel....

....I focus on the pain....

....the only thing that's real....

....the needle tears a hole....

....the old familiar sting....

....try to kill it all away....

....but I remember everything.

What have I become....

....my sweetest friend....

....everyone I know....

....goes away in the end....

....you could have it all....

....my empire of dirt....

....I will let you down....

....I will make you hurt.

I wear this crown of shit....

....upon my liar's chair....

....full of broken thoughts....

....I cannot repair....

....beneath the stains of time....

....the feelings disappear....

....you are someone else....

....I am still right here.

What have I become....

....my sweetest friend....

....everyone I know....

....goes away in the end....

....and you could have it all....

....my empire of dirt....

....I will let you down....

....I will make you hurt....

....if I could start again....

....a million miles away....

....I would keep myself....

....I would find a way.

"Hurt"

By

Nine Inch Nails

Screencaps by DaiQuan M. Cain

Ramblings of a Former New York City School Student‬.

The treatment of students of color in the United States would shock anybody who's unfamiliar with it. It's no surprise to me, of course, since I've been through it already. And it's a big reason why I am the vocal and unrelenting way that I am to this very day:

Because of teachers like Ms. Kurchin in the 1st grade who yelled at me because my mother couldn't make it to chaperone a class trip, then instructed my classmates to sarcastically chant "Thanks, DaiQuan" at me for something out of my control.

Because of teachers like Ms. Giordano in the 4th grade who called me to the center of the classroom to check my homework assignment, snatched my notebook out of my hands and tossed it across the room upon finding out that it was incomplete, and then instructed my classmates to laugh at me until I made it back to my seat.

Because of teachers like Ms. Cardinali in the 5th grade who mocked me for pleading not to be held after class with a group of other kids who misbehaved that day because I had to go to a funeral, to which she had no sympathy.

Because of teachers like Mr. Stephen Cook, Jr. in the 7th grade who promised classmates of mine passing grades if they'd fight disruptive students for him, called us "retarded beyond retarded", and sold sports jerseys and played action movies in class every day for semesters on end instead of educating the students placed under his charge.

Because of teachers like Mrs. Diana Schiro (née Bergfeld) in the 10th grade who told her classroom full of black students that we were sensitive for taking the word "nigger" offensively in the 21st Century or by expressing, on another occasion, that she didn't need her job as much as we - her students - needed to learn her material because "I'm white," she proclaimed.

Because of the black sellout teachers like Mr. Todmann, who I also had in the 10th grade, telling me to my face that I was a "waste of time" when I failed another math test under his tutelage.

Or because when people like myself recount these experiences of ours to others, we're either brow-beaten, labeled as exaggerators, or told to "get over it".