What Kind Of Name Is Steppenwolf?

“No protectors here. No Lanterns. No Kryptonian. This world will fall, like all the others.” ~ Steppenwolf

“I miss the days when one’s biggest concern is exploding wind-up penguins.” ~ Alfred Pennyworth

“A strong man is strongest alone, ever heard that?” ~ Arthur Curry

“You wanted me to be a leader, but leaders get people killed.” ~ Diana

“Superman was a beacon to the world. He didn’t just save people, he made them see the best part of themselves.” ~ Bruce Wayne

And so the DC cinematic universe carries on, trying to play catch-up with the Marvel cinematic universe in the fifth entry in the franchise, if one counts the shared continuity that started in Man Of Steel, followed in Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice, Suicide Squad, and Wonder Woman. That last film, a highly successful and entertaining origin story that hit theatres in the summer, finally got the DC universe right in this continuity. Justice League picks up where Batman V Superman left off, with Bruce and Diana’s organizing of the superhumans we got a glimpse of in that movie into a team. Zack Snyder directs the film (with a designated pinch director, yes, that is a term, now, in the form of Joss Whedon) after helming two of the previous films in the franchise.

A prologue set deep in the past finds Steppenwolf (Ciaran Hinds), the big bad of the film, accompanied by an army of Parademons (ugly bastards from another world, just like their boss) trying the old conquering the world ploy on Earth, only to be stopped by an army of Amazons, Atlanteans, Olympian gods, humans, and Green Lanterns. Their technology, called Mother Boxes, are dispersed around the world. In the present day, months after the death of Superman (Henry Cavill), Steppenwolf returns to have another go at world domination in an attempt to get back on the good side of his master. All that stand in his way are five heroes (plus a sixth late in the game): the Justice League. Batman (Ben Affleck) and Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) bring together Aquaman (Jason Momoa), the Flash (Ezra Miller), and Cyborg (Ray Fisher).

Justice League has been in the making for years, going back to the time when Christopher Nolan was making his Dark Knight trilogy (which are an entirely different continuity and were outstanding films, not reflecting the issues that the current DC cinematic shared continuity have had). It had long been stalled in the production process, until Snyder came along with Man of Steel, a film the studio wanted to be the start-off for further continuity. Snyder would return for the bleak Batman V Superman, and also directed the bulk of this, until a personal tragedy caused him to step away from post production and reshoots. Joss Whedon, who was involved in the screenplay with Chris Terrio, stepped in to cover the bases on that. There is a bit of a stilted feel of things at times though, and perhaps that has to do with two directors- two different styles are stitched together.

Terrio’s screenplay, with light humour mixed in from Whedon’s side of things, is a sprawling epic that plays off of what has come before- character dynamics, the history of the DC universe, the previous films- and takes it in a new direction. Steppenwolf might be a strange name for a villain, but he’s previously established in the DC universe as a forerunner for someone who’s even worse, and the parademons are also as well established as a formidable threat. The story has to bring these heroes together (even if some of them would rather stay right out of it) to face a threat that can’t be solved by one person- a good reflection of the prologue, which brings a disparate group to fight together against the same threat. The story, as things go along, certainly is lighter in tone than the utter bleakness of Batman V Superman or the lunatic energy of Suicide Squad.

The production values certainly look good. Parademons and the look of Steppenwolf, for instance, are well rendered and menacing. Amazonians, Atlanteans, Olympians, and the Lantern Corps all come across as you’d expect. New characters have been designed in a way that both fits a movie reality and their comic book origins. Cyborg, a mix of human and machine as a result of an accident, looks much like he would in the comics, only with more technological detail. The Flash, the scarlet speedster, ends up with a costume that takes his abilities into consideration, but still rings close to what we see on the printed page. Aquaman, a character who’s often been belittled (mostly because of a cheesy 70s animated show) looks quite different- instead of a blond haired man with a yellow shirt, we get an exotic looking ferocious warrior with scale armor and a trident, looking like the last person you’d want to irritate.

The cast is fairly well chosen, some of them new, others returning from previous films. Ciaran Hinds is one of those character actors you’ve seen in movies and television shows down through the years- Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows Part 2, Amazing Grace, Road To Perdition, The Sum Of All Fears, Munich, The Woman In Black, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, and The Nativity Story are among his extensive resume. Much of the role he plays here is a combination of motion capture as Steppenwolf. The character is a scheming, ambitious villain, but tired in other ways, seeking a way out of the servitude he finds himself in. Hinds gets to chew the scenery throughout like a megalomaniac, which you expect out of the Big Bad in one of these.

J.K. Simmons comes on board as Commissioner Gordon, a mainstay of the Batman mythos- with some of the same dynamics the two characters share in the comics and previous movie incarnations, partners of a sort who meet on rooftops and conspire together. Simmons, who’s one of those marvelous character actors who just make a movie more interesting by being around, has been in the comics adaptations before, having had played the grouchy J. Jonah Jameson in the three Sam Raimi Spider-Man films (one halfway expects Gordon to bark “Parker!”).  Diane Lane and Amy Adams reprise their roles from previous films in the DC continuity as Martha Kent and Lois Lane, this time finding themselves stunned by a turn of events that strikes close to home, and both actresses play to that. Jeremy Irons returns as Bruce Wayne’s faithful butler Alfred, still bringing a dry, sardonic wit to his take on the character.

Ray Fisher appeared briefly in Batman V Superman as Victor Stone, the young athlete whose life is shattered in an accident and whose scientist father Silas (Joe Morton, returning again as the sympathetic genius) has managed to keep him alive, though as more machine than man. As Cyborg, the character has multiple technological advantages, including flight, weapons, and technological manipulation, and the actor, playing at least in part through motion capture, conveys the notion of a young man trapped forever in a metallic shell, likely to never have a real life of his own, but still holding onto his humanity.

Ezra Miller is another young character, Barry Allen, already established in a cameo from Batman V Superman as having super powers as the Flash, helping people out in swift, but unheralded ways. The character is a university student quietly trying to live his life, being drawn into a much bigger world than he would have been prepared for, but he comes into his own as the story unfolds, and the character has a light, funny touch, particularly in how he interacts with everyone else around him.

Jason Momoa gets a fun role as the gruff and fierce Arthur Curry, aka Aquaman. The Atlantean warrior and royal is a metahuman whose great strength comes from his Atlantean biology, and he divides his time between ocean and the seashore. He’s dismissive and standoffish at first, feeling his loyalties must be to Atlantis, but circumstances bring him to accept a place in the wider world as well. The actor gives the character an intensely physical quality, a ferocious energy, and seems to be having fun as he goes along. It also helps that he’s got good chemistry with Mera (Amber Heard); the two characters will be back in a solo film in the not too distant future.

Henry Cavill returns as Clark Kent, otherwise known as Superman, after his death in Batman V Superman (death doesn’t really last in the comics, so why should it in movies?). How that return plays out is a bit convoluted, but Cavill plays the character in a different way than we’ve seen before: initial confusion at first, a natural reaction to a contingency measure of sorts secondly, a seeking out of who he is thirdly, and a return to glory when it really matters.

Gal Gadot impressed a lot of people with Wonder Woman during the summer, and she was the best part of Batman V Superman as well, and her return here as Diana is welcome. She’s spent a century after the events of her origin film on Earth as an immortal, quietly staying out of the way of humanity, apart from her mother and her Amazonian people. With the close of Batman V Superman, Diana has had to accept that she has to come back into the world, working with Bruce Wayne (and bantering and bickering a bit too) to forge a team to meet overwhelming threats. The actress plays her as someone of strength, principle, integrity, and will. emerging from the shadows and rising to the occasion.

Ben Affleck returns (though will he return again, that’s the question) as Bruce Wayne, the cranky Dark Knight who’s spent years as a vigilante in the darkness of Gotham City and who picked a fight with Superman in the previous film, well, just because the story told him to, before realizing that he was fighting the wrong person. His take on the character is lighter than it was in that film, where he certainly went for the grim and gritty. He’s still world weary, a non-powered human being with a brilliant mind, a lot of money, and an iron will who’s become more willing to trust and work with others to counter threats. He may not be a metahuman like those around him, but Affleck still plays the role as someone you don’t want to annoy.

Justice League still bears some of the marks of a problem for the DC cinematic universe: in trying to catch up with the Marvel cinematic universe, which hasn’t stumbled, the DC universe stumbles a bit. This happened with the previous films (with the exception of Wonder Woman), and it does happen here. Rather than just let the films tell themselves, the studio seems obsessed with playing catch-up. Two directors, with very different styles, end up creating a tone of inconsistency at times. That said, however, it is entertaining, giving the new characters a chance to shine and for the audience to get to know them. It also tells a sprawling epic that builds off of what’s already come before, gives us characters who mesh fairly well together, and which points ways to the future for all of them. 

Wonder, Power, And Courage

“What do you know of the gods?” ~ General Ludendorff

“I used to want to save the world, this beautiful place. But the closer you get, the more you see the great darkness within. I learnt this the hard way, a long, long time ago.” ~ Hippolyta

“I can save today. You can save the world.” ~ Steve Trevor

“It’s about what you believe. And I believe in love. Only love will truly save the world.” ~ Diana

Seven decades after the character first emerged into the world of comics, a solo film finally brings Wonder Woman to the big screen in a blockbuster directed by Patty Jenkins (Monster) and starring Gal Gadot as the title character. Having had appeared in Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice (and proving to be the best part of the movie), Gadot’s Diana gets a solo start that proves to be the best in the DC Cinematic Universe series of four films that started with Man Of Steel, and will carry on with other projects yet to come.

The film begins in the present day, with the immortal Diana looking back on her past. Raised on the island of Themyscira, she is the daughter of the queen of the Amazons, warrior women who stood against the Greek god of war, Ares, in the distant past. Her mother Hippolyta (Connie Nielsen) doesn’t want Diana to train as a warrior, while her aunt Antiope (Robin Wright) trains the girl in secret. The idyllic island, mystically separated from the rest of the world, finds the modern world intruding when a pilot crashes off the coast and German soldiers are in pursuit. The pilot is American spy Steve Trevor (Chris Pine), and the First World War is raging across Europe.

The film has been in development for a very long time. There had, of course, been the television series from the 1970s, and at one point or another, multiple directors, script concepts, and potential stars were tossed about. Eventually, screenwriter Allan Heinberg, who had written the character in the comics, brought forth the screenplay for the new film from a story worked out with others- Zack Snyder, Jason Fuchs, and Geoff Johns, the last of whom is a major player at DC. While Wonder Woman was originally a legacy of the Second World War, this story takes things a generation back and brings her face to face with the horrors of the war to end all wars. It’s a creative take that ends up working well, and the story mixes in strong characterization based in where the characters come from, as well as rich humour where appropriate. The story raises interesting questions along the way- does it take a god of war to drive men into battle, or are men inherently violent all by themselves? 

Patty Jenkins was brought on board in 2015 as a director for the solo project. Her work on Monster oversaw a dark film that got Charlize Theron an Oscar for Best Actress, and her choice as director happens to be the first time a woman has helmed one of these super hero films. And it turned out to be the ideal choice. The resulting film shows that she has not only the right touch for working with actors and bringing out the best in their performances, but also that she can certainly handle epic action. That comes across throughout the film, which goes from paradise to hell, from the idyllic island that Diana calls home to the nightmare that is the trenches of the Great War. The director’s style deftly handles both the personal scale and the epic sweep of battle in turn. She proves to have an expert touch on the tension of battle- even if that battle is between men or between gods.

A good part of the film was shot on location in various spots around Europe, with special effects and work done on studio sets where needed. The rendering of Themyscira is particularly vivid, feeling very much like a paradise, and one that wouldn’t feel out of place with what we’ve seen in the comics. The Amazons are formidable- fierce women who have a proud history as warriors, now living in a place of peace. Vivid in a completely different way is the horror of the trenches. While the death toll of World War Two was higher, in some ways, the ferocity of the First World War could seem worse, and the film plays to that.

The casting behind the film is inspired. Danny Huston has a history of character roles, sometimes being sympathetic, other times being less so, but always interesting to watch on screen. Here he gets a bit of a challenge, playing a historical figure who finds a powerful woman among his adversaries. He brings ambition and an iron hand to the role of Erich Ludendorff, the real life German commander during the war. It’s a complicated character to play, and Huston gives him a suitably brooding quality.

Another character actor, David Thewlis, known for many a role, but perhaps most as Remus Lupin in the Harry Potter series, has a complicated role to play. Sir Patrick Morgan is a British official, high up in the War Cabinet, a man speaking for peace. And yet there’s more under the surface, which Thewlis keeps close to the vest. Soft spoken at first, his Morgan has a craftiness and another agenda all together.

Lucy Davis appears as a familiar face to comics readers, Etta Candy, who’s been a loyal friend to Wonder Woman from the beginning (though her status quo has often changed with continuity reboots or universes restarting). She gives the character a saucy, fun energy, while acting as Steve’s secretary. The actress makes the character a treat to watch. Less of a treat and more of a threat is Elena Anaya, who gets to chew the scenery as Isabel Maru, otherwise known as Doctor Poison. She’s a mad scientist with a specialty in poison (what else), and the actress gives her a menacing quality in her performance.

Robin Wright appears as the Amazon general Antiope, sister to the queen. A woman of principle, steadiness, and courage, she undertakes the training of her niece despite the objections of her sister because she knows it’s the right thing to do. Connie Nielsen gives the role of Hippolyta the sense of grace, majesty, and decisiveness that you’d expect out of the queen of a tribe of warrior women. There’s also a hint of melancholy, as she sees little in the outer world to be trusted. She must balance her instincts as a mother and her duties to her people as the story goes along, knowing the price that might be asked, and the actress strongly conveys that.

Chris Pine appears as Steve Trevor, another holdover from the comics (he was glimpsed in a photograph in Dawn Of Justice, so we knew this was coming). He’s both a military officer and a spy, a man capable of being resourceful and quick to think on his feet. Pine gives the character a cynical but charming quality- he’s already seen the worst that humanity has to offer, and yet as much as that mind grind him down, it doesn’t break him. I like the chemistry that slowly builds as he gets to know Diana- while he’s out of his element in her home, the tables turn when she’s out of her element in the world he calls home, a source of a good part of the film’s humour.

We’d already seen Gal Gadot’s first take as Diana in the present day- a woman  taken to living in the shadows, reserved in her way, and yet bold and courageous when the occasion calls for it. This film serves as the character’s origins, and the actress has to play her in a different way that still makes sense for where she’ll end up. Diana is naive and innocent about the world at large- which provides for some levity and humour when she meets that world. And yet she’s brave, compassionate, and inherently decent, qualities that never fail her as she’s confronted by horrors that leave many men shattered. The actress plays strongly to these elements of the character throughout the film, and she’s mesmerizing to watch, totally owning the character, making her a compelling, inspiring protagonist. This is the payoff that’s been a long time coming.

Wonder Woman gets things right for the DC Cinematic Universe. While there have been good films based on DC characters before (most recently the Christopher Nolan directed trilogy of Batman films), the concept of a shared universe only really dates back to Zack Snyder’s Man Of Steel, and that film, along with Dawn Of Justice and Suicide Squad, did have their share of issues along the way. Part of that was the attempts of studio executives to play a desperate game of catch up with the Marvel Cinematic Universe instead of just letting the movies tell their own story. What we get here is a powerfully told tale of war and peace, of sacrifice and ambition, of horror and love. With a protagonist who brings vividly to life the integrity and goodness of the character, the film proves to be a rollicking success, grounded in good characterization and moving breathlessly along. And it’s about time.

The Bat And The Boy Scout

“The Daily Planet criticizing those who think they’re above the law is a little hypocritical, wouldn’t  you say? Considering every time your hero saves a cat out of a tree, you write a puff piece editorial about an alien who, if he wanted to, could burn the whole place down. There wouldn’t be a damn thing we can do to stop it.” ~ Bruce Wayne 

“Most of the world doesn’t share your opinion, Mr. Wayne.” ~ Clark Kent 

“Maybe it’s that Gotham City and me... we just have a bad history with freaks dressed like clowns.” ~ Bruce Wayne

 “We know better now, don’t we? Devils don’t come from hell beneath us. No, they come from the sky.” ~ Lex Luthor

“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.” ~ Martha Wayne

“That’s how it starts. The fever, the rage, the feeling of powerlessness that turns good men... cruel.” ~ Alfred

“I’ll take you in without breaking you... which is more than you deserve.” ~ Superman

“I walked away from man a century ago, because of the horrors of man.” ~ Diana Prince

“Man is still good. We break things, tear them down, but we can rebuild. We can be better, we have to be.” ~ Bruce Wayne

After much hype and production time, the follow up to Man Of Steel has arrived in theatres. Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice pits two of the biggest members of DC’s Trinity against each other, while bringing in the third member as a wild card. The Dark Knight and the Man of Steel go head to head in a grudge match with a whole lot of destruction, a villain pulling the strings, and hints of the impending Justice League yet to come. Director Zack Snyder returns to helm this sprawling tale which deals with the issues of power and responsibility, while feeling like it’s trying to catch up to what Marvel Studios has done over the last few years.

Picking up months after the events of Man Of Steel, Superman (Henry Cavill) has become a source of controversy. Some see the Kryptonian as a threat, others see him as a hero. Given the mass casualties in Metropolis after his battle with Zod, that’s understandable. One of those viewing him as a threat is Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck), who has spent twenty years in Gotham City as the vigilante Batman. He blames the Man of Steel for the casualties and carnage, while his faithful butler Alfred (Jeremy Irons) sees things differently. As for Superman, in his civilian identity as reporter Clark Kent, he’s involved with Lois Lane (Amy Adams, reprising her role from the first film).

Tycoon Lex Luthor (Jesse Eisenberg) also sees the Man of Steel as a foe, and has been busy manipulating a senator (Holly Hunter) and making dark plans against Superman. Another player, Diana Prince (Gal Gadon) enters the mix with her own secrets, and Bruce’s investigations lead him into Luthor’s secrets. A terrible incident ensues, and the two heroes find themselves drawn into a confrontation with each other.

The screenplay is credited to two writers, Chris Terrio and David S. Goyer. The latter had a big hand in Man Of Steel and Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy. While the story’s an original one, there are big influences from the comics, specifically Frank Miller’s alternate future miniseries The Dark Knight Returns and the Death Of Superman story arc. This is also a fresh start for the Batman- this is clearly not the same character from Nolan’s film trilogy. The story effectively brings the Batman into an already established world where Superman’s been active- though the Dark Knight has been active for longer. While it reflects the events of Man Of Steel, it’s not so much a sequel as its own story, expanding the DC cinematic universe- and perhaps packing too much in all at once, what with Wonder Woman turning up, as well as appearances by those who will one day be part of the League. There’s not a lot of humour to the story, though- everything seems to feel a little too grim and dark. Perhaps that comes from having The Dark Knight Returns as inspirational material. Personally, while I get why that limited series was so acclaimed, I have a whole lot of issues with it- Frank Miller really needs intensive psychological therapy.

Snyder already has had experience with the superhero world after his experience with Man of Steel, so it’s suitable to have him helm this again. The visual style of the director is in keeping again with this film, which has a lot of emphasis on the epic feel of the story, but at the same time his style does at times make it all feel like two guys yelling at each other and then trying to kill each other. In terms of lighting, it’s darker, fitting the fact that Batman is present and accounted for. 

The design of things like the new Batmobile work well- while it takes inspiration from classic Batmobiles, there’s a lot of the tank sensibility to it that we might have expected from the Nolan trilogy. The design of an end of the film character, Doomsday, is interesting; the character looks like a gigantic orc having a bad face day. While Superman is still pretty much in the same outfit we’ve seen in the earlier film, the two big new arrivals have had new designs. Wonder Woman has a uniform that looks more like Greek armour than the star spangled costume of the comics. Batman’s costume hearkens to the comics, while a second look is much more armoured. While it’s obviously influenced by the character’s armour in The Dark Knight Returns, I was also reminded of an armour Batman wore in another limited series, Batman Vs Predator. 

The film also brings back Hans Zimmer, who composed the music for Man Of Steel and the Nolan Batman trilogy, to compose the score this time with a collaborator, Junkie XL, who has previously scored films such as 300: Rise Of An Empire, Deadpool, and Mad Max: Fury Road. The challenge for Zimmer was to not take any of his previous themes for the Dark Knight, and working with another composer this time out ends up working well in that regard. Their styles blend well together.

Some of the supporting characters are new to the DC Universe, while others have returned from Man Of Steel. Laurence Fishburne returns as Perry White, the editor in chief at the Planet, Lois and Clark’s boss, still as grouchy but principled as ever. Diane Lane reprises her role as Martha Kent, the wise mother of Clark (still looking older than the actress actually is), very much a source of personal strength for her son. Holly Hunter is a new presence as Senator Finch, playing the character with authority while being played at times by Luthor. Jeremy Irons makes an interesting casting choice as Alfred, Bruce’s faithful butler and voice of reason.

Jesse Eisenberg might be an unlikely choice for Lex Luthor- for one thing, the actor has hair, and is a good deal younger than you might expect for the character. He plays the role in a bit of an obnoxious and devious way, pulling strings and acting like a puppet master, playing a game to his own ends through the film. Luthor’s not at all a likeable person- which is required in a villain. The hint of the comics version is there though- the arrogant man who ultimately feels insecure in the presence of his enemy. He does seem to be playing the role a bit more over the top though.

Amy Adams returns as Lois, which is a good thing. She played the character in a spirited way in Man Of Steel, and in a way that showed her own resourcefulness. That continues here. I did like in the earlier film that Lois was presented as smart, figuring out things like who Superman really was on her own- it was a stark contrast to the comics version who always seemed oblivious to that fact. Adams brings an outspoken, bold quality to the character.

Gal Gadot is a newcomer to me; the actress has done a few movie roles in things I haven’t seen before, and was a model before that. Yet she comes into the role of Diana Prince, otherwise known as Wonder Woman, with a sense of authority. We don’t see a lot of her as the film goes along; she first appears undercover in civilian attire, and perhaps that’s for the best- the character’s unknown background actually makes her more interesting. When we see her as the hero she is, the actress brings the character’s strength and sense of resolve right into things. I’m looking forward to seeing what she does in an upcoming solo film.

Henry Cavill returns as Clark Kent/ Superman after Man Of Steel. The character has held onto his principles, struggling with his place in the world. While he works to save lives and help others, the question as to if he could ever become a threat is a real one. It’s a question that should be brought up more often- just what would be enough to push Superman into becoming a threat to the world at large? Clark has at least some domestic happiness this time out, the stability of love and someone to come home to. Clark is dogged as a reporter; Cavill plays the character’s two alter egos in ways that show a clear difference between the two (this was a huge problem with the series Lois & Clark, in which there was no sense of Clark being a different person than Superman, thanks for nothing, Dean Cain).

Ben Affleck was a controversial choice as Bruce Wayne/ Batman. He had played a hero before, in the film version of Daredevil, and he has had hits and misses as an actor before. But the story calls for the character not to be a younger Dark Knight just starting out, but a seasoned, veteran crime fighter with years of experience. Affleck plays the character as grim and humourless, a bit single minded in terms of his animosity toward the Man of Steel. He's bullheaded and relentless, embittered by years of urban warfare against crime. It’s a curious thing- Bruce refuses to listen to other opinions about the matter when perhaps he should. He plays Bruce as charming and a playboy, which should be the way it’s done, and Batman as ruthlessly determined and a bit paranoid. It’s not as good a performance in the role as Christian Bale’s take on the character, but that’s impossible to match. Still, Affleck works in the role, not feeling off in the way he plays the character.

The film’s a big punch up blockbuster (even if it’s been released long before the traditional blockbuster season). The grimness and excessive damage can be a bit overwhelming, and to be honest, the film seems to be trying to pack way too much in at once. It seems to be desperately trying to catch up with the Marvel cinematic universe, which shows in the way the story comes across. Rather than carefully go about establishing that universe, as Marvel Studios did, this film tries to go all out in trying to make a match. It’s perhaps a vain effort; the film does come across as lacking the heart of the Marvel films, as well as the sense of humour. Still, it does establish a wider DC cinematic universe, and sets the stage for things to come. DC has put a lot of hopes into their own film world; they just need to seriously invest in humanity, levity, and the odd punchline as they go ahead.