2008 summer comic book movies review

So, this summer we've been hit with five comic book based movies. I really wish I was happier about that. Why am I not happy? Well let's look at what we have.

The Incredible Hulk

I skipped this one entirely. The early previews looked really great. Edward Norton on the run from the military. He's having to keep his cool or really bad things are going to happen. Then I got to see more and more by way of previews. It looked like one big CGI fest and frankly, I have a Wii, so yeah. I skipped it. I might rent it, but I'm not impressed by fancy CGI anymore.

Iron Man

This movie just ticked me off. The action scene bored the hell out of me. The final fight scene just flat out did not work. Of course they take their helmets off for the last battle. Makes complete sense. Please note the sarcasm. I was hoping to see Rhodey do at least one cool thing, and that didn't happen. Mostly, I felt like my intelligence was getting insulted. If I'm making weapons for the military and I find out that the bad guys are getting them and using them, my reaction is not "we're going to stop making weapons". I was waiting the whole time for Tony Stark to ask the magic question, "um, how did these guys get their hands on my stuff?" Sure there were some good one liners and the chemistry between Downey and Paltrow was very good, but that wasn't enough to save it. I wondered repeatedly if I was supposed to watch Tony Stark or Wile E. Coyote. I'm sick of being told that a movie is great as long as I just turn my brain off.

Wanted

This isn't an adaption of the comic so much as the film lifting a few lines and character names and pulling a cut and paste. The early part of the movie did have a nice Fight Club vibe to it, but once the bullets started bending it went downhill real fast. I constantly felt like I was two steps ahead of everything and not just in the plot, but in the action scenes. Props in a couple of spots, but mostly a let down. And "the Loom of Fate"? Who the hell was smoking what when they came up with that one?

The Dark Knight

This movie was best made piece of unenjoyable material I've seen. Great acting, excellent visuals and a solid story all of which I never want to see again. There was no charm whatsoever. Harvey Dent in the film delivers the quote "it's always darkest before the dawn". The dawn never comes. It's a tragedy featuring three noble men struggling against evil and chaos only to be torn down. Good does not triumph here. It barely manages to survive through sacrifice and compromise. I left feeling very depressed and slightly horrified, not by the movie but by my fellow movie-goers. Ledger's Joker was one the screen brutally murdering people and some in the audience were laughing right along with him. Bale's Batman gets by on his gadgets and fists, but little of the intellect and cunning that fans of Batman are used to seeing in the 'World's Greatest Detective". I'm really sorry I watched it.

Hellboy II

Why am I talking about this one last? Because I like to save the best for last. If you're reading this and haven't seen it yet, go right now. It's such a good, fun movie. All the charm The Dark Knight was lacking must have moved here. Great action with some gorgeously executed fight scenes. Del Toro's vision is a joy to watch. Utterly mesmerizing, even when it incredibly creepy. Also, easily the funniest thing I've seen on the big scene in months. This movie is not trying to bring the characters and concepts of the source material into our world. It draws the audience into a completely different and strange world. I'm sure this movie won't make the kind of money the others will at the box office, but I certainly know which one I'll be buying when they come out on DVD.