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Ranking The BATMAN: ARKHAM Franchise From Worst To Best

It all began with that smash hit back in 2009 known as Batman: Arkham Asylum which exploded into a major franchise with two sequels, a prequel, and an animated tie-in movie. I find myself fortunate to have experienced the hype and release of these games and now with the new game from WB Games Montreal said to be a reboot, I believe it’s time I take a look back at all the entries of the Arkham games I mentioned and rank them from worst to best.

Now let’s establish a few things first: I will only be talking about the main entries in the universe as well as the animated movie as a bonus. If I were to talk about everything in the Arkham universe, well this article would become an overly long novel. I never played Arkham Origins: Blackgate so that won’t be popping up here and…well Arkham Underworld is a hot mess so I’m skipping it.

I also want to state that this is just my opinion, if you have any agreements or disagreements, feel free to kindly say so. ONTO THE RANKINGS!

5. BATMAN: ASSAULT ON ARKHAM

“Mate… you just out-crazied The Joker!” ~Captain Boomerang

When characters like Deadshot, Harley, and Deathstroke began to appear in the Arkham franchise, many fans have wanted a spin-off game about the Suicide Squad but an animated movie definitely was a good compromise, especially when it turned out THIS good. Set between the events of Arkham Origins and Arkham Asylum, we see Task Force X given the mission of infiltrating Arkham Asylum and breaking out the Riddler for Amanda Waller.

From the moment it starts, they nail the atmosphere and the characters. The simple set up and almost grindhouse style introduction to the members of the Squad is enough to get me hyped everytime. Neal McDonough voices Deadshot and he is by far my favorite version of the character: he nails that calm and calculated side of the character but also perfectly emulates that emotion that the character keeps hidden. All the voice actors do a great job but McDonough is definitely the stand out.

The animation is beautiful, the character designs are great, the action is a lot of fun, and it has some great easter eggs for fans. So why is it the worst of the Arkham franchise? Well, unfortunately it really falls apart in the last act when the mission goes awry and causes the release of many villains. While it certainly looks cool and provides some cool action, it also creates conflict with what is established in Arkham Asylum when it is said that they’ve never had a breakout like this before. The biggest plothole is when Bane’s character shows up which directly conflicts with the revelation of the first game. It is a shame too because Assault On Arkham started off so well but ended up biting more than it can chew.

4. BATMAN: ARKHAM ASYLUM

“Welcome to the Madhouse, Batman! I set up a trap and you sprang it gloriously! Now let’s get this party started.” ~The Joker

Ah, the one that started it all. When I first played this back in 2009, I was so addicted to it that the moment I beat the game, I started a brand new save file and played through again! Not many games hook me that hard and coming back to it over ten years later? It nearly hooked me again!

From the Metroidvania-styled Arkham Island to the explore, the dark and claustrophobic interiors, the many villains, the twists and turns, Arkham Asylum is still an amazing classic in my mind…but that doesn’t mean it’s aged perfectly. I’ll be honest, the combat system is a bit clunky compared to future games, sometimes the backtracking can be annoying, the upgrades are minimal, and the boss fights are not that impressive. My favorite boss by far is against Killer Croc in his lair but once you’ve experienced the terror the first time, the boss becomes predictable the next playthrough.

This game had by far the best visual style for the interface; I know that’s an odd thing to comment on but I personally found the black and white comic book style artwork for the menus, bonus features, and user interface to be the most appealing compared to the more bland Bat-Computer interface of the sequels. I hope WB Games brings this back for the reboot.

The story is still fantastic: the contained story on Arkham Island gives this tension and suspense that still makes me feel like I’m actually exploring an ancient asylum and helps me feel like I AM the Batman. The twists and turns are great, Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill are golden in their roles and I just love this game and I always look forward to playing it every year.

3. BATMAN: ARKHAM KNIGHT

“This is how it happened. This…is how the Batman died.” ~Jim Gordon

I had a hard time choosing between this and the next entry for this spot but after giving it some thought, I had to put Knight at number three. Let me start by saying that I still really love this game but I can’t deny that I was disappointed by it when it first came out.

Starting with the good: the combat is at its best here. It flows perfectly, the controls feel fluid, it’s faster, it’s powerful, it makes you truly feel like this is the ultimate Batman combat simulator. I also am one of the few individuals that LIKED how much the Batmobile was used in this game since I figured, well if this is the last game, might as well go all out with it. The gameplay for the Batmobile itself I found to be tons of fun, I loved taking on the many challenges with it, getting all the upgrades, and dealing with all the puzzles.

Visually? This game is a masterpiece. Even in 2020, this game looks so good that I am shocked that this was a 2015 release. Everything from the character models to the details in the city, I loved the way this game looked. It just gets me excited to see what they can do in the future with characters like Superman or Wonder Woman!

Combined with the DLC, I found all the side missions and extra story chapters to be a lot of fun. These were my favorite parts of the game, just exploring Gotham and taking on the likes of Firefly, Professor Pyg, Mr. Freeze,…and a TERRIFYING version of Man-Bat! Sometimes they could feel repetitive but overall, I had a ton of fun with the side quests.

So what did I NOT like about this game? Remember I said I liked the side quests? Well, that’s because I really did not like the story for this game. Now, the sub-plot featuring The Joker inside Batman’s mind was AMAZING but the main story featuring the actual Arkham Knight himself? A total mess. The Arkham Knight is one of the most weak, annoying, and unsatisfying villains I have ever seen with one of the most predictable twists that I honestly was hoping it was all a trick by Scarecrow. Instead, it’s just a lame twist that I predicted from the first time I saw the Arkham Knight in marketing. I won’t spoil it here but…yeah, it’s obvious as to who he is.

Combine that with an admittedly decent Scarecrow who had a cliche villain plot and the story just felt so….meh, by the end of it. Especially when the BEST and most emotional twist turns out to be fake. I will probably do a whole article dedicated to why I can’t stand the Arkham Knight as a villain but for now, let’s move on.

The Bat-Family are criminally underused, especially after the marketing made it sound like you could play as both Robin and Nightwing with their own exclusive missions a la Grand Theft Auto V but instead, you’re just given some neat side-quests where you can temporarily play as them before swapping back to Batman or you have great but short story missions for them.

And the bosses….WOW! They got lazy with these boss fights: most of them are literally just punching and dodging or they are quick time events. Nothing unique except for two okay predator sequences where you have to take out different people infected with Joker’s blood. And don’t even get me started on that Deathstroke boss…

I despise everything involving the Riddler in this game…his character is annoying in all the worst ways with the constant broadcasts becoming a grating noise to the ears, his riddles and challenges are so easy that they end up becoming boring, his final boss fight is just as idiotic as the others, and everything involving this character has become a tedious joke throughout the series. I really hope the reboot does something new with him or chooses a new villain to provide Batman with challenges.

The map is lame. Some parts of it are fun to explore but overall, I felt that the map had no charm or personality to it. Miagani Island and Founders Island look almost identical while Bleake manages to have the most character of them all but all three are not that fun to explore unless you have the Batmobile.

Overall, Arkham Knight is a still a GREAT game but there is this bitter taste it leaves in my mouth every time I play it. I love it but it was definitely not the ultimate Batman simulator that I was hoping for and with provides a pretty sour ending to such a great series. I still come back to it every year and enjoy it but it definitely not my favorite.

2. Batman: Arkham City

“Shut it down? By the end of tonight, I will be a hero. Just like you… Batman.” ~Hugo Strange

Some sequels are more iconic than their predecessors: MegaMan II, Castlevania III, and you can definitely add Arkham City to that list because for the most part, Arkham City does everything that a sequel should do. How is the gameplay? It’s great (not as great as Knight but still great). The story is thrilling and engaging (almost) all the way through, the cast of villains is huge with plenty memorable moments, and even the boss fights manage to be fun!

The standout boss fight is without a doubt, the battle against Mr. Freeze: even to this day, defeating him can be difficult. I also loved Mr. Freeze as a whole: his design, the voice, his involvement in the story, he was by far the best villain in the game and I definitely wish I could have a game where I play as him.

The second campaign where you play as Catwoman is not extensive but it provides enough of a break from Batman’s gameplay and proves to be a lot of fun if not a little repetitive if you are going for 100% completion. Her fight against Two-Face was the other standout boss fight that I still struggle with to this day.

Arkham City, while not as atmospheric as Arkham Island, is a great map to explore with many fun side quests, unique locations, and provides a great feeling of tension and isolation that Knight simply could not pull off.

The story in this one is great with Hugo Strange providing a very interesting plot with Joker as a bonus yet again to make things worse for the Caped Crusader. However, I’d be lying if I did find myself bored with one section of the story and that was everything involving the League of Assassins and Ra’s Al Ghul towards the middle of the story. I don’t really know why but every time, that part of the story always makes me want to fall asleep but the moment it’s over, it goes back to being great.

The main twist as to who is working with Hugo Strange feels like a waste of potential as well but the rest of the ending featuring The Joker makes up for it. Especially when that part of the story provides its own twist that I did not see coming and I loved it! Now I love it even more because of all the subtle hints throughout the main story that I never noticed the first time.

Other than my few complaints, Arkham City rightfully deserves its spot as the best sequel in the franchise and while it is personally not my all time favorite, I can definitely see why it is for many others. Speaking of…

1. Batman: Arkham Origins

“Eight assassins after your head, what are you going to do?” ~Alfred Pennyworth

I am very much aware of how in the minority I am with this opinion but…I love this game to death. So let me just get the common complaints people have out of the way.

The Glitches: I’ve heard people go all out about the glitches but back when I first played on the Wii U (I upgraded to the Xbox 360 later), I only experienced one game breaking glitch that I managed to fix with a quick reset and a couple texture pop ins. Other than that, I was fortunate to run into very few glitches before the patches.
Not Kevin Conroy & Mark Hamill: I personally find this complaint to be just silly because I really enjoyed what Roger Craig Smith brought to the table as a younger Batman that feels both unique but I can also imagine being a young Conroy. Same for Troy Baker as The Joker who straight up sounds just like Hamill at times! Both these actors nail it.
It’s just a rehash of City. Another one I find to be silly because this was not the first time a game did this kind of work for a sequel/prequel. The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask uses nothing but tweaked assets from Ocarina of Time with only a few new things added. WB Games Montreal had to work with minimal time, a budget, and had to use the same engine as Arkham City and I think they did pretty well with what they had.

This game by far has my favorite setting of the series with the Gotham City on Christmas Eve: the snowy rooftops, the Christmas decorations, the monochromatic color scheme, I think it all just works perfectly to give this almost CHILL atmosphere that I love…I’ll see myself out for that pun.

This Batman has by far my favorite suit of the series, so much so that I always find myself swapping to this suit whenever I have the chance in Arkham Knight. It feels like the perfect armored Batman that The Dark Knight movies tried to pull off but never could.

THE BOSS FIGHTS! Even in City, the boss fights were never the best thing about the games but this time? I think WB Games Montreal were determined to fix the mistakes of Rocksteady by giving us fights like Killer Croc, Copperhead, Firefly, and the fan favorite stand out, DEATHSTROKE! This is how you make a Deathstroke fight, Rocksteady! Not that…crap in Arkham Knight! I urge that you play this game just for the boss fights, you will not regret it.

If there was one thing from Origins I was happy returned in Knight, it was the more detailed detective work that helps you unfold new twists in the plot or solve fun mysteries as side quests. This is the closest thing to feeling like The World’s Greatest Detective we ever get in the franchise and I love it!

As for the story, I love the simple set up: there’s a bounty on Batman’s head and he’s trying to put the assassins away before Christmas morning. It provides this great tension and timing to the game that just keeps elevating throughout the campaign and with each twist and turn, Batman grows as a character and I love it! This game is the only one where it manages to keep getting better and better as it cranks up the action and twists. It has a great climax and provides the best ending bosses in the series!

This is the first time we ever got any kind of emotional moments between Batman and Alfred and it hits home when the two finally come to a head. This and Arkham Knight pretty much solidified Martin Jarvis as my favorite version of Alfred of all time!

Gameplay? Sure it’s very similar to City but the few new mechanics combined with an even faster combat system was satisfying to me. This was the first time the counter button never glitched out on me making me lose my combo counter so I found myself enjoying this more. I think it as City but slightly improved but that’s just me.

I only played the multiplayer for a brief period but I remembered it being broken, glitchy, weird, and…I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have fun with it.

Overall, Arkham Origins is a game that I feel is often overlooked in this series and I urge those who have a way to play it (since WB Games Montreal refuses it remaster it), please do and give it another shot. It is a great prequel that provides a fun adventure that I think would be a great start for those who haven’t played any other game.

Despite my individuals flaws with each entry of the franchise, I can still go back and marathon the whole series and still love it. It’s an amazing journey to play from Arkham Asylum and work my way up to Arkham Knight that makes me remember my first times playing through and having just as much fun. With the reboot on the way, I am excited since the Arkham series gave me a beginning, a middle, and an end to Batman’s journey so continuing it will seem odd in my opinion. I can’t wait to experience what WB Games Montreal have in store for us in the future.

You’re all SO SWEET for making it this far and I hope you all enjoyed this review! I write about anything geek related, especially comic book related stuff so if you want to stay up to date with all the reviews, news breakdowns, and lists I do, make sure to follow this blog or follow me on Twitter @MelodyMacReady ! Love you all!

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Fun Time At Sonic Speed: SONIC THE HEDGEHOG Movie Review

For me, there has always been hope for movies based on video games. Sure, there are the…well, let’s face it, straight up AWFUL attempts at adapting classic games to the big screen like Street Fighter, Max Payne, or Bloodrayne but for every five of those stinkers, I usually find myself surprised with a random gem like WarCraft or Mortal Kombat…the first one, we ignore the second like the plague. With Sonic The Hedgehog, I had my doubts this could work as a movie, especially after the first design that came along with the first trailer?

Yikes. But after the announcement of the redesign and the more advertisements I saw for the film, my curiosity and intrigue became piqued. I saw the movie and now I can add Sonic The Hedgehog to the list of surprising gems.

An Origin Story Done Right

One common mistake video game movies tend to make is try to shove so many characters and established lore from the games into one movie. This movie, however, focuses mostly on Sonic and his story throughout: it perfectly establishes Sonic, played absolutely perfectly by Ben Schwartz, builds his lore and worlds up, then never bites off more than it can chew. It’s a great introduction to the character that even people who have never played a Sonic game in their life could enjoy it.

It’s NOT The Smurfs

While it does fit in that same vein of a cartoon character from another world comes to Earth to team up with a human character, Sonic The Hedgehog makes the right choice by having a good 95% of the movie be focused on Sonic himself. James Marsden’s character Tom is important but the movie never tries to pull away from the more interesting super fast hedgehog story to make it more about his dilemmas as a cop. Most of the movie is spent on being a fun, action packed, comedic road trip with Sonic and Tom. What also separates this from movies like Alvin and the Chipmunks or The Smurfs is that this movie has several genuine heartfelt moments to get you to feel invested in both Sonic and Tom as a duo. It’s not just the yucks and antics, Sonic is a three dimensional character….in more ways than one!

Guess Who’s Back….Back Again. Jim Is Back! Tell A Friend!

James Marsden’s not the only human character as we are introduced to the evil Dr. Robotnik played by the man, the myth, the legend himself: Jim Carrey. Those who grew up watching his films like The Mask, Ace Ventura, and Liar Liar will be happy because this delightfully wicked character is on par with those performances and every time Jim Carrey in on-screen, he steals the show in the best ways possible providing the perfectly balanced amount of comedy and villainous antics. There were tons of moments that had me laughing out loud. And the way they leave his character off was just icing on the cake: Carrey was perfect as Robotnik.

EASTER EGGS GALORE!

While I hold by my words that general audiences will still enjoy this movie without playing the games, I will also say that fans of the many years and generations of Sonic will have an equally fun time as there are tons of references and Easter Eggs sprinkled throughout. I watched this movie with my old brother who grew up with the Sega Genesis and I watched him turn into a little kid again, spotting all the different Easter Eggs. Especially with the way the movie ends and the mid-credits scene that appears. Without spoiling, all I can say is that it will get fans excited for a sequel.

Action Packed

This is a family movie with a lot of great chuckles but surprisingly, it gets a lot of great action in there. Whenever Robotnik shows up with with his army of robotic minions, it’s fast, it’s action packed, and even has a climax that would definitely be fit for a comic book movie. There are even a couple scenes that without spoiling definitely take inspiration from another super fast character in a comic book movie…if you’ve seen the movie, you know what I’m talking about.

Final Thoughts

Overall, Sonic The Hedgehog is a movie that I very much hope brings life to the video game movie. I had a ton of fun watching it, Sonic is a great lead, Carrey’s Robotnik was perfect, the movie is gorgeous to look at, it provides a lot of laughs, smiles, and feels to keep a whole family entertained, and gives fans the Sonic they deserve. They spent all that extra time and money to make people happy with that redesign so I can only ask that you take your family to see it and have fun at the speed of light. I’m giving the movie a 9/10.

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An Overlooked Masterpiece: JUSTICE LEAGUE: THE NEW FRONTIER MOVIE REVIEW

“All mankind waits upon our decision. A whole world looks to see what we will do. We cannot fail their trust. We cannot fail to try.” ~John F. Kennedy

As a child, I loved the exploits of Batman throughout his movies and TV shows. Superman has always been my favorite hero but I didn’t consider myself a true DC fan until one day, I rented a movie from a store and it transformed me. The movie was Justice League: The New Frontier, based on the graphic novel DC’s The New Frontier by Darwyn Cooke.

A World Without Hope

I expected to have a fun time with the superhero action and the colorful characters but instead, I was transported into one of the most brilliantly written and realized version of the DC Universe that takes place during the space age of the 1950s with the end of the Korean War.

Just from the way it opens up with the ominous intro with the Centre mixed with the historic recap showing that costumed heroes and vigilantes have become outlawed. It draws you in with this unique atmosphere and world building that not many DC animated films do. It reminds me of a DC Universe version of Watchmen.

Martian Manhunter Leads The Story

Fitting perfectly within the era this takes place, the story focuses mostly on J’onn J’onzz, the Martian Manhunter attempting to adapt and live on Earth during a time when we are so divided and mean-spirited towards each other. Being the only one of your kind and surrounded by toxic individuals can be disheartening but our lucky to find that select few who share your views. This was a story that I truly admired as I too have been an outcast trying to find my place in a crazy world.

A Perfect Green Lantern Origin Story

The other main storyline is that of Hal Jordan, a veteran with PTSD from the Korean War. Ha’s story is all about finding the stars: he became an Air Force pilot to get up there and now he gets his second chance when the government assigns him to a mission to Mars.

Again, very fitting with the Space Age setting of this movie. We were at a point where people either were terrified of what waited for us in the vast reaches of space while others couldn’t wait to get up there and explore. The way his origin of becoming the Green Lantern is woven so well into the larger plot with the Centre that when he finally dons the green suit, it is applause worthy.

A Dark Threat For A Dark Time

Speaking of, let’s talk about the Centre who acts as the primary antagonist that brings the world out of their petty squabbles and assemble for the battle to save the Earth. While this villain is not exactly the most developed nor does it have much in terms of personality, Keith David provides an ominous performance as this psychic living island that views humans as the disease that needs to be cured. It’s a good threatening presence that makes for a tense and action-packed climax to the film.

The Flash Is The Ultimate Underdog

While he doesn’t have the largest role in the film, Barry Allen’s The Flash portrayed by Neil Patrick Harris remains one of the greatest things to come from this story. His whole dilemma is that not only does he feel worthless in comparison to titans like Superman or Wonder Woman but he’s questioning why he’s helping people when all they do is treat him like a criminal. But all this leads to an amazing revelation that of all the heroes and vigilantes, he is probably the most important character in the fight against the Centre.

This was back when the Flash was considered a C-list hero amongst general audiences and I firmly believe that movies like this and his standout moments in the Justice League animated series were the beginning of the character’s rise in popularity. His scenes in the climax are great but most can agree that his best scene in the story by far is when he faces off against Captain Cold in Las Vegas.

Legends of the New Frontier

That’s something that I truly respect Darwyn Cooke for (may he rest in peace), while the more popular characters like Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman are indeed in this story and provide great moments, they are reserved as supporting cast members while the less popular characters like Green Lantern and The Flash steal the show. Even Ray Palmer plays a surprisingly important role and he’s not even the Atom yet.

A Brighter Tomorrow

One of the greatest aspects about this movie is how it reflects the history of comics in the real world. When the superheroes began, we were in a dark time: war, poverty, and suffering everywhere and comics books were an escape, a means to take a break from the gloom and the misery of it all. Even if it is just for a few minutes, those few minutes in a story with Superman made people happy. That’s how the heroes of the New Frontier were: Superman, Wonder Woman, and the Justice Society were beacons of light and happiness.

In the real world, people took these stories for granted, banning them, destroying them, causing the comic book industry to nearly crash. It was a dark age and finally, in the 1960s, superheroes made the return with the Silver Age of Comics. It was brighter, more family friendly, and it was the beginning of an era for superheroes. This is definitely reflected in The New Frontier with heroes and vigilantes becoming outlawed and….well I think Superman says it best:

“We face a threat big enough to wipe us off the Earth and still we bicker about a mask or a uniform.” ~Superman, The New Frontier
His entire speech in this scene is…perfect.

And when the world seemed to be at it’s most bleak, the heroes return, they face the Centre and a new age of heroes begins. The Justice League is born, the world looks brighter, and we leave the darkness in the past. This was reflected in real life…at least somewhat. Between World War II and the Korean War, it was time we looked to a brighter tomorrow when the 1960s began, even if it was only for a short time.

From Public Enemy To Public Figure

This ideal of embracing a brighter future is best shown in the small but amazingly well written subplot for Batman. He believes in justice and will go to any lengths to achieve it but when his original suit terrified a young boy, he decides it is time for an overhaul.

The urban mythical creature of the night becomes the Dark Knight Detective and Caped Crusader. When Batman arrives in the climax, he’s ditched his First Appearance inspired suit for a very Silver Age design that harks back to Adam West.

An All-Star Cast

This movie takes a chance by decided to opt the more iconic voices like Kevin Conroy and Tim Daly for voices actors that you would not expect but do a spectacular job in their selective roles. Kyle MacLachlan as Superman, the aforementioned Neil Patrick Harris as the Flash, Lucy Lawless as Wonder Woman, the late Miguel Ferrer as Martian Manhunter, Jeremy Sisto as Batman, David Boreanaz as Green Lantern, Brooke Shields as Carol Ferris, Kyra Sedgwick as Lois Lane, this whole cast is star studded and they all nail it. I’ve wanted more of MacLachlan as Superman for years and I think Neil Patrick Harris might still be my favorite voice for The Flash.

My Final Thoughts

To give my thoughts overall, this is one of those movies where every time I watch it, I find new things to love about it. It’s THAT good. From the animation, the story, the characterizations, this fascinating 1950s version of the DC Universe, the voice acting, the action, the maturity of it, it is just perfect to me from beginning to end and it’s a shame that I don’t hear many DC fans talk about. Instead most conversations lead to Mask of the Phantasm, Under the Red Hood, or Flashpoint Paradox which ARE fantastic movies in almost every way but in my personal opinion, Justice League: The New Frontier earns its spot as my favorite animated DC film of all time. This is the movie that turned me into a dedicated fan of the DC mythos and I thank it for that every time see the credits roll.

I give the movie a 10/10. If you have not seen it, go ahead and find a copy online if you can: buy it, rent it, love it!

I want to thank those who voted for me to review this movie:

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I Love It!: THE BATMAN (2021) BATSUIT REVEAL (THOUGHTS)

FINALLY! After years of director changes, actor changes, script rewrites, so much speculation as to what this new Batman suit would look like and BAM! The genius that is Mr. Matt Reeves surprises us with this test footage showing off our first look at Robert Pattinson as Batman and his fancy new Batsuit!

#TheBatman #CameraTest https://t.co/M1tAE2aTA1
— Matt Reeves (@mattreevesLA) February 13, 2020

What are my immediate thoughts?

To quote Obadiah Stane from the first Iron Man: “I LOVE THIS SUIT!”

Granted, we have not seen every single detail of it but I have seen enough to know that I am very impressed by it. The first thing that gets my attention is actually the new insignia upon the chestplate and OMFG, it looks so good! My favorite Bat-symbols are always the ones that can be both iconic and unique at the same time and that is definitely the case here.

It looks like a Bat-symbol, no doubt about it but it is definitely unlike any cinematic symbol we’ve had in the past. The lack of ears and head harks back to the classic ’39 symbol from the comics but combined with the sharp ends, this leads many (including myself) to think that this symbol is actually detachable and becomes a Batarang. If this is true? TAKE ALL MY MONEY, REEVES! While I have always loved Ben Affleck’s suit, I was never the biggest fan of his more blocky symbol. It wasn’t bad but definitely one of my least favorite symbol whereas I can already guarantee that this is my favorite live action Batman symbol.

Next is the armor itself and…yeah, it’s definitely more armored this time. The shoulder guards combined with the more angular, sleek chestplate gives me vibes of Injustice, Arkham Knight, Arkham Origins and even a little bit of Year One with the more slim look mixed together into a cake pan and this is the beautiful dessert were are given. I think this is the kind of design that the nightmare Batman in Titans was going for but hasn’t come to fruition yet. I’m excited to see more of it!

So after that, the camera pans up and we see a side view of Pattinson in his cowl and once again, we don’t get the full look of it but from what I see? I like. Again, different but definitely iconic enough to make me smile. I like the handmade look of it as well as the battle damage it has. It makes me wonder if Batman is going to upgrade to a new suit for the climax in this movie much like in the Telltale game. Speaking of, I actually do get a Telltale vibe from this cowl’s design with a hint of the cowl from the 2004 animated series. I was a little disappointed that we didn’t get to see the ears because that’s usually the part of the cowl I’m always most interested to find out. Are they short like Affleck? Long like the Arkham games? Or are they more in the middle like Bale’s version? Well I guess we’ll just have to see, same with the fins on his gauntlets.

B-E-A-UUUUTIFUL!

The last thing I want to talk about in the score which director Matt Reeves confirmed was done by the legendary Michael Giacchino and…yeah, it was great music. It perfectly fit that dark, eerie, yet epic tone that Danny Elfman and Shirley Walker perfected in Batman: The Animated Series. I can’t wait to hear more of it!

Overall, I love this first look! I think this new trend of DC movies giving us first looks at characters through these test footage clips is genius. I was on board with Joker, I was on board with Birds of Prey, and now I am DEFINITELY on board with The Batman. I can’t wait to see more of the suit and more importantly: reveals of the villains!

Hope you all enjoyed this quick little article! I write about anything geek related, especially comic book related stuff so if you want to stay up to date with all the reviews, news breakdowns, and lists I do, make sure to follow! Love you all!

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Fun, Crazy, and Hilarious: BIRDS OF PREY (AND THE FANTABULOUS EMANCIPATION OF ONE HARLEY QUINN) REVIEW

Margot Robbie returns as Harley Quinn who teams up with the likes of Huntress (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), Black Canary (Jurnee Smollett-Bell), and Renee Montoya (Rosie Perez) to protect Cassandra Cain (Ella Jay Basco) from a sadistic Black Mask (Ewan McGregor) and his army of criminals.

Going into Birds of Prey, I was expecting a fun romp featuring everyone’s favorite crazy jester but I found myself pleasantly surprised by how much I ended up loving this movie! This is easily one of the best movies that the DC films have had to offer and honestly, it’s one of the most fun times I’ve had with a comic book film.

Let’s start with Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn and I’m just gonna be frank about it: she has perfected this character. Most can agree that she was one of the best things about 2016’s Suicide Squad and she continues to shine in this movie. There are some actors born for certain roles like Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man, Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, and now you can add Margot Robbie as Harley to that list because from beginning to end, she is playing the character both physically and in personality to a tee.

And I really mean physically, there are certain action sequences where I could tell it was Margot doing the stunts much like she did in Suicide Squad and wow, props to that girl to nailing those moves in heels and roller skates.

Speaking of action scenes, this movie has some of the best choreography and cinematography I’ve ever seen from a comic book movie. The best things I can refer to the style is John Wick meets Netflix’s Daredevil. By far the best action scene comes at around the halfway point inside the G.C.P.D. where Harley is met with just waves upon waves of enemies and obstacles. Combine the insane fighting with a personal favorite song from my childhood and this easily became my favorite scene in the movie.

But the movie is not all action, there are other characters in the movie…and despite the movie being titled Birds of Prey, this is more of a Harley Quinn movie than anything but that’s not taking away anything from the Birds because they are all great. Black Canary gets the most screentime of the Birds and I think that Jurnee Smollett-Bell nailed enough of Canary’s iconic traits while still bringing a fresh new take on the character. Her fighting style is badass and without spoilers, all I can say is that her version of the Canary Cry is OFF. THE. CHAIN!

Mary Elizabeth Winstead is just so damned perfect as Huntress. I knew from the moment her casting was announced that I would love it but every single time she appears on screen, she steals the show. I’m not sure how much of the stunts were done by Winstead but Huntress’ fighting was all done beautifully…plus she happens to have some of the best jokes in the movie. My only issue with Huntress was that she had the least amount of screen-time of all the Birds of Prey and hope she gets a much bigger role in a sequel.

Renee Montoya gets her first big screen debut played by Rosie Perez and I think she did pretty well with the character. While not bad at all, I did feel that Renee was the weakest of the Birds mostly just because most of her screen time is just her running around and pointing her gun at people. It’s not until the last act where they make Renee into a real badass cop and I do look forward to see more from her….maybe even evolve into The Question? Hmmm….

Ella Jay Basco was my one and only concern about this movie going in as I am a fan of Cassandra Cain but I ended up really liking this take on the character. I can see her evolving and becoming someone like Orphan, especially since they revealed that she’s a foster child. Without possible spoilers for sequels to come: let’s just say that this little reveal could be hinting that her real mother could come by. Anyway, I found Basco to be funny and charismatic whenever she was on screen and her chemistry with Harley was just beyond adorable.

Of course, you can’t talk about the heroes without talking about the villains and this movie has two of them: Roman Sionis AKA Black Mask and Victor Zsasz. Zsasz in my opinion was just fine, he was a serviceable psychotic murdering henchman and even had a few moments of “yeesh this guy is creepy” but for the most part, I just felt that he didn’t belong in this super fun and crazy adventure. I saw Zsasz more as a character for a darker and more serious film like Batman or even a Nightwing movie.

Black Mask, however, was a fantastic villain in my opinion. Ewan McGregor has always been one of my personal favorite actors and he just commands the screen whenever he’s on it; he nails this dark and sadistic version of Black Mask from the moment he’s introduced. Let’s just say this movie tends to earn its R-rating whenever he pops on screen. When he finally dons the actual Black Mask? It is a spectacle to see as someone who has been waiting for years to see Black Mask done in live action form. Only shame is that he’s only in the mask for the third act of the film but I can understand why they made that choice. Is he on the same level as Ocean Master from Aquaman? Definitely not but he was a good starter villain for the Birds of Prey.

When I say this movie earns its R-rating, I am not kidding. This movie is BRUTAL and not just because of the villains: Harley breaks bones and skulls, Huntress stabs and shoots people, Canary wipes the floor with people, etc. In the aforementioned scene in the G.C.P.D., there is a sequence where Harley uses her baseball bat to break bones and it provided many, “OOOOOOH!” screams from me.

You know what else this movie provided? LAUGHS. For those of you that don’t know: I love insane yet quirky characters and since this whole movie is told from Harley’s point of view, you can imagine there is a lot of fun insanity to be had. Harley and the Birds all have jokes that had me cracking up, Harley has a tendency to break the fourth wall much like she does in the comics, and even Black Mask gets a few funny lines in there.

With the fourth wall breaking also comes a non-linear way of telling the story and this is done on purpose as a joke from Harley as the narrator but I also liked how it was done. It was, in my opinion, a clever way to introduce us to all of the Birds of Prey without using boring exposition….instead it’s very funny and insane exposition.

I also liked that despite the poor critical reception of Suicide Squad and Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice, this movie was not afraid to cement itself in that universe with different references to previous movies and expands upon that world. I was happy to see more of this Earth’s version of Gotham City with iconic locations like Amusement Mile, Founders Island, and the East End.

Overall, I had a blast with this movie. This is not Avengers: Endgame or even Aquaman levels of epic scale and story but rather a super fun action packed adventure featuring a bunch of kick-ass anti-heroines in Gotham City. It’s bizarre, it’s colorful, it’s out of its mind, it’s beautifully shot, it’s funny, it’s action packed, it’s just one hell of a fun ride to be on!

I’m going to give Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) a solid 8.5/10. If you’re looking for a fun time, take your loved one on a date night to this movie and you’ll have a great time!

I hope you liked my review! I’m looking forward to start posting here more often and if you want to keep up with my reviews and thoughts on various things, make sure to follow this blog or follow me on Twitter.

PATREON Become a Super Sweetie when you support my stuff!