Why is there so much Jesus imagery in superhero films? Why do directors or writers see this as necessary for the plot? We've all seen it in Superman, Spider man, Watchmen and many other superhero films, and yet some people can get so irritated by this (I'm looking at you Doug Walker). Me personally, I've never noticed until it was brought up, and I don't know if it was intentional or subconscious, but I believe it almost serves the plot. This is my theory I like to call: The Messiah Protocol. A messiah is, according to most religious article's, a savior or liberator of a group of people. It appeared in the Hebrew Bible as a person anointed by god to be a leader, usually of the line of David. This has translated into other religions with Christianity (Jesus Christ), Islam (Mahdi), Judaism (Cyrus the Great) and many others. It is said the Messiah will come at the end of days(Apocalypse, judgement Day, etc.) to defeat the Anti-Christ.
The state of the world is seen as hopelessly flawed beyond normal human powers of correction, and divine intervention through a specially selected and supported human is seen as necessary.
Understanding this we can see why Jesus imagery is commonly associated with a lot of Superhero's. They are humans or beings whom, by divine intervention or otherwise, will use the gift's that are bestowed upon them to save mankind. Like most who have claimed to be the Messiah or actually were the Messiah, they will be persecuted, hated and looked down upon by the very people he was sent to save, he will sustain heavy loss and pain to achieve his goal and in some cases die as a martyr for the evil in the world. They then returns in their purest form of good to finally finish their duty that took them so long to perform. It is for these reasons I see the likes of Superman, Spider man, The Doctor, The Avatar and so many others you could fill this in, who exhibit certain qualities of the selfless martyr and strong willed being. So I list the certain qualities universally accepted as being associated with the Messiah:
Selfless
Martyr
Strong willed
Pure
Good
Determined
Seeing these, do you know of any others in fiction or elsewhere who support these traits. I also provide this list of abilities usually associated with the Messiah:
Strength in mind or body
Intellect
Multilingual
Above average Human abilities (Strength, Speed, Stamina)
Low-Medium level manipulation/control of outcomes of events due to intervention
Regenerative or the ability to come back to life (albeit in a short space of seconds or over many years)
Healing of others Physically or mentally
This whole idea is a representative of the theory of Multi-verse. The fact that there are multiple universes comprised of similar principles of the universe: Time, Matter, Space, Energy. I also find intriguing Fictional Realism.
The view that because fictions exist, fictional characters exist as well. There are fictional entities, in the same sense in which, setting aside philosophical disputes, there are people, Mondays, numbers and planets.
And my theory of the Messiah in fiction revolves to a protocol. Where choice and morality exists, as part of protocol, a Messiah must too exist as a balance or factor of an equation. There too must exist the Anti-Christ, also to balance the universal equation of morality and choice. So understanding why it is necessary, how is it done and identified? The character of Superman was written by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, who were Jewish. Beings like Hercules or Samson inspired the creation, but I dare say a bit of the Jewish religion came through in the form of a prophet like Moses, as both share origins somewhat similar to each other. This is all of course theory and opinion. People of Atheism/Agnostic or people of religion or faith may choose to believe in something, just as long as they believe and do good by it. I would like to hear your opinion of this theory and your ideas of the likes of the Messiah in fiction. Please do so by comments on the blog, Facebook or Twitter.
Have I said it enough...no?..Superheros are AWESOME! It's uncertain what we love most about the Superhero. For some, including myself, it's the character, for others it's the story or the villains or, in this case, their powers. We all know about flying around or seeing/punching through walls. These classic examples have since been looked back on with disdain as being cheesy. Since then, a whole slew of new abilities have arisen. From ESP to healing to Teleportation. We all have dreams of having Superpowers, so here are ten of mine. Also, I will be giving you my hero's of inspiration for each choice. 10: Teleportation I was here, now I'm there. This would be one amazing power, being able to go anywhere at any time, without all the peskiness of being seen, harmed or tired. While people phase or punch through walls, I'm waiting on the other side with doughnuts. The idea of teleportation is that you think of places you can visualize in your mind, evaporate and assemble on the other end in less than a minute. Now that is both impressive and frightening. If one miscalculation is made, the atoms will either disperse or group together in a solid structure. On second thought, let's have Hiro Nakamora and Taylor (Gone) do the teleportation, I'll stick to the rest of this list.
9: Magic or Sorcery Magic can do...pretty much anything can't it. Raise the dead, control the elements, superpower yourself and others, etc. So why is it so low. Well, like most of the powers on this list, it has a few drawbacks. One, it requires a lot of time to concentrate(which you don't have), it requires concentration(so really think about frog instead of dog when transforming your enemies) and you need to learn how to do a spell, rather than natural possession. But as it can literally do anything, the drawbacks can be worth it. You can have the power of any hero at your fingertips and the ability to covertly amaze your friends. But I prefer the sorcerers who have to learn magic, rather than have magic awarded by birth. The inspirations are Valkyrie Cain and Zatanna.
8: Elemental Yeah sorcery can do this, but it can do everything else, so it's not too much different from everything else on the list. But bending the elements to our will is a of unlimited possibilities. From moving, traveling by, projecting, transforming and creating earth, fire, water and wind, combining the elements or mastering one, we would be unstoppable. My interest was raised by Skulduggery Pleasant's use and it finally peaked with Avatar Aang doing, like magic, practically anything. Let's see, the elements can be combined(wind and fire can be used to cool and heat the air, creating tornado's), they can be expanded on(water can be used to form ice) and can make an already powerful opponent much stronger.
7: Flight Flight gets an honorable mention due to it's nostalgic value that still holds up and being a cherished childhood dream of many. It offers a sense of freedom and independence for the flyer, not being bound to simple running, walking or jumping. Yeah it also has drawbacks, like finding you can't fly anymore after flying a kilometer high and plummeting down, smashing into the ground like a blob of Strawberry jam or if your afraid of heights like me. But you can also mess with people by jumping off a building or walking on water (take that Christianity). This was actually inspired by the Rocketeer and superman, of course. The idea of being a symbol and parading the sky in the name of peace, now that just fills your heart with pride.
6: Super mercenary or Super Badass The strongest, fastest and deadliest man on the planet. Not a superpower per say, but I still want it. Pinpoint accuracy of wielding a firearm like Judge Dredd and not give a damn that I just blew his head off. Or I could beat you ass up and not break a sweat. Basically, just think about Batman or Ash Williams. One liners, bad ass lines and not generally liked by anyone. At least they'll leave me alone, unlike when I could fly and they'd swarm like bee's to a honey pot. The assassin has the ability to take off needlessly complicated shots, build awesome machines that look better than they work, to insult someone without getting their face kicked in, making every task they perform look run of the mill and being smart as hell. Let's give it up for Judge Dredd and Ash.
5: Time travel or Time Manipulation I want to meet Winston Churchill and congratulate his war time effort, I want to see Citizen Kane in cinema and I want to tell Sydney Newman and Verity Lambert how big of a success Doctor Who will be. Endless possibilities and limitless fun. I can find advanced technology or minerals that will only be available in the future. I can age objects to be older or younger by manipulating it's timeline. I can halt time while I develop my skills and knowledge. But more importantly, I can bring Justin Bieber to watch the Beatles live in concert, bring him back and he would slit his wrists with his platinum record. Yeah the Doctor inspired this, along with the Flash.
4: Reality warping Let's make some mischief. Have you ever gotten tired of "that's impossible". Well I have and I wish I could just click my fingers and 2+2=5 now. As comic book character, I would be braking the forth wall, turning Superman into lead and hold my fingers in front of my eyes and squash Spiderman like he was between my two fingers. But there are more drawbacks. I would be terrified by every action I make, sneezing will cause flooding, eating will cause the moon to disappear and pooping will cause a sink hole in Africa. So I would probably be driven insane, but at least I can make it rain pancakes and create the snot sausage. Just like Deadpool and the Genie from Aladdin. {That Indie Reviewer would like to apologize for the nonsensical paragraph you have just read, please be known the people responsible have been sacked}
3:Regeneration or healing What I forgot to mention in flying is that if you get distracted you hit into something like a human bullet fired out of a cannon. In fact, a lot of these powers are actually second to this one. If you get distracted, you are a superhero who was shot to death by a pot head stealing from a thrift shop. But it's more than that, I was terrified of death as a kid, terrified of my friends and family dying (and yet I was weirdly fascinated by it). So the idea of skipping death and living for a very long time (not immortal, cause who wants to live forever, until time ends and nothing is left. I want a poetic monologue when I reach an explosive end) is intriguing, seeing all the advancements of society or how we devolve. In fact with this, I can freak people out by shooting myself in the head, shouting "I'll be alright", or I can haunt the mugger who stabbed me. Morbid ideology aside, living for a long time, learning and teaching and holding the record as the worlds oldest man. True magic can do this, but when your dying, it will get quite frustrating every time you go into shock and can't save yourself. I was inspired by the Doctor, obviously. He can live for a long time, yet he knows the value of life more than any other.
2: Omniscience Knowledge, infinite knowledge of practically everything. For those of you who question why I think this is powerful, well...mind over matter. Actually I believe being a genius is more fulfilling than anything. Basically it means I know everything just looking or listening. I can get a PhD in Chemistry, Physics, Psychology, Sociology, engineering, math, history, etc. I can memorize strategy and tactics of old and formulate new ones, I can make breakthroughs in science unheard of, I could solve every problem on earth, I could be Sherlock Holmes and Batman Combined. I can memorize and master all forms of Martial arts and build new technology known only to the minds of a mad scientist. I always know what to say and I'd know everything about everyone. What's the old phrase..."Mind over matter". I would be able to defeat all my enemies by my cunning, intellect, skills and my quirky sense of humour. Thank you Sherlock Holmes and Braniac, you have inspired the ravings of a lunatic!
1: Telepathic powers The ultimate Superpower, in my opinion. it can move anything, unlike Magneto who can move only metal, it can move Metal, Glass, plastic, wood, plant/animal life, etc. A person can self levitate, use the surrounding to their advantage, generate shields of psionic energy, even around the hands giving super strength, read minds, perform Astral projection, manipulate memories, control minds and fire blasts of psionic energy. Essentially the force, it too requires immense concentration, but with a mind of a genius, it can do anything to my minds whim. I believe, depending on how powerful the telepath is, they could defeat magic or meta-humans like Superman. They could lift an entire building with their mind and not break a sweat. They could read the thoughts of the enemy and know their every move. Anyone who is a telepath is probably the most dangerous being alive. So people like Professor X, Magneto and Darth Vader are all not to be trusted, just a heads up.
Well those are my favorite Superpowers, how about yours. Please comment below and lend me your opinion. My last update for Superhero Month is coming next Sunday.
I am so looking forward to reviewing this film, I mean it is such a great film. If I could redo my top twenty favorite films again I would put it at twenty. Why you may ask, all will be revealed in today's review as part of Superhero month. And now, judgement comes to DREDD. Released in 2012, it was a remake of the Dredd-ful film Judge Dredd, which starred Sylvester Stallone. Whether you saw it or not, there is no doubt that you heard of it's cheesy dialog, over the top acting and Rob Schnider. But here, the film did poorly in the box-office due to the bad rep the character got. Well I can tell it is ten times better than the original. And if ever a movie needed a remake (and they usually don't), then this is it. The story set in the post apocalyptic world called Cursed Earth. In Mega-city one, crime is everywhere and only one group can maintain order: they were the police, jury and executioner, they were the Judges. Judge Dredd, a veteran judge who knows the workings well and is a prime supporter of the Law, is called in to assess a rookie, Cassandra Anderson. Based on the character of Greek Mythology, she too has psychic powers. Taken to one of the many slum towers, they respond to a triple-homicide. They are soon trapped in the building during a lock down organised by ferocious gang leader MaMa. Carrying a suspect throughout the building, they have to battle armed thugs through floor after floor. All the while, Anderson is under assessment and has to keep the prisoner in check, as well as herself alive. Now here's what I really like about the film, the story. Ever since Batman Begins, films like to try and make the Superhero more deep and realistic. That's not bad (in fact I dare say it's an improvement), but it can be tiring and the film can turn out negative results if done poorly. What we forget to do with Superhero's is just make it an enjoyable piece of fantasy and sci-fi without audiences bitching about it's unrealistic moments. The hero should be respectful and Badass, someone who tries to maintain order, but makes the sacrifice to be the scapegoat of the public's fear and anger. This is done to the nth degree, with Carl Urban as the most awesome hero in a long time. He's the hero who Hollywood execs should be looking at and say "Ya know what, he could make a good Batman". He has the voice, the attitude and the brawn. Carl Urban plays Dredd and you know what, he could be Batman/Bruce Wayne. I mean, dammit man he's an actor, not a poser (AFFLECK!!!). We also have Olivia Thirlby as Anderson and she starts out as the timid rookie who wants to make a difference, but man is she cool. Calculated, calm and secretly holding back a killer instinct. I recently saw JeremyJahns review of Megan Fox as April O'Neil and I agree, Olivia should play April. She's attractive, resourceful and tough, a great mix! I didn't really think Mama was that great a villain (or a great movie while we are here, BAZING!), I mean she looked mean and she wasn't afraid to get her hands dirty, but I felt she was a bit underplayed. She does make for at least a memorable character and much better antagonist than Armande Assante of the other film. At first, the effects aren't anything great to look at (It's like they photo-shopped high rise buildings into Johannesburg, but then we see the practical sets of the slums and the slow motion effects. In the film, there is a narcotic that makes everything look like time is traveling at half a second and that allows for the inclusion of the most crystal clear, slowest moving and notice-everything-in-the-frame slow motion ever. We're at Matrix level CGI here guys, that good. There is very little that pissed me off about this movie except that everyone agrees it was awesome. If it is so awesome, then why didn't you see it. I at least had an excuse not to see it, I wasn't that big into super-flicks. Everything was done right for a superhero flick, a little drama, lots of well done action and the main characters who were done right. It's just a lot of fun and action and it is very underrated in terms of films. I would say, get this movie as fast as you can, because it is awesome.
You know what period of history I love, the sixties, Rock'n Roll, the Beatles, Bob Dylan, moon landing, Kennedy and Doctor Who. The list is endless. The reason I bring this up is so I can tell you my second favorite period of History: Pre-war America. A time of simplicity and revolution, Jazz and automobiles are more common place, the wall street crash and prohibition and crime reign. I bring those up because of how interesting they are and it's inspiration of good stories and films. Many figures in subsequent years were set during or before the Second world war, including Captain America and Indiana Jones. But in the Nineties a film was made based on a Comic Book character set during the thirties. His name was the Rocketeer. Directed by Joe Johnston, who would later direct such classics as "Honey, I shrunk the Kids", "October Sky" and "Captain America: the first Avenger". This film would go on later to inspire the latter film. Based on a comic character from the thirties, the Rocketeer is a hero who finds a Jet pack and uses it to fly and save lives. Produced by Walt Disney, it performed poorly in the box office, but as favored by critics. Since then a cult following was developed around the film and hopes for a sequel are still requested. So let's fly off to the stars with the Rocketeer. The Story follows a pilot and his friend, Peevy (no jokes), who find a Jet-pack and modify it to allow personal flight. After saving the life of his friend, he is named the Rocketeer and declared a hero. But an actor called Neville Sinclair is out to find the Jet-pack with the help of the mafia and a thug named Lothar. Also searching for the pack is Howard Hughes, millionaire aviator and developer of the pack, with the help of the FBI. Hoping to keep it, they go on the run and run into trouble, especially when his girlfriend,Jenny, gets caught up in the mix. He realizes he must use the pack to stop Sinclair and save Jenny from his clutches. I won't ruin the twist, but as a hint, Disney have used these guys before. I have no doubt that you think this sounds like the dumbest film ever, but trust me it's a lot better then it sounds. It's one of those films where if you try to describe it, you just sound silly and immature. But the film surprised me in many ways. The dream of flying is not uncommon among children, heck most people sill dream about it well into their adult years (aging is compulsory, maturing is optional). So what do I like, well I like the visual effects, I mean before CGI Disney was practically pioneering in practical effects. Some scenes were an obvious blue screen and sometimes even the practical effects look cheap, but a majority is impressive. The simulation of flight is well done and believable. I think the story, despite how goofy it sounds, is really well written, with some good jokes, believable dialog (despite not being allowed to swear) and a sense of fun that is missing from a lot of good action films these days. My only problem here is that I feel the film is taking itself too seriously. This is my major problem with the film, as I think the film tries too hard to make the film exciting for a now more evolved audience and it can sometimes loose it's charm, while other times it gets a bit too cheesy. Like when the Boyfriend and girlfriend have an argument and one of them gets in trouble and now he has to prove his worth. Yeah, stories like that I kind of hate. But for all the faults of the film, two factors trumps all of them, the acting and direction. Look at the cast for this film, Alan Arkin as Peevy, Jennifer Connelly as Jenny and Timothy Dalton as Sinclair. Billy Campbell plays the Rocketeer/Cliff and he does a pretty good job for someone in a flight suit and shark mask. Each actor gives a good portrayal of these characters, including Terry O'Quinn of LOST, who portrays Howard Hughes as a delightful eccentric. I also find myself liking Timothy Dalton as the villain, he is actually cunning and manipulative, but can also be cold and brutal, like killing the crew of his airship for failing their duties. He can flip like a coin and portray two sides of Hollywood slime. Johnston also does a very good job of simulating the atmosphere of the thirties and creating a look that simulates most films from the war years. I think he did very well with respect to the source material. I also have to hand it to the film for actually killing people off in this movie. I mean, I know in most of Disney's animated films there are some pretty gruesome deaths, but for a live action to show imagery of being shot or thrown from a height or even folded in half (seriously, it happened twice). There is also a scene where the camera pans down Jennifer and where she is seducing a man and I never thought I'd see some of these scenes in a Disney flick. So I do think the film is underrated. Is it for everyone, not really. If you think it's good, I would recommend watching or even renting the film. I still think Captain America is his best film, but everyone is open to their own opinion. In my opinion, if there is to be a sequel made, then I hope Studio Ghibli get the rights, because I want to see something similar to Howls moving castle or Steamboy. The anime can be used to make the steam-punk era come to life.
It may have come out literally last year, I feel the need to voice my opinion on one of the most controversial Superhero film since Kick-Ass (controversial among critics mainly). The film received a 50/50 split on release, with many fans and critics hating it and many other fans and critics loving it. Given that it is over a year old I feel the need to address certain points of interest and certain points of disdain. So, let's get it over with and start our review of Man of Steel. The story of course starts on Krypton, where Kal-El is the first naturally born child on Krypton after centuries of artificial breeding. Being a natural birth, he is much more special than most others born. But Jor-El, his father, informs the High Council of the destruction of Krypton. Soon General Zod arrives and stages a Coup D'etat and plans to take over the planet. Jor-El escapes and evacuates Kal to another planet. Zod is defeated and imprisoned in the Phantom Zone. But on Kal's ship, to preserve the knowledge of Krypton a codex is imprinted into his blood. Landing on Earth, he is raised by Johnathan and Martha Kent and his identity is kept secret. Growing up he realizes and relates to humanity, growing among them and soon, he will come to save them. And that day comes as Zod escapes the Phantom Zone to recreate Krypton on Earth. Of course we all remember the infamous Superman Returns and how it wanted to revive the series,well unless we revive the Superman Series, we won't get a Justice league movie and therefore we will not get a new Batman movie. And we all know we want more of those. But the idea of a darker and more mature Superman was welcomed by most, even fans of the cheesy 1970's films.And of course it had that great lacquer vision which made the colours stand out more, all courtesy of director Zack Snyder.Upon release I was hyped to see it, I kept up with all the new trailers and screenshots and what happened, I had to go to America. I missed it's initial release and all my friends saw it leaving me with an empty seat. And seeing it, what did I think of it. I kind of think it's underrated as a superman film. Does it have flaws, yeah it does, but it is at least entertaining to watch. There is no moment in which I wanted to turn it off or say "wow, this scene should really have been done better". The parts I admit to problems, I won't lie, can be distracting (if only momentarily). The opening for example I felt it was a bit cluttered, and I felt we didn't get a real good look at Krypton. But compared to the "original" it was a huge improvement. From neon ice fortress to a fusion of Pandorica, Halo and Aliens. Nit-picking about designs aside (Ahem, penis shaped pods,ahem), the idea to place the villains on a prison ship after the planet is being destroyed is kind of strange, why didn't they use the same technology to escape. But I have a theory that the Kryptonians were just...stupid. Well, not stupid exactly, maybe pride and a sense of continuity among their people. They must have known they were doomed, so continued as life goes on. But they were quite idiotic and maybe that's the joke, that these guys couldn't save themselves in the comics, on television or in the last movie. In each form of media, the planet is always destroyed by it's inhabitants own doing and none of them had the idea to save themselves based on their own incompetence. Every planet has it's time and all planets die. Then there is the action scenes. Yeah, they are quite numerous, repetitive and they can get old pretty quick. Some of the action scenes no doubt are very good, like the prison ship escape and the end battle between Zod and Superman. Yes they're good, but after ten explosions it can be quite boring. And yes it cut's into some moments that could be used for character development. And while were on the subject, I think the Avengers caused way more damage than Superman. The plowed through all of Manhattan, the Helecarrier, India and Germany. Each one of those must have cost either billions in repairs or repercussions. But the constant causing of death in a movie about a superhero is not uncommon. He's starting out, so he is allowed to make mistakes. Only fools place their fate entirely in a untested source with little to no experience or back up (That's why I hate Scientology), so in the future, when we see the Justice League formed, then we have faith in their ability, because combined they can prevent too much destruction unlike the Avengers. In fact, everyone is so concerned with how unrealistic films can be. Have you ever heard of suspension of disbelief, No, well of course you wouldn't. You know what else. That's all I hate about the film. The acting of Henry Cavill makes for an interesting spin on the character. He is more moody and reclusive, that it takes the investigative attitude of Amy Adam's Lois Lane to inspire and befriend him. Other's like Laurence Fishburne, Kevin Costner, Russel Crowe and Diane Lane are excellent in their roles, giving such small characters strong portrayals by good actors. And I will point out that Superman and Zod are well developed in a sense. Through their actions we get an idea of who they are and why they must do what they do. Zod is obviously a megalomaniac, but is in a way, patriotic and militant. As a military man he has dedicated his life to the preservation and love of his planet (as would any other good soldier) and seeks extreme methods to preserve and maintain purity. Then the character of Superman is lonesome and unsure. His years of solitude and self containment of anger and pain can torture a man like any other. He needs to stop himself from destroying a cardboard world and so gets to know it much better. But all that rage bottled up can damage a man and so he is more darker because he needs to keep himself hidden. Have you seen the world when it discovered something new. The Large HydronCollider in CERN caused major panic because the pursuit of something might have damaging effects on society. John Kent knew that, so he stopped Clark from exposing himself to a world that wasn't ready. When the time was right, then the world would welcome him and what do you know, they did. I also liked Michael Shannon as Zod. His manic portrayal was memorable and his presence is noted as being intimidating and professional. His military portrayal is a nice change to the line up of comic book villains we have been getting. While he may not be Luthor or Joker, he is an interesting villain. As for the death, I don't mind it. In Superman II he killed Zod, in Batman(1989), Batman killed the Joker and the fact that a hero won't kill when necessary I find it shows a sign of weakness when we really need someone to end the reign of terror that has caused so many to die. If everyone hates when a hero kills a villain, why doesn't anyone flip when a cop kills, like a, drug dealer. He's helping society. If someone has all that power, then they should use it (Just like when a plane doesn't go full speed and when they report they are running behind schedule that they need to travel faster). One scene in particular I thought was a good change was at the end. When Clark finally applies for a job at the Daily Planet, he and Lois are on the terms that everyone else doesn't know, but we do. His bespectacled identity is no longer that obvious running gag of idiocy that causes so much annoyance for me, they no it's a bad disguise, but only Lois knows close up what Superman looks like, so it's no longer inconspicuous to Lois where Clark runs off to. So in my opinion, I find that while the film has flaws, it has some good ideas, great action, interesting characters played by great actors. I actually enjoyed the out of order storytelling and I feel it can have great effect on stories like this. I think this is destined to become a Cult Classic. While it did well in the Box Office, critics and Fans were split down the middle. That one half will develop this into a cult film before declaring once and for all that this is one of the best Superman films of all time. Is it the best, I don't know, I liked it more than the 78 version and it's sequels.
As for a certain controversy about certain imagery in superhero films, I'll be back soon with a report of my theory about the Messiah Protocol.
