As a lifelong comic book enthusiast who grew up with a steady diet of X-Men and Batman, I can’t help but feel a sense of disappointment when it comes to modern adaptations of these iconic characters. It seems that Hollywood still struggles to embrace the very essence of what makes these stories so captivating – their fantastical, larger-than-life nature.
When Fox assembled the first X-Men film, producers grappled with concerns over whether audiences might find the comical, circus-like characters in the comics off-putting, while simultaneously being enticed by the significant financial potential these characters held. Drawing inspiration from The Matrix, as stated by Kevin Feige, they opted to dress the team in sleek black leather and subtly inserted a joke about yellow spandex as a witty nod to those who appreciate comic books, implying our apparent naivety for enjoying the original source material.
Over the past two and a half decades, Marvel Studios has significantly shifted the dialogue in entertainment, delivering visually stunning adaptations of characters such as Wolverine, Ant-Man, Captain Marvel, Spider-Man, and numerous others. They’ve amassed an impressive $30 billion by doing so. Yet, it remains puzzling why there are still numerous productions that appear to shy away from acknowledging their original sources.
Recently, DC unveiled the movie Joker: Folie à Deux and we’re a few episodes into HBO’s The Penguin – two gripping dramas inspired by famous DC villains, offering an intimate portrayal of these characters as if they were genuine individuals. These productions seem to be urging us at every moment to disregard their comic book origins.
In its own series and spin-off of Batman, The Penguin stands out distinctively. This could be an excellent method to portray Gotham City in unique ways that might not be feasible within a movie, even an extended three-hour one. Instead, it appears they are crafting a Sopranos-esque homage set in Gotham – a show focusing on an aging, balding mobster in New Jersey, his family struggles, and his pursuit of expanding his influence.
Prior to The Batman’s premiere, I expressed concerns that it might adhere too closely to Christopher Nolan’s blueprint. After seeing the film seven times, however, I find myself captivated by my favorite interpretation of a young Bruce Wayne in this adaptation. He embodies an intriguing blend of inexperience, overzealousness, deep commitment, and resourcefulness that I admire. The city of Gotham, too, strikes the perfect balance between realism and strangeness, avoiding being either too ordinary to fit the narrative or too bizarre to be convincing. Moreover, the acting performances from Robert Pattinson, Colin Ferrell, Jeffrey Wright, and Zoë Kravitz are truly outstanding. In summary, I am thoroughly enjoying The Batman.
However consistently, the portrayal of The Penguin in the movie evoked a sense of apprehension within me. It appeared as though the film was reluctant to explore any aspect of Batman that wasn’t derived or influenced by “The Long Halloween”. They even altered Penguin’s birth name with an intent to make him appear less juvenile for mature audiences, who might find comics unappealing but appreciate art.
In simpler terms, the first Joker film shares similarities with The Penguin in several aspects, yet differs significantly in others. Both films offer impressive acting performances and are set within the Batman universe, but they both try to distance themselves from anything that feels too comics-like or associated with Batman. Similarly, The Penguin seems overly influenced by The Sopranos, and Joker is essentially Todd Phillips’ interpretation of Martin Scorsese’s 1982 film, The King of Comedy. This adaptation even features Robert DeNiro, a star from the original movie, as well as nods to Scorsese’s directing style. However, the sequel has its own set of problems.
In this latest episode, the character of Penguin deliberately steers clear from any references to Batman, whether directly or indirectly. There are no Bat Signals, no allusions to the vigilante who gained prominence in recent weeks (as per the series’ timeline), and no concerns expressed by the numerous criminals in the show. This episode introduced us to the origin of Falcone’s new drug, Bliss. Some fans speculated that since it was administered to Sofia Falcone in Arkham Asylum, it might be connected to Scarecrow’s fear toxin. However, the creators appear to have intentionally chosen a different route to avoid making any Batman references.
When filmmakers take up the role of Batman, it appears they often draw inspiration from a limited pool of resources. Notably, Batman: Year One and The Long Halloween are two prominent instances of this trend, as they endeavor to portray Batman in a more believable manner. Contrastingly, they tend to overlook the well-established guidelines established by Batman: The Animated Series.
In its entirety, Batman: The Animated Series presented us with remarkably human portrayals of its villains. For instance, the episode “Heart of Ice” portrayed Mr. Freeze as the protagonist of his own heart-wrenching tale, and it even won a Daytime Emmy. Another noteworthy example is “Birds of a Feather,” where we witnessed Penguin’s persistent attempts to gain recognition in high society, only to be manipulated and ultimately broken-hearted by a wealthy couple. The series also delivered profound and insightful episodes about Clayface, Two-Face, Poison Ivy, and even the Joker. These characters were skillfully depicted as eccentric comic book figures without stripping away their human qualities. Remarkably, even the Joker was given literary treatment in episodes like “Joker’s Wild” and “Joker’s Favor,” which explored this character in intriguing ways, treating him more as a complex human than a natural force.
One can appreciate the gravity of Batman without eliminating the fun aspect from his character. Movies like The Penguin and The Joker seem to suggest that understanding their intrigue necessitates dismissing their comic book origins, but this is simply unfounded.
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2024-10-15 17:09