It was a movie-going weekend for me and Mrs. Speculator. We decided to do a little catch-up on Saturday, and went to see two movies at our favorite cinema (followed up by a visit to Cloos’ Coney Island, which is always a good thing). The first movie we saw was The Bourne Ultimatum, which, as I think about it, didn’t really have an ultimatum associated with it.
Given the action movies of this summer so far, Ultimatum has a lot of competition to measure up to; unfortunately, I don’t think it succeeds. While the movie was going on, I was wrapped up in the few chases and few fights there were and following Jason Bourne out of the maze that his life has become. But after the movie was done, I wondered to myself “what just happened?” And sadly, the only conclusion I could come to was “not very much.”
I’m reminded of the Lensman series of books by E. E. Smith, wherein each successive book has the hero going up against a villain, struggling but at the end finding a way to overcome them, then finding out that the villain was only the next level in a vast conspiracy. And so the cycle repeats itself for each novel. The first Bourne movie was thrilling because of the different kind of story it told—a trained assassin wanting to get out and finding out about the vast conspiracy he was involved in, including the process that set him with his new identity and abilities. In some ways, Jason Bourne was a super-hero, able to do what normal people could not imagine, able to face any challenge, and when all was done, with the ability to step back into a secret identity and hide from curious eyes. Also, director Paul Greengrass did some interesting things cinematically and Matt Damon played the unhappy assassin stoically and with a lot of stylish flair in his lack of typical action hero theatrics. But this is the third movie in the series, and nothing has changed. Bourne is still unhappy and he keeps working his way to the next biggest conspiracy. But the tactics of those that pursue him have not changed at all; they keep throwing “assets” at him (other assassins trained in the way that he has been trained) and he keeps eluding them and all the multinational police force that are trying to capture him.
This particular movie is also depressing in its cynicism about…well, about everything. For instance, at one point the CIA takes over the CCTV cameras in a major London train station to track Bourne as he attempts to meet with a contact. I realize that the CIA is perhaps the worst boogieman in American cinema, capable of corrupting anything they touch, but I have a lot of trouble accepting that the British government would have allowed a back door that allowed American operatives to hijack their tools. Bourne is also able to travel to pretty much any country he wants, which calls into question all of the security measures in place since 9/11. Most telling is that the bad guys in this segment of the trilogy have reinstituted the program that created Bourne in the first place and are using their newly formed assassins to kill American citizens. Of course, this is not what really concerns Bourne, but it serves as the lynchpin for the comeuppance that the CIA so richly deserves in this movie.
Also depressing was the acting by what should have been an excellent supporting cast. David Straithairn plays Noah Vosen, the corrupted CIA official that Bourne ultimately goes up against, but the role is so restraining that he really is not allowed to act. He only ever has to react to the things that Bourne does in the field and act sneaky, but his character is so ridiculously flat that it’s hard to really hate him. He clearly is just another cog in the machine that Bourne is fighting and easily replaceable by any other person who believes in country over ethics. Joan Allen reprises her role as Pam Landy, the CIA project manager who was chasing Bourne in the second movie, this time brought in to help Vosen when he realizes who he is up against. Ultimately, Landy turns against the CIA when she discovers the plot Bourne has accidentally blown the lid off of, but this act of turning is very wooden and without any emotion at all. N fact, coming to the aid of Bourne, as she does by the end of the film, feels like a real reversal in the character, but the change in personality happens near instantaneously. I guess we can believe that her distress at Vosen’s nonchalance at doing anything he feels his job requires is enough to change her affiliation, but there is no struggle for her. And again, the role is very shallow and not really worth an actress of Allen’s skill.
The cinematography is the same as the first two movies: non-stop action jump-cutting through the best action scenes, so that it is impossible to follow exactly what happens. And by the end of the movie, it doesn’t really matter—Bourne exposes another level of the corrupt agency he has worked for then gets away. There is no real indication that the corruption is totally uncovered—the previous movies all seemed to come some sort of resting place before the next larger web scoops up Bourne. Nothing here indicates that the conspiracies don’t continue, and I would argue that the pattern of the series pretty much guarantees that the conspiracies go on.
So when I thought back on the movie, I was left wondering what the point was. Nothing we haven’t already seen before happens—just different people getting in the way of Bourne’s quest for “truth.” And while the inertia of the ride was enough to sustain it while sitting in the theatre, I really walked away feeling pretty empty and disappointed.
Monday, August 13, 2007
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
San Diego Comic Review
Here is a synopsis of the highlights for comics from 25 July and 1 August. There's a few more than usual, so I'm not going to be going into as much depth as I might normally do.
Spoilers ho!
Batman 666 - Of course, the iconic number requires some special story-telling, but this one is a bit confusing and perhaps not entirely within continuity. I hate to keep sounding off about this, except I feel that DC is pushing all of its titles with continuity and the readers are supposed to be extra aware of it, as Things Change. But this story involves the third Batman, namely, Bruce and Talia's son Damian, as he fights another twisted Batman. Moments of this were delightful, such as when the new rogues' gallery is introduced, filled with characters who sound like they have been Bat-villains for decades. And I just shiver at the stories that could be told to gt a still handicaped Barbara Gordon to become police commissioner. But the main conflict that drives this book, Damian versus the "son of Satan" just doesn't have enough story around it to make it any more interesting than a random fight between two characters we've never heard of. Damian's monologue about having sold his soul to the devil to become Batman was interesting, but oddly disjointed from the fight scene taking place. And if ever folks were concerned about a grim and gritty Batman, this issue would fulfill their worst nightmares. Some of the panels of Andy Kubert's art just gorgeous. But I'd really like to see how we got to this historic moment, though I doubt we ever will, and so the title really does read like picking up a random homage to Batman out of a quarter bin.
Detective 835 - Meanwhile, over in the other Bat-title, Scarecrow is reborn. It seems Jonathan Crane realizes that without his fear gas, he's just a gimmick. So he sets out to strike real fear into the citizens of Gotham. I like removing the gimmick some, making Scarecrow "grow up" and realize his potential. Fortunately the story is in two parts (unlike ost of the other stories in Dini's run on Detective), so there will be more time for Dini to separate Scarecrow from the Joker in his motives and modus operandi. There has to be something more to the new Scarecrow than random psychotic murders that leave the victims looking like scarecrows in their own right, and the pattern of leaving real scarecrows in other locations, thus blurring the line between game and real death, goes some way to do this. But Batman already has a psychotic killer for an arch-nemesis, and something more must be done to make the Scarecrow different from him. But Dini has earned all the trust I can give a writer: we'll see how this one plays out...and I expect it to play out well.
Teen Titans 49 - Two optimistic things to offer up from this issue. On the more granular level, the new line-up doesn't appear to be as disfunctional as I might have believed. Robin, Kid Devil, Ravager, and Miss Martian do a fine job of holding their own against a detachment of Amazons attacking a prisoner train. At a higher level, Adam Beechen does a nice job with his first issue as the sole writer of Titans. Conflict is both internal and external for the characters as they deal with some of the fall-out of this summer's stupidest crossover. Miss Martian especially turns out to be a delight, though Ravager also grows some personality along the way. And I sure didn't see the extra-special moment between Wonder Girl and Robin at the end, though the smarmy last panel could have been left out. Some of Barrionuevo's panels just stink, but there are others that are quite good. I'm not sure how it works out to be so uneven, but it needs levelling in the positive direction.
Nightwing 135 - Dick Grayson is never in costume for this issue, as he spends nearly the entirety of it being tortured by the new Vigilante. In a lot of ways this issue doesn't make any sense, something of a downer for what has been the best run on Nightwing for some time. Given the history we have learned up to this point and the flashbacks in this issue itself, Vigilante has no reason to believe that Dick Grayson is in any way tied up with the return of a villain. That Dick was abused by this villain in his teens, some time ago, should give Vigilante no reason to think Dick has thrown in with him now. If for some reason Vigilante suspected that Grayson is Nightwing, he sure wouldn't torture him as he does. So, while the issue gives the reader a chance to get more back-story from the flashbacks, I'm not sure it's information we really need to have, or if it is, if this is the best way to have delivered it. Still better than what we have seen in the past few years from Nightwing, but a let-down nonetheless.
All New Atom 14 - I'm throwing this one out for only two reasons. First of all, this is where Jason Todd, Nightwing, Atom, Bob the Monitor first get the name "Challengers of the Unknown." It really works for them, but this story violently disagrees with the continuity presented in Countdown. That really does drive me nuts, again, because Countdown is heavily reliant on continuity as it resets it, so much so that I would expect stories coming out of it would be held to it. Not so with this issue. The second cool thing was the visit to "heaven" and anotehr appearance of Ted Kord along with a lot of dead DC heroes and villains. Of course, they aren't really who they appear to be, but there is a lot of fun on the fight scenes and conversations, as Gail Simone really nails the voices. The continuing adventures of these characters as they search for Ray Palmer could be interesting, but I admit to expecting the exploration of the new multiverse would be taking plaec in Booster Gold. This issue is a lot of fun and remains one of the bright points to come out of One Year Later.
Hawkgirl 66 - Well, they did it. The Hawks have finally broken the curse put upon them by Hath-Set. Unfortunately, the millstone is removed only in the final issue of the title, so that the repercussions of their new relationship can't be explored. Hawkgirl and Hawkman are in two different titles, so I don't know where, if anywhere, the ramifications can be examined, which really is a shame. It's unfortunate how much this book suffered after One Year Later, and not just for the poor art decisions. Along those lines, Renato Arlem's art in this issue is quite fine, enough to make me wish the issues would continue with him as a regular artist.
Supergirl and the Legion of Super-heroes 32 - A few weeks ago, I sang the praises of Dennis Calero and his art in a single issue of Hawkgirl. He is doing the art for this and the next four issues of Legion, and while it is not as stong as it was in that issue, I still like it. Faces are expressive and the play of shadows is quite nice. The story itself is the first in the search for Cosmic Boy and new writer Tony Bedard seems to be deft at the build-up issues. The real test will come along as he must pay off on the build-up, but thisis a promising start. (I should add here, as a sort of truth in advertising, I got to meet and talk to Dennis Calero in San Diego as he did a sketch of Hawkgirl for Mrs. Speculator. He is an incredibly nice and humble man. I wish him the best and hope he gets an ongoing title soon).
Welcome to Tranquility 9 - Zombies on the loose! Actually, this issue was something of a let-down aftre the fine issues up to this point, but only because Gail SImone writes pretty much a standard zombie story. IT has its moments, like when Roxy from Gen13 shows up unexpectedly and nearly steals all the scenesshe is in, but otherwise, this is pretty straightforward fare. I have to believe that this just set-up for the rest of the story to come. But what I really liked about this issue was the back-up story describing the origin of a new character, Coyote Kid. Simone does a Wildstorm take on Jonah Hex, except that the Kid is immortal, making him perhaps just that much meaner and more kick-ass than Jonah Hex. Between the subject matter and the art, this story is a departure from the standard fare of Tranquility and quite good. I can easily see the Kid carrying his own title, but only if it uses this artist, Carrie Strachan, or someone like her. This is serious and mature stuff, adn the playful caricatures of Neil Googe, the regular Tranquility artist just won't cut it. So, given I expect the Kid to help finish up the story begun in the main part of this issue, there seems to be more good times ahead for this title. (Just, please, consider more Coyote Kid elsewhere!)
Jonah Hex 22 - Speaking of the ultimate cowboy bounty hunter, I just wanted to point out the bizarre conversation in this issue between Hex and Thomas Edison. Yeah, the Thomas Edison. It's a little surreal, as Hex's Luddite nature comes out, and it really feels like the issue was written around the singular idea of the two of them talking, because otherwise not much at all happens. A little bit of a let-down after the most recent issues, and it really just makes me want to go see The Prestige again.
Spoilers ho!
Batman 666 - Of course, the iconic number requires some special story-telling, but this one is a bit confusing and perhaps not entirely within continuity. I hate to keep sounding off about this, except I feel that DC is pushing all of its titles with continuity and the readers are supposed to be extra aware of it, as Things Change. But this story involves the third Batman, namely, Bruce and Talia's son Damian, as he fights another twisted Batman. Moments of this were delightful, such as when the new rogues' gallery is introduced, filled with characters who sound like they have been Bat-villains for decades. And I just shiver at the stories that could be told to gt a still handicaped Barbara Gordon to become police commissioner. But the main conflict that drives this book, Damian versus the "son of Satan" just doesn't have enough story around it to make it any more interesting than a random fight between two characters we've never heard of. Damian's monologue about having sold his soul to the devil to become Batman was interesting, but oddly disjointed from the fight scene taking place. And if ever folks were concerned about a grim and gritty Batman, this issue would fulfill their worst nightmares. Some of the panels of Andy Kubert's art just gorgeous. But I'd really like to see how we got to this historic moment, though I doubt we ever will, and so the title really does read like picking up a random homage to Batman out of a quarter bin.
Detective 835 - Meanwhile, over in the other Bat-title, Scarecrow is reborn. It seems Jonathan Crane realizes that without his fear gas, he's just a gimmick. So he sets out to strike real fear into the citizens of Gotham. I like removing the gimmick some, making Scarecrow "grow up" and realize his potential. Fortunately the story is in two parts (unlike ost of the other stories in Dini's run on Detective), so there will be more time for Dini to separate Scarecrow from the Joker in his motives and modus operandi. There has to be something more to the new Scarecrow than random psychotic murders that leave the victims looking like scarecrows in their own right, and the pattern of leaving real scarecrows in other locations, thus blurring the line between game and real death, goes some way to do this. But Batman already has a psychotic killer for an arch-nemesis, and something more must be done to make the Scarecrow different from him. But Dini has earned all the trust I can give a writer: we'll see how this one plays out...and I expect it to play out well.
Teen Titans 49 - Two optimistic things to offer up from this issue. On the more granular level, the new line-up doesn't appear to be as disfunctional as I might have believed. Robin, Kid Devil, Ravager, and Miss Martian do a fine job of holding their own against a detachment of Amazons attacking a prisoner train. At a higher level, Adam Beechen does a nice job with his first issue as the sole writer of Titans. Conflict is both internal and external for the characters as they deal with some of the fall-out of this summer's stupidest crossover. Miss Martian especially turns out to be a delight, though Ravager also grows some personality along the way. And I sure didn't see the extra-special moment between Wonder Girl and Robin at the end, though the smarmy last panel could have been left out. Some of Barrionuevo's panels just stink, but there are others that are quite good. I'm not sure how it works out to be so uneven, but it needs levelling in the positive direction.
Nightwing 135 - Dick Grayson is never in costume for this issue, as he spends nearly the entirety of it being tortured by the new Vigilante. In a lot of ways this issue doesn't make any sense, something of a downer for what has been the best run on Nightwing for some time. Given the history we have learned up to this point and the flashbacks in this issue itself, Vigilante has no reason to believe that Dick Grayson is in any way tied up with the return of a villain. That Dick was abused by this villain in his teens, some time ago, should give Vigilante no reason to think Dick has thrown in with him now. If for some reason Vigilante suspected that Grayson is Nightwing, he sure wouldn't torture him as he does. So, while the issue gives the reader a chance to get more back-story from the flashbacks, I'm not sure it's information we really need to have, or if it is, if this is the best way to have delivered it. Still better than what we have seen in the past few years from Nightwing, but a let-down nonetheless.
All New Atom 14 - I'm throwing this one out for only two reasons. First of all, this is where Jason Todd, Nightwing, Atom, Bob the Monitor first get the name "Challengers of the Unknown." It really works for them, but this story violently disagrees with the continuity presented in Countdown. That really does drive me nuts, again, because Countdown is heavily reliant on continuity as it resets it, so much so that I would expect stories coming out of it would be held to it. Not so with this issue. The second cool thing was the visit to "heaven" and anotehr appearance of Ted Kord along with a lot of dead DC heroes and villains. Of course, they aren't really who they appear to be, but there is a lot of fun on the fight scenes and conversations, as Gail Simone really nails the voices. The continuing adventures of these characters as they search for Ray Palmer could be interesting, but I admit to expecting the exploration of the new multiverse would be taking plaec in Booster Gold. This issue is a lot of fun and remains one of the bright points to come out of One Year Later.
Hawkgirl 66 - Well, they did it. The Hawks have finally broken the curse put upon them by Hath-Set. Unfortunately, the millstone is removed only in the final issue of the title, so that the repercussions of their new relationship can't be explored. Hawkgirl and Hawkman are in two different titles, so I don't know where, if anywhere, the ramifications can be examined, which really is a shame. It's unfortunate how much this book suffered after One Year Later, and not just for the poor art decisions. Along those lines, Renato Arlem's art in this issue is quite fine, enough to make me wish the issues would continue with him as a regular artist.
Supergirl and the Legion of Super-heroes 32 - A few weeks ago, I sang the praises of Dennis Calero and his art in a single issue of Hawkgirl. He is doing the art for this and the next four issues of Legion, and while it is not as stong as it was in that issue, I still like it. Faces are expressive and the play of shadows is quite nice. The story itself is the first in the search for Cosmic Boy and new writer Tony Bedard seems to be deft at the build-up issues. The real test will come along as he must pay off on the build-up, but thisis a promising start. (I should add here, as a sort of truth in advertising, I got to meet and talk to Dennis Calero in San Diego as he did a sketch of Hawkgirl for Mrs. Speculator. He is an incredibly nice and humble man. I wish him the best and hope he gets an ongoing title soon).
Welcome to Tranquility 9 - Zombies on the loose! Actually, this issue was something of a let-down aftre the fine issues up to this point, but only because Gail SImone writes pretty much a standard zombie story. IT has its moments, like when Roxy from Gen13 shows up unexpectedly and nearly steals all the scenesshe is in, but otherwise, this is pretty straightforward fare. I have to believe that this just set-up for the rest of the story to come. But what I really liked about this issue was the back-up story describing the origin of a new character, Coyote Kid. Simone does a Wildstorm take on Jonah Hex, except that the Kid is immortal, making him perhaps just that much meaner and more kick-ass than Jonah Hex. Between the subject matter and the art, this story is a departure from the standard fare of Tranquility and quite good. I can easily see the Kid carrying his own title, but only if it uses this artist, Carrie Strachan, or someone like her. This is serious and mature stuff, adn the playful caricatures of Neil Googe, the regular Tranquility artist just won't cut it. So, given I expect the Kid to help finish up the story begun in the main part of this issue, there seems to be more good times ahead for this title. (Just, please, consider more Coyote Kid elsewhere!)
Jonah Hex 22 - Speaking of the ultimate cowboy bounty hunter, I just wanted to point out the bizarre conversation in this issue between Hex and Thomas Edison. Yeah, the Thomas Edison. It's a little surreal, as Hex's Luddite nature comes out, and it really feels like the issue was written around the singular idea of the two of them talking, because otherwise not much at all happens. A little bit of a let-down after the most recent issues, and it really just makes me want to go see The Prestige again.
Saturday, August 4, 2007
San Diego Book Review
For the week I was in San Diego, I read two and a half books, so I thought I would give some quick thoughts on the two books I finished. I'll go back to longer reviews when I fnish the one I am currently working through.
The Andromeda Strain - When I started this book, my memory had been that Crichton was really good at writing characters and the plot was driven by this. This was based primarily on my reading of Jurassic Park close to fifteen years ago when it came out. Unfortunately, that recollection did not hold up very well in light of Andromeda. The characters are kinda flat, and what drives the story is way cool 1960s cutting edge technology that hasn't survived the past forty years particularly well. The story still is compelling, especially given the foul-ups that keep the mystery from being solved as quickly as would have been useful and the lack of communication that adds a sense of heightened peril when the protagonists move along in their methodical process, not knowing that the safety they feel is not real at all.
Two things of interest--I'd like to see this story retold with modern technology; I think it could survive fairly easily, because the failures that plague the investigation are human failures rather than technological ones. Secondly, this is the first book I can recall whose movie was actually better than the book. I think this is primarily because the characters are allowed to be more fully rounded in the movie, as well as the technology not being nearly so clunky looking on the screen as it was in the book.
Camouflage - In what is almost a throwback to the golden or silver ago of science fiction, Joe Haldeman has created the story of aliens unknowably more powerful than humans moving about the Earth. The story doesn't really have much depth to it, but it is entertaining nonetheless, in the way of evaluating human culture from a distinctly third-person point of view. I had worked out the impending big plot twist about halfway through the book, so when it was revealed, I wasn't terribly surprised.
What really succeeds in the book is the characterization of the changeling alien, able to take all manners of forms, making its way through the course of human history. As could be expected from the golden-age tone of the novel, the alien slowly becomes more and more human, resulting in a secondary plot twist that could be (and has been) the primary source of many good strong science fiction stories. There is also some feeling of personal investment in the description of the Bataan Death March, lurid and sad in its telling. But the protagonist alien survives its experiences there with a more clear insight of the race it has infiltrated.
Unfortunately, the other threads that make up this story are not so nearly well developed as that of the protagonist, and Haldeman's use of short concise chapters up to the point where he doesn't any more adds to the fogginess of those other plot elements. And when, suddenly, the chapters are far longer, it feels a little bit like the reader is involved with a different story altogether.
Nonetheless, it is a strong novel, especially for its resonances with earlier ages of writing, and ultimately a good bit of fun.
The Andromeda Strain - When I started this book, my memory had been that Crichton was really good at writing characters and the plot was driven by this. This was based primarily on my reading of Jurassic Park close to fifteen years ago when it came out. Unfortunately, that recollection did not hold up very well in light of Andromeda. The characters are kinda flat, and what drives the story is way cool 1960s cutting edge technology that hasn't survived the past forty years particularly well. The story still is compelling, especially given the foul-ups that keep the mystery from being solved as quickly as would have been useful and the lack of communication that adds a sense of heightened peril when the protagonists move along in their methodical process, not knowing that the safety they feel is not real at all.
Two things of interest--I'd like to see this story retold with modern technology; I think it could survive fairly easily, because the failures that plague the investigation are human failures rather than technological ones. Secondly, this is the first book I can recall whose movie was actually better than the book. I think this is primarily because the characters are allowed to be more fully rounded in the movie, as well as the technology not being nearly so clunky looking on the screen as it was in the book.
Camouflage - In what is almost a throwback to the golden or silver ago of science fiction, Joe Haldeman has created the story of aliens unknowably more powerful than humans moving about the Earth. The story doesn't really have much depth to it, but it is entertaining nonetheless, in the way of evaluating human culture from a distinctly third-person point of view. I had worked out the impending big plot twist about halfway through the book, so when it was revealed, I wasn't terribly surprised.
What really succeeds in the book is the characterization of the changeling alien, able to take all manners of forms, making its way through the course of human history. As could be expected from the golden-age tone of the novel, the alien slowly becomes more and more human, resulting in a secondary plot twist that could be (and has been) the primary source of many good strong science fiction stories. There is also some feeling of personal investment in the description of the Bataan Death March, lurid and sad in its telling. But the protagonist alien survives its experiences there with a more clear insight of the race it has infiltrated.
Unfortunately, the other threads that make up this story are not so nearly well developed as that of the protagonist, and Haldeman's use of short concise chapters up to the point where he doesn't any more adds to the fogginess of those other plot elements. And when, suddenly, the chapters are far longer, it feels a little bit like the reader is involved with a different story altogether.
Nonetheless, it is a strong novel, especially for its resonances with earlier ages of writing, and ultimately a good bit of fun.
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