Diamond_Dog7 Reviews

The New Batman Adventures (1997–1999)

A good show, but lacks the brilliance of the original.

[10/10 · 26 September 2011]

Being a huge Batman fan, and a huge fan of B:TAS, You have to be a fan of TNBA. But although it's a good series, it doesn't match the sheer brilliance of the original.

I like the look of this show. It's certainly a lot smoother, and I love the red night background that they used. However, I'm not a big fan of the big character changes. The only exception being Batman himself. He looked pretty cool. The Joker, Penguin, Killer Croc, and even to a degree The Scarecrow, I feel they didn't really need a re-vamp as they looked perfect as they did back in the original. One of the problems I have with the series. And The Riddler, they changed everything about him yet never even had a Riddler episode, which disappoints me, as he is one of the more interesting villains.

But having said all that, some of the episodes are fantastic, and make up for some of the problems with the series, "Over the Edge", "Sins of the Father", "Cold Comfort", "Legends of the Dark Knight", "Mad Love", to name a few. Furthermore, the character of Nightwing is really well portrayed, and really shines in the episode "Old Wounds".

To sum up, this series has more not-so-good episodes than BTAS, but as mentioned previously, there are few stand-out episodes which at least match the brilliance of the original. Which sums the show up, not as good as the predecessor by a long shot, but is still an essential for any Bat-fan.

Batman: The Animated Series: Trial (1994) Season 2, Episode 9

Absolutely Brilliant.

[10/10 · 26 September 2011]

Trial is by far one of the best episodes of this brilliant series. It's an extremely fun episode, with all the major villains appearing as members of the court. Complete with The Joker as the judge. Brilliant!

It's certainly a lot different to the other episodes, it is fun, yet with dark undertones, and is superbly written. Definitely a highlight of the series. Those of you who are unsure about whether to check out this series or not, there's a few episodes I would recommend which would make you a fan of this show for, well, the rest of your life. "Trial" is one of them. Quality story, visuals are stunning, and plenty of humour too, "Trial" is simply faultless.

Batman: The Animated Series: Blind as a Bat (1993) Season 1, Episode 54

One of the strongest Penguin episodes

[10/10 · 26 September 2011]

Blind as a Bat is one of my favourite episodes. And as i've gotten older, i now appreciate it even more.

The gist of the story is Penguin stealing a a high-tech Army helicopter and holding Gotham City to ransom. Meanwhile, as a result of the high-jacking, Bruce Wayne is blinded. Can a blinded Batman stop The Penguin? I think it's a fantastic story, and shows that Batman is only human too. This episode marks the last story where Penguin is the main villain, which is a shame as I think he was one of the more colourful, and diabolical villains, who is perfectly voiced by Paul Williams.

I love a good Penguin episode, and if you do too, then definitely check this one out.

The A-Team (2010)

Appeals to fans of the series, and appeals to action fans.

[10/10 · 1 August 2011]

Now, I used to love watching The A-team back whenever they showed repeats of it (I am too young to have been able to see it when it was first out unfortunately) and I still watch it now if it's ever on, (which is rare here in the UK, again, unfortunately). It has the perfect blend of humour, action, and is all round great fun. So when I first heard they were making a film, to be honest, I was excited. As long as it was true to the series, I would love it. And it is. And I do.

First off, it is very well cast. Neeson, who was still somewhat of a newcomer to the action genre, absolutely nails Hannibal Smith. He carries the torch carried superbly by George Peppard with the right amount of toughness, cool, and humour. Cooper in my opinion, is the only person I could see taking the role of Face, absolutely no other candidate. I was very surprised however with the other two castings. When I first heard that a fighter was cast as B.A., two things ran through my mind: 1, Uh-oh. And 2, This is gonna be another Dwayne Johnson type "acting performance". I was wrong. Very wrong. He was excellent. Same goes with Copley, thought "meh, it could work, or it could go the other way and be a very bad casting choice." Again, I was wrong. The only flaw that occasionally popped up was Copley's over the top American accent which sometimes slipped revealing his native tongue. But other than that, he captured the essence of Murdock perfectly.

What I find really annoying is the people who bash this film for not being realistic. Hello?! It's The A-Team?! It's fun and entertaining! Who cares if it bends the laws of physics or whatever, it's tremendous entertainment! Which is what it is all about. And The A-Team fully delivers. The end very flirtatiously leaves it open for a sequel. Which looks like it may never happen. Which is a damn shame if you ask me. The A-Team is something that many stories can be made from, just look at the show, so to throw it all away is not only cheating the fans, but cheating themselves of creating a hugely successful and hugely entertaining franchise.

But still, The A-Team is a ride that you can visit endlessly, and it's still just as much fun as the first time.

First Blood (1982)

Great film adapted from an equally great novel

[10/10 · 11 July 2011]

It can be argued that this film saved Stallone's career. The only successful films he had done prior to this, were the first two Rocky films. Stallone knew himself he had to break away and try something new, and when David Morrell's First Blood was being targeted for a film, this was his best chance. And boy, did it save it.

Despite the film and the book being vastly different in some aspects, not to mention the ending, both are gripping, action-packed, and very engaging. Stallone was perfectly cast in the lead, Richard Crenna and Brian Dennehy in the roles of Col. Trautman and Will Teasle respectively were too perfect castings. The only minor problem I have with the film, is how differently they portrayed the character of Teasle, however, it worked well in the film, but I feel if they chose to portray him how he was in the book then they would have had a much better film in their hands, and a far more better character. Crenna's Trautman too is portrayed differently, but is very well suited to the film's direction, and is simply faultless.

This film set a bar for all action films to follow. And also broadly enhanced Stallone's career. Great acting, tremendous soundtrack courtesy of Jerry Goldsmith, and smooth direction from Ted Kotcheff, this film never gets tiresome, and every generation will one day stumble upon the iconic character of the mentally deranged Vietnam war vet John Rambo, and the war he waged on the police, who had no idea who they were dealing with, yet still engaged battle with him, and pushed him too far for really no reason.

I strongly recommend anyone who has enjoyed the film to pick up a copy of the book. It is compelling reading as the film is compelling viewing. Reading it will help your understanding of the characters Rambo and Teasle, and the battle to the death that they are both locked in. You will be amazed.

Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985)

Great all-out Action

[10/10 · 11 July 2011]

I don't really know why this is called First Blood: Part II, as it is vastly different to the original, but anyway, it's highly enjoyable.

It picks up where the first film ends, with Rambo in prison. He is then paid a visit from Trautman, who briefs him about a new mission he has been hand picked to accomplish if he wishes. It involves rescuing American POW'S in Vietnam and will mean Rambo can get out of prison. Of course, he says "yes", and this how the film starts.

In my opinion, I love this film. For me, it is one of the best action films of the 80's, if not of all time. It is all out action and explosions with a story you do kind of get into, but some may lose interest, but nonetheless, it is very highly enjoyable. Terrific genre defining film.

Batman Forever (1995)

Bye bye Burton....Hello Schumacher.

[8/10 · 8 February 2011]

Batman Forever. Personally, i don't like this title. Sounds...well....crap, and lame to be honest. Sounds like a kids movie. And guess what, it IS a kids movie. Before i lay into this film, I did find it entertaining. Both as a kid, and as an adult. But i didn't like it as a Batman film. It just doesn't capture the essence of what Burton created. In fact, it completely ignores it. It acts as more of a re-boot in a way. But the bottom line, its entertaining. Thats all that saves this.

I don't understand why they got rid of Burton. His vision of Batman was brilliant. I also don't understand why they chose Joel Schumacher as his replacement. And i don't understand why they ruined a tremendous character in Two-Face. And I don't understand why.....you get the picture.

Val Kilmer. Great actor. See The Doors for his best performance. See Batman Forever for his, well, not as good performance. Don't get me wrong, he was a good Batman. He's no Keaton, but he did well with what he had to work with. But none of the actors really shone in this. Nothing shone in this. Except the flashy neon signs in an equally flashy Gotham City.

So, Schumacher thought, "Ok i'm making a Batman film. Great. But how do i ruin it? I know, i'll put nipples on the suit. Yeah that'll do it. Oooh, and i'll make Two-Face a cheap Joker rip off. I know, i'll get Jim Carrey to dress in spandex and dance around and basically be...Jim Carrey. Oooooh, i'll also include a stupid sub-plot love story. I think thats it, i'll save my other ideas for the next one. Right, lets film!" So they filmed. And here it is. Two-Face is a great, tragic character. Who rose to greatness, and then fell to tragedy. He isn't in this. He's a laughy stupid gimmicky character. Who jumps around in hysterics whenever there's an explosion. He's after revenge against Batman, because...well... no idea why. Batman didn't really do anything. So anyway, he teams up with The Riddler, who wants revenge against Bruce Wayne, because....he got fired from his company. How pathetic. Carrey and Tommy wasted their talents on this film. As did Kilmer, O'Donnell, Kidman, etc. Furthermore, Riddler aims to be the smartest man in the world by sucking up everyones brainwaves. (Cringe.) Anyhow, Batman must save the day. With a sidekick...Robin! I'm not a big fan of Robin. But i think the way they worked him into the film was pretty good. He's a young, troubled man who wants revenge. He's someone who Bruce can relate to. And tries to save Dick Grayson from choosing the path he chose, as during the film, he starts to regret, and wants a normal life. Which is another OKish moment in the film. I suppose.

Overall, this film isn't particularly great. And i gave it a 6 mainly because i feel nostalgic when i see it. And its also entertaining. I wasn't bored when i watched it, then, or now. But I'll repeat what i said, I don't like it as a Batman film. You want Batman, check out the first one. That IS Batman.

Batman Returns (1992)

Not as good as the original, but still a decent Batman flick.

[10/10 · 8 February 2011]

The first Batman film, for me, is astounding. Not only the best Batman film, (I even think it tops Nolan's brilliant vision), I think its one of the best films ever made. So 'Returns had a lot to live up to. And I think with a few changes, a bit of tampering with the plot here and there, it really could have topped it.

Firstly, the casting. Brilliant stuff. DeVito's Penguin is grotesque, evil, and quite scary, very menacing. Yet by the end of the film, you ignore all that, and genuinely feel sorry for him. I could imagine no other actor taking that role. It seems The Penguin was created solely for the purpose of DeVito to portray him. Not as good a villain as Nicholson's Joker, but definitely in my list of all time movie villains. Michelle Pheiffer's Catwoman too is purrrfect (sorry, couldn't resist), she takes the role and runs astray (again, sorry!). She is sexy, mysterious, and very alluring. The chemistry between her and Keaton is fantastic. Now, do i really need to talk about the greatness of Keaton as Batman? Well i'm not going to, see my review for Batman 1989, although we all know he is phenomenal. Same with Christopher Walken. Just hearing he's a villain in a Burton Batman film instantly provokes excitement.

The plot. Its good, but not great. I find it hard buying the idea of Penguin running for mayor, but i suppose this is fiction after all. Its a Batman film. But i liked the idea of Catwoman and Penguin teaming up, albeit for a short while, and framing Batman. Also an evil corrupt businessman working with Penguin too was a great move. Although, I don't feel the story is as engaging or exciting as the previous film. Its just something about the first film. They really couldn't match it. And no Batman film really has since. Hell, any superhero film for that matter. Ahh screw it, no film really has!

Now, the sets. Very, very, dark. Yet, very, very, excellent. Matches the tone of the film perfectly. My only regret is they didn't use Anton Furst's fantastic sets at Pinewood Studios. It was a brilliant piece of architecture, his Gotham City. Nonetheless, these sets are good, and like I said, are very well suited to the atmosphere and overall tone of the film.

Overall, 'Returns is a good film. Not as good as the original, but a decent Batman flick. Shame Burton didn't do more. People complained at how dark this was compared to Batman 1989, but that film was dark. You would think they would expect it, I personally thought the darkness of both films is what Batman is all about. He's not a happy camper protecting a brightly neon lighted fantastic spectacle of a city. Nudge Nudge Schumacher...

Good film. Great cast. Good music (however i preferred the first films score). And fantastic directing. You can tell in some scenes that the producers let Burton go crazy and do whatever he wanted. The first film is a Batman film, this one, is a Tim Burton film. Its very entertaining, and a good Batman film. And thats all that matters really.

Batman: The Animated Series: Nothing to Fear (1992) Season 1, Episode 10

One of the highlights of the series

[10/10 · 6 July 2010]

The Scarecrow is finely introduced to us for the first time in this episode. His aim: to get revenge at the university of former employ after they fired him for going way over the top in his experiments on fear. Sounds easy enough for Batman to foil, right? Wrong. Scarecrow uses a fear gas bomb, which when inhaled, will bring out your uttermost fears, giving him the perfect opportunity to casually walk past and set about his business. Then things get tougher when Batman himself gets affected, and bringing out a horrible fear of bringing shame to his father's name. Can Batman overcome the effects and stop Scarecrow? The episode is simply fantastic. Humour in the right moments, courtesy of Alfred, it has great action sequences, and a really decent villain. This episode is one of the darker ones, which is why its so amazing, and also shows us for the first time a highly troubled Bruce Wayne, struggling to overcome the guilt and fear, and not to let himself slip away.

Brilliant episode. 10/10.

Batman: The Animated Series: The Last Laugh (1992) Season 1, Episode 15

One of the best Joker episodes

[10/10 · 6 July 2010]

On April Fool's day, Joker sets out causing havoc by releasing a laughing gas which when inhaled makes you permanently insane. Also, Alfred gets affected, can Batman save him too? So, naturally, Batman has to save the day.

The episode has great dialogue, and the story is also brilliant, one of the best Joker episodes by far. Mark Hamill really started to shine in this episode, personally, I feel this episode would have been the ideal Joker episode to air first. The episode features good action sequences and has some good humorous moments too.

10/10. Up there with the all time great Joker moments in the series.

Batman & Robin (1997)

I wish I could give it zero...

[3/10 · 2 July 2010]

This film is an insult to the Batman franchise, hell, to Batman in general.

OK Batman Forever was tolerable, it had its enjoyable and entertaining moments, but this film has absolutely nothing enjoyable, apart from the end credits. But even that is ruined by the horrible songs and especially the cheesy and ridiculous song "Gotham City" by R.Kelly. I am one of the biggest Batman fans ever, and i couldn't even bear to watch this film. The dialogue is plain, the story is useless, and the characters are just stupid. I won't even go into Mr Freeze's quips and puns. Joel Schumacher ruined Batman with this film, he completely changed the whole idea of Batman being dark and brooding and turned him into an idiot in a suit who isn't even believable fighting crime. Personally, I'm not a huge fan of Robin, I feel Batman works best when alone, but it kinda worked OK in Batman Forever, it suited the whole look and direction of the film, but Batman & Robin is just a waste of space and time.

So, if you're a Batman fan, and just have even the slightest bit of dignity, avoid this. You would regret it if you do watch it. You have been warned...

Batman: The Animated Series (1992–1995)

A fantastic show and how Batman should be done.

[10/10 · 2 July 2010]

This show is absolutely amazing. It features a Gothic Gotham City, (loosely based on the city from the first film), engaging characters and episodes of sheer brilliance. Essential for any Bat-fan. And can be enjoyed by everyone of all ages. I loved this show as a kid, and love it even more now that i've gotten older.

BTAS is one of the greatest incarnations of Batman. The visuals are amazing, and every single episode is superbly written, (excluding a few, but what series doesn't have a few bad episodes?), and every single character is perfectly cast. Kevin Conroy's portrayal of Batman is spectacular. He captures the darkness of Batman and the billionaire (and dopey) persona of Bruce Wayne perfectly. Equally spectacular is Mark Hamill's Joker. He can scare, he can evoke laughter, all within one line of dialogue. It can be debated that his Joker is the greatest, and I can certainly see why. The same goes with all the other characters, Richard Moll's Two-Face, Paul Williams' Penguin, John Glover's Riddler etc. All perfectly cast. Bob Hastings' Commissioner Gordon is one of the greatest portrayals of a character in the whole of animation. Same with Effrem Zimbalist Jr's Alfred. They both provide warmth, humour and loyalty. They compliment Batman brilliantly.

Now, onto the episodes. As I mentioned earlier, there are a few episodes not worthy of as much praise, "I've got Batman in my basement" for example, which is a poor debut episode for a villain such as The Penguin, and is a poor episode overall. However, there are episodes which are simply faultless, and will forever be enjoyed. I could list lots and lots but my personal favourites are (in no particular order), "The Last Laugh", "Nothing To Fear", "The Cape and Cowl Conspiracy", "Perchance to Dream", "Two-Face parts I&II", "Joker's Wild", "Trial", "Bane", "Blind as a Bat", "Second Chance", "The Man who killed Batman", "Heart of Ice", "Dreams in Darkness", "Nothing to Fear", "Strange secret of Bruce Wayne", "Vendetta", "Joker's Favor", If you're so smart, why aren't you rich?", "What is Reality?", "Almost got 'im", "Birds of a Feather", and there are many, many more which are stand-out episodes too. You'll just have to check them out for yourself...

So all in all, a truly mesmerising show, very faithful to the source material and the voice acting is faultless. The majority of the episodes are great and some are spectacular, and despite there being a few below-par episodes, they are still enjoyable, and is something for anyone who likes Batman, or even loved the first film, as I do, as it features many similarities in some parts, especially in the fantastic soundtrack and the overall dark atmosphere. 10/10. Definitely one of the best things to ever come out of animation and definitely one of the best Batman incarnations you'll ever be lucky enough to see.

Batman (1989)

The best comic book adaptation ever!

[10/10 · 30 June 2010]

"Batman" is a dark, yet very entertaining and brilliant portrayal of the Batman universe. The fantastic sets and immense storyline grip you and keep you within Gotham City and all that happens, it certainly makes you someone who does not want to live there. Gotham City is a character itself, and the film immerses you into it. Back in 1988, when the film was in production, The word "Batman" was twinned with the words "camp" and "comedy." So when Michael Keaton was cast as the lead role, who was a well known figure of comedy, i.e. Beetlejuice, the uproar was mind blowing. Nobody wanted him to be Batman, or thought he could even be Batman. How wrong were they? Keaton's performance is spectacular, both as the brooding Dark Knight, and as the troubled Bruce Wayne. For me, Keaton is Batman. He captured all the essence of Batman and made it so dark you would for a second forget that it is Keaton behind the mask. In my opinion, no other actor has ever topped the performance of Batman by Keaton. He was dark, menacing, intimidating, all within the opening 10 minutes. Which is what people want from Batman. Also, there is no "rule" of taking anyone's lives, which I feel is the best way to go. You can tell from his portrayal of Bruce Wayne that his sole purpose in life is to be Batman. That's who he really is. Bruce Wayne is the mask. As well as an excellent performance from Keaton, comes a magnificent portrayal of the Joker by Jack Nicholson. He is THE JOKER. You can't compare his and Heath Ledger's portrayal because despite sharing the same name and look, they have completely different motives, as well as being in a completely different world. Nicholson and Ledger are both outstanding, but Nicholson's the best in his Batman universe as is Ledger's to his. Nicholson brilliantly plays the cool yet nasty gangster Jack Napier, then transitions fluently into the crazy, sadistic, and often quite darkly humorous Joker. His and Keaton's performance is what makes the film. It would never have been as good without those two. Tim Burton's direction too is very good, he has created a perfect world for the Batman universe to live in, albeit with the help of brilliant Anton Furst, who deserved his Oscar. Burton made the action scenes truly explosive, and the softer scenes with emotion. He may have got carried away in the second film, Batman Returns, and made it perhaps a little too dark, it's still a decent Batman adventure, but this film, is faultless. The only nitpick some people have is Burton making the young Jack Napier kill Bruce's parents. Personally, I feel it was a clever move, as it now makes it more personal between the characters. So, in all, not only is it one of the best movies of all time, but the best comic book adaptation of all time. From the awesome Batmobile through to the magnificent sets and Danny Elfman's rip roaring soundtrack, this film is a legend on it's own, and set the benchmark of how superhero movies should be made. And no one's topped it yet.

Batman: The Animated Series: Harlequinade (1994) Season 2, Episode 10

Good, but there are better Joker episodes

[10/10 · 12 April 2008]

Joker gets a big atomic bomb (yikes!) and then kidnaps the mayor. He plans to destroy Gotham with the bomb and escape. But, does he rescue his faithful companion, Harley? She is out helping the Dark Knight because she doesn't want to go through with it whilst Joker is planning to escape in a plane. Can Batman stop him? This episode features Harley singing which is fairly enjoyable and there is some humour there too. This episode is enjoyable, but not the greatest joker episode out there, or Harley episode for that matter, my favourite Harley episode is "Harley & Ivy" but it is worth viewing to witness joker and Harley arguing and then immediately back together again and for the humour involved.

Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994)

Best Carrey comedy out there!

[10/10 · 12 April 2008]

This is Jim's first major movie and it was released the same year as another one of his greats, The Mask. The film centres around the Miami Dolphins mascot, Snowflake the dolphin, being kidnapped. The authorities put Ace on the Case. As well as Snowflake being kidnapped, Football star, Dan Marino is also kidnapped and therefore the police (who are against Ace) work on it. There are numerous hilarious scenes for example, i love it when Ace is trying to find out who's ring he found in Snowflake's tank and goes round harassing football stars- brilliant! Also at a rich guy's party when he almost gets eaten by a shark in a tank looking for snowflake and of course the part when he finds out that Ray Finkle, a fallen football star, kidnapped them both and goes to a mental asylum to find more info, he then finds that the police lieutenant Lois Einhorn, was a missing hiker. He finds the document with it on in Finkle's box at the asylum, how are they connected? This is simply great, I'm a huge fan of this and the sequel, but this is far,far better. Also, The cartoon show relates a lot to this film and is also great. Watch!