The Arkham Knight Character: My Thoughts (SPOILERS)

Thought I'd do something different and that is giving my thoughts and opinions on the infamous Arkham Knight character that was the in latest Batman game of the same name. This might seems that it is coming a bit but I was late getting the game any way because I went on holiday not long after it's release and I decided to get The Witcher 3 first before I went anyway. Plus the good thing about this is that by now everyone has played the game and probably don't care about spoilers much.

For those who don't know the Arkham Knight was the secondary antagonist in the latest Batman Arkham game; he wore a his own version of the Batman suit, was equal to him in skill and controlled the military that took over Gotham for Scarecrow. His identity was one of the biggest attraction of the game for many Batman fans (including myself) because of his unique design and that Rocksteady promising it was a original character for the game series. So imagine my disappointment when the man behind the mask turned out to be Jason Todd, the second Robin who wanted revenge on Batman.

Now for those who don't know who Jason Todd is he was the second Robin to work for Batman but was really violent, insolent and disagreed with Batman's views many times. He was kidnapped by the Joker and beaten almost to death with a crowbar before being blown up along with his mother. However he was indirectly resurrected by Superboy Prime and taken in for a while by the League of Assassins and even bathed in the Lazarus Pit. He then became the violent vigilante known as the Red Hood who returned to Gotham to get his revenge on Batman.

You know I thought the Arkham Knight was so freaking awesome when I got the game and I still do don't get me wrong; he was badass, his suit was such a great design and he was a match for Batman. I had so many theories to his identity (will list them) before the game's release and while I was playing it and to find out it was Jason Todd was so lacklustre and kind of lazy. It is almost the same story line as in Under the Hood where Jason, thought to be dead, comes back as a new persona in Gotham except that instead of becoming the Red Hood he becomes the Arkham Knight. What is annoying however is that Jason still becomes the Red Hood anyway at the end when part of the Arkham Knight suit is ripped off and it looks like the same Red Hood mask. What was also pretty annoying was that it wasn't even much of a surprise because halfway through the game Batman hallucinates seeing Jason tortured by the Joker and I thought after seeing something like that Jason just had to be the Arkham Knight. Why else would they have shown those flashbacks because if they wanted the Arkham Knight to be someone else then by that point in the game they would have gave hints of that someone but no they flat out tell you it's Jason. In the end Rocksteady decided to play it safe and just repeat a storyline used in the comics when the true identity of the Arkham Knight could have been lots of other Batman characters.

Here is a list of characters I think would have been better for the Arkham Knight, most of these where my theories before the game's release:

Damien Wayne: The son of Bruce with Talia, Damien could have become the Arkham Knight as revenge against Bruce and to prove he is a worth successor to Batman, which is why his suit is similar.

Thomas Wayne Junior/Owlman: Since this character s so well known in the comics and not featured as much as other villains I thought they could have change as much as the want about him without spoiling the character.

Thomas Wayne Senior: Was featured a lot in the commercials so I thought it could be possible he was still alive in the games. It could have been similar to Flashpoint where he was Batman but had no problem killing criminals.

James Gordon Junior: Because Gordon and Barbara where heavily involved in the plot like tricking Batman into thinking Barbara committed suicide and Gordon turning against you I thought it might have been someone close to them. James Gordon Junior his a psychopathic killer who does torment his family in the comics and while he has never been portrayed as a fighter who can stand up to Batman they could have changed it a bit for the game.

Hush: A side quest in Arkham reveals that Hush performs surgery on his face to make him look exactly like Bruce Wayne so he can ruin him so why not be his own version of the Batman while he is at it? But no they just gave him a silly five minute side quest in the game which was a shame.

Clayface: We never did get to find out if Clayface survived his fall into the Lazarus Pit or if it changed him in the end. He could have become the Arkham Knight to get revenge on Batman for his defeat in the last game.

Jean - Paul Valley/Azrael: This character actually was Batman at some point in the comics but was a lot more violent than Bruce. Like Hush I thought Azrael would be featured in the main storyline of the game instead of just being a side mission.

There you have it just a little rant about the Arkham Knight character.

Suicide Squad Trailer Breakdown

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEfjrvKugHM

Back with another trailer breakdown for the upcoming Suicide Squad film however with this one it is really hard to guess what the story is going to be about so this will really be my thoughts on several of the scenes.

Jared Leto's Joker: Was absolutely damn creepy; his voice, the close up and the line he delivered was so awesome. I really think Leto has nailed it as the Joker and I wish people would stop going on about his tattoos. This is just a different look for him in the new DC franchise I am sure he will still act as the Joker we all know and love from the comics.

The Joker torturing someone: My guess is that it is either Harley Quinn or Jason Todd because the film is going to have flashbacks for several or all of the characters. The reason it could be Harley is because I have seen set photos where she is still Harleen so this could be the Joker transforming her into Harley but it could be Jason because Batman is going to appear in the film's flashbacks as well.

Origins: Like I mentioned above it looks like we will get flashbacks on several villains and while that is good I do hope it lasts no longer than a few minutes because I don't want the whole film to be one massive origin story.

The Squad: It was awesome seeing the whole squad together, I don't have anything bad to say about them because their costumes are just so perfect. Well if I had to say one thing is that I wish there was more Captain Boomerang because he is my favourite Squad member.

How Killer Croc gets captured: In the trailer it shows someone wearing a hardhat with a light attached to it in a very dark place. Now this is just my guess but I think it is going to be someone who gets attacked by Killer Croc in the sewer and we see how he gets captured.

Katana commits seppukku: I don't know about anyone else but to me it looks like she is trying to impale herself on her sword in the trailer. I'm not too worried about this because her sword does have special powers to either make her survive it or bring her back.

The costumed robbers: I actually have no idea how these will fit into the film because it is not like the squad is tasked with stopping normal robbers however the one wearing the Batman costume was funny.

That is it really, unlike the Batman vs. Superman trailer it is hard to guess what is going on because it hasn't really revealed anything about the plot.

Batman Vs Superman Dawn Of Justice Trailer Breakdown

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEzheLDj6cY

I'm subscribed to a lot of reviewers on Youtube who like to breakdown a new trailer and pick out anything important from it and I thought I'd do the same for the new Batman vs. Superman trailer. Now I haven't watched any breakdowns myself yet, this list is what I have managed to find. SPOILERS

Superman deals with the aftermath of his fight with Zodd: It is smart that they haven't forgotten how much destruction these two caused. It looks like opinions are split with whether or not Superman is a hero or menace and I guess that is going to influence Superman's decisions a lot in this film.

Bruce Wayne was at Metropolis: This probably is what really influence's Bruce's decision to go after Superman because he did manage to save a child but also saw how many other lives where lost. I was wondering why he was in Metropolis but we also see a destroyed Wayne Financials building so I guess he had a board meeting with them or something.

The Joker ruined Bruce's life: We have two pieces of evidence to support this; the threatening letter Bruce received near the beginning and the Robin costume with the Joker graffiti. Now I don't know what it means with "You let your family die", could this mean that after Bruce retired he started but also lost a family?

Bruce retired because The Joker killed Jason Todd: The shot of the Robin costume was so awesome because it opens the possibility of the Red Hood existing in this universe who we can hopefully see in a solo Batman film. In my opinion I think it is highly likely Bruce retired because of the murder of Jason; in the comics Batman does still continue to fight crime but maybe in this film he just couldn't move on.

There will be a small montage of Bruce's time of Batman: Glad we will get some time spent on Bruce's life as Batman (maybe we will see some villains) but I also saw in the trailer the time Bruce's parent's where shot so I hope the montage doesn't take too long because I don't want to see Batman's origins yet AGAIN!

Clark Kent doesn't like Batman: It seems that Clark doesn't agree with the methods of Batman which is why he seems to trying to write an article on him but obviously his boss doesn't agree.

Superman has to decide to stay or leave: His mom and Lois still agree that Superman is needed for the world despite what the public think.

Lex Luther is the big bad: Well this is an obvious one but what is cool is that he also has brought Superman to his knees and it is probably because of the kryptonite he has. He also has the body of Zodd which makes me think.....

Zodd will be revived as Doomsday or Bizzaro: I really hope it isn't Doomsday because he has his own origin story and I think it is too early to bring him in. However I will be alright with Zodd being Bizzaro who is a zombie - like opposite of Superman.

Wonder Woman: The glimpse of Wonder Woman was really great and I think she will appear when Luther is revealed as the big bad not to interfere with Batman fighting Superman. I also think she is fighting Bizzaro because she looks to be blocking a blue laser and Bizzaro does have cold vision.

The Superman army gets out of control: I don't think Superman wants this army; they are most likely a bunch of fanatics who formed a cult because of him. Since they are fighting Batman I guess they might go too far at one point.

There you have it just a list of what I managed to spot in the new trailer but there are probably some stuff I missed. I think I will keep doing this now with trailers for comic book films or for like the Arrow and Flash. 

Gotham Season One: Best and Worst

Just like with Arrow and The Flash here is a list of the highlights for Gotham.

Best

Gordon and Bullock: These two made one great team and I really like seeing them together solving the recent crime of the week. I like their banter, arguments, their different points of view on everything and I liked how they grow to trust one another over the course of the season.

Villain and Hero origins: It is great seeing a live action and different take on the origins of some of Batman's heroes and villains. Every week I eagerly await this show because I just want to see which villain or hero is next to be seen.

Alfred: Sean Pertwee has always been such a great actor and the perfect choice to play the younger, no nonsense Alfred who kicks some serious ass!
 
Penguin: The best young version of a Batman villain in Gotham; a highlight in every episode and a scene stealer!

Bruce and Selina: Another great team in Gotham, these two are just so great together. I like how they learn from one another because they are from different social classes and I enjoy the episodes when they partner up.

The Red Hood episode: One my favourite episodes of the season; the Red Hood Gang was really funny, I liked the Alfred subplot and I found it interesting that they treated the Red Hood itself as some kind of cursed item.

Great action moments: The fighting and shootouts have all been entertaining to watch, I'm glad they don't hold back on the violence too much.

The corrupt GCPD: It was always good throughout this season seeing Gordon stand up to the other cops, especially against Loeb towards the end of the season.

The original Ogre villain: The Ogre really worked as a villain; he had a great backstory, methods of killing (we didn't see any real bondage lol) and he was developed really well. Shame he was killed off at the end.

The Goat episode/Bullock Flashback: Bullock is one of my favourite characters and I liked that the episode focused on him. I also really liked the Flashback at the beginning because you can really see the difference between him then and now.

Gordon and Leslie: This relationship was a 1000 times better than when Gordon was with Barbara because there was no chemistry there. With these two however it worked so well and they come off as a far more convincing couple than Barbara ever did. You know I wouldn't be surprised if this was only supposed to be temporary but got so popular they kept them together because I have read many opinions on this and they want Barbara out of here!

Nygma's decent into madness: I know for the beginning of the season he was a side character who was also comic relief but near the end when he killed you can really see him taking the first step to a villain. I hope he actually becomes the Riddler during season two and maybe Kringle will join him as a Harley Quinn kind of companion.


Worst

Fish: Everyone knows I hate Fish because she was an original character that just did not work in Gotham. Jada Pinkett Smith is just a terrible actress, Fish herself is really stupid in the things she did and I hated that the series had to try and fit her into every plot. The few episodes near the end that didn't feature her proved that the show did not need her at all, I am glad she was killed off and I hope she never comes back.

Barbara: Now on to Barbara who is as stupid as Fish and I hated everything she did; from her forced lesbian subplot, drinking, drugs and I always got the feeling she blamed Gordon for everything even though it is all her fault. I know her faults is her crucible to move past but I said this about Arrow's Thea and Laurel and I am saying it now; I have no sympathy or care much for a character who goes through drinking and drugs as a crucible. It is a waste of time and the character (mostly women for some reason) act like complete bitches. Then of course Barbara killed her parents and tired to kill Leslie and I honestly don't know if they can bring her back from this so I hope she is gone forever like Fish.  

Montoya: The character who started Barbara on the path of ruin; she was incredibly annoying whenever she was on screen and I just hated that she kept going after Gordon in the beginning. I am just really glad that she was barely in the season so I hope the writers decided to drop her character.

The death of Maroni and the departure of Falcone: Two awesome characters and mob bosses whose exit from the show left something to be desired. First off I really liked Maroni because like Penguin he was a bit of a scene stealer whenever he was on screen but no he freaking had to be killed off by Fish at the end just because he said a few wrong words to her. Then there is Falcone that I think the show portrayed him as weaker as he should be; he is supposed to be the big boss of Gotham yet characters (like Fish) seem to one up him and then he just leaves at the end.

Butch and Dent were underused: Two great characters who should have had more screen time because Dent is one of my favourite Batman characters and Butch was way more interesting than Fish.

Selina in the finale: She is one of my favourite characters but the way she was in the finale was just plain annoying and it was thanks to bloody Fish! The gave her a stupid look and made her act too differently and it was probably all so they can portray Fish as this great leader.

Fish ruined the Dollmaker subplot: Colm Feore is one of my favourite actors and I was glad when he was cast as the Dollmaker, buy why oh why did his plot have to be a part of Fish's! He was really built up in the second episode but most of the time Fish hogged all the screen time doing her stupid mutiny with the prisoners which was just so boring.

There you have it a list of the best and worst of Gotham season one in my opinion. I probably missed a lot buy these are the ones that just really stood out as I was writing this list.

The great screenshots of the episodes where provided by the great site Screencapped. You can look for yourself from the link below;





http://screencapped.net/   

Gotham Season One: Pilot

It turns out Screencapped (The awesome site that lets me uses their screenshots) now has Gotham on there so I'll start now and hopefully be up to date on it soon like The Flash. Like with all of my TV series reviews this is an in depth look at the episode and meant for those who have already seen it.

The episode begins with a young Selina Kyle (Camren Bicondova) stealing a wallet and milk from people on the street and feeding it to her cat in an alley but quickly gets out of sight when she hears someone coming. Thomas and Martha Wayne are with their son Bruce (David Mazouz) but are soon shot dead by a masked thief while Bruce looks on. Detective Harvey Bullock (Donal Logue) and his new partner James Gordon (Ben McKenzie) arrive at the scene and Gordon promises Bruce to find the murderer, Alfred Pennyworth (Sean Pertwee) then collects Bruce. Later two other detective from Major Crimes Renee Montoya (Victoria Cartagena) and Crispus Allen (Andrew Stewart-Jones) want to take the case from them but an annoyed Bullock refuses.

"You like bats kid?"

Gordon and Bullock begin to rough up some of Gotham's criminals to find answers to the murder and even get coroner and forensics operative Edward Nygma (Cory Michael Smith) to examine evidence at the scene. They then go to question underworld mobster Fish Mooney (Jada Pinkett Smith), who is employer of Oswald Cobblepot (Robin Lord Taylor), but they still get no answers. Their investigation eventually leads them to the residence of Mario Pepper who resists arrest and is killed in the struggle. While searching his apartment they find a necklace that resembles the one stolen from Martha Wayne and the case is apparently solved. Later however Cobblepot tells Montoya and Crispus that Pepper was framed for the murder, Montoya later confronts Barbara Kean (Erin Richards), Gordon's fiancé, about this and then Gordon himself.

"You'll find I shoot first and ask questions later"

Gordon suspects corruption in the police department after questioning Pepper's wife and then decides to question Fish but is knocked unconscious along with Cobblepot who is found out as a snitch. Bullock tires to save him but fails and he and Gordon are almost killed until they are saved by Don Carmine Falcone (Carmine Falcone) the boss of Fish and who doesn't want cops killed. Falcone orders Gordon to kill Cobblepot as a test of loyalty but Gordon refuses to go through with it and fakes shoots Cobblepot instead, telling him to never come back to Gotham and throwing him in the river. Gordon then goes to Bruce's manor to tell him that Pepper was framed but he will find the killer one day. The episode ends with Cobblepot emerging from the river and killing a fisherman.

Now that is one scary ass butcher

When I first heard that they where going to make a series set in Gotham that didn't actually have Batman I admit I thought it was a bit of a gamble. Batman is one of the greatest and iconic superheroes ever created so this series had to be interesting enough if it focuses on other characters. Fortunately after watching this Pilot I have to say that it is a gamble that paid off because they sure did make it work. Gotham is almost like one of the numerous cop shows that are on TV right now the biggest difference of course is that the audience will feel familiar with this because it is based on existing material but what is great about it is that it is a take on Gotham just after the murders of the Wayne's which not many Batman comics have touched upon.

"Got to think of a good thief name......"

The events of this episode was really good because just like mostly every Pilot episode it more establishes the setting and introduces the main characters more than anything else. This of course introduces younger versions of the characters we know from the comics like Gordon a young detective who still has a sense of justice in this corrupt city and then there's the Penguin one of the most powerful mob bosses in the comics but he is barely up the ladder of power right now. It also does a great job at showing us the corruption of the police department and how unpleasant the streets of Gotham is; its got a kind of neglected, gritty feel to it. It also does an interesting take on the Wayne murders because as shown in numerous retellings in the comics, and Batman Begins, their murders are done just by a lowly criminal. However in this it introduces an overarching mystery that will carry on in future episodes that may involve the police department and mafia.

Your lucky it was Gordon, Cobblepot

I think we got an excellent cast here such as Gordon and Bullock because I really like that they are opposites and the way they interact with each other. Bullock is corrupt and accepts it because he thinks that's how it will always be but Gordon always tries to fight it and actually wants to make a difference in Gotham. The young Bruce and Selina are good too, these are two really good young actors and I hope they become more involved in the story and even meet each other later. It was also good seeing Nygma in this as well, it was only briefly but it was funny seeing him using riddles even to his co - workers right now. There are two standouts in this and that is Alfred and Cobblepot, they where the best characters introduced in the Pilot. First Sean Pertwee is an awesome actor and I have seen him in a lot of films and he brings a uniqueness to Alfred, more no nonsense and wilfulness. For example when Bruce is on the roof of the manor trying to face fear Alfred shouts up "get your bloody arse off that roof" I never would have expected that from the Alfreds I have seen before. Then there is Cobblepot who is just so well acted and really feels like a younger version of the Penguin. The guy is calculating, sadistic and I like the way he speaks as well, it comes off as nervous and really confident at the same time. I also like how he hates the name Penguin right now because its an insult to him but I guess eventually he makes it his own.

At the very least you got good taste in stage performers

However there are a few characters I hated and the first is Fish Mooney; she is an original character created for the series and I just cannot stand her at all. The acting of the actress who plays her is just poor, her voice for one just sounds stupid, and I find her character just uninteresting and unnecessary and I find her attitude just damn annoying. She's probably really only in the show so that Penguin might kill her and take over her turf and I hope that doesn't take too long. Then there are the two Major Crime detectives who are just p***ks for the sake of being p***ks. I don't see any relevant reason for those character to be there at all, especially that prying Montoya whose a real b***h, they suspect Gordon of being corrupt when he makes it so obvious to anyone that he is the only honest cop on the force.

"Riddle me this!"

I guess something I just want to nit pick at, and this doesn't lower the score, is that I think they made it too obvious to who the future villains are. For example the daughter of Mario Pepper is called Ivy Pepper, if she is based on Poison Ivy from the comic (since we also saw her with plants its highly possible) then call her by her actually real name which is Pamela Isley and let the audience figure it out. I guess them having Edward say riddles counts as well because it should have been more subtle. An example when they did it right is when Fish was watching a comedian in her club and I was like "is that the Joker?" but they don't tell you, it was a nice reference for the audience to spot.

How it all started

Overall this is an imaginative retelling of the origins of Batman and the villains he faced from the perspective of one of Batman's closest allies. This is like a cop/detective drama but it defiantly has a comic book feel to it and I am interested to see how they keep this working. It had some great action scenes, character interaction and keeps your drawn in with the conspiracy of the Wayne murders and police corruption.

SCORE: 8/10

Highlights: Great take on the origin of Batman                 
                   Younger versions of the comic book characters
                   They really made the city of Gotham come alive

Let -Downs: Fish and Major crimes are just annoying
                     Should have let you guessing more about the villains

The great screenshots of the episodes where provided by the great site Screencapped. You can look for yourself from the link below;

 

 





http://screencapped.net/