The Batman

*Spoiler alert.

Reinvented again for another reboot which reimagines traditional tropes, trajectories, a much less pulpy light illumination recast in dire solemnity.

The Riddler returns to confound the Batman with pejorative puzzling and plagued putrefaction (the Penguin also making an appearance), a pattern emerging the details discomforting, the players well-known to the reclusive billionaire.

In this sombre reawakening Bruce Wayne (Robert Pattinson) spends little time managing Wayne Enterprises, having yet to envision the circumstances in which his businesses could benefit ailing Gotham.

Alfred (Andy Serkis) is forlorn yet dutiful and thoroughly worried about his disengaged charge, no doubt proud of his crime fighting agility yet still rather anxious regarding the future.

Batman's more of a young adult in this instalment, still coming to terms with his coveted legacy, passionately lured by the prestige of his role yet at times uncertain as to how to proceed.

He even wipes out at one point and takes a rather severe tumble, the results of which should have perhaps been more serious realistically considering his noted mortality.

The film's still more like the Christopher Nolan Batmans even if he does take quite the unexpected fall, with more of an emphasis on scientific fact than unobserved fantastic comic book reckoning.

Perhaps it's just the subconscious favouritism of yesteryear but I find myself longing for something less logical, like sociopathic Jack Napier's descent into a vat of acidic chemicals only to emerge the nefarious Joker.

Not that The Dark Knight isn't one of the best films I've ever seen, but too much reasonable objective fact can take away from the resonant fantasy (not in Bond, the beginning of GoldenEye was terrible). 

I suppose The Dark Knight did succeed in finding rational means to uphold its sensation, as does Matt Reeves's latest vision, perhaps I'm just searching for the magically real, the cool thing about fantasies is they don't require scientific proof (assuming they don't take over). 

The Batman's still really well done with an impressive cast with many cool actors (Zoë Kravitz, Jeffrey Wright, Colin Farrell, Paul Dano, John Turturro, Peter Sarsgaard, . . .), who add feisty nuance and versatile daring to so many captivating scenes.

Oddly, the Riddler is caught but Batman still fails to stop him.

Batman wipes out.

The Riddler's plot isn't foiled.

With so many superhero films currently flourishing.

This one still finds a way to stand out.

Hoping they mix in Joaquin Phoenix's Joker.

Marvel's continuity is first rate! 

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

A community of apes is flourishing in the forests north of San Francisco, organized and thrifty endowed reactive brawn.

Humans must appease them to acquire a power source they need to continue growing and expanding, a power source lying within the ape's domain, war being an unpalatable option.

Unpalatable though it may be, both sides prepare for battle, while diplomatic agents attempt to harness cooperative wisdom, to the framework of a mutually beneficial future.

Peace and harmony reign for at least a solid three hours.

Before treachery incites.

Born of impenitent vengeance.

The film necessarily struggles to find its identity, as hostilities and passions obstruct the empowerment of conscience.

Perhaps it's too ape-centred for me, the wild productivity of the forest dominating the film's urban concentrations.

It points out that patience and understanding reside within the art of diplomacy, while focusing on how easily its designs are upset by spiteful infringements, the totality of objectification.

Which unleashes the violence of bedlam.

Crushing the foundation of dreams.