Monday, July 23, 2012

So we saw Batman last night

Summary: A masked terrorist, I think it was Jonathan Vilma, leads the cast of Swamp People out of the Gotham City sewer in order to #Occupy Wall Street for a little while before also trying to nuke it. But only after waiting long enough so that a movie can happen during the interim.  Maybe that was a bad decision on their part.

There's been some controversy in the news related to the politics of this film thanks to the actions of some idiots followed by those of even bigger idiots. And I suppose if one squints really hard one can cherry pick little nuggets of social commentary from amidst the numerous explosions and unusual costumes and such.. although I would advise you to steer clear of such nonsense.

For example yes, of course the part about a massive heist in broad daylight at the stock exchange followed by a day when nobody questions the validity of the transactions there seems pretty much in step with what goes on in real life so there's that.  Later, a paraplegic man is dropped to the bottom of a well where a "doctor" hangs him from a rope and punches him in the back. This is a rather dark vision of Obamcare, all told, yet a difficult one to argue with. 

But why bother worrying about any of this when you've already suspended enough disbelief to put up with hooded billionaire vigilantes, experimental aircraft and assault motorcycles that are apparently as user friendly as iPhones to the characters operating them for first time in their lives, and a thermonuclear explosion that is TOTALLY OKAY as long as it happens... you know like 10 or 15 miles over there or whatever.

Alright well, that last one is pretty much the same thing the Japanese government was telling people after the Fukushima meltdown, but the point is it's a goddamned Batman movie! Just be happy that some small portions of it make sense.  The parts you can make out over the sound of the background music and all of the many many things exploding, I mean, since that part of the soundtrack is turned way way waay the hell up in relation to the dialogue. Maybe this is deliberate. If I ever find out what was being said I can determine whether or not it was a good idea.

Anyway, despite the fact that this movie is in your face just about everywhere you happen to put your face right now, this doesn't mean you actually have to go and see it.  But if you do go, just know that it is still very very unlikely that anyone will shoot you while you are there.  Although I can't guarantee you won't want them to.

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