Welcome to Comic Book Guy, where I fear no superhero reboot, no failed adaptation, and certainly no demonic clowns! In this season's roundup of capes and chaos, we’re diving into the deep, dark underworld of Spawn, where gritty antiheroes roam free and necroplasm is somehow a word we’re all expected to accept. This lineup also features the thought-provoking noir vibes of The Question: The End and the slapstick absurdity of Plastic Man, ensuring there’s something for everyone, whether you like your heroes brooding, elastic, or occasionally heartless (literally). Let's jump in - cape first, of course!
THE QUESTION: THE END
In The Question: The End, Nicolas Winding Refn delivers a finale so brooding and existential that even Batman might suggest lightening up. Ryan Gosling’s Vic Sage stumbles shirtless and bloodied through Hub City, battling gang wars, his own inadequacies, and what might be the worst housing market in DC Comics history. Christina Hendricks’ Myra spends half the movie trying to govern a post-apocalyptic wasteland while the other half involves getting kidnapped, drugged, or shot - proving that being Mayor of Hub City is the least glamorous job on Earth. Lady Shiva (Hong Chau) adds some much-needed style and martial arts gravitas, while Mads Mikkelsen’s Richard Dragon swoops in for a masterclass in cryptic wisdom and low-key life coaching. The finale is a moody, artsy gut punch that somehow blends abandoned babies, sewer escapes, and an overdramatic helicopter scene into a surprisingly emotional payoff. Sure, it’s a lot, but as far as noir superhero finales go, it hits like a punch to the gut - and we’re all better for it.
SPAWN
If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to be a scorched assassin caught in a demonic HR contract with hell’s middle manager, Spawn is your film. Antoine Fuqua gives us a visually striking but narratively uneven adaptation of Todd McFarlane’s beloved antihero, with Idris Elba proving that even in Hell, he can command the screen. Elba’s Spawn broods, burns, and rips out hearts like a pro, but the film often stumbles between being a gothic revenge saga and a fever dream of disconnected set pieces. Jackie Earle Haley’s Clown/Violator is terrifyingly unhinged, though it sometimes feels like he wandered in from a better-written film. Sean Penn’s Jason Wynn chews the scenery with gusto, and Stephen Merchant’s Twitch is surprisingly endearing, though Eric Stonestreet’s Sam Burke feels like he wandered out of a buddy cop sitcom by mistake. The final act pits Spawn against his boss, Malebolgia (Jason Isaacs), who exudes demonic gravitas. The result is a grim and gory spectacle that’s half stylish brilliance and half video game cutscene. Worth it for the hardcore fans, but casual viewers might be left questioning what the hell they just watched - literally.
PLASTIC MAN
Plastic Man wants to be the zany, self-aware antidote to gritty superhero movies, but it’s only about halfway there. Glenn Howerton plays Eel O’Brian like Dennis Reynolds with stretchy limbs, bringing enough smarm to carry most of the movie, while Dan Fogler’s Woozy Winks might as well be a cartoon character who wandered onto set. Elisabeth Moss as the straight-laced FBI agent adds a touch of class, but even she can’t make O’Brian’s awkward romantic advances palatable. The humor lands more often than it doesn’t, especially during the slapstick action scenes, but the villains - Clayne Crawford’s Ralph Dibney and David Dastmalchian’s Kite Man - feel like they escaped from a Saturday morning cartoon in the worst way. The movie peaks with its chaotic climax at Crawford Chemical Supply but squanders the goodwill with an overly cheesy epilogue. It’s fun, sure, but it’s hard not to wish Plastic Man stretched itself just a little further.
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