Bryan Singer was at the helm of
the latest period film to star Marvel’s mighty mutants. X-Men: Days of Future Past The Rogue Cut (2014)
takes place in two settings a dystopic future and the 1970’s. The director’s cut
of X-Men: Days of Future Past The Rogue
Cut (2014) may cause some time travel for the audience too. They might be
brought back to the heady days of the early 2000’s when every big DVD release
was jam packed with special features. However, not since Blade Runner The Director’s Cut (1982) has an extended or directors
cut truly elevated a film. In the glory days of DVDs before ITunes and Netflix
rose to prominence DVD’s often came with extras like extend or deleted footage. Some DVD releases
like The Lord of The Rings Trilogy (2001-2003)
came with substantial extra footage. The final film in that trilogy had close
to an hour in additional footage. That being said none of these releases ever
contained footage that truly changed the film or cinematic experience.
X-Men: Days of
Future Past The Rogue Cut (2014) has truly been elevated by this new cut. Unlike
many releases with “bonus” footage X-Men:
Days of Future Past The Rogue Cut (2014) isn’t just longer cuts of scenes
that were already in the film or scenes added as fan service. This cut of the
film adds a an entirely new storyline that was left out of theatrical cut.
Despite being a longer film this new cut is actually a better paced movie. In X-Men: Days of Future Past The Rogue Cut
(2014) the future X-men are more proactive in the story and are given an actual
mission to accomplish as opposed to the theatrical release. In the theatrical
release the primary goal of the future X-Men was to stay hidden and survive.
The large cast of future X-Men felt more like fan service cameos and
introductions of new young characters for future sequels.
For
the audience that loves the source material the film was based on the added
plotline is a nice bonus too. The future X-Men going on a mission to break into
a sentinel facility is a key plot point in the comic book Days of Future
Past. I don’t want to mislead anyone into thinking that you’re getting the
epic breakout from the concentration camp followed by the infiltration of the sentinel
facility but it is a nice homage. This also helps the future X-Men stay true to
their ethos of fighting for a world that hates & fears them. This mantra
implies the X-Men are proactive and would not sit on their hands and just wait
for Wolverine to accomplish his mission In the past.
Two
of the film’s most talented young stars Nicholas Hoult and Jenifer Lawrence get
more character development in the new cut too. The added scenes with Beast and
Mystique help give a better insight into their character motivations and
internal conflicts. Also touching on their relationship helps the film to build
on the continuity from the previous film. In the movie’s continuity the previous
film took place a decade earlier and much has changed. The added Beast and
Mystique scenes give us a taste of some of the conflicts and themes from the previous
X-Men cinematic installment.
What
is more amazing then the movie itself or the oodles of cash it mad is the fact
that the source material was just a two issue arc of Uncanny X-men. Admittedly it
was by the incomparable partnership of Chris Claremont and John Byrne who also
gave us The Dark Phoenix Saga among many other amazing stories. But to
think a two issue arc has grown into one of most beloved and remembered X-Men
stories is remarkable. This was in a time when a futuristic dystopias or
alternate timelines were still somewhat of a fresh idea in the comic book world. This
a movie whose directors cut has truly elevated the film and is not just a
studio cash grab.
Adapting a seminal work of literature
can a trepidatious proposition for any filmmaker and Jay Oliva the director of
the animated feature The Dark Knight
Returns (2013) and delivers a direct adaptation of Frank Miller’s The
Dark Knight Returns. While live action Batman adaptations tend to take
elements from the source material and construct an original story Warner
Brothers the parent company of D.C. Comics has been producing straightforward animated
adaptations from some of its strongest and most beloved stories in recent years.
One of the strongest elements of the source material is Batman’s internal
monologue however I do agree with the director’s choice not to use it in a
medium like film that is more about show rather then tell.
The choice of adapting Frank Miller’s
magnum opus for an animated feature does not take away from the work’s
gravitas. In a world where CGI special effects dominate many feature films
released by the major studios many of the stunts and set pieces we see in
modern film making are animated. The choice of making the feature PG-13 allowed
the filmmakers to stay true the source material.
The Dark Knight Returns (2013)
is a unique version of the hero’s journey because it starts with a hero who’s
retired a decade earlier. The end of the hero’s cycle concludes with the hero
returning with knowledge or skills to help the community. Clearly Batman in his
many years waging a one man war on crime has used his knowledge and skills to
help the community. But we know from the title The Caped Crusader is not done
yet.
The underworld is a
typical motif in the hero’s journey. Batman works in a cave below Wayne Manor.
However, the Batcave is not a typical representation of the underworld. Carrie
Kelly asks Alfred where Batman is going when he wanders into the depths of the
Batcave. Alfred responds, “To find his strength”. When Batman is dug out of his
grave by Carrie Kelly he again chooses a cave as the place he starts his new
life.
The story starts with a traditional
narrative device commonly found in the hero’s journey: the refusal to the call.
What’s interesting is the film’s refusal to the call and subsequent answer to
the call is all internal conflict. The refusal is based up the protagonist’s
(Bruce Wayne/Batman) promise which is strongly implied is due to the death of
Jason Todd (Robin). Perhaps prophetically the source material was published
several years before the in continuity demise of Jason Todd via a one nine
hundred number.The Batman persona can’t
be quashed no matter how much Bruce tries to drown out the calling of the bat
with booze. When he’s drunk Bruce Wayne is called to the place that birthed
Batman, crime alley. It’s not the bat signal or crime that’s the call that
Batman answers it’s his own conscience. He can’t refuse the call to be Batman
because he is Batman.
Batman deals with four antagonists in The Dark Knight Returns (2013). Two Face,
the Mutant Leader, the Joker, and Superman. Batman has a large rogue’s gallery
who test the Caped Crusader in a variety of ways. The choice of antagonists and
the order in which they are confronted are not chosen at whim or happenstance
they fulfill a specific role in the narrative structure of the hero’s journey.
These four antagonists appear in different and distinct chapters in Batman’s hero’s
journey. In this film there are three distinct versions of Bruce Wayne/Batman.
In flash backs we see the figurative death of Bruce Wayne that gives birth to
Batman. We see the symbol of Batman remerge in present day Gotham and how the
idea of Batman transcends one man. Finally we see Batman challenge a demigod
using Gotham City to power himself via the lamp post in crime alley where
Bruce’s childhood ended and his quest as Batman began. When Batman challenges a
demigod he shows his superiority and cunning showing Superman he could of
killed him if he chose to. This leads to the Dark Knight resurrection and him
finally able to shed Batman and Bruce Wayne to be a mentor, leader, and father
figure.
What role does the antagonist Two Face
play in the hero’s quest? Harvey Dent was formerly Gotham City’s district
attorney. His physical and mental scars are too great for him to overcome. His
coin is still a twisted version of law & order; everyone’s odds are the
same and fair. Bruce’s desire to help Harvey by funding his treatment is a
coping mechanism for Batman’s own fear that he may cross the line into full
psychosis. Also, dealing with Batman’s hope for redemption that even after all
these years and all the chaos and carnage left in his wake he can find
redemption and put the trauma of his parents’ death behind him. Later on in the
film we see his disdain for the lapdog Superman has become and his hatred for
the death and misery the Joker brings but we also see him truly pity for Harvey
Dent.
Batman sees part of his own psychosis
in Dent and his treatment being unsuccessful strikes close to home. When Bruce
Wayne the public financier of Harvey Dent’s treatment speaks at news conference
about Harvey overcoming his demons we the viewer who know Bruce Wayne’s alter
ego know how weighty this statement is. Decades have passed since a young Bruce
Wayne made a vow to avenge his dead parents but he is still plagued by the
trauma. Clearly of the four antagonists Batman faces in The Dark Knight Returns (2013) it makes sense the first one would
be Two Face. In his apprehension of Two Face he confronts his own compulsions.
When Harvey laments, “Nothing can fix what I am.” Batman’s response is, “You
and me both.”
Following Two Face Batman takes on a gang
of marauding teenagers who are running amok called the Mutants. Typically along
the hero’s journey he will face an Ogre. The Ogre often causes the hero to use
his cunning and guile to defeat the beast. The mutant leader represents such
this aspect of the cycle. Batman can’t beat the mutant leader with brawn or
viciousness. When Batman gets his rematch he uses his knowledge of anatomy to
systematically immobilize and cripple the Mutant leader. He uses his cunning by
having the fight take place in thigh high mud negating the Mutant leaders speed
advantage. However the Mutant leader as an obstacle doesn’t lead to
transcendence like the next two obstacles do.
The next opponent Batman must overcome
is The Joker. What is The Clown Prince of Crime’s role in Batman’s Knight’s
quest? When we first meet the Joker he’s
in a near cationic state. Once he realizes Batman has returned to Gotham he
starts his crime spree by killing everyone in attendance at the filming of a
late night talk show. Has the Joker pushed Batman too far? When Robin asks
Batman how will he fight someone as monstrous as the Joker? He responds,
“Simpler than I've made it. There's nothing wrong with Joker that I can't fix,
with my hands.” However, in the end, despite the Joker stabbing him repeatedly
Batman does not murder the Joker he only paralyzes him. The Joker is able to
finish the job continuing to break his already broken neck and kills himself
causing the Gotham P.D. to pin the murder on Batman. This course of events
takes Batman to the next phase of his journey he is now exiled. Batman has
always been an outsider. But now with commissioner Gordon retired and Batman
accused of homicide he has cut all ties with law enforcement or government agencies.
Batman has become an enemy of the state.
What is Superman’s role in Batman’s
hero’s quest? Batman challenges a demigod and rises from mortal symbol to
mythic status. He challenged a demigod and showed that despite his mortal
limitations due to his superior will, cunning, and intellect he is Superman’s
better. Before the drug that stops Batman’s heart that allows him to fake his
death takes effect he tells Superman, “I didn't have to go easy on you. A
different binding agent, a stronger mix... I want you to remember that. I
wanted to remind you to stay out of my way. In all the years to come, in your
most private moments, I want you to remember the one man who beat you!”
He confronts Superman in crime ally
where Batman was born and where Batman will also meet his demise. At first he used a mechanized bat suit to
battle Superman.Later on he draws power
from Gotham City. The light post where Bruce Wayne’s parents were murdered now
figuratively and literally powers Batman, and lastly he uses a kryptonite arrow
he devised utilizing both his patience and resources the same traits a young Bruce
Wayne used to mold himself into the Batman. Upon resurrection he is no longer a
one man war on crime. He is now a father figure to Carrie Kelly the new Robin (and
in my opinion the best Robin). He is a teacher to the former gang members who
he will now not only teach his ways to but impart his code, and leader to both
Oliver Queen (Green Arrow), Robin, and the former gang members. This chapter in
the source material is entitled The Dark Knight Falls. Despite Superman despite
being a demigod he kowtows to the federal government. He appears to be the only
super hero left on Earth until Batman’s return from retirement. Batman
acknowledges to Clark that he operates outside of the law but he also makes
clear he will not be stopped from acting. Young Bruce Wayne made a promise and
Adult Batman won’t let himself forget the promise he made over his parents’
corpses in crime alley. Even the combined might of a demigod and the United
States government cannot break his will.
It’s Batman’s resurrection and return
to the Batcave that finally lets Bruce and Batman shed the oath he made to his
dead parents and begin anew. Instead of a vigilante and outsider he is leader,
mentor, teacher, and father. Alfred’s death and the burning of Wayne manor
helps reinforce the idea that the last vestiges of Bruce Wayne and his decades
old promise are put to rest. Once in the new cave his final remarks to Oliver
Queen are, “I spent ten years trying to die, this will be a good life.” Batman
has transcended life and death and is ready to be a steward to the next
generation and embracing life for the first time since his parent’s murder.
In The
Dark Knight Returns (2013) Batman rises from folklore to epic myth. Bruce
Wayne was a man but Batman is a man, a symbol, and epic myth. Batman is not
only part of Gotham City but draws his strength from the city itself. He exists
to inspire and lead his city. He is happy to dwell beneath the city and teach
the outsiders and disenfranchised of Gotham City a code and tools to allow them
to give back to their community. The Dark
Knight Returns (2013) takes a character that because of marketing and
publishing must internally be living his second act and gives us his omega
story in the epic mythic tradition.
Leon’s interpersonal
relationships, ideology, and methodology can be seen in many mainstream super
hero stories. These similarities are not just coincidences but key aspects and
concepts that help create each character. One of the many concepts to be
explored is Leon’s chief antagonist shares a dynamic that is reminiscent of the
dynamic many super heroes have with their arch nemesis. If you’re using
Superman as your pre and post modern super hero sign post the modern super hero
is seventy five years old. The super hero as a concept for a protagonist is
older if you want to include Zorro, The Shadow, The Spirit, and Doc Sampson to
name a few. I will be citing super hero movie adaptations and original source
material in demonstrating the titular character in Leon: The Professional (Luc Besson, France, 1994) is a super hero. Leon: The Professional (Luc Besson,
France, 1994) is a film with two cuts one for American theatrical release and
another cut for the international release. For this critique I screened the
International release cut on DVD.
I am dreadfully worried the structure
of my essay might become a bit stale by the time my conclusion rolls around. To
prove to you Leon is indeed a super hero, I will present a specific troupe or
character trait of a modern day mainstream superhero and back it up with
examples in both major motion picture adaptations and citing the original
source material. Hopefully when I’m done beating you about the head with my
encyclopedic knowledge of movies and super heroes you will be just as convinced
as Matilda and I are that Leon is a super hero.
The hero’s antagonist is often a
mirrored reflection of him or herself. In The Dark Knight (Christopher Nolan, 2008, USA) the
Joker is defined as an agent of Chaos. Batman trying to impose order and justice
on Gotham City is the antithesis of the Joker. Wolverine is a superhero who’s
constantly at war with his bestial feral side of his persona. Wolverine
embraces ideas like the Ronin to give himself a code to live by despite being a
killer. His antagonist Sabertooth is just as much a killer as Wolverine however
the key difference is Sabertooth embraces his more bestial nature and takes joy
in killing. Sabertooth is a predator who clearly sees those weaker than him as
prey. Setting him even further apart from Sabertooth Wolverine often finds
himself in a paternal role mentoring teenage girls. In X-Men comics he mentors
Kitty Pryde and Jubilee and in the cinematic adaptations produced by Fox
Wolverine is a surrogate father to Rouge. Leon’s arch villain in Leon: The Professional (Luc
Besson, France, 1994) is the corrupt DEA agent Norman Stansfield portrayed
masterfully by Gary Oldman. Leon prides himself on his professionalism. Leon
leads a Spartan lifestyle that’s very ordered and efficient. Conversely Norman
Stansfield is chaotic and larger than life. Stansfield is always seen unshaven
and unkempt.He takes joy in his work
and during the last third of the film he tells Matilda, “That's good, because I
take no pleasure in taking life if it's from a person who doesn't care about
it.” As opposed to Stansfield, Leon has a strict code that he will not kill
woman or children. Besson strongly implies Leon is a hit man because he can do
little else. Leon has poor interpersonal skills and can’t read. Leon and Norman
are so diametrically opposed that while Leon’s diet largely consists of milk,
Norman takes an unknown designer drug that causes his body and face to contort
upon initial consumption.
Leon’s lifestyle and relationships are
very similar to Gotham City’s Caped Crusader. Both Batman and Leon live Spartan
lifestyles with little personal ties. They choose to be dedicated to their work
and perfecting their craft. The Mobster Tony played by Danny Aiello fulfills
the role of Leon’s commissioner Gordon. Leon and Tony seem to have a genuine
fondness for each other yet the audience is always aware these men’s
relationship is based on mutual interest. Tony helps an ill-equipped Leon
navigate the world similar to how Jim Gordon helps insure that G.C.P.D. does
not interfere with Batman’s one man war on crime. Both Leon and Batman mentor
orphans the best way they know how. And because both men have eccentric world
views the best way they know how to mentor orphans is by teaching them their ways.
In Batman’s case he instructs Robin how to be a vigilante and in Leon’s case he
instructs Matilda in the ways of the assassin. Matilda’s background is very
similar to the Jason Todd and Carrie Kelly iterations of Robin. Both these
Robins have neglectful parents like Matilda’s and in Jason Todd’s case just
like Matilda’s his father’s connection to the criminal underworld leads to the
parent’s ultimate demise. Both Batman and Leon try to instill a code of ethics
in their young charges. Leon insists that Matilda quit smoking, cursing, and
not talk with strange boys. Not only does Matilda acquiesce but she appears to
thrive under the tutelage of a strong father figure. Carrie Kelly’s Robin was repeatedly scolded by
Bruce in Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight and threatened with being fired.
Leon often threatens to not train Matilda if she does not follow his orders.
Also, Leon instills his strict code of not killing woman and children in
Matilda.
Don’t super heroes refuse to take
lives? In the world of Saturday morning cartoons one would be hard pressed to
find a super hero who willingly took a life even if it was for the greater good
however, if you go back to the original source material once could find several
notable heroes that have taken lives and are still considered moral paragons of
virtue. Captain America is a soldier and fought in World War II so it would be
safe to assume he most certainly has taken a life. Despite Captain America
killing people he is still considered one of the “good guys”. Steve Rogers is a
soldier he kills when he must defend others.Captain America detests bullies and views sacrifice for the community a
moral imperative. Leon has a strict code he lives by and the men we see him
kill all have varying levels of despicableness. The Punisher is one of the
comic book world’s most notable anti-heroes. Similar to Batman Frank Castle
wages a one man war on crime but unlike Batman The Punisher metes out justice
from the barrel of an assault rifle. Clearly killing doesn’t prevent someone
from being a super hero. Similar to The Punisher Leon is not only capable of
dispensing violence he excels in it but just like The Punisher his violence is
reserved for those who have morally trespassed and brought pain and suffering
onto others like drug dealers and organized crime.
The super hero is an outsider and in
some cases an outlaw (or perceived to be an outlaw by the general public).
Despite his or hers outsider status the super hero still strives to help and
protect their respective communities. J. Jonah Jameson continues to slander
Spiderman in The Daily Bugle turning public opinion against the friendly
neighborhood Spiderman. Despite being an outsider and sometime outlaw Spiderman
strives to protect NYC largely due to his personal dogma, “with great power
comes great responsibility”. The X-men are often depicted as outlaws and the
mantra used to describe Marvel’s mighty mutants is, “…fighting for a world that
hates and fears them.” The X-Men don’t let hate or bigotry stop them from doing
what is right including laying their lives on the line if need be. Leon lives a
Spartan and sparse life and until he meets Matilda his best friend is a house
plant. Despite having little connection to the community Leon goes out of his
way to protect a young girl (Matilda) even though it complicate his regimented
lifestyle and chosen profession. This action early in the film gives us insight
into Leon’s personal code long before he articulates it to Matilda. Leon views
children as innocent and that they should be shielded from the seedy often
violent world of adults.
Ironically it’s Matilda not Leon who
follows the hero’s journey as outlined by Joseph Campbell in his book The
Hero with a Thousand Faces. In the traditional hero’s cycle Leon would be
the wizard who initiates Matilda into a greater world and teaches her lessons
she can bring back to aid her community. Matilda has very ordinary origins.
Many of the people closest in her life like her father and older sister pay
little attention to her. Leon empowers Matilda and makes her feel valued. One
of the scenes that is in the international release cut that was not in the U.S.
theatrical release was the Russian roulette scene. The scene has such gravitas
because this is the scene where Leon finally comes to grips with how much
Matilda means to him. Despite Leon’s life being easier and simpler without Matilda
in it he prefers having her in his life. This is when he fully commits to being
not only Matilda’s guardian but also her mentor.
Leon is a super hero. He even has a
uniform consisting of a long wool coat, sunglasses, and a knit cap he dons
before going to work. He is methodical in his preparation, he’s an outsider
with his own code and protects the weak from predators, he’s an expert in his
field, and he has an antagonist who is a distorted grotesque mirror image of
himself. During the course of his relationship with Matilda he makes sacrifices
for Matilda until he eventually commits the ultimate sacrifice for her.
According to Joseph Campbell it’s not just brave or grand gestures that define
a hero it’s those actions combined with the willingness to make sacrifice that
makes someone a hero. The last and most strong piece of evidence of Leon being
a super hero is the fact he fights for justice even when the community he
fights for may not be deserving of his sacrifice. Chris Nolan’s Batman wasn’t
the hero Gotham deserved but he was the hero Gotham needed. Leon was Matilda’s
Batman and hopefully when confronted with evil and injustice. When the weak are
being preyed upon, we will ask ourselves, W.W.B.D.?
