Posted on 04/25/2021 11:09:43 AM PDT by tbw2
WHY IT’S A CONSERVATIVE FILM:
When Ron and I covered Civil War, I kicked off the political section by pointing out just how appropriate it was for BvS and Civil War to come out during the 2016 Primary Season. Even Amy Adams (who vehemently makes it a point to shy away from getting political) noted how today’s politics seem to parallel those kinds of fights. (That’s all she said, of course—she quickly pled for the interviewer to not push her any further on it.)
Again, the only real clashes at the time happened on the Republican side—particularly between Trump and Cruz. And while Civil War orients more around the “classic” clash between the “Security” Conservatives (or Neoconservatives) and the more Libertarian-minded folks…BvS was actually more relevant to the then-current situation, precisely because the clash between Batman and Superman is less “specific” on its issues.
At the same time…perhaps more specific. BATMAN—“GETTING THINGS DONE”:
“There’s a new kind of mean in him,” a man notes to Clark Kent, amid the latter pursuing a story in Gotham. “Him”, of course, being Batman. A woman nearby insists that only criminals need to fear “him”. But for Clark, that’s not the point.
We first see Batman saving a group of sex slaves, branding the slaver with a heated batarang after interrogating him (off-screen). And while the slaves noted that “it saved us”…they’re still terrified of him, refusing to leave their cell until “it’s” gone.
A rookie Gotham cop panics and takes a few shots at him (missing)—rebuked by his partner (who also nearly gets his head blown off), “How about you don’t shoot the good guys, huh?”
As for the branding…it’s complicated. Apparently prison gangs make a point to kill any inmate with the brand. The Ultimate Edition reveals Bruce didn’t necessarily “plan” for that to happen—it’s Russian mercenary Anatoli Knyazev, aka “KGBeast”, employed by Lex Luthor, paying off inmates to kill the “recipients”. And that’s so Luthor can goad Superman into hating Batman—making the latter out to be “judge…jury…executioner.”
For his part, Bruce doesn’t seem to give a crap what happens to the inmates he brands. It seems it’s just him letting the cops know the crooks are a gift from him. Whatever happens afterwards is no skin off his back.
The point is: Batman fights dirty, in his War on Crime. As far as he’s concerned, he has to. To him, looking like “the good guy” matter far less than getting things done. Especially when he’s investigating an alleged dirty bomb being smuggled into Gotham (which turns out to be Luthor’s Kryptonite shipment). Besides, he’s in no mood to worry about “muh principles”.
Sound familiar?
SUPERMAN—PRESERVING IDEALS:
The Greatest Conservative Films: Batman v. Superman: Dawn Of Justice ULTIMATE EDITION (2016)
https://libertyislandmag.com/2018/08/23/the-greatest-conservative-films-batman-v-superman-dawn-of-justice-ultimate-edition-2016/
The only superhero film I really ever enjoyed was the 1978 Superman movie and Batman Returns.
My favorite superhero film is Batman, which I saw in a theater in Dallas in 1966.
You mean Dark Knight Returns?
Not funny
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