The Joker War is over, and all that’s left is the ashes. While Batman faced Joker, armed with a high tech bat suit, each member of the Bat-Family took apart the clown’s gang. Catwoman defunded Punchline, Nightwing lead the charge on the streets, and Batgirl became Oracle once more to run operations for both the GCPD and the family. Bruce ends up leaving Joker to fend for himself after Harley straps a bomb to him. Afterward, it’s revealed that Joker did survive while Joker’s gang members went into hiding in the two week time jump. Batman explains to Harley that besides the destruction, the status quo itself has changed. What else is different for the caped crusader?
**Some Spoilers Below**
Story:
We open with Batman stating that Gotham has changed. Not physically, but the status quo has shifted and not in Bruce’s favor. It turns out Catwoman transferred Bruce’s funds to Lucius Fox for safekeeping. We learn this through flashback after Batman confronts Lucius after a fight with Grifter. While he is willing to return the money, Lucius points out that, after the implications of Wayne’s company being involved with Joker, the government is watching the money closely. Along with that, the board is removing Bruce from his position, only giving him a set annual amount. Essentially, Batman will now be defunded.
I was actually surprised in the direction Tynion IV has gone for this. In the past, whenever Batman had to change after a traumatic event, usually it involved an upgrade or a passing of the mantle. Here, we take a step back, leaning towards his intellect and strength than anything else. If that is the case, we might be getting something closer to Daredevil; a grittier vigilante that relies more on fists and detective work than technology.
While that does sound exciting, the way it’s presented here is rather dull. Most of the information presented is done through a conversation between Batman and Lucius. If we saw the Wayne Enterprises Executive Board approaching Bruce or the shutting down of the floor that creates Batman’s gear, that would have delivered the same message, if not better, enforce it. The only real excitement we get is the battle with Grifter, which doesn’t last for long. This style of the story is fine for an epilogue, but this reviewer expected more.
Art:
Guillem March returns as the main artist, and while I enjoyed Jimenez’s art, he does a fantastic job here. The way he designs his characters can show how much they’ve been through. His linework on Batman makes it appear Bruce is older and more grizzled. The same goes for Lucius, who now bears the scars of the War. Even if one were to jump in now and look at these characters, they would instantly be able to tell they’ve been through something traumatic. While this issue is incredibly exciting, we can’t say that it isn’t good to look at.
Conclusion:
Despite the praises of the art, it’s not enough to save this dull issue. This is an epilogue that shows the current status quo for Batman. The way it was presented could have been so much more interesting. This isn’t to say what the epilogue is implying is going to be bad. On the contrary, it makes me excited for the next issue. The problem is we have to look at the current one, and as it stands, it’s a rather dull issue to usher in a new era of Batman.
STILLWATER #2, available from Image Comics on October 21st, wastes no time dispelling the mystery surrounding the town’s secret power while Daniel faces judgment. Written by Chip Zdarsky and drawn by Rámon K. Perez, this latest chapter is an excellent character study about the extremes a community will go to protect its secrets.
Cover Art
Perez’s cover art gets high marks for successfully achieving literal and figurative visuals in one shot. The Judge and his bloody gavel embody the Judge’s frequently lethal decisions every time an outsider crosses Stillwater’s border. This issue is all about the Judge, and so, the cover does its job perfectly.
Writing
This second issue in the series is a mixed bag from Zdarsky.
Where the story works is in the speed with which the questions about the town get answered. The Judge quickly rattles off an explanation of the town’s power and metes out his appointed brand of “justice” against outsiders that violate the town’s borders. There are also a few tense scenes between individual pairs of characters that foreshadow a growing sense of dissatisfaction among Stillwater residents with the status quo.
Where the story doesn’t quite work is in its continuation of the primary flaw from the first issue (read the issue #1 review here)—namely, the story’s predictability. If a town suddenly discovered all its inhabitants were immortal and immune from all harm, Zdarsky has the opportunity to create a fresh take on an old idea but instead opted for established Twilight Zone-esque tropes. The Stillwater residents view their situation as a divine blessing that must be protected with cult-like zeal. There’s no plan. No ingenuity. No desire to discover the true source of the town’s power. Simply a consensus to exist and be thankful. You get the impression the townspeople are bored with life, and unfortunately, that boredom translates to the reading experience as well.
Pencils/Inks
Perez’s art style has a little more room to shine with this issue in the jarring and shockingly sudden acts of violence. A young boy leaps across the chasm separating builds on Main Street. The deputy takes a bullet to the face as a “warning.” A woman’s body gets tossed into a makeshift grave penalty box. These sporadic bits of action are well-executed and add some energy into an otherwise conversation-heavy issue.
Perez also adds some emotional energy to the issue with powerfully expressive faces. Characters grimace, frown, gasp, and scowl with tons of authentic emotion.
Coloring
Mike Spicer’s effectively uses color to punctuate the plot with specific transitions that pop. An early flashback scene is filtered with a light tone to add a veneer of age to the memory. The aforementioned gunshot scene practically explodes with yellow and red to amplify the sudden violence’s shock value. Spicer’s colors are a great example of filtering to augment the age or impact of a scene.
Lettering
Rus Wooton makes great use of selective bolding to emphasize the specific vocal cues in the dialog. This is a dialog-heavy issue, so Wooton’s choice to bold specific words give the conversations some rhythm and emphasis the reader can easily imagine, making the dialog more realistic. Great work by Wooton.
Conclusion
STILLWATER #2, available from Image Comics on October 21st, efficiently answers the first issue’s questions and establishes several points of conflict for future issues. Despite a largely predictable plot, the art is strong from the entire team.
As the current Batgirl series heads for its conclusion, DC has announced that a new character will be making her debut in issue #50: Batwoman. While multiple characters over the years have used that name, this will mark the first comics appearance of Ryan Wilder — the same version about to be headlining the CW’s Batwoman series.
Here’s the official word:
One thing ends, another begins. It’s hard to think of a better example of that old maxim than next week’s Batgirl #50, the extra-sized final chapter of Barbara Gordon’s ongoing series. Kicking off in 2016 as a part of DC’s line-wide “Rebirth,” Batgirl has seen its hero leapfrog from the high-tech, click-savvy world of Burnside (home of Barbara’s now-iconic purple and gold costume) back to the mean streets of Gotham proper, where she’s tangled with the likes of the Terrible Trio, KGBeast and her own former identity, Oracle. However, it’s been Batgirl’s two most recent confrontations that have been her most shocking. Having narrowly survived a second brutal attack by the Joker in the midst of his war on Gotham, Babs found herself once again at odds with her not-quite-rehabilitated brother—a confrontation that led to James Gordon, Jr’s death, seemingly at Batgirl’s hands.
We won’t know whether Barbara’s story ends happily until next week, but while hers nears its finish, another young hero’s story is just beginning. Ryan Wilder, an all-new DC character played by Javicia Leslie, will soon make her live action debut on The CW’s Batwoman as she takes on the title role after original Batwoman Kate Kane goes missing. However, if you’re curious when you might be seeing Wilder in the comics, the answer is…pretty much right now. You can catch the scrappy hero-to-be’s first comic book appearance in Batgirl #50—and in our exclusive first look at the issue. Drawn by the amazing Emanuela Lupacchino, Wilder comes out kicking—figuratively—as she let’s Barbara know exactly what she thinks of her boss, Congresswoman Alejo. It’s a powerful moment reminding us that even though Batgirl may be stepping out of the spotlight for a while, there are plenty of would-be heroes more than ready to meet this moment standing in the wings.
The extra-sized Batgirl #50 by Cecil Castellucci, Emanuela Lupacchino, Marguerite Sauvage and Aneke is in stores and available digitally on Tuesday, October 27.
Spider-Man Noir #5 (of 5) hits your local comic book store next week, but thanks to Marvel Comics, Monkeys Fighting Robots has an exclusive four-page preview for our readers.
About the issue: ONCE NOIR INTO THE BREACH! Peter Parker has been killed, resurrected, and battled his way across the multiverse – but this globetrotting treasure hunt may be what finally does him in! Featuring familiar friendly faces and foes alike, this face-melting fifth issue is one you won’t want to miss!
Spider-Man Noir #5 is written by Margaret Stohl, with art by Juan Ferreyra, Travis Lanham’s letter work, and cover by Dave Rapoza.
Enjoy The Preview Below:
Are you reading Spider-Man Noir? Comment below with your thoughts.
LONELY RECEIVER #3 hits your local comic book shop on November, but thanks to AfterShock Comics, Monkeys Fighting Robots has an exclusive four-page preview for our readers. The bright pink narration boxes do so much for this comic as it gives the book depth, both visually and mentally.
The book is written by Zac Thompson, with art and color by Jen Hickman, and you will read Simon Bowland’s letter work. Leila Leiz worked on the incentive cover.
About LONELY RECEIVER: ACatrin Vander, a lonely video producer, buys an Artificial Intelligence partner that’s meant to bond for life. After ten years together, her holographic wife suddenly disconnects without warning. The breakup drives Catrin to the point of near insanity. She’s alone for the first time in years and reeling from a loss she can’t comprehend.
Set in the near future, drenched in pastels and sunshine, LONELY RECEIVER is a horror/breakup story in five parts.
About issue: Finally putting the shards of her life back together, Catrin finds a new reason to live. A new set of eyes occupy her attention, and obsession grows, love blooms. It’s not a rebound if you found the one you were truly made to love.
A month // of long days/
// Finding the one you lost
In her / you chase away
/ tell truth // pay a cost.
Enjoy The Preview Below:
Are you reading LONELY RECEIVER? Comment below with your thoughts.
Romantic comedy Broken Hearts Gallery starring Geraldine Viswanathan (Bad Education) and produced by Selena Gomez is warming the hearts of viewers worldwide, and plucking those sonic heartstrings is composer Genevieve Vincent.
Broken Hearts Gallery tells Lucy’s (Geraldine Viswanathan) story, a young woman living in New York. Lucy’s dumped, and the art gallery assistant decides to turn pain into art. She creates an exhibit of souvenirs made from those who broke her heart. Director and writer Natalie Krinsky’s film has charm, wit, and great ratings from viewers and critics.
PopAxiom spoke with Genevieve about becoming a musician, making music for the band darkDARK, and creating the Broken Hearts Gallery‘s score.
Starting Out
“I started violin when I was three,” Genevieve says, meaning that music and life are practically the same. “I always loved music and making music.”
Genevieve grew up in Vancouver and “took music lessons for singing and opera. I didn’t last too long on the violin because it wasn’t for me. I wrote songs and was in a couple of bands before going to Berklee College of Music.”
“I never thought what I was doing before Berklee was composing,” Genevieve admits, “even though I was writing songs all the time. I had this idea in my head that composing was Beethoven or Mozart and what I was doing was messing around.”
“At Berklee, I had a teacher named Alla Elana Cohen, who was a fantastic pianist. I would write these pieces that I would want to hear her play. I’d give them to her after class. She was the one who said ‘You have to major in composition.'”
“Film scoring seemed like the perfect fit. My mom worked in animation, so I was always around that. Music to picture just made so much sense. I scored my first short film in college.”
The short, animated film called Yellow Sticky Notes went to the Tribeca Film Festival. “Doing that and going to see it in the theater solidified my choice.”
“I’m so excited every time.” Genevieve says when asked about her life creating music, her sunshine-like energy crosses the cellphone network, “It’s crazy to me. I can’t believe I’m doing this as a job.”
About Broken Hearts Gallery
Genevieve’s gig on the Broken Hearts Gallery came about via a pitch. “I put some music together … that would be in this diverse multi-genre realm.”
“I sent some stuff over, even before I had any representation, and just forgot about it,” Genevieve says. “Later on, a producer contacted me, and she said they liked my music and if I’d be interested in reading a script.”
Genevieve read the script and “loved it and the way that the characters were written. Natalie’s writing style is so relatable.”
Following reading the script, Genevieve “got on the phone with Natalie and pitched her the idea of a score that’s somewhere between a pop song and a film score.”
“So, the score I pitched Natalie,” Genevieve affirms, “was this combination of drum machines and synths and strings. So it’s very much a hybrid score.”
“Living in the world of Lucy,” Genevieve says, “I put myself in her shoes and the way her world sounds. She’s in the world of indie music, and we need to give the music some gravitas from the New York landscape and use some strings and orchestral sounds. But we also need to pay homage to who Lucy is, and she’s someone who I think would like an 808 or an analog synth.”
Genevieve dives deeper into Lucy. “A character like Lucy is so well-rounded and, in my mind, when I’m exploring her world, I’m trying to bring out the subtleties in her personality. I’m going to put these handmade percussion sounds because she has all these handmade things around her. I’m trying to comment on the different aspects of her personality and what she is into.”
More About Broken Hearts Gallery
Genevieve says she “went to Technicolor to screen the film. It was so cool.” And she began work on a demo. “I wrote a three-and-a-half-minute montage.”
To get the music made, Genevieve made an investment. “I needed a couple of synths that I don’t have. I went and picked up what I needed. They were expensive, and I wasn’t sure if I could keep them,” she laughs.
“I spent the night learning these synths,” Genevieve says, “and I wrote some demos with them.”
Selena Gomez and the other creative minds behind Broken Hearts Gallery were pleased with Genevieve’s work. “The demos were a hit, and I got the gig. The day they told me that I got the gig, I was on cloud nine.”
And the best part? “I got to keep the synths!” Genevieve cheers.
“Anytime that I can, I try to go the extra mile,” Genevieve says in regards to the synths. “Once a movie or demo or anything is out there, it’s permanent. You want to make sure that you’re proud of it. So, if you can, spend a little extra on that piece of gear.”
Solving Problems
One of the first questions Genevieve asks of any project is: “What’s the closest and easiest solution? Once you have that as a backup plan, what’re the other things we can do that could be more interesting?”
“I love problem-solving on big and small scales,” Genevieve says. “So, I have this much time to get the score done. I have this much writing to do. The planning is part of the fun. It’s this Rubik’s Cube. When I’m on a project and dialed in on the tone with the creators, I lock in on everything that I can do within my control. Then I get to be zen and not worry too much because everything is planned out.”
Often, planning brings about learning entirely new things. “I was working on a film called Because We Are Girls. They asked me to use a Dilruba, which is an Indian instrument.”
“It was a little bit like a cello,” Genevieve says about the Dilruba, “in terms of like the tambor of it. It plays a lot of microtones that have a lot of personality. I put out on Facebook, ‘Do I know any Dilruba players?’ I found one guy, and we got on the phone. A lot of traditional players don’t read music, though he did, but it’s difficult to annotate music for a Dilruba.”
Reading music is unnecessary when both people can speak music. “I worked with a violinist. He didn’t read music either, and being a singer has been super-helpful. I can sing what I want to hear, and we sort of talk in music.”
Wrapping Up
Genevieve is a creative force who’s driven to create music early and often. “I do a lot of concert music, I’m in a band, and I generally do a lot of writing outside of scoring.”
“Sometimes you create something that you think is amazing, and someone hears it and doesn’t get it,” Genevieve says, but creating art is a peculiar thing. “Sometimes, you spend five minutes on something, and people love it.”
The question of artists who inspire comes up, and Genevieve has a lot to say. “Phillip Glass. I love Danny Elfman, Hildur Guðnadóttir, Jóhann Jóhannsson, Nina Simone, Billy Holliday, Ella Fitzgerald, and Nat King Cole. Bill Evans, and the way he combines jazz and classical. Growing up, I listened to a lot of jazz. I’d memorize the songs and the solos. I was a singer, so I memorized everything Ella Fitzgerald did.”
It’s not just the old-school stuff that gets Genevieve excited. “I also love Kendrick Lamar. Pusha-T and The Weekend.”
“Bjork and the Cocteau Twins. Enya,” three new answers pop out and more, “as a composer and musician, there are so many artists … Frank Ocean, Lana DelRey, she’s so unique. I love pop music. I’ll listen to the entire Top 40.”
Genevieve exclaims, “Megan, the Stallion, her voice, it reminds me of thick syrup. I love it!”
You expect a composer to spout off a lot of classical musicians. But there’s no end to the kind of music that inspires Genevieve to create. “I think what I love about pop music and hip hop, there’s a lot of humor in it, and people are having fun. They’re putting across good energy. I respond to people who want to make music to make other people happy.”
“I’ll dive into an old Smashing Pumpkins record,” Genevieve continues, “or Nirvana. I love grunge too.”
“I listen to pretty much everything all the time.”
What’s a dream remake that Genevieve would love to score? “Alien. The whole series. I would do them all,” we expand on the fantasy, “Christopher Nolan directs it.”
Genevieve adds, “Apocalypse Now is one of my all-time favorite films. Vertigo.”
Broken Hearts Gallery is making its rounds at drive-ins and will be available digitally soon. So, what’s next for Genevieve? “I am working on a thriller. I cannot say who it’s for. The music is all synth. It’s very much a wild, aggressive, dark, psychedelic score. It’s super-fun. I’ve written about 48 minutes so far, and there’s going to be about 70 minutes of score.”
Is Broken Hearts Gallery on your watch list?
Thanks to Genevieve Vincent and Rhapsody PR
for making this interview possible.
Once & Future #13, which is the beginning of a new story arc, hits your local comic book shop on November 18, but thanks to BOOM! Studios, Monkeys Fighting Robots has an exclusive five-page preview for our readers.
Crows and blood create an ominous vibe in the preview below; Edgar Allan Poe would be proud.
About the issue: The arrival of Beowulf and Grendel from the legendary Old English poem was an unexpected one, leaving Team Gran to wonder—if Beowulf can be brought to life, what other heroic figures or deadly creatures might get dredged up from the annals of history to wreak havoc and destruction across the country?!
Meanwhile, in the Otherworld, Merlin is up to his old tricks, and crossing over with another story was just the beginning of his plan . . .
Once & Future #13 is written by Kieron Gillen, with art by Dan Mora, Tamra Bonvillain drops the color, and you will read Ed Dukeshire’s letter work.
Are you reading Once & Future? Comment below with your thoughts.
Panel Syndicate’s Friday defies definition. Not in that its influences aren’t clear. Writer Ed Brubaker, artist and letterer Marcos Martin, and colorist Muntsa Vicente have been pretty forthcoming about some of the YA mystery novels that led them here. But it’s the many pieces borrowed from multiple genres that shouldn’t fit together as they do. Friday #2ups the occult factor of this coming-of-age story and doesn’t skip a beat in doing so.
Writing
The pages of Friday #2 may be home to ghouls and magic amulets, but all of those things are secondary to Brubaker. They’re the window-dressing – the MacGuffins. What Brubaker is interested in is Friday Fitzhugh’s loss of innocence. Our heart may beat fast when Friday’s being chased through the woods by a ghost, but not half as fast as when she’s fumbling around awkwardly with a boy she likes. Brubaker wants us to fear the ghosts, but not as much as we fear Friday’s looming adulthood. The mysteries she’s solving and the petty criminals she’s chasing are just representative of a simpler time—a time when anything was possible.
This is why all of these strange puzzle pieces fit together so well. Brubaker never loses sight of the true story that’s being told. This isn’t a story about ghosts or ghouls. This is a story about a girl growing too big for her hometown, with some ghoulish cameos. Moments of Friday talking about her sex life transition seamlessly to her fighting off monsters because the human heart of each moment is never lost. It’s not the sex that’s the point; it’s the lump in Friday’s throat. It’s not the monsters that matter; it’s the fact that they make this hugely courageous girl scared enough to run.
Art
Martin knows that we won’t feel the pang of loss for Friday’s childhood if we don’t know what we’re losing. And so, this whole issue, Martin finds ways to connect Friday’s childhood to our own. Whether it’s the paperback YA mysteries, strewn across a desk, whose covers give us a highlight reel of Friday and Lancelot’s old cases, or the Archie-esque small-town diner, every page feels familiar. Martin is drawing on real experiences many of us have: Hardy Boys books, The NeverEnding Story, and Archie comics. Even the conveniently placed “Danger: Thin Ice” sign out on the lake feels reminiscent. It’s reminiscent of a time when we read stories that were a little less subtle. Stories where, as kids, we jumped at the hints of what was happening in the next scene, no matter how obvious they might be.
The strange placement of the sign stands out because Martin is such a subtle storyteller. With uncanny precision, he can show the closed eye and eyebrow of someone worried and disappointed in themselves when they should be relaxed and happy. The difference is almost imperceptible, but it’s there. And when Friday gets on a train to go to college, our hearts sink to our stomachs, just like hers has. Brilliantly, Martin has her face away from us. She can’t bear to look at us, or she might cry. Martin’s ability to balance these competing forms of storytelling, childlike simplicity, and adult subtlety makes this a wonderful issue. Because without a celebration of the childlike simplicity, we don’t see how oppressive adulthood can feel.
Coloring
Vicente immediately connects the color yellow to Friday Fitzhugh. When we first see Friday in this issue’s flashback, she’s wearing a bright yellow sweater in an otherwise muted scene. It stands out. And soon, we see that her bright sweater is an extension of who she is. She lobs a puck at a bully, and we see that Friday Fitzhugh is as loud and bright as her choice in clothing. But as the issue progresses, we begin to notice an interesting change. Friday wears her yellow jumpsuit to prom, but the overwhelming pink lights affect how we see it. Later, she’s wearing overalls with a shirt underneath that has only a couple of yellow stripes. And by the end of the issue, we see her back in the brown and cream-colored clothes from the previous issue.
Vicente shows us Friday losing her innocence. She shows us Friday growing up. The bright, loud girl that went mystery-hunting through Kings Hill is a thing of the past. It’s also interesting to note that pink always seems to be around when big things are happening to Friday. In the previous issue, Vicente associated pink with some of the more occult moments. But this issue, we see pink all over the place. At the prom, in the donut shop where she first gets to know Lancelot, or in the woods when she’s running from a ghost. One thing is certain; each of these moments leaves its mark on Friday. It’s like Vicente is highlighting these beats for us. Saying “Pay attention!” in the funniest way possible.
Lettering
Martin works the lettering into the art so well. When Friday slams a puck into some guy’s face, the puck bouncing off him makes the exclamation point in the “Smaak!” And when we’re getting a walkthrough of Friday and Lancelot’s accomplishments as detectives, the lettering shows up as pages on a desk strewn with mystery books. But it’s the coloring of the word balloons, of all things, that stands out. Friday #2‘s word balloons have no border. It fits the art style brilliantly, but there should be problems when characters are having a conversation. Their word balloons would normally blend into one another, and we may lose who’s talking. But in Friday #2, when multiple characters are talking, one of their balloons is a different color. It’s an easy way to help readers distinguish which character is speaking, and it complements each scene’s color schemes.
Panel Syndicate’s Friday #2 is a joy. It’s reminiscent of days when all you had to worry about is if you’d saved up enough for the next Archie comic. But it’ll also break your heart. Writer Ed Brubaker, artist Marcos Martin, and colorist Muntsa Vicente have produced a wonderful addition to the world of comics, and this series is bound to be a classic. Get your copy at Panel Syndicate. Panel Syndicate is a digital platform for comics, straight from the creators, where you can pay what you want to. Please give what you can so we can continue to get more wonderful work like this!
Joker War may be over, but the fight over Gotham is just getting started. DC Comics has released an exclusive preview of BATMAN #103, available on November 17th, where Ghost-Maker faces off against Batman for the right to protect Gotham.
DC has released a few select pages, rendered by artists Carlo Pagulayan, Gullem March and Danny Miki. Says DC about the upcoming issue: “Batman and Ghost-Maker go toe-to-toe to decide which of them will remain Gotham City’s hero”
You can check out the gallery of preview pages and read the full DC press release below.
What did you think of Joker War? Are you excited for more Ghost-Maker? Let us know what you think in the Comments section, and please share this post on social media using the links below.
DC PREVIEW – BATMAN #103, on sale Tuesday, November 17!
If you thought that the end of “The Joker War” meant that Batman would be able to take it easy, guess again! DC has your first look at stunning artwork from Carlo Pagulayan and Danny Miki from Batman #103, on sale Tuesday, November 17, 2020.
Batman and Ghost-Maker go toe-to-toe to decide which of them will remain Gotham City’s hero. The city is changing faster than ever in the aftermath of “The Joker War,” and with this change comes increasing dangers as Gotham’s citizens demand that Punchline be released from prison! Plus, Harley Quinn faces certain death at the hands of Clownhunter!
BATMAN #103
Written by JAMES TYNION IV
Art by CARLO PAGULAYAN, GUILLEM MARCH and DANNY MIKI
The Witches is a flawed reimagining that will make everyone appreciate the original that much more. It is hard to not compare this film to Nicholas Roeg’s because every flaw draws you back to that magic from thirty years ago. While this telling of The Witches is closer to the source material, it strays into absurdity more than once. It is anchored by the solid performances and magical spectacles, but the horrendous effects and lackluster narrative harm this adaptation.
The thought of remaking The Witches was probably the first mistake, but that’s every failed remake’s mistake these days, the thought alone is a sin. It is a shame when you have talented actresses involved, but the material they are given is just rubbish. Directed and co-written by Robert Zemeckis, The Witches stars Anne Hathaway, Octavia Spencer, Stanley Tucci, Jahzir Bruno, and Chris Rock. Roeg’s original took place in England, but this new take venture to 1960s Alabama. After his parents are killed in an accident, Charlie Hansen (Bruno) is sent to live with his grandmother, Agatha (Spencer). While staying at a hotel, Charlie is transformed into a rodent after encountering a group of witches.
Anne Hathaway as Lilith in The Witches
Rock’s narration is completely unnecessary, not because it’s awful, but because of how it takes you out of the film. It gets to the point where you may think you are watching something else. He voices an older Charlie and he provides the opening exposition but overstays his welcome. One immediate standout is how the subplots in this film don’t amount to anything. For instance, Agatha is very knowledgeable on witches and educates Charlie throughout the film due to her experience with one. This experience is revisited many times, but when it is connected to the film’s conflict, it’s barely made to feel important. On a better note, The Witches does make a few changes to ensure it’s not a shot for shot remake. Still, it is unfortunate that Zemekis’ previous wizardry isn’t fully displayed in this film.
Zemeckis co-wrote the script alongside Kenya Barris and Guillermo del Toro. They offer enough details about Agatha and Chris’s past for them to be sympathetic characters but Hathaway’s character feels overlooked in many ways. She stars as Lilith and ties into a major subplot, but it goes nowhere. The Witches holds itself up with great performances, and while some are more over the top than others, it never gets out of hand. Spencer is the standout, she shines like she always does. She makes it easy for audiences to identify Agatha as a woman who is stuck in her ways but has a big heart. Hathaway is doing what she can as Lilith, The Grand High Witch. Her only downfall comes when she dives into the over the top portions of her act. Bruno is believable as Charlie, he pulls at your heartstrings by portraying this orphaned kid who is initially depressed but finds a new meaning to life by the end.
Jahzir Bruno as Charlie in The Witches
Zemeckis has helmed many beloved films in the past, so it’s almost unbelievable that he directed this because it just isn’t that great. Luckily, some of the films redeeming aspects come from its vibrant score by Alan Silvestri and it’s gorgeous cinematography that highlights all of the extravagant costumes worn throughout. However, another issue with this film is its poor effects. The practical effects featured in Roeg’s adaptation will certainly be missed. The moments when characters transition to rodents comes off like the CGI wasn’t even completed. Hathaway’s character has these eerie smiles that stretch and it is just a horrendous visual.
The Witches won’t sit right with fans of Roeg’s adaptation, but this modern reimagining of Roald Dahl’s novel will still be a hit with children. It’s a subpar remake that won’t offer the same lasting impact. Perhaps if Zemeckis worked on the screenplay alone, it would have been written better. The Witches is effective enough, but Roald would certainly hate this film just as he did the original.
