Dante’s Inferno
By: Dongwoo Animation, Electronic Arts (EA), Film Roman Productions, and more.
Genre: Action/Horror
Language: English
Length: 88 min
Dante returns home after having fought in the Crusades as Templar, only to realize that all were killed by an unknown assailant. After having desperately looking around the grounds, he finds his fiancée Beatrice dying. When her soul leaves the body she promises that they will meet in paradise, but a dark shadow captures Beatrice’s soul, and disappears away. Dante pursues the unknown shadows and see how Beatrice’s soul is dragged through the gate to Hell. Dante follows resolutely after, vowing that he will regain Beatrice’s soul from Lucifer himself.
Dante gets the spirit of the poet Virgila as a companion, who leads him through the nine circles of Hell. But despite everything going on around him, Dante refuses to recognize that it is the sins he committed in life that led to both his family’s death and Beatrice’s capture. Seemingly without fear or hesitation, he instead take on all the monsters and evil souls who stand in his way, which will ultimately lead to Dante faces the fallen angel Lucifer.
Dante’s Inferno, which is the more famous part from the poet Dante Alighieri’s La Divina Commedia works from the 1200s, is originally about how the poet travels through Hell, later Purgatory and finally Paradise as an observer.As Jonathan Knight, along with games developer EA, began developing an action game based on the ancient verses it was decided to base an animated film on the game concept. Although the film contains verses from it´s original source, it is a completely new interpretation of the material. With the voices of Mark Hamill, Victoria Tennant, Vanessa Branch, Graham McTavish, and more.
Comment: As a student, I studied The Divine Comedy, and therefore I have a feel of the story that is retold. Depending on how this version is seen, it may well be regarded as a stunning reinterpretation or an excuse for splashes of blood and graphic violence. What we must remember is that Dante in the original version is just a viewer, which would be likely to be both tough and uninteresting to watch in a film adaptation. To introduce a new scenario, which is Dante as a Templars, seems logical for the time when the story is told and is linked to Dante’s Christian values that are relevant to the sentences he later sees. As a warrior, he therefore has sins, some obvious and some unexpected, as the story moves forward.
What will divide viewers into two camps are grotesque monsters, the sticky ending many faces and the volume of blood that has been drawn. Regardless of where the border lies for the individual, we must not forget what kind of place that is portrayed. Given the graphic descriptions that are made in Dante’s poems, the film version is not wrong in it´s messy interpretation.
The animation style is varied and changed five times during the movie. This is due to various studios that had the work of making the different sections of the film and gives more strength than weakness. Rather than confuse, the different styles rather enhance the expression of Dante’s feelings.
This is not a film that should be seen by young viewers,it is clearly a mature movie. But it is a good movie. Despite its sticky nature, dialogue and conflict are both well written and captures the viewer. In the context of Dante’s journey, we get to know him and his background more, and can understand many of the choices he made and still be horrified over the others. Although it is a philosophical original which has become a bloody game, and a bloody movie, it is an entertaining movie. But not suitable for young viewers.
Danny Ahrling
danny.ahrling@digitalcomics.nu
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The Death of Superman
By: DC/Warner Bros.
Genre: Adventure
Language: English
Length: 77 min
Because everything is calm in Metropolis, Superman and Lois Lane, who for a time have had a secret relationship, decided to spend a weekend together at a secret location. The place is none other than Superman’s own fort on the North Pole, where he tries to cure cancer. He regretted that not even he, who performed such great technological actions in the past, seem abel to prevent the disease from occurring. But he chooses to put his work aside in favor of Lois.
At the same time workers and researchers digs deeper underground, to the benefit of Lex Luthor, tycoon and Superman’s arch-enemy. They encounter a huge canister which they immediately reported finding. Eager to take part of the alien technology in the capsule, Lex instructs his team continued work, but the capsule opens and unleashes a super soldier known as Doomsday. Superman is alerted of Doomday´s rampage and trys to stop the beast. And after a battle which destroys much of the city, Doomsday is defeated and Superman dies of his injuries.
Metropolis mourns it´s defender and Lex is beside himself with rage that it was not him personally that killed Superman. But in the anarchy that erupted shortly after his death, sudden confusion arises when the man of steel returns. But something is not as it should…
Comment: Superman is, without doubt, the greatest superhero. In almost all superheroes created today, there are aspects of this archetype, even if they are mixed with other classic characters from DC or Marvel. Although he is not a personal favorite of mine, there are few who do not know who he is. And this movie lives up to Superman’s reputation. It is well told, well drawn and has a great voice actors.
The content of the script is not revolutionary, but retold in a satisfactory manner. The correct tension is between the characters and their dialogue feels right. What is different and interesting is how Superman, after his resurrection, still has the same moral value grounds, but chooses to act them out in a way that was previously impossible.
While the other half of the movie contains a lot of catchphrases and doubts about Superman’s real strength. There has been a discussion for many years among fans how strong and fast Superman really is. In the first Superman movie he is too slow to catch a few missiles, but in the meantime is also fast enough to rotate the world backwards. He had trouble lifting these missiles there, when he later in the fifth movie, Superman Returns, is strong enough to lift a small and growing continent.
The same inconsistent use of the superhuman strength exists here. But if they are ignored, it is an good movie and a must for Superman fans.
Danny Ahrling
danny.ahrling@digitalcomics.nu
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Amulet – The Stonekeeper´s Curse
By: Kazu Kibuishi
Genre: Adventure
Language: English
Pages: 220
Publisher: Graphix/Scholastic
Emily and Navin’s mother Karen is very ill after the events of the first book and they are looking for a cure. Traveling in their wandering house they arrives at the port city Kanalis, looking for one of the city’s well-known doctors. They are blissfully unaware of the Elfprince, which Emily once defeated, that has returned home to his father the Elven king to received reinforcements. The evil warrior Luger, together with a squadron of soldiers, leave to take care of Emily, once and for all. But the Elfprince is unwilling to cooperate, because he does not trust the evil Luger. To escape the elfsoldiers, Emily and Navin get unexpected help from a bounty hunter, who seems to have more reasons than just helping them. Unfortunately, the doctor in Kanalis can not cure Karen, only the fruit from the Gadoba-tree can save her. Elves attack the hospital, and Emily are separated from Navi. Emily embarks on a dangerous journey to try and find Gadoba-trees and Navin learns more about the prophecy involving him and his sister. That she is predicted to defeat the Elven king.
The Stone Keeper’s Curse is the second book in the adventure series Amulet. The third goes into production soon, and the script for the fourth is, during the time of writing, in production. The story escalates here from the story of a rescue mission to be an epic tale where the entire nations’ future is at stake, depending on the choices the unknowing Emily does. It is not only her own nervousness and uncertainty that affect the outcome, when it discovered that the amulet she carries has its own will that she must try to control.
Comment: The second album in the Amulet Series takes a big step in comparison with the first. What was previously a separate story is now the introduction to a bigger adventure. Since the two children Emily and Navin already matured partly, by earlier events, so their situation is taken further with more spiritual matters, reflections on free will and the differences between destruction and conservation. Despite a lot of clichés and well used ingredients from classical fantasy, there are a lot of new idéas and original interpretations. Elves, who usually belong to the good and benevolent race, is here a conquering and destroying race with little respect for others. And the classic elemens like the magical object, in this case the amulet, that plays a significant role. Like the ring in The Lord of the Rings, it has a desire but do not act as quietly as artifacts of the same type in fantasy. The amulet is talking to Emily and motivates her to act in some distinct ways. Her reaction seems genuine and as a living, hesitant person would react. The album is charming, well drawn and well written. It easily draws the reader into it´s story and is difficult to put aside. The only negative aspect is that, when you finish reading the book, there is a great desire to continue with the not yet available third one.
Danny Ahrling
danny.ahrling@digitalcomics.nu
