Frank “Frankie” Taormina

A fun summer flick that’s a worthy entry in the Alien franchise, “Romulus” definitely delivers a classic and nostalgic ride for fans and new comers alike. Despite its flaws the movie delivers a few original moments that stand out from the other films. The biggest flaw with this film is that it doesn’t take full advantage of its R rating in the violence and gore department. It’s pretty tame compared to the rest of series. The second flaw is that it’s extremely predictable, especially for fans who are familiar with the series so the scares are easily seen and character deaths can be seen from a mile away. Other than that, the film feels like a breath of fresh air in an era where nostalgia is shoved down consumers throats. There’s references galore but they aren’t heavily emphasized and burned into the viewers retinas as a way to keep you invested in the movie. The story proudly holds its own without relying on the nostalgia factor. It’s a must watch for any fan and great way for new comers to get into the franchise.

The “Caped Crusader” series suffers from pretty poor choices made behind the scenes, chief among them not having Batman/Bruce Wayne as the series main focus. Unfortunately, the Dark Knight takes a back seat or, dare I say, became an after thought while the series primarily focuses on the staff in Gotham City Police Department. While each of the characters are well written and given interesting story lines as well as reinterpretations of their origins and roles it’s frustrating when they’re not only dominating most of the screen time but also doing the detective work for “the World’s Greatest Detective”. If Batman isn’t having the case solved for him then he’s getting beaten to a pulp by circus performers or literally getting saved by a child. He not only barely gets any focus but is reduced to a bumbling idiot. The finale depicts him throwing evidence of a murder in the ocean. Evidence leading to criminal that a majority of the series focuses on in trying to catch red handed. Another issue is the villain of the week format the show attempts to role with. It introduces some amazing villains but doesn’t flesh them out to their full potential. What’s worse is that prominent ones are killed off at the end of their respective episode so viewers won’t even get to see further development in future seasons. Certain villains are given a new twist, such as Harley Quinn, that are extremely intriguing and deserved more attention where-as others, like the Penguin, fell flat and reduced the character to another bumbling idiot. Finally, the animation felt off. It seemed to lack detail and depth. Very shallow and stiff. It’s not bad but it felt like it could’ve been better. After completing the series, it would’ve benefited from being named after and solely focusing on the GCPD. Batman could’ve served as a side character or be omitted entirely. Watching the series and expecting Batman while seeing every character get to shine and develop EXCEPT the Batman felt very misleading. If you’re looking to watch this, DON’T expect a Batman show. This is about the GCPD.