REVIEW: MORBIUS

3/5

The Bat Man.

104 Mins. Starring: Jared Leto, Matt Smith, Adria Arjona, Jared Harris, Al Madrigal & Tyrese Gibson. Director: Daniel Espinosa. 

Morbid fascination has people with their fangs out ready to sink their teeth into something on social media, as soon as critics smell the blood of an attack of the killer Rotten Tomatoes score. 16% may feel like my phone battery half of the time, but it's not a deserving score for the new Marvel 'Morbius' anti-hero movie starring Jared Leto in full ("I'm") 'Venom' form. Neither is the Razzie Jared just won for his unrecognisable but pitch perfect turn in Ridley Scott's 'House Of Gucci' movie that also robbed Lady Gaga. And let's not get started on the Skip Bayless like undue hate for 'Trainwalk' and Lakers star LeBron James and his 'New Legacy' with 'Space Jam'. This is akin to the undeserved hate the 'Dallas Buyers Club' Oscar winner had to deal with when it came to his modern Joker out a pack of Nicholson's, Ledger's, Phoenix's and what's to come next. It was just a different hand, he played it well (despite the damaging tattoo's) and he also got cut. And sadly we'll probably not get to see his and David Ayer's full take. Although with 'The Snyder Cut' of the redeemed 'Justice League' movie we did get a new look and a scene stealing post-credits punch which shows us just want it would be like if Jared's Joker and Ben Affleck's vastly underrated Batman (no matter how good Robert Pattinson is) danced in the pale moonlight with Heath bittersweet, "I think you and I are destined to do this forever" odes. Despite fans wanting to treat this killed joke like Christian Bale in 'American Psycho'. But even if they don't restore the verse, Leto still gets another chapter in the comic-book movie story, albeit on the darker side like the Bane of Tom Hardy's life. 

Dark Knight themes and more bat's than a Yankee dugout circle this bat man who like a Peter (tingle) Parker Spidey-sense can see in sonar ("like a submarine Mr. Wayne"). And in a Pattinson like 'Twilight' there is more at stake with this vamping undead movie than just saying it sucks. Sure just like all that 'Venom' CGI carnage, these Sony property superhero movies that always have more heart in backstory feel like the old Marvel movies of the early 2000's. But for all those who loved those 'Fantastic Four' films as well as the 'X-Men', it's a nostalgic treat. Even if you have to suspend your special effects as well as comic disbelief. Besides, there's still beauty in "bad" movies. Especially ones that feel like B ones. Marvel Studios are about to deal with Marhershala Ali's 'Blade' (with a vocal cameo in the 'Eternals' movie that stirred. Not to mention crossover potential here) for the first time since those Wesley Snipes movies were the only Marvel movies that had any business in Hollywood...literally too. But this vampire is as sharp as pointed teeth too. Even if there have been more cuts than a katana now 'Doctor Strange' botched the 'Multi-Verse'. It's been long enough, but damn we still won't spoil how monumental a Marvel movie 'Spider-Man: No Way Home' is. Par exemple, my sisters fiancée watched it like yesterday and had no idea about you know what. Why? He doesn't use social media. Pay heed. Sure, the bat like villain who cameos here has already been trailer revealed, but that doesn't mean we have to join in the fun like those clawing at this movie with Buffy villain fingernails. But all of this sandbox sharing back and forth between Sony and the M.C.U. is going to slay, slay, slay like Christmas Day for a spell. Let's just say this, it's worth sticking around for the two post-credits scenes. But that's all folks, don't wait until the lights go on...this isn't a club. Just like it's worth sticking around with Leto as 'Morbius', despite those with garlic in their breath wanting to show him a cross that's more pointed than one you'd hang above your door. Invite him in, because he's a requiem for a new nightmare down the same alley del Toro took us down for the shape of an Oscar nominated Best Picture that still got critically crucified, but probably should have found its better place next to the horrors of Halloween. 

COVID-19 has just put a stop to so many things like that in movies, let alone the waiting, watching world. Like the Keanu Reeves renaissance of originally having 'The Matrix' and 'John Wick' 4 come out on the same damn day. It even took us awhile to Bond, but Maverick Tom Cruise's 'Top Gun' looks to finally take flight this Summer season of blockbuster. This Jekyll and Hyde story has taken on so much water in terms of time and transformation, it's no wonder it feels like a 'New Mutant' with cool references to schools for gifted youngsters and that thing in San Francisco for your post Easter eggs. And those who believe cornavirus came from a bat won't like our lead tinkering with those winged creatures here like he was about to make it his next takeout meal. Still the only thing that bites here is the question of what has to chew on me to make me have the physique of Tom Holland's spider or Jared Leto who certainly must be a vampire like Reeves, because he's no 50 year old man. Answer...a full-time gym membership. The fast paced fighting here is not for the faint of heart. But it certainly leaves a cool neon trail flying through the New York skylines. From prison break orange to all the purple that for vampires is the new black. A crowning achievement for forthcoming 'Game Of Thrones' prequel star Matt Smith. The good doctor who is certainly having the time of his cinematic life. Even with the forewarning and foreboding from his father in law of 'The Crown' and Sherlock sleuth villain Jared Harris. The cutting room floor robbing him of one of this movies best moral dilemmas and lines. Whilst the 'Good Omens' of 'Pacific Rim: Uprising' and Netflix '6 Underground' star Adria Arjona give this walking dead movie a beating heart worth saving. Meanwhile there's a couple of cops hot on this vampires smokey trail like Shea Whigham and Bill Camp on 'The Joker's' case in that villain movie. 'Black and Blue' star Tyrese Gibson is so good at delivering detective exposition as we investigate further. Adding another franchise to the singer/songwriters utility belt of 'Transformers' and 'Fast and Furious' franchises. And the golden tickets he's giving fans right now is just the grace of his generosity personified. But we want to see what happened to that mechanical arm cut for the Afghan soldiers back story. And if you need some humour in this dark movie, alongside Gibson's gravitas, then how about the night schooling of 'The Daily Show' star Al Madrigal playing good cop, funny cop on this beat? It's all 'Easy Money' for 'Safe House' and 'Life' (the 2017 one with Ryan Reynolds and Jake Gyllenhaal, not the 2015 movie that starred Robert Pattinson and Dane DeHaan as James Dean) director Daniel Espinosa and the epic talent of what he does in the shadows. The vultures may be swooping in for this bat, but it won't cower under a cowl. They're just picking at bones. Once 'Morbius' is fully fleshed out with the 'Blade' of some 'Venom' by his side, then he'll be a real marvel. Now that's my kind of carnage. TIM DAVID HARVEY. 

Further Filming: 'Venom', 'Spider-Man: No Way Home', 'Blade'.