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Hello Enthusiasts,
I do deviate from video games and books from time to time, hence some previous posts like 5 completed shows to watch and my review of Mike Birbiglia's "Sleepwalk With Me". So today I would like to touch on another movie, this one being a documentary that lines up with some of my more posted-about interests. Today I will be reviewing Necessary Evil: Super-Villains of DC Comics.
So, to start, this film ended up being a little different than I thought it would be when I went into it. I started watching this thinking it would be more along the lines of generally unknown facts about these villains and inspirations behind them, and to be fair, there is some of that in here. However, the main focus of this documentary is actually the psychology behind having villains, what they mean to the heroes, and some insight to why certain heroes have certain types of villains. Some of this ends up being very simple, like, "What purpose does the hero have if there isn't a villain to fight", which is a pretty basic concept. However, at some points you will get some great information or insights from some believable sources,such as those involved with the creation of these comics, movies, and TV shows. This film has speakers like Jim Lee, Geoff Johns, Scott Snyder, and others, meaning that just about all of the guests speaking are incredibly talented and creative individuals.
So what are the positives to this film overall? Well, like I mentioned, the people speaking in the documentary is a big draw. It adds to the credibility of what is being said a bit, knowing that it's the folks writing and illustrating these comics that are providing the information. Add to that the fact that the film is being narrated by the late-great Christopher Lee, and you have yourself an amazing cast to work with a project like this. Also, as I had mentioned earlier, there are certain times in the film that dive more into the inspirations of some of the villains and facts behind them. I love bits like these, showing some additional insight into the characters you were sure you already knew inside and out. Even though the film takes on several topics within the realm of "Necessary Evil, it is also pretty concise, coming in around an hour and a half, which isn't bad at all.
The only downside I can really think of are those more basic concepts I mentioned earlier. We get a decent amount of them in this feature, and I would start to lose a bit of interest when the speakers would dwell on why villains are important and required for the story. I understand that what is being said is true and is interesting, but it just feels like it's being approached on a very base level, and for a bit too long. While this may seem a little picky, the amount of times they revert back to the more basic concepts of light needing darkness and the inevitability of the villain is noticeable. I honestly think that if some of this was cut out, even though the movie would have ended up being a good 20 minutes shorter, it would have ranked a bit higher.
This documentary has several good components to it, enough to make viewing it an enjoyable experience, but it isn't perfect. They did what they were trying to do well, really driving home a lot of ideas and information, all of which was being told by great sources. Despite my issues with some of the more basic concepts, this is a solid film to watch if you have any interest in the villains if the DC universe.
I give Necessary Evil: Super-Villains of DC Comics a 8 out of 10.
Sincerely,
The Bored Enthusiast
The only downside I can really think of are those more basic concepts I mentioned earlier. We get a decent amount of them in this feature, and I would start to lose a bit of interest when the speakers would dwell on why villains are important and required for the story. I understand that what is being said is true and is interesting, but it just feels like it's being approached on a very base level, and for a bit too long. While this may seem a little picky, the amount of times they revert back to the more basic concepts of light needing darkness and the inevitability of the villain is noticeable. I honestly think that if some of this was cut out, even though the movie would have ended up being a good 20 minutes shorter, it would have ranked a bit higher.
This documentary has several good components to it, enough to make viewing it an enjoyable experience, but it isn't perfect. They did what they were trying to do well, really driving home a lot of ideas and information, all of which was being told by great sources. Despite my issues with some of the more basic concepts, this is a solid film to watch if you have any interest in the villains if the DC universe.
I give Necessary Evil: Super-Villains of DC Comics a 8 out of 10.
Sincerely,
The Bored Enthusiast
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