Comic Book Review: Batman vs. Predator (1991 - 1992)

It is rare for me to pick up comic books these days, but I couldn't help but grab the three issue "Batman versus Predator" mini-series that I saw sitting on the shelf at my buddy Ryan's comic shop. (Charging Star Comics in Conklin, NY!) I've dabbled a bit in DC / Dark Horse comics crossovers (Superman vs. Aliens issue #1), so I was curious and a bit excited to dig into this trio of comics. Sadly, I was less than pleased with the first ever battle between the Dark Knight and his extraterrestrial foe.

As the tale begins, a mysterious killer begins knocking off anyone that is lauded as a champion or hero in Gotham City. The first victim is Gotham's newest heavyweight champion boxer. His demise is soon followed by the deaths of other notable figures (mainly criminals), which of course attracts Batman's attention.

Eventually Batman tracks down and squares off against the bloodthirsty hunter, and barely escapes with his life. Seriously injured, the Dark Knight is laid up for a while, as the cops and criminals of Gotham attempt to fight back against the Invisible Slasher, with disastrous results.

Eventually Bats recovers, arms himself with a suit of armor equipped with sonar, and goes after the Predator. He ultimately defeats the fierce creature just as its "posse" arrives, and is shocked when his powerful foe commits seppuku. As the other Predators load their fallen comrade onto the ship, one of them bows before Batman and gives the victorious hero a sword.

Though Batman is sure that the Predator's kin will think twice about visiting Gotham again, the transparent alien trophy-hunters would return in several more "Batman vs. Predator" adventures.

Ok, admittedly the storyline here is pretty cool, but it is basically a retread of "Predator 2" with Batman substituted in for Danny Glover, which isn't really a big deal in my book. My main gripe with the story involves the way the Predator chooses his victims. Apparently the most fearsome hunter in the universe is a couch potato, and picks his prey via the evening news.

Also, as a result of watching too much T.V., the Predator talks (or rather, mimics) an awful lot here. Guess they weren't sure how to write out the Pred's patented clicking/purring language so they figured he had to say "son of a ...." on a frequent basis. (Yeesh... and here I thought the folks at 20th Century Fox were the only ones that could sully the Predator's good name.)

Another strike against this series is the artwork. While a lot of it is good (particularly the artwork for the covers on the "Prestige Editions" of all three comics, done by artist Arthur Suydam, which is far better than the normal covers that were done by Chris Warner), there were far too many panels that were just a mess. Heck, a few times I didn't even realize what was going on until I backtracked and gave the page another thorough look.

"Batman vs. Predator" is something that sounds great on paper (sort of like "Robocop vs. Terminator"), and it could have been something special, but as it stands, this three-issue run is handled clumsily and turned out to be a (minor) disappointment. It does deliver the goods, but for me, it was a truly unsatisfying read.

There are two other "Batman vs. Predator" series: "Batman vs. Predator II: Bloodmatch," in which Batman and Huntress go after a particularly vicious "rogue" Predator, and "Batman vs. Predator III: Blood Ties," in which a duo of Predators hunts the Dark Knight AND the Boy Wonder. (Also, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that there's a "Batman and Superman vs. Aliens and Predator" comic out there as well.) While I'm not going to rush out and track them down, I will most likely give these comics a chance, if only to see if any improvements were made since the first "Batman vs. Predator" story arc.

If you're a huge Batman or Predator fan, you will most likely want to add "Batman vs. Predator" to your collection (if you haven't already). Otherwise, you may just want to spend your hard earned cash on something else... like the production of your very own "Batman vs. Predator" fan film!

New capsule reviews at the Vault for "Race With the Devil" and "Zombieland!"

Greetings b-movie fans! After yet another hiatus (seriously, I really don't plan on taking breaks. They just sort of happen.) I'm back, and my reviewing batteries have been recharged. Don't believe me? Then see for yourself and check out my reviews for Race With the Devil (1975) and Zombieland (2009)!

Halloween is fast approaching (24 more days!) so expect more new reviews and other content at the Vault! Also, be sure to check out the latest roundtable event, thought up by the big cheese of b-movies webmasters, Andrew Borntreger of Badmovies.org infamy! All this month, all of us part-time reviewers will be tackling monster movies, right up until the 31st! To see what's been posted thus far, visit the MONSTER MAYHEM ROUNDTABLE PAGE!

That's it for tonight gang, but expect a review for "The Wild Man of the Navidad" to be appearing shortly, along with (hopefully) a new edition of the B-MFV Genre Watch!

Blog ya later b-movie fans!

Become a fan of "The B-Movie Film Vault" on Facebook!

Since I spend way too much time on Facebook, I decided to make a fan-page for The B-Movie Film Vault! If you're a Facebook fanatic, feel free to become a fan of the Vault by utilizing the widget below!

The B-Movie Film Vault on Facebook!

New capsule review for Gris Grimly's "Cannibal Flesh Riot!" (2007)

I make my triumphant return to reviewing films with a fresh (and rather lengthy) capsule review for Gris Grimly's "Cannibal Flesh Riot!" This half-hour short film revolves around two grave-robbing ghouls who end up biting off more than they can chew when their latest "dinner plans" go awry. Check out the trailer for "CFR!" below:



I hate to even promise this but... expect a lot more updates at the Vault and SOON. A large group of us b-movie webmasters are holding a roundtable next weekend with a focus on movies based on video games. Since I'm a glutton for punishment (and since anything else I would have picked was already taken), I decided to review the horrible big screen adaption of the classic "Double Dragon" video game, which stars Robert Patrick, Mark Dacascos, Scott Wolf, and Alyssa Milano.

After that's out of the way, I have a trio of screeners that I plan on reviewing, and after they are taken care of, the sky is the limit! I'm hoping to get a good number of reviews posted this month, whilst keeping the BMFV Genre Watch updated weekly, and I even hope to get a new podcast recorded and uploaded for your listening pleasure.

So stay tuned for lots of new stuff b-movie fans! Blog ya later!

RiffTrax LIVE: Plan 9 From Outer Space

RiffTrax LIVE: Plan 9 From Outer Space

I am seriously considering taking a day off from work just to go see this. I'm a huge MST3K fan, and I'm loving the work Kevin Murphy, Mike Nelson, and Bill Corbett have been doing with Rifftrax. (Seems to me that their riffing is even funnier when a GOOD movie is the subject of their scorn.) Though I'd rather see it live in Tennessee, I guess I'll have to settle for seeing it on the big screen in Scranton, PA.

To see if a theater near you will be showcasing this one-night event, visit Fandango.com!

Vault Master's TOP TEN KILLER ANIMAL FILMS: #1 - JAWS (1975)

JAWS (1975)
124 minutes / Color / Rated PG

The Culprit(s): A 25-foot (rogue) Great White Shark that has acquired a taste for humans... the other, other white meat.

The Plot: Surprised that this made number one? Yeah, I didn't think so. "JAWS" basically set up the template for all the sequels and knock-offs that were spawned after its release, and has rightfully earned its status as a true cinematic classic. This tale of "nature run amok" centers around a small island community off the coast of New York called Amity. It's a quiet little village that relies on Summer tourism to get by each year, but things quickly go bad for the islanders once a rogue Great White shark begins snacking on locals and tourists alike. After claiming several victims, the beaches are shut down, and a shark hunter named Quint (Robert Shaw) is hired to track down and kill the offending fish.


Along with Amity Police Chief Martin Brody (Roy Scheider) and a marine biologist named Matt Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss), Quint sails out in his boat ("The Orca!") in search of the elusive man-eating shark. The trio of men cross swords with the mighty creature and trade blows, which eventually results in one tired and angry shark and one crippled boat. As the battle continues, Quint is devoured by his finned opponent, leaving Chief Brody (who ironically is terrified of the water) to continue the fight whilst clinging to the mast of the sinking "Orca."

In a totally unlikely scenario (as disproved on Mythbusters) Chief Brody manages to kill the Great White by shooting the tank of compressed air that was hanging from the shark's mouth. The bullet causes the tank, and the shark, to explode, which allows Brody and Matt Hooper (who miraculously survived the Great White's wrath by hiding underwater) to swim back to Amity to share the good news.

Based on Peter Benchley's novel of the same name, "JAWS" is an excellent character-driven film with effects that still hold up well today. The best part of the movie (aside from the chilling shark attacks) is the bonding experience between the film's trio of heroes. Quint, Brody, and Hooper all come from different backgrounds and have their own reasons for going on their dangerous mission, and its neat to see them pull together against a common foe, and occasionally have a bit of fun.

Quint is a former World War II vet that was on the ill-fated U.S.S. Indianapolis, which was sunk by a Japanese submarine in shark infested waters. Though he never comes out and says it, you get the feeling that he has an axe to grind against any and every shark in the sea since that fateful experience.



Hooper is on the opposite end of the spectrum and "loves sharks." He's been a fascinated with sharks since his childhood and thinks that they are graceful, misunderstood creatures. He joins the hunt for the elusive Great White mainly out of scientific curiosity, but also because he knows that the killing won't end until the shark is caught and destroyed. Lastly there's Chief Brody who is terrified of going into the water. He goes along on the trip because of his strong sense of duty to the town and to his family. All in all, he has to be the bravest person in this film because he overcomes his fears and ultimately saves the day.

You really get to like all three of these guys and you want to see them pull through the ordeal in one piece because you care about them. And that is the result of good writing and good acting folks, which helps make this film so damned near perfect. In an age where effects and budget seem more important than the script and talent, its good to know that we can still go back and watch films from a time when studios gave a damn about what they put out in theaters. Long live "JAWS" and may it continue to mystify (and terrify) younger generations for many years to come!


Why it made the list: Do I really need to explain? This movie basically created the template for almost every killer animal flick made over the last four decades. I mean, hell, look at the previous ten films that I put on this list, and you'll see that half of them are basically "JAWS" with another murderous animal replacing the Great White as the lead antagonist. This movie set a standard, broke box office records, kick-started Steven Spielberg's impressive career, and resulted in the perennial Summer blockbuster season that we've all become accustomed to. For better or worse, "JAWS" brought some major changes to the film industry.



Why YOU should watch it: Really? You haven't seen "JAWS?!" You been living in a cave?!

While it looks a bit dated now, "JAWS" has aged well, and Spielberg's "less is more" approach with the shark works so damned perfectly. (Of course, he had to take that route because Bruce the mechanical shark never seemed to want to work. Luckily Bruce did work often enough for Spielberg and company to get the job done.) Along with an amazing cast of memorable characters, and an effective (yet simplistic) musical score by John Williams, this is a must see film that should make you think twice about going for a swim.

Is it worthy of a remake? NO! LEAVE THIS MOVIE ALONE HOLLYWOOD! If I hear that a remake is in the works, I think I may very well "go Frank Castle" and punish those who would corrupt and tarnish the image of the original. If you want, do a new sequel ("JAWS 5" talk occasionally makes its rounds around the web every now and again), that's cool by me, but leave the original alone! There's not really much you can do to improve upon it so please, let it be!



The "JAWS" Legacy continues: Along with three sequels that became increasingly worse as the series progressed, (the final film, "Jaws: The Revenge" is horrid!), "JAWS" has spawned numerous knock-offs, such as the notorious "The Last Shark" which was actually pulled out of American theaters and banned after its release, for being "too derivative" of Spielberg's film. However, the influence of "JAWS" has transcended mere celluloid and has embedded itself into pop culture for all time. Even today, references to "JAWS" pop up in magazines, films, and books and the mighty Great White was even made into an impressive-looking toy by the folks over at McFarlane Toys for their "Movie Maniacs" (4) series.

"JAWS" has also been made into two awful video games (the notoriously bad "JAWS" released by LJN way back in the day for the original NES and "JAWS Unleashed" for PS2 and X-BOX), and has inspired a slew of fan films and tributes on the world wide web. Here is just a taste of the stuff that you can find online:



And believe it or not, there was a "JAWS" parody made called "Blades" which featured a killer lawnmower! Don't believe me? Then feast your eyes upon the following Youtube video:



And most recently, "JAWS" has had the honor of being riffed on by MST3K's Mike Nelson, Bill Corbett, and Kevin Murphy. Here's a "greatest hits" compilation of their hilarious Rifftrax commentary:



Well that's all folks! I hope you have enjoyed reading my Top Ten Killer Animal Films countdown! While I'm sure none of you were shocked to see "JAWS" take the number one spot on the list, I do have to say that I am shocked that so many folks haven't disagreed with the films that made the cut. Usually at least ONE person will complain, saying "you should have included this film" or "why isn't this movie higher up on your list?" but surprisingly it seems like I've managed to create a well-balanced list of films that most (if not all) of my readers seem to be happy with.

I've gotten a lot of positive feedback on this top ten list so I may end up doing another one later on down the road, but first, methinks I should get the rest of the B-Movie Film Vault back up to snuff. Thanks for reading, and my sincerest apologies for taking so long to complete this killer animal flick countdown.

Stay tuned for some more new stuff at The Vault, and keep fighting the good fight b-movie fans!

R.I.P. - David Carradine & Vault Turns 9 Years Old.

Aside from trying to get my life back on track lately (no easy task after all the heartaches I've suffered in the last month), I haven't had the urge to really do much with the Vault, which is sad because it has turned 9 years old on June 6, 2009! I'm hoping that I can find the strength to start updating again, but it seems I've lost my obsession with cinema....

Also I found it quite sad that David Carradine had passed away last week in a strange hanging incident. (Was it suicide? Was it a fatal attempt at auto-erotic asphyxiation? I don't really care. His death is a tragic loss regardless.) The worst part of this is how certain daily news publications have handled the story. From what I've seen, the NY Post was the worst of the bunch, boasting headlines like "HUNG FU." My condolences to Carradine's family. He will be missed.

Well check back sometime soon b-movie fans. I'm trying to get out of the funk I'm in and may actually write up some new material for the site. Don't hold your breath though, because it may be a few more weeks before I find the strength to publish a new review. In the meantime, keep the torch burning: watch b-flicks, have bad movie nights with your friends, and support the online b-movie community in any way you can! In other words, keep fighting the good fight fellow b-movie fans!

Blog ya soon!