FilmBum

*Minor Spoilers Ahead*

In the age of 'hyper saturated content' -- that is, this over- mediated world in which a rush of new digital innovations have made television production infinitely easier and content much more plentiful as a result -- a television show has got to deliver the goods. Be it through hard hitting action, biting satire, or tear- jerking drama, the modern television show has to play (and play early) to specific sensitivities and sensibilities of viewers. For many content providers, this has meant hybridizing the traditional genre-pic (such as a creature feature) with upfront social themes and modern realities. And for many shows - displayed abundantly in Breaking Bad's scathing subtext about the American health care system - this synergy really works.

In the televised version of 'The Mist', there is an upfront thrust right at the start of the series, even before the action has gotten started, to infuse a series of social themes. But here, instead of coming off as genuine and additive to the story, these themes absolutely fall flat, and worse, seem seriously out of place. Perhaps the biggest reason for this is that the content's creators really don't care about any of the issues they are presenting. Unlike a series such as Black Mirror, where serious themes are presented with a certain conviction that hit viewers hard, themes presented in this series are merely thrown in as flimsy plot points, their only value being to cheaply grab the attention of viewers at various points in the series.

With the potential for a major expansion of the content presented in the original Stephen King story (at least beyond the limited format of the film version), a poor infusion of social themes would not normally condemn this show to the 'do not renew' column. But the series does nothing to redeem itself otherwise, as it falls off early with a combination of a weak and unlikable collection of characters, a meandering and often confusing script, uneven horror sequences, and the interweaving of backstory elements which really seem to add nothing to the story, beyond furthering the viewer's contempt for everyone involved with this production. At one point, we're treated to some nonsensical story about how everyone loved the wife of a central character, how she's now somehow hated by the whole community, how she appears to be principled and taking a stand as a married mother and a teacher -- and after all this, her dialogue reveals that if she hadn't met her current husband, she'd still be 'sleeping around and going from guy to guy'. A woman in her early forties would still be jumping into the bed of every man in town if she hadn't been married? It simply doesn't make any sense.

But perhaps one of the most reprehensible aspects of this show is its revival of the 'evil gay' character -- that long discredited (but at one time common) movie villain I certainly hoped I'd seen the last of long ago. The gay villain was at one time a stereotypical bad-guy character; effeminate, always looking to seduce straight men, and hiding his true (often murderous) intentions, the evil gay was a quick way through which weaker writers could draw a bunch of common events together in a plot by adding in a sinister presence, all the while pushing the old idea of gays as immoral and wicked. Amazingly, The Mist revives this character to the letter -- complete with his seduction of a straight man, his false emotional moments to hide his evil intent, and his ultimately violent and murderous turn.

In essence, The Mist is a failure from the start - but the show's descent down a path to mediocrity is about more than a combination of exploitative themes, poor overall production, and offensive stereotypes pulled right out of the pages of the worst old-time cinema writers. The Mist fails because it absolutely can't get itself together long enough to deliver any serious goods -- and in this hyper-content era, especially drawing from the work of an acclaimed author as well as a well received film -- this series is simply not good enough that anyone should consider watching. Skip this one and watch the film version instead.

Part of the issue with any program these days featuring a female lead is that - unless the show sticks directly to expected gender roles for a woman (eg, the male idea that Supergirl is just expected to be hot blonde in a skimpy outfit that fights crime but on the side should be nothing more than a mindless bimbo), a horde of men will flood comment sections just to decry anything they see as proof of a feminist agenda. Skewing comments sections just to take on a self-righteous, anti feminist pulpit not only demonstrates the absolute weakness and insecurity which many Western males have fallen to, but also obscures anything promising about a new program, especially this show which is not half bad.

Looking past the vast insecurities of many commentators, this is actually a very fun program which (although flimsy and somewhat aimless in its first couple of episodes), builds into an enjoyable super-hero themed drama/comedy program. Mixing good special effects, decent action sequences, above-the-board villains, and yes a bit of social commentary (albeit general commentary, and nothing resembling anything close to a feminist agenda), the show grows on you, especially if you are a white male like myself who does not have deep seated anger towards women, and doesn't feel threatened by the idea of a female hero.

Overall - watch this program, as it's comparable to anything in the network-TV produced hero genre. A great little popcorn show for general entertainment.

Batman vs. Superman had the potential to deliver more than the standard, high-special effects blockbusters that we've come to expect the Hollywood system will churn out, year after year --- like money-grabbing eye candy simply designed not to liberate your mind, but more so your hard earned cash from your wallet. It had the potential to be more than the typical "hero meets hero, fights hero, teams with hero, fights badguy with hero(es)" comic book films which seem to saturate the genre. And it had the potential to deliver a lot more than its solo progenitors (eg Man of Steel) had given us. Yet for all it's potential, for having a great team, for being technically superior, and perhaps most significantly - for having a relatively superior cast of actors - the viewer is left feeling like they've just been shoveled a mass of hot, steaming lava -- brilliant and hot to the touch, but noxious and blinding at the same time.

One of the film's biggest flaws is its attempts at intertextuality, all of which fall flat. While making reference to prior events that are neither explained, nor sufficiently fleshed out, the viewer is left feeling confused at best -- and at worst, wondering if the cutting room floor somehow yielded a trove of scenes that likely should have been in the film, for no other reason than to make sense of what was going on.

Pacing was fairly lacklustre as well. While never boring - and with some exciting (albeit too fast, and 'blockbuster conventional' in their explosion-per second way) scenes, the film's script never finds any kind of balance between the dramatic and the action. Character relationships appear more or less tacked on to give Ben Affleck and the other big players some professional screen time, and the shift to the action scenes is less exciting than it is jarring and unnerving.

Overall - if you're looking for anything dramatic and gripping in the sense of the Dark Knight, it would be best to avoid this -- a movie which is definitely on the action-only side of the Super Hero genre. On the other hand, going to this movie after having a few beers, with a full box of oh-so-buttery popcorn in hand and a good sense of humor, this is guaranteed to be entertaining. The Citizen Kane of superhero movies was likely achieved in the Batman Series - but as Hero-genre answer to Vin Diesel's XXX, this little number works just fine. Just make sure you've got plenty of beer and popcorn in you - plenty.