The Newest Caped Crusader
Grab your seats, class is in session.
So the Professor has an announcement to make, in case you missed it:
Ben Affleck is the new Batman.
That sound you are hearing is millions of fanboys crying out in terror. Unfortunately, they won’t suddenly be silenced as they fear something terrible has happened, and boy…will they let you know it.
Now, I can’t say much about people overreacting. Anyone who knows me and is my friend on Facebook during football season knows that the sky is falling every time the 49ers lose. What can I say, I’m a fan. However, what that means is I understand why these people are freaking out. It’s the Batman. Maybe the most iconic character in the super hero realm. Could be the first name that comes to mind anytime you ask people to name a super hero. When people hear that he is going to be portrayed on the silver screen again, they want the perfect actor in the role. Here’s the problem: there is no perfect actor for the role. In all the super hero movies I’ve ever watched, there were maybe…MAYBE…3-4 people who were absolutely perfect for the role (in my opinion). Downey, Jr. as Tony Stark, J.K. Simmons as J. Jonah Jameson, and William Hurt as Thunderbolt Ross. I’ll even go so far as to say Karl Urban as Judge Dredd. That’s 4 characters, out of dozens upon dozens. Let’s take a look back when Heath Ledger was picked to be the Joker. I don’t remember a single article or a single comment thinking he would be any good, but we all saw how that turned out.
Let’s look at Affleck for a minute. Most of the people completely hating on him in this role are looking at Daredevil. The movie wasn’t good. That, however, was not at all Affleck’s fault. That movie had a script so bad no one could have saved it. Affleck’s performance as Matt Murdock was actually good. Don’t believe me? Watch it again, but watch the director’s cut, and DON’T watch it for the story, watch it for him. I think you might be surprised, especially if you go back with an open mind. He himself even admits that they missed the mark with Daredevil and that the comic book movie was not really perfected until after they had made it.
Don’t think he’s a good actor? Go watch Good Will Hunting. Go watch The Town. Go watch Argo. Hell, go watch my favorite movie Chasing Amy. The guy has chops and can bring it to the screen. Plus, he was the bomb in Phantoms, yo.
One big difference also about the man who made Daredevil and the man you see now? He’s a director. A successful director. Having now been behind the camera on award winning movies, he knows so much more about what it takes to make a movie successful. That has already made him a better actor.
Another thing most people don’t know about Affleck? The guy is a comic geek. He knows the comic realm and will absolutely understand what it takes to play Bruce Wayne/Batman.
Bottom line? Relax. Settle down. Take a deep breath and realize that you haven’t even seen a trailer yet. Not a single person can determine how this is going to work out yet. If you simply don’t like him, that’s fine, you’re allowed, but there is no possible way you can already condemn him as the “worst Batman ever.” Not yet. Back away from the ledge and give the guy a chance. He just might surprise you.
Until next time…
Class dismissed.
