La Ron S. Readus
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Soul of the Dragon (VIDEO SCRIPT)
🕑 Added 2021-01-22 21:01:00 +0000 UTCYes, I know this LOOKS like it's another Batman video.
But just like the movie in question I'm talking about, it's only one in NAME. Allow me to explain.
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Readers, if you’ve seen my video on Superman: Man of Tomorrow, then you already know about my excitement for DC Animation’s new direction now that they ended their shared animated universe with Justice League Dark: Apokolyps War
So much so that I was eagerly looking forward to the new twists and angles they were gonna take with their next project, Batman: Soul of the Dragon. And after watching it for myself, I’d be lying if I said that I wasn’t impressed
/It was a great homage to 70’s martial arts films in the style of Bruce Lee’s “Enter the Dragon,” as well as exploitation films and its blaxploitation subgenre./
Though, I’m not gonna lie; I was a bit worried they’d lean a bit TOO much into the blaxploitation with how they decided to characterize Bronze Tiger at first.
/But considering how they handled his overall development from what we’ve seen in the movie, I was happy with what they did with him./
However, while the film in my opinion is good, and while I believe Bruce Wayne’s role in it is justified considering its an alternate universe film, it’s not a Batman movie. Nor, do I think it NEEDS to be one.
And yes; I say that AS A BATMAN fan
Now in order to understand why its not a Batman movie despite the name, we have to explain his overall use in the movie.
We’re introduced to Bruce about 15 minutes into the first act of the movie -- featuring one of the best usages of one of his oldest love interests next to Vicki Vale that I’ve seen in a while, by the way -- only for us to see how he began his journey in learning to master martial arts to become the Batman.
/Through this, we see the other main characters of the movie who he also trained with; Bronze Tiger, Lady Shiva, and the one who involves him in the movie’s plot, Richard Dragon./
/They all trained under an individual named O-Sensei, who chose these individuals to help safeguard a gateway to a demonic plane containing the Naga; a demonic snake deity. And the gang has to get back together in order to stop a villainous cult that plans on releasing it./
Now its through these flashbacks that we see Bruce’s connection with these characters, considering that the movie assumes that you don’t know who any of the main characters or villains are other than Batman.
/Which is funny, because the actors who voice Lady Shiva and Bronze Tiger are actually returning to their roles after portraying them in various mediums in the past./
Because of this, you see through Bruce’s point of view in regards to the flashbacks;
/His heart-to-heart with O-Sensei, witnessing how deadly and determined Shiva is, and earning the respect of Bronze Tiger./
But the kicker here is that, if it weren’t for these flashbacks, we wouldn’t really be so quick to associate Bruce as the main character of this movie.
/Because outside of the flashbacks establishing the exposition needed to understand the plot, the role Batman plays in Soul of the Dragon is actually minimal and has little to nothing to do with him outside of student-mentor obligations./
Shiva is more invested in the overall story because she was made the guardian of the soul sword -- the same soul sword that would later be claimed by Katana -- that’s required to unlock the gate, and has DEFINITELY shown said determination over the course of the film.
Bronze Tiger is more invested because he’s actually DEDICATED a significant amount of his life to fighting the Cobra cult trying to free the Naga, before stopping because he couldn’t do what Rhodey was willing to do to Baby Thanos in Avengers Endgame
And Richard is more invested because he was O-Sensei’s oldest student and had both more of a connection with him and immediately prioritized stopping the Cobra cult upon finding out that they had the gate.
/Along with, y’know, being a perfect vessel for the Naga because of his association with the Dragon, because martial arts magic/
Which would have been interesting to learn about, in all honesty!
/But because Batman is such a focus in this movie, we don’t really get a chance to find out about Richard’s association with the dragon outside of O-Sensei keeping him close because he’s the destined host for the Naga./
What I’m saying is that, despite it being called Batman: Soul of the Dragon, the movie not only isn’t about Batman, but directing the main attention to him does more harm to the movie than good. If anything, it should be about Richard.
/He’s the one who convinces Bruce to help out and get the gang back together.
He’s the one who has the backstory and mystical martial arts magic associated with the movie’s plot that has to be explored.
He’s the one who’s shown the most emotional connection to O-Sensei to make it feel genuine. He’s the one who fights the Naga.
I’m not saying Batman SHOULDN’T be in the movie. But considering so much about Soul of the Dragon is centered around Richard -- along with the fact that he prominently does it throughout the film anyway -- Batman should mainly be used as a support character. Just like he was in the Justice League animated movies that predated Justice League War/
Batman Soul of the Dragon -- despite the elements and villains that were used in it -- didn’t need Batman in it.
Despite trying to get us to associate Bruce as the main character in the narrative by how they introduced him, this was, at heart, Richard Dragon’s story.
/And the only reason why he’s not the headline of it, is because Warner Brothers didn’t have enough faith that the movie would do well if Batman wasn’t front and center, considering the other main characters and villains that are used are regularly associated with Batman’s slice of the DC Universe./
Which is sad. Because considering that their competitor Marvel is about to release a live-action movie putting a lesser-known martial arts-based Asian American superhero front and center on the silver screen, you’d imagine that they’d have a little bit more faith in the DC superheroes that AREN’T part of its trinity when it comes to their animated movies.
But, I digress, Readers. Your homework assignment for the day
Write in the comment section below what you thought of Batman: Soul of the Dragon if you’ve seen it.
Or, if you feel like sharing with the rest of the class, if you think Richard Dragon would be able to hold a DC animated movie on his own accord.
Whichever you decide to answer, I’d love to know your thoughts.
