Movie promises to be “brutual enough for an R-rating” [source, io9 quoting Comic Book Movies quoting Marvel Source Avi Arad.
Whereupon lies the problem - an R rating has been seen as the signature death knell for a blockbuster movie. For example, the hideous editing done to DieHard4.0 in order to secure the coveted MA15 category. Or the Terminator 4 proposed PG to MA15 rating... or the ratings of Spiderman, Iron Man, Hulk, Punisher and Batman.
Don't get me wrong, I don't believe that comic book films are automagically destined for the MA to PG level of rating. I just don't feel comfortable that the first shot Luke Cage has at the silver screen will be in a smaller niche than was presented to the rest of the Marvel franchise. Like it or not, Cage's take will be judged against the PG-13 movies to determine "if audiences are ready for a black lead character in a comic book film".
In fact, only the third Punisher film looks close enough to the money to be R-rated. Wolverine was toned down to a PG13 from a possible R rating, and if there's one Canadian killing machine that would be well suited to non stop violence brutuality fest that's worthy of an R rating... it's Wolverine.
PG13 Wolverine versus R Rated Cage. Sales figures determine who lives for a sequel
A spate of recent highly visible advertising campaigns using violent themes, imagery, and acts elicited heightened scrutiny after the 2007 Superbowl. There are a growing number of highly successful video games with violence at their core such as Grand Theft Auto, World of Warcraft, and Halo to name a few, that receive advertising support. There are also a growing number of advertising-based Internet games offered and freely accessible to even young children. Indeed, the success of entertainment vehicles is highly dependent on advertising support systems. The recent intermingling of advertising and entertainment content points to the pivotal role of advertising for defining cultural norms and influencing behaviors of violence, abuse to others and self, and neglect.
Journal of Advertising is one of the A level marketing journals, and they’re traditionally USA-centric in appproach. So, I’d like this call for paper to get a little more attention from outside the marketing academics mailing lists. There’s a need for voices that aren’t from the usual suspects list (and I say that because on any gioven topic in marketing, we can name the ten most likely authors to respond to a special issue call for papers) and views that aren’t just white male middle class academics* on topics such as the Dehumanization in advertising, Stereotyping and degradation, Symbolic consumption of violence and New media, gaming and violence consumption as a contributor to active and passive child abuse. Submission deadline: March 31, 2009.
*If anyone needs a WMMC marketing academic to provide the academy firepower as second or third author on a paper, I’m open to collaborations. It is what I do for a day job.
Okay, so I’m not much sweetness or light for suggesting wolvering in a swimsuit. But hey, Wolverine swimsuit in a context so obviously trying for the cheesecake factor was a must say.
That said, the poll showed, most people wanted a swimsuit Nightwing.
Sure, Grayson’s pretty, but hey, Hugh Jackman is prettier :)
Want to place bets if the swimsuit poll happens, it’ll only mention the female characters?
Rhodey was awesome. There’s a moment in the film where I was making incoherent squeeeing and fanboy flailing, and you’ll so totally have to see the film to know where and when, and OMG YAY! (A possibly spoilerish pic from IMDB helps with a clue)
In other news, as a Marvel lightweight, and mostly DC fanboy, this film seriously left me feeling that it’s pretty much over for DC now. After Christian Bale hangs up the Batcape, the DC comics cinematic tour is over. There’s nothing or no one in the stable that’s going to compare to the strength of the Marvel movie making machine.
There’s enough hat-tips and subtle cues in the Iron Man movie for deep level fanboy reference, and a damn fine ride of movie for the rest of the universe. All up, it’s nice to have a comics movie that made me feel happy about comic books.
