The audiences watching *City of Chaos* and *Thor* in their respective theaters might not realize that both films employ a non-linear narrative with flashbacks and insertions. However, the atmospheres they create are vastly different.
*City of Chaos* is dark and oppressive, guiding the audience's thoughts through a profound theme, making viewers ponder the impact of fear on humanity, how difficult it is to overcome inner fear, whether a lost person can rediscover themselves, and whether seemingly good people are truly good or if the wicked have a kind side. The entire film reflects the complexity of human society and urban life.
*Thor* is simple and light-hearted, featuring a god who falls from the sky and struggles to adapt to human society, resulting in a series of humorous actions. Even though the god is cast down, the film maintains a cheerful tone, with the main antagonist, Loki, portrayed as a jokester. This type of film leaves no room for deep thought. Even if viewers take a bathroom break or step outside for a smoke, they can still understand the plot when they return.
*City of Chaos* and *Thor* represent two distinctly different types of films.
In the theater showing *City of Chaos*, the only sounds are those from the film itself. In contrast, the *Thor* screening is filled with the sounds of munching popcorn, sipping soda, and occasional text messages, creating a lively atmosphere.
As both films move past their opening scenes, *City of Chaos* continues its deep, oppressive path, while *Thor* becomes increasingly simplistic and mindless.
The small scope of *Thor* becomes particularly noticeable. Despite mentioning the nine realms, the film's earthly scenes revolve around just a few locations, making the overall setting appear very limited.
"Is this a sitcom?" Derk expressed his dissatisfaction, "Isn't this supposed to be a movie? It's like a stage play! And they talk about the nine realms..."
His discontent grew as the film progressed, noting that a film's scale should be conveyed through its cinematography and story, not just by characters' words.
"Didn't they say it had zero negative reviews?" an older man nearby grumbled, "A zero negative review film looks like this?"
Another man in his thirties shook his head, "The characters are flat, the plot is simplified, and the scenes are minimized. This film is very disappointing!"
Previously a fan of Marvel's superhero movies, especially the *Spider-Man* trilogy and the two *Iron Man* films, Derk found *Thor* lacking in comparison, even to the widely criticized *Spider-Man 3*.
Feeling uncomfortable after just twenty minutes, Derk shifted in his seat, wondering why he was feeling restless, a sensation he never experienced with *Iron Man*.
Derk was not alone in his discomfort. At Santa Monica's commercial center, Empire Cinema, Kristin also felt let down from the start. She wasn't just disappointed by the plot and limited scale but mainly by the biggest draw for her: Natalie Portman.
Natalie Portman's performance as Jane Foster was underwhelming, lacking both acting prowess and visual appeal. Compared to the supporting actress, she came across as an average middle-aged woman. Every time Jane Foster appeared on screen, Kristin cringed, feeling an overwhelming sense of secondhand embarrassment. Unable to bear it any longer, she stood up and walked out of the theater to get some air.
"Is this the zero negative review film?"
Two men walked out shortly after, discussing as they went, "I wonder how many paid reviewers Marvel hired to hype this up. This film? It's not much better than *Superman Returns*."
One of them suggested, "Since there's still time, why not check out *City of Chaos*?"
"Good idea!" the other agreed, "Let's see if Murphy Stanton's film is as disappointing."
As they walked past Kristin and into the theater showing *City of Chaos*, Kristin suddenly thought of her friend Daisy, who was in there. She decided to join her.
Crossing the corridor, Kristin saw no theater staff around, so she slipped into the theater showing *City of Chaos*.
With the theater packed and everyone engrossed in the film, finding Daisy was too difficult.
"Vengeance does not equate to justice!"
Hearing the firm, powerful line, Kristin found an empty seat and sat down, quickly getting absorbed in the film.
In New York's Lincoln Center theater, Murphy quietly watched *City of Chaos* unfold on the screen.
Without a doubt, *City of Chaos* borrowed elements from Christopher Nolan's *Batman Begins*, but much of its content was inspired by Frank Miller's 1986 comic *The Dark Knight Returns*. To avoid copyright issues, Murphy significantly altered the story and character settings while retaining the film's core theme, steering it away from the superhero genre and making the protagonist more realistic.
The characters lacked high-tech gadgets and couldn't perform superhuman feats. The protagonist's initial motivation wasn't to save the city but for personal reasons, aligning more with human nature. His personal vendetta evolved into a greater mission.
Chris Dane returned to New York, inheriting a significant amount of stock, art, and assets from his father through a trust institution. He reconnected with his childhood neighbor, Jay Rachel, now an assistant district attorney, who provided more information about his father's murderer. During the trial, accompanied by Jay Rachel, Chris witnessed the failure of justice as the murderer wasn't sentenced to death, prompting him to take matters into his own hands.
"Vengeance does not equate to justice!"
Sensing Chris's psychological change, Jay Rachel managed to dissuade him from committing murder. However, the murderer was later killed by someone else during the trial, throwing the scene into chaos. This incident, coupled with his father's teachings, deeply affected Chris. Unlike Rainer, Chris wasn't solely raised by him and had spent his early years with his father, whose teachings had a profound impact on his thoughts and values.
Flashing back, Chris remembered his father guiding him to understand the world and how to be a good person. These warm-toned scenes were brief, quickly switching back to the cold, snowy reality and Rainer's influence.
The conflicting ideologies from Rainer and his father clashed in Chris's mind.
On the way back, Jay Rachel, disappointed with Chris's intentions, confronted him, leading to a fallout. Despite this, Chris didn't give up on seeking justice, continuing his investigation and discovering the darkness of New York. The city was rife with crime, police corruption, and his father's case tied to the largest gang, whose influence hindered further investigation.
Chris decided to take matters into his own hands, transforming his father's suburban villa's basement into a training room and equipping himself with modified gear, becoming a nocturnal vigilante. He targeted the gang, uncovering clues that pointed to the gang leader, Cheney.
By day, Chris played the role of a decadent playboy, hiding his true intentions. By night, he continued his investigation, creating a rift with Jay Rachel. Yet, the kind-hearted boy she knew was still there, as Chris set strict principles for himself, the foremost being not to kill.
"I can punish them!" he maintained his resolve. "But I cannot judge them!"
Chris knew that assuming the roles of legislator, enforcer, and judge alone would lead to terrifying consequences.
He reached out to Sheriff Lynch, who, despite not taking bribes, didn't reject external help in combating crime, even if it served personal agendas.
**Los Angeles Times** reporter Kenneth Turan nodded slightly. "Laws can constrain ordinary people, but for someone like Chris Dane, the only constraint is his own moral code. If he crosses that line, he could become more terrifying than the gangs."
To uncover the truth, Chris conquered his fear of darkness, becoming the embodiment of fear.
"The action scenes are commendable, not flashy kung fu fights," Todd McCarthy observed Chris's realistic fights against gang members. "The realistic action design is both watchable and fits the film's tone."
As Chris neared the truth about his father's case, Rainer and his disciples arrived in New York, revealing a shocking truth about Chris's father.
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