Despite being generally predictable and occasionally using low-budget effects to bring to life a high-budget concept, the latest DC Comics villain origin story is entertaining enough and manages not to overstay its welcome…in between some pretty R-rated moments of gore. Aside from a few specifics, the basic plot isn’t too much more involved that what can be guessed from the trailers. The pacing is just a little too slow, but usually just as it feels like not much is happening the story moves on to the next phase. While it initially stays pretty grounded, it definitely gets to a point where you have to suspend disbelief a little more. The film generally does a good job of walking the line between the lead being a sympathetic character, and anti-hero and a super-villain. The acting is fine for the story they’re telling, but there’s nobody that really stands out. This movie gets pretty graphic at times, so it’s not for the squeamish. (Not to mention some gratuitous female nudity, so this is definitely not for the kids.) When the effects use any combination of prosthetic makeup and CGI, they usually look pretty good. However, there are some quick morphs that fall flat and some CG blood that doesn’t quite cut it. They also rely quite a bit on old-school techniques like the Texas switch that do the job, but it does feel like they were cutting corners.
**1/2 out of *****