BvS Jesse Eisenberg IS Lex Luthor - Part 10

[TheDailyPigMan]

It's safer to assume it's all cheesy. Even the shots used in previous trailers that were deemed "dark", that's cheesy now. It's darkcheesy.

Cheese kept in the dark = yummy cheese

 

[TheWallCrawler]

Err...if I'm not mistaken that's literally one of his most noticeable traits historically? He's a manipulative and duplicitous egomaniac, whether his veneer is classy charm or smarmy congeniality it doesn't really matter. Lex keeps people focusing on his left hand while his right hand readies the knife, he's had different variations of that kind of personality since his creation from what I recall.

I'm ok with him using a mask. I just don't think Lex should use that kind of a mask. Personal preference

 

[I Am The Knight]

No one cared who he was until he put on the mask

 

[jokesonm3]

 

[rockandrollsoul]

I think if people took away their pre-conceived notions about who Jesse is playing, they wouldn't be complaining.

 

[DeadPresident]

I'm ok with him using a mask. I just don't think Lex should use that kind of a mask. Personal preference

And that's fair enough, I can respect people's preferences.

 

[Boy Scout]

I think if people took away their pre-conceived notions about who Jesse is playing, they wouldn't be complaining.

...the character he's playing has existed within popular culture for decades. What you're suggesting isn't easy for everybody to do.

 

[SuperKnight97]

It seems like Jesse is doing his own interpretation of the character, and when these characters have been around for so long, they're not all going to be the same. I'm just happy we're not getting another Land-Grab Luthor.

 

[rockandrollsoul]

...the character he's playing has existed within popular culture for decades. What you're suggesting isn't easy for everybody to do.

I understand that. I just don't think it's fair to call his performance over acting or campy. It's just not what people picture for Lex Luthor.

 

[jokesonm3]

Exactly, if Jessie simply just copied any other incarnation of Lex instead of trying his own formula then that wouldn't be good acting at all for a man of his calibre.

 

[KRYPTON INC.]

The thing is that there has always been evolution with these characters. People are upset they aren't getting smooth operator TAS Lex. Okay. But that's not the only one, now is it? Lex started out as a criminal mastermind (sometimes with fangs... Da hell!?), that morphed into a renegade scientist which his appearances in the serials continued, Havkman's Lex was a full of himself schemer out for wealth, then Byrne turned him into a heavy set tycoon captain of industry, then he was a freakin' clone of himself that masqueraded as his own son as John Shea was the TV version of Lex which was at first a full head of hair poor man's take on Byrne's Luthor. TAS Lex was a refined version of the post Crisis version and Smallville gave us the intensity of a Lex almost destined by parentage to become a cold blooded villain as portrayed by Rosenbaum. Spacey seemed a more menacing modernized version of Havkman's jaunty but arrogant villain (which was what you could expect I suppose given the nature of that film), and Morrison went back to the well of the renegade genius sociopath obsessed with taking down a Titan from another planet.

What I am getting at is that, yeah, I understand that Lex is a character that has expectations due to his well established history but let's remember it's also a history with a rich and varied portrayal across media. Taking the long view indicates that the character has been malleable and can be done in ways that are not simply in the mold of the most recent popular versions of either Rosenbaum or Brown. I especially think that judging it before seeing it is jumping the gun. I don't assume tha Lex is just going to be as he is in that party sequence all the time since there is ample evidence in his other appearances and lines that point to something else.

 

[Boy Scout]

I understand that. I just don't think it's fair to call his performance over acting or campy. It's just not what people picture for Lex Luthor.

I get where you're coming from, but I think those issues can be mutually exclusive, though. Someone's issues with Eisenberg as an actor might have little to do with his interpretation of Luthor.

 

[rockandrollsoul]

The thing is that there has always been evolution with these characters. People are upset they aren't getting smooth operator TAS Lex. Okay. But that's not the only one, now is it? Lex started out as a criminal mastermind (sometimes with fangs... Da hell!?), that morphed into a renegade scientist which his appearances in the serials continued, Havkman's Lex was a full of himself schemer out for wealth, then Byrne turned him into a heavy set tycoon captain of industry, then he was a freakin' clone of himself that masqueraded as his own son as John Shea was the TV version of Lex which was at first a full head of hair poor man's take on Byrne's Luthor. TAS Lex was a refined version of the post Crisis version and Smallville gave us the intensity of a Lex almost destined by parentage to become a cold blooded villain as portrayed by Rosenbaum. Spacey seemed a more menacing modernized version of Havkman's jaunty but arrogant villain (which was what you could expect I suppose given the nature of that film), and Morrison went back to the well of the renegade genius sociopath obsessed with taking down a Titan from another planet.

What I am getting at is that, yeah, I understand that Lex is a character that has expectations due to his well established history but let's remember it's also a history with a rich and varied portrayal across media. Taking the long view indicates that the character has been malleable and can be done in ways that are not simply in the mold of the most recent popular versions of either Rosenbaum or Brown. I especially think that judging it before seeing it is jumping the gun. I don't assume tha Lex is just going to be as he is in that party sequence all the time since there is ample evidence in his other appearances and lines that point to something else.

Well said.

I get where you're coming from, but I think those issues can be mutually exclusive, though. Someone's issues with Eisenberg as an actor might have little to do with his interpretation of Luthor.

I would argue those hang-ups have more to do with Eisenberg in general than his acting ability (much like Affleck). Objectively, Eisenberg is a fine actor (and appears to be giving a good performance from what we've seen), but some just don't like his persona. That's fine, but it doesn't make him a bad actor.

 

[TheFlamingCoco]

^ Exactly. I love my older sister to death, but talking about Eisenberg becomes really circular.

"I didn't like Eisenberg in The Social Network" (Me) "Well..he wasn't supposed to be likeable." "I don't care. I think he's a bad actor."- Me) "Huh?"

 

[Silliminite]

^ Exactly. I love my older sister to death, but talking about Eisenberg becomes really circular.

"I didn't like Eisenberg in The Social Network" (Me) "Well..he wasn't supposed to be likeable." "I don't care. I think he's a bad actor."- Me) "Huh?"

Perhaps your sister meant it differently, but normally when someone says "I didn't like 'X' in 'Y' movie", they're referring to the actor's performance.

I'll be honest, when EisenLex enters the Bruce-Clark conversation, I know he's keeping up his public persona, but even then, it was a little over the top. I'm still excited for his performance though based on everything else I've seen of him in the trailers.

 

[rockandrollsoul]

^ Exactly. I love my older sister to death, but talking about Eisenberg becomes really circular.

"I didn't like Eisenberg in The Social Network" (Me) "Well..he wasn't supposed to be likeable." "I don't care. I think he's a bad actor."- Me) "Huh?"

Yep, many people seem to conflate personal preference with objective performance. Jesse was tour de force in Social Network.

Perhaps your sister meant it differently, but normally when someone says "I didn't like 'X' in 'Y' movie", they're referring to the actor's performance.

I'll be honest, when EisenLex enters the Bruce-Clark conversation, I know he's keeping up his public persona, but even then, it was a little over the top. I'm still excited for his performance though based on everything else I've seen of him in the trailers.

There are fake, over-the-top people in real life. For an egotistical, eccentric, billionaire, tech mobile, it's not that far-fetched.

 

[TheFlamingCoco]

Yep, many people seem to conflate personal preference with objective performance. Jesse was tour de force in Social Network.



There are fake, over-the-top people in real life. For an egotistical, eccentric, billionaire, tech mobile, it's not that far-fetched.

 

[KRYPTON INC.]

I would say Trump is an OTT person... and he's REAL!

 

[rockandrollsoul]

I would say Trump is an OTT person... and he's REAL!

Exactly. Eisenberg is definitely taking risks with this performance (something that all great actors do). We will see if it pays off.

 

[Silliminite]

There are fake, over-the-top people in real life. For an egotistical, eccentric, billionaire, tech mobile, it's not that far-fetched.

I didn't say it was far-fetched. The extent to which he took the flamboyance with which he delivered the dialogue just didn't fit in with how the scene was progressing tonally, and actually took me out of the scene a little bit.

Again, I get exactly what Jesse's portrayal is going for and am therefore excited for it. I also get that his entrance was meant to break the tension that was simmering between Bruce and Clark. I'm just gonna say it: I think Eisenberg over-acted in the scene. It isn't horrible, but it's not good either, IMO.

 

[TheFlamingCoco]

I think it's supposed to be grating. Hopefully he's engaging the more serious scenes.

 

[Silliminite]

I think it's supposed to be grating. Hopefully he's engaging the more serious scenes.

I liked what I saw of him in serious scenes, especially in the CC trailer when Sen. Finch visits him and he delivers his "Oldest Lie" line. I also liked his exuberance in the latest trailer when he visits Finch and delivers the same line, and his hand gesture as Zod's body is being delivered.

 

[rockandrollsoul]

I didn't say it was far-fetched. The extent to which he took the flamboyance with which he delivered the dialogue just didn't fit in with how the scene was progressing tonally, and actually took me out of the scene a little bit.

Again, I get exactly what Jesse's portrayal is going for and am therefore excited for it. I also get that his entrance was meant to break the tension that was simmering between Bruce and Clark. I'm just gonna say it: I think Eisenberg over-acted in the scene. It isn't horrible, but it's not good either, IMO.

To each his own. Also, keep in mind that it might come off differently in context.

I liked what I saw of him in serious scenes, especially in the CC trailer when Sen. Finch visits him and he delivers his "Oldest Lie" line. I also liked his exuberance in the latest trailer when he visits Finch and delivers the same line, and his hand gesture as Zod's body is being delivered.

I, too, love the moments where the mask is lifted.

 

[Silliminite]

To each his own. Also, keep in mind that it might come off differently in context.

True.

 

[KillerWolf]

New Lex Luthor interview. It's a good one:

http://www.wired.com/brandlab/2015/12/lexical-analysis-lex-luthor-on-disrupting-the-vigilante-industrial-complex/#^eyJocmVmIjoiaHR0cDovL3d3dy53aXJlZC5jb20vIiwiYWRVbml0Ijp7InNlcnZlciI6ImRmcC1ncHQiLCJlbGVtZW50SUQiOiJyYWQtcG9sYXItY2FyZDE2NXgzMDdfZnJhbWUifSwibGFiZWwiOiJwb2xhciBjYXJkIiwic2VsZWN0b3IiOiIjcmFkLXBvbGFyLWNhcmQxNjV4MzA3X2ZyYW1lIiwiY3JlYXRpdmUiOiI0M2I5ODc3YzgwZDU0ODNmYTkyMTA4ODFlNmI2ODAyZiIsImV4cGVyaWVuY2VUeXBlIjoiaW5ib3VuZCJ9