Episode 911 - Absolute Justice, part one: Society Review




"Absolute Justice, part one: Society" Review

Written by Scarlett

DISCLAIMER - Please remember that this review does not represent the opinions/viewpoints of everyone; it is the personal opinions of the reviewer only. Thank you.

Absolute Justice was an action-packed superhero-centric episode, with good performances, great direction and cinematography. So, why did it feel like something was missing? Because there was a lack of focus on the main character Clark Kent! The entire cast of characters from DC Comics can be paraded across the TV screen, but it still doesn't make up for the lack of focus on Clark Kent, or the lack of progress in his story.

As a longtime Smallville fan, I have always wanted a special two-hour event for the show. And, I wanted that event to focus on a significant event in Clark Kent's journey to taking the Superman identity. But, this two-hour event felt like a promotional ad for the Justice Society comics or a pilot for a new show instead. In line with the overall trend for season nine, Clark was once again pushed to the background and treated like a guest star on his own show. He was underutilized, and was written as only a supporting character for lesser heroes.

In earlier seasons, it would have been enough simply for other characters to tell Clark again that he was destined for greatness and that he would be the one to lead this generation of superheroes. But, Smallville is winding down now and it's time to show us that Clark is the "savior" and that Clark will soar above other heroes (both literally and figuratively).

In order for this episode to be memorable for Clark Kent/Superman fans, it needed to progress Clark's journey: as reporter and as leader of his generation of superheroes. That simply didn't happen. Smallville is not meant to be an ensemble show about a team of heroes; it's the story of Clark Kent's journey to taking the Superman identity.

Geoff Johns is a talented writer, but this is Smallville, and it would be nice if he would write for Clark Kent first and foremost. The special two-hour event should have been the episode that included the return of Martha Kent and Perry White, with Clark at the center of the storyline. Now, that would be a nice reward for long-time fans of the show! Unfortunately, it feels as though the Smallville writers have lost sight of the purpose of this show. Are there any writers who are interested in writing for Clark Kent?

Tom's Performance: For "Society" Tom did a good job in expressing curiosity and compassion as he investigated the background of the Justice Society members in "Society". He had the presence and demeanor of a young Superman in all of his scenes. And, of course, he looked absolutely gorgeous.

The Good

Clark Kent Investigating the Justice Society: Clark proactively investigated the background and the origins of the Justice Society (JSA) members. He was the one who first realized that the members of the Justice Society were not really criminals. However, he was still taking guidance from Chloe as Watchtower. If Clark is to be the future leader of the Justice League, viewers need to see him providing the guidance for the team.

Superman References: There were several Superman references and anvils about Clark's future role in both "Society" and Legends". Here are some of the references from part one. Chloe said: "This is a job for Clark Kent"; Dr. Fate saw Superman's cape in his first encounter with Clark (the same scene from "Hereafter") and Dr. Fate said: "Your fate is utterly binding, you are of value Clark Kent".

Other Comics References: There were also several non-Superman comics references in both "Society" and "Legends". Here are some of the references in part one: Oliver mentioned e-mailing Black Canary, who will be his future wife; some JSA artifacts including the Flash's helmet; Green Lantern's ring; Hawkgirl's helmet; and Dr. Fate's helmet; Martian Manhunter (MM) wore purple, and a green shirt with red suspenders; and there was also the red, white and blue outfit of the Star Spangled Kid.

Director Glen Winter and Special Effects: Winter did a great job in creating a comics feel to this episode. The pacing was good, and the special effects were also good. Some of the scenes that stood out in relation to directing and special effects included: the fight between Icicle and Sylvester Pemberton (Star Spangled Kid), shown from Chloe's perspective in the trash bin; Pemberton's dying breath about "Check"; Sandman's (Wesley Dodd's) dream about his own death at Icicle's hand; the black-and-white flashbacks of the arrests of the JSA members; and the sequence when Dr. Kent Nelson (Dr. Fate) putting on the helmet. Nelson's whole demeanor changed, including his voice, his costume and his attitude.

Good Performances by Guest Stars: The guest stars did a good job, including Brent Stait as Dr. Fate; Michael Shanks as Hawkman; Britt Irvin as Star Girl; and Wesley Macinnes as Icicle. Was Shanks paying homage to Bale's Batman with his hoarse voice?

Mixed Reactions

Clark and Carter Hall: There was good chemistry between these two actors. Since Hawkman was the past leader of the JSA and Clark is the future leader of the Justice League (JL), there should have been more scenes with these two characters.

Hawkman flying: Although the special effects were good for Hawkman flying, this Superman fan is tired of watching other characters fly on Smallville other than Clark.

Clark and Chloe: While it was good to watch Clark and Chloe work together again, the issues in their friendship have still not been addressed. Why wasn't there a scene between Clark and Chloe that discussed these issues, and that also addressed their loyalty to each other as close friends?

Chloe's Fate: Dr. Fate shared a cryptic message about Chloe's fate: "But, you, you walk the same path I do, Chloe Sullivan". Does this mean that Chloe will walk the fine line into insanity by wanting to know too much? Or, does this mean that Chloe will die protecting someone like Clark instead? Hopefully, it doesn't meant that Chloe will die protecting Clark. We don't need another martyr as part of Clark's story.

Writer Geoff Johns: Johns is a talented writer, but he doesn't seem to be very interested in writing for Clark Kent. Hopefully, if Johns writes another episode for Smallville, it will be a Clark-centric episode that focuses on a significant event or milestone in Clark's journey.

The Bad

Villain Icicle: Even though Macinnes did a good job, Icicle just didn't seem very dangerous. Clark should have been able to stop him all by himself. It would have also been cool to watch Clark fight him, using his super breath and ice breath.

Special Effects for Guest Stars: The bulk of the special effects budget was used for the guest stars, such as Hawkman flying and Dr. Fate putting on his helmet. Clark was again mostly ignored, and only got to use heat vision on Icicle. Even the reference to his future role as Superman was the use of an old scene of the cape flowing in the wind from "hereafter". This was the episode that should have shown Clark using all of his abilities, bringing these two groups together, and showcasing his leadership skills.

My rating? I give "Society" 3 out of 5 stars.

Please join in the discussion of "Absolute Justice" by clicking HERE