I really enjoyed Vixen’s second and third acts. I think that the action and excitement of the character kick it into fifth gear in the last half of the film. It’s as if the writers really enjoyed that final piece more than they enjoyed the origin and initial development in the first act, which is a shame because this movie could have been something special. There are certainly some better DC animated films out there, but Vixen is a decent DC film that should launch the character’s presence a bit more in the overall DC animated universe. Hopefully WB continues with her because she is pretty damn cool. Maybe she’ll get a movie of her own. One can hope.
Fun film, but could have been put together a little bit better.
Official Synopsis
Originally from Africa, Mari McCabe grew up an orphan after her parents were killed by local greed, corruption and wanton violence. But Mari refuses to succumb to the terrors surrounding her. Inheriting her family’s Tantu Totem, Mari can access the powers of animals – anything from the strength of a gorilla to the speed of a cheetah. As Vixen, she fights valiantly to protect the world from threats like those that claimed her family.
First and foremost before we get started, I absolutely love the concept behind Vixen. I think her as a superhero is pretty powerful on multiple levels and brings about some new diversity in the DC animation universe that it is sorely lacking. Her persona is intriguing, addictive, inspriing and a welcomed addition into the DC animated family.
While her comic book persona appeared throughout the DC universe for several decades, the most recent hitting in 2008, I think Vixen’s first animated film had some hit and miss elements to it. The hit part revolved around the character’s struggle to find her purpose, sense of self and her coming to terms with what she must do to control her own powers. That struggle with all three attributes represented the first act of Vixen, where her origin was laid out in pieces.
The first part of Vixen’s origin focuses on her confusion in life, where she feels like she is a wandering, out of place soul on a deserted plane. Establishing that ‘coming of age’ element in the first act works with developing a character properly, and does well with introducing Vixen, the father who adopted her and the city she feels closely connected to protecting (Detroit). It’s all very well done and a perfect primer to potential action later on.
From there, the story moves on to her acquiring a special totem necklace that gives Vixen her powers, as well as opens up her origin and adds into the mix a family she never knew. This takes a good chunk of the first act and also brings to light a sister that is hellbent on revenge for not being able to protect her village from destruction in Africa, even if that revenge spills over into killing her own sister. While certainly adding some context to Vixen’s past and certainly some much needed exposition about Vixen’s sister’s bitterness, when pieced together with her initial introduction the bridge seems built too quick and without much purpose. There’s no smooth transition between the two different items — coming of age simply does not fit with Vixen’s past. It almost feels forced.
And it doesn’t get better when connecting the last part of act one.
The last part of the act is dedicated to Vixen finding help to refine her newly formed powers through an old flame of her father’s, who happens to run a zoo. That helpful person leads Vixen in shaping her powers and finding out a better way to control them, so that she can protect her village of Detroit. Again, the moment established for her to work things out with her new powers is great, as is the zoo keeper, and this part of act one works well on its own, but the connection between what happens with her and her sister is just absolutely out of place when joined to this particular part of the act. It’s like they were different parts that had to be put together, but the story just didn’t find a connection to make that feel smooth/proper. Either there wasn’t enough time or enough effort, respectfully, as the moment by itself was nice, but the development to and from really needed a reason to connect. She leaves her sister injured in the part of the act prior to her focusing on becoming a better superhero, but doesn’t really explain how the two parts piece together. It’s a bit messy. If the writers had enough time to put the pieces together properly, then maybe it would feel so awkward, but it is what it is.
After Vixen’s initial introduction in act one, act two begins to roll with Vixen becoming Detroit’s permanent superhero in-resident, which includes protecting the innocent of the city from criminals. It also introduces the crux of the animated movie, which is Zambesi elemental soul crystals (fire, water, wind and earth) that worked together with Vixen’s totem to protect her village in Africa. Of course, introducing such things means that we’re introduced to the true villain of the story, Benatu Eshu, whom seems hellbent on re-acquiring the fire crystal to rain down death and destruction on those who oppose him, which include Vixen. When Benatu finds the fire crystal in Detroit, thanks in part to Vixen’s university friend, Professor Macalester, who brings it back for display, things get violent quick. The reason why Eshu wants the crystal is because he is the man who led the destruction of Vixen’s village in Africa and he wishes to finish the job, thus also acquiring her totem. Vixen does her best to try and stop him, but ends up having to retreat and find a new route, maybe with friends who were once enemies. Act two ends with Vixen getting help from other DC superheroes, as well as her sister, whom she defeated in act one to acquire the totem necklace (again).
The second act does a smoother job with both character and story progression. Its connection with the end of the first act is more solid than the origin pieces (the three previous discussed) in act one. It also actually starts to develop Vixen’s personality a bit better and gives her a little bit more purpose as a superhero. The introduction of Benatu, while skimpy in some areas, still makes for a terrifying villain, especially when you see how he acquires the fire crystal. He defines himself as ruthless. His motivation to kill Vixen are genuine and his entire motivation makes sense within the storyline built for it.
Now, from there, the final act of the film has Vixen and crew take on Benatu, which makes from some great action sequences, if not enormously violent ones. The final result of the fight is something you’re going to have to discover on your own, but rest assure that the second and third acts are much better connected and written than the first act as a whole. Again, you’ll have to see for yourself.
Overall, I really enjoyed Vixen’s second and third acts. I think that the action and excitement of the character kick it into fifth gear in the last half of the film. It’s as if the writers really enjoyed that final piece more than they enjoyed the origin and initial development in the first act, which is a shame because this movie could have been something special. There are certainly some better DC animated films out there, but Vixen is a decent DC film that should launch the character’s presence a bit more in the overall DC animated universe. Hopefully WB continues with her because she is pretty damn cool. Maybe she’ll get a movie of her own. One can hope.
Along with this feature, you also get the follow special features:
• Vixen: Spirit Animal featurette
• Bruce Timm’s Top Picks:
o Episode from Justice League Unlimited, “Hunter’s Moon”
o Episode from Justice League Unlimited, “Grudge Match”
Good stuff overall that help the movie out a bit.
