“Morbius” received the second-lowest CinemaScore for any Marvel movie made. Many critics think the movie is clichéd, generic and lacks emotional impact. Fans think the movie is action-packed and full of suspense, featuring an in-depth main character.
“Morbius” tells the tragic story of one of the most conflicted yet compelling antiheroes in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Dr. Morbius, played by Jared Leto, was born with a rare blood disease and does everything in his power to save others from the same fate — even if that means participating in unethical experiments. In an attempt to save himself and others, he fused his DNA with a bat’s. This not only cured him of his disease but also gave him super speed, super strength and echolocation abilities. But his newfound powers came with a downfall: an unquenchable appetite for blood.
Many suspenseful and enjoyable scenes result from excellent cinematography and editing. Unlike most Marvel movies, the mood of “Morbius” is dark and grim, conveying a harsh tone and tragic theme.
A controversy has arisen over Leto’s method acting. Method acting is a technique of acting that encourages actors to perform more realistically by understanding and experiencing the character’s emotions and motivations. Some people said his acting came off as self-centered and boring, but his acting truly captures the character. Morbius himself is ridden with flaws and pride. For example, in one of the first few scenes, Morbius rejects the Nobel Prize he has just won. Morbius grew up knowing that he was different and would someday die. Leto’s acting captures the character so well that viewers could forget he was acting.
Still, audiences can become disoriented and confused amid the many unintegrated scenes. For a movie that lasted one hour and 44 minutes, its ambitious plot wound up achieving very little. The story did not allow the audience to develop an emotional attachment with the characters; when characters died, the story simply moved on.
Despite these structural flaws, the overall concept, setting and characters propelled the movie wonderfully. It’s not often that viewers find themselves rooting for a character who does so many bad things. Yet, throughout the movie, Morbius’ motives are clear. Even if his ways of getting what he wants aren’t exactly ethical, the reasons were always understandable.
Antiheroes are protagonists who don’t have the traditional hero qualities such as courage, morality or idealism. Some famous examples of antiheroes are Severus Snape, Loki and the Suicide Squad. In recent media, antihero popularity has taken off. Although viewers don’t always agree with the antihero’s method of doing things or support their values and beliefs, they can be enticed by the antihero’s charisma, sense of humor, intelligence or just their style and expression. Another reason for the rise of antiheroes is how different they are from normal heroes. There are so many different types of unique and interesting antiheroes, each with their own charm that pulls viewers in and makes them want to support them, even if their actions aren’t always right. Dr. Morbius is a perfect example of an antihero. He walks the line between a hero and a villain, being neither yet both at the same time.
In short, “Morbius” is a lot better of a movie than critics give it credit for. There are flaws in the movie, and the movie lacks an emotional aspect that many audiences look out for. Despite that, the main character is fascinating and not similar to what most people would expect. The concept of the character and movie are both interesting, and it’s exciting to see where Dr. Morbius goes and how he fits into the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the future.
