Chapter 112: The Critic's Perspective

"Alright, shall we go now?"

Stan Lee slowly got up, ready to pack his things and head to Marvel Studios.

"No rush, old man. I'll rent a house for you near the company, and as for your salary, how does a yearly salary of $500,000 sound? Any problems with that?"

Stan Lee was a decisive old man, and after agreeing to Kevin's request, he immediately wanted to start working at Marvel. However, Kevin stopped him.

Kevin was willing to provide Stan Lee with all the benefits he could offer for someone of his age. He would rent a house near the company, provide him with a sufficient salary, and even arrange a dedicated doctor for him. The working hours would not be too long either. Of course, with Kevin's knowledge from his previous life, he knew that Stan Lee was still in good health.

With proper care, barring any unforeseen circumstances, Stan Lee could live for another twenty years or more. This amount of time was enough to fully realize a more perfected and eye-catching Marvel Cinematic Universe than in the previous life.

"Thank you, Kevin."

Stan Lee could clearly sense Kevin's sincerity. Being able to do what he loved, witness his dreams come to life on the big screen, and make money in the process—Kevin's offer was truly appreciated.

Stan Lee made up his mind to do his best to create a well-developed and exceptional Marvel Universe.

...

2 / 2

Kevin made another appointment with Stan Lee for the time when someone would come to pick him up. Afterward, Kevin drove to the University of Southern California once again.

He was looking for someone who was extremely important to Marvel, the former president of Marvel in its original history—Kevin Feige.

As a fan of both Marvel and DC, Kevin was well-informed about various people and events related to both. Among them, Kevin Feige's background happened to be something Kevin knew about. Moreover, Kevin Feige and he had an interesting connection—they shared the same first name, Kevin, and they were both students at the University of Southern California, with Kevin Feige being his junior.

If Kevin could bring him into the Marvel fold early on, it would undoubtedly help alleviate Kevin's workload to a great extent.

...

Meanwhile, inside Warner Screening Room.

The movie had reached the pivotal point in The Dark Knight, where the Joker and Batman engage in their ultimate confrontation, testing the limits of human nature.

The Joker had planned to blow up a major bridge in Gotham City, and this news had sparked panic among the city's authorities. In order to protect the citizens, they decided to separate the civilians and the criminals onto two separate boats, hoping to prevent harm from coming to either side at the hands of the Joker.

Little did they know, this was precisely what the Joker had hoped for. He had secretly planted explosives on both boats in advance.

As the tension mounted, the Joker handed out two remote controls to the individuals on each boat, informing them that if they detonated the other boat, their own would be spared. Otherwise, both boats would explode in one hour, killing everyone on board.

Faced with this test of human nature, the people on both boats wrestled with the decision of whether to press the button. However, after much contemplation, the light of humanity shone through, and both sides chose not to press the button. They would rather have the other boat press it than become murderers themselves.

The outcome seemed to be that the Joker would press the button, causing both boats to explode and killing everyone on board.

At this critical moment, Batman used his sonar device to locate the Joker, apprehending him and saving the people on both boats.

However, the captured Joker revealed a triumphant smile.

Harvey Dent, Gotham City's symbol of hope and justice in Batman's eyes, was coerced by the Joker and turned into a criminal in the name of revenge. On the verge of mental collapse, he was on the brink of becoming a supervillain.

In this situation, Batman made a resolute decision and chose to shoulder the blame for Dent's crimes, becoming a wanted criminal in Gotham City.

From that point on, Batman carried the stigma of a criminal, like a knight in the darkness, protecting Gotham City.

The movie ended with this portrayal.

...

The film critics were still immersed in the impact brought by The Dark Knight, unwilling to leave their seats until the end of the closing credits. Only then did they stand up one by one.

This superhero movie, which combines artistry and commercial appeal, completely struck a chord with the critics.

"Good movie, a truly good movie," one critic couldn't help but say.

His words immediately garnered nods of agreement from others, who expressed their approval of his opinion.

Film critics are also human beings, and they have their own preferences. In theory, their knowledge and intellectual level should make them more inclined towards art films. Unfortunately, humans are inherently creatures that seek emotional satisfaction. Therefore, movies that successfully blend commercial and artistic elements are the ones they enjoy the most.

Although The Dark Knight received positive reviews from the majority of film critics, there were always some who nitpicked.

An old Caucasian man stood up again, shaking his head and adopting an air of superiority, saying, "This film still places too much emphasis on commercialism. If it could delve deeper into the exploration of human nature, it would be better to show the ugliness of humanity by having the criminals on one of the boats press the button and blow up the other boat. That would give the film more depth..."

While the old man continued to ramble, other film critics involuntarily distanced themselves from him. Most of them knew their role was merely to praise films for money, rather than engage in genuine discussions about them. If they truly acted like they were important figures...

Film studios wouldn't hesitate to cut ties with them.

The words of the old man reached the ears of a Warner Bros. executive who was also present in the theater, causing a displeased expression to appear on his face. He exchanged a few words with the security guard next to him, and soon the guard approached the old man.