Tag Archives: Marvel

Avengers: Age of Ultron {Film Review}

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One of the most anticipated movies of the summer has finally hit cinemas and anticipation would be an understatement. After the release of both Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Guardians of the Galaxy last year, both fans and general audiences were expecting this 11th entry in Marvel Cinematic Universe to top everything off.

After the events of The Winter Soldier, The Avengers (consists of Steve Rogers/Captain America (Chris Evans), Tony Stark/Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Bruce Banner/Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) and Clint Barton/Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner)) pursue the last HYDRA commander, Baron Wolfgang von Strucker (Thomas Kretschmann). However, they also come across Strucker’s experiments with the twins, Pietro Maximoff/Quicksilver (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) (changed from being mutants and Magneto’s children to experiments, due to 20th Century Fox owning rights to X-Men). Stark starts thinking about retiring from being Iron Man and starts creating, along with Banner, a new set of A.I. drones to tackle future threats (even extraterrestrial). Thus Ultron (James Spader) is born but doesn’t pan out as expected. Like a new child, he quickly takes action by having one primary goal; human extinction.

avengers_age_of_ultron_ver11_xlgThe movie doesn’t waste any time setting things up (if you haven’t been following the events from previous movies, good luck) and we’re straight into our first big action set-piece. It may feel a little rushed at times but it all flows seamlessly together. The whole MCU is already established at this point, though the few scenes where it takes a break from the action is one of the highlights. The entire cast fits into their characters like a glove, fully adjusting to their roles that we’ve been following since 2008. It completely shows their camaraderie as working in a team, as what made The Avengers such a treat to watch. Their witty banter and emotional connection are probably one of the most compelling moments in this movie (especially a running gag with Rogers and the team). We’re even given more back-story to Barton and Romanoff, which fleshed out their characters in a huge way than before. Both Maximoff twins are a welcome addition, giving Avengers an extra challenge to tackle. Wanda uses her hypnosis to bring out the team’s fears, thus adding a human layer to their characterisation.There are a few additional characters put into the mix (Andy Serkis as Ulysses Klaue to name one of many and antagonist for future Black Panther film) and may feel a little much to take all in but you tend to go along with the ride. Though it’s James Spader who steals the spot-light and he’s the most charismatic and intimidating villain since Loki. His introduction is undeniably gripping and quite spine-chilling with his speech towards the Avengers. He observes the world with childlike perception, slowly growing incredibly intellectual but also persistent on bringing total destruction on a global scale.

Writer/director Joss Whedon may excel on delivering wisecracks here and there but doesn’t fall short of the spectacle and there’s plenty of that on display! The creative fight combos between the heroes (mainly from Captain America and Thor) shows their ability to work as a team. The Hulkbuster vs Hulk scene was incredibly entertaining to watch, yet follows Man of Steel’s complete utter city destruction (may not be on the same scale but comes close). The design of Ultron is pretty much a Terminator pumped with steroids but given a face similar to Michael Bay’s Transformers movies. Given a lot to deliver expressions from the face with Spader also providing motion-capture performance. Although Quicksilver was the scene-stealer from X-Men: Days of Future Past, this portrayal of Quicksilver is just as creative and does convey his intense speed through-out the movie. Brian Tyler and Danny Elfman’s score gets you pumped for rooting our heroes but also delivering the right emotional notes during such scenes with our characters.

Overall; one of the best entries in the series. It somewhat surpasses the sequel on expanding the MCU series but also fleshing out our protagonist’s and making it worth investing from beginning to end. Joss Whedon makes his last outing with Marvel a bang and has given us a fantastic villain with Ultron. Next up, Ant-Man.

5 out of 5

p.s. Stay for a mid-credits scene, though you probably were ready to do that anyways.

Female Superheroes… Why has Hollywood gotten it wrong??

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The geek in me wants to write 100,000 and the human in me is not going to allow it… well, we’ll see!

OK, what am I talking about and where is the evidence? Sometimes the lack of evidence IS the evidence! For instance, how many superheroes can you name and how many of those are female? If you know a few… how many of those have had a film role? Now share you list with someone other than your best friend and social circle and see if they have heard of any of the people you’re talking about and if they have seen those films!

Let’s see…  we have Red Sonja… Yes, she is a female comic character, so all those from the 80’s, you can dust of your VHS and claim that one for the ladies! You can have Wonder Woman too… although the film was only a TV film, which sort of counts… Supergirl, although, it is sometimes painful to recollect that movie. Batgirl… short lived, as it was and bad as a franchise, let alone a film. Invisible Woman… yes, forgetting that movie too. And of late, we have Black Widow! Now, there are few I have left out because I would need most of the article to explain the what’s and where and trust me, we have a lot to discuss! OK then… just a quick overlay.

Brigitte Nielsen

Brigitte Nielsen

Alicia Silverstone

Alicia Silverstone

Helen Slater

Helen Slater

X-men has so many swap overs that you have to know your characters to know if they are good, or bad. Storm was a thief, a princess, leader of an underground mutant outcasts and if I brought you up-to-date, there would be a geek uberfest in whether she is good, bad, or just a fence sitter, so just on that character alone, you can imagine if I began to discuss the others that would be where I lose those who actually wanted to know why I am pointing a finger.

So, how did we get to finally have the point where Marvel and DC have a major hold in Hollywood productions and kids actually know what they are all talking about when you mention current super heroes and the many characters that have been around as early as the 1940’s, so it is not a modern thing, by any means.

I think the best way to describe it is that the characters have been diluted! Many nuances, flaws, personalities are there for what Hollywood thinks we want, rather than going with a tried and tested version. It’s like they could not even be bothered to do the homework and make the character an actual iconic figure, except we get one that has been… well, watered down!

So let’s take an example… Gal Gadot is due to play Wonder Woman (which has seemingly been moved to 2016) and the amount of brouhaha that her appointment to the role brought! Believe it, or not, the whole thing was misinterpreted from comic to actress and from the fans. The character is an Amazonian from Themyscira and she is a warrior that is far more advanced than their island suggests. Her persona is dour, yet adaptive to many situation and has never seen a man before their intrusion and always taught never to trust them, so she is naturally brash! Her body type is well toned and a well honed fighter in weapons, hand-to-hand combat and battlefield strategy. Her presence is imposing and can move a room to silence without saying a word. Amazing acrobatic skills, horse riding, aircraft flying and adaptive to ones she has never flown before.

Wonder Woman/Gal Gadot

Wonder Woman/Gal Gadot

Now whilst Hollywood can do most things to make her character stand out and be nearly all the thing on paper… The fans knew that the moment they chose someone of Gadot’s stature, Hollywood will definitely, almost certainly and royally mess it up! The stats are wrong for the body type in height and stature, but given the time now added onto the movie it will be good enough for the build and maybe the other actors will be short enough to give the illusion of her height.

Also the uproar from the fans made Gadot retort and now there is already friction between the die hards and the actress. Granted, she is expected to stand her ground, but the problem is that her speech is not to those for whom decades of collecting and admiring Wonder Woman is their life and passion, but for those that don’t exist! By that I mean that the fans have more knowledge on Wonder Woman than Gadot had given them credit and so it was badly received and likely to have an impact on those that may gone to see it, but will dig their heels and not even entertain it. Trust me; I had a discussion lasting all day on this very subject when it broke!

It doesn’t look good, already we have the future foreboding… how about a present one? Black Widow! Many fans were so excited, that I cannot put into “Safe For Work” terms how much so. However, whilst Scarlett Johansson did the best with what they gave her, she had to up it for Avengers, as they took note of a huge backlash at tepid version on Ironman 2 and made her more character savvy. All they have to do now is give her the right weapons and it will be a complete character. Black Widow is now a character accepted by the masses and her memorabilia is flying off the shelves, which make money for the studios (Hence why they were snapped up by Disney) and more pot to play with for the next film.

Scarlett Johansson

Scarlett Johansson

Now one from the past, but we don’t need to look too far back… Invisible Woman should be as far as we need travel. Jessica Alba was not the obvious choice, but a name all men and women would want to see! When the Fantastic Four finally made it on to our screens it was very lukewarm… and that is no pun intended. As aggressive as Sue Storm (Invisible Woman’s name) is, she loves and adores Reed (her husband-to-be) and so their relationship is not really all that believable. In actuality, her hidden frustrations were not what should activate the power, but give her more believable control over it! Truth is, is that when her raw power is compared to the others, she is the strongest! Even before she learned what to do. Her character was very uneven and bring her into the Hollywood limelight was probably more frightening than the character portrayed in the film! So, when the sequel came out many had hoped for a better Woman, but it was as though they thought people would be duped twice and when people found out, they just didn’t go to see it, or pay for the DVD! Not Jessica’s fault, as the whole film was bad and Chris Evans went on to be Captain America without even as much as a blemish from his previous role.

Jessica Alba

Jessica Alba

We get to the part where I ask, “Why have we got so little in the way of female superheroes”? If you knew how many powerful and amazing characters they have to choose from, it would be an argument to say they are spoilt for choice! I personally think that considering the male dominance, they truly lack the testes to get a movie out there! It is not hard, sorry about that, but it for some reason we are still driven by egocentric rich alphas that have no clue what really goes on outside their little bubble. A wealth of life and diversity has more than enough room for a female superhero role model.

By Miku Nyan aka Protokitty

By Miku Nyan aka Protokitty

However, they made 3 different versions of Hulk to get to the current one… but how many people know the Hulk has a cousin that is also infected with his blood, but is far sassier and more of a character than her screaming & destructive elder cousin? Jennifer Walters and she is an attorney with a diminutive stature (in human form) and would easily be considered the girl next door! She stays smart and is far more outgoing in her Hulk form, but doesn’t shy away from a fight. She is far more interesting as a character then Bruce Banner, but she has never even made it to be a consideration of female superheroes. I digress, there are female superheroes that are not just a distaff and are more than Hollywood has even bothered to entertain.

I could go on and on with example after example and all are heroes and all are worth their merit, but it seems Black Widow would be flying the flag for 21st century female superheroes and you will have to wait a couple more years for Wonder Woman.

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 {Film Review}

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* WARNING! Does contain spoilers *

It has been exactly ten years since Sam Raimi released the first sequel to his 2002 hit, Spider-Man 2. I remember the movie being incredibly fun but also can see and feel the passion behind it. Now it is Marc Webb’s turn with his The Amazing Spider-Man series that we got our first glimpse in 2012 (which resulted to mixed reactions).

 

Andrew Garfield returns as Peter Parker/Spider-Man, continuing his duty help New York City being crime free. While also struggling to keep a promise from Gwen Stacy’s (Emma Stone) father to stay from harm’s way. It’s nice to see him doing more than catching thieves, like stopping a bunch of bullies and walking bullied kid back home. The chemistry between Garfield and Stone are cute and affectionate but all feel contrived to have Peter have another conflict on his plate. The scenes between Peter and Aunt May (Sally Field) are humorous to some level but, again, all feel superfluous (I mean, she seriously can’t tell there isn’t anything going on with Peter from having a dirty face and having the excuse “I was cleaning the chimney”, she catches that by saying “we don’t have a chimney” and he acts flabbergasted?) Star Trek and Transformers writers Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci were brought in to redraft the script, thus does comes across the movie having way too many cooks. The movie is unfocused with what it really should be and that’s giving a different take of the story but it is more interested on what it is setting up (i.e. the Sinister Six for the most part). More evidence the movie was unfocused was when they shot scenes with Shailene Woodley as Mary Jane Watson but cut them out as they felt it was overstuffed (definitely can tell when watching the final cut).

 

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The villains in this movie is quite embarrassing, trying to give dramatic weight but it all comes flat. Max Dillon / Electro (Jamie Foxx) is basically another fan of the main protagonist but feels betrayed and becomes the villain (similar to Batman Forever and Iron Man 3). Paul Giamatti as Aleksei Sytsevich (though everyone will just remember him as The Rhino) is wasted as he just shouts his lines in a hammy Russian accent and only becomes his alter-ego in the last 5-10 minutes of the movies. Dane De Haan as Harry Osborn is a character that would’ve been beneficial if introduced in the previous movie but felt forced into the movie as if he was put in at the last second (like Venom in Spider-Man 3). Having both Peter and Harry talk about their backstory on their childhood memories all felt forced and empty. All these villains have one purpose; world building and setting up for Sony’s planned sequels and spin-offs. That may be all well and good but doesn’t give us time to care about the story and characters if they’re not fully developed enough. Also Martin Csokas as Dr. Ashley Kafka seemed he came out from auditioning as titular character in Dr. Strangelove but needed a moustache to twirl as he was comically villainous (both Giamatti and Csokas really do feel out of place from its grounded setting and tone).

 

The action sequences are well choreographed and probably the best Spider-Man swinging sequences since Spider-Man 2. The Green Goblin character in particular may have made Dane DeHaan look creepy but the design looked lazy and plain compared the look in the comic books. Electro was probably the most interesting looking villain in the series, which I give credit to the visual effects team at Sony Imageworks. Hans Zimmer scores another comic book blockbuster and it is relatively creative (the idea of using dubstep style music for Electro felt cringe-worthy but it fitted the character). Though one particular set-piece that had similar affect in Spider-Man 3 was Spider-Man and Green Goblin fight and felt it wasn’t given a lot of thought. The only reason this was included so we would have the famous Gwen Stacy death scene that Spider-Man/comic book fans are very familiar with. It comes off the filmmakers felt they were obligated to include this scene (same way audiences would expect Breaking the Bat scene in The Dark Knight Rises). It should’ve come across being shocking but it was predictable and makes this emotional scene fail on all aspects.

 

Overall; this movie is just a product so Sony can keep the rights to Spider-Man rather than revert it back to Marvel. The leads may be charismatic and production value is all there but the movie feels empty underneath its shiny surface (not since Iron Man 2).

 

2 out of 5

Captain America: The Winter Soldier Review

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There was an air of excitement at the Odean, Leicester Square in London as we waited to watch the new Captain America Film, Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

After the excellent trailers for Guardians of The Universe and Maleficent the film started and we all put on our 3D glasses. The film starts well, set after the cataclysmic events in New York with The Avengers, Steve Rogers, aka Captain America, is living quietly in Washington, D.C. and adjusting to a modern world. He is treated like a hero but remains modest and decent, despite being able to jump out of a plane without a parachute.

At the beginning of the film Captain America, along with the Black Widow, rescue some S.H.I.E.L.D colleagues from a hostage situation, but it is the start of something bigger. Captain America is forced to join forces with the Black Widow and new character, The Falcon, as a terrible conspiracy comes to light. Something Nick Fury (a brilliant character and as excellent as ever) has had suspicions about. To top it all off they have a hardcore assassin on their tail: the Winter Soldier. He has had thousands of kills and always finishes his mission. Will the Captain and his team break his winning streak?

Captain-America-Winter-Soldier-poster

This film is my favourite Marvel film. Quite a recommendation considering I love a good Hollywood blockbuster. The action scenes- and in particular a car chase that I don’t want to give anything away about- are just stunning and imaginative. This film really brings something new to the game, and ups the stakes while it’s at it. The script is amazing, the actions scenes are great. In fact, the film just fires on all cylinders.

The characters are equally brilliant and I love the decency and genuineness of Captain America. He is a superhero and a good person to boot.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier is a brilliant movie. I really enjoyed it and want to see it again. Can’t wait for the next installment either. I would give this film a full five stars. Great entertainment.

Directors: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
Running time: 136 minutes

In cinemas March 26

Thor: The Dark World {Film Review}

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With Iron Man 3 and The Wolverine out of the way, it is now the God of Thunder’s turn to shine from Marvel. Set straight after the events from The Avengers, Loki (Tom Hiddleston) is a prisoner of Asgard and Thor (Chris Hemsworth) is busy keeping order to the Nine Realms. Though this all comes after a (rather obligatory and unneeded) opening with Anthony Hopkins’ Odin providing a voice-over. We’re introduced to Malekith (Christopher Eccleston), leader of the dark elves who has been searching a dark force called the Aether. Though defeated by Odin’s father, he and his army have escape and wait while in hibernated suspension till the Aether has been recovered.

 

Thor isn’t an easy character to be taken seriously, he is also the least relatable character out of The Avengers (he is a God after all). Kenneth Branagh succeeded on bringing Thor to life in 2011 but also handling the character with such sophistication (having adapted William Shakespeare’s plays helps). Director Alan Taylor now takes rein of the sequel and it’s not surprising with his previous credits (The Sopranos, Game of Thrones etc.) that he was a fitting choice. Though the big question was where do you take the story after Thor and The Avengers? Quite simply, you amp up the scale!

Thor - The Dark World

 

Chris Hemsworth returns as Thor and he delivers such charismatic charm. As said before, he may not be relatable but being likeable makes a huge difference if we’re going to be rooting for him. He continues to grow valiant and noble, even taking huge risks that not only will cost lives but their loyalty to his father and to Asgard. Sif (Jaimie Alexander) and the Warriors Three (Fandral (Zachary Levi), Hogun (Tadanobu Asano) and Volstagg (Ray Stevenson)) all return to bring their support (even if they’re given little to do). Anthony Hopkins makes a commanding presence as Odin, though he also can’t help but camp it up at times. Frigga finally has more to do and say this time round, making up for her lack of presence in the first movie. Though the character of Jane Foster is the most frustrating, mainly because she’s such an uninteresting character and is, ultimately, a damsel-in-distress. As Darcy (Kat Dennings) mentions that she’s been constantly looking for Thor but also eating her feelings away with ice cream in her pyjamas. I understand you were swooned by a God and see him in New York battling aliens but she’s such a pathetic character to even remotely worry for her when she’s in peril (no wonder Natalie Portman doesn’t talk about her much because there’s not much to talk about). Stellan Skarsgård as Erik Selvig and Kat Dennings’ Darcy are the supplemental comedy reliefs, though their scenes does come across being desperate comedy.

 

Christopher Eccleston’s Malekith brings menace but he’s unfortunately another weak Marvel villain (along with Mandarin in Iron Man 3). His motive is simply to bring darkness to the universe, yet it isn’t as threatening as it should be and comes out being one-dimensional. At least with General Zod in Man of Steel, you understand the reason for his motives despite the extremes he will take to achieve them. Though the highlight is Tom Hiddleston as Loki, he absolutely takes this opportunity to go all out and have fun. The scene between Thor and Loki are very funny, exchanging witty comebacks and sarcastic remarks on each other. Though underneath this comedic bantering, there’s an emotional core and you become attached to these two. There are a few cameos that many will enjoy, though one in particular will have scratching their heads on who he is and what relevance has he to do with Marvel’s Cinematic Universe. Oh and Stan Lee makes his appearance of course.

 

This movie has certainly been given a huge make-over since the first movie. Marvel was keeping it safe by having the budget moderately low in the first movie, they now give Taylor an arsenal to expand the Thor universe. The majority of this movie takes place in Asgard or Svartalfheim and really brings the sci-fi/fantasy settings to great use. It does contain some beautiful imagery (Asgard looks alive and robust, even aerial shots of Malekith’s ship floating in space). With the mix of fantasy and sci-fi, the movie does give the audience a task to just roll with it but manages to pull it off. The final climactic battle between Thor and Malekith is short but not excessive enough to keep it from being exciting and creative (something Zack Snyder should have done with Man of Steel).

Overall: Thor’s second entry is great fun and Taylor has continued to bring sophistication but also confidence to the character. Doesn’t exceed to greatness but it does whet movie-goers appetites for Marvel’s next outing with Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Guardians of the Galaxy next year.

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The Amazing Spider-Man {Film Review}

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*WARNING! MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS!*

Five years since Spider-Man 3, the last of Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy and now we have The Amazing Spider-Man. The proposed new Spider-Man series that was originally going to be the fourth Spider-Man movie but both Sam Raimi and Tobey Maguire dropped out and Marvel decided to reboot it. We now have Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker / Spider-Man, Martin Sheen and Sally Field as Uncle Ben and Aunt May but we have now a few characters that were introduced in the previous movies; Emma Stone as Gwen Stacy, Denis Leary as Captain Stacy and Rhys Ifans as Dr. Curt Connors / The Lizard. The weird choice was giving Marc Webb the director’s chair, his only previous credits was 500 Days of Summer, he has dealt with drama and comedy but action was something he’s diving in first time.

This movie takes us back once again to the origins of Spider-Man, except it takes us to a different way that doesn’t all feel deja vu. We’re actually introduced to Peter’s parents, they leave him to his aunt and uncle. Though his parents die from a plane accident and Peter grows up during his childhood and teenage years orphaned. He eventually comes across his dad’s belongings in a briefcase, inside he finds some papers and a photo of his dad and Dr. Connors. So he goes to OsCorp (pretending to be one of the interns) and meets Dr. Connors. Though he goes off to a restricted area and eventually gets bitten by the inevitable spider. Thus slowly becoming the web-slinger we all know and love (cue montage on having some hijinks and learning some new acrobatic skills). Meanwhile, Peter solves the algorithm his dad started and shows it to Connors and that leads to Connors using that algorithm to create a serum to regenerate limbs.

The story works well for newcomers but also makes it fresh for those who are already familiar with the character (from comics, movies etc.). Andrew Garfield really does play the character well and gets the classic prankster Spider-Man some already know (the scene where he plays around with a car thief). It also displays Peter Parker’s smarts, where we get to see him creating the classic web-shooters (though how does he get a hold of those web cartridges?). What’s also great about Garfield’s portrayal is there is a difference between Peter Parker and Spider-Man; Peter Parker is more reserved but not afraid to stand up for himself, whilst Spider-Man is wacky and gets his enemies off-guard by making wise-cracks. Gwen Stacy finally gets more meat to the character, as she was poorly written in Spider-Man 3. Emma Stone plays the character strong willed and not being a damsel in distress (which is a nice change considering Mary Jane Watson kept getting saved in every movie). The chemistry between Garfield and Stone is actually really great, they couldn’t do better awkward hallway talk then they just did. This is all credit to director Marc Webb, as mentioned earlier, he succeeded on making the chemistry between Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel affecting and charming in 500 Days. Rhys Ifans does the character of Dr. Connors well but he really isn’t explored enough to really feel sorry for him and be the tragic character the movie is trying to imply. His character seemed to be side-lined, more focusing on Parker’s evolution on being Spider-Man and his relationship with Gwen. The supporting characters you know little to nothing about, except Martin Sheen and Sally Field play their characters respectively and actually make an impact. Aunt May is under-played and is actually better than Rosemary Harris’s version, you actually feel for her being overly protective for Peter.

The action sequences were very well done, it was very easy to watch and I wasn’t confused what was going on. The stand-out action scene was where Spider-Man and The Lizard are fighting in the High School (although it could’ve had some build-up) and features a great Stan Lee cameo (barely a surprise he has a cameo in the film). I was interested with the direction on having Spider-Man’s POV when he’s web-slinging. As much as the performances and chemistry between the characters were great, some of the technical aspects were a bit flat. The orchestral score by James Horner (Aliens, Titanic and Avatar) really is forgettable, especially when compared to Danny Elfman’s score from the first two Spider-Man movies. It all feels very generic and doesn’t really stand out from the other superhero movies. Even some scenes could work without music, such as Peter Parker finding his father’s briefcase or even when he’s humiliating Flash Thompson (who’s more fleshed out this time around than being the typical bully). The film also felt all too rushed, it did not feel like 2 hours and 17 minutes long. Usually that’s a good thing but this film could’ve been better being longer. Uncle Ben’s death felt too rushed, it didn’t all feel enough to let it all sink in.

Though some plot points and events that come off being ridiculous to the point on not being able to suspend your disbelief and not making much sense; the machine that shoots a chemical cloud that both Richard Parker and Dr. Connors was working on but was shut down because the military deemed it dangerous. So it was left at OsCorp behind a glass door? The police firing at Spider-Man, even though he was unarmed apart from having web-shooters? The most ridiculously laughable scene involved a bunch of crane operators helping Spider-Man to swing to OsCorp tower. I can honestly say that I already claim that scene to win The Most Cheesiest Scene of the Year! It’s almost as bad and cheesy as the citizens of New York throwing stuff at Green Goblin in Spider-Man and a forced 9/11 reference when one of the citizens says “you mess with Spidey, you mess with New York!”. A couple plot points are brought up and suddenly disappear, such as Peter Parker trying to find Uncle Ben’s killer. Is he going to eventually find him or has he just given up?

Overall; it is an enjoyable start to the new Spider-Man series and really am interested where they will go from there. Great performances from the cast but it all feels a bit underwhelming from the plot feeling rushed and the incredibly bad cheesy moment. More like The Average Spider-Man.

3 out of 5

The Avengers Assemble – Movie Review

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It’s become almost traditional, if not formulaic, to kick off each summer blockbuster season with a superhero movie.

Over the years we have seen Iron Man, Thor, Captain America and even the Hulk take centre stage in their own films, so on paper at least, the coming together of these iconic super hero superstars in Avengers Assemble sounds like every comic book fanboy’s wet dream.

But does more necessarily mean more? Or have Marvel – who admittedly have done a terrific job so far in bringing their comic book pages to life – bitten off more than they can chew?

Well in one word, the answer is no. Like the childhood Christmas present that gets played with lovingly to near destruction once your get your eager hands on it, to see Marvel’s movie at long last is incredible, but at the same time is both brilliant in its script and in its execution. As such, just like that Christmas present, it keeps on giving and in the process provides ample reasons for fans of the comic books and films to rejoice.

A film nearly seven years in the making, fans have slowly, patiently, seen the formation of this film through the little clips that occurred at the end of the credits of each previous movie.

First you had Iron Man (played by Robert Downey Jnr) being approached by Nick Fury (Samuel L Jackson), then the story of Captain America (Chris Evans) and how he ends up taken in by SHIELD. There’s even Thor’s film, (the main role played by Chris Hemsworth) which in many ways sets up the plot for this movie and even clever references made in the last Hulk film. Each provided subtle clues towards where the plot arcs were going to lead.

After such a wait, no way was Marvel and director Joss Whedon going to disappoint fans. A superb opening set-piece puts the storyline and reasons for these characters coming together firmly in place. ‘The Tesseract’ (last seen in Thor and Captain America) is a cube of immense power that both sides are trying to unlock. However, it has opened a door to another world, which Loki (played truly impressively by Tom Hiddleston) comes through with his original intention of ‘ruling us all’. But worse than that, he’s brought a whole bunch of bad boys with him. Who else are going to put a stop to his plan other than the Avengers?

Indeed, as each of these superheroes could take on enemies of immense power, it has to be a near-on war to cause them to come together and Mr Whedon has no intention of holding back his vision of what a superhero movie should consist of.

Thankfully, Marvel did not go about this movie without getting the right funding in place, so nothing is watered down and all of the super powers, transformations and adversaries (of which there are hundreds) are embellished with as much attention to detail as if they were in their own movie. The end result is pretty much what you would expect from the comic book on screen and it has to be said some scenes are jaw-dropping. Avengers will probably set the standard for future superhero movies to come.

None of the special effects would work in isolation unless there were proper characterisations. Joss Whedon and the screen writers should be applauded for continuing to build upon each individual’s complexities; Tony Stark is still as brash and arrogant as he has ever been, Captain America still has the heart of someone who would sacrifice himself for others, but just follows orders. Only Mark Ruffalo’s interpretation of the David Banner / Hulk is different to his predecessors in that he is more edgy and unpredictable. I do have to say I preferred Ed Norton’s version, however Ruffalo does an excellent job nonetheless. New characters that open up in this movie are Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) and Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) which are both portrayed as brooding counterparts which hopefully further movies might build upon.

3D or 2D?

Watching this film in 3D provides just an average experience, which is a shame as they could really have done more to open up the experience and give it that extra wow factor. As it is, besides a few set pieces, I found it made little difference. 3D is a medium I feel should be pushed more, especially when it can really create some stand out moments for the audience when utilised well.

My Verdict

A great kick start to the summer blockbuster season and a fantastic movie in its own right. Cant wait to see what next is in store. Oh yes, that will be Spider-Man less than 8 weeks away. Don’t you just love summer?

9/10

 

Win NEO Legend wristband worn by Tony Stark thanks to Avengers Assemble.

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Frost readers can win a NEO legend wristband.

Marvel Studios presents “Marvel Avengers Assemble” – the Super Hero line-up of a lifetime, featuring iconic Marvel Super Heroes Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye and Black Widow. When an unexpected enemy emerges that threatens global safety and security, Nick Fury, Director of the international peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., finds himself in need of a team to pull the world back from the brink of disaster. Spanning the globe, a daring recruitment effort begins. The film releases May 4, 2012, and is distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.

Now you can win a Neo Legend.

Colantotte’s MagTitan Neo Legend bracelet combines a polished pure titanium core with an embellished, sleek, carbon fibre design, to deliver a stylised element of comfort and functionality. This striking bracelet epitomises the essence of fashion and craftsmanship which makes it the ideal accessory for casual, business, and superhero attire alike.

Entry is simple, go to www.facebook.com/ILoveTrionZ, click on the competition app, then submit your details as prompted. What’s more, you’ll be rewarded with an exclusive 15% off ALL Colantotte & Trion:Z products.