Man of Steel

I'm going to go out on a limb here and declare this as the best film of the summer. I may even go further and declare this the best superhero film I've seen. This may come as a surprise because critics have not been kind to this film. It currently has a 56% splatter rate on rotten tomatoes, but an 8.1/10 on imdb, which goes to show that critics have completely lost their footing in reality.

One of the main complaints from critics is that the film lacks joy and humour. Man of Steel is directed by Zac Snyder and produced by Chris Nolan, director of the Dark Knight trilogy. Does anyone remember laughing in the Dark Knight films? I don't. And yet no one complained about the lack of humour in those dark films. I think what's happening is that critics have become so used to Marvel's take on superhero films they have come to expect the same from others. In the Marvel universe there is more colour, more humour, more opportunity for some light-hearted banter. With DC things are a little darker, more bleak. Batman's struggles were always as internal as they were external. We had to watch him fall before we could watch him rise. 

In Man of Steel Clark (Henry Cavill) is struggling to align the two sides of himself. He is both alien and human, alien in the sense that he is not of this world, but human in his morality, his connection to the Earth. He is however an outsider, always has been. He uses his abilities to help those in peril, but does so anonymously, hiding his true self in fear of how people will react. Clark may be practically indestructible but he has one very human desire: to be accepted. 

The film is not told in a linear form, rather it goes between present and past, creating an in-depth look at how Clark came to be the man he is today. Like the Dark Knight trilogy, it allows the audience some breathing space, doesn't throw in a lot of exposition and instead lets the story flow in its own way. This means that some questions pondered earlier in the film aren't answered until later, keeping audiences engaged. It sounds like a simple thing, but so few films do this, giving too much away too soon.

Cavill is perfect as Clark. He embodies the man of steel and brings a vulnerability to the role. Amy Adams is refreshing as Lois Lane. She is not overly sexualized and is allowed room to be a character and not just someone the hero has to save. Michael Shannon is at first a little overwhelming as General Zod, but it soon becomes natural to the character. He sure does love to yell a lot. Russell Crowe has a bigger role as Jor-El than I anticipated, and this is a good thing. Kevin Costner is well cast in the role of Jonathan Kent, showing both the fear and pride he feels for his son. 

The score is done by Hans Zimmer and deserves its own review because it's fantastic. With the epic fight scenes throughout the film the score adds tension and emotion, particularly in one scene near the end where, between you and me, there may have been some tears in my eyes. 

I really can't express enough how much you need to a) ignore the negative reviews and b) go see this film. As much as I love the Marvel films, I would be more than happy if superhero films of the future were to become more like Man of Steel. The beauty is that we can have both: the joy and humour of Marvel and the darker journeys of DC characters. It's a big bad universe out there, and there's plenty of room for all. 

The Good but not Amazing Spider-Man

Usually I can review a film right after seeing it. This was not the case with The Amazing Spider-Man. I needed to take a couple of days and reflect upon it before writing. The reason for this is because this film is not bad but it's not great either. It's somewhere in between and those films are the toughest to review. I think the best approach is for me to discuss what I liked and what I didn't.

I'll admit that I went into this film with no expectations except for the hope that it'd be better than the Sam Raimi films. It's not that I hated them, at the time they were quirky and were the rebirth of the marvel hero film so to speak. But boy have we come a long way. We as viewers are no longer satisfied with a simple hero story anymore, we aren't as easy to please as we once were. With films like Thor, Iron Man and The Avengers the bar has been raised. We know what great cinema is and we won't settle for less. The Amazing Spider-Man is much better than the Raimi films for reasons I'll discuss further. However plot wise it is lacking and doesn't come close to the brilliant superhero films of late. 

Let's get the bad over with shall we. The number one problem with this film is the script. The first third of the film takes its time setting up the plot, Peter Parker's (Andrew Garfield) abandonment issues and teen angst, his inevitable transformation into Spider-Man, and Uncle Ben's (Martin Sheen) untimely demise. In the first act we see Parker go from nerd to vengeful super human. The problem however is that a whole third of the film is dedicated to what we already saw in Raimi's 2002 Spider-Man. So much time is dedicated to what we already know is going to happen that the second and third acts feel rushed, leaving many plot holes and unanswered questions. I have a feeling that director Marc Webb (yep, that's his name!) wanted to allude to plot points, leave some ambiguity, however you have to be a very talented director, aka Chris Nolan, to pull this off, and unfortunately Webb does not possess skills like Nolan.

The main plot points of this film are a: Parker's transformation into Spider-Man, b: Parker's desire to know why his parents left him, c: Dr. Curt Connors (Rhys Ifans) transformation into The Lizard, and d. Parker's choice to go from vengeful vigilante to super hero. Plot point a is rushed to the point that you ask yourself how he learnt so quickly to control impulses that in the last scene destroyed his bathroom. Plot point b goes completely off screen after the first act. I imagine Webb has decided to leave this for the sequel but still, some indication of that would be nice. Plot point c in my opinion could have completely disappeared from the film. I know we need a villain but I think it would have been more interesting to focus on Parker's transformation and the city's response to this rather than play it out against a giant lizard. Plot point d is done relatively well but I found myself wondering if he would ever catch his Uncle's murderer, rather than just give up the search all together.

So as you can see the script definitely had glitches, and there are many other unanswered questions. What happened to Rajit Ratha after the bridge? And what happened to all those released scenes leading up to the film? None of them were actually in the film. The reason Parker climbs the fire escape to Gwen Stacy's (Emma Stone) apartment is because in a removed scene the doorman wouldn't let him in. This scene is available on YouTube here: Doorman Scene. Supposedly Ratha had a scene that showed his death but that was left on the cutting room floor too. I understand the need to cut scenes for timing but to cut plot points seems a little risky.

Technically speaking I saw a few odd edits that made me lose immersion briefly, it's not often there are editing problems in a big budget film like this but I noticed at least two. I also wasn't a fan of the music choices. I love Coldplay, don't get me wrong, but was "Till Kingdom Come" the best song to play as Parker discovers his new skills? Maybe a more upbeat up tempo song might have worked better. And while we're on it I don't think 3-D lent anything extra to the film. A few of the POV shots were great but apart from that it wasn't necesary. But now I'm just getting picky so let's move on shall we?

You must be wondering after all that what I can say that is good about this film. Well there is one thing that saved it from its limited script - the acting. I was really impressed by Garfield as Parker/Spider-Man. He bought a raw emotion to the role that Toby Maquire was unable to do. I found myself connecting to this lost and fragile yet indestructible hero. He also bought an endearing awkwardness to the role. Add to that Emma Stone as Parker's love interest and you have a winning combination. Their chemistry on screen was off the charts, it's not surprising they've been dating since the shoot. Webb obviously noticed their ability to light up the screen together and used it to his advantage. Martin Sheen played a loveable Uncle Ben and the wonderful Sally Field was charming yet underused as Aunt May. Denis Leary was great as Captain Stacy, Gwen's father. He had a great character arc throughout the film and bought that Leary charm we all know and love.

So as you can see I'm a little torn in regards to this film. I didn't like the script but loved the acting. The plot lacked completion but the performances were great. Technically I think the film was out of it's depth but once again you can lose yourself in the characters and not get too caught up on it. It's almost unfortunate that a film like The Avengers came along because so few films are going to be able to do what it did - combine wonderful SFX with an intriguing and complete story, spectacular characters and a talented cast. If I'd seen this film first perhaps I would have been less critical but alas, I am a spoiled viewer and have had a taste of greatness and now it's all I want. So my advice is that you should see this film, let yourself be entertained and try not to ask too many questions afterwards. Perhaps if we're lucky Joss Whedon will take on the sequel.

The Avengers Assemble

This post will be full of spoilers, because this post is written by an Avengers fan, for Avengers fans. And if you're an Avengers fan then you've seen this movie at least once by now. So for the rest of you, you need to stop what you're doing and go to your local cinema and watch this movie...now!

I have been a complete nerd in anticipation of this film. I have spent countless hours reading up all about the Avengers, trying to gain what knowledge I could. I have never read the comics before but came to know of them, like many, through film and TV. I've watched and re-watched all the films leading up to this one. If you haven't seen the others films before The Avengers then you need to do two things. 1. stop reading this because as I mentioned it's going to be full of spoilers. 2. Go and watch the others first. Trust me, it's better to know Bruce Banner before you know the Hulk. It's important to know why Captain America seems a little out of time, why Thor would risk all that he did to get back to Earth, why Iron Man ...dammit just watch the other films.

This is probably as good a time as any for me to say to Joss Whedon, I salute you! Thank you for breathing life and heart into this film, which could have gone any number of ways really. Not only is it highly enjoyable and full of wonderful fight scenes and stunning visual effects, it's also got a soul. I like how the film takes its time. Every character gets their own entrance, and so they should. This is an ensemble piece after all.

So who are our Avengers? Well first there's Captain America, aka Steve Rogers (Chris Evans), the brave, kind super soldier who has been asleep for 70+ years. He missed a date with the lovely Penny Carter. Then there's Iron Man, aka Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.), the genius billionaire playboy philanthropist (his words, not mine), he's back with his arrogance, his charm and his wicked suit. Thor (Chris Hemsworth) arrives with a bang, literally, in search of his brother who he wishes to take back to Asgard for sentencing. I had been wondering how he would return considering how Thor ended. Loki (Tom Hiddleston) mentions that the all father must have conjured up dark power to get him to Earth. It's obvious that Thor has one mission, get Loki, get the tesseract and go back to Asgard. His presence on Earth is costing Asgard something, and that's the reason he can't just run off in search of Jane. We will have to wait till Thor 2 for that reunion. The Hulk, aka Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo), is the muscle of the group. He's a green, mean fighting machine. Hawkeye, aka Clint Barton (Jeremy Renner), brings his excellent archery skills to the mix. Black Widow, aka Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) brings exceptional spy skills and some kick ass moves, as well as a little touch of femininity to the group.

They are quite the ensemble. To say they don't get along at the start is an understatement. Rogers can barely stand Stark. Rogers, a soldier who would jump on a grenade to save those around him can't really handle the arrogance that Stark exudes. He accuses Stark of working only for himself, never being capable of sacrificing himself for others. You can't really blame the guy for feeling this way. However there's a depth to Stark that we've come to know and love in the Iron Man films. I really loved the scene when Stark took the nuke and risked his own life for everyone else. He can be cocky as hell but he's a hero. There's also a great fight scene between Iron Man and Thor, who are arguably the two most arrogant members of the team.

However there is a friendship that comes out of this film which is really moving. Stark is not known for his subtlety and when he meets Bruce Banner he's eager to see him become the Hulk. However it becomes apparent that Stark wants Banner to embrace his true self. There's a similarity between them, an understanding even. They both became something they didn't really ask for. Where Stark has turned this into his advantage Banner has continually struggled. As the film progresses we get to see Banner embrace his whole true glorious self. After Stark has seemingly sacrificed himself for the others it's only fitting that it's Hulk who catches him falling from the sky.

I have to mention of course the wonderful Tom Hiddleston in his performance of Loki. I'm not always a fan of comic book villains, I find they can be overdone and lose all sense of reality. Loki however is a villain I truly love. I hope they never get rid of him. The character is deliciously villainous whilst also maintaing some sense of humanity (if you could call it that). He can play both menacing mastermind and spoilt obnoxious child at the same time. Every minute of him on screen is captivating.

Apart from Hiddleston, honorable mention has to go to Ruffolo who breathed new life into the Hulk. To be honest he's been my least favorite Avenger, until now. The scene where he kicks Loki's ass was so great, the whole cinema applauded. Before when there was talk about him having his own reboot I was skeptical, after seeing this film however I am all in.

And of course I have to mention the wonderful Agent Phil Coulson (Clark Gregg). He's been our guide through the films leading to this one. Every time we saw him we were reminded that S.H.I.E.L.D has eyes everywhere. We got to know a little more about Coulson in this film. For instance he recently broke up with a gal, and he's a huge fan of Captain America. He also finally got to know what that gun does. So thanks Agent Coulson for your dedication and hard work.

The film ends with the Avengers going their separate ways but we know they will return when Earth needs them (or when The Avengers 2 starts filming). We also have Iron Man 3, Thor 2 and Captain America 2 to keep us happy until then.

Obviously reading this means you've watched the movie, which means I'm not telling you anything you don't already know. So let's just agree that this film was awesome, Joss Whedon is a legend and Loki was adopted.

The Mighty God of Thunder

I've been watching a lot of Marvel films recently and thought I'd do some reviews of them over the next few days. Today is all about the mighty God of thunder: Thor.

Please be aware that this may contain spoilers.

I went to see this in the cinema and loved it. I have been eagerly anticipating a sequel and am excited to hear whispers of it floating around. I do not have much knowledge when it comes to Marvel, I've never read a comic book in my life (something I definitely aim to fix) so my only knowledge comes from these films and my older brother. My brother is an avid fan of marvel and we spent a couple of hours last week talking about Thor and the upcoming Avengers film. To some this may seem like a boring thing to discuss for hours over skype but I actually found it really interesting. Thor is also a deity from Norse mythology so there's a rich history there.

What I really like about Thor (Chris Hemsworth) is that when we first meet him he is full of arrogance. He is clearly a skilled warrior and is on his way to the throne of Asgard when things don't go as he planned. His arrogance puts others at risk and his actions defy his father, King Odin. As punishment Odin strips Thor of his godly power and sends him to Earth in exile. Odin sends Thor's mjolnir (his hammer) to Earth as well but with an enchantment that only he who is worthy can wield it.

On Earth Thor meets Jane (Natalie Portman) an astrophysicist, her assistant Darcy (Kat Dennings) and her mentor Eric (Stellan Skarsgard). In Asgard things are not going so well. Odin has fallen into "Odinsleep" a coma-like induced sleep to help him recuperate. Loki, Thor's brother, has an agenda of his own which prompts Thor's friends to go to Earth and bring him back.

The film has everything a good action film should have: special effects, action, intrigue, romance, good guys, bad guys etc. I liked the character arc of Thor as he learns to be less arrogant. That scene in the cafe where he demands another cup of coffee was my favourite. Natalie Portman did well in the role of Jane. She and Chris had a good connection on film which is surprisingly rare in action genre films. I find too often they don't cast actors that have onscreen chemistry.

The film ended with me wanting more, but in a good way. Make sure you wait to the end of the credits of Thor for the sneak peek of The Avengers.  It seems I will have to wait another year before the sequel will be out, but The Avengers comes out next summer so we will get to see Thor in that. I look forward to seeing more from Chris Hemsworth. His film career has only just started and already he's proving that he can carry a film, and a mjolnir.