Keepers of the Peace: Review of Guardians of the Galaxy

Guardians of the Galaxy

Director: James Gunn

By Alex Watson

Stan Lee and his Marvel Enterprise make their way onto our screens once more this week, but there is not Avengers present in this adventure. Guardians of the Galaxy has been one of this summers more hyped movies and so far it has promised great things with a new band of characters who have potential. But as they are outside the staple Marvel characters, will they be able to succeed with the fans?

When scavenger Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) finds a mythical object called ‘The Orb’ he firstly finds a bounty put on his head by his former mentor and rival, but also finds himself the target of Kree terrorist Ronan (Lee Pace) who wants to orb for himself to control the galaxy with Thanos (Josh Brolin). But through his misadventures, Quill will former an unlikely alliance with Thanos’ adopted daughter Gamora (Zoe Saldana), Raccoon Rocket (Bradley Cooper), Tree thing Groot (Vin Diesel) and convict Drax (Dave Bautista). Together, they might just be the universe’s only hope.

Guardians of the Galaxy is by far this summer’s most fun blockbuster and it has a playfulness to it that has been lacking in some of the more recent Marvel efforts. The moment we meet Quill lip syncing in a cave, the laughs and wise cracks begin early. Also the use of 1980’s pop culture references such as the Millennium Falcon and a cracking soundtrack make us smile all the more. Director James Gunn is an untested talent in these waters, but his smooth direction ensures a successful on screen adventure for our new heroes. 

The bonding between characters plays a key part in the films humour. Thrown together by a bizarre twist of fate, their relationship comes alive during a daring but thrilling prison break. From there these tortured souls become an effective team. Rocket and Groot steal much of the films laughter (Groot’s three words never cease to be brilliant), but big lug Drax and his misunderstanding of metaphors is the one that really steals our hearts. Quill is an initially unlikeable leader due his quirky yet self centered nature. But as the film progresses, his begins to win our respect and proves to be a resourceful and brave figure for Marvel.

Although the villain Ronan looks the part with some impressive face paint, he doesn’t have the needed menace to succeed. His back story is underwritten and the hows and whys of his desired vengeance are a big mystery throughout. These elements combined make him rather flat and largely forgettable. Gunn also falls into the same trap that has befallen many before him, he sets his finale as a big air battle. Although this a solid ending, you can help feeling this is become a bit too much like a staple for this studio. But these errors aside, Guardians of the Galaxy has enough wit and enjoyment to make them forgivable.

Chris Pratt succeeds brilliantly as a leading actor and his comic charm helps Peter Quill along and makes him more memorable than anticipated. A solid supporting actor in movies such as Wanted, Moneyball and Zero Dark Thirty, Pratt proves he is up to the big task and this role could be the one that opens the big doors in future. Bradley Cooper on his voice along is excellent as the wise cracking Rocket. But he also brings a great sense of trauma and feeling to his role.

Former wrestler Dave Bautista proves to be the movie’s real surprise package and rather than just giving the picture its muscle, he able to raise his performance to a whole new level. Bautista succeeds in bringing an almost authentic protrayal of a man wanting vengeance but realizing it will take more than hard hits to gain it!

The Marvel enterprise has opened a whole level of new possibilities and Guardians of the Galaxy deserves every accolade bestowed upon it. Everyone may be counting down to the next Avengers movie in 2015, but I cannot wait to see another adventure from these guys.  

Thunder Rolls Again: Review of Thor: The Dark World

Thor: The Dark World

Director: Alan Taylor

By Alex Watson

Ever since the Avengers Assembled, Marvel has been enjoying a great run of form at the cinema and now with the gang getting back together in 2015 we have a reason to enjoy big blockbusters again! This week we see the return of the God of Thunder in Thor: The Dark World and last time proved a fun affair as Chris Hemsworth’s Norse prince battled brother Tom Hiddleston and charmed Natalie Portman. Now under the reigns of veteran TV director Alan Taylor, a darker front has been promised- but can this sequel be more than just an overlong Avengers 2 trailer?

Since helping save the world, Thor (Chris Hemsworth) has returned home to Asgard where he has helped restore peace to the nine realms and has rebuilt the all important bifrost to gain the respect of Dad Odin (Anthony Hopkins) while brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston) is confined to a jail cell! But their hard earn peace is threatened by the re-emergence of the Dark Elves- an ancient race lead by Malekith (Christopher Ecclestone) who are hell bent of getting their hands on a substances called Aether- a substance which could gain them world dominance! But more importantly, Thor will become re-united with former flame Jane Foster (Natalie Portman).

Thor: The Dark World makes for a very entertaining and hilarious 112 minutes and continues Marvel’s good showing and with its customary end credit surprise, it ensures all fans will go home happy. The strong feature of this film is the complete change of content, the first movie was a slightly quirky affair which set up our hero as the lovable rogue- but under the reigns of Alan Taylor we have a more compact and darker film which delivers on a much large scale and compared with the lower key efforts in the first movie- this piece is more of a visual masterpiece which also keeps the comedic spirit alive and together this makes a more effective viewing experience!

We begin heroically with Thor beating a huge stone monster without breaking a sweat before remarking “Anyone else?” but with the early introduction of the Dark Elves, we see just how dangerous they are and  compared to the frost giants, they guys are far more organised! Plus when when we see the full effects of what the Aether can do- Thor will definitely have his hands full! There is also the immortal question of which side will Loki fall on? Throughout this movie this plays on our minds and once more he makes for a compelling nemesis/ally and his venomous spouting makes for some of the films best moments , like he when mocks Dad with “It’s not that I don’t enjoy our chats it’s just… I don’t”

As the twists and turns in Thor: The Dark World come thick and fast, it makes way for a London based end showdown between Malekith and Thor which is well worth the pay offbut smartly director Taylor goes against temptation deliver a fight that spreads into city wide carnage and instead he skilfully gives us a finale that is both funny and gloriously entertaining (including a great advert for London Transport). But its not this ending that will stick in the memory and its one shocking twist that occurs just before the end credits- prepare to go home surprised and very pumped up for Thor 3!

The cast in this movie are their usual top notch selves with Chris Hemsworth leading the way as the aforementioned Thunder God Thor and through his swaggering charisma and ye olde English tone, he again makes for a tremendous hero and through Hemsworth’s excellent work he has made this role his own! Same can be said for Tom Hiddleston as the devious Loki who once more makes for the best villains of the year! But also time there is almost more of a human feeling and through his pain filled eyes, another layer is created to this already great character!

In the villain department, Christopher Ecclestone looks the part of Malekith but sadly he isn’t given enough material to really work with and sadly his character lacks an immediate threat and resorts to him looking suspicious while speaks in his Elvin language!

After the success of Iron Man 3, Thor: The Dark World once again gets us excited for another dosage of Avengers glory in 2015, but rather than just being an over long advert it rises above itself and delivers a film which combines a skilful mixture of enjoyment and thrills all in one package! But the god hasn’t forgotten his friends and look for a cameo from one of his… closest Marvel friends! Good to have you back boys, we’ll see you real soon!

Taking Flight: Review of Man of Steel

Another reboot of Superman has been on the cards for sometime, but after Bryan Singer’s faithful but horribly cliqued Superman Returns back in 2006, fans were left slightly empty inside and his discovery, Brandon Routh has since fallen victim to the contagious disease known as ‘The Curse of Superman’. But when it was announced that Watchmen director, Zack Synder would take over helm of the man in the red cape, people began to believe order may yet be restored- and when Christopher Nolan came on board as producer, smiles grew even wider! But will the new addition Man of Steel live up to expectations? Or will Superman come crashing to earth yet again?

With the planet Krypton facing destruction during a coup by military leader General Zod (Michael Shannon), scientist Jor-El (Russell Crowe) chooses to send his son Kal-El, Krypton’s first natural-born child in centuries into space so he may bring hope to another planet. When his shuttle lands on earth, the baby is adopted by Jonathan (Kevin Costner) and Martha Kent (Diane Lane). But as a boy the now named Clark struggles to keep his identity hidden, but when Zod emerges from exile 33 years later threatening earth it has become time for the adult Clark (Henry Cavill) to embrace his true calling and with the help of reporter Lois Lane (Amy Adams) save the human race!

To all die-hard Superman fans, I am happy to inform you that Man of Steel will make a fine addition into the Superman family and thankfully under the direction of Zack Synder this picture doesn’t aim to emulate the old Christopher Reeves films and instead sheds it skin and becomes its own film altogether. Here we see the a truly conflicted Clark who from a very young age is aware that he possesses a very ‘special’ set of skills but is told by daddy Jonathan to keep his anger in check and his real self hidden, no matter how many bullies push his buttons!  The clumsy and stumbling Kent that Reeve brought us so memorable is now a distant memory and the film is all the better for it and Synder has cleverly taken a leaf from Nolan’s book and allowed a legendary figure to grow into himself.

But it’s not just Kal-El that is changing colours, we also get to see a far more sassy Lois Lane who thanks to a great script by David S Goyer ditches the damsel in distress act and becomes a far tougher and resourceful lady. Zod as well is more formidable opponent and doesn’t need to resort to the hamminess that Terrence Stamp brought to the role and here the General knows for a fact that is stronger and cleverer than the humans he is facing- but he doesn’t need to convince people because the big ships he has would scare anyone! Also the father figures in Superman’s life are ones that make a significant difference as Jor-El lovingly tells him to give humanity a chance and become their saviour and Jonathan Kent teaches him that he has to choose a path in life and either choose to become his own man or forever hide in the shadows.

From the very beginning Man of Steel personifies a big movie experience and the production money has been worth the hefty budget and as we open on the downfall of Krypton, our eyes gaze in amazement as we see Zod bring a planet crashing down! But this moment isn’t the only huge battle you will witness as later we witness not one but two epic battles as Superman finally unleases his long repressed fury upon earth’s tormentors and brings many building crashing down as a result. Synder’s artistic flare for battle was hinted at during his movie 300, but here he gets to show what he can do with the right tools and although the finale is about  half an hour too long, it makes for tremendous viewing as Supes tries in vain to stop Zod’s runaway train of destruction.

As the infamous flying man, British actor Henry Cavill soars as Kal-El and after missing out on Bond and Batman, Cavill makes the most of the role of a lifetime and brings a great strength and humility to role and easily surpasses the efforts of Routh previously and has proven to be perfect casting! He is also given superb support by the ever consistent Amy Adams who bring across a less quirky Lois and instead gives a steely reporter who simply wants to save her job!

As Zod, Michael Shannon brings a great intensity to the screen and makes a solid case for villain of the summer- as we learned in The Iceman earlier this week, we have a new fascinating actor on our hands. In their brief roles, Russell Crowe and Kevin Costner are both incredibly touching as Superman’s father and leave a lasting impact throughout with their limited screen time.

Where Bryan Singer failed, Zack Synder has excelled and as a result has not brought us the best Superman in a long time but a candidate for the most entertaining film this summer. Man of Steel will be flying high in my end of year films, welcome back Kal-El we missed you!

Curtain Call: Review of The Dark Knight Rises

The Dark Knight Rises

Director: Christopher Nolan

By Alex Watson

When Batman was rebooted back in 2005, few held out any hopes of it being as good as Tim Burton’s creations in the early 1990’s. Many were still cursing Joel Schumacher for his camp takes on the caped crusader in Batman Forever and Batman & Robin where Arnie’s gleeful ham aside was frankly a disaster! But from the shadows came Christopher Nolan, the new rising star of the directing world. Through his unique perception his gave Batman and grit and intensity and so have has given us the greatest take on his superhero saga. Fans have been counting down the moments until this date- but after the hysteria that greeted The Dark Knight, will the final chapter The Dark Knight Rises give Batman his greatest hour?

The story picks up eight years after Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) has died, Gotham is safe from crime and Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) has become a recluse. But masked super-villain Bane (Tom Hardy) has come to bring Gotham to an end and now Batman is also faced with dealing with master thief Catwoman (Anne Hathaway). The Dark Knight must rise once more and protect not only Gotham but the ones he cares for deeply.

The good news is film fans is The Dark Knight Rises delivers the goods on a big scale!  Nolan puts his all into delivering the fitting end that his superb trilogy has deserved. From the very outset the tension is slow boiling; and at first all seems calm on the surface of Gotham City. But the cities clean crime stats are based on a lie set about by Dent’s demise and even the steadfast Commissioner Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman) is having his doubts about keeping it running. From afar Wayne watches from his mansion, convinced he can hide his troubles from behind a brick wall!

The vibe of the film changes from the very moment Bane is introduced to our screens! Here our stomachs begin to churn and we get the vibe that this man means war! Bane is a very different kind of villain than Heath Ledger’s Joker, but he is a very worthy successor! Bane doesn’t just want to ‘watch the world burn’ he wants to own it and he will use all of his brute force to do it! But he isn’t just muscle, his very presence strikes fear, and for the first time we genuinely fear for Batman’s safety! During the final showdown, you feel like cheering aloud two the heavy weights go head to head!

But where The Dark Knight Rises succeeds most is in its more emotional moments, its predecessor had its brief sections where tears were shed, but here the feeling is increased to maximum. Wayne pining for his lost love Rachel, but at the same time is finally wondering what it will be to have a life outside what he really is, while his long time butler/ father figure Alfred (Michael Caine) is filled with concerned for his companion. In one beautifully acted scene, Caine talks about his dream that one day he will see his master happily fulfilled!

But all emotion is thrown out the window in a stunning final act, Gotham has lived under oppression for too long and when Batman returns from exile, its citizens stand firm behind it! You will hard press to find a more exciting final act than this in 2012! As usual the twists and turns come thick and fast, all the while ticking down to a dramatic conclusion! Be careful you grip the arm rest too hard- it might just break!

Christian Bale signs off in perfect style as Batman, from the beginning we see a man utterly broken by life and is wondering what the point of going on is! Through Bale he once again gives Wayne a great human touch and when he dons his mask again, we know he’ll go what it takes. Although many people have complained about Tom Hardy’s muffled voice, his presence alone makes up for it! Bane is not only hard as nails, but Hardy brings a suave edge to the character and gives a new definition of a man with a plan!

Anne Hathaway gives us a very different and more humane version of Cat Woman, although Michelle Phieffer’s take may stick long in the memory, Hathaway makes the character her own. Here we see a woman who may steal to survive but like Wayne she simply wants a new start and a new identity in life! In time we will see if this reaches the same iconic status.

So finally we have the end of trilogy that doesn’t drop the ball! Not since Return of the King nearly a decade ago have seen such a thrilling climax! Nolan gives everything in his final show (including some forgotten friends!) and ensures this will probably be remembered as Batman’s greatest outing! Chris buddy- thanks for the memories, and a note to the next person who re-boots this- you’ve got one hell of a job mate!

Does Whatever a Spider Can: Review of The Amazing Spiderman

The Amazing Spiderman

Director: Marc Webb

By Alex Watson

Movie reboots always generate mixed feelings because although there will be a new approach to the stories we love, there is still a big chance that the very elements that made it so great can be ripped to shreds. So imagine the thoughts that must have been circulating when it was announced that Sam Raimi and Tobey Maguire would not be returning to do Spiderman 4 and instead the entire series would have a fresh start! But the most surprising choice was the decision to cast then un-known Brit actor Andrew Garfield into the role of the infamous web-slinger! Can new director Marc Webb (pun not intended) drive the story in a whole new direction? Or is this merely a web too far? We shall find out in The Amazing Spiderman

As usual the story follows high school misfit Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield) who lives with his Aunt May (Sally Field) and Uncle Ben (Martin Sheen). Peter is in love with class mate Gwen Stacey (Emma Stone) but is still the target of cruel high school jocks. Also he still wonders over the disappearance of his parent’s years prior and eventually his investigate leads him to notorious scientist Dr Curt Connors (Rhys Ifans). But soon Peter is bitten by a radioactive spider and is soon striking fear into the heart of criminals as Spiderman! Elsewhere Connor’s fascination in his genetic theory will eventually lead to become Spidey’s nemesis- The Lizard!

The Amazing Spiderman steers free of the ham factor of Raimi’s predecessor and instead takes another firmer yet darker route all together. This time there are no longer speeches and we are never told ‘With great power, comes great responsibility’, the film seems more concerned about examining Peter Parker’s emotional core and how revenge and love seem to drive his desire to clean up the streets of New York. But Marc Webb delays the moment where Garfield dons the mask and instead allows the audience to get to know our hero. This effect was absent previously and It’s to Webb’s credit for not merely copying the film scene for scene and instead making his own mark.

But this effect is also the main problem with the re-boot and after a while we want Peter to quit pinning over his love and get on with fact finding. The opening involving Peter’s parents and their quest to escape sparks our interest at first and we hope something is building. But after he locates Connor’s the story seems to stop dead and the answer we crave seem to disappear into the rumble as the smashing of buildings takes over! You can’t help feeling disappointed that this effect was not expanded on- because it would have really added some depth to the story.

But asides from that side effect, The Amazing Spiderman is still very enjoyable, in the midst of the success of Avengers Assemble, Spidey is still able to hold his own on the big screen and fourth time around he has lost none of his effect. Most of this is down to the superb cast, with Andrew Garfield giving us a brilliant and star making turn. His Peter Parker is a million miles away from Tobey Maguire’s smiler. This time we get don’t get a typical high school nerd, but an awkward teenager who is the very definition of socially inept!

Emma Stone is a charming presence as Gwen Stacey, and for once we get a love interest that is more than a match for Spiderman and thinks on her feet. This makes a nice change from the constant howling of Kirsten Dunst’s damsel in distress in the originals. As the villain, Rhys Ifans looks the part as the Lizard. But although the lizard is a monstrous presence when it is introduced, Ifans lacks the lip smacking relish that should have come with this part!  But this turn will add another side to the Welshman, and as we have seen in films such as Enduring Love, he can play dark very well.

So Spiderman is back to his old swinging ways, so far the record breaking openings have proven the decision to re-boot the series was definitely the correct one. Over time we shall see if this series can develop the shame cult status that Sam Raimi has built. Thankfully this time Webb didn’t see the need to recall Chad Kroeger for the theme tune. And that is a very important thing fans!