Batman Begins Review

Those two words we dread nowadays as the superhero sub-genre continues to flourish financially and thus take up most of the screens at the local theater each weekend: origin story. We dread them because they typically are mentioned due to reboots of heroes we are already so familiar with, their origins are like that tale your Uncle tells every single year at the Thanksgiving dinner table. Spider-Man is abandoned by his parents, lives with his Aunt and Uncle and gets bit by a super special arachnid. We get it. A wee little Bruce Wayne walks down a dark alley with his parents when a shady criminal spills the blood of the elders, a memory that haunts him until the day he decides to don the cape and cowl and beyond. Been there, done that.

The imaginative and highly skilled Christopher Nolan at the helm of the story of the Dark Knight though? Yeah, I would watch that. Over and over and over again, because Batman Begins is dark and delicious fun.

Gotham is bathed in shadows and plagued by a violent, seedy underworld, yet despite the serious tone and cold aesthetic I am unable to take my eyes off of the ominous, gloomy world built by Nolan here. The rain pours down and each frame feels crisp and alive, appropriate for the moment. The revival of a character beloved but absent from a good film in over a decade prior to Nolan stepping in to bring him back from his Joel Schumacher induced cinematic death. It was a wonderful feeling, sitting in that cinema shortly after this film was released and feeling all of the pessimism and ugliness associated with Batman on the big screen wash away. 

Batman Begins is the way an origin story should be done, and I can't help but wonder if the showrunners of the new Daredevil Netflix series were influenced by this one when they began crafting their rather brilliant series. Spread out over thirteen hours rather than a mere two, it is difficult to compare the two in terms of storytelling and character development but the tone and the atmosphere feel remarkably similar. If Batman Begins was in fact the model to build off of, they picked a wonderful picture to replicate.

4.5/5 

Captain America: The Winter Soldier Review

The old adage is to never judge a book by its cover, but we all do it. I genuinely try not to in regards to any films I have not yet seen, but it is impossible to stop the mind from wandering away and finding reasons to be either overly optimistic or pessimistic despite limited advanced knowledge. The key is the ability to keep an open mind, one way or another, and be willing to accept the fact that you may have been wrong initially. It's okay to be wrong. When it involves a movie I expected to be a disappointment and instead it dazzles me from beginning to end? In that case I love being wrong.

I was wrong about Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Very, very wrong. Thank god. 

It all began way back when they announced that Anthony and Joe Russo would be directing the superhero sequel. If you aren't entirely familiar with these two gentlemen and why their names would make me cringe initially, let me help you out. Prior to any involvement in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the most prestigious projects on their resumes were directing comedy sitcom episodes and the wacky movie You, Me and Dupree. That's it, and when I was fresh off of bitching about the misguided screenplay for Thor: The Dark World that was loaded with far too much unfunny comedy, you can imagine my skepticism about bringing in a couple of guys who had only very similar experience and nothing else.

So there I was, me and my pessimism sitting inside a theater waiting to be proven right. The lights dim. The show begins. Only a few minutes later, I knew I was going to be wrong. I knew I was in for a treat. The tone was not only serious, it has a feeling of importance to it, like what would unfold during those 2 hours would carry more weight and meaning than anything done during the previous eight films that came before it. The direction was surprisingly slick and confident, the action hard hitting and delivered in only the right sized doses. I don't mean to pick on Man of Steel, a movie I liked but certainly did not love, but the last 45 or so minutes of it are exhausting and ponderous. After the 200th skyscraper has fallen and the 800th angry punch lands on an opponent, you start to check your watch and wonder when the hell it will end. Here, the Russo brothers knew how to limit those blows and cut an explosion or two out, instead focusing a great deal on character and story and performances. It pays off, big time.

Finally, cue the music, light the fireworks, it's time to celebrate. A solo film from the Marvel Cinematic Universe got the damn villain right. Actually, let me rephrase that. An MCU film brought a totally kick-ass, shockingly cool bad guy to a Captain America movie, and I was so excited to actually find the evil component of one of these pictures compelling. The Winter Soldier is so darn awesome, and his back story as to how he ties into the whole situation matters and actually resonates. No more farting Mandarins or bland tribes of evil elves, no no. The Winter Soldier is legit, the type of figure that draws your attention in the frame rather than make you roll your eyes and wonder what could have been.

The movie I always believed Marvel was capable of, the one that would nail the tone and the atmosphere and find a perfect balance of everything needed to tell a great story had finally arrived, and it was directed by the Russo brothers, a couple of comedy guys who seemingly had no business crafting something so cool. I judged this book by its cover. What was inside proved me so totally wrong.

4.5/5

Thor: The Dark World Review

I don't know Kat Dennings as a person. Perhaps she is quite lovely, a gentle soul whose friendship is the kind worth having. I have never sought out any anecdotes regarding her off screen persona because frankly, I don't really care. I only care about one part of her life: her inclusion in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It's too late to fix the mistakes of the past, the way she was involved in far too many sequences during Thor: The Dark World, and to be clear here, none of this is actually her fault. She does what I assume she was asked to do in that film, and technically I'm sure she does it well. The problem is what she was asked to do. The problem is that someone wrote these scenes and the words said during them and thought it was a good idea. 

See, I know going into a film like this that accepting silliness is mandatory in order to enjoy the picture. It is a superhero film based on a comic book about people living in a fictional world named Asgard wearing costumes and the one dude in particular carries a giant mythical hammer with him and throws it at his enemies, only for it to return to him like a boomerang. You can't enter the cinema for a movie like this and demand gritty no-nonsense realism, if you do you are setting yourself up for failure. Still though, there needs to be a limit on the amount of comedic bits that are forced into a less than two hour long film that still asks its audience to take the overall vision seriously.

Little moments pop up here and there throughout the entire movie that I find unsavory, but for the most part nothing so egregious that it actually ruins the entire experience. For whatever reason though the writers and director Alan Taylor felt the need to ramp up the amount of Kat Dennings in our lives to maximum overdrive. Enough already. With literally less than 20 minutes left to go in the film, Thor is facing off against the bad guys of the story, a race of creatures known as the Dark Elves, and I thought alright, this is where I end up blown away by breathtaking set pieces, amazing action sequences, slick direction and so on. This is where I leave the flaws behind and walk away from the film remembering the stunning conclusion that leaves me wanting more.

What actually happens during the last 20 minutes? Instead of anything I said above, we are treated to a non-stop barrage of cutaways from the action so we can be beaten over the head with comedy involving Kat Dennings and some intern assistant guy, running around, narrowly avoiding death and saying little quips regarding the situation. Why would I, or anyone, give a shit about what is happening with these inconsequential secondary characters during the most important sequences of the movie? Why isn't the entire focus at this point on Thor and his seemingly important plight to save the day yet again?

The moral of the story whether in regards to Kat Dennings or anyone else inside the world of Thor: The Dark World is please stop trying so hard to be funny. When you try too hard, it is noticeable and thus it is far less funny than if you space these moments of relief out and make them mean something. The Avengers was clever and funny because Whedon had such a confident grasp of the material and knew exactly when to deliver a hearty chuckle, a moment to break up the chaos and carnage that made up every second of the previous ten minutes.

Thor: The Dark World is a pretty darn decent, fun film that should and could have been so much more, and you know what? I have picked on Kat Dennings far too much in this review. Time to call out another problem here. Stellan Skarsgard, put your damn pants on. A scientist in his briefs isn't inherently funny, if that is all a writer has in his comedic bag of tricks he needs to invest in some better material.

2.5/5

Iron Man 3 Review

After the misguided handling of Iron Man 2, not to mention coming off of the high of the nearly perfect execution of a superhero film with The Avengers a year earlier, I was excited that the reigns of the franchise were handed off to a new voice in Shane Black. I can't say for sure whether Jon Favreau was really to blame at all for the failings of the second installment but regardless, a new voice and vision was appreciated. I still recall the first time I saw the trailer for Iron Man 3 and a shockingly dark tone seemed to hang over every frame. I was so damn excited that the character was going to shy away from some of the ridiculous comedy and instead focus on the serious side of the saga of Tony Stark.

Well...almost. Things do indeed get serious with the exploration of what troubles a superhero could face when dealing with PTSD, and some breathtaking dramatic set pieces absolutely thrill in ways the franchise never had before. Damn it though, those villains. Both the strange twist involving the Mandarin and the Extremis folk. I just can't comprehend some of the villain choices in these Marvel films.

First let me clarify my issue with the Mandarin twist. It isn't the concept of the twist itself that bothers me, because I am all for keeping an audience on their toes and doing something unexpected. What troubles me is the sudden, jarring tonal shift that takes place, going for completely bad ass terrorist to...well, that. Jokes land with a thud instead of a laugh and I couldn't help but scratch my head at not so much the idea but the execution of it. After coasting with joy for much of the movie up until that point, the way the Mandarin character was handled was unfortunate and revisits haven't changed my opinion of this. I still don't get it.

What might be even worse than the way they handled that one specific character is what it meant for the big picture of the story. By pushing aside what was by far the best villain Iron Man had faced thus far in a solo effort, we are left with Guy Pierce and his glowing band of misfits, and frankly nothing about this crew is compelling in any way. From the opening scene that takes place in 1999 to the modern day handsome version, the character of Aldrich Killian did absolutely nothing for me throughout. Yet still the streak continued, as no solo film from the MCU had gotten the villain right yet. Someday though, right Captain America?

Still though, the overall completed picture is a massive upgrade from the previous film, with a far more likable and believable turn from Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark/Iron Man. In fact his performance in Iron Man 3 is the best of his work thus far in the universe, and with the assistance of flat out amazing sequences like the attack on his home and, of course, the Air Force One rescue, I can easily recommend Iron Man 3 as a pretty joyous blast of a picture.

I just wish it had a damn good villain like the trailer indicated. Without that misstep, this would have been up there competing for the best entry into the MCU to date.

3.5/5

Captain America: The First Avenger Review

Of all the pre-Avengers phase one films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, I am still so impressed by Captain America: The First Avenger every time I see it. Its aesthetic is stylish, its pacing a perfect flow thanks to a balanced blend of character development and fun to watch action. The World War II setting is such a unique and fascinating backdrop for a super hero origin story, and by combining a piece of real world history with a fictional unstoppable man with a shield, the lines between reality and the pages of a comic book are blurred enough to make me buy in.

The story of Steve Rogers, a man who only transforms in body but has always had the heart and the bravery of a hero, is an easy one to become emotionally invested in and of the five solo films leading into the Avengers, Captain America: The First Avenger has always been my favorite. I am aware this means I am in the minority because I have come across a fair amount of unflattering discussion regarding this film, which surprises me. I try to see what others see because I feel the better I understand and appreciate differing opinions, the more I will learn about the medium as a whole, but not only do I not discover more flaws with each viewing of this movie, I end up liking it more and more.

Where the film does miss the mark a tad is with its villain because frankly, the Red Skull isn't all that compelling, but until the Avengers came along and Loki absolutely stole the show this was a common thread between the five solo films leading into it. They simply could not present anything more than an adequate at best bad guy, which is a shame because I find that an impressive antagonist is usually what puts a superhero film over the top.

This is mostly forgiven because of the strength of everything else though, especially the chemistry between Chris Evans in the lead and Hayley Atwell as Peggy Carter. Director Joe Johnston and the screenwriters really understand that ensuring the story and the characters that occupy it will resonate with the audience is far more vital than a constant onslaught of flashy special effects, loud noises and explosions. Don't get me wrong, Captain America: The First Avenger showcases all of those things at times, but it's the sincerity of the quiet moments that make it a winner for me.

4/5

Thor Review

Some films grab you early on with a killer first act that instantly promises something special. Thor doesn't.

Some films don't kick it into high gear until the final act, with a stunning conclusion that elevates the entire work to a new level. Something I like to refer to as The Phantom Menace effect, you walk out of the theater buzzing about the end and you forget entirely that almost everything before it wasn't very impressive. Thor isn't one of those films.

My biggest problem with Thor, a fun slice of cinema that I like but certainly do not love, is that the middle portion of the movie is by far its strongest section. The way we first meet these characters is lackluster at best and the way we say goodbye to them is a major disappointment. In the end I couldn't shake a feeling of being entertained but let down, reflecting on the many scenes that were done so right and yet the complete vision just didn't rise up to expectations.

Once the material allows the performance to make us give a shit, we do because the characters start to get fleshed out and what we see is endearing. Forget throwing hammers and running down Asgardian Mario Kart Rainbow Road, give me more scenes in which the aesthetically pleasing couple of humans known as Chris Hemsworth and Natalie Portman are sitting next to a fire and start to connect on a deeper level. These are the type of sequences that are needed in a work of absurdity like a super hero comic book film, the moments in which the characters feel like real human beings and not just actors in ridiculous costumes. Unfortunately they are few and far between in Thor, giving way to more silly humor that isn't very funny and action sequences that don't exactly get my pulse racing.

Thor is a solid entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, not even remotely close to their best achievement but also a whole lot better than its worst. Entertained? Certainly, but it feels like it could have been so much more. 

3/5

Green Lantern Review

How can you make a film like this, see the finished product and feel proud of it? Is that possible, or do you think even those involved in Green Lantern were embarrassed when they witnessed what all of their hard work created?

For years now I have heard countless people complain about Ryan Reynolds as Hal Jordan/Green Lantern. After finally seeing this film, I don't understand why so much hatred is aimed towards him. Does he deserve any awards for his performance? Absolutely not. Was he the worst aspect of this extremely poor film? Not even close. Literally any actor on the planet could have been cast as the lead in this film and it still would have been terrible. Put this project in far more competent hands with Reynolds still playing Jordan and I'm certain a pretty solid film could have come from it.

Oh, and what the fuck was with the special effects? I felt like I was watching an episode of that shitty show on TNT Falling Skies. I had to google the production budget on this film and somehow 200 million dollars was spent on this turd. How? Where did the money go? Did Tim Robbins demand a 188 million dollar paycheck for this?

I only watched this because my daughter asked if we could, and she left the room after about 25 minutes. Smart kid.


1/5