The Avengers: Age of Ultron Movie Review

It was never going to match the magic of the first, but Marvel and Joss Whedon's Age of Ultron is one hell of a fun ride!

 

 

 

 

The Avengers: Age of Ultron is the much anticipated sequel to 2012's "The Avengers" and is the 11th film within the ever expanding movie anthology known simply as the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which itself has in recent times been successful in exploring new territories such as Netflix via their show Daredevil (which is a must see).

Following on from the events of Captain America: The Winter Soldier, the Avengers are working together to try and destroy the remnants of HYDRA, the Nazi organisation that had grown within SHIELD like a parasite ever since the Second World War. When the Earth's mightiest heroes stumble across a familiar power source, Tony Stark uses it to complete the Ultron programme, which was intended to be a global peace keeping force, giving the team some much needed respite. However, when Ultron gains consciousness, he decides that human beings are the problem, going on a quest to wipe out humanity, and of course it is down to the Avengers to save the world once again.

Marvel is comparable to an unstoppable juggernaut of a studio at the moment, with everything in terms of artistic decisions paying off. With already such an illustrious mythos established with the 10 prior MCU films, it always seems like Marvel has more to offer. Indeed they do, with films slated all the way through to 2019. In that Age of Ultron has a lot of seeds to plant for future films including the 2 part Infinity War spectacle, Civil War, Ragnarok and a solo outing for Black Panther. With so much to do in only 2 hours and 20 minutes, Age of Ultron's fast pace never relents. While it could've become rushed and complicated, it doesn't. It sows all the seeds of future films whilst still being a solid second outing for the Avengers.

The best thing about this film for sure is the team. During the first few minutes of the film, we are treated to an outrageously over-the-top action sequence which illustrates the team dynamic. You get the sense that the 6 of them have immense experience in working together, something the first Avengers could not show for obvious reasons. The rest of the film's action sequences are all filmed excellently, filled to the brim with colourful special effects, a familiar sounding yet invigorating score and some slick camera work.

The humour, as you would expect, is typically on point. There are some stand-out comedic moments within the film, Marvel's staple, with one scene which involves the Avengers trying to lift Thor's hammer at a party being the funniest of the entire film. The film is marketed to be "dark", which is slightly misleading. While there are some "dark" moments of emotional bleakness presented via flashbacks, there is a lot of humour in this film, even through it's titular villain.

James Spader's work as Ultron is one of the film's standouts. I don't think I have ever been more pleasantly surprised with a villain than I have with Ultron. Had he just been dark and menacing, like Malekith from Thor: The Dark World or Ronan from Guardians, he wouldn't have been interesting. But he has a personality, and a wicked sense of humour which shouldn't have worked yet did and did so well. Also, you understood his motivation for what he was doing. You'd never condone the mass genocide of the human race, but you could see his viewpoint, and he thought he was doing the right thing. He's very funny which I enjoyed watching, but he was also menacing on some occasions, striking that perfect balance.

The film is excellent at giving characters their time to shine but also does a great job at character development, particularly for the characters who haven't been able to have their own solo outing since The Avengers. Black Widow just keeps on getting better film by film, Mark Ruffalo's Hulk is equally brilliant as he was in the first and Hawkeye becomes a great character. I'm being serious. Its the interaction and relationship between familiar characters and small moments which make you say "that's why I love so and so" which is a huge success on Age of Ultron's part.

New to the Avengers roster are twins Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch along with Paul Bettany's Vision. I think the twins are the best example of showing how the film got character motivation spot on as you initially get why they would side with Ultron, but also why they make a switch during the latter stages of the second act. As for the Vision, he completely steals the show. I'm very excited for how they use him in future films. That's all I'll say for now.

There is only one post credits scene, but it's one of the best they've ever done.

I will post a spoiler-filled review within a week or so explaining some other things which I loved about the film which would've bordered into spoiler territory, as well as a few little nit-picks I have with the film's overall edit (things that were left on the cutting room floor). In all honesty, I loved Age of Ultron. It was pleasantly surprising in a lot of ways and developed the characters and the over-arching plot the MCU films have been doing ever since the start. It's not quite the first, but it's a damn good attempt and an incredibly fun film to watch in theatres:


Rating - A

Thanks for reading,
Matt

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Teaser Trailer Review

"Tell me... do you bleed? You will."

11 months prior to its 25th March 2016 release date, Zack Synder and Warner Brothers have given us our first look at Batman v Superman via a teaser which confirmed a lot of my own personal speculation while still raising some important questions. Similar to the Age of Ultron situation, the trailer was initially meant to come out in a few days, but was delayed no further after it was leaked over the Internet and a full HD version was quickly released by WB.

The trailer begins with the camera zooming in on a Superman statue with a multitude of voice overs narrating the situation. It seems to me that this film is the next logical step for the DC Universe in terms of continuity as it seems they're going to address the events of Man of Steel i.e. the destruction of Metropolis during Zod's invasion.

On one camp we have the people who see Superman as a threat, a menace to our society. One such person is Jesse Eisenberg's Lex Luthor, who states something along the lines of "devils don't come from hell beneath us, they come from the sky". The way I see it is that if a super God-like figure all of a sudden revealed himself to the world, a lot of people (politicians, senators, businessmen etc.) would logically react in such a way; people fear what they don't understand.

On the other hand, we see that some people see Superman as a saviour, what mankind has been looking for. One such shot that shows us this is where a task force with Superman symbols on their shoulders bow down to him as he enters a room. I can't imagine Cavill's Superman liking this treatment too much, after all he's just an ordinary guy who grew up on a farm in Kansas.

At least that's how he sees himself, whereas others simply see him as a "False God".  The first half of the trailer brilliantly sets up the conflict that the world is embroiled in after the first known presence of super powered alien beings, whilst the second looks solely at Ben Affleck's Batman. He looks amazing in the suit, and he is pissed of with Superman that much is clear.

The second half of the trailer, via narration by Jeremy Iron's Alfred, sets up why Batman is pissed of with Superman. He is afraid, for it is the feeling of fear and powerlessness that turns good men... cruel. The trailer does a great job at justifying why the world is reacting to Superman's presence in different ways and why Batman is going to confront him. The trailer shifts the focus solely on the 2 title characters, which is something I was immensely happy with.

The biggest complaint I've heard from comments on the trailer goes along the lines of "This movie is stupid, Superman would squish Batman with one punch". Obviously such ignorant complaints take no consideration for the characters and what they embody. Batman knows that at his heart, Superman is just a regular guy with a good heart and a good conscience. He is going to play on the idea and question's Superman's morality, he knows that he won't kill him. The one thing that we know which separates the 2 characters who fight for similar things (justice), is Superman has already killed (Zod) whereas Batman has not. Batman knows he can't beat Superman solely on physical strength, rather he knows he can win if he breaks him psychologically. Obviously, a metal armoured suit lifted straight from Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns and possibly a lump of Kryptonite wouldn't hinder his chances of success, but you get the overall picture.

I like the logical direction the story is going, I like how the conflict is being presented. If the film stays on track and doesn't get lost with all of these rumoured side plots and Justice League cameos, I'll be very happy. I'm pleased with the trailer's tone and I'm excited to see how all of the elements which have been rumoured and teased to this date are structured together when the film comes out. The next trailer will probably give us more of the same, whilst hopefully a look at Alfred, Lex Luthor, Victor Stone, Aquaman and Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman, and hopefully an indication as to how they all fit in with the story.

Bring on 2016, the anticipation is killing me!


Thanks for reading,
Matt

Daredevil Season 1 Review

In no shorter than a couple hundred words, I will tell you why you should watch Daredevil.

The Short answer:

It's amazing.


The Long answer:

Taking full advantage of the Netflix broadcasting platform, Daredevil is a blatant departure from the fun-loving, wise cracking movies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Daredevil masks a side to the universe where Cap and Tony Stark are not influential, the streets of Hell's Kitchen. The streets are rife with drug trafficking, violence, shootings, police and political corruption and on top of all this, a mysterious man who's top of the crime network food chain. Matt Murdock, a daytime lawyer, who was blinded by chemicals as a boy, becomes the vigilante known simply as "the man in the mask", or "the devil of Hell's Kitchen".

Charlie Cox's portrayal of Murdock is brilliant and he is equally impressive when he dons the black mask. Murdock wants to keep his identity a secret, so Cox has to nail both the lawyer by day and the vigilante by night personas, and he plays them both convincingly. However, Vincent D'Onofrio's nuanced portrayal of Wilson Fisk, the Kingpin of crime behind everything, is one of the best things about the show. He is a compelling villain, but he is no sentient android, space titan or Norse God, he's just a man. He's the best at being both the crazy "snap at any moment" type of villain that could beat you to a pulp, to the methodical villain who is both well spoken and sharply dressed.

The show is excellent at presenting the hostile dynamic between both Fisk and Murdock and excels at character development. Playing out like a 12 hour movie at times, Daredevil doesn't shy away from letting us know about these character's past, their dark secrets and their motivations for their actions. Within the first 2 episodes, Murdock became one of the most compelling characters in the MCU. I think it was episode 8, where we saw Fisk's childhood, did he become an equally compelling character.

What impressed me the most though about Daredevil was the consistency of the storytelling. Having one main villain as opposed to various minor ones throughout the show helped maintain a consistent tone and structure, but I was honestly surprised at some of the detail they went in to layering the story. Small details which were referenced in earlier episodes (for example, Fisk's father Bill owing money to the wrong sorts) came back and became relevant.

Coming out on Netflix and avoiding the pressures of whether or not it'd be suitable for mainstream audiences, Daredevil shows of some of the most brutal, violent stomach churning gore and violence I think I've ever seen, and this is coming from an avid Walking Dead and Game of Thrones fan. The fight sequences are choreographed, executed and shot to perfection, no quick cut editing or shaky cam necessary. There is one scene at the end of episode 2 which takes place in a hallway which blew my mind as to how a fight sequence can be filmed, and apparently it was all done in one take.

Daredevil, while often hinting at the events of the MCU (The Battle of New York) stands completely on its own. It has an interesting environment which the camera brings to life, a vulnerable, relatable hero, a damaged yet powerful villain, and all of the death and violence the MCU movies would never dare to show. It is for sure the most grounded piece of entertainment Marvel has ever released. The fact that will be more Netflix shows, possibly a season 2 with expanded mythos and the possibility of an appearance in Infinity War, Daredevil is part of something truly great, and is equally great in its own right.


Rating - A


Summary - The charm and wit of the Marvel Cinematic Universe + the gruff realism and political intrigue of the Dark Knight + the action and violence of The Raid = Daredevil.



Thanks for reading,
Matt

Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens Teaser Trailer 2 Review

"Chewy, we're home."

One tiny line of dialogue from an iconic character at the very end of a teaser trailer summed everything up, Star Wars is coming back. Everything leading up to this trailer concerned with The Force Awakens such as the initial teaser, the cast announcement or going even as far back as to when JJ Abrams signed on to direct, has just felt right.

I was very young when both the Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones came out in theatres but I do remember watching Revenge of the Sith. I went with my mum and someone who was my friend at the time, and I remember thinking how it was just the best thing ever. I didn't grow up when the original trilogy came out, but I still used to watch them with my dad on VHS.

A few years back I revisited the 6 Star Wars movies, and I discovered why people had major issues with Episodes 1,2 and 3. The magic of Star Wars was marginalised and replaced with annoying CGI creatures and overly choreographed lightsaber battles, not to mention the consistent inconsistencies concerning information the original taught us. I am aware at the disappointment many people felt when the prequel trilogy released, and that is a disappointment I don't want to share.

Thankfully, I don't think I will. One 2 minute teaser trailer was enough to make me cry nerd tears of joy whilst at the same time reflect on just how much Star Wars has influenced me in terms of entertainment. I honestly think that they were some of the first movies I ever watched, which I'm sure is the case for many people who are of a similar age.

The trailer is similarly perfect to the one before it in that it is a teaser. I don't know anything about this movie, plot or character wise. I know that John Boyega, Daisy Ridley and Oscar Isaac are the characters this trilogy will follow but I have no idea who they're playing. I have no idea who the guy with the red lightsaber is, although I assume he is Adam Driver's character. Has the Rebel Alliance splintered off? Has the Empire been reborn? Will Luke, Han and Leia share a scene together? While I have all of these questions, I feel that this film we be where the classic characters "pass the baton" on to the newer ones we will come to know and, hopefully, love.

This is when a teaser trailer has done its job. It has moved me with John William's classic theme and the stunning imagery Abrams has presented, be it computer generated or a practical effect. But in terms of plot, script and characters, I know nothing. And I want to keep it that way. I am hoping that when I take my seat in that theatre on December 18th, I will know as little as possible and I'll be taken on a journey in a galaxy far far away, one filled with surprises I never could have suspected.

I love this trailer, it nearly made me cry. I have such a good feeling about Episode VII, and not just because it feels "old school" and its going to use practical sets and effects and all the shit. I'm excited because we have an ultimate Star Wars geek in the directors chair and actors who are clearly passionate about the project they have signed on to work with. I still can't quite put my thoughts on the trailer in a cohesive structure, and its been nearly a whole day since I've seen it. Regardless, I am pumped out of my mind!

Bring on December 18th!


Thanks for reading,
Matt