Fantastic Four (2015) Review

The Fantastic Four haven't had much success on the big screen. The two major film adaptions are usually in any "top ten worst comic book films" list. "How difficult is it to make a film about a family of superheroes?" is often the question. Apparently very, since FOX laid the series dormant for eight years. In this case, it was wise to reboot it. Last year saw the release of the revamp. Marketing was rather poor leading up to it, releasing perhaps the most generic trailer of all time and "hyping up" characters, such as Doom being a blogger. (Which thankfully was pretty much cut.) I've always enjoyed the Fantastic Four because of the family dynamic, which is really at the core of every FF story. This is something director Josh Frank's reboot didn't seem to understand. While not the worst comic book movie out there, it definitely deserves its razzie. Still, unlike the first origin story, it's certainly not boring and provides a rather bizarre experience for a longtime comic fan.

Transported to an alternate universe, four young outsiders gain superhuman powers as they alter their physical form in shocking ways. Reed Richards becomes Mr. Fantastic, able to stretch and twist his body at will, while pal Ben Grimm gains immense strength as the Thing. Johnny Storm becomes the Human Torch, able to control and project fire, while his sister Sue becomes the Invisible Woman. Together, the team must harness their new abilities to prevent Doctor Doom from destroying the Earth.

The beginning played it very good, showcasing how Reed Richards and Ben Grimm met as kids. It's interesting to see the dynamic back then since the comics haven't really explored it all too much. Fast forward to modern day when they're at college. This is where the problems begin. At the science fair the teacher literally witnesses something get teleported away, yet dismisses it as if it wasn't anything extraordinary. There's no indication that this is a world in which stuff like this happens, so the reaction was incredibly strange. The action really begins when Franklin Storm asks Reed and Ben to join up at Baxter Foundation to complete a device which Victor Von Doom had started.

It'd be good to go over each individual character, which accounts for a good chunk of the negatives. The blatant one at first is Susan Storm. (Kate Mara.) She literally smiled about three or four times in the two hour run-time. She showcased virtually no emotion and her face pretty much had the same expression throughout the whole film. In the comics Sue is one of the most caring individuals in the Marvel Universe. Here...nothing. I'm not sure if the writing forced her to act like a statue or Mara just can't bring emotion into her role. A primary example is when she finds out that Reed, Ben, Johnny, and Victor are in great danger. Her statement "I'm trying" and her completely stiff face expression was just sad. I'm tempted to say she's just as emotion-less as Bella in the Twilight movie series. (If that were even possible.)

You're going to see a pattern here with the acting. One of the most laughable scenes was in "the other dimension" (which in itself wasn't explained at all) with Victor grasping the hand of Reed before plummeting below. There's yelling but it looks and sounds fake. The point of peril in films is for the viewer to feel the character's anguish and danger. One doesn't get the feeling here. It watches like the actors are just reading lines off the script and yelling when necessary. The film often feels like a low budget college project in this regard, which leads us to our next negative. While as terrible as the last two Fantastic Four movies were, they at least retained the feel of the classic comic books. What the writing and directing tries to do here is make it a gritty (generic word, but it's the only one that fits) almost alternate history type of story. There's unnecessary language being thrown around just to have some edginess for example. Even worse, there's a scene where some of the characters get drunk. (Basically, the opposite of stuff you find in the comics.) Take away the name, switch around the powers and this wouldn't resemble an FF movie in the slightest.

Back to characters, Milles Teller as Reed is often a mixed bag. Sometimes he's good, but the acting is so lousy sometimes it's hard to say anything positive. In the climax for example, his one-liners to Doom such as "Victor don't do this" was so terribly acted one has to imagine how this got pass the green screen. Michael B. Jorden as Johnny Storm wasn't bad. He definitely got the humor down which the character is known for. Perhaps the film's biggest positive is Ben Grimm. When Jamie Bell becomes the Thing, he completely nails the character.

As they say, a story is as good as its villain. Unfortunately for the previous two films, they didn't pass the test with their depiction of Dr. Doom. With a reboot, FOX had another chance. Did they succeed? It's an interesting answer. The problem I have is not with Toby Kebbell specifically, but before transforming into the antagonist the writing should have tried to develop the hate relationship between him and Reed. Later in the climax Doom states to Reed,"You always thought you were smarter than me." This makes no sense, since the two had only known each other for about...a few days, weeks maybe?" There's no buildup to such a statement. With that said, when Doom becomes Doom, he was a very enjoyable antagonist to watch. He commanded the screen, something the old Dr. Doom never quite achieved. Sadly, the writing strikes again since his goals and motivations are poorly explained.

If it isn't evident yet, the writing is pretty bad most of the time. Not only in the lines spoken by the characters, but on the plotlines themselves. There are two primary examples. Remember the laughable scene when Victor seemingly plummets to his doom? (Unintentional pun, I promise.) This wasn't mentioned by anyone afterward. It's almost as if the writing forgot about it until later. Another thing is that Ben blames Reed for his condition. When Grimm captures Richards, he makes the bold statement of "I'm not your friend." Yet about 20 minutes later they're pretty much back to being buddies, and by the end that line is completely rendered irrelevant. Despite there not being too much action, the film thankfully manages to move at a solid place. The climax isn't terrible, and there are some nice effects utilized. In retrospect however, it's probably the worst action film climax of 2015. Nothing really "big" happens, and looks low budget when compared to say Age of Ultron or Jurassic World. (Even tiny characters in Ant-Man provide a more grand climax, though to be fair few can beat Thomas the Tank Engine.)

Overall, Fantastic Four is one of the strangest comic book movies out there. It doesn't necessarily deserve its 9% on Rotten Tomatoes, but also doesn't really deserve anything above 30% either. The problem first from a comic book fan's perspective is that it doesn't look or feel like an FF movie. At least the previous two movies kept the family dynamic; here it's as if the goal was to make a sci-fi film with the characters in name only. It's truly bizarre, and an example that the "gritty reboot" isn't always the right call. I will however give credit for it having virtually no romance. But the language, the tone, the drunk scene, this is not the Fantastic Four. From a non-comic book fan's perspective, the writing is just bad a lot of the time. There is no great acting to be found here. The best FF film is still the unreleased Roger Corman one from the 90's.

2/5

ANT-MAN Review

Many people were surprised when ANT-MAN was announced for 2015. It was not because of the character, but the release date. The most famous thing the character is known for in the comics is the creation of Ultron. But, this doesn't happen in the Cinematic Universe. It was decided that Tony Stark would be the creator, which isn't the first time Marvel has toyed around with the idea. (Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow for example.) Another shocking thing was that instead of having the well-known Henry Pym as the title character, it was going to be Scott Lang. Marvel has been quite on a roll lately with quality installments one after another. While Ant-Man  doesn't reach the greatness of the previous three movies, it's nonetheless a solid entry in the series.

The next evolution of the Marvel Cinematic Universe brings a founding member of The Avengers to the big screen for the first time with Marvel Studios’ “Ant-Man.” Armed with the astonishing ability to shrink in scale but increase in strength, master thief Scott Lang must embrace his inner-hero and help his mentor, Dr. Hank Pym, protect the secret behind his spectacular Ant-Man suit from a new generation of towering threats. Against seemingly insurmountable obstacles, Pym and Lang must plan and pull off a heist that will save the world.

Interestingly, one of the most well-known things about this movie is more on the controversial side. Originally Edgar Wright of Scott Pilgrim fame was set to direct. Infamously, he left due to creative differences. (Marvel loves to keep a tight knot on their films.) Peyton Reed replaced him. How Wright's version of the film would have gone is an interesting thought, but now completely irrelevant. So, how does Reed deal with all these script rewrites? The film does suffer from a few problems, one of which we'll address now.

Near the beginning is the Baskin-Robbin's scene, which I couldn't stop thinking about throughout my viewing. A customer literally comes in and asks for a burger. After being told the place doesn't sell them, he then asks for "whatever is hot and fresh." I've never seen such bad writing in a high budget summer film. It was so unrealistic I had to question whether or not it was real. Then the scene following where the cashier (Scott Lang) talks to his boss afterward is so unrealistic it's like "Huh?" Marvel loves comedy, but this goes to some pretty cringe-worthy levels.

Thankfully, the rest of the film never goes that low. Paul Rudd as Scott Lang portrays a pretty solid protagonist for the most part. The redemption story underneath it all of a man whom wants to be a real father to his daughter is quite touching. Michael Douglas as an older Hank Pym was a highlight, and ironically more engaging than his comic book counterpart for the last ten or so years. (A prequel show with him as the original Ant-Man would actually be welcome!) Evangeline Lilly as his daughter Hope portrayed a believable character whom is angry with her father in regards to the death of her mother. The scene where Pym reveals to her the nature of his wife Janet's death was touching and easily one of the most emotional scenes of the Marvel movies yet.

Unfortunately, the romance between Scott and Hope is poorly established and feels completely tacked on at the end. It would have been far better to have it develop in the next movie. It would have been more organic and realistic, but alas the writing decided to go the generic route with it. Scott is accompanied by a trio of friends, though the only notable one is Luis. (Michael Peña.) He was used mainly for comic relief, and some scenes were definitely cringe-worthy, but in conjunction he did have some of the funnier segments. If the writing can downplay some of his going over the top just for the sake of comedy, I wouldn't mind seeing him brought back for the sequel.

How about Corey Stoll as the antagonist, Darren Cross? Like a good number of Marvel films, this guy is completely and utterly forgettable. The writing tries desperately to make him sympathetic and gives some pretty generic antagonist lines to help. (It doesn't help.) The fact that we just saw the amazingly written Ultron a few months ago also doesn't help matters. This guy is basically a poorer version of Obadiah Stane from the first Iron Man. At the very least, the Yellowjacket design is quite impressive and a treat to see in action. If only the wearer was at least a bit engaging.

The usage of Ant-Man's shrinking ability was definitely something intriguing to behold going into the film, but I never thought just how smartly utilized it would be. Lang is able to turn little then big again in a flash, which made for some pretty unique and awesome fights scenes. I've never seen the comics utilize his ability like this. In fact, usually in the comics the shrinking is treated as a slow process, which makes the film's usage a refreshing change of pace. (I wouldn't be surprised if the books started using this more prominently now.)

Every scene with Lang turning small offers very unique imagery and engagement we haven't seen since the Honey, I Shrunk the Kids days. Not only that, but seeing ants up close and personal was a lot fun. In fact, after watching this movie the viewer may like ants so much that he/she may reconsider stomping on one next time. The core of the story is the "heist" on Pym industries, and it's a blast to watch. The final battle against Yellowjacket was one of the most innovative of Marvel showdowns. We have the characters battling in a suitcase and even next to a Thomas the Tank Engine. (Whom deserves an Oscar by the way.) The soundtrack is pretty solid. There aren't many truly standout themes, though the one which played during the suitcase fight scene at least deserves praise.

Overall, ANT-MAN is a solid solo film introducing a character whom actually proves to be one of the most interesting with his shrinking ability. There is some mediocre writing which stops it from being called "amazing" like Winter Solider and Guardians and Galaxy, but there's more things to praise than there are negative. The action is a lot of fun and just different than what we're used to seeing. Also, the film takes some great advantage of being part of a shared universe. Unlike Iron Man 2, this film knows how to incorporate itself into the bigger picture while at the same time being a standalone story. I personally look forward to seeing the character again in Captain America: Civil War next year.

4/5

DAREDEVIL Season 1 Review

It was a major surprise when Marvel Studios announced they would be doing some Netflix-exclusive shows set in what is known as the Marvel Cinematic Universe. For many it was an interesting move. (Or unfortunate if one did not have the streaming service.) The main reason was of course the characters announced. It's always exciting when we find out the company has the rights to a character they didn't have for awhile. In this case, Daredevil's movie rights were owned by Fox. He had one film 12 years ago, and a spin-off...and then that was it. Now to be fair, the 2003 movie was actually pretty good. It successfully captured what the character was all about. But, as Marvel has demonstrated with the Hulk, they just know how to make better stories for their characters. Instead of a film this time however, they decided to do a series. Here we have 13 episodes for the first season. Since it's actually the highest rated show on Netflix currently, it doesn't even have to go without saying it's good, right? But just how good is it? My friend, if the first season is any indication we might have what is the best live-action comic book show.

Perhaps the most interesting thing about the series in comparison to the Marvel movies is that it's a lot darker. While in almost every Marvel film where much of the dialogue is used to make the viewer laugh, here the writing is more focused on getting the story told. While the films are rather family friendly, the TV-MA rating here is quite the opposite. Considering the gritty world the Daredevil comics reside in, it wouldn't have made sense to have a tone similar to The Avengers. This shows that Marvel can do serious stories. It's much like back in the day with the Marvel Knights line. The mainstream comics were more for all ages, but the Marvel Knights told darker stories. So, I have to give credit for Marvel for actually doing something dark in their cinematic line. It's a refreshing change of pace, and showrunner Steven S. DeKnight delivers with every episode.

What separates Daredevil from shows like Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Gotham is that those two in particular are very TV-centered. What I mean by that is they're built heavily on cliffhangers and dialogue/things to shock the viewers. Many of the characters in Gotham for example are very interestingly written...in a bad way. For example, in one of the later episodes a character spoons out her eyeball. This scene, even considering the context, doesn't make sense. It's literally just there to shock the viewer without considering the lunacy. Agents of Shield is built heavily on keeping the viewer glued with cliffhangers, many different plots, and charisma from the actors/actresses. There's nothing wrong with these things, but when you run into Daredevil, it's just on another level of storytelling.

How does Season 1's story pace? With just 13 episodes, there's no dragging on. Every episode gets to the point. There are some great flashbacks, such as with Matt and Stick, and later with the former and Foggy. These backstories nicely deepen the relationships in the modern day. The main conflict is of course against Wilson Fisk, whom there is definitely a lot to say about. But first, it's important to give praise to Charlie Cox for an absolutely stellar depiction of the title character. Marvel is usually great with casting, and I'm inclined to say this might be their best yet. He has a level of seriousness of classic Daredevil and humor from the more modern comics. He's perfectly developed as the episodes go on. An ongoing plot point is that he constantly wrestles with whether or not it's right to kill Fisk. He brings this up to his Catholic priest, which invites some great dialogue. These scenes were very good, and it was greatly disappointing that there was nothing in the final episode with it. It felt like it was missing.

It took a bit for Eldon Henson's Foggy Nelson to grow on me. For about the first half of the season he was easily the most overacted character, but by the final episode it's hard to not want him around. Despite being only 13 episodes, somehow the friendship between him and Matt is greatly established. That's why you can feel Foggy's anger when he discovers Matt had been basically lying to him all that time. Deborah Ann Woll as Karen Page was solid throughout. The three of them share a great amount of chemistry. If there's one thing to be said perhaps in a negative light it's the romance. First, there's a romance slowly blossoming between Foggy and Karen. Then in the final few episodes that's pushed to the side as Foggy suddenly goes back with his ex. If this had been a few more episodes, maybe this could have handled better. Still, it won't stop the positive score.

The romance established between Wilson Fisk and Vanessa happens rather quickly. I don't think two people can get so close like that in such a short amount of time, but it works for the most part without feeling too rushed. Now, for the Kingpin. This guy has been Daredevil's primary nemesis for years in the comics. He was also in the 2003 film, and Michael Clark Duncan delivered a great portrayal there. Unlike the film's version though, the show's adaption gives him more humanity. Like Norman Osborn in the Dark Reign comic saga, you actually do feel like sometimes he actually wants to make a difference for New York. When a writer can make a villain who decapitates someone with a car door sympathetic, you know we have good writing present. Part of the reason is also the fantastic flashback to when he was younger. It's dark, frighteningly realistic, and adds even more dimension to the character. He could have been just a corrupt businessman who wants to rule, but Vincent D'Onofrio gives us the most engaging portrayal of the Kingpin yet.

Arguably the most important dynamic in a story is the conflict between the hero and villain. While Matt and Fisk don't have too much interaction, when they do it's great. The final battle in Episode 13 was easily the best scene in the show. With Fisk shouting, "I wanted to make this city something better. You took that away from me! You took everything!" the viewer can feel his hatred for "the Man in the Mask." The fight scenes in general are some of the best from Marvel. Considering there are no super powers, the company can let loose with the street-level type of combat. Every single fight scene is amazingly choreographed. From Daredevil's battle with Nobu to the final conflict, they deserve praise. When a show has fantastic writing and incredible battles, you know we have a winner.

In just 13 episodes, the series introduces quite a few notable side characters. Arguably the most important is Ben Urich. After a few episodes, the viewer really begins to like him as we see he is truly a man of integrity and conviction. Vondi Curtis-Hall delivered a fantastic portrayal. It is surprising that the show decided to kill him off, considering he's a bit of a major character in the Daredevil & Spider-Man universes. Still, it was effective in getting the viewer to feel genuinely sad. The other notable character is Claire, (Rosario Dawson) whom is the first to learn of Daredevil's secret origin. She's a nice character and has solid chemistry with Matt, but later she disappears. I assume she'll be brought back in the second season, but it would have been nice if she appeared in the final episode.

Besides Fisk, there are other notable villains. Gao is interesting since we don't see many "grandmother" type of antagonists in comic book shows. Leland was perhaps the most fun with his constant sarcasm. Some might find him annoying but he often gave me a good chuckle. Wesley as Fisk's right hand man was great. Unlike in a lot of media with right hand men, you can really feel the bond these two have, which is another thing furthering the human aspect of Wilson. Stick was interesting, and he'll most certainly be back for Season 2. There are quite a few unresolved plot points, but since Season 2 is already confirmed there's no reason to go into them.

Daredevil's costume is very good. It's somehow different than what we've seen before while also being similar. At first I was dismayed that the iconic "DD" wasn't on it, but it hit me afterward the costume was made before the newspaper dubbed him "Daredevil." So while disappointing, it makes sense and hopefully in the second season it'll be added. The soundtrack is solid throughout. Each theme matches its corresponding scene. The intro theme is very good and nicely sets the mood for every episode.

Overall, Season 1 of Daredevil is the definition of a perfect Marvel comic book come to life on the small screen. Matt Murdock and his war on the Wilson Fisk's reign in New York is amazingly done in just 13 episodes. We have writing which surpasses the quality of anything seen in the Marvel movies. The fights are choreographed to perfection, and the major character relationships are fun to watch. If "The Avengers" revolutionized comic book movies, I think Season 1 of Daredevil should revolutionize comic book shows going forward.

AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON Review

One could make an argument that Star Wars: The Force Awakens is the most anticipated film of 2015. Truth be told, that's probably the case. Still, many would claim that the highly awaited Avengers sequel, Age of Ultron is. (It could be a moot point anyway since both movies are both distributed by Disney!) When "The Avengers" came on the scene three years ago it forever changed the comic book movie landscape, landing as the third greatest film in the box office. And it definitely deserves it, for it is enjoyable from the start to finish. "Age of Ultron" brings back the characters for another excellent adventure. While perhaps lacking in iconic moments than the first one, it's nonetheless a worthy sequel to one of the most enjoyable movies of the decade.

When Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) jumpstarts a dormant peacekeeping program, things go terribly awry, forcing him, Thor (Chris Hemsworth), the Incredible Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) and the rest of the Avengers to reassemble. As the fate of Earth hangs in the balance, the team is put to the ultimate test as they battle Ultron (James Spader), a technological terror hell-bent on human extinction. Along the way, they encounter two mysterious and powerful newcomers, Pietro and Wanda Maximoff.

From the film's action-filled opening, you know you're in for something truly exciting. Director Joss Whedon once again incorporates the heroes and their unique personalities well. While sometimes the sarcasm feels like it's there just to be there, the dialogue is almost always enjoyable. And that's the way it should be when you have Earth's Mightiest Heroes together. Pace wise, like the first one there are practically no moments that drag on. Is it better than the first movie however? Of course, nothing will ever beat the "wow they're all together!" factor, but nonetheless I'm inclined to say the previous one is a little better and there are basically no plotholes, unlike this one. Still, any negatives that are about to be said don't hinder the enjoyment.

Almost all of the characters are of course great. Let's us however address one plothole: the Hulk. In the climax of the first movie Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo) reveals that he's able to control his green alter ego since "He's always angry." Yet here he seems to have almost no control, which was disappointing. Because of this hole, Banner ended up being a lot less notable than his self in the first film. Another thing is the romance between him and Black Widow. (Scarlett Johansson.) It comes out of nowhere, but I can let that go slightly since at the same time it doesn't feel too forced while watching the film.

Chris Evans delivers another fantastic portrayal as Captain America. As the leader of the Avengers should be, he commands a level of inspiration every time he's on screen. Robert Downy Jr, while not having as many great lines as in the first movie, gives another great portrayal of Tony Stark/Iron Man. It's the same with Black Widow and of course Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury who doesn't appear much but when he does, he commands a presence. While before I thought there could have been someone better for the role of Thor, Chris Hemsworth proves here that he is a very good Prince of Thunder. The film also makes great use of previous characters in the franchise. Let us however talk about the new characters. When it was unveiled that Quicksilver, Scarlett Witch, and Vision would be appearing, many thought it would be too much of an overload. Somehow, the film makes it all work without making everything seem too crammed in.

The twins have an adequate amount of backstory, nicely setting them up as sympathetic without delving too much into that aspect. Scarlet Witch, being a major Avenger in the comics, has some nice scenes in the climax. Sadly, Quicksilver fans might be disappointed with his role in comparison. Vision doesn't get too much screen time, yet he still manages to be a highlight. If this were another movie it would have felt crammed, but not in the Avengers. A surprise highlight was Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye. It was as if if Whedon was saying "sorry" for his role in the first movie, being mind-controlled for most of it. Here he actually ends up being one of the big highlights. Now, onto perhaps the biggest reason for watching this...ULTRON.

Many fans were shocked when it was revealed at Comic Con two years ago that Ultron would be the antagonist. Thanos is perhaps Marvel's greatest villain, but as far as Avengers enemies go, Ultron can't be beat. As a longtime fan of the character, I know the different versions of him in the comics well. The movie's version to say the least is definitely engaging. James Spader delivers a terrific voice portrayal. Character wise, he's definitely a greatly written character, but how about as an Ultron adaption? While his dialogue is almost always enjoyable, it seems to me that he was chosen to be sarcastic because the team is. It seems that what the film was going for is a dark mirror of Tony Stark's personality. It would have been interesting to see if the film used his more serious, logical robot persona. Still, at the end of the day despite any personal preferences what we get is one of the Marvel Cinematic Universe's greatest antagonists. He commands a presence, and thankfully the film doesn't shy away from how powerful he is. (I still think his design from the Comic Con teaser would have been better.)

From the opening until the climax, the film has a lot of impressive action scenes. Perhaps the most hyped one was the Hulk Buster vs. Hulk battle. It definitely doesn't disappoint, but my personal favorite one was when Cap battles Ultron himself on top of a truck. Marvel continues to improve with the intensity and choreography of the action scenes. The final battle, like the first movie, has the team battle an army. This is entertaining, but it would have been nice to see more of a fight with Ultron himself. He only really battles the team one on one at a time, which is rather disappointing. Soundtrack wise, it's pretty standard as far as comic book movies go. We have the usual heroic themes which are always utilized well. The soft opera used during the climax was used extremely well, further making apparent of the rather bleak situation.

Overall, the Age of Ultron delivers. While not necessarily better than the first movie, there's no denying how enjoyable and great it is regardless. Yes, there are somethings that could be fixed and tweaked a bit, but really when you're watching Iron Man take on the Hulk in the streets it's hard to complain. Ultron is fantastic, and while it would have been nice to see a more serious take, there's denying that he was a blast to watch on screen. The action is amped-up, with plenty of incredible battle scenes scattered throughout. Marvel has done it again.

4.5/5

Guardians of the Galaxy Review

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY when it was first announced garnered a pretty big surprise response from comic fans. The team has never been mainstream. One could say the same thing about Iron Man once upon a time, but at least he was a founding Avenger. These guys have never been that big or involved in many huge events. It was pretty much the definition of a "risk" for the studio. The first trailer captured a positive response for the most part. Marketing since then has been modest, but its over 90 million opening weekend speaks volumes. Guardians is the most unique film from Marvel yet. It somehow introduces brand new characters and gives them each notable scenes. THE AVENGERS had it off easy because the audience already knew the characters from previous movies. Somehow Guardians replicates what made the 2012 film so much fun. The comedy isn't forced like in Iron Man 3 and Thor: The Dark World; it's actually pretty funny. The main characters are all likable and the main villain isn't a throwaway like Malekith. Director James Gunn delivers one of the best films from Marvel Studios yet.

The film opens up with a rather emotional scene. In fact, it might just be the saddest scene from any Marvel movie to date. 26 years later after Peter Quill, aka Star Lord (Chris Pratt) watches his mother die, he's put on a scavenger mission to retrieve an artifact which houses an Infinity Gem. This leads to spiral of events which puts him in the path of other "losers" such as Gamora, (Zoe Saldana) Drax, (Dave Bautista), Rocket (Bradley Cooper) and Groot. (Vin Diesel.) These five realize that in order to save the universe they'll have to work together and stop the Kree extremist known as Ronan the Accuser.

Peter Quill isn't the most well-known superhero, but after this film you'll be hard-pressed to find someone who didn't know the name 'Star-Lord.' When the first trailer came out some viewers accused him of being basically another Robert Downy Jr. Tony Stark. Thankfully from the time-skip in the opening it's evident that Chris Pratt brings a whole new, interesting character to the table. While he was a lot of fun for his love of 80's pop, each character brings something unique. Gamora at first from early marketing didn't seem like much other than a love interest for Quill. Thankfully that element has very little focus. Drax was solid, though despite arguably being the strongest brute-strength-wise, he didn't get to really showcase it as much as you would think. Still, he had some of the funniest scenes, such as not understanding Quill's Earth metaphors. 

"I am Groot!" Groot, like in the comics, is always an interesting character to have around. Despite only being able to utter three words, he displayed the most emotion from any of the characters. Of course, as expected, Rocket Raccoon was a highlight, perhaps the highlight. He steals the show in every scene he's in. One has to give credit to Bradley Cooper for such an incredible job; he perfectly nailed the character. At some point in time people would have laughed at the idea of a talking raccoon on the big screen; today they laugh with the character at almost every line he has. There are a couple other notable characters. Michael Rooker portrays Yondu: a bandit who could have been throwaway villain, but thankfully ended up being a little bit more. Karen Gillan as Nebula, the biological daughter of Thanos, was solid. She'll most definitely be appearing again; though it would have been nice if we had any idea of what she's going to do next. Also the film makes a point to bring up that Quill's father was not of Earth, yet the story doesn't delve into that. Hopefully in the sequel we'll get a little more backstory regarding this.

One thing that happens perhaps a little too fast is the Guardians deciding they need to work together. Rocket targets Quill, who is battling Gamora, then after they're all thrown in jail decide they need to team up. It's definitely feasible, but it happens rather quickly. It's just a minor thing, since by the middle of the film you're fully absorbed into the story and action. Ronan the Accuser is a big character in the comics, so fans were anxiously looking forward to his appearance here. I'm happy to say that he's one of the best Marvel antagonists to date. He has a commanding presence every time he's on screen, hats off to Lee Pace for delivering such a great portrayal. 

One of the most hyped things in this movie was the first talking appearance of Thanos. The titan first appeared in the after-credits scene of Avengers and fans have been eagerly awaiting his next appearance. In a scene just under 5 minutes he steals the show. It is a shame that the film teases a Ronan/Thanos fight, but doesn't actually happen. The soundtrack is very solid and unique since it utilizes a bunch of songs from the 70's & 80's. One thing that needs to be said is the incredible CGI. Groot and Rocket look fantastic and fit right alongside the actors. The scenery is beautiful, with Morag in the second part of the opening being a highlight. 

Guardians of the Galaxy delivers one of the most fun times I've ever had in the theater. Each main character brings something unique to the table. Marvel films are known for its comedy, but sometimes that humor is horribly forced. Most of the comedy here is natural; there's never a dull scene. As stated earlier, the film replicates the things which made The Avengers such an enjoyable movie. A year ago I didn't think I'd be saying this, but I'm more excited to see Star-Lord and his team's next adventure than Iron Man's or Thor's. Everyone involved deserves a thumbs up for churning out the most fun movie of the year.

4.5/5

X-MEN: Days of Future Past Review

Before the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the greatest continuity-driven comic book series were the X-movies. 14 years ago, the first X-Men came out. It predates even Spider-Man! The film still holds up well today, but it's the sequel which a lot call the best X-film and one of the greatest comic book movies overall. The Last Stand however is often regarded as the worst of the bunch. While I personally think it's very enjoyable, it does feature some questionable things. The killing of Cyclops and the weakened Phoenix were pretty awful decisions. We wouldn't get another X-film until 4 years later, in the form of X-Men Origins: Wolverine. (Which many people thought was worst than X3.) It wasn't until 2011 when First Class came out that the film series started to gain great momentum from the comic book community once again. Just last year saw the release The Wolverine, whose ending led straight into the title film. Days of Future Past shares its name with what is known as one of the greatest X-Men stories of all time, so it had a lot to live up to. It is definitely one of the best X-films yet. Not only is it well-written, but director Bryan Singer in just 2 hours and 11 minutes takes the X-Men universe right where it should be.

Like the comic, the film is set in the future where mutants are being hunted by robots called Sentinels. In order to stop this war from ever happening, Professor Charles Xavier sends Wolverine back into the past to change the future. The story starts out very fast, and very confusing if you haven't read the comic or seen the previous films for that matter. In fact, it is essential to have the seen all the main X-films to fully grasp and appreciate what's happening here. The future is established as bleak and depressing, but with a glimmer of hope. The characters are all established nicely. It is however a shame that such a major character like Bishop is seen for so little time only referenced by name once. Most of the film however takes place in the past.

A complaint a lot of comics fans had with the trilogy is that Wolverine was the main focus and the X-Men almost costars. This is true, characters like Cyclops and Storm were regulated to almost background status in those films so the spotlight could be on Logan. While he is of course a major focus here, the film does an excellent job utilizing the whole cast. Michael Fassbender reprises his role from First Class as the Master of Magnetism. Just like in the aforementioned film, he is very big highlight. While it's always great to see Ian McKellen's take on the character, this younger version is fantastic and easily an Oscar winner. James McAvoy returns as the younger Professor X. Unlike his self in First Class, the film portrays him as a broken, given-up-on-life man. He was good then, and he still is good. Jennifer Lawrence returns also First Class as Mystique. She had a considerable amount of screen time in the original trilogy and First Class, so it's natural that she has a pretty substantial role here. There's not much too complain about, though she isn't quite as engaging as Rebecca Romijin's portrayal from the trilogy.

Hugh Jackman of course does another great Wolverine. Like Downey Jr.'s Iron Man, he's become so much the character that it's hard to picture someone else in the role. While I didn't like Nicholas Hoult's portrayal of Hank McCoy/Beast in First Class, he's pretty solid here, a major improvement.  A controversy surrounding the film was the inclusion of Quicksilver. (Evan Peters.) Next year's Avengers: Age of Ultron will be including him also, so fans saw his inclusion as a bit of laugh from Fox to Marvel. Not only that, many people weren't thrilled with his design. Surprisingly, he ended up actually being a highlight and had one of the most memorable scenes in the entire film. It's sad that he couldn't come with Charles and Logan, because as you'll see later there's a scene where his speed would have been perfect. In fact, it's surprising they didn't ask for his help after breaking Erik out of prison.

This is a very different kind of comic book film. There's not really an official "main antagonist." Both Trask and Magneto can be called the villains, also the Sentinels. Trask (Peter Dinklage) was pretty well established. The Sentinels were one of the most hyped things in the entire movie. They don't disappoint power and portrayal wise. However, they are quite different than the ones we're used to seeing in the comics. Instead of being giant robots, they're more Hulk-size and have the ability to adapt. Not only that, but they can open up their heads and shoot a powerful beam. (An attack that is strikingly similar to the Destroyer's in Thor.) While it would have been nice to see the more classic-looking Sentinels, these bots don't disappoint. While there's a lot of fast paced action, there isn't a whole lot of fight scenes like we're used to seeing in these movies. Because of that, there's no really standout action scene. The greatest scenes include Magneto using the outer edges of a baseball stadium to enclose the White House. The soundtrack is fantastic, by far the greatest from any X-Men film and one of the stronger comic book movie soundtracks.

Days of Future Past is a very good watch with little holding it back. Almost all the performances are excellent, namely Fassbender's Magneto and of course Hugh Jackman's Wolverine. The film is very story based with little fight scenes. If the writing wasn't this good, that'd be a problem. The after-credits scene could use a little work, since anyone who hasn't read a comic isn't going to recognize the character in question. (They should have implanted the letter A somewhere.) Still, the film has many standout scenes that are accompanied by a spectacular soundtrack. By the end, the X-Men universe is back where it should be.

4.5/5

Why INFINITY is the BEST Marvel Event in a Long Time

Like it or not, in today's Marvel comic world, events are everything. Whereas in the past they were used scarcely, they come extremely fast these days. In fact, sometimes an event is announced while the current one is still going! Sadly, there hasn't been a really "wow, that's epic" event in awhile, until Infinity came along. Age of Ultron was a huge disappointment for many reasons. To this day I'm still wondering what happened to the 'epic conclusion' the final issue promised. What a great thing Marvel butchered, a slap in the face to people like me who had been waiting years to read it. Anyways, a little bit before that Avengers vs. X-Men came out, which was really solid for the most part.

Siege, Fear Itself and Secret Invasion were all lacking. Siege was simple and to the point, but lacked any real impact on the reader. Fear Itself had an absolutely fantastic first issue, but the rest fell flat. (I still can't get over how 'the Mighty' appeared literally out of nowhere with no hype whatsoever.) Secret Invasion had some neat ideas and the build-up was good, but the actual 8 issue series was anything but. (And because of it there's a running gag about Skrulls that's still in the comics today, it's really annoying.) AVX rises above all of those, but is it on the same level of Civil War or The Infinity Gauntlet? At this point nothing will ever be. But at least Infinity tries its best to be the most epic thing the comic world has seen.

When you have comic book movies releasing simultaneously with comics, you have to expect the company to capitalize. With Thanos gaining popularity thanks to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it was inevitable he was going to be brought back. It was definitely welcome, after his horrid appearance in Avengers Assemble, (what was Bendis thinking, oh right, Bendis, the same writer as Age of Ultron...) it was time for a true Thanos story. Infinity's writer Johnathan Hickman must love poetry, because the writing is very poetic. It's admittedly overdone, but some of it is very good. While no one can quite write Thanos like Jim Starlin, Hickman wrote a really good version of the Mad Titan.

The story is divided into two sections: The Avengers whom are conveniently in outer space and on Earth where Thanos hopes to find his only living son. The son, Thane, was an interesting character for the most part. Sadly by the end, it looks like he's going to be on the evil side, which is unfortunate since the comic basically showed us that he's not his father. It's too ambiguous, which is disappointing since a good chunk of the story revolves around him. Now the climax is pretty epic. Could the fight between Thanos and the Avengers been longer? Yes. But I'll take what we got. We had quite a few fantastic shots, such as an amazing one of Thor taking on the Titan. It actually felt like a true epic climax, something every major comic event needs to have. (Looks at Secret Invasion.)

How about some negatives? Not every event is perfect, unless you're Civil War or Infinity Gauntlet. Ex Nihilo joining the Avengers was an unexpected and cool thing. Readers like myself were looking forward to seeing this guy trade punches with Thanos. We got none of that, in fact Nihilo did practically nothing in the event, which is a true shame since he's one of the better new characters from Marvel. And this is more of a personal gripe, but I can't be the only one that noticed Issue 3 stole Ultron's 'Submit or perish' line from Age of Ultron. But beyond those things, there aren't many other bad things to say about this event. Unlike Age of Ultron, this feels like the story it set out to be: an Avengers vs. Thanos space epic.

Besides the climax, perhaps the best scene in the entire thing is the short fight between Black Bolt and Thanos. Bolt has remained an interesting figure in Marvel. He's always regarded as legendary thanks to his power. So when he loses, such as in World War Hulk, it's a big shock to the heroes and readers. The dialogue from Thanos is fantastic, such as him calling Bolt "Little King." And the way he beats him, by simply slamming him to the ground, is so simplistic and even gritty that it works.

Infinity is a poetic epic, something Johnathan Hickman seems to like writing. Admittedly sometimes it's a little difficult to follow what's happening in the space scenes, but I guess that shows just how complex this story is in comparison to previous events. It might not be as good as the other big Thanos story, Infinity Gauntlet, but it's truly a great read admist lackluster comics today. And once it comes out in trade format, it'll read like a really good poetic epic.

THE WOLVERINE Review

X-Men Origins: Wolverine is not a very liked film. But, Wolverine himself is a marketable character, everyone likes him. So it was inevitable that a sequel would come. The interesting thing is that this is more of a standalone, according to the people involved. We would see the title character heading over to Japan, which has been a popular fixture in the comics. This film is also significant because it's technically the first real sequel to The Last Stand, it takes place about two years after Jean Grey died. The first trailer didn't do wonders. Who wants to see a film where he loses his mutant powers? Thankfully this is one of those rare cases where the trailer is pretty dull while the film is anything but. THE WOLVERINE is one of the best films in the X-Men continuity. It's also a very unique comic film thanks to the Japan backdrop. Director James Mangold delivered the second best comic book film of the year.

The story begins in 1945, at the time of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki. Logan is in a bunker and saves the life of a rather kind Japanese officer named Yashida. In present day he has seemingly given up on being the Wolverine. When he's met by a mysterious Japanese woman called Yukio, he embarks to her home country to meet the man he saved in 45. He offers Logan a chance to be mortal, to take away his adamantium. Of course in comic book fashion, plot twists are abound and a blond-haired lady by the name of Viper takes center stage. The story is loosely based on a classic arc by Chris Claremont. There are very few negatives to be said, it's a great watch from beginning to end.

It's been quite awhile since we saw Hugh Jackman take up the mantle. (His unneeded cameo in First Class doesn't count.) I had forgotten just how great of a portrayal he can deliver, this film cemented that. This is by far the greatest portrayal of Wolverine the movie universe has seen. From his sarcastic wit to his brutality, it's like he was lifted straight from the comics. One of the biggest new characters is Yukio, portrayed by Rila Fukushima. This samurai girl is definitely cool and a fantastic addition to the story. Then we have the more helpless-but-still-able-to-fight Mariko. She's a nice character to have around, very genuine. I suppose the romance between her and Logan was inevitable, but from the film's point of view it was unneeded and felt forced.

There are two main antagonists. First we'll go with the much better one, Viper. She is one of the few female comic book villains to grace the screen. Sure, we have Mystique, but Viper was more of a mastermind. She was just a blast to watch, a true villain with her exotic look and pretty good dialogue. Unfortunately, the other antagonist Yashida is much less notable. You see, by the end it's revealed that he wanted to take away Logan's power for selfish reasons. By the end, the viewer is left thinking that he's nothing but a jerk. It's a shame too, since he was a really good character in the intro. The Silver Samurai should have just been an empty suit of armor. Speaking of that...

The Silver Samurai is one of Wolverine's biggest enemies, maybe second to Sabertooth. He was briefly featured in the trailers. Well, he's technically the final boss. He's more of an it, being a large suit of armor. Think Iron Monger just Japanese style. Unfortunately, the big plot twist is that Yashida was the one wearing it. In the end, Viper is the more engaging antagonist. There's a few side characters, perhaps the most notable being Hawkeye Kenuichio Harada. This guy could have easily been written out, he doesn't serve that much purpose. And what's with the arrows? It's like they were purposely mimicking The Avengers.

The action in this movie is very good and appropriately gritty. Wolverine doesn't shy away from unleashing his claws. It's violent, but that's expected from a Wolverine movie. One of the more unique action scenes was on the train, very clever.The soundtrack is solid, it blends into the movie well. There aren't really any standouts, but I did like the the theme that started playing at the ceremony when Wolverine unsheathed his claws. Now what I think is one of the greatest aspects of the film is the Japan backdrop. It's a whole different feel and look than New York. It's a nice change of pace.

Overall, THE WOLVERINE surprised me. It's a well-paced action drama. It proves that Wolverine can hold his own without any of his X-Men comrades. Yukio is a great character, and I hope she's used in the future. Viper was fantastic, one of the best villains of the year. The Silver Samurai...not so much. (At least the armor was cool.) The mid-credits scene is obviously awesome and a great tease for X-Men: Days of Future Past.

4.5/5

Thor: The Dark World Review

Thor has always been a major fixture in Marvel Comics. Adapting the God of Thunder for the big screen is an interesting thing to do, and the 2011 film more or less succeeded. It wasn't a great movie, but it established Thor and his characters well enough. Audiences were introduced to the wondrous realm of Asgard. Sadly the Earth scenes were tedious, and the romance between Thor and Jane Foster was forced. Loki was nicely established as Thor's mischievousness brother. All in all it was a decent origin story from the MCU. The Dark World is an improvement over its previous installment. It's not a 5 star movie by a long shot, but director Alan Taylor delivers a solid flick.

The story apparently takes place one year after The Avengers. Loki is taken to Odin, which the latter sends away to the dungeons. (I really like how the MCU is basically one big comic book universe where events have effect and continue on to other movies.) Malekith, the leader of the Dark Elves, awakens and wants to bring darkness to the entire universe. Sadly, the thing Malekith wants has been inhabited by Jane Foster, so his mission is to get her. Thor can't have this, so in order to ensure victory he enlists the help of his estranged brother. Of course, even having the God of Mischief may not make them victorious.

The story is solid enough. The flashback with Odin's father taking on Malekith and the Dark Elves was well done, albeit slightly cheesy narration. In present day, we're treated to many scenes in Asgard. It's refreshing to see most of the film taking place away from Earth. Thor's portrayal is pretty solid for the most part. I've said this in the past, but I was never crazy about Chris Hemsworth's performance. He didn't seem so sure about the role in his film and was only slightly better in The Avengers. He's a bit of a cardboard version of the character from the comics. This film is is an improvement, though Tom Hiddleston stole the show away, Loki has cemented himself as the fan favorite character in the MCU. Some of his scenes are highlights, such as the one where he uses his shapeshifting ability to annoy Thor. Loki is involved in two unexpected but great plot twists.

Natalie Portman's portrayal of Jane Foster was alright. To me she's like Skye from Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., the girl we're supposed to like but ends up being more annoying than likable. Sif and the Warriors 3 sadly got a mild role in Thor. At least here they did a few things. It's a shame Sif is a side character, she would make a fantastic focus and a much better love interest for Thor. The chemistry between those two in their short scenes together is much more natural than him and Foster. Anthony Hopkins returns for another good portrayal of Odin. Sadly his role is minimal compared to the previous film, and the viewer actually finds himself/herself disliking him after he shouts, "As many as are needed!" when talking to Thor on how many of his men need to die in order to take down Malekith.

The antagonist, Malekith, is portrayed by Christopher Eccleston. Sadly, he's ultimately forgettable. Thor's mother, whom is one of the best characters in the whole thing, alone was more powerful than him. He just doesn't do anything, it's his right hand man Kurse that does all the hard work. Kurse is portrayed by Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje. He is by far the much more engaging antagonist, his fight with Thor was fantastic and easily more exciting than the lackluster climax. He actually knocks away Thor's hammer like it's paper! Kurse should have overthrown Malekith, the latter just wasn't as great as he could have been.

Thor's mother Frigga has one of the most powerful scenes in the entire MCU. She was actually a more engaging character than the majority. Jane's Foster quirky friend Darcy returns. She was actually genuinely funny, I actually liked her more than Foster. For some reason, Darcy has an intern by the name of Ian. This guy ultimately serves no purpose, other than for comedic effect. (And this film has enough of that without him.) Idris Elba's Heimdall returns for another powerful performance. Eric Selvig is nothing but comedy, and not the good kind. Seriously, I don't think anyone comes to a Marvel movie to see a guy streaking over property or walking around in underwear. The MCU loves comedy and hates gritty, yes, but this is borderline dumb.

The climax is alright, but laughable when compared to the final battle between Superman and Zod in Man of Steel. The falling-in-between-worlds portal is an interesting -but quickly turns into a lame- gimmick. There's virtually no blows thrown, instead they keep falling through portals. The ending nicely sets up Thor 3 or perhaps a storyline for a future Avengers movie. The mid-credits scene isn't too exciting, but an interesting setup for Guardians of the Galaxy. The after-credits scene is alright, nothing special but the very last part is funny enough to justify staying in your chair. The soundtrack is pretty solid. It has some good opera when necessary.

Overall, the Thor sequel is a good followup. The story is interesting and Loki steals the show. Thor is pretty good, and the fight between him and Kurse was fantastic. Unfortunately, Malekith is underwhelming. The sad part is that this is becoming evident with any MCU film not labeled the Avengers. The main female lead doesn't come close to the coolness of Lady Sif. Ultimately, The Dark World isn't a great film. The action is just sad when compared to Man of Steel. The film however still beats Iron Man 3 and is far from being called 'lackluster.' Though it is kinda disappointing when a 5 minute preview for Captain America: The Winter Solider gives the impression that it's going to be 10 times better than this.

3.5/5

Avengers Assemble 'The Avengers Protocol' Review

Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes was one of Marvel's greatest toons. Some might even call it the best. (The only real competition is X-Men and Spider-Man.) So when it was announced that it would be cancelled so Marvel could have a 'clean slate' for animated programs, it caused a great uproar. The Surtur sub plot, the major arc of Season 2, would never be finished. Many were biased against Assemble from the start cause it was replacing EMH. To calm everyone, it was said that it would be in the same continuity as EMH. I highly doubt that was in the original plan, but we'll never know. The trailer came and wowed people, the animation looked really good and more 'traditional.' Sadly it appeared to be similar in tone with Ultimate Spider-Man, which too looked good in the beginning. (And you saw how that turned out.) Based on marketing an promotion, Assemble used the film's atmosphere and characters. It's basically something for people who saw last year's movie to hop aboard. It gives the illusion that it's in the same universe. So do we have a quality show or a shameless cash-in to the movie? Despite marketing pointing to the latter, it's actually very fun.

The story takes place a few years after for some odd unexplained reason the Avengers disbanded. The Red Skull is back, and has MODOK on his side. Iron Man decides to launch the 'Avengers Protocol,' re-gathering Earth's Mightiest Heroes. A lot of things happen during the forty minutes, which includes Cap supposedly dying and Red Skull stealing Tony's armor and becoming the Iron Skull. First off, I like how bold the premiere starts. Cap gets picked off early on, sending a shock to the viewer. We obviously know he's not dead, but it's still an interesting way to start off. It's obvious this series is taking a less serious approach in hopes of trying to mimic the film's and Ultimate Spider-Man's atmosphere. It surprisingly works, it isn't too comical like USM, yet has enough comedy fans and newcomers can have fun with. Hulk's banter with Thor every Avenger nevers gets old. I'm really glad they stayed with his EMH personality as opposed to the film's. Character portrayals are pretty solid for the most part. Tony Stark's voice sounded off in the beginning, but it grows on you over the course of 40 minutes. (People didn't like his EMH voice either at first.) The only questionable character is the Black Widow. Her personality doesn't match the film's, EMH's or even the comics. She's actually sometimes annoying.

Red Skull is the primary antagonist of the premiere, and looks to be a recurring force. It's a pretty decent portrayal, about on par with EMH's. The big thing is him taking the Iron Man armor from Tony. It's a pretty dramatic scene that had an amazing amount of tension. Now dubbed 'Iron Skull,' he made some modifications to the look, which was great. It's good to see the show taking some unique routes. The action is pretty solid. I will admit the teasing of a true Hulk/Thor fight is kinda sad, but oh well. The animation is more traditional than EMH. Most people really didn't like the animation of the previous show at first, but overtime it grew on them. Much like from the Spectacular Spider-Man to Ultimate, Assemble looks more like a 'normal' toon, much like Justice League or X-Men. It looks good, not quite as much as the aforementioned shows, but solid.

Avengers Assemble Is off to a very good start. It successfully captures the fun atmosphere of the movie without sinking to Ultimate Spider-Man level of comedy. Characters, aside from Black Widow, are great as always. The story nicely sets things up for the coming episodes. Avengers 2 comes out in two years, so let us enjoy this fun show in the meantime.

4/5

Iron Man 3 Review

Iron Man 3 is the first major disappointment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It's not a bad movie, but it's not exactly as high tier as the first one and barely (maybe not even) beats the second. It got hype for four primary reasons. One, it was going to be the third Robert Downy Jr. starred Iron Man film. Two, it was going to be the first MCU film after The Avengers. Three, it was going to feature the Extremis storyline. And finally four...it was finally going to feature Iron Man's greatest enemy from the comics, the Mandarin. Well it's fair to say the trailer gave a false presentation. Remember the scene with the armor grabbing Pepper? Thought the story was going to feature sentient armor? That's not a plot point at all. That aside, the film falls apart primarily thanks to the plot twist.

The prologue is admittedly very good. I love how it ties back to the first movie. It keeps a concurrent continuity and adds a rich backstory. It was something else seeing Yinsen again, definitely a great way to start out. Soon we head back to modern day where Tony has developed a way to 'summon' the armor to him. A fine invention, but can he handle the Mandarin's terror? Tony Stark spends most of his time out of armor, in fact, there's hardly any big action with him inside. Surprisingly Iron Man 2 had more satisfying action. But that's not the movie's main problem, it's the 'antagonist.' The big plot twist of movie is the realization that the man whom calls himself the Mandarin is actually not.

It's fair to say that the early scenes of the TV showing the ten rings symbol was pretty intense and well done. The Mandarin was portrayed perfectly as a terrorist threat. With lines such as "Some people call me a terrorist. I consider myself a teacher," he was turning out to be the greatest Iron Man film villain and one of the most memorable comic book movie antagonists. The scenes on the TV with his followers wiping out people felt real and gave you a bad feeling inside.

Then everything went out the window.

Let me ask you a question. Is it possible for a plot twist to be unexpected but not good? Or perhaps satisfying is the correct word. Nobody was expecting the Mandarin was actually just an actor named Trevor. This fake Mandarin is portrayed by Ben Kingsly, whom was doing a fantastic job as the antagonist in the beginning. But after the plot twist he becomes nothing but the biggest joke of the whole MCU. The acting is so over-the-top and not funny. Sure, one could argue this plot twist wouldn't matter to non-comic readers. But the fact remains that the screwed up Iron Man's greatest adversary. And I thought the worst enemy relationship between Red Skull and Cap in The First Avenger wasn't established that well. Here it's virtually nothing. We've waited three films for this, so that was a very disappointing factor.

Robert Downy Jr. once again plays the quirky Tony Stark. One might question him not knowing about the pistols Rhodey gave him, but other than that he steals the show once again. It was also nice to see a more 'human' side to him when it came to Pepper. Guy Pearce portrays Aldrich Killian, the true antagonist. He couldn't be more generic or dull. Sadly he is definitely the least memorable villain of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The Extremis part of the story worked for the most part. It was rather disappointing that the trailer made everyone think the armor would gain sentience, false advertising at his finest. We also have returning star Gwyneth Paltrow as Pepper Potts. She has a pretty good role throughout, not to mention the awesome moment where she completely beat up Killian. Jon Favreau (director of the previous two films!) as Happy Hogan was definitely a highlight, despite only a few appearances. Don Cheadle returns as James Rhodes, aka War Machine. Definitely a fun character to have around, especially next to Stark. Then there's this kid called Harley. There really wasn't much point to him, not to mention the acting was pretty sub-par.

There were some pretty intense action-themed special effect sequences. The destruction of Tony's mansion was powerful. The finale isn't bad. I can't say it was as satisfying as any of the other MCU films. The soundtrack is pretty good, nothing special but alright. Something I do like is how the movie references The Avengers but doesn't go overboard like with the second entry. It has just a nice sprinkle of them with the best being when Happy called them the 'Super Friends.'

Overall, Iron Man 3 is what I call a true 'disappointment.' It's by no means a bad movie,  it is enjoyable, but it's no where near the level of the first film. The true antagonist is unmemorable, and for longtime comic fans the Mandarin will be forever ruined. There's surprisingly little Iron Man action and the climax, while not bad, wasn't the greatest. I can only hope now that Marvel doesn't strike out with Thor and Cap.

3/5

SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN #1 Review

"From now on, my name is Peter Parker. From this point on--I am Spider-Man." ~Otto Octavius

The Superior Spider-Man was by far the most anticipated book from Marvel NOW, followed by the upcoming AGE OF ULTRON event. Why? Well, Peter Parker is dead. (They didn't put #700 in the death polybag!) The Amazing Spider-Man ended with its 700th issue last month. In it we saw Peter Parker in Otto Octavius's dying body battling Otto whom was in his body. In the end, Peter's plan of switching failed but he managed to shoot his saddest memories of when he couldn't save some people, convicting the Doctor. Peter died, and Otto vowed to be the new Spider-Man, the superior Spider-Man. It was a pretty big shock for the comic world, getting plenty of hate beforehand, but once it came out, that hate died down. Avenging Spider-Man #15.1 was the perfect 'epilogue' of #700 and 'prologue' of Superior #1, it established just how Otto was going to work as the new Spidey. I was intrigued, there's something really interesting about it, plus Otto is just funny. Peter Parker is my favorite character of all time, so I wasn't exactly welcome to this, but sometimes things have to be shaken up for a new story. Superior Spider-Man #1 is a great opening issue with an awesome yet kinda hypocritical ending.

Let's start off at the beginning. We have Otto paying his respects to his body's grave, a great character moment. After so many years of constantly battling Peter, it's really interesting to see this. Soon he hears on the police band that there's trouble. This trouble comes in the form of..are you ready for this...the New Sinister Six. Not the most original thing since the team just appeared not too long ago, but they'll do. The roster is what's interesting, having Shocker, Overdrive, the Beetle, Speed Demon, the Living Brain and...Boomerang? Probably the most diverse version of the Sinister Six. Once Spidey swings in, things get interesting. There is something definitely 'dark' about this series, Otto is definitely what you get when you combine Peter with the Punisher. Dan Slott writes him well for the most part. In the beginning he sounded like a carbon copy of Peter, but in some scenes such as the dialogue with Max Modell and his referring to the Horizon team as "Dolts" are spot on. Mary Jane is quite clueless though. She knows Peter more than anyone...yet in #700 and here she's not the least bit suspicious. There's something wrong with that, right now she's one of the worst written characters of the book. Some parts of the dinner scene were just...not good. I do like Ryan Stegman's art. Even though Otto is using Peter's look, the art succeeds in making him look different than Parker. One particular scene in the lab when he refers to the team as "Dolts" (I know that's the second time I brought it up, it's just funny) his face looks so 'high and mighty', it's good stuff. This brings me to discussing the biggest thing about the issue, the ending...

So Otto finds the Sinister Six, beats them, but decides to really give it to Boomerang. In fact, he's about to kill him when a ghostly hand stops him. That ghostly hand belongs to Casper the Friendly Ghost and...well, actually it's Peter Parker. The ending was leaked a few days ago, I managed to avoid it, so this came as a shock. This is definitely very cool for fans, because the Peter Parker ghost says "I don't know how, but I am still in the fight! I am Peter Parker. And I swear I will find a way back!" It's good stuff, but also kind of hypocritical when you think about it. The whole point about the Superior Spider-Man was for Otto to become the hero, to be the new Spider-Man. Stephen Wacker even commented last month saying, "Peter Parker fans will sort of fade away over the months and years." So to see this happening makes the whole thing moot. Why? I read an interview today that Peter will be a "very strong presence" in the book, which is great, but at the same time this doesn't leave room for Otto becoming the new Spider-Man. Let's look at it this way...if readers see Peter throughout the story, then they're just going to want him back, it just doesn't make sense. But, these comic surprises keep happening...so I guess we'll see where this goes.

The Superior Spider-Man #1 is a very interesting start. Otto makes for a very funny title character, I'm looking forward to seeing how other heroes and villains react. Mary Jane sadly is not written well at all. The ending is...intriguing to say the least. Where it goes I do not know, we'll find out as the issues go. Superior? Not quite yet.

4/5