Captain Marvel

Here we are, film 21 one of the MCU and there is no denying, it's a little bit embarrassing that this is the first film in the franchise with a sole female lead. I'm happy it's here now but there is no doubt it has been a long time coming.

Captain Marvel follows an extraterrestrial Kree warrior who finds herself caught in the middle of an intergalactic battle between her people and the Skrulls, whilst simultaneously fighting with the recurring memories of her - unknown to her -  former life as an Air Force pilot on earth.

The title character is played by Brie Larson and she is joined by Ben Mendelsohn, Jude Law, Annette Bening, Lashana Lynch and with it being set in the '90s, a digitally de-aged Samuel L Jackson and Clark Gregg reprising their roles as Nick Fury and Phil Coulson.

You can tell Marvel no longer want to do origin films but with a character like Captain Marvel, it's hard to do without one because her story is a mix of the earth and cosmic based lore, which is unlike anything we've seen before. It's also quite confusing; I didn't actually know that much about Carol Danvers going in so I can't comment on comic accuracy but I can say that it takes a little while to get your head around everything going on. You can tell the film is struggling as well, exposition is clumsy and contrived, the opening is just a little more disorderly than we're used to from a Marvel film.

When we get to Earth things are a lot smoother, it feels a lot more familiar, reminiscent of phase one of the MCU. However, I think I might be as torn as Marvel must have been on this film. I want something different, and they definitely cater to that but it's confusing and messy, but when it's familiar it feels bland and too much 'been there, done that'. It comes together in the third act, which makes the good parts of this film quite difficult to talk about without spoilers, but I will say that when certain story elements are revealed, it really elevates the film to something quite different and something a bit more poignant.

Brie Larson is a great addition to the MCU, though I think we've just seen the tip of the iceberg of her potential in her first outing. She clearly has the acting chops, but the writing did sometimes let her down (this is not Marvel's funniest film) and despite her doing a lot of training for the action the editing and camerawork does not showcase just how hard she worked. That being said, she plays the stoic hero very well and her more human moments are touching. It'll be interesting to see how the Russo brothers handle her in Endgame, as they really seem to have a handle on character, story and structure within the confines of a feature film. Not that this film handled it badly, it was just a lot of new and complex balls to juggle. With the information dump out the way, the future can only be less complicated.

One element of this film that was great to see, was the Skrulls faithfully realised on the big screen. The make-up and costuming look awesome and Ben Mendelsohn absolutely kills it as Talos, making for yet another unique and complex antagonist. Marvel really seems to have a handle on that now. They've also got a handle on the de-aging CGI process, with younger Nick Fury looking pretty flawless. Coulson looked a tad smooth at times but I'd be surprised if general audiences would even notice. It's a cool technology that's well used here.

Overall this is quite a middle of the road Marvel film, it's quite the complex story to tell and it does struggle but it's an okay start for the new Captain. The stuff it does well, which is unfortunately spolier-y, is very good; you've just got to sit through some pretty so-so stuff to get there. I didn't love it, I didn't hate it, it was okay. I'm rating Captain Marvel a 3/5. I'm still excited to see where they go next with the character.

What did you think of the film? Love it or hate it, let me know in the comments below.

Thanks for reading!

Kingsman: The Secret Service

Sick of spy films being too drab and serious all the time? Well don't fear, Mathew Vaughn has made a fun action spy film for an adult audience, starring Colin Firth as a kick ass secret agent. It's cool, funny and entertaining, read on to find out my full verdict on Kingsman: The Secret Service.

Kingsman follows Eggsy, a character who is recruited into a secret spy agency by Harry Hart, one of the agencies top spy's. Eggsy lives in a South London housing estate and is headed for a life behind bars. Thankfully Harry sees the potential in the youth to help sort his future out with the Kingsmen.

Taron Eggerton plays Eggsy and is pretty much a newbie to the film industry. He is brilliant in Kingsman and plays his character really well. He is set up very quickly as someone you want to route for and will stick that way for the rest of the film. His mentor Harry is played by Colin Firth who is absolutely brilliant and completely steals the film. His mix of cool and badass is something that needs to be witnessed and is thoroughly entertaining to watch. Other actors include Micheal Caine (who is severely underused), Mark Strong (who is always great) and Samuel L Jackson, who provides an amusing performance as the main villain.

I really enjoyed this film, it's a good fun solid action spy flick. As much as it is a spoof of classic spy films it never crosses the line into Austin Powers territory, it has the potential to do its own thing, with a fun plot and comedic characters. I did find parts of it to be cliche and predictable but there are also a few twists to be enjoyed along the way.

The action is really cool and done in a very stylised way that at times feels like a video game (but in a good way), it's very cartoony and keeps in style with the rest of the film. It is a lot of fun to watch. If over the top comic violence is not your thing, this may be one to miss.

I felt the first half of the film was a lot better done than the second. Some of the jokes started to wear thin and the excessive use of bad language started to feel like a shock tactic rather than funny. I never usually have a problem with this in films but I felt that the comedy was definitely pandering to a 'lad' culture which has been occurring for quite some time. That's not to say none of it was funny but some of it was definitely  for different members of the audience rather than myself. At the end of the day this is based on a Mark Millar comic book and after Kick Ass we all know he likes to take the audience out of their comfort zones. This is definitely not for the easily offended.

With these few problems aside, this film is still a great watch and a good time at the cinema. Mathew Vaughn proves again that he is one of the most entertaining film directors around. Kingsman: The Secret Service is good old fashioned spy fun mixed with modern and contemporary characters. I am giving it a rating of 4/5.

What did you think of the film? Let me know in the comments below.

Thanks for reading!

Captain America: The Winter Soldier

The sequel to Captain America: The First Avenger is here and Marvel have finally turned what many people consider to be a 'lame' superhero into a total badass! I did enjoy the first film but felt that the final act was a bit rushed in order to get Cap to where he should be in The Avengers, the film that made him cool, but it is The Winter Soldier that proves Captain America isn't lame in the slightest! Read on to find out my verdict on the film as a whole, and as usual this review will be SPOILER FREE.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier revolves around Steve Rodgers struggling to embrace his new role in the world and who he can trust in it. At the same time he also faces a new threat from old history, a soviet agent known as the Winter Soldier.

The action is one of the best things about this film and it kicks off pretty quickly. Cap has a new style of fighting and it is brutal but also very, very cool. His iconic shield is used a lot more, and his strength is shown off a lot more during the film proving the fact that he is in fact a superhero and not just a slightly stronger guy. His new suit is also very cool and the whole design of the characters, old and new like The Falcon, is pretty much perfect in this modern day re-imagining of the comic books.

The acting is all solid and Chris Evans owns it as Steve Rodgers, along with Scarlett Johansson who surprisingly did not annoy me at all with her portrayal of Black Widow, unlike with previous appearances of her character that I have not always enjoyed. Samuel L Jackson IS Nick Fury,there is no denying it and newcomers Robert Redford and Anthony Mackie are also great additions to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

A change of directors for this film, The Winter Soldier was directed by Joe and Anthony Russo. They have done a perfect job of turning the film into an interesting and intriguing action flick that juggles around an ensemble of characters, almost perfectly, into new territory tonally and thematically for Phase 2 of the Marvel Universe. The writing is also great and has the best balance of seriousness and comedy since The Avengers. The only problem with it being that there were a lot of cliched 'saved at the last second' moments and the biggest flaw of any Marvel film, that there never seems to be too much peril. As I have mentioned before though, I think this is something that could definitely change in Age of Ultron.

My biggest gripe of the film would be the amount of screen time that the Winter Soldier character actually gets. If you have ever been interested in comics then you most likely know who the soviet agent is and know that it creates a pretty powerful storyline. Now there is no denying that he is a more memorable villain then Malekith was in Thor: The Dark World but I would have liked to have seen a lot more of him! My other gripe is with Maria Hill who occasionally just pops up in this film, I have come to terms that she most likely will never be exactly like her character in the comics, but I would have either cut her from this film or given her more to do thnn what she was given.

I have seen a lot of people criticise this film for a lack of character arc for Captain America, but I believe that if you were to change any part of what the super soldier is all about then he is no longer Captain America, that's the whole point of his character, he is and always will be a good man.

The film is a lot of fun and has a lot of great moments and very cool set pieces. The story sets up some big changes to the Marvel Universe and it is great being able to see big events from the comics be brought to life on the big screen. There are twists and turns galore, some predictable, others not as much and thankfully nothing as infuriating Iron Man 3. Keep an eye/ear out for all references including one of the best ever to Pulp Fiction, and as always make sure you stay for the post credits stinger! Captain America: The Winter Soldier is not just the best of phase 2 so far but is also one of Marvel's best films to date. I am giving it a rating of 4/5.

What did you think of the film? Let me know in the comments below.

Thanks for reading!

Django Unchained

Revenge isn't clean but it sure does look and sound good. Quentin Tarantino's Django Unchained came out in the UK at the weekend and I have finally watched it after the agonising wait, during which it got great reviews from the its release in the USA. I am a big fan of Tarantino, everything he does looks amazing and the man writes dialogue that is so intelligent and witty, it is out of this world. Django Unchained is not an exception in his great line of work and may just be one of his films since Pulp Fiction.

Once you get into Django Unchained you are in for a ride, a very long ride. But it will be worth it. The plot goes like this 'Former dentist, Dr. King Schultz, buys the freedom of a slave, Django, and trains him with the intent to make him his deputy bounty hunter. Instead, he is led to the site of Django's wife who is under the hands of Calvin Candie, a ruthless plantation owner.' It's a crazy film that won't be for everyone but if you are a fan of Tarantino then, like me you will come out of the cinema a very happy person. The film is full of great moments, my particular favourite being a scene where members of the KKK are moaning about the masks they have to wear, the scene is comedy gold.

After a few small roles over the last few years it feels good to see Jamie Foxx back and being in the main role as Django and doing a mighty fine job of it as well may I add. Other additions to the cast include Christoph Waltz who is just as good as he was in Inglorious Basterds maybe even better. Leonardo DiCaprio plays the evil plantation owner and he plays evil so well and still manages to make you laugh along the way, he surely is one of the best actors of our generation and Tarantino's dialogue just helps to make this performance extra special. Kerry Washington puts on her best performance of her career as Django's wife, whilst Samuel L Jackson is no longer that cool dude you want to be friends with, this time he just plain evil and also gives off an incredible performance. The only exception of great performances is Quentin Tarantino's cameo, usually I don't mind his place in his films but this time it didn't seem right. Apart from that though it is a pretty amazing cast! The first half of the film does seem as if it belongs to Christoph Waltz, with Jamie Foxx playing second fiddle but by the second act you will know why this film is called Django Unchained!

Be warned this film is very violent, but you probably already knew that. Tarantino does not hold back in trying to show us how bad it was for black people during this era in the United States. This may be controversial but it sure does help make you feel for the characters in this brutal world that once was ours. In some scenes it literally looks as if it is raining blood with the amount spilt on camera. I am usually good with violence on film but even I had to avert my eyes in places, especially in scene which contained 'mandingo fighting'.

The film looks great and Tarantino proves that he is not playing safe when it comes to working the camera. The camera moves around the place in ways that are rarely seen on film anymore, he isn't afraid to experiment and the film gives off the fun pulpy style that the rest of Tarantino's work has. The guy pulls of several crash zooms that are just really enjoyable to watch. 

One of my favourite things about this film though was the soundtrack. It was different and all over the place but it worked! Tarantino really knows how to pick the right songs for his work, I doubt anyone else could fit a 2Pac song into Western/Southern movie. It makes the whole experience a lot more enjoyable and I found myself smiling away at the back of the screening.

Another thing that made me smile was the dialogue. Yet again Tarantino has a his way with words and creates some brilliant speeches and one liners that are interesting and funny at the same time. Thank god he was able to casta ctors who were able to get the timings perfectly and create some really great moments in the film.

There are not many flaws in this film apart from the cameo from Tarantino himself. If I was to be picky I would say that the film went a bit 'Peter Jackson' at the end and had a few too many places where the movie could end. But apart from that I loved this film! That is why I am rating Django Unchained, 5/5.

What did you think of Django Unchained? Please comment below.

Thanks for reading!

The Avengers Review

Finally the review of one of the most anticipated superhero movies of all time, The Avengers or Avengers Assemble if you are from the UK like me. We luckily got to see the film before those living in the U.S.A and we got an extra word! Though unfortunately they get an extra post credits scene, but don't worry I won't go into detail about that, as this review is spoiler free!

So after a long weekend at Sundance London and a frustratingly delayed train journey back, I finally got to see the film I have been waiting years for! Never have I been so excited for a film! But was it going to live up to my expectations? Thank you lord it did! I have never had so much fun at the cinema before and I doubt I will ever again!

The film follows a group of superheroes; Iron Man, Thor, Captain America and The Hulk who are assembled by head honcho of S.H.I.E.L.D, Nick Fury. He has no superpowers apart from being Samuel L Jackson! Other members of the group who are not 'super' but rather kick ass include Black Widow, Hawkeye, Maria Hill and the incredible Agent 'Phil' Coulson. The team are assembled as The Avengers and together they must face an army brought to Earth by the god of mischief, Loki.

For those who believed that Mark Ruffalo would not make a good Hulk you are so wrong! Although Edward Norton was brilliant, Ruffalo just completely blows him out of the park! He is also the first actor to play the Hulk via motion capture. Unlike previous representations of the gamma monster, this Bruce Banner is not as tortured by the man inside but has learnt to keep him away for as long as possible. How you ask? Well you will have to watch the film! Robert Downey Jr once gain captures Tony Stark perfectly but does not steal the show. The Hulk does that, he provides moments of great action and humour.

In fact the whole film does that! Joss Whedon really has created a film that contains everything we love from previous Marvel movies and amps it up a notch! His direction and writing is spot on and the film visually looks beautiful. Not just the special effects but cinematography also! The best bits about the film are the conflicting relationships between The Avengers, don't worry they all fight each other at least once, Hulk vs Thor being a highlight. But the two characters that don't fight are Tony Stark and Bruce Banner. Their relationship is brilliant, being two geniuses they instantly connect and the constant push from Stark to try and get Banner angry is brilliant! I would be happy if the next Marvel project was a Iron Man & Hulk movie!

Another thing that makes this movie great is that Captain America is actually quite cool. Although he does need to back down a bit and stop being so over confident when he wants to fight Iron Man, a fight he will so obviously lose. No Cap, just no. But apart from that, Captain America feels like a superhero who isn't just a do good whining soldier. There is a very cool moment where he knocks a grenade back to his enemy using his bare hands. Thank you once again Joss Whedon for making the Captain America we all want to see. Thor is pretty awesome also, but he already was pretty cool. And like in Thor he gets to say some pretty amusing lines.

My down point of the film is that the phrase 'Avengers Assemble!' is not used and neither is 'I say thee nay!' used by Thor. These little things would have made me nerd out even more but never mind. Apart from that The Avengers is pretty much flawless as a superhero movie. Those who compare it to The Dark Knight should give up. Yes they are both superhero film but they are in completely different categories when it come to style!

2012 is already so much better then last year! If you are going to see any films this Summer, this looks like the one to go to! Bring on The Amazing Spider-Man and The Dark Knight Rises! I'm giving The Avengers a rating of 5/5.

Thanks for reading and remember to stay until the end of the credits so you can nerd out just a little bit more!