Fast and Furious 7

It's difficult to review Fast and Furious 7 without discussing the tragedy which defined its production and how many people will view the final product, so let's look at that first.

On November 30th, 2013, one of the franchise's stars Paul Walker died in a car crash. This was a tragic loss which also meant that difficult decisions had to be made for Furious 7, as Walker hadn't finished all of his scenes before his death. When the decision was made to complete the film, serious re-working was needed on the part of the film-makers. The remainder of the scenes including Walker's character were completed through the use of CGI, body doubles and the contributions of his brothers Caleb and Cody Walker. So does this method work, and does the film serve as a fitting tribute and grace note to Paul Walker's work?

Following the defeat of villain Owen Shaw (Luke Evans) from the prior film, Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) and his crew, including his friend Brian O'Connor (Walker), his sister and Brian's partner Mia (Jordana Brewster) and his amnesiac long-lost love Letty (Michelle Rodriguez), are trying to lead normal lives in their old stomping ground of Los Angeles. But their plans are put in danger by Owen Shaw's vengeance-seeking brother Deckard (Jason Statham), who is coming after the team with grim intentions. Realising that Deckard poses a very real threat to his family and friends, Dom assembles his team for "one last ride"...

Taking over the directing duties after Justin Lin (who helmed every Furious film from 2006's Tokyo Drift to last year's Fast and Furious 6) got beamed aboard the Starship Enterprise, horror film-maker James Wan (best known for 2004's Saw, 2011's Insidious and 2013's The Conjuring and Insidious: Chapter 2) does a brilliant job of stepping into the lunacy which is Fast and Furious. As the series has continued, the action has got progressively more outrageous and hilariously awesome to watch. This is the most bonkers out of all the films, and it knows it. Through incredible stunt-work and solid visual effects, Wan and his team have concocted, to quote my friend, a 'gloriously stupid' thrill-ride. The action in this film is stupid and utterly mad, but it is also a lot of fun to watch it unfold. A sequence involving a vehicular battle on a cliff-side in Azerbaijan (and a certain stunt to get to this point) is a perfect example; the real joy is in watching just how far the film-makers will go, and the spectacular silliness is mind-bogglingly entertaining to behold. That's just one of the action sequences; I haven't even mentioned the fight 'n' flight scene in Abu Dhabi or the final battle sequence which leaves an entire city strewn in rubble. Before the film, I didn't know how the conclusion here would top the mad spectacle of the finales in the previous two films. Oh, how they topped it. This is Grand Theft Auto on steroids. If I had an issue with the action, it would have to be that while the hand-to-hand combat sequences are still really enjoyable, they are marred somewhat by quick cutting. I could keep up for the most part, but I wanted to savour these fights and not feel like I was being challenged to keep track.

The visual effects, while not stellar, are still strong enough to deliver on the action sequences, but the CGI used to graft Paul Walker's face on his brothers and body doubles are more hit-and-miss. While some of these moments work effectively, other moments were obviously CGI for me. Now I was willing to let this go given the tragic circumstances which led to this method being used, but then I thought of the same technique being used for 2000's Gladiator when actor Oliver Reed died before completing all of his scenes. Even knowing one of the scenes this method was used for, I can never spot the seams while watching that film. 15 years later in technical advances, that's not the case here, with Walker's face having tell-tale elasticity and wrinkles which give the game away. That being said, the knowledge of the tragic situation does soften this problem. And, in terms of capturing Walker's vocals, the film-makers did a seamless job.

The cast here are now more than comfortable in their roles, and they deliver very good work here. Most people will be coming to see this film because of Paul Walker, and he delivers a genuinely likeable and sincere turn here. Walker's talents were mostly underrated (see 2006's Running Scared if you see further proof), and he is effortlessly watchable here in giving this character unexpected layers. While Walker's death will make him the one many people are coming to see the film for, this shouldn't keep the work of the other cast members from being noticed. Diesel is terrific as Dominic Toretto, emanating his usual strength as well as a fierce determination as his character fights to stop Shaw from shattering his family. Diesel has a way of making even the cheesiest lines work here (which is fortunate since writer Chris Morgan gives him a few), and the emotional undercurrent he brings to his role makes Dom even more fleshed out. Michelle Rodriguez delivers her best work of the series thus far as Letty, capturing the emotional turmoil of a character forced back into a life she remembers little about. An early scene between her and Diesel in a graveyard is especially well-acted. As Agent Luke Hobbs, Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson has a lot of fun as usual with this over-the-top macho character, but fans of his may be disappointed to hear that this is his smallest role in the series. He still gets bad-ass moments and some hilariously cheesy dialogue which, much like Diesel, he pulls off well through his on-screen presence, but just try not to be too disappointed when you don't get as much of him in this one as you did the previous two instalments. Once again doing a lot with comparatively little in her role as Mia, Jordana Brewster is wonderful, making every moment of screen-time count and bringing a real emotional weight to scenes like a phone conversation between herself and Walker's Brian. As the comedic relief character Tej and Roman, Chris 'Ludacris' Bridges and Tyrese Gibson both bag plenty of laughs, whether through their bickering or through Roman being his usual loud-mouth self. As hacker Ramsey, Nathalie Emmanuel (who has proven that she's a talented actress on the TV series Game of Thrones) is sadly little more than window-dressing. You could make the argument that Gal Gadot's character Giselle is another example of this from the main cast of the series, but at least she had some bad-ass moments and funny lines. Emmanuel, try as she might, doesn't get enough to make an impression.

At the beginning, Statham looks like he will be a terrific villain. From the opening scene to his encounters with some of the main cast (fighting them with both his fists and his car), Statham's Deckard is a truly menacing and nasty foe who looks set to be a merciless threat for our heroes. However, when the characters of 'Mr. Nobody' (Kurt Russell) and Mose Jakande (Djimon Hounsou) enters the fold with their own plot, it can't help but feel that Statham takes a back seat to proceedings. Even though he does pop up and try to take out our heroes (even when they're in different locations around the world), this seems like an afterthought simply there to remind us that Statham is in the film. Statham does craft a strong antagonist here, but Deckard could have been a better villain still. Also, while Deckard's final showdown with Dom is a macho adrenaline rush, the end to the fight and the resolution to his character leave something to be desired. Now, while I think his plotline does detract from Deckard's presence as a villain, I don't dislike the character of 'Mr. Nobody'. In fact, through Kurt Russell's cool charisma, he might have been my favourite supporting character in the film. As soon as Russell enters the film, he steals scene after scene. He's so at ease here that you can't help but like him. No matter whether he's simply talking with Diesel's Dom or engaging in a firefight, Russell makes everything look so bad-ass. He is pure class. Djimon Hounsou's Jakande, on the other hand, is under-used to the point where his importance in the film's plot doesn't feel earned. Hounsou's performance isn't exactly his best either, with the actor hysterically screaming the majority of his lines. On a side-note, what is it with Hounsou playing bad guys recently? How to Train Your Dragon 2, Guardians of the Galaxy, Seventh Son and now Furious 7... Is he only being offered bad-guy roles nowadays? If so, Hollywood really needs to start remembering just what a talented and versatile actor Hounsou is. Martial artist Tony Jaa and Mixed Martial Arts fighter Ronda Rousey both have roles as villainous henchmen which allow them to flex their literal muscles in fight scenes (even though Jaa is hindered by the quick cuts on occasion). Finally, other actors/characters from the series do make brief appearances here, although there is one odd choice which bothered me (check out my spoiler comments post-review for more details). These appearances are just some of the references to the franchise's history, showing the long and unexpected journey which this series has been on.                  
Brian Tyler, who's having a blockbuster year between composing both this and The Avengers: Age of Ultron, brings his usual propulsive musical style to the proceedings; there's very little memorable about his score here, but it works well for what happens in the film, giving the action and character scenes a comfortable base. Tyler's score even shows some self-awareness when it comes to the gloriously overblown scale of the film; listen out for the use of a choir during a key face-off. The soundtrack itself is full of the usual songbook for this series (rap songs and the ilk), which add to the Fast and Furious vibe. For me, there is only one stand-out song, and thankfully it's the perfect song used at the perfect moment. The cinematography by Marc Spicer and Stephen F. Windon ensures that this is yet another stylish entry in the series, with the Abu Dhabi scenes in particular basked in gorgeous sunlight.

While the film may have issues in areas, the film's final few minutes are genuinely beautiful. Bolstered by the brilliant song See You Again from Wiz Khalifa and Charlie Puth, this is a emotionally resonant conclusion which gives the theme of 'family', which has been established several times throughout the series, a soulful power which it has never had before. The very last shot of the film is arguably the most moving of any film thus far this year. This is a pitch-perfect final tribute to a fallen comrade, and the skill and care with which the tragedy of Walker's death is handled is something which I truly applaud, both as a fan of film and as a human being.

Final Verdict

Fast and Furious 7 had a lot of weight on its shoulders because of Paul Walker's tragic passing, but director James Wan, his crew and cast ensure that this is a worthy send-off. There are a slew of issues; Statham's antagonist, while strong enough, is somewhat diminished after his terrific opening scenes (and has an unsatisfying resolution to boot) while Hounsou's antagonist feels insignificant to the point where his role in the narrative doesn't feel earned. Also, while some instances of the CGI used to capture Walker's likeness in certain scenes is effective, there are other instances where the elasticity and wrinkles present on Walker's face give away the use of the technology. With that being said, the film is still a fantastically absurd thrill-ride which almost matches Kingsman: The Secret Service as the most entertaining popcorn film of the year thus far. The action is just what you expect from the franchise except even grander and sillier, delivering plenty of popcorn fun (although the way in which the hand-to-hand fights are edited is too choppy at points), and Wan handles the madness with a skill one might not expect given his horror-centric filmography. Meanwhile, the cast do mostly strong work (with some like Walker, Diesel and Rodriguez even given further character layers which they explore admirably), while the technical credits are solid for the most part. Are there some cheesy lines? Yes. Are there some stupid moments? You bet. But the film-makers know what film they're making and revel in it, to the point where I couldn't help but enjoy it myself. Where everyone involved is to be commended is in never losing sight of their characters and their likeability, along with the important task of honouring a friend and colleague. The final five minutes of Fast and Furious 7 are the perfect farewell, and give the theme of family throughout this series a wonderful and moving power which it has never had before. Don't be surprised if you get emotional during the film's conclusion. Instead, be grateful that all involved handle the tragedy with a graceful and beautiful elegance, ending on such a beautifully poignant final shot. This is not just terrific film-making, but pure love shining through on screen. For that alone, Furious 7 should be celebrated. Rest In Peace, Paul Walker. You legacy won't be forgotten.
   
Rating: 4 out of 5

SPOILER COMMENTS (STEER CLEAR UNTIL YOU'VE SEEN THE FILM)

With regards to the returning characters, I found the insertion of Tokyo Drift's Sean Boswell (Lucas Black) to be oddly handled. When we first see the character, it's in a clip from Tokyo Drift. I find this a strange choice because the very next scene was done for this film. That means that, while the character is about the same age, Black is almost a decade older. For me, this was a strange choice. Wouldn't it have made more sense to re-shoot that scene from Tokyo Drift or to simply leave it out all together?  

As I said in the main review, the final fight between Deckard and Dom is an entertaining one, but the decision to have Jakande be the one to ultimately end the fight was one I didn't particularly like. Deckard is the main villain of the film, so to have him taken out so quickly and to be replaced by Jakande as the main antagonist, especially since neither the character of Jakande or Djimon Hounsou's performance are especially compelling, was a bad call as far as I'm concerned. Also, to have Deckard alive by the end of the film feels unresolved given how nearly everything else is wrapped up nicely. 

On a positive note, that final shot of Dom and Brian parting at the fork in the road before the camera follows Brian's car as it drives into the distance is just... That is such a beautiful and symbolic moment.    

Captain America: The Winter Soldier Spoiler Review (Marvel Review 9 of 11)

In my ninth Marvel review, Captain America... Wait, haven't I done this already?

Yeah, I reviewed Captain America: The Winter Soldier when it was first released in cinemas. But, for someone who likes to keep details as vague as possible for people who might not have seen the film, I was a bit restricted in that review. So, in the build-up to The Avengers: Age of Ultron, I figured that I'd delve more into the details here. If you haven't seen the film, please check out my non-spoiler review here. From here on, there be SPOILERS!

For everyone else, let's delve into the surprises and delights that The Winter Soldier has to offer.

Right from the opening, directors Anthony and Joe Russo prove that they were sublime choices. This is because they open on a quiet, human note which quickly introduces the key relationship between Steve Rogers AKA Captain America (Chris Evans) and Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie). Both of these men have had similar experience on the battlefield and both men have lost their 'wingmen' (or so they think), making them two common souls. The dialogue between them is perfect, and Mackie is instantly likeable as Wilson. When Natasha Romanoff AKA Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) enters and delivers a wonderfully dry line, you really get the impression that the Russo brothers, along with writing duo Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely (who have experience in the MCU from writing Captain America: The First Avenger and Thor: The Dark World), really understand and appreciate these characters.

This opening scene also allows us to get comfortably re-introduced to Steve's character and Evans's beautifully judged work in the role before we're thrown into one of many first-class action sequences, as Steve, Natasha and the STRIKE team (the latter led by Frank Grillo's Rumlow) launch a rescue mission to recover a SHIELD ship which has been hijacked by mercenary Georges Batroc (Georges St-Pierre), who have also taken prisoners including Agent Jasper Sitwell (Maximiliano Hernandez). Once Cap gets on board that ship and starts dispatching goons left and right, you can tell that The Winter Soldier is going to be one of the more brutal titles in the MCU. Cap smacks guys with his shield (easily one of the coolest superhero accessories) in numerous ways, knees one merc in the head to the point of unconsciousness and even impales one guy's hand with a knife. But, as with every other action sequence in the film, one of the things I love about the action in this film is that the Russo brothers, Markus and McFeely give every involved character something to do. While Cap is wiping out the opposition on deck, Natasha is securing the engine room to make sure the pirates can't flee and Rumlow and his team take down the pirates holding the hostages. The moments of quiet intensity, such as when Rumlow's team position themselves outside the room where the hostages are and wait for Steve's order, mixed in with the vicious combat shows that the film-makers are aiming for more of an action-thriller vibe rather than an action-adventure vibe. After the rescue of the hostages and a brilliant fight scene between Cap and Batroc, the scene ends on a note of angry uncertainty between Steve and Natasha when he discovers that she has her own individual mission to retrieve SHIELD files from the ship's mainframe, which neither she nor Director Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) shared with Steve. This shows an uneasiness between the two characters which proves important in their relationship as it progresses through the film.

After finally being shown SHIELD headquarters the Triskelion in a wonderful overhead shot. We see that the relationship between Steve and Fury is just as uneasy, if not moreso, as the one between Steve and Natasha. This scene is brilliant in showing both Steve and Fury's viewpoints; Fury has been through enough in life that, while he wants to protect people, he doesn't trust them very much (the story about his grandfather illustrates this nicely). Steve, on the other hand, trusts people to do the right thing until they prove unworthy, at which point he'll deal out justice. When Fury reveals Project Insight (a plan to use newly engineered Helicarriers to "wipe out a lot of threats before they even happen"), Steve is understandably perturbed. I really like the references to The Avengers here, such as how Tony had a role in the new turbine design of the Helicarriers after his nerve- (and armour-) shredding experience and how Fury is doing this as  a way to appease the World Council after the battle in New York. Steve rightfully shoots Fury down over the idea, saying that Fury is "holding a gun to everyone on Earth and calling it protection". Even when Fury tries to draw Steve into his camp by comparing what he's doing with the sometimes nasty things Steve and co. did back in the 1940's, Steve retorts that "we did it so that people could be free. This isn't freedom, this is fear." This scene ends on the perfect note, with Fury telling Steve that it's time to accept the world as it is and Steve flat-out refusing. This is why I adore the character of Captain America; he will always look for the best in people. Sure, he will fight, but only when he knows who he's fighting and why.    

The scene of Fury and Steve arguing over their views of the world beautifully leads into the 'nostalgia' sequence as Steve takes a walk down memory lane through visiting the Smithsonian exhibition for his adventures (adding a poignant edge to Natasha's first lines) before visiting his long-lost love Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell). These scenes are beautifully done; I particularly like the moment where Steve looks at a memorial for Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), as it gives a brief reminder which will be important for later. Henry Jackman's score is also wonderful here, evoking the heroism of Steve's actions while also embracing the undercurrent of pain and melancholy which Steve is experiencing. The real tear-jerker is when he visits an older Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell). Their conversation is emotional enough (and the make-up and visual effects used to age Atwell are stunning), but the reveal that Peggy is suffering from dementia adds a real gut-punch that doesn't dissipate after multiple viewings and which makes me teary-eyed every single time. This is one of the many reasons I love this film; there are genuine characters who you can care about. Sure, Steve has his bad-ass powers and his shield, but he is still a human being as are those around him. The fact that Peggy was one of the founders of SHIELD is also important.

But there's little time for emotional re-connection, as Fury starts realising that something is awry when he is unable to access the information which Natasha retrieved from the Lemurian Star. This is when we meet Alexander Pearce (Robert Redford), as he tries to calm down the World Security Council. The Council is comprised of Singh (Bernard White), Yen (Chin Han), Rockwell (Alan Dale) and Hawley (Jenny Agutter); you might recognise Han as Mr. Lau from a little comic-book film called The Dark Knight, Dale is the third actor to appear in both the Australian soap Neighbours and the Marvel Cinematic Universe after Guy Pearce (Iron Man 3's Aldrich Killian) and Chris Hemsworth (Thor) and Agutter's Hawley is the only council member to have made an appearance in both this and The Avengers (fun little facts). Anyway, Fury asks Pearce to try to put Project Insight on hold until he can find out why he's unable to access the information, to which Pearce agrees as long as Iron Man stops by his niece's birthday party. This little scene immediately establishes that Fury and Pearce have known each other for a long time, something of importance later.

This is easily the most involved role Nick Fury has had in a MCU film thus far. After another spot-on scene between Steve and Sam, as Steve sees Sam talking to soldiers trying to adapt to every-day life, Fury even gets a solo action scene. This is something he's never had before; sure, he was involved in some of the action scenes during The Avengers, but that all happened as part of the whole, with many other characters having their own roles to play. Even his lieutenant Maria Hill (Cobie Smulders), whom Nick contacts for undercover back-up in this scene, arguably got more of a individual action scene at the beginning of The Avengers. Here, as he find himself under attack from assailants disguised as police officers, Fury's on his own, which is part of what makes this scene so exciting. The escalation in this scene is riveting, as Fury finds the shields on his car dropping by the second thanks to machine-gun fire and a battering ram. But, as everyone knows, either Jackson or Fury is one to go down without a fight, and so just as the shield's going out, he lets rip with a machine gun and grenade launcher before making a break for it. The scene is incredible to watch, from all of the different camera angles to the humourous touches (air conditioning, anyone?) and the terrific practical effects work, the latter of which is a immensely refreshing touch in a universe mostly brought to life through CGI - the moment where Nick slams on the brakes and sends two of the pursuing cars into the path of a lorry is probably my favourite touch, but the first reveal of the Winter Soldier as he shoots an explosive at Fury's car and sidesteps at the last moment as it goes flying past is also a brilliant moment.

After Steve chats with his neighbour Sharon (Emily Van Camp), he finds Nick injured in his apartment. Warning Steve that SHIELD has been compromised, Fury gets taken out by the Winter Soldier with Sharon revealing that she is actually SHIELD Agent 13. Cue the amazing chase between Steve and the Soldier which ends with the former's signature shield move being blocked and returned by the latter. Following this, Steve meets Pearce for a little chit-chat concerning Fury's last words right before his death (Pearce mentions that his father was in the 107th, a platoon saved by Steve back in the 1940's - that's a important character point for later). After a brief moment when Pearce commends one of Fury's past decisions to avoid the stalling of diplomacy for direct and effective action to save hostages including Pearce's daughter (something which comes up later), the rest of the scene is basically a game between the two characters, with Pearce trying to get information out of Steve and Steve trying not to reveal anything. Pearce even reveals that Fury hired the pirates to hijack the Lemurian Star, although he changes the details to try and get Steve more on side. The dialogue here is fantastic and surprisingly real (Pearce's 'new world, old world' discussion is particularly memorable), ending with Pearce assuring Steve with implied threat that he will make anyone with information pay for withholding it...

Which is when the fit really hits the shan (so to speak). Steve goes down in an elevator as it is steadily joined by Rumlow and his colleagues, and both he and the viewer can tell something is wrong. The shots here are magnificently telling; a bead of sweat on a forehead, a hand readily resting on a weapon. The Russo brothers show that they really understand how to stage an action sequence. With the Lemurian Star, they built up the action brilliantly. With the Fury ambush, they gave little warning before the threat came out of left field. Here, they build up the tension to the detonation. And when everything goes off, it goes OFF. The fight scene in the elevator is one of the most impressive confined fight scenes I've seen in a long time (along with that first punch-up in The Raid 2). I have no idea how the film-makers did this, but it looks gloriously visceral with Cap pummelling his enemies any way he can, saving the best blow for last when he takes out Rumlow by slamming him into the roof of the elevator. This scene clearly reveals that both Rumlow and Sitwell (co-ordinating the attack on Steve from the main control room) aren't who they say they are. We then have a decidedly 'superhero' moment where Cap throws himself out of the elevator, plummeting through the roof of the Triskelion's lobby and smashing into the ground and then, after a little wincing and teeth-grinding pain, gets up and runs away. I used to have issues with this scene, as it seemed a bit over-the-top in its depiction of Cap's powers. But now I see the appeal of it; while the film is a political thriller with relevant themes, it's also a film where a 'super soldier' beats up evildoers. So I'm going to go ahead and say that this is an awesome super-powered moment, followed by another great moment of that ilk when Steve goes up against the Quinjet. Watching Steve systematically demolish the ship before walking away like a bad-ass is the kind of superhero spectacle we want to see nowadays, with Henry Jackman's triumphant score backing up tthe brilliance. It pretty much screams 'Steve against the system', as now SHIELD's on his tail.

This results in Steve and Natasha teaming up to find out what got Fury killed, and the relationship between the two is fantastic. When they first re-connect, Natasha realises that Fury hired the pirates to attack the Lemurian Star because there was no better way to get Natasha on-board to recover the mainframe information. The brief scenes between them in The Avengers were brilliant, but one of The Winter Soldier's greatest strengths is in their dynamic taking centre stage for most of the film. A wonderful scene which never really gets enough credit is when Steve and Natasha evade Rumlow and his SHIELD agents in a shopping mall. This is where Natasha's understanding of how to manipulate people for the best results shines through, as she instructs Steve on what to do to avoid being noticed by the SHIELD agents, such as making Steve kiss her so that Rumlow won't look their way to avoid being uncomfortable. While Steve probably could have handled the agents, Natasha does it in a way which draws little attention and puts hardly any civilian lives at risk. It's not always being able to throw the best punch which makes you a hero.

After a lovely bit of banter between Steve and Natasha, one which further cements Steve's optimism in contrast to Natasha's pessimism, we finally get to their location; the army base where Steve was trained prior to his transformation into Captain America (the moment where he envisions his younger, more feeble self is a nice touch). But we quickly discover that the signal which led them here was emanating from the networked mind of Arnim Zola (Toby Jones), Red Skull's second-in command from The First Avenger. This would be a big enough reveal; Zola seemed to be a morally ambiguous character who was frightened of the Red Skull's actions in that film, so his becoming a major villain here is pretty unexpected on first viewing; I wasn't aware of Jones returning for this film upon my first viewing, so seeing him again was a great surprise. However, that isn't the end of it, as Zola reveals that the Red Skull's organisation HYDRA survived and grew like a parasite within SHIELD. This is a great reveal, which strips away one of the secure elements of the MCU. That's a pretty ballsy move for the MCU. And, as always, it's great to see Toby Jones, and Zola is one detestable douche here, antagonising Steve about his failures. The fact that the death of Howard Stark, Tony's dad, was actually orchestrated by HYDRA is a fantastic touch, taking what has previously established and fleshing it out even more for the better. Another tragic touch is the fact that Steve put so much into SHIELD because Peggy was one of its founders. Now that HYDRA has warped the organisation beyond recognition, Peggy's work has been corrupted and Steve's dedication has been . After Zola has laid out that Project Insight is actually an algorithm born from his own mind, HYDRA attacks Steve and Natasha (destroying Zola in the process) and Rumlow calls in the 'asset' when discovering that Steve and Natasha escaped.

Following this, Pearce is finally revealed as the HYDRA leader within the Triskelion. I love the way that every villain in this film, bar Batroc, seems to emerge from the figurative shadows to truly reveal themselves, and this particularly evident with both Pearce and the Winter Soldier. In the kitchen scene between Pearce and the Soldier, the Soldier is LITERALLY in the shadows (which is thematically interesting since his true identity is revealed in his next scene and thus he emerges from the shadows). I really like the build-up to Pearce's eventual reveal. Based on his behaviour up to this point, it could be argued that he might not have been a villain. Sure, he ordered the manhunt for Steve, but Pearce's excuse that Steve withheld information about the death of Nick, his friend, is emotionally understandable. Pearce even asks the Council to call off Project Insight in the wake of Nick's death but, given that many have labelled Nick a 'traitor' and the fact that the World Security Council are a morally dubious bunch, this request is quickly batted aside. So, in that moment where Pearce first sees the Winter Soldier and they stare at each other, there's an uncertainty about Pearce's role. But he shows what a nasty piece of work he is when he orders the Soldier to kill Steve and Natasha before gunning down his housekeeper when she accidentally interrupts. Mentioning that his father was in the 107th platoon earlier only reinforces what a treacherous guy Pearce is. Steve comes to the same conclusion about Pearce while re-cuperating with Natasha at Sam's house. There's another lovely scene between Steve and Natasha where Natasha expresses her gratitude to Steve for saving her life and Steve confirms that she has earned his trust. When Steve and Natasha realise that Sitwell, whose presence on the Lemurian Star was suspect from the very beginning, may have some information about HYDRA's plans, Sam volunteers his help in apprehending Sitwell and taking down HYDRA.

The scene where Steve, Natasha and Sam kidnap and interrogate Sitwell is brilliantly done, including a sneaky Doctor Strange reference and that great cameo from Iron Man 2's Senator Stern (Garry Shandling) where he confirms his status as a HYDRA agent (making his campaign to take Tony's Iron Man armour away in that film more understandably evil). However, as Sitwell lays out HYDRA's plan to use Project Insight to determine who poses a present or future threat to them before wiping them out with the Helicarrierseliminate all people they deem a present or future threat (reflecting Fury's mission statement earlier) through the use of Project Insight and the Helicarriers, I do have one thought... What's their plan for Thor? I'm not sure if he popped up on HYDRA's list, but even if he did, I'm pretty sure he could survive most attacks they'd throw at him and he'd bring all of his powers down on the helicarriers for their mass genocide on the planet he's sworn to protect.

This scene leads into another stunning action sequence, as The Winter Soldier and his henchmen ambush Steve, Natasha, Sam and Sitwell on the highway. As far as bad guy entrances go, smashing through a car window and grabbing someone (Sitwell) before throwing them into the path of a lorry is pretty damn memorable. This leads to a street battle in the same vein as 1995's crime classic Heat, as the bad guys go all-out in taking down the good guys. The practical stunt-work is sensational, with the only obvious use of CGI being when Steve gets blown off the bridge. As I said before, what's great about all of the action sequences in the film is that every principal character gets something to do; while Natasha distracts the Winter Soldier to draw his attention away from a vulnerable Steve, Steve and Sam fight off his henchmen before Steve rushes to defend Natasha. Sam proves that he is a skilled fighter here, as he quickly dispatches two of the henchman, while Steve has typically cool moments such as reflecting the bullets so that he can take down one of the assailants. Natasha shows even more of her intelligence as she tries to outwit the Winter Soldier, but the human quality of the character shines through when the Winter Soldier shoots her and she hides, pure fear written across her face. This leads into the first real fight between Steve and the Winter Soldier, which is fantastic. This is an incredibly intense show-down with nearly every blow registering, ending on the reveal that the Winter Soldier is actually Bucky. Evans perfectly captures Steve's disbelief and pain to this reveal beautifully. When Rumlow's team apparently capture Steve and co., there are two more reveals. The first is that Maria is disguised as part of Rumlow's team, getting a cool takedown and some funny lines. The second is that Nick Fury faked his own death. I like the fact that the film-makers poke fun at how Nick surviving is a bit unbelievable when Nick lists off his major injuries and even misses one initially. A great touch is Natasha's reaction after Nick mentions that he didn't know who to trust. The scenes showing Natasha reacting to Nick being shot and 'dying' show that she has an affection for him, and the almost broken look on her face here when she feels that he considered her untrustworthy speaks volumes. Little touches like this are why Johansson is so perfect in this part.

Meanwhile, part of why the Winter Soldier is my second favourite MCU villain after Loki is shown in the scene where Pearce interrogates him after his fight with Steve. We really see the character's emotional torment here, as he struggles to remember who he was under the layers of manipulation from both Zola and Pearce. This scene is, much like Loki discovering his true past in Thor, crucial in helping us to emotionally connect with Bucky here. The performances from Sebastian Stan and Redford are perfectly judged, with Bucky trying desperately to understand his conflicting emotions and Pearce simply manipulating him to try and forward HYDRA's goals. This scene not only illustrates what a cold and cruel villain Pearce is, but how the Winter Soldier is a prime example of HYDRA's need to control above all else. And Bucky's howls of pain as Pearce's order to have him 'wiped' is carried out are truly haunting. People have complained in the past that the Winter Soldier isn't in the film enough (and especially not enough to warrant his name in the title), but I disagree. I think that the Winter Soldier leaves a spectacular impact in his scenes, and his presence looms over proceedings whenever he's off screen. As for his name being in the title, I think that this is meant to represent the clashing ideologies which both titular characters represent.

Cutting back to the SHIELD crew, Nick and Maria reveal their plan to take down the Insight Helicarriers by linking them together and having them fire on each other instead of the many 'threats' they'll otherwise target and wipe out. However, Steve and Nick once again clash when Nick's idea to salvage SHIELD is quickly shot down by Steve, who insists that 'everything goes'. I love this confrontation here, especially Sam's response when Nick looks to him for support. Since the level of corruption is still unclear, that's probably the best solution, and Nick reluctantly bows down. Following a emotionally revealing flash-back to more friendly and simple times between Steve and Bucky, we get to the final showdown at the Triskelion.

The build-up here is beautifully done, with Steve recovering his old war suit as a symbolic middle finger to HYDRA (and an accidental middle finger to Stan Lee's security guard) and delivering a fantastic speech to the SHIELD personnel. As with before, every principal player here gets at least one moment in the spotlight. Whether it be Rumlow showing his true colours to his SHIELD comrades, Agent 13 standing up to him, Maria directing Steve and Sam (and taking out assailants in an effortlessly cool moment), Natasha and Nick subduing Pearce and revealing all secrets through the internet (both SHIELD and HYDRA) and Steve and Sam trying to cripple the Helicarriers before Steve and Bucky have their final confrontation while Sam fights Rumlow, no one gets left out of the action. There are even fantastic moments of regular SHIELD agents trying and failing to hold back the HYDRA threat. For me, this final battle is one of the most epic and exhilirating finales of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The action is brilliantly shot and conceived through tremendous visual effects and occasional practical stunt-work (such as when the Winter Soldier first enters the fray). There are genuine consequences here. We see SHIELD agents being killed ruthlessly and we see Steve suffer some serious damage in his fight with the Winter Soldier. Speaking of the Winter Soldier, this is when we see him at his own vicious and arguably his most desperate. We see how precise he is in his fighting and killing style; he often tries to finish off his enemies in the most concise method possible. If he takes out an enemy with a prepped grenade, he'll throw that grenade into the nearest Quinjet, or he'll kick a SHIELD agent into the propeller of a Quinjet to take them both down. After all of the manipulation and trials he's been through, Bucky now only has his mission, which is to ensure that HYDRA's plans succeed. This means that the final fight between Steve and Bucky isn't just a battle of strength, but a battle of ideologies. These men both have beliefs; the real tragedy of Bucky is that it's not his belief, but one which he's programmed to follow. And boy, is it fierce. For a 'superhero' fight, this is pretty brutal, Steve gets shot, stabbed and pummelled to a near-pulp, while the Winter Soldier doesn't get away unscathed either; one of the most painfully real moments is when Bucky yelps like a kicked dog as Steve grabs and picks him up by the throat. That's followed by Steve snapping his arm and suffocating him until he loses consciousness. Yeah, Steve's victory here isn't easily won. But Steve doesn't give up, which is one of his most heroic qualities. There's a wonderfully judged moment where Steve is heading for the main console to complete the plan and, after shooting him twice to apparently no avail, Bucky drops his arm with a face that says 'how the hell are you still going?' And the emotional final part of the fight as Steve tries to make Bucky remember and Bucky struggles between himself and the Winter Soldier is terrificall done, ending on a hopeful note as Bucky saves Steve (after pummelling him a bit) and then disappearing like the ghost he is.

The climax of the film is fantastic in both resolving the film's conflict and setting up a conflict which could last for several films more. Most of the villains have been either apparently turned (The Winter Soldier), apprehended (Senator Stern, Batroc) or killed (Sitwell, Zola and Pearce), but Rumlow's still out there albeit badly scarred. While HYDRA has been revealed and their main threat unravelled, there are still HYDRA factions out there which pose a genuine danger. While Steve and co. managed to foil HYDRA's sceme, it ends with them splitting up on their own separate journeys (I especially love the fact that Maria went to work for Tony). I really like the uncertain ending here, as it highlights that not all bad guys can be taken down by one big battle. The post-credits scene is the biggest indicator of this, as we see Baron von Strucker (Thomas Kretschmann) and his accomplice Dr. List (Henry Goodman, who has also appeared in Agents of SHIELD since) examining both Loki's sceptre from The Avengers, which they now have in their possession, and two test subjects; Peter and Wanda Maximoff AKA Quiksilver and Scarlet Witch (Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Elizabeth Olsen). This is set-up for Age of Ultron, and indicates that these two could either be great allies or threats - the final moment with Scarlet Witch shows that she could be a BIG problem. The final post-credits scene shows Bucky trying to re-connect with his past, something which could prove good or (as the ominous horror-like music suggests) bad.

Overall, I love Captain America: The Winter Soldier. In my opinion, it is one of the strongest titles in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It takes big chances within the universe, both through revealing the inner corruption of SHIELD and through clearly stating that not every enemy can be vanquished by one big show-down. HYDRA within SHIELD also revitalised areas of the Universe; if that angle hadn't come along and given Agents of SHIELD a new propulsive energy, the show probably wouldn't haven't got a second season. The direction is amazing (and really skilled since the Russo brothers have never helmed an action blockbuster before), the acting and characters are superb, the writing is top-notch and the action... Well, as I've said before, the action is amazing. If I had to look for problems, I would have to say that the character of Agent 13 was under-used and that I would have liked to see more of the final fight between Sam and Rumlow. Other than that, I have few issues with this film. It works as both a political thriller with material about surveillance going too far reflecting today's society and as a true superhero spectacle. I apologise for the length of this review; i's the first spoiler review I've done, so I've got to get some more practise in. But I hope you've enjoyed my opinions, nonetheless.


          

                        

Thor: The Dark World (Marvel Review 8 of 11)

In the 8th film of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the mighty God of Thunder returns to face a great threat to not only his home realm of Asgard and the realm of Earth which he protects, but the entire universe...

The first Thor film isn't in my personal top tier of films from the MCU, but I really love the idea of other realms existing within the universe and and the prospect of actually exploring some of them. When director Alan Taylor was hired to take the helm here in his feature film debut (following the departure of original director Patty Jenkins), it once again showed a great underlying savvy beneath the apparent risk taken by Marvel. Before coming on to direct this, Taylor had helped to build the spectacular world of the TV masterpiece Game of Thrones through his direction of episodes in the first and second seasons. If there was one key skill needed to bring the different realms here to life, it's world-building. So, when seen from that angle, Taylor's appointment makes complete sense.

An eon ago, the father of King Odin (Anthony Hopkins) stopped the Dark Elf Malekith the Accursed (Christopher Eccleston) from using an all-powerful force called the 'Aether' to unleash total darkness across the universe. Now Malekith is back and intent on finishing the job. Both Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and his love Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) are drawn into the struggle, but when the situation becomes even more severe, Thor is forced to seek help from the most unlikely of allies; his bitter adoptive brother Loki (Tom Hidleston), now imprisoned after his actions in Thor and The Avengers.

Much like the original film, Thor: The Dark World begins with a battle prologue and proceeds to focus on Asgard and Earth. Fortunately, Taylor and the writing team of Christopher Yost, Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely wisely choose to put more emphasis on Asgard and the other realms outside of Earth now that Thor's attachment to Earth, its inhabitants and the Avengers has been established. This allows the audience to see more of Thor's culture, his people and his responsibilities to protect the Nine Realms, while also giving the audience the opportunity to view new and beautifully designed worlds. As I said before, Taylor's real skill shines through in world-crafting, with Asgard in particular looking incredibly opulent (even moreso than in the original). We get so much more detail from this world than in the original film, and credit for this has to go to Taylor, although not exclusively. Also, in a fun little twist, Yost, Markus and McFeely switch up the 'fish-out-of-water' scenario with entertaining results. However, it's possible that the change in directors resulted in some tonal clashes. For the most part, I can put up with this, but when a critical dramatic moment is immediately followed by an overtly comedic moment, it does make me feel a bit of whiplash. Also, try as they might, Yost, Markus and McFeely can't make the scientific mumbo-jumbo credible and the cast can't quite pull it off either.

The cast here is, for the most part, pitch-perfect in their approach to the material. Chris Hemsworth fits the role of Thor like a glove; while he subtly acknowledges the silliness of the material, he never does so to the point where it's difficult to care for him. What's most impressive is just how gripping Hemsworth is when scenes of real dramatic heft fall on his shoulders. The film isn't packed with scenes like this, but when they arrive and click terrifically, it's all the more credit to Hemsworth's effortlessly likeable and charming turn. He fantastically walks the tightrope between self-awareness and dramatic commitment. Whether bad-ass, funny, out-of-place or in his element. Hemsworth is pitch-perfect in bringing the God of Thunder to life. Grappling with Hemsworth for the star position in this film (and often managing to steal it from him) is Tom Hiddleston as Loki. Originally, Loki wasn't even meant to appear in this film before the film-makers changed their minds. Even after that, complaints from test screenings that Loki wasn't in the film enough led to the film-makers re-shooting more scenes with Loki for the film. That kind of love for a character is insane, but after the huge impact Loki has made on the movie-going public, it's hardly surprising. In fact, I'd go as far to say that, outside of Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man, none of the other actors and character have developed as great a fan-base as Tom Hiddleston and Loki. Hiddleston's work here is just as tremendously entertaining as ever, but what makes Loki such an enduring character is easily his emotional complexity. He is a villain and he gets great pleasure out of irritating those around him, especially Thor, but Hiddleston never lets us forget that there is a real human undercurrent to Loki which makes him identifiable. Hiddleston is surprisingly lovable as a villain, and the scenes between him and Hemsworth are the best they've ever been, with plenty of winning comedy and a couple of poignant moments. Hiddleston is so comfortable in his role that it's a joy to watch him relish every cuttingly witty line and reaction. However, while Hiddleston is phenomenal and the character would have been missed, Loki's presence also makes one of the film's problems all the more evident (I'll touch on that later).

Natalie Portman returns once again as Thor's love interest Jane Foster, and here she actually has a strong role in the narrative. She's no longer simply Thor's love interest; she actually has her own character and place in the narrative. She even plays an important role in a critical action scene. As before, Portman is utterly lovable in the part, and the chemistry between her and Hemsworth is once again spot-on. Also returning are Stellan Skarsgard as Dr. Erik Selvig, Jane's mentor, and Kat Dennings as Darcy, Jane's assistant. Following his ordeal in The Avengers, Selvig is in an emotionally fragile state, as shown by his hysterical introduction. Skarsgard relishes the change in Erik's character, and the resulting performance brings back the humour which the character lacked in The Avengers. Once again, Dennings will draw mixed reactions, but I still personally really enjoy her in these films. However, the character of Ian (Jonathan Howard), Darcy's assistant, is completely surplus to requirements, and while Howard isn't terrible, neither his performance or the character really isn't that necessary or memorable (bar one moment during an action scene). I mean, come on; doesn't the role of assistant to an assistant just sound redundant? As Odin, Anthony Hopkins once again brings his usual gravitas to the proceedings, making the King a powerful presence. As Heimdall, guardians of the gateway between worlds, Idris Elba is just as charismatic as before and actually gets more to do here in the action stakes. Also getting more to do in the action stakes is Rene Russo as the mother of Thor and Loki and Odin's wife Frigga. In the original film, the character of Frigga came across as an afterthought. Here, more time is given to the character's relationships with her sons (particularly Loki) and she even gets a bad-ass fight scene, with Russo seizing these opportunities to deliver a stronger performance. Jaimie Alexander, Zachary Levi and Ray Stevenson are all entertaining as the Sif and two of the Warriors Three Fandral and Volstagg (Tadanobu Asano also returns as the third Warrior Hogan, but his appearance is of the blink-and-you'll-miss-it variety). For the most part, the cast is fantastic.
     
Then we come to the character of Malekith. As fun as the rest of the film is, the villain is easily the biggest thorn in the film's side. There are two positives to the character; the first is that the make-up looks impressive, and the second is that he is a major combatant in the incredibly entertaining final fight. That's it. I really tried to think about any other positive traits from this villain, but I couldn't. There's just nothing to him in terms of character and performance. What does Malekith want to do? Plunge the universe into eternal darkness. Why? I couldn't tell you. His evil plan has no base or building point. Nearly every other villain in the MCU has a base and defining point where their villainous plans are born. You don't get any of that with Malekith, and there's never anything which gives his character any motivation for being evil. Plus, when the motivations for evil stray towards the simplistic, other films in the MCU have great actors who tear into their roles with relish. The Incredible Hulk's Emil Blonsky and Captain America: The First Avenger's Johann Schmidt might not have the most complex motivations, but they were still brilliantly performed by Tim Roth and Hugo Weaving respectively. These performances give undeniable presence and character to the villains. Christopher Eccleston's performance as Malekith is almost non-existent. I don't think that this is completely the fault of the actor; he's usually a great actor. He beautifully played Doctor Who, a character with a lot of history and heavy expectations attached. So why is he so utterly forgettable here? Taylor might be partly to blame, but he got such great performances out of those on Game of Thrones and the majority of the other performances here really work, so I'm not sure if that's really the case. Part of the blame could fall on the script, which gives Malekith very little of substance to do. He's just there to facilitate the plot. But, as I said before, Loki also poses part of the problem here. Malekith still would have been a poor villain had Loki not been present here, but Loki's presence only exacerbates what a weak antagonist Malekith is. Loki is arguably the best villain from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, due to both his complexity and his entertainment value, so giving him such a major role only highlights Malekith's shortcomings. There's a brief scene which involves both Loki and Malekith, and you can see the issues there; while Hiddleston is putting real energy and heat into every word and action, Eccleston is just glowering. For me, Thor: The Dark World is an oddity because it has both my favourite MCU villain and my least favourite MCU villain. I'm sorry, Christopher Eccleston, but if you did choose to do this over the Doctor Who 50th Anniversary Special, I think you made a mistake.   

The Marvel Cinematic Universe usually delivers when it comes to strong action, and Thor: The Dark World definitely surpasses its predecessor in that department. Taylor's experience with handling grand scenarios in Game of Thrones has definitely paid off here. The first time we see Thor is in the midst of a battle, which not only gives us an action scene early in the proceedings but actually shows us Thor as a warrior, which is an important part of his character. Plus, the final punch-line to that battle is hilarious (and one of the great touches added by Avengers director/writer Joss Whedon, who was asked for help with certain areas of the script). But the spectacle only gets ramped up from there. An assault on Asgard by the Dark Elves is exhilarating, offering plenty of grand destruction and combat while allowing some of the supporting characters the chance to get in on the action. A following sequence, where Thor is forced to work with Loki, is also terrifically done and immensely entertaining, although that might have something to do with the wonderful bickering between Thor and Loki. And then we come to the final battle, which admirably side-steps trying to outdo the epic scale of the climaxes to The Avengers and Iron Man 3, instead going for a more fleet-footed approach. Now don't get me wrong; I love the climactic showdowns in The Avengers and Iron Man 3. But the final fight in Thor: The Dark World, while not quite as grandiose, is just as exciting for its unrelenting inventiveness and its ability to constantly keep the audience on its toes. While there are genuine stakes to this fight, there are also very funny moments and the circumstances allow for some real creativity and craziness which make this a ton of fun to watch.

Technically, Thor: The Dark World is jut as impressive as is fellow MCU entries. The visual effects are never anything less than gorgeous, whether depicting Thor and Malekith's final clash or helping to bring Asgard to life. The visual effects department in the Thor films are often given more room to play with because of the different realms in the cosmos and the different technologies, and they do terrific work here. Production designer Charles Wood does a fantastic job of designing the landscapes, partiuclarly those on Asgard. I do think that Taylor's experience on Game of Thrones had some impact here; while Asgard looks as breath-taking as before, there is a new earthiness and grit to the realm which makes it seem more tangibly real. Credit for this should also go to the art direction team and set decorator John Bush. Returning for composing duties after Iron Man 3, Brian Tyler delivers another stirring musical score. While there are similarities between the scores for the two films, Tyler should be commended for creating individual musical tapestries for both characters which deliver whether they're aiming to be bombastically epic or movingly emotional. Wendy Partridge's costume design is also beautiful; as with the visual effects department, the Thor films offer the costume designers more opportunities than most of the other Marvel efforts do, and Partridge runs with this chance and designs some visually striking costumes, especially for the Asgardian characters. Editors Dan Lebental and Wyatt Smith do solid work in making the film move at an effective pace without proceedings seeming as rushed as they were in the first film, although the blame for some of the film's tonal issues could also be placed on their shoulders.

So the real question is: do I prefer the first Thor or Thor: The Dark World? The action here is markedly improved on the first instalment; they're lengthier, more epic in scale and they provide more opportunities for Thor to show off his god-like powers. After setting up Thor's connections on Earth, the film-makers here feel more comfortable with exploring the different realms present in the MCU, notably Asgard. The cast seem more comfortable with their roles and many of them get more to do, while Hemsworth and Hiddleston have arguably their best scenes yet. All of this might make it sound like Thor: The Dark World is clearly a better film than its predecessor, but there are some major areas where the second film falls short of its predecessor. The character of Malekith and Christopher Eccleston's performance both make for an immensely unappealing villain, who is easily my least favourite villain of the MCU thus far (and I really, REALLY hope no other villain takes his place). Plus, the change in directors from Patty Jenkins to Alan Taylor does result in some tonal clashes, although only one moment really leaves a major impression on me.  These are pretty big problems, but I personally find the rest of the film enjoyable enough to rank it above the original.

Final Verdict

In my opinion, Thor: The Dark World may not be one of Marvel's best efforts, but it is perhaps one of the most easily enjoyable. After getting Thor's set-up for The Avengers out of the way, the film-makers clearly feel more confident in exploring Asgard, its culture and characters. The cast is more comfortable with the material; many returning members get more to do this time around, but the stars of the film are still Hemsworth and Hiddleston. Their performances and chemistry are terrific. The action sequences are bigger and better, while the technical credits are typically spectacular. The visual effects are grand and often gorgeous, while the production design/set decoration and musical score bring legitimate heft to the scale on display. There are definite issues; Malekith is a villainous dud both in character and performance, there are some awkward tonal shifts and the writers and actors can't sell the scientific jargon as anything other than gibberish. But Thor: The Dark World is still such a fun experience that it's hard to complain too much. Sometimes the success ratio for a superhero film should be just how fun it is, and Thor: The Dark World is one of these examples. Thankfully, it delivers the fun in spades.

Rating: 4.25 out of 5

Marvel One-Shot: All Hail the King (Spoilers for Iron Man 3)

All Hail the King follows Trevor Slattery (Ben Kingsley) after his incarceration at the end of Iron Man 3. Having become a inmate celebrity due to his 'role' as The Mandarin, Slattery is set to finish a series of interviews with film-maker Jackson Norris (Scoot McNairy). However, there's more to the situation than one might expect... Written and directed by Iron Man 3 co-writer Drew Pearce, All Hail the King has pretty much the same irreverent spirit and comedic flair. But what really makes King a treat is Kingsley. As I said in my Iron Man 3 review, this is one of Kingsley's most inspired turns in years, and he's an absolute delight here. Trevor is an utter fool, but Kingsley never lets the character verge into cartoon territory. McNairy is also very strong here; he's one of those great actors who can do a lot with a little, and he really clicks with Kingsley in their scenes together. Pearce has stated that All Hail the King was done as an apology to those who were left angry or upset with the Mandarin twist in Iron Man 3, and I have to say that, while this short should make those people happy, I applaud Pearce for doing this without compromising his and Shane Black's vision for Iron Man 3. Add in a delightful appearance from another Iron Man character, and All Hail the King is another great Blu-Ray short, with both this and the sublime Agent Carter easily being the stand-outs of the Marvel One-Shot oeuvre.

Post-Review Thoughts (Spoiler Warning!!!)

That tonal clash which bothers me is following Loki's 'death' scene. This is a huge dramatic point in the film, and what do we follow it up with? Funny time with Richard (Chris O'Dowd). Now don't get me wrong; I really like Chris O'Dowd. He's a charming and hilarious guy, and his appearances are enjoyable. It's just that his second appearance here seems out-of-place with the dramatic tone Loki's apparent end set up. 

I know I'm not the first person to say this, but the Captain America cameo is genius. It doesn't feel forced, the film-makers work it in brilliantly and Chris Evans' performance is brilliant. Evans, in particular, has a lot of fun as Loki playing with Cap's 'good-guy' image.

I love the post-credits scenes; the first shows Volstagg and Sif interacting with The Collector (Benicio del Toro). This not only sets up Guardians of the Galaxy, but it also establishes that the Guardians and the Avengers exist in the same film universe (CAN NOT WAIT for the team-up of team-ups). This post-credits scene also introduces the idea of the Infinity Stones through the characters' discussion, while The Collector's comment about having 'five more to go' indicates sinister things to come. The final post-credits scene shows Thor returning to Earth to be with Jane, while that, for lack of a better description, that Ice Giant dog is shown chasing after pigeons. This is the kind of small but wonderful touch which the Marvel film-makers revel in so much. Plus, I think if we hadn't seen that, we'd be wondering where the hell that thing was.   

  

Iron Man 3 (Marvel Review 7 of 11)

In the 7th review of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Iron Man goes on his final solo outing...

Iron Man 3 is an important film in the MCU. Not only does it conclude the first trilogy in the MCU, but it also serves as the first step of Marvel Studios' 'Phase 2'. This is fitting, as the original Iron Man essentially allowed the rest of the MCU to take flight. Also, on a personal level, it's an important film for me because it's the first film my girlfriend and I saw together at the cinema.

Following 2012's The Avengers, Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) is an emotional wreck. Terrified by the idea that there are forces out there beyond his understanding, Tony has locked himself away in his Malibu home making adjustments to his Iron Man armour and alienating himself from his friends Colonel James (Rhodey) Rhodes (Don Cheadle) and Happy Hogan (Jon Favreau) and his girlfriend Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow). But, along with his emotional state, Tony has new enemies to battle. Not only does business rival Aldrich Killian (Guy Pearce) emerge, but Tony is targeted by vicious terrrorist The Mandarin (Ben Kingsley). As his resources are steadily stripped away and his loved ones are put at risk, Tony must overcome his demons both internal and external.

Director/co-writer Shane Black, having previously worked with Downey Jr. on 2005's supremely underrated Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, knows how best to utilise his star's abilities. This, in all honesty, is my favourite performance from Downey Jr. as Tony Stark. Tony still has the same narcissistic charm and charisma we all know and love him for, but here his 'armour' has been stripped from him in mental terms. Tony was always the biggest guy in the room throughout Iron Man and Iron Man 2, which made him more anxious around the potential challengers to his throne in The Avengers. Given his near-death experience in that film, Tony's anxieties are starting to break through his usually cool exterior. He desperately wants to be able to protect his loved ones, but by following this instinct the way he deems appropriate, he not only risks isolating them but even puts them in greater danger. This is the most complex the character of Tony has arguably ever been, and Downey Jr relishes the new shades he can play with here. He still delivers snappy dialogue with the terrific flair only he possesses, but when Tony's vulnerability becomes apparent, Downey Jr is emotionally captivating, particularly in the moments where Tony feels all sense of control slipping through his fingers, something which often induces shocking anxiety attacks. This is often surprisingly raw work from Downey Jr, which adds rich new layers to the character while maintaining what we as an audience love about Tony and making us want to see him make it to the end in as much of one piece as possible. I've already gushed praise about Downey Jr in the prior MCU reviews, so to do much more here would be overly repetitive. Suffice it to say that both Downey Jr and Black really understand not only what makes the character work, but where to alter him to make him even more interesting without losing what made him so special to begin with.  

Downey Jr. is undoubtedly the star of the show, but that doesn't stop the supporting cast from making an impression. Paltrow is once again wonderful as Pepper Potts; her scenes with Downey Jr, although not as many as in prior films, are still fantastically acted. This the most tense things have been between Tony and Pepper to date, and I have seen people complain that Pepper's a bit too 'stand-offish' in this entry. But I see the positions of both Tony and Pepper. Imagine if your partner, a person known for his flamboyant confidence and ease around people, suddenly became a reclusive wreck who appears to be shunning you for, in Tony's words, 'a hobby'. That makes Pepper and her actions, if not agreeable for some, at least more understandable. Don Cheadle returns as James Rhodes, and he is also terrific. The buddy dynamic between Rhodes and Tony is played with effortless chemistry by the two actors, and it's clear that Black enjoys bringing his prior experience with this type of dynamic from Lethal Weapon to the forefront here. This is also evident in the relationship which forms between Tony and young boy Harley (Ty Simpkins), a relationship which could have been too 'cutesy' but which benefits from the great performances of Downey Jr and Simpkins and Black's brilliant writing (although one of the best lines from the film from Tony to Harley was apparently improvised by Downey Jr). As The Mandarin, Ben Kingsley is nothing short of mesmerising. This is a character who could have fallen apart in the hands of a less skilled actor, but Kingsley makes it look effortless and delivers one of his best, most inspired performances in years. Guy Pearce is deliciously nasty as Aldrich Killian. As he proved in 2012's Lawless, Pearce is more than capable of playing sick, insane and immeasurably despicable antagonists. While his work here doesn't quite generate the same boiling hatred for his character, Pearce still excels at portraying this sleazy and vicious individual. A lot of people complain that Pearce's Killian is an unsatisfactory villain, but I don't agree at all. I think that Pearce is a vastly underrated actor (watch last year's The Rover for further proof) and that Killian is a fantastic nemesis for Tony. As villainous henchman Eric Savin, James Badge Dale is an effortlessly intimidating highlight. Savin is a character who could have easily been nothing special, but Dale is an actor who can take even the smallest role and infuse it with presence and personality. The luminous Rebecca Hall, who often doesn't get her dues as an actress, gets a lot out of comparatively little here as scientist Maya Hansen, who fall into the middle of the central conflict. Much like Savin, this is a character who could have left little impact, but Hall gives Maya an intriguing undercurrent of regret and moral ambiguity which makes the character much more flesh-and-blood. Favreau is as enjoyable as always as Happy Hogan while Paul Bettany has probably his biggest role yet as Tony's electronic butler Jarvis and is fantastic in relishing his wonderfully dry and witty dialogue. And, as is always the case with a film in the MCU, there are a few cameos from some familiar faces. My personal favourite is one at thee very beginning of the film, which solidifies the trilogy as a real journey for Tony from the arrogant, self-centred man he was before to the 'changed man' he is today.

Shane Black, taking over directing duties from Iron Man and Iron Man 2 maestro Jon Favreau (who still appears here as Tony's friend Happy Hogan), delivers his own distinct style here without sinking the Marvel ship. That's a delicate balance which most directors have to accomplish in the MCU, and Black pulls it off skilfully. There are definite 'Black-ish' touches here. The Christmas setting, the 'buddy' dynamics, the funny and memorable bit-part henchmen, the occasional curveball... Black adds all of these touches into the Marvel mix and make them work within the context of the story; actually, his touches often invigorate the story. I think that Marvel picks directors like Black so that their own unique styles and strengths can individualise films which could easily been quite routine if given to more blandly mainstream film-makers, and Black proves to be yet another inspired choice who does a few genuinely daring things along with co-writer Drew Pearce. The script is just as quick-fire and witty as one might expect having seen Kiss Kiss Bang Bang; both Black and Pearce show real talent for bringing their characters and story to life with patience and colour through their dialogue and scene-setting, whether it be funny, threatening, moving or something different. The only area I think Black and Pearce struggle with is the acknowledgement of the wider MCU Universe, which feels somewhat awkward. Outside of a fleeting yet memorable Thor reference and a fun pre-credits touch, it's hard to shake the feeling that Black and Pearce just want to focus on their own story. While this is an issue, it's not one which destroys the film for me. Plus, the whereabouts of the other Avengers during Tony's plight is explained in later MCU films.

While Black expectedly shines handling the story, actors and dialogue, he also shows great aptitude when it comes to the action sequences. There are no big action sequences for the first 35 minutes, although there is an surprisingly unsettling bombing sequence which illustrates what a threat The Mandarin and his disciples can be. When the film hits the 35-minute mark and the villains openly declare war on Tony, the destruction is spectacular. The flying/crumbling debris, the whizzing bullets and exploding rockets... These all hit with rattling force (and, for me, the moment showing two of Tony's robotic creations in the midst of the chaos carries surprising weight and emotion, especially as someone who's a huge fan of this world and who has watched the prior Iron Man films several times). There are three fast and fierce fight sequences in the second act before the final 45 minutes really ramp up the spectacle. A sequence showing Tony dealing with an aerial crisis is phenomenally done, and deserves credit for both the faultless visual effects and the amazing practical stunt-work, and how seamlessly they are melded together. And this is before the insane finale, when Tony and his enemies face off against each other with everything they've got. The finales of most trilogies (excluding some examples such as Richard Linklater's Before trilogy), especially ones as driven by visual effects as the Iron Man trilogy, should be epic occasions, and the final battle here delivers on all fronts while still giving the character moments to shine and surprise. The isn't an 'action-packed' film (that term is thrown around way too much in my opinion), but when the action does come, it is terrifically executed and leaves a definite impact. Much of this comes from the fact that, aside from arguably one scene, Tony can never fully rely on his armour to achieve his goals for whatever reason. This makes him a much more vulnerable hero and therefore makes the action more intense.

The visual effects in Iron Man 3 are never anything less than incredible. There aren't any moments where the visual effects stick out in a negative way, and the majority of them create a genuine sense of something special, whether an intimate moment or a grandiose tableau. A particular quirk of Tony's enemies, for example, is realised terrifically and leads to a lot of visually threatening moments. Speaking of visuals, legendary cinematographer John Toll ensures that this is the most gorgeously-shot of all the Iron Man films; the scenes shot in Tennessee are particularly beautiful, with a wintry majesty which lends further weight to Tony's isolation as it goes from being self-imposed to being forced upon him. The music by Brian Tyler is fantastic, packing almost endless energy, heart and epic relentlessness which amplifies everything occurring on screen. Editors Jeffrey Ford (who also had a role in editing 2011's Captain America: The First Avenger and The Avengers) and Peter S. Elliot ensure that the film keeps moving at a strong pace, even though it does feel like parts of the plot were noticeably cut down. Characters such as Maya Hansen and Vice President Rodriguez (Miguel Ferrer) feel like they should have received greater exploration in order to give their roles within the narrative more weight. 

Iron Man 3 is arguably the most divisive film from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and that is mostly down to the plot and in what direction it goes. Suffice it to say that this could lead to spoilers, which is which I will leave some more spoiler-filled notes based on my opinion after the film's final verdict and rating. There is one major plot point which has particularly split people; anyone who has seen the film should know what point I'm referencing here. Without giving anything away, I will say that, between the 'love' and 'hate' camps, I would personally have to put myself in the 'love' camp. If you want to know why, again please check out my spoiler comments after the final verdict and rating. While we're talking about problems, the motivation for the Mandarin and Killian's henchmen is a bit difficult to grasp on the initial viewing. My main flaw with the film goes into spoiler territory, so if you want to see what my issues is, make sure you've watched the film and then look at my post-review notes.

As the end of the first MCU trilogy, Iron Man 3 does a really solid job wrapping up Tony's story. Not only does it offer the most eye-popping action, but it also brings Tony's arc to a thoroughly satisfying end. The final five minutes, accompanied by a exceptionally written and delivered monologue, is a beautiful concluding note. And when that final line is uttered and Brian Tyler's orchestral 'piece de resistance' kicks in over the credits, it's hard for me to suppress a smile.   

Final Verdict

While Iron Man 3 isn't my favourite film from the MCU or even my favourite film from the Iron Man trilogy (the original still holds that title by a slim stretch), I still love it. Director Shane Black and co-writer Drew Pearce send the solo adventures of Iron Man out on a daring high note. The performances are fantastic all around, with Downey Jr and Kingsley delivering stand-out work. The action sequences deliver the most forceful, powerful bang out of the trilogy. The film looks spectacular, both due to stunning visual effects and cinematographer John Toll's exquisite photography. Brian Tyler's epic score and the mostly strong editing work of Jeffrey Ford and Peter S. Elliot keep the film moving at a propulsive pace with enough character interactions to keep a emotional connection to the material. Are there flaws? Absolutely. There are characters who feel underdeveloped given their role in the plot, the motivation for the villainous henchmen is pretty murky on first viewing and there is a issue for me personally which drifts into spoiler territory (check out my thoughts in the post-review notes). But that doesn't stop the film from being an incredibly entertaining entry in the MCU, which ends on a surprisingly powerful emotional note perfectly concluding the solo trilogy of Iron Man.    

Rating: 4.4 out of 5

Marvel One-Shot: Agent Carter

In what is currently the penultimate Marvel One-Shot film, we catch up with Agent Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell) a year after the loss of her love Captain America. Situated in an office of the early SHIELD and poorly treated by her male colleagues, Peggy sees a chance to prove herself when a dangerous criminal organisation makes their move. Simply put, I adore Agent Carter. In fact, it could well be my favourite Blu-Ray short from the Marvel Blu-Rays. This genuinely feels like a small, 15-minute adventure film with the big-budget sheen of the feature-length films. Director Louis D'Esposito effortlessly captures the essence of Captain America: The First Avenger, which is only fitting since this takes place in the same time era as that film and it follows a critical character from the Captain America legacy. Speaking of which, Hayley Atwell is once again spot-on as Peggy, continuing to be one of the premier female bad-asses from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. She's witty, stylistic and believable in the action. Speaking of which, a big chunk of the short is a brilliantly done fight scene between Peggy and the goons of that criminal organisation. But even then, this short manages to tell a surprisingly complete story which introduces us to Peggy's plight and her chauvinistic colleagues (led by the brilliant Bradley Whitford's Agent Flynn) and allows us to root for her before showing her in action and delivering a ending worthy of a 'hell yeah!' D'Esposito is aided by Eric Pearson's strong script, along with sterling technical credits such as Gabriel Beristain's wonderful cinematography, the tightly concise editing by Peter S. Elliot (showing up again after Iron Man 3), the terrific costume design by Ellen Mirojnick and Timothy A. Wonsik and the great work of set decorator Brandon Smith and production designer Shepherd Frankel. Come the end of Agent Carter, which helps to establish an important point only fleetingly mentioned in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, there's the genuine feeling of watching a full film with a conflict and resolution worth investing in. I'd highly, highly recommend checking this out.          

Post-Review Thoughts (SPOILER WARNING!!!)

So, the plot point which seems to divide people the most is the reveal that The Mandarin isn't a fearsome and deadly terrorist, but rather a dim-witted British actor named Trevor Slattery being used by Killian in order to take the blame for the accidental explosions caused by unstable 'Extremis' subjects. While people in the 'hate' camp appear to dislike this twist for the fact that it destroys the threatening villain as depicted in the comics and the film up to this point, the people in the 'love' camp seem to admire it for the courageous narrative rug-pull it represents. That reason is why I love it, but I also love it for another reason. Throughout the majority of the film, the media is present, mostly to allow the Mandarin, the President and Tony to make declarations to the public. Both Black and Pearce acknowledge that the media can be used as a weapon, but in a really smart piece of social commentary, they also explore how it can be used as piece of misdirection. By giving the audience (the American public) someone to fear and hate in the form of The Mandarin, "you give them a target". By giving the public that target, Killian is completely in the clear because nobody is focused on him. That's both a fantastic villainous plan and a terrific comment on how the media can be weaponised for many dangerous purposes. On top of that, it reinforces the idea that Tony is hiding behind his Iron Man persona, much like both Killian and Trevor are hiding behind the character of the Mandarin. Plus, can we talk about just how amazing Ben Kingsley is here? Not only does he nail the vicious and intimidating terrorist leader, but he is perfect as the dottering and pathetic actor behind the role. What's more, while Kingsley is larger-than-life in both personas, he never verges on 'cartoonish'. He never goes too far, instead striking genuine notes of chilling evil and total bumbling ineptitude as both the Mandarin and Trevor which ring entirely true. And I love the fact that Black and Pearce tackle the issue of how quickly we as a public are to look for someone to blame for acts of atrocity. When we're given the target of "a Gaddafi, a bin Laden, a Mandarin", it could be argued that we paradoxically feel more secure because we know what we should fear and what we should fight. This is a really bold and brilliant move, and I'm so glad that Marvel Studios gave Black and Pearce permission to run with it. One other critical reason which I think plays a decisive factor in either the acceptance or rejection of this twist is whether or not you're on-board with Pearce being the main villain. Most of the complaints I've seen aren't aimed at the character of Killian, but rather at Pearce. As I said in the review before, I'm a big fan of Guy Pearce. Memento, LA Confidential, The Rover, Lawless... He gives great performances in all of those films, and I think he does great work here as a smug yet dangerous man. So when it is revealed that Killian is the main bad guy, I have absolutely no problems with it.   

My main issue with the film is that, without meaning to be sadistic, there aren't any real casualties. The only character from the principal cast who dies and isn't a out-and-out villain is Maya, and while her death is shocking (mainly because of how swiftly it happens), it would have had more of an emotional impact if a character further cemented in the Iron Man series had died. I can understand why the film-makers wouldn't want to kill off Pepper and Rhodes, as they are important supporting characters whose relationships with Tony can still help to define him, but why couldn't they go all-out and kill Happy? While seeing him get caught in the middle of an explosion did bring the danger home (the shadows of those vapourised by the blast was a strong, disturbing touch), killing him would have really left a mark on Tony. Still, seeing him recover by the film's finale reinforces the idea that Tony's friends and loved ones aren't nearly as vulnerable as he thinks they are. I think that's the same vibe they were going for with the Pepper fake-out later in the film, but that was a bit too obvious for me. Let's see... Pepper plummets to her apparent death shortly after being injected with a formula designed to heal almost all injuries. Where's the suspense? When I saw that for the first time, I was almost certain that she was alive, which made the attempt to wring emotion from it seem forced.  

That last point being said, it was still awesome seeing Pepper taking out Killian on her own with no help from Tony. It was a great little exclamation point to the theme that Tony doesn't need to worry too much about protecting his loved ones (especially after seeing Rhodes hold his own against the Extremis soldiers with no armour), and what follows when Tony executes the 'clean state' protocol is a wonderfully tender and romantic moment of Tony acknowledging this.

While I struggled to understand the motivation of the Extremis henchmen and women on the initial viewing, I think that I've got more of an understanding now. All of the Extremis subjects, minus Pepper, are men and women who have had some form of physical handicap, whether it be a missing limb (like Stephanie Szostek's Ellen Brandt) or a dilapidating ailment (like Killian when we first see him). If someone were to cure you of that, like Killian does for many, that would instil some feeling of gratitude which could lead to loyalty. However, another reason is illustrated throughout. When Pepper has finished owning Killian, she turns to Tony and says, in a shocked voice, "that was really violent". Also, when Ellen finds Tony in Tennessee and attempts to apprehend him only to be stopped by the local sheriff, you can see that she gets unnaturally agitated and violent very, very fast (I have to admit that I love the Terminator-like moment where she almost completely shoves her arm straight through his chest to grab the gun from the deputy behind him). That kind of easily-provoked rage would draw attention to them in every-day life, but being in the midst of war would give them both the opportunity to be the soldiers they once were and to put their rage and new abilities to better use. That makes it more understandable as to why they'd follow Killian's scheme to create "supply and demand" once he "owns the War on Terror". I don't know if this is the reason which everyone would come up with, but as long as there's a reason which makes enough sense within the context of the story and the characters, I'm willing to accept it.                 

Finally, I love the final post-credit cameo from Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo), as it's revealed to be the person Tony's been telling this story to. It's great seeing the narration being wrapped up, as it shows the circle of the narrative being concluded (something wittily acknowledged in a line from Tony), but it's also fantastic seeing that Bruce has drifted off to sleep while listening to Tony's story. His excuse that he just doesn't have the "temperament" for offering therapy is priceless. Plus, it's just great to see Banner again. After the financial failure of The Incredible Hulk, the Hulk is now the only 'major' Avenger to not get the trilogy treatment (unlike Iron Man, Captain America or Thor), so any chance to see the character is one I'll take. And Ruffalo is once again pitch-perfect here. So, while it might not provide anything ground-breaking, I still love this post-credit scene.