Tag: Marvel

The Fantastic Four: First Steps

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With its third outing this year alone, Marvel is officially kicking off Phase 6 with The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Reed Richards (Pedro Pascal), Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby), Johnny Storm (Joseph Quinn) and Ben Grimm (Ebon Moss-Bachrach), the first Marvel family, returned from a space mission with superhuman powers. Now they about to face their biggest test yet when a god named Galactus (Ralph Ineson) threatens more than just Earth.

There have been a couple iterations of Fantastic Four before. I’ve not seen them, but I heard that they left a lot to be desired. Since I cannot make a comparison, I am only able to go off this one. Overall there was much to like. However I couldn’t help but feel like something was missing.

Casting always has a huge impact and this time around was no exception. The core four perfectly embodied their characters. Not only that, they really did feel like a family. The simple scenes of them at the dinner table or when they discovered that Sue was pregnant really helped ground them and made them more authentic. I also appreciated how we didn’t have a full on backstory and instead were brought up to speed in a way that felt fresh.

The look and feel of the film was such a vibe. Set in the future, but with a sixties flair, it definitely set itself apart from other installments we have seen. From the color palette and fashion, to the robot sidekick and the flying car, I felt like I was watching an episode of The Jetsons.

Unfortunately the pacing seems off to me. Some scenes felt disjointed and this resulted in some slower moments that took me out of the story. I also wasn’t particularly sold on the villains. Galactus was threatening enough though I felt like he just came out of nowhere all of a sudden. Silver Surfer (Julia Garner), on the other hand, had more promise, but again we weren’t given too much information about her until almost the end of the film.

Overall, The Fantastic Four: First Steps was a solid entry for the MCU. I’m glad that they seem to be finding their footing once again. Something was just missing for me and I’m not entirely sure what. Maybe my expectations were too high. I did enjoy it, but I didn’t love it like I was hoping to.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️

Thunderbolts*

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After many delays, Thunderbolts* has finally hit the big screen. When a group of antiheroes find themselves as targets, they band together to embark on a dangerous mission.

Florence Pugh captured audiences from her very first appearance as Yelena. Her deadpan, dry humour made her edgy even when you knew there were many more layers underneath. She is the driving force of this film and rightfully so. The rest of the team consisting of Sebastian Stan as Bucky, David Harbour as Alexei, Wyatt Russell as John Walker, Hannah John-Kamen as Ava and Lewis Pullman as Bob were so completely mismatched yet perfect together. On the surface it seemed like they had nothing in common, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.

After relying heavily on CGI and silly gimmicks, this is a more stripped back version of an origin story. While we had been previously introduced to these characters, we didn’t really know much about them. Here we got to learn about what makes them tick as well as the darkest corners of their minds. Though there are plenty of action sequences and some comedic moments, the film also focuses on themes of loss, grief, addiction and mental health. I don’t think I’ve seen these depicted in a superhero film before and as someone who has dealt with some of the above, I really found myself relating to what the characters were going through.

It’s no secret that Marvel has been struggling as of lately. Ever since Endgame, there have been a slew of less than mediocre instalments that I can barely even remember now. The excitement I used to feel before going into these films became like a chore. That was until now. Thunderbolts* was everything I never knew I needed and I can’t help but wonder…is Marvel back? I guess only time will tell.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️♥️

Captain America: Brave New World

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Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) is adjusting to life as the new Captain America. When he finds himself at the centre of an international incident, he must work with Thaddeus Ross (Harrison Ford) to find out who is behind these attacks and put a stop to them once and for all.

Mackie was excellent. I’ve always liked Sam as a character and I think that he donned his new title effortlessly. He was never trying to be Steve Rogers; he just wanted to be himself. I loved his friendship with Joaquin Torres (Danny Ramirez). Their banter was playful and fun. It really had that sibling feeling to it. The introduction of Ruth Bat-Seraph (Shira Haas) was a welcome one and I’m looking forward to seeing more of her in the future.

Unfortunately some of the other characters were underused. I was so much looking forward to seeing Ford hulk out. To say I was disappointed with that part of his storyline is an understatement. I feel like he would have been a more interesting villain than Tim Blake Nelson as Samuel Sterns. I also wish we’d had more time with Carl Lumby who played Isaiah Bradley and Giancarlo Esposito who portrayed Sidewinder.

While the action sequences and special effects were decent, there were times throughout where I felt like the quality of the shots were grainy. Maybe that is what they were going for, but it was distracting. Additionally, the storyline itself was also a bit clunky. I didn’t really understand a lot of what was going on. I do think that watching The Incredible Hulk, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and The Eternals beforehand is helpful.

Overall, I went into Captain America: Brave New World with very little expectations. There was just something about it that I wasn’t excited about. I’m glad this was the way I approached it because I was able to enjoy it more. That being said, I still wasn’t completely sold. It’s not the worst of Marvel’s offerings, but it certainly isn’t one of the best. I’m hoping the next two instalments of the year are better.

Rating: ♥️♥️.5

Venom: The Last Dance

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In the final instalment of the Venom trilogy, Eddie Brock and Venom (Tom Hardy) find themselves on the run. The world is convinced that Eddie is a murderer while Venom is being hunted. The symbiotic alien has something that a new foe wants and they will stop at nothing to get it – even if it means devastating circumstances for the duo.

One would expect the last film in a franchise to go out with a bang. Unfortunately I can’t really say that that was the case. The storyline was all over the place and didn’t always make sense. There were three different ones going on at the same time. When they came together, only two of them really came together. I didn’t think the other was needed. It took a really long time for anything exciting to happen too. Luckily it paid off in the final act.

Hardy makes this worth watching. You can tell that he’s had such a blast in both these roles. He always gives it one hundred and ten per cent and I will miss the unconventional friendship that was formed between Eddie and Venom. I do think that the rest of the cast were underused though. I was excited when I discovered that Juno Temple was attached to the project. Her character of Dr. Teddy Paine had potential, but we didn’t really get to see her take off. I feel like the same happened with Chiwetel Ejiofer’s Strickland and Rhys Ifan’s Martin. They were side characters who never had the chance to shine.

The Venom franchise is one that has never been high on the list of Marvel fans’ favorites. I personally have always found them to be a ton of fun. They don’t take themselves seriously which is refreshing and it doesn’t take a lot to understand what’s going on. While Venom: The Last Dance could have been a much stronger send off, I am glad that we got to see Eddie and Venom one last time.

Rating: ♥️♥️.5

Deadpool & Wolverine

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Everyone’s favorite anti-hero Deadpool is back and this time he’s teaming up with an unlikely ally. Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds) has traded in his Deadpool life for something resembling normalcy after his break up with Vanessa (Morena Baccarin). But when his timeline is threatened by new foe Cassandra Nova (Emma Corrin), Wade is coerced by Mr. Paradox (Matthew Macfadyen) of the TVA to suit up, find Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) and save the world.

Fans have been waiting for this instalment for years and I’m happy to report that it totally delivered. Reynold’s sassy Deadpool mixed with Jackman’s grumpy Wolverine made for a match made in heaven. From their back and forth hijinks on social media to their natural chemistry on screen, I hope this isn’t the last time we see them together.

With any Deadpool movie, audiences can expect plenty of over the top action sequences, blood and gore. The opening number and the car fight in particular were especially entertaining. The writing was also strong and quippy with almost every single joke landing. There are also plenty of pop culture references, but they’re more blink and you’ll miss them.

One area in which the film suffered was its plot which was hard to follow at times. I’ve come to expect this from Marvel, however, as I often find it hard to keep track of everything that is happening. Luckily this didn’t take much away from my enjoyment and can even be considered a standalone for new potential fans.

It’s no secret that Marvel hasn’t quite been the same since Endgame. After quite a few fumbles, I think Deadpool and Wolverine is a step in the right direction for the franchise. There is a lot of fun to be had, with hilarious jokes, memorable characters and cameos galore. I also can’t forget to mention the outstanding soundtrack featuring hits from NSYNC, Madonna, and Avril Lavigne. For the first time in a long time, I’m feeling optimistic about the future of the MCU.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️♥️

Madame Web

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Sony’s newest Marvel offering comes in the form of Madame Web. Cassandra (Dakota Johnson) is a paramedic who lives in New York City. She develops powers that allow her to see the future which she can use to change it. When revelations come to light about her past, she forms a relationship with three young women who are bound for greatness.

Ever since I saw the film yesterday, I’ve been wrecking my head trying to formulate my thoughts about it. This was one that I was super excited for; the cast is great and a female version of Spider-Man more than sparked my interest, but it ended up being one giant disappointment.

The first letdown was the script. A lot of the dialogue came across as forced and unauthentic. As a result, a variety of the scenes were uncomfortable to sit through because you could tell that the actors were doing what they could with the source material and it just wasn’t translating properly.

Another issue that I had was that pacing. It took awhile to get going and it was as if some scenes didn’t get the focus needed while others got too much. The sequence in the subway that developed into a cab chase lasted for awhile while Cassie’s visit to Peru was only five minutes. It didn’t make sense.

One bright spot was the chemistry between Johnson, Sydney Sweeney, Isabela Merced and Celeste O’Connor. They gelled together well enough and their camaraderie was realistic. Cassie was like an older sister to Julia, Anya and Mattie and if we do end up getting a sequel, I look forward to seeing more of them all together. Adam Scott as Ben, Emma Roberts as Mary Parker and Zosia Mamet as Amaria were also welcome additions. Another missed opportunity was Tahar Rahim’s villain Ezekiel Simms. He was one of the worst villains I have ever witnessed! I found him incredibly dull and didn’t care when he was on screen.

I’m sad that Madame Web was such a misfire. There was potential hidden deep within, I just don’t think it was properly brought to fruition. I feel bad for the cast, but it’s not their fault as they did all they could. I hate to say it – the future of superhero films is not looking too good.

Rating: ♥️♥️

The Marvels

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Having reclaimed her identity from the Kree, Carol Danvers aka Captain Marvel (Brie Larson) finds herself on a new space mission. While there, her powers become entangled with those of her niece Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris) and fangirl Kamala Khan aka Ms. Marvel (Iman Vellani). The three are left with no choice but to team up in order to take down a new foe.

This next entry in the MCU is one that fans have been waiting for for awhile. Unfortunately I didn’t quite feel like it held up to the hype. There was a lot about the story that seemed off to me and while it wasn’t terrible, it’s certainly one of the least impressive of the franchise to date.

With a run time of only an hour and forty five minutes, this is the shortest Marvel yet. I feel like this could have benefitted from some extra time to flesh things out. For example, new villain Dar-Benn (Zawe Ashton) was given literally no backstory. She just showed up and we were supposed to figure her out as the plot progressed. She would have been so much more multidimensional with some extra scenes to fill in those holes. The shortened length also impacted a lot of the flow. There were scenes that occurred in the second half that seemed random and like they weren’t supposed to be there.

The shining light here was Kamala Khan. She truly stole every scene she was in. All of her one liners had me laughing out loud and I loved how she was always unapologetically herself. Her family was another bright spot, especially the scenes in which they shared with Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson). I also got a kick out of Goose the cat. Sadly, I couldn’t get on board with Larson’s performance as Carol this time around. It felt flat and like there was no passion there at all. I also got rather annoyed by the beef she and Monica shared with one another. Luckily all three balanced one another out well and made a good team.

It’s a pity that The Marvels left a lot to be desired, but I can’t help but think that Marvel may be having somewhat of an identity crisis. A lot of fans have claimed there hasn’t been a decent installment since Endgame and I’m starting to agree with the,. It seems like they’ve been preferring quantity over quality which is not always a good thing. Though the mid credits scene did peak my interest, I hope they work out the kinks and get back on track soon.

Rating: ♥️♥️.5

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

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Our favorite underdog heroes are back in their final adventure as the Guardians of the Galaxy. Picking up where we left off, Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) is still reeling from the loss of Gamora (Zoe Saldana), but not for long. When the life of one of their own is threatened, Quill assembles the usual suspects in Drax (Dave Bautista), Groot (Vin Diesel), Rocket (Bradley Cooper), Nebula (Karen Gillan) and Mantis (Pom Klementieff) for one last time.

Wow! What a send off. From the very beginning, this film felt like a finale of sorts. Everything was put on the line and the trials and tribulations that were faced by the characters felt more hardcode than ever before. It didn’t let up for one second with some very cool special effects moments jumping from planet to planet and a few very cool and well done action sequences.

I think where it excelled the most was in its nostalgia factor. Not only were there several throwbacks to the first couple installments, but I loved how the focus was mainly on Rocket this time around. He’s always been one of my favorites of the bunch and learning about his origin story was so rewarding. I felt for him, but it was great seeing how he became the raccoon he is today.

Other standouts in the cast for me were Mantis and Nebula. The former grew on me a lot and I found myself falling for how utterly adorable she is, while the latter has come so far since the first movie and that was such a treat to see. Also, while he usually gets on my nerves, I have to say that Chris Pratt didn’t bother me as much.

To be completely honest, I wasn’t really looking forward to this. The first movie was such a pleasant surprise, but then I barely remember what happened in the second. This one blew them both out of the water. As it progressed, I became more invested and by the end I was sold. This clan of misfits will be missed. Definitely one of the better Marvels we’ve had in awhile.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️

Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania

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Kicking off Phase Five comes the third entry in the Ant-Man franchise. Everybody’s favorite little guy Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) is adjusting to life post Avengers superhero. When his daughter Cassie (Kathryn Newton) tampers with a machine that she is not supposed to, the whole family are sucked into the Quantum Realm. There, they not only come across a bunch of strange creatures, but must battle a new foe.

One of the reasons why we enjoy these movies is because they don’t take themselves too seriously. There’s plenty of jokes and quirky scenarios, but this time around, the pacing was different. With an uneven first half that took a bit too long to get going, the film has a heavy focus on science. As the science element is totally elevated, it would make sense for there to be more CGI than ever before and at times I felt like it was too over the top.

I liked how Michelle Pfeiffer as Janet Van Dyne was given more to do this time around. The whole plot centred around her and it was interesting to learn about her time stuck in the realm. Rudd was obviously back as the titular character and just as funny as ever. Also, how does this man not age? I don’t get it! I liked the addition of Newton as Cassie and look forward to seeing more of her in future films. As for Michael Douglas as Hank and Evangeline Lily as Hope, I was disappointed to see that they were sidelined. You’d think the latter, especially, would at least be featured more considering the fact that her name is in the film’s title. The standout for me, however, was Jonathan Majors as new big bad Kang. He was everything that I hoped he would be and while this film only served as a sort of introduction to his character, I am so excited to see what happens with him next.

Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania was not one of the strongest entries into the MCU, but it was an entertaining one nonetheless. There were too many special effects and I could have done without a particular side character who as tacky, cringey and added nothing to the story. Overall, I think it was a good enough set up for what’s to come.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️.5

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

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“For our friend Chadwick Boseman.”

The world lost a superhero when Boseman passed away from cancer in the summer of 2020. Many wondered how the Black Panther franchise would carry on without him. Would he be recasted? Would they use old footage or digitalize him? We all waited in bated breath until finally the film was released this week. I can officially say that the work Ryan Coogler and the cast have done is phenomenal. From the very opening of the film where we see how Shuri (Letitia Wright), Queen Romanda (Angela Bassett), Okoye (Danai Gurira) and M’Baku (Winston Duke) are dealing with T’Challa’s (Chadwick Boseman) death and beyond, I knew that this movie was going to be something special.

Everything about Wakanda Forever was stunning. The incredible landscapes and cinematography was like something of a dream. The special effects and fight sequences were upped a notch and kept me on my toes. And on top of that, the plot was intricate and entertaining. The way in which it’s all built up after the initial tragedy was handled well. I also loved the introduction of antagonist Namor (Tenoch Huerta). His backstory was super interesting and also different than anything we’d seen before. The fact that he was multilayered was something I appreciated a lot.

The performances here are out of this world. Wright takes the lead and she does a brilliant job. You feel her pain and anguish in Shuri missing her brother just as you feel her determination in defending her country. Her chemistry was palpable with everyone she shared the screen with. Alternatively, Bassett was another standout. I was actually left breathless during a couple of her scenes. It was great having Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o) and Everett Ross (Martin Freeman) back in the mix along with newcomers Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne) and Aneka (Michaela Coel).

I don’t think I can ever properly describe my feelings about Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. The emotion hit me like a ton of bricks and it didn’t let up for one moment. Complete with outstanding acting chops and a phenomenal story, I do believe that this is one of the best additions in the MCU so far.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥