Film Review: Guardians of the Galaxy (Revisited)

"Why would you want to save the galaxy?"

"Because I'm one of the idiots who lives in it!" - Bradley Cooper and Chris Pratt
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Back when Marvel kicked in Phase 1 of its cinematic universe, we all knew who Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Thor, and Captain America were. All these films were destined to be hits to some degree. But...the Guardians of the Galaxy? Who are these a-holes? If you're like me and never read comics, you may be asking the same question. Seriously, a gun-totting raccoon? A walking tree? David Bautista? WTF?

If box office numbers are any indication, the risk paid off tremendously. The film wastes little time in plunging the audience into the deep end of the most outlandish and far-out reaches of the Marvel universe. From the desolate ruins of an abandoned planet to the thriving heart of an interstellar civilization, this space-faring adventure cuts across colorful nebulae and imaginative worlds, the likes of which have only ever been topped by the Star Wars universe. The film has no shortage of action, as characters fight with their fists, knives, and futuristic guns against an onslaught of bad guys. There is a huge all-out battle in the end, with thousands of space ships filling up the screen. In between the exciting parts, the film moves fast and fluidly with plenty of spot-on comedy, and just enough drama to give the characters a little more depth.

The story covers pretty basic ground, using the same old type of Macguffin that Avengers and Thor: The Dark World used. The villain of this film is a pretty flat, one-dimensional fellow who's best remembered for his presence, and little more. What makes this film stand out will be the protagonists. Peter Quill (the self-proclaimed "Star-Lord") has charm, but thanks to the film's opening scene, he provides an emotional anchor we can all latch onto. Drax is a warrior driven by vengeance, but is so blunt that he can't comprehend metaphors, and hilarity ensues. Gamora is a fierce fighter as well with an allure of her own. Rocket is a hard-drinking gun-happy raccoon with attitude. Groot is a walking tree, who can kick some butt, but also provides some of the most lovable moments. This whole gang is very much in the same vein of space outlaws as in Firefly or The Cowboy Bebop; each character provides enough emotional investment and attention so that they stand out and become heroes we can root for, no matter how bizarre or unlikely this union seems. The film is also loaded with a plethora of side characters, who all stand out in their own ways, to the point where I wished they could have had more to them (especially Thanos, who's obviously going to be a major player somewhere down the line; Nebula, who I thought was cooler than anything; the Collector, who's not given that much to do here; and Yondu, who clearly shares a history with Quill, but it's hard to tell where his loyalty is). Through the character interactions, the whole team emerges as a dysfunctional crew that stands up to tyranny in their own rebellious way, and their evolution from bickering individuals to literal Guardians of the Galaxy is quite the fun trip.

This film is crafted with solid and precise photography and editing. Acting is top-notch; you'd probably never expect much from this cast, but everybody does their best to make the characters stand out. Chris Pratt is not too shabby as the main hero; I enjoyed watching Zoe Saldana; Dave Bautista's performance is surprisingly solid; voices by Bradley Cooper and Vin Diesel get the job done well. Everybody else contributes admirably. Writing is pretty good. This production spares no expense on the outlandish and imaginative sets, props, costumes, and special effects. Music is decent.

Guardians of the Galaxy is one of the most well-rounded blockbusters since Marvel's own Avengers. It balances action, comedy, and storytelling very well. It defies all the odds and presents this obscure group of misfits as a thrilling new franchise for the masses..

5/5 (Entertainment: Perfect | Content: Very Good | Film: Very Good)

Film Review: Captain America: The Winter Soldier (Revisited)

In the first phase of Marvel's cinematic universe, Captain America made his appearance as The First Avenger; that film proved to be a fine adventure and a fine introduction to the character, but the best had yet to come. We got to see a decent sampling of Cap's heroics in Marvel's Avengers, but in the aftermath, the man would kick some serious butt in the modern age, while fighting the Winter Soldier.

Captain America's second film in the Marvel franchise is pretty much an action film with a strong political-thriller undercurrent that shifts character alliances and cranks the stakes to huge levels. It starts off with a thrilling hostage crisis on a boat, which sets off a series of events that causes the characters to go on the run and fight against massive odds. There are loads of great fight scenes, all fast-paced, hard-hitting, and choreographed with expert precision. The stuntwork is a thing of beauty. But that's not all; scenes in-between the action remain engaging thanks to the suspense and the personality of the characters. The film culminates with a fantastic climax involving a huge amount of mass destruction.

What really makes the film great, however, is the constant stream of peril the story dishes out. It is a huge challenge that makes for a very thrilling plot (and will undoubtedly serve as a paradigm shift for whatever may happen in Avengers: Age of Ultron). The film does take its time to let the characters shine a little (and character conflicts make up the most relevant dynamic for the various conflicts involved). Underneath it all, the film daringly underscores the threats of the modern world, so troubled by the loss of privacy and liberty through surveillance and technology. It's a world where Captain America finds himself way out of his element, but that's also what makes him the perfect hero for this story, because it's only his old-fashioned down-to-Earth mindset that gives everybody a chance. In the end, the film provides a relevant reflection on modern-day geopolitical issues, and the film hints at the scary notion that our world could be subverted. It's a captivating paranoia-thriller, inspired heavily by similar thrillers of the 1970s (such as Three Days of the Condor), but with big-scale action the likes of which only Marvel can dish out.

This film sports some fine photography; it's very solid most of the time, but tends to get jittery during the action scenes. Editing can be rather fast and hectic, but it gets the job done without being too overbearing. Acting is swell; Chris Evans is still apt as Captain America, and it is especially impressive seeing how physically demanding the fights must have been. Sebastian Stan elicits a good amount of sympathy for his character, and he has quite the presence. Scarlett Johansson is given quite a bit of screen time as the Black Widow; her character seems way more sarcastic than usual, but she's still easy on the eyes. Robert Redford is quite suitable in his role. Everybody else does alright. Writing is okay. This production features lots of good, slick-looking sets, props, costumes, and special effects. Music is okay too.

Despite having some shakey camera work in the action scenes, the film is pure excitement, and still has room to breathe and make a few relevant points on the characters and their ongoing struggles. As one of the better films in Marvel's repertoire, it comes casually recommended.

4.5/5 (Entertainment: Very Good | Story: Very Good | Film: Very Good)

Film Review: Thor: The Dark World (Revisited)

Thor - Norse God of thunder and perhaps one of the most surprising additions to Marvel lore - returns to his fantastic universe that blurs the line between ancient myth and science fiction. Kenneth Branaugh's film has always felt like a "good but not great" affair, so this sequel had nowhere to go but up.

Naturally, there are loads of great action scenes throughout the film, with Asgardians, humans, and dark elves fighting on land, sea, air, and space. Among the film's highlights, the elves' raid on Asgard is a fantastic sequence with spaceships zooming around the city with dazzling laser beams and mass destruction. The final act presents a wildly imaginative sequence with characters duking it out across multiple worlds. In between, the film goes through plenty of compelling drama, but a lot of it is ultimately crushed by the comedy; hardly a moment goes by without something funny or ridiculous.

The story continues after the first Thor film and The Avengers in a logical manner, continuing the established character arcs. The plot goes through a pretty standard structure, but it is far from predictable; there are a few surprising twists and turns, and the film takes the characters to bold new directions. A lot of the characters are fairly one-dimensional (especially Thor himself, the main antagonist, and the scientist characters, who are there mostly for comic relief), but everybody's favorite supervillain, Loki, easily steals the spotlight. Fortunately, most of these characters are likable (save for Darcy, who I think is cute, but many complain is overbearing). It's largely the villain who comes out as the weakest link, lacking in depth or range.

This film pretty standard photography, with some good movements and angles, which let the action scenes flow and speak for themselves. Editing struck me as being a little screwy in a few scenes, but is mostly spot-on. Acting is good: Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, and Anthony Hopkins all reprise their roles admirably (Hiddleston has especially grown into his role most comfortably). Natalie Portman continues to play a rather ditzy love interest, but she is given more to do in this film. Everybody else is decent, although I don't think Christopher Eccleston stood out much at all. Writing is not bad, although I felt that the film's explanation of the Aether and its connection with things like dark matter and the universe in general was pretty weak (pretty much technobabble just for the sake of it). This production has decent-looking sets, props, and costumes. Most special effects are cool, but I thought that some of the backgrounds and starfields looked a little low-rez. Music is alright.

I find Thor: The Dark World is a grade more enjoyable than the first film, and it's worth seeing to see the characters' progression and plenty of otherworldly action. It's an easy recommendation for fans of the Marvel films.

4/5 (Entertainment: Good | Story: Pretty Good | Film: Good)

Film Review: Iron Man 3 (Revisited)

So now it comes to this. Iron Man started off beating the snot out of terrorists and confronting the Iron Monger, all while trying to right the various wrongs of his life. Then he was challenged by Whiplash, and made to face a number of personal challenges. Lastly, he helped save Earth from an otherworldly invasion, and he personally passed through a wormhole to deliver a nuke to the Chitauri mothership. Where does Tony Stark stand after all this?

The third Iron Man film pits Tony Stark against more challenges, which elevates the stakes to a more personal level. He has his home taken away, before his friends and loved ones are thrown into peril, and he's forced to find answers on his own. It all culminates in a final gambit that involves an attack on the entire nation, and the emergence of a powerful new race of people. The endgame is a chaotic sequence in which multiple Iron Man suits wreak havoc on a freighter loaded with Extremis terrorists, and it is quite the explosive setpiece.

There is definitely a ton of action and quality special effects to behold here, but unfortunately, the pacing tends to sag between the action scenes. Aside from some sporadic action and comedy, very little of the film stands out, especially when compared to the last two films. In fact, the film's tone, atmosphere, and style never seems to mesh well with Jon Favreau's work, and as a result, the film is overshadowed.
The story that Iron Man 3 tells is full of high stakes, and it is notable how it rounds off Tony Stark's progression through the whole saga, providing some satisfactory closure. However, the film explicitly states that he's a changed man, but it's hard to really see such change; he remains his same old self throughout the whole runtime. He is a character so full of color and personality that he's entertaining to watch, but he ultimately delivers more of the same. The villains he confronts lack such personality, and elicit no sympathy; there is a twist behind the Mandarin's character that has upset countless film fans, and other characters never really stand out.

This film is competently-made with good photography and editing. Acting is as great as ever; Robert Downey Jr. is still apt as the title character, Gweneth Paltrow is still great, and so is Don Cheadle (although his role is rather limited). Ben Kingsley is rather cheesy, albeit on purpose, and I found him amusing that way. Guy Pearce is superb, even if his character is less memorable. The writing is generally good. This production has plenty of fine-looking sets, props, costumes, and special effects. Music is pretty cool.

Iron Man 3 has its moments, and it feels like it tries to be bigger and more relevant than its predecessors. Unfortunately, it's not as memorable, not as fun, and the substance isn't quite as deep. It will satisfy some and disappoint others, so I'd only recommend it as a rental to fans.

3/5 (Entertainment: Average | Story: Mixed | Film: Pretty Good)

Film Review: The Avengers (2012) (Revisited)

"If we can't protect the Earth, you can be damned well sure we'll avenge it." - Robert Downey Jr.
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In five years, we saw the coming of Iron Man, a talented engineer who built a powerful exosuit; the Hulk, a scientist whose rage can cause him to explode into a beast of furious strength; Thor, a god-like extraterrestrial who can summon storms; Captain America, a supersoldier from the past. Combined with the tough and skilled agents of SHIELD, all these heroes would join forces to defend Earth against threats that couldn't otherwise be faced.

From the start, Marvel's Avengers jumps right into the universe it set up in all previous films, and it wastes no time in jumping into the action. Loki's arrival immediately brings peril and destruction, causing the heroes to assemble and clash in big, explosive brawls. It all builds up to a massive half-hour climax, where everybody contributes to the fight. The action is often jaw-dropping, as heroes fly all over the city and wrestle with huge waves of extraterrestrials. The heroics are as epic as they come. But even when there's no fighting, the movie remains effortlessly entertaining, thanks to its endearing combination of thrills, humor, and personality.

The story could be described as the same thing Seven Samurai was: the simple tale of heroes defending a place. In this film, the heroes are a mis-matched family, where some characters connect and others butt heads. The volatile concoction of personalities is what makes the team so special; each character is given a chance to shine, and together they form a uniquely dysfunctional dynamic that makes their dialogue sharp, their drama tense, and their teamwork compelling. It even goes so far as pumping newfound color and life into characters that existed in previous films, but never had a chance to shine until now (particularly Loki, whose devilish mischief steals the show often; Black Widow, Hawkeye, and Agent Coulson stand out much better in this film as well).

The film looks spectacular, with quality photography and editing. There are a lot of unusual camera angles in this movie, and I think it looks awesome. Other shots are crafted in very dynamic ways that not only show off the action, but the characters in evoking ways. Acting is a joy to watch from the whole cast; Robert Downey Jr is as enjoyable as ever as Tony Stark, while Chris Hemsworth and Chris Evans provide decently commanding performances. Mark Ruffalo is probably the most pleasant surprise from the cast, who provides a balanced and compelling portrayal of Bruce Banner. Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, and Samuel L. Jackson and Clark Gregg are all fun to watch, and Tom Hiddleston nails it as a bad guy we love to hate. Writing is quite sharp and precise, for great effect. This production uses great-looking sets, props, costumes, locales, and special effects. Alan Silvestri's music score is appropriately heroic and catchy.

Avengers comes close to being the end-all-be-all superhero film: one epic experience that brings together multiple heroes for one grand fight, in a manner that feels so naturally entertaining and harmonic.

5/5 (Entertainment: Perfect | Content: Very Good | Film: Perfect)

Film Review: Captain America: The First Avenger (Revisited)

"A weak man knows the value of strength." - Stanley Tucci
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With Marvel's Avengers slated for 2012, only one hero’s origin story remains untold. Falling in line with Thor, Iron Man, and The Incredible Hulk, Captain America showcases the rise of Steve Rogers as the title character. Unlike the other films, which take place in modern times, this one goes way back to WWII, showing the Captain kicking Nazi butt! With a lot of Wolfenstein-style occult mystique and a slight Indiana Jones sense of pulp adventure, this movie has a number of solid action sequences, and plenty of imaginative special effects and setpieces. With its references to various characters and concepts of other Mavel movies, it fits into the franchise really well. It might take some stretch of the imagination to believe that Nazis could be this futuristic, but for a superhero movie, it’s all good fun.

The story in this case is pretty solid. The main character shows strong development, and for most of the movie, you really root for him. There’s nothing more thrilling than watching the underdog getting the upper hand. As it goes on, much of the character drama and story development gets pushed aside by the action, but it still works. By the end, voila, we have the lead-in for the Avengers film.

If there’s any complaint for this film, it’s that it's rather uneven, and there could have been more to it. The film's first half may be lacking in action, but it carries the full burden of the character-building, and it's where the most compelling scenes are. By the last half, the villain is reduced to a one-dimensional boogeyman, and the story's reduced to a continuous montage of heroics, which would have been more welcome as a number of longer setpieces.

The film is competently made, with decent (but rarely exceptional) photography. Editing is good for the most part, but I am not a fan of the montage in the middle of the film that makes the entire war campaign whiz by. A couple of action scenes seemed a little sloppily-edited, but it’s barely noticeable. Acting is swell; Chris Evans is surprisingly strong as the main character, and I enjoyed Hayley Atwell, Sebastian Stan, Tommy Lee Jones, Stanley Tucci, and Hugo Weaving in their roles. Writing seems pretty good. Production value is high, featuring lots of good (if not overly-slick) sets, props, costumes and special effects. Music is appropriately upbeat and adventurous.

In the end, I’d say the film met my expectations, but never fully exceeded them. But it is a decent WWII adventure film with fine superpowered action. And it, along with an all-too-short sneak preview after the credits, provide the necessary bridge to the Avengers film.

3.5/5 (Entertainment: Good | Story: Okay | Film: Pretty Good)

Film Review: Thor (Revisited)

Thor: Norse god of thunder, and one of Marvel's most formidable heroes. Coming from a universe that surpasses the scope and understanding of a mere Earthling, Thor has the power to command the elements and vanquish foes with his incredible hammer. After Marvel introduced us to Iron Man and the Hulk, a series of Thor movies was inevitable.

Thor throws us into a world where Norse myth collides with science-fiction in a surprisingly sublime fashion. In this unique universe, we are introduced to the title character, who battles giants and mortal men alike with thunderous force. There is plenty of action throughout this flick, and lots of beautiful special effects. Even when Thor isn’t bashing the hell out of things, there’s enough character-driven drama to keep it strong. And of course, nothing’s more amusing than watching an archaic deity walking among modern men, acting like a total Viking in the modern world. Action is not quite as huge of a standout as it is in other Marvel films, but there's enough spectacle, humor, and dramatic tension to satisfy.

The story’s a little predictable, especially if you’re already familiar with the comics or Norse myth. The story has the merit of introducing Thor as a bit of a brute, who has to learn humility and control in order to realize his full potential. He learns these things on Earth, before taking the fight back to Asgard to resolve a larger struggle. In the end, it's a fine and satisfying fantasy adventure with just enough character building to make it endearing.

The film has good photography for the most part. The frost-giant battle shows some rather jittery camera work and editing, but afterwards it’s all solid. Some shots have some really funky crooked angles, but I think it’s cool. Acting is great; I loved Chris Hemsworth and Natalie Portman in their roles, and Anthony Hopkins is a naturally good choice for Odin. Writing is not terribly sophisticated, but it gets the job done. Production value is phenomenal, with loads of excellent sets, props, costumes, and some very imaginative settings. It’s especially impressive how the designers have adopted Norse myth into the story and designs to fit into a sci-fi niche, and still make sense. Special effects look great, but they aren't always the best. The music score is not bad.

Thor's first feature film has its moments, both exciting and cute. It won't blow anybody away, but it is entertaining all the same.

3.5/5 (Entertainment: Good | Story: Okay | Film: Pretty Good)