SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME REVIEW

 *MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

The sequel to Spider-Man: Homecoming, Far From Home, was well received by fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and critics. One of the most memorable scenes took place in the middle of the end credits and saw the villain, Mysterio, revealing to the whole world that Peter Parker (Tom Holland) is the web slinging superhero, Spider-Man, and that he was the cause of all of the chaos in London. Following the release of Far From Home in 2019, fans have been sharing their theories of what they think will happen in the follow-up, No Way Home, making it one of the most anticipated films of the year. However, does it live up to the hype? 

The story picks up immediately after Far From Home and sees Peter’s life turned upside down. He loses his privacy and is constantly harassed by the media. Peter, his girlfriend, MJ (Zendaya) and his best friend, Ned (Jacob Batalan) are rejected by their dream college due to their involvement with Spider-Man. This leads to Peter asking Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) to cast a spell that makes people forget that he’s Spider-Man. Unsurprisingly, the spell goes wrong leading to various villains appearing from alternate universes, including Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe), Doctor Octopus (Alfred Molina) and Electro (Jamie Foxx). 

There’s no denying that 2021 has been a packed year for Marvel Studios. Aside from releasing four films including Black Widow, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Eternals and No Way Home, they’ve also produced four spin-off original series, WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Loki and Hawkeye. Although I’ve genuinely enjoyed all of the films and series that Marvel have released this year, I think that the stand-out is No Way Home. I can’t imagine fans of Spider-Man being disappointed with what director Jon Watts and screenwriters, Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers, have created with the latest addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Although the latest trailer, which was released last month, confirmed the appearances of previous Spider-Man villains, including Green Goblin, Doctor Octopus, Electro, Lizard (Rhys Ifans) and Sandman (Thomas Haden Church), fans have been wondering about the return of Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield, with the latter being frequently questioned by journalists whilst he was promoting his latest film, tick, tick…BOOM!. Garfield has denied any involvement with the latest Spider-Man film. I will honestly say that, prior to watching No Way Home, I didn’t think that either Maguire and Garfield were in it so I was more than pleasantly surprised when they made their appearance halfway through. Although I didn’t grow up with the Spider-Man franchise as I was too young, I can imagine that those who did will love seeing their favourite portrayals of Spider-Man teaming up to defeat the villains. There will be those who will complain that No Way Home is simply fan service but I don’t think that’s necessarily an issue when it’s done this well. Recent blockbuster franchises, including Star Wars with their latest trilogy and Ghostbusters with the release of Afterlife, have relied on nostalgia in order to sell tickets. Whilst No Way Home will certainly be enjoyed by fans of the web-slinging superhero, those who haven’t seen the other Spider-Man films will be puzzled as they won’t have any idea who the villains are. Although No Way Home definitely succeeds as a Spider-Man film, as a stand-alone superhero film, it struggles as it does expect you to have seen all of the previous films in order to understand who the characters are and what’s happened. Most of the conversations between the three Spider-Men and the villains are hints at things that have happened in other films. Because I had recently rewatched all of the Spider-Man films, I understood their references, however, I can imagine casual movie goers being confused.  

What’s most interesting about No Way Home is that it uses some of the characters better than in their own films, especially Garfield. Although I don’t think they’re bad, both The Amazing Spider-Man and its sequel are disappointments as it didn’t really do anything new or exciting with the character and failed to live up to the adjective in its title. What was most impressive about both of the films was Garfield’s performance as both Peter Parker and Spider-Man. I think the main issue was the writing as it didn’t give him enough depth. In No Way Home, Garfield returns to one of his most famous roles and he continues to impress with his portrayal. Those who have seen The Amazing Spider-Man 2 will remember one of the most heartbreaking scenes when Garfield’s Spider-Man fails to save his girlfriend, Gwen Stacy, as she falls to her death. A similar scene sees MJ, who is in a relationship with Holland’s Peter, begin to fall before she is captured by Garfield’s Spider-Man, who is relieved that he saved someone. All three of the Spider-Man actors had great chemistry and clearly had a lot of respect for one another.  

What’s most impressive about No Way Home are the performances, especially by Dafoe and Molina who return to their most memorable roles as Green Goblin and Doctor Octopus. Their performances makes it hard to believe that it’s been almost twenty years since they first appeared in Spider-Man and its sequel. Dafoe succeeds in capturing the Green Goblin’s menacing and twisted personality whereas Molina humanises Doctor Octopus. Out of all of the villains that appear in No Way Home, Doctor Octopus is the only one who wants to help Peter. While Foxx’s performance of Electro is an improvement than the one he gave in The Amazing Spider-Man 2, especially because he’s no longer a blue CGI mess, he is still underused as are Thomas Haden Church as Sandman and Rhys Ifans as the Lizard. Also returning after appearing during the post-credits scene of Far From Home is J. K. Simmons as the fast-talking and fiery head of the Daily Bugle, J. Jonah Jameson. While Simmons continues to amuse with his scene-stealing performance, I am disappointed he didn’t get to share any scenes with Maguire’s Peter. While it’s great seeing all of these past actors return to some of their most famous roles, it’s Holland who stands out. Since making his first appearance in Captain America: Civil War five years ago, Holland has succeeded in capturing Peter’s cheerful personality and Spider-Man’s heroism and that’s still the case with No Way Home, however, he also delivers his most emotional performance yet. Equally as impressive is Zendaya as MJ, who is more than just Peter’s love interest and is given a lot more to do. She’s not just the damsel in distress which is a tiring cliche in a lot of superhero films. Batalan is still likeable as Peter’s best friend, Ned, however, I did feel like he was underused and was funnier in both of the previous films.  Following the action packed climatic battle, No Way Home ends on a emotional note as Peter realises the only way to save the world is by making everyone forget about his existence whilst retaining their knowledge of Spider-Man. This impacts his relationships with MJ and Ned who forget about Peter. Their chemistry has been the highlight of the past Spider-Man films so their final scene is heartbreaking. It does make me wonder about the future Spider-Man films and what will happen. 

As is the case with the MCU films, No Way Home has two post-credits scenes. The first involves Eddie Brock (Tom Hardy) who, along with Venom, are updated by a bartender about the new universe. Just as Eddie and Venom are considering meeting Peter, they vanish, however, a part of Venom is left behind. The other scene which takes place at the very end of the credits is a teaser for the Doctor Strange sequel, In The Multiverse of Madness. Although I enjoyed this trailer, I don’t think that it’s worth waiting through the entire credits for as it will be online soon.  

Overall, Spider-Man: No Way Home will certainly satisfy fans of the web slinging superhero and is an exciting addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

8/10

BLACK WIDOW REVIEW

 *MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

Since making her first appearance in Iron Man 2 in 2010, Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) has become one of the most popular characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Despite this, it’s taken over a decade for her to finally have her own spin-off film, Black Widow. However, the wait is definitely worth it as it provides viewers with exhilarating action and gives Natasha a background that’s only been hinted at in previous films.

Black Widow takes place shortly after Captain America: Civil War and before Avengers: Infinity War and focuses on Natasha confronting the darker parts of her ledger when a dangerous conspiracy with ties to her past arises. Pursued by a force that will stop at nothing to bring her down, Natasha must deal with her history as a spy and the broken relationships left in her wake long before she became an Avenger.

A lot of people will argue that Black Widow is unnecessary because Natasha died in Avengers: Endgame. Because of this, it’s obvious she’s going to survive all of the danger she encounters. Despite this, Black Widow is still worth a watch for fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe as it provides one of the most popular characters with background. In her appearances, Natasha has always been a supporting player. Now, in Black Widow, she finally gets to lead her first film and, despite the decade long wait, it doesn’t disappoint. 

The strength of Black Widow lies in Johansson’s portrayal of Natasha. Because she’s only ever had a supporting role in the MCU, it would have been easy for Johansson to portray Natasha as one dimensional and fearless, however, she’s always succeeded at humanising Natasha and making her a character viewers cared about. That’s why her death in Endgame was so heartbreaking as she was one of the most beloved characters. Undoubtedly, Johansson’s performance is one of the most impressive aspects of Black Widow as she captures Natasha’s fighting skills and fierce and brave personality. With her Oscar nominated performance in Greta Gerwig’s adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s novel, Little Women, and after appearing in Ari Aster’s horror, Midsommar, Pugh has quickly established herself as one of the most talented actors today. As Natasha’s adoptive sister, Yelena, Pugh proves to be a welcome addition to the cast. Yelena provides comic relief with her memorable and witty one liners. In one scene, she makes fun of Natasha’s superhero poses. Because Yelena is such a fun and interesting character, hopefully, she’ll make more appearances in future films in the MCU. Harbour is best known for portraying Officer Jim Hopper in the Netflix fantasy series, Stranger Things. Unfortunately, his transition from the small to the big screen with his reboot of Hellboy being negatively received and failing at the box office. However, as Natasha and Yelena’s father figure, Alexei, Harbour delivers an amusing and energetic performance. Weisz is underused as Melina, however, she gets involved in the action during the climax. 

Although Natasha has found a surrogate family with the Avengers, in Black Widow, she reunites with her first family. However, the four aren’t on the best of terms after they were separated, leading to Natasha and Yelena being trained by the villainous Dreykov (Ray Winstone) in his intense Red Room. The theme of family makes for some amusing banter between the four. What I liked most about the new characters was that they weren’t portrayed as perfect individuals as they’d made mistakes in the past but, after reuniting, are able to forgive and work together as a team to stop Dreykov. 

The majority of the films in the MCU feature exhilarating action sequences and that’s still the case with Black Widow. Director Cate Shortland manages to balance the action with the character building and story, making for a compelling watch for the majority of its 134 minute runtime. Although it’s obvious that Natasha is going to survive, that doesn’t make the action any less exciting and thrilling to watch. 

Although most of the films in the MCU have impressed with their action sequences, coherent storytelling and bringing superheroes to the big screen, a significant flaw with the films have been the villains. Aside from the intimidating Thanos and mischievous Loki, most of the villains that have appeared in the MCU have failed to leave much of a lasting impression. Unfortunately, that’s still the case with Dreykov who is described as threatening and evil, however, because most of the film, understandably, focuses on Natasha, he is forgettable. However, Black Widow isn’t about the villain, it’s about telling Natasha’s story and it succeeds. 

A common trait with the films in the MCU is their post credit scenes. Some of them are fun and unnecessary and others hint at future instalments. The Black Widow post credit scene is the latter and is worth sitting through the lengthy credits for. 

With a lot of cinemas still closed due to the ongoing pandemic as a result of COVID-19, Disney have made the decision to make Black Widow available to watch in cinemas and on their streaming service, Disney+, for those who pay the pricey premium access fee. Although I can understand many people probably won’t want to go to the cinema and be in a screening filled with strangers, I think that Black Widow is definitely worth experiencing on the big screen, due to the high quality of the picture and sound that emphasise the action sequences.

Featuring exhilarating action and a strong performance by Scarlett Johansson, Black Widow is definitely worth the decade long wait. 

8/10

ZACK SNYDER’S JUSTICE LEAGUE (2021) REVIEW

 *MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

Justice League was one of the most highly anticipated films of 2017, unfortunately, following its release, it received a mostly negative response from critics and was one of the biggest disappointments in the DC Extended Universe. One of the main reasons why Justice League failed to meet expectations was because it faced several issues during production. Zack Snyder, who had previously directed Man of Steel and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, was forced to quit filming following the shocking death of his daughter, Autumn. This led to the production company, Warner Brothers, hiring Joss Whedon, who is best known for making Avengers Assemble and its sequel, Age of Ultron, as Snyder’s replacement. While Whedon did a great job with both of the Avengers films, he didn’t find similar success with Justice League. The failure of Justice League led to fans expressing an interest in an alternate cut more faithful to Snyder's vision. Fans and members of the cast and crew petitioned for the release of this, which they nicknamed the Snyder Cut. At the time, industry insiders regarded the release as unlikely. However, Warner Bros. decided to move ahead with it in February 2020; in May, Snyder announced that the original cut would be released as Zack Snyder's Justice League via the streaming service HBO Max in the United States and on Sky Cinema in the United Kingdom. Prior to its release, it was screen in advance to critics who said that it was an improvement over the theatrical version that was released in 2017. However, is Zack Snyder’s Justice League worth sitting through the near four hour runtime?

Determined to ensure Superman's (Henry Cavill) ultimate sacrifice was not in vain, Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck), also known as Batman, aligns forces with Diana Prince (Gal Gadot), also known as Wonder Woman, with plans to recruit a team of metahumans to protect the world from an approaching threat of catastrophic proportions. The task proves more difficult than Bruce imagined, as each of the recruits must face the demons of their own pasts to transcend that which has held them back, allowing them to come together, finally forming an unprecedented league of heroes. Now united, Batman, Wonder Woman, Arthur Curry/Aquaman (Jason Momoa), Victor Stone/Cyborg (Ray Fisher) and Barry Allen/The Flash (Ezra Miller) may be too late to save the planet from Steppenwolf (Ciarán Hinds), DeSaad (Peter Guinness) and Darkseid (Ray Porter) and their dreadful intentions.

If anything, Zack Snyder’s Justice League proves why production companies and studios need to trust a filmmaker to create something in their own vision. The reason why a lot of films disappoint is because of studio interference. Instead of letting the director make a film their own way, studios reject their ideas, which can lead to the film they make struggling to leave much of a lasting impression. An example of this is Suicide Squad which was directed by David Ayer. Like Justice League, Suicide Squad was a big disappointment following its release in 2016, with many criticising the poor computer generated imagery, and underwritten characters. Ayer soon admitted that he would have made Suicide Squad differently if he wasn’t held back by the studios saying that his “soulful drama was beaten into a comedy”. The changes he would have made included changes to the story and more screen time to Jared Leto’s Joker. Another example of studio interference is Ant-Man which is set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and was directed by Peyton Reed and released in 2015. However, it was originally meant to be directed by Edgar Wright who is best known for creating the comedic Cornetto trilogy which includes the films, Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz and The World’s End. However, Wright quit because of creative differences. He said that his ideas were turned down by Marvel Studios. This led to Ant-Man being one of the weakest films in the MCU as it followed a typical origins story that didn’t offer anything that hadn’t already been done before. Hopefully, the release of Snyder’s Justice League will show that studios need to trust the filmmaker and let them create a film in their own unique way as the end result could lead to success.

I can’t imagine fans being disappointed with what Snyder has created with Justice League. The hard work and the long wait is definitely worth it. It improves on the theatrical cut in almost every way, including the characters, performances, story, visual effects and tone. However, those who aren’t a fan of superhero films, especially those in the DCEU, won’t have their minds changed by Snyder’s Justice League and will find it tough to sit through the film’s 242 minute runtime. Because of its long runtime, the film is not suitable for a casual watch. Although I watched Justice League in one sitting, some may prefer to watch an hour or two at a time. Justice League was originally planned to be released as a miniseries, however, these plans were scrapped in favour of a four hour film. If I’m being honest, although I really enjoy films, I think that Justice League would have worked as a miniseries, with each part being released weekly. However you watch it, whether sitting through the entire runtime in one go or taking your time, Justice League is worth watching. 

One of the main issues of the original Justice League were the characters, with many of them lacking background and felt underdeveloped and underwritten. In Snyder’s Justice League, the characters feel more fleshed out and are given a backstory. Aside from Cavill’s Superman, Wonder Woman and Aquaman, Batman, The Flash and Cyborg haven’t had a solo film. When watching the original Justice League, little was known about the latter two characters, apart from their superpowers. The Flash had superspeed and was mainly used to provide comic relief and Cyborg was a moody recluse whose father experimented and turned Victor into Cyborg. Fortunately, in Snyder’s Justice League, both of these characters are developed well. We see more of The Flash in action, with one memorable sequence seeing him rescue a young woman from crashing into a truck. Cyborg’s relationship with his father, Silas (Joe Morton), is effectively explored. After Victor and his mother are injured following a car crash, Silas is forced to turn his son into Cyborg in order to save his life. However, Cyborg isn’t appreciative of his father’s actions. Because the main characters are given more screen time, it’s easy to root for them as we understand their motivations better and they feel more dimensional. 

Another aspect that is an improvement in Snyder’s Justice League are the performances delivered by its talented cast. With names including Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill and Amy Adams, who are three of the most talented actors working today, one would expect strong performances and that’s certainly the case here. Because their characters are given significantly more screen time, they are given more to do. As Batman, Affleck delivers his best portrayal of the character. Inspired by Superman’s selfless and heroic actions in Batman v Superman, Batman begins searching for powerful individuals to help him stop the evil Steppenwolf. More screen time is given to Wonder Woman, with Gadot continues to impress, making her an easy character to like. One of the few highlights of the original Justice League was a scene where Wonder Woman stops a bomb going off in a bank. In Snyder’s Justice League, the length of this sequence is extended by a few minutes and is more exciting. Miller is clearly having a lot of fun as The Flash who is excited to be recruited by Batman. At the time of writing this review, Miller is set to reprise the role in a spin-off film that adapts elements from the Flashpoint storyline which I’m interested in seeing. The standout performance is derived by Fisher who is given more to do with his role as Cyborg. Although his character isn’t the most likeable, Cyborg is one of the most interesting, with the film capturing his strengths and weaknesses. Although nothing has been announced yet, I would like Cyborg in future DCEU films and in his own spin-off.

Snyder’s Justice League is at its most exciting during the action sequences, including the final battle that takes place towards the end. In the original Justice League, this final battle felt rushed and anticlimactic. Fortunately, in Snyder’s Justice League, this battle feels more dramatic and exhilarating. The visuals are also an improvement, especially during this sequence, and are suitably dark to match the tone of the scene.  

The special effects also no longer resemble a video game.

Although I enjoyed watching Snyder’s Justice League at home, I would have much preferred to have seen it at the cinema. However, because they’re currently closed, I can understand why Snyder released it on the streaming services HBO Max and Sky Cinema as fans had been waiting long enough to finally watch his version of Justice League. 

With Justice League, Zack Snyder has created an action-packed film that will certainly satisfy his fans, and is a significant improvement over the theatrical version that was released in 2017.

8/10

WONDER WOMAN 1984 REVIEW

 *MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

Following the release of Wonder Woman in 2017, it received a positive critical reception and was successful at the box office. This lead to a sequel being announced. Unfortunately, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, cinemas worldwide were forced to close and led to the majority of films, including Black Widow, A Quiet Place Part II and No Time To Die being postponed to next year. The follow-up to Wonder Woman was originally due for release in 2019 but was delayed to June this year. Like a lot of highly anticipated films, Wonder Woman 1984 was postponed several times. For a while, it seemed like it wasn’t going to be released until next year until last month when Warner Bros. announced that Wonder Woman 1984 would be released in select cinemas and on the streaming service, HBO Max, in the United States from Christmas Day. However, in the United Kingdom, it would be released in cinemas from December 16th. At first, I thought that this was a good idea until the UK government announced that most of England would go into Tier 3, which meant that the majority of cinemas would be forced to remain close until next year. This was disappointing as cinemas have been proven to be safer than most shops due to the new safety measures they’ve put in. I’ve been back to the cinema many times since they reopened in the summer and I’ve really enjoyed my visits. Not once did I feel anxious when I went to the cinema. One of the first films I saw was Christopher Nolan’s latest film, Tenet, and it went on to become my favourite film of this year. Just before the release of Wonder Woman 1984, I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to see it due to most of my nearest cinemas being closed. Fortunately, I discovered a local independent cinema that was showing it. Because I really enjoyed its predecessor, my expectations were high for Wonder Woman 1984, however, did the sequel meet them?

Wonder Woman 1984 focuses on Diana Prince (Gal Gadot) as she tries to stop businessman and popular television personality, Maxwell Lord (Pedro Pascal), from taking over the world after he steals a dream stone  that allows him to grant any wish. This leads to Diana having her wish come true in the form of Steve Trevor (Chris Pine), who died after sacrificing himself in Wonder Woman. Diana’s geeky and and awkward friend, Barbara (Kristen Wiig), is envious of Diana’s confidence and strength and wishes to be more like her, unfortunately, she takes it too far and transforms into the Cheetah. This leads to Diana teaming up with the newly resurrected Steve to stop Max and Barbara: 

Featuring thrilling action sequences and great performances by the cast, Wonder Woman 1984 is a follow up that matches the quality of its predecessor. I can’t imagine anyone, who enjoyed the first film, being disappointed with what returning director Patty Jenkins has created. It is a shame that not everyone will be able to experience Wonder Woman 1984 on the big screen, due to the limit of cinemas being opened in the UK as it’s an exciting film that deserves to be seen on the biggest screen possible. I was very lucky to watch Wonder Woman 1984 at a local independent cinema and, despite my high expectations, it didn’t disappoint.

The opening sequence is a great start to Wonder Woman 1984 as it sees Diana as a child (Lilly Aspell) competing in a multi stage athletic competition on Themyscira against older Amazons. At first, she is winning, however, after falling from her horse and missing a stage, she takes a shortcut and is close to the finish line when she is stopped by her aunt, Antiope (Robin Wright) who tells her that she shouldn’t be allowed to win after cheating. This is an important message that plays out in the rest of Wonder Woman 1984 with Max lying in order to be more successful. Most villains in superhero films are one dimensional and predictable, however, that wasn’t the case with Max, who is portrayed more as a flawed character rather than someone who is simply evil. His actions are understandable as he wants to grant everyone’s wish through the dream stone but loses control of his new round power. Pascal, who is currently known to Disney+ subscribers for portraying the titular character in The Mandalorian, brings charisma to his performance as Max, however, after gaining the powers of the dream stone, he soon becomes a more maniacal and intimidating figure. I also was surprised by how Diana solved the situation as I thought it was going to end with her killing Max, however, I’m glad that it ended with him taking back everyone’s wishes as he’s not an evil villain that needed to be killed off. I was also pleasantly surprised by Wiig who leaves a lasting impression with her portrayal of Barbara. In the beginning, Barbara is awkward, with many of her scenes providing comic relief, however, her new found strength sees her transforming into the Cheetah. While it was refreshing to see Wiig take on a different role after appearing in several comedies, the computer generated imagery used to create the Cheetah looks artificial and, unfortunately, resembles something out of last year’s disastrous musical film, Cats. However, the Cheetah has very little screen time so it was only a minor issue.

In Wonder Woman, Gadot captured Diana’s sweet personality but also her strength, making her a inspiring figure to young girls. Because the sequel is set over six decades after the first film, Diana has settled into her new life and works as a senior anthropologist at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C., specialising in the culture of ancient Mediterranean civilisations. She continues to fight crime as Wonder Woman, whilst trying to maintain some anonymity. Gadot continues to impress with her portrayal of Diana and develops her into a true heroine. At first, Diana is delighted to be reunited with her one and only true love, Steve, unfortunately, she knows that he’s too good to be true and must give him up in order to save the world from Max. Pine returns as the charming Steve and shares chemistry with Gadot. Most of the humour comes from Diana showing Steve around a new world he doesn’t recognise. An amusing scene sees Steve trying on clothes that were popular in the 1980s. Overall, Gadot, Pine, Wiig and Pascal are great in their roles, with their performances adding to the enjoyment of Wonder Woman 1984.

Jenkins returns to direct the sequel and, with Wonder Woman 1984, she further establishes herself as a talented filmmaker. She knows how to create an exciting, action packed film that can be enjoyed by anyone. You don’t necessarily need to have seen the previous film or read the comic books in order to enjoy Wonder Woman 1984. While there have been a lot of superhero films released in the last few years, Wonder Woman 1984 reminds viewers why they are so popular as it provides them with over two hours of escapism and entertainment. The plot, while fairly predictable, is easy to follow. Although I really enjoyed Tenet, I can understand why a lot of viewers were left scratching their heads as its plot was very complex. That’s not the case with Wonder Woman 1984 which can be enjoyed by anyone. As well as creating an exciting, action-packed film, Jenkins success in capturing the 1980s through the clothes and technology. It’s clearly a decade she has fond memories of and I can imagine many viewers, who grew up in the 1980s, feeling very nostalgic whilst watching Wonder Woman 1984. Jenkins stated that she chose the 1980s as the setting for the Wonder Woman sequel because she saw it as the “height of Western civilisation and society and so it offers the opportunity to explore how Wonder Woman would deal with the types of villains from that era.” Earlier this month, Disney announced that Jenkins will direct Rogue Squadron, an upcoming Star Wars film which will be released in 2023. I’m really interested in seeing this as Jenkins has proven herself to be a skilful filmmaker who can make an exciting, action packed film. 

Those who read the comic books will be happy to see Wonder Woman in action using her lasso of truth. She also uses her tiara as a boomerang to fight off bad guys and is briefly seen flying in her new Invisible Jet with Steve. 

The action sequences are where Wonder Woman 1984 is at its most exciting. It was great seeing Wonder Woman in action and, although there are several points when she becomes weaker, she never gives up. After losing Steve once more, Diana becomes even more determined to stop Max. One of the best action sequences sees Diana trying to stop Max following a car chase in Egypt. Unfortunately, she is shot in the shoulder and struggles to stop Max. It’s surprising seeing Diana in a weakened state as it’s hard to believe this was the same woman who fought off the evil God of War, Ares, in the first film. Following a fight against Max and Barbara, Diana learns that, the longer Steve exists in the present, the weaker she becomes. This leads to her, once more, saying a heartbreaking goodbye to Steve, the only man she has ever truly loved. This is also another reason why Diana is inspiring as, despite this heartbreaking loss, she becomes stronger and is finally able to take on Max. While many superhero films end following an action packed battle between the hero and villain, Wonder Woman 1984 avoids this cliche and ends with Diana convincing Max and the rest of the world to take back their wish and reversing the chaotic impact their wishes had on the world. Diana’s monologue is surprisingly moving and heartfelt and proves that we all have the power to save the world. I quite liked this ending as it made a change after seeing countless climatic battle sequences, however, I can understand why people will find it anticlimactic. 

While Wonder Woman 1984 is a great sequel, filled with exciting action sequences and a strong performance by Gal Gadot as the heroic Diana, it is a shame it’s not getting the wide release in cinemas in the UK it deserves. I do understand that, because we are still in a deadly pandemic, people aren’t interested in visiting the cinema. Whether you watch it at your local cinema or at home, Wonder Woman 1984 is a fun sequel that can be enjoyed by anyone.

8/10

SPIDER-MAN: FAR FROM HOME REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

Earlier this year, Marvel releases the final film in the Avengers franchise, Endgame. It was an emotional finale as viewers and fans of the franchise said goodbye to one of the most beloved superheroes, Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), also known as Tony Stark. The sequel to Spider-Man: Homecoming has recently been released and, because of Endgame, expectations were high for Far From Home. Fortunately, it doesn’t disappoint and succeeds as a follow-up to Endgame. However, because Far From Home includes references to the events of Endgame, it doesn’t work as a stand-alone feature so those going in without having seen it will be confused.

The story sees Peter Parker (Tom Holland) being recruited by Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) and Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal) to face elemental threats from another dimension while he is on a school trip to Europe. After defeating one of the Elementals, Parker informs Fury that he just wants to live life as a normal teenager and enjoy his trip to Europe. He is more interested in becoming closer to MJ (Zendaya) than saving the world. 

While I liked Homecoming, I think that Far From Home is an improvement and is funnier and less predictable than its predecessor. Despite the events of Endgame and with the world mourning the loss of Iron Man, Far From Home has kept its lighthearted tone and is an overall fun and satisfying sequel.

Holland returns as Parker and delivers a strong performance. Despite insistence from Fury that he should help S.H.I.E.L.D defeat the Elementals, Parker just wants to live a normal life as a teenager and enjoy his school field trip. He shares chemistry with Zendaya, who improves on her portrayal of MJ after having a small appearance in Homecoming. Batalan is just as funny as Ned, who also finds romance with classmate, Betty (Angourie Rice). 

Gyllenhaal proves to be a welcome addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe and leaves a lasting impression with his portrayal of Mysterio. While Mysterio is shown helping S.H.I.E.L.D defeat the Elementals in the beginning, it is soon revealed that he is the main villain. While I knew that Mysterio was the main villain, as it wasn't possible for it to be anyone else, I was surprised by his backstory, which explains that he was a former holographic-illusions specialist at Stark Industries who was fired for his unstable nature. Thisl leads to him and a team of disgruntled ex-Stark employees and using advanced projector drones to simulate the Elemental attacks. Gyllenhaal is known for his serious and dramatic performances so it was refreshing to see him take on a role as a villain in a superhero film.

While this year has been filled with superhero films, including Captain Marvel, Shazam!, Endgame and X-Men: Dark Phoenix, Far From Home proves that audiences aren't suffering from superhero fatigue. While the story can be predictable at times, it's still fun to watch Spider Man in action and saving the world.

With most of the films in the MCU, Far From Home features two extra scenes that take place during the middle of the credits and after. Both are worth watching, especially the first one which features an unexpected cameo from J. K. Simmons as J. Jonah Jameson, a reporter he portrayed in the original Spider-Man trilogy alongside Tobey Maguire as Spider Man. At this point, audiences believe that Spider Man has successfully defeated Mysterio but it's in this scene that we see that he made a video revealing Spider Man's true identity, much to Parker's shock. The post-credit confirms a fan theory regarding Fury. In Captain Marvel, Fury admits that if bread is cut diagonally, he can’t eat it, however, in Avengers: Age of Ultron, he is seen eating toast that was cut diagonally which lead to fans wondering if he was actually a Skrull in disguise. The Skrulls are a species of aliens that first made their appearance in Captain Marvel and could disguise as humans. The post credits scene confirms this fan theory by revealing Fury’s true identity, which is Talos (Ben Mendelsohn). This lead to many fans wondering how long Talos has been disguised as Fury and I think that, after the events of Avengers: Assemble in 2012, when he knew the team was assembled, Fury took his skills to space and left Talos in his place. This post-credit scene both amused and impressed me as I didn't believe in the fan theory, however, I was proved wrong.

Creating a sequel that meets fans' expectations and matches the quality of its predecessors was always going to be a challenge, however, with Far From Home, director Jon Watts, who previously directed Homecoming, succeeds. It features everything fans could want from a sequel, including character development, thrilling action sequences, an interesting villain and a strong leading performance from Tom Holland as the titular web-slinging superhero.

8/10

X-MEN: DARK PHOENIX REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

It's hard to believe it's almost been twenty years since the release of the first X-Men in 2000. While not the best superhero film, it was still a good film and a solid start to the franchise, which now includes several sequels, a prequel and a spin-off film that focuses on Wolverine (Hugh Jackman). However, following the release of Days Of Future Past in 2014, which was successful both at the box office and with critics, another instalment was released two years later, Apocalypse. While this follow-up failed to match the quality of its predecessor, I still enjoyed it more than most people. When it comes to the X-Men films, I'm easily pleased and don't expect much. I think that this is why I was looking forward to Dark Phoenix, the follow-up to Apocalypse. However, does it meet expectations?

Dark Phoenix focuses on one of the X-Men's most beloved characters, Jean Grey (Sophie Turner), as she evolves into the powerful Dark Phoenix. During a life-threatening rescue mission in space, Jean is hit by a cosmic force that transforms her into one of the most powerful mutants of all. Wrestling with this increasingly unstable power as well as her own personal demons, Jean spirals out of control, tearing the X-Men family apart and threatening to destroy the very fabric of our planet. 

Dark Phoenix is the most intense and emotional X-Men movie ever made. It is the culmination of 20 years of X-Men movies, as the family of mutants that we've come to know and love must face their most devastating enemy yet – one of their own. 

Since its release last week, Dark Phoenix has received a negative reception both from critics and audiences. I was disappointed by this as I was looking forward to finally seeing it. How. ever, despite this, I enjoyed Dark Phoenix. It's not without its flaws, including certain characters being underused and a weak villain, and it's far from the best film in the franchise. Those hoping to see more of the shape-shifting mutant, Raven (Jennifer Lawrence), and Quicksilver (Evan Peters), are going to be disappointed as they're only seen in the beginning of Dark Phoenix. The story focuses more on Jean and her inability to control her powers. After a fight breaks out between her and the X-Men, leading to a tragic death, Jean runs away. She soon meets Vuk (Jessica Chastain), who is the leader of a shape-shifting alien race known as the D'Bari. While Chastain does her best, her character is underdeveloped.

The Dark Phoenix story was previously adapted in The Last Stand which was released in 2006 and directed by Brett Ratner. It was negatively received by critics and audiences which is why Simon Kinberg, who makes his directorial debut with Dark Phoenix after co-writing several films in the X-Men franchise, wanted to remake it. While I don't think The Last Stand is a bad film, I do think that Dark Phoenix is an improvement. 

Kinberg is known for writing The Last Stand, Days Of Future Past and Apocalypse, which makes him the ideal choice to direct Dark Phoenix which he also wrote. Those expecting a film among the lines of something like Avengers: Endgame will be disappointed as both films are completely different, in terms of tone and story. For his directorial debut, I think that Kinberg has done a good job and has created a film that will be appreciated more by fans of X-Men. 

We're only six months into 2019 and we've already had our fair share of superhero films, including Dark Phoenix, Endgame, Captain Marvel and Shazam!. Because of this, I think audiences are suffering from 'superhero fatigue'. It's hard for superhero films to be unpredictable as they feature several cliches and the same narrative, which focuses on the superheroes trying to defeat the villain. This is one of Dark Phoenix's problems. Those who have seen several superhero films will not be surprised by certain outcomes.

I've always found previous superhero films to be lacking in tension because it was obvious that everyone was going to survive, due to the protagonist saving the day. Fortunately, I didn't think that this was the case for Dark Phoenix. Due to Jean's inability to control her powers, a main character is killed early on. Following this death, the X-Men are left broken and unsure of what to do. In my opinion, I think that this is the most dramatic X-Men film since Days of Future Past. The early X-Men films were hard to take seriously which made them more entertaining to watch. However, I think that the serious tone works for Dark Phoenix. 

Most of the cast from Apocalypse, including James McAvoy as Charles Xavier, Michael Fassbender as Erik Lehnsherr and Lawrence as Raven, return and, while their performances are far from Oscar-worthy, they each deliver solid portrayals of their characters. The most impressive is Turner who successfully captures Jean's struggles with her powers. In order to deliver an effective portrayal of Jean, Turner studied dissociative identity disorder and schizophrenia for the role, particularly for scenes where she has to change from the vulnerable Jean to the confident Phoenix. 

One of the highlights of the past X-Men films are the action sequences and I think that this is where Dark Phoenix was at its best. I think the fight sequence in New York City is the most memorable as we see most of the mutants, including Xavier, Lehnsherr, Scott Summers (Tye Sheridan), Beast (Nicholas Hoult), Nightcrawler (Kodi Smit-McPhee) and Storm (Alexandra Shipp) fighting against each other. This is due to Xavier and Lehnsherr having a disagreement about Jean. Lehnsherr wants to kill Jean, however, Xavier thinks he can help her control her powers. 

Prior to watching X-Men: Dark Phoenix, I was hoping for a solid follow-up to Apocalypse that features a lot of mutant action, fortunately, I wasn't disappointed.

7/10

AVENGERS: ENDGAME REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

Since the release of Iron Man in 2008, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has become one of the most successful franchises, with the majority of their films impressing both critics and at the box office. Based on the comic books by the late Stan Lee, each film has provided entertainment for fans of superheroes. Avengers: Assemble, which was released in 2012, saw the titular team appear on screen for the first time and the result was successful as it earned over a billion dollars at the box office. Featuring a team of memorable characters, including Robert Downey Jr.'s Iron Man, Chris Evan's Captain America, Mark Ruffalo's Hulk and Scarlett Johansson's Black Widow, and exciting action sequences, Avengers: Assemble proved to be one of the greatest superhero films. Three years later, its first sequel, Age Of Ultron, and, while it wasn't as good as its predecessor, it was still a solid successful and it was great seeing the Avengers team up again. It wasn't until 2018 when a second sequel, Infinity War, was released and it was a huge improvement over its predecessor, in terms of story, character development and action. The film saw the characters face their biggest threat yet in the form of Thanos (Josh Brolin) who wants to restore balance in the world by destroying half of humanity. However, he can only achieve that by collecting the Infinity Stones. The majority of Infinity War focuses on the characters trying to stop Thanos, unfortunately, they are unsuccessful, leading to a shocking and emotional cliffhanger.

Avengers: Endgame sees the remaining characters dealing with the aftermath of Thanos' actions. After an unsuccessful attempt to reverse his actions, they are left hopeless, until Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) turns up after being trapped in the Quantum Realm for five years. He reveals there may be a way to bring everyone back, however, the plan requires bravery, teamwork and personal sacrifice in order to succeed. Together, the remaining team, which includes Tony Stark (Downey Jr.), Steve Rogers (Evans), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Natasha Romanoff (Johansson), Bruce Banner (Ruffalo), James Rhodes (Don Cheadle), Rocket the Raccoon (voiced by Bradley Cooper) and Nebula (Karen Gillian), become determined to succeed in their plan and bring everyone back. However, the plan is easier said than done as it involves time travel. 

Creating a conclusion that satisfies fans and meets their expectations was always going to be a challenge, fortunately, the directors, Joe and Anthony Russo, have succeeded. I can't imagine anyone being disappointed with what they've created. Together, the brothers have created four of the best films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, including Endgame, Infinity War and two of the Captain America films, The Winter Soldier and Civil War. They clearly understand what each of the characters have been through, making them the best choice to direct the final two films in the Avengers franchise. With Endgame, they've created a satisfying conclusion that is, at times, emotional and full of action.

The majority of Endgame focuses on the main characters as they travel to different points in time to collect the Infinity Stones before Thanos does. In this sequence, we return to events we've already experienced and view them from a different perspective, which made for a fun watch. In one scene, we see Stark, Rogers, Banner return to New York in 2012 with Lang when Loki (Tom Hiddleston) caused havoc with the Tesseract. This is also one of the more lighthearted scenes in Endgame and is full of comedic potential, especially when Rogers accidentally encounters his past self, leading to a fight between the two. It's during the time heist, as the characters call it, where Endgame is at its most entertaining. Another scene sees Thor finding closure with his late mother, Frigga (Rene Russo), in a moving scene. However, as mentioned earlier, the plan requires personal sacrifice. After Romanoff and Clint Barton (Jeremy Renner) arrive on Vormir in order to retrieve the Soul Stone, the pair are surprised to discover that a sacrifice must be made, leading to a tragic death. This scene is similar to one in Infinity War, where Thanos sacrifices his adopted daughter, Gamora (Zoe Saldana), to retrieve the stone.
With most superhero films I've watched, there doesn't seem to be much at stake and I've always found the stories to be lacking in tension, as it's obvious that the superhero will save the day. However, with Infinity War and Endgame, there's a lot of stake, with half of humanity having vanished from existence. With so many superheroes teaming up together to defeat him, you'd be forgiven in thinking that Thanos would be an easy villain to defeat. However, Infinity War proved that theory wrong and that he's stronger than a team of superheroes. In Endgame, Thanos still threatens the Avengers, even after his death early on in the film. This is because a past version of Thanos learns, through Nebula, of future events, leading him to become even more determined to defeat them, making their plan even harder to successfully achieve. While there have been a lot of villains in the MCU, Thanos is, undoubtedly, one of the best and is portrayed brilliantly by Brolin.
The most impressive aspect of Avengers: Endgame is its ensemble cast, which consists of the most talented actors working in Hollywood. The stand-out performance comes from Downey Jr. who gives his best portrayal of Tony Stark yet. In his first appearance in Iron Man, the character came across as a cocky billionaire. However, since then, he has developed into a more mature person. In Iron Man 3, we saw Stark suffering from anxiety, following the events of Avengers: Assemble. I thought that this was Downey Jr.'s best dramatic performance yet, however, with Endgame, he has improved and has developed Stark into a true hero. Like Logan did with Hugh Jackman's Wolverine, Endgame provides a farewell to a beloved character. The MCU started with Iron Man, it's only fitting that it should conclude with him as well. While I think that every actor involved did a great job with portraying their characters, I think that Downey Jr. deserved a special mention.
While I enjoyed the time heist sequence, I thought that Avengers: Endgame was at its best during yhe final battle sequence, which is exhilarating throughout. The sequence sees the lost characters successfully return and team up to defeat Thanos once and for all. With so many characters featuring in the battle, it was always going to be difficult to make sure they all each get their time to shine, however, the Russo brothers succeeded. With her film, Captain Marvel, having recently been released, I was expecting Carol Danvers (Brie Larson) to have more screen time, however, she's only seen in the beginning and during the final battle sequence. Despite her limited screen time, she still leaves a lasting impression and I can't wait to see more of her in future sequels.
While Endgame may be the final Avengers film, the final scenes hint at future films, including the upcoming Spider-Man sequel, Far From Home, and a third Guardians of the Galaxy film. While I doubt any future film in the MCU will ever come close to matching the emotions that Endgame leaves you with, I'm still looking forward to future instalments and seeing what direction the story goes in, following the events of Endgame.
Overall, Avengers: Endgame is a successful conclusion to over a decade's worth of films and will satisfy fans.
8/10

SHAZAM! REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

Most of the films that have been released in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) have been negatively received, both from critics and audiences. The only two films in the franchise to receive a positive reception are Wonder Woman and last year’s Aquaman. The latest addition to the DCEU is Shazam!. After watching the trailer, I was skeptical as I found the titular superhero to be a bit irritating. However, the positive reception from critics surprised me.

We all have a superhero inside us, it just takes a bit of magic to bring it out. In Billy Batson's (Asher Angel) case, by shouting out one word - SHAZAM! - this streetwise 14-year-old foster kid can turn into the adult superhero, Shazam (Zachary Levi), courtesy of an ancient wizard (Djimon Hounsou). Still a kid at heart, Shazam revels in this adult version of himself by doing what any teen would do with superpowers: have fun with them! Can he fly? Does he have X-ray vision? Can he shoot lightning out of his hands? Can he skip his social studies test? Shazam sets out to test the limits of his abilities with the joyful recklessness of a child and with help from his superhero-obsessed foster brother, Freddy (Jack Dylan Grazer). But he'll need to master these powers quickly in order to fight the deadly forces of evil controlled by Dr. Thaddeus Sivana (Mark Strong).

Without a doubt, Shazam! is DC's most entertaining and funniest feature yet. Most of the humour comes from Levi's portrayal of the titular superhero, he clearly seems to be having a lot of fun with the role and the film is at its best when it focuses on him. Like I mentioned, I was worried that I would find him irritating, fortunately, this wasn't the case and he gives an unforgettable performance. The supporting cast are all great, including Grazer, Faithe Herman, Ian Chen and Grace Fulton who each portray a member of Billy's new foster family. As is the case with every superhero film, there's a villain and, in Shazam!'s case, the villain is portrayed by Strong, in one of his darkest performances yet. Most villains feel underwritten and undeveloped, fortunately, I didn't feel this was the case for Sivana. We learn that, as a child, he was visited by the same wizard as Billy but didn't receive the powers. Now, an adult, he becomes determined to steal Billy's new found powers from him. Mainly because of Strong's serious performance and the writing, Sivana does feel like a genuine threat and he proves to be a difficult villain to defeat, due to his own powers, and help from the Seven Deadly Sins which are a supernatural team of demons, Pride, Envy, Greed, Lust, Wrath, Gluttony, and Sloth. They are initially trapped in statues guarded by the wizard but align themselves with Sivana. The characters were portrayed by stunt doubles in motion capture suits on-set during filming and depicted as CGI characters.

Shzama!'s story does feel similar to the classic 1988 comedy, Big, which starred Tom Hanks as a child stuck in an adult's body. The writers knew this and there's a funny reference where we briefly see Shazam and Sivana fighting on a floor piano. This reference will go over the heads of younger viewers but will most likely amuse those who recognise the reference. The story successfully balances its tone. Most superhero films, especially those in the DCEU, struggle with deciding whether it wants to be comedy or taken seriously. This isn't the case with Shazam!. While there's a lot of laugh out loud scenes, there's also some touching and heartfelt moments too. These come from Billy looking for his mother who he lost when he was a child at a fair. This is why he struggles to fit in with his new found foster family, at first, despite them caring for him. A heartbreaking scene sees him reuniting with his mother, unfortunately, he doesn't get the reunion he was hoping for. The story effectively includes the theme of family and that those who unconditionally love you are your true family, even if they're not biologically related to you. 

The release of Shazam! comes just a few weeks after the release of Captain Marvel, the latest addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). There is irony here, due to Shazam originally being named Captain Marvel. While DC's Captain Marvel is the original, with comic books featuring the superhero on stands in 1939, they renamed their superhero, Shazam, in 2012, due to Marvel holding the trademark of the name. Shazam's name is an acronym of six "immortal elders" which includes Solomon, Hercules, Atlas, Zeus, Achilles, and Mercury. He also gains their powers including Solomon's wisdom, Hercules' superhuman strength, Atlas' stamina, Zeus' powers, including the ability to summon lightning, Achilles' increased courage and Mercury's super speed. At first, Shazam shows off his powers and uses them as a way to gain popularity from the public, who all take immediate interest. However, he soon realises that me use them to stop the villainous Sivana. 

A common trait with superhero films are scenes that appear during the middle and after the end credits. Shazam! features two scenes. The middle scene features an imprisoned Sivana meeting the alien worm Mister Mind, who proposes an alliance. I'm not sure if this scene is hinting at a future sequel where Sivana breaks out at prison and teams up with Mister Mind to stop Shazam. The final scene takes place at the end of the credits and shows Shazam trying to talk to fish and is only worth watching for those who want to see more of Shazam.

While Shazam! is one of the most family-friendly films in the DCEU, it's not without its dark and scary scenes, which is unsurprising considering it's directed by David F. Sandberg who previously directed horror films such as Lights Out and Annabelle: Creation. One scene that may be considered too scary for younger viewers involves Sivana and the Seven Deadly Sins monsters killing several people in a business meeting. Although I didn't find this scene too scary, I think it's worth noting that, while Shazam! may appear to be all fun and games, parents hoping to see this film with their children may want to reconsider. 

When it comes final acts in superhero films, which sees the superhero fighting the villain, some of them are predictable and fail to excite. Fortunately, this isn't the case for Shazam!. The final fight between Shazam and Sivana takes place at a fairground and while, at first, Shazam struggles to defeat Sivana, he soon comes up with the idea of transforming his foster family into Shazam-like superheroes, who all help him defeat Sivana and the Seven Deadly Sins. This made for final act that is action-packed and exciting to watch.

With a story that is funny and full of heart and a memorable performance from Zachary Levi as the titular superhero, Shazam! can join Wonder Woman as one of the best films that the DCEU has to offer.

8/10

  

CAPTAIN MARVEL REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

In 2015, Brie Larson impressed critics and audiences with her Oscar-winning performance as Joy in the moving drama, Room. Larson had previously given solid performances in films such as Short Term 12 and Scott Pilgrim vs the World. However, her performance in Room earned her recognition and she has since given further solid performances in films such as Free Fire and Kong: Skull Island. Larson has also recently made her directorial debut with a comedy titled Unicorn Store that is set to be released on Netflix in April. There seems to be no end to her talent and that is further proved with her portrayal of the titular superhero in the much anticipated Captain Marvel.
Captain Marvel (Brie Larson) is an extraterrestrial Kree warrior who finds herself caught in the middle of an intergalactic battle between her people and the Skrulls. Living on Earth in 1995, she keeps having recurring memories of another life as U.S. Air Force pilot Carol Danvers. With help from Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), Captain Marvel tries to uncover the secrets of her past while harnessing her special superpowers to end the war with the evil Skrulls.
It doesn’t seem like it’s been three years since Larson was announced to be portraying Captain Marvel when she appeared at San Diego Comic Con in July 2016. Since then, there has been a lot of anticipation surrounding her performance and the film itself. Fortunately, Larson doesn’t disappoint and gives a strong performance as Captain Marvel. In the beginning, her character is known as Vers, a member of the Kree species who begins to have strange memories that she can’t remember. Over the course of the two hour runtime, we learn more about Vers, her strengths, weaknesses and background. Larson captures her fierce and brave personality and proves to be a welcome addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
As is the case with most films in the MCU, Captain Marvel features an ensemble cast, including Samuel L. Jackson as a young Nick Fury, Jude Law as Yon-Rogg and Annette Bening as Wendy Lawson. It was interesting to see Fury’s life before he created the Avengers Initiative and how he lost his eye. Law is known for portraying likeable and charismatic characters so it was interesting to see him play against type as the villain. Similarly, Ben Mendelsohn is known for portraying the antagonist, however, while in the beginning his character, Talos, a shape-shifting Krull, is seen as the enemy, we see a different side to him. A memorable character is a cat named Goose who Fury bonds with. Goose also brought a lot of comic relief into the action packed film. Those unfamiliar with the Captain Marvel comic books will assume that Goose is just a cute cat, however, fans of the comic books will know that that isn't the case. Because I haven't read the comic books, I was very surprised when Goose was revealed to be a Flerken, which is an alien creature that resembles cats. Unlike the common Earth cat however, they possess cognitive intelligence and can lay eggs. Their mouths contain pocket dimensions used to store and hold almost anything; they can also teleport and summon tentacles with fanged maws from their mouths to attack and consume with.
Speaking of action, there are a lot of great sequences throughout Captain Marvel. The most memorable occurs early on in the film, where Captain Marvel chases a Krull, who is in disguise, onto a train. It’s thrilling and captures Marvel’s strength and refusal to give into her weaknesses.
As is the tradition with films in the MCU, there are two mid and post credit scenes. The mid credits scene is an exciting tie in to the upcoming Avengers: Endgame and the post credits scene isn’t necessary to watch, only for those who want to see more of Goose.
Many people have said that the weakest aspect of Captain Marvel is its story as it follows the same path of similar origin based films set in the MCU. While, at times, it is fairly predictable, I found the story to be empowering and inspiring as it’s revealed how Captain Marvel became known as the powerful superhero. When she was growing up on Earth, we see that she was always belittled by the people around her, saying that she’s weak. However, she soon gains strength and becomes increasingly powerful. Captain Marvel isn’t saying that women are more powerful than men, it’s saying that women are equally as powerful as men. What I've noticed with most superhero films is that the female character serves as a love interest for the main protagonist. I found it refreshing that the writers of Captain Marvel, Ryan Fleck, Anna Boden and Geneva Robertson-Dworet, decided against adding in an unnecessary love interest for Captain Marvel.
Late last year, the creator of Marvel comics, Stan Lee, tragically passed away at the age of 95. Before his death, Lee filmed cameos for Captain Marvel, Avengers: Endgame and the sequel to Spider-Man: Homecoming, Far From Home. Aside from his cameo appearance in Captain Marvel, the film pays tribute to him in the Marvel Studios logo at the beginning. It’s a heartfelt tribute to a man who leaves behind a legacy and a collection of comic books and superhero films that will be enjoyed for generations to come.
Captain Marvel is directed by Fleck and Boden, who previously worked together on indie films such as It’s Kind Of A Funny Story and Mississippi Grind. While there must have been a lot of pressure throughout production to create a feature that matches the quality of the previous films in the MCU and meets people’s expectations, I think that the directors have succeeded. It’s action-packed, tells a meaningful story and does justice to Captain Marvel’s character. I can't imagine fans of the original comic book being disappointed with what Fleck and Boden have created.
Overall, Captain Marvel is a strong addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe and features an impressive performance from Brie Larson.
8/10
​

AQUAMAN REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

As of late, the majority of the films in the DCEU (DC Extended Universe) have been received negatively, both by critics and audiences. So far, only Wonder Woman, which was released last year, has been successful after it received critical praise and impressed at the box office. Because of this, it has been deemed the best film in the DCEU. A few months after the release of Wonder Woman, Justice League proved to be a disappointment after its negative reception. This lead to doubts about the next instalment in the DCEU, Aquaman, a spin-off that focuses on the titular Atlantian, who made a cameo in Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice and appeared in Justice League. However, is it another disappointment in the franchise?

In Aquaman, Arthur Curry (Jason Momoa), the heir to the underwater kingdom of Atlantis, must step forward to lead his people against his half-brother, Orm (Patrick Wilson), who seeks to unite the seven underwater kingdoms against the surface world.

To a lot of people's surprise, Aquaman is an improvement over Justice League, in terms of acting, special effects and providing over two hours of entertainment. However, it's certainly not the best superhero film we've had recently. Unlike Justice League, Aquaman doesn't take itself seriously and is a lot of fun. It is both an origins story and a follow-up to Justice League as we learn more about his background and who he is as a character. In Justice League, we barely knew much about him, however, his spin-off gives viewers that insight. The beginning shows us how his parents, Atlanna (Nicole Kidman) and Thomas (Temuera Morrison), met. Unfortunately, because Atlanna is Queen of Atlantis, she was forced to return to her home, leaving Arthur behind when he was an infant. Because he was born out of wedlock and he's half-human, Arthur isn't welcome at Atlantis, which leads to his half-brother, Orm, taking the throne. By the time the film finishes, we have a stronger understanding of who Aquaman is and we learn more about his strengths and also his weaknesses. 

In Justice League, Momoa's performance as Aquaman wasn't anything special but that wasn't necessarily his fault as his character was undeveloped and he did what he could with a small description. However, in this spin-off, Momoa's performance has improved. He captures the strengths of Aquaman and he impresses in the fight sequences. Also returning after making a small appearance in Justice League, is Amber Heard as Arthur's love interest, Mera, an Atlantian who persuades Arthur to take his rightful place on the throne and stop his brother from declaring war on the surface world. I think that this may be Heard's strongest performance yet as she captures Mera's fierce personality. Wilson makes for a good antagonist and is definitely an improvement over the villain that featured in Justice League. Kidman and Willem Dafoe round out the cast as Atlanna and Aquaman's mentor, Vulko. 

Director James Wan is known for creating violent horrors such as Saw, Insidious and The Conjuring. Because of this, he may seem like an unusual choice to create a superhero film, however, he proves he can make a family-friendly film. After the disappointing reception that Justice League received, I think there was a lot of pressure on Wan to create a successful superhero film, however, he doesn't disappoint. For most of its 143 minute runtime, Aquaman is fun, entertaining and action packed. Unlike the majority of films he's previously directed, Aquaman has a light and breezy tone and is an easy watch, however, because of its long runtime, it does drag. Despite the runtime issue, Wan's Aquaman isn't a bad film and it's not the worst superhero film we've had this year.

While Aquaman has received more praise than Justice League, critics still aren't impressed. With other superhero films, such as Avengers: Infinity War, Incredibles 2 and, most recently, Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse, being released this year, Aquaman is the weakest of them all. That's not to say it's a terrible film, though, but I can understand why it probably won't leave as much of a lasting impression as the aforementioned films, especially Avengers: Infinity War, which ended on an emotional climax. The trouble with most films in the DCEU is the comparisons people make to the films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which, unsurprisingly, leads to disappointment. While a lot of people will probably prefer the MCU films, fans of the DCEU with this latest instalment. Aquaman is far from a perfect film, however, it's entertaining and develops the titular character into a superhero, with Momoa impressing in his performance.

7/10 

SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

When I first saw the trailer for Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse a few months ago, I was, initially, doubtful and wasn't intending on seeing it as I thought it looked like it was going to be your average animated superhero film. However, after seeing the critical acclaim it has received and because it's currently nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Animated Feature, I decided to watch it. At first, I wasn't sure what to expect but, fortunately, I was pleasantly surprised and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse really is as great as everyone is making it out to be.
The narrative introduces its viewers to Miles Morales (voiced by Shameik Moore) who, after being bit by a radioactive spider, suddenly develops spider-like powers and abilities. After discovering his powers, he meets the current Spider-Man, Peter Parker (Chris Pine). The two meet whilst Spider-Man is trying to defeat a crime lord known as Kingpin (Liev Schreiber), unfortunately, tragedy occurs and Morales must team up with other Spider-People, including Peter B. Parker (Jake Johnson), Gwen Stacy (Hailee Steinfeld) also known as 'Spider-Woman', Spider-Noir (Nicholas Cage), Peni Parker (Kimiko Glenn) and Peter Porker (John Mulaney), in order to stop the evil Kingpin from achieving his plan.
The stand-out aspect of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is its unique animation style. Producers Phil Lord and Christopher Miller wanted the film to feel like you "walked inside a comic book", and were excited to tell the story in a way that the live-action films couldn't. With this, they have succeeded as I definitely felt like this was a comic book brought to life via the big screen. The computer-generated imagery animation was combined with "line work and painting and dots and all sorts of comic book techniques" to make it look like it was created by hand, which was described as "a living painting". A lot of effort and hard work has gone into making Into the Spider-Verse one of the most visually stunning animated films. I also saw Into The Spider-Verse in 3D and, with a lot of films, this added feature is wasted and is merely used as a way to get audiences to pay extra for 3D glasses, however, this wasn't the case here. While I'm sure it looks just as visually stunning in 2D, I'd recommend giving Into The Spider-Verse a watch in 3D.
What I liked most about Into the Spider-Verse was how well it works as a stand-alone superhero film. It does make several references to previous Spider-Man films, including the various live-action adaptations that were released between 2002 and 2017, however, these are fun references and add to its self-deprecating humour. During production, the writers had to to decide why this film needed to be made, and the answer for the creative team was to tell the new and unique story of Miles Morales, who had yet to be featured in any film. Morales is an interesting character. He is still in high school when he becomes Spider-Man so a lot of viewers, especially those who are around the same age as him, will find him relatable as he has all the normal worries, including passing exams and impressing the girl he's attracted to. He's a great leading character who is also brought to life through Moore's impressive voice acting.
With its PG rating (suitable for ages 8+), Into the Spider-Verse will appeal to the whole family as it works as a thoroughly entertaining superhero adventure. The majority of the feature has a lot of exciting action sequences and isn't too scary or violent which means children will enjoy it too. Unlike most of the previous Spider-Man features, Into The Spider-Verse has a light-hearted tone and is also very funny. Both Lord and Miller have experience working on comedies, including animated features, Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs and The Lego Movie and also on 21 Jump Street. The comedy mainly comes from witty lines of dialogue.
What's most impressive about Into the Spider-Verse is how fresh it feels, despite a year filled with superhero films, including Black Panther, Avengers: Infinity War, Ant-Man and the Wasp and Incredibles 2. It doesn't follow the typical narrative path that most superhero films tends to. For those new to the superhero genre, there can be a few unpredictable moments, however, comic book fans won't be surprised by outcomes, however, this doesn't mean they won't enjoy it.
Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse is currently nominated at the Golden Globes for Best Animated Feature alongside Incredibles 2, Ralph Breaks The Internet, Isle of Dogs and Mirai no Mirai. While I thoroughly enjoyed Incredibles 2, I would like to see Into The Spider-Verse win and I won't be surprised if it also gets recognised by the Academy next year.
Overall, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is, not only one of the best animated films we've had this year, but also a great superhero film, with visually stunning animation and is thoroughly entertaining.
8/10

AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

Since the release of Iron Man a decade ago, the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has gone on to be one of the most successful franchises ever. Each film released in the MCU has received impressive box office results and received a lot of praise from both critics and audiences. Infinity War is the third film in the Avengers trilogy and is the nineteenth film in the MCU, however, does it live up to the expectations its previous films have set up for us?

There's a lot going on in Infinity War, however, the plot basically surrounds the main villain, Thanos (Josh Brolin), whose plan is to steal all six 'Infinity Stones' so he can become incredibly powerful and destroy half of humanity in order to restore balance to the universe. This leads to the majority of the characters returning from previous MCU films and teaming up in order to stop him.
Infinity War was a lot better than what I expected it to be. I wasn't a huge Marvel fan, mainly because when I was in high school, I studied the superhero genre and, after two years of watching and studying them, I'd grown a bit bored of them. However, I'm glad that I decided to start watching them as I understand what the hype is about now. After watching the majority of the films in the MCU (excluding Ant-Man), my excitement for Infinity War grew and, fortunately, it didn't disappoint. It tells a compelling story that features a lot of exhilarating action and a emotional climax that will leave viewers in shock. Most superhero films tend to follow the same path of having the main protagonist defeat the villain which makes it predictable, however, I had no idea Infinity War was going to end the way it did. Because it ended on a cliffhanger, viewers will be left in suspense until the release of the untitled Avengers sequel which is due to be released in May next year.
What I liked about Infinity War was its portrayal of the superheroes. In previous films, we've seen how strong and brave they are, however, with Thanos becoming increasingly powerful, the superheroes become weaker and more afraid. At first glance, you would expect that a team of almost 20 superheroes would easily be able to defeat Thanos, however, the film clearly shows that he is stronger than all of them, which is why he's easily the best villain. Brolin proves he's the best choice to portray the villain and uses both voice acting and motion-capture for his performance.
 Fans of the MCU will be happy to see their favourite superheroes teaming up on the big screen, however, they may be a bit disappointed that some characters don't get as much screentime as others. For example, Thor (Chris Hemsworth) receives the most screentime and we see him team up with Rocket (voice of Bradley Cooper) and Groot (voice of Vin Diesel) to create a weapon that will hopefully defeat Thanos. I was also surprised by the lack of Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), considering he appears on the poster, however, despite in the first Avengers film where he says that he's 'always angry' before transforming into the green monster, Bruce Banner finds it difficult to become the Hulk. This leads to Banner fighting in Tony Stark's (Robert Downey Jr.) anti-Hulk armour. I liked this, as judging from its appearance in the trailer, I assumed it was Stark fighting in the armour so I was very surprised to see Banner fighting in it.
One of the main problems with films that feature a lot of characters is making sure they all get enough screentime. Fortunately, directors Joe and Anthony Russo make sure that every character makes a contribution to the story, rather than just making an appearance. All of the superheroes work well together and are divided into different groups across the universe. One of the most memorable fight sequences takes place on Wakanda and shows Captain America (Chris Evans), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Banner, the Falcon (Anthony Mackie) and War Machine (Don Cheadle) all fighting alongside the Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman) and his tribe. Vision (Paul Bettany), an artificial intelligence being created by Ultron the villain of the previous Avengers film, has one of the Infinity Stones located in his head, leading to Thanos sending his army to try and steal it. This leads to an action-packed battle between the two armies.
As for the performances, they're all impressive. Brolin is the stand-out as he makes Thanos an intimidating villain and someone who is incredibly tough to defeat. While there's not a bad performance to be found, I found Hemsworth, Evans, Downey Jr. and Tom Holland to be the most memorable. They all handled the action and dramatic aspects of the film really well. Holland further proves why he's the perfect choice for Spider-Man as he captures his upbeat tone and bring comic relief with a few quips. I also thought that Zoe Saldana was great as Gamora, Thanos' adopted daughter. Since her first appearance in Guardians Of The Galaxy, she's been one of my favourite characters in the MCU. There's a scene involving her and Thanos that is heartbreaking. Elizabeth Olsen was very good as Wanda Maximoff, also known as the Scarlet Witch. Since Age Of Ultron, she has bonded and formed a close relationship with Vision and, in one scene, we see her making a tough decision in order to save the universe.
It's not worth watching Infinity War if you haven't seen any of the previous films in the MCU as the story expects you to know who these characters are and what they've been through. I would suggest watching both of the Avengers films, Captain America: Civil War, Guardians Of The Galaxy, and Black Panther. In my opinion, they're the best films in the MCU and gives most of the characters that feature in Infinity War a backstory and sets the story up.
The films in the MCU are known for their post-credits scenes. Some of them hint at the next film. I do think that it's definitely worth waiting until the post-credits scene as it involves Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) and Agent Maria Hill (Cobie Smaulders).
Overall, Avengers: Infinity War ably juggles a dizzying array of MCU heroes in the fight against their gravest threat yet, and the result is a thrilling, emotionally resonant blockbuster that realises its huge ambitions.
8/10

JUSTICE LEAGUE REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

I remember, back in late 2015, I was really excited when I discovered there was going to be a Batman v Superman film coming out in March of 2016. I was a little disappointed that Christian Bale wasn't going to be portraying Batman as I thought that he was great in Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight trilogy. However, I still wanted to see it. Come March and Batman v Superman is critically panned which put me off watching it. I wasn't expecting it to be received so negatively. Despite the criticism of BvS, I watched the following film in the franchise, Suicide Squad. Like BvS, it too received a lot of criticism, however, I think I enjoyed it more than most, purely because of the characters, including Will Smith's Deadshot and Margot Robbie's Harley Quinn. So far, the DC franchise wasn't doing too well, fortunately, the release of Wonder Woman restored hope and is the only film in the franchise, so far, to receive a 'Fresh' rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Because of the success of Wonder Woman, there was potentially a chance that Justice League might actually be good.

Fueled by his restored faith in humanity and inspired by Superman's (Henry Cavill) selfless act, Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck) enlists the help of his newfound ally, Diana Prince (Gal Gadot), to face an even greater enemy. Together, Batman and Wonder Woman work quickly to find and recruit a team of meta-humans to stand against this newly awakened threat. But despite the formation of this unprecedented league of heroes - Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman (Jason Momoa), Cyborg (Ray Fisher) and The Flash (Ezra Miller) - it may already be too late to save the planet from an assault of catastrophic proportions.

Justice League isn't without its faults, there are a lot of them, including a weak villain and the CGI does need improving as it looks artificial, however, I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it. I was expecting to be disappointed but Justice League beat my expectations. Critics have been attacking the DCEU (DC Extended Universe) since the release of the first film, Man of Steel, which was released in 2013. In my opinion, I think that Man of Steel introduced us to Cavill's Superman really well. What I've noticed is that, with critics, if the films in the DCEU aren't as good as the ones in the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe), they're 'bad'. I'm going to be honest here and say that I'm not a huge fan of the Marvel superhero films. I studied a few of them for my Film Studies GCSEs a few years and ago and they've gotten a bit boring for me now. I remember watching Captain America: The First Avenger and being disappointed. I enjoyed The Avengers on my first watch but, after the release of Age Of Ultron, the sequel to The Avengers, I'm no longer interested. I do understand why everyone loves them. This is majorly controversial I know but I've always been more of a DC fan, especially with Nolan's The Dark Knight trilogy. I think that the characters in Justice League are more likable and the chemistry between them is effectively shown. 

With only two of the characters having solo films, Superman and Wonder Woman, they're the only ones with a background. Sure, Affleck's Batman appeared in BvS but that wasn't an origins story. He just turned up and we just had to accept that this was Batman. A Batman solo film has been planned, titled The Batman, but it is unclear when it'll be released. It's because of this, that the writers of Justice League, have to quickly give each of the characters, including Aquaman (who is due to get his solo feature next year), The Flash and Cyborg background. The Flash, also known as Barry Allen, is a young adult whose father, Henry (Billy Crudup), is in prison. Cyborg, also known as Victor Stone, has been hiding away in his apartment after his father used an experiment on him in order to save his life. 

After being persuaded by Batman and Wonder Woman, Aquaman, The Flash and Cyborg all team up to defeat the evil that is Steppenwolf (Ciarán Hinds) who, thousands of years ago, attempted to conquer and remake Earth through the combined energies of the three Mother Boxes before they were foiled by an army of Olympian Gods. After repelling Steppenwolf's army, the Mother Boxes are separated and hidden in locations around the world. After the events of Batman V Superman, Steppenwolf comes back after sensing the humans' fear and becomes even more determined to find the three Mother Boxes and destroy Earth. Like I said earlier, the villain is one of Justice League's weakest aspects, however, I don't think that it ruins the film. Because of his strength, the five members of the Justice League are struggling to defeat him and his army. This leads to them reawakening Superman using one of the Mother Boxes. It's not really a spoiler to say that he comes back to life as it really wouldn't be a Justice League film without him. Unfortunately, the plan doesn't work out as expected with Superman having lost his mind and fights against the other superheros. This leads to his true love, Lois Lane (Amy Adams), reuniting with him and bringing him back to reality. After returning to his home and reuniting with mother, Martha (Diana Lane), Superman becomes his old self, joins the Justice League and helps them defeat Steppenwolf and his army.

Like most superhero-based features, there's a lot of action throughout. A favourite includes a sequence near the beginning when Wonder Woman stops a bomb from going off in a bank. Justice League shows off her fighting skills and strength really well. Gadot further proves why she's the perfect choice to portray Wonder Woman. 

I was expecting to be disappointed by Affleck's performance as Batman, but he wasn't as bad as I thought he was going to be. Both Momoa and Fisher are great as Aquaman and Cyborg, however, Miller stands out as The Flash. He brings comic relief to the role why also proving why he's one of the most diverse actors working today. Since his breakthrough performance in We Need To Talk About Kevin, he has given memorable roles in films such as The Perks Of Being a Wallflower and last year's Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Solid supporting roles come from Jeremy Irons as Wayne's trusty butler, Alfred, and J.K. Simmons as Commissioner Gordon.

I think that those who have enjoyed the previous installments in the DCEU franchise won't be disappointed with Justice League. Those who didn't enjoy Batman v Superman should give this a miss as it has the same tone and style, due to it being directed by Zack Snyder, who is known for his darker tones in his films. Justice League is far from perfect but it's definitely a highly entertaining feature that is full of action and interesting characters, all of whom I can't wait to see more of in future installments.

7/10