You knew this one was coming. Especially from me. Now, after two years of rumors, secrets, and hype, it's finally time to see if the wait was worth it. This review will be different from the others.
As most of you know, when it comes to Superman, I am what you call "biased". I've been in love with this hero since the age of 3. As such, I didn't want it to seem like I was showing partial judgement as I did to Superman Returns in 2006. As much as I appreciate a sequel to the Richard Donner movies, I know understand why you guys may not have liked it. For this reason, I will do two separate reviews. One as a movie goer, and one as a die-hard Superman fan. This way, you will get an honest opinion through both perspectives.
With out further delay, my review(s) for Man Of Steel.
As A Movie Goer:
I feel about this film the same way I felt about Batman Begins. Oddly enough, this film was written by David S. Goyer and Christopher Nolan as well. Part of me was skeptical as to if this movie would live up to the hype. After all, we're all kind of jet lagged from Marvel movies aren't we? I have to say, however, that not only did this movie live up to the hype, but it was a great launching pad for the future of DC films.
Henry Cavill proved to be a great fit for the last son of Krypton, giving a more realistic take on the once Victorian Age boy scout that we all know and love. The rest of the cast had bright moments too. Amy Adams made Lois Lane into a very resourceful Pulitzer Prize winning reporter as opposed to the naive damsel in distress. Kevin Costner and Russel Crowe were excellent father figures playing Johnathan Kent and Jor-El respectively. They proved to be not only care takers to Clark but also remained in the movie as strong presences as the film went on. Then there is Michael Shannon, the man who took Terrance Stamp's performance, threw it out the window, and made it his own. As the saying goes, there is no villain more feared than one who believes that he or she is justified.
The action in this movie is absolutely spectacular. Anyone who wanted more action in a Superman movie finally got their wish. Who doesn't like seeing god-like beings going fist to cuffs in a city like Metropolis? Honestly? Just when we thought fights didn't get any better than Marvel, DC showed us what appeared to only be possible in the pages of their publications.
The issues I had with this film are few and far between. While I do appreciate the non-linear storytelling that made Batman Begins famous, the pacing of it all was just a bit off. After the slow build on planet Krypton, everything just seemed to move as fast as Superman in flight. I'd be interested to see a directors cut of this movie for that reason. Another thing that tweaked me is a spoiler alert. Warner Bros., you can't just drop an easter egg, such as a truck that says "Lexcorp" on it, and then just leave it like that! Just saying!
It's no wonder that the sequel to this movie has been fast tracked by Warner Bros. It's such a major improvement over The Donner Saga and a great way to introduce Superman to a new, young audience. The best part is that it is a version of Superman that we all can relate to. The only question is where do we go from here? Bring on the sequel!
Score: 8/10
Points Lost: Pacing (-1), Unresolved easter egg (-1)
As A Superman Fan:
There are no words. I used to believe that nothing could ever top Richard Donner. That was the cream of the crop when I was growing up. Between watching the trailers and looking at the official pictures, I knew that this was going to be a Superman experience of epic proportions.
Everything that is right in the world of Superman is in that movie. Henry Cavill is the Man of Steel. I admit it took me a while to get used to the outfit but once I understood the background behind it, I realized it was a new vision for the suit that I once knew. Everyone from Amy Adams to Russel Crowe played their roles so incredibly well with everyone getting a fair amount of screen time. Perhaps not all of them read the comics, but I felt like they were the characters. Especially, Michael Shannon. Talk about giving the Joker treatment to a comic book icon. The fights. Oh my god, the fights! Let's just say I think they're on par with what I used to read in Death And Return Of Superman. A true look at what happens when gods collide.
I could go on all day about how mind-blowing this flick is. All I will say is this. Even if you aren't a Superman fan, or partial to Marvel, or maybe just not a summer blockbuster kind of person, give this movie just one chance. If you are, and you were expecting Christopher Reeve, you need to let him go and check this movie out. I promise you won't be dissapointed!
Score: 10/10
Oh. One last thing. The flying sequences. Best damn parts of the movie PERIOD.
Monday, June 17, 2013
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
Star Trek Into Darkness
I know the Trekkies are gonna be mad at me when I do this, but it's too tempting not to be cliche. My mission in this review is to boldly go where no man has gone before. And just for good measure, this may contain spoilers. The movie tonight, Star Trek Into Darkness.
Kirk and company are once again exploring space. This time they are in pursuit of a Star Fleet traitor named John Harrison....no....Khan. Yeah. I said it. I spoiled it. Or did I? Let's talk Benedict Cumberbatch for a moment shall we?
For those of you who don't know, Benedict Cumberbatch is the lead role in BBC's acclaimed series, Sherlock. When the news first broke that he would be the villain in Star Trek, everyone began speculating who he could possibly be. Everyone but me. I knew he was Khan. Even before they began to imply he was Khan. Kind of like how I knew Joseph Goron-Levett was going to be Robin in The Dark Knight Rises. I'm no Trekkie, but I know Khan. I know Khan is a bad dude. So is Benedict. You do the math. Bottom line, not only did Benedict play Khan well, but I believe it was on par with Heath Ledger's Joker. He put his own spin on the character while at the same time making you believe he was Khan.
This, however, does not take away from the performances of Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, and the rest of the cast. All of them did a spectacular job reprising their previous roles. I especially enjoyed the evolution of Kirk and Spock's relationship. Just as Shatner and Nimoy before them, Pine and Quinto made me believe in the bond that the Captain and his First Officer have. Of course, I and others would believe that those two are more than friends. Not a bad thing at all, but damn it could it have been more obvious.
My problems were very nit-picky things as the rest of the movie was so damn good. The Klingons seemed to have little or no reason to be in this movie aside from that one, flashy battle scene. Also, props to J.J. Abrams for creating a time paradox in the last movie, but I'm sure you could've had Leonard Nimoy do a cameo without reintroducing that concept. I don't know how, but anything would have been better than Spock calling Spock. Speaking of Spock, my final critique involves him breaking a tragic moment by yelling "KHAN" after Kirk dies. There's a difference between paying homage and trying to hard to do so.
None of those things change my opinion on the movie though. Star Trek Into Darkness is a fantastic film. If I ever needed a movie to keep me occupied while waiting for Man of Steel, I found it. Action packed, breathtaking, and if Mr. Cumberbatch thought he was famous before, I believe this movie brought his career to a new high.
SCORE: 9/10
POINTS LOST: See paragraph of nit-picky things. (-1)
I am better...at everything.
Kirk and company are once again exploring space. This time they are in pursuit of a Star Fleet traitor named John Harrison....no....Khan. Yeah. I said it. I spoiled it. Or did I? Let's talk Benedict Cumberbatch for a moment shall we?
For those of you who don't know, Benedict Cumberbatch is the lead role in BBC's acclaimed series, Sherlock. When the news first broke that he would be the villain in Star Trek, everyone began speculating who he could possibly be. Everyone but me. I knew he was Khan. Even before they began to imply he was Khan. Kind of like how I knew Joseph Goron-Levett was going to be Robin in The Dark Knight Rises. I'm no Trekkie, but I know Khan. I know Khan is a bad dude. So is Benedict. You do the math. Bottom line, not only did Benedict play Khan well, but I believe it was on par with Heath Ledger's Joker. He put his own spin on the character while at the same time making you believe he was Khan.
This, however, does not take away from the performances of Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, and the rest of the cast. All of them did a spectacular job reprising their previous roles. I especially enjoyed the evolution of Kirk and Spock's relationship. Just as Shatner and Nimoy before them, Pine and Quinto made me believe in the bond that the Captain and his First Officer have. Of course, I and others would believe that those two are more than friends. Not a bad thing at all, but damn it could it have been more obvious.
My problems were very nit-picky things as the rest of the movie was so damn good. The Klingons seemed to have little or no reason to be in this movie aside from that one, flashy battle scene. Also, props to J.J. Abrams for creating a time paradox in the last movie, but I'm sure you could've had Leonard Nimoy do a cameo without reintroducing that concept. I don't know how, but anything would have been better than Spock calling Spock. Speaking of Spock, my final critique involves him breaking a tragic moment by yelling "KHAN" after Kirk dies. There's a difference between paying homage and trying to hard to do so.
None of those things change my opinion on the movie though. Star Trek Into Darkness is a fantastic film. If I ever needed a movie to keep me occupied while waiting for Man of Steel, I found it. Action packed, breathtaking, and if Mr. Cumberbatch thought he was famous before, I believe this movie brought his career to a new high.
SCORE: 9/10
POINTS LOST: See paragraph of nit-picky things. (-1)
I am better...at everything.
Sunday, May 5, 2013
Iron Man 3
I've been told I have a way with words. I've also been told I should do movie reviews. This is me giving you the best of both worlds. What better way to kick it off than with summer's first blockbuster? I'll try to keep it as spoiler free as I can. No guarantees. You have been warned.
Iron Man 3 is the beginning of Phase Two of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In the movie, Tony Stark returns and seems to be suffering some major internal issues after the events of The Avengers. As a result, the relationship between him and Pepper Potts becomes strained. Meanwhile, the world is under attack by a mysterious and dangerous antagonist calling himself The Mandarin. At his disposal, an army of self destructive former military soldiers provided by Aldrich Killian, the mastermind behind the regeneration program known as Extremis. Did I mention James Rhodes became Iron Patriot? Not diggin' the makeover War Machine.
Robert Downey Jr. and company nailed it as usual. The dialogue had everything I would come to expect from Iron Man and then some. There was a nice even balance between humor and seriousness and everybody had their fair amount of screen time. Yes, including Stan Lee and Joss Whedon. Ben Kingsley and Aldrich Killian even proved to be very intimidating antagonists. Summer blockbuster enthusiasts can also rejoice! There's enough explosions and fight sequences for all of you! But enough about the obvious. There were two things that made this movie stand out from it's predecessors.
A very important question was answered in this movie that I was very worried about going into the theater. How do you make a villain such as The Mandarin believable? It's the conundrum that made Marvel scratch their heads ever since creating the first movie. Long story short, The Mandarin is a sorcerer in comic book canon. This movie not only showed a new modern take on the character, but the plot twist involving him made everyone's jaws hit the floor. Well played, Marvel.
We also got to see Tony Stark out of his element. Left to his own devices so to speak. Captain America said it best. If you take away the armor, what happens? Tony pretty much had to start from scratch in this film. Using his ingenuity and genius, he was able to create and fight without the use of his laboratory or his suits. Amazing what you can do with the help of a 10 year old and a few items from a hardware store.
I'm not entirely sure what this movie means for Tony Stark as there was a sense of finality in this "trilogy". I doubt we've seen the last of Iron Man in the MCU though. Crossing my fingers that Robert Downey Jr. doesn't exit anytime soon.
Score: 9/10
Points Lost: The Iron Patriot armor (-1)
WARMACHINEROX with an X all caps....
Iron Man 3 is the beginning of Phase Two of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In the movie, Tony Stark returns and seems to be suffering some major internal issues after the events of The Avengers. As a result, the relationship between him and Pepper Potts becomes strained. Meanwhile, the world is under attack by a mysterious and dangerous antagonist calling himself The Mandarin. At his disposal, an army of self destructive former military soldiers provided by Aldrich Killian, the mastermind behind the regeneration program known as Extremis. Did I mention James Rhodes became Iron Patriot? Not diggin' the makeover War Machine.
Robert Downey Jr. and company nailed it as usual. The dialogue had everything I would come to expect from Iron Man and then some. There was a nice even balance between humor and seriousness and everybody had their fair amount of screen time. Yes, including Stan Lee and Joss Whedon. Ben Kingsley and Aldrich Killian even proved to be very intimidating antagonists. Summer blockbuster enthusiasts can also rejoice! There's enough explosions and fight sequences for all of you! But enough about the obvious. There were two things that made this movie stand out from it's predecessors.
A very important question was answered in this movie that I was very worried about going into the theater. How do you make a villain such as The Mandarin believable? It's the conundrum that made Marvel scratch their heads ever since creating the first movie. Long story short, The Mandarin is a sorcerer in comic book canon. This movie not only showed a new modern take on the character, but the plot twist involving him made everyone's jaws hit the floor. Well played, Marvel.
We also got to see Tony Stark out of his element. Left to his own devices so to speak. Captain America said it best. If you take away the armor, what happens? Tony pretty much had to start from scratch in this film. Using his ingenuity and genius, he was able to create and fight without the use of his laboratory or his suits. Amazing what you can do with the help of a 10 year old and a few items from a hardware store.
I'm not entirely sure what this movie means for Tony Stark as there was a sense of finality in this "trilogy". I doubt we've seen the last of Iron Man in the MCU though. Crossing my fingers that Robert Downey Jr. doesn't exit anytime soon.
Score: 9/10
Points Lost: The Iron Patriot armor (-1)
WARMACHINEROX with an X all caps....
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