Avengers: Age of Ultron

Posted on September 30, 2015 by Craig Micklewright

Viewed – 29 September 2015 Online rental

With the never ending juggernaut that is Marvel Studios, it would be easy to say this cash-cow is getting milked dry. However with a plethora of comic book stories to mine from, those udders aren’t drying up any time soon. So we come to this sequel to the highly entertaining Marvel Avengers Assemble.

We are thrown straight into the action as our heroes attack a Russian Hydra base to steal back Loki’s sceptre (which you’ll recall him wielding during the last movie). However little is explained as to what is going on or why, and so despite having seen all the other Marvel movies up to this, I still felt a bit in the dark. Now here’s the first issue – this is again a sequel that relies on you having a very good recollection of not just the last Avengers movie but also Thor: The Dark World and especially Captain America: The Winter Soldier. So Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury is missing from the line up, the Avengers are holed up in Stark Tower with seemingly Robert Downey Jnr as their boss (?), and there’s two rogue super-powered teens wanting revenge for something Tony Stark did with a bomb. Then Downey’s Stark goes and complicates it even more by creating an artificial intelligence (Ultron) that turns evil and goes all megalomaniac.

So we come to this globe-trotting and overly complicated sequel’s saving grace … James Spader’s Ultron; a charismatic, darkly humorous villain, with seemingly unstoppable power and a somewhat clichéd kill the entire human race and start again evil plan. Yet Spader livens up what would otherwise be just another, albeit action-packed super hero movie. Director Josh Wedon’s skill at snappy dialogue seemed watered down in place of more realism, with downbeat and heartfelt exchanges instead of the humour I’d expected (although there are still some great gags). The first half an hour or so also drags with a couple of redundant scenes (the tiresome lifting Thor’s hammer bit). Yet a romance sub-plot between Scarlett Johansson’s Black Widow and Mark Ruffalo’s Bruce Banner / Hulk is handled well, and each character again gets their moment in the spotlight, most welcomely Jeremy Renner’s Hawkeye.

Overall a solid sequel slightly let down by the usual sequel trappings such as too many characters and storylines going on at once. Yet with slickly directed action, several stunning sequences (especially the Iron-Man vs Hulk fight…) I still have to recommend this one.

Verdict: 3.5 /5

Thor: The Dark World

Posted on November 22, 2013 by Craig Micklewright

Viewed – 21 November 2013 Cinema

Big special effects blockbusters are an easy type of movie to like – they have plenty of action, larger than life characters and are usually a great deal of fun. The onslaught of the comic book super hero has quickly become a genre of it’s own with such big hitters as the Iron Man series and Avengers Assemble being personal favourites. Here we have the follow up to the highly entertaining Thor with beefcake Chris Hemsworth (Snow White and the Huntsman) reprising his role as the mighty Norse God, who comes to the aid of earth-bound scientist Natalie Portman when she becomes infected by a deadly virus known as the aether – an ancient weapon created by the Dark Elves centuries ago in an attempt to turn the various realms into permanent darkness.

Of course this rather convoluted and throw-away plot is merely an excuse to watch Thor bash and hammer his foes and see buildings get demolished. I liked how we get a lot more of Asgard this time around, even if Thor’s siblings are mostly forgotten about but for the boo-hiss of Loki, everyone’s favourite grinning villain (or is he?) from the first film and Avengers. Yes he’s getting a bit over-used but Tom Hiddleston does a fine job, paring with Thor so well he pretty much stole the show for me. Add to this a tired looking Anthony Hopkins returning as Odin, Thor’s dad, as well as appearances from Rene Russo (remember her?) and Idris Elba – making this easy to watch and get caught up in.

Less can be said for the mostly clichéd villain (with an unrecognisable Christopher Eccleston as lead baddie Malekith under the sort of makeup these kind of characters ALWAYS have). Yet a large portion of the story being set in London was welcome, and the action and general banter between the characters decent – with some fun jokes and cameos along the way (was that Captain America?). Ultimately though Thor 2 is a rather by-the-numbers sequel and lacks some of the heart of the original, bringing nothing new to what is already becoming very familiar territory. But you’ll still find me in line for Thor 3. Weird huh?

Verdict: 3 /5

Snow White and the Huntsman

Posted on September 30, 2012 by Craig Micklewright

Viewed – 29 September 2012 Blu-ray

Extended edition

I missed this during its theatrical run as there were other movies I was wanting to see. Yet I have since heard very good things about it, so was eager to discover what all the fuss was about. The casting of Kristen Stewart didn’t entirely excite me due to her involvement in the tiresome Twilight series, but with Thor’s charismatic Chris Hemsworth as the Huntsman and a classic fairy tale back drop, I still had a feeling this was going to be good.

Snow White has been held in a tower for many years by evil Queen Ravenna (Charlize Theron) following the fall of her kingdom, and with the Queen beginning to run out of youthful peasants to drain the life force from, turns to Snow White who holds the key to her immortality. Yet Snow White manages to escape, and befriends a world-weary Huntsman who has been hired to kill her.

A clever twist on a very old fairy tale, inspired by the Brothers Grimm short story and directed with no end of visual flair by relative newcomer Rupert Sanders. Sort of a cross between Lord Of The Rings and Ridley Scott classic Legend, I was swept up in the good vs evil story with some quality acting, especially from Theron in a creepy, disturbing take on a classic character, and for an attractive but usually bland actress, Stewart suited her role well, and proved a lot fiestier than I thought possible. Chris Hemsworth of course almost steals the show in a lovable rogue performance that is also different enough from Thor to make him one of the more enjoyable actors around.

As far as the formula goes, this doesn’t really do much we haven’t seen before, and the ending left me wanting – but I suppose that’s what sequels are for. However, this offers up an intelligent and slick 2hrs with thrills a plenty, gorgeous imagery and impressive effects (check out the black glass soldiers – wow) – making this very much a must-see.

Verdict: 5 /5

The Longest Short Movie Review You’ll Ever Read: SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN (mralphafreak.wordpress.com)
Movie Review: Snow White and the Huntsman (movieandshowreviews.com)
Fairy tales, Snow White and the Huntsman, and Mirror, Mirror (melaniemarttila.ca)
Film Review: Snow White is trying to escape the Evil Queen in “Snow White and the Huntsman” (previouslymyself.wordpress.com)

Thor

Posted on May 11, 2011 by Craig Micklewright

Viewed – 09 May 2011 Cinema

I was not majorly familiar with the comic as a kid, not like I was say Spider-Man or X-Men etc. Also when it comes to my comic book taste, I’m more of a DC guy. Just how I roll. That being said, and from looking at the trailer, this looked fun. Thor (Chris Hemsworth) is the air to the throne of Asgard, a mythical world in another dimension ruled over by Odin (Anthony Hopkins). But on the day of his coronation, Thor’s party is gate crashed by a group of Ice demons from a neighbouring world, provoking Thor and his closest warrior-friends to invade their land and start a war. This doesn’t go down well with Odin, and so Thor is cast out, stripped of his powers and sent to earth (naturally).