Review #1,476: 'Avengers: Endgame' (2019)

It feels like an eternity since the bald, purple alien madman Thanos (Josh Brolin) assembled his impressive gauntlet with all of the infinity stones and snapped half of our universe out of existence. It was a bold move by writers Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely and directors Anthony and Joe Russo, and although there were many fanboys in the crowd who knew beforehand that what they were seeing was essentially the first part of two-act structure, the sight of many beloved superheroes dissolving into nothingness was a shock for those who had never read a comic-book in their life.

It's actually only been a year since Avengers: Infinity War, but the secrecy surrounding the plot of Avengers: Endgame (the title was only revealed a few months ago) has kept audiences desperate to see how the remaining heroes will react to their failure. The main question hanging over Endgame's head is how they will handle the devastation left over by Infinity War, and whether certain characters who met their demise last time around will in fact stay dead, or, as is the case in the comic-books, find their way back into the story via one of various means (cloning, parallel universes, time travel, etc.).

Without spoiling anything, Endgame establishes quite early on that there are indeed irreversible consequences to Thanos' victory, and no amount of magic or technological advancement can set things back to how they were. The decimation happened, and those lucky, or unlucky, enough to be left behind are forced to deal with it. Those that didn't fall victim to the snap consist of the original Avengers crew - Captain America (Chris Evans), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), and Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr), who we find drifting hopelessly in space with only Karen Gillan's Nebula for company.

There's also Jeremy Renner's Hawkeye, an integral member of the crew and surprise no-show in Infinity War, who perhaps has more reason than anybody to avenge the loss of half of all life. The sight of Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman), Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) and Spider-Man (Tom Holland) disappearing before our eyes may have been shocking, but Endgame's opening scene pulls the snap right back to a personal level. With his family gone, Hawkeye adopts a new persona and has taken it upon himself to take out criminal organisations Punisher-style.

As the trailer pointed out, people find a way to move on, but our heroes don't. Bolstered by the arrival of uber-powerful hero Captain Marvel (Brie Larson), the gang - along with Don Cheadle's War Machine and Bradley Cooper's Rocket - head into space to make Thanos pay for what he has done. Naturally, things don't go quite according to plan, but when Ant-Man (Paul Rudd) - previously believed to have been a victim when in fact he was trapped in the Quantum Realm - re-emerges with Pym technology and an ambitious plan, the Avengers are handed a glimmer of hope.

I'm deliberately leaving out specific plot points for fear of spoilers. This is a three-hour film, but every second counts in some way to moving the complex plot forward or explaining the mind-bending mechanics at work. While Infinity War barely paused for breath, Endgame begins on a sombre note, before launching us into a breathlessly exciting second act that serves as both as inventive way for our heroes to stand a fighting chance, and a celebration of Marvel's ground-breaking 22-film, 11-year spanning arc.

The third act, a colossal battle between the forces of good and evil that is almost too overwhelming to comprehend, throws lots of fancy effects and punch-ups at the screen. In most other big-budget epics, these climactic smack-downs are when my attention start to wander, but here they are involve characters I have watched evolve over the course of a decade and have grown to love, and when that Alan Silverstri score kicks in at just the right moment, the heart-flutters are inescapable. I'd also be lying if I said I didn't well up on multiple occasions. After all, we knew contracts were up and we'd be forced to say goodbye to at least one of the original heroes, but the future also looks bright for Marvel. For the moment, until Spider-Man: Far from Home arrives in a couple of months at least, Endgame is a near-perfect way to wrap up 11 years of storytelling and character-building, and a warm thank you to the fans who have been there since 2008.


Directed by: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Don Cheadle, Paul Rudd, Karen Gillan
Country: USA

Rating: ****

Tom Gillespie

Review #1,332: 'Avengers: Infinity War' (2018)

Ever since that post-credits teaser at the end of the The Avengers, now 6 years ago, fan anticipation has been building for the arrival of Earth's Mightiest Heroes' deadliest foe, the giant purple 'Mad Titan', Thanos. With a tease here and a fleeting appearance there, Thanos' quest to gather all of the Marvel Cinematic Universe's McGuffins, the Infinity Stones, represents the culmination of 10 years of universe-building, during which Marvel Studios have emerged from a risk-taking independent studio looking to achieve something no other studio has before in terms of story-telling scale, to one of Disney's most reliably bankable divisions, regularly raking in over $1 billion, something that was achieved mere months ago with Black Panther, a cultural phenomenon if ever there was one.

After 18 movies, Avengers: Infinity War is finally here, and in the safe hands of sibling directors Joe and Anthony Russo. The brothers were responsible for two of the MCU's finest films, the Captain America entries The Winter Soldier and Civil War, and have taken on this seemingly impossible task to bring in dozens of huge characters with a sure and steady hand. Infinity War really is everything you would want it to be. While the tone sometimes shifts uneasily between dark and humorous, and character development isn't on the same level as their previous efforts, the Russo's deft balancing of our heroes' path-crossings with introducing the most formidable foe the universe has to offer, is nothing short of astonishing. It has the power to make you punch the air, laugh-out-loud, and pretend to have something in your eye. 

The story picks up almost immediately after the events of Thor: Ragnarok, with Thanos (Josh Brolin) already in possession of the Power Stone, and seeking the Space Stone from Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and Loki (Tom Hiddleston). Back on Earth, Dr. Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) and Wong (Benedict Wong) receive a warning of Thanos' pending arrival from Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo), and the Master of the Mystic Arts quickly recruits Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) for help, with Spider-Man (Tom Holland) in tow. In Edinburgh, the romantically-involved Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) and Vision (Paul Bettany) are laying low, but are soon set upon by two of the Black Order, a four-strong band of henchman consisting of Thanos' 'children'. The heroes are eventually assisted by Steve Rogers (Chris Evans), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) and Falcon (Anthony Mackie), who decide the safest place for Vision, who possesses the Mind Stone in his head, is Wakanda, the technically-advanced African nation ruled by Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman).

While it's certainly a thrill to see some of these characters interact for the first time (Stark and Strange's instant dislike for one another is particularly memorable). Infinity War brings the Guardians of the Galaxy into the fold for the first time. Answering an Asgardian distress call, Star-Lord (Chris Pratt), Gamora (Zoe Saldana), Drax (Dave Bautista), Rocket (Bradley Cooper) and Groot (Vin Diesel) bump (literally) into Thor. Watching some of the MCU's most comedically-gifted performers together for the first time is a real joy, with the Russos further developing Thor as one of the universe's most compelling and charismatic characters after Taiki Waititi gave him a new lease of life last year. Throw in the likes of Bucky (Sebastian Stan), War Machine (Don Cheadle), Nebula (Karen Gillan), Mantis (Pom Klementieff), Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow), Okoye (Danai Gurira) and Shuri (Letitia Wright), and you have one hell of a packed cast.

Not every character is given the attention you would expect. Both Cap and Black Panther, two fan-favourites, are oddly sidelined, while the likes of Dr. Strange and Gamora have larger roles, although the Russos have stated that this will be counter-balanced in the as of yet untitled fourth instalment. While our heroes jostle for screen-time, our protagonist emerges as Thanos himself. Standing eight-feet tall and with - as Star-Lord puts it - a chin like a nutsack, we witness his deadly quest to balance out the universe through the Titan's eyes. Every villain is a hero in their own mind, and there is logic to his mission. Ever since Ultron underwhelmed, Marvel have been knocking out of the park with their bad guys, and Thanos is their most fascinating yet. He is terrifying and utterly brutal, but also misguided and tragic. The CGI is near-flawless, but nevertheless it is Josh Brolin you witness delivering one of the best performances of his career. With 6 years of build-up, the Russos make sure you understand that Thanos isn't fucking around within the opening minutes.

For years studios have insisted on 'grounding' comic-book stories, fearing to venture out into space and terrified of embracing the colourful, weirder aspects of the medium. Infinity War goes some way to disprove the idea of translating page to screen requires vast reconstruction. As a piece of story-telling, the movie barely pauses for breath, instead opting for what can be summed up as a two-and-a-half-hour superhero splash panel. But this has had ten years of build-up, with obscure D-list characters breaking out along the way and earning the adoration of millions of new fans in the process. This is one for the fans, for those who were there for that post-credit teaser in 2008 when Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury appeared and first uttered the word 'Avengers' to a fresh-faced Tony Stark. Although this was advertised as something of a closure to Marvel's first ten years, it really isn't. Infinity War ends on a note that guarantees you will there on opening day when part four finally comes around.


Directed by: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Evans, Josh Brolin, Scarlett Johansson, Benedict Cumberbatch, Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana
Country: USA

Rating: ****

Tom Gillespie

Review #1,102: 'Sunshine' (2007)

Danny Boyle's under-performing attempt to rekindle audience interest in the philosophical sci-fi genre so successful in the 1970s plays out very much like an object hurtling towards the Sun - thrilling, dazzling and often overwhelming at first, before quickly burning out and being swallowed up by the enormity of the themes it attempts to explore. 2007's Sunshine ponders a future in which humanity is facing extinction as the Sun powering the planet is burning itself out. A last-gasp mission sees the crew of Icarus II travel for five years through space with a bomb the size of Manhattan in the hope of reigniting the Sun's flames.

Of course, there was also an Icarus I, captained by a man named Pinbacker (Mark Strong), which disappeared seven years earlier carrying out the same mission. When a distress signal is picked up from the lost ship, the crew of Icarus II, captained by the enigmatic Kaneda (Hiroyuki Sanada), are faced with the dilemma of either carrying on with their mission, or answering the call and picking up a second bomb in the process, and therefore doubling their chances of saving humanity. Physicist Capa (Cillian Murphy) makes the decision to set a new course, much to the frustration of level-headed engineer Mace (Chris Evans). However, navigator Trey (Benedict Wong) forgets to realign the ship's shield as it changes course, throwing the entire mission into jeopardy.

The film captures the claustrophobia and restlessness of the cramped surroundings and characters incredibly well. The crew often feel as if they are hunched over, as if being slowly swallowed up by the deadly beast that is their destination. Even the on-board garden, a self-sustaining eco-system which supplies the ship's oxygen, tended to by botanist Corazon (Michelle Yeoh), feels oddly suffocating. Boyle's trademark eye for visuals also helps give the film a sweaty, scolding vibe. An entire room on the Icarus II seems to be dedicated solely to appreciating the Sun's sheer power, as the crew, in particular psychiatrist Searle (Cliff Curtis), sit and stair in utter awe. Sunshine begins rather slow, but Boyle takes this time to sculpt an incredible sense of atmosphere.

Boyle's desire to contemplate the larger questions is ultimately the film's downfall. In the early scenes, the mere presence of the Sun looming just behind that massive shield and the way Boyle captures it is enough to start audience's comparing the star's influence to that of God, and the crew's mission to save humanity by conquering something of such unfathomable power has enough religious connotations on its own. The climax sees the arrival of a mysterious being on the ship that may or may not be supernatural, and it just doesn't work. A lot was written at the time about the Sunshine's descent into slasher territory, and although I can applaud the attempt to muddle genres and take the story in a completely different direction, I have to agree with the criticism. Instead of inviting discussion as the credits roll, it simply left me disappointed at the squandered potential.


Directed by: Danny Boyle
Starring: Cillian Murphy, Rose Byrne, Chris Evans, Michelle Yeoh, Troy Garity, Hiroyuki Sanada, Cliff Curtis, Benedict Wong, Mark Strong
Country: UK/USA

Rating: ***

Tom Gillespie

Review #1,019: 'Captain America: Civil War' (2016)

'Superhero fatigue' is a phrase commonly batted around amongst critics and forum lurkers whenever a new caped crusader is unleashed into cinemas. Cries of Hollywood running out of ideas are often heard too. Despite all of this, the likes of Spider-Man, Batman and the Avengers crew have Hulk-smashed the box office for years. Most impressively, Marvel's ever-increasing 'Cinematic Universe' has been building now for 8 years and 13 films, films that occasionally claw in over a billion at the box-office. This is not down to audiences simply flocking to the promise of CGI explosions and wise-cracks, but Marvel's insistence on keeping the formula fresh.

After a few years churning out average to above-average (and one excellent in 2008's Iron Man) origin stories for the individuals that would, in 2012, reluctantly team up to become The Avengers, producer Kevin Fiege was obviously wary of wavering interests. Marvel's work since 2014, since the mediocre Thor: The Dark World in 2013, has been exceptional, placing their heroes and villains in a variety of cinematic genres. Captain America: The Winter Soldier played out like a 70's spy thriller, casting Robert Redford to reinforce the tone, Guardians of the Galaxy often felt like bizarre B-movie with a bigger budget and a more talented cast, and Ant-Man, a movie many predicted to be a disaster, was a full-on comedy, bolstered by the presence of an effortlessly charming Paul Rudd.

The latest - and by far the best - is the third and possibly final entry into the stand-alone Captain America series. Retaining The Winter Soldier's directors Anthony and Joe Russo and also much of the same tone, Civil War pits its second most popular superhero against its first, Robert Downey Jr.'s Iron Man. Also along for the ride is almost every other hero on the roster, along with a couple of new ones. But what makes Civil War very much a Captain America film and not The Avengers 3 is the Russo's remarkable grasp of their characters. With Bucky Barnes aka The Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan) back on the scene as a very wanted man, Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) finds himself torn between his loyalty to an old friend and being held accountable for his superhero actions. It is the friendship between the two that remains at the heart of the film.

When Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) accidentally causes mass destruction in Lagos on a mission led by Captain America, the Secretary of State Thaddeus Ross (William Hurt) informs the Avengers that the United Nations are passing a bill known as the Sokovia Accords, which will see them under the control of a UN panel. Full of guilt over his balls-up with creating Ultron, Tony Stark backs the bill, as do War Machine (Don Cheadle), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) and Vision (Paul Bettany). With little confidence in the government, Steve opposes the bill, and is followed by Falcon (Anthony Mackie), Scarlet Witch, Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) and Ant-Man. Tensions are raised higher when The Winter Soldier is accused of bombing the UN conference in Vienna and becomes a wanted man all over the world.

What makes Civil War such a gripping film is its refusal to offer any easy answers. Depending on your own political and personal views, Captain America could be the antagonist of his own movie, causing a war between friends over his blind loyalty to a friend he knows is a mass-murderer, albeit a brain-washed super soldier experiment. On the flip-side, the character Downey Jr. has now immortalised and the hero to always receive top billing could become a knee-bending traitor seeking accountability for his own irresponsible actions during the events of Age of Ultron. More likely, and more interestingly, you will come to realise that there is simply no right answer.

So it all comes down to who wins the fight. And what a fight it is. One of biggest flaws of Batman v Superman was its failure to come up with a believable scenario that would cause the good guys to beat on each other only to come to realise they are on the same side. Not only does the brawl feel organic, taking place at Leipzig airport with each character allowed more than one moment to shine, but it also refuses to offer any easy solution or a big bad for the team to unite against. The motivation and plan of the film's villain, Helmut Zemo, played with a remarkable subtlety by Daniel Bruhl, is kept a mystery until near towards the end. And just when you think you finally know where it's all heading, it side-steps you and goes in a completely different direction.

The film's biggest flaw is the introduction of Spider-Man, who is finally back in the hands of Marvel after Sony's failure to re-boot the franchise with Andrew Garfield. Played by Tom Holland, who is the best Peter Parker yet, his entry into the fold feels shoe-horned and slightly awkward. But when he is let loose during the airport fight, he damn near steals it until Ant-Man shows his new friends just what he can do. The other newbie, Black Panther aka the Wakandan T'Challa (a gravelly Chadwick Boseman), plays a bigger role than you might expect, still learning and developing into the king he will become. Above all else, Civil War is simply a blast. With such care taken with its army of characters, each getting their own arc, its easy to become emotionally invested. So when Cap and Iron Man really get down to business, it becomes unbearable to think that one of them may not walk away. Bravo, Marvel and the Russo's.


Directed by: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
Starring: Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., Anthony Mackie, Sebastian Stan, Scarlett Johansson, Chadwick Boseman, Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany
Country: USA/Germany

Rating: *****

Tom Gillespie

Review #958: 'Snowpiercer' (2013)

Studio interference is certainly nothing new in the movie business, but it's sickening to think that, with all the disastrous films that have been the result of suits sticking their noses into an artists vision, an experienced and extremely successful studio head like Harvey Weinstein can demand edits on a finished product that had already tested well with audiences. And so, Snowpiercer limped onto the big screen in selected cinemas and performed well with the small audiences that were actually able to see it, and is still unreleased in many countries, including here in the UK.

The English-language debut of genre director Joon Ho Bong, Snowpiercer mixes post-apocalyptic spectacle with social and political commentary with equally mixed success. Set on board of the eponymous, self-sufficient train that navigates the globe once every 365 days in a world thrown into a new ice age by our attempts to halt global warming, our scruffy hero Curtis (a steely-eyed Chris Evans) has spent the last 17 years cramped inside of the lower-class carriage. Fed nothing but 'protein bars', which consist of questionable ingredients, and occasionally having their young children taken from them by armed guards, Curtis, along with leader Gilliam (John Hurt), plan a revolt.

The revolt will hopefully lead them to the front carriage, where the upper classes live in luxury and with plenty of space. Backed by his loyal second-in-command Edgar (Jamie Bell), Curtis plans to release security expert Namgoong (Kang-Ho Song) to aid his path through the many carriages, eventually gaining control of the engine held sacred to most. However, their progression is met with resistance by Minister Mason (Tilda Swinton), a Margaret Thatcher-type who demands social order with a small army of masked men with an assortment of nasty weapons, and who answers only to the train's creator, Wilford (Ed Harris).

Snowpiercer is at its best when at its most ferocious. A carriage fight involving Mason's terrifying guards and Curtis's beaten-down group of peasants, played out mostly in darkness, is a moment of nightmarish horror. Evans, having done little of note since he became Captain America, gives it his all throughout, showing us the darker side of his persona now so synonymous with the clean-cut and morally righteous Steve Rogers. However, these injections of ferocity switch to outright comedy within the blink of an eye. Ho Bong has always been good at mood shifts - the swings from comedy to tragedy in his Memories of Murder (2003) is what made the film a masterpiece in my humble opinion - but Snowpiercer struggles to blend these moments together.

Almost immediately after the bloody battle, Curtis finds himself in a classroom teaching 'train babies', where we learn the history of the train and how they are being taught to worship the 'sacred engine'. It is filmed with a Terry Gilliam-esque absurdity, all bizarre angles and close-ups of an over-the-top Alison Pill as the violence turns into slapstick, jarring with the brutality that came before. For the most part, this is grim stuff, and Ho Bong is keen to keep reminding you. Along with the heavy violence throughout, we also get a monologue about eating babies that is too ridiculous to be taken with a straight face. There are some interesting comments regarding the use of fear and chaos to control a populace at the end, but the film doesn't seem to know when and how to finish. A very hit-and-miss experience.


Directed by: Joon Ho Bong
Starring: Chris Evans, Kang-Ho Song, Ed Harris, John Hurt, Tilda Swinton, Jamie Bell
Country: South Korea/Czech Republic/USA/France

Rating: ***

Tom Gillespie

Review #867: 'Avengers: Age of Ultron' (2015)

With the Marvel Cinematic Universe growing increasingly larger every year, returning director Joss Whedon was faced with an even more monumental task than he did in 2012 with The Avengers, the movie that finally brought together the superhero collection of huge personalities united by one goal, but each wanting to go about it in their own way. Each standalone film has developed key supporting players necessary to the character whose name is on the poster, and with The Avengers' climax allowing its Earthlings to gaze into a wormhole and last year's Guardians of the Galaxy unleashing aliens a-plenty, Marvel's world has truly become a universe.

The last time a director returned for a Marvel sequel, we ended up with Jon Favreau's Iron Man 2 (2010), a messy let-down of a film that lacked invention, to the point that it felt like the guy behind the camera had lost all interest by the end. In a way, Age of Ultron suffers from some of the same problems. Like all Marvel films, it pits it's leads against a 'new threat', climaxing with a battle in the air that features lots of punches, blasts and quips. But for all it's narrative familiarity, Whedon still finds new ways for his heroes to batter their opponents, keeping the jokes fresh and genuinely witty, and ensuring the ragtag, flawed bunch are always eager to be at each other throats (quite literally - I think every character is grabbed by the throat at some point).

Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) is still suffering from nightmares and flashbacks of his journey through the wormhole and seeing the threats lurking amongst the stars. He and the Avengers, now led by Captain America (Chris Evans), attack the Hydra outpost of Baron von Strucker (Thomas Kretschmann), the monocled Nazy glimpsed at the end of Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) in possession of Loki's scepter. Von Strucker's defences are useless when faced by the Avengers, but that is until he unleashes the twins Pietro (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen); the former possessing super-speed, and the latter able to enter people's mind and unleashing their darkest fear. When Wanda screws with Stark, he sees his friends dead, powerless to stop it. She is like the ultimate bum acid trip.

After retrieving the scepter, Stark and Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo) discover an artificial intelligence hidden inside, and use it to kick-start the Ultron program, an independent-thinking army of robots designed to protect Earth from any threats, allowing the Avengers to retire in the process. But Ultron (wonderfully voiced by James Spader), having consumed huge amounts of data through the internet within seconds of being activate, concludes that the only way to save the planet is to eliminate the one's responsible for slowly destroying it - humanity. Upon discovering what Stark has created, Captain America and Thor (Chris Hemsworth) are furious. And so are the public, who are terrified with the amount of carnage taking place around them as Ultron journeys to Africa in search of vibranium, the near-invincible metal that will allow him to create the ultimate body.

On top of the character's already mentioned, the Avengers also consist of Scarlett Johansson and Jeremy Renner. Add to the mix the returning Don Cheadle, Anthony Mackie, Samuel L. Jackson, Cobie Smulders, Hayley Atwell, Stellan Skarsgard, Idris Elba and Paul Bettany - who appears in the flesh for the first time as the Vision - as well as newcomers Linda Cardellini and Andy Serkis, and you have one hell of a hefty line-up. Whedon has juggled large ensemble's before with the tragically cancelled Firefly and it's follow-up movie Serenity (2005), as well as the first Avengers, but he has a noticeably weaker grip on his cast this time around. It jumps from one action scene to another, slightly smothering the quieter scenes in between, failing to allow them to breathe and flow.

The one exception involves a welcome retreat for the Avengers, who choose to lay-low at Hawkeye's (Renner) humble abode after causing more chaos with Ultron. Clearly feeling guilty at the shoddy deal Hawkeye got last time around, who spent most of the movie controlled by Loki, Whedon has finally made him interesting. He acknowledges his inferiority when compared an unstoppable green monster and the God of Thunder, and even comments on the lunacy of fighting off an army of killer robots with a bow and arrow. His warm relationship with his wife (Cardellini) and his children, as well as his various personal face-off's with Pietro, provide a human connection in the midst of a 90 year-old super soldier and a millionaire playboy genius.

With Marvel's Phase Three almost upon us (once Ant-Man is finally released later this year), Age of Ultron was always in danger of being little more than a stepping-stone to what's to come. Yet although it certainly hints at upcoming characters (the fictional country of Wakanda, home of the Black Panther, is mentioned) and future events (Thor is troubled by his Wanda-induced apocalyptic visions, which are to take place in Thor: Ragnarok (due 2017)), it also moves the story forward and evolves its characters. Marvel certainly needs to change its formula though (the paranoid thriller twist on The Winter Soldier was a stroke of genius); the smash-heavy climaxes have become tired. Ultron is also not really the threat he was set-up to be, but he's utterly electric when on screen, Spader providing a biting wit to his growls. It is far for perfect, and inferior to its predecessor, but riotously entertaining throughout.


Directed by: Joss Whedon
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, James Spader, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany
Country: USA

Rating: ****

Tom Gillespie

Review #775: 'Captain America: The Winter Soldier' (2014)

After a pretty uninspired first movie, Captain America: The First Avenger (2011), and given little of note to do in the superhero smash-up The Avengers (2012), Captain America (Chris Evans) was quickly becoming the dullest Marvel superhero of them all. Kudos then, to directors Anthony and Joe Russo, who have not only rounded Cap a.k.a. Steve Rogers into a sympathetic, old-school hero in the face of very 21st century dangers, but they have made the best stand-alone Marvel film to date, surpassing Iron Man (2008), and flipping the tired formula of hero-smashes-baddie completely on its head.

After the events of The Avengers, Captain America is finding it difficult adapting to modern life. He's working for S.H.I.E.L.D. and running rings (literally) around his fellow soldiers, such as Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie), who he quickly forms a close bond with. After a successful mission taking out some pirates and rescuing some hostages, he learns that his mission differed from that of Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), who went along with him. Not wanting to be a mere pawn in the system and suspecting a cover-up, he confronts director Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), who reveals plans to launch three helicarriers, giant warships capable of great destruction and the obliteration of enemies.

The action soon turns to sheer paranoia, as Fury is attacked in one of the movie's best action scenes, and Cap is left to fend for himself as S.H.I.E.L.D., led by the shadowy Alexander Pierce (a wonderful against-type Robert Redford), closes around him. The only person resembling a true 'bad guy' is The Winter Soldier, a metal-armed assassin who seems to mirror Captain America's strength and agility, only with a clinical skill for murder. The Winter Soldier's identity is a poorly kept secret if you happened to be slightly paying attention in the trailer, and his presence is sadly fleeting, especially given the emotional impact his character has on Cap.

But this is a story skilfully told, drenched in a paranoia so prevalent in 1970's American cinema, when Robert Redford was 40 years younger and was usually running from the type he plays here. By taking this unusual and thoughtful approach, Captain America 2 truly enthrals, making us care about a hero that was once a goody-two-shoes, but is now a three dimensional man struggling to adapt to this new, crazy world, having everything he believed and loved about his country smeared in his face. Evans brings a humility to the role, and his scenes with Black Widow (given more screen-time here and lending more evidence to the need for her own stand-alone movie) sparkle with a real chemistry.

For all it's conspiracy plotting and character building, it's not shy on action. The slightly formulaic climax aside, we get to see Captain America finally let loose and lay a beat-down on some unfortunate fellas in close-quarters, Jason Bourne/The Raid (2011)-style. His shield is no longer just a sort of frisbee-boomerang hybrid, but a lethal weapon. But the finest, surprisingly, involves Nick Fury, a near-indestructible car, and a small fleet of cop cars. It's a fantastic film, not only down to it's well-constructed and emotionally-charged action scenes, or the inclusion of a plot you can sink your teeth into, but mainly for injecting life and genuine excitement back into Marvel's increasingly tedious formula.


Directed by: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
Starring: Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Samuel L. Jackson, Anthony Mackie, Robert Redford, Sebastian Stan
Country: USA

Rating: ****

Tom Gillespie

Review #648: 'The Iceman' (2012)

Having developed a morbid fascination with serial killers over the past few years, I was delighted to hear that Richard Kuklinski, one of the most prolific and emotionless mass murderers in history, was to be given the cinematic treatment. Not only was his story ripe for a juicy adaptation, but Michael Shannon, the most consistently mesmerising actor working in film today, was cast as the titular Iceman. Sadly, inexperienced director Ariel Vromen, who up to this point had only made two films I've never heard of, has delivered a by-the-numbers biopic; one that follows familiar genre conventions and whitewashes Kuklinski's story completely in favour of a formula that a mainstream audience can comfortably follow.

After being impressed by his towering frame and generally intimidating nature, mob boss Roy DeMeo (Ray Liotta), who is in the employ of the Gambino crime family, takes the young Richard Kuklinski under his wing. To get a feel for him, DeMeo tells Kuklinski to kill at tramp in broad daylight, to which Kuklinski coldly obeys . Soon enough, Kuklinski is carrying out mob hits for DeMeo, while telling his clueless wife Deborah (Winona Ryder) that he is in finance. He meets fellow contract killer Robert 'Mr. Freezy' Prongay (Chris Evans), who teaches Kuklinski the benefits of using cyanide to carry out the murders, and then freezing the bodies to rule out a time of death. But with DeMeo coming under pressure from his boss Leonard Marks (Robert Davi) for a drug deal gone wrong, Kuklinki finds himself and his family under threat.

What might have been a fascinating insight into the inner workings of a sociopath, The Iceman is nothing more than your standard straight-to-DVD mobster movie. Completely ignoring Kuklinski's natural instinct for murder (he was a serial killer long before the mob approached him) and his reputation as a merciless and cruel man, beating and killing men for the slightest of reasons, Vromen even adds a family angle that is completely untrue. To give the lead character a bit of recognisable humanity, here he is portrayed as a loving family man, dedicated to his wife and kids as the mob close around him. In fact, in real life Kuklinski was an aggressive wife-beater; a tyrannical king of the household who regularly committed acts of physical and mental abuse on his family.

Artistic license is a right that every film-maker has when conducting a biopic, but when there's a complex and fascinating story to tell, however dubious some of Kuklinski's claims are (he claims to be responsible for the murder of Jimmy Hoffa), then why make such drastic changes if all you're doing is making your subject the same character seen a thousand times before? Shannon deserves better than that, and his unnerving performance is one of the few saving graces here, but his character is reduced to nothing more than a standard mobster, seduced by the lifestyle and cutting himself off from regular life. He was a cruel, savage monster, who disposed of some of his victims by having them eaten alive by rats (or so he claims), or in one incident, he allowed his victim time to pray to God to see if he would answer his prayers, before killing him (this scene is played out in the film with James Franco as the victim).

Plot strands veer off path and are offered no resolution, making them completely redundant. Some are intriguing, such as Stephen Dorff's appearance as Kuklinski's imprisoned paedophile brother, who hints at Kuklinski's dark childhood and abuse. Others are not, such as DeMeo's right-hand man Josh Rosenthal (David Schwimmer) who is given more screentime than necessary, only for the story to fizzle out into absolutely nothing, as does DeMeo himself. Given a longer running time, a more experienced director, and ultimately more commitment to the source material (various books and recordings exist of Kukinski, the most popular being Philip Carlo's book The Iceman: Confessions of a Mafia Contratc Killer and the TV movie The Iceman Tapes), this could have been highly engrossing cinema, instead it's a crushing disappointment, saved only by Shannon's imposing performance.


Directed by: Ariel Vromen
Starring: Michael Shannon, Winona Ryder, Chris Evans, Ray Liotta, David Schwimmer, Robert Davi
Country: USA

Rating: **

Tom Gillespie

Review #461: 'The Avengers' (2012)

So here it arrives, at last, after five films, four years, and many an explosion, Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Captain America (Chris Evans), the Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) and Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) are brought together (with the addition of Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner)) to become the third highest-grossing movie of all time (so far). While the individual films vary in quality, it is Joss Whedon who was chosen to handle such an big-name ensemble. The Avengers is hardly a masterpiece, but is one of the most effortlessly entertaining films I've ever seen, with a witty script, an extremely talented cast, and Scarlett Johansson's arse back in spandex.

Loki (Tom Hiddleston), Thor's Asgardi brother, arrives on Earth via a portal created by the Tesseract cube, and destroys the headquarters of S.H.I.E.L.D., an espionage agency ran by Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson). Fury calls on Steve Rogers (Evans) to help against Loki, who is busy causing a distraction as a Loki-possessed Hawkeye steals iridium needed to stabilise the Tesseract's power, and Agent Coulson (Clark Gregg) calls on Tony Stark's (Downey Jr.) expertise in understanding the power that Loki may now wield. Natasha Romanoff (Johansson) is sent to Calcutta to round-up Bruce Banner, while Thor moves in after Rogers and Stark capture Loki. Soon enough, the group are bickering on board S.H.I.E.L.D.'s giant Helicarrier, while's Loki's grand plan comes to fruition.

Joss Whedon clearly loves his comic-books. While the film in absolutely no way isolate's newcomers, this is a film for the geeks. Ever wanted to see the Incredible Hulk fight Iron Man? Or the Hulk punching Thor thity feet through the air? Iron Man mocking Thor with Shakespearian venom? What about the Hulk repeatedly smashing Loki against the floor (in possibly the most inspired moment of the film) by his legs? Well, nerds, you better start thinking about your gran before you spray your pants as The Avengers has them all and then some. It's a true indication of how the balance of power in Hollywood has shifted of late, with Internet chat-rooms providing a medium for many an uber-nerd to vent their opinions and approvals/disapprovals. With directors like Peter Jackson, Edgar Wright and Zack Snyder (as well as Whedon) amongst the directorial A-list, films no longer need to be bogged down with added romance or morality lessons to please the 'wider audience' producers thought existed, but instead go back to the source of what made the subject so beloved in the first place.

But the film is far more than great special-effects and action scenes (though they are here in abundance), and shows that a film doesn't have to simply ejaculate in your face a la Michael Bay to make mega-bucks. Whedon's screenplay is the key to the film and the scenes in which the group verbally interact (especially in the early scenes where they despise each other) provides plenty of wit and genuine heart. No character is forgotten either - Whedon has experience handling an ensemble with the tragically cancelled Firefly series, which led to the terrific film adaptation Serenity (2005) - and The Avengers' 140+ running time allows them all to breathe, without anyone being lost amongst the enormous personalities and emotional complexities.

Although it's not the best superhero film ever made, it's certainly the most fun. And with the darkness and psychological menace of The Dark Knight Rises still lingering in my mind, The Avengers offers a funnier, more care-free alternative in the genre (although The Avengers does have its share of genuine shocks). If there were any concerns about the film living up to its hype, they have been well and truly laid to rest, with Ruffalo's Bruce Banner providing yet another casting masterstroke after negotiations between Marvel and Edward Norton broke down (they can stop changing him now after three Hulk's in as many movies). Even though it does move a bit too frantically for its own good sometimes, Downey Jr. and co are just too magnetic for this to become a problem. The film offers yet another post-credits nipple-erecter, opening Marvel's universe even more, so hopefully there will be more of the same to come with The Avengers 2 (due 2015 according to IMDb) and Edgar Wright's Ant-Man (probably out next year).


Directed by: Joss Whedon
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Tom Hiddleston, Clark Gregg, Samuel L. Jackson
Country: USA

Rating: ****

Tom Gillespie

Review #184: 'Captain America: The First Avenger' (2011)

Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) is desperate to get into the army and help his countrymen fight in World War II. The only problem is that he's short, skinny, and has a list of medical conditions longer than his arm. In his umpteenth attempt at enlisting, Dr. Erskine (Stanley Tucci) sees Rogers' passion and help enlist him in a research project to build a super soldier. Colonel Phillips (Tommy Lee Jones) doubts him, yet when Rogers dives on a loose de-activated grenade to save his group, he is convinced. Along with Howard Stark (Dominic Cooper), Erskine doses Rogers with a special serum that turns him into a muscled, near-invisible super soldier, and he becomes Captain America - at first a frontman to sell bonds, but when his friend needs to be rescued, he becomes a superhero. Meanwhile in Europe, psychotic Nazi Johann Schmidt (Hugo Weaving) is harnessing a power that may help him rule the world.

The Marvel films of late seem to fit into two categories - either very good, and passable. This, unfortunately, falls into the latter category. The passable Marvel films (X-Men: First Class (2011), The Incredible Hulk (2008)) have been relatively pedestrian yet have the uncanny ability to be irresistibly likeable and undeniably entertaining. Captain America was one I was expecting to be on the level of Iron Man (2008) and Thor (2011), both of which are very good. But it is overlong, has poorly developed supporting characters, and a one-dimensional bad-guy. But Chris Evans and the fact that this is a teasing final link into the film that we're all really waiting for, helps raise the film up a few notches.

I'll start with the bad. Firstly, the action scenes, compared to even the lesser Marvel films, don't really add up to that much. I mean, this is a superhero fighting Nazis, and we all love seeing a Nazi getting smashed - but the big and loud action scenes are surprisingly dull. There's nothing to compare to the Frost Giants fight in Thor, or the Circuit du Monaco attack in Iron Man 2 (2010), or seeing The Incredible Hulk getting angry. And Cap's whole superhero persona just isn't that good - he's just really hard and can throw a shield rather well. He can't fly, doesn't have a hammer of near-limitless abilities, and can't turn massive and green.

Sadly wasted are Tommy Lee Jones and Weaving. Given a role he can sleep-walk through, Jones just doesn't seem to be making the effort, and delivers his few comic lines with a can't-be-arsed look on his face. Weaving chews on his lines with relish and is near-faultless as Schmidt, who later becomes The Red Skull. It's just a shame that Schmidt is basically there to do no more than give Cap something to fight against. After Tom Hiddleston as Loki in Thor, who was if anything a lot more interesting than his blonde-haired brother, brought emotional torment and raging jealousy into his multi-dimensional character. Maybe I'm comparing it too much to the other Marvel films, but knowing that it's all building to The Avengers (due in 2012), it's difficult not to see it as one huge film.

But while Captain America the superhero may be a little full, Steve Rogers isn't. Seeing him transform from a skinny weakling who will get straight up after a beating to become a giant of a man over-awed by his new strength, is a great reason to finally root for the little guy. The nodding winks to the comic book nerds and the links to the other films provide lots to smile at, especially in Tony Stark's father Howard, who as well being an entertaining character, is played well by Dominic Cooper (though not the level of Robert Downey Jr.) who is an actor I've never really taken to in the past . And it's nice to finally have a strong love interest in Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell) after the blandness of Natalie Portman in Thor. As well as the obvious attractiveness, Peggy is a character that can kick some arse as well. Overall, it's a worthy entry into the epic franchise, and a nice final character film before it all really kicks off.


Directed by: Joe Johnston
Starring: Chris Evans, Hayley Atwell, Tommy Lee Jones, Hugo Weaving, Dominic Cooper, Sebastian Stan, Toby Jones, Stanley Tucci, Samuel L. Jackson
Country: USA

Rating: ***

Tom Gillespie