Ancient Grudge Brings New Mutiny
June 2, 2016
X-Men: Apocalypse (2016).
D: Bryan Singer. DP: Newton Thomas Sigel. W: Simon Kinberg. Starring: James McAvoy/Michael Fassbender/Jennifer Lawrence/Oscar Isaac/Nicholas Hoult/Evan Peters/Rose Byrne/Sophie Turner/Tye Sheridan/Kodi Smit-McPhee/Lucas Till/Olivia Munn/Ben Hardy/Alexandra Shipp/Josh Helman.
Where does one begin? X-Men: Apocalypse is the sixth installment in 20th Century Fox’s ownership of the Marvel comic book rights to the characters of X-Men. It is also the third film in the re-vamped group of films that follow the younger selves of characters like Professor Xavier and Magneto first played by Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellan. This move back in time was further complicated with the previous film, X-Men: Days of Future Past, where younger and older selves meet. The timeline is difficult to follow at best now and even with Hugh Jackman’s ageless Logan/Wolverine popping up you will still be rubbing your head in confusion.
X-Men: Apocalypse enlists Bryan Singer again who directed X-Men (2000), X-Men 2 (2003), and X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014). Singer stepped away from the franchise to direct the abysmal Superman Returns (2006), but remained involved in the world. The first of this group, X-Men: First Class, was directed by Matthew Vaughn of Kick-Ass fame. Singer’s return in Days of Future Past was helped by a more direct objective within a timeline structure that allowed the older group to interact with their younger selves. Unfortunately, here in a more messy structured story the direction loses its way and cannot create any emotional resonance to compete with its suspense-less action.
The film explores the original mutant back in ancient Egypt who accumulated powers from other mutants over the years, transferring his consciousness and powers into new human bodies. This finally goes array and he is buried for thousands of years only to be awoken Indiana Jones style by radical followers witnessed by CIA Agent Mactaggert (Rose Byrne). Apocalypse / En Sabah Nur is played here by a heavily made up and blue Oscar Isaac. His first mutant begins to explore his new world and recruit four mutants as his disciples. His awakening earthquake causes Magento’s (Michael Fassbender) isolation to be disrupted. Magneto’s resurfacing brings the x-men back together.
Frustratingly, Isaac is lost within his costume and make-up. His magnetic face mostly looks like its melting under a blue shine and head coils that make him look more Predator-esq than anything. Fassbender must continue to deliver the plight of sad Magneto’s personal life which has been dredged up so much it feels like a melodramatic crutch for the film. Lawrence’s Mystique has far less to do here than in 70s set Days of Future Past and she clearly limited her time in her blue suit out of disdain for it. Time has supposed to have past, nearly a decade, but the film cannot pull it off. Sophie Turner (Game of Thrones) is a good addition as a young Jean Grey, but she is just lost amid noise and destruction that lacks punch. Her kinship with James McAvoy’s Professor X is sweet and McAvoy remains the emotional center of the newer half of the franchise. The film is all seriousness which makes me crave Jackman’s Wolverine. Yet Evan Peters returns as Quicksilver and is given another slowed down sequence set to ‘Sweet Dreams’ by Eurythmics. This might be the only time I have enjoyed this tune.
Peters appearance as Quicksilver is complicated as the character Quicksilver also appears in the Avengers franchise. The rights to the character are thus owned by 20th Century Fox and Disney was only allowed to use Quicksilver in the second Avengers film if he was played by a different actor. So in fact Quicksilver’s fate has played out there, but he lives on here. Tricky stuff. Peters is the superior actor for the character, but his quirk also helps dissipate the drama of this film like he did in Days of Future Past. He gets a bit of help from Kodi Smitt-McPhee as a young Nightcrawler, sweetly played by Alan Cummings in the first group of films. Olivia Munn wasted her time on silly scantily clad Psylocke, but the ending of the film alludes to her potential importance. Scene stealer Tómas Lemarquis as underworlder Caliban was more memorable that her few lines.
X-Men: Apocalypse cannot bear the weight of its confusing timeline. The film wants to reunite the X-men originally created in First Class, but is not able to do so without literally burning down the school in the process. It looks and feels more comic-booky than its predecessors and I blame the boots Isaac is forced to wear. His ancient being moves less like a Jedi and more like a spray painted 1960s era astronaut. The fate of the X-men has yet to be announced and we shall see if its poor box office performance will deter its stars from signing on for more. The next Wolverine film is Jackman’s last so it might be time for a rest.
A Commercial Inflation
April 17, 2016
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016).
D: Zack Snyder. DP: Larry Fong. W: Chris Terrio & David S. Goyer. Starring: Henry Cavill/Ben Affleck/Jeremy Irons/Gal Gadot/Amy Adams/Jesse Eisenberg/Holly Hunter/Scoot McNairy/Laurence Fishburne/Diane Lane. (Based on the Batman character created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger and the Superman character created by Jerry Seigel and Joe Shuster.)
As Marvel’s Avengers continue to assemble and reek havoc at the box office it was only a matter of time and rights before DC Comics would attempt to put together their Justice League. Without spending endless time explaining which studios have the rights to which characters, safe it to say it is a complex mess. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice attempts to pit the caped crusader against the batman in order to contextualize events that can lead to the justice league and the philosophical frictions of these two characters.
Batman v Superman picks up where 2013’s Man of Steel ends with a very svelte Ben Affleck as the new Batman witnessing the final destructive fight between Superman (Henry Cavill) and General Zod (Michael Shannon). As a Wayne Enterprises building goes down in Metropolis Affleck’s Bruce Wayne begins his grudge match with alien Superman. We move to eighteen months later where both men continue to hunt the other and furrow their brows at their competitors moral choices. Superman is treated like a god, but yet is easily framed. Batman pounds the flesh of criminals for information, but misses what is under his nose.
Cavill continues to look the part of Superman, but he still cannot save a dated and one-dimensional character. No one believes this glass wearing alias anymore. He mostly stares and recites, forcing poor Amy Adams to keep trying to give Lois Lane some purpose other than the love interest. Affleck’s Batman is a heavy jawed bully that lacks the sparkle and edge Christian Bale gave us in his Dark Knight films. Alfred gets his sexy back here with a dry and spry Jeremy Irons lending a more casual approach to the Wayne family which now lives in a floor to ceiling glass house perched next to some sort of moor. Don’t worry Batman will drive by the burnt down mansion in case we had forgotten. There is also a tremendously silly work out montage for Affleck, Warner Brothers clearly wanted every bang for their buck.
Director Zack Snyder returns to comics after directing Man of Steel. A movie too loud and violent for its own good, something this new film picks up on. Thematically the film wants to address the questions of violence and hope in both figures. Yet Batman v Superman instead uses Jesse Eisenberg’s Lex Luther as a scapegoat, excusing the violence as retribution for his actions. Overall Eisenberg is not actually given much to do, but safe to say the creation of his villainous status is sure to come up again.
Cinematographer Larry Fong who shot the excellent Super 8, as well as Watchmen and 300 with Snyder, is working in over drive here. The opening sequence is high resolution glossy commercial art tenuously trying to build a dramatic mood the film cannot maintain. Nearly every zooming close up is accompanied by a blaring bore of a soundtrack that announces every moment with pounding drums. The best bit of music is Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman theme all a bit rock n roll cowgirl. Her own film will be released next summer so she is also introduced here to build interest in that.
Ultimately Batman v Superman is an overstimulated and over inflated bed partner for The Avengers. There is not a moment of humor in nearly two and a half hours of film. Rather the humor comes from laughing at a film that takes itself entirely too seriously. Do Batman and Superman mothers have to be named the same name? After the somewhat realistic Nolan Batman series, which I loved, this group needs some light into it. Here’s hoping Wonder Woman, which is being directed by Patty Jenkins, will be a bit better.
The New Face of Marvel
February 22, 2016
Deadpool (2016).
D: Tim Miller. DP: Ken Seng. W: Rhett Reese & Paul Wernick. Starring: Ryan Reynolds/Morena Baccarin/T.J. Miller/Ed Skrein/Brianna Hildebrand/Stefan Kapicic/Gina Carano/Leslie Uggams/Karan Soni.
Deadpool has already become the sixth biggest R-rated box officer grocer of all time in just two weekends of release. Without going into statistics it’s safe to say that’s impressive for a February release and a film that would seemingly be targeted for a specific geek audience of a certain age. The comedy and violence definitely deserve the rating, but also allows Deadpool all the freedom it needs to hit the mark.
For first time director Tim Miller the plate and palate of this film was a big one. Previously on creative teams and the second unit director on Thor: The Dark World, Miller and his star, Ryan Reynolds, clearly understand the Marvel universe and the deft hand it takes to parody it. Parody is almost the wrong word because yes it finds humor in its mimicry, but it also unabashedly enjoys. Almost pastiche if you will. Reynolds had been attempting to make a Deadpool film for over a decade, with his character teased in 2009’s X-Men Origins: Wolverine. 20th Century Fox was taciturn about the project until a teaser bit of footage of Reynolds hit the web and caused a frenzy.
The Deadpool character is not only officially anti-X-Men, whom appear in this movie, but also anti-hero in a uniquely modern narcissistic messed up way. 2010’s Kick-Ass clearly came from this world as well. In its graphics and marketing Deadpool blatantly riffs on the Marvel universe, which cloaks itself in pseudo seriousness. Yet underneath that it unearths plot points and rattles typical narrative structures to call its audience attention to what they enjoy and why. The film follows Reynolds’ Wade who is a hot hired meat head as he meets a girl named Vanessa (Morena Baccarin), has a lot of sex, falls in love, and then tragedy strikes. The tragedy leads him to becoming Deadpool and seeking revenge.
Deadpool is full level meta with Reynolds talking to the audience through direct address. He even wipes something off the camera lens at one point. He commentates on everything with Reynolds bringing delightful joy to a cynical character whose dark past is used as hot competition with Vanessa. Baccarin (HBO’s Homeland and Fox’s Gotham) is a good match for Reynolds and it is refreshing to see an age-appropriate couple on screen. A lots has been made of the violence and sex. However, the violence is nothing worse than in other films and to me the sex references merely match that level of violence. It works here, but that does not mean its a formula for all future films.
As I am not a comic book reader nor come from a pool of Deadpool knowledge (see what I did there) I cannot speak to its adaptation. Yet as a fan of the X-Men universe Deadpool is a fun and exciting counter point to the mutation argument. Reynolds previously played an imaginary superhero in the 2009 indie film, Paper Man, and his delivery as Deadpool is again the highlight of the project. Lastly, I must commend the use of music as a humor device as well as a narrative one. Much like the superb Guardians of the Galaxy its self-reflexive quality is well handled so even if the content is not for everyone you can at least admit the film knows what its doing.
Comic Books for 2016
December 7, 2015
Releasing on March 25, 2016, here is the new full length trailer for Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice. Loud, violent, and with an Affleck suited up as the caped crusader we also get our first full vision of Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman. Zach Snyder directs again.
Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice
A Studio’s Failed Recycling Project
August 15, 2015
Fantastic Four (2015).
D: Josh Trank. DP: Matthew Jensen. W: Jeremy Slater, Simon Kinberg & Josh Trank (based on Marvel comics by Stan Lee & Jack Kirby). Starring: Miles Teller/Michael B. Jordan/Kate Mara/Jamie Bell/Toby Kebbell/Reg E. Cathy/Tim Blake Nelson.
This summer’s comic book installments are ending on a rather low and controversial note. The release of Twentieth Century Fox’s new version of Marvel’s Fantastic Four has sparked twitter declarations from young director Josh Trank, claiming he’ll never work on a comic book movie again. Despite the hoopla I think it safe to say that regardless of creative intent some comic books are just not cinematic material. The Fantastic Four is one of them for me.
This Fantastic Four immediately segregates itself from Tim Story’s 2005 predecessor Fantastic Four and 2007’s Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer in its realistic intent. This makes creative and marketing sense as the remake’s purpose is to allow Twentieth Century Fox to retain the rights to the Fantastic Four and not let them revert back to Marvel, now owned by Disney. This is the same reason Sony remade its Spider-Man franchise. Searching for a new direction hiring young director Trank seemed ambitious and exciting. Trank’s first directorial effort was 2012’s Chronicle. A feature about a group of friends who discover something supernatural underground that gives them all superpowers to disastrous effects. This cast includes Michael B. Jordan who appears as Johnny Storm here. A great memorable little film that resided on character rather than effects, Trank’s footing is surely gone in Fantastic Four.
The film runs through a brief original story of Reed Richards (Miles Teller) as he puts together a teleporter in his garage and befriends Ben Grimm (Jamie Bell) whose family owns the junk yard Reed steals from. Discovered at a science fair, smelling a lot like Spider-Man here, Reed is invited to attend a prestigious institute run by Dr. Franklin Storm (Reg E. Cathy). Dr. Storm’s children Johnny (Jordan) and Sue (Kate Mara) help Reed to develop his transporter with the guidance of misguided genius man child Victor Von Doom (Toby Kebball). The band of geniuses decide once their project works to send themselves to the new dimension they have discovered and voila, weird powers.
With only a few moments of humor and not a lot of charm Fantastic Four cannot save itself from its boring plot. Hard not to suspect a character named Von Doom, Kebball might be the best thing about the film. When he gazes at Mara’s Sue he looks like he might want to eat her viciously while everyone else is off playing scientist. When he returns it’s rather magnificent, his voice sinister without a mouth hearkening back to some sort of Star Wars nightmare I had as a child. Teller is alright, but better is other things he has done, same with Jordan. Bell is lost in his Thing, but it is digitally rendered very admirably. What makes the kids likable ultimately is Dr. Storm and the cheesy, but momentarily effective performance by Reg E. Cathy. His efforts to connect all of his children for a common purpose does eventually ring true, if not just in his anguishing discovery scenes of each kid’s powers.
Fantastic Four only runs about one hundred minutes, but feels vastly longer. Sadly the studio apparently meddled so much with Trank’s original cut that they demanded re-shoots. Even if unaware of this it is not hard to miss Mara’s wig she wears in the added scenes, a sad reflection of a dispute that has clearly upset Trank and ultimately the project. All in all the film is watchable, but rather lousy something I think I’d feel reading these comic books.
A Shrinking Super Hero…
January 7, 2015
Get ready for another installment in the comic book world of cinema. Are these their own genre yet? Check out my previous thoughts on Spider Man, Thor, X-Men, Captain America and Batman.
Ant-Man
Tis the Season for a Comic Book Crush
July 9, 2012
The Amazing Spider-Man (2012).
D: Marc Webb. DP: John Schwartzmann. W: James Vanderbilt, Alvin Sargent & Steve Kloves (based on the Marvel comic books by Stan Lee & Steve Ditko). Starring: Andrew Garfield/Emma Stone/Rhys Ifans/Denis Leary/Martin Sheen/Sally Field/Chris Zylka/Embeth Davidtz/Campbell Scott.
Over the fourth of July holiday, movie theaters everyone got the booming cash flow they needed as The Amazing Spider-Man hit their screens. Not only has the film raked in money domestically and over-seas, but as a re-launch of a franchise it has surpassed monetary expectations. So the true question is, really…did it match our expectations of quality? (And did we even have any?)
Firstly, much must be said of lead Andrew Garfield. Inheriting the Peter Parker role from Tobey Maguire, Garfield wasn’t an obvious choice though he boasts great credits. Seen in 2010’s The Social Network and Never Let Me Go, British Garfield has proven himself as a young dramatic actor. He even worked alongside Heath Ledger in the actor’s final film, 2009’s The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus. Here as Peter Parker, Garfield’s genuine charisma shines through. He carries the body language of a teenager well, boosts an adorable grin, but also manages to pull you into the inner workings of a teen in search of his own identity amidst an already grief-stricken young life. Thankfully this script emphasizes Parker’s intellect and gift for science, which more logically supports his eventual understanding of his transformation into Spider-man and the gadgets he then creates.
Luckily Garfield has an excellent partner in crime in Emma Stone’s Gwen Stacey. Uncharacteristically blonde, Stone is enjoyably pert and just as smart as Garfield’s Peter. Their chemistry is evident and the script is strongest here. Their scenes feel genuine, age-appropriate and lack the gloss and smooth lines some writers give high school characters. Being just as supportive are Sally Field and Martin Sheen as Parker’s aunt and uncle. Their family dynamic roots the film in a real familiar context and thankfully never feels hokey. What can feel a bit silly is Rhys Ifan’s reptilian transformation (not giving anything away as this is clearly the story in the preview.) However, how do you create creatures and monsters without them feeling a bit goofy? Especially when the creature needs to be seen in close up? And be a clear character transformation? Regardless of audiences’ temperament for the big lizard, it is great that Ifan’s character doesn’t lose his memory through this change and the script gives his actions clear purpose, conflict and topical context.
Director Marc Webb was a risky, yet thrilling choice here. His previous work consists mostly of music videos, but he waltzed into people’s radars with his directorial debut in 2009’s 500 Days of Summer. I say risky, because this is not only a high profile big budget studio film, but it is also the re-boot of an already successful franchise. The previous trio of films, all directed by Sam Raimi, were monetarily successful, but lacked a sense of darkness or depth. In a post Christopher Nolan Batman reboot world, it is easy to look back and be very critical of Raimi’s Spider-man interpretation. But we must remember that Batman Begins didn’t premiere until 2006, when Raimi’s final Spider-man was already in production for its eventual release in 2007. This is not mentioned to credit Nolan with being solely responsible with changing the way comic-book heroes and stories are interpreted. But rather it cannot be ignored that Nolan’s success with a more realistically darker approach to Batman has influenced other studio franchises to not be weary of that approach. This being said, Webb handles the Spider-man story well with the film having a consistent look, great scope of character, and far better acting than its predecessors.
Ultimately, where The Amazing Spider-Man needed work was in its story. With three writers contributing, things get a bit clunky and there are a few tangents that create gaping holes in the plot. This by no means ruins the film, but instead disrupts the balance and good components of the script. For example, the script refreshingly focuses on Parker’s identify struggle and his desire to be honest and present with Gwen. Thankfully this allows the action and inevitable final battle sequence to be secondary to the character developments it causes. However, key injuries mysteriously disappear, the 3D is barely noticeable, some point of view shots feel very gimmicky, and as mentioned whole tangents just drop off. Yet The Amazing Spider-Man is an enjoyable ride, and begs a lot of questions of Peter Parker’s identity that audiences will surely want to know more about.
ROAR! The Summer Comics are Here
May 30, 2011
Thor (2011).
D: Kenneth Branagh. DP: Haris Zambarloukas. W: Ashley Edward Miller, Zack Stentz & Don Payne. (Story by J. Michael Straczynski and Mark Protosevich.) Starring: Chris Hemsworth/Natalie Portman/Kat Dennings/Anthony Hopkins/Stellan Skarsgard/Tom Hiddleston/Idris Elba/Clark Gregg/Colm Feore/Ray Stevenson/Jamie Alexander/Rene Russo/Josh Dallas/Tadanobu Asano. (Based on the Marvel comic book by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber, and Jack Kirby.)
The summer’s first big comic book release features the newest piece of man hunk to grace the silver screen, an Oscar winning actress, and a notorious Shakespearean director. Recipe for success?
Kenneth Branagh’s Thor hit theaters with a rumble and a clap, raking in money and filling seats. His mythical comic book reinvention is but, what you would expect. Chris Hemsworth is chiseled and posh with a pseudo British accent, and his Thor is as physical and magnanimous as it could be. His lack of depth cannot be faulted from his acting, as he is given far little character to work with other than I am powerful, and I wield a hammer. His earth bound love interest is scientist Jane (like me Tarzan?…) played by Natalie Portman. There are no challenges for her here, I am sure she merely got the script and said, hmmm a comic book movie directed by Kenneth Branagh? Why not. Thankfully the romance is actually not major part of the film.
Each lead is flanked by their own friends, but they all melt away against the majestic visuals of Thor’s homeland. Looking like a better version of Queen Amidala’s home in Star Wars, Thor’s younger brother Loki (Hiddleson) and father Odin (Hopkins) have the most drama in the film and thankfully are contained to this word. However, what Branaugh truly lacks is rules. Thor’s world seems to have hardly any basic rules, with little discussion of sources of power and how sometimes everything seems all too easy. An explanation of why he was called the god of thunder would be nice, and an emphasis on the story at hand would have been better than a feeling, especially towards the third act, that things were merely being set up for the sequel.
My disclaimer here would be that if you do not enjoy comic book stories or mythological adventures then Thor is not the film for you. It (thankfully) lacks the cheap one-liners, steamy romances, and silly gadgets that other franchises rely on. Rather Branagh makes it clear he is telling a mythical tale, where things need not be explained or made fun of. The concentration of the script on Thor’s own planet and his dealings there heightens the sense that the story is not about Hemsworth’s time on earth. Rather it is about the context of his banishment and hopeful return to glory. It is all in good fun, which is all this is.