Beview: marvel

Film and Premiere Review - Ant Man

Marvel are on a roll people. Just when you think you’ve seen it all, they do it again. And it’s fresh. And ridiculous. And it’s with ants.

Much like its size, Ant-Man the film appeared to have made a relatively small amount of buzz so far. When you compare it to the launch of Marvel’s previous blockbusters, it may seem small. That’s about to change. Firstly, the premiere was one of the bigger ones I’ve attended, spotting stars from Michael Douglas, Catherine Zeta-Jones and adorable family, ex-Sugababes, ex-Inbetweeners, Keith Lemon, Jeremy Irvine (little bit in love), and of course, Paul Rudd. The buzz of the red carpet was electric, largely down to the lovely Paul Rudd spending such a long time chatting (properly) to fans. And of course, you must let the film do the talking; it will not go splat.

I’ve been a keen been and watched Ant-Man twice in 3 days (on the day in-between I finally watched Jurassic World, so it’s been a cinema week). The laugh out loud jokes are still fresh the second time round, and probably the third, fourth and fifth too. It has the same fun lighthearted-ness as Guardians of the Galaxy.

So, what is Ant-Man actually about? It’s not hugely complex – based on the comic book, a regular sized man becomes the size of an ant with a supersuit. What’s not great about being tiny but dangerously powerful? And being able to control ants? Turns out they are super-insects, and less creepy than you may think, even seriously up close. You will definitely look at ants in a different way – aptly summed up by Paul Rudd at the premiere promising he would never squish or flick ants now on. Paul Rudd is Scott Lang the Ant-Man, guided by mentor and scientist and Ant King Hank Pym (played by a brilliant Michael Douglas). Throw in confused evil genius Darren Cross (Corey Stoll), a kick-ass but conflicted Evangeline Lilly as Hope, and the most hilarious sidekick and best friend ever played by Michael Pena.

Back to Scott, a Robin Hood petty criminal, who has just been released from jail. He unintentionally becomes the Ant-Man and embarks on the film’s mission: save the world. Sound familiar? There’s a touching family spirit to it as he struggles to provide for his oh-so-adorable daughter Cassie. Paul Rudd received a bit of stick/surprise when his casting was first announced, but he fits the bill well enough. Gone are the rom-com funny guy days; Rudd is now the superhero funny guy.

We have to talk about the visual effects, too. A film partially from a tiny person’s point of view is a totally different perspective and requires huge visual attention to detail, which it nails, particularly in a very important fight scene. Sizing is all over the place, and it’s a bit like The Borrowers meets Spiderman. Oh, and definitely see it in 3D. This is one of those films where it is actually necessary, gimmicks aside.

There are some surprise Avengers references (it may or may not be the same Marvel universe) and you might even be treated to a showstopping cameo. Also, spot the superb cameo from Marvel creator Stan Lee. Ant-Man is not your typical Marvel movie, clearly trying to bring you the unexpected in the expected, be it in little gestures. It doesn’t stray too far from the standard superhero backstory, and I did see a lot of the plot coming, but you will be pleasantly surprised at the finer details. Indeed, the little man will hopefully be making a big statement this summer.

Ant-Man is in cinemas on 17^th July.

Thursday, July 09, 2015
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Film Review - The Avengers: Age of Ultron

avengers age of ultron

Do you know what happens when an amazing billion-dollar film is released? You rave about it, buy the DVD, then wait 3 years for the sequel. Then you watch the sequel and rave about it even more. That's pretty much what happened with The Avengers. Marvel set the trend in bringing a party of superheroes together and the latest instalment proves that it (and the XX number of superhero film projects in the pipeline) are stronger than ever.

The first Avengers movie brought about a refreshingly light-hearted laugh-out-loud feel, and this is not lost in Age of Ultron ,which picks up from where Captain America: The Winter Soldier left off. I.e. that whole End of S.H.I.E.L.D era. This means that the tone of the film is suitably darker, although the script will still have you frequently chuckling. The balance between impending doom and a bunch of talented people having a laugh and a drink is created well. Regarding the ongoing and never-ending theme of impending doom, it's by no means plain sailing, particularly right from the start. The introduction of twins Quicksilver (played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) throws a real spanner in the works - I mean, super speed and the ability to move and control things with just your hands and get into their heads, have got to be the best powers ever! Anyhow, some trippy hallucinations courtesy of Scarlet Witch still possess a few elements of humour, perfectly proving the balance I talk about. The characters make a nice dynamic-changing addition to the franchise.

Assuming you are familiar with the other films in the Marvel family, by now, the characters we're so used to seeing are firmly forged by the actors who play them. No surprises there, when Iron Man has his own trilogy, and even this is the 4th time we've seen Black Widow despite her not even having her own series. The actors are masters of their craft - I also definitely have a soft spot for Chris Evans' Captain America. Yes, he does actually do more than run around with a fancy shield. It's nice to see Mark Ruffalo again although this time we see another side to Dr Science, and it's got a lot to do with chemistry...

In addition to the Maximoff Twins, who are well cast as long as you can take their Eastern European accents seriously, there's Vision (played by Paul Bettany who stretches his casting past J.A.R.V.I.S) and of course Ultron. Vision is this new naive but supercool and powerful android whose very existence still confuses me - it feels to me like the Avengers are cheating just a little bit but I might just need to revisit the cinema. Ultron, with his artificial intelligence being and confused god complex, is not your usual villain. In fact, he is a creation for world peace. And, well, you know where it's going to go from there.

You can't help but feel kind of feel sorry for Ultron as this unintentional villain. It raises questions about its maker Tony Stark; how powerful do the Avengers need to be? Regardless, he's capable of causing mayhem and is a sinister enough threat to make you jump out of your seat once or twice.

The Ultron storyline feels a little absurd at times, but then you think back to the idea of hundreds of aliens flying through New York on flying surfboards. Ok, they definitely weren't flying surfboards but it was pretty bizarre. And believe it or not, the level of chaos and destruction is upped in this sequel. A budget of around $50 million more than the first film was never going to be spent on pretty little details. On a few minor points, I felt the missing girlpower in the form of Pepper Potts and Jane (aka the other halves of Iron Man and Thor who clearly had better places to be). There were also lots of details you'd have to watch Marvel's Phase Two films to be clued on. If you went straight from Avengers 1 to Avengers 2, you'd be hella confused.

It often feels like the Avengers has entered into this new stage - new recruits and all - I miss the good'ol days of the gang! But it's still early days because two sequels in the form of The Avengers: Infinity War Parts 1 and 2 are yet to come. The title already suggests we're heading several shades darker and oh gosh heaven forbid could there even be a cliffhanger between Part 1 and Part 2?

As the obligatory during-credits scene appeared (ooh infinity stones!), I was almost a little sad to acknowledge that it'll be another 3 years until the next sequel. Age of Ultron, although not as superbly executed as its predecessor, was a satisfying film providing everything you'd want from an Avengers film. Plus, you leave the cinema taking with you a few new in-jokes. "Please be a secret door, please be a secret door...Yay!". Let the 3 year countdown begin!

Monday, May 04, 2015
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Film Premiere and Review - Big Hero 6

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Big Hero 6 is Disney's latest offering and a frontrunner for the Best Animation category at this year's Oscars (in light of The Lego Movie's exclusion). I'll admit that the name doesn't exactly strike you as a must-see movie, but after watching it at the UK premiere/gala screening yesterday, I can't stress strongly enough that this is a must-see movie. Big shout-out to Paul, Disney's best employee, for the invite!

Big Hero 6 takes our love of superheroes, unconventional heroes and teams of heroes, and mixes it with Disney's love of robots and adorable characters (and excellence at creating them). We all fell in love with Frozen's Olaf, and history is about to repeat one year later with the hugable Baymax. You'll be in for a fun-filled, save-the-world, futuristic treat for audiences both young and old. It's been well-received in many countries for months now, and will finally be released in the UK on 30th January.

Without going too much into plot detail, the main character is a genius teenager named Hiro. The film's set in a futuristic San Fransokyo (a hybrid city made up of San Francisco and Tokyo, whatwouldyaknow), and the kid is literally a genius. And note this is Disney, so nothing is impossible for him. A crew of self-imposed robotics nerds form an unlikely team - kinda like a child-friendly version of Kick Ass - to take on a masked villain. Obviously it's a lot more exciting than that, but I shall not be ruining your cinema viewing anytime soon.

It's not just a team of mismatched teenagers though; much of the film's value is born from Baymax, the cutest robot creation since Wall-E. Baymax is a healthcare companion, whose awkward inability to grasp human concepts makes hilarious viewing, and is also the irreplaceable sidekick. I mean, the dude knows karate and his fistbump is something else entirely. Turned into a not-so-secret lethal weapon by Hiro, he's the source of all the "aww" moments, the laughs, and he even made me cry a little bit. I have to commend the creators for creating such a special and memorable character - one of the standout assets of the film.

The film's storyline isn't as complicated as all the robotic science involved (don't worry, you don't actually have to understand it), but what makes it stand out for me is Hiro's character growth, clever writing and moments, and sheer heart of it. The animations are slick and pay great homage to the Japanese comic book feel, especially with Hiro's super spiky hair. Big Hero 6 may have a few superhero-origin/dramatic backstory cliches, and sure you may be able to make a few correct predictions here and there, but it is a thoughtful adventure. There's unexpected depth you wouldn't usually find in an animation about a kid who makes mind-powered robots and has a 3D printer.

Big Hero 6 has a noticeably different visual feel to Disney's usual animation offerings, but it's great to see the Japanese influence shine through, and ethnically-diverse main characters. It is a hugely entertaining watch, and you would not be forgiven for immediately writing it off without giving it a chance.

Tuesday, January 20, 2015
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Film Review: The Wolverine + premiere bonus!

hugh jackman

If you scroll through past posts, you'll know that I have a strong fondness for movie premieres and have been lucky enough to attend a few in the past. In 2012 there was War Horse, The Hunger Games and Now Is Good but it's been nearly a year since my feet have been near any red carpets. Fortunately, thanks to the awesome guys at Indie London, I had the opportunity to attend last week's premiere of The Wolverine, starring the even more awesome Hugh Jackman. Which means you lovely chaps on Beview get an exclusive review before the film hits cinemas later this week!

Let's start with the basics; the film primarily takes place in Japan, after the events of X-Men: The Last Stand. Another basic, Wolverine is immortal. (Kudos to Jackman for looking eternally young. After all, the first X-Men was 13 years ago.) Insanely cool metal claws pop out from his knuckles. Moving onto the slightly more complex elements...our poor hero has been struggling with his immortality and the loss of his one true love Jean Grey. And now to make things even more mind-boggling, Jean Grey (played by Famke Janssen) appears in this film, and Wolverine is stripped of his immortality! I don't feel bad for saying that as it's there in the trailer and plot key words, but from here on now I'll keep things helpfully as spoiler-free as I can.

Ahead of the big X-Men flick Days of Future Past, we are not reunited with too many familiar faces. Instead, there are new characters like Mariko Yashida (played by Tao Okamoto in her first film), a young woman Logan/Wolverine is assigned to look after - in a way very reminiscent of The Transporter. Then there's her grandfather Shingen Yashida, who meets Wolverine in a very crucial point during the 19th century. These events come back to the forefront when Mr Yashida offers Mr Wolfman a chance to lose his immortality and live a normal life as a thank you for Mr "Young" Wolfman saving his life. Gift, blessing or curse? There's also a jealous dad with a sword, numerous ninjas, a dodgy fiance, an equally dodgy ex-boyfriend, a lizard woman, and one of my favourites of the film, Yukio, a bright-red-haired kick-ass side-kick.

Add all this together with fascinating Japanese culture and some very decent action scenes, and you have a compelling action film. More on the action, there are the confrontations you can see in the trailer, and then some. There's the train sequence, a full-on fight on the fastest high-speed train of Japan...Wolverine vs robot...Wolverine vs sword-wielding man....Wolverine vs everyone. You get the picture. What's nice about this, however, is that we as an audience are so fond of the Wolverine character, that a film just about him is not out of place at all. We saw this with X-Men Origins: Wolverine. He can fight, he can heal (usually), and he has a friggin' cool superpower. And that hair. The action scenes are pretty darn cool, but if being totally honest, I would say they were stronger than the story itself.

The story has culture and structure, but I wasn't totally convinced the whole way through, especially about the reasons we were given for why Wolverine is doing what he does. I don't want to give away too much, but I will say that I'm not a big fan of The Transporter films either. Also, I guessed part of the plot and was right, and some of the characters could have had more character development to show more of why they're there. There are a few moments where they are simply characters in a film, without actually having character. It's a little hard to explain! Having said all that, it's still a good film. There is no denying or taking away from that. Maybe I'm being overly picky and shouldn't be pulling threads at a franchise which is based on action, but the superhero bar has been set very high by your Batmans and Iron Mans of the past.

And also, you may be wondering why "The" precedes "Wolverine". "Did they simply run out of film names?", you wonder. Watch it and you'll find out the significance!

In general, I thoroughly enjoyed watching The Wolverine, and enjoyed it even more due to the fact that Mr Hugh Jackman and co. were watching alongside in the same cinema! Hand on heart, he really does look better in the flesh, and I don't think I ever saw him not smiling. Miles away from his moody angsty character, Hugh Jackman is loveely.

Premiere bonus snaps from the night! (Spot the Jackman if you can)