'Captain Marvel' Review

Synopsis: Captain Marvel is an extraterrestrial Kree warrior who finds herself caught in the middle of an intergalactic battle between her people and the shape-shifting Skrulls. Living on Earth in 1995, she keeps having recurring memories of another life as U.S. Air Force pilot Carol Danvers. With help from Nick Fury, Captain Marvel tries to uncover the secrets of her past while harnessing her special superpowers to end the war with the evil Skrulls.

Runtime: 124 minutes

MPAA Rating: PG-13 (for sequences of sci-fi violence and action, and brief suggestive language)

Who should see it? Marvel fans of all ages.

Carol Danvers is finally making her cinematic debut in Captain Marvel a month before the long-awaited Avengers: Endgame. Co-directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck with a script from Boden, Fleck, Geneva Robertson-Dworet, Nicole Perlman, and Meg LeFauve, Captain Marvel is the twenty-first entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the first female-lead feature from Marvel Studios. Thus far, I'm getting the impression that the film is being held to a higher standard by certain critics and audience members than most Marvel-fare due to this and outside controversies. For those who don't know what I'm talking about, bless your hearts as you've done well avoiding the toxic discourse. 

Getting back on track, the Avengers: Infinity War post-credits scene teased that a powerful ally would soon be joining the Avengers to help defeat Thanos and reverse the ensuing chaos which resulted from the dreaded snap of the Mad Titan's fingers. Therefore, Captain Marvel had the responsibility of introducing Danvers as someone whom audiences would consider a powerful asset for Earth's mightiest heroes. I'd go as far to say it exceeded my expectations in that regard. While it may come at the cost of audience members slinging the dreaded words "Mary Sue" and "over-powered" towards the titular character, Boden and Fleck fulfilled their duty for the most part. I believe those specific criticisms towards the character could have been avoided if she'd faced more powerful adversaries though. This isn't to say that she didn't struggle at all over the course of the film, but I wish the villains had been in the same league as her concerning her powers. Carol needs a suitable opponent, but I suspect Endgame will rectify that issue.

Though the action was somewhat standard for Marvel, the cinematography, visual effects, and production design were visually-appealing when rooted in the cosmic aesthetic established by Guardians of the Galaxy. I particularly liked the stark contrast between the dark environments and Carol's bright display of her abilities. Otherwise, I was very engaged in the core-narrative and taken aback by some surprising plot twists. It was quite refreshing that the story didn't unfold as expected. Since this is a spoiler-free review, I'm steering clear of story details, but I'd like to highlight a few aspects I appreciated. I particularly liked the narrative framing device, approach to showcasing memories, and I felt the film's female-empowerment angle was incorporated tastefully. While there were undoubtedly characters and story threads that could have been expanded upon, the script serves its purpose and the charming cast wins you over.

Leading the charge, Brie Larson captures the go-getter, spunky attitude of Carol Danvers incredibly well while we see an unfamiliar, free-spirited side to Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury who's twenty-five years younger thanks to some remarkable de-aging CGI! In their shared screen time, Larson and Jackson have an effective rapport that's best described as a delightful buddy-cop dynamic. Clark Gregg is also de-aged to reprise his role as familiar S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Phil Coulson, albeit with substantially less involvement than Fury. I really wish he'd been in it a bit more!

Filling out the supporting cast, Lashana Lynch and Akira Akbar play the mother-daughter pair of Maria and Monica Rambeau as Annette Bening takes the form of the Kree's Supreme Intelligence. Lynch and Akbar's mother-daughter duo are endearing additions thanks to their connection to Danvers while Bening seems not to be used to the fullest. 

Concerning "key" Kree characters, I was underwhelmed by Jude Law's Yon-Rogg and the militant Seal Team 6-esque Space Force as a whole. They're absent for large chunks of the film, so when they're suddenly pivoted as being more important, it's not an effective shift. Law plays the mentor role as best he can, but lacking screen time and development cripple the character. I held out hope there'd be exciting developments and much-needed backstory surrounding the return of Lee Pace's Ronan the Accuser and Djimon Hounsou's Korath who were last seen as the bland baddies in Guardians of the Galaxy, but alas, they were hardly onscreen for maybe ten minutes. On the contrary, Gemma Chan's Minn-Erva had some cool moments of action as the Space Force's sniper though.

It's almost impossible to discuss the Skrulls at length without spoilers, but I'll say that Ben Mendelsohn's Talos is surely a stand-out character. Caked in make-up, Mendelsohn chews up the scenery like no-one else, and it's quite glorious! I also really appreciated that the Skrulls were more complex characters than the trailers would have you believe. 

Lastly, Goose is a stand-out in its own right, with the feline providing much of the film's levity. Since Captain Marvel is set in the '90s, there's also plenty of opportunity for connective narrative tissue and nostalgia, so keep an eye peeled for references, easter eggs, and familiar characters. Not to mention Stan Lee, who gets a lovely tribute at the start of the film in addition to another trademark cameo. And there are two post credit scenes, so stick around afterward! 

Captain Marvel's unique spin on Marvel's origin story formula also serves as a satisfactory introduction for Marvel's most powerful superhero. It's not a genre game changer, but did it really need to be? I don't think so, and I give it a glowing recommendation nonetheless. Higher, further, faster baby!

Film Assessment: B+

'Venom' Review

Venom oozes alongside journalist Eddie Brock as he tries to take down nefarious billionaire Carlton Drake. While investigating one of Drake's experiments, an alien symbiote named Venom bonds with Brock's body and bestows him with superhuman powers. Twisted, dark, and fueled by hunger, Venom seeks total control over his new host body, but the two entities join forces to foil Drakes's evil scheme once they realize their goals are aligned. 

By now, I'm sure you've gotten wind of the weirdness that is Venom. If not, then you're at least aware of its existence. Directed by Ruben Fleischer and co-written by Jeff Pinkner, Scott Rosenberg, and Kelly Marcel, Venom is the latest attempt by Sony Pictures to jumpstart a shared universe based on their Marvel IP. To set the record straight, no version of Spider-Man appears, and this isn't in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Well, Sony's efforts to kick-off their shared cinematic universe may prove successful considering Venom is poised to break the October opening weekend box office record. Whether it has legs in the weeks to come remains to be seen, but I suspect we'll see a sequel since studios like $$$... The word-of-mouth surrounding this flick is abysmal or MARVEL-ous depending whom you ask, but I'll say the weird stuff which happens in this film must be seen to be believed. Words alone don't do it justice. 

Regardless of where your opinion falls, you will laugh more than once in the theater. Whether it be with the movie's one-liners or at all of its unintentionally hilarious moments, you're sure to find yourself chuckling. Venom is The Room of comic-book cinema and easily the worst comic-book movie I've seen since Fant4stic in 2015. Aside from one serviceable action sequence, some occasionally decent CGI, and a couple of funny interactions between Eddie and Venom, there is little to salvage from this trashterpiece. The story's woefully generic, the dialogue is dreadful, the performances are lifeless except for Hardy, the action is often incomprehensible, and the film is filled to the brim with mind-boggling creative decisions. I didn't care about any of the characters, and my single source of enjoyment was taking in the peculiarity of whatever the heck was happening on screen. Venom seriously was a feature-length meme, and when viewed through that lens, it's enjoyable in the "so-bad-its-good" kinda way. 

You'll scratch your head and wonder, "Who in their right mind thought that was a good idea?" through just about the entire runtime. During the third act battle, you won't have any idea what's going on due to shaky cam, quick jump-cuts, and the simple fact you're watching two dark/metallic, goopy characters fighting each other at night. I would rather have watched a scene from a Michael Bay Transformers movie to be completely honest. Moreover, this isn't to say Venom is one of the worst things I've ever seen or anything to that effect. It's merely a film filled with flaws that I can't ignore in favor of a few good moments. I'd even watch a sequel because the Eddie-Venom dynamic was well-handled. 

The problem is that it takes way too long for Venom to show up, and when he does, he's not onscreen for long. The filmmakers were sure to conserve their effects budget as much as possible, as he often conveniently disappears by the plot's demand. He probably has 10-to-15 minutes of screen time, but it feels like more due to the inner monologue between him and Eddie. Regardless, a Venom sequel would negate the origin story elements so it could focus more on fleshing out the Eddie-Venom dynamic rather than world-building. Let's hope it seeks to improve in other areas though. 

Among the cast, only Tom Hardy seems fully committed to the material. Though Hardy goes all in on the insanity, his American accent as Eddie Brock is laughable and his Venom voice-over is often indecipherable due to the sound augmentation employed. It's an odd performance, but he's at least trying. As for everyone else, you would have thought they signed their souls away once they were cast. Riz Ahmed, Michelle Williams, and Jenny Slate are each relegated to the confines of portraying a cliché archetype and do so with little interest or personality. It's incredibly apparent they were only involved for the paycheck because they're all talented actors with impressive bodies of work. 

Venom is perhaps one of the more puzzling cinematic comic-book adaptations to emerge in recent years, and in the words of its titular symbiote, truly " a turd in the wind." As a fan of the character, I'd say this film simultaneously succeeds in capturing the strange spirit of Venom and fails at differentiating itself from the ever-expanding slate of comic-book movies. My seven-word consensus is the following: "Go see A Star Is Born instead."

Film Assessment: D

Marvel Studios: The First Ten Years (All 20 Films Ranked)

After ten years and twenty films, I figured now would be a great time to re-evaluate my ranking of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Just keep in mind that this list is totally subjective and you're liable to disagree with a vast majority of it. In fact, I would be surprised to learn that anyone out there has this exact list because every Marvel movie registers differently with all of us. Anyways, I marathoned all the films back in April to prepare for Infinity War, so this is a fairly accurate ranking as to how I feel at this point in time. Of course, everything's subject to change over time though.

Marvel Studios: The First Ten Years (All 20 Films Ranked)

20. The Incredible Hulk

If I'm being honest, I legitimately hate almost everything about this movie. Excluding a few action sequences, it's a total snooze-fest devoid of personality that even Marvel Studios has tried to put it behind them. 

19. Thor

Thor is a perfectly fine film, but it's at the bottom of this list because I find it woefully generic compared to everything else Marvel's made. Asgard looks cool, it has some instances of exciting action, and Hemsworth and Hiddleston are incredibly well-cast, but the scenes in New Mexico aren't nearly as charming as the filmmakers thought they were.

18. Thor: The Dark World

Thor: The Dark World is probably one of the most forgettable entries in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. However, the second act does enough to redeem the rest of it in my eyes. Frigga's funeral scene is simply astounding and there's an excellent rapport between Thor and Loki. To me, that alone makes it better than most give it credit for. 

17. Iron Man 2

Iron Man 2 is an interesting entry to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. On one hand, I rewatched it to discover some surprisingly clever dialogue and plenty of thrilling action sequences. Downey's great in the role of Tony Stark as always, Don Cheadle's an improvement over Terrence Howard, and it includes an awesome introduction to the characters of Black Widow. Also, Sam Rockwell as Justin Hammer is amazing. On the other hand, it became so concerned with setting up Marvel's future that the story quirky loses focus and spirals out of control. 

16. Avengers: Age of Ultron

Oh, how the mighty have fallen. There was a time when Avengers: Age of Ultron was my favorite Marvel movie. It's remarkable how a few rewatches can completely change one's perspective though... While the spectacle is quite something, Age of Ultron fell prey to the dreaded sequelitis and is ultimately overstuffed. There's plenty to admire and appreciate in it, but there's just way too much going on for any of it to come across as meaningful...

15. Thor: Ragnarok

I've warmed up to Thor: Ragnarok significantly since first seeing it last November. It's certainly enjoyable, but Taika Waititi's approach often enabled humor to compromise the severity of Thor's situation and the tonal shifts can be quite jarring as a result. I probably would like Ragnarok a little more if it hadn't turned everything into a joke. 

14. Iron Man

Iron Man was the one that started it all. While that's certainly commendable, I think the film gets a lot of credit solely on behalf of launching the Marvel Cinematic Universe as opposed to being judged of its own merits. At its core, it tells Tony Stark's origin story and it tells that origin really well. I still quite enjoy the sequences of him constructing the suit and then the sequence depicted above is the epitome of awesome. Robert Downey Jr. is perfectly cast and exudes Stark's persona from the second he comes onscreen. However, the third act is fairly weak in comparison to the rest of the film and it's the Marvel movie that started the onslaught of disposable antagonists.

13. Iron Man 3

Iron Man 3 is a Marvel film that I feel is often overlooked. I love the energy that Shane Black brought to the franchise and personally consider it the best of the Iron Man trilogy based on how it tests the character of Tony Stark. I especially like how it dared to depict a Marvel character with anxiety and PTSD after the events of The Avengers.

12. Guardians of the Galaxy

I've never quite liked Guardians of the Galaxy as much as everyone else. That's not to say I dislike it, but it's never really been my favorite Marvel film so to speak. It sure is a blast, but I think some of its attributes are admittedly flawed. Namely, Ronan the Accuser is a one-note villain and some characters are under-written.

11. Ant-Man

Ant-Man is still one of Marvel's funniest films in my eyes. The scale, stakes, and scope of the story are all appropriately small, but Ant-Man doesn't ever let that get in the way of its big heart!

10. Ant-Man and the Wasp

Ant-Man and the Wasp is probably the closest we'll ever get to watching a live-action Saturday morning cartoon, and the hilarious ANT-ics never let up so it's fun from start-to-finish. It's probably the most light-hearted entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but that doesn't ever get in the way of telling a story with emotional weight as well. 

9. Doctor Strange

The visuals and action in Doctor Strange are absolutely out-of-this world, but the origin story at its center remained remarkably grounded even as it brought magic into the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

 

8. Captain America: The First Avenger

Captain America: The First Avenger is downright charming. As a period piece, it lent so much surprising humanity and depth to the character of Steve Rogers that he became my favorite Marvel character as a result. I also appreciate how it's a throwback to the '40s WW2 era and that it has one of the very best onscreen relationships in the Marvel Cinematic Universe between Steve and Peggy Carter. Just as Captain America socked Adolf on the jaw in this film, The First Avenger packs a punch as one of Marvel's most thrilling and emotional works to date.

 

7. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

I'm not sure whether this is controversial or not, but I vastly prefer Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 over the original. It's a Marvel entry that expands on its characters in fresh, unique ways while providing plenty of fun action, humor, and heart that audiences have come to love. It also has some of the hardest-hitting emotional beats in the Marvel filmography, as I can hardly watch the end without welling up... Bravo James Gunn. Bravo, indeed.

 

6. Spider-Man: Homecoming

Spider-Man: Homecoming is the first Spider-Man film that captured the essence of the friendly, neighborhood Spider-Man. He's just a guy trying to do right by his community, and I think Homecoming portrays that perfectly. It's not overly-ambitious in regards to its action or storytelling, and I love how it furthers Peter Parker as a character.

 

5. Black Panther

Black Panther is a comic-book movie that managed to transcend the genre and be more than just another comic-book movie. Beyond its cultural significance, it managed to have a meaningful political message against isolationism and in favor of helping those you're able to if you have the means and resources to do so. It's also one of the franchise's most visually-striking films with an exceptional original score, and its ensemble of characters are among Marvel's very best. 

 

4. The Avengers

I'd daresay The Avengers is irrefutably a defining blockbuster for my generation. It exploded onto the pop-culture scene because it's epic, action-packed, and full of humor and heart. It's been six years, and I still get giddy staring at the above iconic group shot. Few frames have that effect on an individual. Much less the whole globe. 

 

3. Captain America: The Winter Soldier

The Russo Bros can really do no wrong considering my top three Marvel films are all directed by them. Captain America: The Winter Soldier succeeds as a sequel in ways most franchises dream of. It's tense, action-packed, and even emotionally-charged while furthering the character's journey in a unique, interesting way. 

 

2. Captain America: Civil War

Captain America: Civil War has so much going for it in my book. It contains some of the Marvel Cinematic Universe's greatest action sequences, naturally introduced the characters of Spider-Man and Black Panther, and topped it all off with a dynamite finale. Then, the lasting stakes and consequences of this conflict only make it stronger in my eyes. 

 

1. Avengers: Infinity War

Avengers: Infinity War is my favorite Marvel movie, no question about it. It was the cinematic culmination of ten years of storytelling and I felt it paid off in every way imaginable. I've seen it five times now and I always find something new to appreciate with each and every viewing. To put it simply, it's epic in every sense of the word.

Recollection Reflection Review: 'Ant-Man'

In lieu of Ant-Man and the Wasp releasing this weekend, I felt now was the opportune time to size up the original. If you're unfamiliar to this format of review, I call it a Recollection Reflection Review (or Triple-R Review for short) and it essentially enables me to re-review a film. The idea behind it is that it's a unique format to demonstrates how I've grown as a writer and reviewer in the time since the original review. I begin with the "Recollection" which is just a link to my older review, then do a "Reflection" where I briefly talk about the circumstances surrounding my original opinion and whether that's changed or not, and top it off with an updated "Review."

As for upcoming content, I'll be sharing my updated ranking of the Marvel films once I've seen Ant-Man and the Wasp and will be recapping my favorite and least favorite films of the year so far in a separate post since we recently passed the midway point of 2018. However, there are still a few films I missed out on that I'd like to see before sharing that list. In regards to July reviews, look forward to Throwback Thursday Reviews of Mission: Impossible III, The Equalizer, and Mamma Mia!, Triple-R Reviews for Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol, and Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation, and reviews of new releases Ant-Man and the Wasp, Skyscraper, The Equalizer 2, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, Mission: Impossible - Fallout, and Teen Titans Go! To The Movies.

'Ant-Man' Review

Recollection- Ant-Man Review

Reflection- As is the case with nearly every Marvel movie these days, I can recall being quite excited to see Ant-Man when it was being released. My step-sister was working in a cinema at the time (something I wound up doing later on), so I got to watch the film one night earlier than the Thursday night premiere. I hadn't really attended many advance screenings at the time, so that was a really neat experience for me and I was appreciative of the opportunity. Anyways, I thoroughly enjoyed the film then and still do to they very day. It was a refreshing change of pace after another end-of-the-world scenario in Avengers: Age of Ultron and remains to be one of my favorite Marvel origin films.

Review- Ant-Man shrinks down alongside master cat burglar Scott Lang as he's released from prison. Down on his luck and hopeful to see his daughter again, Lang is recruited by Dr. Hank Pym and offered a chance at redemption. Armed with a super-suit with the astonishing ability to shrink in scale but increase in strength, Lang must embrace his inner hero and help his mentor plan and pull off a heist that will save the world. 

Ant-Man was infamously one of Marvel's most troubled productions behind the scenes. Visionary director Edgar Wright had put in years of work intricately planning things out in the pre-production phase before suddenly departing on the basis of creative differences with the studio in early 2014. While Wright's influence over the size-changing superhero can certainly be felt in the visual language of the action sequences and barebone plot structure, it ultimately all wound up under Peyton Reed's jurisdiction. Reed stepped in to steer the ship as an experienced comedy director while star Paul Rudd and comedy writer Adam McKay were enlisted to do some rewrites on the version of the script written by Wright and Joe Cornish. In the end, all four writers wound up being credited in varying capacities. 

Though it's a shame we'll never know what Wright's version of the film truly would have been, I'm glad it paved the way for Wright to make Baby Driver a few years later and am more than satisfied with this take on the tiny hero. Reed's sensibilities as a comedic director serve him well here, even if the film's not quite as stylized as it could be. Ultimately, it's difficult to fault Reed for that though as he was recruited very late in the game and had to shoot mere months later. 

In spite of a drab aesthetic, Ant-Man remains a fun, pulpy adventure thanks to its inventive action sequences which take full advantage of the shrinking gimmick. Reed really makes the most of the concept and wields it well as both a comedic device and a means to up the intensity of some largely low-stakes fights. The visual effects and miniatures used are actually quite extraordinary in regards to providing a believable sense of scale amidst all the action, as I wasn't ever taken out of the experience by any effects which traversed the uncanny valley. This was especially important for the film's use of computer generated de-aging that's shown up in many Marvel films since 2015. 

Speaking of the grander Marvel Cinematic Universe, Ant-Man effectively clings on by incorporating the trademark references and cameos viewers have come to expect. In particular, I quite enjoy the fight against Falcon and how that bridges the gap for Ant-Man to later appear in Captain America: Civil War. However, Ant-Man is also able to effectively carve out its own self-contained corner of the MCU. That plays into Ant-Man's favor though, because as the MCU grew, so did the stakes of each subsequent film. Therefore, it was remarkably refreshing for Ant-Man to scale things down again so the audience could see a superhero story where the fate of the world wasn't at stake.

Ant-Man is also unique in championing the heist genre as a sub-genre like many other Marvel franchises have done (ie. Captain America: The Winter Soldier = political thriller, Guardians of the Galaxy = space opera, etc). It's a tactic that Marvel's cleverly employed over the course of ten years so their varying franchises can each flourish in a marketplace that's becoming increasingly more crowded by other comic-book movie franchises. Christophe Beck implements that line of thinking into his score to create a theme that's pulpy and well-suited for any heist situation. While the score overall is kind-of uninspired in the sense that it mostly reiterates that same theme with generic music filling the gaps, I do really like the sound he discovered for the main Ant-Man theme itself. 

Anther way Ant-Man differentiates it from the other superhero-fare is by focusing on the father-daughter relationships between Scott and Cassie Lang and subsequently Hank Pym and Hope van Dyne. That focus on family is wildly different from anything else Marvel's made because hardly any other superheroes in their arsenal are also parents. Hawkeye's probably the only other example that comes to mind, but that was never a defining trait of who he was as a character in the way it's imperative to Lang's identity. The conflict of Scott grappling with doing what's best for his daughter and avoiding a life of crime is a compelling one, and it works because of the relationship between those characters. Then, conversely, Hank is doing what he can to protect Hope which only acts to push her away from him. 

The key component to all I just mentioned is undoubtedly the performances. Paul Rudd was well-cast as Lang because he's the first Marvel superhero who's an everyman, and Rudd encapsulates that perfectly. When you look at Rudd, superhero probably wouldn't be the first thing to come to mind and I feel like that's exactly the kind of quality you'd want to see in an Ant-Man. It also helps that Rudd's a funny guy with great comedic timing for all the Marvel quips he's expected to deliver. Rudd even brings an extra layer of humanity to the character in his connection with Cassie. Rudd and Abby Ryder Forston have a sweet rapport which in-turn makes for a convincing parent-child relationship.

Meanwhile, Hank and Hope have a cold, antagonistic relationship that mellows out over the course of the film as the characters come to terms with their situation. Michael Douglas and Evangeline Lily play that to a tee, so you're able to buy into both sides of their dynamic along the way. Additionally, Douglas plays mentor to Rudd while Lily's a love interest of sorts. Both actors handle those accompanying personality traits quite well and the film benefits as a result.

If there's one stand-out from the first Ant-Man though, it's undoubtedly Michael Peña as Luis. Peña has perfect comedic timing and listening to Luis recap events is an absolute delight that I hope to see carried over to the sequel. Filling out the remainder of the supporting cast, T.I., David Dastmalchian, Bobby Cannavale, and Judy Greer each serve their purpose and get a chance to flex their comedic side a bit even if they're are ultimately background players.

Last up, Corey Stoll as Darren Cross is the common corporate baddie we've come to expect. While Yellow Jacket occasionally can be framed as quite intimidating, the character himself is severely lacking. Stoll plays the part well, but is ultimately underserved by the script and falls to the wayside as another disposable antagonist from Marvel.

To size things up, three years have passed and Ant-Man remains one of Marvel's most under-appreciated efforts. The scale, stakes, and scope are all appropriately small, but Ant-Man doesn't let that get in the way of its big heart!

Film Assessment: B+