Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 Review

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

Dir: James Gunn

Starring: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Karen Gillan, Pom Klementieff, Sean Gunn, Vin Diesel, and Bradley Cooper

2h 30m

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has its fair share of inspiring champions who perform superhuman feats. And they also have the Guardians of the Galaxy, a ragtag group of oddball personalities who may not have the flash and flare of their counterparts in the Marvel Universe, but, what separates and stands them shoulder-to-shoulder with other heroes, is the huge heart and humor they bring with their heroics. Director James Gunn completes his Marvel trilogy with "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3", crafting a fitting finale for an unlikely family of heroes.

"Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3" continues its exploration of its eccentric characters, delving deeper into the specifics that have brought each character to the current moment, ultimately motivation, in time. Where the first and second films began with lively, musically driven introductions, "Vol. 3" takes a decidedly different, darker tone with its beginnings. This film is about Rocket (Bradley Cooper) and the bleak trauma experienced as an experiment of the High Evolutionary (Chukwudi Iwuji), a villain playing god to create a perfect society. The High Evolutionary is a well-conceived menace who exerts threatening power throughout the film, and actor Chukwudi Iwuji is exceptional in the role. 

Rocket is seriously injured after an attack on the mobile home planet of Knowhere by a cosmic golden being named Adam Warlock (Will Poulter). While the other Guardians search to find a cure for Rocket's unique physically altered composition, the Guardian raccoon teeters between life and death. Through flashbacks, Rocket's origin story unfolds. It's emotional and affecting, a rare quality for the Marvel storylines of recent. Gunn does a great job of emphasizing the qualities that make the Guardians unique among the Marvel characters. The unconventional designs for locations and character creations that utilize practical effects instead of CGI, the composition of multilayered characters who consistently exceed expectations with their humanity, and that James Gunn quality of humor that can be deadpan, silly, or simply slapstick, it's the defining characteristics that have always made these films feel distinct and unique.

"Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3" suffers in moments with weaving too many storylines and characters into the mix, which stalls its momentum and leaves characters in places where they don't have much to do. However, each character is allowed a moment to shine throughout the film. Gunn creates a detached dynamic for the Guardians from the film's beginning. Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) struggles over the loss of Gamora (Zoe Saldana), the group camaraderie feels non-existent, and there is a consistent feeling that the Guardians may be going in separate directions. It's a nice place to start a story for a final installment. While the film struggles to service its overstuffed story, writer/director James Gunn rarely misses a step in delivering what Marvel fans have grown to love from these characters.

"Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3" is a fond farewell that is both emotional and fun. James Gunn composes a film that continues to implement its unique spin on the Marvel cinematic formula of hero storytelling while demonstrating his professional skillset as one of the best world-building storytellers working in movies.

Monte's Rating

3.50 out of 5.00

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Review

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

Dir: Ryan Coogler

Starring: Letitia Wright, Angela Bassett, Danai Gurira, Lupita Nyong'o, Dominique Thorne, Florence Kasumba, Winston Duke, Martin Freeman, and Tenoch Huerta

2h 41m

It's been four years since the cinematic cultural phenomenon of writer/director Ryan Coogler's "Black Panther," a film that broke box office records but, more importantly, celebrated black culture, diversity, and inclusion. So much has changed in four years, both within the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the vastly changed landscape worldwide. 

"Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" reflects the many changes felt throughout the world, the political power struggle, the desperation for advancement, and the grief for loved ones lost through the changing times. For fans of "Black Panther," the tragic death of actor Chadwick Boseman is an emotion immediately felt. All of these topics are examined within Ryan Coogler's nearly three-hour-long runtime. This sequel honors the memory of Chadwick Boseman and continues the celebration of cultural diversity but struggles to find its stride amidst a mix of new characters and diverging storylines. 

The film begins with Shuri (Letitia Wright) delivering a prayer to help her brother, King T'Challa, who is dying from an unknown illness. Shuri is unable to heal him. The kingdom of Wakanda mourns the death of their king while Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett), T'Challa's mother, takes over leadership. At the same time, the rest of the world looks to take advantage of a resource-loaded country without its protector, the Black Panther.

As Wakanda stands strong, maintaining control of the valuable resource vibranium, a research team starts looking deep within the ocean for additional reserves. Namor (Tenoch Huerta), the ruler of an underwater kingdom known as Talokan, protects his people by aggressively retaliating against the researchers. Wakanda is blamed for the assault. Namor, an indigenous descendant of a group of people enslaved by colonizers, understands the danger of vibranium in the wrong hands. Namor hopes to enlist the support of Wakanda in conquering those who threaten their kingdoms, but Queen Ramonda refuses, leading to an ultimatum for Wakanda. 
  
Ryan Coogler does an exceptional job of weaving the narratives associated with the ever-changing Marvel Cinematic Universe, along with the emotion of paying tribute to Chadwick Boseman. It's an intricate balancing act that Coogler deftly accomplishes without depending on extravagant action set pieces. "Wakanda Forever" deliberately examines the emotional, political, and environmental changes in the absence of the Black Panther. And, refreshingly, allowing the weight of the story to be carried by the strong female cast. 

Letitia Wright does a fine job filling big shoes as the film's lead, Shuri, and Danai Gurira is still intimidating as General Okoye but also allows more emotional resonance in this film, offering their characters more depth and complication. Angela Bassett, who has displayed countless exceptional characters throughout her career, leads the cast with another powerful performance.

As "Wakanda Forever" moves away from examining grief for Shuri and Ramonda and the historical trauma for Namor and his people, the film begins to function like the recent batch of Marvel films. The conflict between Namor and Wakanda inevitably leads to a forgettable fight. While Namor is offered ample time for character development at the start, the final act provides a hasty one-note resolution. Shuri's plight is more complicated as the stakes grow more significant for Wakanda, but her journey also feels underdeveloped. 

"Wakanda Forever" soars when it provides the time to explore the characters and their connection to the powerful emotions that motivate their journey. While the pacing can weigh heavy at times, and the action sequences operate as a necessity for the genre, Ryan Coogler is still an exceptional filmmaker. The director composes more than a few great scenes, imbues characters with interesting emotions, and structures a unique vision of culture into comic book filmmaking. "Wakanda Forever" always had high expectations to meet, and in moments it exceeds and excels beyond them. 

Monte's Rating

3.50 out of 5.00

Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness Review

Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

Dir: Sam Raimi

Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Elizabeth Olsen, Benedict Wong, Rachel McAdams, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Xochitl Gómez

2h 6m

The latest entry into the Marvel Cinematic Universe expands the possibilities of where these superhero films can go. With a multiverse in the narrative mix, we can have multiple Dr. Strange's or alternate worlds where events viewers have experienced alter enough to change familiarity. And, in the case of "Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness," you can bring the creative genius of director Sam Raimi to incorporate his unique blend of cinematic madness into the mix. 

Madness is the best way to describe Raimi's return to the genre he had a hand in defining with films like "Darkman" and the original "Spider-Man" trilogy. The narrative is messy and convoluted from the start, with motions back to the Disney+ "WandaVision" series and the most recent "Spider-Man: No Way Home" film. But as the story settles into its multiverse theme, the exciting, exuberant style of Sam Raimi takes over, pushing the gore and horror elements about as far as any Marvel film has while also composing a frame of visuals that feels different for the Marvel cinematic style. It's refreshing watching the old tools used with new creative hands.

The film opens with alternate-universe Dr. Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) protecting a young girl with special powers named America Chavez (Xochitl Gómez) from a creature in pursuit. Things end badly, and America, who can jump from universe to universe but doesn't know how to control her power, escapes into the dimension with the familiar Stephen Strange. In this world, Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen), better known now as The Scarlett Witch, is still grieving the trauma of the reality she created, which ultimately came crumbling down, losing the family she so desperately wanted. America's abilities are powerful and feared, and Dr. Strange, along with ally Sorcerer Supreme Wong (Benedict Wong), are the only ones who can help her. The two travel through numerous alternate universes in hopes of finding a solution. 

Sam Raimi composes "Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness" at breakneck speed, hardly allowing any time for the viewer to get comfortable with the story before introducing either an action sequence or more exposition to race to the finish line. Raimi assumes that if you are in the theater for this film, you have watched the prerequisite shows/movies to understand the aggressive plotting. While the story is chaotic, sometimes in disarray, it utilizes the strongest characters, Dr. Strange and the Scarlett Witch, to anchor the emotions. The emphasis here leaves a problem for the newest character America Chavez, played with confidence by Xochitl Gómez, who isn't provided with many opportunities to impose emotions into the story surrounding her. 

Raimi's unique vision and style is the real champion of the film. With influences from "The Evil Dead," "Army of Darkness," and "Drag Me To Hell," Raimi pushes the film into horror movie territory with his iconic zooms, sound clashes, and mischievous use of horror mixing humor that has defined many of his movies. It's a real treat to see the director back in the comic book movie chair. 

It helps that Benedict Cumberbatch is leading the charge as the charming yet arrogant Master of the Mystical Arts, Dr. Strange. Still, the shining star of this film belongs to Elizabeth Olsen playing the vengeance-fueled Scarlett Witch. Olsen embodies a wide range of emotions, anger and rage countered by fear and sorrow. At one moment, both the chaos-magic-wielding Scarlett Witch and homemaking-mom Wanda Maximoff encounter each other; the concluding interaction is a fascinating look at the evolution of this character and the emotions that compose her entire story. 

"Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness" may not execute all of its narrative ambitions consistently, but that never keeps the film from being entertaining and a fast-paced experience. Raimi's style, restrained within the Marvel Universe, still adds humor, heart, and, surprisingly, hints of horror throughout, especially in the film's second half, which feels just a tiny step away from going into the director's full signature. Hopefully, Sam Raimi returns for more of these superhero adventures. 

Monte's Rating

3.50 out of 5.00

Eternals Review

Eternals

Dir: Chloé Zhao

Starring: Gemma Chan, Richard Madden, Kumail Nanjiani, Angelina Jolie, Salma Hayek, Brian Tyree Henry, Ma Dong-seok, Lauren Ridloff, Barry Keoghan, Lia McHugh, and Kit Harington

2h 37m

Director Chloé Zhao won an Academy Award, both for achievement in directing and best picture, for the film “Nomadland” earlier this year. Zhao’s moody and minimalistic film follows a woman in her sixties embarking on a journey through the American West after losing everything in the Great Recession. During a worldwide pandemic, “Nomadland” touched on issues of isolation and loneliness while also beautifully portraying the independence and peace found within a solitary existence connected to the world. Zhao’s catalog of films examines identity within the complicated structures of the ever-changing American ideal. And Chloé Zhao is the director Marvel Studios chose to helm their newest franchise addition, “Eternals,”; and it’s a fascinating and complicated decision.

The Eternals, created by comic-book legend Jack Kirby in 1976, are lesser-known heroes in the Marvel Universe. The god-like humanoids have existed for centuries, watching/helping worlds evolve in creative and self-destructive ways while safeguarding humanity from threatening creatures known as Deviants. 

Zhao’s film takes the origins of Kirby’s comic and adapts a story for the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) that feels like that one puzzle piece that could fit anywhere but also nowhere at the same time. With beautiful wide-framed locations and a sensibility leaning into authentic instead of artificial composition, Zhao’s filmmaking presence is felt from the opening scene and, at moments, within the performances from the impressive cast playing the immortal superheroes. However, despite all its attempts to separate itself from the MCU’s consistent, familiar structures, “Eternals” unique introductions get lost in the mix of mundane Marvel ingredients.

Ancient aliens known as Eternals have been living on Earth in secret for thousands of years. Their job is to support humanity by helping them advance while also protecting them from otherworldly creatures known as Deviants. The Eternals have seen their efforts preserve and devastate society. This cycle grows more difficult for the nine superheroes to accept, knowing that they have the abilities to help in different ways. After centuries of working as a team, the Eternals separate over how they should use their powers. They begin living their own lives amongst humanity. The Deviants, which the Eternals thought they had defeated, return and start attacking the separated heroes individually. These attacks bring the Eternals back together, exposing the truth about their long-lived history and the plan for the future of humanity.

Chloé Zhao’s filmmaking sensibilities are present throughout the film, at times obvious and other times more subtle. Zhao brings a sense of connection between the world and those separated into this massive Marvel machine. Much like her past films, which focus on the disenfranchised moving through the American dream, Zhao asks questions and explores feelings with these immortal aliens. Questions about worth, sacrifice, honor, and servitude. Emotions like confusion, fear, love, and contempt. It’s all there and examined through varying degrees of magnification. A scene that explores the bond of family, specifically the fear of leaving and losing family, is beautifully captured in a quiet moment during a bedtime routine with a child. At the same time, a scene about the joy and passion of love, both physical and emotional, is inelegantly portrayed with a passionless sex scene and a sappy moment of new love set against magic-hour sunlight. It’s easy to see that “Eternals” is trying to be different, trying to frame a story about superhuman beings, magic powers, and ancient universes with captivating actors and a dynamic director to bring a new and different quality to familiar material. While the execution is elegant, the story and characters rarely engage in anything new but instead exist to introduce prospective properties.

An impressive cast of characters, who range in ability, race, and sexuality, played by an equally impressive list of actors, helps “Eternals” remain engaging. Zhao is fantastic with actors; the ensemble is excellent when all together, but there isn’t enough material or time for the individual cast to develop beyond superficial qualities. Angelina Jolie’s character Thena is an impressive warrior, but the character often feels like an afterthought. Salma Hayek plays the leader Ajak but her screen time is limited to a couple of group scenes and a few short monologues where the character offers sage words of wisdom. Gemma Chan, playing the lead Sersi, is provided the most depth, but against the grand scheme of the story, the character’s change from reluctant team member to influential leader rarely has the effect it should. As the flying Ikaris, Richard Madden has a good screen presence and works his superhero arrogance with glee. Bryan Tyree Henry, Kumail Nanjiani, and Barry Keoghan have secondary roles, but they provide a few insightful moments and some laughs in their limited time. Lauren Ridloff, playing Marvel’s first deaf character Makkari, and Lia McHugh, portraying Sprite, shine bright in their limited roles.

 “Eternals,” throughout the film, is planting the seeds of future stories for the MCU to cultivate. While this isn’t particularly new for the Marvel efforts, there are moments in “Eternals” that make you think about the future characters and story plots instead of remaining in the present with the story being told on the screen. While “Eternals” tries its best to stand on its own, as a separate pillar in the Marvel universe, it ultimately feels like another stepping stone.

Monte’s Rating

2.75 out of 5.00

Venom: Let There Be Carnage Review

Venom: Let There Be Carnage

Dir: Andy Serkis

Starring: Tom Hardy, Michelle Williams, Naomie Harris, and Woody Harrelson

1h 37m

 

What happens when that little voice inside your head, the one that helps you reason good versus bad decisions, tells you to eat people? That's the strange dilemma between an odd couple journalist named Eddie Brock, played by a committed Tom Hardy, and an alien symbiote named Venom, voiced with grumbly enthusiasm by Tom Hardy. 

 

"Venom: Let There Be Carnage" is the continuation of the relationship between Eddie and Venom, this time moving from a conflicted new friendship into something more akin to an old married couple. Director Andy Serkis crafts a lean and mean comic book oddity that feels just outside the norm of the Marvel cinematic formula. That's a good thing, even if the final result struggles to excel beyond the limitations of an average script. 

 

Eddie Brock (Tom Hardy) finds balance in his chaotic life, living with an alien inhabiting him and consistently providing a manic internal dialogue and a craving for brains. They co-exist in a messy apartment, with holes in the ceiling made by outbursts from Venom and two chickens lovingly saved from a dinner plate and renamed Sonny and Cher. Their relationship is on rocky ground. Venom craves freedom and urges Eddie to embrace a role as protector of the city - while also allowing him to eat the heads of the bad guys they defeat. Eddie fears exposing the truth of his sudden abilities to solve cases the police can't and hopes to resolve his broken relationship with his former girlfriend Anne (Michelle Williams). 

 

Eddie finds attention from a serial killer named Cletus Kasady (Woody Harrelson). After Eddie writes, with Venom's help, a story that solves a slew of cases, Cletus is fast-tracked to the front of the death row line. As a final request before the execution, Cletus asks to see Eddie one last time. Cletus bites Eddie during an altercation, and a piece of the symbiote attaches to Cletus, unleashing a monster born for carnage. Eddie and Venom set their differences aside to save the world. 

 

Director Andy Serkis takes a breakneck approach to storytelling in "Venom: Let There Be Carnage." The film, without credits, is under 90 minutes. That's unheard of for superhero films these days. But what Serkis does in limited time is focus on the highlights for fans of the Venom character. 

 

Tom Hardy composes an unusual Eddie Brock, providing the mostly unlikeable journalist with enough charm and awkwardness to sympathize with the character. Hardy's nervous and timid performance is an essential quality for Eddie's composition because the story doesn't leave much time for character development. At the same time, the film quickly introduces the film's key villains, a lovelorn couple played by Woody Harrelson and Naomie Harris. Harrelson, whose performance feels just a few steps away from his character in "Natural Born Killers," goes for broke. While the wild-eyed Naomie Harris, whose superpower is a ferocious scream, isn't offered much to do besides looking unhinged. A side story following Eddie's love interest Anne, a completely underutilized Michelle Williams, feels like an afterthought from the narrative.

 

"Venom: Let There Be Carnage" leans on its oddball vibes and harmless humor, along with an oddly captivating performance from Tom Hardy, to keep this sequel centered on simplistic entertainment value objectives. For the most part, it succeeds in honoring the path set by the original film. If you enjoyed the first "Venom," you will find reason enough to smile with this sequel.

 

Monte's Rating

2.50 out of 5.00

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings Review

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

Dir: Destin Daniel Cretton

Starring: Simu Lu, Awkwafina, Tony Leung Chiu-wai, Meng’er Zhang, Fala Chen,

and Michelle Yeoh

2h 13m

 

The first big action sequence in Marvel Studios’ newest superhero origin story, “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings,” happens on a bus in the busy streets of San Francisco. It is easily one of the best action moments of recent Marvel movie memory. The scene boasts beautifully choreographed martial arts moves, which sometimes feel like an homage to the Jackie Chan/Sammo Hung school of battle ballet, in a traveling bus that adds a sense of danger up and down every hill road. This sequence helps establish director Destin Daniel Cretton’s film with early energy, excitement, and, most notably within the vast catalog of Marvel films, identity.

 

“Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” separates itself from the typical Marvel action fanfare by introducing this early, ingenious action scene, but there is more to enjoy. Cretton, who co-wrote the script with David Callaham and Andrew Lanham, takes the Marvel formula, adjusts the scope and storytelling structure, and tells a superhero origin tale with Asian-American representation. The film ultimately bends to the formulaic structure that keeps many of Marvel’s films from succeeding from start to finish. Still, “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” works best when avoiding clichés and allowing the culture to lead the heart, humor, and heroics that define comic book stories.

 

Shaun (Simu Lu) works as a valet in a swanky San Francisco building with his best friend Katy (Awkwafina). The two live for simple pleasures, like driving the valet cars fast and singing karaoke all night long. When a group of assassins targets Shaun, and he suddenly reveals some impressive hand-to-hand combat skills, the secret is revealed that Shaun, whose real name is Shang-Chi, is the son of Wenwu (Tony Leung Chiu-wai), an ancient Chinese warrior. Wenwu has survived and conquered for centuries by wielding the power of the Ten Rings.

 

 
The narrative throughout “Shang-Chi” is working towards a few different goals. One is the final encounter between good and evil, in this case, Shang-Chi and his father. The journey getting to this point is where the film becomes rather complicated and hurried with the goals it’s trying to achieve. Sprinkling a Marvel crossover storyline to link the franchise universe is fun, while a trip to the past helps connect the dots of how Shang-Chi became so skilled at martial arts and why he’s hiding from his father. Unfortunately, the film rushes through some crucial character moments, leaving Awkwafina’s amusing character Katy left as an afterthought and at times robbing Shang-Chi’s story of the emotional depth necessary to make the solid familial elements have an impact when they eventually collide. 

 

Simu Lu’s charming performance keeps Shang-Chi’s character gaps from being too obvious, while Awkwafina is consistently entertaining whenever she is on screen. However, and this is an obvious statement for cinephiles, the performance of special note belongs to the great Tony Leung Chiu-wei playing Wenwu. Leung’s graceful and captivating presence allows the villainous character to be both dangerous and vulnerable, an equally unforgiving father but also a passion-driven husband. It’s a bold and confident casting choice in regards to the source material Shang-Chi is derived from. In Stan Lee and Don Heck’s original comic book, the character Fu Manchu, an offensive stereotype for Asian people, was the villain. With no mention of that character, Leung is allowed to create his complicated baddie, and the actor shines during the entire process.

 

“Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” struggles to find the balance in its storytelling. Still, it succeeds in maintaining a clear sight of entertainment value and allowing its cast to lead the charge into new, necessary territory for superhero storytelling.

 

Monte’s Rating

3.25 out of 5.00

Black Widow Review

Black Widow

Dir: Cate Shortland

Starring: Scarlett Johansson, Florence Pugh, David Harbour, Rachel Weisz, Ray Winstone, and O.T. Fagbenle

2 hr 13 min

 

In the Marvel Universe, we've seen a teenage web-slinger, an ancient god with a mythic hammer, a millionaire with a technologically advanced suit of armor, and a super-soldier whose strength and speed are beyond any other human. Finding a normal human amidst these superhumans is always interesting, especially one that can hold its own without gamma-ray modification, radioactive spider bite powers, or advanced machinery. 

 

Natasha Romanoff, alternatively known as Black Widow, is a talented spy and deadly assassin. She was trained from childhood in a top-secret Russian training program known as the "Red Room," a program that takes young women and turns them into elite assassins known as "Black Widows." She eventually abandoned the group and joined The Avengers. Natasha is one of those humans who stands toe-to-toe with superheroes, often using her cunning intelligence and lethal hand-to-hand combat skills to match the super abilities of her counterparts. 

 

Natasha's story within the Marvel Cinematic Universe is a sad one. Often her character was relegated to simplistic supportive roles where she was primarily used as a feminine object. The lone female in a group of men would show up to save one of the other characters with her spy skills, calm the Hulk with a lullaby, or fly the Avengers plane from one adventure to another. This all led to her ultimate sacrifice in 2018's "Avengers: Endgame," a moment for the character that could have been monumental for her complete story but ultimately felt tone-deaf within the story. 

 

Black Widow, directed by Cate Shortland, provides the back story for Natasha. It explores her childhood within a deep operative spy family living in America, the dark roots of her training program with the Red Room, and minor character pieces that provide context for her role as an Avenger. The introduction is interesting and exciting, but the push to stay within the formula crafted by the Marvel Cinematic Universe eventually overshadows the exciting parts that begin this story. 

 

 The film begins with a young Natasha (Ever Anderson) living in a small town. Her mother (Rachel Weisz) sets the table for dinner with her younger sister Yelena (Violet McGraw). Natasha's father (David Harbour) returns from work; he looks distracted upon arrival and then nervous once a mysterious phone call disrupts dinner. The family immediately abandons their home, driving aggressively through their quaint town while streets close around them with the sight of flashing lights. Quickly, they are followed by people shooting guns and narrowly escape. Natasha's family is revealed as a Russian spy operation, immediately after running this mission, the family is separated, and Natasha and her sister are sent away. 

 

In these initial moments, Black Widow interestingly establishes its story, showing a group of trained spies trying to detach from the emotions that compose a family. The kids do a great job of interacting with the adults in these early scenes. Their emotion for the family is felt deeply, while the adults have grown to view these interactions, and this family, as a mission. 

 

Black Widow transitions into adulthood for Natasha (Scarlett Johansson), now an Avenger and international superstar of sorts, and Yelena (Florence Pugh), now with a mind-controlling group of assassins. Scarlett Johansson has played this role many times. Yet, provided with her own singular story aside from the supporting role provided in other films, Johansson shines throughout this film. Add Florence Pugh, who is excellent in everything she does, and the chemistry between the two assassins is humorous and heartfelt. Pugh wholly owns the role of Yelena; whether mocking her sister's combat moves or taking control of her emotions during a family dinner, she is a great addition. 

 

Black Widow works great until it feels the need to push the Marvel formulaic measures into the forefront. Once the dynamic family story ends and the human element for these characters turns into a story about global control using mind-altered assassins under the management of a bad guy named Dreykov (Ray Winstone), who ultimately doesn't work for the story, the film crumbles apart. And when the story falls out of the sky in a blaze of flames, the abandoned potential to make a compelling story for this overlooked Marvel character turns to ashes. 

 

The cast and a few of the early action scenes, which stay in the realm of spy film espionage action, provide Black Widow with enough entertainment to keep things interesting. Still, it's hard not to imagine something better for Marvel's Black Widow.  

 

Monte's Rating

2.50 out of 5.00

Spider-Man: Far From Home Review

Spider-Man: Far from Home

Dir:Jon Watts

Starring:Tom Holland, Zendaya, Jon Favreau, Samuel L. Jackson, Cobie Smulders, Marisa Tomei, Jacob Batalon, and Jake Gyllenhaal

Growing up is complicated. It involves shifting attitudes and desires, becoming comfortable and capable with new responsibilities, and often times the destruction and development through awkward phases where self-confidence and self-awareness builds and crumbles with every encounter within every situation. If that sounds terrible, it is!!

Think about all these multifaceted aspects of emotional and physical development and add to all of this an extra special ability, something not provided to the rest of your peers. With this great power comes the great responsibility of having the abilities to save a life, to end a life. Suddenly the algebra test, the big dance, the pep rally, don’t have the same level of importance. 

Director Jon Watts returns to further the adventures of Peter Parker with “Spider-Man: Far from Home”. Taking the story to new territory, this time away from the school hallways and into foreign countries on a class trip, the journeys of the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man grow more dangerous with added hero duties but also more personal as Peter’s two lives converge with greater risks. For a film coming off the heels of a pop culture event like “Avengers: Endgame”, “Spider-Man: Far from Home” succeeds by looking towards the future and offering a glimpse of what the continued Marvel Universe might have in store.

Peter Parker (Tom Holland) continues to go through the trials and tribulations of adolescence, however, the world isn’t the same anymore after the near cataclysmic “snap” from Thanos that altered lives and caused a 5-year pause of life for millions of people…including Peter Parker and many of his classmates. 

Now, the world is trying to return to some state of normalcy, but for Peter, the world will never be the same. Spider-Man is an Avenger, went to another planet in space, helped save the world from Thanos, and, most affecting, lost a mentor/father figure in the process of it all; for Peter, life continues to grow vastly complicated. And, just when things seem to settle down, when Peter has a moment to plan his pursuit of MJ (Zendaya) during his class trip abroad, another terror arrives destroying cities across the globe while a new ally named Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal) enters Earth from a parallel dimension. Complications abound.

Screenwriters Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers do a nice job of tying together the major events that have passed since “Avengers: Endgame”, utilizing Peter’s interactions, like a touching discussion with Happy Hogan (John Favreau) or humorous banter with bestie Ned (Jacob Batalon), and general world interruptions, like a funny school news report or foreign television correspondence, to move the story forward. However, amongst all of these world establishing elements is something much stronger, an emotional component that directly addresses the missing piece of Tony Stark whose memorialized visage is a constant reminder for Peter of the responsibility and ultimate sacrifice heroes must make. Most of these reminders are subtle designs, like graffitied walls or physical objects like a pair of sunglasses left for Peter from Tony.

While these components all push the story in some really interesting directions, it does take some overly deliberate time to get these pieces into operational places. For the first 45 minutes of the film, the pacing is a complete mess. Side stories like a romance between Ned and classmate Betty (Angourie Rice) and encounters between Happy and Aunt May (Marisa Tomei) are introduced quickly without much consequence towards the primary focus of everything. Amongst the complications that have overtaken Peter’s life, some of the side stories seem inconsequential in perspective of everything that has happened. Perhaps that’s the purpose, however, that the minor distractions in Peter’s life are easier to handle than the burden of the greater components. That focusing on minor issues that Peter understands how to grasp is better than trying to figure out why threats are constantly trying to tear the world to pieces. It feels like this was the direction being proposed in the early moments of everything in the film, but it’s not so clear.

When Mysterio, a really charming yet offbeat Jake Gyllenhaal, enters the equation, “Far from Home” finds exceptional traction because of some inventive narrative choices but also because it focuses specifically on Peter Parker and the enormous emotional swings that have been affecting his life. In the second part of the film, it becomes obvious that Peter Parker can no longer just be the “friendly neighborhood Spider-Man”, that the world has changed so much for Peter that his motivation and identity will forever be connected to a red mask of a superhero.

“Spider-Man: Far from Home” is connecting a wealth of story ideas to make its ultimate point. In the process, the film struggles initially to find its balance of all these themes, but by the end, the different storylines, whether delicately or forcefully placed, work in establishing a new world and direction for Spider-Man to venture.  

Monte’s Rating

3.00 out of 5.00

Dark Phoenix Review

Dark Phoenix

Dir: Simon Kinberg

Starring: Sophie Turner, James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Nicholas Hoult, Tye Sheridan, Alexandra Shipp, Evan Peters, Kodi Smit-McPhee, and Jessica Chastain

Before “The Avengers”, before “The Justice League”, before “Spider-Man”, the foundation for the modern era model for comic book movie franchises was started with a 2000 film called “X-Men”. Nineteen years later and the X-Men have gone from wrapping up one storyline to rebooting the entire series of characters altogether, the twelfth installment of the long-standing franchise concludes once again with the film “Dark Phoenix”.

Director Simon Kinberg, who has produced a wealth of action and comic book films, helms his first feature with “Dark Phoenix”. Unfortunately the results aren’t terrific but there are moments of potential with certain characters and with some of the moments of spectacle. For a franchise that has seen its progression roller coaster from fantastic heights to disappointing depths, “Dark Phoenix”, though not the worst in series, deserved a better sendoff for its characters and storyline. 

Professor Xavier’s (James McAvoy) School for Gifted Youngsters has grown into a veritable superhero training academy and, for some, a safe place for young mutants to educate themselves and hone their powers for inclusion into the “normal” world. Jean Grey (Sophie Turner), Professor X’s prized pupil, continues to develop at staggering pace along with the rest of the young team which features Ororo “Storm” Munroe (Alexandra Shipp), Scott “Cyclops” Summers (Tye Sheridan), and the team leaders Raven “Mystique” (Jennifer Lawrence) and Hank “Beast” McCoy (Nicholas Hoult). During a mission into space the X-Men team encounter a powerful force that embeds itself into Jean Grey, turning her into an unstoppable force consumed by anger and rage. 

The character of Jean Grey is a fascinating and intriguing villain, a force of dominance amongst the X-Men world but also a character with a rich backstory who is directly connected to all the core characters in this world. There are narrative themes associated with trauma that shape the story early in “Dark Phoenix”; Jean has a past steeped in pain and sorrow, her newly achieved power opens up these memories that Professor Xavier has been trying to hide, unknowingly adding to the traumatic elements that Jean has already experienced in her life.  The story does a nice job initially of displaying the turmoil Jean has been through but also proposing that Professor Xavier’s best intentions for the mutant world may be more self-serving than helpful. It’s a nice element introduced for these characters.

Unfortunately, these interesting insights and intriguing narrative themes dissipate as Jean grows into a force that is being hunted by the X-Men, the Government, and an old foe named Magneto (Michael Fassbender). The film quickly introduces another villain, a rogue group of alien beings led by a determined and stoic Jessica Chastain, and all the work to establish “Dark Phoenix” like a Jean Grey focused film disappears into the same familiar formula we’ve seen before in the X-Men Universe before. While this narrative formula isn’t necessarily bad, there are some nicely composed battles and some interesting references for fans, after twelve films it just feels overly familiar. 

Sophie Turner, unfortunately, isn’t provided the proper character to develop here, any nuance of emotion is replaced with big bursts of raw anger and sadness that never feels necessary or provides the scenes with the kind of power they are shooting for. Ms. Turner is a talented actress capable of so much more. Even Jennifer Lawrence and James McAvoy aren’t provided the character structure to build upon. Michael Fassbender’s Magneto character doesn’t change much throughout these films, so the actor does a decent job of being brooding and filled with rage, hellbent for revenge. 

“Dark Phoenix” has a few moments when the action takes over, director Simon Kinberg seems most comfortable during these big scenes, nicely composing effects with crisp clarity and utilizing the best abilities from the characters to showcase some great fight moments. It’s a shame that more attention wasn’t provided towards the story or characters interacting throughout. The film is trying hard to rise above the other films in this franchise, though it’s far from terrible, “Dark Phoenix” gets lost along the way.

Monte’s Rating

2.75 out of 5.00

Avengers: Endgame Review

Avengers: Endgame

Director:Anthony Russo and Joe Russo

Starring:Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Mark Ruffalo, Brie Larson, Don Cheadle, Karen Gillan, Bradley Cooper, Tessa Thompson, Paul Rudd, and Josh Brolin

How do you say goodbye? It’s not a question we often think about in our everyday lives, but in cinema it’s a theme that is often explored, sometimes with intense emotion and depth of character. Remember Andy saying goodbye to his toys in “Toy Story 3”, the cowboy riding into the sunset in “Shane”, or the Paris scene in “Casablanca”; saying goodbye is hard, emotional, and sometimes complicated.

Almost one year ago, comic book movie fans were left stunned as 10 years of the Marvel Cinematic Universe converged and ended with a question mark for the fates of their favorite superheroes in “Avengers: Infinity War”. It was a cinematic event, one of those pop culture happenings that people will recount in the future when asked when and where they watched the movie. 

Now, the culmination of a film world, which took 11 years and spawned 22 films, prepares for a goodbye of sorts with “Avengers: Endgame”, an epic cinematic event that does it best to wrap up one long story with charming humor, an emotional heart, and cheer-worthy heroics. 

The Avengers have been wounded. With one snap of his titanic fingers, Thanos (Josh Brolin) destroyed half of all humanity. Very soon after this catastrophic event, Captain America (Chris Evans), War Machine (Don Cheadle), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), and Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo) are left scrambling for answers and on a quest to find Thanos to exact some revenge. Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) and Nebula (Karen Gillan) are stranded in the depths of space, left starving and running out of air. The how and why of everything else after this introduction will be left spoiler-free. 

The term “fan service” is often thrown around in conversations concerning influential films in pop culture. For those who may be worried about Marvel not committing towards giving fans everything they want with “Avengers: Endgame”, you have absolutely nothing to worry about. “Endgame” delivers 11 years’ worth of fan service throughout the course of the massive 3-hour long runtime, paying homage to the characters and films that have led towards this monumental culmination of heroics. 

The first hour of the film is near perfect. Examining the relationships between our heroes but also the limited grasp they have with the normal world around them, that world where they can establish a sense of normalcy, and the joys associated, beyond the powers that have come to define them. It’s opportunity for these actors to shine, to display the complicated emotions their characters have with themes of duty, servitude, and selflessness. 

Robert Downey Jr., who has emotionally morphed throughout the journey as Ironman, and Chris Evans, who brings more insight than expected into a character who remains the steadfast compass of honorability for the Avengers, each shine bright in this early portion of the film. These two characters carry the heart of the story, and have throughout the course of these films. “Ironman”, with Downey’s foundation-setting performance, is still one of the best films of the entire franchise. One of the highlights of “Endgame” is watching Downey portray Tony Stark. 

The second hour of the film is where much of the fan service takes over, unfortunately in some negative ways. “Endgame” develops a dense maze of plot devices, some that don’t always make the most sense, spanning over the course of the 11-year history of these stories. It’s overly convoluted, often silly in both humorous and puzzling ways, but its focus is clearly set on the fans that have taken into this journey for so many years. If so much passion and heart weren’t dedicated throughout the entire film, with character development specifically, this centerpiece narrative would unravel the first act completely; it’s a compliment to the skill from directors Anthony and Joe Russo that they have weaved this immense story so well. 

Chris Hemsworth, who’s Thor has changed from a humdrum Shakespearean prototype into a witty and arrogant college jock of sorts, and Mark Ruffalo, who has always supplied a charm to the portrayal of the big green Hulk, are provided some scene stealing moments during this middle piece. These two characters compose most of the humor for “Endgame”. These Marvel films have established the value of having humor within the narrative, it helps when watching a grown man turn into a massive angry monster or listening to someone call themselves the “god of thunder”. 

The finale returns to form, mostly accomplishing the challenging feat of tying everything back together, offering some of the brightest moments for our heroes to do what they do best, and giving fans exactly what they have waited for…a fitting goodbye to 11-years of humor, heart, and heroics that have come to define the Avengers and the Marvel Cinematic Universe. 

Where do we go from here? I’m sure Marvel already has the next 11-years planned. 

Monte’s Rating

3.75 out of 5.00