Review: Avengers: Endgame (UK Cert 12A)

Five years after the devastation wrought by Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War, the survivors of the Snap must find their way in this new world. However, the reappearance of Scott Lang from the Quantum Realm (where he got stuck at the end of Ant-Man And The Wasp) provides the Avengers with an opportunity to reverse Thanos' handiwork and bring back those who were lost...

Do you know, I've started this review three times. Hopefully, fourth time will be the charm. I am going to try and do this spoiler-free because of two reasons: a) #DontSpoilTheEndgame (as if we would!) and b) I know that, once all three of us have seen it, we'll be recording a spoileriffic no-holds-barred discussion, so I'll leave the finer points of my thoughts until then. 

So, I'm going to try and discuss the film in general terms.

There was a lot I liked. Some lovely character moments, some great one-liners, and several strong performances (in particular from Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans, and Karen Gillan). There's also several surprise returns from previous MCU films which I liked (and most of them didn't feel like fan-service, although inevitably some did). There are several parts of the film that are visually stunning (as you can imagine) and the score by Alan Silvestri is superb. There are a couple of moments of real emotion- I cried twice in the film, and both moments were courtesy of the same character. 

That said, I did have a couple of issues with the film. 

The run-time of 3 hours 2 minutes is far too long. There's a good 30-40 minutes that could be lost with very little impact. In fact, if you check out any of the non-spoilery 'when can I go to the toilet during Endgame?' articles, you'll get a good general consensus on which bits aren't strictly necessary. One of my biggest niggles with the film comes with a pivotal moment which- although it makes narrative sense- was, for me, the wrong move. 

Something I have praised the MCU for in the past is their general coherence during big fight scenes: no matter how crowded the battlefield, you always know who you're meant to be following at any point and who they're up against. Sadly, this goes right out the window here. The final battle is SO big, SO epic (and rightly so), that it gets a bit muddy- dare I say, even a bit DC?- and the impact is lost. There's also several unnecessary uses of shakycam which annoys me greatly (although that's a personal thing) 

Part of me feels a bit bad for bringing up these criticisms. Anthony and Joe Russo have had an absolutely gargantuan task on their hands, marshalling this utter behemoth, and having to contend with the expectations of some of the most committed and passionate fans in the whole of geekdom. With a task that huge, you're never going to please everyone, and people will find different things they like and don't: several of my criticisms won't even occur to others and vice versa. 

I've discussed the film with several people since I saw it, and I think my overall opinion is this: for the most part, it's an enjoyable tribute to the MCU and a decent conclusion to the Infinity Saga; however, for me, it lacks the focus and the punch that made Avengers: Infinity War such an amazing film. 

Rating: 4 out of 5

Tez

Review: Arrival (UK Cert 12A)

Twelve spacecraft appear across the globe, speaking an unintelligible language. In the US, the army draft linguist Dr. Louise Banks (Amy Adams) to help interpret and communicate with the alien visitors and- on her insistence- take her to Montana so she can communicate with them directly. Alongside theoretical physicist Ian Donnelly (Jeremy Renner), Louise begins to speak to the aliens to discover the purpose behind their arrival.

Directed with flair by Denis Villeneuve (Sicario, Prisoners, Incendies), with a screenplay by Eric Heisserer (adapted from a Ted Chiang short story entitled 'Story Of Your Life'), Arrival is a thoughtful, mature slice of sci-fi.

Let's address this right now. Amy Adams' performance was utterly superb and I can see exactly why there were cries of 'snub' when the Oscar nominations were announced. She can most certainly count herself unlucky to have missed out for one of the strongest performances she's ever given. She carries the emotional weight of the film- she is the heart and soul of it- and is just heartbreaking in certain scenes. Louise is fragile, but not weak; compassionate, but not a bleeding-heart; assured, but not arrogant. Another brilliant performance from one of the best actresses of her generation. 

Renner is also strong as the geeky, easy-going Ian. There's a really strong chemistry between Renner and Adams which helps to sell the interactions between Ian and Louise which is always good. Whilst the story is very much focused on Louise as the main character, Renner shines when he's on screen. There's strong support by Forest Whitaker as Colonel Weber, who helps recruit Louise in the first place; what could have been a fairly generic, by-the-numbers Army role is lifted by Whitaker's warm and sympathetic performance. There are also nice turns by Michael Stuhlbarg and Tzi Ma as an unsympathetic FBI agent and a bellicose Chinese general respectively. 

Technically, the film is very accomplished. The visual effects, from the design of the spacecraft to the design of the aliens and their linguistic symbols, are all superb. The score, by Johann Johannsson, is also sublime. 

The reveal of what the aliens' purpose is will probably make or break the film for you. I personally liked it, and found it interesting, but I can understand why some people might not agree with it. I found it raised some interesting psychological and philosophical questions which have stayed with me long after the film. 

If you like your sci-fi a little more cerebral, a little deeper than standard, then definitely give this a go. Also, don't be put off by the awards hype- it is truly deserving of the accolades it has received.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Tez

Review: Captain America: Civil War (UK Cert 12A)

The third phase of Marvel's Cinematic Universe opens with a bang, pitting the Avengers against each other. When political forces plan to put a panel in place to oversee the Avengers- following the destruction in New York and Sokovia as well as a mission in Lagos which goes awry- the team splits with Tony Stark/Iron Man on the side of the politicians and Steve Rogers/Captain America against. In amongst all this, old secrets are revealed causing a further schism between the two former friends.

The cast list is huge and it is truly a more of an ensemble piece, in line with the Avengers films, which has led some fans to wonder whether this should have been an Avengers film, rather than a Captain America one. In some ways that would be right because there are so many characters flying around (literally in some cases) and it's a fine balancing act to make sure that they're not just window-dressing and all have something to do. But the main heart of the story is the relationship between Steve and Tony and Steve and Bucky so it warrants being a 'Captain America' film. 

Performances are superb across the board; most of the actors have played these characters for years, so they fit right back into them. Evans is great as the all-American hero, determined that his own judgement is more valid than government interference, whilst Downey Jr falls back into the snarky, sarcastic Stark whose own guilt leads him to support the Sokovia Accords. Even though a lot has been made in the trailer of the rift between the two men- 'He's my friend'/'So was I'- it is powerful stuff to see the two allies go at each other. 

Of the new cast, both Chadwick Boseman and Tom Holland really impress and really stand out- no mean feat given the calibre of the cast they're working with. Boseman is a dignified yet dangerous T'Challa/Black Panther, whose introduction really works and his own vendetta against Bucky adds yet another layer to the film. Holland is a wonderfully geeky and gauche Peter Parker/Spider-Man and he adds a much needed modicum of levity whenever he's on screen. I have to be honest, I didn't believe they'd actually cast Marisa Tomei as Aunt May- there's a running joke in the film that she doesn't look old enough to be someone's aunt- but they have and she's pretty good.  

The action sequences are generally good, although there's a lot of kinetic shakycam during the Lagos scene which made me feel a bit nauseous (it's a purely personal thing but I can't stand it). The big smackdown- Team Cap v Team IronMan at the Leipzig airport- is choreographed really well and, importantly, you can tell who is doing what to whom. 

From hereon out, the MCU is branching away from the Avengers- with Doctor Strange, Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2 and Spider-Man: Homecoming up next before the third solo Thor film. This will be a good way to rest the characters. Given how the film ends, it'll be interesting to see how they get the team back together to take on Infinity War.

I may run the risk of being accused of being a Marvel fanboy but Captain America: Civil War is one of the most enjoyable films I've seen so far this year and is another strong entry into the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Rating: 5 out of 5

Tez

Review: Avengers: Age Of Ultron (UK Cert 12A)

2012's Avengers Assemble was- it's fair to say- a bit of a hit. Under the virtuoso direction of Joss Whedon (an absolute maestro with ensemble casts), it pulled together the disparate characters that had appeared in the previous Marvel movies and brought them together as a team. Whedon is back behind the lens for Avengers: Age Of Ultron. 

The Avengers have to face a new threat- one inadvertently created by Tony Stark himself. When Stark jumpstarts a dormant peacekeeping programme- the Ultron initiative, designed to bring 'peace in our time'- things get out of hand pretty quickly and the team have to hunt down the rogue Ultron before his plans come to fruition. 

All of the regular actors just fit right back into the characters they've helped create, whilst the new cast and returning faces from previous Marvel films all add to the excitement.

James Spader was a perfect casting choice to voice the villainous Ultron. He has one of those ridiculously silky, sensual voices- anyone familiar with The Blacklist will know what I mean- which is used to good effect here. Ultron's seductive purr as he plots his schemes is a pure joy.

New cast members Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Elizabeth Olsen fit into the already huge cast really well- whilst I preferred Evan Peters' more comedic take on Quicksilver from X-Men: Days Of Future Past, Taylor-Johnson acquits himself well as the super-speedy Pietro. Olsen is just brilliant as Wanda (a.k.a. Scarlet Witch) and her mind-control powers provide the film with some of the best, most freaky and most moving moments. There's a great turn by Andy Serkis as arms dealer Ulysses Klaue and an unsettlingly sinister cameo by Julie Delpy. 

The script, also by Whedon, is jam-packed with smart one-liners and some real laugh-out-loud moments- which is great because there's a lot of drama and one scene in particular which I found unexpectedly very moving. 

The direction is really strong (as you would expect) even if there's a lot more movement of the camera than I remember from Avengers Assemble. Some of the action set-pieces look fantastic and may even warrant seeing the film in 3D- I saw the 2D version.

Go into this film as spoiler-free as you can. Seriously. So much happens that is unexpected and moving and funny and just downright entertaining that to know about it in advance would be to take the enjoyment right out of the film. I could write about this for hours, detailing every nuance that made me laugh or touched me. But I won't. All I will say is this: another absolute triumph for Marvel.

Rating: 5 out of 5

Tez

Review: Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters (UK Cert 15)

Hansel And Gretel: Witch Hunters. The title tells you all you need to know. It's one of those does-what-it-says-on-the-tin titles (a bit like Snakes On A Plane or Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter). 

It starts just the same as the Brothers Grimm fairytale it rips off. As children, Hansel and Gretel are left in the wood by their father and can't find their way home. They find a gingerbread house and a witch who lures them in to fatten them up to eat. They turn the tables and kill the witch. The witch-hunting then becomes their career. As adults (Jeremy Renner and Gemma Arterton), they're asked to find the witch who is stealing children away from a small village. However, what they uncover is no simple abduction- the powerful witch Muriel (Famke Janssen) has a plan to make all witches fire-proof. But first they just need one last ingredient- the heart of a Grand White Witch.

It's difficult to know where exactly to begin. Actually, no, it isn't. Tommy Wirkola, the writer and director of this unadulterated piece of tripe, should never be allowed to even write a shopping list again if this is the best he can come up with. What's worse, a studio actually GREENLIT this. Someone actually heard this idea and thought 'That'll make a good movie! Here, have lots of money'.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm not one of these people who thinks that all cinema has to be art, or that every screenplay ever written has to be award-worthy. I'll happily sit through a blockbuster as much as an arthouse flick. But what I do ask is that the script is entertaining, doesn't rely on overworn cliches and generally has more substance than a one-line title pitch. 

All the usual tropes are used- distrustful townsfolk, a white witch in hiding, painful revelations about the main characters' past- and none to any surprising or entertaining effect. The script is uneven and utterly predictable: when one particular character dies at the hands of the witch, they ask Hansel to do something for them. Jokingly, I said 'kill the f****** b****'. Guess what? That's exactly what they said. Lazy and not that funny. 

Another issue I have is the portrayal of the central female character. Gretel is painted as a kick-ass no-nonsense action heroine, but for a kick-ass no-nonsense action heroine, she sure is put in situations where she has to be saved by a man an awful lot, the most distasteful of which is a potential rape by the boorish sheriff (Peter Stormare). When you consider that the whole point of the historic anti-witchcraft trials was the degradation of women who didn't toe the line, it's unsurprising to find a virulent strain of misogyny shot through the film, which I found unpleasant.

Both Renner and Arterton are better actors than this. So is Famke Janssen for that matter, who sadly relies on slicing the ham quite thick. But that's down to how she's been directed. Some of the make-up looks cheap and shoddy, some of the visual effects were just dreadful and- once again- you could tell which bits were added in for the 3D cinema release.

Am I overthinking things? Maybe. Am I asking too much of a film with a title as blatant as Hansel And Gretel: Witch Hunters? Probably. I'm sure there are people who enjoyed this and could let it wash over them without too much fuss, a film as insubstantial as candyfloss and forgotten as soon as they walked out of the cinema. Sadly I'm not one of those people and the film quickly passed from so-bad-it's-actually-good to just bad.

What stops this from being a zero-star review? Not much, to be honest. I liked maybe one or two ideas (Hansel being diabetic due to eating too much candy as a child, for instance) but the rest is just woeful. Avoid.

Rating: 1 out of 5

Tez

Programme 20 - The Bourne Legacy, The Expendables 2 and The Wedding Video

In this action-packed edition, we review The Bourne Legacy and The Expendables 2; we also take a look at British comedy The Wedding Video and pay tribute to the late, great Tony Scott.

In addition to the latest film news, keep watching for a very special announcement at the end of the show...

Enjoy! 

Programme 12: Comic Book Movies Special (including Avengers Assemble review)

Programme 12 is our super-extended bumper Comic Book Movie special, in honour of the UK release of Avengers Assemble and is now available on VideoMajic!

It's fair to say that we were both downright excited about this, so much so that we went on opening night and even saw it in 3D. But did it live up to the anticipation? Find out our thoughts in the main review.

However, we also discuss our favourite and least favourite comic book movies and formulate the Watchers definitive best and worst comic book movie lists. Included in the discussions are such movies as The Dark Knight, Captain America: The First Avenger, The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen and Catwoman but where were they placed?

There is also a brief discussion of upcoming comic book movies and some comic book movie news!

Please click here and here for podcast versions - podcast subscribers also get an exclusive bonus podcast where we discuss Avengers Assemble in full, geeky and (be warned) spoiler-y detail.