Avengers: Age Of Ultron

PHASE THREE: BEGIN

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the blockbuster season of 2015!

And what a better way to start it, than with Marvel/Disney's newest instalment into their own cinematic universe, the sequel to the third highest-grossing film of all time, Avengers: Age of Ultron!

These days, it almost seems like there is no real point in writing a review about the newest Marvel film, since they continue to pull off this mind-blowing winning-streak.  They create such fantastic narratives, craft interesting and three-dimensional characters, and with the help of talented cinematographers and directors, keep the audience's attention glued to the screen and their butts firmly in their seats.

But does Age of Ultron manage to carry the heavy burden given to it by its predecessors?

The plot of Age of Ultron follows the team back together a few years after The Battle Of New York. They have become known throughout the world as "Earth's Mightiest Heroes" and they are constantly fighting the re-emerged H.Y.D.R.A..  However when a chance falls to Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) to kick-start a long-dormant global peacekeeping program, he takes the opportunity. This unwittingly awakens Ultron, an artificial intelligence designed to protect the planet. In Ultron's opinion, the best way to save the planet is by killing those who damage it the most; humans.  With the help of two genetically-altered twins with long-held grudges against a certain Avenger, Pietro and Wanda Maximoff (Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Elizabeth Olsen), Ultron begins his plot to save the Earth by destroying it.

The Avengers (titled Avengers Assemble in the UK) managed to successfully balance an entire film evenly between it's six main leads.  But now, not only do those six return, but now there is one main villain, two supporting-villains, dozens of supporting characters, the odd cameo from side-characters in different story-lines, hints at upcoming solo projects, shock twists, laugh out loud moments, heartbreaking romances, and even a mid-credits scene sure to make the fan-boys salivate. Director Joss Whedon manages to do ALL THIS without seemingly breaking a sweat, and no one comes across as underdeveloped or underused.  Everyone plays their part well and no one gets left behind.  It's remarkable.  There is even time to discover the much-needed backgrounds of Hawkeye and Black Widow, since the rest of the Avengers had their own movies to showcase theirs.

However a hero, or six of them, are only as good as the villain they face, and they meet an incredbily well-realised creation in Ultron (played by the magnificent James Spader).  He personifies and updates the very concept of a Frankenstein's Monster, (or should I say FrankenStark's Monster? Thank you very much!), hell-bent on destroying his creator.  His hypnotic voice oozes charisma, wit and intelligence but also demented psychological problems, making him eccentric enough to be likeable, but damaged enough to be imposing and terrifying.  In fact there are some scenes where little kids watching might be too scared of him, which isn't a bad thing.  Loki might have been mischievous and tyrannical, but he was human and never truly insane, instead now viewed as 'one of the hottest/coolest movie villains of all time'.  But Ultron is incredibly imposing and frightening from his very arrival into the film, giving The Avengers a true obstacle to overcome.

Despite its achievements, there are a few flaws to Joss Whedon's latest epic. A film such as this is mostly judged on its action scenes and whilst there are some fantastic car chases (similar to those of Captain America: The Winter Soldier), a few of the large-scale action scenes tend to endure for a little too long and the pace starts to suffer.  Similarly, whilst I understand the need to sow seeds into other side-projects and stand-alone Marvel films, some of the tangents the film goes on mildly disrupt the flow of the action and do it harm.

However, these are mere quibbles in the face of an overwhelmingly powerful juggernaut that is Avengers: Age of Ultron.  Watching a film as well-crafted as this, suitably darker in its tone than its predecessors with the correct amount of emotion mixed with action, just makes me worried for DCs attempt to bring The Justice League to the screen.  Can it match the level that has been set by these films?  Only time will tell.  Until then, it really is a golden-age for superhero movies and here's hoping Marvel can continue their golden run.

Rating - 9/10

Until next time folks, thanks for reading!

If you enjoyed what you read and you'd like to be kept more up to date with my posts, I can be found on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mike-Dunn-Reviews and on Twitter at https://twitter.com/MikeDunnReviews - if you want to help the site grow, give them a 'Like' or a 'Share'!

Child 44

NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND

Never has the phrase "The whole is less than the sum of its parts" been more apt.

Child 44 is set in Stalin-era Soviet Russia where Leo Demidov, a World War Two hero played by Tom Hardy, now works as an agent within the Soviet secret police.  After an investigation into a criminal spy ring, his wife (played by Noomi Rapace) is named as a potential conspirator.  Instead of renouncing his wife, the Demidovs are banished to a freezing, horrible part of the country, where Leo stumbles upon a serial killer preying upon young boys, having killed 44 in the recent past.  But in the supposed-paradise of Stalin's Soviet Russia, there is no such thing as murder, so Leo must do his own secret investigation into who the serial killer is without the help of his former comrades.

Despite my best efforts to jazz up the main storyline, the true selling point of Child 44 is undoubtedly the cast.  It's plastered over every poster, billboard and standee that you see, and for good reason:

Tom Hardy,
      Gary Oldman, 
              Noomi Rapace,
                       Paddy Considine,
                                   Jason Clarke,
                                            Vincent Cassel,
                                                        Charles Dance.

That is a cast list that any film would be lucky to feature.  And any ordinary film would probably use these actors to the best of their ability; but Child 44 is no ordinary film.  Due to the grim subject matter, as well as the harsh time and setting, the film has an overwhelming bleak narrative that never really eases up.  It's running time of 137 minutes is way too long as I was finding myself wishing for the film to be over before it was. Whole sections of the film could have been easily taken out and the overall narrative would not have been affected.

Whilst the adapted book may handle the several other plots well and balance them evenly, the film seems to jumble them up into a bit of a confusing mess; a romance sub-plot gets touched upon and then is never resolved, leaving the viewer unfulfilled and whilst Tom Hardy and Noomi Rapace get most of the screen time, I was praying for more Oldman, Considine, Clarke and Dance.  Their presence would have easily brightened up the dull, brown, murky boredom that is Child 44.

Whilst watching Child 44, I was reminded of The Lives of Others (Das Leben der Anderen), a German film most famous for shocking most of the world and beating Pan's Labyrinth to the Best Foreign Film Oscar in 2006.  The Lives of Others told a similarly paranoid and depressing story of an agent of the East German Secret Police in the 1980s.  It mainly takes place in an apartment building as the agent overhears the lives of a couple he suspects are spies.  Yet despite the restricted locations and budget of the film, it painted a much larger and entertaining world than Child 44.  It allowed you to connect with the protagonist and feel his internal struggle dealing with an oppressive and tyrannical leadership.  I felt no sympathy towards Leo Demidov.  I felt no connection to his plight or no understanding of why he loved his wife.  I was just simply told he does.  It left me annoyed and unsatisfied, wanting to go home and watch The Lives Of Others instead.

Whilst Child 44 does attempt to take potshots at Stalin's Soviet Russia and the hypocritical dystopia it became, they are such safe shots; there is no attempt to be memorable or particularly vocal.  "Yeah, we know that the communist society broke down into a paranoid, depressing time! Thanks for reminding us!"  After a while, especially towards the end, Child 44 just becomes one big disappointment and one that is currently tanking at the box-office and I fully understand why.

I wouldn't waste your time with Child 44, especially if you want to just for the cast.  Ocean's Eleven has a great cast, go watch that instead!  You'll have a much better time, I promise!

Rating - 4/10

Until next time folks, thanks for reading!

If you enjoyed what you read and you'd like to be kept more up to date with my posts, I can be found on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mike-Dunn-Reviews and on Twitter at https://twitter.com/MikeDunnReviews - if you want to help the site grow, give them a 'Like' or a 'Share'!

John Wick

ONE MAN AND HIS DOG

Despite John Wick being released back in October last year back in the States, all I was hearing was positive opinions and glowing reviews.  So when I sat down in the movie theatre, I was definitely ready for some mind-blowing revenge and I was not disappointed,

The plot of John Wick is so simple, it borders on fantastic. The son of a mob boss gets a bit too big for his boots and decides to steal the car of a random stranger he meets at a petrol station. Whilst he robs him, the mob son figures that he should kill the stranger's dog too (just because he can).  But it turns out that this stranger is actually John Wick (played by Keanu Reeves), an incredibly bad-ass retired hitman who now has a score to settle. Wick returns to the life he once left to enact revenge on those that were in the wrong place, messing with the wrong man.

It's so refreshing to just see an honest-to-God revenge film nowadays.  Not only that, but one that creates such a three-dimensional criminal world without spoon-feeding information to the viewer.  Everything we learn about John Wick and the organisations for which he used to work is told through the film's storyline and the interactions John encounters through his revenge.  Usually the hype around an imposing and capable character such as Wick is hyperbole and we never see anything to back up these opinions, but Reeves' demeanour and 'all-for-broke' attitude more than back up the legends of Wick's past ("He killed three men... with a pencil!").  The Continental Hotel in which John stays during his revenge is an especially fantastically-realised idea within the history of movie crime-underworlds.

Speaking of realistic, Keanu Reeves usually gets stick for his acting (or lack thereof) and I can't say I've not criticised him a few times for some wooden performances, but as John Wick, his icy demeanour throughout the incredibly-choreographed fight scenes matches the legend of 'the ultimate hitman' perfectly.  He constantly reminds the audience that this is a man that you should not f##k with.  Plus the connection he establishes with his pet dog Daisy in the opening few scenes is quite visible and allows the audience to connect to Wick before his whole world breaks down.

Reeves more than holds his own alongside the fantastic character actors that populate the film, such as Michael Nyqvist, Ian McShane, Willem Dafoe and Lance Reddick.  The only unfortunate stand-out is Alfie Allen (Game of Thrones' Theon Greyjoy) who still appears to be visibly acting and not just embodying his character, a problem he too often encounters in Game of Thrones too.  Any time he was on screen, I was reminded I was watching a film and it was an unwanted and constant distraction.

Whilst it won't be winning any Academy Awards, I thoroughly enjoyed the roller-coaster thrill-ride that was John Wick.  It doesn't take itself too seriously, has fun in the meantime and leaves you more than happy for the amount of money you paid to watch it.  I highly recommend checking it out.

Rating - 8/10

Until next time folks, thanks for reading!

If you enjoyed what you read and you'd like to be kept more up to date with my posts, I can be found on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mike-Dunn-Reviews and on Twitter at https://twitter.com/MikeDunnReviews - if you want to help the site grow, give them a 'Like' or a 'Share'!