Blue Beetle: Another Flop For The DCEU

Summary

Jamie Reyes, played by Xolo Maridueňa, gets the power of the scarab in the latest troubled chapter in the DCEU.

So I will give this film props Maridueňa makes for a likeable lead and his goofy sort of nerdy energy does help this film to avoid a lot of the issues that some of the other DCEU films have with being overly serious. Again I found Jamie as a character to be very relatable, his journey was one I feel a lot of the audience could be on board with: trying to find your place in the world, get your crush to like you, be seen well in the eyes of your family etc, all of these things made the character work.

The wider focus on family as a theme also added a lot to the film, and it is humorous that in the same year we had Shazam Fury Of The Gods a film that wants to be all about family but that forgets what it means pretty early on and instead takes things in a much more obnoxious direction. Here I felt like the family Reyes felt real they felt like a normal family and I bought there interactions a lot more than in the Shazam sequel.

The superhero stuff was where this film fell down for me, this is an origin story you have all seen before sure not in the context of Blue Beetle but with other superheroes and it just came off to me at least like a knock off Spider-Man. Regular guy gets powers and then finds himself in over his head and having to protect his loved ones, the only difference is a spider bite to a sort of technological symbiote.

The evil villain being some blood thirsty corporate shark/arms dealer was again incredibly cliché, there might have been some supposed commentary in this decision but honestly I just didn’t care about this section of the film at all, and it was pretty clear Susan Sarandon was only there for the money.

Overall, it was okay Jamie and his family worked well and I would like to see more of their world but none of it matters as it will all be cleaned away by the reboot, and yes they said oh Blue Beetle is a part of the new DCU, but after the box office it pulled it is as dead as the dodos.

3.5/5

Pros.

Jamie

His family

The relatability

The humour

Cons.

The superhero stuff is boring

The villain is super weak

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Mission Impossible Dead Reckoning Part One: It Is The Hobbit All Over Again

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

Ethan Hunt, played by Tom Cruise, is back for another go around the sun.

This was disappointing, not majorly hence the score but I just thought it could have been so much more. I think the decision to split the film into two parts was a bad idea and led to this one being far too light. What I mean by that is that if this was a tighter narrative and crucially one film then a lot of what happened would have been much quicker and less drawn out. As it stands there are scenes like the one set in an airport for example, that first introduces us to Hayley Atwell’s character, that just drag on. To be tighter and better these scenes could have been cut in half.

Moreover, whilst I liked the plot of the film and the idea of them facing off against a rogue AI and people from Hunt’s past I thought that the decision to overlook a lot of the franchise’s recurring character’s in favour of Hayley Atwell’s newcomer was a poor decision. Don’t get me wrong Atwell’s new character was fine, but we barely got to see any scenes with Hunt and his side men or find out really what had been going on with them between films. I think the biggest missed opportunity on this front was Ilsa, played by Rebecca Ferguson. We do get some insight into what she had been doing and she is in a sense pivotal to the plot, but I just feel like we barely get any time with her before she is killed off, this very act cost the film a point form me because within the last two films she had been the most interesting character so to see her die midway into the big two part finale was a bad decision.

The action was good and what you would expect, the stunts I would say were a little lacklustre when compared to the previous films in the franchise but again they had written themselves into a corner, there are only so many things they can feasibly do and there has been a lot of these films at this point.

Overall, it sets an interesting tone for going into what I assume to be the final film, however by ignoring its side characters and out and out killing Ilsa the film left me disappointed.

3/5

Pros.

The action

It is serviceable

The plot has a few interesting dimensions and sets up for an interesting finale

Cons.

Ilsa

The pacing is awful

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Secret Invasion: Another Act Of MCU Self Harm

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

Nick Fury, played by Samuel. L. Jackson returns to earth to try and stop a Skrull terrorist network. This will be an overview of the series.

Deary me, after all the talk of Marvel’s decline they decide to bring this out. Now I am not one for saying that if you adapt a comic storyline you have to do so faithfully and with due reverence, however, this feels like spitting on the face of the comic and replacing it with something that can only be described as hot and steaming.

I think my major issue with this is that rather than be a big epic event like in the comics it is so small scale that you question the budget for the show. One has to ask could they not afford Brie Larson’s salary to get her to appear, as Captain Marvel is deeply tied to the Skrulls. They dredge out the idea that this is person for Fury and this is his last go around, and then are too afraid to kill him off, making it all null.

The new characters added are pretty rancid, I will give the show that I am interested to see more of Olivia Colman’s British secret agent character only really because I am a fan of Colman and also I hope it leads to Excalibur. However, outside of Colman the rest are non-entities. We have a new American president, who is an obvious Trump parallel, because that is what the MCU really needed, another group of terrorists where the show tries to be sympathetic and goes oh but actually they were let down by an MCU hero so that makes them complex and nuanced, when they are just terrorists. Then there is Emilia Clarke’s G’iah, yet another overly power CGI hero because we don’t already have enough of them, there is nothing likeable or interesting about her character, hopefully she will be one that Marvel just lets drop off the grid and quietly die.

Overall, another milestone in the decline and death of the MCU.

1/5

Pros.

Colman

Cons.

It ruins Nick Fury in a pretty big way

It spits on the comics storyline

It is boring and awfully paced

The budgeting concerns were readily apparent

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Fast X: Running Out Of Road

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

The Fast Family have yet another figure from their past set out to seek revenge upon them.

These movies are getting tired, it is always the same thing over and over again. I know no one is coming to these films for their sparkling and thoughtful plots, but at the same time that doesn’t mean they have to be boring and repetitive, they should try a little.

What I would appreciate about this film is if death mattered. By that I mean in the final act of the film a number of characters are seemingly killed off and I have a feeling that these deaths will be reversed immediately at the start of the next film which will ruin the stakes and prove that death is meaningless in this universe. Having Jason Momoa’s villain killing off a number of beloved members of the family would set him up as being an important villain, enough to top all who have come before him and be worthy of the finale, but I have a feeling they might just give him Jacob’s, played by John Cena, death. I thinking killing off Cena’s character is stupid as he wasn’t around long enough to feel important as such his death is fairly meaningless.

I think the best thing about this film is the new blood. Brie Larson and Daniela Melchior both have great scenes throughout the film and help to bring in some new character dynamics that break the same old same old that we are getting sick of with this franchise. Larson in particular should have a much bigger role in the next film as she is electric here.

Overall, more spectacle, but does it mean anything?

3/5

Pros.

It is silly

The new characters

Mamoa is having a lot of fun

Cons.

The deaths feel meaningless and easily reversed

Vin Diesel gives his worst performance in years

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Sisu: Fighting The Nazi Charge

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

A retired soldier turned gold prospector, played by Jorma Tommila , must take up arms once again when the Nazi’s try and hoard in on his find.

I had been looking forward to this one for a while, and after having seen it I can honestly say it was fine. Nothing more, nothing less.

I liked the setting and the fact that it explored a conflict that is not often covered within war films. Moreover, I thought the lore of the film and the prospector’s backstory, very much like with John Wick, were good and well developed. The creative teams behind both this and Wick really do worldbuilding well.

However, something I didn’t like about it was that it carried over something that really made me turn on the last John Wick film and that is the unbelievability. I like that within these films even though the protagonist is an elite killer they still face a threat of death as it helps to keep things interesting. However, here as with the last Wick film, the threat of death is removed and these characters are shown to be superhuman surviving everything with a grunt. Though this might seem amusing, and it is at first, it quickly becomes boring thereafter.

Overall, an interesting premise let down by a superhero lead.

2.5/5

Pros.

Exploring less common areas of history in cinema

An interesting premise

Good action

Cons.

By removing the threat of death it all just becomes pointless

It has pacing issues

The Nazi villains are barely even characters

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The Mother: The Embarrassing State Of Netflix’s Action Output

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

The Mother, played by Jennifer Lopez, formed a bond with a child she gave away years ago and now needs to save her.

This film was just embarrassing. It was embracing for Jennifer Lopez as try as she might she just doesn’t have the presence to be a believable action hero. I know that the straight to DVD action market is a lucrative thing, with the likes of Ruby Rose getting several nice but small paydays throughout the year for a few sleepwalked performances, but unlike Rose Lopez just isn’t believable in the role at all. They could have maybe helped her along by developing the character out into being unconventional in some way or maybe even having her as a hacker, though I question if Lopez would have fit that role either, but having her as an assassin is laughable.

It is embarrassing for Netflix that this is the quality of action film they are putting out, again very much like something that in the previous decade would have gone straight to DVD and sold at a rock bottom price. When you look at the quality of studio action films with the likes of John Wick then this film looks even more like no one cared enough to make it good or more importantly look good. Then when you further compare it to international action films like The Raid then this film looks appallingly bad.

Netflix as a studio, needs to find their niche of films and stick to it as action clearly isn’t for them, they are throwing away masses of money on films like this, The Grey Man, Extraction and so on and all of them can never get anywhere even remotely above average on their best days.

Overall, a waste of time.

1/5

Pros.

I’m struggling but it wasn’t offensive so I can’t give it less.

Cons.

Lopez is miscast

The action is awful

It is generic

It has pacing issues

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Planet Terror: Go-Go Gore

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

The survivors of a biochemical disaster must face off against zombie like creatures and the military.

So of the two Grindhouse films this is clearly the better. Whilst not perfect, this film is far more enjoyable, both in terms of having a style and a charm that I could easily get on board with as well as having characters that I actually cared about.

I am a big fan of Robert Rodriguez, I like most of his more adult orientated content, and this film proves why I feel that way. It has such a personality and soul and never stops trying to be interesting. I liked the tone the film set and how it managed to swing between irreverent and dramatic at the same time whilst still managing to also gets some rad kills in along the way.

I really do think that Rose McGowan is terrific here. Her lead is both one that you end up rooting for but also one that is full of twists and surprises and is a very interesting character that Rodriguez should consider going back to in his future work.

My main issues with the film is that some of the ideas and themes don’t age well, as well as the fact that zombies, and yes I know these aren’t zombies in the traditional sense, feel very overdone and just boring at times. Due to this I am more interested in the army villains within the film instead, but these do end up feeling underdeveloped at times.

Overall, the better half of Grindhouse but also not without its own issues.

3/5

Pros.

McGowan

The tone and the style

The gore

Cons.

It feels dated

The zombie threat seems overly familiar and played out

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Death Proof: Tarantino’s Mistake

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

A serial killer stuntman, played by Kurt Russell, hunts down young women in modified cars.

If nothing else this film proves no one is perfect. For as many great films as Quentin Tarrantino has made across his career there always had to be a dud, it is the law of averages, and this is that dud.

This is easily Tarrantino’s worst film, with a story that is utterly simplistic and lacks any of his usual charm or whit. I understand that it is trying to parody exploitation films and evoke those sort of ideas, but this only serves to make the film worse. The exploitation nature of the premise leads to the film quickly becoming repetitive and bland.

Worse yet is the idea that this film is a black comedy. Not only does the humour not work it really barely comes through at all. When it is present it is you laughing at the film for how bad it is, was this what Tarrantino wanted?

Overall, Tarrantino’s worst film by quite a margin.

1/5

Pros.

It gives us a few laughs at how bad it is.

Cons.

The humour doesn’t work

The exploitation elements don’t hold up

It lacks any kind of charm

It is repetitive

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Assassin Club: Give Noomi Rapace More Action Roles Please

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

An assassin, played by Henry Golding, must kill his fellow assassins before they kill him.

The premise is very worn, many films have been there before and this one doesn’t change it at all, who know right where it is going and every twist and turn is completely guessable.

However, the enjoyment of this film comes from its surprisingly good performances. Noomi Rapace steals the show as her unhinged villain Falk, but the real power of her performance comes from how well and distinguished Rapace plays both Falk and her day time persona of a government agent. The duality in her performance is palpable, and you really do feel as though she is playing two different characters. Moreover, Daniela Melchior is also a very welcome addition to the cast. After impressing in The Suicide Squad a few years back I like what she did with the role here, and think that she elevated it beyond simply being the girlfriend in distress. Golding of course was a capable leading man, but I would say that Rapace acted circles around him at every turn.

Another thing to give this film credit for is it’s fight scenes. Though at times they were a little choppy the fight scenes were well done throughout and some of them felt really quite intense and bone breaking which is nice when thinking about the sea of mediocre fight scenes that exist within the action genre.

Overall, don’t watch this for something new because it isn’t . Instead it takes the familiar and repackages it in a fairly enjoyable way with good performances and strong action. Not a must see.

3/5

Pros.

Solid action

Rapace

Melchior

Cons.

Familiar

Easily guessable

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RRR: The Sun Sets On The British Empire

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

Two Indian revolutionaries, played by N.T Rama Rao Jr and Ram Charan, wage war on the British Crown.

I think this film has a little bit of everything. It has epic action scenes that are both intense and beautifully shot, it has fantastic and surprisingly catchy musical numbers and a good message about standing up for what you believe in and staying true to yourself.

I think the most impressive moment of the whole film comes within the opening act wherein Charan’s character is tasked with arresting a protestor who has just smashed a picture of the King with a rock. What follows is one of the best uses of slow motion I have seen in recent cinema, coupled with the fact that the fight gets gory and isn’t afraid to let the hero get hurt, it is incredibly effective.

I also think that the two leading men have great chemistry which is really important as basically throughout the film their character become metaphorical brothers and as such the bond needs to be believable. I thought each played off the other really well and both had moments of action hero prowess as well as relatability.

The one area where I had an issue with the film, and I know that it is fairly predictable, is with the pacing and the length of the film. I understand that the film is supposed to be an epic and that entails a certain scope and runtime, but I think also that the film has a lot of filler which could be cut out in order to make it a more streamlined and enjoyable viewing experience. Take a lot of the strange romantic comedy esque moments that are placed into the second act for example they could be removed and it would better the pace of the film by a lot.

Overall, the film is fun and has a lot to enjoy in it, however, the incredibly slow pace does hurt it.

3.5/5

Pros.

The action

The two leads

It is a lot of fun

The songs

Cons.

The pacing

Sometimes there are tonal issues

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