What If: The World Lost Its Mightiest Heroes

4/5

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

Someone is killing off Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, what would a world look like where the Avengers never formed?

The concept of this is far more interesting than the previous Star Lord episode, that is already a point in its favour as far as I am concerned.

I thought it was a little awkward how Black Widow centric this episode is considering what is going on with Scarlett Johansson and Disney in the real world, however she is not voiced by Johannsson here. I thought the mystery was actually quite well done and surprising, and much like the first episode this is a reality I would like to explore again in later seasons of the show.

The one thing I would say about this episode in a negative light is that it is the first time within the show were I have thought how limiting the ‘no new characters’ rule is. Can you imagine the finale of this episode whereby Nick Fury stands with a whole different team of Avengers to defeat Loki, maybe with some faces we have not even met yet, personally I think it would have been a hugely exciting moment.

That aside I think this is a fairly strong episode, I enjoyed the voice cast and thought everyone seemed to be having fun especially Lake Bell as Black Widow and Clark Gregg as Agent Coulson.

Overall, fun and with a dense premise rich for further exploration.

Pros.

The mystery

Bringing back scenes from The Incredible Hulk

The ending

Coulson and Black Widow

Cons.

They should have used the death of the Avengers as a spring board to introduce some new characters.

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Iron Man 2: Poison In The Heart

3/5

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

Tony Stark, Robert Downey Jr, has to answer the sins of his father and hold off the US Government from stealing his property.

So to many this is one of the worst films in the MCU, however, I enjoy it. I enjoyed it when I first watched it in cinemas, I enjoyed it when I first watched the DVD and I enjoyed it when I rewatched it recently. There are a plethora of reasons for this.

Unlike a lot of people I actually find Mikey Rourke’s Whiplash to be an interesting villain and Sam Rockwell is a lot of fun as Tony’s jealous rival. Are they the best written of all the MCU villains? No of course not, but I enjoyed Rourke’s cartoonish evil performance, and Rockwell’s pathetic yet trying to pretend not to be character. I found both amusing.

Moreover, I really like what they do with Rhodey, Don Cheadle, here. I am a big War Machine fan and I like when they have the final showdown with the two of them just going to town on all those drones. I think across the tapestry of the MCU Rhodey has been deprived of anything even close to a cool moment, and this is as good as it gets for him. I thought the final scene of Tony, Rhodey and Pepper, Gwyneth Paltrow, on the roof together was hilarious and a good indication of things to come.

However, something that does become more uncomfortably apparent when rewatching is just how much of a creep Tony Stark is. As a kid watching these films in the cinema Tony was my favourite character but watching them again now you notice how he is around women. Not only is he a misogynist, but he also literally only sees the women around him as sexual objects, for an example of what I am talking about one simply has to look at how he treats Natasha Romanoff, Scarlett Johansson, when they first meet, and he thinks she is just one of his employees. He is a creep.

Overall, I like it a lot more than a lot of other people, but I can see its flaws.

Pros.

Rhodey

The final fight

The roof top scene

Cons.

Tony is a creep

How they introduce Black Widow

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The Incredible Hulk: The Black Sheep Of The MCU

2.5

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

Bruce Banner, Edward Norton, is on a quest to calm the beast inside whilst being perused by the US government who is keen to experiment on him.

Yes, I finally got around to watching this.

For many it is a toss up between this film and Thor The Dark World for worst film in the MCU, with some even going so far as to want this be made noncanonical and though I think that is a slight over reaction I can see where they are coming from.

Now though this film is not terrible, it is also by no means good. It lacks a lot of the things that make a Marvel film good, the heart, the likeable characters, the cameos. These missing elements are only made worse by the fact the every time the Hulk is on-screen you are horrified by how poor the effects look.

It is not the worst film I have ever seen and there are even moments where the film is watchable, but these are too few and far between. I liked seeing Hulk on the run, but then we just get bombarded with scene after lifeless scene of Hulk fighting generic army tropes throughout the film and it doesn’t get any more interesting if anything it goes the other way.

Overall, a lesser quality to what came before and after.

Pros.

It is watchable

The fight Hulk fight scene is interesting and cool and then after that it all just becomes more of the same

Cons.

It is boring

None of the characters are hugely likeable

Plot holes on top of plot holes

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Loki: For All Time, Always

4.5/5

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

Loki and Sylvie meet the man in the castle and learn a lot about the multiverse. Meanwhile Mobius and other rogue TVA agents bring down the organisation that has proven to be a lie to them.

I called this a while ago, though Wandavison was being billed as the project that would effectively bring on the Multiverse of Madness, I had guessed that in fact it would be Loki– I was right.

I think this could be the best episode of the series, it delivers on nearly every front. The only reason I didn’t give it full marks is because I thought the TVA resolution with Owen Wilson’s Mobius was a little weak and that Gugu Mbatha-Raw’s Renslayer also gets short-changed by the episode: I would assume both of these things will be made up for by a later movie or TV show, but I was hoping we could have got that here. Really the episode could have done with being about half an hour longer.

However, on the other side of things the Loki Sylvie plot line totally delivers. We get Kang, played wonderfully by Jonathan Majors or at least a multiverse version of the character and the promise of far more to come. Though this section of the episode is a little exposition heavy, I did find it all interesting as it sets up the next few years of the MCU, if not beyond that as well.

The ending of the Loki Sylvie romance is as heart-breaking as I was expecting it to be, but luckily neither of them died so it can be continued in future. I thought both Hiddleston and Di Martino gave very strong performances here that really resonated. I hope we get to see far more of Di Martino going forward in the MCU.

Finally, I wanted to mention the end tease wherein Loki finds himself in another dimension one that has already been conquered by Kang and say that I am very excited for season two I think the show is heading in a very interesting direction.

Overall one of the best episodes of a Marvel Disney + show to date.

Pros.

Kang

The multiverse

The ending tease

Sylvie and Loki

Cons.

Mobius and Renslayer

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Black Widow: The Young Live To Right The Mistakes Of Their Parent’s Past

4/5

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

Natasha Romanoff, Scarlet Johansson, returns to fix the mistakes on her past and finally undo the red in her ledger.

The first Marvel release back in cinemas had a lot riding on it, and I think it delivered.

Spoilers ahead.

The first thing I will say about this film is that it is very personal. If you are going in looking for the film that will set up the next Avengers this is not it. There is some connective tissue thrown in, but more or less this is quite self-contained. Which I feel is both a good thing and a bad thing, it is good as it allows for Natasha, her story and her world to stand on their own, but it is also bad as it can feel underwhelming at times especially if you go in with crossover expectations.

Moreover, those that did not like Falcon and the Winter Soldier because it was topical and was heavily influenced by racial issues will almost certainly not like this either- but who cares what they think? The beating heart of this film is an angry comment on women’s place not just within the MCU but also in the wider world to, the widows in this film have their literal free will taken away by the villains, they are entirely controlled by the evil man in charge. The commentary isn’t subtle, but it is strikingly accurate, and it does make you aware to how some men/parts of society treat women.

I felt as a swansong for Natasha within the MCU the film works well and gives her ‘final story’ a lot of power and impact to make sure the character goes out on a high. To that end I enjoyed her ‘family’, I thought Florence Pugh was terrific, I don’t like the notion that this is her breakout film as she has been doing great things for a while, but she really knocks it out of the park here and is a scene stealer. Furthermore, David Harbour’s Red Guardian is also a lot of fun and he gets the best jokes in the film. If I had to pick an odd one out of the family quartet it would be Rachel Weisz’s Melina who really doesn’t get much to do and spends a lot of the film as a glorified side character.

Additionally, the film does feature Taskmaster as the film’s sub-villain and though I won’t spoil the identity reveal here, I will say the film flips the character on it’s head and it does not go the way you are expecting. Personally, as someone who is a fan of the comics Taskmaster character I found the new version this film gives us to be sorely lacking, but you know what they say about villains in the MCU.

In terms of the wider big bad of the film that role goes to Ray Winstone’s Dreykov. As a sleezy tough guy type the role is perfectly cast, Winstone doesn’t get a huge amount to do when he is on screen beyond generally being evil, but he does manage to leave an impact. In that regard I just want to say that this may be at times one of the darkest films in the MCU so far, and the opening sequence of the sisters early days in the Black Widow program is particularly troubling, child friendly? I honestly don’t think so.

There is a post credits scene at the end of the film, and it sees Julia Louise Dreyfus’s character from the aforementioned Falcon and the Winter Soldier return to recruit Pugh’s Yelena to go after ‘the man who murdered her sister’, as I predicted setting up for a clash between her and Hawkeye in his Disney + series later this year.

Overall, a strong return to the cinema for Marvel though one that is not without issues.

Pros.

The social commentary

The poignant emotional goodbye

The new characters established

The post credits scene

Cons.

Slightly underwhelming at times

Taskmaster and the return of Marvel’s issue with villains

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Loki: The Nexus Event

4/5

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

Loki and Sylvie come face to face with the Time Keepers and Mobius slips into an existential crisis regarding who he is.

This was a big episode of Loki. I think this is a strong episode for sure, though again much like with the previous episode I would say it could have done with being about ten minutes longer. A lot happens in this episode, and a slightly longer run time would have really given these reveals proper time to set themselves up and be impactful- as they are they feel rushed.

That aside, this episode has a lot going for it. Owen Wilson’s Mobius is back and better than ever, some of the scenes between Mobius and Tom Hiddleston’s Loki are incredibly well done and the performances from both men are simply terrific. There is a lot unspoken between the two, but the bond does feel real, and they are easily my favourite duo in the MCU. The ending of the episode broke my heart with regard’s to Wilson’s character, I can only hope he will come back at some point in the future as the mid credits scene seems to imply.

Moreover, Sophia DiMartino’s Sylvie really comes into her own this week as we learn more about her origin. As strange as it might be to say I quite like the relationship between the two versions of Loki in the MCU and I would like to see them get a chance to be together in the MCU. I think the end of the episode really leaves Sylvie in a very interesting position and it will be fascinating to see where she goes next.

The Time Keepers reveal, which I won’t spoil here, feels somewhat of an anticlimactic cop out but it also works for the show and points to an even bigger game/mystery afoot. The mid credits scene is definitely worth sitting through the credits for as it changes how you see the whole show once again and flips it on its head.

Overall, fun and exciting but it could have been longer and better set up.

Pros.

Loki and Sylvie

Loki and Mobius

The return of Lady Sif

The mid credits scene

Cons.

It is too short

The Time Keepers reveal is a little underwhelming

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Batman The Long Halloween: Falling Back In Love With Batman

4/5

Written by Luke Barnes

I have been less than impressed with the last few DC animated offerings I have watched; however this film bucks that trend and is not only fun to watch, but also reminds me why I fell in love with the Batman world and mythos in the first place.

This is one of the few times when I have not red the source material before heading into a direct adaption of a comic like this, so I can’t say how faithfully it sticks to the original book. What I can say is that after watching this film it makes me want to read the comic and find out more about this story.

I found the mystery and plot to be engaging and interesting throughout. I enjoyed watching Batman try and figure out the mystery of the holiday killer, and I thought that it was fascinating to see this through the lens of a Batman who has not yet become the World’s Greatest Detective. I think this intrigue has been what a lot of recent DC animated films have been sorely lacking.

Moreover, I was pleased to see how many villains made an appearance here, and though there are quite a few the film does not feel overcrowded, rather each are given there moment to shine and then are quickly replaced with another threat.

Overall, a fun ride that reminded me why I care about Batman as a character.

Pros.

The plot and the intrigue

Batman and Catwoman

Joker

The tension

Cons.

A bit of a slow start

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Loki: Lamentis

4/5

Written by Luke Barnes

I enjoyed this episode more than the last. I think it suffers from being a little too compact and could have done with another ten to twenty minutes to better flush out a few ideas, but that aside almost everything else is a homerun.

Firstly, the chemistry between Hiddleston’s Loki and Di Martino’s Sylvie is fantastic, and though this episode suffers a lack of Owen Wilson it does not suffer for it: as the back and forth between Hiddleston and Di Martino is easily as good if not better.

Secondly, this episode has huge ramifications not just for the wider series but for the MCU as a whole. There is a line in this episode, that I won’t say for spoilers sake, that will fundamentally alter how you see the TVA and that also recontextualises the whole series so far.

Thirdly, there are plenty of really good character moments here that remind you why you love these characters and this universe. My personal favourite of the episode was probably Loki’s drunken singing, but the dagger metaphor is strong to. There is a lot of excellent character work going on here that helps the series to be instantly memorable and likeable in a way that shows like TFTWS struggled with.

Overall, a very important episode that both put a smile on my face and changed my entire view of the show.

Pros.

The character moments

Loki and Sylvie’s back and forth

The line that changes everything

The ending

Cons.

The episode is too short and needed another ten minutes

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Loki: The Variant

3.5/5

Written by Luke Barnes

So, the second episode of Loki is good, there is no doubting that, however it does slump a bit when compared to last weeks mostly stellar opener. Mainly this is due to what I would argue is a rushed story decision on the part of the episode’s ending, but I can see why with a limited six episode run they chose to do it this way.

I am of course talking about Loki’s decision to chase after his evil variant and effectively leave the TVA. Like I said plot wise it makes sense, but I would have liked more time with the Loki and Mobius buddy cop dynamic, Owen Wilson and Tom Hiddleston have great chemistry together- hopefully they will still get to share a lot of scenes together.

As for the who the internet have dubbed prematurely Lady Loki, who is more likely Enchantress, it is far to early to cast any kind of judgement on her: though I will say it was a neat development to have it be her that truly begins the destruction of the Sacred Timeline it makes her vital to the narrative going forward.

Overall, a solid episode though one that is slightly in the shadow of its better predecessor.

Pros.

Loki and Mobius

A few very funny scenes

The destruction of the timeline

The things it sets up

Cons.

The plot feels a little rushed

It underwhelms after a strong first episode

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Invincible: Stop Watching The Walking Dead And Watch This Instead

Invincible

4.5/5

Written by Luke Barnes

This show is undeniably good, everyone you will hear talk about it agrees on that: some such as myself might go so far as to say it is the best piece of media ever adapted from a Robert Kirkman graphic novel, yes even better than the one about zombies that has been going on forever.

There is just something about this animated series that is hard to describe. Everything works and works well, the voice acting, the animation style, the slow build of the story it all comes together beautifully.

You don’t have to have read the comics to watch this either, personally I am familiar with the comics but had not red them prior to starting this show, and I fully understood everything that was happening on-screen. However there is a lot happening over the course of the first season so you will have to pay attention to make sure you get everything that is going on.

Moreover, I think the best thing about this show is what it does for adult animation, and the wider superhero genre. It proves two things, firstly that adult animated series can be done well, without relying on gross out humour, and secondly that non Marvel and DC comics properties can be just as popular as the heavy hitters; for those interested Invincible is an in Image comic series.

The only negative I could find with the season is that some of the plot lines feel a bit slow and drawn out for the sake of pacing which can make some episodes feel more interesting than others and that creates minor bits of drag throughout the season which hurts it ultimately.

Overall, one of the best new series of the year.

Pros.

The voice cast

The world and the characters

A new frontier for adult animation

The gore

Cons.

Slight bits of drag here and there.

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