Film

Captain America: The Winter Soldier Review

August 16, 2014 James Attwood 4 Comments

Run time: 136mins Certificate: 12A
Director: Anthony & Joe Russo
Cast: Chris Evans, Samuel L. Jackson, Scarlett Johansson.
Release Date: August 18, 2014 (DVD)

Cap gets the cold soldier.

Captain America’s first outing was a unique romp in comparison to the other Avengers to be, its nostalgia laden adventure hitting the right notes for the most part, but his second outing stands out even more so amongst the growing super hero troop. Its a bold change of tone for our star spangled hero, swapping out its light hearted adventure for some old school conspiracy thriller, and it works on almost every level. Its reassuring to see a Marvel film take itself so seriously when needed, because of this its grounded action and intrigue carry more weight than previous antics like aliens descending on New York. After being somewhat underutilised in his last two appearances, Chris Evans’ Cap is finally given a chance to shine thanks to the Russo brothers directing.

Plot wise The Winter Soldier feels far more important than even the Avengers, without spoiling too much the events that take place will dramatically shift the cinematic universe in interesting ways. It helps that the comic book storyline ported here is very relevant, playing on many of the concerns of modern life such as online privacy and global security to bring home the threats posed. Cap’s dismissal of the state of the art surveillance he’s being shown with “You hold a gun to everyone on Earth and call it protection.” is a telling moment that brings recent controversies such as the NSA to mind in a poignant way. Its just the kind of heavy material Cap’s no nonsense attitude is perfect for, and the Russo brothers nail the essence of the character. This is Captain America as he should be.

Redford certainly adds class to proceedings.

Whether its handling Cap covertly taking down terrorists or Nick Fury debating with his senior official Alexander Pierce about the grand scheme of things, the film oozes with style but maintains the best realism of a Marvel entry yet. The script hits dramatic beats that feel genuine and the action is so raw the antagonists actually feel like a threat for the first time; the heroes are pushed to their limits and you’re right there with them. Taking a few notes from The Raid’s fights the action here throws some of the best choreography seen from Hollywood at the screen, with the highway attack being a stand out in this years top set pieces. When Cap clashes with the unrelenting Winter Soldier it truly feels like two super soldiers going up against each other, and you won’t miss a punch, kick or stab of the scene thanks to the well focused camera. These scenes top the generic smack downs present in the likes of Thor, the clash of super powers actually being realised in these engrossing bouts as opposed to it being lost in the wanton destruction of their surroundings; feeling like actual fights no matter how fantastical. Unfortunately the film veers towards the formulaic destruction on a large scale for its finale, but you’ll be so invested in the characters and its outcome, not to mention the tense intellectual stand off that’s played out in parallel, that its a small concession in the much grander picture.

Henry Jackman’s soundtrack complements the action well, a suspenseful track breaking into an eerie silence as each grenade is launched to a tension ramping piece escalating the hand to hand combat between the super soldiers. The epilogue set to Marvin Gaye’s ‘Trouble Man’ was a particularly great nod to its classic film inspirations. Though proceedings are more serious viewers needn’t worry, there’s still a light side to the heavy events, with many of the one liners hitting their mark without detracting from the flow of the film. Overall it comes together under the helming of the Russo brothers without a hitch, feeling like wholly new and darker territory though not without the Marvel charm. To think this new direction came from the Russo brothers, who were chosen on the merits of their Community episodes is incredible; they’re certainly ones to watch in the future (fortunately returning for Cap 3).

The action raises the bar for superhero films.

The core cast benefit from having been established in the previous films, and its clear they’re all comfortable in their parts, but there’s little doubt Winter Soldier gives them all the best material they’ve had yet. Chris Evans’ Rodgers is as determined as ever, and is given plenty of opportunity to flex his muscles, both physically and in some great insightful dialogue. This is definitely the film he and the character deserves, and he excels at serving as the heart and leader of the team, something I hope to see more of when he’s leading the Avengers next. Likewise Samuel L. Jackson is given a lot more to do as Nick Fury, and relishes in the chance to live up to his characters reputation. Scarlett Johansson is perhaps the only dull note, filling the role of Black Widow just fine but doing little to define her as a unique persona considering the large amount of screen time she’s given here.

The new members impress across the board, with Robert Redford’s Alexander Pierce stealing every scene he’s in. He brings every bit of gravitas his acting backlog has earned him to the screen, chewing up the scenery even in casual conversation and more than convincing as a man in a position to give Nick Fury orders. Anthony Mackie brings some levity to proceedings as Falcon, and his chemistry with Chris Evans in particular makes you forget the days when he wasn’t a part of the team. Lastly the Winter Soldier is realised brilliantly (I’ll refrain from spoiling his identity), his efficiency and coldness when in action sending the same shivers down your spine that the Terminator did all those years ago.

Verdict

Captain America: The Winter Soldier takes the usual formula and bravely throws it out the window, taking itself more seriously without ever losing the usual charm. The Russo brothers don’t chase every punchline or explosion they can, instead opting to give the story and characters time to develop in a far more grounded story. The result is more engrossing than the usual popcorn fare, serving as The Empire Strikes Back of Marvel’s current cinematic line-up with its engaging villains who more than push our heroes to their limits.

Hits

+Excellent story that draws from classic thrillers
+Great ensemble cast, especially Robert Redford
+Character development takes centre stage
+The best action Marvel has showcased
+Villains to match Loki and Stane in presence

Misses

–Finale retreads the formulaic showdown

Overall Rating

Film

Sharknado 2: The Second One Review

August 8, 2014 James Attwood Leave a comment

Run time: 90mins Certificate: 15
Director: Anthony C. Ferrante
Cast: Ian Ziering, Tara Reid, Vivica A. Fox.
Release Date: 30 July, 2014 (TV)

It blows.

Its terrible. That much is sure. But is it of the ‘so bad its good’ variety? To a degree the answer is yes, but Sharknado 2 is a confused film. Many of its gags scream of self awareness and can even be chuckle worthy, but at the same time other characters seem to be taking events all too seriously. On the light hearted side, films made bad purposefully have been done far better before (see Black Dynamite) and even when viewing it as a serious endeavour its B-movie predecessors (film giants such as Spiders 1 and 2, Octopus and Snakes on a Train) out do it in the aforementioned ‘so bad its good’ area. Its hardly a compliment, but after watching Spiders I would be quoting its laughable dialogue and describing its awful effects for days to come, whereas I’ll probably forget what happened in Sharknado 2 in no time (except for the memorable faces). Its a rare case of a film not being bad enough to be good, just stopping short of going full circle. Despite it coming up short, the tongue in cheek side of it will no doubt provide entertainment for fans of the genre. You won’t be forcing your friends to endure it afterwards but there’s sure to be something for everyone to enjoy in the first viewing.

The usual B-movie offenders are all here. Unsurprisingly the budget effects don’t impress, but its the laziness with which they are executed that really brings the action down. Apart from a handful of deaths most are nabbed by the flash of a shark flying across the screen accompanied by some comical blood splatter. For a film about a tornado made of sharks, a sequel no less, you’d imagine they would have ran with the idea a little more. Instead the sharks seem to act merely as glorified debris, in fact much of the film would transpire in the same way if the sharks were replaced by park benches. The ‘natural’ side of this disaster is just as well utilised, the tornado failing to create enough wind to blow our heroes hair around and its flood waters rising with hilarious inconsistency. I could go on but you get the picture.

Fin (our unlucky Sharknado survivor) and his extended family, the bland group who crash at every turn in driving the film, represent Sharknado’s more serious angle. There’s always room for a serious group adventuring alongside some comic relief, but when Fin and his family are on screen alongside a cast member who appears to appreciate what type of film they’re in the result is muddled in tone. As a result you’ll often find yourself becoming bored of the bland protagonists (Ian Ziering et al) and wishing for more of the self aware players who are clearly having more fun (generally a famous face). One thing our main players can rest easy in however is the fact that Tara Reid has taken it upon herself to make everyone else appear excellent in comparison. Somehow failing to register the correct expression for every line of dialogue she utters she throws in a performance less believable than the Sharknado itself.

Judd Hirsch has his tongue firmly in cheek.

Amidst all the bad however are the aforementioned cameos who are clearly having fun with the material. The likes of Andy Dick, Kelly Osbourne and Wil Wheaton attempt to wow viewers with their faces alone and fail miserably, but elsewhere the more elaborate cameos hit the mark. Judah Friedlander, Judd Hirsch and Richard Kind are all clearly having fun and had me wishing they were leading the whole ordeal despite the limited material their given to work with. Elsewhere Sharknado even displays some meta-intelligence with its subtle nods to its lesser known actors, though whether these are intentional or not is hard to discern. For instance I got a kick out of seeing D.C. Douglas, the famed voice behind Resident Evil’s Wesker, attacked by an alligator in the sewers à la Resident Evil 2. Topping all of these however is Robert Hays’ (Airplane!) turn as yet another unfortunate pilot, his “I’ve had worse (flights)” quip sure to bring a smile to any fans face.

Verdict

Sharknado is an unashamedly bad film. Whether its due to the unusual amount of fame thats gone to its head or just bad writing, the serious core cast and self aware cameos never come together in all the absurdity. But at the end of the day who expected anything more? After all its meant to be bad. Watch it with a group of friends and you’ll enjoy laughing at it, just try not to blink or you’ll miss yourself laughing with it.

Hits

+Plenty of cameos hit the mark.

Misses

–Everything else.

Overall Rating

Games

Destiny Beta Impressions and Hopes

August 5, 2014 James Attwood 3 Comments

Platforms: Playstation 3/4, Xbox 360/One.
Developer: Bungie Publisher: Activision
Players: 1-3 Online Release Date: September 9, 2014

Halo, is it me you’re looking for?

Let’s get this out of the way, Destiny’s Beta was good, damn good in fact. It played like a completed game, its responsive controls and glitch free areas would have satisfied even those ready to nitpick its flaws. In other words you can tell that the $500 million this game cost has gone to good use, just imagining that this level of polish will run throughout the rest of this epic game is reassuring. Destiny has a lot in common with Mass Effect and Borderlands, but its the fact that it feels so like Halo that’s the best thing about it. If you’re going to build and epic first person shooter, Halo’s perfect super powered gunplay is one of the best places to start.

You’ll start off by creating your guardian, choosing their race and class. The customisation options were quite limited, but what was there certainly looked pretty. It was also quite satisfying to see how quickly your guardian differed from others with the acquisition of more class specific armour. Classes also felt notably different without any of them coming across as overpowered or less interesting when compared to another. Playing as the Titan I was pleased to see I brought a very different set of skills to the table compared to the Hunter I teamed with throughout the beta, even in the early stages. For instance my grenade made short work of the shields of Fallen captains, which opened them up to easy headshots from my co-op partner. It was simple team work, but it nonetheless emphasised the advantages of each class in a rewarding way. Finally the super abilities were awesome, feeling more akin to Final Fantasy’s limit breaks than Borderlands’ action skills with their lengthy recharge times but devastating power. There’s also the promise of a second (and potentially third judging by the empty space) skill tree for each class which is something that will even further differentiate the classes.

You we’re given a fair chunk to play with, with most of what was on offer taking place in a single (albeit massive) area of Earth-Old Russia. The story missions gave what felt like the smallest peak into the story, unfortunately shedding next to no light on what was happening or where things were going but establishing the universe well enough to make me curious enough to want to play on. Gameplay wise the story faired far better, giving us a taste of fighting two alien factions and some enjoyable set pieces. Fighting each faction felt satisfyingly different, the tactical minded Fallen offering a different type of threat to the more aggressive Hive. The bigger battles offered some pretty challenging difficulty as well, something I was pleased to see on just the ‘Normal’ difficulty. You won’t be breezing through this game by any means, but you’ll most definitely feel like a bonafied badass when you come out on top. The short story missions however soon blended into one apart from the odd spectacular battle, the ‘go there and defend Peter Dinklage’ mission structure growing tiresome by the end of the beta.

Speaking of challenge, the strike mission that was available was the best on offer. A gauntlet that was far longer than any of the story missions, it threw dozens of enemies at you, including two formidable bosses. It was damn fun, and felt like far more of a fully fledged mission than the bite sized story exploits. The battle with the Devil Walker (a huge spider like tank) felt like a monumental task, with a bunch of varied attacks and a ton of health, it truly gave the impression of a group of footsoldiers going up against a tank (without the one shot kill solutions so many other shooters give to these situations). Calling the Devil Walker a bullet sponge however would be an understatement, as it took anywhere up to ten minutes to kill even when my fire team was nailing its critical spots and revealing its weak spot often. I personally like my bosses to be able to take a beating, but its important that the boss battle is fun in the first place. The Devil Walker wasn’t boring per se, but it had exhausted its handful of attacks early in the battle which made the rest of it feel slightly like an exercise in repetition. Furthermore for something with ‘Walker’ in its title and a cool looking set of spider legs it remained awfully stationary, only ever turning to shoot in different directions, which again emphasised repetition as you rarely had to move from a good section of cover once you’d found it.

The exploration mission gave you the opportunity to explore the Old Russia area in its entirety (though some areas were still blocked off) whilst picking up various missions along the way. Offering the whole area as an open world was appreciated but the missions soon dragged on (why can’t they just be assigned automatically rather than forcing us to traverse back and forth across the map to pick up their beacons) as they only offered pretty basic objectives, though the exploring alone made the mode a fun addition.

The Tower that serves as the games hub area was good fun to explore, but it didn’t have a great deal on offer besides its vendors and beautiful vistas. Something that struck me as odd was the fact that quality voice actors (I think I recognised Keith David) were present but only acted as glorified shop keepers and mission givers, I just hope that they’re given more to do in the final game. Peter Dinklage however, despite all his voice over controversy, was solid as the friendly AI Ghost and I can see him growing on me as we spend more time together in the final game.

The Crucible was a blast. There I said it. A fair few have been expressing their dislike for it on the internet but I found it to be well balanced considering it was having to put wildly different character builds on an even playing field. Its also important to point out that its labelled as PvP rather than competitive multi-player, so going into it expecting an evenly matched experience through and through like Halo would be a mistake. I felt powerful as my Titan, but I also learned to appreciate how deadly the other classes could be. I could take out a whole team with my Fist of Havoc ability, and feel a rush of achievement for it, but I’d also get annihilated by the Hunters or Warlocks abilities just as often. It deserves praise for making you’re class feel empowering in certain situations whilst also making you appreciate the power of the others the next second as well.

To sum up the Destiny Beta, it was one of the best looking and well polished games I’ve experienced in a while. There was also a great variety of modes on offer, each of which was fun in its own way. In a wise move Bungie also ensures that you’ll level up and find gear no matter what mode you’re playing, so no matter what you’re fire team fancies you’ll never begrudge it as you’re Guardians going to gain from it. As I’ll detail in the next section of this post, there’s a lot Destiny can still do to improve what it already has, but even if it ships just as it is it’ll be one hell of a game.

Now on to my hopes for the full release of the game…

1-More interaction options

The taunts available were great, initiating a group dance off being particularly hilarious, but they were limited. Having the option to buy more taunt options would be appreciated and would further the players capacity to make their character unique. Furthermore the sooner they add the option to trade items with players the better. First off it’d remove the disappointment of finding items you just aren’t interested in, and second it would just add another means to be friendly with other players (something Bungie is admirably pushing).

2-Greater customisation options

Which face to choose... — Which face to choose…

The number of options you could choose from in character creation were pretty limited, and seemed to range from mundane to insane with no middle ground. Here’s hoping they add more options come the full release, as knowing there’s only a handful of faces amongst the millions playing this game would remove the magic just a bit.

3-Better bosses

Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed the bosses on offer here, but they could be better. I reckon little changes like giving the Devil Walker more mobility could increase the intensity of a boss fight, forcing you to move and change up your tactics, and would make the ten minute battles far less of a slog. Then again we’ve only seen a few bosses, so the rest of them could already be an improvement over these.

4-More meaningful vehicles

The Sparrow's a blast. — The Sparrow’s a blast.

The sparrows were awesome once I realised they were basically the horses of this game (though summoning them could be awkward), serving as a more enjoyable and convenient way of getting from A to B. But I hope we get more variation on these than the simple palette swaps available in the beta. The ships also seemed to suffer from this, for the time being appearing to be nothing more than an aesthetic choice. The Pike’s that turned up on the moon were fun to use, but compared to the likes of Halo vehicle’s seemed to be awfully sparse. I still yearn for massive battles such as those against the Scarabs in Halo 3, and seeing set pieces like this turn up in Destiny would be amazing.

5–Improved Campaign

This applies to both the narrative and the mission structure. While I was interested by the hyperbole thrown around by some of the characters in the first few missions, Destiny could do with more substance to help tide you over until you do encounter this ‘Darkness’. Likewise the missions could do with more variety and scope, as progressing to a destination and then having to protect your Ghost whilst he does something or other will only remain engaging for so long. As with the bosses, who knows whether the quality of the story will improve past the beta’s missions, but I certainly hope it will. As an aside, its a shame to see that the cut scenes only include your Guardian. Since you’ve reached that point with a team, it would be nice to see that team standing next to you during a conversation.

6-Expanded Tower

The Tower's got potential. — The Tower’s got potential.

The Tower was fine as it was, but there are a few additions that could improve it. Simple things like a shooting range for comparing your guns or even a public area dedicated to forming fire teams or just goofing around could inject more usefulness and life into the hub.

So what were your thoughts on the beta? Have any improvements in mind? Let me know in the comments! Finally here’s an infographic that Bungie has released revealing the impressive statistics of the beta. Destiny is released on September 9th on Xbox 360/One and PS3/4.

Games

Valiant Hearts: The Great War Review

August 3, 2014 James Attwood Leave a comment

Platforms: Playstation 3/4, Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360/One
Developer: Ubisoft Montpellier Publisher: Ubisoft
Players: 1 Release Date: June 25, 2014

This wars personal.

Valiant Hearts is a rare game, one that’s set during the first world war but features very little shooting at all. Instead its purely about the four central characters and how the war affects them, and the dog that ties them all together. That and the war itself, a dire setting that has been recreated passionately with an astute attention to detail. All this is presented through a beautifully drawn art style, simple and cartoon like it paints this dark era of history in a much brighter light, which makes the moments when it emphasises the darkness even bleaker. Don’t let the visuals fool you, its unflinching in its portrayal of the horrors of war, though its just as keen to display acts heroism no matter how small.

Valiant Hearts shows war for what it is.

The story is told from alternating perspectives. It offers the grandfather Emile who’s adamant on seeing his family safe, his son-in-law Karl who is reluctantly taken from his family and drafted into the German army, the American hero with a troubled heart Freddie and the courageous Anna who sets out to treat the wounds of anyone she can help. Even though there’s no traditional dialogue beyond narration, just vague mumbles to convey what they’re getting at, each one comes across vividly. They’re all aided in one way or another by a faithful dog, who in a way embodies what Valiant Hearts is all about. Being just a dog he doesn’t see the men he’s helping as French or German, just as friends, and he insists on doing everything he can to prevent the death of his friends. Its refreshing to see the best of human nature shine in a setting that is a consequence of the worst of it. You’ll feel for these people, and by the end of the campaign you’ll truly appreciate their anguish, joy and resolve. And it really hits home that this game covers the hardships of only four of the millions that suffered in this conflict.

Visually everything you see is wonderful to look at. You’ll be treated to beautiful vistas untouched by war in the beginning, which contrast all the more with the ravaged landscapes you witness in later levels. One of Emile’s later levels is particularly harrowing, having to climb over dozens of corpses as you push on through the dire trenches will remain with you for some time after, all the more so because of its hand drawn art style. Its telling of the games influence on the player when at a certain point it made me make the same mistake the character did without hesitation, I felt just the way the character did, but regretted my actions afterwards just like they did as well. Safe to say you’ll be able to relate to and sympathise with the events on screen because of the personal level on which they are played out, despite them having taken place decades before many players would have been born. Finally the soundtrack deserves a special mention, its main theme alone capturing the beauty of the characters against the sadness of the war perfectly.

After all though this is a game, and unfortunately its gameplay is where it comes up short. Its mix of simple puzzle solving and platforming (you won’t be jumping but timing is needed to avoid the many hazards) plays well and encompasses its variety of objective types well. However during the relatively short campaign these simple mechanics won’t evolve much at all, you’ll be solving many of your problems in the later stages in the same way you did in the beginning. Its a shame that the gameplay rarely increases in difficulty or complexity to reflect the more dangerous scenarios you’re plunged into. Likewise there are numerous collectibles to scour levels for, but after my first playthrough in which I did my usual level of exploration, I was only missing 2 of over a hundred. Its a shame to see an aspect of the game that could have encouraged numerous playthroughs made so easy. However upon reading the details ascertained through finding these collectibles it becomes clear once more that Valiant Hearts is far more concerned with telling its story. Each entry details whatever little piece of history you’ve found to paint a greater picture of the great war setting. Having only basic knowledge of the first world war before I started playing Valiant Hearts (WW2 was given far more emphasis in my history lessons) I was thoroughly interested to learn more about this important time, and Valiant Hearts deserves praise for giving its player every opportunity to do so.

Verdict

Gameplay wise Valiant Hearts is competent but unambitious, only ever impressing with the odd novel puzzle. But that’s not what Valiant Hearts is about, its about the people who struggled and shined during the war. Its main concern is giving insight into what it must have been like to be caught up in this war, and through combining its beautiful art style, inspiring story and real slices of history it undoubtedly succeeds.

Hits

+Beautiful art style
+Endearing main cast
+Remarkable amount of historic detail to delve into
+Perfect soundtrack

Misses

–Limited gameplay variety

Overall Rating

Film

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes Review

August 2, 2014 James Attwood 3 Comments

Run time: 130mins Certificate: 12A
Director: Matt Reeves
Cast: Andy Serkis, Jason Clarke, Gary Oldman.
Release Date: July 17, 2014 (UK)

Hail Caesar!

Its immediately clear how far the apes have come since their escape in Rise as they form a hunting party in Dawn’s opening scene, signing commands in silence and brandishing spears with efficiency. Even more apparent is their sense of family, coming to each others aid without hesitation. Reeves sets Dawn apart straight away, opening and carrying much of the film with the now fully fledged community of super intelligent apes. Their human counterparts have plenty of limelight, but its Caesar (Serkis) and Koba’s (Kebbell) struggle with each other and the dilemma that the humans pose that lies at the centre of the film. The first entry focused on how the apes affected human lives, but that balance has been flipped on its head here, the experience remaining familiar but fresh at the same time. Put simply, Matt Reeves hasn’t focused on merely a continuation, but an evolution of the story Rise told.

The world created here is realised flawlessly, much of it being filmed in real locations seen through an apocalyptic lens. The apes tribal fortress in the woods feels as real as the human stronghold over the water in San Francisco, and each can turn from being a homely sanctuary to deadly enemy territory depending on the species its welcoming; Dawn excels at placing us in the shoes of both sides. The normality with which the world is conveyed helps to ease the audience into this, striking scenes such as an army of apes marching into the city on horseback are presented without dramatics, being left to astonish through the rawness of their imagery.

The apes themselves are a marvel; conversing mostly through sign language (its refreshing to see a blockbuster this comfortable with subtitles) and staring at humans with eyes just as emotional as theirs. Maurice (Karin Konoval) the orang-utan stands out amongst the apes here, though he’s less humanoid in appearance than the others the eyes alone convey his wisdom, geniality and curiosity. One particular continuous shot taken from the viewpoint of a tanks spinning turret as it hurtles out of control, rotating to reveal the horrors of the scene around it, is an outstanding moment. Lastly Michael Giacchino’s soundtrack impresses throughout, evoking classic sci-fi beats whilst hitting the dramatic highs found in modern soundtracks.

The narrative however fails to live up to the ingenuity of its world. The story of two wildly different groups inevitably colliding despite the best efforts of their peacekeepers is skilfully told, but its a scenario we’ve seen play out no end of times before and Dawn does little to shake things up. Before things begin to erupt you’ll likely be able to predict how they’ll go down, and Dawn fails to rise above the usual cliché’s despite how well crafted most of its characters are. One particular scene between Caesar and his son is particularly irking as both utter lines like “Apes more like humans than apes know.” as if it were the take home message for any chimpanzees sitting in the audience. A little too on the nose considering the film has focused on subtly establishing this fact up until this moment. One instance of two (admittedly very minor) characters disappearing from the group when they’re no longer needed is also jarring, especially considering it reduces the number in that group from five to three with little explanation. Furthermore its particularly disappointing to see two of those three left out of the human sides resolution come the end of the film.

Its important to emphasise however that despite the above shortcomings, the central story is handled masterfully. Events are given time to breathe in the slow burning first half, thankfully giving us a better understanding of why individuals are taking the actions they’re taking on both sides. Caesar’s relationship with his second in command, the tortured Koba, is engrossingly told. Likewise in the human camp, we’re given time to understand their fears. Neither is the villain here, Reeves allows the viewer to see that both sides are grey for themselves rather than highlighting the good and the bad. It pays off too, once the action kicks off there’s no need for monologues, you’ll understand the individuals motives behind every action because of how well the scene has been set. It may all be familiar, but its certainly one of the best renditions yet.

The cast shines here, both in motion capture and physical presence. Andy Serkis is better than ever, bringing his most human character yet to screen in the form of Caesar, the weight on the older leaders shoulders visible with every weary look. Toby Kebbell also shines as Koba, tragic when recounting his scarred history and unnerving when pretending to be an innocent ‘dumb ape’ to fool unsuspecting humans. On the human side Jason Clarke proves to be a strong lead, his Malcolm showing just as much determination as Caesar to protect his family. Gary Oldman is ever reliable as the militant leader Dreyfus, convincing as both a concerned leader and determined commander despite the criminally little screen time he’s given.

Verdict

The world alluded to in the first entry is now incredibly real, the apes and humans more interesting than ever. The age old story at its heart is told remarkably well, but lacks the ambition of the incredible world it takes place in. Regardless this is a lovingly crafted sci-fi epic that maintains its blockbuster appeal, rightfully placing character above spectacle, but providing both in spades.

Hits

+Serkis and Kebbell are at the top of their game as the ape duo
+Incredible effects used to bring the apes and world to life.
+Well told story from both perspectives
+That tank top shot
+Classic sci-fi soundtrack

Misses

–Clichéd plot beats
–Forgotten/underused characters

Overall Rating

Film

Guardians of the Galaxy Review

August 1, 2014 James Attwood Leave a comment

Run time: 121mins Certificate: 12A
Director: James Gunn
Cast: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista.
Release Date: July 31, 2014 (UK)

Footloose in space.

On paper Guardians of the Galaxy seemed like quite a risk for Marvel to pull off so early in their grand plans, and even after the first slew of trailers not everyone was sold. But after having seen it, its hard to believe it could have ever been considered anything but a sure fire hit. Canny casting, top notch effects and Marvel’s funniest script yet all come together to have a hell of a time. By the time the credits roll (and yes, of course you’ve waited till the end) the Guardians themselves will be among you’re favourites in the growing roster and James Gunn will have put the Universe in Marvel Universe.

First off its important to mention what is perhaps the one thing that differentiates Guardians the most from the rest of its superhero family; cursing. Why Rocket Raccoon can cough out “Batshit crazy” when previous 12A entries have shied away from it (even Shane Black struggled in Iron Man 3) is curious, even more so when it clearly improves the dialogue here. While swearing generally isn’t necessary for comedy, here it serves the characters persona’s. Just like Tony Stark, I’d never expect Rocket or Starlord to bite their tongue, and luckily they don’t have to. The less restrained approach also allows Gunn to dip into some crass humour every so often, and every joke hits its mark. I never thought I wanted to hear John C. Reilly retort he’d never consider someone to be “100% a dick” in a Marvel film, but now that I have I wouldn’t want it any other way. You’ll hardly be counting the F-bombs, but this isn’t what would be described as child friendly either. Its an area I hope future instalments remain lax on, after all as the tales get more dramatic, there’s only so child friendly every feature can remain.

Despite taking full advantage of its 12A liberties Guardians will likely make audiences feel nostalgic with child like wonder as they’re plunged into its well crafted galaxy. Drawing up comparisons to the likes of Star Wars is easy, but this is very much its own beast, so much so that it will be interesting to see whether comparisons are drawn between Star Wars VII and this in turn. Even with the responsibility of having to tie into the overarching plot of the extended universe, the central plot is kept remarkably simple and its backdrop even more so, a wise move given that the film has much to accomplish for a first outing.

To counter this every setting is full of detail that breathes life and realism into even the wackiest of locations, with actual sets having just as much a place as CGI. This extends into the action, with many of the set pieces evoking some space caper staples albeit with a unique Guardians twist. Each Guardian’s character also bleeds into the action, which makes watching them battle it out alongside each other a blast. Lastly it would be a disservice not to mention the myriad assortment of great 70’s rock plugged into the soundtrack. It accentuates the happy-go-lucky outlook of Quill throughout proceedings no matter how grandiose things get.

Setting up a superhero team without a five film build up is quite the achievement, but having each one be as unique and likeable as the next is damned impressive. Chris Pratt is a perfect fit for the rebel come leader with a heart Peter Quill, his comedic chops adding levity to any scene without ever feeling forced. Zoe Saldana as Gamora offers some seriousness to the team but remains just as compelling as the rest as she warms to rolling with the punches. Rocket Raccoon (Bradley Cooper) and Groot (Vin Diesel) are perfectly captured and voiced here. Bradley Cooper jumps from cracking one liners to cracking up emotionally effortlessly whilst Vin Diesel’s Groot is just a joy to watch no matter what he’s doing. Perhaps the films true star however is Dave Bautista’s Drax, his inability to understand metaphors leading to some hilarious misunderstandings. He’s not without a sense of humour or camaraderie though, and is surprisingly appealing for a man who bears the title of ‘The Destroyer’.

The other side of the moral compass is more of a mixed bag however. Michael Rooker’s Yondu and Karen Gillan’s Nebula are the best of the bunch, fulfilling their purpose as minor villains well. Minor they may be, but they’re well served with some nice action sequences and character beats. Djimmon Hounsou’s Korath however is hardly present in comparison, underwhelming even in his (sole) capacity as a physical threat. Lee Pace provides some presence as the antagonist Ronan, but beyond that he feels flat compared to our colourful heroes. The streamlined plot may help the films pace, but its clear that Ronan suffers from a lack of explanation for his motives. Even in action he comes across as an aloof, untouchable punch bag rather than a formidable conqueror. Encounters with an all powerful villain shouldn’t be this mundane (That hammer is woefully underutilised). Speaking of all powerful, in what is sure to be a fan pleasing moment we are treated to our first proper encounter with Thanos, and he sure looks good. The effects may not be perfect, but for a cameo the design and voice (Josh Brolin) certainly left me anticipating his next appearance.

Verdict

For a first attempt Guardians of the Galaxy ticks almost all of the boxes, standing up there as one of the best Marvel films to date. For a film full of crass humour, oddball characters and classic sci-fi references its a testament to its quality that no matter what you’re preferences are you’re bound to have a hell of a lot of fun. You’ll root for the Guardians just as much as you did the Avengers even though you’ve just met them, its just a shame that the villains lost out along the way.

Hits

+Each and every Guardian is bound to be a favourite.
+Universe and its inhabitants are beautiful.
+Hilarious writing without boundaries.
+Old school set pieces impress.
+Great selected soundtrack.

Misses

–Poorly executed villains.

Overall Rating

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