X-Men: Apocalyspe: Will It be Good?

X-Men: Apocalypse Official synopsis:

Worshiped as a god since the dawn of civilization, the immortal Apocalypse becomes the first and most powerful mutant. Awakening after thousands of years, he recruits the disheartened Magneto and other mutants to create a new world order. As the fate of the Earth hangs in the balance, Professor X and Raven lead a team of young X-Men to stop their seemingly invincible nemesis from destroying mankind.

Age of Apocalypse is one of the most popular comic book crossover storylines and fans have been itching to see the big blue baddie on-screen for quite some time. While we’re finally getting this long waited moment, perhaps it’s too little too late when X-Men: Apocalyspe hits theaters on May 27.

The last film, Day of Futures Past reset the timeline thus erasing the events of the Brett Ratner helmed Last Stand. However, we also saw far into the future with all of our heroes safe and alive. Continue reading “X-Men: Apocalyspe: Will It be Good?” →

Captain America: Civil War – Review (Spoilers)

Captain America: Civil War has evolved the superhero movie genre. There’s really no other way to describe the onslaught of comic book goodness and engaging storytelling that occurred during this wonderful theater experience.

Directors Joe and Anthony Russo were given a lot to work with and they made it all fit, very comfortably into this lexicon that we affectionately call the Marvel Cinematic Universe. This is, first and foremost, a Captain America movie, which is the film’s biggest accomplishment, even with everything else that occurred.

Cap is the heart and soul of the Avengers. Once again, Chris Evans exudes Steve Rogers’ civic virtuosity to the degree that he appears to have leaped out of the hallowed printed pages created by Lee, Kirby, Brubaker, Simon, Englehart, and others.

Captain America will always do the right thing. However in Civil War, the right answer, whatever that maybe, is deeply entrenched in shades of gray via the Sokovia Accords. Leave it to a piece of legislation to stir up conflict, even with Earth’s mightiest heroes.

The Sokovia Accords draws its inspiration from the Superhuman Registration Act in the comics. The title given in the film was very fitting as its namesake is meant to serve as a reminder that what occurred in Sokovia during Age of Ultron was the tipping point where humanity draws the line. Captain America and Iron Man start off on opposing sides of the accords.

As the film progresses, Cap’s agenda transitions from fighting the good fight to a personal journey to save Bucky/Winter Soldier, who was framed in the conflict. Who can argue with a guy for wanting to save his best friend?

That’s where the personal stakes begin and just go deeper and deeper to the point where it appears you can’t dig anymore. Then Tony Stark discovers that Winter Soldier killed his parents…and Cap knew about it.

Tony Stark’s angst and rage towards Bucky for killing his mother, but not for killing his father, revealed how strained his relationship had become with Howard Stark and how much he treasured Maria Stark. People always tend to take a position in one form or another with various political issues, but how the hell does the viewer take a side when one friend wants to kill the other and is completely justified in his grief?

The introduction of Black Panther couldn’t have been done any better. Chadwick Boseman is one of the most dynamic and talented actors in the game today. He looked like he belonged while bringing something new to the fold, as his presence is a game changer. His first appearance in the costume occurred during an amazing rooftop scene involving Winter Soldier, which was done in a manner where you expected one thing and something completely different and very welcomed occurred.

Spider-Man……holy shit! Spider-Man is here at last and Tom Holland’s high-school-aged portrayal of the web slinger reminded me of why I fell in love with this character. His presence in the film is more pronounced than imagined, and trust me, you will not be disappointed with the length of his role, which is book ended by both a tremendous entrance and exit. Especially where Peter Parker meets Tony Stark for the first time and he notices Stark’s attraction to Peter’s unusually hot aunt” played by Marissa Tomei.

Scarlett Witch was the perfect accidental catalyst, as she is just learning this whole superhero thing while trying to find her place in the world. Elizabeth Olsen makes the audience feel for her character whenever she appears on screen because there is something about Wanda Maximoff’s soul that is a little broken. Marvel is receiving criticism, once again, for its one-note villains, in reference to Daniel Brühl as Zemo.

If this was any other Marvel film, there would be no argument for Zemo’s stifled presence. He was a plot device more than anything, which worked here because the story wasn’t about stopping the evil madman but the philosophical differences between the Avengers.

Brühl did a serviceable job, but nothing stood out about his performance because the script gave him nothing to sink his teeth into. Honestly, there was no reason to call him Zemo. Only die-hard fans would know the importance of Baron Zemo, and the on-screen version had absolutely nothing in common with the source material.

The battle at the airport between Team Cap and Team Iron Man is the greatest action sequence in any superhero movie and maybe of all time.

Real stakes, remarkable fight choreography, great cinematography, and perfectly placed humor encapsulated this moment to produce something comic book fans have dreamed of seeing their entire lives. Ant-Man turning into Giant-Man, Tony Stark’s hilarious reaction and Spider-Man’s Empire Strikes Back suggestion produces a ridiculous amount of laughs.

The Avengers are now fractured.

Hawkeye, Scarlet Witch, Falcon, Ant-Man, and Captain America are on the run. Winter Soldier is on ice for the time being and War Machine is all but paralyzed. Black Widow is in limbo, and Hulk and Thor are M.I.A. Black Panther is ruling his kingdom, while Spider-Man, well, he has homework to do.

That leaves Iron Man and Vision all alone, which means Earth is more vulnerable than ever before.

We know they’ll get back together to fight Thanos or whatever baddie Marvel conjures up. Still, seeing how they’ll get over their differences and reunite, especially in the case of Steve Rogers and Tony Stark, is the journey we’ll not only pay to see but will set the tone for the MCU going forward.

Spider-Man in Captain America: Civil War

Captain America: Civil War, hits theaters next week and excitement is at an all-time high due to the film’s positive reviews and the appearance of a certain wall crawler. While Iron Man and Captain America have significantly raised Marvel’s profile over the last eight years, Spider-Man is the crown jewel of their character collective. If Batman and Superman are the two most iconic superheroes of all-time, then Spidey is number three on that list. Continue reading “Spider-Man in Captain America: Civil War” →

Trailer Reaction: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

I’ve been skeptical of these Star Wars spin-off movies since the moment they were announced by Disney. Going backwards scares me because of how badly prequels turned out. After seeing the teaser trailer for Rogue One, the first word that comes to mind is….WOW! Continue reading “Trailer Reaction: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” →

The “Martha” Ending in Batman v Superman

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice divided fans on how the fight between the two titular heroes ended. Some feel it was a cheesy byproduct of lazy writing, while others believe it was the emotional crux of the film.

It’s easy to understand why the ending was received poorly. The two most iconic superheroes bonding after learning that their mothers share the same name seems like something that would call for a cease-fire on the playground. Personally, however, it was brilliant in its simplicity not only because of the emotion it evoked but also because of what the moment represented.

The very real danger Batman perceived Superman to be was only equaled to his inner rage fueled by the death of his parents, Martha and Thomas Wayne. When Superman uttered “Save Martha” with what appeared to be his last dying breath, Batman took it as an insult from his beaten foe because he is so consumed by his childhood tragedy.

Once Lois Lane rushed in and told Batman who Martha is to Superman, Batman realized that this alien has a mother, which made Superman human in his eyes. Of course, both of their moms sharing the same name helped matters, however, Batman would have lowered his spear regardless of whose name he heard because he is a hero that saves people.

Review: Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (non-spoilers)

After three years, it’s finally here. The two titans of the superhero genre lock horns to usher in the shared DC Film Universe. The plot revolves around the clashing of ideologies between Batman and Superman as they each deal with their struggles. Kal-El now resides in a world where public opinion is divided on whether or not a God-like being should exist in society.

The Caped Crusader is fueled by the tragic events that occurred at the end of Man of Steel, compounded by the constant grief he carries due to the murder of his parents. This grief pushes him to launch his war with the staunch belief that if he can’t put the unstoppable in check, nobody can.

There are a lot of different ways that people are going to look at this movie. Film purists will curse “BvS” with utter conviction due to its overstuffed narrative.

Continue reading →

My Declaration for Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice needs to be a great film, not a good film because good isn’t good enough. While this movie will establish the shared DC Films Universe, planting the seeds for future flicks with an Easter egg here and a cameo there is ancillary.

I want a movie that is worthy of the titular characters on the marquee while awakening my eight-year-old self. This film needs to finally settle every “who would win in a fight between Batman and Superman” argument I’ve ever had without dis-serving the iconic reputation of either hero. Continue reading “My Declaration for Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” →

Actors Who’ve Played Batman and Superman

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is a mere two weeks away and some micro reviews of the film have already hit the web. While I’m not going to discuss them here, now would be a good time to look titular roles. Many actors have played Batman and Superman, respectively, and it’s hard not to compare actor A to actor B. Some have done wonders for the role while others were forgettable.

We’ve seen Henry Cavill as Superman, but this time we will get to know him as reporter Clark Kent. Ben Affleck casting as Batman almost started World War III when it was announced almost three years ago. Rumors and trailer footage all points to Afflack giving us a remarkable Batman, but see the film in its entirety will paint a clear picture.

Going back to the comparing game, we have to remember that these are two different incarnations of these iconic characters. Superman is still coming to terms with being mankind’s savior, which is something he took to rather easily in earlier films. Batman is older, grieving, and more brutal than ever before.

Without further ado, let’s look at some of the actors who’ve played Superman and followed by those who portrayed the bat of Gotham. Continue reading “Actors Who’ve Played Batman and Superman” →

The Path to Justice Looks at Lex Luthor

There are several characters in DC Comics’ stable of heroes and villains who will make their long overdue debut on the silver screen when Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice hits theaters on March 25^th. We will also be introduced to different versions of familiar characters with a new actor stepping in to fill the role.

Jesse Eisenberg will be the next contestant to play Superman’s arch nemesis, Lex Luthor. While the Academy Award nominee (The Social Network) has a diverse body of work on his résumé, the reaction to his casting has been met with mixed reviews. Some are cautiously optimistic that Eisenberg will fit the bill. Others find the 30-year-old Eisenberg is too stark of a contrast to the older and more established actors who’ve played the part.

Then there was a vocal group of fans who were extremely let down when learning that Bryan Cranston wasn’t even offered the role after rumors had him all but confirmed. Plus, Director Zack Snyder’s youthful “Wunderkind” description of this incarnation was hard for some people to swallow.

Old, young, hair or no hair, Jesse Eisenberg is tasked with making this mere mortal become the Man of Steel’s most villainous foe. There are many actors who’ve played a more traditional Lex Luthor. Most of them found a way to bring the character to life whether his superior intellect shined, or his ruthless nature highlighted his adulterated evil in various forms.

Click here to read the entire column at Forces of Geek.com

Thoughts on the Final Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Trailer

The final trailer Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice dropped yesterday, and it’s perfect in every way! Not only does it show that the marketing is now clearly on the fight we’re paying to see, it also primarily focuses on Batman. Sounds kind of unfair considering he shares the marquee with Superman. Nope, and I’ll tell you why.

We’ve already seen what Superman brings to the table as a character in Man of Steel. This trailer gave us our first real peak at what kind of Batman we can expect. He was the supreme fighting machine in every way imaginable, and it was awesome!

Batman blocking Superman’s punch is the money shot of the trailer. The look of disbelief on Henry Cavill’s face absolutely sells this moment to the highest magnitude. It tells us that %$#@ is about to go down and that March 25th can’t get here fast enough!

Click here for my special look at Frank Miller’s Batman: The Dark Knight Returns at Forces of Geek.com