Top Gun (1986) Review 

So I aim to watch Top Gun: Maverick this week and in my preparation I thought I would go back and watch the original Top Gun and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees a young cocky upstart join a school for fighter pilots where he has to learn plenty about himself in order to truly thrive. 

Main Character

Tom Cruise plays Maverick and this is one of his more iconic roles and he gives a really fun performance. His young, confident performance fits the character really well and you can't help but gravitate towards Maverick, the film then explores more into his character and you do end up caring for him and want to see him have a good ending. 

Supporting Characters

Anthony Edwards plays Goose, him and Cruise are fantastic together and have a great on screen chemistry. You feel this relationship and friendship has been crafted over many years and the two actors are really good with Edwards giving as energetic a performance as Cruise. Val Kilmer places Iceman and you can see how he is the polar opposite of Maverick, he is more cold and calculated instead of the risky attitude of Maverick. Though he is pretty much the villain of the film, you understand where he is coming from and he is just trying to do the best for himself and his wingman. Kelly McGillis plays Charlie who is the main love interest and she is good in the film. I like their relationship and how it develops throughout the film, she is a cool character and a good love companion. Tom Skerrit plays the main instructor and he is just a really cool guy, who treats his students fair but clearly cares and wanting them to succeed. 

Story 

The story is pretty basic, it really focuses on the romance and it works pretty well. The dynamic between the two actors work well and it is a well functioning romance. The dogfights are pretty cool and the characters do get time and it feels like they are fleshed out well enough. I just wish the film had spent more time focusing on the training school and a bit less on the romance, I felt like actually seeing them work through Top Gun more would have been really cool. 

Script 

The script is pretty well handled, yes it is extremely cheesy and at times that does come across too much but it fits the film. The film has decent drama and humour, it is just some of it feels too much and like it isn't serious enough. 

Style 

For a film that came out in 1986, the plane fight scenes are fantastic and feel really epic in scale, you feel like you are sitting with Maverick & Goose in the cockpit. The film also has an amazing soundtrack which has become iconic over the years, it really gets you into what is happening on screen. 

Overall

Overall, Top Gun is a great film that has stood the test of time. If you are one of the few who hasn't seen it then I would suggest a watch, especially with the great buzz around Top Gun: Maverick. 

Rating - 8/10

Star Wars: The Bad Batch Season 2 (2022) Trailer Review 

Another trailer that came from Star Wars Celebration was for the second season of the animated show The Bad Batch. Rumours were scarce on when the second season was coming but now we have a trailer and a greater idea of release. Here are my thoughts and review for the trailer. 

The Bad Batch have new coloured armour 

Not a huge thing but it is seen that The Bad Batch have a new paintjob this season. The red and black are gone from the previous season, replaced by a more silver and orange design which I like. It also seems like Omega has an outfit now which should make her feel like more of a part of the team. 

Emperor Palpatine is back

Ian McDiarmid pretty much confirmed that he would be back voicing the Emperor in this show and this trailer shows the Sith Lord in all of his glory. It seems possible that The Bad Batch end up on Coruscant, with Omega being confronted by him. It will be interesting to see how much he is a part of the show because, there are other imperials such as Tarkin & Rampart who seem more involved in this story. 

We are still pretty early on in the Empire's reign  

I mentioned this in the Andor Trailer Review, but this show despite having a time jump seems to be early on in the Empire's run. There is a scene that shows LAAT gunships which weren't used by the Empire so I think we will see more phasing out of the Clones here. 

The Clone Commandos are here

One of the bigger surprises of the first season was seeing the clone commandos. These characters were made famous back in the day through a game on the original Xbox. Now it isn't confirmed that any of these commandos are versions of those characters but with them being in this trailer you have to believe they will have a greater presence in this second season. 

Commander Cody is back and working with Crosshair 

Despite the end of the first season it seems like Crosshair is going to still be a villain working with the Empire and I really don't want to see him re-join The Bad Batch. It is only a quick shot but we see him and a returning Commander Cody on a mission. Cody has been MIA on TV since Order 66 so it will be great to see him come back here and hopefully be a more villainous character that I can see being the parallel to Rex. 

Gungi is also back in a huge surprise

Debuting in the 5th season of the Clone Wars, Gungi is a Wookie Jedi Padawan who was well loved amongst the fanbase. Well, this trailer reveals that he survived the events of Order 66 and will be an ally of The Bad Batch this season. Hopefully he doesn't die as I always thought it was cool seeing a Wookie as a Jedi. 

Rex also returns.

This one was pretty much guaranteed, Captain Rex is back and helping The Bad Batch. We know he makes it to Rebels but I really hope we get to see him clash with Cody here, I don't remember if he mentions him in Rebels but seeing these former friends clash would be awesome. 

Are we heading to Stormtroopers vs Clones? 

We know eventually that the Clones will be replaced fully by Stormtroopers and I expect that this show will be the one to tell that story. Shots at the trailer and events from the first season make it feel like it will happen this season but personally I think they might save that for when they want to end the show, potentially in a 3rd season. 

Overall

Overall, this trailer did a good job of getting me more excited for The Bad Batch. I do hope but doubt that there will be less episodes this season, but I really want less filler and more great Star Wars stories and I hope this show can deliver. 

Andor Season 1 (2022) Trailer Review 

It has been Star Wars Celebration over the weekend which means plenty of news and trailers have been coming out. One of the most exciting ones is for the upcoming show Andor. With the focus on Cassian Andor from Rogue One, fans weren't exactly sure what to expect but here are my thoughts on the trailer. 

The majority of the show is practical and filmed on location

Ever since Disney started to make these shows for their streaming service they have used a special type of filming location and technology to do it and I think it has worked really well for those shows. Andor though will be different and has been filmed on location with mostly practical sets and it just feels right. The trailer looks really gritty and like it fits with Rogue One's aesthetic, it feels massive on scale and I feel that this is a large reason why. 

We see probably Andor's home planet get attacked

It has been reported that this show will take place over Cassian Andor's life and the trailer shows a location we haven't seen before being attacked by the Empire. There are a few young actors who could be playing the younger version of the character and this could be where we see his family get killed and him choosing the life of a Rebel. 

We see the Imperial Senate 

Over the years we have heard so much about the Imperial Senate but I believe this is the first time that they are actually being shown on screen. I really hope the show goes into this side of the conflict in detail as it is something that has been underused. Politics was probably overused in the Prequels but I think there can be a nice balance there in this show. 

Genevieve O'Reilly is back as Mon Mothma 

I can't remember if she made it to the final cut of the movie, but Genevieve O'Reilly definitely played the younger version of Rebel Leader Mon Mothma in some deleted scenes of Revenge of The Sith and she is reprising this role in this show. It seems like she will play a big part of the show and I think she will be heavily involved with whatever is going on with The Senate as she starts to go against The 

Empire.

Stellan Skarsgard is playing a Rebel Leader 

After being in almost every franchise going, Stellan Skarsgard is finally in Star Wars. It seems like he is playing somebody leading a Rebellion. The show is going to be set very early in the formation of the rebellion so it might even lead to him being an important character in its existence. 

This is set early in the formation of the Empire. 

It is key that at least some of the show will be set early in the formation of The Empire. This is clear by the shot of somebody walking towards a group of Clone Troopers. If you have watched The Bad Batch then you know that The Empire decided to get rid of the clones in favour of Stormtroopers. So either this is really early stormtroopers or these are some of the last clones doing the bidding of the Empire. 

Overall

Overall, this looks really exciting. It seems to be a gritty and war like show that stays away from both The Jedi & The Sith which I am thankful for. This trailer has raised my anticipation for Andor and I can't wait to watch it when it comes out at the end of August. 

First Impressions - Obi Wan Kenobi (2022) 

Today is the day, after a really long wait Obi-Wan Kenobi has finally come to Disney+. The first two episodes are now streaming and I watched it as soon as I could and here are my first impressions of the episodes. There will be spoilers here for the episodes so read on with caution. 

There was another Jedi on Tatooine  

At the beginning of the show, we see the Inquisitors arrive on Tatooine. But they are not there for Kenobi, another Jedi has been hiding there too and they have been worse at hiding then Obi-wan. By the end of the episode this Jedi is killed and it really shows how the Jedi Order is dying. 

Reva wants to find Kenobi

Though they aren't there for him, one of the inquisitors is hunting Kenobi specifically. Reeva makes it clear that she wants to find Kenobi, it seems that she wants to gain favour with Darth Vader by doing this but I wonder if they are going to reveal a more personal reason for her hunt for him. 

Owen Lars protects Kenobi

A big sequence sees Reeva & The Fifth Brother hunting for the Jedi. Reeva threatens to kill Owen Lars if he doesn't give up the location of the Jedi. Owen refuses and only escapes death due to the 5th brother stopping Reva. It shows that though they disagree, Owen has respect for Obi-Wan and that he knows one day Luke might need training to defend himself. 

Leia Organa is kidnapped

It has been reported for a while that the reason Obi-Wan leaves Tatooine is to rescue Leia Organa and that was confirmed here. Firstly, I think the young actress they got to play Leia is fantastic and feels like a younger version of this iconic character. But she gets herself kidnapped by mercenary's who Reeva has hired to draw out Obi-Wan. 

Bail Organa recruits Obi-Wan

It was great to see Jimmy Smitts back as Bail Organa and him travelling to Tatooine to recruit Obi-Wan made it feel like a big moment. For him to leave Luke in order to try and save Leia was an emotion inducing moment and made it seem realistic that he would go on this mission. 

Obi-Wan rescues Leia and reconnects with the force

So Kenobi eventually finds and rescues Leia, the dynamic between the two of them is fantastic and it is great to see the two of them having fun. Ewan McGregor really does a great job of showing this character grow in confidence and then the drama by the end of the episode. He also saves Leia using the force, it is clear he hasn't used the force in a long time and this is a big moment for his character. 

Temuera Morrison makes a cameo as a clone trooper

Probably the biggest surprise is the scene where Obi-wan sees a homeless clone trooper begging played by Temuera Morrison. It's a great fan service moment, but I thought it was really effective in showing how the Empire dumped the clones once they started training there own troops for the Empire. Hopefully, this can lead to Morrison getting the chance to play more clones in live action. 

Kumail Nanjiani helps Obi-Wan

The great Kumail Najiani makes an appearance here as a conman pretending to be a Jedi. Obviously this upsets Kenobi but by the end of the episode he ends up helping Obi-Wan & Leia showing a small redemptive arc. He then has a confrontation with Reva, we don't know what happens to his character but hopefully this isn't the last of him. 

Reva Possibly kills the Grand Inquisitor

Throughout the first two episodes we see Reva clashing with both the Fifth Brother & The Grand Inquisitor and this reaches its conclusion in the 2nd episode. After finding Kenobi, the Grand Inquisitor wants to fight him, Reeva stabs him with her Lightsaber in order for her to take on the Jedi Master. Now it would seem that The Grand Inquisitor is dead but I don't buy it unless they are changing Canon. The Grand Inquisitor is the main villain of the first season of Star Wars Rebels which is set after this show. So either he survives this, which I think is likely or Rebels is being wrote out of canon which I doubt. 

Obi-Wan finds out Anakin is still alive

Throughout the episodes. Obi-Wan is clearly still grieving over Anakin and his failure. At the end of the 2nd episode Reva reveals to Kenobi that Anakin Skywaker is alive as Darth Vader, though it does beg to wonder how she knows Vader's true identity. The final shot of the episode shows Vader in his bacta tank and it is clear that the showdown is coming 

Overall

Overall the first two episodes of Obi-Wan Kenobi was fantastic and is a dream for all fans of Star Wars. I can't wait to see how it goes with the majority of trailer footage in these two episodes it is likely to continue with the surprises. 

Thor : Love and Thunder (2022) Trailer Review

Yesterday morning, I woke up to a new Thor: Love and Thunder trailer and now it is time to review it and look at the most important things as we get closer to the next MCU blockbuster. 

Jane Foster is now Thor and she is not a Variant. 

One of the things that people are most excited for is seeing Natalie Portman as Thor. It was theorised that she could be a variant of the character that we saw in the first two Thor films, but this trailer confirms the history between these two characters. It also pretty much confirms that Jane was blipped as she has a different recollection of time to Thor who obviously wasn't blipped. The trailer doesn't confirm the cancer storyline, but it is an important part of the comic run so I expect it will be something we see here. 

Christian Bale makes his debut as Gorr The God Butcher

There was also big hype for Christian Bale playing Gorr: The God Butcher. Now I know nothing about this character except he wants to kill the gods but Bale is obviously an amazing actor and I really like the look for the character. The only thing is that he seems like a really serious character so it is going to be interesting to see how he exactly mashes with the more comedic nature of the film. 

Keeps up the fun tone from Ragnarok

As expected with Taika Waititi returning as director but this film seems like lots of fun and continues the tone and vibe that came from Ragnarok. Thor has become more of a comedic character and it seems like that is rubbing off on the rest of the cast. 

Mjonir is the broken hammer, reformed. 

We saw in Ragnarok that Hela destroyed Mjonir and the version seen in Endgame was not broken and returned by Captain America. The version here that Jane Foster uses has the cracks in it, which shows that it has somehow been reforged. The question will be how has it been fixed and why has Jane Foster now got the power to wield it. 

The Guardians of The Galaxy maybe have a larger role. 

I theorised that The Guardians Of The Galaxy would only be in the first like 10 mins of the movie but now I am not sure. There is a quick shot of Nebula and Drax fighting and either something happens at the beginning of the film that they are involved in or they come back later in the film to help Thor, it is quite hard to tell. 

Overall

Overall, I really enjoyed Thor: Ragnarok so I am really excited for this film, so this trailer has done its job well and I now can't wait to watch the film in the cinema when it comes out. 

She-Hulk: Attorney at Law (2022) Trailer Review

Marvel has given us plenty of content on Disney+ over the last year and a half with the next show being She-Hulk: Attorney at Law. The first official trailer hit the internet today and here is my review for it. 

Mark Ruffalo is back as Bruce Banner/Hulk 

This was always well known, but might as well start with it. Mark Ruffalo is back Banner and Hulk and it is more his design that is crucial here. He is in his professor Hulk guise from Avengers: Endgame which is slightly confusing. At the end of Shang-Chi, we saw Banner in his human form, which makes me question when it this show is set. Is it during the blip or is it after Shang-Chi and Banner has gone back to his Smart Hulk guise. 

Jennifer Walters is a lawyer for Super powered people. 

Tatian Maslany is playing Jennifer Walters and it is interesting that she is seen in her human form for quite a bit of this trailer. I expect some of this takes place before the accident that shows her powers but it seems to be a change that she isn't always green which I thought was the case in the comics once she gets her powers. 

The CGI is really bad

I am now getting to the elephant in the room and that is the CGI looks really bad. So far the Disney+ shows have had pretty good uses of CGI but this trailer's CGI looks awful. It feels like they should have gone a similar root to Gamora's green skin as it just looks incredibly fake here and really takes me out of it. Hopefully, it can be patched up and made somewhat better before the show actually comes out because it is a big let down at the moment. 

Tim Roth is back as Emil Blomsky/Abomination

We last saw The Abomination in Shang-Chi, but this show sees the return of Tim Roth as Blomsky himself. He seems to have a power dampening collar and he is potentially in the Raft that we have seen in a few MCU projects recently. It is so long since we have seen this character that this may be the thing I am most excited for here. 

Seems to be more comedic

The MCU is naturally more comedic then most shows and films but here it really seems to be at the forefront. I am fine with that as long as the show is well written and doesn't reduce itself to the most basic of jokes, which seems to be a worry already from the trailer. 

Overall

Overall, this trailer didn't do that much for me. The CGI is so bad that it was pretty jarring and the overall tone isn't one I was overly fond of. Though it is the MCU and I am hoping they can prove me wrong and give us a great show. 

The Boys Season 3 (2022) Trailer Review

The third season of The Boys is set to come to Amazon Prime in 3 weeks and they have just released a trailer for the show. Here are the big things I noticed and what they could mean for the show. 

Homelander has gone fully off of the rails this season. 

After the reveal that Stormfront was a Nazi, it was pretty clear that Homelander was going to have to do some damage limitation. The trailer shows him claiming to not realise she was a Nazi and fully distance himself. But this is Homelander and he isn't exactly all there, his ego seems to be at an all time high and it possibly seems like more of his villainous self will be revealed to the public eye. 

Butcher hasn't been killing supers and has to follow Hughies orders

It is revealed in the trailer that Butcher & The Boys haven't been doing their usual supe killing jobs over the previous year. In fact, Butcher has been following Hughies orders on how to fight Vought. It will be interesting to see how Butcher acts without his mission and what brings him back into the fold of killing Supes. 

Soldier Boy is released and is causing damage

It was reported a while back that Jensen Ackles would be playing Soldier Boy and we see plenty of him in this trailer. He is basically this universes version of Captain America but with way worse morals, he seems to be accidentally released by The Boys and it will be interesting to see how he factors with Homelander as there are many different directions they could go. 

Butcher gets his hands on temporary Compound V

In the comics, Butcher and the boys all end up taking Compound V in order to take on The Seven and something similar seems to be happening here. Queen Maeve gets Butcher some experimental Compound V that lasts for 24 hours, we even see scenes of Butcher using the new abilities. It feels a little hypocritical of him an I am sure that is going to be addressed which should lead to some fascinating character study. 

It is once again going to be brutal

The one thing the Boys has is that it is very violent and unapologetic about it. The trailer makes it very clear that this will continue with gore a plenty. This is great to see as this show needs to have this more adult tone and feel. 

Overall

Overall, I love The boys and I am really excited for what they have planned this season. 

Ranked: Marvel Cinematic Universe Disney+ Shows

After the huge success of the films in The Marvel Cinematic Universe, they have now turned their hands to the TV universe. Through Disney+ Marvel Studios have more freedom to expand on characters introduced in the films or introduce new characters through more screen time. Now here are my rankings of the shows so far on Disney+ from the MCU. 

10. She-Hulk: Attorney At Law (2022)

Though there are some chuckles and entertaining moments, She-Hulk is a pretty big let down and feels quite indulgent. Though I really liked Jennifer Walters/She-Hulk this was a miss for me and if she does return hopefully we get to see her in a better environment. 

9. Ms Marvel (2022) 

Introducing new characters is tough and Ms Marvel does an effective job at this with Iman Vellani bringing life to the character and her story. The issue is that the plot is all over the place and the villains aren't well handled but this is still an entertaining show. 

8. What If...? Season 1 (2021) 

The animated series What If...? was an enjoyable series that had some really good episodes with interesting concepts that wouldn't maybe pan out on the big screen or live action. But the issue is that there are too many episodes of the show and some of them feel quite lacklustre and it sometimes gets a bit repetitive. It is a shame because the animation style is great but the substance and overall pacing can't hold up all of the time.  

7. Secret Invasion (2023)

This show has plenty that is good. The acting is superb by Samuel L Jackson, Ben Mendelsohn, Olivia Coleman and more with some interesting storytelling incidents. The issue is that it rushes its story and doesn't feel like a big enough deal. It is an enjoyable show but if it it achieved its potential it could have been the top of this list which is frustrating. 

6. Hawkeye (2021) 

After many years as a side character in the films, Jeremy Renner finally gets the spotlight in his own series as Hawkeye and it was also fun. The Christmas setting was a nice change of pace and the cast do a really good job, in particular the introduction of Hailee Steinfeld as Kate Bishop. The issue is that the show feels really small scale and it doesn't exactly delivers on the potential that it had. A messy finale holds it back from being better, but it does some things well that should be commended. 

5. The Falcon & The Winter Soldier (2021)

This show had plenty of hype and buzz around it and felt large on scale. The dynamic between Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes is really well realised here and their dynamic is one of the best parts of this show. It looks at some really deep subject matter and does the most of it well, it also helps that Zemo is back and handled really well. There are some issues with the main villain and some of the side plots but overall I thought this show was great and felt like a really big deal. 

4. Moon Knight (2022) 

The first Disney+ show of 2022 was a real hit. Oscar Isaac does a really great job in the lead role and introduces us to this really interesting character and new side of the MCU. The supporting cast are also good and it looks great, when Moon Knight is on screen it is really entertaining. The show has a bit of an issue with its villain plot and the lack of actual Moon Knight but it does a really good job overall, with a fantastic ending. 

3. WandaVision (2021) 

The first MCU show released on Disney+ did a fantastic job of introducing us to this format. Elizabeth Olsen really stars as Wanda Maximoff and the show did an amazing job with this character. The rest of the cast are great too and really deliver. It starts off a bit slow but when it starts going it makes you wondering what is exactly going on and questioning everything. It gets to a really good point with the characters and WandaVision was a fantastic unique show, that was unlike anything we had seen before in this universe. 

2. Loki Season 1 (2021) 

So far my favourite show of The MCU is the first season of Loki. This show was fantastic, Hiddleston is once again brilliant as the titular character and I just really enjoyed the feel of the show. Owen Wilson was also great and I love the dynamic between the two characters, the ending of the show also set up an amazing second season and I think this show did a great job of keeping me anticipating week to week. 

1. Loki Season 2 (2023)

After all these shows, we finally have one that is truly epic. Loki Season 2 improves on everything from the first season which was really good. Tom Hiddleston gives his best performance in the role and it gives a really satisfying conclusion which could be the conclusion of his character. Everyone was great, it looked great and the story was incredibly well told and not only is this the best MCU show so far it is one of the best things in the MCU overall. 

Overall

Overall, these shows have been a really strong start and continue the good work of The MCU. It has given side characters way more time to grow and expand and now it is starting to introduce new characters which should be fun to watch. 

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022) Review

After a long wait, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness has finally come to cinemas and today and I have watched it and here is my review for what was my most anticipated film of 2022. The premise of the film sees after the events of Spider-Man: No Way Home. Stephen Strange has to deal with more misgivings with the Multiverse that could lead to major ramifications. 

Main Character

Benedict Cumberbatch is once again back as Dr Stephen Strange and he is fantastic in the role. The film does a really good job of expanding his character, as in the recent team up films we haven't had a huge chance to do that. This film continues his character journey from the original film and Cumberbatch absolutely nails it. 

Supporting Characters

After WandaVision I truly realised just how great Elisabeth Olsen is as Wanda Maximoff and she shines here. Her character is given real shine here and her development is probably my favourite part of the film and I am glad it is given the time and justice for the character and actress. Benedict Wong gets more screen time as Wong and he is actually one of the most underrated characters in the MCU and I love the dynamic between him and Cumberbatch as they have developed into one of my favourite partnerships and this is the most we have seen of it. Xochitl Gomez plays America Chavez and she is a fun character, I don't really know anything about her character in the comics but she was a well fleshed out character here. Again the dynamic between her and Strange is well realised and feels like a friendship that we can care about. Rachel McAdams is back as Christine Palmer and she is better realised here then she was in the previous film and I liked how her character was used throughout the film. 

Story 

The story is good, this film does plenty of good character work and the main characters progress nicely and it really helps with the plot. You understand where they are all coming from and how things progress feels fluid. But, this film doesn't hit all the points, there are things from the previous film that are seemingly ignored and I understand it couldn't quite fit here but I was disappointed that it was clearly ignored. Also one character's ending didn't quite work for me and I think it could have been handled a bit better. 

Script 

The script is really good, the mix of humour and drama is really well realised. This film actually feels quite unique considering it is in the MCU but the writing is still really clever and it just suits this film. 

Style 

The film looks amazing, he film doesn't jump all over the place with its aspect ratio this time which is great. The CGI looks amazing and the tone is so interesting. This is the closest the MCU will ever get to a horror film and these elements feel really unique to a Marvel film and that made it really stand out to me. It is actually paced really well, which I was a little worried about and despite a lot going on it manages to all link up well. 

Overall

Overall, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is a fantastic film, you have to have watched the first Doctor Strange and WandaVision to truly appreciate it but this unique and entertaining film is definitely worth the watch. 

Rating - 9/10

Doctor Strange (2016) Review

I am off to see Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness in a few hours, so I decided to re-watch the original Doctor Strange film and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees an arrogant neurosurgeon get drawn into the mystical arts in order to try and cure himself. 

Main Character

Benedict Cumberbatch plays Doctor Stephen Strange and he is great in the role. He plays both the arrogant Doctor and the Sorcerer really well and he feels natural as both. He is quite funny and as the film progresses and you see his character develop and grow an understanding on what he has to do as the character of Doctor Strange. It is a great introduction to the character and would lead to him being a big addition to the MCU. 

Supporting Characters 

There was some controversy when Tilda Swinton was cast as The Ancient One but I thought she was really good and there is real depth to her performance. You go in expecting one thing and the film makes you thinking other things about her and this is big credit to the performance from Swinton. Chiwetel Ejiofor plays Mordo and he is was a pretty cool character too, he takes up a mentor role for Strange but his character also gets time to develop and he progresses nicely with this new arrival totally changing his role as a sorcerer. Benedict Wong plays Wong and he is good in the smaller role he is given, the chemistry between him and Cumberbatch is good and it is a nice taster to what we would see in later film. Rachel McAdams plays Christine Palmer & Mads Mikkelsen plays Kaecilius, both are fine in there role and do nothing wrong it is a slight shame they weren't given more to do but they are both decent actors that try their best. 

Story

This is an effective origin story for Doctor Strange, it isn't the most unique one but it does a good job of building this character up and bringing this crazy wizarding world into play that was new to the MCU at this point. But some of the plot doesn't quite hold up, mainly the romance and villain plots, they just feel underdeveloped and like they were an afterthought which is a shame as it is a big part of the film. 

Script

The script is good, it is what is to be expected for a film in The MCU. There is a good blend of humour and drama and it pretty much all works. The characters are developed well and the plot is handled well enough for an introduction of a new character. 

Style 

The film looks amazing, the magic looks incredible and so unique. Seeing this on screen is mind blowing and there wasn't really much that could reach these levels. When it is in the IMAX shots it looks stunning and absolutely incredible. Unfortunately, the film transitions between the IMAX and normal Aspect Ratio way too much and it is really jarring, I wish they had stuck to one or the other as it really takes away from this amazing looking film. 

Overall  

Overall, Doctor Strange is a great origin film and does a really effective job in building this character for his debut and it is worth a watch for sure. 

Rating - 8/10

Obi-Wan Kenobi Mini Series (2022) Trailer Review

With it being Star Wars day yesterday, there was a guarantee of getting something to sink our teeth into and it is a new trailer for the upcoming Disney+ show Obi-Wan Kenobi. I never got around to reviewing the first teaser trailer so I will be going into this trailer in depth as there is plenty to unpack. 

The Inquisitors are on the hunt for Kenobi

The trailer starts off by showing the beginnings of the hunt for Kenobi. We see the Inquisitors led by the Grand Inquisitor going on the hunt for Obi-Wan. We have seen some of the Inquisitors in other forms of canon so it will be interesting to see how that matches with this and how they fare against the Jedi Master. 

Kenobi is looking over Luke  

Again, this was shown in the first trailer but it is clear that Obi-Wan has been keeping an eye on Luke Skywalker and how his life is going, Obviously, this links to when they meet in the original film but I am curious as to whether they will get a chance to meet in this show. 

Obi-Wan wants to train Luke

This leads on to the next scene, Where Obi-Wan makes it clear to Owen Lars that he wants to train Luke when the time is right. It is cool to see this as Luke is around the age Anakin was in The Phantom Menace, you would have to believe Kenobi would want to start the training before he actually did. This conversation makes it clear that his failure with Anakin is holding him back though. 

We will learn more about the Inquisitors 

There are quite a few shots of the Inquisitors in there base hunting for the Jedi. After watching Rebels it is clear the Inquisitors have different agendas and personalities, so hopefully that is addressed here and it will be nice to see these once fallen Jedi go after one of the most famous members of the order.  

4-Lom goes after Kenobi

This is just a little bit, mainly for myself but the trailer shows a younger 4-Lom go after Kenobi. We saw him as one of the bounty hunters Vader talks to in Empire Strikes Back, so to see him finally in action will be great to see. 

Obi-Wan leaves Tatooine 

This has been reported for a while, but this trailer fully confirms that Kenobi leaves Tatooine on another mission. I am personally happy with this, after The Book Of Boba Fett, I am kind of fed up with the planet and it will be nice seeing him in a different location. We also see him using a blaster, probably trying to hide his real Jedi powers, due to secrecy or shame. 

We see Vader assembled and ready for the showdown. 

Right at the end, we finally see Darth Vader being assembled. It does a really good job of showing the inhumanity left in him and how much he has changed since the last time he and Kenobi last met. The final shot, sets the showdown and it will be fascinating seeing this duel after all of this time. 

Overall

Overall, this trailer is fantastic and has me so hyped for this show. After all these years seeing this character get the justice he deserves will hopefully be one of the events of the year. 

Moon Knight Mini Series (2022) Review 

After 6 episodes, Moon Knight has come to an end and here is my review for the MCU series on Disney+. The premise of the show sees a man with different personalities given the power of an Egyptian God, he has to decide how to use his powers in his fight to survive. 

Main Character 

Oscar Isaac plays Moon Knight, this role involves a lot from him as he has to play both Marc Spector and Steven Grant. Spector is the more hardcore and aggressive version, whereas Steven is more caring and adverse to violence. Isaac does a brilliant job balancing the two personalities, both feel like real characters and have some great development that makes this one of the more interesting characters in the MCU. 

Supporting Characters

Ethan Hawke plays the villain Arthur Harrow and I thought he did a good job. He isn't the most interesting villain ever but Hawke gives it his all and his talent maximises every bit out of it and it made him a worthwhile addition to the show. May Calamawy plays Layla and I really liked her in this show. The dynamic between her and Isaac is handled really well and she is a really strong female character that never got annoying or overshadowed Moon Knight. F. Murray Abraham voices Khonshu and his booming voice adds so much to the role and it makes him come across as this major being that controlled Marc and Steven's lives completely. 

Story  

The story is good, the show keeps things hidden but drip feeds with the information that is needed to know. I really cared about both Marc & Steven and the more you learn, the more interesting it becomes. I also like the deep delve into the Egyptian gods and it opens more doors for the future of the MCU. But there are a few issues with the storytelling, mainly the whole bad guy plot. Though Hawke does a decent job, his whole goal and motivation is weak and bland and it kind of fades into the background for me. 

Script

The script is great, the drama hits some high levels without feeling cheesy or over dramatic. There are bits of humour that made me laugh too, the blend is there and even though the connection to the MCU isn't huge in the show, it certainly has a bit of the tone involved. 

Style 

The style is very high budget and it does work. When Moon Knight is on screen it is fantastic, the action is smooth and actually a bit more violent which I felt was necessary for the character. It was paced well too, I was interested by what was going on and every episode felt a bit different which helped bring me back every week. Though I have a problem and that is the lack of Moon Knight on screen. For a new character, the actual character of Moon Knight isn't there enough and that for me felt like a let down. 

Overall

Overall, Moon Knight was a great show and introduced this new character really well and got me invested. If you think this show could be for you, then I would say give it a chance. 

Rating - 8/10