Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023) Review

I was always a fan of the original Indiana Jones trilogy, they are some of my favourite films ever made and then Kingdom of the Crystal Skull came out and was just really bad. But after all these years we finally have the 5th film in the franchise The Dial of Destiny and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees Indiana Jones race against time to find an artifact that could change the course of history.

Main Character 

Harrison Ford once again reprises his role as Indiana Jones and I thought he was really good here. In Kingdom of The Crystal Skull he sometimes looked like he wasn't interested but here he does really seem to care. It's a really great showing of an old school action hero, it very much brings back memories of previous films of the franchise and Ford provides plenty to this performance despite his age. 

Supporting Characters

Phoebe Waller-Bridge plays Helena and she is fantastic in this film. Over the films there has been a mixed bag of associates with Jones but Waller-Bridge's character has to be one of the better one. She is fun and comedic but a strong character, the dynamic and chemistry between her and ford are excellent and to me the real highlight of the film. 

Ethan Isidore plays plays Teddy and he kind of reminds me of Short Round from The Temple of Doom. He gives a decent child performance and the group dynamic between the three protagonists works and I am glad he was an addition to the film. 

Mads Mikkelsen is a great actor and he plays the villain here, I just didn't find his character to be particularly interesting. He tries his best but he is just an evil doctor that I feel like plenty of actors could have filled the role. I feel similar to Boyd Holbrook who plays his henchmen, they just could have been played by other characters and aren't that interesting. 

The film also underutilises certain characters and performers such as Toby Jones and Antonio Banderas. They are a fun part of the film but they are barely in it which is a shame. 

Story 

The story feels very familiar to Indiana Jones fans, it focuses on history and archaeology while being a fun adventure film. It does a pretty decent job of showing relationships between the main heroes and there is some development for sure, the last 20 mins or so are great and feel like a fitting finale for the film. It is just some of the greater aspects of the film that don't quite work, the whole thing involving the villains is dull and is overcomplicated for no real reason. Also, I just feel like parts of the film went on a bit longer then they needed to which could have trimmed the overall story. 

Script

The script has some funny moments in it, the character banter mostly works and I felt like it was a return to form for the franchise in that way. Also when the film wanted us to care about the characters, I did. It was well done and established how much Indiana Jones has been through in all these films. Though some of the films writing falls flat, it adds unnecessary things to the film that clog it down and hold it back a bit. 

Style 

The film looks pretty good. There are some really fun action sequences that take place in interesting locations all across the world. Despite Harrison Ford being the age that he is, they do a good job of hiding it and having him involved in these scenes. This is also probably the most I have ever seen the de-aging technology used and for the most part I think it is used well but shows there is still a bit of a way to go. My issue is that the pacing isn't quite there, some of the scenes are exciting but they could have had some time taken off of them that would have trimmed it down a little and made it a superior film. 

Overall

Overall, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is an above average film. For fans of this franchise this will be a fun experience but there are some issues that it can't quite get over. It is a positive film which is something I am happy with despite not being as good as I wanted. 

Rating - 6/10

First Impressions: Secret Invasion Season 1 (2023)

It has been a while since we have had an MCU Disney+ show and on Wednesday the first episode of Secret Invasion came out and I watched it pretty much straight away. So here are my first impressions, warning there will be spoilers for the episode, so if you haven't watched the episode then do not read this yet. 

Everett Ross is a Skrull, or is he? 

We open the episode with Everett Ross played by Martin Freeman meeting with an agent who has clearly worked out that Skrulls have taken over the planet using sleeper agents. Eventually, this agent recognises that Ross is a Skrull and is killed. After a chase scene, Ross is chased and eventually dies, revealing himself as a Skrull. The question, is how long has Ross been a Skrull? Personally, I believe every time we have seen Ross before has been himself and after the events of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever he was kidnapped by the Skrulls and replicated for their needs. We will probably see him later on the show when he needs to be rescued. 

Nick Fury returns to Earth 

This event sparks the return of Nicky Fury. It has been revealed that he has been off Earth since the events of Avengers Endgame and this major event has seen him return to the planet. It also seems like he is a bit older and battered down since that film and I think the blip really affected him as the character. 

Talos Wife is killed and his daughter G'iah is working for The Skrulls

We learn that since we last saw them. Talos wife Soren was killed by The Skrulls which has totally impacted his life and relationship with Fury. We then see G'iah who was in Captain Marvel grown up played by Emilia Clarke and she is actually working for The Skrulls. We see that she is slightly conflicted but stays loyal to The Skrulls. I expect by the end of the season she will turn on The Skrulls. 

Kingsley Ben Adir plays Gravik and has history with Fury & Talos

It has been a while since we have had a great villain, but it looks like Ben Adir as Gravik could be one. He is intense and compelling but what is more interesting is that he clearly knows Nicky Fury and Talos. It is not revealed in the episode how he knows both these characters but you can assume that it 

will be revealed and it will be fascinating to when it happened. 

The USA & UK are looking into The Skrull 

We have a scene in The White House, where the new president and James Rhodes reprised by Don Cheadle are seen discussing Fury's return and the whole Skrull situation. We also see a scene where the CIA led by Sonya Falsworth played by Olivia Coleman kidnap Fury and they have a conversation about the whole Skrull situation. Both factions are likely to have their own motivations and I wouldn't be surprised if some of them were Skrulls. 

Maria Hill is Killed and potential WW3 is set up

The biggest shock of the episode is that Maria Hill is killed by Gravik who has shape shifted as Nick Fury. It is a brutal death and feels extremely heart-breaking, especially with her believing the Fury was the one who killed her. With her not turning into a Skrull, it is clear that this is actually Mariah Hill who has been in this universe for 11 years which makes it a big death. The Skrulls set off explosions in Moscow while disguised as Americans with the goal of setting up a new war between the humans of the world. 

A Darker Version of the MCU

This show is certainly different to the majority of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It is very serious and brutal with its action sequences and death. I really hope the show continues this way and doesn't hold back from this thriller with plenty of twists and turns. 

Overall

Overall, I thought this was a fantastic premier. It is probably the best first episode of any of the MCU Disney+ series so far and I have really high hopes for how Secret Invasion continues to progress. 

The Flash (2023) Review

    

With the DCEU coming up to its end we have finally got The Flash hit the big screen. This film has been one of the most complicated and controversial comic book films ever released but it has now released and I have seen it so here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees Barry Allen go back in time and change the past which ends up changing major factors of the multiverse as a whole. 

Main Character

Ezra Miller has had plenty going on over the last few years but I have decided to ignore these things when reviewing this film. I thought Miller did a pretty good job as Allen, they are funny and quirky and feel like an appropriate character. The character goes through a real journey in the film and I thought this was one of the best parts of the film. However, Miller also plays a younger version of the character and I really did not like this performance, they were so annoying. I understand why the character is like this way but the majority of the film they are like this and it just misses the boat for me. 

Supporting Characters 

One of the main things people were excited about was seeing the return of Michael Keaton as Batman and he is a real highlight here. Yes, he is pretty cheesy but it just works with his charm and charisma, as a big fan of him in this role it was great to see him return and have some real time to shine as a character he is iconic for. 

Sasha Calle plays Supergirl for the first time here and I really liked her performance in the role. She isn't a huge part of the film but when she is on screen she is very opposing and fits the role very well. Her character is explored enough for an introduction but I do wish we could have had slightly more here from the writers. 

Michael Shannon as General Zod was one of my favourite villains in the DCEU, but he is used so badly here. Even Shannon came out and said he didn't enjoy making the film, he feels pointless here and that anybody could have played his role when there was definitely more they could have done with him. 

Ron Livingston & Maribel Verdu do okay jobs as Henry & Nora Allen but I never felt like they stood out considering how they were an emotional core of the film. They weren't bad but I never fully supported Barry's mission because I never connected with them like I did the TV version of the characters. 

Kiersey Clemons reprises her role from Zack Snyder's Justice League as Iris West, but she is another dull part of the film. Luckily, the film doesn't spend too much time with the character but even when on screen I never saw any charisma between her and Miller. 

Story 

The film has two parts to its story. When looking at the character of Barry Allen, I think the film shows how his inner conflict affects him, he is somebody who feels below other heroes but wants to do something that makes himself truly happy and selfish. The film presents this well throughout and thank goodness for that. This is because the rest of the films story is pretty bad, the majority of side characters are underused and not given time for us to grow and connect with them. But the major problem I have is that as somebody who has watched the majority of The Flash TV show, I have seen many things that happen in this film in that show and done better. The ending is also pretty terrible and I just think the really missed the mark with all the interesting things they actually could have done. 

Script

The film definitely had me chuckling at times. There were some actually pretty funny moments and that was nice to see here. There was also some good drama, there were a couple of really effective scenes that made us care about The Flash. But it misses quite a bit too, the film makes no sense a lot of the time, it also just drags out with dialogue that doesn't really do anything. 

Style

The film has some decent action sequences mainly involving Batman. It is cool to see this same Batman able to be given the time to really show how he can really work as an action star. But this is one of the worst looking films that you will see, the CGI is terrible and has truly some of the worst ever made. Also the pacing is bad, the first 30 mins are all over the place and feel like they are pointless to the film which is a major let down. 

Overall

Overall, The Flash just about is an average film. It really falls below the standards that were set and promised by the people in charge. It isn't terrible but I really don't think it is worth a watch unless you really like Michael Keaton as Batman and liked the TV show. 

Rating - 5/10

Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse (2023) Review

Spider-Man: Into The Spider-verse was one of my favourite comic book films ever, and after all these years the sequel, Across The Spider-Verse has been released and I have finally had a chance to watch it and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees Miles Morales travel across the multiverse where he meets other Spider-Men that at are charged with protecting it, Miles must understand what it takes to be a true hero. 

Main Character

Shameik Moore is back as Miles Morales and he is fantastic. He plays the teenage spider-man very well and he is easily likeable which is great to see. There is more to him though, Moore adds real emotion to the story of Morales and the things he goes through is well done. Gwen Stacy voiced by Hailee Steinfeld gets way more to do in this film and I would argue her character is as important as Miles. She gives such an emotional performance and Gwen is a character that we learn a lot about and see how she really fits into this story. The dynamic between both characters is really well delivered and I am glad it worked so well. 

Supporting Characters

This film has probably the most amount of characters a film ever has, so I certainly won't be going through all of them but I will acknowledge that they are all great. 

Brian Tyree Henry and Luna Lauren Velez return as Miles parents and they are a large part of this story. Seeing how the dynamic between Miles and his parents goes down is a really crucial element of this film and the two performers did a great job. 

Oscar Isaac plays Miguel O'Hara and is fantastic. It seems like he is becoming the king of comic book films and shows and he is no different here, O'Hara is the leader of the team of Spider-Men and he is the most serious character in this film. As you learn more about him, you understand why he does what he does and it makes him a really interesting character. 

Jake Johnson is back as Peter B Parker, though he has a much smaller role. Even though he isn't in the film a huge amount he is used effectively and I felt like he was somebody that added to the overall story of the film and how it affects Miles life. 

There are some other great characters specifically Jason Schwartzman as The Spot, Issa Rae as Jessica Drew and Daniel Kaluuya as Spider-Punk. They all were fun additions to the cast here. 

Story

The story is fantastic. As I mentioned above, it focuses equally on Miles Morales & Gwen Stacy and it deals with both stories incredibly well. This film exceeds what the majority of people would expect for an animated film with the amount of depth and emotion that goes ahead with these characters and the situations that they are put in. This is also a great ending, which feels appropriate for the film and effects every character that has been a spotlight of the film. 

Script

The script is really great. The comedy is well written, this film is funny and not in a childish way. It is clever with its comedy and it picks appropriate times to use it. But the drama is where the film succeeds, you really do care about these characters and how the events in the film change the characters. 

Style 

The first film was amazing to look at and so creative in its design. This film is even better, you can't take your eyes off the screen because of the colours and use of technical devices that no ever film does like it. This films pacing is great too, it clearly has different acts to the film and I was never bored, 

Overall

Overall, Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse is an Epic film that just like its predecessor is one of the best comic book films ever made. Ignore the fact that it is an animated film, this is an amazing film and especially for Spider-Man films needs to be see. 

Rating - 10/10

Hogwarts Legacy (2023) Review

One of the biggest games to be released this year is the Harry Potter spinoff Hogwarts Legacy. It came out to some positive reviews and as a fan of the franchise, I thought I would give it a playthrough and even though it took a long time, I have finally finished the game. The premise of the game set in the late 1800, sees a new student join Hogwarts where they have access to ancient magic and must learn to harness it and stop the dark forces. 

Characters

This game has a main character that the gamer gets to create. I created a male wizard and used him throughout the game, I mostly played as a heroic wizard and chose the dialogue to meet with that. The character is okay, there are a few interesting things about them but I always feel with your own protagonist there isn't enough depth put into them. I never really cared that much about the lead character and the voice acting didn't help at all. 

There are so many characters in this game but one in particular stands out and that is Sebastian Swallow. A member of Slytherin, he is easily the best character in this game. His story is fascinating and the voice acting is great, I wanted to spend as much time as possible with this character instead the main story. 

Professor Fig is a decent mentor for the main character, he kind of drifts in and out of the game but I thought he had a fun dynamic with the main protagonist and was a nice part of the game. 

But the majority of the rest of the cast aren't great, the villain Ranarok is one of the most dull that you will ever see in a video game and is barely given anything to work with. Other class mates and teachers are just pretty dull and I can't really remember any of them or their personalities. I mean they waste the great Simon Pegg who plays the headmaster but is a small part of the game and doesn't really add anything. 

Main Story 

The main story is average at best. It sees the Goblins basically try to take over Hogwarts and steal magic. It is interesting how it looks through the past of the wizarding world and what the characters motivations are but the rest of it is dull. The main character is not interesting enough and the villain is incredibly mediocre with this being a pretty big let down that had potential to be so much better. 

Side Content

As I mentioned above, the Side Content involving Sebastian is the best part of the game and I really enjoyed it, it had emotion and depth to it. There were a couple of other side activities that worked as well with other students. But there was also others that were a waste of time, the usual fetch quests that seem to be in every RPG are overwhelming here and I skipped the majority of them. Plus why was there no Quidditch, it is one of the most popular thing in Harry Potter but the game creators didn't put it in the game. 

Gameplay 

The strength of the game is that the gameplay is fantastic. It flows incredibly well and allows the player to use plenty of spells that are from the books and films. The battles are a lot of fun and taking advantage of the spells that you learn and develop over the game is really fun. It is where the game thrives and I am happy that they really invested time into making this part a real highlight. 

Graphics

The game looks really good, it represents the Wizarding World really well. Hogwarts looks just how I imagined that it would, it nails its atmosphere very well and I really liked how the use of spells and design of characters feel natural to this universe that the game is set it. 

Overall

Overall, Hogwarts Legacy is a good game that does plenty of things right, especially its gameplay and graphics. But it it also fumbles on things too, I think when a game links to a film or book series it needs to have strong characters and story and for the most part this game doesn't have that. I still think it is an enjoyable game worth buying but definitely more of a desire for big fans of Harry Potter. 

Rating - 7/10

Fast X (2023) Review

We are finally here, 10 Fast & Furious films have finally hit and can we believe it that Fast X is finally here and I watched it today. This is another of those franchises with interconnecting films and that has made this franchise a bit confusing but here is my review for Fast X. The premise of the film sees the family under attack by a crazy criminal who wants revenge. 

Main Character 

Vin Diesel once again reprises the role as Dominic Toretto. He is exactly what you would think, he says a bunch of silly one liners and he won't stop talking about family. At the end of the day, I just found this performance as functional, it isn't particularly good but you know exactly what you are going to get and we have to deal with it. 

Supporting Characters

This is one of the biggest supporting cast of all time so I won't be going through everybody just the ones I thought was important. 

Jason Momoa plays the main villain an I have to say I thought he was the best part of the film. Some will find him so annoying that it goes too much but considering everything else in the film I enjoyed his character and thought he was having a blast on screen. It is nice to see a villain realise how ridiculous this premise is and live up to it in the craziest way. 

The film spoiled that John Cena would be reprising his role as Jacob from Fast 9 but as a good guy. It has been clear recently that Cena has become a stronger actor, with humour added and he was strong here. He has a great dynamic with a certain other character and it was fun to watch. 

The issue is that everybody else is pretty pointless. The crew of Han, Roman, Tej and Ramsey is so dull to watch and it is clear that they had very little for them to do but had to force them into something. They even introduced Brie Larson and she is fine but her character is given not enough to work with at all and that is a big let down for her star power. 

Story 

The story does an effective job of showing the mindset of the villain and why he is after Dominic Toretto and the family. It is escalated well and watching this confrontation was what I enjoyed over the majority of anything else here. The film just has way too much into it, mainly the story with the lesser characters such as Roman and Tej which was so dull and mind-numbing, the crew are split up and that is one of the weaker elements of any of these films. 

The ending though is pretty interesting and I actually thought this had me leaving the cinema in a better mood then I originally was regarding the future of the Fast & Furious franchise. 

Script

The script doesn't have much too it. The best thing is the guts they show with their storytelling aspirations at the end of the film and the fun that Jason Momoa is having, though I doubt it had much to do with the writing. The film just has all the clichés and for the most part I just think by this point in the franchise it never hits the levels that it has hit in the past. 

Style 

The Fast and Furious franchise has always been willing to push the envelope in terms of big action sequences and although this is one of the calmer films of recent years, it was still fun at times to see things explode for no reason at all. But the pacing of the film is missing, the film tries to do so much that it doesn't do an effective job of making the audience care about the majority of the characters. 

Overall

Overall, Fast X is an average film. As we get towards the end of this franchise it makes you wonder how they got so much out of it and unless you are a fan of this franchise it most likely isn't worth a watch. 

Rating - 5/10