Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017) Review

With No Way Home coming out tomorrow, it is time to watch the first two solo films of this version of Spider-Man and that starts with Homecoming and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees Peter Parker struggling with his lack of challenge as Spider-Man when he must go against a real threat - The Vulture. 

Main Character

Tom Holland made his debut as Peter Parker/Spider-Man in Captain America: Civil War to great acclaim and in his first solo film he knocks it out of the park again. He really nails that boyish charm, he actually comes across as a real teenager and that innocence really helps build up the character and really helps with his portrayal as Spider-Man. You really feel like this is a teenager trying to please his idol and use his powers for good but not understanding the consequences. 

Supporting Characters 

Michael Keaton plays Adrian Toomes/The Vulture and he is so good as the villain here. He looks intimidating in The Vulture costume but is a really interesting character that you do have some sympathy for him. He also gives a real intense performance as just a guy and the scenes that he and Holland have are really effective. Marisa Tomei plays Aunt May and she is great, the dynamic between her and Holland feels incredibly real like a real mother/son relationship which is more effective then the other dynamics in the past. Robert Downey Jnr reprises his role as Tony Stark which lets face it he could play in his sleep. He isn't in the film much but it is a really vital role and I will never get tired of the dynamic between Iron Man and Spider-Man on screen. Jacob Batalon plays Ned and I really like the friendship between him and Peter. Having a friend linked to both Peter and Spider-Man was a really great idea and allows for more banter then maybe previous films have had. 

Story 

The story is really good, it skips over the whole origin story and really focuses on Peter wanting to transition into a high level super hero while dealing with normal school life. The film balances this well, the schools scenes aren't boring and then obviously the superhero stuff is really effective and exciting. 

Script

The film is really funny, it is easily the funniest Spider-Man film up to this point. The banter flows really naturally and Holland is clearly a natural in the role. The drama is also really great, you see this young man really develop as both a person and a superhero throughout. 

Style 

The film looks great, both Spider-Man and Vulture have great costumes and their action scenes are fun to watch. The tone is really well done and the balance between humour and drama is pretty much perfect with it being a fun watch. But my only issue is a bit of the pacing, the 2nd act falls a little flat for me, it picks back up for the finale but I just can't give this my highest score because of the slight lull in the film. 

Overall

Overall, Spider-Man: Homecoming is a fantastic film that does such a great job of giving this new Spider-Man the spotlight. This is a film for veteran fans of the character and new ones that rivals the best the character has seen. 

Rating - 9/10

Iron Man 3 (2013) Review 

So next on my MCU watching list is Iron Man 3 which is also the first film in Phase 2 and set in a post Avengers world, I re-watched it today and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees Tony Stark struggling after the events of The Avengers, when a new terrorist threat comes to threaten him and his life. 

Main Character

Robert Downey Jnr is legendary as the character of Tony Stark and this is a really great performance that shows the complexity and pain that the character has gone through over the films. He still keeps the cocky and charismatic personality but there is some real struggle here and a mature story told here and Downey gives some great scenes which sees a real development in Stark as a character. 

Supporting Characters

Gwyneth Paltrow is back as Pepper Potts and I still think her and Downey Jnr have one of the better romances in the MCU and it is handled pretty well here. She doesn't actually have that much screen time in the film but when she is on screen I think she does a decent job in the film. Don Cheadle is back as Rhodey and again he doesn't have a huge amount of screen time but he plays an effective part of the film and the story and is a fun part of the film. I've always thought him and Downey Jnr have good chemistry together and that is further emphasised here. Sir Ben Kingsley plays The Mandarin and he is superb, he plays a real chilling and sinister bad guy that draws you in and makes you want to know more and see a great showdown between him and Iron Man. But this film does take some missteps in terms of the cast, Guy Pearce plays Aldrich Killian and he is one of the more dull characters in the MCU and it wastes Pearce into this pretty generic antagonist that feels like a weak element of the film. Rebecca Hall is also a great actress and she is wasted here, she is a one note character which could have been played by anybody. If you believe what hall says she was meant to have a larger role in the film but Marvel changed their mind and it makes her part in the film feel a bit strange and out of place. 

Story 

The story does some things well, the greater focus on Tony Stark's PTSD and personal issues make this a more in depth story and character study that feels natural for the state that the character is in at this point in The MCU. But this film does misfire in terms of its overall plot, I mean there is a huge twist here that for me sends the film on a downwards spiral, I feel like how much you like this film relies on how you feel about the twist. There are other elements of the plot that aren't that great and it definitely comes out the further the film progresses. 

Script

The script is pretty good, in terms of dialogue it is pretty top notch. There is some decent humour put in here and the drama is ramped up for this film, especially for Stark. The issue is the plot when it doesn't focus on Tony is poorly written and so are some of the characters and I think that is where the film falters a bit for me. 

Style 

The film looks great, the visuals for this film are truly fantastic, there are a few sequences towards the end of the film that are large on scale and the film does a great job of showing that. But the film does have a bit of a pacing issue, the film isn't that long but it feels much longer and I think that is due to a pretty slow first act that makes the film take time to get going. 

Overall

Overall, this is an above average third film that does some things right but also does some things wrong. I think it is slightly better then Iron Man 2 but nowhere near the level of the first film. It continues Tony Starks journey well but has too much around it that doesn't work, I would say only big superhero fans are gonna really care for this one. 

Rating - 6/10 

The Avengers (2012) Review

On my way to reviewing all the MCU films I have now made it to the end of the first phase which means I have made it to The Avengers and I re-watched it today and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees a group of superheroes have to come together to save the world from an alien force. 

Main Character

He was the first star of the MCU and he is one of the main focuses here, I'm talking about Robert Downey Jnr as Tony Stark AKA Iron Man and I think he is great in the film. He has so much charisma and the one liners are coming at a really high rate in the film, the key thing for me though is that his character develops and I think what this film does really well is show you how much has changed in him since the first Iron Man film. Chris Evans is back as Captain America and it is fun seeing this man who is from another time having to deal with modern times, I also like how his character interacted with the others, also in the action scenes Cap still shines and this film doesn't even montage past all of it. The dynamic between Downey Jnr & Evans is great here and shows just how different their personalities are and how difficult it is for them to work together despite the world literally being on the line. 

Supporting Characters

Okay, there are so many characters so in order for this review to not be longer then it needs I will try and keep this as short as possible. Chris Hemsworth is great as Thor, he adds more humour and presence in the role and like all the other characters he really gets to excel by bouncing his presence off of the other characters. Tom Hiddleston plays the villain Loki and what a shock he is great too, we saw the start of the character in Thor but he has clearly progressed since then and I liked how the relationship between the two brothers develops from the previous film. Scarlett Johansson is back as Black Widow and she is much better here then she was in Iron Man 2, she is actually given a character and real time to shine and the best thing I can say is that she stands alongside these gods and super powered beings and doesn't look out of place. Jeremy Renner plays Hawkeye and they don't give him that much to do, or more like they handle the character poorly, but by the end of the film I came around to Renner in the role and given more to do he is a great fit for the character. Over the first phase of the MCU we have seen flickers of Samuel L Jackson as Nick Fury but this is the most we get of him so far and he is great, he is just so cool and interesting with his motivations not being as black and white as you would expect for this film. Now onto The Hulk, Mark Ruffalo takes over the role in this film and he is great as Banner, yes it is different to Edward Norton but he feels like a natural fit and I really liked his character here. But The Hulk is the star of this film, when he gets going he is amazing and looks incredible, The Hulk has never been better then he is in this film I believe and credit has to go to him for that. Clark Gregg, Colbie Smulders & Stellan Skaarsgard are also all good in their roles. 

Story  

As you can see by the lengthy cast list there is plenty going on here but it all balances nicely. I love the fact that the film shows that despite these characters all being heroes they don't all necessarily get along and have different views on things and it adds some much needed drama. I think the fact that we have seen their solo films aids in that as the film doesn't have to waste time with backstories and that allows the film to move at a really fast pace. Yes, there are some conveniences but I don't care, this film is so fun and the final act is comic book film greatness and delivers truly memorable moments. 

Script

The script is great, it just has that very snappy dialogue with plenty of one liners and dialogue that just fits the characters appropriately. There is also some depth and drama to this popcorn blockbuster film and that is good and credit to the people behind the script as this aids in making these god like characters interesting and a bit relatable. 

Style 

The style of the film is one of the best things about the film. As I mentioned above, the pacing of the film is incredibly quick and that aids in making this an incredibly fun film. The action scenes are huge in scale and the CGI is at its best here then any MCU film that came before. Which brings me onto The Hulk, he looks amazing, the action scenes involving him are the the most exciting part of the film and finally the MCU had a Hulk that delivered in looking and fighting like he deserved. 

Overall

Overall, The Avengers is a special film that is a must watch for not just Marvel fans but all film fans. I think because of what The MCU now is we sometimes forget about this film and take it for granted. But without, The Avengers there wouldn't be an MCU and it is an amazing film that is honestly one of my favourite movies possibly ever. 

Rating - 10/10

Iron Man 2 (2010) Review

In my prep for Black Widow hopefully coming out in May I decided to watch all of The MCU films and this is one of the most important as Iron Man 2 is the debut for the character and here is my review for the film. The premise of the film sees Tony Stark have to deal with declining health while a man from his fathers past comes for revenge. 

Main Character

Robert Downey Jnr is back as Tony Stark and what can you really say of course he is great, this was the character he was born to play and he continues his great work here. You can tell he is allowed to ab-lib a lot of his lines and he is so charismatic and I like how despite him now being more of a heroic figure he is still a bit of an egotistical narcissist but it fits his character. He goes through plenty of drama in this film and he does a good job with it and you feel sorry for him as he goes through some pretty bad times in the film. 

Supporting Characters

Gwyneth Paltrow is back as Pepper Potts and she is once again very good here, the dynamic between her and Downey Jnr is one of the best in The MCU and it really develops nicely and it feels very different from the previous film and like a worthy progression for the characters. Sam Rockwell plays Justin Hammer and for me alongside Downey Jnr is the highlight of the film and just looks like he is having so much fun in the role. His character is a good parallel to Stark and I liked that he was included here and felt that he was a nice change of pace from usual comic book bad guys. Don Cheadle takes the place of Terrence Howard as Rhodey and he is a good addition to the cast with his own character and arc here, I just kind of wish he was given a bit more screen time to shine here. Mickey Rourke plays the big villain and wow he is terrible here, it is well documented that he hated making this film and only did it for the money and it clearly shows. His character is paper thin and the ridiculous accent doesn't help and it is a shame that they couldn't get an actor who wanted to be there. So Scarlett Johansson plays Natasha Romanoff AKA Black Widow for the first time and honestly I don't think she is great here and I don't really think it is her fault. For the most part her character is just someone that Tony Stark can ogle at and it isn't till the end of the film where she gets a bit of time to shine but by then it's too late, luckily she is given much better in the future. 

Story

There is a personal element to this film and I think in some cases it does work and looks at Tony Stark's legacy and how he will be remembered, it seems to affect him on a more personal level then the first film and that is done effectively. But this films story is let down mainly because of the fact that there is way too much going on, the first film's plot is very effective because it is streamlined and allowed to hit the emotion but this film does the opposite. The film has lots of characters to balance and it spends too much of its time setting up to future franchises that it hurts the overall quality of the film. 

Script

The script has some good humour in that will make you laugh, I do question how much of it is ab-libbed by the actors but nonetheless I laughed quite a bit in the film. I did compliment the story if the characters but I thought the drama is lacking here, and it doesn't hit the level needed to really make you buy into the emotion. Also having to balance all the different story arcs can't have helped them when having to right this film. 

Style  

The film has some good action scenes that definitely raises the stakes in terms of the scale and allows the film to show Iron Man's more capability. But the pacing of the film is all over the place, the film feels way longer then it needs to and it makes the film at times feel like a drag which a film like this really shouldn't. 

Overall

Overall, this is a decent comic book film. But after the success of Iron Man it is a big step down and a big example to how bigger doesn't always mean better. It is a necessary watch for fans of Marvel films but if you didn't like the first film then this probably won't convert you. 

Rating - 6/10

Iron Man (2008) Review

So touch wood Black Widow is set to come out sometime in May, so I have decided to re-watch all of the films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe in prep and of course that means starting with the first - Iron Man and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees a Billionaire Weapons Dealer kidnapped where he creates a suit of armour to escape and make up for his own mistakes. 

Main Character

When Robert Downey Jnr was cast as Tony Stark it was a huge risk, many personal demons had taken its toil of his personal and professional career. But never was a role more perfect for an actor then he was for Stark, he is so charismatic in the role and he nails the complexity of the role. You see growth over the film but he never loses his true personality and always kept the wit and snappy dialogue with him and this was the first time we saw his great portrayal. 

Supporting Characters

Gwyneth Paltrow plays Pepper Potts and she is great as well, the chemistry between her and Downey is off the charts and you see the relationship between them build and it is the real heartfelt part of the film and she provides plenty too that. She isn't written as the damsel in distress and really is a proper character that feels worthy of her role here. Jeff Bridges plays Obadiah Stane and he is clearly having a lot of fun and revelling in his role and Bridges does enough for him to be a good character here. I mean there isn't really any depth with Stane but there is no denying that Bridges is great in the role. It feels a bit weird seeing Terrence Howard play Rhodey as he was replaced with Don Cheadle after this film but he is good too. I thought the friendship between him and Tony was a good part of the film and added to the story as a whole. Clark Gregg & Paul Bettany play Coulson & JARVIS for the first time and they do well in their roles with plenty more to come from them in future films. 

Story

The story is fantastic, you see this guy who starts the film in one mindset and finishes it in pretty much a completely different one without compromising his character. Tony Stark's character arc is the real highlight of this film and for me the first 30 mins really helped with that as we see just how intelligent he is and how his life is really affected by what happens to him in Afghanistan. Yes, the whole villain part of the film isn't the most compelling but it fits the film we are watching and I thought it suited Tony's character arc and for a first film was the right way to go, it also helps that this film has one of the most iconic endings to any comic book film ever made. 

Script

The script is really good and what I mean by that is the actors did a great job with the script they were given which wasn't finished when they started shooting the film so credit has to go to the actors. The humour is top notch with some truly great one liners which Downey delivers to perfection. But the film also has plenty of heart to it, you really care about this character and this whole redemption story that he is going on. 

Style

The style of the film has some great action scenes, this was the first time we saw the Iron Man suit and it looks great with some memorable sequences. It doesn't have the massive stakes of some other films involving the character but it really nails the action and what felt appropriate for the first film in the franchise. The film is also paced really well, as I said the first half an hour really sets the scene so well and it keeps it up throughout. 

Overall

Overall, this is an epic film, the first film in the MCU is full of quality and still holds up as a more personal and raw story told about this now iconic character. This is one of the most important comic book films of all time and it is also one of the best. 

Rating - 10/10