Long Live The King: Review of Black Panther

Black Panther

Director: Ryan Coogler

By Alex Watson

When first introduced in Captain America, no one had any idea the kind of impact T'Challa would make in his own outing. Black Panther under the direction of Ryan Coogler is arguably one of the Marvel franchise's best efforts. Giving a whole new spin and embracing the African identity of the character, Coogler combines thrills and comedy with a great big heart. It also taps into the notion of family and the mistakes we make along the way.

Recently crowned King of Wakanda after the demise of his father, T'Challa (Chadwick Boseman) hopes for a long and fruitful reign. But an old problem rears its head in the form of mercenary Ulysses Klaue (Andy Serkis) who is keen on giving the world Wakandan weapons. Also, there is the added problem of former soldier Eric Stevens aka 'Killmonger' who has a score to .  with the new King!

Opening on a stunning CGI recreation of the past, the deceased king T'Chaka tells his son about the history of the nation, the black panther and how precious vibranium is to Wakanda. In a seemingly meaningless prologue scene set in 1992 Oakland, we are shown how the old king is forced to deal with his traitor brother. At first, this appears nothing more than backstory but the consequences of this set Black Panther's wheels in motion. T'Challa wants nothing more than fulfil his destiny but is also still dealing with his feeling for ex-lover Nakia (Lupita Nyong'o). The scenes set in Wakanda are a visual feast of glowing purple plants, a brightly lit metropolis city and a coronation against a rushing waterfall with tribes wearing different vibrant colours.

Coogler gives us thrills early on when Klaue and Stevens make a daring raid on the British Museum in London. He always able to expertly turn the excitement on and off when necessary. Particularly during a pulsating chase sequence through the neon-lit Busan, Korea. Channelling Fast and the Furious style manoeuvres, Coogler somehow finds a way to make this one of the funniest scenes of 2017.  Wakanda's glorious and advanced technology is truly game beating here. Family legacy is very much the heart of this picture. T'Challa has some ballsy female figures as siblings with his hard as nails General sister Okoye (Danai Gurira) and his tech-savvy sister (a hilarious Letitia Wright). Shamen Zuri (Forest Whitaker) hints at some potentially dangerous actions by his father in the past.  Frequently the new king has his authority and right to rule contested. Emerging as an emotionally pained but steadfast regent, Wakandan seems like it is in firm hands.

Little by little Killmonger's plan becomes increasingly more unstable and risky. Determined to share Wakanda's resources with the world, his a killer with a humongous chip on his shoulder. He also has the physical threat down as well and in one brutal beatdown, he asserts his dominance over the new king. A radicalised crusader who unlike T'Challa has seen the oppression of his race over and over again. Killmonger emerges as one of the universe's most underrated villains. Unlike the other more notable villains intent on global domination, this guy's intentions run to a much deeper core. Coogler has formed a fascinating new franchise, may T'Challa's reign with confidence for years to come.

Chadwick Boseman gives a high-calibre turn which is surprisingly deep for a Marvel film. Through the pained expression in his eyes, we see a king getting to grips with his new responsibility and dealing with the consequences of his ancestors. Boseman has always had great presences on screen from when played Jackie Robinson in '42' and as James Brown in 'Get on Up'. A tough but noble warrior, Boseman is a welcome addition here. Michael B Jordan matches his co-star blow for blow as the vengeful Killmonger. Bringing the natural swagger he brought to Coogler's previous outing 'Creed' Jordan is a compelling nemesis. Full of blunt force and adept at getting down to business, T'Challa is right to be sweating when this guy comes to town.

Black Panther once again shows that the Marvel universe works best when it takes an unorthodox approach. Coogler has made a picture that is both thought-provoking and immensely entertaining all at once. Wakanda Forever!

Commence Primary Ignition: Review of Rogue One

Rogue One

Director: Gareth Edwards

By Alex Watson

Venturing into Star Wars spin-off territory seemed like a dangerous thing at first but Rogue One shows us what wonderful nostalgia these tales can bring. Director Gareth Edwards directs this piece with a lot of love and affection and his control of the final act will warm Star Wars fans hearts. Losing none of its magic or its ability to give us characters we deeply care for, having stand-alone pictures could be a glorious thing. Set right before the events A New Hope, the questions fans were dying to find out are superbly brought forward and Edwards brilliantly joins the dots.

Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones) is the wayward daughter of Imperial scientist Galen Erso (Mads Mikkelsen). After learning of an upcoming weapons test, the Rebellion soon learns that their new space station The Death Star is capable of destroying entire planets. Anxious to find the key to destroying this station, Jyn is forced into the path of Rebel Captain Cassian Andor (Diego Luna), Imperial defector Bhodi Rook (Riz Ahmed) and their sharp-tongued robot K2S0 (Alan Tudyk).

Perhaps the strongest element to Rogue One is its premise, early on Jyn sees her mother murdered and father reclaimed by villainous Director Orson Krennic (Ben Mendelsohn). She is not for the rebellion and is just a criminal floating through life. When she is coerced by Mal Mothma (Genevieve O'Reilly) to join the Rebellion she begins to see the bigger picture. Originally tasked with convincing Rebel extremist Saw Guerrera (Forest Whitaker) to aid their risky venture- Jyn is trust into the path of Cassian. During this sequence, we see a whole new side to the Rebels. Guerrera is a man who believes in making Imperial cooperators suffer and his approach makes him a feared man. There are no lightsabers drawn (well thats not exactly true but I will avoid spoilers) and most of the battles take place on the ground. Particularly when blind warrior Chirrut Imwe (Donnie Yen) gets involved in a thrilling shoot-out on the planet Jedha. Edwards isn't concerned with stretching the story out and his no-nonsense approach works wonders for Chris Weitz and Tony Gilroy's well-paced script.

The new central cast is remarkably likeable, but have their limelight stolen by the hilarious K2SO. Coming off as C-3PO's sardonic relative, his calm and assured tone and clever wit is endlessly hilarious. A reprogrammed Imperial droid, KS20's is blunt and observant with a love of stats, but surprisingly deep in some places. Cassian and Jyn but heads almost immediately as their missions differ on many levels. Jyn merely wants to rescue her beloved father, while the Rebels perceive him as a big threat to their safety. Both have paid the price to get to this point, but neither can succeed without the other. Bhodi is a likeable character, but his risky move to defect from the Empire is not fully explained. Lurking in the shadows, Krennic comes across as a smug overachiever that is desperate to be recognised. The Empire merely views him as a nuisance, but unfortunately, his creation of the Death Star has been key to crushing rebel scum. Gareth Edwards makes the reappearance of Darth Vader a chilling and memorable one. Only on-screen for a matter of minutes, hearing James Earl Jones' iconic voice will send shivers down your spine.

Rogue One's mightiest achievement comes during its beautiful and exhilarating third act which is a love letter to all Star Wars fans everywhere. Stunningly recreating an X-Wing/Tie Fighter dog fighter during the film's climax and the reintroduction of several forgotten characters will have us all punching the air in joy. The effects are a visual treat for the eyes and we are transported back to that happy and joyful feeling we once had watching AT-AT's reigning havoc upon Hoth. All the answers we ever wanted are there and they feel utterly conceivable. While the story might dip in places and the decision to digitally recreate some treasured old characters might not appear particularly wise, we never feel short changed in this saga. Many narrow-minded fans whined about having a female hero, but Jyn feels worthy of anchoring it. Cool under pressure and willing to go the extra mile, she gives Rey a run for her money. truth this one is a team effort and how they combine to repeatedly stump Empire attacks is smartly put together.

As Jyn Felicity Jones shows her blockbuster potential. Before you would never have considered for this type of part, but through a gutsy turn Jones fits well into this universe. Diego Luna is equally impressive as the conflicted Cassian, but this is very much Alan Tudyk's picture. Sporting a brutally honest sense of humour, KS20 provides much more than the comic relief. After his excellent voice work as Sonny in I-Robot, Tudyk should just voice every robot in cinema from now on. Ben Mendelsohn makes for a good villain to play off against and Krennic is like watching a spoiled child in charge of the most powerful weapon in the Galaxy.

Rogue One has produced the best outcome we could wish for in this new era of Star Wars prequels. We now have hope for the upcoming Han Solo picture because if all spin-offs are like this one, we can breathe easy. Start counting the minutes to December 15, 2017 everyone! Episode VIII is coming.

Close Encounters: Review of Arrival

Arrival

Director: Denis Villeneuve

By Alex Watson

Opening to an overwhelming hype, Denis Villeneuve's Arrival is an intelligent thriller and a breathtaking visual experience. A smart and thought-provoking script by Eric Heisserer fuels the picture and leaves the audience second-guessing.  Villeneuve cranks up the tension early on and gives his film and a great dramatic edge. For a film of this genre, there is a highly emotional feel which will capture the hearts of adults everywhere.

When 12 mysterious spacecraft arrive on earth, naturally humanity assumes the worse. Dr. Louise Banks (Amy Adams) is a world-renowned linguist who is approached by Colonel Weber (Forest Whitaker) to make the first contact with the species. Teamed with scientist Ian Donnelly (Jeremy Renner) they must assess whether the aliens intentions are hostile or peaceful. Fighting the clock both Banks and Donnelly must uncover why the aliens are here, what they find will change both lives.

Arrival is a slow burning affair as Villeneuve builds up the suspense to the first encounter. Banks is teaching a linguistics class when the aliens first arrive hovering over a field in Montana. She has previously assisted the army translating Farsi documents so when Weber arrives she already has security clearance. We learn that every 18 hours the aliens ship door randomly opens. Other scientists have attempted contact but are unable to make any sense of the bizarre ramblings. When Ian and Louise first step inside the ship, our stomachs tighten. Set against Johann Johansson's foghorn-like score we see a pair of tentacled creatures behind a gleaming wall. When the humans first speak, the aliens just throw back what appears to be random signs. Through Louise's intelligence, it begins to transpire that these signs might mean something else entirely. Nicknaming their cephalopod friends Abbott and Costello, both attempt to forge a relationship. Taking both linguistic and scientific approaches, Louise and Ian are split on what the signs could suggest?

Things are complicated by other nations perceiving the aliens messages as threats. China led by General Shang (Tzi Ma) are refusing cooperation. Other nations are also panicking about the discoveries they have made and wish to engage the aliens in warfare. This ticking time bomb threatens to disrupt the peace on earth and could lead to something potentially dangerous. Agent Halpern (Michael Stuhlbarg) is intent on following directions to the letter and his short-sighted approach is derailing all progress made. Louise is convinced that when the aliens tell them to "Use Weapon" it is a phrase that is misunderstood. Intercut with scenes from her past where she reminisces about the daughter she lost,  this ordeal is emotionally taxing on Banks.  As you will learn through Villeneuve's picture, not everything is as it appears. The bond Louise forms with Abbott and Costello is genuinely moving and you get the sense that her involvement here was meant to be. Around all the military and government personnel, she is the only one able to see the bigger picture.

Although Villeneuve lets his audience down slightly with a polarizing big reveal, the sheer amount of adrenaline during the final act makes up for it. With time against them, Louise has to resort to a bold piece of thinking to save the day. What follows is a poignant moment of discovery that changes everything we know. The realization of what is to come is heart rendering but also hopeful. Arrival is a love letter to the value of language and reinforces Louise's belief that this is "the cornerstone of civilization" Smartly Villeneuve expresses what power the values of words carry and how we need to understand the meaning behind them. Bradford Young's cinematography deserves credit too. His stark and gloomy photography gives this picture a hypnotic effect. During the first contact scenes, it's like looking a new and scary vortex of beyond. Denis Villeneuve is becoming one of the strongest talents in Hollywood and gives hope that his Blade Runner 2049 will give us the sequel we have always wanted.

One of the Hollywoods best talents, Amy Adams is having a career year. Along with Nocturnal Animals, Adams is very much the name on the lips of awards shows in 2016. Here she puts in a strong and ambitious turn as Louise Banks. A clever and fast thinking personality, Louise can see what no one else can. Adams also handles the emotional weight of the character well and gives her a depth that serves her well in the closing stages. All throughout there is no doubt that somehow she is connected to her alien counterparts. Jeremy Renner gives a solid supporting turn as Ian, a scientist who initially scoffs at her language beliefs. However, this is very much Amy Adams' picture.

Arrival is a spellbinding experience which will change what you think about alien encounters. Denis Villeneuve is a director who always finds a way to audience heart rate increase. Expect big things for Blade Runner 2049.

The Fighter: Review of Southpaw

Southpaw

Director: Antoine Fuqua

By Alex Watson

Although Antoine Fuqua's boxing drama, Southpaw feels a little familiar story wise, it does boast one of this years most powerful performances. Outside of the ring this film doesn't quite hit above its weight. The script by Kurt Sutter does give us a hero who we do firmly root for, even if he might not have the charm of Rocky Balboa. Fuqua is an adept hand at providing solid  film making and his form continues here.

Billy 'The Great' Hope (Jake Gyllenhaal) is the reigning Light-Heavyweight Champion known for his angry and aggressive fighting and hard knock out style. His wife Maureen (Rachel McAdams) is becoming concerned with the brutal beatings he is taking and urges him to cut back. When Maureen gets killed during a brawl with a rival boxer Miguel 'Magic' Escobar (Miguel Gomez), Billy's life begins to spin out of control.

Southpaw might not hit the classic heights of movies such as Raging Bull, but it is still a compelling look at a man fighting his demons both in and out the ring. Billy is a fighter who literally knows how to take a beating, he is all attack and never defend. He is riding high but his injuries are beginning to concern people. After tragedy hits, Billy become a mess of a man who gets lost in a haze of addictions until his daughter gets taken away by social services. Deprived of nearly all he loves, Billy is very much the fallen hero. Fuqua's presentation of a man having to go back to his old roots and rebuild himself is at least a smart reverse of a rags to riches story.

In the ring is the where the movie pulls the most punches and as we see Billy both taking and receiving savage hits, it is impossible not be mesmerized. As an antagonist, Magic offers little more past being a trash-talking jerk, but he does ensure the audience has a desire to watch him go down in flames. The people in Billy's life are both a blessing and a curse, when his trainer abandons him Billy approaches old school trainer Tick Willis (Forest Whitaker) whose lack of trust and affection might be the tools Billy needs to repair himself. Unlike former manager Jordan (50 Cent) who despite acting like family happily abandons him when the money runs dry.

The main compelling story line is truly Billy's wish to be reunited with his daughter Leila (Oona Lawrence). Relationship wise this is no straight forward story and Billy is very much an unfit father drowning in a pool of despair after Maureen passes. His yearning to improve himself is what really drives the film and despite some bumps along the way, Billy learns he can be more than just a punching machine.

Jake Gyllenhaal gives a whirlwind performance that makes Fuqua's film come alive. A ferocious presence on-screen,Gyllenhaal turns in what could be a career best turn. Billy is the complete opposite of Nightcrawler's Lou Bloom because despite having street smarts, he doesn't know how to handle the world outside his animal persona the ring. This powerful and painfully real turn could well be the one that finally wins this man an Oscar! Forest Whitaker also gives strong support as trainer Tick which he underplays masterfully. Tick is very much the blow softener and through his old methods he is the only man to rebuild Billy from the ground up.

While Southpaw maybe largely absent from the big prize come Oscar time, Jake Gyllenhaal will be expected to among the list of nominees are criminally being overlooked last year. This movie hits just above the right levels, but you have to wonder what could have been?