The Last Stand: Review of Avengers: Infinity War

Avengers: Infinity War

Directors: Joe and Anthony Russo

By Alex Watson

Marvel fans everywhere have been waiting for the day their heroes would square off against big bad Thanos. Well, Avengers: Infinity War is unlikely to disappoint. Throwing in everything but the kitchen sink for the ultimate showdown, directors Joe and Anthony Russo pull off one hell of a balancing act. While its conclusion may polarize viewers, no one can deny the sheer thrill levels of this instalment.

Overlord Thanos (voiced by Josh Brolin) is continuing his reign of terror while seeking the rest of the infinity stones. The Avengers are attempting to put a halt to his progress, but their efforts are proving futile. Not helped by the strained relations between Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr) and Captain America (Chris Evans). Also, the Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) seems to be suffering from severe performance anxiety.

From the first frame of Avengers: Infinity War the Russo Brothers shoot to thrill. The arrival of Thanos was forever teased in early instalments, but his first full outing is a major success. A hulking purple monster, this man is a pulverising force to be reckoned with. However, there is also a depth to him at key points which is surprising. Especially when examining his difficult relationship with adopted daughter Gamora (Zoe Saldana). Rather than beginning with an orgy of CGI, Infinity War war starts with a jolt as certain characters we know and love are... dealt with. In this instalment, our love is truly tested and there will be gut-wrenching moments. Thanos is a ruler whose madman tendencies are weirdly philosophical and his logic comes off as cold and calculated.

Our Avenger teams are broken up into several brilliantly formed factions. Stark and Dr Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) must not only contend with their own ego's but also with Peter Parker (Tom Holland),  Peter Quill (Chris Pratt), Drax (Dave Bautista) and the other Guardians. Thor forms a delightful and hilarious threesome with Rocket (Bradley Cooper) and Groot (Vin Diesel). Finally, the exiled warriors of Civil War Steve Rogers, Hulk, Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Bucky (Sebastian Stan), Falcon (Anthony Mackie) and the King himself T'Challa (Chadwick Boseman) take up fighting residence in Wakanda.  The sheer quality of this cast alone could power this picture, but instead, each of these teams brings their own unique brand of charm. Thanos knows how each character ties into each group and this is where he emerges as a formidable opponent. Each time one of the squares off against him, it can mean potential ruin for the earth. Emotions run deep in this one and there will be many acts of sacrifice- prepare yourself for some hard moments.

The best aspect of Avengers: Infinity War is how the Russo's are able to make this such a fun ride. There are little moments throughout which are simply brilliant such as Thor and Quill attempting to one-up each other at family backstories. Also, several minor MCU characters make wonderful reappearances to leave no stone unturned. The third act is usually a problem is most Marvel movies, but this time the Russo Brothers brilliantly pull each character together for one hell of a finale. Making so much look so cool and effortless is not an easy task, but this time excitement levels are through the roof. However, then comes an ending which will likely floor its audience. I won't give away a sliver of information, but I will advise the audience to expect everything and be prepared for some tragic moments. Thanos is not considered the ultimate bad guy for nothing and squaring off against him will leave severe damage.

Josh Brolin's voice alone gives shivers down our spine whenever Thanos appears on screen. A thumping and unpredictable villain, his whole logic of splitting the universe in half is skewed. However, in the hands of Brolin he makes it look so compelling and underneath his exterior, we see a tortured soul. The rest of the cast, as usual, works wonderfully together. Having Downey Jr and Cumberbatch share screen time makes for some wonderful and egotistical petty squabbles. Chris Hemsworth has now given Thor such natural on screen humour that he wins each scene he appears in. Mark Ruffalo is also scene stealingly brilliant as Bruce Banner and his frustration and embarrassment at the Hulk not wanting to come out is consistently funny.

Avengers: Infinity War is the big get together Marvel fans have always wanted. On sheer enjoyment alone- this is unmissable.

My Family: Review of Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol.2

Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2

Director: James Gunn

By Alex Watson

James Gunn proves that blending quirky humour with sci-fi is still a winner. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.2 is another joyful ride with our favourite amigos. Rather than just sticking to the tried and tested formula, there is also an emotional undercurrent. Family and belonging is the key message of this picture. While our band of misfits might slowly becoming one- there is also the notion of how they will stick together.

After being forced to run for their lives from the golden Sovereign race aliens led by Ayesha (Elizabeth Debicki). Peter Quill (Chris Pratt), Gamora (Zoe Saldana), Drax (Dave Bautista), Rocket (Bradley Cooper) and Baby Groot (Vin Diesel) are soon rescued by an unlikely ally. Revealing himself to be Quill's father, Ego (Kurt Russell), Peter feels a big sense of conflict about bonding with a man he never knew. The others have deep suspicions over what daddy's real intentions are.

While Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.2 doesn't feel as original as its predecessor, it is still fun nonetheless. Starting with a great and offbeat opening sequence that sees Baby Groot dancing away in the midst of the others battling a huge beast. Gunn's faith in his material is evident and once again he does well to keep the focus on these great characters. In this picture, we see our heroes slowly being driven apart from another. Their individual streaks are causing rifts, especially Rocket's unadvised stealing that has pissed off the Sovereigns. Ego's appearance is literally earth-shattering and we feel every inch of Quill's conflict. Although together father and son are an easy going dream, this whole introduction feels very rushed through. Caught between two fathers, blue pirate Yondu (Michael Rooker) emerges as the real father figure in this movie. Underneath that surly facade is a man with a heart of gold. Ego's real ambitions are what divides this group, is he just wanting to make up for lost time or is there something in Peter's genes he is more interested in?

Undeniably this picture feels itself when the group is in conflict. The unspoken romantic tension between Quill and Gomora is still affecting. Rocket is still a riot as a character and his snarky and impulsive thievery never fails to make us smile. Yondu is quick to recognise this guy is little more than an animal version of himself, whose psychological troubles run deep. Several supporting characters each set their own mark including vengeful sister Nebula (Karen Gillan) who finally gets a weighty story under her belt. We also finally get to see a human side underneath her robotic parts and an understanding of her hostility. Drax also shares a sweet and funny side story with simple minded alien Mantis (Pom Klementieff). The one area these movies always fall down, however, is in the villain department. Although Kurt Russell is able to inject every ounce of charm and grit as Ego- he just doesn't come off as memorable. Gunn sadly fails to make the most this reunion and unfortunately, we can see the big twist looming like Drax.

The second half of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.2 sadly is nowhere near as entertaining as the first. While there is an emotional poignancy that was severely lacking in the first, an overly long final battle make us restless. There are also some ill-advised inclusions early on, Sylvester Stallone's Ravager Stakar Ogord is barely given any screen time. You also get the sense that Gunn is trying to cram too much in to set us up for Vol.3. Despite these flaws, Gunn has still crafted a sequel that stays very true to itself. The Marvel Universe has found a set of unique character who each are coming into their own. This is one family you will love to be a part of.

Chris Pratt still shows that his Peter Quill is the funniest guy in the galaxy. Showcasing his trademark wit and sarcasm, Pratt has found his onscreen soulmate. Andy from Parks and Recreation has come a long way! Bradley Cooper nearly steals the show again as Rocket, losing none of his comic touches. In this episode, Cooper is allowed to explore a more complex side of his nature and we see that below there is a racoon longing for more. Michael Rooker comes off as the pictures main hero as we begin to realise the hard time he gave Quill as a child was for a much bigger purpose. One of Hollywood's most underrated supporting men, Rooker steals the hearts of Marvel's fans everywhere.

Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol.2 is once again an offbeat and winning experience. Bring on Vol.3 soon Mr Gunn, if only for another Awesome Mix soundtrack!

The Final Frontier: Review of Star Trek Beyond

Star Trek Beyond

Director: Justin Lin

By Alex Watson

Star Trek Beyond is a fun and entertaining ride, but nonetheless, there are bumps during this voyage. After the backlash of Into Darkness, new director Justin Lin along with co-writers Simon Pegg and Doug Jung have paid close attention to fans criticisms. Confining the action mainly to the Enterprise crew being stranded on an uncharted planet stays true to the origins of Roddenberry. Director Lin has been a fine replacement for the departing Abrams and shows his flair for the exciting during the fine set pieces. The Enterprise may stray off course in places, but such mistakes can be forgiven.

James T Kirk (Chris Pine) is still debating his place in the world and his lengthy time in space makes him wonder if he still wants to be captain? When the Enterprise receives a distress call from deep space, the crew are suddenly ambushed by the vengeful Krall (Idris Elba), a creature who is out for Federation blood. Stranded on a foreign planet in the Nebula, Kirk and crew must navigate carefully to ensure their safety.

Star Trek Beyond is just a slice of good fun, it doesn't concern itself with overthinking its sometimes sloppy plot and just seeks to entertain. One major plus is that Lin gives the adequate screen to time to Spock (Zachary Quinto), Bones (Karl Urban) and Scotty (Simon Pegg) who each have given this franchise its humour and heart. Reduced to being little more than cameos in Into Darkness, in this installment, they show just how vital they are to this ship. Spock and Bones, in particular, make a fine double act when facing unstable odds together. Facing certain death together, Spock suddenly is teleported cue the doctor grumbling "Well that's just typical!" To a degree, this picture is all about characters wrestling with their demons, Kirk is still haunted by the memory of his late father and is pondering his next move. Spock is considering abandoning Star Fleet due to the death of someone particularly close to him- his loyalty conflicts with his determination to serve his fallen Vulcan's.

However, despite this being a thrilling outing this picture loses points due to a rather flat and underwritten villain. Krall looks the part and his cold-blooded and ruthlessness does excite during his daring first attack. Watching the Enterprise trying every manoeuvre in the manual to try and get away is vintage Lin and the resigned look on Kirk's face as he watches his beloved ships plunge into the depths is heartbreaking. Before long, the inconsistencies in Krall's character show through and this is the one place where Pegg and Jung's script becomes unstuck. We get that he hates the Federation, but for what reason exactly? When the big reveal happens our reaction is more one of confusion that shock. Also, this will lead to a series of questions about how precisely does he keep changing his look? Krall might have some fine monologues, but he lacks any plausible threat.

The action taking place in Star Trek: Beyond makes this worth the price of admission. One sequence guaranteed to thrill is during Krall daring attack on Star Fleet base Yorktown. Without giving too much away- Sabotage by the Beastie Boys is guaranteed to be featuring on many iPods on the way home. The addition of Nebula native Jaylah (Sofia Boutella) works wonders during the movie's middle sequence as her tech wizardry gives us the movies stand out sequence. Seeing Kirk riding an old style bike gives us a Great Escape style nostalgia as through Jaylah's clever device they execute a bold rescue on Krall's camp. Lin's picture might not be perfect, but he has recaptured the wit and the joyful feel that made the 2009 reboot so memorable. Kirk is firmly back in the captain's chair again and hopefully, any kinks will be fixed for the next installment.

Chris Pine once again is the standout and he has come to be the perfect choice as the conflicted Kirk. Showing us a cocky boy who has grown into a tough and assertive man, Kirk may still be a restless soul, but Pine gives him so much charm it is hard to notice. Zachary Quinto again show us just what depth he can add to Spock, here we see his more human side coming through as he feels regrets coming through and begins to wonder if his future lies with his friends? As Krall, Idris Elba is utterly wasted in a flat bad guy role. An actor able to conjure up menace at the drop of a hat (his voice alone in Jungle Book was terrifying), Elba is given little to do other than giving threatening speeches. Krall should have been a more physical and clever monster, instead, we are given a creature whose intentions make no sense.

Star Trek Beyond picks this franchise right back up, hopefully, Justin Lin will be there for any future outings because this is one commander Enterprise desperately needed.