James Review -- Spider-Man: Hostile Takeover

This week I decided to review Spider-man: Hostile Takeover by David Liss. 

The story begins shortly after Wilson Fisk, AKA Kingpin, returns to New York claiming to have reformed into a benevolent philanthropist. While roaming the city, Peter Parker, AKA Spider-Man, hears of a robbery at a Snake store and moves to intervene. He captures the thief, a young man named Andy. To convince Spider-man to let him go, Andy tells Parker of a supervillain active at a nearby construction site. Parker arrives at the site and defeats a handful of thugs but is ambushed by a new enemy able to match both his moves and his abilities.

Parker returns to Andy to find the would-be thief dead and is soon confronted by police lieutenant Yuri Watanabe who reveals that Andy had been murdered by a impostor Spider-Man, known to be an impostor due to slight errors in his costume. Watanabe also reveals that the construction site Spider-Man was ambushed at secretly belongs to Fisk, and Watanabe, who also wishes to bring Fisk down, forms a secret alliance with Parker.

Soon after this, the fake Spider-Man begins a series of actions designed to ruin Spider-Man’s reputation. And the conflict becomes more personal when one of these incidents leads to the death of Anika Adhikari, a young woman who had recently started working at the same research lab as Parker. Eventually, Parker and Watanabe realize that the fake Spider-man is just a diversion meant to distract Parker while Fisk makes his bid to become New York City’s Commissioner of Finance, a position that would let him cripple the city’s economy if angered or threatened, and the race to find a way to stop him is on.

Meanwhile, Maya Lopez, Fisk’s foster daughter who believes that Spider-Man had murdered her father years earlier, sets out to claim her vengeance. Her combat abilities, combined with years of studying Spider-Man make her just as dangerous as the impostor. And soon Parker is desperately struggling to find a way to convince her of his innocence before its too late…

I give this book 9.5 out of 10. It has a very interesting story and I enjoyed the battle sequences and the investigation plotline. However, there are a few areas that I felt needed more detail. Also, I question the necessity of killing Anika Adhikari. Sure, it gave Spider-man more motivation to hunt down the impostor, but I think he already had plenty of reason to go after him, and until she was killed, Adhikari had potential for interesting plotlines in future material.

James Review -- Marvel: The Avengers: Everybody Wants to Rule the World

This week I decided to review Marvel: The Avengers: Everybody Wants to Rule the World by Dan Abnett. 

The story opens with the Avengers, scattered, facing several critical threats at once. In the U.S., Iron Man, eventually reinforced by Vision, faces off with Ultron who is on the verge of reaching a singularity event which will make the rogue AI all but unstoppable and, in desperation, Iron Man orders communications and power grids shut down to try and slow Ultron’s advance. When it seems that Ultron has been driven into hiding, Iron Man and Vision return to Shield’s helicarrier to find and trap their enemy once and for all and to move to assist their allies elsewhere. But they soon find themselves in a new battle as Ultron is, in fact, hiding in apparently dormant nanomachines that it uses to repair and seize control of the Iron Man suit used in the earlier battle.

In Berlin, Hydra attacks a company they had tricked into producing a aerosol dispersal device the company believed would be used for agricultural purposes. Captain America soon responds to the attack and discovers that Hydra actually intends to use the device to spread a fast-acting and highly lethal plague, planning to use the plague and its cure to force the world to surrender. Captain America is disturbed by how rushed, and unlike typical Hydra operations, the plot is but soon finds himself in a race to save Berlin from the plague.

Black Widow and Hawkeye set out to investigate strange readings in the Savage Lands. After their Quinjet is shot down, the pair manages to regroup and fight their way past a group of raptors to find an Advanced Idea Mechanics base where the renegade organization is working to unleash a nanomachine compound into the Earth’s water supply which will allow M.O.D.O.K. to control the minds of humanity.

Bruce Banner finds himself facing a plot by the High Evolutionary to use a modified version of the Gamma Ray Bomb Banner himself developed long ago--to his shame--as part of a plan that will kill most of the human race and leave the survivors as a docile race that will be easy to enslave. But when the High Evolutionary offers new insights into what caused Banner to become the Hulk, as well as a cure for the Hulk condition, Banner finds himself facing the greatest temptation of his life…

Also, a portion of Siberia has been sucked into another dimension along with Thor. Thor soon finds the Scarlet Witch, only to be attacked by his ally, then rescued by the real Scarlet Witch. The impostor is soon revealed to be Dormammu who has summoned the chunk of Earth to be the basis of a spell that will summon the entire world to his dimension, but the spell must be completed within a short time frame, so Scarlet Witch finds herself in a desperate magical contest to repel Dormammu’s attacks long enough to ruin his plot.

Eventually, it is discovered that this rash of plots to conquer the world has been unleashed because some unknown power has informed the villains and villainous organizations that if they don’t conquer the world by a certain time, the outside power will conquer the world instead. This leads to a desperate race to discover who or what is behind this threat as well as to prepare a defense against the coming assault.

I give this book 7.5 out of 10. I like most of the subplots but felt that some aren’t given as much attention as they deserved. The characters are interesting, but there are some Marvel characters that I feel either should have appeared in the book or at the very least had their absence explained, only to barely be mentioned if they are mentioned at all. Also, the climatic battle was far too short for my tastes. And, even worse, there wasn’t nearly enough tension in it in my opinion.

Movie Review -- Avengers: Infinity War

Good God, what a movie we have today. All roads have led to this. It's Avengers: Infinity War.

The story picks up right where Thor: Ragnarok left off. Turns out that ship they encountered at the end belongs to Thanos (Josh Brolin) who wastes no time tearing into them. He kills off one or two long-time characters before making off with one of the Infinity Stones. His plan is to gather all six of them and use their omnipotence to wipe out half the universe.

Thus begins an epic quest as a Who's Who of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (the movies, not the TV series') assemble to fight this unprecedented threat. Normally, I would list off who plays whom, but they're are just so many I don't feel like it! Seriously, just about everyone from every MCU movie from the past decade makes an appearance. In fact, it's easier just to tell you who's not in it (Hawkeye and Ant-Man). Together, this veritable army of Marvelness bands together to keep Thanos from getting his grubby purple mitts on the Infinity Stones. But even the largest collection of superheroes ever assembled will have a hard time against this bastard and his powerful minions. Can our many protagonists succeed? And more important--who will survive? The answer may rock your world.

This is the biggest, baddest comic book movie of all time. With a ridiculously huge cast and a run time of two and a half hours, few expenses were spared in the making of this. I used to think the Expendables movies had impressive star power, but they were nothing compared to this. This is the Wrestlemania of superhero flicks. I wasn't sure it could hold up to the hype, but holy crap does it ever. It's got tons of heart-stopping action, loads of comedy, a superb soundtrack by Alan Silvestri, and one of the best villains ever. Thanos isn't your cookie-cutter bad guy; he's complex and displays genuine emotion. He believes wholeheartedly in his cause and that makes him extremely dangerous. DC needs to study this film carefully to learn how to do extended universes. Justice League is a joke in comparison.

It was also great fun seeing the various factions of the MCU come together and meet each other for the first time. Iron Man thinks Doctor Strange is a clown, while Thor thinks the Guardians of the Galaxy are morons. It works out great.

And the ending. Wow. It completely changes the MCU and I sincerely did not see it coming. How on earth are they going to resolve this? I guess we'll have to wait for the next one to find out. 

Bottom line: Stop whatever you're doing and go see Avengers: Infinity War. It blows all other comic book movies out of the water.

My Comics/Manga/Graphic Novel Collection

James Review -- Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Volume Three

This week I decided to review Mighty Morphin Power Rangers volume three written by Kyle Higgens.

The story begins shortly after the end of volume two. Rita Repulsa has seized control of the Power Ranger command center with the aid of the Black Dragon. Billy Cranston, The Blue Ranger, has been captured and the other four original rangers have been forced to tap into the Green Ranger Tommy Oliver’s unique link to the Morphing Grid after being cut off from their usual powers.

The rangers manage to halt Repulsa’s attack on major cities using their Zords Cranston is imprisoned with Goldar. who controls the dimension they are trapped in but refuses to leave without the permission of his Empress. Cranston convinces Goldar, who hates the Black Dragon, to free him so he can help the other rangers defeat the Black Dragon thus possibly convincing Repulsa to restore Goldar to his place at her side. The rangers soon realize that the Black Dragon is a Zord that can alter its size. While most of the rangers launch an attack to force the Black Dragon to become the size of a typical Zord so Cranston and Oliver can infiltrate it via its access hatch.

The two manage to ruin the Black Dragon but find themselves in the future of an alternate timeline where the world was overrun by Repulsa’s army and Earth is now ruled by Lord Drakkon. The pair sets out in hopes of finding allies and a way home while reeling from what they have learned about the nature of this Earth’s ruler…

There is a flashback sequence focusing on Cranston as he begins to doubt whether he can truly become a hero. The chapter covers the battle that shook his resolve and his efforts to try and discover what makes a hero.

The volume also contains a short section of The Ongoing Adventures of Bulk and Skull by Steve Orlando. In this adventure the namesake duo find themselves recruited by Rita Repulsa to pilot Finster’s latest monster and hilarity ensues.

I give this volume 9 out of 10. The main story was interesting but there were a few parts I feel should have been explained in more detail and it could have used more combat. The flashback was fun but I think it would have fit in better if it had occurred earlier in the volume. The Bulk and Skull section was a nice counter to the grim tone of  the latter sections of the main story and I found it much more amusing then any of the attempted comedy sections focused on the duo in the original TV series.

Movie Review -- Wonder Woman

Today we have what is hopefully the vanguard of a new generation of female comic book movies. It is Wonder Woman. Is it worth your time? Let's find out.

The story begins in present day Paris before transitioning into a flashback to Diana Prince's (Gal Gadot) younger days, first as a child in Themyscrira, the island of Amazons, and then as a young adult. One day, an American pilot named Steve Trevor (Chris Pine) crashes his plane in the waters outside Themyscrira. Diana rescues him, but there's no time to celebrate because almost immediately the island is invaded by homicidal Germans. Steve helps the Amazons fight them off, but at great cost. He then explains about all the killing going on in the first World War as a result of chemical weapons being developed by crazed German Dr. Maru (Elena Anaya) and her superior Ludendorff (Danny Huston). Diana, convinced this is the work of Ares, the god of war, disobeys her mother and goes with Steve to London to vanquish the evil god. 

This won't be easy, especially since they don't know where Ares is or what he even looks like. Furthermore, in order to find him, Diana and her ragtag band of allies must brave the battlefields of Europe to root out the source of all evil. Along the way, she must face the ultimate question: Will killing Ares really end the madness, or are humans themselves irredeemable?

After the universal panning Batman VS Superman received, superhero movies need a savior. Well, I'm happy to report that savior is Wonder Woman. It's a thoroughly enjoyable romp oozing girl power from every pore. After male-led comic book flick after male-led comic book flick, Wonder Woman is a breath of fresh air. Director Patty Jenkins has crafted a film ladies everywhere can be proud of, one that appeals to both sexes. I'm really hoping this paves the way for more heroines to hit the silver screen. There's a long list of gals I'd love to see in leading roles (can we finally get a proper Catwoman movie, please?)

Bottom line: Go strike a blow for women's rights and see Wonder Woman.

Movie Review -- Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

Today we have the 11,687,120th Marvel movie. It is Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. Is it any good? Let's find out.

The story begins with the Guardians protecting super important batteries for a golden-skinned alien race called the Sovereign. Things go well until Rocket (Bradley Cooper) steals a few batteries, incurring the wrath of the Sovereign. A battle ensues...

Then the Guardians meet a mysterious man named Ego (Kurt Russell) who informs Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) that he is his father and invites them to his planet to convey additional important information. Peter, Gamora (Zoe Saldana) and Drax (Dave Bautista) accompany them, while the others stay behind to guard Nebula (Karen Gillan) whom they have taken prisoner. But things gets dicey for the latter group when Yondu (Michael Rooker) returns for a nice payday at their expense.

Meanwhile, the first group takes in Ego's beautiful planet while he explains just what's going on. However, Gamora senses something's not quite right in paradise. Just what is Ego up to, and how does it affect the rest of the galaxy? And what will happen when the Sovereign come for vengeance? You'll have to watch it to find out.

I feel Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is a great improvement over the first film which I viewed as Avengers Lite. This one's stylish and pretty funny. Baby Groot (Vin Diesel), in particular, provides plenty of heart and humor, especially when given simple yet (for him, at least) very difficult tasks such as retrieving an important item for Yondu.

Also greatly adding to the movie's appeal is the quality soundtrack which features a number of good songs from a variety of artists, in addition to Tyler Bates' score.

The only criticism I have is with the main villain who ends up being pretty generic, albeit no more so than Ronan last time. This particular character has no real motivation other than galactic conquest.

And, finally, I want to mention the epic final battle. It's very kickass and really puts the exclamation point on the whole shebang. 

Bottom line: Go see Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. As Schwarzenegger would say, "DO IT!!"

Movie Review -- Doctor Strange

Today we have the latest Marvel movie. It is Doctor Strange starring Benedict Cumberbatch. Is it any good? Let's find out.

The film opens with brilliant but cocky surgeon Dr. Stephen Strange. He's got it all--wealth, fame, and the friendship of fellow doctor Christine Palmer (Rachel McAdams). However, everything changes when he is involved in an horrific car crash which nearly destroys his hands. With his future now in question, he looks to modern medicine to save him. But nothing works, prompting Strange to seek alternative and unorthodox treatments. His desperate journey takes him to Nepal where he meets the mysterious Mordo (Chiwetel Ejiofor) who takes him to his enclave to meet the even more mysterious Ancient One (Tilda Swinton). Said Ancient One turns out to be the most powerful sorcerer on Earth, and she reluctantly agrees to train him in the mystic arts. After a baptism by fire (or ice) on Mt. Everest, he very quickly establishes himself as a fast learner thanks to his photographic memory.

Unfortunately for all involved, Strange isn't the first gifted pupil she's taken on. The evil Kaecilius has recently betrayed the organization of sorcerers and stolen a page from an ancient book which details how to summon the dreaded Dormammu to our world. With the planet now being threatened, Strange must rise to the occasion and master his magical powers. But the Ancient One is hiding a secret that will have serious consequences for the good guys. Can Doctor Strange defeat Kaecilius and his lackeys and keep Dormammu from devouring our world?

I've seen plenty of Marvel movies. Some are better than others. I'm happy to report Doctor Strange is refreshingly different from those that came before it. It's visually stunning and has a terrific cast,  a stellar soundtrack by Michael Giacchino, and a smart plot. Also, it doesn't suffer from annoying stereotypes like Ant Man did.

The only wrinkle here is a less than believable turn of events at the end where one major character does an abrupt 180. I don't really buy it and neither did James.

Still, I enjoyed Doctor Strange and I hope you will as well.

Movie Review -- Suicide Squad

Today we have the latest comic book movie, Suicide Squad. Is it worth your time? Let's find out.

The story takes place after Batman VS Superman: Dawn of Justice. In Superman's absence, ARGUS head Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) feels the world needs a new protector. But she doesn't want a superhero per se; she wants villains to act as heroes. With that thought driving her, she creates Task Force X which consists of criminals such as Dead Shot (Will Smith), Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie), Captain Boomerang (Jai Courtney) and Diablo (Jay Hernandez), among others. Their mission: risk their lives for the greater good in exchange for commuted sentences.

As it turns out, they are soon needed. A pair of ancient gods is released and proceed to take over a US city. But they're not satisfied with that, oh no. They want the world. So they begin building a mysterious weapon of immense power. Facing this imminent threat, Waller decides to send in Task Force X, AKA the Suicide Squad, along with a contingent of soldiers. However, she neglects to tell them what they're up against, and they go in relatively blind. Their chopper gets shot down and they have to hoof it across the city on foot.

So this disparate group of criminals and soldiers must figure out what they're fighting, but it's going to be difficult when they can't even trust one another. Can these unlikely heroes and armed service members get on the same page and save the world? And what will they do when the Joker (Jared Leto) comes knocking (or firing a chain gun)?

This movie was directed by David Ayer. He also did the abysmal Schwarzenegger movie Sabotage. Thankfully, Suicide Squad is wayyyy better than that. Whereas Sabotage was a vulgar mess of a film, this one doesn't rely on shock value to hook viewers. Here Ayer has managed to stay true to the spirit of the comics while taking risks that pay off. I like the way he took the Joker in a more psychotic direction than even Heath Ledger did in The Dark Knight, resulting in a supremely dark, disturbing character. I'm also glad we finally get a big-screen version of Harley Quinn, one of my favorite comic book characters. This has been a long time coming.

I would also like to mention the kickass soundtrack. Like a musical machine gun, this movie fires hit after hit at you, featuring everyone from Queen to Eminem, and it just makes it all so much more fun to listen to.

Tight action, larger than life characters and tie-ins to the forthcoming Justice League movie round out a worthwhile Summer blockbuster. Go see Suicide Squad.

Movie Review -- X-Men: Apocalypse

Today we have yet another Marvel movie, this one hailing from the X-Men universe. It's X-Men: Apocalypse. Is it worth your time? Let's find out.

The story takes place in 1983. Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) is currently running his school for mutants when a new student arrives: Scott Summers (Tye Sheridan). Scott has gained the ability to shoot devastating optic blasts from his eyes, and the school quickly sets about helping him to control it.

Meanwhile, the all-powerful first mutant Apocalypse (Oscar Isaac) awakens from his long slumber and begins recruiting followers to help him conquer the world. He starts with Ororo Munroe (Alexandra Shipp) before gaining Psylocke (Olivia Munn) and Angel (Ben Hardy). But he's still one horseman short, so he approaches Magneto (Michael Fassbender) who has recently suffered a terrible tragedy and has lost all hope. A grief-stricken Magneto agrees to join Apocalypse in his quest for world domination.

Elsewhere, Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence) has gone to Xavier for help in finding Magneto. But their attempts backfire when Apocalypse learns of Xavier and his ability to control minds. Apocalypse then figures out what he needs to dominate mankind, and he wastes no time putting his sinister plan into action. The X-Men unite to save the world, but do they stand a chance against the seemingly unstoppable power of Apocalypse?

This might be the best X-Men movie ever. I've been waiting a long time to see Apocalypse on the big screen, and I was not disappointed. They didn't gimp his powers like they did with some characters *coughroguecough* and he's portrayed as genuinely intimidating. The film also has another great sequence with Quicksilver (Evan Peters) doing his super-speed thing while everything blows up around him. His character is used far better than the Avengers: Age of Ultron version.

The only thing that I don't like is the fact that Psylocke has no depth here. I was really looking forward to seeing her in action, and I feel Olivia Munn was a great choice to play her, but her character is pretty flat and her motivations remain ambiguous. Hopefully this will be resolved in future installments.

Other than that, X-Men: Apocalypse will satisfy comic book fans everywhere.

Movie Review -- Captain America: Civil War

Today we have the latest Marvel movie, Captain America: Civil War. Adapted from the popular Civil War story line of 2006, how does it fare as a movie? Let's find out.

The story begins as Captain America (Chris Evans), Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen), Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) and Natasha Romanoff (Scarlet Johansson) are pursuing heavily armed bad guys in Nigeria. The baddies' leader self-destructs during the struggle, and Wanda redirects the blast into a nearby building, killing innocent people. This is only the latest in a string of catastrophes the Avengers have been involved in, prompting the world community to propose a bill which would put the team under U.N. command. Cap objects to this idea, but Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr) agrees with it after being confronted with their past mistakes.

So Stark and Romanoff head to Vienna to sign the new charter, and they meet Wakandan prince T'Challa (Chadwick Boseman). Things seem to be going well until a car bomb explodes, trashing the building and killing T'Challa's father. The only evidence points to Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), AKA the Winter Soldier and former Hydra pawn. Orders are given to find Barnes and kill him on the spot, but Cap, being his friend, finds him first and decides to protect him. They are then joined by Sam, Wanda, Clint Barton (Jeremy Renner) and Scott Lang (Paul Rudd). All of them are declared to be criminals, and Stark puts together his own team to bring them to justice.

All the while, a mysterious man is setting his own nefarious plan into motion, and the Avengers must uncover the plot before it's too late. But how can they do this when they're too busy fighting each other?

Captain America: Civil War is another outstanding entry in Marvel's ever-growing library of films. It's got great action and an impressive cast of characters. It's too bad they couldn't get every single Marvel character to participate like in the original comic story, but licensing and budget issues make that unfeasible. Still, I'm satisfied with everyone they managed to include. It's also great to finally see Spider-Man (Tom Holland) in this universe, even if his costume looks kinda cheesy.

The movie also has a strong story, focusing on issues of loyalty and heroic responsibility. It all culminates in some epic and emotional battles, along with an ending that leaves serious questions to be answered. Don't expect everything to be wrapped up before the credits roll.

Bottom line: If you love comic book movies, you  have to see Captain America: Civil War.

Movie Review -- Batman VS Superman: Dawn of Justice

Today we have Zack Snyder's follow-up to 2013's Man of Steel. This time, multiple superheroes join the party for an epic beat-down. Should you go see it? Let's find out.

 

The story picks up nearly two years after Man of Steel. Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck) was in Metropolis when Superman (Henry Cavill) duked it out with General Zod (Michael Shannon), and witnessed the carnage firsthand. People Bruce cared about were killed in the battle, giving him a great mistrust of Superman.

 

Early on, Lois Lane (Amy Adams) gets into some hot water in the Middle East and has to be saved by Superman. However, a betrayal makes him look like a villain, and the public begins to turn against him. Charismatic (or demented) billionaire Lex Luthor (Jesse Eisenberg) takes advantage of this when he gets his hands on some Kryptonite and proposes weaponizing it (just in case).

 

But Bruce Wayne gets wind of this plan and decides to jack the Kryptonite for himself. He also views Superman as threat to mankind and becomes determined to get rid of him personally; this is a different Dark Knight than we're used to. Unfortunately for them, Lex has access to much more than Kryptonite, and proceeds to create a biological weapon to dispose of Superman in case Batman fails. And when mysterious Diana Prince (Gal Gadot) gets involved, you have a recipe for excitement. Let the battle commence!

 

Zack Snyder. Christopher Nolan. Hans Zimmer. David S. Goyer. When these four guys get together, awesomeness ensues, and Batman vs Superman is no exception. You have the fantastic directing of Snyder, Nolan's Batman experience, Zimmer's unparalleled musical score, and another solid script by Goyer which will make you question what it means to be a hero. Not to mention the stunning visuals. Simply put, this is everything you want in a superhero movie. It's at least as good as Snyder's previous effort if not better. Some people may be turned off by the suddenly homicidal Batman, but I appreciate this different aspect of his character. If you enjoyed Man of Steel, you're going to love Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice.

 

But if you didn't like that one, this may not change your mind. And at two and a half hours, you may find your patience tested. I myself prefer to watch movies of this length at home where I can pause it and come back to it later. Also, there is one very confusing sequence which had me questioning my sanity and one I hope gets explained in the forthcoming Justice League movie.

 

Nevertheless, this is a stellar effort and I look forward to future entries in these various franchises.

 

"You don't owe this world anything."

Movie Review -- Deadpool

Today we have the NSFW comic book movie Deadpool. Does it live up to the hype? Let's find out.

 

The story centers around ex-soldier Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds) who now makes a living protecting people from stalkers and other lowlifes. One day, he meets a beautiful hooker named Vanessa (Morena Baccarin) and they fall madly in love. Things are going well until Wade is diagnosed with terminal cancer.

 

Things seem to take a turn for the better when he meets a  man who offers to cure him. Not wanting Vanessa to see him die, he agrees to join a mysterious program. He is soon put in the custody of villainous scientist Ajax (Ed Skrein) who reveals Wade is actually undergoing a procedure to awaken his dormant mutant powers before being sold as a slave to the highest bidder. Soon, Wade's powers emerge, but at the cost of badly disfiguring him. He now has an incredibly healing ability but is seemingly doomed to be an outcast.

 

Wade escapes from Ajax's lab, sews himself a costume and christens himself "Deadpool." He then sets out to find Ajax and force him to heal his hideous disfigurement (all while making wisecracks). But standing in his way are a couple of X-Men: Colossus (voiced by Stefan Kapicic) and Negasonic Teenage Warhead (Brianna Hildebrand). Colossus wants Deadpool to join the X-Men, but Deadpool refuses, intent on finding Ajax. And when Ajax--along with his henchwoman Angel (Gina Carano) targets Vanessa, the stakes are raised even further. Who will triumph in the ensuing super-powered showdown?

 

Deadpool is a raunchy, action-packed good time. It successfully captures the feel of the comics while establishing its own identity. Fans worried 20th Century Fox would screw this up can rest easy; they're going to love this movie. I especially like the strong female characters in this story; Negasonic Teenage Warhead and Angel dominate their male counterparts and raise girl power to an impressive level. And Vanessa, while not possessing any powers, still holds her own in this testosterone-rich world.

 

The humor, for its part, is hit or miss. Some parts are genuinely funny, but others are not. I feel the jokes are appropriate for the titular character and I honestly wouldn't change it. It was a bit strange seeing typically PG-13 X-Men in an R-rated movie, but it works well here.

 

And finally, I must commend the action scenes in this film. They are balls-to-the-wall awesome and kick all sorts of ass. I was thoroughly entertained throughout and look forward to what they come up with in the inevitable sequel.

 

Bottom line: Deadpool rules.

Early Impressions -- DC's Legends of Tomorrow

This past week saw the premier of the CW's comic book crossover series Legends of Tomorrow. I thought I'd tell you what I think about this show so far.

 

The story centers around evil immortal tyrant Vandal Savage (Casper Crump) who was believed to have been permanently destroyed in recent episodes of Arrow and The Flash. However, it turns out that's not the case, as he has now used his ancient Egyptian powers to resurrect himself. And in the 22nd-century, he has amassed enough military might to conquer the world.

 

Desperate to stop him is Time Master Rip Hunter (Doctor Who's Arthur Darvill). Rip goes back in time to recruit six heroes (and two villains) from the DC universe to embark on a mission to stop Savage once and for all. But this is a ragtag group who don't necessarily get along. Can they get their act together to save the world? And just what secrets is Rip Hunter hiding that could jeopardize this mission?

 

I watched the premier this past Thursday and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It has fantastic CG effects and the cast has great chemistry together. I really like seeing all the characters they've managed to include, and I feel they work well together. It's great that the CW has put so much into developing this universe. This dedication is already paying off in spades. If you've avoided delving into this universe until now, the time has definitely come.

 

Here's to a great run of superhero awesomeness on Legends of Tomorrow.

Movie Review -- Ant-Man

Today we have the latest Marvel movie, Ant-Man, starring Paul Rudd. Here we go.

The plot centers around ex-con Scott Lang (Rudd) as he gets released from prison after having served time for stealing millions of dollars from his former employers. Lang finds few options for employment, however, and with child support payments to make, he's getting desperate.

Meanwhile, former scientist and secret agent Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) is alarmed when his former protege Darren Cross (Corey Stoll) announces he has successfully replicated Pym's secret formula for shrinking objects and people. Cross wants to militarize it and has even created a heavily-armed suit called Yellow Jacket to sell to the highest bidder. Pym, determined to keep his technology from falling into the wrong hands, seeks help in stopping Cross.

Oblivious to all this, Lang decides to go in for one last score with his old friend Luis (Michael Pena). Their goal is to rob the safe from the basement of some anonymous man. When Lang gets into the safe, however, all he finds is a mysterious suit. He tries it on and is startled to find he shrinks to the size of an insect. Turns out, the house he robbed is Pym's. Pym, seeing Lang's potential, recruits him to steal the Yellow Jacket. But it won't be easy; Cross has tight security guarding his suit. So, to even the odds, Pym's daughter Hope (Evangeline Lilly) trains Lang in martial arts and how to control ants. With both human and insect friends by his side, Lang sets out to stop Cross, but what surprises does the nefarious Yellow Jacket have in store?

I found this movie to be rather average. It has slick visuals and cool cameos from other Marvel characters, but just about everything else is so-so. For one thing, the characters just aren't that interesting. Lang is OK, but his felonious friends are about as exciting as a broken VCR. Luis, in particular, is just a lame Latino stereotype. And Cross is as shallow as a kiddie pool.

The action, for its part, does liven things up a bit by showcasing battles in an over-sized world. Seeing the characters battle amidst giant play sets was fun, albeit not enough to make me love this film. The movie tries to spice things up even further with a romantic subplot you can see coming a mile away, but only partly succeeds.

I will, however, say there are some cool scenes after the credits which have me interested in future Ant-Man adventures.

Bottom line: Ant-Man is merely all right.

Movie Review -- Avengers: Age of Ultron

Today we have the latest Marvel movie, Avengers: Age of Ultron. Once again directed by Joss Whedon, is it as good as the first?

The movie begins with the Avengers attacking a fortified Hydra base to recover Loki's scepter. Hydra responds by unleashing the super-powered Maximoff twins, Pietro (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and Wanda (Elizabeth Olson). Pietro has super speed and Wanda can manipulate matter and has psychic abilities. The two groups tussle briefly before the Maximoffs make their escape. 

Later, Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr) decides to go ahead with a plan to create a peace-keeping force using the scepter's mysterious intelligence. However, things quickly go awry when the intelligence, known as Ultron (James Spader), awakens and begins downloading his consciousness into multiple robot bodies. Having received his mission of world peace from Stark, he quickly twists it into something perverse and decides to do away with the Avengers which he views as a threat to said mission.

Ultron soon recruits the Maximoffs to his cause, and the trio gets to work dismantling Earth's mightiest heroes. The Avengers find themselves at a severe disadvantage against Pietro's speed and Wanda's mind games. Even worse, Wanda manipulates the Hulk into going on a rampage, and Iron Man must don his most powerful armor to stop the green goliath. The ensuing battle accumulates a crapload of collateral damage, threatening the Avenger's reputation. But Ultron is just getting started, and he has a plan to usher in the apocalypse. Can our heroes rally themselves and save the day?

The first Avenger's movie remains a favorite of mine, and I'm happy to say the sequel does not disappoint. It's got comedy, tons of great action and stylish visuals. If it weren't for the screaming kids in the theater and my mounting headache, I would have had a total blast. A mark of a good movie is if I can say I want to eventually get it on home video, and with this movie I can say that. I definitely enjoyed it more than Guardians of the Galaxy which I liked but viewed as Avengers Lite.

I also like that they updated the Maximoffs' wardrobe for the modern generation. The Scarlet Witch's comic book outfit in particular has not aged well, and thankfully Joss Whedon's version is much more sensible and fashionable.

In addition, the chemistry between the cast members is as strong as ever, and you really get a sense they had a blast working together and making this film. 

If there is a downside to this movie, it's that the villain's minions aren't that much different than the aliens from the first Avengers. However, that really doesn't bother me and I think Ultron is a compelling antagonist.

Bottom line: Go see Avengers: Age of Ultron. Now.

Early Impressions -- The Flash

I became a fan of the Flash a while back while reading through old issues of his comic, so I was very much looking forward to the new TV series. I have to say, I'm very impressed so far. The CG is very well-done for television, and I really enjoy seeing the effects in action. I thought the blurring would be similar to Smallville, but it's actually much cooler. Also, the acting talent is solid, with Grant Gustin playing a very believable Barry Allen, and Tom Cavanagh shines with his own charisma. It's also cool seeing cameos from Arrow. Usually in DC movies and TV shows, each universe is separate, but with these two series, they're keeping it together, which is a nice plus.

Finally, there are so many colorful villains they can bring in. Some are cool (like Captain Cold), while others...not so much (Rainbow Raider; here's hoping they leave him out).

Bottom line: The Flash is really exciting so far, and I eagerly look forward to the rest of the first season.

Movie Review --Guardians of the Galaxy

Today we have the new Marvel movie starring Chris Pratt and Zoe Saldana: Guardians of the Galaxy. I'm here to tell you if you should go see it.

The story takes place far from Earth. Peter Quill, AKA Starlord (Pratt), a charismatic criminal, is exploring an ancient ruin when he finds a mysterious orb. Suddenly, armed strangers show up and accost him. He manages to fight them off and make his escape with the orb. He has no idea what it is, but it seems valuable so he arranges to sell it for a very high price.

Meanwhile, the Kree empire signs a peace treaty with their longtime enemies the Xandar (fans of the comics may recall the Kree are also longtime enemies of the Skrulls). This does not sit well with Kree warrior Ronan (Lee Pace). He hates the Xandar with a passion and, working with Thanos (Josh Brolin, according to IMDB, though he's uncredited here), he schemes to obtain the orb to wipe them out once and for all. Ronan sends Thanos' adopted daughter Gamora (Saldana) to get it from Quill on the Xandar homeworld, but aliens Rocket (Bradley Cooper) and his servant Groot (Vin Diesel) intervene because they want the bounty on Quill's head. Xandar authorities get involved, and the foursome find themselves in prison where they meet muscleman Drax the Destroyer (WWE's Dave Bautista) who has his own score to settle with Ronan. Quickly realizing they need to work together, they hatch a plan to escape and safeguard the orb. Unfortunately, Drax's thirst for vengeance gets the best of him, and he makes a move that could doom billions of people. Can these guys (and girl) get on the same page before Ronan carries out his genocide?

The Guardians of the Galaxy are a motley crew of very capable yet very dysfunctional heroes who threaten one another more than they threaten the bad guys. Sound familiar? Yep, they're basically The Avengers in space. If you liked that movie, you'll like this one. If not, it will do nothing to change your mind. It is refreshing to leave Earth and explore Marvel's rich universe of aliens and the Infinity Gems, Ronan is a cool villain (visually at least) and the rampant humor kept me chuckling throughout, but it's nothing you haven't seen before. There are predictable fights and predictable chases, and you probably already know whether or not you like these things. The film remains entertaining from start to finish, and I look forward to the already-announced sequel. However, I'm much more looking forward to the next Avengers.

"Do not call me a thesaurus!"

Movie Review -- X-Men: Days of Future Past

Today we have the latest Marvel movie, X-Men: Days of Future Past.

At the outset, Professor X (Patrick Stewart) explains that the world is now ruled by an evil regime which aims to eradicate all mutants using giant robots called Sentinels. These aren't the same Sentinels from the comics, however. They can adapt to any mutant power and crush all opposition with overwhelming force. The last bastion of the resistance is led by Professor X and Magneto (Ian McKellen). Unfortunately, it's a losing battle. Sooner or later, the Sentinels will destroy them. In a last-ditch effort to save the world, they decide to use Kitty Pryde (Ellen Page) to send Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) into the past to stop the war from happening in the first place. 

So Wolverine finds himself back in the 70s. He seeks out young Professor X (James McAvoy) but discovers the Prof is a broken shell of a man addicted to the drug from X-Men: First Class which heals his spine but disables his mutant abilities. He has lost everything he once held dear and doesn't want to go along with Wolverine's quest to save the world. Wolverine does, with some difficulty, manage to convince him to help find Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence) who is about to unwittingly set the apocalypse in motion by killing the Sentinels' creator, Bolivar Trask (Peter Dinklage). But to save her, they'll need the help of young Magneto (Michael Fassbender) who is being held underneath the Pentagon. With some assistance from speedy mutant Pietro Maximoff (Evan Peters) they pull it off in comedic fashion. Afterwards, Magneto explains that he, too, has lost everything dear to him, and so he decides to help them find Mystique. But once they do, a sudden change of heart threatens to derail the whole plan. Is the world truly doomed?

This movie had me gripped from beginning to end. It far surpasses the previous X-Men movie, The Wolverine, which I felt did not do Wolverine justice. I'm a sucker for stories about people going back in time to prevent stuff, and this pulls it off well. I appreciate the amount of characters they crammed into this film (did you notice all the actors names I listed above?), as well as the way the filmmakers handled the apocalyptic segments. They completely succeeded in portraying a dark future for our heroes. I was surprised by the level of violence in these parts. You might be shocked to find out the fate of your favorite characters. They don't pull any punches here, and I respect that. Also, the juxtaposition between present and past Professor X and Magento is pretty cool.

However, I'm not sure, but I think this film's story created a plot hole or two. If the Sentinels were created in the 70s, where were they during the original X-Men trilogy? I mean, yeah, they fought one in the Danger Room in The Last Stand, but that was just a simulation. Shouldn't the mechanized mutant menaces have been present in the previous movies if Trask built them in 1973? Eh, maybe I'm over-thinking it...

All in all, this film has great action sequences (including an epic one where Magneto lifts an entire stadium through Washington, D.C.), genuinely funny moments, and a powerful story. I heartily recommend X-Men: Days of Future Past.

Why is Anna Paquin listed prominently in the end credits when she's in the movie for about three seconds?

Movie Review -- Son of Batman

Today I'm mixing things up and reviewing the latest animated comic book movie, Son of Batman.

The story begins with the League of Assassins being taken out by a force led by Slade Wilson, AKA Deathstroke. Ra's al Ghul is killed in the attack, and his daughter Talia flees to Gotham with her son Damien. She seeks out Batman and informs him Damien is also his son. Now the billionaire playboy has to deal with his sudden status as a dad. This won't be easy because Damien is not only brash and highly intelligent, but a trained killer as well. Bruce must find a way to keep him in line while training him to become the next Robin.

Meanwhile, Deathstroke raids the home of a scientist named Langston who was working on some secret project for Ra's. Slade kidnaps his family and forces Langston to complete whatever he's working on. Batman gets wind of this and goes looking for Langston. What he finds are man-bats (half man, half bat, natch). Somehow these chimeras are involved in whatever Langston is working on. To make matters worse, Talia is captured by Deathstroke during a failed attack on his hideout. Now Batman and Damien must save not only Langston and his family, but her as well. Can Batman lead this rescue mission without Damien leaving a trail of bodies in his wake? After all, "We don't kill."

I like this movie. It has quality animation and voice work. I also appreciate Batman's struggle to adapt to being a father. It puts some heart into the story. Overall, this is a definite step up from DC's previous animated movie, Justice League: War, which really didn't do it for me. Furthermore, it's good to see Deathstroke getting time in the spotlight. He's one of DC's coolest characters, and he deserves it.

Still, I'm not sure this ranks as high as The Flashpoint Paradox. Some of the voices could have been a little better. Jason O'Mara is decent as Batman, but he's no Kevin Conroy or even Roger Craig Smith. Deathstroke's voice (Thomas Gibson) in particular just doesn't have that badass quality that Mark Rolston brought to the table in the videogame Arkham Origins. And finally, some parts near the end are pretty predictable.

Nevertheless, for an animated comic book movie, this is pretty good. It's among the best that has come out in recent months.