aesylvia Reviews

Deadpool (2016)

Passion plus risk = greatness

[9/10 · 21 February 2016]

Anyone remotely interested in this film already knows what to expect so let me just say, what is promised in the trailer is absolutely delivered with no deception and only adds so much more of the kind of humor, violence and other goodness synonymous with Deadpool. The idea of a solo hero drawn from the X-Men stable getting a standalone movie hasn't been looked forward to greatly or pulled off successfully up until now, if only by virtue of Deadpool's being such a truly unique character. However, they did also take into account that, unlike The Wolverine, omitting other mutants to the point that you don't even need all the fingers on one hand to count them all is a truly horrible idea, and this film did not make that same mistake, so while the primary focus was on Deadpool (and rightfully so), the two other X-Men members got plenty of time to shine, both in terms of exposition and personality, as well as exhibition of their powers. I wasn't expecting to see a scene that could have, in another movie, been something like Hulk vs She-Hulk, but this film delivered that pleasant surprise and I was loving every minute of it.

95% of the humor hit, particularly the meta style humor where Deadpool breaks the fourth wall directly or at least acknowledges to the other characters that something beyond their understanding is looking down upon them, and the other 5% is stuff that is just so-so, or was said too quickly for me to completely pick up on. I think that was one of the main flaws, some things were just cut too fast to either see and enjoy completely, or hear with complete clarity. But the vast majority is what we get and I was extremely satisfied.

Almost every character was fantastic in their role, and the only real complaint I can think of is in that regard is, I would have preferred to either get more from the Blind Al character (who got very little background or development), or not have had her there at all and maybe save her for the sequel so we could get a fresh start with her and be more fleshed out, perhaps with a situation closer to the comics. But TJ Miller, Morena Baccarin, and Gina Carano, none of whom I'd seen in anything-or at least nothing that major-before, all did very well in what roles were written for them, and while it seemed utterly ludicrous for Colossus to spend 100% of his screen time being animated, I felt like this was his best portrayal yet in an X-Men universe movie, and newcomer Negasonic Teenage Warhead was a fantastic new addition and I would be disappointed if she did not make a return appearance at least somewhere, if not the sequel.

The only other nitpick I could really say is that Deadpool's obsession with fixing his deformed skin was very bothersome. That he could think something like that (which actually varied from time to time) would break a relationship was laughable, and the very idea that him also having a healing factor that could then somehow not also fix his skin problems, just felt too inconsistent. Wolverine looked a lot like that after being burnt up by the explosion of an A-bomb, and went back to looking like he always did. If there was a significant reason why, it was not satisfactorily explained.

In summation, if you were expecting this to be the deservedly R-rated slice of fried gold Deadpool deserved to have his name slapped across, you will not be disappointed. This should wash the bad taste out of your mouth from both Deadpool's previous portrayal and, with luck, the recent Fant4stic debacle. I saw it in IMAX, not 3D, but I'd say based on my viewing, 3D would totally be worth it too.

Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (2015)

Too much of a loving homage to the originals, too afraid to be its own film

[7/10 · 15 January 2016]

I wasn't really interested in seeing this after the prequels turned me off of the Star Wars universe as a whole but I went with a friend who wanted to see it, so that was my attitude going in.

The second 1/3 of the movie was more or less able to be called original but the first and last portions were basically a carbon copy of A New Hope with an extra light-saber battle thrown in.

As expected, the visuals were top-notch but without a decent story or good characters or at least well-acted ones, a film cannot captivate. This was not the problem for a majority of the film but for a few minor characters. The newcomers portraying Rey and Finn were terrific, they should be credited as capably carrying the film but for the stakes in this story it seemed unfitting that they were so young, at least without being accompanied by someone older from the start.

It was hard feeling the nostalgia of anyone other than Chewbacca because all the returning cast look so much different than they did in the original trilogy, but they did perform adequately. The character Kylo Ren's performance was slightly below average.

Overall I would have preferred more information during the opening crawl, a lot of things were left unclear as a result and degraded the amount of enjoyment and understanding of the film and story. It's likely that whether unintended or not, this was tailored for younger audiences to enjoy and less so for adults. It's still somewhat fun at parts but there is a bit too much drag and a lot more needless depressing moments than necessary. Darker does not always equal better.

Jessica Jones (2015–2019)

Consistent dark tone, inconsistent writing

[6/10 · 22 November 2015]

If you were expecting something as good as Daredevil, don't. Is it close? Maybe for some but my experience was rather disappointing given my high expectations based on the previous series that blew me away.

I had read the comics this was based on and was pleased with how much they deviated so as to keep the story fresh and unpredictable. What I did not care for was the number of characters that were introduced, which was unexpected due to how antisocial the protagonist is. This cluttered up the story with uninteresting or utterly obnoxious nobodies whose subplots wasted time that could have been better spent resolving the major Jessica-related ones, ultimately resulting in an unsatisfying conclusion (not only due to the anticlimax of the final confrontation).

David Tennant shines as Kilgrave, he is most certainly the high point of the story. They gave his character much more depth and a richer history than in the comics (no purple skin, sorry fans.) Far more sadistic than in the comics even, he easily outstrips Wilson Fisk for 'most evil villain' so far in any part of the MCU. Unfortunately this made many of his co-stars on screen with him at the same time look like amateurs, but they tried their best in their other scenes.

Jones' abrasive personality made it difficult for her to have any real chemistry with anyone but it was painfully true with Luke Cage, and one character even had to remark on their chemistry as if those of us who didn't 'get it' were supposed to just buy it. His character was also overused, it made this series feel less like Jessica's own, and also puts into question how independent Cage will be when his own series starts.

A few inconsistencies also marred the enjoyment factor of the series. Jones' powers are never satisfactorily explained (and the opportunity to at least reveal their origin was wasted with too many minor characters and subplots) and Cage's powers are also used inconsistently (explain to me how an explosion fails to deafen and/or blind him, at least temporarily, and yet a shotgun blast under his chin puts him in a coma.) Also in this world of aliens and superheroes, peoples' inability to accept that there exists a mind controller is inexcusable, especially with other series like Agents of SHIELD establishing that numerous 'gifted' individuals exist and are being hunted down. Even those who are directly affected by Kilgrave seem to want not to believe it. It gets aggravating even before the halfway point. Not to mention lots of other miscellaneous stupidity from most of the characters.

Ultimately it's a story about trying to find one's identity that never pans out, tons of moral conundrums that go unresolved, and about the cleverest thing you see is that with all her great strength that others like Daredevil don't have, she can't just go throwing it around with abandon because of the nature of her nemesis who hides behind innocent pawns.

Don't make the mistake of raising your expectations for this because of Daredevil like I did. It feels like this could have benefited from a shorter production run, maybe 8 episodes instead. Curious to see how they'll bring her back in the future, though I'm skeptical if they'd actually give this a second season or any other solo treatment.

Kung Fury (2015)

The ultimate 80's nostalgia homage and satire

[9/10 · 9 November 2015]

Holy cow. I was not expecting anything nearly as engrossing as this film turned out to be when I came across it on Netflix. At only a half-hour run time, who would? My mind was blown during the first 60 seconds.

There is scarcely a moment when you won't find yourself believing this could have been cut together from discarded 80's movie footage, they really nailed the look, not to mention the music and the style of clothing and technology.

Some of the effects scenes are obviously too well-animated to belong in an 80's flick but I think that helps people who are more used to today's special effects and CGI get more into it if the 80's were a little too before their time, but more than that I felt like it helped bridge the gap between today and that bygone era and made it accessible to everyone (though I can see how anyone unfamiliar with older films would be less appreciative of the nostalgia).

Everything else about it was just completely over-the-top, from the dialogue, wacky plot twists, characters and last but by no means least, the action scenes. That it was so complete even for its short length, hit all the right buttons and still set up a sequel (and/or prequel) shows just how much potential the project had to become a full-length feature and I hope with all my heart that it gets that treatment, and everything else it deserves.

A few bits dragged a tad, almost reminiscent of some of Woody Allen's early films and their non-sequitur moments, but they were still funny. Nothing is perfect, so I can't give it a perfect 10, but it came close.

This film was a labor of love from its creators, and that it came from outside the Hollywood circle really rams home that studio execs just aren't paying attention to what talent really is. We can only pray that some of our most beloved action franchises get the developers of this film involved. They could use some of that spirit and passion.

Ant-Man (2015)

Takes the idea of a shrinking formula, and comedy, to new heights

[8/10 · 27 July 2015]

While I'm sure most people would have wanted Ant-Man, one of the founding Avengers in the comics, to have appeared on the big screen sooner, the creative team behind the film made it fit into the end of Phase 2 comfortably and gave us much to look forward to.

While it started out a tad slow for my taste, once it picked up speed, which didn't take long, I was never bored, and even during the slow beginning I had plenty to laugh about. Michael Pena added something unique in terms of humor that I had never seen before and he really stole every scene he appeared in (him whistling "It's a Small World" was so spot-on for this movie I could have kicked myself for not predicting it).

Pena wasn't the only comedian, everyone involved had great moments, and Scott's initial bumbling while learning how to use the suit and its power was hilarious. The way they used the Pym Particle technology also made for even more one-of-a-kind ways to invent laughs and they really want all-out in using every idea they could come up with, and executed it brilliantly.

The action scenes-let me tell you this is no small compliment (pun intended) that these scenes excited and dazzled me more than the bulk of Age of Ultron, and they managed to throw in a bunch more laughs during them too. The fight between Scott and Sam Wilson/Falcon was enormously satisfying and even provided a very nice connection for the end of the film and the post-credits scene.

The acting was all excellent, I found nothing to complain about and when Douglas got serious, it really got everyone's attention. Corey Stoll as the villain took a note out of Jeff Bridges' and Sam Rockwell's books from playing corporate villains in Iron Man 1 and 2 respectively, becoming a more sinister, more unhinged, and more confrontational antagonist even before putting on a suit, so it set this film apart from being just another Iron Man clone.

The heist angle is something I've never been particularly fond of but I think these guys found the winning formula injecting both science fiction and superheroes into it. The predictability of everything due to pre-planning was off-set by the amazing visuals and the impossible tasks that only the technology in a Marvel film could pull off.

A few questionable things like counting on chance to allow for certain events to transpire, some things that could have been fleshed out better, and the slow beginning prevented me from going to 9 out of 10 but if I could, I'd rate it an 8.5 rather than a flat 8. I highly recommend the 3D which lends itself to bringing the world from an ant's-eye view into full perspective.

All in all, if you're in the mood for a lot of laughs, some amazing action and some of the most inventive ideas put to sci-fi in quite a long time, this is something you won't want to pass up. Marvel is still going strong and just ups the ante on intrigue with each entry.

Daredevil (2015–2018)

Marvel and Netflix create an outstanding product together (Spoilers)

[8/10 · 17 July 2015]

I have watched the entire series three times before writing this review, and it still impresses me each time. The overall quality of the writing, the great majority of the pacing, the vast majority of the acting, and the style of the action all blend together to create an epic that makes you forget how relatively small-scale it is compared to the other Marvel heroes, and leaves you drooling for more.

The first truly street-level hero to enter the scene of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Daredevil, even before he embraces this identity, shows his remarkable talent, but still has great vulnerability that makes the stakes seem all the higher and the path to victory all the more difficult to traverse. Admittedly the amount of punishment he endures is often too great for even a comic book property's usual suspension of disbelief but at least an attempt to explain it away is given, even if insufficient.

The supporting cast, with one notable exception, is phenomenal. Rosario Dawson's nurse character, Deborah Ann Woll's driven mystery woman, and Elden Hensen's goofy but serious when the situation calls for it sidekick all blew me away with their performances, Hensen's in particular earning a special mention. Vondie Curtis-Hall's grizzled reporter also made waves that helped tie the story together more than I realized the first two viewings, and it is truly regrettable we won't be seeing more of him in future seasons, outside of possible flashbacks. The one weak link in this otherwise sterling list is Vincent D'Onofrio as antagonist Wilson Fisk. Now, I can't blame him entirely, much of his dialogue was simply weak, but what did bother me a lot about him was his delivery. I don't know if he had to gain a lot of weight for the role or if he was already that size but I believe it contributed to his breathing and vocalization which were terribly distracting. It made it hard to take him seriously, and when you're a villain that needs to be feared and respected, that is a fatal flaw. I would say roughly 80% of his time on-screen had this issue, there were occasions where it was either not noticeable or at least tolerable.

The structure of the series is such that it welcomes newcomers and long-time fans alike, and brings every little story arc to a conclusion, not always in a completely clean or satisfactory way, but they don't allow it to interrupt the continuing flow, and the ultimate conclusion of the season truly gave a sense of the finishing stroke on a masterpiece. One of the best mêlée fights in the MCU so far, whether superhuman powers were involved or not, gives us so much more to look forward to in the coming seasons after showing us what they are capable of. The gradual pace with which Matt Murdock evolves to the peak of his crime-fighting career made it all the more satisfying to see him finally don his signature horned garb in the finale, and his use of the sticks and staff are as visually impressive as one could imagine, though I would hope we'll see him able to use a grappling hook mechanism soon. Seeing him keeping pace with cars while on foot and scaling fire escapes feels a little too far-fetched so something more believable would be welcomed in future seasons.

Aside from those few nitpicks that can't really degrade the overall enjoyment or quality, the overall series is spectacular and gives me great hope that the other planned programs will be similarly well-done and makes me very eager to see what season 2 will have in store. You'll probably hardly feel like the many hours it takes to get through the series have actually passed, so it is rather easy to get through in one or two days (great way to spend a quiet weekend) and well worth the effort if you are looking for something 'super' to tide you over between releases of blockbuster films.

Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)

Trailer almost as misleading as Iron Man 3's (Spoilers)

[6/10 · 12 June 2015]

I wanted to score this film higher but although I do love spectacle, it just felt way too mindlessly Michael Bay-esque and the scale of explosions and destruction served no purpose.

I felt that almost every other problem I had with the film could have been addressed by simply splitting the thing up into two parts like they are planning to do with Infinity War. I mean, when I think about the missed marketing opportunity (Avengers 2 split into 2 parts, followed by Avengers 3 split into 3 parts-how brilliant would that have been?) it really just compounds the problem and makes Marvel seem all the more foolish for it.

Had this solution been utilized, there would have been so much more room for essential things like new characters' backstories, and development for old and new characters, especially main villain Ultron. The sinister "There are no strings on me" from the trailer that sent chills up my spine came to naught as Ultron became essentially a dark mirror of Tony Stark with way too little behind his motivation to do anything he did (like most of Iron Man's villains so far), let alone to despise and resent his creator the way he seems to. Also, more gradual evolutions in his plans to ultimately concoct and carry out what became his final scheme would have been better too.

The twins suffered the same problem of lack of exposure and development. Vision too, but I could forgive that if only because the character was intended to be something of an enigma, but for the former two to actually join forces with Ultron, I would have expected much more backstory, perhaps a flashback rather than simply being told what happened to make them vengeful against Stark and company.

Trying to cram everything, including the excessive one-liners, into a single film was, regrettably, a disaster. If what I hear about there being a 4-hour cut of the film, that would probably have fixed just about every problem I addressed. This was a serious problem with a simple solution that they had years to decide to release in two parts and just dropped the ball.

For what it's worth, it was entertaining enough, definitely set up a lot of future intrigue, and the interactions of the team together, now that their familiarity has increased, were very pleasing and the increased team dynamic as far as combat is concerned was more than a little satisfying but the ride was just too fast to enjoy everything properly and be given everything on our wish list. With the ever-expanding nature of the MCU, dropping us into what felt more like an 'in media res' scenario that never bothered to go back and explain how point A led to point B was a foolhardy decision, creating an even greater sense of overly accelerated pacing and unanswered questions.

Don't expect this one to deliver what the first one did. A bloated, runaway mess may not have been what they were going for but they ought to have known that this recipe would have inevitably ended up as one.