If we're being honest with each other, I can't say I've enjoyed too many installments in the Avengers series since 2011's Captain America: The First Avenger. I mean, REALLY enjoyed them. I liked most of them, but not to the point of needing to rewatch them. The first Avengers film was very enjoyable. And so was last year's Ant-Man. But other than that, it's been growing a bit tiresome.
And within the first ten minutes of Captain America: Civil War, I thought it wasn't boding well for this one either. There was a random action scene, which felt more like action for action's sake. We weren't sure why things were happening. It was more self-aggrandizing than anything else.
But soon after, we realize it was supposed to be somewhat unimportant. Merely setting up the theme for the rest of the movie.
The Avengers are trying to stop some bad guys in Nigeria, but kill some civilians in the process.
Afterwards, the superhero team faces a lot of adversity across the entire world. The United Nations issues an act that will oversee and control the Avengers' missions. This divides everyone in the group. Some feel that not fighting every battle they hear of is a waste of their abilities, while others are affected more by the death toll of the innocent.
I wasn't expecting the "civil war" to be much more than a verbal conflict, but it escalates pretty badly. You know something really catastrophic is going to happen as a result of this.
Halfway through this movie, I've already realized that it's better than most that came before it.
Here's why I like it: More than almost any Avengers film, there's no convoluted premise or overuse of impenetrable fanboy references. Everything here is clearcut. There are no alien races trying to takeover the planet. Nothing here feels like it's beating a dead horse.
This film also contains the best cast yet. Chadwick Boseman ups the ante playing Black Panther, as his acting abilities almost seem too good for this franchise. We also get some great character surprises, as well as a few minutes of Marisa Tomei.
It's a refreshing mix of each character's personality and wit, without it sacrificing the film's intent or them stepping on each other's toes.
Like any of Marvel's Avengers movie, this one has tons of charisma. But it's different this time, because it isn't forced. It makes you think philosophically--and morally--even if you don't realize you are.
It becomes top tier in this glorified franchise, and moves into my top 3 favorite Marvel films since the series was launched in 2008--along with Iron Man and the aforementioned Captain America: The First Avenger.
It isn't perfect, but it's pretty close as far as superhero movies go.
It's also important to note that you should probably know some background on the whole Bucky-Captain America relationship or you might be a little lost. Also, for those of you who've never seen ANY Avengers film, this will probably all be lost on you.
Twizard Rating: 98
As one of the few people who are beginning to get tired of these Marvel Universe movies, Ant-Man was extremely refreshing. It's not that I dislike the movies--it's just beginning to feel like the same stories with different characters. I've also noticed that the first film in each character's "series" has been the standout. Hopefully the same does not bode true of Ant-Man, since I would love to see this be the flagship series of the Avengerverse.
Without giving too much away, Ant-Man is about ex-convict, Scott Lang (Paul Rudd), who is hired by Dr. Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) to put on a suit that makes him the size of an ant in order to pull of a heist and make the world a better place.
If you're looking for something large-scale and meaningful, you may not completely find it here. But in a way, that's what makes Ant-Man more believable. In the real world, if there were superheroes like this, not every crime would be catastrophically jeopardizing the world as we know it. Some may just be on a personal level.
It lacks a certain depth and big emotion that the other Marvel films give us, but that adds to the uniqueness. The script isn't perfect, but it also changed hands midway through development.
While not perfect, it's exactly what we need. It's fun and doesn't take itself too seriously. The action isn't forced, but is always necessary. The changing of Ant-Man's height back and forth actually makes for some of the most unique fight sequences in cinema. However, we always know what's going on and it doesn't alienate any of its audience. Although it does tend to hurl a lot of information at us all at once, it does so while bridging the gap between the superhero-movie-lovers and the non-fans. It plays as more of a comedy and doesn't fill of our brains with too many made-up substances or secret organizations.
But don't think that this film is dumbed-down by any means. It's filled with thought-provoking themes and blurs the lines between right and wrong--making every character that much more interesting. No one here is the spitting image of morally pure--in a way, much more similar to Iron Man than Captain America.
Rudd does a fantastic job carrying the lead of this film, along with Douglas, who plays the quasi-mysterious mentor with a secret past.
This Marvel film finally gives us a fun scenario to play with. Unlike the other Marvel Universe films, this concept won't wear thin because there is so much you can do with it to continue answering our "what-if" questions. And with the plus side that Scott Lang is a very unique personality, this won't just be blending in with all the other superhero movies.
Twizard Rating: 94
Possibly the 2nd most anticipated movie of the year (behind Star Wars) is Avengers: Age of Ultron. For fans of the series thus far, this movie won't disappoint, but many might not see it living up to the standards set by its 2012 predecessor.
In Age of Ultron, Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) secretly activates an artificial intelligence program called Ultron that he hopes will be able to do the jobs of the Avengers team so that they can retire. Of course, things go wrong as Ultron decides to seek his independence and destroy the world.
The storyline is a little too convoluted to follow and we see small outcomes of Ultron's huge threats, but it's never clear why it's all happening. There's no sensible reason why Ultron decides to be evil. Much like my issue with Guardians of the Galaxy, the antagonist has no understandable motive. The best villains have a motive that we can empathize with, because it gives him or her more relatability. To hate is to love, right?
That's really the looming issue over the film. But honestly, this film feels a lot more organic than the first. 2012's Avengers is the epitome of action entertainment, but focuses more on satisfying the audience's wants. We were anticipating that movie as though it had all lead up to that point. But while it had the tonal consistency and even pace that this new movie doesn't, it felt a little too contrived and polished.
A main reason why I think that American Graffiti is the greatest movie ever is because it doesn't feel scripted. You see the bumps and bruises, and it feels real. Age of Ultron gives us a little more of that with its humor. It's the story that needs to be told, not the one that we want to be told. It's filled with effective social relevance and doesn't have an overload of quippy in-jokes that really aren't all that funny to the world of people that aren't up to speed with the Marvel Universe. The humor here feel more organic and less scripted. It's a little bit more watchable without having seen the previous films.
But there are still some good bits that are a little more involved. We get a brilliant scene where everyone takes a turn trying to lift Thor's hammer.
We get a small glimpse into Hawkeye's (Jeremy Renner) life. It adds a little more depth to the film as we see a different side (or any side) to his character.
I don't really like when movies open up with an action scene. It's cliche and I'm not quite settled into the movie yet. But the effects are amazing, and so are all the other technicals.
Twizard Rating: 93
This is definitely a tipping point film in the Marvel Universe. Everything is kindof happening and culminating in one film. There are a lot more plot twists than usual (besides maybe Iron Man 3), which makes for a really fun ride. While having a really cool concept of the whole big brother thing and even dating it back to the '40s, this new installment is probably the most relatable of the bunch. And as a much darker, more character driven piece, we finally begin to tap into the secret life of Nick Fury himself--although still only slightly. Operating more as a thriller that the typical Marvel film, Captain America The Winter Soldier definitely stands out among the rest. An awesome blockbuster that doesn't really do a whole lot wrong.
Twizard Rating: 98
