The Avengers

For those of you who are not in the know about The Avengers where have you been?  Seriously not only have there been two recent movies featuring The Hulk and Iron Man, but last year Paramount obviously rushed through production of Thor and Captain America to get the public ready for what could be a record breaking opening.  And while these two movies were nothing all that special, they both lay the ground work and have important information leading up to the first major blockbuster of the summer.  

For those who could not be bothered with the previous projects here is a recap, or you know just go and watch the other movies.  After the first Iron Man we meet Nick Fury, who is behind The Avengers Initiative, a team of Earth's mightiest heroes to come together should they ever need it.  From there we meet Thor, whose brother Loki was the featured villain in Avengers #1.  At the end of the movie we see The Cosmic Cube or the Tesseract in Nick Fury's possession.  We learn more about the cube in Captain America which is the source of many of The Red Skull's weapons of mass destruction.  While all independent projects, the stories of our heroes intertwine to build up to the summer blockbuster.

The Avengers is directed by major fan boy Joss Whedon responsible for television series like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Firefly, Angel, and Dollhouse.  To the uninitiated many out there may not know who Joss Whedon is, after all he has only directed one feature film before, Serenity, and it was based off a show that no one watched while it was on.  But anyone who recognized the name knew immediately that this was the perfect match for the movie. Whedon is a lifelong comic book fan and not only did he create comic versions of Firefly and Buffy he also worked on a version of "X-men" and helped to develop Marvels crossover hit "Civil War."  With such passion for the genre, there was little doubt of his success.  

With so many characters, stories, and battles to fit in it is not surprising that the movie runs a little long.  The only time the movie feels long though is while the crew is on board Nick Fury's helicarrier.  Throughout the rest of the movie Whedon finds a perfect balance.  With eight major super heroes, four of which have been featured in their own movie, it would have been easy to put the primary focus on Robert Downey Jr., whose Tony Stark character has undoubtedly the most successful franchise of the superhero team.  But instead he finds something interesting for all of his heroes to do and gives them all equal screen time.  Whether it be finding back story or a featured fight, we feel like all eight heroes share an equal part to the story.

The show stealer of the whole movie may be the Hulk.  While Mark Ruffalo played Bruce Banner very well, at the very least better than Eric Bana did, I'm talking about the big guy.  The big screen has not been kind to the green giant, having been played by several different actors with no movie nailing down success.  Due to a combination of Hulk's inability to speak coherently and complete dominance of the enemy's around him his story has suffered as a leading man.  But as part of an ensemble The Hulk excels and has many of the movie's best moment.  He will no doubt be a fan favorite, now we can only hope that those movie execs don't try to make him the leading man again, the other guy is best in small doses.    

The action in the movie is in a word awesome.  In a superhero movie like this an epic battle scene is always anticipated, but there has never been anything quite like this.  There are always groups of thugs for the hero to take out before getting to the final battle; this may be the first time a blockbuster like this features a climax against an army.  The final sequence of the movie is nothing but action, but unlike Michael Bay's action movies which feature similar pacing it feels like the audience is much more vested in the outcome.  There isn't just cool shots for the sake of cool shots, it is all building to something.  While all the battles were great, any comic book nerd will tell you the best fights are when the heroes go at each other.  Everyone wants to know if the Hulk really is unstoppable, or who would win in a fight Captain America or Iron Man.  It is just another another point of praise for Whedon knowing what the audience wants as he sprinkles in fights between our heroes throughout the flick.  It sometimes feels as if the action never stops.  

For those who won't get excited about all the wonderful 3-D battle sequences there is also plenty of humor injected into the movie.  From the bickering of the superheroes, to the well placed quips, to the visually funny; Whedon, who also wrote the story, knows his crowd and injects the movie with plenty of laughs to make sure the movie constantly stays up.

The Avengers hits on all the right levels.  Putting up two duds last year, the movies will no doubt pay off as this one is a guaranteed success.  It will have fan boys, and casual movie lovers alike jumping for joy at just how well the movie is done.  The summer of 2012 starts off on a great note and The Marvel Superhero team have set the bar high.  A

Nice

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

It was two years ago when Guy Ritchie debuted his take of the famous detective from Baker Street. From the outset it enraged traditionalist fans who did not want Sherlock Holmes to be a gritty street fighter. It was fun to watch as any blockbuster should be and Robert Downey Jr. was in the middle of his resurgence. Since that time Downey has become an A-lister while the original movie grossed $524 million dollars worldwide. So while certainly not a great movie it put butts in the seats and while I thought the franchise would be left for dead with Holmes greatest nemesis waiting in the wings the crew had another chance at the 19th century detective. With more confidence Guy Ritchie returns with Robert Downey and Jude Law to create a much stronger story sure to be enjoyed by many fans this holiday season.

We are several years removed from the original story and Sherlock Holmes is trying to unravel his biggest case to date. He has already thwarted the plans of a master criminal several times, but what all these crimes are building up to is impossible for our hero to deduce. Meanwhile his loyal sidekick John Watson is getting married and moving on beyond this life of danger. Holmes convinces his old partner to help thwart his most worthy adversary in one final adventure.

It is worth noting that while Professor James Moriarty is the villain most notably linked with Sherlock Holmes he only appeared in Sir Author Conan Doyle's last story. Conan Doyle wanted to create a formidable opponent for Holmes to end on so he featured a brilliant scholar who could match wits with the detective. 'The Final Problem' became one of the most famous stories and is why Moriarty is as much a part of Holmes lore as Watson is. In a world of sequels it is easy to tell why Ritchie would save Holmes' most famed nemesis for later.

That being said Jared Harris was an odd choice for the great mastermind. For such a major threat they have chosen a relatively small actor, one that comes nowhere near the level of Robert Downey Jr. It is tough to believe the two characters are equal when the performances are not. Harris has full control over the intellectual portion of the character as exemplified in his work from 'Mad Men' he just doesn't seem believable as an imposing threat. It would have been wonderful to see what an Alan Rickman-esque actor could have done with the character he seems to have the perfect combination of controlled anger at his disposal. Similarly Noomi Rapace does little as our heroes' gypsy ally. Short of her opening action sequence she seldom helps develop the protagonist or the plot. It makes you miss Rachel McAdams as the prominent female lead who did little to nothing extraordinary in the first one except look stunning.

The story though bears its success on the shoulders of our hero and as can be expected Robert Downey Jr. once again does a fantastic job as the movie titular character. He was one of the few bright spots from the original and here he does more of the same with a darker twist to the character reflecting the raised stakes. The character is constantly banged up as his tweaks seem to not only reflect his thought process but the danger he finds himself in. His delivery builds upon the originals strengths as he is quick to lay out a subtle jab. Whether it is a physical or verbal one he does so in prefect deadpan form. Just as important to the character's delivery is his relationship with his lifelong friend John Watson once again played by Jude Law. Still a thankless role as Downey will surely outshine him, if not for the set-up and report provided by Law's portrayal of the character it stands to reason that much of the energy in the movie would fizzle. In the first movie most of their relationship was shown through an angry reluctance, there for each other because their bonds had been built over time. In the second story the relationship seems much more reflective as each understands their partnership is coming to an end. Their bond drives a large part of the movie; it helps to heighten the action sequences and is the main source of entertainment through the down beats as well.

Guy Ritchie seems much more comfortable directing this time, while he still uses most of the techniques that cluttered his first attempt he seems more restrained and allows his style to help tell his story rather than using it to gloss over unpolished sequences. The most notable technique being when Holmes slows down the action to predict his enemies attacks. It was used more for the character last time, here Ritchie uses this sequence and the outcome to provide perspective to the story. The action scenes benefit the most from Ritchie’s first crack at the story while the music of Hans Zimmer really highlight what is going on. The bachelor party, the scene on the train, and the climax all become exponentially more exciting than the action beats from the original. In the same breath though the scenes in between the action tend to drag a little bit and while the two leads do all they can to liven up the scenes it still seems like it takes a while to get to each major plot point.

There are those will argue that this is just another typical Hollywood sequel with more action and less substance. While you can certainly argue the former, the latter seems unfounded. The first movie had no intention of being taken seriously, merely meant to entertain, A Game of Shadows seems much more entertaining than the original in a large part due to the return of the two male leads and the director working hard together to improve their story. As long as you allow yourself to go into the movie with the expectations set from the first movie in the series and not the original stories you should be able to enjoy the movie. It is very much the same type of movie just done a little better. B-

Due Date

Due Date is very much what you would expect from a Todd Phillips movie. A lot of slapstick comedy, strong male leads, a mish-mash of pairings, and an outlandish plot that you are more than willing to accept. You can tell that Philips is still in Hangover mode (which makes sense as his next movie is the sequel to the '09 smash hit). And while the comedy may share similar laughs with his last movie, his newest movie shows off a softer side as well.

This movie features a wannabe actor with a glaucoma problem and Robert Downey Jr. After mayhem at the airport both men are placed on the no fly list. With his wallet in transit, in order to reach his pregnant wife in time Robert Downey Jr. must team up with comedies it-man of the moment, Zach Galifianakis, on a cross country road trip.

Zach Galifianakis plays more or less the same role Phillips asked him to play in the past, a sympothetic dolt. After showing off some of his real acting chops in It's Kind of a Funny Story, he is able to spread his wings a little bit and shows some depth in a storyline featuring his dead father. They of course balance all of that out with placing the patriarch's ashes in a coffee can.

It's Robert Downey Jr's character who steals most of the scenes. His comedic timing, dry wit and scornful looks hit at all the right times. Downey plays an uptight architect who has a knack for flying off the handle. You know what to expect from Galifianakis and his comedy, Downey is the X-factor in all of this and he pushes the movie into a no doubt comedy hit. What may stop it from becoming a blockbuster smash is director Todd Phillips.

It is clear that Phillips is maturing as he tries to insert some sincerity into his film. These moments come courtesy from both lead men, both in ways of self-examination and with fatherhood and paternal issues. I doubt he is trying to deliver a firm stance on how you need to better yourself, but maybe suggest that you at least try. It's these moments that may lose some of the audience, who are expecting zany comedy throughout. Also like his past movies, Due Date seems to peek a little early. Many of his belly laughing inducing moments come in the first half of the movie leaving the second half flailing in the wind as once again he may try too hard to become more outrageous as the movie rolls on.

Much of the weight of the movie falls squarely on the shoulders of these two men, but they do get some help from a slew of guest stars. Danny McBride, Juliette Lewis, and Matt Walsh bring exactly what you would expect them to bring to the film and are outstanding at doing so. Jamie Fox, who is featured heavily in the previews is more a set-up man, and sets the scene for some future laughs. Anyone expecting a strong female counterpart clearly hasn't seen any of Phillips' other movies. Hopefully there won't be a public outcry for gender equality like last time and both sexes will be able to enjoy a man who simply writes in the perspective of a man, doubtful.

Downey's star has never been higher and after so many hits it is hard to see it coming down anytime soon. Galifiankis is also on the rise, but it is easy to tell that somewhere down the road audiences may get sick of the characters he plays. That moment though is not now. The men hit all their marks and help create one of the best comedies of the year. B+

Iron Man

The summer movie season has begun with the first big blockbuster of the season. And it is everything you expect it to be. For better or worse.

Lots of CGI action sequences: Check

Lots of star power: Check

Hot women: Check

Mickey Rourke covered in tattoos: Check

Like many sequels it seems that director Jon Favreau doesn't quite know where to take his story so instead includes almost every possibility. The movie is overrun with different story lines and doesn't seem to focus on one for very long. The same can be said for the cast. If you don't like the interactions between Don Cheadle and Robert Downey Jr. just wait ten seconds till Scarlett Johansson comes walking out in something tight and black (not that there is anything wrong with that).

The beauty of the first movie was keeping it simple, and it is often easy to do with an origin story after that they need to find other stories from the comic book series. "Demon in a Bottle" seems to lend itself to being the next story but then you run the risk of alienating your audience by forcing your character to deal with something real, like alcoholism. So we see glimpses of the alcoholic playboy, and get pieces of his history with S.H.I.E.L.D., and slight nods to the Avengers without a whole lot of detail to any of it.

As a side note The Avengers movie is really starting to look great. Fanboy favorite Joss Whedon is set to direct, and many of the actors staring in their own movies look like they will be tagging along in this movie as well, including Downey Jr. as Iron Man. While Ed Norton still looks iffy the signings of young actors on the cusp of super stardom like Chris Evans as Captain America and Chirs Hemsworth as Thor (both due out in 2011) is brilliant as you can get them for less money and sign them to longer contracts. But I digress

The characters really are the ones that save this movie. Justin Theroux (Tropic Thunder) has some sharp writing where if you tune out for one second you may miss several zingers. I'm not sure how much chemistry there is between Robert Downey and Gwyneth Paltrow but the exchanges are solid. Poorly done romantic comedies should jot down some of the screenplay techniques used. He also does well writing strong female characters for a genre that usually leave the women on the sideline.

But the show stealers are Sam Rockwell as industrial rival Justin Hammer and Mickey Rourke as Ivan Ranko (a mixture of Whiplash and the Crimson Dynamo from the series). Rockwell as Hammer is charismatic, unknowing, and tired of being one-upped by Stark. Rourke is all kinds of bad ass, his fight sequences at the end and during the INDY car race scene are short, which is unfortunate as this is the only time we ever really see Stark in trouble. It would've been nice to get them more screen time but with so many characters to deal with it seemed like too much of a challenge.

Iron Man 2 does its part for opening the summer movie season by being not too much to chew on and visually solid. As long as you don't expect it to live up to the original you should be able to enjoy the flick. C+/B-