Welcome to the 39th edition of My Fortnightly Movie/TV Thoughts! Last fortnight, I reviewed Thor: The Dark World (2013) and Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014). This fortnight, I’m reviewing:
- Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), rated M for science fiction themes and violence
- Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), rated M for action violence
Those of course are the Australian ratings; in the United States, the ratings are:
- Guardians of the Galaxy – PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action, and for some language
- Age of Ultron – PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi action, violence and destruction, and for some suggestive comments
As usual, I’ll give the trailers at the end, along with a clip each. And as usual, I offer the following disclaimer, just to be safe:
WARNING: POTENTIAL SPOILERS AHEAD. PROCEED AT OWN RISK.
Guardians of the Galaxy
Despite the MCU’s wild success, James Gunn’s weird space adventure simply shouldn’t have worked. It was rather weird, a superhero team consisting of (among others) a talking raccoon and a humanoid tree (the Marvel version of an Ent). It was based around one of the lesser-known comic book teams. Plus its ’80s soundtrack. But it was a success – a HUGE one – becoming one of the year’s – and the franchise’s – most acclaimed films. And it really does deserve it.
In 1988 on Earth, shortly after his mother’s death, young Peter Quill (Wyatt Oleff) is abducted by a group of alien thieves and smugglers known as the Ravagers, led by Yondu Udonta (Michael Rooker), who raise him. In 2014, Quill (now played by Chris Pratt), who now calls himself Star-Lord, steals a mysterious orb from the abandoned planet Morag – but is attacked by the cronies of fanatical Kree renegade Ronan the Accuser (Lee Pace). He escapes, but Yondu puts a bounty on his head when he hears, and Ronan sends the assassin Gamora (Zoe Saldana) after him.
When Quill attempts to sell the orb on Xandar, capital of the Nova Empire, Gamora ambushes him and steals it. A fight ensues, drawing in a pair of bounty hunters: the genetically and cybernetically modified raccoon Rocket (Bradley Cooper), and the tree-like humanoid Groot (Vin Diesel). Nova Corps officers capture the four, detaining them in the Kyln prison. An inmate there, Drax the Destroyer (Dave Bautista), attempts to kill Gamora due to her association with the powerful intergalactic warlord, Thanos (Josh Brolin, the Mad Titan, and Ronan, who killed his family. Quill convinces Drax that Gamora can bring Ronan to him, though Gamora reveals that she has betrayed Ronan, unwilling to let him use the orb’s power. Learning that Gamora intends to sell the orb to the Collector Taneleer Tivan (Benicio del Toro), Quill, Rocket, Groot, and Drax work with her to escape the Kyln in Quill’s ship, the Milano.
One of the first things one notices about Guardians of the Galaxy is its unabashed weirdness. From the species of its characters, to the main villain & its plot, to the fact that apart from the opening scene Earth doesn’t appear. It’s a story – a save-the-planet story – entirely set in space, entirely exploring the Marvel world outside of the Nine Realms. (And then there’s the soundtrack – although that’s quite cool.)
Guardians also expands the MCU’s universe considerably; previous movies had only showcased Earth, and some of the other Nine Realms – i.e. only Asgard’s domain. This movie explores the universe far beyond Asgard’s reach, a universe teeming with life (and weird locations). It’s also one of the first films to properly explain & explore the Infinity Stones, which of course will play an important part later in the franchise.
But those are the lesser parts of what makes Guardians so great; one of the greatest things about it is its sheer sense of FUN. Right from the title scene, the movie is hugely fun (and refreshing) to watch, and is also enormously FUNNY – it’s easily THE funniest Marvel film to date, and has the best sense of humour by far (which says A LOT, considering how good Marvel’s sense of humour is!). It’s enormously satisfying to watch.
The other best part – perhaps THE best part – of the movie is the CHARACTERS. Guardians has THE best (and most authentic) characters in the entire franchise – which again says A LOT! They have great chemistry, are well-developed, and are perfectly cast. They’re great fun to watch.
Chris Pratt provides a stellar lead as Peter Quill, the goofy (but lovable) ruffian who finds he has a big price on his head – and who wishes to be called Star Lord.
Zoe Saldana is similarly suitable – and excellent – as Gamora, Thanos’ adopted daughter and Ronan’s assassin, who turns on both of them & becomes a Guardian.
Dave Bautista is perfect as Drax the Destroyer, a warrior who seeks to avenge the death of his family – and who is quite naive, and as a result quite hilarious.
My personal favourite of the lot is probably Bradley Cooper as mouth-from-the-south Rocket, a genetically modified talking raccoon with an attitude.
Vin Diesel was surprisingly good as humanoid tree Groot, who’s a bit like Tolkien’s Ents, and who can only say “I am Groot” – in a variety of ways. (The “We are Groot” was quite a nice scene.) He’s a very likeable character.
Lee Pace made an imposing villain as Ronan the Accuser, a renegade Kree warrior fanatic who literally bathes in the blood of his enemies, and wishes to use the infinity stone to destroy Xandar.
Michael Rooker is quite solid as the cowboy-like Yondu Udonta, leader of the Ravagers, who is after Quill’s artifact.
Karen Gillan also gives a particularly savage performance as Nebula, Thanos’ other adopted daughter, a cyborg who hates her sister with a vengeance. She gives a whole new meaning to sibling rivalry.
The movie is also the first to give a proper look at the Mad Titan, Thanos, menacingly played by Josh Brolin. A nice glimpse of what’s to come.
The film’s action sequences are fantastic (and add to the fun), and the visuals are gorgeous. It’s a good candidate for the MCU’s most visually beautiful film.
Guardians of the Galaxy is THE most fun (and funny) Marvel movie to date, and has THE best characters, and some of the best visuals, plus awesome action. All in all, it’s one of the best Marvel films to date (and I’m not restricting myself to the MCU in that statement). (And as usual, don’t forget to stick around during the credits.)
Avengers: Age of Ultron
I would begin by remarking on the most positive, but almost-mixed response this interesting and epic sequel got; but the fact that I just called it that has already given away what I think, so let’s just get into it.
In the Eastern European country of Sokovia, the Avengers – Tony Stark/Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr), Steve Rogers/Captain America (Chris Evans), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Bruce Banner/The Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), and Clint Barton/Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) – raid a Hydra facility commanded by Baron Wolfgang von Strucker (Thomas Kretschmann), who has been experimenting on humans using the scepter previously wielded by Loki. They encounter two of Strucker’s test subjects—twins Pietro (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), who has superhuman speed, and Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen), who has telepathic and telekinetic abilities—and apprehend Strucker, while Stark retrieves Loki’s scepter.
Stark and Banner discover an artificial intelligence within the scepter’s gem, and secretly decide to use it to complete Stark’s “Ultron” global defense program. The unexpectedly sentient Ultron (James Spader), believing he must eradicate humanity to save Earth, eliminates Stark’s A.I. J.A.R.V.I.S. (Paul Bettany) and attacks the Avengers at their headquarters. Escaping with the scepter, Ultron uses the resources in Strucker’s Sokovia base to upgrade his rudimentary body and build an army of robot drones. Having killed Strucker, he recruits the Maximoffs, who hold Stark responsible for their parents’ deaths by his company’s weapons, and goes to the base of arms dealer Ulysses Klaue (Andy Serkis) in Johannesburg to obtain Wakandan vibranium. The Avengers attack Ultron and the Maximoffs, but Wanda subdues them with haunting visions, causing Banner to turn into the Hulk and rampage until Stark stops him with his anti-Hulk armor – generating public outrage.
As an opponent of advancing artificial intelligence (are we seriously trying to make more like that Saudi robot that wants humanity exterminated?!) – AND as a fan of “evil AI” plot stories (big Terminator fan here), I rather liked Age of Ultron‘s plot & themes centered around an artificial intelligence gone evil – and the dangers of playing God.
Personal opinion on AI aside, the plot – despite being the kind of premise we’ve seen countless times in one form or another – is handled really well, and made quite interesting – especially with the part the Infinity Stones play. This is also our first proper glimpse of the Infinity Gauntlet – accompanied by a great montage of the Stones.
The film’s action sequences are fantastic – especially the opening one, and the climatic one – with even higher stakes than in the last Avengers film. The film’s effects are splendid.
James Spader gives a chilling performance as Ultron, the artificial intelligence created by Tony to protect humanity – but which instead decides to destroy us. Ultron is chilling both for Spader’s portrayal of a calm psychopath who believes himself to be right, and for just how powerful he is (and how close he comes to destroying us). He really is a great villain.
Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Elizabeth Olsen both make interesting additions as Pieter and Wanda Maximoff (aka Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch), particularly Olsen/Wanda, whose performance is excellent. (Taylor-Johnson’s is pretty good too in his own right, but he’s simply not as good as X-Men‘s portrayal.)
The returning hero cast – Chris Evans as Steve Rogers (Captain America), Jeremy Renner as Clint Barton (Hawkeye), Chris Hemsworth as Thor, etc – are excellent as usual, with plenty of banter – and genuine tension – reminding us why we love these guys. (Although Thor’s storyline was underemployed, and kinda butchered.)
Robert Downey Jr is excellent as Tony Stark, the billionaire-turned-superhero otherwise known as Iron Man, who is wrestling with his own inner demons – particularly his desire to protect those he loves from harm, which is exacerbated by Wanda & her powers. (His vision sequence is chilling.)
Mark Ruffalo and Scarlett Johansson are quite fitting in their reprisals of Dr Bruce Banner (The Hulk) and Natasha Romanoff (Black Widow). I rather liked the relationship between them, SPOILER ALERT and was kinda sad about how it ended END SPOILER. One of my favourite superhero relationships.
I also really liked the addition of Vision, partially a combination of Jarvis and Ultron, an AI with a body who truly wants to defend humanity and stop Ultron. Paul Bettany is excellent in the role. (I particularly LOVE the part where he lifts Mjolnir, much to everyone’s shock. He’s truly worthy.)
Avengers: Age of Ultron is an interesting, exciting, and thoroughly entertaining continuation of the Avengers saga – and a hugely underrated one at that. (And always remember: don’t turn the movie off when the credits start rolling!)
The Guardians of the Galaxy trailer:
The Age of Ultron trailer:
A Guardians of the Galaxy clip:
An Age of Ultron clip:
[What do you think of these films? Be sure to let me know in the comments! Also, send me your review for any movie, and I’ll post it on this site.]
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Reblogged this on J-M's History Corner.
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