Thursday, 13 February 2025

Captain America: Brave New World (Movie Review)

After scaling things back in 2024, the Marvel Cinematic Universe is back with full force this year. I mean, you only need to take a look at its packed slate to see just how much content will be coming out of its production pipeline. And out of all those movies and TV shows, Captain America: Brave New World is among the most hotly anticipated by fans. But is the movie the return to form the franchise desperately needs, or is it yet another misstep in a long string of false starts?

Set 3 years after the events of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, the film finds Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) well into his tenure as Captain America. But more notably, it picks up with Thaddeus Ross (now played by Harrison Ford) after his first hundred days as President of the United States. The president tasks Cap with rebuilding the Avengers, except those plans are put on hold following an assassination attempt. Both men are soon embroiled in a brewing global conflict, the outcome of which could very well shape the future of the world at large.

As a diehard MCU fan, I must admit that it was hard for me to muster any kind of excitement heading into Captain America: Brave New World. This was of course due to just how many times I'd been burnt already by the near-total slop Marvel Studios has been serving up of late. Because for every Deadpool & Wolverine or Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, there seemed to be no shortage of Secret Invasions or She-Hulks. 

Then there was of course the news of the film having to be rejigged well into production, resulting in extensive reshoots. Such things are never a good sign, even though they don't necessarily spell doom for the film's critical and financial prospects either. So even though my expectations were as low as they could get, I still mustered enough cautious optimism to drag myself to the nearest movie theater, hoping for something at least half-decent. And in some respects, the movie delivers just that. 

Starting off with the positives, I was really happy to see some of the story threads introduced in movies like Eternals finally starting to pay off, with one of that movie's celestials serving as a central plot device in this one. In other words, the MCU is starting to feel like the MCU again, with what some might consider a good showing of some of the interconnected storylines fans have come to expect from the franchise.

Then there were the action scenes and the visuals that helped bring them to life. I was especially enamored by the climax, which had all the pyrotechnics one could hope for in the third act of a superhero movie. A lot of it was pure eye candy, for sure, and eagled-eyed viewers might even spot a few instances of egregious green effects here and there. But overall, I was pleased and appropriately thrilled by what was on display.

What I found less thrilling though was the film's hodgepodge storyline which was filled with plot contrivances and driven by yet another lackluster villain. I won't spoil who it was but I doubt anyone other than the film's writers would find the villain in question compelling. The same could be said about most of the supporting cast, who range from your stereotypical girl boss to the overexcited sidekick. These are archetypes we've seen a lot in the MCU already, and these ones bring nothing new to the table.

But I think perhaps my biggest grievance with the movie is just how criminally underutilized Giancarlo Esposito was. He barely got enough screen time to showcase his talents and the little time that he did get was let down by the cobbled-together storyline. The actor has already proven himself more than capable of portraying iconic villains in shows like Breaking Bad so I was disappointed that he didn't get to tap into any of that here. His inclusion felt like an afterthought or like a product of those extensive reshoots.

Captain America: Brave New World is another middle-of-the-road entry into the MCU that would have you pining for the good old days. Sure, its story might alternate between implausible and just plain dumb, but at least it is the fun kind of dumb, not the sludge that has been passing for entertainment with alarming frequency of late. And sometimes, that's all it takes to set itself apart or earn a reluctant recommendation.

Wednesday, 1 January 2025

My Top 10 Most Anticipated Movies for 2025

Happy New Year, dear reader. With 2024 now behind us, it is time to look forward to what 2025 has in store for us, specifically what movies you might want to have on your radar this year. Like most years, I am only considering those movies that already have firm release dates and have already received at least some form of promotion from the studios making them, be that a teaser trailer, production stills, or what have you. So with our parameters defined, here are my Top 10 Most Anticipated Movies for 2025.

10. Jurassic World Rebirth



To no one's surprise, the ever-green Jurassic Park franchise is set to receive another entry this summer. Dubbed Jurassic World Rebirth, this would potentially mark the start of yet another trilogy of films, with a new cast that includes Scarlett Johansson and Mahershala Ali. But we all know who the true stars are, namely the various dinosaurs from the eponymous Jurassic era.

9. Wolf Man



From the director that gave us The Invisible Man comes Wolf Man, Universal Pictures' latest entry into its Universal Monsters media franchise. And judging by how successfully Leigh Whannell had updated the former film for modern times, I am confident he can do the same here, which is why I am approaching his take on the classic werewolf IP with great excitement. So here's hoping that it delivers the thrills.

8. F1



Joseph Kosinski really outdid himself with Top Gun: Maverick, a movie that wowed viewers of all ages with its breathtaking cinematography, making it feel like we were right up there with the pilots in the cockpits of their fighter jets. So in F1, I am expecting to see that same level of immersion, except this time around applied to the various race cars taking part in the titular sport. And having Brad Pitt as the main lead is of course icing on an already-delicious cake.

7. How to Train Your Dragon



I am not particularly keen on the fairly recent trend of adapting beloved animated works into live-action. You can blame that on Disney I suppose, and the soulless eyes of the lions in that 2019 version of The Lion King. But ever since the first trailer for the live-action remake of How to Train Your Dragon dropped, I've found myself having to rethink that position. So I just might be giving this one a look-see.

6. Ballerina



Another position I find myself having to rethink this year is my stance on prequels. And we can attribute that to Ballerina, or more aptly, From the World of John Wick: Ballerina as it is formally marketed. Set between the events of John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum and John Wick: Chapter 4, the film shifts its focus from the Baba Yaga to a younger assassin in the making played by the beautiful Ana de Armas.

5. Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning



Billed as the final film in the Tom Cruise line of Mission: Impossible movies, Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning has its work cut out for it. This is doubly so after the financial disappointment of the previous entry in the series, Dead Reckoning (or Dead Reckoning - Part 1 as it was previously known). But if there's one thing that movie can't be accused of, it is being dull or uninventive, so only time will tell if this second half would fare any better.

4. Avatar: Fire and Ash



The next film in James Cameron's Avatar series is currently slated for December this year. Emphasis on currently because if there's any movie that is likely to get bumped out of 2025 on this list, then surely this is it. But if by some miracle Avatar: Fire and Ash manages to keep that date, then I'd be a very happy camper indeed because I am curious and eager to see where next they take this visually stunning adventure.

3. 28 Years Later



The series that effectively reinvented the zombie genre returns in a big way in 2025. But instead of 28 Months Later, we are skipping right ahead to 28 Years Later since enough time has passed since its 2002 original apparently. And with Cillian Murphy expected to reprise his breakout role from that film, as well as Danny Boyle and Alex Garland returning to direct and pen the script respectively, there's plenty enough reason to hop aboard the hype train.

2. Superman



The DCU is set to begin in earnest in 2025 with the release of James Gunn's Superman, a film that is sure to top many people's most anticipated movie lists this year. And the reason for that is simple: no other film has as much riding on it as this one. The entire future of the DCU hinges on how well-received this movie is, so the pressure to knock it out of the park must be immense. But "In Gunn We Trust," a trust he has earned after a decade of greatness.

1. Mickey 17



Speaking of greatness and directors with impeccable track records, Bong Joon-ho is another whose work I've grown to admire over the years. His filmography includes Snowpiercer and Parasite, two films that had gone on to become my favorite movie in their respective year's of wide release. So there's a strong chance Mickey 17 would be in my Top 10 Movies for 2025 when it is all said and done, which is why it ranks as my most anticipated heading into the year.