Listen up Avengers.
Now, it didn't come from me, but somebody upstairs gave you a bad review.
This could have been avoided if you hadn't played with something you didn't understand.
No, I'm sorry.
It is a hoot that you don't get why we need this.
Tony, I appreciate that you value criticism, but let's ignore this.
Really?
That's it.
You just roll over, show your belly.
Every time somebody snarls.
I for one thought you made a sequel almost as good as the first.
We didn't.
We weren't even close.
I'm the critic here, maybe you should let me decide, huh?
Well, you did something right.
See, Cap agrees.
We're the Avengers.
But that up there, that's the end game.
How were you guys planning on beat that?
The best way to fight a bad review is with a good one, and that's where I come in...
this is Movie Night!
Hello and welcome to Movie Night, in-depth reviews or your favorite blockbusters, I'm
your host Jonathan Paula.
For the sixth time on the program we'll be discussing.
superhero films.
If you'd like to take a look at the 30 movies I've already reviewed in that category, please
check out the playlist link on screen now, or in the video description below.
Specifically, we'll be looking at a poorly received superhero film from the 21st-century
with Michael Clark Duncan that led to the marriage of its two leads as well as an eventual
reboot.
We'll also review the other 21st-century superhero film with Michael Clark Duncan that led to
the marriage of its two leads, and a future reboot.
Plus the new Avengers flick.
We begin with "Daredevil".
Released on Valentine's Day in 2003, this $78 million dollar neo-noir superhero production
from director Mark Steven Johnson made just over $100 million in profit.
Ben Affleck stars in the title role as a New York City lawyer blinded by toxic waste who
uses his newly enhanced remaining senses to fight crime as an acrobatic martial artist
in Hell's Kitchen.
The original comic book character was written by Stan Lee, who was never one for subtly,
which is why Daredevil quite literally upholds the virtue, "justice is blind".
It makes the culmination of an early fight scene so unorthodox, as Affleck taunts a criminal
while watching him die.
Later, in an attempt to repair his image, or maybe just his own guilt, he reassures
a young bystander, "I'm not the bad guy, kid."
Overloaded with noise, he goes to sleep every night in a special deprivation chamber, frustrated
that he's unable to save everyone.
This is a bruised and tortured hero that seeks unrepentant justice.
Affleck does a surprisingly good job with the role, especially considering the thick
contact lenses he wore during filming made him virtually blind himself.
The auspiciously stacked cast also includes his future wife Jennifer Garner as a vengeful
ninja with a propensity for push-up bras, Colin Farrell as an impatient hitman who's
ability to throw darts really well is probably the lamest super power ever, and Michael Clarke
Duncan as an ominously large criminal kingpin.
They're joined by Jon Favreau, Joe Pantoliano, David Keith, and Leland Orser in smaller,
but pivotal supporting roles.
Given the hammy material, everyone is better than likely expected - but the romantic thread
at the film's core is ironically, its weakest component.
What may have worked behind the scenes between Ben and Jen clearly didn't translate on-screen,
as their exchanges feel stilted and stiff.
Their introduction by way of flirtatious fight - which reportedly took four full days to
shoot - moves at half-speed, and looks decidedly pre-rehearsed and fake.
Now while I appreciate Daredevil's superhuman sharpness to his remaining senses, there's
far too many harness-assisted jumps and tosses in this movie that simply are unrealistic
for these mortal characters.
Looking like he raided the wardrobe closet from "Battlefield Earth", Ferrell is a sharp
adversary, hurling shards of glass at our hero, who back-flip dodges the projectiles
in an awesome shot rather blatantly borrowed from "Spider-Man".
While the decision to set nearly 80% of the narrative inside a flashback is a bizarre
choice - the traditional origin story is still well-paced and fun.
When young Daredevil first wakes up following his mutating accident, the resulting scene
is a visceral one; as the frightened boy struggles to control his new radar hearing abilities.
It's this very deliberate and sensory sound mix that is paired wonderfully with Graeme
Revell's score.
But the accompanying pop soundtrack really dates this picture, combining the trite music
of Nickleback, Hoobastank, and an over-played Evanescence song during a training montage.
I originally saw this movie in theaters and honestly don't remember liking it that much
- but the extended "Director's cut" version I re-watched for this review pleasantly surprised
me.
Reincorporating a half hour of material into the film, this new 133-minute runtime allows
for so much more character development, something sorely lacking from the theatrical edition.
It also bumped the film up to a more mature R-rating, and includes an entirely new sub-plot
involving Coolio - which ties a lot of the smaller threads together in a necessary way.
"Daredevil" was Marvel's answer to DC Comics' "Batman"... and the two characters share a
number of similarities with their backstory and darker realism.
Which is why it's a bit amusing Affleck eventually got the opportunity to portray both on the
big screen.
Despite its mixed reception, this film led to the Garner-centric spin-off, "Elektra"
and a Netflix Original Series reboot in 2015, not to mention the three Affleck children
who owe their very existence to their parents meeting on set.
While the theatrical version was a misguided disappointment, the director's cut restores
this feature to an enjoyable adventure worth seeing for all Marvel fans.
"Daredevil" is an underrated film with redeeming characters.
Here's what you had to say in the YouTube comments.
The difference in opinion on this picture was striking, which was largely dependent
on what version you saw.
Criticizing the story and action, you thought this was MEH... which is what I rated this
movie the first time I saw it, but the director's cut has changed my opinion, I'm giving this
a SEVEN out of ten.
For tonight's poll question: which superhero character do you think deserves a big-screen
reboot the most?
Leave your response as a comment below.
Next up, let's discuss "Green Lantern".
This June 2011 superhero effort from Martin Campbell was a high profile disappointment
for DC Comics after the $200 million dollar production only earned $219 million at the
box office.
The PG-13 rated story opens with a CGI-heavy prologue which unloads an overbearing amount
of exposition.
Those unfamiliar with the film would be forgiven for assuming it's an animated feature, rather
than live-action; the excessive use of overly glossy visual effects is that bad.
The handsome Ryan Reynolds stars as an irresponsible fighter pilot who is granted a mysterious
alien ring that gives him fantastic abilities, and a place among an intergalactic police
force known as the Green Lantern Corps.
I've been a fan of Ryan since his early days on "Two Guys, A Girl, And Pizza Place"...
and he's certainly capable here, playing a reckless womanizer who is baffled at his new
gifts.
But besides a tragic childhood event, we don't learn much about him.
He shares a few moments of fleeting chemistry though, with his future off-screen wife, the
timelessly beautiful Blake Lively.
Elsewhere, Peter Sarsgaard does convincing work as a misunderstood and menacing villain
with telekinetic powers, while Mark Strong barks his usual bravado as a unforgiving alien
co-worker who reminds Reynolds, "Fear is the enemy of will".
Angela Basset, Tim Robbins, Geoffrey Rush, Clancy Brown, Michael Clarke Duncan, and Jay
O. Sanders populate the large supporting cast - but none have anything substantial to do.
In fact, several are abandoned entirely, including a nephew character, who is never heard from
again after his initial introduction.
Or Reynold's best friend, who plays a pivotal role early, but doesn't have a single line
of dialogue after the 60-minute mark.
Similarly, no one's motivation is adequately explained, including a pointless mid-credits
tease for a sequel that would never be - which sees one character ignore the picture's central
theme for no discernible reason.
When the few action sequences do arrive however, they're particularly inventive and generally
stimulating - especially a climactic face off against a cloud of evil incarnate that
threatens to consume Earth itself.
"Green Lantern"'s extended cut opens with a decently emotional chapter involving the
tragic death of our protagonist's father - but it never should have been re-included, as
a shorter flashback only a few minutes later conveys the same information in a much stronger
way.
The scene that separates these two redundant sequences is a arrestingly shot and thrilling
aerial dogfight that feels like a fun, modern-day twist on "Top Gun" - where Reynolds attempts
to out think and out maneuver AI-flown aircraft.
When the focus is on Reynolds, the narrative is compelling, and more importantly: relatable
- but frequent cutaways to these purple-skinned space police ruin the pacing of the lengthy
two-hour film.
An over reliance on computer effects sees most of these non-human characters existing
decidedly at the bottom of the uncanny valley - making it hard to take any of their dialogue
seriously.
The actual shooting style of the film works well though, framing our actors in wide two-shots
with colorful backgrounds, while the score from James Newton Howard fits the mood appropriately.
Much like its central character, this movie has flashes of greatness - that are unfortunately
held back by its own shortcomings.
The concept and imagery is certainly interesting though, which is why a planned reboot for
2020 might not be a terrible idea.
I enjoyed seeing this picture, even if it wasn't anything special.
"Green Lantern" mishandles a flashy character with inconsistent results.
Here's some of your reviews from the YouTube comments.
You were critical of the story, and conflicted on the visuals, rating this a FOUR out of
ten.
I thought it was ALRIGHT myself.
Finally tonight, let's review "Avengers: Age Of Ultron".
When Marvel's "The Avengers" premiered in 2012 after monumental build-up, it was a gigantic
smash hit - quickly earning over $1.5 billion dollars, making it the third-highest-grossing
film in history.
The first major crossover of these established characters was an unprecedented accomplishment
that quickly cemented the Marvel Cinematic Universe as the biggest and most bankable
franchise in Hollywood.
It also left every other studio scrambling to create their own interconnected film series...
but it was director Joss Whedon that perhaps had the toughest challenge: following-up this
monumental achievement with an even loftier sequel.
And while he may not have succeeded, this $250 million dollar follow-up certainly comes
close, and is well on its way to the $1 billion mark.
Released worldwide in April of 2015, and stateside on May 1st, this PG-13 rated extravagant action
adventure reunites dozens of players from across the first ten Marvel movies in yet
another convoluted plot about world domination.
During a whiz-bang opening siege on an enemy hide-out, we're reintroduced to the titular
heroes with a very cool sustained long-take during the hectic action.
Downey Jr. returns for the fifth time as Iron Man, who inadvertently creates a villainous
and sentient robot (voiced by James Spader) who endeavors to destroy mankind.
Remarking on this creation, known as Ultron, Downey laments, "It's the end, the end of
the path I started us on."
Truthfully, the spark from his earlier performances is gone; with so much of his dialogue being
delivered from inside his helmet, it felt a bit disconnected.
But luckily, the mammoth ensemble cast also includes Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Chris
Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Elizabeth Olsen, Paul
Bettany, Cobie Smulders, and Samuel L. Jackson.
Given the fragmented nature of the narrative, it's honestly impressive that each and everyone
of these characters has their own individual moment to shine, and a chance to evolve by
the picture's end.
Sure, some contribute more than others - Renner receives lots of much needed development - while
a few seem like an afterthought; Hemsworth isn't given much to do outside of a single
fetch-quest.
A surprise romantic development between Johansson and Ruffalo also feels particularly out of
place, especially in a movie already so over-loaded.
There's also a bevy of crowd-pleasing cameo-sized appearances from a half-dozen former sidekicks.
By now, audiences know what to expect from this talented group of highly-paid A-listers;
but the real joy comes from watching their playful banter during the expositional scenes.
The aftermath of a party is especially enjoyable, their chemistry makes for some undeniable
laughs as they take turns attempting to lift Thor's hammer.
Besides being a perfectly balanced character building scene, it sets up an immensely effective
payoff later when the mighty instrument is wielded.
Unfortunately though, this sequence is also a reminder of who is sitting this picture
out, with Gwyneth Paltrow being the most missed.
While Taylor-Johnson's quick-sprinting character is involved in creative ways, his delivery
is void of charm or enthusiasm.
It's his former "Godzilla" co-star that really delights; Olsen is a fierce and troubled character
who uses her telekinetic mind-control powers reluctantly, and without total control.
And can I just say between her, Scarlett, RDJ, Cobie, and both Chris's... there are
a lot of very attractive people in "Age Of Ultron".
There are few bad guys in the MCU that can live up to the scene-stealing performance
of Tom Hiddleston's portrayal of Loki... by three-time Emmy Award winning Spader is as
good.
His voice-only performance exudes so much charismatic wit it's impossible not to be
entranced by the eleven-foot metallic man he's portraying.
Although I suspect seeing his actual likeness could have gone a long way to amplify his
extraordinary talents - which are a bit diminished without his facial cues.
He explains his curious existence by stating, "Everyone creates the thing they dread."
Even at two-and-a-half hours Marvel's longest picture to date often feels a bit rushed.
Ironically however, it lacks a necessary urgency during the second act.
There are a healthy amount of great action sequences to break up this pacing - a fantastic
fight between Iron Man and Hulk is particularly enjoyable - but there's little consequence
driving the actual narrative.
Instead, it's the individual elements and light-hearted one-liners that really make
this picture so much fun.
Renner sarcastically mocking a teammate behind his back, or Evans providing a shield-assisted
alley-oop to his Asgard friend make for some truly awesome moments.
The collaborative efforts from composers Brian Tyler and Danny Elfman are suitably bombastic
and appropriate, but it's the re-used themes from Alan Silvestri's original score that
resonate the loudest.
With over 3,000 separate VFX shots, this picture could have easily got out of hand, but Whedon
keeps the drawn out conflicts well choreographed and staged... culminating in a ridiculous
climax with devastating possibilities.
The CGI not only helps men fly and robots speak, it was also used to digitally remove
signs Scarlett's of real-life pregnancy.
The integration for all these elements into the wide IMAX-frame is near seamless.
Although it's missing the "wow" factor that made the original so enjoyable, this sequel
is another top-tier installment from Marvel - worth watching more than once.
"Avengers: Age Of Ultron"; organized chaos results in marvelous blockbuster fun.
And here's what you had to say about it.
A fantastic adventure from start to finish, we both rated this an AWESOME, agreeing that
it was just slightly less than the first "Avengers".
Finally tonight, let's see what you're saying about films currently playing in theaters.
If you see a new movie in theaters, Tweet your review with the #JPMN hashtag.
Next week we'll be reviewing five of the crappiest movies from winter 2015; "The Wedding Ringer",
"The Boy Next Door", "Jupiter Ascending", "Fifty Shades Of Grey", and "Hot Tub Time
Machine 2" - almost all of which are new on home media.
If you've seen these films, share your opinions by voting in the polls below, or by leaving
a comment review - I read them all, and will include the best in the next episode.
If you'd like to watch more Movie Night videos, check out the "related reviews" on the right,
or SUBSCRIBE if you'd like to see more of this show in the future.
Also be sure to follow me on social media for updates and exclusive content.
Once again, my name is Jonathan Paula, thank you for watching and listening.
Until next time, have a good Movie Night!