Film Review: The Avengers

Certificate: 12A (intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action throughout, and a mild drug reference)
Directed By: Joss Whedon
Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Tom Hiddleston, Samuel L. Jackson, Clark Gregg, Gwyneth Paltrow, Stellan Skarsgård
Budget: $220 million
Runtime: 142 minutes
Trailer: Watch

Mischief maker Loki returns to wreak havoc as Director Nick Fury of S.H.I.E.L.D desperately assembles Earth's mightiest superheroes in a bid to thwart his alien invasion. As stories go this isn't about to win any pulitzer prizes, but then this also isn't what makes The Avengers the satisfying culmination of five origins movies and hundreds of millions of dollars that it is. In many ways it was always going to be difficult to live up to the extreme expectations of comic book nerds the world over, but fortunately it comes pretty darn close to quenching the hype.

Director Joss Whedon's task of managing this variety pack of egos isn't an enviable one, but it is one which he satisfyingly achieves with some added gusto for good measure. Maybe somewhat inevitably the film does tilt toward a certain iron clad person, however it is evident that Whedon has gone to excruciating lengths to never let one character run away with events. This balancing act extends to all quarters of the film, be it from managing the inflated super egos on show, attuning plot, characters and action while maintaining a healthy equilibrium between wit and emotional drama. Admittedly it is rather enjoyable to spend the first two-hours watching these jacked-up slabs of cool develop their inchoate bromances, but this is also one of those films which could have stood to show more of them fighting as a team rather than homoerotically checking out who has the bigger muscles.

For an action film it might be surprising then that The Avengers focuses more on the interactions of its egomaniacs rather than on who's exploding what and why. This is particularly noticeable with its brittle framework of a plot involving bland alien cannon-fodder which could be considered the quintessential definition of a macguffin. To its credit The Avengers attempts to be more than just superheroes being cool, however this ironically draws attention to the genre's inherent weaker points. Ordinarily asking questions of an unashamed spectacle would yield little other than headaches, but the fact The Avengers does not treat its audience like idiots only begs for answers. What happened to Loki and how did he survive the events of Thor? How did Thor come back to Earth if the rainbow bridge was destroyed? Also, who are these aliens and why are they allied with Loki? Certainly one can switch off and simply enjoy the film as is, but there is also something more cerebral at work which just craves further expansion. While commendable for its ambitious scope and desire for more depth than your typical action film, it is this recognisable cavate which make it slightly disappointing it's not fully realised.

Where The Avengers really succeeds is in its characters. Given the expositions we were given in the prequels the film wastes no time reintroducing us to our heroes, instead jumping straight in to the nitty gritty of group dynamics. This is done with an abundance of charm and humour, and thankfully does not rely exclusively on the witticisms of one Tony Stark. The biggest risk to The Avengers was always that it might become 'The Iron Man plus super-friends show', however Whedon maintains an impressive handle on our men in tights knowing exactly when to cut off those basking in the limelight for too long. It is a potential problem tackled to impressive effect as each character fulfils their function exceptionally. Downey Jr's Stark is still the Stark we all know and love while Chris Evans' Captain America provides the anchor, still confused by this world he's awoken in yet still the most invested in it. Hemsworth's Thor is no longer as tempestuous as when we first met him, and while he probably could have done with some more interaction with his comrades he nonetheless graces us with his godliness. However it is Mark Ruffalo's Dr. Bruce Banner who threatens to run away with the show. His introverted, gentile persona contrasts starkly with the green beast lurking inside in such a pleasantly unexpected manner while his scenes, particularly those with Tony Stark, sparkle with humour.

But this isn't just the bards of thunder gods and men of iron; The Avengers is uncompromisingly generous with its human antagonists too. Samuel L. Jackson takes a preeminent role this time rather than merely showing up at the end while Scarlett Johansson's Black Widow turns out to have more depth than merely being a kick-ass babe. Likewise, new Bourne star Jeremy Renner's Hawkeye is subject to a quivering plot-line as he's subjected to both sides of the coin. Perhaps most extolling of all though is the treatment of Agent Coulson (Gregg) whose monotone exterior we've seen in the prequels is charmingly shattered when he asks for the Cap's autograph and takes on Norse gods. Speaking of which it would be a travesty not to praise another fantastic performance by Tom Hiddleston as Loki, displaying an even more fiendish streak this time round after being 'wronged' in Thor. Indeed, he is bestowed some of the meatiest lines in the film, delivering with aplomb one of the most sneeringly vicious onscreen insults in recent memory.

It would be fair to note that in all likelihood no Avengers film would have ever lived up to all the ridiculously high expectations. However, this is damn close to the best anyone could have hoped for. The main problems with The Avengers mirror those of its prequels in that it is essentially an origins movie itself. Consequently it goes through the same motions of finding its footing and establishing its arcs which inevitably leads to similar imperfections. Yet given the high hopes and the unremitting fan love for Earth's Mightiest Heroes Whedon has done a fantastic job pulling it all together. Most of the criticisms are largely captious when considering the scale of the task, but with this first outing pleasingly accomplished and a tantalising teaser for another Avengers film (stay through the credits), Marvel can only go from strength to strength with this franchise.

Film Review: War Horse

Having spent much of the noughties dabbling in twisty sci-fi pics such as Minority Report and A.I. it's back to basics for Spielberg, once again forging a technically faultless, warm, heartfelt family drama in the same spirit which gained him notoriety during the eighties and nineties. And for a man who has spent half his movie-making career embracing the turbulent decades of the thirties and forties it certainly isn't surprising that Spielberg once again busts out his time machine.

When nebbish Ted Narracott (Mullan) outbids a local gentry man (Thewlis) on a feisty thoroughbred in order to prove a point, his son Albert (Irvine) immediately takes to the horse he names Joey. However when war is declared the British army soon draft Joey into the care of a well-meaning cavalry officer (Hiddleston). As Albert pines for his companion so begins a campaign which takes this "remarkable" horse across the battlefields of the First World War.

War Horse harks back to those days of a simpler time for films, that of a linear narrative which featured a beginning, a middle and an end. If you've seen a Spielberg film before then you will instantly know from the off that Joey and Albert are destined to be reunited and it is here where lies the problem with War Horse. While there's nothing wrong with its old-fashioned mechanics it does however make everything consistently predictable. Further, tales using such narrative structures typically involve blunt use of sentimentality which cause its payoff to be somewhat tepid. Alas Spielberg is someone utterly incapable of understatement and while this may have worked in the past his emotional pageantry now appears dated. And at two and a half hours long this can be a tad tedious.

While Albert is ostensibly the main human character his journey from boy to manhood remains curiously nascent. This is particularly annoying given the lengthy amount of time spent introducing us to him and the horse. War Horse, as its title suggests, is foremost a film about a horse. So much so that it almost leaves an impression of its main human lead as having a slightly unnerving affection toward his equine friend. A normal young man Albert's age might have a sweetheart or a group of mates, or maybe even take at least a passing interest in other people. But no. There's definitely no hint that he engages in regular social interaction. Instead Albert lives for letters updating him on the condition of his horse from the front. And as soon as he's old enough Albert joins the army, primarily in pursuit of his horse. Sure, it's one thing to form a bond with an animal, but for it to supersede all your human relationships is just plain weird. Latent bestiality concerns aside, underdeveloped characters are unfortunately endemic throughout. War Horse makes a habit of introducing us to potentially interesting characters with a huge potential for growth only to never develop them further. In that sense there is a feeling of incompletion here. Yes, we know what happens to Joey the horse, but not really about anyone else.

The most striking aspect of War Horse is how distinctly anti-war it is. If there's one thing it does reasonably well it is to capture the wasteful nature of conflict. The thought of 'poor horse, stupid humanity' soon begins to take hold in a strange twist of species allegiance as we watch the poor beast become a pawn of human petulance. Joey's journey takes him into the service of the British, the Germans and the French, all of whom exhaust their 'supply' of horse power. Perhaps surprisingly it is those surly horse-eating Frenchmen who are portrayed as the most villainous employers of Joey, working their horses to death hulking huge artillery pieces up mud hills. Certainly, this makes a change from Hollywood's quintessential baddy, our jackbooted German friends. However the principle remains that here we have this noble, innocent creature cajoled into facilitating man's destruction of one another. There is definitely a sense that maybe it would be better if Earth's creatures were left unencumbered by the dastardly pursuits of man, however you interpret that.

Still, War Horse has a fair amount going for it. The visuals are beautiful, using a gorgeous palette to capture the English countryside, equally impressive in its use of brown and grey to paint a palpable picture of the harrowing and desolate landscapes of the Western front. And while its narrative structure might be dated it does have a tendency to induce nostalgia pangs for a type of film from a bygone age. Certainly this is no post-modern tale of twists and turns, but to be fair Spielberg does have a knack for a highly enjoyable brand of storytelling. And while this is probably a bit mawkish by today's standards, War Horse is above all unique in its intergenerational appeal. It is one of those films where at midday around Easter kids, adults and grandparents gather round their TVs to watch. And that is a very rare quality in films nowadays.

Film Review: Midnight In Paris

*WARNING: SPOILERS*

On holiday with his fiancee Inez (McAdams), Hollywood screenwriter Gil (Wilson) takes to wandering Paris' left bank in search of a cure to his creative block. Harking back to the 1920s when a plethora of famous expatriate artists such as F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemmingway called Paris their home, Gil stumbles upon an unexpected source of literary inspiration.

Gil is unfulfilled in his soulless job as a Hollywood script doctor, longing to write a novel which would see him join the pantheon alongside his literary heroes. His superficial fiancee however holds him back, dissuading him from committing to his aspirations in favour of him continuing to pull in the big bucks from his uninspiring Hollywood career. Unsupportive and belittling of his desires, materialistic Inez is more inclined to spend time in Paris shopping, dining with her Tea Party-supporting parents and gallivanting with her invidious pseudo-intellectual friend, Paul (Sheen), rather than let Gil engorge his reluctant muse. That is until Gil takes a midnight stroll only to take a thaumaturgic trip back to 1920s Paris.

Woody Allen has managed to create a wonderfully whimsical tale wholly unconcerned with the mechanics of time travel. Instead, Gil strolls around Paris waiting for midnight to chime when he is picked up by another inebriated chimerical artist in an old Peugeot which whisks him off to hang out with other fabled artists from the period. But there is also a lesson here. There is a tendency to look back on a previous era as an ideal that is better than the present. The central thrust is to grasp your own time, something Gil only realises when delightful love interest Adriana (Cottilard) hastens him to the la belle epoque era of the 1890s to meet Henri Matisse. As the pompous Paul puts it, "Nostalgia is a from of denial". Indeed, no one ever considers their age to be 'golden', even if posterity deems it so.

This is probably the most likeable of all Owen Wilson's roles, genuine and entirely unassuming. He's believably enthused and incredulous at the same time that he's meeting his heroes, and that they're also so accommodating and encouraging of his efforts on his novel in a way his fiancee is not. But then, they weren't legends themselves at the time, constantly encountering and competing against aspiring writers like Gil at Gertrude Stein's (Bates) salon. The other showstopper is Marion Cottilard's Adriana, airy and graceful, emanating a breeze you can't help but feel attracted toward. We meet her as Picasso's bit on the side, but she and Gil soon form a bond which evolves into a love interest. It is Gil's humility which she is attracted to, diametrically opposed to the super egos of troubled genius artists she has previously dated. However, perhaps what's most disappointing is how fleeting the moments spent with Gil's artisan heroes are. From Corey Stoll's portrayal of a very masculine yet tentatively insightful Hemmingway to Adrien Brody's amusing Salvador Dali, you just wish to see more of them. Back in the present McAdams is perfect as off-putting pushy fiance Inez as is Michael Sheen's odious Paul, the self-proclaimed cultural expert whose obnoxious behaviour is typified when he tries to correct a museum tour guide played delightfully, if not briefly, by France's First Lady Carla Bruni.

Darius Khondji's cinematography beautifully captures Paris in the way postcard pictures have evoked so many people's imaginations of the city. Yes, it conveniently ignores all the shit parts, but this is Woody Allen's love letter to gay Paree. Directed with grace and wit, Midnight In Paris is light, completely enamouring and an absolute gem.

Film Review: Thor

Thor has always remained the character most at odds with the Marvel universe. Indeed, he is the trickiest to deal with when integrating him with the likes of Iron Man, Captain America, and the Hulk in the upcoming Avengers movie. Thor suffers none of the inherent weaknesses which make Marvel's superheros more balanced, and, dare I say, interesting. Thor is a God. He can fly, has superhuman attributes and approaches levels of invulnerability. He is, essentially, the cop out that Superman is in the DC universe. It is this type of overpowered character which must be handled with extreme care when trying to incorporate him into the larger universe of Marvel, lest he become camp, cheesy and laughable. With great power does indeed come great responsibility, and thankfully, Marvel studios have taken great care in their portrayal of Thor.

Thor (Hemsworth) is on the cusp of ascending to the throne of Asgard when Frost Giants from Jotunheim interrupt the ceremony in a daring raid to reclaim a casket containing the source of their power. Livid with the audacious nature of the assault, and against his father, Odin's (Hopkins) wishes, Thor travels to Jotunheim in a quest for vengeance. As Thor and his party face defeat, Odin intervenes to save the Asgardians, destroying the fragile truce between the two races. Furious with Thor's impertinence, Odin strips Thor of his powers and banishes him to Earth along with his hammer, which Odin enchants with a spell by which only those deemed worthy may wield it.

Thor opens with a rather dense, thirty-minute introduction to the trans-dimensional beings who are the Asgardians. So far removed is Thor from the Marvel universe on Earth that there was always a risk that it could turn into a cheese fest. But such is the attention to detail in the fantasy world created here and the seriousness with which it is all taken that it creates a satisfying degree of believability. One definitely senses the painstaking efforts to take this film solemnly.

Hemsworth is excellent throughout, dexterously adept to a wide range of roles. Petulant teen, humility, serious, humourous, action-hero and big romantic softy, Hemsworth slides in and out of each with ease. Indeed, Thor's more jocular moments make for a mouth-watering prospect when contemplating how Hemsworth will interact with Robert Downey Jr. in the Avengers movie. However, there is a detectable missing link as to how Thor develops from ungracious plank to humble mountain. The whole point of Odin banishing him to Earth was so that he may learn a thing or two about life, and while this is the end result, we aren't actually shown how Thor comes to this sudden realisation in what is almost an instantaneous shift in personalities. Even so, this doesn't detract from how Hemsworth portrays these traits. Hiddlestone's Loki, revealed as the first villain for the Avengers movie, is also played with gusto as a complex, layered and enjoyable character.

Thor stands well on its own, despite being part of Marvel's series of extended trailers for The Avengers movie. Along with the first Iron Man, it is certainly one of the best of the lot so far and will certainly, like Iron Man, boost Thor from a fringe Marvel character to one of your favourites. This film is good! Another!