Catching up on the Marvel movies leading up to XM-DOFP...First is The Wolverine. I just didn't like it. Hugh Jackman is obviously the right choice for the role, but I don't understand how it can be so hard to make a great Wolverine film. I didn't bother with the origins rubbish and I think that was the right call. This one starts off with a great flashback scene to Logan trapped in Japan in Nagasaki as the atom bomb obliterates the city. Too bad that is pretty much the highlight for me. Obvious Spoilers coming...
Then we get recurring "visions" of Jean Grey as Logan keeps struggling with her death, a lot of ninjas, a contrived romance, a Poison Ivy clone, and a cyborg Silver Samurai! ugh. I'm don't know the Wolverine story backwards and forwards, but I know enough that this is just too much either thrown in all at once or too ridiculous to remain cohesive. A Wolverine should be the best comic book movie out there, not just passable. 2 out of 5 Khans!
Next up is Thor - The Dark World. Out of all the Marvel Stand alone films, the original Thor was my favorite. This one is just as good, albeit a little forced in some parts.
Thor and Loki battle the Dark Elves led by Malekith played by Christopher Eccleston. Everyone in the cast is just about perfect...love Anthony Hopkins and Idris Elba returning in their roles and they get a bit more to do here. There are some great troop battles as well as some nice spacecraft/fighter warfare. The ending is a bit too neat and Malekith, to be such an ancient and powerful evil, is defeated rather easily in my opinion - but it's fun to watch nonetheless. Of course this one ends on a cliffhanger with Loki set to do much damage in the future. There is also an extra scene in the credits with Benicio Del Toro as The Collector?? I've never heard of this guy, but he is obviously up to no good as well as he collects the Ether from Malekith's failed attack on Earth. We shall see. A solid 3.5 out of 5 Khans!
Next up are some classic Godzilla movies finally released in crystal clear BLURAY! Ebirah, Horror of the Deep (Godzilla Vs The Sea Monster) and Godzilla on Monster Island (Godzilla Vs Gigan) are the first two!
G vs G is noteworthy in that it introduces one of the more popular Godzilla foes over the years - the space monster Gigan. He is the Boba Fett of the Godzilla series, if you will. He has sharp daggers for hands, can fly, and a spinning buzzsaw in his chest! He causes a LOT of monster damage with blood flying everywhere! It's pretty visceral stuff for a kids' movie from the 1970s. G v G also features one of the most outlandish alien invasion plots ever. Giant alien cockroaches hide in an amusement park which features a giant "Godzilla Tower" made to look like the King of the Monsters...it turns out to be their base and it shoots hot lasers out of its "mouth" - definitely one of the most bizarre parts of any Godzilla movie ever! Haha!
Finally, we have Godzilla Vs Hedorah (The Smog Monster). Another 70s G film about the dangers of pollution and the monsters it spawns. Hedorah is a giant walking oil slick...considering its a man in a suit, it's pretty convincing in its movement - it even has three forms throughout the movie - a giant tadpole, a flying manta ray like creature and the final two legged behemoth. Crazy, awesome stuff!
Oh and then there's this scene...
5 out of 5 Khans!!!
And on a sad note, H.R. Giger passed away today. He basically created the world that would become ALIEN and its nightmarish xenomorph creature. He was a visionary artist and a unique talent. He will be missed.
2 comments:
Not sure if you watched the unrated extended version of Wolverine or not but it is the far superior version in my opinion. It has all of the blood splatter and language you want in a Wolvie flick and some extended fight scenes as well, specifically with the ninjas in the snow. It's basically the rated R movie it should have been from the beginning. Plus there's some extra character moments that are a nice addition.
For me the first 3/4 of Wolverine was superb. It wasn't until the final act that it fell apart. I was really disappointed with viper and silver samurai. It didn't make me hate the movie but it definitely left me wanting more. So close.
Glad you enjoyed Thor. Great all around movie. Hiddleston's Loki is perfect. The post credits scene was awesome!
Yeah I watched the extended version and while I did enjoy a cussin' Logan, the movie itself just doesn't quite get there for me. It's a step in the right direction I guess. The best fight scene shouldn't be at the midpoint of the film instead of the climax with the ridiculous cyborg Silver Samurai. The whole Mariko thing was too forced and they had zero chemistry, esp when Logan shows more emotion for an apparition of Jean throughout the entire film.
But yeah, T-TDW was great. I would imagine a Loki stand alone film would happen at some point, although I'm not sure what the subject would be as he is most interesting when Thor is around.
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