Truth be told, no comic book movie really
wowed me this year. But I was entertained enough by some of the big films, and left sorely disappointed by one in particular.
So here be my rankings, plus my thoughts on each:
THOR THE DARK WORLD - I'll admit, I really like how much more epic in feel this film is compared to it's predecessor. I just wish it had a story with more heart, which was what Kenneth Branagh brought in spades to the first film. Malekith as a villain was weak, and considering the actor they got to play him (Christopher Eccleston), it seems like a wasted effort. Still, the rest of the cast is pretty stellar (Hemsworth and Hiddleston in particular), the action is spectacular, and it's very very funny. But to the last point, the comedy sometimes threatens to overwhelm the drama. C'mon Marvel, don't tip the balance between funny and serious, else you risk in really making your films a joke. Less slapstick, more epic. (7/10)
THE WOLVERINE - Now this is the Wolverine movie I've always wanted. None of those stupid cameos by other mutants, the focus is solely on Logan and his little trip to the Land of the Rising Sun. The Japanese setting really adds to the film, as do the actors, particularly Rila Fukushima as Yukio. Hugh as Logan is always good, and I love how the action lets him cut loose to show what a killing machine Wolverine truly is. This would have been my comic book film of the year, had it not been for that awful third act ([blackout]Robot Silver Samurai[/blackout]).
Still, a solid effort that goes a long way in getting rid of the foul taste that was
Origins. [blackout]And the mid credit sequence has me looking forward to
Days of Future Past[/blackout]. (7/10)
IRON MAN 3 - Unlike most people, [blackout]I don't hate the reveal of the Mandarin[/blackout]. Nor do I dislike the cast, who are excellent (Downey is brilliant as usual, and [blackout]Guy Pearce is a great antagonist[/blackout]). The action is still solid, and the way they rewrote the Extremis storyline was pretty clever. So why do I not rate this film highly? Because it suffers from the same problem which afflicted
Thor the Dark World, that of the balance between comedy and drama. Except here, the scales are tipped more in favor of the comedy. C'mon Marvel, get your act together! Less slapstick, more epic! (7/10)
MAN OF STEEL - Big disappointment. Whose bright idea was it to hire Zack Snyder to direct? The guy has never impressed me and at times comes off as a Michael Bay clone. A shame, because this film does have a good cast, I truly believe Henry Cavill can become a good Superman with the right script and director. And on that point, I'd like to ask, if this is a Superman film, why must it borrow so much of the dark and depressing mood of Nolan's
Dark Knight trilogy? C'mon DC/Warner! Superman and Batman are totally different characters, and each of them requires a different tone to adapt on the big screen! At least Hans Zimmer's score is great, but if there's one other consolation I can give this film is that at least it's better than
Green Lantern. (5/10)
