Category: Action

8.9

An incredibly depth-filled Marvel movie with *gasp* actual stakes involved!

The Spidermen not only reenact the three Spidermen pointing at each other meme but all get the closure that Sony had thus far denied them in their respective franchise reboots. All three shine in their own ways and have lovely chemistry while sharing the big screen. I was impressed with how balanced this movie felt, given the sheer amount of content filling the runtime. There’s so much that this movie accomplishes before the credits roll, which left me feeling successfully satisfied and hopeful for the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It’s not the perfect happy ending that has come to be the hallmark of so many of Marvel’s entries to the MCU, but it leaves room for and builds a strong foundation for the films to come.

“Eternals” notwithstanding, I say this a lot with new MCU movies, and again find myself shrugging my shoulders as I declare, “Marvel did it again.”

8.5

The prequel no one asked for, but looking back, should have been asking for.

The origin story of the Kingsman, an eloquently told family drama intertwined with global geopolitics affected by international family drama, wrapped in one of the slickest action films of the year. The directing, cinematography, and choreography are off the chart and exceed the already high bar of the Kingsman franchise. Prepare to be thoroughly entertained for two hours by a political drama. I’m as surprised as you are I just said that. However, if you drench it in scotch, high tea, and high octane adrenaline, you have a hit on your hands. Rasputin is the least interesting part of this, and that’s saying something. Well worth the wait through multiple delays to finally see this action-packed masterpiece on the big screen. Too bad that D-Box motion seats are no longer a fad. This movie would have been INSANE in one of those!

6.5

How about “let Marvel finally handle this character and stop mismanaging the cinematic universe?”

I really don’t like crapping on movies. They tried. Everyone here tried. They just missed the mark. I enjoyed many pieces of this film, but in the end the short runtime was my favorite thing.

I think they were going for the Marvel quippy, but it ended up just being silly in most instances. A lot of half baked plots and funny scenes that don’t add up to anything. Fun to watch, but not a great film overall. Happy to see the post-credit scene, and hope it means brighter days ahead for this character.

9.3

Possibly the best James Bond Film. Definitely one of the most James Bond films.

There are other films in the franchise that do a better job at one aspect or another, but none that fire on all cylinders quite like this one. My favorite aspect was the human aspect they brought to Bond. For the first time, I can remember, James Bond had depth. No longer an enigma, we actually get to see below the surface of 007, making for a much more impactful movie. It’s made for a much more impactful series with Daniel Craig in the tux. I got misty-eyed at a James Bond movie.

The cinematography breathtakingly highlights a globetrotting slate of locales. The action is razor-sharp, the fights beautifully choreographed. Hans Zimmer on the soundtrack was a fantastic choice. He brings his signature flair to the classics but still keeps everything grounded in the traditional Bond themes we all know and love.

We couldn’t have asked for a better send-off for Daniel Craig as Bond. Honestly, I would be comfortable with this being the finale at Bond 25. Bravo!