The time has come for us to meet the newest avenger: Shang Chi. After ten years of hiding from his father and the powerful organization he controls, the Ten Rings, Shang Chi must face his past and become the hero he is destined to be.
Marvel has done it again. It seems like Kevin Feige can’t fail at this point, because everything he touches becomes absolute gold. And now, the not so popular Marvel character Shang Chi has his own movie, and it is magical and brilliant. So, let’s discuss it!
Even though Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings has some pretty good and interesting cameos and references, the world of the Avengers is not central to the story, which I appreciate. I don’t think we needed the Avengers here, at least not for now. We wanted to see Shang Chi become a hero on his own, and that’s what we got.
This film has the best action sequences in the MCU. The fights are perfectly choreographed and shot, the visual effects are absolutely perfect, and the third act delivers one of the most impressive battle sequences in the history of Marvel. And the way they reinvented the Ten Rings is brilliant, making them probably the strongest weapon in the MCU right now.
If Black Widow was a thriller, Shang Chi is pure Chinese magic. The story and the cultural references are perfectly crafted, so if you enjoy Asian culture in general, or Chinese specifically, this movie will not disappoint you.
The characters are very interesting and well-written, which makes you not only want to know more about them, but also see them again. Simu Liu is the perfect Shang Chi. His physicality is perfect and his moves are hypnotic and believable. And also, his chemistry with Awkwafina is undeniable. She is very good too, and her role is quite large actually. She’s not only the female lead, but also an incredible comedic relief.
The rest of the cast is magnificent. Tony Leung is a really intimidating but deep antagonist, which makes us care about him and his motivations. His dynamic with Simu Liu’s Shang Chi and his sister, Xialing (Meng’er Zhang) is the center of the film, so the strength of this aspect determines the strength of the movie. And I have to say, it its quite strong. By the end of the film, you will care for the whole family, including the wonderful Fala Chen’s Li, the mother of our hero.
Meng’er Zhang’s Xialing is definitely the MVP of this film. Even though it’s her first acting role she did an amazing job with her part. She delivers a powerful performance, both physically and emotionally. I really hope she gets a couple of cameos in future MCU films and shows, because her journey has just begun.
Director Destin Daniel Cretton delivers a powerful and emotional origin story, full of action, heart and humor. I can confidently say that this film is, by far, the best superhero origin story ever made, and one of the strongest entries in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. If you like Marvel, go watch it right now if you can. You won’t regret it.
The first Suicide Squad was probably one of the most hated movies of 2016. The characters didn’t work, the story was a complete mess and it seemed like that group of villains would never team up again in the big screen.
It’s been five years since that film was released, and now it’s James Gunn’s turn to bring back the Suicide Squad. This time, a new team is assembled by the ruthless Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) to take down a scientific facility where something big and dangerous is hidden.
The Suicide Squad is definitely a better movie than the original. And yes, it is a sequel. Even though you don’t really need to know what happened in the first film or the Harley Quinn solo movie Birds of Prey, fans will recognize certain faces and Easter eggs.
This time around, the story is actually interesting and well-constructed. It has some great moments where the characters shine and the action is pretty solid. The worst part of this movie is, in my opinion, the first sequence. To be fair, this part of the film really shows how disposable the characters are to Waller, and it makes us understand why this Suicide Squad exists in the first place. However, the characters that we are introduced here are not that interesting and the whole scene is not funny or thrilling.
Once we get to the main team, the story takes off. The characters that we get to know throughout this sequel are actually interesting villains. Idris Elba’s Bloodsport, Daniela Melchior’s Ratcatcher 2 and David Dastmalchian’s Polka-Dot Man have the best moments and story arcs in the film, and they deliver both the humor and the heart.
Melchior’s Ratcatcher 2 is without a doubt the best character DC has recently brought to the big screen. She also has the best scene in the entire movie, one that’s both emotional and grandiose. And she is the heart of the story, something I would have never said about someone who controls rats.
Now, The Suicide Squad is not perfect. The humor is one of the elements that don’t work, and that’s probably my biggest complain about this film. Most of the jokes are not funny and even Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn suffer from this. She has some good lines but overall, her jokes don’t land.
The action scenes are good, but I think they could have been better. The main issue with this aspect of the film is that the big bad, Starro, is way too overpowered for the squad. For instance, the final battle between the villains and Starro is pretty underwhelming, and it’s shocking that WB let Gunn made the same mistake again, having a third act encounter with a big CGI monster when the Squad’s power level is basically 0. However, I will say that the best part of the third act is definitely Ratcatcher 2’s saving the world moment.
The Suicide Squad is a solid movie. James Gunn has managed to fix some of the worst aspects that made the first film such a horrible DC story. However, I still think that there’s room for improvement here. If we get another Suicide Squad adventure, I think WB needs to choose a better antagonist, one that the Squad could realistically take down. Plus, the jokes must be funnier.
If you are a DC or even a superhero fan, you will enjoy this film. It’s a good one. Just forget about the first Suicide Squad and you’ll be fine.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe will never be the same. After Endgame, Kevin Feige and the Marvel team have expanded the stories of our favorite heroes to the small screen, giving them more time to explore the new corners of this vast universe. However, after a long hiatus, Marvel movies are back, and it’s exciting to see Natasha Romanoff on the big screen one last time.
Black Widow has been one of the most interesting and mysterious characters in the MCU for years. When we first met her, she was a top SHIELD agent with an obscure past. Unfortunately, even though her story seemed worth exploring, Marvel never gave her a proper solo film. But that’s no longer the case.
Black Widow takes us to Europe, where Nat is hiding from the Government after the events of Civil War. There, she discovers a dangerous secret about the Red Room, something that could destroy many innocent lives. That’s when she decides to team up with her sister Yelena (Florence Pugh) to take down the Red Room and the man behind it once and for all.
Director Cate Shortland finally delivers an epic and trilling story where Natasha (Scarlet Johansson) isn’t just a side character. The film is on a par with one of the strongest MCU entries, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and it really delivers in terms of action and story.
There are a lot of plot twists and surprises along the way, but also a lot of humor and heart. Natasha and Yelena are one of the best MCU duos ever created and Johansson and Pugh’s chemistry is perfect. Their scenes are perfect, and Pugh’s Yelena is the best addition to the MCU we’ve had in years.
The rest of the cast does a really nice job too, even though they don’t have much screen time. Rachel Weisz and David Harbour shine when they’re together and also have some good scenes; and O-T Fagbenle has a very small but funny role, one that could potentially play again in future MCU movies or shows.
As I mentioned before, the action is absolutely perfect. Every single sequence is incredibly well-choreographed and shot, and every single punch felt very real and painful. This is the kind of action that we sometimes miss in the MCU, but Shortland and her team really delivered this time.
If I had to say something negative about this film, it would be about the second act and the villain. The story moves so fast that at one point it stops and you can feel it. This pause the film takes is used to explore Natasha’s family dynamic, and it is actually a pretty good and moving sequence, but the pacing is not as good as the rest of the movie.
On the other hand, Taskmaster is a very intimidating villain and all the action scenes where he’s involved are good. However, they could have done more with the character, and I really hope Marvel uses him again in future MCU stories.
Black Widow is a very strong and powerful MCU film, one that every Marvel fan will enjoy. It explores the darkest corners of this universe while presenting new and exciting characters that will become fan favorites. Natasha’s story deserved to be told and even though we had to wait a long time, it was worth it.
The MCU is expanding. Super soldiers and armored billionaires are over. Now it’s time to explore new corners in this vast universe, alongside one of our favorite superhero couples: Wanda Maximoff and Vision. Beware, because this review has huge spoilers for WandaVision. If you haven’t seen the show, go watch it first.
WandaVision was one of the most anticipated Marvel and Disney+ shows of all times, not only because it’s the first Marvel Studios original series, but also because its premise was unique and bold. We truly didn’t know what to expect.
The show starts with the recently married Wanda and Vision, living a happy and peaceful life in Westview, New Jersey, as if they were inside an old sitcom. Somehow, they are finally experiencing what seems to be the perfect life. No Thanos, no Avengers. Just sitcoms. But we know something’s wrong. And that’s how the mystery begins.
One of the most amazing aspects of this experience was the weekly episodes. While Netflix nails the binge model, Disney+ really owns this way of watching shows. Every Friday, we watched WandaVision, trying to put the pieces of the puzzle together, and that alone made the experience worth it. Of course, some theories were ultimately wrong, but I think the journey was so thrilling and full of great moments, that at the end of the day, that’s what we will remember.
Once you see the whole picture, you understand what WandaVision is really about. The big bad wasn’t Mephisto or Nightmare, or even S.W.O.R.D or Agatha. Wanda’s greatest foe was grief. And the show handle that perfectly.
As the decades of the sitcom world Wanda created change, you can see the different stages of grief she goes through. And even though she tries to do everything she can to keep Vision and his world intact, she can’t escape reality for long.
The first episodes show denial, that’s why the sitcom element is more prominent. Wanda is living her perfect life, and even though there are small inconveniences and little details out of place, she goes on with her fantasy. After that, we have anger, a moment we clearly see when Wanda pushes Geraldine/Monica trough the walls. And in that moment, we are shown Vision’s dead face, to remind us (and Wanda) of the real world.
I think one of the greatest elements of the show was Fake Pietro, or Fietro. “But Evan Peters wasn’t playing Peter, he’s not Fox’s Quicksilver, we were robbed!”. Well, I get that some people might have felt fooled, but I think that Ralph (Fietro) was a very smart move. Let me explain.
At this point on the show, Wanda seems to know that she did something wrong, but she can’t remember. Vision knows that too, and feels like Wanda is hiding something from him, which makes him no trust her as before. In that exact moment, Fietro appears. And when you see Wanda’s reaction, you know that she doesn’t recognize him, because he isn’t Pietro. But Vision doesn’t trust her, she’s alone, and she needs someone, a familiar face. And even though she knows that’s not her brother, she chooses to believe he is. And we, as the audience, do the same. We want to believe he is Pietro, or at least, a multiverse version of him, because we want Wanda to have someone she can rely on. And that move would never work if Evan Peters wasn’t playing that character.
If Fietro was a random actor, we, the audience, would have known from the very beginning that he wasn’t her brother. We wouldn’t have trusted him. But because we knew there was a chance, a small one, of Pietro being real, we chose to believe in him. And, of course, he wasn’t real. In her grief, Wanda chose to believe in him too, but when she faces the truth, she falls into the fourth stage of grief: depression.
When everything falls apart, we get to one the best episodes of the show: episode 8. After learning the truth about Agatha, with one of the most memorable villain introductions of the MCU, we go and explore Wanda’s trauma from the very beginning. This was not only brilliant and relevant, but also necessary, because the movies never really explored Wanda’s story.
We learned about Wanda’s obsession with sitcoms and how she was a witch before touching the Mind Stone, we see her bonding with Vision after Pietro’s death, and, finally, we see what really happened with Vision after Infinity War. After that, we witness how Wanda, feeling completely alone and broken, creates the sitcom world when her real powers finally manifest. And that’s when we hear, for the first time in the MCU history, the words we wanted to hear: “this is Chaos Magic Wanda, and that makes you, the Scarlet Witch”. And then, after the big finale with Wanda, Vision, Agatha, White Vision, the twins and S.W.O.R.D., we witness the rise of the Scarlet Witch, in all her glory.
The final episode is full of action, yes, but also emotion. Wanda’s fight with Agatha is visually stunning, and it’s great to see Billy and Tommy using their powers. Vision fighting Vision will be remembered forever as one of the most clever and amazing scenes in the MCU.
But when Wanda finally accepts her destiny and the reality she was trying to avoid, she has to say goodbye to Vision and the twins. That final sequence is full of emotion, “sadness, hope and love”. As the couple says, we will see them again for sure, but that doesn’t make the goodbye less painful.
WandaVision is one of the best superhero shows I’ve ever seen. It’s a great exploration of grief and trauma, but also a perfect origin story for one of the most powerful characters in the MCU. Wanda’s story is just starting, but she’s not the only one we’ll meet again.
Teyonah Parris’ Monica Rambeau has become a fan favorite, not only because of Parris ability to make a realistic and strong woman, but also because she shows the values that define a real superhero. And now that she also has powers, it’s safe to say that Captain Marvel will have a very useful ally.
And, of course, we have to talk about the twins. Billy and Tommy are definitely alive, and Wanda knows that. Reading the Darkhold is probably not the best idea, but I’m sure that we’ll see the repercussions of Wanda’s actions explored in the Doctor Strange sequel. After showing their powers, I can’t wait to see the twins again, and hopefully, they’ll grow up again to become Wiccan and Speed.
In conclusion, WandaVision is a must see for everyone who considers themselves a Marvel fan. This is the first Disney+ show Marvel has created, and the quality is undeniable. The show really feels like a very long Marvel movie, and the extra time is perfect to develop the characters that they never had the chance to explore in the movies.
My Hero Academia is one of the best and most popular animes right now. The series, created by Kōhei Horikoshi, is very popular, not only in Japan but also around the world, and the anime has just finished its fourth season and has a fifth one already in development.
This film focuses on Deku and the other students of Class 1-A while they are on Nabu Island, a very peaceful place, doing some real hero work. However, our favorite heroes will soon face a new enemy that threatens the whole island: the supervillain Nine. With All Might retired and the Pro Heroes far away, Deku and his friends are the island’s only hope.
Heroes Rising is, in general, a very good movie, with amazing action sequences where all the students get a moment to shine, and a story that’s more interesting than the one we got in Two Heroes. The only thing I didn’t like about this film was that it ended.
My Hero Academia has one of the best leads and supporting characters I’ve ever seen in any anime, so watching all of them fighting the villains of Heroes Rising was absolutely incredible. Both Deku and Bakugo shine in this movie, especially in the third act, when they have to fight together to defeat Nine. Every time Midoriya teams up with Kacchan, Heroes Rising, but also My Hero Academia in general, are at its best.
The villains in this movie are great. Most of them don’t have a lot of screen time, but their quirks are very cool and visually striking. As the main antagonist, Nine is a much more memorable foe than the one Class 1A fought in Two Heroes. The only problem one could have with Nine is that he is too similar to All For One. Besides that, his quirks are cool and his backstory is well developed. Plus, his fight with Deku and Bakugo is the best part of the movie.
The animation is great, and the music in the movie makes every scene even more memorable. As I said before, this movie is fantastic. I’m sure My Hero Academia fans will love it, and even if you are just a casual fan, Heroes Rising won’t disappoint you.
Cathy Yan, Christina Hodson, and Margot Robbie are the women behind the latest DC superhero movie, Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn). After her debut in Suicide Squad, Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn became one of the most popular DC characters, and soon after that, Warner Bros. announced a Harley spin-off, which would feature the Birds of Prey.
Now, before I review this movie, I have to say one thing: I’ve never been a fan of the Birds of Prey brand or the character of Harley Quinn. But I did enjoy Robbie’s performance in Suicide Squad, and I admit that she was definitively the strongest aspect of that movie. I think that Margot Robbie is a very good Harley Quinn, and she proves that again with this new movie, but as a producer, she didn’t choose the right partners for this adventure, which makes Birds of Prey a good film, and not a great one. That’s not a bad thing to say, I guess, but I think that Harley has more potential and if they decide to try again and make another Harley film, with a different team (like Gotham City Sirens), there are a couple of things that Warner Bros. and Margot Robbie should learn.
I’ll start with the good elements of Birds of Prey. Harley Quinn is, without a doubt, one of the best DCEU characters right now. Robbie’s performance is absolutely perfect: she embraces Quinn’s madness and humor, adding a bit of emotion to the mix, making Harley a very interesting character, someone who is not a hero but is a bit far from being a villain either. Her action sequences are the best parts of the film, and I would have loved to see more of her doing backflips and kicking people’s ass, so I hope we have a lot of that in The Suicide Squad, a movie that is currently filming.
However, there are two problems with Quinn’s character in this movie. The first one is that she is the only real character in the film, and the rest of the cast is just there to support her. Huntress, Cassandra Cain, and Montoya aren’t as interesting as Quinn, and they have almost zero personality, which makes their scenes in the movie a bit boring. Of course, this is not Robbie’s fault, but it’s weird to see how the writer develops Harley Quinn so much and forgets to give any kind of character arc to the other heroes. There’s one exception, and that’s Black Canary (Jurnee Smollett-Bell). She doesn’t have as much screen-time as Quinn, but she is the only character that really made a strong impression.
The story is just ok, to be completely honest and the editing is quite weird. Sometimes, for whatever reason, they decide to cut one of the action sequences to go back in time to introduce a new character or fill in some details. At first, it was not a huge problem, but when they did it several times in a row, it became really frustrating and boring, reminding me of the worst parts of Suicide Squad.
Also, as I said, only Harley has a compelling character arc, while the other characters are there just as support or because they are necessary for the plot’s development. Black Mask (Ewan McGregor) is not a very interesting villain either. He is not a very menacing or funny antagonist, even though McGregor does a good job with what he is given. Besides, he doesn’t even have good plans or memorable scenes whatsoever.
Birds of Prey is just an enjoyable movie. If you like DC, Harley Quinn or superhero movies in general, I think you will like this film. In my opinion, I think it’s worth seeing on the big screen, mainly because of Harley Quinn, her jokes and fight scenes. However, I also think that the story had more potential, and I hope that Warner Bros. understands what went wrong with this film. And please, put Harley in a better context next time, which is not a Birds of Prey story, but a Gotham City Sirens one. She should be fighting crime alongside Poison Ivy and Catwoman. Everybody knows that.
There’s a lot you can say about this movie. Todd Phillips has created a very controversial and unique film that will divide audiences across the globe, and I’m sure that was the intention. As a comic book movie, “Joker” is not that special. It doesn´t have amazing action sequences or a gigantic cast of heroes. This is not that kind of movie. Does that mean that “Joker” is not good? Is this movie a complete failure? Not at all.
When reality surpasses fiction
Heath Ledger’s Joker is, probably, the most beloved and respected portrayal of the character. Ledger did such a good job with his interpretation of the Joker, that he won an Oscar. But his Joker had a Batman to fight, someone that could stop him. His relationship with the Dark Knight is, arguably, the most interesting aspect of these characters. So, how can they make a movie about the Joker, without Batman?
Well, the answer is simple. They didn´t. “Joker” is not the movie you are expecting. Yes, the Joker is the main character, but you only see him as this twisted villain at the end of this movie. This film is about Arthur Fleck, the man that becomes the Joker, and how he ended up that way.
Todd Phillips and Scott Silver’s screenplay tells the story of a man with mental illness, and how society decided to exclude him because of that. This premise is so well developed during the movie, that, sometimes, you can feel really bad about Arthur and everything that he has to go through. And this is a very delicate matter, because, unfortunately, it’s something that happens nowadays. Arthur is someone that needs help, but the world seems to not care about him. Of course, this is not an excuse for what he does, but it’s very interesting to see such a realistic take on a character like the Joker.
The most interesting part of this movie is not the Joker doing crazy things or killing people just to piss off Batman. What really sticks with you once you’ve watched the movie is the scary truth behind the origin of this Joker. A man who could not take care of himself becomes a monster due to the fact that the society where he lives turned his back on him. And the scariest aspect of this idea is that it’s not something that only happens in comic books.
“I can´t believe I feel bad about him”
As I said, there are certain moments where you feel bad about Arthur and what he has to go through. At first, I thought that feeling bad about this individual, who would end up being one of the most dangerous criminals on Gotham, wasn´t right. I could not feel that way about someone who could do the horrible things that the Joker does. However, that’s the entire point of this film. It reminded me of the dynamic between Batman and Joker during the events of “The Killing Joke”.
“All it takes is one bad day to reduce the sanest man alive to lunacy. That’s how far the world is from where I am. Just one bad day.” It’s clear that Phillips took some inspiration for his movie from this story, which I understand. It’s probably the best way to create an interesting dynamic between characters. The Joker represents someone who, as he says, has lost everything. He has nothing to give his life meaning. And at the end of the movie, after finding out certain things about his own past, he decides to go full dark.
What I really like about this idea is that it can be applied to anyone, heroes and villains. And that’s what makes heroes so interesting, the fact that they overcome their fears and traumas to fight for what is right. However, in this film, we are introduced to someone who could not face his traumas on his own. Arthur needs help, and that’s why I felt bad about him. He didn´t have anyone to help him, and his life was horrible.
Now, even though I think that the origin of this Joker is brilliant, and gives him some kind of humanity, I know that he is the bad guy. We all know. What he does, especially in the third act of the film, is really disturbing, and after watching that, there’s no way back. Arthur is no longer there, it’s just the Joker. And you start feeling bad about the people of Gotham, mainly, because they don´t have Batman to protect them.
Can the Joker exist without Batman?
One of the most shocking elements of this film, besides everything the Joker does at the end of the movie, is the fact that Batman doesn´t exist. He is not around, so the Joker has no opponent. This is something that a lot of fans could be angry about. The Joker is at his best when he is rivaling Batman. They are, arguably, one of the best duos in comic book history. So the fact that Bruce doesn’t dress up as a bat every night, should be a problem. However, Phillips cleverly avoids this issue by locking up the Joker. He is in prison, and everything is over, right? Well, not really.
One of the best ideas that Phillips develops in this movie is how the Joker becomes a symbol of a revolution. The revolution against the rich people of Gotham. The Joker is incredibly powerful and scary because even when he has been arrested, his ideas are still alive. There are people fighting in the streets against the aristocracy.
In this case, yes. The Joker can exist without Batman. It’s sad that we can’t see THIS Joker against Batman, but it’s not something that doesn´t work.
Joker’s huge problem
There’s, however, one problem that comes with this interpretation of the character. And that problem has a name: Thomas Wayne. Phillips and Silver created an amazing antagonist for this movie, but the fact that he was Thomas Wayne, is a problem. Why?
Well, let’s start by saying that Bruce Wayne / Batman is one of the most famous characters in the world. He is the favorite superhero of thousands of people and one of the most well-known superheroes of all time. So, the idea that Bruce’s father was such a despicable human being, someone who would say such horrible things about the people of Gotham, is not right. At least, for me. I understand what they tried to do with the character, but I think that they didn´t have to name him Thomas Wayne. He could have been anyone. The problem is that when THAT thing happens to Wayne at the end of “Joker”, instead of saying “Oh no, what a tragedy”, you end up saying “Yeah, he deserves that”.
Phillips and Phoenix, a great duo
“Joker” is a very good film overall. It has some pacing issues, which I’m sure some people would notice, but there are also some incredible scenes. Joaquin Phoenix is a very good Joker, very different from Ledger’s interpretation, but he respects the core essence of the character. He is scary and funny (in a Joker way), and, as I said, it’s sad that we won’t see more of him as the Joker.
Phillips, as a director, does a good job with the artistic part of the film. There are some really amazing shots throughout the movie, which results in a film that is beautiful and dark in a way that you can´t understand until you watch it. However, there are other elements that don´t work as well. The main problem is the pacing, as I said. The movie feels longer than it is, and there are certain moments during the second act, where the story doesn´t seem like it’s moving forward. One could say that the film is boring, but I wouldn´t go that way. It’s a slow burn. Phillips builds the tension little by little until the climax arrives at the end.
Why Joker works
Warner Bros. is having some trouble promoting this movie. And I know there are some elements that could trigger some people. However, we should remind ourselves that this is the story of the Joker, a character that is best known for his twisted mind and horrible actions. Phillips creates a film about a character that suffers from a lot of real issues and ends up becoming that monster we all know.
“Joker” works because the people who made this movie understood the character and decided to give him a more realistic backstory. There are no chemicals involved in the origin of this Joker. He is a real person with real problems, someone you could know. That’s what makes this movie special, and why I think a lot of people could have some trouble watching it. And that’s ok. Maybe “Joker” is not for everyone. But if you are a fan of the character, I’m sure you will enjoy this film a lot.
Peter Parker, nuestro amigo y vecino superhéroe, decide unirse a sus mejores amigos Ned, MJ, y el resto del grupo a unas vacaciones europeas. Aunque el plan de Peter sea dejar sus heroicidades atrás durante unas pocas semanas, pronto desecha esas ideas para ayudar a regañadientes a Nick Furia a desentrañar el misterio de los ataques de varias criaturas elementales que están creando el caos en el mundo.
Tras los acontecimientos de “Vengadores: Endgame”, muchos estábamos impacientes por ver un mundo en el que la mitad del planeta debía acostumbrarse a la nueva vida a la que regresaban después de cinco años. Y que mejor manera de acabar esta Saga del Infinito que con Spider-Man, en una aventura veraniega que nos lleva a recorrer Europa y a salvar el mundo nuevamente.
“Spider-Man: Lejos de casa” es, en resumen, la perfecta aventura que necesitábamos después de Endgame. Llena de humor y acción a partes iguales, esta nueva cinta del trepamuros pasará a ser una de las mejores películas de Spider-Man hasta la fecha.
“Lejos de casa” tiene un solo inconveniente: el principal giro argumental no será una sorpresa para los fans del personaje. Durante la primera mitad de esta cinta vemos como Spider-Man interacciona con Mysterio, un “héroe interdimensional”, de igual a igual, mientras luchan con los elementales. Sin embargo, aquellos que conozcan un poco al personaje, o hayan visto otras versiones del trepamuros, sabrán perfectamente que Mysterio no es precisamente un “héroe”. A pesar de esto, el origen de Mysterio como villano no solo está perfectamente actualizado, acorde con el universo en el que Spider-Man se desenvuelve (o desenvolvía), sino que además mantiene la esencia del origen que dicho personaje tiene en los cómics.
Jake Gyllenhaal hace un increíble trabajo interpretando a Quentin Beck, y no es exagerado decir que su Mysterio se ha convertido, casi al instante, en uno de los mejores villanos del Universo Cinematográfico de Marvel. Gyllenhaal consigue hacer que Mysterio, un villano relativamente desconocido, se convierta en una de las mayores amenazas que el héroe arácnido a tenido que enfrentar en mucho tiempo (sin contar a Thanos y su enorme ejército espacial).
Tom Holland sigue demostrando que es el mejor Peter Parker / Spider-Man que ha existido, gracias, principalmente, al increíble carisma que desprende en pantalla. Debido a los acontecimientos que tuvieron lugar en Endgame, Holland también tiene la oportunidad de explorar el lado más dramático del personaje, y consigue hacerlo sin problemas.
El resto de personajes también destaca más en esta cinta con respecto a la anterior, en especial la MJ de Zendaya y Betty, interpretada porAngourie Rice. Sus personajes cobran más importancia en esta secuela, y ambas actrices hacen un gran trabajo.
Otro de los aspectos en los que podemos decir que “Lejos de casa” supera a “Homecoming” es en la acción. En esta segunda entrega, el director Jon Watts desata todo el potencial del superhéroe, y, en especial, de su villano. Las escenas de Mysterio, y en concreto una que tiene lugar al final del segundo acto, son uno de los grandes momentos de esta cinta. Visualmente, Mysterio es un personaje que podía dar mucho de sí, y Watts consigue que sus escenas sean realmente memorables. Por otro lado, Spider-Man no se queda atrás, y, además de verlo jugar con varios gadgets nuevos, también se explota al máximo sus habilidades arácnidas (incluido el famoso sentido arácnido, o, como deciden nombrarlo, cosquilleo de Peter).
En conclusión, “Spider-Man: Lejos de casa” es una gran secuela, y una increíble aventura del superhéroe. Es una pena que, quizás, sea la última en la cual veamos al personaje dentro del Universo que Marvel Studios ha creado, pero tendremos que esperar para saber más. A pesar de todo, el futuro del personaje es prometedor, en especial si tenemos en cuenta la increíble escena post-créditos que nos presentan en esta película.
En esta nueva versión de Hellboy, la AIDP (Agencia para la Investigación y Defensa Paranormal) se enfrentará a una de las más poderosas y peligrosas brujas que la humanidad a conocido: Nimue (Milla Jovovich), también conocida como la Reina de la Sangre. Hellboy (David Harbour) tendrá que emplearse a fondo para detener los planes de la bruja y evitar la aniquilación de la raza humana.
Hay mucho que se podría criticar en esta nueva “Hellboy”, empezando por el anticlimático final de la historia. Sin embargo, creo que es también importante hablar sobre los aspectos positivos de este reboot, que, sorprendentemente, son bastantes.
Ahora bien, hay que dejar claro algo antes de comenzar: esta nueva cinta del carismático personaje de Mike Mignola, no es una maravilla. De hecho, muchos la considerarán algo mediocre e incluso un desastre. En mi opinión, creo que hay ciertos elementos que funcionan bien y que, por desgracia, dudo que veamos en una casi imposible secuela.
Para empezar, el reparto es bastante bueno. David Harbour, Sasha Lane y Daniel Dae Kim hacen un buen trabajo con sus personajes, en especial Lane, cuya Alice es uno de los puntos fuertes de la segunda mitad de la cinta. Sin embargo, quien realmente brilla por encima de todos es Milla Jovovich, cuya Reina de la Sangre es todo lo que podríamos haber pedido. Jovovich no sale tanto en pantalla como hubiera deseado, pero cuando aparece, la película remonta.
El principal problema de esta “Hellboy” es el guion. La película es más una mezcla apresurada y sin sentido de varias historias totalmente diferentes, cuyo único hilo conductor es Nimue, la villana principal. Hay demasiados personajes, demasiadas ideas lanzadas al espectador sin motivo y demasiadas subtramas que no acaban de encajar con la historia central. Además, como dije antes, el tercer acto es muy básico, simple y poco creativo. Sé que hablamos de una película de bajo presupuesto, pero estoy seguro de que podrían haber recortado un par de escenas totalmente innecesarias y habernos dado una batalla final más entretenida.
En general, creo que “Hellboy” podría haber sido una cinta mucho más interesante si se hubieran centrado en Nimue y Hellboy, en lugar de intentar crear un universo gigantesco de la nada. Como digo, dudo que haya una secuela, pero si la hubiera, me gustaría verla. Tanto el personaje como el universo que han creado tiene mucho potencial, pero necesitan centrarse y escribir un guion decente, que haga justicia a estas historias.
Based on the graphic novels by Mike Mignola, Hellboy, caught between the worlds of the supernatural and human, battles an ancient sorceress bent on revenge.
One could criticize this new “Hellboy” movie because of many things, especially because of his anticlimactic ending. However, this reboot has some good elements that I think should be appreciated. The problem is that “Hellboy” is not a great movie. In fact, I really think it’s a mediocre one. That’s the reason why I think we’ll never get a sequel, which is a shame, because those good elements I talked about are really good, and I would like to see more of them.
The cast is one of those good elements. David Harbour, Sasha Lane, and Daniel Dae Kim do a great job with their part, even though their characters are a little bit stereotypical. Sasha’s Alice is actually one of the strongest elements of the second half of the movie, and her character is not only funny and charismatic, but also competent and useful. However, the real MVP of this movie is the fabulous Milla Jovovich, who portrays the evil Nimue, the Blood Queen. She is amazing as the villain of this movie, and even though she doesn’t have much screen time, she nailed every single scene she had.
The main problem with this new “Hellboy” adaptation, is the script. They try very hard to adapt Hellboy’s world in just one movie, and that’s impossible. There are too many characters and too many plots, and they don´t fit at all. Nimue’s character is the only thing that ties everything together, but at the end of the day, it’s not enough. In addition to that, the final battle and the third act in general, are very, very simple. They could have done a lot of things with Nimue’s powers and Hellboy’s inner demons, but they didn’t.
In general, I think “Hellboy” could have been better, if they had focused on Nimue and Hellboy, instead of trying to create a whole new universe in just one film. I would like to see a sequel, but I don´t think that’s going to happen. If they ever do it, I hope they find a better screenwriter.
Una parte del viaje es el final. Quizás la frase que defina a este increíble viaje que hemos tenido el privilegio de realizar con todos estos personajes. Quién hubiera dicho, hace más de diez años, que lo que comenzó con aquella película llamada “Iron Man”, culminaría, años después, en una épica cinta de proporciones cósmicas.
Marvel Studios ha tenido sus altibajos. Nada es perfecto desde luego. Pero si hay algo que no se puede negar es que ha revolucionado la industria del cine y el género superheróico. Aquellos que llevamos años viendo a estos personajes luchar, ganar y perder, estamos ante el acontecimiento de nuestras vidas. Decir que “Vengadores: Endgame” es la mejor película de superhéroes jamás hecha es quedarse cortos. Los hermanos Russon han creado una fascinante y épica cinta que pone punto y final a una generación, y que da paso a otra, respetando el pasado y abrazando el futuro.
Hablar sobre esta cinta sin entrar en territorio de spoilers es difícil, y creo que todo el mundo debería tener la oportunidad de ver por primera vez esta cinta sin saber nada. Si algo puedo afirmar es que esta película será algo especial para todos aquellos fans de Marvel que llevan esperando este momento tantos años.
Ver “Vengadores: Endgame” es como leer un cómic. Durante las casi tres horas que dura la cinta puedes sentir como cada escena parece sacada de las páginas de uno de esos grandes acontecimientos que suceden de vez en cuando en el mundo del cómic. Los Vengadores han perdido, y es doloroso ver un mundo tan desolado tras el chasquido de Thanos. Pero cuándo descubren que puede haber una posibilidad de salvar, o más bien, vengar a los caídos, ninguno de los Vengadores duda, ni por un instante, que deben intentarlo.
Las dos primeras horas de esta cinta es un regalo para los fans de la ciencia ficción y para los fans de Marvel en general. Guiños, referencias y muchos pequeños y emotivos momentos que hacen que te des cuenta de lo mucho que te importa esta saga y estos personajes. Y cada uno de los seis Vengadores originales tiene su pequeño momento, en el que también te das cuenta de lo lejos que han llegado.
Sin embargo, es la última hora de película lo que realmente hará que cualquiera que se considere fan de los superhéroes grite, aplauda y se emocione hasta límites insospechados. Nada de lo que hayamos podido pensar que pasaría en esta cinta se acerca lo más mínimo a lo que finalmente sucede.
Por último, y aunque esta no sea una crítica al uso, creo que es necesario hablar sobre nuestros queridos Vengadores. Todos los supervivientes tienen su momento. Ant-Man, Nébula y Rocket brillan, y da gusto verlos interactuar con el resto de personajes. Sin embargo, esta cinta está dedicada a los seis Vengadores originales. A esos seis personajes que vimos juntos por primera vez en 2012, y a los que hemos seguido desde entonces. Sus historias han sido el eje central del Universo Cinematográfico de Marvel durante estos diez años, y con Endgame los Russo han firmado una carta de amor a cada uno de ellos, que nosotros como espectadores, recibimos este fin de semana. Como digo no puedo hablar sobre ellos o sobre el argumento y desarrollo de la cinta sin hacer spoiler, así que solo diré lo siguiente: Gracias, gracias Marvel por todo.
Gracias Jeremy Renner, Mark Ruffalo y Chris Hemsworth. Gracias Scarlett Johansson y Chris Evans. Y sobre todo, gracias Robert Downey Jr. Gracias por hacer que todo esto haya sido posible.
Part of the journey is the end. And what a journey. We’ve had the privilege to go through this amazing journey with these characters, and now, it comes to an end. I don´t think any of us could have imagined, more than ten years ago, that what “Iron Man” started would end up like this.
Of course, nothing last forever. And we knew this would end up happening someday. Marvel Studios, despite everything, has changed the industry and the superhero genre during the last years. Today, we are going to witness the end of an era, one of the most amazing events of this decade. Saying that “Avengers: Endgame” is the best superhero movie of all times is the only thing I can say about this film. The Russo brothers have created a fascinating and epic conclusion to a saga that has been part of our lives for the last ten years, respecting the past and embracing the future.
I cannot talk about this movie much without spoiling it so this won´t be a standard review. Everyone should go and watch the movie as soon as possible, to experience the film on their own, without knowing anything. And believe me, Marvel fans will love this movie, from the beginning to the very end.
Watching “Avengers: Endgame” is like reading a comic book. Every shot and scene feels like it was brought to life from the pages of one of those comic books we all enjoy reading. The Avengers lost, and the world is desolated. But there is a chance to save and avenge everyone, so the Avengers must assemble one last time.
The first two hours of this movie are a gift from science-fiction and Marvel fans in general. There are a lot of references and easter eggs, and some emotional moments with our beloved characters. And the original six, the Avengers, they all have their moment to shine, and in those moments you realize how far they’ve come.
However, the last hour, the final act of this film, is the best thing a superhero fan will ever see on the big screen. You will cheer, laugh and cry at each moment and character, and nothing you could have imagined comes close to the epicness of that final act.
Now, I would like to talk about the Avengers. All of them. Ant-Man, Rocket and Nebula shine in this movie, and it is wonderful to see them interact with the other survivors. But this movie is dedicated to our original Avengers. The original six. The ones we saw together for the first time back in 2012. They have been the center, the heart and soul, of the MCU for the last ten years, and in this movie, the Russo brothers decided to show how important and beloved they are. “Avengers: Endgame” is a love letter to us, the fans, and to them, the Avengers. As I said, I cannot say much about them without ruining the story so I will say just one last thing: Thank you, Marvel, for everything.
Thank you, Mark Ruffalo, Jeremy Renner and Chris Hemsworth. Thank you, Scarlett Johansson and Chris Evans. And thank you, Robert Downey Jr. Thank you for everything you’ve done.
THE MAKING OF MOVIES 