Cee Gee Reviews: The MARVEL CINEMATIC UNIVERSE

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MCU Revisit: Captain America: Civil War
Written by Christian Garcia

Introduction:
Today we're looking at Captain America: Civil War.

I'm jumping the gun; this is my favorite Marvel film that is not an Avengers film. When the trailer first came out, I lost my mind. All the Marvel heroes (minus Thor and Hulk) in one film battling it out and against each other.

My friend Steve who made me aware of Marvel comics, told me about the Civil War storyline years before the MCU even began. So, when I found out they were making a film version, I was excited!

I loved it so much the first time and wound up seeing it again. Aside from Infinity War, this was the movie I was most excited to show to my girlfriend. Watching it again was a special treat for me and for her. This film does still hold up and here's why.

And before I get into it, I am going to issue a courtesy SPOILER WARNING to anyone new to the MCU or someone who is looking to get into the MCU. I highly recommend watching the other films before this one so you can get the full experience. Trust me, the wait will be worth it.


The Hero’s Journey:
The main theme of this film is division. The opposing views of Steve Rogers and Tony Stark finally come to blow and tear the Avengers apart. After a mission results in the death of civilians, the United Nations decides to step in and put the Avengers under regulation with the Sokovia Accords. The Accords immediately divide the team as Rogers is against them while Tony believes that the Avengers need to be kept in check.

While watching the early films with my girlfriend, we always made comments and jokes about all the damage and possible injuries the Avengers' battles caused the locals and how it was good to finally have it acknowledged and for there to be consequences. It shows that there is still a heavy price to pay even for Earth's mightiest heroes.

I remember the division this film created among fans as to whom they sided with either Stark or Rogers. I know this is a Captain America film, but I found both of their points of view interesting. So, for this review’s edition of the hero’s journey, I have decided to analyze the journeys of both Rogers and Stark.


Captain America’s Journey
Steve Rogers’ arc of fitting into a new world continues and gets more complicated and traffic. He mentions in his letter to Tony that he has been on his own since he was 18 and never really fit in anywhere. That sense of aloneness is made worse by the passing of Peggy Carter. At her funeral, he mentions to Black Widow how he was just lucky to have Peggy still there as one of the last remaining remnants of his former life. With her passing, he feels more alone than ever. It’s that feeling that drives him to find Bucky and protect him.

He also mentions in his letter that he’s always believed in people, in individuals. He knows the real Bucky is still inside the Winter Soldier and goes to great lengths to reach him and bring back his friend. After the bombing in Vienna, Rogers goes rogue and tries to capture the Winter Soldier himself and was quick to defend him. His loyalty to Bucky puts him at odds with Tony and the rest of his team. His choice to remain loyal is his attempt at hanging onto the last remnant of his former life and in a way reject the new world that he doesn’t fit into.

Another arc that continues for him is his arc of trust. The events of Winter Soldier have made Steve wearier of who he can trust and have made him very distrusting of government organizations. This distrust of such organizations makes him opposed to the Sokovia Accords. He believes that signing them takes away the Avengers' ability to choose and will make things more difficult for them. He worries following them will keep them from going somewhere they need to be or will send them somewhere they don’t need to be based on the government’s agenda. His opposition leads him to conflict with Tony and his reluctance to fall in line slowly tears the Avengers apart.

This shows a big change in Rogers from how he was in the first Avengers film. Back then he was all about following orders and going by the book but his experiences since have taken him down a different path. Ironically Tony has gone through a similar switch as he has gone from defying authority to falling in line. It’s interesting to see how they’ve switched positions based on their experiences.

An important choice that upset many fans and changed how people saw Rogers is his choice to not tell Tony about what happened to his parents. Both my best friend and my girlfriend were angry when they found out that Steve knew. Many people I asked had similar reactions. I agree that it was messed up for Steve to not tell Tony and is hypocritical of him for having done so. Given his distrust of people with ulterior agendas, he didn’t tell Tony to spare himself from the reality of what his friend did. While of course, I do not agree with Rogers' choice, I do like that Marvel decided to give the morally pure Captain America a flaw. He's always been a stand-up man who plays by the rules and it's nice to see him show a moment of immorality. It reminds us that he is human and that nobody is perfect.


Iron Man’s Journey
Tony Stark carries a lot of guilt, and that guilt is what drives his actions throughout the film. In the beginning of the film, he looks back at his final moments with his parents and admits his guilt for not telling his father how he felt before he left. He is later confronted by a woman whose son was killed in Sokovia because of the Avengers’ battle with Ultron. The guilt of this as well as the continued guilt he feels over the harm his technology has caused causes him to support the Sokovia Accords. Tony is put in a tough position as he is fighting to do what he feels is right and trying to keep the Avengers together.

The manhunt for the Winter Soldier Bucky Barnes puts him in further conflict with Rogers. At first, he is trying to follow orders and capture Barnes after the bombing in Vienna. He tries to appeal to Rogers again to sign the Accords but once he reveals that he has Wanda Maximoff confined to the Avengers compound, Rogers refuses again. Before the Avengers do battle amongst each other, Tony reaches his boiling point with Rogers ordering him to come with them and not tear the Avengers apart. Rogers refuses again and they come to blows. The ensuing conflict leads to the injury of Stark’s best friend Colonel James Rhodes.

A glimmer of hope appears when Tony learns that Cap was right about Zemo framing the Winter Soldier. He tries to tell Ross what he’s learned but is ignored which causes him to take matters into his own hands. This proves Rogers’ issue with the Accords to be true. He takes off to Siberia to aid Rogers in the anticipated conflict with Zemo and other super soldiers. However, things take a shocking turn when Zemo plays security footage from 1991 that reveals that The Winter Soldier murdered his parents. His guilt and his anguish cause him to attack the Winter Soldier. Rogers attempts to stop him but only makes matters worse when he reveals that he knew about what Barnes had done. This is the final straw for Tony and he and Rogers battle it out. Rogers bests Tony in this fight and as he walks away, Tony calls out that he does not deserve the shield that his father made him. Rogers drops the shield and leaves with Bucky.

At the film’s end, Tony receives a phone and a letter from Steve apologizing for everything that happened and for not telling him about his parents. He stands his ground on not accepting the accords but says that when the time comes that the team needs to assemble again, he will be there. Although the team is left heavily divided and fractured, it is not destroyed and there is hope that the Avengers will assemble again.


The Villain:
Helmut Zemo is a former member of the Sokovian Armed Forces. He lost his family during the Avengers' battle with Ultron. He blames the Avengers for his family's death and grew a hatred for them as enhanced individuals. He believes they lack care for the innocent, and he swore to tear the Avengers apart from within.

Zemo is different from other Marvel villains. He admits himself he is no physical threat to the Avengers and that he could not kill them himself. He serves as a catalyst that sets the events of the film in motion. What also makes him interesting is that he is not an evil person wanting to do evil things. He is not an alien being or a super-enhanced person wanting world domination. He is a regular man. An everyday man who had a family. He is a man who has suffered great loss and has allowed his grief and lust for vengeance to consume him. This leads him to commit acts that lead to the death of innocent such as his bombing in Vienna. He saw the innocence lost as a means to an end, showing how far his vengeance has consumed him. When he is confronted by Black Panther in the final act, he does apologize for causing T'Challa's father’s death.

What also sets him apart is that he is not the focus of the conflict. He sets the pieces in motion, but he is not meant to be the focus. He creates the conflict that causes the Avengers to break down. At the film's end, there is no battle between him and the Avengers, he sets his final plan in motion and once he reveals to Tony what happened to his parents, his role is finished. He was simply the one pulling the strings than being a great threat that had to be stopped. He is more an antagonist rather than a villain. But in this case, he plays his role well and does exactly what he needs to do.


The Film’s Pros:
The Epic Battle Scene

Before Avengers Infinity War and Endgame, Civil War had the biggest gathering of Marvel heroes. A lot of fans forget that Civil War is the third Captain America and not the third Avengers film. Had it not been for the absence of Thor and Hulk (who were busy with their own adventure.) this would have been Avengers 3. I remember watching the trailer for this movie for the first time and getting so hyped.

When I saw the film for the first time, it delivered everything that I could have wanted. It was fun to see the different combinations like Captain America vs Spider-Man, Bucky vs Black Panther, and giant Ant-Man vs everyone! It was as epic as I could have imagined and delivered on the awesome action that one is to expect from Marvel.

It was only a small taste of what was to come.


Bringing Spider-Man into the MCU
Civil War had a lot of hype behind it before it even came out. A big part of that was because of a big reveal at the end of the trailer. The reveal of SPIDER-MAN.

Spider-Man is my favorite Marvel character and superhero ever. I loved the animated series and the first two Sam Raimi movies. After the bomb that was Amazing Spider-Man 2, fans wondered and hoped for the web-slinger to join the MCU. When he was revealed at the end of the trailer, the internet went crazy, including me.

When the time came to see the film, he didn't disappoint. Tom Holland from his first appearance nailed the role of Peter Parker to perfection. He captured the right amount of smartness and awkwardness in Peter and the annoying cockiness of Spider-Man. I loved seeing him interact with Tony Stark and building a bond and it was fun seeing him action with the other Avengers. He was in the film long enough that we got our fill on him but also wanted more. And the teaser post-credits, only confirmed that there was more Spidey fun on the horizon.


Introduction of Black Panther
This film introduced two important characters to Marvel fans. Spider-Man of course. But the other important hero is Marvel's king in Black Panther. Like Holland did for Spider-Man, Chadwick Boseman put in a great performance as the King of Wakanda.

It was great to see him in action battling the Winter Soldier and even going toe-to-toe with Captain America. The costume looked great, and he proved right away to be a formidable hero. Seeing a young Chadwick Boseman was surreal. It was great to see him again and reminded me of a great talent that left us way too soon.

From day one, Chadwick Boseman embodied the character of T'Challa and quickly made him into one of Marvel's most beloved heroes. His scene at the end with Zemo reminded me why Chadwick Boseman is such a beloved acting talent. T'Challa had a journey of his own having grown from a vengeful son looking to avenge his father to an honorable young man ready to become a king. His performance left an immediate impact and was so good that fans were very excited to see him in his own movie where he would take T'Challa from hero to king.


The Film’s Cons:
The Other Winter Soldiers

This is more of a nitpick than a flaw that hurts the film. I honestly do not have an issue with it and it does not hurt my enjoyment of the film at all. But no film is perfect. Every film has a flaw and if I had to pick one it would be the buildup of the other Winter Soldiers. They were teased as the next threat and Cap and Bucky went to Siberia to stop them. However, upon their arrival, they found that Zemo had already killed them as they lie frozen. One would argue that this was a waste of a cool idea and that they were built up for nothing.

But I honestly liked the red herring, and it is important to remember that the film is not about them. It is about the conflict between Captain America and Iron Man. Honestly, had the movie ended with the heroes teaming up to battle and defeat them it would have felt shoehorned in and would have hurt the film. I like how they immediately shut it down and keep the focus on what the audience cares about the most and that is the conflict within the Avengers. But I know some would consider it a missed opportunity and it is a valid point to make. But again, it is not enough to hurt anyone's enjoyment of the film one bit.


Final Thoughts:
Captain America: Civil War is my favorite Captain America film and my favorite Marvel film that is not an Avengers movie. It has everything you're looking for in a Marvel film. It has great action, a great story, great drama, twists and turns, and a chance to see all your favorite Marvel heroes (minus two) together in an epic piece of cinema. It was an excellent film to kick off Marvel's Golden Run of films that kept getting better and better. It grew our favorite heroes and took them to greater heights. It set the pieces in place for what was to come and is a film I would go back to repeatedly. It has its place in Marvel history and deservedly so. If I had to recommend any Marvel film, it would be this one. If you're new to the MCU, this is a must-see film and what I think is a true Marvel comic come to life. Do yourself a favor and check it out to see for yourself.




MCU Revisit: Doctor Strange
Review written by Christian Garcia

Introduction:
Today I'm looking at Doctor Strange.

Of all the Marvel films, this is the film that I have seen the most. My best friend showed it to me after stumbling upon himself. I watched it with him and loved it so much that I wound up watching it two more times that same week. I showed it to my brother and another friend and then I watched it again with my best friend and two of our other friends to show them.

I was first made aware of Doctor Strange after getting his Marvel Legends figure as a kid. Which I still have to this day.

I became more aware of him when he appeared in Spider-Man: The Animated Series. I learned about him, the Mystic Arts, and Dormammu.

When it was announced that he was getting his own movie, I was interested but also worried. Like with Ant-Man, I feared that not enough people would know who he was and that this film would bomb. But just like Ant-Man, this film proved me wrong and was a huge hit. After seeing it as many times as I have, it is easy to see why.

My girlfriend and I ended up watching this film first in our watch-through of Marvel films after seeing him in Spider-Man: No Way Home. Doctor Strange is her favorite Marvel character so we chose to watch this film once again for the review.

After seeing it so many times, I can confidently say I know this film well. Let's look at what's kept me watching this film over and over.



The Hero:
Dr. Stephen Strange is a renowned neurosurgeon. He is wealthy, talented, and extremely intelligent but also arrogant. A car accident severely injures his hands and leaves him unable to do what he is best at. He goes through numerous surgeries and experimental treatments with the hopes of regaining the use of his hands. His obsession leads him to find Jonathan Pangborn, a former paraplegic who mysteriously regained the use of his legs. Pangborn tells him about Kamar-Taj and Strange journeys there where he was taken in by Mordo, a sorcerer who trains under the Ancient One. After being shown the great power she possesses, Strange begs her to train him. At first reluctant, she agrees to train him in the Mystic Arts.



The Hero’s Journey:
Stephen Strange’s journey is that of a man with great intelligence overcoming his hubris and opening his mind to the possibilities. He begins the film as an extremely arrogant man who believes he knows it all. His ego is so inflated that he gets joy out of proving others wrong and humiliating them when he can. After his accident, he believes he has lost what made him great, his hands. His initial journey to Kamar-Taj is to find a cure for his hands and go back to his purpose of saving people as a doctor. By the end, he realizes his purpose is still to save people but, on a scale, much greater than he could have thought.

Strange has the classic hero flaw of hubris. His ego is like that of Tony Stark where he believes only, he knows what is best for everyone and pushes away those who try to help him. At the beginning of the film, he is shown to be extremely arrogant, taking joy in humiliating a colleague over a mess up and acting like he knows all. After his accident, when he observes the damage done to his hands, he makes a comment on how he could have done the surgery better on himself. His self-pity leads him to even hurt his ex-lover, Christine.

When he first arrives at Kamar Taj, Mordo warns him to forget what he thinks he knows. Strange is very disrespectful to the Ancient One in their first encounter, throwing facts at her and giving her a million reasons as to why her way is nonsense. This results in her pushing him out of his astral form and getting just a small glimpse of the Astral Dimension. In denial, he believes he has simply been drugged but after she sends him through the Multiverse, he asks her to train him. She refuses at first but after convincing by Mordo, agrees to train him.

After his first battle with Kaecilius and the Zealots results in him taking a life, Strange tries to deny his destiny. In his final conversation with the Ancient One, she tells him that he always excelled as a doctor because of his fear of failure, which also held him back from greatness. She tells him the most important lesson of all is that it is not about him. He has a great capacity for goodness and he serves a much greater purpose than what he believes. She tells him that he could have his hands back and go back to his old life, but the world would be worse for wear because of it. After her death, he sheds his ego and evolves into a man ready to protect the world at any cost. When he confronts Dormammu, he is willing to stay in an endless loop and die continuously to save the rest of the world.



The Villain:
Kaecilius is a former apprentice of the Ancient One who wants to bring Dormammu to Earth believing it will free him and his followers from the curse of time and the pain that it brings. The Ancient One compares him to Dr. Strange mentioning how Strange’s arrogance and intelligence reminded her of Kaecilius. Her fear of Strange following a similar path makes her hesitant at first to train him. Kaecilius became disillusioned with the Ancient One upon learning of the Dark Dimension and her ability to draw power from it to ensure her immortality. He is a strong believer in Dormammu to the point that he is willing to sacrifice his own followers. He describes them as “Tiny momentary specks within an indifferent universe.” He even goes as far as killing a follower to kill the Ancient One. He believes that merging the Earth with the Dark Dimension will bring all eternal life as promised by Dormammu.



The Film’s Pros:
The Visuals

Easily the best thing about the film is the visuals. Aside from the Thor films, most Marvel films have taken place in the real world and while they had great visuals, I always wondered what more could be done. These are comic book films, so they have the creative freedom to create worlds unlike what we see. The introduction of the Multiverse and the Mirror Dimension opened the door for creative possibilities that Marvel not only opened but kicked down. This is the first Marvel film for me that felt like something straight out of a comic book. The imagery in this film is like something out of a kaleidoscope. The way they take the regular world and turn it into something otherworldly is an impressive feat in visual effects. When Strange is sent through the Multiverse, the imagery is so breathtaking with the different colors and shapes and the fast pace that you see it leaves you wanting to know more. The visuals are a trip and if you aren’t under the influence of drugs already, it will make you feel like you are at times. And I mean that in a good way.

When he confronts Dormammu at the end, the visual style of the Dark Dimension was amazing. It had me wishing the Dark World in Thor 2 could have looked like this. Doctor Strange has the best visuals of any Marvel film to date. It received an Academy Award nomination for Best Visual Effects, and it is easy to see why. The visual style makes it different from any other Marvel film and gets me excited to see what more they can do in the upcoming sequel.



Benedict Cumberbatch
Benedict Cumberbatch is an excellent actor with a great body of work in films like The Imitation Game, 12 Years a Slave, and the television hit, Sherlock. He was a great choice for the titular Doctor Strange and brings the character to life. Like I’ve said before about other great performances when I watch him, I don’t see Benedict Cumberbatch, I see Doctor Stephen Strange. He captures the essence of a man who is capable of good but is also extremely arrogant. He has a charm to him that keeps you rooting for him even when at times he can be a jerk. He can also be funny at times with little quips. After seeing him in Imitation Game, I easily buy him to play the role of a highly intelligent individual. His performance carries the film and creates another big personality that left fans excited to see him interact with the Avengers. He is a welcome addition to the MCU and one of the best casting choices they have made so far.



The Film’s Cons:
A waste of Dormammu

This is more of a nitpick than a serious flaw that hurts the film, but I wanted more Dormammu. This is also a case where I believe, and hope, that this nitpick will become outdated after the sequel premieres. While Kaecilius is the main villain throughout the film, Dormammu's real threat. He was built up very well and when he is finally revealed, he looks amazing. His design is incredible, and he looks like an otherworldly threat. I loved how Doctor Strange was able to outsmart him and bargain him to leave. Obviously, Doctor Strange could not have battled or bested him here as it was too early for that. However, if that is all that we get of Dormammu and we don’t see him again, then it was such a waste of a cool villain. I am hoping that he can be brought back in later sequels, and I do believe there are ways to do so. Imagine a fully mastered Doctor Strange and maybe even Wanda battling against Dormammu? That would be an epic and visually stunning battle to watch. Hopefully, he will return, and we get more. If not, then it’s another cool villain gone by the wayside.



Final Thoughts:
Doctor Strange is a great film with an excellent lead, stunning visuals, and a fun adventure that keeps me coming back. I have seen this film more times than any other Marvel film and it is one of my favorites. The concepts of the Mystic Arts and the Multiverse are very cool concepts that I am glad to see be delved into and am excited to see expanded upon with the upcoming sequel. It is a fun film for anyone looking to get into the MCU and a special case film that can be watched out of order and not spoil anything nor leave viewers confused. My girlfriend and I watched this first before beginning this watch and I loved how even though it comes much later in the MCU, it can be watched at any time. It continued Phase Three’s streak of great films and is a Marvel classic. Give it a watch whether you’re sober or not and buckle in for a trippy and fun time.




MCU Revisit: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
Review Written by Christian Garcia


Introduction:
Today I’m looking at the sequel to the 2014 smash hit, Guardians of the Galaxy with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.

Whenever the Guardians films come into discussion, I always hear people say they either loved the first film and thought the second was just okay or that they thought the first film was just okay and that they loved the second one. I personally loved both films upon my first viewing, so I always found this split in opinion to be very interesting.

This is the first time I have watched Guardians 2 since seeing it in theatres back in 2017. Does it still hold up all these years later? Has my perception of it changed? Which of the two do I prefer? Let’s take a deeper look.


The Guardians’ Journey:
An ongoing theme of this film is family and the impact they have.
  • Quill finally meets his long-lost father.
  • Gamora and Nebula’s rivalry continues to boil over stemming from the way their adopted father, Thanos treated them.
  • Yondu is exiled from the Ravagers community for past actions and is later abandoned by his own crew because of his unwillingness to turn over Quill, whom he raised.

Quill’s long-lost father, Ego reveals himself to him and invites him, Gamora, and Drax to his home planet. At first, Quill does not know how to feel and is hesitant to go but after a talk with Gamora, he agrees to give Ego a chance. At first, things seem great, as Quill learns about his parents’ relationship and discovers his abilities as a half-Celestial. As the film progresses, however, Ego’s true intentions are called into question as Gamora does not trust him. Quill and Ego bond and it seems that Quill finally has the family he has been longing for. Sadly, it is not meant to be when Ego reveals his entire plan to Quill, as well as the fact that he planted the tumor that killed his mother. This leads to a battle where Quill must kill his own father to save the universe. During the battle, Yondu gives Quill advice that makes him realize who his father truly was. Quill is left with a newfound appreciation for Yondu as his father figure especially after he hits him with the line, “He may have been your father, boy, but he wasn’t your daddy.” Sadly, their reunion is short-lived as Yondu sacrifices himself to save Quill. Quill is dealt a great deal of loss in this film as he is forced to kill his biological father for the greater good and loses the man who was a real father to him in the process. However, the experience does not leave him jaded but more grateful for the family that he has with the team.

Gamora and Nebula are at each other’s throats. At the beginning of the film, the Guardians complete a job for the Sovereign in exchange for Nebula. Gamora is at first intent on delivering her to the Nova Corps to answer for her crimes. Gamora always believed that Nebula wanted to be better than her. Their adopted father Thanos always made them battle each other and Gamora always came out on top. This resulted in Thanos adding upgrades to Nebula which caused her great pain and anguish. When Nebula escapes captivity, she travels to Ego’s planet to fight Gamora again and they do battle once again. In the battle, Gamora saves Nebula from certain death, but Nebula puts her in a chokehold immediately after. Instead of killing her, she cheers at the excitement of finally beating her sister. Gamora tries to argue against her win, but Nebula then tells her that Gamora always wanted to win, while all Nebula wanted was a sister. This is an important moment in their relationship as Gamora finally understands Nebula and this is where they start to come together as sisters. The moment is solidified when Nebula saves Gamora from certain death at the hands of Ego. When Nebula chooses to leave to pursue her desire to kill Thanos, Gamora admits that she never considered what Thanos was doing to Nebula and gives her a hug before she leaves and tells her that she will always be her sister. This is the moment where they finally come together as sisters and Nebula gets what she always wanted.

Yondu’s tale is one of redemption. At the beginning of the film, he is exiled from the Ravager community because of child trafficking he had done, although it’s later revealed he wasn’t aware of what was going on when he did it. His gang begins to question his abilities as a leader given his constant weakness for Quill. He and his gang are hired by the Sovereign to capture the Guardians after Rocket steals their valuable batteries. Yondu tracks down the Guardians and at first is ready to make a deal with Rocket for the batteries rather than turn Quill into the Sovereign. His gang finally calls out his weakness and a mutiny ensues. Yondu, Rocket, and Groot are captured, and while in captivity they begin to bond. Rocket asks Yondu why he didn’t deliver Quill to Ego and Yondu tells him because he was good for thieving. However, Rocket sees through this and when they escape, he makes a course for Ego’s planet to save Quill and the others. When they arrive, Yondu calls Rocket out for his attitude and tells him that they are similar. This is a moment of Yondu being a fatherly figure to Rocket and trying to keep him from making the same mistakes as Yondu. They crash into Ego and during the battle, Quill thanks Yondu for not delivering him to his father. Yondu finally admits that he didn’t deliver Quill to Ego because he found out what Ego had done to the other children he delivered and couldn’t just hand him over. When Quill is about to be killed by Ego, Yondu tells him that he doesn’t use his head to control his arrow, but his heart. This inspires Quill to fight Ego. When the rest of the Guardians get on the ship to escape, Yondu chooses to stay behind so he can help Quill. As the planet begins to implode after Ego’s defeat, Yondu rescues Quill and seals his redemption by sacrificing himself to save Quill. This was the emotional highlight of the film and one of the saddest deaths in a Marvel film.


The Villain:
Ego is a Celestial, God-like being, and the biological father of Peter Quill.

Wanting to find a deeper meaning and purpose in his life, he created a humanoid extension of himself and traveled across the cosmos visiting different planets. His journey brought him to Earth where he met Meredith Quill and through their relationship, Peter was conceived.

When he is first introduced, he is charming and likable and has a similar wit to Quill. Quill is at first dismissive of him and wonders what his intentions are. As they get to know each other, we start believing that they are very alike and that their relationship is a genuine and loving one. However, it is not the case as we soon learn that Ego has ulterior motives.

His journey left him unimpressed with the other lifeforms he encountered, and he decided that his purpose was to recreate the universe to improve it. He plans to remake the entire universe through an event known as the Expansion which will cause the eradication of all other life in the universe. To achieve this, he needs another Celestial which is why he went from planet to planet and mated with the natives to create an offspring that could help him achieve his goal. He hired Yondu to kidnap the offspring and bring them to him and upon discovery that they did not carry the Celestial gene, he had them killed, unbeknownst to Yondu. When Yondu discovered the fate of the other offspring, he refused to bring Peter to Ego.

Of the Marvel villains, Ego is one of the more complex and interesting villains. Kurt Russell’s performance is great, and he gets across the charming yet twisted mind of Ego. He is likable and charming at first sight and makes the audience want to root for him and Peter’s relationship. Upon his true colors being revealed, he is one of the most despicable and diabolical of the Marvel villains. The way he describes his genocidal plot in such a calming manner to Quill shows how he truly believes what he is doing is the right thing and that he cannot see otherwise.

His name is appropriate as he believes himself to be the only thing that matters in the universe, and he does not care what or whom he harms to get what he wants. He reveals to Peter that while he did love his mother, she posed a distraction to his purpose, and to prevent any further distractions, he implanted the tumor in her brain that killed her. This revelation made him my girlfriend’s most hated villain. Although he did love Meredith, he did not love her enough to put her before his self-appointed purpose.

By the end of the film, my girlfriend was heavily rooting for Ego’s end and was very happy with his defeat.


The Film’s Pros:
Character Growth and Emotional Moments:

An important responsibility of a good sequel is to take what the original did and add to it. The first film set up a great crew of characters and this film grows them even further. The Guardians’ journey through this film takes them from good characters to great characters. Quill’s journey and loss evolve him from a lovable goofball into a well-rounded hero who experienced hardships but has come out better. Gamora and Nebula go from bitter rivals into sisters who love each other. Rocket goes from a scared hot head to a creature who truly cares about others.

This film packs more emotional moments than the first film. From Yondu’s sacrifice, which again is one of the saddest deaths in a Marvel film, to Gamora and Nebula’s hug, this film packs a lot of emotion. Another great emotional moment is when Rocket makes the choice to leave Quill and Yondu behind. It’s a suspenseful and gutting moment. Gamora tries to leave to save Quill but Rocket shocks her and says, “I’m sorry, I can only afford to lose one friend today.” Meanwhile, Drax is screaming at Rocket asking where Quill is. The look on Rocket’s face shows how tough that decision is for him to make.

Another great moment is where Yondu calls out Rocket for his attitude. Rocket tries to brush him off, but Yondu tells him that he knows exactly how Rocket feels and why he acts that way because he was the same way. This is where Yondu and Rocket come together, and we see how it changes Rocket and makes him change his attitude. But of course, there is Yondu’s funeral at the end of the film. This is a tear-jerking moment that caps off the emotional journey of our heroes in a beautiful looking and touching spectacle. The growth of the Guardians in this film takes them from the funny Marvel heroes to strong characters with more emotional baggage for the audience to sink their teeth into.


The Music:
When the first Guardians of the Galaxy film came out, everyone loved the music. While I did enjoy the soundtrack to that film, the music in this one is even better.
I love the soundtrack for this film. After seeing this film, I remember that I would go on drives blasting this playlist and it fit that vibe so well. The song choices fit perfectly well with the scenes in which they are used. For example, the use of “Father and Son” by Cat Stevens at the end of the film perfectly encapsulated the film’s theme of father figures and the way that Quill was feeling after the experience he endured. The use of “Brandy (You're a Fine Girl)” by Looking Glass did a great job of highlighting Ego’s relationship with Quill’s mother and drawing parallels between it and Quill and Gamora’s “unspoken thing.” The opening scene with “Mr. Blue Sky” by Electric Light Orchestra fit the chaos and fun that comes with the Guardians of the Galaxy and of course, it was fun to see Baby Groot dance around to it.
James Gunn once again created a great playlist of songs to compliment the fun, epic, and emotional journey he created.


The Film’s Cons:
Not as Funny as the Original

This is more of a nitpick rather than a full criticism that hurts the film. Before I continue, I am not saying this film is not funny. It still has the funny stuff that the Guardians of the Galaxy are known for, and I found myself laughing at it. But I didn’t laugh at it as much as the first film. Where the first film was focused on the comedy and character interactions first and the story second, this film focuses more on the story and less on the comedy. While I see the focus on the story as an improvement, fans of the humor of the original will probably be turned off it.

The first Guardians of the Galaxy stood out amongst the other Marvel films because their focus on humor made them feel different and fresh. Marvel films can be described as superhero films with comedy sprinkled in there. The first Guardians film was a comedy that featured superheroes. Since the first film, Marvel films have adapted to include more humor along with the hard-hitting action and the emotional moments. Guardians 2 feels like it is following that trend rather than setting its own trend and die-hard fans of the original may not get as sucked into this film as they did with the original. That change in focus is the core of the split opinions on this film and the original that I mentioned earlier.

It does not hurt the film overall and is more of a nitpick that honestly depends on your taste. If you like a Guardians film with more focus on story and character building, then you’ll prefer this film. If you’re more of a fan of a focus on humor, then you’ll probably prefer the original. But as they say, different strokes for different folks. Both are still great and whichever you prefer is entirely up to you.


Final Thoughts:
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 does everything that a great sequel should do. It takes what made the original great and adds to it to make it even better. It further develops its characters, heightens the look, and feel of the film, and makes for a fun and more epic adventure. While the comedy does take a backseat to the more emotional moments, the emotional moments are so strong that they’re worth that sacrifice. Vol. 2 takes the Guardians of the Galaxy from what one could dismiss as comedic relief and turns them into fully developed and well-rounded characters to the level of the Avengers.

If I had to pick which film I preferred, I would have to say Vol. 2. From a storytelling perspective and a character-building perspective, it is the superior film. However, the first one will still stand on its own as a classic and for being the original. They say that sequels are never as good as the original. They are either better, worse, or a retread of the original (therefore making it inferior). Guardians 2 is a case where the sequel is better because it grows and evolves from the original. If you loved the first Guardians film, the sequel is even better and one worth checking out. May not have as many laughs but it is still a great ride with your favorite group of misfits.




MCU Revisit: Spider-Man: Homecoming
Review written by Christian Garcia


Introduction:
After Tom Holland’s debut in Captain America: Civil War, I and most fans were excited to see him get his own Spider-Man film. I was not the biggest fan of the Andrew Garfield films so I was excited to see a new take on my favorite Marvel hero.

I loved this movie when it first came out and it felt good to have what I felt to be the first good Spider-Man film in a long time. However, as years have gone by, Homecoming isn’t brought up that much when people discuss the Spider-Man films.

This is my first time looking at this film since its release. Does it still hold up? Why is it talked about less? Let’s find out.


The Hero:
Peter Parker is a brilliant young teenager who tries to balance his school life, home life, and his responsibilities as Spider-Man.

He loves to help around his neighborhood stopping local crimes and even giving people directions. He wants to do more and is impatient to get his next mission. He constantly calls Happy Hogan with updates hoping to be called into action again. His desire to do more puts him at odds with his mentor, Tony Stark who would rather have him “stay close to the ground.” Like his mentor, he can’t take no for an answer and winds up in much bigger trouble than he can handle.

He is a kid and as a kid, he can be very impatient and stubborn. Yet he is a good-hearted and respectful person at his core. His genuine personality is what endears him to his friends and family and is what makes him the Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man. He always chooses to do the right thing, even at his own cost.


Hero’s Journey:
Peter Parker is constantly trying to balance his double-life as Spider-Man and Peter Parker. He must deal with threats to the neighborhood and the world while also having to worry about his Spanish test. This Spider-Man film shows Peter Parker dealing with his regular high school drama such as trying to ask out his crush Liz and keeping up with his grades. Seeing Peter in a normal high school setting makes him more relatable as we have experienced similar things in high school. While he wants to live a normal life, his desire to do good and what is right ultimately getting in the way. He can’t even enjoy going to a high school party as his (self-appointed) duties as Spider-Man calls him into action.

After the events of Civil War, Peter is eager to get back into action and is constantly hammering Happy Hogan about when his next mission will be. When Peter stumbles upon Toomes’ crew and their schemes, Tony Stark tells him to stay out of it and “stay close to the ground.” This frustrates Peter because he wants to do more and be like Tony, while Tony wants Peter to be better than him and is trying to protect him. It’s a classic tale of the protégé being in way over their head while their mentor tries to keep them grounded. Tony sees himself in Peter and does not want him to make the same mistakes as he did which is why he is always overprotective of him.

Meanwhile, Peter is trying to prove to himself that he can be an asset to the Avengers. In trying to prove himself, he becomes reckless. At one point, Peter makes a huge mistake that nearly costs innocent people their lives and Iron Man must bail him out of it. This leads to a confrontation between Peter and Tony where Tony admonishes Peter for his recklessness and decides to take back Peter’s suit. Peter pleads with him not to and that the suit is all he has and Tony hits him with the line, “If you're nothing without that suit, then you shouldn't have it.”

After this incident, Peter accepts his fate and returns to a normal life, even asking Liz to the Homecoming dance. However, his life as Spider-Man comes back into the fold when he discovers that Adrian Toomes is Liz’s father. Before he goes to the door, he is eager and excited for his big date, feeling like a normal kid, but once Toomes answers the door, the harsh reality of his double-life takes over once again. Peter is noticeably terrified the entire time he is there, and it is sad to watch a moment that should have brought him great joy only bring terror and dread. When Toomes puts together that Peter is Spider-Man, he asks Liz for a moment alone with Peter and threatens Peter and his loved ones unless he agrees to stay out of his business. Peter is forced to make a choice to either forget what happened and enjoy the dance with Liz or do the right thing and stop her father. Sadly, for Peter duty calls and he finds his old Spidey suit and goes after Vulture. Peter stops Vulture on his own without his advanced suit, proving his worth as Spider-Man and showing his growth.

The ultimate moment of growth for Peter is when he turns down Tony’s offer to become an Avenger. Peter’s goal throughout the film was to prove that he was worthy of being an Avenger and Tony was ready to give him what he wanted. But his previous experienced gave him newfound maturity and made him realize that he still has much to learn before he can join the Avengers. It’s a bold move on his part to turn down everything he had wanted but also shows a maturity that he would rather become an Avenger when he feels he is ready.


The Villain:
Adrian Toomes, known as the Vulture, is the owner of Bestman Salvage, a cleanup crew. He turned to a life of crime after losing his livelihood because of the creation of Damage Control, a joint venture between the federal government and Tony Stark. He and his crew spent four years stealing advanced weaponry and selling them on the black market. He is portrayed by Michael Keaton who does a great job of capturing the nice guy dad, the everyman worker, and the calculated and sinister villain, Vulture.

He represents the common man who feels wronged by the system. The opening scene establishes that he does what he does not for evil purposes but because he is trying to do right for his family and feels Stark and Damage Control have wronged him. It makes the audience relate to him and feel sympathy for him. As the film progresses, he descents more into a sinister villain. When Toomes tries to threaten Peter and everyone he loves, he becomes more intimidating and sinister. Although his intentions at first were pure, he has gone too far and that he wishes to kill to protect his family. It feels like Walter White’s dissension into villainy.

One of the highlights of the movie is when Peter arrives to pick up his date, Liz, for homecoming and is shocked to see Toomes answer the door. It was a shocking moment not only for Peter but for the audience. The tension is heightened when Toomes drives Peter and Liz and puts together that Peter is Spider-Man. Toomes gives Peter a look in the mirror that makes the audience feel the same fear that Peter feels. When he encounters Spider-Man before their final battle, Toomes calls out the unfairness that people like him are looked over and forced to pick up the scraps while the likes of Tony Stark sit on their pedestals. You understand his frustrations and anger but also see that he has taken his anger too far. Even though he says he wants to kill Peter, his actions and visual frustration show that he does not really want to but feels he must.

However, Toomes is redeemed in the end and remains an honorable man. In their final battle, Peter tries to warn him that his suit is going to explode and after it does, Peter saves Toomes. Even though the man threatened him and his family, Peter still saved his life and did the right thing. In the post-credit scene, when Toomes’ buyer from earlier asks him about Spider-Man’s identity, Toomes pretends that he does not know, repaying his debt to Peter and protecting him. He is not an evil man, he is a man who was driven to crime out of anger and frustration and despite his crimes, he does redeem himself in the end with this act.

Vulture is a villain I had been wanting to see in a Spider-Man film and he was handled with care and grace here. He is one of the more relatable villains and Michael Keaton’s performance captures his likability and sinister nature. He makes for a solid villain and a great antagonist and the way they connect him to both Spider-Man and Peter Parker is well done and shows the tragic implications that come from Peter’s double life.


The Film’s Pros:
Tom Holland

Since his first appearance in Civil War, Tom Holland nailed the role of Peter Parker and Spider-Man beautifully. Getting ahead of myself but Holland has proven himself to be the best Spider-Man. Although I will always have a place in for the Maguire movies and I do appreciate Andrew Garfield’s incarnation, Holland captures that perfect balance between the awkwardness of the teenaged Peter Parker and the annoying cockiness of Spider-Man. If you’re a supervillain, Spider-Man is one of the most annoying heroes to do battle with because of his constant quips during battle and Holland captures that perfectly. As Peter Parker, he's a nice kid trying to be good while as Spider-Man he is more confident and witty.

Another aspect that makes Holland shine is his young age. This time around e get a young teenager trying to balance a normal teenage life while also having superpowers. While Maguire and Garfield’s characters were also supposed to be young teenagers, they still felt more like adults than a teenager. Holland’s performance captures that young teenager spirit that young audiences can identify with. Even though I was in college when this film came out, I could relate to this Peter Parker because I had experienced the same pressures that teenagers in high school felt. I can imagine how young teenagers now can relate to him as they currently go through that phase.

What really makes Holland shine is the fact that he is an interesting Peter Parker and an interesting Spider-Man. We sympathize with Peter as he is trying to balance a normal life while doing what is right. He wants to take part in normal teenage activities but his responsibilities as Spider-Man is always getting in the way. The struggle of Spider-Man is always about balance, and he is always forced to put aside his desires to what is right and protect the ones he cares for. Holland gets that struggle across well while being very likable. In his first solo outing as Spider-Man, he makes a very great impression and earned his place as a worthy addition to the MCU.


Skips the Origin Story
Like the recent film The Batman, Spider-Man: Homecoming chooses to skip the hero’s origin and get right into the action. With the Amazing Spider-Man 2, only have been released just 3 years prior, Spider-Man was still fresh in people’s minds, so another origin story was not needed. Given that there have already been two other Spider-Man franchises that have told the same origin story along with the existence of multiple animated shows, most people already know the story. The kid gets bit by a radioactive spider and gets spider powers. The film makes the right choice to skip ahead and just show us Spider-Man being Spider-Man. By not wasting time establishing this new Spider-Man, we get to spend more time with him and grow a connection with him. His appearance in Civil War was a small taste and now with this film, we get the whole meal. Well, part of the whole meal..



The Film’s Cons:
Least Consequential Spidey Film in the MCU
This isn’t a flaw that hurts the experience of the film but rather a flaw that explains why this film isn’t talked about as much as Far From Home or No Way Home. Of the MCU Spider-Man trilogy, Homecoming is the least consequential film in relation to the whole MCU and lacks the stakes and weight that would come in later films.

There is a reason for that though and it is more of a legal reason than a creative one. At that time, the relationship between Sony and Marvel Studios was still new and the fact that Sony agreed to let Spider-Man appear in the MCU was a shocker. So given that the new relationship wasn’t rocked solid, it’s easy to see why Marvel didn’t want to tie Spider-Man too heavily into the MCU in case the deal ever fell through. Which ironically happened for a bit after Far From Home.

In terms of the bigger picture of the MCU, Homecoming suffers a similar issue as The Incredible Hulk and Iron Man 2. I hate to even compare it to those two as it is a far superior film to those two films. However, in the grand scheme of the MCU, nothing really happens in Homecoming that affects it. You could easily skip Homecoming and not miss anything important. In my watch-through of the MCU with my girlfriend, I accidentally skipped Homecoming and went straight to Thor Ragnarok and upon reflecting on it, I realized you can easily skip this movie and not miss anything.

Both Far From Home and No Way Home, tie more into the grand scheme of the Marvel Universe and have major events occurring in them that affect the rest of the universe and have more stakes to them. Homecoming feels like more of a self-contained adventure rather than a piece of a bigger world or if anything is a small piece of a bigger world. It is not completely insignificant, but it doesn’t leave as big of an impact as the later films and tends to get lost in the shuffle of Marvel films as a result.

But just because you can skip this film, doesn’t mean that you should. It may not have the stakes that the sequels and other Marvel films have, but it is still a fun adventure and gives fans what they want to see, Spider-Man being Spider-Man.



Final Thoughts
Spider-Man: Homecoming still holds up as a great film and was a great way to bring our favorite web-slinger into the MCU Family. It is a film that “stays close to the ground” and lacks the weight and epic feel of its sequels and even earlier Spider-Man films. Despite all that, it is still a great first step in the new Spider-Man trilogy and while you can skip it and not miss anything, I would still recommend watching it. After the disappointing reception to The Amazing Spider-Man films, Homecoming felt like a breath of fresh air and gave fans the fun blockbuster Spider-Man film they wanted. Tom Holland’s performance was the highlight of the film, and he stuck the landing. He proved himself as a likable lead and worthy of being everyone’s Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man.

The Spider-Man MCU trilogy goes for the slow burn effect and lets us get to know Holland’s Spider-Man and identify with him before launching him into bigger and more emotionally heavy stories. Homecoming is the first step in that slow burn and takes it easier than the sequels. It lets us see Spider-Man being Spider-Man without having to give us a backstory once again and reestablish the hero. It gives us Spider-Man right off the bat and just lets us join in his experiences. It is a great effort that gets audiences invested in the character and excited to see him in more films.

While it may not be the biggest of Spider-Man films, Homecoming is still a great film and fun time to be had. If you love Spider-Man or the Marvel Universe, this film blends them together beautifully and sets up for even greater things to come. Give it a watch and swing on in for a fun adventure with your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man.




MCU Revisit: Thor: Ragnarok
Review written by Christian Garcia


Introduction:
Thor: Ragnarok is considered by most Marvel fans to be the best of the Thor films. I would also agree with that statement. I loved it when it first came out and have watched it many times. Of the Thor films, this is the one I have experienced the most.

I have not watched it in some time though and so many years later, does this film still hold up? Let’s see.


Hero’s Journey:
Thor’s journey in Ragnarok is that of a classic epic akin to The Odyssey. The hero journeys home while encountering threats along the way. Mix in some comedy and tragedy and you have the first Thor film to feel like a grand epic.

The film begins with Thor battling Surtur to prevent Ragnarok, the destruction of Asgard. It drops the viewer in the middle of one journey and then segues into the next phase of his journey. Thor follows the trend of most epics of avoiding destiny. Thor’s goal throughout all three films has been to protect Asgard and Ragnarok brings the fourth the greatest threat in his sister Hela. She destroys his hammer, Mjolnir and before it can escalate, Loki calls upon the Bifrost to bring them back to Asgard. Hela jumps in the Bifrost and expels both Thor and Loki, leaving her to Asgard for the taking. Thor is sent to the junkyard planet of Sakaar and is taken prisoner by Valkyrie for the Grandmaster. A classic trope of the hero being exiled from home and having to find a way back. He is forced by the Grandmaster to battle his “Champion” who later is revealed to be The Hulk. He then tries to convince Hulk to help him get back home, but the Hulk doesn’t want to leave Sakaar as he is revered there and hated on Earth.

Hulk goes through his own arc as we discover that he has been Hulk since the battle in Sokovia and refuses to change back into Banner. Valkyrie also has her own arc as she used to be a proud Asgardian warrior but after being defeated by Hela and having to watch her fellow Valkyries be killed, she’s become a recluse alcoholic. Thor helps them overcome their issues and the three of them plot an escape from Sakaar and make it back to Asgard.

Thor battles Hela but is bested and even blinded in one eye by her. Like in the first film, Thor comes to his lowest moment as Hela forces him to watch his people be killed by her army. He sees a vision of his father and says he is nothing without his hammer. His father reminds him that the hammer was only created to help him control his powers and not the source and reminds him that he is the God of Thunder. In his fight with the Hulk earlier, Thor unleashed an unknown power of Thunder that beat the Hulk. After the encouragement of his father, he unleashes that power again and uses it to lay waste to Hela’s army. However, even after that, he admits that he cannot beat Hela, so he plans to unleash Ragnarok on Asgard leading to its destruction along with Hela’s.

The lesson that Thor is told by his father Odin, in the end, is that Asgard is not a place, it never was. At the beginning of the film in his final words to Thor, Odin calls the area in Norway home and says this could be Asgard. It’s like the old saying, “home is where you make it.” A simple lesson but an important one. Thor realizes that the only way to save Asgard (the people) is to unleash Ragnarok, the destruction of Asgard. In great epic irony, destiny is fulfilled in the destruction of Asgard but is also used to protect Thor’s people. The film ends with Thor, Valkyrie, Loki, Banner, and Heimdall leading the people of Asgard to a new home, which was hinted by Thor and his father to be that spot in Norway.
Thor’s journey taught him about the power that he has within and changed the way he looked at Asgard. He learned Asgard is about the people and not the place and that its legacy will last if its people do. It fulfills Thor’s desires to do good and protect his people although in an unconventional way. He comes out of this film a more experienced and rounded hero having discovered his true power and finding a new purpose.

My girlfriend described it as a movie that questions the integrity of the family and solidifies the character's loyalty to being either honorable or evil. Thor's father made awful decisions in his past when he and Hela fought for conquest. He realized the error of his ways and banished her, but his choices had major consequences that affected Thor and the rest of Asgard. This knocks Odin off the pedestal that Thor held him on, but he still accepts that his father was a flawed man. Even though he was flawed, he was still honorable and made choices for the betterment of others. Like Thor in the first film, he was flawed and made bad decisions but, in the end, he did what was right and became a more honorable god. Even Loki makes a choice to help his brother rather than betray him again. Thor chooses to use his power for good while Hela would rather use it for evil which is why he says he cannot let her take the throne. Thor made a choice in the end that although it led to the destruction of his home, it did give his people a chance to live on and start a new home.

However, the post-credit scene strongly suggests that their journey may not go as they had planned….


The Villain:
Hela is the oldest daughter of Odin and the goddess of Death. She helped Odin conquer many before being banished to Hel when Odin had a change of heart. Upon his death, she is released and ready to claim the throne of Asgard and conquer the 9 realms and beyond. She resurrects the army of Berserkers and plots to turn Asgard into an Empire and conquer the other realms.

Her outer goal is simply to conquer and finish what she and Odin started. Her motivation is both of ambition to finish what she started and anger and resentment towards her father Odin. She shows her disgust towards her father many times and calls him a hypocrite. When she enters the Royal Palace, she is disgusted by the new mural in the ceiling and destroys it to reveal the original mural showing her and Odin conquering the Nine Realms. Before their final battle, Thor and Hela discuss their father and his faults. Thor tells her he understands her rage and accepts it but also tells her that she still cannot rule Asgard.

Of all the villains that Thor has encountered, she is the most threatening. Upon her first appearance, she makes her mark immediately by destroying Thor’s hammer. Thor and Loki are so shocked by this display of power that Loki calls upon the Bifrost to bring them back to Asgard so he can flee. When she arrives on Asgard, she makes quick work of Thor’s friends and lays waste to the Asgardian army. In the final battle with Thor, she proves to be the superior warrior and stabs out his eye in battle. Even after unlocking his true power, Thor is still not able to defeat her on his own and even admits to it. He is only able to defeat her in the end by calling upon Surtur to unleash Ragnorok and destroy Asgard along with Hela. The idea of the hero having to call upon a bigger threat to destroy the first threat is funny, creative, and speaks to the power that Hela possesses.

Hela is by far the best of the Thor villains being memorable for her power, her backstory, and even her comedic moments. She is played by Cate Blanchett who does an incredible job and at times is almost unrecognizable. Her design is very cool with the way she can manipulate her hair into a spiked crown and after two films with bland and forgettable villains, she is a breath of fresh air.



The Film’s Pros:
The Humor

Out of all the Thor films, Ragnarok feels like it has the most personality. The humor of this film is easily its strongest aspect and what makes it the most enjoyable of the Thor trilogy. From the opening scene, this film packs the humor. From Thor awkwardly swinging around the chains to his banter with the Hulk to Korg’s one-liners, and of course, Jeff Goldblum, this film made me laugh so much. Chris Hemsworth’s personality was able to shine more and give Thor more personality beyond the honorable God. His facial expressions made a lot of his jokes hit and hit hard. The highlight of this was when Thor squirms in the chair begging the Grandmaster’s men not to cut his hair.

Watching this film right after Guardians Vol. 2, I noticed a similarity in the blend of humor and action. Ragnarok packs the awesome action with laugh-out-loud humor. It felt a lot like a Guardians of the Galaxy film and in a strange way it works for Thor.

Where I thought Thor: The Dark World had no personality and was completely forgettable, this film packs the personality and is one that I’ll never forget.


More Epic Feel to Thor
Looking back at the first films, they both lacked an epic feel. The first film spent more time on Earth and went for a fish-out-of-water style of storytelling. While the sequel did spend some more time in Asgard but felt empty and dull. Ragnarok learns from the mistakes of those films and sets Thor in an epic story and the most epic feeling of any of the films.

There is rarely a dull moment in this film and after having to endure Thor: The Dark World that was entirely dull, it is much appreciated. The film takes the media's res approach to the storytelling, reminiscent of Greek tragedies, and is very fitting for Thor and a welcome change of pace. It opens with a battle between Thor and Surtur that is so awesome to behold and lets you know right away that this is the beginning of an epic tale.

And again, that is just the opening scene! There are so many awesome battles in this film including the battle between Thor and the Hulk at the Grand Arena and of course the final battle in Asgard. Watching Thor, Hulk, Loki, and Valkyrie take on the Berserkers on the bridge while “Immigrant Song” by Led Zepplin plays is the perfect way to top off the epic adventure that is this film.

Ragnarok brings the fun and action from start to finish and gives fans what they’ve wanted to see: Thor being awesome and doing awesome things. Thor’s god status had fans clamoring for a more epic approach to his films and Ragnarok gives them that epic feels while also balancing the comedy and dramatic moments.



The Film’s Cons:
Drastic Change in Tone

Now I know I just said that the humor was the strongest element of the film. However, I must admit that this is a drastic change in tone from the previous films and one that not everyone will get on board with. A drastic change in tone can sometimes catch a fanbase off guard and for some be a turn-off. I personally think the change in tone is a positive and injects new life into the franchise. Others may not see it that way though. The Thor films did need an improvement in personalities as the first film had some but not enough to stand out while the second film lacked any personality. So, giving more personality to the third installment was much needed. But what kind of personality people wanted, depends on your taste.

The first Thor film was more serious in its tone with a little bit of humor sprinkled in there. Thor was a God and man who took things seriously. In the Avengers, he was more of the badass who worked off the humor of those around him. So, to suddenly go from being a serious character to a very humorous one can be jarring for the audience. And while Thor: The Dark World showed that the direction the Thor films were heading in was not what fans wanted, one could argue if going the path of humor is what they wanted either? When most people think of Thor, do they envision wisecracks and jokes about who the strongest avenger is? Or would they envision a grand epic tale akin to an old Greek tragedy?

While I personally, love the more humorous Thor, I am sure that there are some fans out there who don’t love it as much as I do. My roommate always tells me he enjoys Ragnarok more than the other Thor films, but he doesn’t love it. This is another case of different strokes for different folks. If you like a Thor film with more humor and that takes itself less seriously then this is the film for you. If you prefer a Thor with more epicness and less humor, this may not be the film for you.


Skurge:
Skurge is introduced as the replacement Guardian of the Bifrost but is then relegated to the janitor. When Hela arrives on Asgard she appoints him as her executioner. He could have been another threat to Thor and a story of someone proving their worth. Even though they try to give him the redemption arc, he was not likable off the bat, his actions were very predictable, and he was not a very convincing henchman. Unfortunately for him, he only proved to be a weak and unremarkable character. He could have not been in the film at all, and it would not have affected anything.

Other Notes
Disposing of Thor’s God Friends

This is more of an observation than a flaw that hurts the film, but I was not a fan of the way that they disposed of Thor’s God friends. I know not everyone in a Marvel film will live forever, but after these characters were given time and focus in the first two films, the way they were just killed off in this film caught me off guard. I remember when Hela kills Volstagg and Fandral with such ease, I was thinking, “That was easy.” It felt like director, Taika Waititi was wiping the slate clean of all remnants of the previous films.


Final Thoughts
Thor Ragnarok still holds up as a great film and is easily the most enjoyable Thor film in the franchise. Director, Taika Waititi’s approach paid off as it is the highest-grossing Thor film and it's easy to see why. It's a fun adventure and re-established Thor as one of the coolest Marvel heroes. Waititi is returning for the next installment of Thor: Love and Thunder and I am excited to see what he does next and see how he can evolve Thor even more.

Is it a perfect film? No. The drastic change in tone may be off-putting to some fans. But you can tell that the filmmakers and cast had fun making this film and it shows in their performances. If I were to describe this film in just one word, it would be FUN.

Where the previous films felt either just okay or incredibly boring and unremarkable, this is the first time a Thor film that had me and many fans say, “That was awesome.” I had fun watching it the first time and I had fun watching it again. My girlfriend loved the funnier approach to Thor and called it her favorite Thor film.

If you have yet to see a Thor film, this is easily the one to check out. It’s got great action, great characters, lots of jokes and a fun time to be had.




MCU Revisit: Black Panther
Review written by Christian Garcia

Introduction:
In 2018, Black Panther took the world by storm. Critics loved it, audiences loved it, and it received all the love and praise even getting nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars. Of all the Marvel films, this is the one that had the most hype and felt like a landmark in cinema. I saw it when it came out and loved it, but I have not gone back and watched it since then.

I remember at the time thinking it was great, but Infinity War surpassed it for me personally. All these years later, with the hype dying down, is this film still as great as everyone says?
Let’s take a trip back to Wakanda and get a better look.


The Hero:
T'Challa is the newly crowned King of Wakanda and as King, he is given the power of the Black Panther, the protector of Wakanda.

He is first introduced in Captain America: Civil War, where we witness the death of his father, T’Chaka. He pursues Bucky Barnes and is set on exacting revenge but by the end of the film realizes that vengeance is consuming him and chooses not to go that path.

He fights with honor and treats people, even his enemies, with respect. When his enemy M’Baku challenges him for the throne, T’Challa bests him and spares his life. When he has Klaue in his grips, he thinks about killing him but upon seeing people recording him, decides against it.

He adores his father and when he visits him on the Ancestral Plane, he seeks his advice and guidance. His father and previous kings all worked to protect Wakanda from the rest of the world and keep them hidden and safe and it is now his duty to do the same.



The Hero’s Journey:
T’Challa’s journey throughout the film is about deciding what kind of king he wants to be.
His father and all kings before him did everything to protect Wakanda and keep them hidden from the rest of the world. At first, T’Challa wants to be like his father who he holds in high regard. From the moment he becomes king, he is constantly under scrutiny. Many pushes for him to take Wakanda out of hiding and use their resources to help others. His ex-Nakia calls him to do so as does his friend W’Kabi.

When the opportunity comes to capture Klaue, T’Challa’s followers want him to get justice and kill Klaue and at one point he does consider it but upon seeing people are recording him, he doesn’t go through with it. Because he doesn’t kill Klaue, W’Kabi and others call him weak.

T’Challa’s view of his father changes after learning the truth about Erik Stevens’ identity. He learns that Erik is the son of his uncle whom his father killed to protect Zuri and his father had ordered Zuri to never tell anyone about it to keep the lie. This is where T’Challa becomes disillusioned with protecting the lie knowing that it went as far as leading to his father killing his own brother and abandoning his nephew. Like Thor and Hela in Thor: Ragnarok, T’Challa understands Erik’s anger and rage but also knows that it has consumed him and that he would not be right to lead.

Erik, going by Killmonger, arrives in Wakanda with the body of Klaue and immediately challenges T’Challa for the throne. During the battle, Zuri tries to intervene and gets killed. After killing Zuri, Killmonger hurls T’Challa over the waterfall presumably killing him, and takes the throne.

However, T’Challa is found by M’Baku and kept alive in repayment for sparing his life earlier. Nakia, Shuri, Ross, and T'Challa's mother Ramonda go to M’Baku for help, and he reveals T’Challa to them. They give him the last of the heart-shaped herb. While in his comatose state, T’Challa confronts his father and admonishes him for his past actions. T’Chaka tells him he did what he did for his people and to allow Wakanda to stay hidden. T’Challa rejects this saying that they cannot hide forever and says he cannot join them because he must stop the monster that they created from taking the throne. It’s a great lesson in learning from past mistakes to grow and not make them again.

T’Challa returns to confront Killmonger. In their final battle, T’Challa mortally wounds Killmonger but shows him mercy by taking him to see the sunset of Wakanda which had been a childhood wish of Erik’s. T’Challa offers to heal him but Erik chooses to die a free man rather than live to be a prisoner. Although Killmonger’s plans were too extreme, T’Challa did see his point in using the resources and technology of Wakanda to help people rather than keep it for themselves. He makes the bold choice to end Wakanda’s isolation and even establishes an embassy in Oakland, California in the building where Erik and his father lived. In the end, T’Challa becomes the kind of king that learns from the mistakes of the past kings and makes a choice that breaks tradition but is done so for the best interest of the rest of the world. He decides that Wakanda is done hiding from the world and now they’re going to try to improve it.



The Villain:
Erik Stevens is a former US Navy SEAL of Wakandan origin. He earned the name Killmonger for his impressive kill record while serving. He is the son of Prince N’Jobu, brother of King T’Chaka.

His father was murdered by his uncle after N’Jobu attempted to kill Zuri for outing him for his crimes against Wakanda. Erik was left alone to fend for himself after the death of his father and dedicated his life to dethroning his cousin T’Challa and completing his father’s mission of using Wakanda’s Vibranium technology to give people of African descent a chance to fight back against oppression.



The Film’s Pros:
Cultural Impact

Black Panther was a major cultural event when it first came out. It was a major event for Marvel fans, movie fans, and the Black community. It was the first Marvel film with a Black director and a predominately Black cast. It was so well received that a campaign was launched to get it nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards which it ultimately was.

Of the Marvel films, it is the most culturally significant of Marvel films and is hailed as a celebration of Black Culture and Black empowerment. The world of Wakanda takes elements of African culture and African American culture and creates a world that feels fresh and unique from other Marvel films.

The conflicting views between Black Panther and Killmonger are representative of the different ideological debates that exist amongst the black community. This film was not afraid to ask tough questions and make audiences think.

This film gave the black community another hero to latch onto as a symbol of hope and empowerment. The acceptance that the world had towards Black Panther was beautiful to witness. It was great to see people of all races shouting “Wakanda Forever” and crossing their arms. It was cool to hear Black Panther being praised on the same levels as Iron Man or Batman or Superman.

When Chadwick Boseman passed away, it hurt. It hurt me, and all Marvel fans but especially the black community. But that loss also brought a beautiful moment seeing all the love and appreciation for him pour out. This film made him into a King and the world accepted and loved him like one. I remember smiling at the touching tribute Insomniac Games put for him at the end of Spider-Man: Miles Morales.



Best Marvel Villain that isn’t Thanos
Killmonger is one of the best villains in the Marvel Universe. The lengths that he goes to get what he wants shows how much his anger and rage have consumed him. He kills Klaue and even his own girlfriend without any hesitation. His anger comes from his feeling of abandonment from the Royal Family as T’Chaka killed his father and abandoned him to protect the lie. What makes a great villain is understanding their motivation. Even if you disagree with their ways, if you can understand why they do the things that they do and why they think what they’re doing is right, you have a great villain.

While Chadwick Boseman does an excellent job in this film, Michael B. Jordan steals the show. He captures the anger and hurt that Killmonger carries perfectly and makes for a sympathetic yet terrifying character. In his initial introduction, you see him as a smart guy getting over the ignorant museum employees and as the film progresses, his fiercer nature creeps in. When he arrives in Wakanda, he makes his presence known and when he faces T’Challa, he asserts his dominance and proves why he is a real threat to him. My girlfriend was genuinely afraid after Killmonger threw T’Challa over the water. When I reviewed Iron Man 2, I mentioned how Ivan Vanko was ruined off the bat by being bested by Iron Man in their first encounter. Black Panther did the opposite and had Killmonger beat the T’Challa in a dominant fashion which solidified him as a threat. This helped build to their rematch later and is a prime example of how to properly build up a villain.

Having seen Jordan in Creed, he has proven he can play the role of a man who has lost and keeps fighting despite that pain. The difference is here he plays it to a more sociopathic level than in his work as Adonis Creed. And while Killmonger is a villain as his plans are going to cause more harm than good, Jordan’s performance still makes you feel sympathy for him, and you can see that he believes what he is doing is the right thing.

The two emotional highlights for Jordan in the film are when he sees his father in the Ancestral Plane and his final moments before his death. When he tells T’Challa about his childhood wish to see the Wakandan sunset, you feel for him despite what he had done. You feel his pain and anguish. I remember when I watched it the first time, I felt bad for him and didn’t want him to die. His final words are powerful and show how even in death, he stuck to his convictions. He chooses to die as a free man rather than live as a prisoner. It is a touching end to one of the best characters to come through the MCU.



The Film’s Cons:
Bad CGI

While I said that the final battle between Black Panther and Killmonger was epic, the CGI in that final battle was anything but epic. It was the worst use of CGI in a Marvel film since the CGI on Chris Evans in the first Captain America film. However, while that was laughably bad this was just bad. It looked like something out of a PlayStation 3 game and took me out of the illusion. It reminded me of the CG in the first Sam Raimi Spider-Man film.

However, while this is a noticeable flaw. It is a minor flaw that doesn’t hurt the film as a whole and it's only on screen for a few moments. I have also heard that apparently, this was due to a time constraint issue and that they ran out of time to properly do it correctly. Regardless, it’s more of a funny flaw than a serious issue that would hurt the experience.


Final Thoughts:
Black Panther is a film that holds up as a Marvel classic and one of their best films. Their excellent building of the world of Wakanda sets it apart and creates a unique cultural experience unlike any Marvel film before it.

It has a great cast who all put in great performances. It solidified Chadwick Boseman as a Marvel Icon and is a great reminder of the talent of an excellent actor who left us way too soon. I like most fans am interested in how Marvel will handle his absence in the upcoming sequel Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.

It is a great piece of Marvel history and of cinematic history. It’s an experience you won’t find anywhere else and stands on its own as an important piece of cinema. Of all the Marvel films, it is one that is more than worth checking out.

Black Panther made a big splash back in 2018 and that is still felt today. I thought it was great to see how celebrated it was back then and I still think it should be celebrated today and I know that it will be for years to come.

Wakanda Forever.




MCU Revisit: Avengers: Infinity War
Review written by Christian Garcia

Introduction:
Today I’m looking at what I believe to be the best Marvel film, Avengers: Infinity War. I’m jumping the gun here but my experience seeing Infinity War for the first time is one of the greatest experiences I’ve had at a movie theatre and one that I will never forget. The film left me and my friend speechless.

It was the biggest gathering of Marvel characters in history (at the time) and was the biggest event for Marvel fans. Of the Marvel films, this is one I have seen many times. In this recent watch-through of Marvel movies, this was the movie I was most excited to show to my girlfriend and her reaction did not disappoint.

For this review, I’m going to do things a little differently. I’m going to shift the focus of the hero’s journey to Thanos as this film is really his movie to shine and I have a lot to say about their handling of him as a villain and character. Also, for anyone who has yet to see this film I am warning you now that there will be heavy spoilers here so if you’ve yet to watch it, stop reading this review and just go watch it!

Jumping the gun again but this film does still hold up and we’re going to take a look as to why.



The Hero:
Thanos is a warlord from the planet Titan seeking out the six Infinity Stones, the strongest sources of power in the universe. He is equipped with a gauntlet that will allow him to yield the stones’ great power. He believes that the universe is finite and that its resources are finite, and that the universe would end up destroying itself. Because of this belief, he has decided to use the power of the Infinity Stones to wipe out half of the universe.



Thanos' Journey:
Thanos’ goal is to gather all six stones and use them to wipe out half the universe at the snap of his fingers.

Thanos’ goal stems from witnessing the destruction of his planet Titan after it fell out of balance. The population grew out of control and their resources became drained and his people suffered. He believes that when the universe falls out of balance that half of its existence needs to be wiped out for it to correct itself and regain balance. He believes wiping out half of the population at random gives everyone a fair chance. Most people see him as a madman while he sees himself as the only one who knows to fix the issue and the only one with the will to act on it. This strong belief led him to travel from planet to planet wiping out half of the population and in his mind bringing back balance to the world.

Throughout his journey, Thanos talks about destiny and having to make hard choices. He says “the hardest choices require the strongest wills.” This declaration is tested when he is forced to make the ultimate sacrifice to get the Soul Stone. To obtain the stone, he must sacrifice what he loves. In the case of Thanos, that is his adopted daughter Gamora. Before they arrive at Vormir, we see a few instances that show Thanos does care for her including the scene in which he first finds her and takes her in. Even though he is wiping out half her planet, it is a touching scene showing him shielding the innocent child from the horrors of his acts. It shows that he does have some compassion.

When the moment comes for him to sacrifice her, he sheds tears for her and tells her that he cannot ignore his destiny, even for her. This is the moment where he becomes completely consumed by his obsession to fulfill a greater purpose. It is interesting to see the villain having made a choice that would normally fall upon a hero. The choice between what they desire and what they feel is right. Thanos believes that what he is doing is right for the universe and that he is the only one with the will to act on it.

After obtaining the Soul Stone, he returns to Titan where he is confronted by Doctor Strange, Iron Man, Spider-Man, and the Guardians of the Galaxy (minus Rocket and Groot). When first confronting Strange, he makes the comment about how after he wipes out the universe at the snap of his fingers that he will finally rest and wake up to a grateful universe. One can look at this comment as a sign of the mental and physical toll that his quest for the Stones has taken on him. You can also see it in the way that he battles as the film progresses, he uses the Stones more to his advantage. He is almost bested on Titan but his strong will and Peter Quill’s emotions getting the better of him, allow him to overpower them all. He almost kills Tony Stark but is given the Time Stone by Doctor Strange in exchange for Tony’s life. Thanos shows he is a man of his word as once he has the stone; he does spare Tony and leaves.

When he arrives on Earth, he easily overpowers the Avengers and in a cruel and brutal manner, rips the Mind Stone from Vision’s head. Before he does so, he says to Wanda that he’s lost more that day than she could ever know showing that the entire experience did take a heavy toll on him. He is attacked by Thor and stabbed by Stormbreaker and wounded. However, he taunts Thor that he should have gone for his head and snaps his fingers. When he snaps his fingers, he is brought to the Soulworld, (the world within the Soul Stone) where he is alone but then sees Gamora as a little girl and tells her he completed his task. She asks him at what cost, and he simply replies, “Everything.” He vanishes using the Space Stone and escapes to his garden, while half the universe begins to disappear.

The film ends with Thanos sitting in a peaceful-looking hut overlooking a beautiful horizon, waking up to the grateful world as he claimed, and smiling, knowing his task was completed. It is a beautiful scene to end on despite his actions having major consequences leaving the Avengers in despair over their failure to stop him and the rest of the world from suffering, while he sits there in peace and smiles. Not many films have the villain win in the end, so it is always a gut-punch feeling when they do. Even though he is the villain, the way the story is carried out and ends, it is really Thanos who is on the hero’s journey and the ending is the satisfying conclusion that would come to most epic heroes.



The Film’s Pros:
Thanos

Thanos is the best villain that Marvel has had. He is built up well as a threat, has complex and interesting motives, and is the most memorable villain they’ve ever had.

In the first scene, he establishes his dominance showing he has already vanquished Thor and he asserts that dominance when he decimates the Hulk in battle. Taking down two of the strongest Avengers sets him up as the biggest threat the Avengers have ever come across and his defeat of the Hulk was so dominant that the Hulk refuses to come out for the rest of the film. This sets the tone for what viewers can expect as he is unlike any other villain they’ve seen before.

The film makes the choice to give Thanos more screen time compared to past villains and because of that choice, the viewer gets to know him more and understand him. Given the weight and threat that he carries as well as the fact that he has been built up in other films, it was the best decision to give Thanos more screen time compared to the heroes. The audience gets enough to understand what kind of villain he is and why he thinks the way he does.

After an array of villains that ranged from average to a few gems like Loki, Ego, Hela, and Killmonger, Thanos is the Marvel villain that fans have been waiting for. He is the first villain to come around that felt like an unstoppable threat and his victory, in the end, left fans speechless and wondering how anyone can stop him. As I said before, not many movies have ended with victory for the villain but when they do it is a gut punch feeling but is also great as it builds anticipation for how the heroes will come back to win the day. Giving him a dominant debut helped build the hype for the follow-up film Endgame. After finishing this film, my girlfriend is beyond excited to get to Endgame as she wants to know what will happen and how Thanos is going to be defeated.

Josh Brolin gives an incredible performance capturing the sinister and tragic side of the mighty villain. The way he speaks shows that he is more than a destructive brute. He comes across as calculating and as someone who has put a lot of thought into his plan as well as an individual who has endured a heavy toll. It is the best performance in the film, which is big because the cast of this film brings their A-game. He stuck the landing perfectly and left his mark as by far the best Marvel villain and one that will be a tough act to follow.



The Ending
I have called my first viewing of Infinity War the greatest experience I have ever had in a cinema and the biggest reason for that is the emotional gut punch that is the ending. The entire film is a roller coaster of emotions from the very beginning. When Thanos kills Loki and Heimdall, it tells us right away that this film isn’t playing around and that we are in for a wild ride. Going into the film, I had the expectation that a few characters were going to die, but the ending brought more deaths than I could have ever imagined and handled.

After Thanos snaps his fingers, we witness firsthand the consequences of it as we watch some of our favorite characters vanish. It starts with Bucky, then a few Wakandan soldiers, and then takes the hurt up a notch by adding Black Panther, Groot, Wanda, and Falcon. The hurt only continues when the list grows to add Mantis, Drax, Quill, and Doctor Strange. And then the biggest gut punch is when Peter Parker says, “Mr. Stark, I don’t feel so good,” and it only continues as he begs Tony for help before finally vanishing leaving Tony Stark sitting in his failure feeling completely traumatized. Seeing all these characters vanish before our very eyes were so shocking and the fact that the film ends on that note left me and my friend completely speechless. After the film let out, my friend and I sat in my car in silence as we tried to comprehend what we saw. It is a feeling that I will never forget.

When I showed this film to my girlfriend, she was left with a mix of emotions. Sadness having to see her favorites Groot and Doctor Strange die as well as Spider-Man. Anger that that was how the film ended. Denial constantly asking me that can’t be how it ends. And curiosity asking what happens now? It was fun to watch and made me smile seeing her get to experience the same rush of emotions that I had, and it also made me laugh seeing her act all sad at the fate of her favorite characters. After the film was over, she asked me to put on something fun and lighthearted so she could mentally recover. It was an experience that I was happy that I got to share with her, and I will always be thankful to this movie for making me experience such emotions.

It is not the first film to have an ending like this as films like Empire Strikes Back or the Red Wedding episode of Game of Thrones have ended on gut-punching cliffhangers. But this felt especially emotional because I had spent many years getting to know all these characters and to have half of them die was like losing people I knew. I grew attached to a lot of these characters and was emotionally invested in this film and to have it end on such a tragic note is something I had not experienced before. Most Marvel films before this always ended with the hero overcoming the odds and winning the day so to see a Marvel film end with the complete opposite was mind-blowing. Most Marvel films pack emotional moments, but they are mixed in humor, and cool action and are usually fun experiences. This was a much different experience and one that really paid off and showed that Marvel films can be so much more than just superhero fluff.

It is a moment that I will never forget and one that I am glad that I got to experience. I hope that others who watch through the MCU get to experience the same rush of emotions that this film provides.



The Biggest Gathering of Marvel Heroes (so far..)
Before it was even released, there was a massive hype behind Avengers: Infinity War mainly because it was being built up as the biggest gathering of Marvel heroes ever at that time. Fans were finally going to get what they wanted seeing all their favorite characters interreacting with each other. The Guardians of the Galaxy were going to meet the Avengers. Black Panther and Doctor Strange were going to join in on the action too. It was the ultimate Marvel crossover film that they had been building for 10 years and it did not disappoint.

The pairings in this film were done perfectly with the two egos of Tony Stark and Stephen Strange colliding, then adding in the goofiness of Starlord and the other Guardians and then the awkwardness of Peter Parker. We also got to see Rocket and Groot paired off with Thor which made for a fun and very compatible team-up. The first meeting of Starlord and Tony Stark was hilarious and led to a great joke by Drax.

When my girlfriend and I watched this film, I purposely did not tell her who was going to be in it so she could be surprised, and I am very happy that I did. Watching her get excited seeing Spider-Man and the Guardians of the Galaxy showing up brought a huge smile to my face.
For the longtime Marvel fans, Infinity War brings all your favorites (minus two...) and is the ultimate Marvel crossover... so far...



The Film’s Cons:
Confusing to Newcomers

This isn’t a flaw that hurts the film, but it is a crucial thing to keep in mind before watching it. To get the full experience of these films and to be completely emotionally invested in them, you will have had to have watched all the prior Marvel films. If you go into this film without having done so, you will be confused and will miss out on the ultimate Marvel experience.
Infinity War and Endgame are the ultimate film experiences for Marvel fans. They are the culmination of 10 years’ worth of storytelling into two epic films and because of that, there is a lot that a viewer will need to know going into them. The characters, the backstories, the worlds created, etc. There is a whole universe that the viewer will need to be aware of going into this movie.

If you were to start the Marvel films with Infinity War, you are missing out on the full experience. I had a friend who saw Infinity War without having watched many of the previous Marvel films and they said that they were confused at times and didn’t know who half the characters were. Of course, they still enjoyed the film and were shocked by the ending, but I felt bad that they missed out on the emotional roller coaster that the film brings you on, especially if you are emotionally invested in all the characters.

When I decided to show my girlfriend the Marvel films, my main goal was to have her see all the films before Infinity War. I wanted this for her so she could experience a similar feeling that I had when I first saw it. After we watched it, she told me she was happy that she did so and said that this was the most emotionally invested she had been in a Marvel film.
So, I strongly recommend to any newcomer to this film, please watch the other Marvel films before you watch this one. You are robbing yourself of an incredible and emotional experience by jumping into this one too early and I promise you that the wait is more than worth it.



Final Thoughts:
Avengers: Infinity War is the best of the Marvel films. It takes the action and humor that Marvel films are known for and ups the stakes and emotions tenfold. If you have watched the Marvel films prior to it, you are in for an emotional roller coaster that will have you excited, laughing, crying, and scared all at the same time. It is an experience only unique to this film and one that you will not find in any other Marvel film. Where some films lacked stakes and a sense of urgency, this film raises the stakes and the sense of urgency and like the characters, doesn’t allow the audience a chance to breathe. I mean that in a good way as it will keep you on the edge of your seat and by the end you will be emotionally spent. It brings all (minus two) of your favorite heroes into an epic adventure against their biggest threat yet. The ending harkens back to the old Saturday morning cartoons that would end with “To Be Continued...” yet this film does that while also ripping your heart out at the same time.

When I first began this revisit to the MCU, my goal was to have my girlfriend see all the Marvel films to get the full emotional experience that comes with Infinity War, and I am happy to say that she got that experience and got to experience great films beforehand. Infinity War is a great Part One in the final act of the Infinity Saga. It is a film that was built up over the course of 10 years and paid off very well going on to become the 5th highest-grossing film of all time.

However, to get the full experience of it, you will have had to have watched the previous Marvel films to get a full grasp on the story and characters. So, this is not a film that I would recommend starting with if you are looking to get into Marvel films. While some critics criticize it for that fact and see it as relying on other films for a story, this movie, and its follow-up Endgame, are more of an incentive to watch the other Marvel films. They are the culmination of 10 years’ worth of storytelling, and they pay off the characters and the fans who stuck by them all these years.

Infinity War is the best Marvel experience that you will get and a film experience that you will never forget. If you are looking to get into Marvel films, this film is an excellent incentive to do so. Watch through the other films first and then give this a watch and I promise you that the wait will be more than worth it.




MCU Revisit: Antman and the Wasp
Review written by Christian Garcia


Introduction:
Today I am reviewing the post-Infinity War palette cleanser film that is Ant-Man and the Wasp.

Releasing after the emotional roller coaster that was Avengers: Infinity War, Marvel decided to give its fans an emotional break with a film that focuses less on drama and just returns to fun action that reminds fans why they enjoy Marvel films, to begin with.

Ant-Man and the Wasp is a film that is more likely skipped in most Marvel watch-throughs and is a film that my girlfriend and I chose to skip because she was too excited to get to Endgame. I only saw the film once when it originally came out in theatres and thought it was a fun film and nothing more. After the emotionally charged ending of Infinity War, it was nice to get a Marvel film that went back to the simple and fun comic book action that we all know and love.

Years later, how does this film stand on its own? Let’s take a look at the sometimes-forgotten Ant-Man sequel, Ant-Man and the Wasp.



The Hero’s Journey:
Given that the title of the film is Ant-Man AND the Wasp, I figured I would focus on the journeys of both heroes. The Wasp is not thrown to the background and shares equal screen time and at times even steals the show.


Ant-Man’s Journey:
Taking place after Captain America: Civil War and before Infinity War, Scott Lang is under house arrest as a result of his involvement in the events of Civil War. Watching this film after the Covid-19 Pandemic, it was surreal watching Scott Lang experience what we all experienced during lockdown two years before it would happen in real life. Lang is strained from Hank Pym and Hope because of his choice to go and aid Captain America without letting them know. Scott’s sentence is two days from being completed and all he wants is to wait it out so he can spend time with his daughter Cassie, outside of his house.

However, a mysterious dream he has gets him tangled back up with Hope and Pym. After Scott successfully returned from the Quantum Realm in the first film, Hank and Hope were given hope of finding Hank’s long-lost wife and Hope’s mother, Janet. After having a dream about Janet and calling Hank about it, Scott finds himself kidnapped by Hope and Hank who wish to build a Quantum tunnel so they can journey to the Quantum Realm and find Janet. They leave a giant ant decoy at Scott’s house to not jeopardize his house arrest and they set out to get the final piece that will get their tunnel up and running.

Scott just wants to get back home so he can get free of his house arrest sentence and return to his life. Throughout the film, Scott is mostly concerned about himself and getting home before the feds catch him breaking his house arrest. It’s like the story of a kid who sneaks out and wants to get home before his parents catch him but then things escalate beyond their control as seen in films like License to Drive. Sadly, for Scott, things don’t go as smoothly as he’d like as they get chased by Ava Starr aka Ghost as well as Sonny Burch and his gang of criminals. As things get more out of control, Scott becomes more anxious to want to go home and call it a day. His loyalty to Hank and feelings for Hope keep him by their side and as the film progresses, Scott and Hope begin to rekindle their relationship.

After they retrieve the Lab and get the Tunnel up and running, Hank and Hope contact Janet who communicates with them through Scott in one of the film’s funniest and heartfelt moments. The moment is cut short after Scott finds out that both the Feds and Ghost are heading toward them. With the Feds closing in, Scott leaves Hope and Hank to rush home in a moment that seems to break them apart again. Scott chooses himself again and it results in Hope and Hank getting captured by the Feds while Ghost steals the Lab.

Scott makes it home just in time, but his guilt gets the better of him. He and Cassie have a talk where she says he needs a partner to watch his back. At first, Cassie suggests herself but Scott tells her he would never want her mixed up in his life as Ant-Man. She then tells him that he needs Hope and that she would be a good fit. This is an important moment for Scott as he has been torn between his two lives because he enjoys his work with Hank and Hope, but he also wants to be a good father and be there for Cassie. Everything he does, he does for Cassie and this moment was her giving him the okay to pursue his other life as Ant-Man.

He uses trained ants to break Hope and Hank out of prison and they reunite to retrieve the Lab. After a fun and action-packed climax, Hope and Hank are reunited with Janet and Hope and Scott rekindles their romance. Scott’s house arrest sentence ends, and he gets what he wants, to return to his life, but this time he now has two lives with Cassie and with Hope. The last scene shows Scott, Hope, and Cassie spending time together at a movie, getting what he wanted and they all live happily ever…..oh if only it were that simple…


SPOILER WARNING!!!!!!


In the mid-credit scene, Scott is with Hank, Hope, and Janet in a newly built portable Quantum tunnel. They are there to extract energy from the Quantum Realm to help cure Ava’s condition. Scott enters the Quantum Realm again and successfully collects the energy needed. Hope counts him down but suddenly their connection is lost. Scott thinks they’re messing with him but then it is revealed that Hank, Janet, and Hope were all erased by Thanos’ snap leaving Scott stranded in the Quantum Realm.


The Wasp’s Journey

After Scott returned from the Quantum Realm in the first film, Hope and Hank are given newfound faith that her mother, Janet is still alive and could be found. Her goal throughout the film is to see her mother again and for her family to be complete. In the first film, her arc was centered on repairing the strained relationship between her and her father.

At the end of that film, Hope and Hank reconciled. Now with the chance of finding her mother, Hope is determined to bring her family back together no matter what.
Hope and Scott have not spoken since he chose to join Captain America in the events of Civil War and left abruptly which exposed the Pym technology to the world and forced her and her father into hiding. Now wanted by the FBI, Hope and Hank are fugitives. While in hiding, they have been working out of a shrinkable lab and building a Quantum Tunnel that will allow them to enter the Quantum Realm to retrieve Janet. They have been assembling the pieces while in hiding and are close to completing their project.

After receiving a call from Scott about a vision he had of Janet, Hope breaks into his house, knocks him out, and kidnaps him to bring him back to the lab. When Scott wakes up their reunion is anything but warming. She still harbors anger towards him for his actions and how they impacted her and her father and bluntly tells him that she does not want an apology, just what is in his head. When Scott tells the details of his vision of finding a little girl in a wardrobe, Hope immediately knows what he’s talking about and is given great joy knowing that her mother is still alive. Determined to get the tunnel up and running, Hope and Hank bring Scott on one last trip to get the piece that they need. The dealing with Sonny Burch doesn’t go smoothly as Sonny tries to strong-arm her into letting him on the Quantum Technology. Hope uses her Wasp suit to make quick work of Burch’s henchmen and has the piece in hand before being attacked by Ava Starr. The encounter leads to her stealing the portable lab and brings Hope, Scott, and Hank on a chase to retrieve their lab in time.

Throughout the film, Hope and Scott slowly rebuild their relationship with quick jabs at each other. When Scott’s suit starts malfunctioning and shrinks him to the size of a child, Hope can’t help but make fun of him. While preparing to steal the lab back from Starr, Hope and Scott have a talk where they reflect on their relationship and what went wrong. Hope brings up Germany and hints that she wishes he would have asked her to go with him. He asks if she would have gone if he asked and she’s saying they’ll never know but also adds that if she had he would have never been caught. This scene shows that there is still chemistry between them and that they still have feelings for each other.

After successfully retrieving the lab, Hope and Hank make contact with Janet, who communicates with them through Scott. In a funny and touching moment, Janet as Scott comforts Hope. They track down her location but right before they can power on the tunnel, Scott tells them that the Feds are on the way and he once again leaves Hope and Hank abruptly. When Scott chooses to leave, Hope once again gets angry with him and is ready to write him off. Hope and Hank get captured by the FBI and Ghost steals the lab again. However, they are not captured for long as Scott helps break them out and when they reunite in the van, Hope shoots Scott a smile that shows she was impressed by his rescue plan and happy to see him.

In a wild climactic chase involving Hope, Ghost, Sonny Burch and his crew, and a Giant Ant-Man, they retrieve the lab while Hank dives into the Quantum Realm to find Janet. During the climax, Scott passes out in the water because of growing large, and Hope dives in to save him. After Scott wakes up, Hope is so overjoyed that he is okay that she kisses him, rekindling their relationship. After working with Scott to defeat Ghost, Hope finally reunites with her mother in the emotional highlight of the film. She embraces both her parents with her family finally being brought back together. The film ends with Scott, Hope, and Cassie watching a movie together. In the end, Hope not only got her original family of her and her parents back but also a new family with Scott and Cassie. Hope gets everything she wanted and more.



The Villain:
Ava Starr, also known as Ghost, is a young woman who can render herself intangible and create extreme amounts of power. She gained these abilities after an accident that killed her parents. She was taken in by S.H.I.E.L.D. who weaponized her abilities and used her as a stealth operative for many missions. S.H.I.E.L.D. promised to find a cure for her condition but she soon realized they were never going to cure her as her abilities were too great an asset to them.

Her powers make her a tough opponent to Ant-Man and Wasp as she is not only someone who they cannot always see but also cannot touch. It makes her a formidable opponent and a threat that they have not encountered before. Throughout the film, she usually bests Ant-Man and Wasp in combat, proving to be a threat and one to take seriously. While her abilities were incredibly useful, her condition is slowly killing and causing her a great deal of pain daily.

After S.H.I.E.L.D. fell, she enlisted the help of Bill Foster to find a cure for her condition upon learning that she was slowly dying due to a lack of Quantum energy. When she learned that Hank Pym and Hope were building a Quantum Tunnel, Ava tracked them down with the intent to steal their technology and extract the Quantum energy from Janet to help cure Ava. Hank protested the idea as the extraction would tear Janet apart.

Ava is not an evil person trying to do bad things. She is a person who is in pain and suffering and trying to rid herself of it for good. However, the mistreatment from S.H.I.E.L.D., the loss of her parents, and the constant pain she feels have turned her into a hardened and vicious individual. She even considered harming Scott’s daughter Cassie to get what she wanted but Bill Foster’s protest of the idea saved Cassie. She wants to stop feeling the pain that her powers cause her and will go to any length to rid herself of it, showing how pain can drive someone to great extremes beyond morality.

In the film’s climax, she attempts to extract the energy from Janet but is thwarted by Scott and Hope. After Janet gently touches her face and uses the Quantum energy, she possesses to heal Ava and make her feel whole again. It’s a touching moment that shows how Ava is not a bad person, just someone who is in pain and to see her finally be relieved of her pain warms the heart.

Thankfully, she doesn’t get the regular villain treatment of being killed off or thrown in jail and after seeing what she can do against Ant-Man and Wasp, I am excited to see her appear again as an ally as it does not seem that she is completely rid of her powers.



The Film’s Pros:
The Wasp

After being teased in the first film, it was great to see Hope spring into action as The Wasp. Evangeline Lilly puts in a great performance playing Hope as a no-nonsense badass who isn’t afraid to throw a punch when she needs to. She doesn’t take a backseat to Ant-Man this time around and steals the show in a lot of instances. Her chemistry with Paul Rudd is undeniable as their banter makes for many funny moments like when Hope mocks Scott for referring to Captain America as Cap.

While not the first female MCU hero, The Wasp is the first instance of a female Marvel hero getting the title of her own film as this did release before Captain Marvel, so Wasp also did make a piece of Marvel history. Thankfully the Wasp’s inclusion in the film’s title is not just a namesake as she gets an equal amount of screen time compared to her male counterpart and is an essential part of the story. While watching the film, my girlfriend was cheering her on and loved watching her kick ass. Wasp is an empowering hero for girls and women alike and the film is as much hers if not even more.

One aspect I also want to praise the film for is the fact that they were able to show us a strong female lead without having to tell us so. One issue that I have seen in other films, including Marvel’s own Captain Marvel (more on that when I get to that review), is that they tend to focus more on letting the audience know that they are watching a female empowering character rather than creating a character that is interesting and empowers through her actions and personality organically.

Hope is a great example of the writing philosophy of show don’t tell where the audience is able to experience the story through the actions, words, thoughts, and feelings of the characters rather than telling it through exposition. Hope is an interesting character because her personality is not defined as just being a strong and independent woman. She is determined and focused but also can be snarky, quirky, and at times even cynical like her father. Her complexities make her interesting and relatable which makes her a good role model for young girls and women. Like with Black Widow, Marvel made an empowering female figure by just letting her be herself and not focusing on trying to make her an empowering figure. Sadly, this lesson was not learned in Captain Marvel but again I’ll go more into that when I review that film.

As is, Hope is one of Marvel’s strongest female leads and I look forward to seeing her in more Ant-Man films in the future. I love how Marvel has already included the Wasp’s name in the title of the next sequel Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania showing how she is just as important to the franchise as Ant-Man.


An emotional palette cleanser after Infinity War
This film came out the summer after Avengers: Infinity War, a film filled with so much drama and emotion that it left Marvel fans emotionally drained. Ant-Man and the Wasp was the perfect palette cleanser for Marvel fans giving them a film that was just fun. This film packs the action and humor that Marvel fans expect in their film and brought them back to the simple times when Marvel films could just be fun action films. The film cleverly takes place before the events of Infinity War and serves more to clue fans in on what Ant-Man had been up to since his last appearance in Captain America: Civil War. The film packs the humor, the action, and the emotion (not as heavy as Infinity War) that Marvel fans love and enjoy.

I remember when I saw it in theatres, I had a fun time watching the film and it was a nice distraction from the heavy implications of Infinity War. That is until the mid-credits scene. Marvel gives you a fun time with a simple more comedic film and is like “okay you’ve had your fun, now let’s remind you that Infinity War happened!” It was like going on a nice lunch break during work and then when it's over being reminded that you have an important meeting next. It’s like a return from the fun downtime to harsh reality. The mid-credit scene did a great job of teasing Endgame and brings you back to the reality that Thanos won and it's affecting everyone including Ant-Man.

However, the film we get before that is a fun distraction that will have you laughing and enjoying yourself from beginning to end. It’s the perfect film to watch if you’re in the mood for something with fun great action, humor, and Paul Rudd.


Fun Climax
Like the first Ant-Man, the climax of this film takes full advantage of the idea of making little things big and vice versa. The final chase between Ant-Man, Wasp, Ghost, and Sonny Burch’s crew has a good combination of action, spectacle, and humor. We see Giant Ant-Man, car chases, and even a giant Hello Kitty Pez dispenser. The scene itself is a classic car chase scene that many movies have done before but with the added elements of the Pym Technology, the filmmakers were able to get creative and add elements to make this chase scene stand out. As I mentioned, we see a Hello Kitty Pez dispenser get grown and used to take out a vehicle. We get to see a giant Ant-Man use a pickup truck like a scooter which is both awesome and hilarious to see. The chase scene makes for a fun and funny climax that’ll have you laughing and is visually interesting enough to keep you invested.

The suspense is heightened with Hank’s journey into the Quantum Realm to find Janet. Hank slowly loses his mind as the weight of the Quantum Realm gets to him and keeps us on the edge of our seats as we want him to succeed therefore, we feel great joy when he finally finds Janet and we see the couple reunite. The scenes with Hank, Hope, and Janet are the emotional highlights of the film and give the payoff to the long-awaited family reunion.

With the elements of action and humor combined with the emotional investment of the Pym family reuniting, the film’s climax is one of the more entertaining climaxes of any Marvel film. While it is not as memorable or iconic as say the climax of Infinity War or Endgame, it does just enough right to top off what is already a fun comic book film.


The Film’s Cons:
Too Many Subplots

While the film is a lot of fun and packs the humor, one element that does hold it back from being one of the great Marvel films is too many subplots slightly bog that down that either don’t really go anywhere or just aren’t necessary.

The subplot that easily could have been cut is the Sonny Burch subplot. The character himself is not very memorable and felt like an unnecessary addition. While I do understand his purpose of being a straightforward villain, he could have easily been written out and it would have barely affected the plot. The one plot point he serves is that he is the one that tips off the FBI and gets Hope and Hank captured, but that easily could have been changed to Ava being the one to tip them off so she could steal the lab herself. And while I did find the truth serum bits to be funny, they could have found another way around it to include it or they could have even had it that Sonny and his gang don’t show up until the final climax and serve as an added obstacle.

Another subplot that felt unnecessary was the one involving Scott’s friends and their company X-Con Security Consultants and their need to close on a deal that would keep them in business. I understand its purpose as giving Scott’s friends something to do and to show Scott trying to go legit, but it is not focused on nearly enough to warrant its existence in the film and could have been scrapped or saved for another film where it could have been given more purpose in the story. Thankfully it is not focused on too much to be a distraction or annoying detour but again it is also not focused on enough to exist.

Despite those subplot issues, the film still holds together solidly and while the subplots are unnecessary, they do not distract or detract from the main plot to hurt the film on a level like Iron Man 2. They don’t do enough to hurt the film but also don’t do enough to really justify their presence and could have easily been cut.


Easily Skippable
I mentioned earlier that my girlfriend and I chose to skip this film and Captain Marvel and go straight to Endgame. Part of that was because my girlfriend was too excited to watch Endgame and wanted to know what would happen. Another reason was that after thinking it over, in terms of the whole MCU story arc, Antman and the Wasp is not an essential film plot-wise. The events in this film have little to no effect on the outcome of the Infinity War Saga. Much like Iron Man 2, this is a film that you can skip and not miss anything major in relation to the entire MCU.

That is except for the mid-credit scene. In terms of plot purpose in the MCU, one major advantage that this film has over Iron Man 2 (besides just being a much better and more enjoyable film of course) is that the mid-credit scene does tie into Endgame and sets up a major plot point that determines the outcome of Endgame.

So, while you don’t need necessarily need to watch the whole film before Endgame, you do need to at least watch the mid-credit scene. Before I showed my girlfriend Endgame, I quickly YouTubed the mid-credit scene from this film for her as well as the post-credit scene of Captain Marvel and she was brought up to speed. And just because you can skip this film, doesn’t mean you should. It is still a fun movie and one that is worth your time. But if you had to choose between watching this or just skipping to the big epic finale that is Endgame because you’re just too excited, I would recommend the latter.



Final Thoughts:
Ant-Man and the Wasp is a fun sequel that adds to the ideas set up in the first film and makes for a Marvel film that packs the action, humor, and emotion (on a much smaller scale compared to Infinity War). After an emotionally exhausting experience that was Infinity War, Marvel fans needed a feel-good movie that gave them the action and laughs that made them fans in the first place. The performances of Paul Rudd and Evangeline Lilly are great, and their chemistry makes them one of the more fun Marvel couples to watch. Lilly’s performance steals the show and establishes Hope van Dyne as one of Marvel’s strong female leads.

Although the film is slightly bogged down by a few too many subplots, it still does a good job of juggling said subplots and maintains its focus where it needs to be. While it is a very good film and one worth seeing, it doesn’t do enough to stand out amongst other Marvel films that have come before and after it, and as a result, it often gets lost in the shuffle and isn’t talked about in as high regard. However, its purpose was to entertain and give Marvel fans a film to lift their spirits after the ending of Infinity War left them emotional wrecks. It served that purpose very well and is a very good film that gives a fun Marvel experience that is worthy of at least one viewing.