Category: Reviews

IT: Chapter Two

Post author By Mark
Post date September 12, 2019

Andy Muschietti knocked it out of the park in 2017 with his sophomore feature It. A smash hit in every sense of the word, the film took the world by storm and enraptured audiences in the world of Stephen King’s epic novel about a group of children forging lifelong bonds and rallying together in their fight to stop the evil clown demon Pennywise (Bill Skarsgård). So how exactly do you follow up the highest grossing horror film of all time? You go bigger. It: Chapter Two is bigger than its predecessor in almost every aspect, be it the run-time, the amount of plot covered, the big name actors filling the roles of the children from the first film or the sheer number of scares – most of which feature Pennywise in some menacing way or another. Whilst it doesn’t necessarily improve upon the faults of the first film, opting for an “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” approach, there is enough here for fans of the first film to love, even if they might find their interests waning in some sections.

Set 27 years after the first film, the Losers Club is all grown up and with the exception of Mike (Isaiah Mustafa), have all left the town of Derry firmly in the rear-view mirror. When attacks start to happen again and people start to disappear, Mike makes the call to his friends to honour the blood pact they made and return to Derry to stop Pennywise from finishing what he started. Thus begins our parade through the all-star cast Muschietti has assembled to play the adult versions of the kids we grew to love: Bill (James McAvoy), Beverly (Jessica Chastain), Richie (Bill Hader), Ben (Jay Ryan) and Eddie (James Ransone). This ensemble is truly one of the highlights of the film and they all understand their roles and the dynamic enough to make each scene an authentic interactions between friends. Each character is introduced in such a way that the audience can instantly link each child actor to their adult counterpart, through their personality and character design, and the transitional shots that serve to point out who everyone was in the last film almost feel heavy handed. Much like the first film, the character of Richie is definitely the standout here, thanks to a scene stealing Bill Hader. It’s not just that he has some of the most laugh out loud hilarious and memorable lines in the film, but the delivery and timing from Hader is spot on, putting those years of featuring on Saturday Night Live to good use. There is also an unexpected amount of heart and depth to Hader’s performance as Pennywise forces Richie to uncover things about himself and embrace who he is as a person in order to overcome his fear.

Richie is not the only one who must confront his fears, however, as Mike’s plan to stop Pennywise forces each member of the Losers Club to confront their own inner demons, often bumping into the clown himself along the way. Bill’s journey forces him to finally come to terms with his little brother Georgie’s death, an event that has instilled in him a deep desire to protect those around him at all costs, even if it means never truly relaxing and experiencing life. McAvoy gives a solid performance as always while we follow Bill’s increasingly desperate journey to protect the children Pennywise has set his sights on, seeing them as surrogates for his deceased brother. It’s not as rounded a performance as Hader’s but that is owed to the script, which seems to boil down each key friend to one defining characteristic. Eddie, for example, has always been something of a germaphobe, a fear instilled in him by his mother with whom he had a deeply unhealthy relationship with, and as such his fears revolve around – you guessed it: dirty things and mommy issues. While it’s a nice bit of catharsis to see each of these characters confront the things which Pennywise uses against them, it’s exactly what the climactic battle of the first film showed and the excuse that the further away everyone moves from Derry the more they forget about Pennywise’s last appearance comes across as a bit of a cop-out. This distilling of each character into one key trait creates a predictable pattern for the scares in the middle portion of the film, robbing them of impact the more they crop up.

Speaking of the scares, they function here much the same as they did in the first film – one of that film’s biggest weaknesses – resulting in little more than a momentary pause before a ridiculously loud noise jolts you out of your seat as something attacks our heroes. It’s an annoying choice given that the scares are effective and creative enough to stand on their own without the jump scare clichés. This is where the runtime also factors in in a big way. It’s certainly warranted given the huge amount of source material to cover, but the film simultaneously feels like there’s not enough time to really delve into each member of the Losers Club’s whilst also going long stretches without a scare. The intercutting between present days and 27 years ago helps to cut away from some of the more mundane subplots and remind audiences just why they fell in love with these characters in the first place. The character of Ben in particular gets a nice flashback that really fleshes out his character rather than some of the unbearably cringe inducing dialogue opted for in the 1990 miniseries version.

What most audience members (including myself) will flock to this movie for is Pennywise the Dancing Clown. Bill Skarsgård once again delivers a stellar performance, cementing his interpretation of the killer clown as one of, if not the most seminal movie monster of the decade. There’s so much he brings to the role, particularly in the physicality. The way Pennywise moves is unnerving, taunting his prey and going from docile and inviting to completely ravenous within seconds. Skarsgård never misses a beat with the chilling delivery of his lines and facial movements – the lip curling that creates a stream of drool and the lazy eye as Pennywise gets an insatiable lust to feed all act to build one completely terrifying performance that will have you checking under your bed at night. The only real downside to Pennywise in the film is that there’s simply not enough of him. The movie kicks into another gear when he’s onscreen as he takes the scares to another level, and it’s safe to say that the Losers Club’s best scenes are when they are face to face with the clown, forced to confront this supreme evil who wishes to feed on their fear. There’s been some early talks about the potential for prequels to It, which would delve into Pennywise’s time in Derry before the Loser’s Club. While it certainly may seem like a cash grab, Skarsgård has shown that he is more than capable of carrying these films and I for one would be in the cinema day one to see more of his powerhouse performance.

IT: Chapter Two is a largely satisfying end to the Stephen King written saga. Bold and ambitious in scope, the film simply tries to cram too much story into the proceedings, attempting to hit as much of the novel’s story as possible whilst not giving enough time to the characters and relationships that audiences care about. When it comes down to it however, the time we do spend with those characters is truly special – always engaging as every actor brings their A-game to deliver some top notch scares and touching moments. At the end of the day though the main draw is Pennywise and – thanks to Bill Skarsgård – he once again steals the show, keeping the audience on their toes and inducing nightmares that will last long after the film ends. Do yourself a favour and get out to the cinema: it’s time to float.

IT: Chapter Two stars Bill Skarsgård, James McAvoy, Jessica Chastain, Bill Hader, Isaiah Mustafa, Jay Ryan and James Ransone – In cinemas now.

Tags Andy Muschietti, Bill Hader, Bill Skarsgård, IT, IT: Chapter Two, James McAvoy, Jessica Chastain, Stephen King

Movie Reviews

Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood

Post author By Tydus
Post date August 19, 2019

Quentin Tarantino is no stranger to epics. In fact, almost every film he’s made has been epic in one way or another – be it the bloody tale of revenge in Kill Bill or the slow burn whodunnit murder mystery of The Hateful Eight. In crafting this legendary back catalogue, Tarantino has also become no stranger to Hollywood’s bright lights and cutthroat nature. Combining his trademark style with this real-world backdrop, the infamous director’s 9th feature film Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood aims to be his grandest tale yet – clocking in at a meaty 160 minutes. Bringing Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt back into the fold with The Wolf of Wall Street star Margot Robbie, the film manages to be one of the director’s most grounded and restrained offerings yet. Make no mistake however, by the time the credits roll, you’ll have no doubt that you’ve just witnessed a Quentin Tarantino creation.

Following the standard of 2009’s Inglorious Bastards, Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood is a film of fact that’s been given a Tarantino twist of fiction. Another movie loosely based on its subject material, but one that isn’t afraid to play around with key details to create something outrageous and memorable. Billed originally as an epic centred around the Manson Family Murders of the late 60’s, this is instead very much a window into one man’s mid-life crisis. We spend a lot of time following our three lead characters through their daily lives, with the almost three-hour runtime feeling almost gratuitous at times. It’s a very slow burn compared to the director’s earlier films, until it suddenly isn’t. In saying this, Tarantino has made sure that every scene and line fits some purpose in the grander scheme of things. He’s built an entire world here, and it’s a world that regularly feels alive and connected. If a character mentions a particular TV show in passing during conversation, expect to hear about it a few more times or even join the characters as they watch it themselves an hour later. It often feels like every move has a reason, with each character’s decisions and actions making sense to those audiences able to piece the personalities together as the show goes on. While allowing viewers to develop their own understanding of each character in this way is a bold move, it can be tough trying to keep up with all the subtle details buried in so much movie.

Thankfully this lengthy adventure is built on the shoulders of an immensely talented cast, with the film’s plot itself revolving around the struggles, dangers and rewards that come with being a big-time movie star. At the centre of things is Leonardo DiCaprio’s Rick Dalton, a 60’s TV show cowboy desperately trying to hit the big leagues as his best years seem behind him. DiCaprio cuts a striking image of a fading Hollywood star suffering a mid-life crisis, a character honestly more relatable to audiences than it may seem. He sells the role completely with great emotional range, adding in a heavy accent and a slight stutter to make Rick stand out from the crowd. His scenes shooting a western alongside the late, great Luke Perry and the fantastic young Julia Butters are a total highlight, and prove why DiCaprio is still a household name.

Completing the other half of the headlining duo is Brad Pitt, returning for another Tarantino offering after a ten-year break. Pitt plays Cliff Booth, the stunt double and right hand to Rick during the film. More than just a lowly side act, his character rivals – if not, surpasses – his on-screen counterpart in terms of charisma and style. A character seemingly crafted entirely and lovingly by Tarantino himself, Cliff is a scarred, rugged and aging stunt man who has a healthy fear of nothing and the skills to back it up. Painted as slightly unhinged at times with a questionable history, Booth’s tag-team with faithful pooch Brandy is a central relationship in the film that reaches an epic crescendo before the film’s end.

Rounding out the leading names is Margot Robbie as 60’s starlet Sharon Tate, infamous to those who know the history of the Manson Family Murders that the film is set around. Robbie doesn’t play the typical leading lady that you may be expecting going into the film, instead occupying a secondary role largely removed from that of the two male leads. Tarantino portrays Tate as a naïve, innocent woman at the start of her big Hollywood career, untouched by the politics and bitterness of the industry around her with Robbie dialling up the charm in spades. If the film’s title suggests we’re watching a fairy tale, Tate is without question its princess. This is never more on show than when she’s silently revelling in the joy of watching an audience love her latest movie, gleefully hiding herself in the aisles among the crowd as they laugh along.

Sharing much of Robbie’s screentime is Emile Hirsch, who plays her former lover-turned-friend Jay – and he isn’t the only face you’ll recognise answering the call for Tarantino’s latest project. Randy and his fireball wife Janet (played by Kurt Russell and a hilarious Zoe Bell) inject some great shots of humour when on screen, and Russell keeps us all up to date throughout the film as a narrator with some great lines and sharp delivery. Timothy Olyphant assumes his best Justified cowboy persona for his role, playing a straight-shooting gunslinger opposite DiCaprio in a spaghetti western that is just as great as it sounds. Despite a relatively short time on screen, we also have Al Pacino delivering a return to form as the wise-cracking, well-meaning talent agent that sets his sights on the wayward Dalton. We even see Dakota Fanning deftly assuming one of the most intimidating roles of the film, proving to be in a league of her own after rising to fame as a child actress all those years ago.

Fanning’s not-so-merry ensemble of unsettling Manson family hippies also help to display the cast’s huge commitment to the time period and its vibe. Their outfits, demeanour and speech all help to sell the world the film is being set against. Coupled with the lengthy runtime working to pull you in as much as possible, you’ll almost forget you’re looking at the real world as it (almost) was 50 years ago. A strong example of this world building is within the scattered groups of the Manson family dotted throughout Hollywood. The hippie groups just feel like a brainwashed cult, without ever needing to come right out and say it – plus there’s no mistaking Dalton’s open feelings toward every single one of them. As expected, this total attention to detail carries through to every other piece of Tarantino’s latest grand design. The old movies and shows played during the film are – or may as well have been – all shot during the 60’s. After seeing Leonardo DiCaprio superimposed into classic films so perfectly, you’d swear he was in them all along.

This love carries forward to things like the soundtrack, vehicles and backdrops which are also expertly chosen to completely drown you in 1960’s Hollywood style. Tarantino was always a big fan of spaghetti westerns, and he’s used the film to create a number of elaborate scenes where he essentially builds one right in front of us. This meta-style type of storytelling certainly isn’t new ground for the director, though seeing his experience and incredible level of detail on show is always a wonder to watch. A fine example of this comes in the song choice used to bring us into the final act. We watch as our characters fall into place while the Rolling Stone’s 1966 song “Out of Time” plays alongside, subtlety telling the audience that we’re in the final stages of the grand tale. Always going that extra step, what actually plays is Mick Jagger’s orchestral cover of the song, not released until well into the 70’s – meaning that even the song’s existence in the film is ‘out of time’.

While being a relatively long journey that doesn’t attempt to hold out a guiding hand for those unfamiliar with its plot, the film is still as finely crafted and tightly written as any of Quentin Tarantino’s past works. Certainly slower and more grounded than most of his other offerings, the charismatic trio of DiCaprio, Pitt and Robbie manage to keep you invested all the way through to its wild finale. Shot through the lens of the swinging 60’s, Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood spends its time slowly lifting the mask of glitz and glamour from the somewhat grim face of the movie industry – before promptly knocking all its teeth out.

Leonardo DiCaprio star in Columbia Pictures “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”

Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie, Kurt Russell, Timothy Olyphant, Dakota Fanning, Al Pacino and Luke Perry – In cinemas now.

Tags Brad Pitt, Columbia Pictures, Leonardo DiCaprio, Margot Robbie, Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood, Quentin Tarantino

Movie Reviews

Midsommar

Post author By Mark
Post date August 13, 2019

Ari Aster made waves with his 2018 debut feature Hereditary – a horror film which expertly mixed together a raw look at one family’s struggle to hold together following tragedy with a mystery involving a strange cult with closer ties to the family and their history than they think. Featuring a criminally underrated performance from Toni Collette (one of the best of the year) and with a distinct visual style, Hereditary brought new meaning to the term creepy; a slow burn build that ratcheted up the tension to breaking point before a chaotic and violent third act. It’s fair to say that expectations were high for the director’s follow-up Midsommar and it doesn’t disappoint for the most part; with another powerhouse performance from a female lead in Florence Pugh, an engrossing central mystery and somehow more tension than his previous film at times. At a beefy two and a half hours, the film sometimes gets lost on its way to the lackluster conclusion, made all the more frustrating by the excellent, inventive cinema which precede it.

Midsommar finds Aster in familiar territory, with Dani (Florence Pugh) recently learning of a great tragedy in her life, leaving her with no one to lean on other than her boyfriend Christian (Jack Reynor); a well meaning but pretty unlikeable guy who complains to his friends about the lengths he goes to keep Dani happy whilst subsequently forgetting her birthday, you know: good boyfriend problems. Dani’s current predicament leaves Christian with little choice other than to invite her on an upcoming boys trip to Sweden to visit his exchange student friend Pelle’s (Vilhelm Blomgren) secluded farm commune, along with their friends Mark (Will Poulter) and Josh (William Jackson Harper), who is writing his thesis on the Midsummer celebrations across Europe. The group are welcomed with open arms into the tight knit community, offered drugs, food and music, and things seem completely idyllic until the midsummer festivities begin, a series of bizarre and deadly rituals which threaten to tear the bonds of the group apart and perhaps the odd face or two. Think The Sound of Music meets The Hills have Eyes.

Much was made of the decision to stage almost the entire film during the day, a time generally reserved in horror films for easing audiences into the scares and setting up events that will pay off in the terrifying night. Aster once again employs the tension and atmosphere that he used so brilliantly on Hereditary to equally effective results: Midsommar is a film which breaks you down on a mental level. You never feel completely comfortable watching the events unfolding on screen, even when it’s something as innocuous as dancing, and there’s always a sense that something is off about this seemingly perfect community – which of course there is. Ultimately, however, the daylight setting is something of a double edged sword, instilling that sense of constant dread whilst also robbing the proceedings of much of their horror without the cover of night. Nothing is ever really scary and even when things start to truly go south it’s all just extremely uncomfortable to watch more than anything. Where Hereditary thrived on its use of darkness, hiding things in the black space until your eyes adjusted and your brain registered what it was seeing, Midsommar shows you everything, relying on the unsettling friendliness of the locals and the audiences knowledge that something has to go wrong at some point to keep you on your toes. It works well enough to keep you guessing about the central mystery, but it means that when all the secrets are exposed there isn’t much room to scare or surprise you anymore – you’re simply seeing the ride through to the end.

That’s not to say that Midsommar is lacking in the visual department; it’s all shot stunningly, with the rolling fields and hills of Sweden serving as a gorgeous backdrop for the horrors that unfold, giving the film an almost other worldly feel. Combine that with Aster’s bag of impressive camera tricks – from a spinning, vertigo inducing shot of the road foreshadowing the madness to come to a wave effect that plays on the environment surrounding the village when our characters are under the influence of drugs – and it all serves to immerse you in the confined environment, testing your stamina for just how much of the craziness you can endure before you break. That craziness is amplified by the epic runtime of the film, a somewhat necessary side effect to truly break the audience, there are nevertheless some plot elements that feel almost shoehorned in to create more conflict where it isn’t necessary. An argument later on in the film which acts to further divide the main group feels trivial when you take into account the events that they have seen and at a certain point the argument of “let’s embrace the local culture” should go out the window when the body count starts rising. These issues fall away though because of how good a job Aster does in getting you invested in the central mystery, and regardless of how you feel about the ending, the ride to it is engrossing and tense.

Without a doubt the strongest part of Midsommar lies in the lead performance of Florence Pugh as the damaged Dani. From the outset she’s put up against terrible circumstances and her mental state is fragile before she even arrives in Sweden. Pugh plays the character’s struggle to find support brilliantly, with a desperate desire to keep hold of Christian regardless of the way he treats her morphing into realisation and a search for acceptance elsewhere. Pugh is always up to the tasks given to her by the script – whether it’s shock at the events happening around her or exhaustion from the mental strain of resisting the cult she finds herself encircled by and the haunting events from her past constantly creeping their way into her brain. Surrounding her is a solid supporting cast, made up of both American and Swedish actors who all work brilliantly to assist Dani’s descent into madness. Jack Reynor plays the boyfriend archetype on multiple levels; Christian is acutely aware the way he is treating Dani is wrong and yet he persists, and the interactions with his friends highlight just how self-centered the character is, ultimately leading to some pretty shocking events in the final act. Reynor is tasked with quite a bit of physical acting towards the conclusion – things that would be difficult for a veteran actor to deal with – and he pulls it off wonderfully, really selling the fall of Christian. Rounding out the group is Will Poulter who brings a surprising amount of comedy to the proceedings, serving to defuse some of the ever building tension, and Vilhelm Blomgren as Pelle, a character who’s motives you’re never quite sure about, who acts almost as the narrator, guiding our characters through the festivities and the horrors they face.

Midsommar is another triumph for Ari Aster, who continues to prove himself a master of tense, atmospheric horror. Whilst falling slightly short of Hereditary in terms of its story and scares, it is nevertheless a creepy, intriguing mystery anchored by a haunting lead performance from Florence Pugh. The depth to the story and the sheer number of small details and easter eggs warrant many repeat viewings, made all the more easier by the level of craftsmanship on display visually. If Aster wants to keep making cult horror films for years to come you’ll be hard pressed to find someone with a single complaint, but with talent like this it won’t be long before he’s swinging in the majors and I can’t wait to see what kind of spine tingling carnage the man can deliver with a studio budget behind him.

Midsommarstars Florence Pugh, Jack Reynor, Will Poulter, William Jackson Harper and Vilhelm Blomgren – In cinemas now.

Tags A24, Ari Aster, Florence Pugh, Jack Reynor, Midsommar, Will Poulter, William Jackson Harper

Movie Reviews

Hobbs & Shaw

Post author By Tydus
Post date August 10, 2019

Does anyone remember the original The Fast and the Furious all those years ago? The tale of an undercover cop infiltrating a street racing ring on the coast of California was a fresh and exciting bit of action that went on to be a huge hit. It gave the people what they wanted at the time, featuring a cast of rough yet likeable outsiders, neon-lit Japanese cars and a decent sprinkling of action here and there to keep things interesting. I start here as it’s easy to forget those early days with how far the series has come since, as the franchise now pumps out some of cinema’s biggest action blockbusters with no end in sight. Following the record-breaking 8th instalment, Fast & Furious has just delivered its first-ever spinoff with Hobbs & Shaw, aiming to give the series a chance to experiment and shake up the formula after almost 20 years. I can tell you that, while what we’ve received is certainly different from what we’ve all come to expect from the franchise, it’s still the same charged-up adrenaline shot at its core – only a whole lot more furious.

This outing sees Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham reprise their respective roles as the hulking American Diplomatic Security operative Luke Hobbs and ex-villainous British black-ops agent Deckard Shaw, with the two taking centre stage here for the first time. Hobbs has become a series regular since entering the scene in Fast 5, and Johnson has no problem in moving his character up into lead position. His spot as one of the headliners also shifts the tone of Hobbs & Shaw from what we’d usually get from a Fast & Furious movie, with the comedy and laughs constantly flowing. Not one to shy away from the spotlight himself, Shaw completes the titular duo with Statham bringing his trademark clean-cut British bruiser style to the role in spades. Shaw gets far more screentime than what he’s been given in the series before, fitting into the action perfectly like one of his own finely tailored suits. Despite their differences, the two have a decent amount of chemistry – at least enough to carry an action movie through its paces. While at times seeming like a drawn-out contest to prove who’s top dog, their relationship develops and alters over the course of their wild and explosive ride.

Centre to their mission is the film’s third lead, Hattie Shaw (Vanessa Kirby). As her name suggests, Hattie is the younger sister of Deckard, and she’s found herself dead in the sights of a high-tech underground cell, who are (of course) out looking to end the world in some way or another. Kirby does very well with the role, not afraid to jump into the action at a moment’s notice to prove she’s more than just a token damsel in distress. She helps keep her counterparts grounded and in check, with her relationship between both male leads giving all three heroes a clear purpose and goal. Rounding out the film’s big names is Idris Elba, who plays the cybernetic supersoldier and self-titled “bad guy” Brixton Lore. Elba gives the role his best, but he’s been given some pretty average dialogue and limited time on screen, both of which work to restrict what could have otherwise been a pretty interesting villain. Brixton’s sci-fi, almost cyborg enhancements and abilities also highlight that the spinoff entry isn’t afraid to take the Fast and Furious series down new and unexplored roads.

On that note, you’ll find that this entry isn’t particularly big on its cars, at least compared to the role they’ve played throughout the franchise’s history. There’s not a single epic drag race to be seen, and there’s really only one noteworthy ride on show throughout the entire movie. Instead, Hobbs & Shaw goes hard on the laughs, sliding at least a hint of comedy into almost all of its scenes. Even tense and serious moments are generally undercut with some scathing banter between friend and foe alike – plus there’s several one-liners and a few big name cameos sprinkled throughout purely to get the audience going. It all works to the film’s credit, and it helps to remind us that it’s not taking itself too seriously. This sort of self-awareness certainly doesn’t hurt it either, as the action scenes in this movie are straight-up outrageous. You’ll be rolling your eyes as our heroes leap from skyscrapers, launch vehicles through walls and pull helicopters from the sky – but you’ll do it with a laugh. Hobbs & Shaw is absolutely bonkers, and it knows it.

You’ll have a great time if you don’t think too hard about how all the on-screen action is possible, otherwise the fully stacked two and a half hour run can start to come apart. There’s quite a few scenes and plot decisions that make very little sense other than to move us along to the next adrenaline rush, with special mention given to the final third of the movie where any remaining believability is quickly cast away. The camera work and effects keep up pretty well for the most part – especially when crafting the bedlam on screen – however there are a few rough patches where it’s fairly clear that our heroes aren’t as deep in the action as the cameras would like us to believe. Though with all this being said, it still reads like the summary of any other big action blockbuster – and it’ll be just as successful as most. No one is going into this kind of film expecting sweeping, dramatic performances or drawn out emotional scenes. We roll in to switch off and see some action heroes wreck fast cars, knock some heads together and generally get around blowing things up. If Hobbs & Shaw wants to deliver all this to us with a bunch of laughs on the side, we’re hardly going to turn them down.

A bunch of fun for those who know what they’re getting into, Hobbs & Shaw is definitely one of the biggest action movies to arrive this year. While not quite reaching the same level of polish and heart of some of the earlier entries into the series, the spinoff’s fresh cast and comedic approach help it to carve out its own successful piece of the franchise. It certainly won’t do anything to convert those not already faithful – but if you find yourself looking for an outrageous, globetrotting action joyride, then buckle up and let Hobbs & Shaw show you how it’s done.

Hobbs & Shaw stars Dwayne Johnson, Jason Statham, Vanessa Kirby, Idris Elba, Eiza González and Helen Mirren – In cinemas now.

Tags Dwayne Johnson, Fast & Furious, Hobbs & Shaw, Idris Elba, Jason Statham, The Rock, Universal Pictures, Vanessa Kirby

Game Reviews

Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order

Post author By Tydus
Post date August 8, 2019

It’s 2019, and there’s no doubt that Marvel Studios rule the screen when it comes to bringing superheroes to life. With a shared universe spanning multiple characters, time periods and galaxies, each new Marvel release almost always manages to pull in familiar faces or themes from the its enormous catalogue. Yet despite how common it’s become to see these stories and teamups in recent years, it’s easy to forget that some of the biggest Marvel gatherings have been floating around for years. Around a decade ago, the first two entries in the Ultimate Alliance series were released on consoles – bringing with them some of the most unique and diverse character combinations that we’d ever seen. Finding moderate success with fans of the comics, the series allowed players to create and play out their own superhero dream teams across its first two entries before going into hiding in late 2009. Fast-forward through ten years of skyrocketing superhero success to now, and we’ve just been handed the latest build-your-own Avengers experience in Marvel’s Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order. An absolute success in capitalising on the MCU’s current position, the game is very much a celebration of Marvel history and its characters – an experience unapologetically aimed toward its biggest fans.

Once again, our heroes are hot on the heels of recurring troublemaker Thanos in yet another hunt for the 6 all-powerful Infinity Stones. It’s a setup that is all too familiar to anyone keeping up with the recent Marvel films, however it’s got an entirely new spin here. Ultimate Alliance 3 sits outside the current plotlines and settings of the movies and comics, meaning that it has free reign when it comes to telling its story. It’s also given a far lighter tone, creating an experience where it seems totally plausible for Venom, Gamora, Wolverine and Doctor Strange to be fighting off ninjas on New York’s moonlit rooftops. Your hunt for the stones will take your chosen team through a number of chapters, each based around areas or time periods that are instantly recognisable to those familiar with Marvel’s work. The story itself isn’t entirely memorable, however it serves as a loose thread to tie all the madness together as much as possible – with many of the cutscenes playing out as great action pieces that could have been torn straight from the big screen. Every major scene and exchange plays out the same regardless of your character choice, so your dream team won’t cost you any of the action once things heat up – and believe us, you’ll have a dream team.

This feature in particular is great, as the roster of playable heroes here is outrageous. All the big names are there, from the core Avengers and X-Men right through to other favourites like Daredevil and Loki. A slew of recently announced DLC is also set to bring headlining characters from Blade, The Punisher and the Fantastic Four to the lineup soon, meaning that even those with only a passing interest in Marvel will likely find a favourite here. Each character has a unique set of moves and strengths based on their powers or combat style – Hulk is going to soak up more of a beating than Hawkeye, who himself is best played as a ranged fighter. You’ll also receive team bonuses and perks based on your squad of four, such as boosts gained by pulling the Spider-Man multiverse together or assembling the original Avengers. With all this being said, you can just choose whatever rag-tag group you like and you’ll still manage fine – so if you’re just looking to run the wisecracking pair of Rocket and Deadpool, go right ahead.

Regardless of your chosen squad, Ultimate Alliance 3 is first and foremost an old-fashioned, top-down beat-em-up. You’ll generally be coming up against waves of small enemies time and again, with each going down with not much more than a bit of button-mashing. Each of the characters have a few special moves available to create some breathing room as well, but these encounters are really just filler between the game’s several boss fights. A bunch of names from Marvel’s catalogue of villains are on hand to knock you and your team about, and they break up the otherwise repetitive fights with lesser-known, small-fry villains along the way. Some of these bigger fights can be a decent challenge, requiring some well-timed blocks, strategy or attempts to exploit specific weaknesses. However quite a few will go down as long as you keep up the pressure, and some can feel long or tedious just for the sake of stretching things out. All in all, the combat and fights certainly aren’t deep by any standards. Yet this approach creates a hugely accessible brawler, which is a credit to a game enjoyed most when played with others.

Ultimate Alliance‘s third entry allows you to play it entirely with up to three other people either in the same room or online. If you’re able to grab a few friends who are also Marvel fans, this is definitely the best way to play. You’ll find that, while the fights and mechanics tend to wear on after a while, switching between your favourite heroes and keeping up with the exciting cutscenes work well to keep things fresh. If you’re still looking for more after the story’s end, there are a number of optional challenges available and a whole lot of grinding potential. These challenges come with some restrictions and time limits, while offering rare items and some (admittedly average) alternate outfits. The game’s portability as a Nintendo Switch exclusive really helps here too, as these shorter missions are great for quick bursts when you’re on the go. How much longevity you’ll get from these extras depends entirely on how much of the same combat you’re willing to grind through, but it should be enough to please die-hard fans looking to get every last drop of what’s on offer.

At the end of the day, these superfans are really the target audience for Ultimate Alliance 3. Enjoyable as an accessible button-masher with a few friends, the real majority of its appeal comes from its epic cutscenes and dream character combos. These factors carry the game through some of its slower and more repetitive moments, so you’d best consider how deep your love of all things Marvel runs before stepping into the fray. Yet if Marvel and its heroes are your thing, you’ll find a surprising and exciting adventure here as you watch the Avengers assemble entirely within the palm of your hands.

Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order – Available now on Nintendo Switch.

Tags Marvel Ultimate Alliance, Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order, Ninja Theory, Nintendo, Nintendo Switch, The Black Order

Movie Reviews

The Lion King (2019)

Post author By Mark
Post date July 19, 2019

The world seemed to collectively take a beat when Disney announced their plans to remake The Lion King in the same vein as Jon Favreau’s excellent 2016 remake of The Jungle Book, utilizing photorealistic computer technology to bring the animals to life on the big screen. It’s not that the announcement was unexpected – with Disney clearly on a path to remake every animated feature they’ve ever produced – it’s more that the 1994 film is the defining Disney film for so many people, a seminal achievement in animation and storytelling at the time and one of the biggest animated films of all time. For good reason too, as the original still holds up today; featuring some stellar voice work, a pace that moves at a clip, and vivid, bright animation that captures your attention and never lets go. Favreau’s 2019 remake is truly a visual spectacle – somehow it actually looks better than The Jungle Book – yet it’s one that lacks the heart and charm of the original due to the limits of the real animal’s ability to express the emotion and depth of the dialogue. It’s an impressive demonstration of just how far modern technology has come, but ultimately, like most of Disney’s live-action remakes, it doesn’t bring enough new material to the table to justify its existence.

Given the praise I’ve just heaped on the original it’s no surprise that Favreau opts to stick pretty close to the source material, in fact the film is almost a shot-for-shot recreation of the 1994 film. If you’ve been living under (sorry in advance) Pride Rock and aren’t familiar with the story, it revolves around young lion Simba (JD McCrary), son of the king Mufasa (James Earl Jones) and his journey to find out who he is and just why he is the right choice to take on the mantle of king. The first half of the story focuses on Simba as a cub learning about the kingdom his father rules over and frolicking with fellow lion Nala (Shahadi Wright Joseph). When the two young cubs are tricked by Simba’s uncle Scar (Chiwetel Ejiofor) into entering an elephant graveyard infested with Hyena, they set off a chain of events that ultimately lead to a tragedy which Simba is held accountable for. As he flees into exile, Simba encounters the dynamic duo of Timon (Billy Eichner) and Pumbaa (Seth Rogen), a meerkat and warthog who roam the jungle doing what they want when they want, a philosophy they refer to as Hakuna Matata. The pair take young Simba under their wing and live out their days carefree until Simba finds himself drawn back to the family and kingdom he had left behind, with a choice to make between living a selfish life or rising to the mantle of his father and becoming king of the pridelands.

Let’s get the obvious out of the way first, The Lion King is gorgeous to look at. Never has computer animated imagery looked this life-like and real with such an amazing attention to detail. From the large spanning savannah planes and lush jungle landscapes down to the way the wind moves the individual strands of fur on the animals, nothing has been left out and it makes for a completely immersive experience where you feel as if you are actually in Africa. Several establishing shots, usually focusing on a small animal or insect and panning into the larger scene, are so lifelike that you’d be forgiven for thinking you were watching a National Geographic or David Attenborough special. It’s amazing to see the advancement of this technology when you reflect on films from last decade where CGI creatures stood out like a sore thumb, and it’s even more impressive from a technological standpoint to know that almost the entire film has been created digitally on a soundstage in Los Angeles. The decision to basically recreate the original film in this computer animated form is a strange one however, given that the only notable addition to the film is a new song by Beyoncé that serves as odd background music in a later scene. There was such an opportunity to really add to the story of The Lion King for new generations who will discover it through this film and the fact that this wasn’t capitalised on calls into question the purpose of the film. Why make this if you’re not going to play with it and introduce new or different ideas? It makes the film seem like more of a technical demonstration and less of a fully formed decision to bring something new to a classic tale.

Whilst a monumental technical achievement there is something of a fatal flaw in this hyper realistic approach to the animals, namely the loss of the ability to convey a lot of emotion in the animal’s delivery of dialogue. It’s a strange sight to see lions and warthogs speaking English, their mouths contorting in awkward ways to form the words or just not moving at all as the speech is dubbed over; a few instances of this are glaringly obvious and make you feel like you’re watching some kind of children’s show with a story dubbed over animal footage, taking you out of the experience entirely. On top of this, there’s the simple fact that there’s only so much emotion that you can get out of an animal’s face. The original animated film circumvented this by using a medium where it wasn’t uncommon for almost human like features to be given to an animal and the facial movements were just a part of the animation style. The remake attempts to hit every single beat of the original script-wise and some of it just doesn’t work plain and simple. It will never not be creepy to see a lion’s mouth flap awkwardly to simulate laughter or stay stretched open for a comical amount of time to hold a high note. On a side note, Seth Rogen’s iconic laugh is his and his alone and the times that it is delivered by his Pumbaa counterpart should make the man feel good about never losing any roles to a real warthog. It’s a disappointing reality that comes with the territory of this kind of animation animation that takes you right out of the film, somewhat undercutting all the hard work that has gone into rendering the beautiful environments and animals.

One of the aspects of the remake that assuaged audiences fears was the announcement of an absolutely stellar voice cast made up of old and new talents, with a distinctly more musical bend than the original in the form of leads Donald Glover and Beyoncé as the adult Simba and Nala. For the most part these casting choices work extremely well, the voice acting similar enough to the previous interpretations to be comforting yet bringing a different take on the material in the inflections and delivery of certain lines. If, like me, you’re a big fan of the original it might be a good idea to check your expectations at the door. The characters are never going to sound exactly as they did before, with the exception of James Earl Jones who reprises his role as Mufasa, and the key is to be open to the new versions. Chiwetel Ejiofor plays Scar perfectly, delivering all the menace and underhandedness you expect from the character, which works particularly well with the visual aesthetic of the lion himself; a disheveled, almost malnourished beast hungry for his next kill. Donald Glover and Beyoncé give competent musical performances, infusing their personal styles into the classic songs. This may be a deal breaker for some who prefer the older versions but with the two stars in huge demand at the moment, it was certainly a choice made to please as big a modern audience as possible and most will likely enjoy their iterations. Whilst Glover gives terrific voice work – channelling a younger, more naive voice akin to some of his earlier work on Community – Beyoncé seems to struggle with the material and the delivery of her lines comes across as abrupt and jarring at times. The real stars of the show, like the original, are Timon and Pumbaa, voiced by Billy Eichner and Seth Rogen respectively. They have an extremely difficult job, taking over the roles of such iconic characters, and they do so brilliantly with Eichner giving a more biting, sassy performance than Nathan Lane’s original while Rogen makes Pumbaa an adorable idiot, delivering his lines with a charming innocence, even if the sight of a real warthog speaking is nightmare fuel.

The Lion King ultimately ends up like most of the recent Disney remakes, albeit far more advanced and successful in its technical achievements. With barely an addition or change to be seen to the original story however, this is the studio’s most barebones remake to date and doesn’t do much to justify its existence outside of the visual effects. It’s a fun experience to hear the songs again and revisit the story on the big screen but without the charm of the original or the ability to really latch on and care about the characters, due to the photorealism of the animals, the whole affair seems cold and there isn’t much incentive for repeat viewings. If you’re a fan of the original this might be worth your time to see how the story you know and love translates to real life and what the new voice cast do with the material but you’ll most likely find yourself gravitating back to the comforting classic 1994 masterpiece.

The Lion King stars Donald Glover, Beyoncé, James Earl Jones, Seth Rogen, Billy Eichner, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Keegan-Michael Key, Eric Andre, Florence Kasumba, John Kani and John Oliver – in cinemas now.

Tags Beyoncé, Billy Eichner, Disney, Donald Glover, Eric André, James Earl Jones, John Oliver, Jon Favreau, Seth Rogen, The Lion King

Game Reviews

Judgment

Post author By Tydus
Post date July 17, 2019

A spinoff from the niche-yet-beloved Yakuza franchise, Judgment adds some new flavours to the classic franchise whilst never steering too far away from the series roots. Releasing some time ago in its native Japan, this PS4 exclusive quietly launched recently in the West and has been picking up traction below the radar ever since. Fans of the core series will be on-board for the familiar action and gameplay, however the new story, mechanics and design choices mean that this may be the most accessible entry into the series for newcomers. So if you’re looking to dip your toe into the franchise for the first time, or you’re just looking to add a side of sleuthing to some good old-fashioned street fights, Judgment‘s take on the mean streets of Japan may be just the thing you’re looking for.

You’ll take the role of Takayuki Yagami, a disgraced former lawyer who gets by as a private investigator in the fictional Japanese district of Kamurocho. Alongside his outcast Yakuza partner Kazuma Kiryu, Takayuki picks up small cases around town and isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty in the process. When a huge case falls into his lap involving a serial killing spree, the local warring Yakuza families and some grand conspiracies, Takayuki ends up buried deep in twists and turns. Set in the same location as the core Yakuza series, the plot of Judgment is where it begins to set itself apart from the franchise. While the former’s franchise has always had a flair for some outrageous characters, scenes and drama, Takayuki’s story feels far more grounded and intimate by comparison. It still has its crazy moments, but the narrow focus on the endearing lead character – as well as how he sees and impacts the world around him – really helps to deliver a story that keeps you invested throughout. The shorter and snappier cutscenes found here also keep things moving with a bit of pace, resulting in a shorter, tighter and more fluid overall experience than what can usually be found in the Yakuza universe.

In saying this, you’ll still find a ridiculous amount of things to do on the streets of Kamurocho. True to its roots, Judgment aims to give players a living and breathing taste of Japanese life – right down to the most monotonous and everyday experiences. When you’re not chipping away at the game’s main story, feel free to hit up the local batting cages, streetside convenience stores or alleyway bars. There’s fully realised and playable video game arcades, remote-controlled drone races and a whole friendship/relationship system waiting in the wings to keep you busy while exploring the city at any time. While the district itself is quite small compared to the open world behemoths we’re used to exploring in other recent gaming releases, Judgment‘s level of detail and sheer number of side activities mean there’s always something to do in Kamurocho. You’ll quickly become familiar with the streets and locals, with rewards awaiting those who put time and effort into cleaning up the riff-raff or otherwise lending a hand to those having a hard time.

These little side acts present a pretty wide spectrum of things for you to do – with some better than many of the others. Takayuki can sometimes find himself wrapped up in a nice little optional mystery, often with some larger-than-life characters and interesting paths to each solution. However you’ll find that many simply need you to pick an item up from somewhere or speak to a couple of people scattered across the city. These basic side offerings are fairly common, however they don’t blur together too much thanks to some interesting personalities and creative dialogue – even when said dialogue in one exchange is just the critique of a rather underwhelming cheesecake. Outside of this, many side acts, main story missions and even just casual strolls through the street will all generally lead to an all out brawl with the local thugs. You’ll quickly find that, despite Judgment‘s lead being an educated former lawyer and kindhearted investigator for the most part, he’s not opposed to straight up knocking the teeth out of a dozen armed goons at the drop of a hat.

It’s here in the brutal combat that you’ll find most of the game’s similarities to the long running Yakuza franchise. Takayuki will spend majority of his crime-solving time going hand to hand with groups of enemies, and he’s no slouch when it comes to throwing a few punches. You have access to two main fighting styles while playing, each changeable on the fly at the press of a button. The Crane style features some real acrobatic moves such as flips and spinning kicks, with its use being good for crowd control when surrounded by multiple foes. On the other hand, the Tiger style is designed more for on-on-one encounters with hard hitting combos and charged attacks. The latter option is often the go-to when you’re up against the tougher boss enemies, most of whom will be coming to the table with powerful moves that are able to semi-permanently break down your maximum health.

The action is quite often over the top, with just about everything within reach a potential weapon to break over someone’s head – plus there’s also a series of unlockable skills and moves designed to crush your enemies even harder. While still a spectacle, the combat is just about identical to the aging system used throughout the Yakuza games for many years. It’s well put together and great when you get to grips with it, but it feels less fluid and responsive when compared to games that follow the combat style introduced in Rocksteady’s genre-defining Arkham series.

When the fairly unassuming Takayuki isn’t clubbing local gang members over the head with the nearest available traffic cone, he’s making a name for himself as the district’s top private eye. The game’s detective and investigation elements are where Judgment really attempts to break away from the series that created it, and it’s also the area in which it comes up relatively short. While it does have its merits, the sleuthing angle tends to become a bit repetitive throughout the game as you perform the same segments time and again. You’ll generally have to tail a suspect or do some light eavesdropping quite often, and these will have you hiding in the shadows of conveniently placed lamp posts and road signs for some time. There are some interesting investigation sections where you’ll scan a crime scene or location for evidence and information, however these are fairly basic and can feel a bit like a speedbump between cutscenes or action segments at times. You’re offered extra experience and skill points when taking your job seriously in these areas, yet there’s never really any wrong answers or choices to be made in coming to each pre-defined solution.

The better pieces of detective work are to be found when donning disguises and talking your way through seedy areas, stopping to pick a lock or twist a few arms in order to get to the bottom of a case. Given that such a large portion of the game is spent in outrageous fights and action, it makes sense that the latter tense and dynamic detective sections feel better suited than the more monotonous and slow investigative portions. This divide will probably be the biggest hurdle for players, especially those new to the wider Yakuza series. Where the core franchise had revelled in its outrageous storylines, characters and combat, Judgment attempts to marry this approach with a grounded and measured setting. Takayuki can spend half an hour speaking with suspects and developing case files only to spend the next thirty minutes taking selfies with fast food employees or chasing down stray cats. Similarly, your dramatic courtroom argument can lose a bit of weight when you can be found beating a thug to a pulp with a steel bat outside less than five minutes later. Some may find the difference between these styles too much to get around, however those open to this dynamic will get a real kick out of the highly detailed and well-crafted experience on offer.

It should also be noted that the story and characters involved here have almost no ties to any previous Yakuza games, and thus the pre-requisite knowledge that is usually required for other entries in the complex series is gone. As an added bonus, Judgment is also the first game of its kind in many years to feature a fully voiced English dialogue option. While purists will most likely stick to the native Japanese option to better fit the characters and surroundings, the English track has been put together with a great cast and a deep level of care in translation – presenting a strong incentive for those who were still on the fence about taking a chance on the franchise.

Putting an interesting twist on a long-running formula, Judgment presents an adventure quite unlike pretty much anything else around at the moment. What other game allows you to spend the morning scanning security footage for possible suspects, the afternoon knocking teeth out of thugs on the streets, and the night hitting up a local diner for some cheap gyoza? While the detective work can grow a bit stale at times, the tight and gripping tale of crime and retribution underlying the game’s events help to keep you invested in each new chapter. Add to this a fully detailed slice of Japanese city-living, a huge number of side activities as well as a fantastic English dub and the evidence on this one is clear – Judgment is a finely crafted courtroom and you are its judge, jury and executioner.

Judgment is available now on PS4.

Tags Judgment, PlayStation, Sega

Movie Reviews

Crawl

Post author By Mark
Post date July 16, 2019

Alexandre Aja’s new creature feature Crawl takes a relatively simple concept – a father and daughter stalked by man-eating alligators in Florida during a hurricane – and dials the tension up to 11, creating one of the most thrilling, edge-of-your-seat cinematic experiences of the year. With a minimal cast and low budget it’s amazing how effective the film is at making the audience care about the characters, cry out in terror and squirm with discomfort, given there’s only really two options for anyone on-screen at any time: to survive or be eaten alive.

What grounds the events of Crawl is the complex father-daughter dynamic between Hayley (Kayla Scodelario) and her father Dave (Barry Pepper). We learn very early on that this is a family fractured by divorce and that Hayley once had a very close relationship with her father, as he coached her during her swimming career. It’s a smart move to invest the audience in the characters and we actually care about them surviving in order to patch things up and make amends without the distraction of giant reptiles. Whilst the trailers may paint the film as a straight-up monster movie, it is doing a disservice to the story of a family healing and coming together; the alligator action serving as a catalyst for interaction between the estranged family members. When Haley arrives at the old family home to make sure her father has evacuated, she finds him in the crawl space under the house in pretty rough shape with some rather large bite marks in his shoulder. From there we have ourselves a good old-fashioned survival horror movie as the two must navigate through a veritable maze of pipes and dirt under the house, dodging an increasing number of reptiles brought in by flooding caused by the hurricane.

Scodelario and Pepper shine here as the father-daughter duo, crafting a loving yet very clearly broken relationship between the pair. Scodelario carries majority of the action in the film and she is more than up to task, with an understandable fear and trepidation towards the events unfurling, albeit with just the right amount of B-movie sass to give the movie a fun energy to get the audience behind her as she battles the gators. Under the surface of the character, much like her father, is a world-weariness that comes from her struggle coping with the family’s split. Haley is done letting the world beat her down while she takes it and her fight against the alligator is doubly enjoyable to watch because of what it means for the character. She’s done being kicked around by life and is ready to get back in the fight, both physically and mentally. The film is ultimately a two-hander in regards to its cast and Scodelario’s efforts are in vain if Barry Pepper doesn’t deliver as her father. Fortunately he too gives an excellent performance, holding his own against Scodelario as the down on his luck patriarch, returning to the old family home in an effort to preserve not only the building itself but the memories of happier times that took place there. Dave clearly has many regrets about how he has handled the challenge life has thrown at him in the divorce and has accepted the fact that he may not get to make amends. The situation he finds himself in with his daughter offers him a chance at redemption and to put his fatherly duties first, and it’s a role that Pepper plays brilliantly as a man who desperately wants to keep his daughter safe while at the same time recognising that she needs to take control of the situation if they are to survive.

This familial story might be an unexpectedly strong point of the film but it’s not the reason most audiences will turn up to see Crawl – rather it’ll be to see a host of wild alligators in their element snapping up anything that moves. Director Alexandre Aja is something of a horror veteran at this point having directed films such as 2006’s excellent (and ridiculously violent) remake of The Hills Have Eyes and 2010 aquatic monster movie Piranha 3D. The skills he has acquired throughout his career clearly serve him well here; the scares are big and extremely effective, the tension is high throughout the entire film and the underwater sequences are shot brilliantly – you can always tell what is happening but there is still an element of unknown in the murky green depths. The gators look believable enough given the smaller budget and a “less is more” approach is taken, never showing the beasts for too long or in too much detail. It pays off in a big way as the audience is never quite sure where or when the beast will strike and is always on edge. This sense of dread and fear is only compounded as the body count rises and our heroes are forced to make some big plays for survival in order to avoid becoming reptile food. While the plot may veer into some pretty ridiculous places later on in the proceedings and the alligator’s start doing some crazy things, it’s all part of the B-movie charm of Crawl; a movie that knows exactly what it is and gives audiences that in spades.

Crawl is an unexpected horror delight that makes for a great time at the movies. If you’re looking for some thrills, scares and a healthy dose of B-movie cheese – and aren’t opposed to a well developed emotional plot thrown in for good measure – then this is the movie for you. Kayla Scodelario and Barry Pepper give the film some real emotional depth that elevates it above your basic creature feature, providing an experience that is a complete blast but one that also makes you feel for its characters – a rarity in this genre.

Crawl stars Kayla Scodelario and Barry Pepper – in cinemas now.

Tags Alexandre Aja, Barry Pepper, Crawl, Kayla Scodelario, Paramount

TV & Streaming Reviews

Stranger Things – Season 3

Post author By Tydus
Post date July 7, 2019

Television’s pop culture icon Stranger Things has just launched its third chapter into the world – to understandably high expectations – following the brilliant sci-fi adventures of season one and season two. We’ve followed our favourite characters through all the drama that’s come their way, and so we were all eagerly awaiting what the next instalment would bring to the table. Stranger Things Season Three succeeds in giving us all that we’ve come to love and expect from the series: brilliant interactions between its many characters, flashy 80’s nostalgia, horrifying demons and unapologetic nerdiness. Despite this however, the latest season doesn’t quite meet the impossibly high mark set by its predecessors, due mainly to some broad narrative decisions and a complicated plot that results in quite possibly the strangest season yet.

Note: While we don’t delve too deep into the finer plot details, we will be discussing key characters and high-level developments. If you’re looking to go into the season completely unaware, make sure you watch it first before reading on.

First things first, season three is intense. With a much darker and horror-focused run of episodes than ever before, this season doesn’t hold back when it comes to violence and gore. While the series has a history of some pretty hostile encounters (such as the finale of season one or the Demodogs of Hawkins’ Lab in season two), expect to see much more blood, beatings and death throughout this one. Horror has always been a key aspect of Stranger Things – the previous seasons were filled with slow-burn, high tension scares – but this time around the horror is far more in-your-face. In keeping with the 80’s charm of films like Nightmare on Elm Street and The Terminator, you’ll find the scares delivered through some nasty looking monsters and relentless chase scenes that aim to keep you on the edge of your seat. This is a refreshing direction for the series as a whole to take, proving that the show is evolving and maturing along with its characters and time period. Our leads are no longer kids playing board games in the basement and we’ve watched as they’ve all grown despite the dangers of the Upside-Down, so it only makes sense that the villains have grown bigger and more sinister as a result.

Speaking of growth, Stranger Things‘ fantastic young cast have come a long way since we last saw them. Mike (Finn Wolfhard), Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo), Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin), Will (Noah Schnapp), Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) and Max (Sadie Sink) are all firmly in their teens now, and this brings with it a number of changes to the group’s dynamic. Mike and Eleven are continuing where they left off at the close of season two, with their relationship and its effect on those around them being a constant theme throughout the season. Both young actors turn in another set of great performances this time around, with Millie Bobby Brown again delivering another stand-out performance as the complex Eleven. Like Dustin and Steve (Joe Keery) last season, we get a great new pairing between Max and Eleven as the two girls form a strong duo in what was originally an all-boys club.

With even Dustin managing to (apparently) find love while away on summer camp, this all leaves Will feeling isolated and separated from the core group – even more than usual. Schnapp’s character has less of a central role here compared to prior seasons, however he still does great work in showing the audience just how far the group has come while simultaneously longing to gain back the time he’s lost to the Upside-Down. Season three goes hard on the aspect of growing up and moving on, so it makes sense that each of the kids begin forging their own paths – ultimately weakening the tight-knit brotherhood we’ve come to know and love in the process.

Our other Hawkins favourites have also been busy during the break, with some faring better than others. Joyce (Winona Ryder) continues to mourn her loss from the most recent Hawkins’ disaster, managing to keep her mind occupied by looking into some strange occurrences around town during the summer. Ryder is an absolute gem here as always, and is able to deliver some powerful scenes which really highlight her growth over the course of the show. While she does play the curious, conspiracy-theorising single mother well, her character spends a large portion of the season following some highly questionable breadcrumbs and jumping to conclusions that seem far-fetched, even by her standards. While this has been done to keep the plot moving and give her something to do, it’s hard not to notice that Joyce has very little stakes in the game this time around. Without any real motive or genuine urgency, her story arc can almost feel a bit watered-down at times.

Police Chief Hopper (David Harbour) is again along for Joyce’s ride, if only as an excuse to spend more time with his not-so-secret crush. Harbour reprises his role as the iron fist of Hawkins, playing him harder and more aggravated than usual this season, and he spends most of his time taking the law into his own hands and knocking some heads together. Even though he plays something of a brute for majority of the show, Hop does get a chance to show some raw emotion in the scenes he shares with Joyce and his adoptive daughter Eleven. It’s a good thing that both Harbour and Ryder continue to have such great chemistry, as their charm is what carries us through some of the more far-reaching sections of the plot.

While his mother is off with Hopper, Jonathan (Charlie Heaton) begins interning at the town’s local newspaper – the Hawkins Post – alongside his now-official girlfriend Nancy Wheeler (Natalia Dyer). Dyer’s character struggles to make a good impression in the male dominated workplace, and this drives an interesting arc for her and Jonathan as they aim to break a big story that will put her critics in their place. It’s all well and good until their plot-line is completely tossed aside when something bigger comes along, and is never spoken of again.

Similarly, Nancy’s mother Karen (Cara Buono) is given much more to do at the start of the season than ever before, looking set to lift her character into a more prominent role alongside the other leading names. However her storyline is also left by the wayside before too long, and her very minimal appearances later in the season have her revert to the oblivious housewife she played in season one. While these characters are still fantastic and a joy to watch throughout, their individual story arcs highlight the general plot issues with this season. While the show has previously managed to organically link the narrative threads of its characters neatly in time for the finale, season three appears happy to cut ties with loose ends in order to hit certain story beats for the central and, quite frankly, farfetched plot-line.

Without spoiling too much, Stranger Things Season Three plays heavily on the 80’s hysteria of the threat of Russian invasion. The show attempts to shake things up by moving away from the usual US government conspiracies, however in doing so it loses much of its plausibility and logic. Whilst a fictional sci-fi adventure riddled with psychic powers, alternate dimensions and nightmarish monsters doesn’t exactly scream believability, Stranger Things has always been grounded when it came to actually delivering these stories. However the Russian angle is never really explained at all, and what the audience is expected to believe has been done by the foreigners in the space of a year is pretty outrageous.

Thankfully the majority of scenes on this side of the plot are carried by the brilliant ongoing pairing of Dustin and Steve, along with a couple of new companions. Steve has recently started working in an ice-cream store in Hawkins’ new Starcourt Mall, alongside former classmate Robin (Maya Hawke). Hawke is a great new addition to the cast, and she plays another strong, smart and layered character that has great chemistry with Keery and Matarazzo. Rounding out this group in season three is the left-field addition of Erica (Priah Ferguson), Lucas’ wildly outspoken younger sister who briefly appeared in previous seasons to spit fire on her brother and his friends. The young Ferguson is great in her role as the no-nonsense character who knows exactly what she wants, and the group of four are more than enough to keep each episode afloat – even when they’re dealing with what may just be the most bumbling and useless military unit we’ve ever seen.

Rounding out the cast of season three is Dacre Montgomery, who returns as Max’s step-brother Billy Hargrove, easily receiving the most development of any of the show’s characters this year. Having relatively minimal screen-time, yet an important role in season two, he becomes centre to many of this season’s events and a person of interest for most of the cast. Montgomery does excellent work in bringing the conflicted Billy to life once again – especially when he’s conveying the fluctuating emotions and actions that his role demands. We’re shown quite a bit more of the troubled character’s motives through some haunting interactions with Eleven, as well as through his relationship with step-sister Max, which has been greatly expanded following season two.

It’s also around Billy that we see much of the show’s phenomenal special effects work and monster designs, with the growing budget and resources being put to good use here. The creatures on show look like modern day adaptations of the ugliest monstrosities from 1982’s The Thing, and the grand finale is just as flashy and explosive as we’ve all come to expect. In ending the season with such a bang – as well as with some reflective and touching closing moments – season three does come some way in redeeming its fairly average central plot, and it helps to remind us that Stranger Things is first and foremost about its brilliant characters, their complex relationships and the bonds that tie them all together.

The third instalment of Stranger Things is ultimately another wild ride with our favourite Hawkins characters, weaving a compelling sci-fi tale while revelling in 80’s nostalgia and monster movie madness. While areas of the plot certainly require some grand leaps of imagination and logic, the darker tone and ongoing relationships between the talented cast have made the Duffer Brother’s latest outing a success. It’s almost certain that we’ll see a fourth chapter in the Stranger Things story, and at this point all we can do is wait and see where the next one will take us. With an ensemble of characters larger than ever before and a willingness to take the series to dark new places, Stranger Things Season Three has proven that it’s not afraid to challenge our expectations – and that it’s still the toughest kid on the block.

Stranger Things Season Three stars Winona Ryder, David Harbour, Millie Bobby Brown, Finn Wolfhard, Noah Schnapp, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, Dacre Montgomery, Joe Keery, Natalia Dyer and Charlie Heaton – streaming now on Netflix.

Tags Caleb McLaughlin, Charlie Heaton, Dacre Montgomery, David Harbour, Finn Wolfhard, Gaten Matarazzo, Joe Keery, Maya Hawke, Millie Bobby Brown, Natalia Dyer, Netflix, Noah Schnapp, Stranger Things, Winona Ryder

Game Reviews

Marvel’s Spider-Man

Post author By Tydus
Post date July 5, 2019

The amazing Spider-Man has seen his fair share of video game outings in the past. With powers and stories that lend themselves perfectly to some playable action, we’ve seen a wide spectrum of offerings spanning back a couple decades. When in the right hands, these games are absolute gems of open-world sandbox design and dynamic combat. When they’re not done so well, we’re given linear movie cash-ins with clunky controls that feel outdated even at launch. But when Marvel announced that they’d be teaming up with Insomniac (legendary creators of Ratchet & Clank and Spyro the Dragon) to produce the latest entry in the series, we knew that we were in for something special. So it came as no surprise when the game became a roaring success, lifting the web-slinger to even greater heights last year while proving that Marvel can work their magic both on and off the silver screen. One year on and with Spidey’s latest adventure hitting cinemas this week, we couldn’t help feeling the urge to step back into his shoes once again in Marvel’s Spider-Man.

Opting to avoid telling yet another rehash of the hero’s origin story, Marvel’s Spider-Man chooses to follow an experienced, established Peter Parker in a time long after that infamous spider bite. This decision gives Insomniac free reign to craft their own interesting and all-new story, without being bound by the expectations of players and fans. The plot fires up pretty quickly, with you taking control of the titular hero on the way to a siege in the middle of the city’s business district. This opening acts as a pretty intense tutorial for the game’s combat, and the resulting arrest of underworld boss ‘Kingpin’ also serves as the start of the story’s big events. Taken away in cuffs, Kingpin warns that removing him from the scene will send the city into total chaos – and we learn he was right pretty quickly. From there, you’re thrown straight into the sprawling streets of New York just as crime on the streets really starts to dial up.

Firstly – let’s talk about the incredible open sandbox world. There’s a crazy amount of detail in everything from the design of different buildings, pedestrians walking the sidewalk, traffic at Times Square and even the greenery of Central Park. The world really feels alive, and you can easily lose hours exploring all of the city’s secrets and nods to the Marvel Universe. Want to climb to the top of Avengers tower? Go for it. The office of legal duo Nelson & Murdoch from Daredevil? It’s there. You can even track down Uncle Ben’s final resting place if you like, where Peter will offer up a few words as you pass by. There’s obviously so much history to draw from when it comes to Spider-Man alone, so it’s a feat that the game manages to work in so many references to the wider Marvel Universe as well. Fans will be hunting down the game’s countless hidden extras and collectibles – most having direct ties to comics or Spidey lore – however there are also rewards designed to draw in other players such as new suits, upgrades and helpful gadgets. Having exploration directly reward your skills and abilities is a huge plus, and you’ll need some boosts for all the scraps you’re likely to run into.

Zipping up to higher ground is a totally viable option in any fight, and it is recommended for some of the tougher ones. Stay out of sight long enough and you can start working with the game’s solid stealth mechanics. More fleshed out and useful than it has been in any other playable Spider-Man entry, stealth will allow you to knock out a number of enemies without breaking a sweat. You’re able to string up enemies when perched above, silently knock them out when sneaking from behind or surprise them with a well placed gadget trap. Most scenarios will generally descend into fisticuffs, but the option to play the stealth card is almost always worth the effort – plus there are a number of suits, gadgets and upgrades that lend a hand to this approach. Where you will see it used the most is during a number of the main story missions, generally when infiltrating well-guarded buildings and hideouts. What is slightly surprising here is that a number of these sections are not led by the headlining hero at all – instead moving you into the shoes of series regulars Mary Jane Watson (MJ) and the young Miles Morales. MJ is an investigative journalist who isn’t afraid to get her hands dirty to get to the truth, and so playing as her often means sneaking through some unsavoury locations for a big piece of evidence. With his sections playing pretty similarly to MJ, Miles also has a bone to pick with some of the city’s underworld and he finds himself helping Peter and MJ bring the city back under control. Splitting the focus onto these other characters is an interesting move that really pays off, giving players a grounded perspective in what would otherwise be another larger-than-life superhero tale.

This perspective is also noticeable during the numerous sections where you’ll play as Peter himself, without the red tights and mask. The relationship between Peter and Aunt May is fully fleshed out, and her relevance to the unfolding events of the plot means you’re invested as Peter struggles to play hero and devoted nephew at the same time. The other major relationship at play is between Peter and his science mentor Otto Octavius. Working in a lab together designing high tech prosthetics, the resolute and seemingly level-headed Octavius is very proud of his talented protégé, with the two having a close bond that is explored over the course of the story. Even those with only a passing knowledge of Spider-Man lore will have an idea of how this eventually goes, but the path to that point has never been told in the way it has been here. A number of other familiar villains make an appearance throughout the game, however a few of these boss fights can become somewhat repetitive and uninspired when you’re not buried in the spectacle of it all. A few will simply boil down to throwing lumps of debris at the boss until they go down, while others rely heavily on quick time events and button prompts again and again until the fight is over. Some are a bit more creative, with one blending stealth and strategy together for some tense results and another playing very similarly to the fantastic Scarecrow segments from 2009’s Batman: Arkham Asylum. Thankfully the final few battles see the adventure go out with a bang, deftly weaving big story moments with frantic, edge-of-your-seat gameplay.

If you’re still craving more outside of the admittedly deep and lengthy story already on offer, Insomniac have also put together a number of DLC scenarios to keep the adventure going. Further exploring some of the characters and relationships introduced during the core game, these extras provide a great reason to return to the Big Apple – featuring some nice bonuses and challenges for those interested. Otherwise there’s a nice little new game plus feature that was added after launch, allowing players to roll back through the campaign with all their gear and skills intact. Maybe you’re looking to find every collectible backpack hidden across the city, or perhaps you could try your hand at fighting through each optional gang hideout or Taskmaster combat challenge. It could just be that you feel like soaring through the skies of the city at top speed, brushing past skyscrapers as you launch from one web to the next. When a game has been made with as much care and detail as this has, any excuse will do.

Perfectly capturing what it feels like to be a superhero, Marvel’s Spider-Man is leaps and bounds above what we’d often expect from a game tied so closely to a movie franchise. With an original story that rivals that of its big screen counterparts and gameplay that stands tall amongst other modern playable adventures, we’ve been given a fantastic Spidey outing that is as much a love letter to fans as it is a finely crafted and challenging experience. Whether you’re planning to dip your toe in for the first time – or you’re just thinking of a revisit to scratch that web-swinging itch brought on by recent big screen showings – there’s never a dull moment when you step into the shoes of everyone’s favourite friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man.

Marvel’s Spider-Man is available now on PS4.

Tags Insomniac, Marvel's Spider-Man, PlayStation, Spider-Man