Archives for Aaron Taylor-Johnson

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Summer Movie Series

Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)

Rated PG-13

avengers-team

Marvel Studios

The tyranny of Ultron, from its inception to its final battle with a reorganized Avengers team, seems to last only a few days. Hardly an age, but the title is the least of this film’s problems.

Everything seems right on paper: Booming, action-packed scenes, moments of character development, humor (always in supply in Marvel films—take note, DC!), dire global stakes, shifting alliances. But something about the whole affair seems disjointed. Maybe it’s because you can only expect so much return on this superhero investment. Most of the heroes have already had two or three movies to themselves, plus their grouping for the first Avenger’s film (2012). Maybe it’s finally too much of a good thing.

In the BloghouseBecause the first film surprised with its steady stream of humor, this time we expect to be entertained by jokes, setting up more of a challenge to be funny. Each hero gets his/her moment, but nothing that really expands these characters. We watched Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) struggle morally in the last two Iron Man films with the weapons and technology he created. We’ve seen Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson, Her, Lucy) confront her shadowy past as recently as Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Jeremy Renner’s Hawkeye is given a surprising backstory that I didn’t entirely believe. The film doesn’t seem to know what to do with Thor (Chris Helmsworth), and for the first time Captain America’s earnestness and pining for the good old days seems a bit annoying. I couldn’t bring myself to invest in the Quicksilver/Scarlet Witch subplot; the super-twins (Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Elizabeth Olsen) are basically more characters poured into the mix.

There were moments to enjoy, no doubt. A highway chase/fight scene woke me up, and the team lounging after a party has a warm touch that evokes the best of the original film. James Spader lends a great voice to Ultron, the nemesis borne of Stark’s well-meaning-but-misguided attempts to protect the planet, but the character itself seems a little too self-important (Yes, I get that Ultron takes on characteristics of its maker Tony Stark; it’s still too much!) and surprisingly not the best strategist. Wouldn’t a higher level of artificial intelligence spend more time on its mission and less time jumping into futile fights with superheroes? How many battles do we need of super-people and robots who can’t really hurt each other destroying architecture for miles around? And speaking of battles, was it just me or did the cinematography and CGI seem choppy, Michael Bay-ish?

A budding romance between Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) and Black Widow seemed awkward, forced by the screenwriters. Black Widow had more chemistry with Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) in Winter Soldier. The film is cluttered with characters—Nick Fury, Maria Hill, War Machine, Dr. Selvig, Dr. Cho—although I know it was meant to be cluttered with characters. The first film seemed easily digestible, funny, exciting. This time I’m struggling to care for the crisis, surprised at the forced jokes, more surprised that the big action set-pieces underwhelmed. I will give the film credit for the awesomely executed floating city, and Vision (Paul Bettany) is a sight to behold.

Marvel’s been incredible successful at bringing these heroes to the big screen, individually and as a team effort, but I’m wondering—despite the influx of new heroes (Falcon, Vision, Scarlet Witch, Ant-Man)—if we’ve told all the stories (Civil War and Black Panther notwithstanding) that are interesting to tell. If you love superhero movies, come what may, See it; otherwise, Skip it.

 

| Marvin Brown’s Movie Review Archive

Quik Flix Hit

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Summer Movie Series

Godzilla (2014)

Rated PG-13

godzilla

Warner Bros.

Godzilla takes his time showing up in his new movie. At first I’m thinking great, less is more. After awhile, I’m really getting eager to see the big guy. Finally, I’m wondering if Godzilla’s going to make a cameo in his own movie. He does eventual make his entrance. It’s a good one, the mighty creature rising up out of the ocean, water cascading off his mountainous frame like waterfalls, towering over birds and helicopters, blotting out the sun, opening his mouth to stop the show with his roar. Humans and giant monsters alike pause to take notice.

In the BloghouseThe whole movie is like that: setup, delayed gratification, big scene. Repeat.

There’s a prologue 15 years ago that mainly functions to give the protagonists a tragic backstory. In present day, a scientist played by Bryan Cranston has basically gone insane after his years of dire global warnings go unheeded. His estranged son Ford (Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Avengers: Age of Ultron) reluctantly arrives to talk some sense to his dad. Before long the son discovers, lo and behold, the old man’s not bonkers. Thus Ford is pulled into his dad’s mission while trying to get home to wife Elle (Elizabeth Olsen, Oldboy, Very Good Girls) and his own son. Olsen’s wasted in this, while Cranston brings gravitas this movie doesn’t need. Japanese legend Ken Watanabe is also wasted as a scientist whose function I still haven’t figured out.

When technology goes awry—Cranston told us so!—it produces a giant insect parasite that tears across the globe, eagerly off on some unknown mission. Once military intervention fails, it’s up to our scaly hero to save the day. With his awesome tail and fire breath, Godzilla’s formidable in battle, even when being double-teamed by giant monsters.

There’s lots of destruction of large-scale architecture, but nothing we haven’t already seen in big-budget action flicks. Honestly, I had more fun watching Pacific Rim (2013), itself a tribute to classic Japanese Kaiju films like Godzilla.

Make no mistake, this Godzilla is leaps and bounds ahead of the 1998 American reboot. My issues with the film resides in the screenplay, not in its execution. Director Gareth Edwards has a knack for amazing images and the execution of a scene. When this film’s on, it’s on. A scene of an elite military team parachuting into the monster warzone borders on iconic. The men jump from a plane then seem to fall endlessly with red flares streaming from their boots, through cloud holes, into dark sky, into glowing thunderclouds, back into dark sky, and downward. It’s a beautiful sight, visual poetry. Another scene of beautiful destruction involves a burning train roaring through the night and off a destroyed bridge. There’s a memorable visual of soldiers moving through lush jungle, and of a suspension bridge swaying and crumbling as it holds busloads of people.

Can I also note that actor Sally Hawkins, who plays a scientist, has absolutely nothing to do in this movie? Why even include this character?

If you’re a Godzilla fan, or into big-budget summer action—albeit doled out at deliberate junctures—check this out, otherwise: Skip it.

 

| Marvin Brown’s Movie Review Archive