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Something felt off in this movie, and that's a shame.

First of all, throughout the film I felt like I was watching something I had already seen. The plot is almost entirely identical to the original and classic Karate Kid from 1984, only without the heart that made that film so special.

There isn't enough explanation for why the characters act the way they do, except for the main character, Li.

I have no idea how they managed to do it, but even the character of Daniel LaRusso was poorly written: full of clichés and completely inconsistent with the personality we've come to know over three movies and six seasons of Cobra Kai.

Don't get me wrong, the movie isn't bad. I didn't suffer, and time passed quickly. But with just a little more effort and thought, it could've been so much better.

Bonus - the cameo was definitely surprising, enjoyable, and especially funny.

My final score for the movie: 7.5/10.

Marvel's Big Cinematic Event Is Finally Here!

The one that's supposed to lay the almost-final groundwork for Avengers: Doomsday, set to release in just over a year.

Let me start by saying that Fantastic Four: First Steps is a very high-quality film. It's not your typical Marvel movie. There aren't tons of action scenes, and the focus is more on the characters and the dynamics between them. We really get to know them on a deeper level. It somewhat resembles WandaVision, from the same director,who does a very good job here.

Most of the time, this approach works well, though sometimes you wish you could see more of the team in action, and that doesn't quite happen. That part was a bit disappointing. But the action scenes that are in the movie are executed perfectly. The tension, the pacing, the background music, the acting, everything is done really well.

The 1960s vibe is strongly felt, and it's no coincidence that Matt Shakman was chosen to direct. The acting is excellent, and the plot is relatively good, although at times it feels like they run out of story and just repeat the same scenes in different variations.

The surprise of the movie, for me, was Galactus, he looks amazing! Even better than I expected. Overall, the VFX are very impressive, and Marvel has clearly learned from past mistakes. Galactus is a particularly menacing villain, definitely a contender for the most threatening villain in the entire MCU.

In conclusion, this is a very good movie, though not a great one. I would have liked more action scenes, but in terms of world-building, character development, and anticipation, it has a bit of everything.

Oh, and the post-credits scene blew me out of my seat.

I'm really torn about how I feel about this movie. It's not a perfect film, but I enjoyed watching it. I didn't finish it with the feeling that I have to see it again, but there were moments that made me smile from ear to ear.

Let me start with the good, because why not begin on an optimistic note: James Gunn knew exactly what he was doing. He set out to make a comic book movie. To bring us a modern version of one of the most beloved superheroes of all time, after some relatively dark interpretations we got in the past decade. And in that regard, he succeeded. He went all in, with some insanely surreal moments.

His direction is brilliant, some of the best he's ever done. The camera movement, too, was just perfect.

The characters were also relatively well-written. I really liked the fact that Superman fully embraces the mantra of "saving everyone", from a squirrel to a woman in a car. He has a moral code, and he follows it to the end. That's something I deeply respect.

I also really liked Lex Luthor as the villain. It's so clear how obsessed he is with Superman, to the point where he'll do absolutely anything to defeat him. And even when something goes wrong, he immediately comes up with a backup plan until he succeeds.

In addition, I really appreciated that this was a comic book movie that feels like a comic book. I genuinely felt like I was flipping pages every time there was a brief black screen , it happened about four times during the movie. Gunn really made me feel like I was diving into a random Superman comic, with established characters already in place, and we're dropped right in the middle of the action. That's one of the film's strengths.

The supporting characters were cute. Green Lantern and Mister Terrific were the best, and I'm sorry, but Hawkgirl felt unnecessary.

Also, the cameos were average, but still very surprising (in a good way).

Now, on to what I liked less: James Gunn has a talent that very few people in Hollywood possess, the ability to create high-quality superhero films. The fact that he's been a comic book fan since childhood means he understands what fans love and what speaks to them, and that really comes through in his writing. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 1 is one of the best MCU movies, The Suicide Squad is considered one of DC's best in recent years (according to reviews, I haven't seen it yet), and overall Gunn relies on actual comics when writing. As I mentioned earlier, this is a comic book movie. And Gunn went all the way with that, but in my opinion, it didn't fully work. The plot just isn't strong or engaging enough.

Sorry, but the whole storyline about Bolivia invading that other country didn't feel powerful enough to carry the first film of DC's new cinematic universe. That said, there weren't plot holes or anything like that, it's just that, as a viewer, I didn't really feel compelled to "root" for either side of the conflict.

In summary, it's an interesting way to kick off the new DC Universe. It seems like James Gunn knows what he's doing, and I'm curious to see where it all leads. If you're looking for a fun action-packed comic book movie - this is the one for you.