bartonj2410
Joined Aug 2013
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It's been five years since we said goodbye to Harry Potter and the wizarding world in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2. With the way Hollywood is now, I'm surprised it's taken Warner Bros. five years to return to one of their most lucrative properties to see if they can bleed it dry.
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is a film based on a textbook written by J. K. Rowling within the Harry Potter universe. The textbook is one written by Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) and is pretty much an encyclopaedia of creatures that he's documented on his travels throughout the wizarding world.
When Newt arrives in 1926 New York, he does so carrying a suitcase full of magical creatures. After a mix up with Jacob Kowalski (Dan Fogler), Newt loses the case and as a result, a number of the creatures escape and run amok in New York. While trying to track down the escaped creatures, Newt must evade the clutches of Percival Graves (Colin Farrell), an Auror working for MACUSA (The Magical Congress of the United States of America), trying to protect the wizarding world from human discovery.
It's definitely fun returning to the wizarding world and Rowling has written an entertaining enough story however, my problems with Fantastic Beasts lie with the fact that there is barely any introduction given to this time and setting in the wizarding world. It was something that Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone did so well, laying the foundations for the rest of the series however, that was the world of Hogwarts and this an entirely new setting.
We're just thrown into this story with Newt tracking down the creatures and nothing else that happens around this main story is explained very well at all. It's certainly an adventure that is fun to watch but I felt the setting needed a bit more depth, considering this is going to be a series of five films. Don't even get me started on the finale of this film, which becomes a ball of confusion thanks to an unexplained revelation and an incoherent set-piece involving a rampant black cloud (known as an Obscurus).
Which leads me to the special effects on show in this film, which for the most part are very good. The majority of the creatures are well designed and brought to life through wonderful effects, even if they aren't all that fantastic. In places though the CGI looked a tad messy, particularly in the finale I've mentioned previously.
Unlike the Harry Potter films, Fantastic Beasts doesn't have the likable characters to lead the film. The performances are good enough but the characters were a little lacklustre. Newt Scamander is a pretty weak lead character for a start and Eddie Redmayne doesn't really do enough to make you like him, leaving this as a Redmayne performance somewhere between the heights of The Theory of Everything and the very low depths of Jupiter Ascending. Dan Fogler's effort as the comic relief of the film is admirable but he doesn't do much else other than make weird faces and noises.
Katherine Waterston and Alison Sudol play a pair of sisters who Newt meets during his time in New York but I can't help but feel Waterston is massively wasted in a very limited role, as is Colin Farrell as the mysterious Graves. Much has been made of Johnny Depp's casting announcement in this series and his appearance here leaves me fearing the worst for the rest of these films.
Warner Bros. initially announced Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them as the start of a new trilogy, which more recently became a pentalogy. While there is certainly enough fun to be had with this film, the films simply have to get better if they are to standalone from the Harry Potter films.
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is a film based on a textbook written by J. K. Rowling within the Harry Potter universe. The textbook is one written by Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) and is pretty much an encyclopaedia of creatures that he's documented on his travels throughout the wizarding world.
When Newt arrives in 1926 New York, he does so carrying a suitcase full of magical creatures. After a mix up with Jacob Kowalski (Dan Fogler), Newt loses the case and as a result, a number of the creatures escape and run amok in New York. While trying to track down the escaped creatures, Newt must evade the clutches of Percival Graves (Colin Farrell), an Auror working for MACUSA (The Magical Congress of the United States of America), trying to protect the wizarding world from human discovery.
It's definitely fun returning to the wizarding world and Rowling has written an entertaining enough story however, my problems with Fantastic Beasts lie with the fact that there is barely any introduction given to this time and setting in the wizarding world. It was something that Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone did so well, laying the foundations for the rest of the series however, that was the world of Hogwarts and this an entirely new setting.
We're just thrown into this story with Newt tracking down the creatures and nothing else that happens around this main story is explained very well at all. It's certainly an adventure that is fun to watch but I felt the setting needed a bit more depth, considering this is going to be a series of five films. Don't even get me started on the finale of this film, which becomes a ball of confusion thanks to an unexplained revelation and an incoherent set-piece involving a rampant black cloud (known as an Obscurus).
Which leads me to the special effects on show in this film, which for the most part are very good. The majority of the creatures are well designed and brought to life through wonderful effects, even if they aren't all that fantastic. In places though the CGI looked a tad messy, particularly in the finale I've mentioned previously.
Unlike the Harry Potter films, Fantastic Beasts doesn't have the likable characters to lead the film. The performances are good enough but the characters were a little lacklustre. Newt Scamander is a pretty weak lead character for a start and Eddie Redmayne doesn't really do enough to make you like him, leaving this as a Redmayne performance somewhere between the heights of The Theory of Everything and the very low depths of Jupiter Ascending. Dan Fogler's effort as the comic relief of the film is admirable but he doesn't do much else other than make weird faces and noises.
Katherine Waterston and Alison Sudol play a pair of sisters who Newt meets during his time in New York but I can't help but feel Waterston is massively wasted in a very limited role, as is Colin Farrell as the mysterious Graves. Much has been made of Johnny Depp's casting announcement in this series and his appearance here leaves me fearing the worst for the rest of these films.
Warner Bros. initially announced Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them as the start of a new trilogy, which more recently became a pentalogy. While there is certainly enough fun to be had with this film, the films simply have to get better if they are to standalone from the Harry Potter films.
With the arrival of Doctor Strange, the Marvel Cinematic Universe now consists of fourteen films, a franchise that has introduced us to a number of iconic characters who have occupied the pages of comic books for many years, turning Marvel Studios into a box-office behemoth in the process.
The continuing expansion of the MCU is something that each film has to keep in consideration but, while introducing new characters at this stage in a franchise, it's important that these films feel fresh. Doctor Strange does very well in introducing a character I'm not too familiar with, taking time to explore his origin story and becoming one of the most different offerings within the MCU.
Doctor Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) is one of the world's leading neurosurgeons who, after a major car accident, is forced to give up his career due to severe injuries sustained to his hands. After hearing of a potential cure, Strange sets off on a journey of healing to meet the Ancient One (Tilda Swinton).
Strange's journey takes him to Kamar-Taj, where he discovers the mystic arts. Trained how to use them and taught about the purpose he can serve, Strange takes a path that will change his life forever.
As I've mentioned before, I'm not all too familiar with the character of Doctor Strange in comparison to the likes of Spider-Man, Iron Man or Captain America. That worked massively in favour of the film as I was interested to see how a character like this would fit into the MCU and excited to see something new altogether within the franchise.
Scott Derrickson really has done a great job in making a film that offers that something new while feeling right at home within the MCU at the same time. The exploration of the mystic arts is big enough but Derrickson juggles that with Strange's origin story to make sure this is a hero we want to root for. Derrickson's film flows at a steady pace and features some of the better humour we've seen in the MCU so far.
It's no surprise that a Marvel film possesses impressive special effects however, when you see what they achieve with the effects in Doctor Strange, you can only be even more impressed with them. Watching Strange learn the secrets of the mystic arts gets pretty psychedelic at times while the action sequences, including a landscape shifting chase through New York, are quite breathtaking.
Coming to the performances, Doctor Strange features a lead in Benedict Cumberbatch that proves, once again, Marvel have got the casting for one of their heroes spot on again. We know Cumberbatch can pull off the arrogance as we've seen him do it as Sherlock Holmes and he does it so well as Doctor Strange, both during his time as a surgeon and sorcerer. It's a trait that makes him a bit difficult to take to but then it's great to see the character earn the respect of the audience as the film goes on.
Cumberbatch is joined by a mightily impressive supporting cast that includes Tilda Swinton, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Benedict Wong, Rachel McAdams and Mads Mikkelsen. There's been a bit of controversy surrounding the casting of Swinton in the role of the Ancient One, a problem seen quite often in Hollywood unfortunately, but there's no denying Swinton gives one of the best performances in Doctor Strange. I really enjoyed Chiwetel Ejiofor's take on Karl Mordo and I'm intrigued the direction his character will take in future instalments.
It's the misusage of McAdams and Mikkelsen that leaves a bit of a sour taste, McAdams rather terribly pushed aside to the role of girlfriend while Mikkelsen falls under the curse of weak and underwritten Marvel villain. It's a problem Marvel have really struggled with throughout the MCU with Loki and Ultron being the only stand-out villains. Two memorable villains across fourteen films isn't really good enough though. I mean, McAdams and Mikkelsen both do there best with the limited material they're given but it's a real shame that it has to happen.
As always with Marvel, there's two extra scenes throughout the end credits that tease future projects and it's the one in the middle of the end credits that left me pumped for a particular sequel coming out next year. It also felt like a great subtle nod to Sherlock Holmes, who Cumberbatch has played before. Thanks to a very good introduction to the Sorcerer Supreme, I can't wait to see how he's going to interact with the likes of Tony Stark and Star-Lord when we get to that point in a couple of years.
The continuing expansion of the MCU is something that each film has to keep in consideration but, while introducing new characters at this stage in a franchise, it's important that these films feel fresh. Doctor Strange does very well in introducing a character I'm not too familiar with, taking time to explore his origin story and becoming one of the most different offerings within the MCU.
Doctor Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) is one of the world's leading neurosurgeons who, after a major car accident, is forced to give up his career due to severe injuries sustained to his hands. After hearing of a potential cure, Strange sets off on a journey of healing to meet the Ancient One (Tilda Swinton).
Strange's journey takes him to Kamar-Taj, where he discovers the mystic arts. Trained how to use them and taught about the purpose he can serve, Strange takes a path that will change his life forever.
As I've mentioned before, I'm not all too familiar with the character of Doctor Strange in comparison to the likes of Spider-Man, Iron Man or Captain America. That worked massively in favour of the film as I was interested to see how a character like this would fit into the MCU and excited to see something new altogether within the franchise.
Scott Derrickson really has done a great job in making a film that offers that something new while feeling right at home within the MCU at the same time. The exploration of the mystic arts is big enough but Derrickson juggles that with Strange's origin story to make sure this is a hero we want to root for. Derrickson's film flows at a steady pace and features some of the better humour we've seen in the MCU so far.
It's no surprise that a Marvel film possesses impressive special effects however, when you see what they achieve with the effects in Doctor Strange, you can only be even more impressed with them. Watching Strange learn the secrets of the mystic arts gets pretty psychedelic at times while the action sequences, including a landscape shifting chase through New York, are quite breathtaking.
Coming to the performances, Doctor Strange features a lead in Benedict Cumberbatch that proves, once again, Marvel have got the casting for one of their heroes spot on again. We know Cumberbatch can pull off the arrogance as we've seen him do it as Sherlock Holmes and he does it so well as Doctor Strange, both during his time as a surgeon and sorcerer. It's a trait that makes him a bit difficult to take to but then it's great to see the character earn the respect of the audience as the film goes on.
Cumberbatch is joined by a mightily impressive supporting cast that includes Tilda Swinton, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Benedict Wong, Rachel McAdams and Mads Mikkelsen. There's been a bit of controversy surrounding the casting of Swinton in the role of the Ancient One, a problem seen quite often in Hollywood unfortunately, but there's no denying Swinton gives one of the best performances in Doctor Strange. I really enjoyed Chiwetel Ejiofor's take on Karl Mordo and I'm intrigued the direction his character will take in future instalments.
It's the misusage of McAdams and Mikkelsen that leaves a bit of a sour taste, McAdams rather terribly pushed aside to the role of girlfriend while Mikkelsen falls under the curse of weak and underwritten Marvel villain. It's a problem Marvel have really struggled with throughout the MCU with Loki and Ultron being the only stand-out villains. Two memorable villains across fourteen films isn't really good enough though. I mean, McAdams and Mikkelsen both do there best with the limited material they're given but it's a real shame that it has to happen.
As always with Marvel, there's two extra scenes throughout the end credits that tease future projects and it's the one in the middle of the end credits that left me pumped for a particular sequel coming out next year. It also felt like a great subtle nod to Sherlock Holmes, who Cumberbatch has played before. Thanks to a very good introduction to the Sorcerer Supreme, I can't wait to see how he's going to interact with the likes of Tony Stark and Star-Lord when we get to that point in a couple of years.
I find it very surprising that, in a career that has lasted nearly forty years and with all the popular films he's had, Jack Reacher is only the second character that Tom Cruise has returned to play in a sequel. Ethan Hunt in the Mission: Impossible franchise is the other so it speaks volumes of how much Cruise likes playing this character.
Jack Reacher (Tom Cruise), a former Major in the Army, is returning to the headquarters of his old military unit to meet Major Susan Turner (Cobie Smulders), who has helped him solve a few cases in the past, when he begins to uncover a conspiracy theory that has seen Turner thrown in jail.
Together the pair must go on the run and clear their names however, a potential secret from Reacher's past threatens to put them in even more danger.
I really enjoyed Jack Reacher so I was naturally looking forward to this sequel. It's a great shame then that Jack Reacher: Never Go Back fails to recapture what made the first film so good. The first film did the subtle comedy very well but this sequel just takes itself way too seriously. Maybe it's down to the fact Edward Zwick directed this one and he hasn't really made too many comedies in the past.
There are attempts at humour but they don't really work too well. The film deals with a murder case, similar to its predecessor, but the tone of the film feels all too serious. The fight scenes in the first film had the humour that made them so entertaining but there isn't really any of that here. In fact, the action sequences in Never Go Back are sporadically edited, making it near impossible to tell who is who at times.
The commitment Tom Cruise has towards his films is admirable but even he fails to spark life into the uninspired story and script. Cobie Smulders manages to hold her own against Cruise in a male dominated genre but she does get quite irritating by the film's conclusion, as does Danika Yarosh, whose part I won't discuss in case people want to go in without knowing.
With a number of Lee Childs' novels to adapt, we could see more Jack Reacher films in the future. If that is the case, I really hope it mirrors the Mission: Impossible franchise in the way that the second film is by far the worst and they only get better from here.
Jack Reacher (Tom Cruise), a former Major in the Army, is returning to the headquarters of his old military unit to meet Major Susan Turner (Cobie Smulders), who has helped him solve a few cases in the past, when he begins to uncover a conspiracy theory that has seen Turner thrown in jail.
Together the pair must go on the run and clear their names however, a potential secret from Reacher's past threatens to put them in even more danger.
I really enjoyed Jack Reacher so I was naturally looking forward to this sequel. It's a great shame then that Jack Reacher: Never Go Back fails to recapture what made the first film so good. The first film did the subtle comedy very well but this sequel just takes itself way too seriously. Maybe it's down to the fact Edward Zwick directed this one and he hasn't really made too many comedies in the past.
There are attempts at humour but they don't really work too well. The film deals with a murder case, similar to its predecessor, but the tone of the film feels all too serious. The fight scenes in the first film had the humour that made them so entertaining but there isn't really any of that here. In fact, the action sequences in Never Go Back are sporadically edited, making it near impossible to tell who is who at times.
The commitment Tom Cruise has towards his films is admirable but even he fails to spark life into the uninspired story and script. Cobie Smulders manages to hold her own against Cruise in a male dominated genre but she does get quite irritating by the film's conclusion, as does Danika Yarosh, whose part I won't discuss in case people want to go in without knowing.
With a number of Lee Childs' novels to adapt, we could see more Jack Reacher films in the future. If that is the case, I really hope it mirrors the Mission: Impossible franchise in the way that the second film is by far the worst and they only get better from here.