Review by Jonathan Berk For Bruiser to be the directorial debut of Miles Warren is quite a statement of intent. The film opens with an overhead shot of three men who appear to be unconscious laying on a very green field. One of them slowly starts to move as the music crescendos to a smash cut of the title card. Immediately, the audience should feel themselves being guided by the capable hands of Warren as we follow Monica (Shinelle Azoroh) picking up her son Darius (Jalyn Hall) from boarding school. The storytelling in this film is efficient and impactful, helped by the strong visual style and the score. All these trappings are then rested on the shoulders of an incredible cast that keeps the film rolling until its finale. It is an impressive debut film, to say the least. Darius is on summer break before his 8th-grade year, and we all know what a trying time that is. That age is when you are stuck in this transition period of not being a kid, but not yet an adult. Darius is also stuck between his rich friends from school and the neighborhood kids back home, which is ultimately laid out by his father, Malcolm (Shamier Anderson), when Darius asks for a new bike. Where the plot kicks in when Darius finds himself stuck between Malcolm and Porter (Trevante Rhodes), a charismatic drifter he meets on a chance encounter. These three characters and the dynamics between them and their past become the big pull of this movie, and young Darius is left spinning trying to unstick himself from all his 14-year-old struggles. The performances of the three men are all outstanding. Hall was also in Till last year and continues to demonstrate his young talent. It would be surprising to not continue to see him in roles like this for many years to come. Anderson demonstrates this incredible duality in his performance as Malcolm. You see past the facade he wears to the turmoil writhing underneath. Malcolm so desperately wants to be the man he presents to the world, but internally fears he is all the things he doesn’t want to be. Malcolm clings so desperately to this hope that he doesn’t realize the damage it causes to the ones he loves. All of that is detectable by Anderson’s mannerisms and size. Rhodes delivers on the hope the cinematic world had for his career when he played Black in Moonlight. From the moment he shouts at Darius and introduces himself, Porter becomes an instantly compelling character. Rhodes uses his muscular form to insert himself both on screen and as a character to not trifle with. Every moment, word, and look Rhodes does is deliberate, and when things get heated, it all comes to a satisfying moment. The film is quiet at times and wants the audience to meditate on the circumstances and relationships. Warren and his team demonstrate competence in the storytelling and building of tension throughout the movie. There is a simple scene where Darius decides to test his strength. The camera sets wide, and as the audience winces in anticipation of the impending doom, as we know Darius can’t possibly do the thing he’s attempting to do, the camera stays locked on. You can look away, but the camera will not. No rapid editing or close-ups hide the horror or reveal if anyone else is aware of what is happening. The tension rises, and not until it breaks does the camera cut to a new perspective. While there is no one way to do a scene, it is clear if the choices made are impactful once it is put on the screen. Whether that credit falls solely to Warren, the editor James Lesage, his co-writer Ben Medina, cinematographer Justin Derry, or a combination of the whole team, it doesn’t change the impact of that moment.
It would be a disservice not to mention the use of music in the film. Otis Redding’s “Cigarettes and Coffee" is played at least three times in the film. The motif has a thematic impact, and the tone matches the film perfectly. It first appears on the car ride home from boarding school in a touching moment of reconnection with Monica and Darius. She is singing it, and he just isn’t having it. There is a clear distance between them after a year away, and she is trying to sneak past his guards. The cracks are visible, but he quickly pushes back and establishes his desire to be his own man, even if he isn’t ready to be there yet. The car becomes a major symbol of his maturity and independence throughout the film, starting here, as Monica lets him steer for a moment as they near the house. Bruiser was a pleasant surprise at almost every turn. The performances were incredible, the story was tense and intriguing, and the film has many things to love about it. However, it is not a feel-good coming-of-age story, and the audience may be left feeling a bit gut-punched ruminating on the lyrics of “Cigarettes and Coffee” and the various interpretations of the events in the film. If that sounds like your cup of coffee, you’ll likely enjoy Bruiser. Bruiser drops on Hulu on February 24. Rating: 4/5
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Review by Sean Boelman
It’s always fun to see a film that takes a genre or genre-adjacent premise and spins it on its head to create something entirely different. The Belgian movie Sea Sparkle does just that, approaching its seemingly outlandish concept in a wonderfully satisfying way rooted in the power of human emotion.
The film follows a young girl who, after the untimely death of her father at sea, sets out on a journey to find the sea monster she thinks is responsible for his demise. The bond between a child and their parent is nearly universal — and tremendously powerful — and filmmaker Domien Huyghe takes advantage of that to craft a powerful family drama. Although the premise may make it seem like this is a supernatural adventure, it’s something much more profound. Instead, the movie poignantly explores the idea of grief and how children cope with it in times of traumatic loss. It’s refreshingly unmelodramatic, focusing less on the drama and more on how the character internalizes it. The film does a great job of creating this small fishing community for the story to take place in. Of course, the protagonist is immediately compelling given all that she is going through, but the movie does a great job of providing a wide range of friends and companions to help her through the journey without making any one of them feel archetypal.
Young actress Saar Rogiers is simply extraordinary in her role. It’s a role that was clearly demanding — both physically and mentally — and Rogiers fearlessly stands up to the challenge. The performance she gives is restrained and powerful, thriving in the quiet moments of loneliness that this film has to offer as opposed to the loud anger dominant in the genre.
Visually, the movie is quite strong, leaning heavily on the juxtaposition of neon-and-moonlight-drenched nights and sun-filled days. Many of the film’s darker images bring to mind the depths of the ocean, illuminated by small bursts of glowing light. This lovely imagery is supported by an equally effective soundtrack — made up of mostly pop and rap — that creates a somber but still wondrous tone. Indeed, Sea Sparkle is definitely darker than your average coming-of-age story given that it is heavily centered around the theme of grief, but Huyghe manages to capture the feeling of childlike fantasy that makes it feel so universal. Many movies have tried this balance between groundedness and innocence, but Huyghe nails it seemingly effortlessly. Sea Sparkle might not be exactly what the concept advertises, but it’s a pretty great film nonetheless. Its blend of wholesome coming-of-age beats with a uniquely insightful commentary on universal themes makes it a standout in a genre that tends to be rather bloated. Sea Sparkle debuted at the 2023 Berlin International Film Festival. Rating: 4/5 Review by Dan Skip Allen Of An Age is an Australian LGBTQIA+ romance by writer/director Goran Stolevski from Focus Features and Roadshow Entertainment. This film had a lot of potential, but unfortunately fell short of high expectations, brought about by solid early buzz. Ebony (Hattie Hook) is stranded on a beach and doesn't know where she is. She calls for help from her friend Kol (Elias Anton), who — in turn — enlists help from her brother Adam (Thom Green). As they both go for a ride to find Ebony, Kol and Adam get to know each other on the road trip. This would kick off a whirlwind of unexpected self-discovery. This film is basically a two-hander that focuses mainly on the friendship between Kol and Adam. It's love at first sight for these two guys from different backgrounds. One is from Czechoslovakia, and the other is originally from Australia. Anton's character doesn't feel comfortable in his skin as a gay man, but Green's seems much more at home with his sexuality — perhaps because of their age difference. The movie splits the narrative into two segments. One is the whole story around Hook's character from 1999, and the other is again centered around Hook's character, as the two main characters reunite at her wedding in 2010. They meet at the airport, and they both go to the wedding and have fun dancing and drinking. However, a revelation may irrevocably change their relationship forever. The writer/director of this film, Goran Stolevski, creates a burgeoning romance that is difficult to get your head around as a viewer. At one point, he makes it obvious these two love each other, but then he has this moment when they can't be together. The movie gives mixed signals about these two characters that obviously love each other. I say make up your mind as a filmmaker. Don't make it so hard on them as characters or the people watching.
As far as the romantic nature of this movie and the two main characters, it was hard for me to stay engaged watching them. It seems all they do is stare at one another most of the time. There are two sex scenes between them, but one comes so late in the story it doesn't register as that important. Maybe this film should have been longer, so these two characters and their relationship could have been explored in more depth. I did care about them, but what I got wasn't enough for my liking. Recently, there have been many gay and LGBT stories. Some of them have been good, and others like Of an Age lack the depth between the characters and the romance it needed to be effective in truly showing the love these two men have for one another. Maybe the writer/director should have chosen one or the other to focus on instead of both. The narrative suffered because of this. All in all, it was an okay film, but it could have been great if some changes were made to the production. Of an Age hits theaters on February 17. Rating: 2.5/5 Review by Tatiana Miranda Lately, movies surrounding the Holocaust seem to be a copout for award show nominations and overly dramatic performances. Unlike this trend, the French film A Radiant Girl knows when to focus on the individual rather than the big picture that is its period setting. Set in Paris in the summer of 1942, A Radiant Girl centers around Irene, an aspiring actress on the verge of adulthood, and her family. Focused on her conservatory audition and love life, Irene is seemingly unaware of the intense politics happening around her. Through hushed conversations between Irene's grandmother and father, the audience becomes aware of the family's secular Jewish identity and their subsequent fears as the French government becomes increasingly more concerned with their Jewish identity. Still, Irene remains almost naively focused on her own day-to-day life. While A Radiant Girl's setting is clear by the end of the film, it is not always so, as the film cleverly uses more modern music and ambiguous costume designs throughout. By straying away from the usual habits of period pieces, such as intense costuming and aesthetics, A Radiant Girl allows itself to focus on Irene and her family rather than just the setting. It also allows the audience to have the same tunnel vision as Irene since the encroaching occupation isn't overly noticeable. The main character Irene is bubbly and optimistic about love, her family, and her acting career. Her personality would fit accurately in a typical coming-of-age film, but in A Radiant Girl, it is a stark contrast from the darkness lurking that she seems to be unaware of. Even when her scene partner and crush goes missing, she doesn't linger on his disappearance and instead forges on, enlisting her best friend to help her with her audition scene. While this could make her seem self-involved, her family's lack of communication about the occupation and their identity allows her to focus on more trivial things. Irene and her family always appear to be on the edge of happiness throughout the film, which makes the final shot all the more upsetting. Constantly practicing her lines and faux fainting, Irene's upcoming conservatory audition is the potential big break she's been waiting for. Beyond her career ambitions, she is also in over her head regarding her love life. She contemplates what to do about her young gauche suitor and stumbles into a romance with a doctor's assistant. Irene's brother and father are also shown on the verge of relationships, both doomed to end before they even quite begin.
A Radiant Girl is a captivating and entertaining character study that allows its characters to exist beyond their Jewish identity even during a time when it's being threatened. The film is just as hopeful as its main character up until the final shot when the audience realizes that there is no everyday life left for Irene and her family. A Radiant Girl releases in theaters February 17. Rating: 3/5 Review by Adam Donato Heart of a Champion is the story of a young girl who dreams of owning a horse. This simple tale brings dreams and romance to the table for the family to enjoy. The lead of The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl spin-off We Can Be Heroes, YaYa Gosselin, stars as a young girl struggling with her family relationships after a messy divorce, but distracts herself with her passion for horseback riding. With the help of her dad’s best friend, played by Starship Troopers lead Casper Van Dien, they rescue a horse and teach it to ride. Can she juggle her new hobby with her familial responsibilities? Luckily, director Brad Keller has experience with horses, as he directed A Horse Tale back in 2015. Besides Van Dien and Gosselin, Heart of a Champion also stars a beautiful horse. Before getting critical about this feature, it must be acknowledged that the intended audience for this movie has very low expectations. As long as it’s sweet and there’s a lot of scenes with the horse, then little girls and their moms will be happy. This is the perfect movie for a passable Saturday afternoon flick for mothers to watch with their daughters. To the casual viewer, Heart of a Champion is a fine experience of a movie. From a filmmaking perspective, Heart of a Champion is dog water. The story is obnoxiously by-the-numbers in every regard. You know exactly how this movie will go from the moment it starts. It’s not trying to challenge anybody, it’s just trying to have a feel-good time, which is fine. The dialogue is cringe throughout. All the characters are annoying. The lighting is regularly over-exposed. The editing is extremely awkward. The only redeemable thing about the editing is that this feature runs at just under 90 minutes. Every storyline attempted comes to completion in the most standard manner. There’s nothing of actual value or substance here whatsoever. Remember Edward Furlong? The kid who played John Connor in Terminator 2 and the Nazi youth in American History X? He’s totally in this. In the divorce this family is going through, Furlong plays the irresponsible father in her life. That’s crazy! He’s still out there doing things, and he looks nothing like he used to. What a weird little aspect about the movie. Also, Van Dien’s truck has a Texas license plate that says “COW BOY”. They're really scraping the bottom of the barrel for this movie.
Do you like horses? Then Heart of a Champion is the movie for you, because it definitely has a horse in it. If that is enough for one to enjoy for 86 minutes, check this one out on demand this week. If one is not a horse girl, then this is not worth your time. It’s like if you asked an AI to make a script based on the words “horse girl" — an unnecessary and basic flick. Neigh. Heart of a Champion hits theaters on February 17 and VOD on February 21. Rating: 2/5 Review by Dan Skip Allen I've seen many films about power struggles and control of land and countries. Pacifiction is one of the strangest films about this subject I've ever seen. The length of it is almost an instant turn-off for me, but I give every film a chance before I condemn them. Albert Serra needed a little self-control with his camera and an editor for this self-indulgent script. High Commissioner De Roller (Benoit Magimel) is a French politician who controls French Polynesia. He goes to a nightclub and hotel at night, while trying to be a go-between for the locals and the French government during the day. When word gets out that French leaders want to test nuclear bombs off the coast of these beautiful islands, the people start to worry that their way of life may be over. De Roller keeps his ears and eyes open by having others watch out for his beliefs and what he stands for. Among them is Shannah, a transvestite who works at the nightclub, but also is a valet when she is needed in that capacity. She's like his right-hand woman. Some enigmatic men want to take control of the island and get in the heads of the locals. The goal is to make them try to stand up for themselves. These island politics cause trouble for the High Commissioner. An Admiral who comes onto the island with his men and the adjunct leader of the island's people adds a little intrigue to the script, but this script needed to be edited down a lot. This film was way too long, and the director is to blame for this, because he also helped write the script with Baptiste Pinteaux, who wrote the dialogue. The two-hour and forty-minute runtime is way too long for a film of this ilk. This would have been a great hour-and-a-half to a two-hour film. It's an over-long plodding movie with characters standing around looking off in the distance, whether they're standing in the nightclub or outside looking at a sunset. People just stand around doing nothing for more time than I care to elaborate on. This film was so boring, I had to stop watching it just so I had enough of a break to finish it. I created my own intermission.
One subplot involves a massive storm that hits the island. Some scenes in the movie had the main character overseeing a dance team at the nightclub to show visitors who and what the Indigenous people on the island truly are. Also, the so-called bomb testing was a major part of the plot. This film didn't know what it wanted to focus on the most. I feel the main character was in a cat-and-mouse game with the people on the island who wanted to take control away from him and the French government. There were also too many subplots that made the film way too long. The main story wasn't that bad if somebody could have had a little self-control. The length was ridiculous for this type of story. I hate to say this, but the director was wrong in many of his decisions in this movie. The one he wasn't wrong about was casting the lead. He was fantastic in this role. I just wish he had a better film to shine in. Unfortunately, Pacifiction wasn't it for him or the viewers watching. Pacifiction hits theaters on February 17. Rating: 2/5 Review by Dan Skip Allen The Integrity of Joseph Chambers is Robert Machoian's latest film after The Killing of Two Lovers, which was a Sundance hit a few years ago. Machoian once again works with Clayne Crawford, the star of his previous film. Machoian likes to get at the heart of who these men are and why they do what they do. His films dissect what it is to be a man in today's society, which is fascinating given how the idea of masculinity has evolved in today's society. A family man, Joseph Chambers (Clayne Crawford), desires to go hunting, despite his wife Tess (Jordana Brewster) insisting he not go. He just has it in his mind to do this, even though he hasn't been properly trained to hunt on his own. He's an insurance agent, not a hunter. Before he goes, he says goodbye to his son (Colt Crawford). He's also a baseball fan and pretends to be a pitcher when he's alone walking along. He even tries to convince his friend, who borrows his rifle, to go with him. When he accidentally shoots a man, he has a tough decision on his hands. Machoian uses some interesting tricks to create tension and a sense of dread in this film. The music composed by William Ryan Fritch is overlaid with the scenes of Crawford's character running in the woods or just walking along, which is something new to me. It's not necessarily a score per se. It's just random sounds that are important to show how the various scenes are filled with pressure and anxiety. The music is a key aspect of the movie. With one primary antagonist, he also gets a lot of mileage out of focusing on close-up shots of the title character played by Crawford. These shots show his distress and the turmoil he's in. The film asks an important question for all of us. What would we do if we were in a situation like this man? How would we react if we did something like this? It's not an easy place to be in. This man isn't who he wants to be, but he's trying to be better for his family and himself. The decision he chooses isn't necessarily one we'd choose, but who knows? We are not in this situation. Crawford plays this role completely different from his other role in a Machoian film. He was more of a tough guy in that film. Here, he has a lot of anguish about who he is as a man and what he did to this vagrant in the woods. The movie was shot in America and the scenery, like in his last film, is beautiful. The cinematographer, Oscar Ignacio Jimenez, captures the wilderness in vivid realism. The hills and streams are gorgeous to look at. The fall is always a beautiful time of year, and the foliage is one of the best parts of the fall season. The leaves on the trees turn all kinds of colors: orange, yellow, and red. I miss that part of living up north in New England when I was a kid.
With the film mainly focused on Crawford's character, there aren't many other actors in the movie, besides the ones I mentioned. Jeffery Dean Morgan plays the town Police Chief. He's probably the biggest star in the film. How he handles his scenes is very good. He is very subtle with his dialogue and uses his scenes as moments of solace and remorse for Crawford's character and what happened. In smaller roles, everybody is exceptional. Machoian is good at picking actors for his films. They bring out the humanity he's looking for in his characters. Writer/Director Robert Machoian likes to leave his films with a little ambiguity. He wants the viewer to determine what the end of the story should actually be. I like that part about his movies. This particular main character played by Crawford has a moral compass about him, which makes him have some anguish about what he did, but he also knows that what he did was an accident. These types of films are the ones I like. They put characters in a difficult situation, and we as the viewer have to decide if what they did was right or wrong. Besides the story and acting, the music and cinematography in The Integrity of Joseph Chambers were very good, and they added elements that made the film better in the end. Machoian is a filmmaker to watch for in the future. The Integrity of Joseph Chambers hits VOD on February 17. Rating: 4/5
Review by Sean Boelman
Apple TV+ seems to be dominating the game with satirical sci-fi after last year’s Severance and now their new half-hour comedy, Hello Tomorrow! The latter, while perhaps not as sharp as the multiple Emmy-nominee, is nonetheless one of the most intriguing new shows on streaming thanks to amazing character work and the performances to back it up.
The show follows a group of traveling salesmen dealing lunar timeshares as they find themselves in over their heads when they stop in a sleepy small town. It sounds like the perfect premise for a great high-concept sci-fi show, but what Amit Bhalla and Lucas Jansen have created is a wonderful blend of that with character-centric storylines. The visual style of the series is heavily retro, but with a modern flair — in a similar way to films like Pleasantville or Bad Times at the El Royale. Although it clearly isn’t the highest-budgeted series Apple TV+ has brought to the table, they are still able to do some impressive world-building in simple ways, like an automated briefcase or an alternate tech-powered form of baseball. Hello Tomorrow! is clearly a showcase for the talents of Billy Crudup, who is continually one-upping himself. His work in this is tender yet hilarious, and has the right amount of duplicitous charm to perfectly embody what this character is supposed to be. Crudup gives the level of performance that is so perfect, it’s hard to believe anyone else could have filled this role.
There is a satirical angle to be found in the humor of this show, largely created by the juxtaposition in the retro futurist style and storyline. However, what really stands out about this show is how cynical it is despite being so colorful and buoyant. The show begins with a woman being run over by an automated milk truck, setting the tone for the dark and bizarre world in which the rest of the story takes place.
Even though the satire in this series is excellent, what is most impressive is the tremendous human touch it offers. The crux of the story is the relationship between Crudup’s and his protegé — and the complexities of their relationship are truly resonant, even in this absurd sci-fi world. The other characters also get surprisingly thoughtful and developed arcs, although none hits quite as hard as Crudup’s. Hank Azaria plays a salesman with a gambling problem, and is the best he has been in decades here. Matthew Maher has a funny, if gimmicky, part as a bureaucrat with a tendency to mix up syllables. And the surprising scene stealer is Dewshane Williams, who grows into his role nicely over the course of the ten episodes. Hello Tomorrow! is an amazingly funny and touching show. It has a good concept, but what will really stick with viewers are its characters and performances. Hopefully viewers will want to see more of these salesmen in their zany sci-fi world, because there is plenty more to explore. Hello Tomorrow! streams on Apple TV+ beginning February 17. All ten episodes reviewed. Rating: 5/5 Review by Cole Groth The release of 2021’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings brought Tony Leung to prominence in Hollywood. Most notably starring in Hong Kong director Wong Kar-wai’s incredible filmography, Leung is one of Asia’s most talented actors, and he brings his A-game to Hidden Blade, a Chinese World War II spy thriller. While the overlong pacing and the somewhat confusing plot don’t make it an accessible watch, fans of foreign films will find this to be worthwhile. Hidden Blade is the third film in a trilogy meant to celebrate China’s military victories. While this trilogy is mainly meant as propaganda for the Chinese Communist Party, there’s much technical merit to be found within it. Here, we follow a group of Chinese spies who infiltrate the Japanese government in World War II. As tensions rise, the spies must navigate increasingly intense conditions to turn the war against the Axis powers. As far as Chinese propaganda goes, this is potentially one that Americans could agree with because their efforts were helpful in the defeat of Japan. However, this film doesn’t do much to emphasize the war efforts of other countries besides Japan, keeping it centered on the two Asian countries without focusing on the rest of the world. It’s an odd decision; without much historical knowledge, most viewers will be lost on exactly what’s happening. This is catered to a different audience, but the writers didn’t consider that other perspectives could watch this movie and maybe learn something. The technical merits previously mentioned include excellent set design, fantastic action sequences, and strong acting, mainly by Leung. Director Cheng Er puts us into the 1940s with ease, and each location feels like a genuine relic of that time. He understands how to direct violent, gritty, and realistic-feeling action sequences very well. It reminds me of The Courier, an excellent British thriller released in 2021.
Espionage thrillers rely on snappy writing and tense sequences to keep the audience on their toes, and Hidden Blade does a reasonably good job at that. The action sequences keep the tensions high, but certain characters aren’t written very well, and it’s hard to follow who exactly is good and who is bad. Again, coming from an outside perspective, this is an issue with it being a Chinese production. The difference between the Allies and the Axis powers is apparent in American war films. Here, the Japanese are portrayed in a way that confused me about whom I was watching. The sets will go from China to Japan with very few differences. While it’s somewhat hard to follow, Hidden Blade is pretty solid all around from a cinematic perspective. It’s rather thrilling and tense and has a few fun twists and turns. If you have prior historical knowledge and are interested in the history of China, this could be an accurate representation of their history. Although I can’t comment on the historical accuracy, I can say that this was at least a pretty darn good work of fiction and reminded me of why I like spy thrillers so much. Hidden Blade releases in select theaters starting February 17. Rating: 3.5/5 ANT-MAN AND THE WASP: QUANTUMANIA -- Jonathan Majors is a Perfect Kang in Another Solid MCU Entry2/14/2023 Review by Camden Ferrell The Marvel Cinematic Universe is kicking off its Phase Five with Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, its 31st movie overall. There have been universe-altering events since the last Ant-Man movie, and it’s time to finally give him another solo outing, and he is now exploring the Quantum Realm, something that has been teased for years now. Featuring an absolutely astounding turn from Jonathan Majors as Kang, this movie is playful and riveting even if it can be a little messy and unbalanced with its tone at times. Scott Lang is now a household name thanks to his heroic actions in the last Avengers movie, but he still is dealing with the loss of five years of his life. His daughter, Cassie, is now an impassioned and intelligent teenager and also dealing with this loss of time. This movie sees Scott, Cassie, Hope, Hank, and Janet sucked into the dangerous and mysterious Quantum Realm where they must survive while also being pitted against the menacing and powerful Kang the Conqueror. This is an exciting premise since we know so little about the Quantum Realm and because Kang is such an iconic character that people have been dying to see adapted to the big screen. From the start, the writing definitely embodies the same lighthearted tone from previous Ant-Man movies. However, one distinct difference is how fast paced it is from the start. It also doesn’t feel totally intentional. It almost seems like they’re rushing certain elements of the story to fit a certain time constraint which is strange considering the credits roll before the 2 hour mark. Regardless, fans of previous films will also enjoy the writing and jokes of this new entry. The MVP by a mile is Jonathan Majors who plays Kang the Conqueror. When his casting was announced, nobody doubted for a second that he was the perfect choice, and Majors further confirms that with his performance. He’s daunting and takes command of every scene he’s in effortlessly. He has such subdued power but isn’t afraid to lash out in anger and show his range. Paul Rudd and Evangeline Lilly return to their titular roles with the same quality as they always have, but it would have been nice to have more screen time between the two of them. Kathryn Newton is a newcomer as Cassie, and she’s a nice addition to the cast that we should be seeing more from in the future.
The biggest problem with the movie is how it tries so hard to juggle its comical nature with the more serious aspects of the Quantum Realm. More times than not, this consists of comedic scenes that can somewhat undermine serious moments especially in scenes with Scott and Kang. However, the movie is extremely playful with this new world and creating unique and sometimes hilarious new characters that could only exist in this realm. Some of the effects early on are pretty bad, but for the most part, the VFX work for the Quantum Realm is quite good. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is going to please fans of the character’s previous films and might win over some new converts with the inclusion of Kang. The credits scenes are great and have me excited for the future, and there’s plenty to enjoy for comic book fans and general audiences as well. It might very well be the best Ant-Man movie and Jonathan Majors has already gone down as one of the best MCU antagonists of all time. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is in theaters February 17. Rating: 4/5 |
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