Friday, May 20, 2016

"Captain America: Civil War"



Take a look @ "...the good, the bad and the ugly..." in Marvel Studios "Captain America: Civil War":


MICHAEL STEVENS, SNEAKPEEK.CA
FOR THE GOOD


"Rated PG-13 for extended sequences of violence, action and 'mayhem',  Marvel Studios' 'Captain America: Civil War' finds 'Steve Rogers' (Chris Evans)  leading a new team of 'Avengers' in a 'Bourne'-looking, globe-hopping, bone-crunching follow-up to 'Captain America: The Winter Soldier' (2014)...


"...integrating more Marvel superheroes into the cinematic universe including noble savage 'Black Panther' (Chadwick Boseman)...


"...and teenage, geeky 'Spider-Man' (Tom Holland).


"With frantic fighting sequences inspired by Jack Kirby, 'Cap' (Evans) engages like there's no tomorrow...


"...crashing through windows while bouncing his bullet-ricocheting shield off floors and walls...


"...skull-fracturing hordes of baddies, effortlessly somersaulting, breakfalling, kicking and punching his way through the throng. 


"'Steve Rogers', that skinny scrappy kid, who became a super-serum muscled man, is now an 'insurgent', above the law, with a fixed set of rules, cut and dried like the 'Captain America...Commie Smasher' from the 1950's ...


"...with an obsessive 'bromance' loyalty to his old neighbourhood pal 'Bucky Barnes' (Sebatian Stan)...


"...triggered hypnotically into becoming the deadly mass killer 'The Winter Soldier'.


"I also enjoyed William Hurt, a fave of mine since "Altered States" (1980), reprising his Marvel role of 'Thunderbolt Ross', (introduced in "The Incredible Hulk" 2008)...


"...now looking to rein in a gaggle of characters who seem to leave an international trail of death and destruction wherever they pop up in the world...


"...including immature 'Scarlet Witch' (Elizabeth Olsen) accidentally blowing up a building, with most of the people in it, from the force of one of her powerful 'spells'. 


"Black Panther, lithe, athletic and as deadly as he appears in the comic books, gets involved in a great chase sequence involving Barnes....


"...with Rogers ultimately flinging a driver out of his car...


"...like 'Grand Theft Auto', before grabbing the wheel.


"'Black Widow' , 'Scarlet Witch' and 'Sharon Carter' get in some great new fight scenes...


"...Falcon is charismatic and cool...


"...'Hawkeye' comes out of retirement, looking like he just rolled out of bed...


"...while the self-searching 'Vision' (Paul Bettany from "Gangster No. 1") floats above it all along with 'Ant-Man' (Paul Rudd).


"It was also good to see sleazy 'Brock Rumlow' aka 'Crossbones' (Frank Grillo) finally get blown to Kingdom Come.


"But it is Robert Downey Jr. as 'Stark' aka 'Iron Man', who brings gravity to this film...


"...especially when he is bought down to earth by the rest of the team.


"But when he is being eviscerated by Cap's 'mighty' shield...


"...your heart goes out to Stark...


"...as Cap degenerates into as cold a personality as a guy who was chilled in suspended animation...


"...finally letting go of his 'Stark Industries'-issued shield as a rejection of his Captain America identity, taking us all into a new Phase...


"And if that Phase means watching more live-action Marvel Movies on the Big Screen...


"'I can do this all day'..."

GRAF ORLOK 
FOR THE BAD


"Michael, speaking of extended sequences of violence, action and mayhem, what a pleasure to watch actress Scarlett Johansson in her continuing tough-chick role as the Russian 'Black Widow'...


"...blossoming after so many Marvel Movies into a more mature 'Natasha Romanoff', who has managed to perfect her sex and violence skills...


"...puckering up her shiny, luscious lips, while performing a gripping, leg squeezing, scissoring style of close combat that makes 'Ooona OnaTop' look like the JV team. 


"As for s-e-x in 'Civil War', there ain't much (as usual for Marvel Movies), but Natasha and Steve DO have a huggy, kinda' brother/sister moment after the funeral of Steve's old flame 'Peggy Carter' (Hayley Atwell).


"And there is a sweet (possibly bordering on hot) moment, when Steve finally locks lips with Peggy's niece, blonde 'Sharon Carter', aka 'Agent 13' (Emily VanCamp)...


"...who also owns her own high-kicking, thigh-squeezing mixed martial arts style.


"What irked me though, is that both vile 'Zemo' and loathsome 'Bucky Barnes' are prevented from deservedly offing themselves. 


"Why in the hell does 'Avenger Rogers' deny 'Avenger Stark' the right to 'avenge' the killing of Stark's parents ?



"Why is Cap even protecting Barnes when the Winter Soldier  wants to end his own life...remembering all of his killings, despite a 'Manchurian Candidate' personality......


"Sad to say, because of all this, I am with 'Team Stark' and will gladly wait in line behind Iron Man, to also punch Cap in his perfect teeth...


JANE DOBERMAN 
FOR THE UGLY


"Yes I liked this movie, but will never believe this is a realistic international espionage story, when SFX-driven superheroes...


"..suffer massive physical damage, but never get whiplash, fractures, broken jaws, concussions, etc. WTF ? 


"And what is with that creepy, greasy-looking cyborg ,'Vision', who looks like he got into Scarlet Witch's red lipstick...then Wanda double-dips her shlurped spoon back into a 'paprikash'....ecch...



"And yes, I also am sick to death of seeing ugly mass murderers like the Winter Soldier, (now available as an action doll for kids 4 years + )...



"...judged by Rogers as not guilty of ANY crimes, because he was 'under the influence' and 'not himself' (?!) 


"Where is the justice in keeping this super-soldier alive ?


"And although I used to love Scarlett Johansson, before she became a 'useful idiot' activist, she reprises her role as 'Black Widow' with a wry smile and lovely eyes...


"...but in some close-ups, her nose looks like its seen too much action, with a pugilist's pug this side of Karl Malden...


"But in the 'deadly assassin' business, I guess it's not the years, it's the mileage.


"Or maybe I'm just getting bored watching bearded stunt guys in long-haired wigs doubling female action heroes ?


"Only in Marvel movies kids, only in Marvel movies..."