Spider-Man Far From Home Film Review

05 Friday Jul 2019

Posted by Paul Bowler in All, Film Reviews

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Jake Gyllenhaal, Marvel, Marvel Comics, MCU, Mysterio, Peter Parker, Spider-Man, Spider-Man Far From Home, Spider-Man Far From Home film review, Spiderman Far From Home film review, Tom Holland

Spider-Man Far From Home

Review by Paul Bowler.

Tom Holland returns as Peter Parker in Spider-Man Far From home, the next chapter in Marvel’s web-spinning Spider-Man film series. Serving as a coda of sorts to this year’s blockbusting smash hit Avengers Endgame; Spider-Man Far From Home is a fun filled blend of high-school romcom, spy drama, and dazzling superhero action.

After cleverly addressing the events and aftermath of the last two Avengers films, Spider-Man far From Home quickly gets under way as Peter Parker (Tom Holland) joins his friends Ned (Jacob Batalon), MJ (Zendaya), and the rest of the classmates on a European vacation. However, Peter’s plan to take a break from all the super heroics are soon thrown into turmoil when Spider-Man’s recruited by Nick Fury (Samuel L Jackson) and teamed up with the dimension-travelling Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal) who is wracked by guilt because he failed to save his own world.

Together Spider-Man and Mysterio must confront the mysterious elemental creatures that have begun appearing and unleashing havoc across the continent. Peter Parker’s quest takes him across Europe battling elementals, but soon a new threat emerges, and only the friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man can save the day!

It’s a good job Aunt May (Marisa Tomel), now in the know about her nephew’s superhero alter-ego, decided to pack his Spidey-suit for him as there’s no rest for Spider-Man on this vacation! Tom Holland is on fine form once again as the wall-crawling hero, with Peter’s anguish over Tony Stark’s death in Avengers Endgame brining extra emotional depth to the role. Reunited with his pals from Spider-Man Homecoming for this European vacation, Peter also plans to confess his love for MJ, brilliantly played by pop star Zendaya, and it is the fizzing chemistry between Peter and MJ that provides the movie’s warm emotional core.

Of course with Spider-Man themes of great power and responsibility are never far away, and screenwriters Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers, and director Jon Watts skilfully craft further angst for Peter Parker by having Nick Fury see him as a kind of replacement for the late Tony Stark as the worlds most prominent superhero. Fury gives Peter a special pair of computerised glasses as well – equipped with an AI which Stark had intended for his successor to have – which only compounds the internal conflict further whilst also reiterating the fallout from Avengers Infinity War and Endgame. It creates an interesting and somewhat fraught dynamic between Fury and Spider-Man as Iron Man’s legacy proves a daunting prospect for the teenager, something that Peter’s not sure he even wants, or is capable of living up too as all he really wants is to do is live as normal a life as he possibly can given his extraordinary life now as Spider-Man.

Jake Gyllenhaal is also really good as Quentin Beck, AKA, Mysterio, who Peter initially sees as a similar kind of mentor figure like he did Stark. Beck claims to have come from an alternative Earth, he’s here to help stop the Elementals from destroying this world like they did his. I’ve always been a big fan of Mysterio in the comics and I was thrilled to see the character handled so well in this movie. Mysterio’s abilities look spectacular, Gyllenhaal makes the role his own, and his distinctive costume with its cloudy domed helmet looks great.

Amidst all the fun, romance, and big action set-pieces, director Jon Watts keeps Spider-Man Far From Home on an even keel. The added weight of recent events in the MCU’s continuity slots in well with the films quirky spy caper narrative, and there’s even a smattering of darker themes such as big corporate manipulation and fake news. With our amazing Spider-Man donning a number of old and new Spidey suits as his adventures take him across Europe, the callbacks to previous movies come thick and fast, and the overall geeky sense of fun is sure to delight fans. Other familiar characters also return, including Cobie Smulders as Maria Hill, and Jon Favreau as Happy Hogan.

With its great cast, crisp direction, and spectacular action Spider-Man Far From Home is sure to get your Spider Sense tingling! Brilliant fun from beginning to end, Spider-Man Far From Home provides a fitting epilogue to Avengers Endgame, and paves the way for a potentially bold new era for Spider-Man. Needless to say, this is a Marvel movie, so be sure to stay right through the credits where one of the films biggest secrets is waiting to be revealed!

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New Avengers: Endgame Official Trailer!

14 Thursday Mar 2019

Posted by Paul Bowler in All, Trailers & Posters

≈ 73 Comments

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Avengers 4, Avengers 4 trailer, Avengers Endgame, Avengers Endgame Official Trailer, Avengers Endgame Trailer, Benedict Cumberbatch, Benedict Wong, Bradley Cooper, Captain America, Captain Marvel, Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Chris Pratt, Dave Bautista, Doctor Strange, Elizabeth Olsen, Guardians of the Galaxy, Hulk, Iron Man, Jeremy Renner, Josh Brolin, Jr., Karen Gillan, Mark Ruffalo, Paul Bethany, Pom Klementieff, Robert Downey, Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan, Spider-Man, Thanos, The Avengers, Thor, Tom Holland

New Avengers: Endgame Official Trailer!

The new Avengers: Endgame official trailer has been released! This epic trailer givers us our first good look at what this major turning point in the Marvel Cinematic Universe will have in store for us. Avengers: Endgame, Directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, follows on from Avengers: Infinity War’s devestating cliff-hanger which saw fifty per cent of the MUC’s heroes turned to dust by Josh Brolin’s Thanos.. Now the saga reaches a shattering conclusion in Avengers: Endgame, and I can’t wait to see how everything is resolved after seeing this awesome looking trailer!

Whatever it takes. Check out the -new trailer for Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Endgame!

Avengers: End Game　is set to land in UK cinemas on 26 April 2019

And there’s a great new poster as well!

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Spider-Man Far From Home Teaser Trailer Released!

15 Tuesday Jan 2019

Posted by Paul Bowler in All, Trailers & Posters

≈ 48 Comments

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Avengers Endgame, Avengers Infinity War, Cobie Smulders, Jacob Batalon, JB Smoove, Jon Favreau, Martin Starr, Marvel, Mary Jane Watson, Mysterio, Nick Fury, Peter Parker, Samuel L Jackson, Spider-Man, Spider-Man Far From Home, Spider-Man Far From Home Teaser Trailer, Spider-Man Far From Home Trailer, Tom Holland, Zendaya

Spider-Man Far From Home Teaser Trailer Released!

The first trailer for Spider-Man Far From Home has arrived webspinners!Peter Parker returns in Spider-Man™: Far From Home, the next chapter of the Spider-Man™: Homecoming series! Our friendly neighborhood Super Hero decides to join his best friends Ned, MJ, and the rest of the gang on a European vacation. However, Peter’s plan to leave super heroics behind for a few weeks are quickly scrapped when he begrudgingly agrees to help Nick Fury uncover the mystery of several elemental creature attacks, creating havoc across the continent!

I think its a great looking trailer, wery excited for Spider-Man Far From Home, what do you think?

Directed by Jon Watts, with Screenplay by Chris McKenna & Erik Sommers, staring Tom Holland, Samuel L. Jackson, Zendaya, Cobie Smulders, Jon Favreau, JB Smoove, Jacob Batalon, Martin Starr, with Marisa Tomei, and Jake Gyllenhaal

Spider-Man Far From Home opens on July 5th! 2019!

MARVEL and all related character names: © & ™ 2019 MARVEL

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Avengers Endgame Trailer Released!

07 Friday Dec 2018

Posted by Paul Bowler in All, Trailers & Posters

≈ 22 Comments

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Avengers Endgame Trailer Released!

Following the an epic decade, the Marvel Cinematic Universe is about to reach a major turning point with Avengers: Endgame! Yes, after weeks of rumours that a trailer for Avengers 4 was on the way, today is the day we’ve all been waiting for.. our first glimpse at the trailer and title for the fourth Avengers Movie: Avengers Endgame!

Directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, Endgame looks set to resolve the Avengers: Infinity War’s shattering cliff-hanger that saw fifty per cent of the MUC’s heroes turned to dust by Josh Brolin’s Thanos..

The trailer for Avengers Endgame shows how Tony Stark is coping in the aftermath of Avengers: Infinity War – and we also get a few hints about what and who we will see in Avengers: Endgame…

Its great to finally have a look at what Avengers Endgame will be like, really excited for this movie! What did you all think of the trailer for Avengers Endgame?

Avengers: End Game　is set to land in UK cinemas on 26 April 2019.

And here’s the new Avengers Endgame poster!

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Avengers Infinity War Film Review

02 Wednesday May 2018

Posted by Paul Bowler in All, Film Reviews

≈ 48 Comments

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Avengers Infinity War, Avengers Infinity War Film Review, Benedict Cumberbatch, Black Panther, Bradley Cooper, Captain America, Chadwick Boseman, Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Chris Pratt, Doctor Strange, Gamora, Guardians of the Galaxy, Hulk, Infinity Gauntlet, Infinity Stones, Iron Man, Josh Brolin, Karen Gillan, loki, Mark Ruffalo, Robert Downey Jr, Samuel L Jackson, Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan, Spider-Man, Thanos, The Avengers, The Vision, Thor, Tom Hiddleston, Tom Holland, Wakanda, Wanda Maximoff

Avengers Infinity War Film Review

Review by Paul Bowler

Get set for Marvel Studios’ Avengers Infinity War to rock the Marvel Cinematic Universe to its very core as the Avengers and their superhero allies confront the deadly power of Thanos, played with gravely voiced menace by Josh Brolin. Earth’s mightiest heroes must prepare to sacrifice everything in order to prevent Thanos from gathering the Infinity Stones into a gauntlet that could enable him to destroy the universe!

Quintessentially the culmination of everything the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been building towards since its inception way back in 2008 with Iron Man, it now falls to the nineteenth film in Marvel‘s box-office hit-machine franchise to bring this ten year journey across the MCU full circle with Avengers Infinity War.

Although our heroes were left fractured by the events of 2016’s Captain America Civil War, it’s not long before they reunite in the face of the threat posed by Thanos and the mad Titan’s nefarious scheme to wipe out half the universe.

With returning favourites including Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) and Captain America (Chris Evans) leading the charge into battle along with Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Black Widow (Scarlet Johansson), Vision (Paul Bettany), Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olse), Falcon (Anthony Mackie), and War Machine (Donn Cheadle), there’s also the welcome addition of Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), the Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman), Spider-Man (Tom Holland), and the Guardians of the Galaxy into the mix, along with numerous other characters from the MCU also joining the ranks of the films heroic ensemble cast in the battle against Thanos!

Right from the jaw-dropping opening, it quickly becomes apparent that not everyone will survive either. The two and a half hour running time boasts spectacular action and drama, with its narrative interwoven across four major plot threads, spanning locations across the entire MCU; this epic crossover event is ably handled by the directing duo of the Russo brothers and screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFreely.

For a film so packed with plotlines and characters the Russo brothers still manage give everyone a moment in the spotlight – however fleeting – and still keep everything and everyone on track. Thanos cuts a swathe of devastation in his quest to acquire all six Infinity Stones, but it quickly becomes a very personal battle for the Avengers because one of the stones is embedded in the Vision’s forehead, making the androids impending plight especially heartrending for his love interest Wanda Maxim off – in scenes movingly played by Elizabeth Olse and Paul Bettany. Chris Evans continues to impress as Captain America, times have been tough for Cap in recent films but the camaraderie between Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes / White Wolf (Sebastian Stan) shines though here, as does Roger’s great respect for Wakandan king T’Challa / Black Panther. The spiky banter between Robert Downey Jr’s Iron Man / Tony Stark and Benedict Cumberbatch’s Doctor Strange is another highlight, and Tom Holland’s wisecracking Spider-Man is always fun to have around. Chris Hemsworth also gets some great scenes as the vanquished Thor who teams-up with Guardians of the Galaxy Star Lord (Chris Pratt), Gamora (Zoe Saldana), Mantis (Pom Klementieff), Nebula (Karen Gillan), Drax the Destroyer (Dave Bautista), Groot (Vin Diesel), and Rocket (Bradley Cooper) in the fight to stop Thanos.

Avengers Infinity War crams a hell of a lot in but it never feels bloated or gets bogged down in needless exposition. The majority of the characters are well served by the script, key emotional beats really hit the mark, and there are plenty of fun one-liners to enjoy. Infinity War also goes out of its way to firmly establish the giant purple alien Thanos as the ultimate Big-Bad of the Marvel Universe, and the CGI wizardry together with Josk Brolin’s brilliant performance mesh seamlessly to bring us one of the most richly compelling villains to have ever graced the MCU. Although his motivations in Avengers Infinity War diverge slightly from his comic book counterpart, Thanos still remains a towering presence throughout the film, there’s also great pathos to his scenes with Zoe Saldana as his adopted daughter Gamora, and his fearsome lieutenants The Children of Thanos (known as the Black Order in the comics) are an imposing – if rather one-dimensional – addition to the villain’s forces.

Avengers Infinity War is a veritable fangasim of comic book action, packed with mind-boggling special effects and huge action set pieces that dazzle amidst every twist and turn of the plot as events inexorably rumble towards the epic final battle, and its subsequent game-changing conclusion. Once the dust settles the excitement, gut wrenching loss, and unexpected surprises in Avengers Infinity War will leave you reeling as to where the Marvel Cinematic Universe goes from here. Avengers Infinity War doesn’t pull any punches, however with the stakes raised so high in this move it makes you wonder how much of it is set in stone – especially with the continuation already due in next year’s fourth Avengers film – but one things for sure Avengers Infinity War is without doubt one of the most ambitious and breath taking superhero movies ever!