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Reviews
The Flash (2023)
Could have been so much more!
I can't help feeling that a potentially great movie has been lost along the way! If its true that a lot of content was removed as we're led to believe by the new regime at WB then fans have been denied a more rewarding experience. Michael Keaton is the best thing in it and was under used in my opinion and whilst the Supergirl character is enjoyable and well performed Henry Cavill would have added much to this movie but I feel politics at the top level denied us this. What we have is actually enjoyable and at times has real heart to it . Ezra Miller gives a solid performance but this could have been potentially been one of the great movies in this genre . Some nice cameos but one in particular is totally unnecessary but all in all a sense of frustration at what could and probably should have been !
Black Adam (2022)
Are We Finally On The Right Track?
This is an incredibly fun movie! The right balance of high stakes and humour are well balanced! It's hard to to say if Black Adam will be the saviour of the DCEU but its certainly a good starting point. Dwayne Johnson inhabits the lead role well but Pierce Brosnan almost steals the film and brings a lot of gravitas to this movie. I'm not normally in favour of ' fan service' but the end does deliver a very tasteful and respectful piece of this and I left the theatre quite hopeful and optimistic for the future! Lots of great action with some excellent interplay between the cast. A fun watch! 8/10.
Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)
This is no Ragnarok!
The previous movie Thor: Ragnarok is comfortably one of the top tier MCU offerings. Primarily due the injection of some really excellent well written and performed comedy aspects. To me it seems that this new offering was determined to pile more and more comedy into it and as a result the movie is unbalanced and can't quite make its mind up what it is! There is still much to enjoy but there is a missed opportunity here. Thor comes across as a bit of a buffoon essentially. Natalie Portman is the heart and soul of the movie really and gives an excellent performance. Christian Bale is a menacing, scary villain but we don't see enough of him and the ending is rather contrived and poorly thought out! Tessa Thompson is underused too. As I said there is still much to enjoy but maybe next time a little less humour and higher stakes for our hero is called for!
One for the Ditch (2021)
The Human Touch!
In the era of the modern day blockbuster its heartwarming and refreshing to come across a story of humanity and compassion that in a short space of time reminds us all what the real legacy of the pandemic will be. Mental health ( a pet subject of mine) will affect us all in the times ahead. Its a uniquely Irish trait particularly among men that we repress our emotions particularly grief and tend to shut ourselves off from the ones close to us. The grieving father/ husband here is dealing with this badly and a concerned son reaches out and is initially shunned but ultimately the son realises how to get thru to his father. In about 10 mins or so more emotion is displayed then a 2 hour Hollywood love story. No cheesiness here just pure honest emotion and ultimately we're all reminded that family and friends are all that really matter. Beautifully performed and written its well worth a watch to remind us all that all it needs sometimes is a simple gesture and a little compassion and we'll all be OK!
The Batman (2022)
The Batman we've been waiting for!
As a fan of this character for well over 40 years I confess to arriving more with hope then anticipation to see this movie! The reality is I was ecstatic by the end. I've always been a lover of the darker gritty side of the character and Pattinson delivers this in spades here, ably supported by a stellar supporting cast. This has a wonderfully gothic, gritty feel about it with a haunting beautiful score . Clearly this is
more a case of Batman trying to figure out how to be Bruce Wayne rather then the opposite scenario. He's clearly consumed by vengeance and is at times reckless and makes mistakes. The potential going forward for character development here is massive and I for one can't wait to see this. My only gripe here is that I'd love to have seen more of Andy Serkis as Alfred , for now we have an intriguing appetiser which I'm sure will be built on in the future. Always leave the audience wanting more they say, well I can't wait for the next installment. Congratulations to all involved.