Deadpool And Wolverine

This review may contain spoilers!

Deadpool and Wolverine serves as a direct sequel to Deadpool 2 (2018) and is the 34th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In this story, Deadpool is yanked out of his universe and told that it will die due to the death of an anchor being perishing. An anchor being is a figure who keeps a universe alive, in this case Wolverine from the Logan film/the Fox universe. Determined to save those he cares about, Deadpool goes on a multiversal mission to find a new Wolverine to replace his universe's deceased one.

This film really gets to take any shackles that were on Deadpool and turn them loose, I haven't seen the character like this in media for ages. The jokes he gets to make are wild, in fact, as a whole the film has a strong sense of humour that plays to effect well. Even characters who aren't inherently comedic become funny because they're going against the grain when it comes to the merc with a mouth. I loved the adventure elements of the feature, it made the whole thing move quite quickly, sending Deadpool rocketing through the multiverse at speed as he tries to fix a high stakes problem: his very world/timeline being obliterated. Seeing Deadpool get to tumble into different worlds, meet different characters, and throw his wit up against everything Marvel has or hasn't done felt like something straight out of a comic book. I loved the point in the story where the power got taken away from Deadpool and Wolvie, leaving them stranded in the Void. Not only did it result in some crazy returning roles, but it made for a compelling setting where two very different characters had to team up to face against one of the more impressive antagonists I've seen in the MCU. This film delivers fun, laughs, gory action, surprises and an experience that will have you tuned in from start to finish.

Shawn Levy, the director of this film, is one of the absolute best in the business when it comes to making spectacular blockbusters. The way this film is shot draws stunning set pieces out, highlights visceral action, and even feels like whole comic panes come to life on the big screen. The effects are phenomenal; Alioth looks even better than it did in Loki, in general many of the powers and characters within the Void are impressive, certainly it was where the effects budget comes to life. The score is a thrill, but better than that is a soundtrack that feels like it might have been cultivated from the mad mind of Deadpool himself. If you weren't an NSYNC fan before Deadpool and Wolverine, you sure will be after.

 

Hugh Jackman, who played Wolverine, is the meanest we have ever seen him; Jackman plays a washed up and jaded version of Logan nicely, and it was immensely fun to watch him turn a character like that on Reynolds. Emma Corrin, who played Cassandra Nova, is one of the finer recent Marvel antagonists; Corrin had wild and unpredictable manners throughout her scene that resulted in bursts of violence or mercy alike. Matthew MacFadyen, who played Mr. Paradox, was having a lot of fun drawing on his Succession days to play this foppish TVA agent; MacFadyen feels like a businessman with a petty streak and too much power to wield. Dafne Keen, who played X-23, felt like Wolverine's conscience in this film; she was hardened but had matured into her own independent hero. Jon Favreau, who played Happy Hogan, is one of the first cameo roles we get in this film, and it is a blast; watching Favreau spar with Reynolds in a job interview/battle of the wits was excellent. Morena Baccarin, who played Vanessa, might not have had as much to do in this film, but she still feels so emotionally connected to our protagonist; watching Baccarin and Reynolds play their characters as separated trying to find their way back to one another was quite sweet. Leslie Uggams, who played Blind Al, is a real nice comedic scene partner to Reynolds; Uggams has a scathing and sharp delivery that really lands with the grittier jokes her character falls into. Wesley Snipes, who played Blade, was one of my favourite performances in this film; Snipes feels as badass playing this character as he did over twenty years ago. Channing Tatum, who played Gambit; gets to really have fun finding the manner and impressive qualities of this role; I also really got a great laugh out of Tatum's 'accent work' and humour around him not ever actually playing the role before. Chris Evans, who played Johnny Storm, was one of the best surprise appearances we got; Evans donned that cocky self-sure persona from all those years ago like he had never let the role go.

However, the best performance came from Ryan Reynolds, who played Deadpool. There is no doubt in my mind that Reynolds just understands this character, inside out and front to back. There is a real soft-natured quality to the character, where he loves working with Peter or holds love for those close to him. But it is phenomenal watching him ramp up from this more mundane point into an adrenaline soaked, silly, violent goofball who flirts with the camera at every turn. Seriously, this is the best the fourth wall breaking gags have ever been. I loved the chemistry between Reynolds and Jackman, the love/hate relationship is everything fans have been waiting years for. There is no one who does Deadpool better, I don't think there's an actor out there who could have delivered us everything this movie was.

Deadpool and Wolverine doesn't always have its eye on the ball, the stakes don't always race, and we need a bit of reminding about the ticking clock at times. But more than that, this film suffers like past films do due to the multiverse. The multiverse does yield some great plot points and characters, but it also comes with long scenes brimming with exposition around timelines, anchor point beings, pruned timelines and the way the Void functions; I enjoy this movie but listening to the fake science ramble drags a movie that otherwise has good pace. I also recognise this as a great Deadpool sequel, but it feels a bit empty for the trajectory of the MCU. I reached the end of the movie feeling like I watched a character I loved go on an adventure, but the grander story hasn't really advanced at all.

Rob Delaney, who played Peter, is a gag that feels a little overused in this sequel; Delaney just feels like he pushes the envelope a bit too hard to draw out a laugh. Jennifer Garner, who played Elektra, is probably the most underwhelming of the surprise returning roles; she barely seems to be trying to portray the character in her whole appearance. Wunmi Mosaku, who played B-15, feels awkwardly shuffled into this to give some TVA exposition; the infatuated with Delaney gag felt extremely forced as well. Aaron Stanford, who played Pyro, is not a performance I ever thought was good, and it hasn't matured with time; Stanford stumbles through his minor antagonist performance. Tyler Mane, who played Sabertooth, must feel very squandered; Mane's Sabertooth is present, but he should have just been left back in the early 2000s. Karan Soni, Brianna Hildebrand, Shioli Kutsuna, Stefan Kapicic and Lewis Tan, who played Dopinder, Negasonic Teenage Warhead, Yukio, Colossus and Shatterstar respectively, are the old Deadpool ensemble who feel really squandered in this; the movie barely has anything for them and they wind up turning into set dressing.

Truly my favourite performance from the two leads in their superhero roles; this is a brilliant sequel made with love for Marvel fans. I would give Deadpool and Wolverine a 9/10.

Longlegs

This review may contain spoilers!

 

Longlegs follows FBI agent Lee Harker as she joins a cold case investigation into the mysterious circumstances surrounding multiple family murders. The only consistent thread in all cases is a mysterious note in code, all signed with the word: 'Longlegs'.

 

Longlegs is an interesting film because you walk in ready for a horror film, and those elements are certainly present. But what it actually does really well is craft quite an off the wall psychological thriller about the case work at play. Watching Harker first establish herself as an officer by correctly identifying a perpetrator's hideout and then promptly watching her partner's brains blown out sets the stakes incredibly high. The intrigue of all this is that the investigation doesn't feel like it's necessarily being solved by a super sleuth, though Harker is exceptionally gifted. No, what makes this case so interesting to watch is that it feels like watching a hand run across until it finds a stray thread and pulls, and then you watch in morbid horror as it all just unravels. I also really commend Oz Perkins' work on crafting atmosphere, the tension in the first half of the film is palpable. The opening scene really sets the hooks into you and moments like Harker in her home alone at night feel nightmarish. The chilling moments set in early, leaving you nice intense for it all to come to a head.

I found the cinematography very fresh and creative, there are some shots that feel very washed out and lost in a phantasmal world. Yet, other parts of the film hold crisp bold imagery that feel extremely detailed, really drawing out the crime procedural look in a neat way. The way this film moves from aspect ratio in past or dream sequences to the present feels like an incredibly neat feature. I loved how well-timed the editing felt; it really moved to a considered pace. The score was haunting, and it got under my skin, my nails and wriggled deep into my brain. If there was anything that worked well, it was the haunting instrumentals that aided that atmosphere work.

 

Shafin Karim, who played the Clinical Doctor, is a one scene role that really makes a strong impression on the film; Karim relishes in his lines and draws an energy into his scenes that you just don't find anywhere else.

However, the best performance came from Blair Underwood, who played Agent Carter. There was a real hard edge to Agent Carter from the moment he arrived onscreen, a pensive wall of a man. Yet, what I liked about Underwood was that he really made his character connect with Harker, learn from her and see the potential. Carter comes to place his chips in one very specific basket, he sees an individual who is gifted and that he can trust and lends her power. Underwood starts to let his character become warm, charismatic and opens his family home to his partner in the case. I also loved watching Underwood work those investigative scenes, he felt like a real figure exploring one of the most disturbing criminal cases you have ever heard of. Even down to little bodily moments, moving to grow nauseous from a crime scene or staggering home slightly drunk, Underwood has a real mastery of self and how he moves. The end of the film doesn't serve him well, but he serves this movie very well.

This is possibly the most thoroughly marketed horror film of 2024 thus far, it has certainly been right at the forefront of horror fans' orbit. So leaving expectations at the door was initially a difficult one, but after a killer opening scene, you really get plugged right in and ready to go. Yet, I couldn't shake a weird feeling about why I wasn't loving the feature as we delved deeper into the first act. But as we started branching into the second, it became apparent: the characters and personal relationships felt devoid of genuine human connection. Harker feels completely drained of personal emotion until she needs to display fear, those involved in the case talk the case but struggle when the scene turns beyond that. Watching characters try to talk to one another in this is grating because you are waiting for a line to come that just feels like something someone would actually say. It doesn't help that Longlegs is a pretty unworthy antagonist, acting odd and bizarre to fit an actor's nature than really to build a unique role. There are whole moments where Longlegs feels like the director just leaving in something the actor did rather than capturing character or scene work. The final act of this film is a bit of a knife twist. A film that has felt like a real crime thriller yo-yos into a supernatural horror. But it just all shunts that way too far and too fast. If the Devil just made 'em all do it, then should I not just tune my brain off and go watch The Conjuring franchise? At least there, poorly concocted supernatural elements are the status quo. Here they are a poorly imagined attempt at saying "AHA!" to the audience. What you imagined there was some sense to the mystery before you? No, in American horror when we can't explain the evil in a satisfying way we always hide in the Devil. He's an easy antagonist to write, and better yet, Americans don't think too hard about him.

The grungy soundtrack felt like the film had awoken in a cold Rob Zombie-like sweat at times, and while Zombie's style holds appeal to some, I couldn't think of anything worse reflecting upon a piece of horror cinema.

Maika Monroe, who played Agent Lee Harker, just feels devoid of an emotional range and is a bland protagonist to follow; I struggled to believe in Harker as a character but very specifically as an FBI agent. Nicolas Cage, who played Longlegs, has been an eccentric figure for some time and that either makes or breaks a role and often a film; when I watched the character of Longlegs I only saw Cage and that is probably one of the biggest failures of the film. Alicia Witt, who played Ruth Harker, is too quick to lean into the psychotic mother shtick that the later turn loses its edge; Witt and Monroe seem entirely alien to each other and there's no semblance of mother/daughter at all. Michelle Choi-Lee, who played Agent Browning, feels like a background role with too much screen time; Choi-Lee is just too stoic in her scenes and fails to draw more from a moment of dialogue than what is on paper. Kiernan Shipka, who played Carrie Ann Camera, is a bit listless and off beat in this; Shipka wants to play a little crazy and that's transparent.

This is a film that feels like it's trying to do two very different things, while achieving neither particularly well. I would give Longlegs a 5.5/10.

Kinds Of Kindness

This review may contain spoilers!

 

Kinds of Kindness is a triptych drama, three stories that all have interconnecting themes of love and power, with the same cast members appearing in each narrative. The first story followed Robert, a successful businessman who was engaged in a relationship with his boss, who also dictated all of Robert's daily actions. The second story followed Daniel, a police officer whose wife went missing at sea. When she is rescued, he doesn't believe the woman who has returned is really his wife. The final story follows Emily, a member of a sex cult who is venturing across America to find the messiah figure of the cult.

 

These are very creative contemporary tales layered in a way that make us think of their connection. What is the thread that holds this triptych together? Yorgos Lanthimos has always been a master when it comes to dissecting relationships, particularly the importance we place within them and the power that is held in a relationship. In each of these stories, power is wielded over another to dire ends; with one partner compromising the other entirely. I loved the first narrative for this especially. Seeing Robert mindlessly bend to Raymond's influence was transfixing, that whole world felt so alien and yet entirely real to the capitalist Western lifestyle. As Robert resists Raymond, struggling from the extremes of control and ownership, we see every part of Robert's life fall apart. Only when Robert compromises his last shred of human morality is he folded back into Raymond's embrace and restored in the eyes of his master. The film drives this sense of theme well over the course of the film, but it delivers its first punch the strongest.

 

Something that I'll always expect from a Yorgos Lanthimos film is an incredible sense of style, visually this film continues to hold strong to that. The film is filled with sharp angles that feel claustrophobic, or incredible unsettling and puzzling wide shots. Yet all of his shots feel very styled and hold a sense of ownership to his signature aesthetic.

 

Margaret Qualley, who played Vivian/Martha/Rebecca/Ruth, is an upcoming actress with a developing sense of range I find fascinating; Qualley played a meek housewife worst, which made sense when her other roles gave her so much more to bite into. Willem Dafoe, who played Raymond/George/Omi, feels so natural to Lanthimos' style of character; Dafoe inhabits these roles but also the eccentric setting of a Lanthimos mindscape. Emma Stone, who played Rita/Liz/Emily, really shows her ability to inhabit such a varied range of roles; Stone leaps from someone soft and caring to a role that is frantic and desperate for a certain kind of satisfaction.

 

However, the best performance came from Jesse Plemons, who played Robert/Daniel/Andrew. Plemons plays some very interesting figures who wield insecurity at the forefront of their being. These were roles defined by their commitment to others, in two cases their desire for the other consumed them in uniquely unsettling ways. Plemons could break your heart in one storyline, while feeling like an abhorrent force of abuse in another. His character work as Robert and Daniel was some of the best character acting of the film. He delivered dialogue with a disarming distance that is trademark Lanthimos; yet within that he found room to define those roles all his own.

 

 I watch a lot of cinema, but I'm not always the best at judging a feature with surrealist or even absurdist elements. The truth is, I feel these aspects have to be really well worked on to craft something artistic and purposeful. Lanthimos is a director I have always gone back and forth on, The Lobster puzzled and lost me at times, while The Favourite was one of the finest films I had seen that year. Kinds Of Kindness is that hazy middle ground for me, it tells some masterful themes but the narratives are heavy-handed, perverse and a little exploitative at times. I thought the second narrative lost all sense of trajectory for the film, telling a story that contributed the least. However, the final story had something interesting to say, but it delivered those themes like a blunt force impact; slogging through sexual violence, suicide and perverse displays of eroticism to gather those meanings. I wondered if those extremes found their way to being art? The first story held tough elements such as these, but their work within the narrative was far more deliberate. The triptych quality of the film also meant the pacing fell flat if you every hit a narrative you weren't invested in, though this is more of a flaw in the medium.

 

I found the editing entirely roguish, bouncing around and really running rough shod over the flow of a scene. While the film looked impressive, the way a scene was held together often felt confusing and aimless. I also thought the disconcerting score was abominable, a simplistic device to convey discord. The soundtrack was extremely random and rarely paired nicely with the scenes in which these tracks were used.

Hong Chau, who played Sarah/Sharon/Aka, felt very bland within this film; her time spent as a spouse on the side felt like it gave little to play with. Mamoudou Athie, who played Will/Neil/Morgue Nurse, really just felt like he was rattling through the script; Athie delivers dialogue in a mild disinterested tone that makes his roles hard to care about. Joe Alwyn, who played Collectibles Appraiser/Passenger/Joseph, felt like he really struggled the most in this style of role; his roles all felt quite two-dimensionally reprehensible too. Hunter Schafer, who played Anna, didn't really give much to her scene; Schafer found like a bigger name dropping in to a film she didn't necessarily blend in nicely with.

Yorgos Lanthimos' latest feature has all of his traditional wondrous strange style but often strays in its trajectory. I would give Kinds Of Kindness a 6/10.

The Bikeriders

This review may contain spoilers!

 

The Bikeriders is an adaptation of the novel of the same name, written by Danny Lyon. It tracks the early history of the Vandals, a motorcycle club that started as a racing meet up and transitioned into a full-fledged gang. The story is told through a dramatisation of Danny's interviews and the love story of Vandal member, Benny, and outsider, Kathy.

 

This film feels like a really well-told history, shedding a light on a small sub-culture of America pre- and post-Vietnam War. This is a film that really documents what the Vandals are, which is a brotherhood that goes deeper than blood. The bonds of loyalty evidenced by this club are fascinating, and the way this group ignites into violence or tremendous demonstrations to underline their loyalty to one another is impressive. I loved seeing the Vandals evolve out of a small racing friendship, taking a more stalwart turn before finally evolving into a brutal beast. Blending the identity of the gang with the state of America is quite interesting as well; at first, the characters feel like the last cowboys. Making their own rules as they ride around a frontier they have carved out for themselves. Yet by the end of the film, the Vandals have lost what they set out to be entirely. The group has become too big to control, ex-soldiers are joining and hashing out their own brand of justice on other members. The whole thing is becoming chaotic and violent, all while losing the shreds of honour it once held. I also loved the personal storyline of Kathy and Benny throughout all of this, two individuals who found something romantic about the club and were tied to it as a result. The film wrestles with the journey of this pair in fantastic contrast to the state of the Vandals throughout history.

 

The film is beautifully shot, the long riding shots have a sense of majesty to them that makes the Vandals feel almost noble in the first act. I loved the leached colours of the surrounding town, paired nicely with the yellows and greens of the highway plains surrounding. I loved the grunge rock and old country soundtrack, it places the audience well and fleshes out the identity of the Vandals.

 

Jodie Comer, who played Kathy, has an intense Minnesotan accent that really startles you at first, but she wields it well; Comer really feels like someone surviving in a place her character is quite an outsider in. Austin Butler, who played Benny, has found one of his better roles to date here; Butler is all rough edges and unbreakable loyalty here. Michael Shannon, who played Zipco, was a wonderfully eccentric figure throughout this; Shannon often makes you feel there is a tragic side to his role that is presented impeccably. Mike Faist, who played Danny, is an interesting periphery role that really makes his mark known; Faist is quietly witty and throws genuine interest back at his scene partners. Norman Reedus, who played Funny Sonny, feels like a true bona fide biker; Reedus is grungy and filthy but he feels like he has lived upon the road and found his people in this too. Damon Herriman, who played Brucie, is surprisingly the heart of the film; Herriman feels like the moral compass of the club and the way he balances out Hardy early on is wonderful.

 

However, the best performance came from Tom Hardy, who played Johnny. This character is quite to himself, doesn't make a big show and yet you sense the power he wields within the club. Hardy plays Johnny as quite enigmatic, you're never too sure which way he is going to swing on an issue. At times, Johnny can be quite a passive figure and attempts to de-escalate violence; but then he also can turn into someone very vicious in the blink of an eye. Johnny fights scrappy and mean when first we see him, inflicting violence but also demonstrating a willingness to help his people. But as the club gets out of control, Johnny has to follow in order to maintain power and respect. His bond with Butler throughout is fascinating too, you can see just how much he sort of yearns to be a figure like Benny. Watching Hardy's last few scenes where he seems so tired but puts up this stoic front is a phenomenal departure for his role.

The Bikeriders is a really interesting film that feels like an intimate telling of a piece of American history, but it can feel really varied in terms of pace at times. There are long stretches of time where not a lot happens, nor is the film ever especially surprising beyond sudden bursts of brutality. I thought the interview/voiceover angle was an interesting way to deliver the narrative, but it just wasn't consistent enough, and more than that it made the timeline a little difficult to follow. There are a lot of supporting characters in the film, but they are poorly fleshed out and are used to craft a few punchy dramatic scenes here and there.

The editing of the feature favoured a slow pace, it also could have done more to highlight some of those issues in conveying the timeline.

Boyd Holbrook, Beau Knapp, Emory Cohen and Karl Glusman, who played Cal, Wahoo, Cockroach and Corky respectively, feel like motorbike gang side characters who just add a few more to a scene; there is an attempt to craft an emotional sub-plot out of Cohen's role but this doesn't stem from Cohen. Toby Wallace, who played The Kid, is quite disappointing as the ultimate antagonist of the feature; Wallace is just a violent young upstart role that feels fated to get the ending he does from the moment his character is introduced.

This feels like one of those American epics, charting a long gone frontier. I would give The Bikeriders an 8/10.