All posts by chaos

Morbius

Directed by Daniel Espinosa

Starring Jared Leto, Matt Smith, Adria Arjona, Jared Harris, Al Madrigal, and Tyrese Gibson

Backstory

It’s shocking how long they’ve been trying to get Morbius on the big screen. Marvel was going through a whole horror comics phase in the 1970s, and that’s where Morbius comes from. Some of Marvel’s writers thought, “Hey! Spider-Man should fight a vampire,” and he started off as one of Spider-Man’s villains. And, like fellow Spider-Man villain Venom, he eventually reformed and became an anti-hero. They originally thought about bringing him onto the big screen way back in 1999, when they considered having him team up with Blade in Blade II. Here in the present day, the movie rights to Spider-Man and his cast of characters remains complicated. It’s the movie studio Sony that remains the owner of the movie rights to Spider-Man, and they’ve been loaning Spider-Man back to Marvel to have Spidey appear in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. And with that momentum, Sony is trying to build their own Marvel Cinematic Universe out of Spider-Man’s supporting characters. First out of the gate was Venom, and next up is Morbius. It was originally supposed to come out for Halloween 2020, but got pushed back when COVID-19 started closing movie theatres. And now, in April 2022, Morbius makes his long awaited big screen debut.

Plot

Dr. Michael Morbius is a Nobel Prize winning physician, whose invention of artificial blood has literally saved thousands of lives. But he also suffers from an incredibly rare blood disorder, and he’s spent all his life searching for a cure. His best friend Milo suffers from the same affliction, and they have become like brothers as they were raised in hospitals together. But now it likes look Morbius has found a cure, derived from the DNA of vampire bats. He tests the cure on himself, and while he is cured, it comes at a cost. It turns him into a creature not unlike a vampire. He has super speed, super strength, the power of echolocation, and an unquenchable thirst for blood. Complicating matters is the fact that Milo took the cure, too, and Milo has no problem with the thirst for blood part. Will Morbius be able to harness his new powers and fight off the thirst in order to stop Milo’s bloody rampage?

What I Liked

Matt Smith is great as Milo. He’s really hamming it up and being every bit the comic book super villain he’s supposed to be playing. Jared Leto is OK. He’s a lot more subdued than when he was playing the Joker. There’s some good special effects and some interesting ways in which they depict Morbius’s powers. When he’s moving at super speed, they like to show him as this cloud of mist, like in classic vampire tales, which was a nice little touch.

What I Didn’t Like

Cast your mind back to the early 2000s, when superhero movies were just taking off. Morbius is like a mash-up between Blade and Daredevil. I mention Daredevil specifically mainly because how they portray Morbius’s echolocation is pretty much exactly the same as how they portrayed Daredevil’s radar sense. And Blade because of, you know, fighting the whole thirst for blood thing to become a hero. Milo’s character arc is pretty much the same one that Green Goblin had in Amazing Spider-Man 2. Hero has cure for villain, hero doesn’t want to share it because of its dangerous side effects, villain swipes it and becomes super villain. When our hero and villain fight, they just become this CGI cloud, and they occasionally do a freeze-frame in the middle so you can see them, just like the fight scenes in Venom. This is just a blend of a whole bunch of superhero stuff you’ve seen before.

Final Verdict

People are drawing lots of comparisons to Jared Leto’s other superhero outing, Suicide Squad, and I’ve got the same complaint about Morbius that I had about Suicide Squad. As superhero movies go, this one is just so overwhelmingly average.

2 Nibs

The Batman

Directed by Matt Reeves

Starring Robert Pattinson, Zoe Kavitz, Paul Dano, Jeffrey Wright, John Turturro, Peter Sarsgaard, Andy Serkis, and Colin Farrell

Backstory

Like a lot of Batman movies, this one has already had a bit of a trouble production. This was originally supposed to be the Ben Affleck solo Batman film, spinning off from Justice League. Having gotten some praise for directing Argo, Affleck was going to star in it and direct it. Then Affleck figured it would be too labour intensive to do both roles, so he took a step back to let someone else direct. And that’s where Matt Reeves comes into the picture. Reeves gave us Cloverfield and the last two Planet of the Apes movies. So Reeves came on board to direct and Affleck…eventually decided he didn’t want to do it and wandered off. So Reeves decided to do a whole new thing. Robert Pattinson, still best remembered for being the sparkly vampire in the Twilight films, came on as our new Batman. That casting got a lot of hate, because, well, every Batman casting gets a lot of hate, but I think he silenced the critics with the first trailer. And then, like a lot of films these days, COVID really messed up their filming schedule. It was supposed to come out Summer 2021 until COVID came in. But anyway. It’s here. It’s in theatres. Was it worth the wait?

Plot

Gotham City. Batman has been on the job for two years. Bruce Wayne has thrown everything into it, leading the public to think that Bruce is now a recluse in Wayne Manor. Batman’s starting to wonder if he’s really having any effect on crime. Then a serial killer pops up, whose targeting Gotham’s elite. The press quickly dubs him “The Riddler” because he leaves cryptic riddles addressed to Batman at the crime scenes. Batman soon begins unraveling a conspiracy that could rock Gotham to its very core, but he soon makes some unlikely allies. He’s got a detective friend on the Gotham City police named James Gordon, he’s putting the heat on a mobster named Oswald Cobblepot who’s picked up the nickname Penguin, and in the middle of it all is cat burglar Selena Kyle who’s working her own angle. Will Batman get to the bottom of this crime? And what does it mean for Gotham City?

What I Liked

Well, this movie really is more of a conspiracy thriller than any other Batman film we’ve had in the past. And that’s a good thing. We’ve never really seen the detective aspects of Batman really explored on film. And Robert Pattinson is outstanding as Batman. This is probably the truest representation of a Frank Miller Batman that we’ve ever seen on film. This is a Batman that is 100% obsessed with his War on Crime. He’s so obsessed that Bruce Wayne makes headlines just by stepping outside. Paul Dano is wonderfully creepy as the Riddler. This was a very bold direction to take the character, and it pays off. Zoe Kravitz makes a wonderful Catwoman. And the film just looks amazing. This is both the most realistic and the most cartoonish that Gotham has looked. There’s one shot of Gotham’s version of Times Square that looks ripped straight from the animated series. It’s beautiful.

What I Didn’t Like

So the film is long. I double checked the run time. It’s four minutes shy of three hours. Longest Batman movie to date. I should clarify solo Batman movie, because the Snyder Cut is five hours. While that is good for the conspiracy thriller aspect, I did find myself at sometimes just waiting for Batman to go kick some ass already. We have our requisite Batmobile car chase, and it kind of disappointed me. It’s all filmed in close-up and we really don’t get a lot of the Batmobile kicking ass.

Final Verdict

This is a phenomenal Batman film, but it does a get a little too long and ponderous for me at some points.

3.5 Nibs

The King’s Man

Directed by Matthew Vaughn

Starring Ralph Fiennes, Gemma Arterton, Rhys Ifans, Matthew Goode, Tom Hollander, Harris Dickinson, Djimon Hounsou, and Charles Dance

Backstory

The latest installment of the Kingsman franchise was one of the first victims of COVID-19. Originally supposed to come out almost 2 years ago — February 2020 — it was one of the first movies rescheduled as the pandemic began. Constantly pushed back until it finally hit theatres in December 2021. And, like every other film released at that time, got crushed by Spider-Man: No Way Home. I sure hope this didn’t kill the franchise, because I’ve been digging Matthew Vaughn’s spin on James Bond-style superspies. As I’ve been saying over the past few years whenever a new trailer dropped, this prequel takes us back in time…to the origins of Kingsman in the aftermath of World War I.

Plot

Orlando, the Duke of Oxford, has dedicated his life to pacifism. This was brought on after several grueling tours in the Royal Army, and the final straw was his wife being killed on a humanitarian mission for the Red Cross during the Boer War. While doing a favour for his friend Lord Kitchener, Oxford happens to be on the scene when the Archduke Ferdinand is assassinated, sparking World War I. Oxford’s son Conrad is now old enough and eager to enlist, but Oxford forbids it. Instead, Oxford offers him an alternative. With the assistance of his butler Shola and Conrad’s nanny Polly, Oxford has built his own spy network consisting of the servants in all the royal houses of Europe. To fulfil his pacifistic pursuits, Oxford’s goal is gather intel to prevent wars from happening. Through this network, Oxford has discovered there are shadowy forces at play that brought about this World War. Feeding their intel to the British forces through the back room of the Kingsman tailor shop, Oxford figures this may not be enough, and he may have to get into the trenches once again. Can these four uncover the conspiracy and help bring the war to an end?

What I Liked

While the last film in this franchise, Kingsman: The Golden Circle, felt like it tried too hard, this one is a little more subdued. Oh, granted, we still get some of the franchise’s trademark flourishes, such as an insane fight sequence set to music. This time, though, instead of a gun battle to Freebird, it’s a sword fight to classical music. More befitting the era. Ralph Fiennes does a good job as our hero, the Duke of Oxford. Between this and playing M in the last few Bonds, he’s really getting comfortable in the superspy genre.

What I Didn’t Like

Quite a few too many characters makes it difficult to know what’s going on some times. While it does have some good twists and turns, sometimes it feels like it’s too twisty for its own good.

Final Verdict

A rather enjoyable addition to the Kingsman franchise.

3 Nibs

The Matrix Resurrections

Directed by Lana Wachowski

Starring Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Jessica Henwick, Jonathon Groff, Neil Patrick Harris, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, and Jada Pinkett Smith.

Backstory

The Matrix was the last movie that truly blew my mind. When my friends dragged me to it in the spring of 1999, I had no idea what I was getting into. As many others have written, it turned out to be one of the most revolutionary sci-fi films of our time. It spawned two sequels that were “good, but not great,” but I still have fond memories of the whole trilogy. The hype for the sequels among my friends at that time was insane. As much as the Star Wars prequels, The Matrix fills me with a fond nostalgia for the early-2000s when I was figuring out what the heck to do with my life. Rumours of a fourth have circulated, well, ever since the third film came out. But it was in 2019 when it was announced that they’d finally signed a deal with one of the Wachowskis — the creators of the whole franchise — to come back for the long awaited fourth film. I waited an extra month to see it at my local theatre…was it worth the wait?

Plot

Thomas Anderson is a highly successful video game designer. 20 years ago, he created a video game trilogy called The Matrix that took the world by storm. But, it came at a cost. The stress of creating the trilogy led Anderson to have a psychotic break. He started believing that he was within the world of The Matrix and that he was Neo, the game’s protagonist. Years of therapy helped him back to himself. But now, as the studio is pressuring him to make a fourth Matrix, Anderson starts having the delusions again…that he is Neo, and he is trapped with in the Matrix. As the delusions increase, Anderson begins wondering. Is he really Neo? And if so, why is he still alive and within the Matrix once again? It’s a mystery that a few familiar friends wearing new faces will help him solve.

What I Liked

Firstly, it’s just great seeing Neo and Trinity together again. Something about seeing the two of them fighting side by side once again just feels right. One thing the Wachowskis have always excelled at is world-building, and Lana does a stellar job of adding some new corners to the world of The Matrix. In doing so, some new villains are introduced that have fascinating motivations. As you can tell by my above plot description, the film does get very self-referential as the characters themselves try to figure out what a fourth Matrix should be.

What I Didn’t Like

I wish the film had the courage to stick to its premise, and really make it ambiguous as to whether Anderson is Neo or if it’s all just a delusion. It does eventually choose a concrete path. The kung-fu that made the original trilogy so distinct has been abandoned for our more modern shaky-cam fights. As strange as this sounds, it all came across as a little too polished. It lacked a certain grit that the original trilogy had. And hey, it has the same problem that Reloaded and Revolutions had: the original was so groundbreaking, that it just can’t live up.

Final Verdict

The Matrix Resurrections gave me something that the other nostalgic hits of this holiday season (e.g. Ghostbusters: Afterlife, Spider-Man: No Way Home) didn’t: a sense of hope. If Neo and Trinity get their second chance, maybe I can get one, too. I really enjoyed it.

3 Nibs

Spider-Man: No Way Home

Directed by Jon Watts

Starring Tom Holland, Zendaya, Benedict Cumberbatch, Jacob Batalon, Jon Favreau, Marisa Tomei, Jamie Foxx, Willem Dafoe, and Alfred Molina

Backstory

Another year, another Spider-Man film! And the hype for this one has been ridiculous. Rumours growing out of control as to who would be coming back from previous Spider-Man films, which all kicked off when it was announced that Alfred Molina would be reprising his Spider-Man 2 role of Dr. Octopus. With the addition of Dr. Strange and the Marvel Studios TV shows on Disney+ introducing the multiverse, it seemed like it was all possible. But let’s not forget about our hero. With that cliffhanger at the end of Far From Home, everyone wanted to know what was next for our friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man.

Plot

With his dying breath, the villain known as Mysterio outed Peter Parker to the world as Spider-Man. With his true identity now known, Peter’s life has grown a lot more complicated. But when it starts affecting the lives of his girlfriend MJ and his best friend Ned, he knows he has to put a stop to it. So Peter goes to Dr. Strange and asks him to cast a spell to make the entire world forget he’s Spider-Man. But Peter starts getting cold feet, resulting in Dr. Strange botching the spell. Now, the multiverse has fractured, and some of Spider-Man’s greatest foes from other realities have started coming to our own. We’ve got Electro, we’ve got Dr. Octopus, and Spidey’s deadliest foe of all, the Green Goblin. Will Spider-Man be able to send all these villains back to their home dimensions, or will he have to pay the ultimate sacrifice?

What I Liked

Tom Holland is still a spectacular Spider-Man. His youthful charm really makes you love this Spidey. And the return of all the classic villains from the other Spider-Man films really makes this a nostalgic lovefest for the franchise. It’s not just those villains, but there are a few other (poorly kept secret) cameos that just really push this over the top. There’s a lot of heart and a lot of emotion and Spider-Man is really pushed to his limits this time out. It’s good seeing Dr. Strange again. And I really enjoyed the end. It reminded me a lot of the James Bond film Skyfall, in how it really sets the stage for some classic Spidey adventures to come.

What I Didn’t Like

There’s very little in this film to dislike. It might be a little bit long, as I did find myself glancing at my watch a few times.

Final Verdict

Spider-Man: No Way Home isn’t just the culmination of the trilogy that started with Homecoming, but a nostalgic love letter to 20 years of Spider-Man films. I thoroughly loved it.

3.5 Nibs

Ghostbusters: Afterlife

Directed by Jason Reitman

Starring McKenna Grace, Finn Wolfhard, Carrie Coon, Logan Kim, Celeste O’Connor, and Paul Rudd, with special appearances by Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, and Annie Potts

Backstory

Sony is really trying hard to do something with Ghostbusters. After the 2016 reboot failed to thrill fans or the box office, they decided to try again. It seemed like “legacy” was going to be the theme this time out, as exemplified by the director, Jason Reitman. Reitman made his name as the director of quirky, indie-style films, most notably Juno. But his father is director Ivan Reitman, who gave us the original Ghostbusters. When the first trailer came out, I couldn’t help but note that they were leaning heavily into nostalgia for the original film. As I tweeted, I was conflicted heading into the theatre. Would it just be one massive nostalgia wank for the original film, like Jurassic World was to Jurassic Park? But on the other hand, I love the nostalgia.

Plot

Callie has fallen on hard times. She’s broke, still bitter about her estranged father walking out on her, and is struggling to connect with her two kids: Trevor, who’s going through the usual teenage maladies, and Phoebe, who’s passionate about science and not much else. Callie eventually gets word that her father has died, and with nowhere else to go, she and the kids pack up and move to her father’s dilapidated farmhouse in Summerville, Oklahoma. Phoebe finds a kindred spirit in Mr. Grooberson, the local science teacher. Summerville is plagued by mysterious earthquakes, and Grooberson is investigating. As Phoebe pokes around the old farmhouse, she eventually learns the truth: her grandfather was the legendary Ghostbuster Egon Spengler. Turns out there’s something strange in this neighbourhood. It’s so big and so dire that Egon turned his back on his friends and family to fight it. Will Phoebe, Trevor, and their newfound friends be able to finish Egon’s work and save the world?

What I Liked

Firstly, a little bit of local pride. The entire film was filmed in Southern Alberta, with the Alberta Badlands filling in for Oklahoma, and man, does it look gorgeous on the big screen. The kids are great, as it is mainly their story. McKenna Grace does a wonderful job as Egon’s granddaughter, almost coming across as a little Egon. All the performances are great. I noticed a great use of practical effects, too, as I’m pretty sure some of the ghosts were old school animatronics. It’s also nice that it has some slow spots, to allow our characters to grow and breathe. The score is pretty good, as it most reinterprets the score from the original film.

What I Didn’t Like

Unlike the other Ghostbusters films, this one almost actively avoids being a comedy, and leans more into the sci-fi/fantasy aspects. Don’t get me wrong, it has some great funny moments, but you’re not got going to be quoting it for the next 30 years like the original film.

Final Verdict

I was afraid that the laughs had been replaced with nostalgia, but instead, they were replaced with heart. Wound up being a touching tale about coming to terms with your past and finding your place in the world.

3 Nibs

Eternals

Directed by Chloé Zhao

Starring Gemma Chan, Richard Madden, Kumail Nanjiani, Lia McHugh, Brian Tyree Henry, Lauren Ridloff, Barry Keoghan, Don Lee, Harish Patel, Salma Hayek, and Angelina Jolie

Backstory

We’re really getting into the deep cuts now for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But I’m still on board with the franchise. They said Guardians of the Galaxy was too deep a cut, but now, Groot is everywhere. Not only that, but Oscar-winning director Chloé Zhao is running the show! With a proven track record and an Oscar-winner behind the camera, how could Marvel go wrong?

Plot

Eternals. Immortal beings created by god-like beings called the Celestials, and sent out to worlds to help burgeoning life grow and evolve. And to also protected said life from Deviants, monstrous creatures who feed on life. The Eternals of Earth eradicated the last of Earth’s Deviants centuries ago, and have gone their separate ways, living among humans. But now, the Deviants have returned, and they have a new objective: they’re hunting down Eternals. The Eternals must reunite to solve the mystery of these new Deviants, and along the way, uncover some harsh truths about their true mission on Earth. With the Eternals be able to stop the Deviants once again and save the Earth?

What I Liked

So many great new characters are introduced here. They’re led by Sersi, played by Gemma Chan, who is struggling with new role as leader. Kumail Nanjiani, as expected, brings the funny as Kingo, who went off to India and became a big Bollywood star. Lia McHugh as Sprite is the most compelling. She’s immortal, but she’s stuck at age 13, and is starting to grow resentful at having never been able to grow up. And, the casting that made headlines, Angelina Jolie as Thena, a warrior who’s millennia of battle has given her a sci-fi variation of PTSD. The characters really make it shine.

What I Didn’t Like

With the plethora of new characters, the film does start to feel rather cluttered. Throw in the fact that you’re introducing new concepts like the Celestials, and it all gets to be a little too much. And when you start throwing in too much, it starts feeling a little too long. It’s like Avengers: Age of Ultron in that way. It’s doing so much set-up for the next phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, that it gets bogged down.

Final Verdict

Marvel’s first attempt at gigantic, cosmic-scale sci-fi is a bit of a miss, but it has one hell of a cliffhanger ending that makes me want to see how it all plays out. Good, but not great.

2.5 Nibs

No Time To Die

Directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga

Starring Daniel Craig, Rami Malek, Lea Seydoux, Lashana Lynch, Ben Whishaw, Naomie Harris, Christoph Waltz, and Ralph Fiennes

Backstory

No Time to Die has to be one of the most troubled James Bond productions. After his infamous interview around the release of Spectre, where Daniel Craig said he’d rather slash his wrists than play Bond again, that sparked a whole bunch of rampant media speculation as to whether Craig would be returning or not. Craig did eventually sign on, and then they had trouble keeping a director. They finally found a keeper in Cary Joji Fukunaga, And then, COVID closed the movie theaters. It’s original November 2019 release date got pushed back all the way to October 2021. But, as it was made clear that this would be Craig’s final outing, this led to a unique opportunity: the creators could give Bond a definitive ending.

Plot

Spectre ends with Bond riding off into the sunset with his newfound love Dr. Madeleine Swann. The film starts shortly after. Bond believes that Swann sold him out to Spectre, and he and Swann part ways. Five years later, Bond is living in retirement in Jamaica, when his old CIA buddy Felix Leiter pays a call. Turns out a former Spectre scientist working for the British Secret Service has been abducted. Knowing what project that scientist was working on, Bond is pressed back into service, much to the chagrin of his former bosses, and Agent Nomi, who has inherited the 007 number. It’s a mission that will have Bond running into friends both old and new, back into the life of Madeleine, and on the trail of a rogue assassin name Safin. Will Bond be able to track down Safin and save the world?

What I Liked

As is the hallmark for the James Bond films, there’s some truly spectacular action sequences. We get, not just one, but several great James Bond car chases. Craig gives it his all in his final outing as Bond, as does the entire cast. I think Ralph Fiennes makes a fantastic M, and I hope they keep him around for the next Bond. And there’s some truly great Easter eggs and callbacks to the rest of the franchise…specifically, some musical ones that Hans Zimmer slipped into his score.

What I Didn’t Like

At 2 hours and 43 minutes, this is officially the longest James Bond film, and it feels like it. Sadly, was looking at my watch more than once. And Rami Malek’s Safin remains just a little too mysterious for a villain. We never really get to know him.

Final Verdict

A spectacular sendoff to the Daniel Craig era of James Bond. I’ve loved them, but I sure hope the next Bond gets back to formula.

3.5 Nibs

Venom: Let There Be Carnage

Venom: Let There Be Carnage movie poster

Directed by Andy Serkis

Starring Tom Hardy, Michelle Williams, Naomie Harris, Reid Scott, Stephen Graham, and Woody Harrelson

Backstory

Sony continues to try to make the “Spider-Man supporting characters universe” a thing, and what better place to start than with Venom, the evil Spider-Man-turned-anti-hero? The first film, Venom, surprised a lot of people by developing an almost goofy buddy-cop dynamic between Eddie Brock and the Venom symbiot. So, it looked like the sequel would continue in that direction. Throw in Venom’s arch-enemy Carnage as the villain, and it looked to be a pretty good film. Does Let There Be Carnage stack up to the original?

Plot

Eddie Brock seems to be getting his life back in order. A series of interviews with convicted serial killer Cletus Kassidy has put his career back on track. But, Brock is at odds with his new partner, the alien symbiot known as Venom. Venom wants to be out on the streets, eating the heads of evil-doers, but Brock is trying to keep Venom’s murderous rage in check. Things reach a head when the Venom symbiot rejects Brock one night and heads out to make his own path in the world. But, things have taken a turn. In his final interview with Kassidy, Venom left his spawn behind. The spawn bonds with Kassidy to become Carnage, and they head out into the night to go on a murderous rampage. Will Brock and Venom reconcile to save the city from Carnage?

What I Liked

Tom Hardy once again gives us another wonderfully twisted relationship between Brock and Venom. They are just as goofy as they were in first movie. The action has gotten a little better as it’s easier to make out the two CGI blobs fighting each other. And the film is short, which keeps things moving nice and quick. Which sadly leads to….

What I Didn’t Like

Because of the film’s short length, it feels like we really don’t get enough Carnage. It would have been nice to have explored the Venom/Carnage relationship a little bit more, and maybe get more Venom/Carnage battles. And Venom and Brock spend far too much time separated.

Final Verdict

It could have really used a little more development for our supporting players. It was fun, but a little too brief.

2.5 Nibs

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton

Starring Simu Liu, Awkwafina, Meng’er Zhang, Fala Chen, Florian Munteanu, Benedict Wong, Michelle Yeoh, Ben Kingsley, and Tony Leung

Backstory

Marvel continue to dig deep into their back catalogue with the film adaptation of Shang-Chi. It’s the first Marvel Studios film to feature an Asian hero and a predominantly Asian cast. Shang-Chi in the comics is pretty much the best dang martial arts practitioner in the Marvel Universe. Seems like the perfect set-up for a classic kung-fu film, albeit with some modern superhero tropes. Does Marvel pull it off?

Plot

Shaun seems to be aimless young man living in San Francisco. He works as a parking valet, and spends his nights out partying with his friend Katy. But soon, his past catches up with him. Turns out his real name is Shang-Chi, and his father is the notorious warlord Xu Wenwu, mastermind behind the international terrorist organization known as the Ten Rings. Shang-Chi was raised to be his father’s right hand and chief assassin, but he decided he didn’t want a part of that life and walked away. And now Shang-Chi must return home, reunite with estranged father and sister, and embark upon a dangerous quest. Will Shang-Chi take his place at his father’s side, or will he rise above and become a hero?

What I Liked

Firstly, there’s some great action scenes. We get the usual superhero stuff, like that fight you see on the bus in all the trailers, but there’s some wonderfully poetic stuff as well. The cast is amazing, with Simu Liu cementing his leading man status, and Awkwafina bringing just the right amount of comedy relief. Great special effects as well, as a variety of creature from Chinese mythology eventually join in on the fun.

What I Didn’t Like

Honestly, not much in there that I didn’t like. There’s a variety of henchman and side characters where it would have been nice to learn their stories, but in the end, it was nice to keep the focus on our heroes.

Final Verdict

A story about fathers and sons reconciling dressed up as martial arts superhero fantasy. A very satisfying superhero outing.

3 Nibs