BoilerYor Reviews

Superman (1978)

Superman

[6/10 · 13 February 2022]

Richard Donner never had any thematic or visual stamp in his work, he was a (very good) journeyman, one of the best in Hollywood, but not without any misfires.

Superman: The Movie is a mixed bag. The prologue on Krypton is very cheesy, reminiscent of the 1930s and 40s sci-fi serials. Deliberate stylistic choice or not, it doesn't do the movie any favours. The Smallville portion is excellent and easily the best part of the movie, it's touching and heartfelt without devolving into corniness (unfortunately, Donner will indulge in corniness later on with the "Can you read my mind?" scene).

Nearly an hour in, we are introduced to the adult Clark Kent, his love interest Lois Lane and the villain Lex Luthor and this is the weakest part of the movie. While Gene Hackman certainly has the charisma, his Luthor is too ineffective and comedic to be a believable threat, he feels shoehorned in simply because Superman has to have a villain. Christopher Reeve looks the part and acts with such sincerity that it's impossible not to like him, however, he and Kidder have little chemistry and their interactions come off more stilted than natural.

As for the special effects, there's no need to sugarcoat it, they are dated and might put off many (mostly, but not exclusively younger) viewers.

Among the comic geeks, Superman: The Movie is a gold standard for how to make a superhero movie. In my humble opinion, only the Smallville portion deserves the praise, as it is a standout in an otherwise average movie.

Logan (2017)

Claw Father

[6/10 · 9 November 2021]

Much like with Thor Ragnarok, there is a lot of hyperbolic praise thrown at Logan, most of which is undeserved.

Previous two Wolverine movies were terrible and the bar is very low, one can't help but feel there's some overcompensating at work. Throwing words like "masterpiece" is really pushing it. Makes you wonder if these people watch anything other than capesh1t.

A year earlier, a Mel Gibson movie called Blood Father came out with a very similar story, minus the mutants. Now, the accusation of outright plagiarism is unfounded, but Logan, let's say "borrows" heavily from it.

The movie's central theme is a half-baked allegory for growing old and dying, sprinkled with CGI blood. In order to expand on this allegory, the best thing the filmmakers could come up with is for Logan to fight a younger clone of himself. The intent is obvious, but the result is underwhelming and anticlimactic. An honourable if failed attempt to add some depth to a movie about a guy who has retractable claws in his knuckles and who can heal himself almost instantly.

The primary antagonist Donald Pierce, played by Boyd Holbrook is the weakest part of the movie, he doesn't have enough screen presence and his performance is forgettable. The director probably didn't want anyone to overshadow Jackman, but a more memorable villain would've added instead of detracted from the storyline.

The last hurrah for Hugh Jackman's Wolverine, until Marvel Studios decides they want him to reprise the role.

Batman (1989)

Good Start

[8/10 · 29 October 2021]

While I consider this one of the lesser Tim Burton joints, it's still a very good movie and better than everything he's done post Sleepy Hollow. Okay, Big Fish is good too and Sweeney Todd and Frankenweenie are solid.

Burton tried his best to make this movie his own, and almost succeeded. Studio imposed elements are evident. Not many people know this was a fairly troubled production. There were many rewrites and the third act was written on the set.

Joker being the killer of Bruce's parents was a last minute addition. Plot point the so-called purists love to bring up when they deride the movie, but are completely OK with Ra's al Ghul being Bruce's mentor. If you want to argue that Ra's had no effect on Bruce becoming Batman, good luck with those mental gymnastics.

The most jarring studio imposed element is the soundtrack by Prince. I highly doubt that Burton is a Prince fan (he isn't).

Burton's familiar aura of cynicism is present, but unfortunately subdued.

Now onto the good stuff. Film is first and foremost a visual medium, the old "Show, don't tell". A film language other directors should use more often but almost never do. Psychological aspects of Batman and his arch enemy Joker are there, you just have to look. Two sides of the same coin.

Jack Nicholson's Joker is a jovial psychopath and most importantly he's unpredictable. He will do things at a whim, without much care of the consequences. Why did he shoot Bob? Because he felt like it. Michael Keaton is playing sort of a "straight man" role. I say sort of because he's just as or even more insane than the villains he's chasing, he just hides it better (explored even more in Batman Returns).

The movie avoids the overused and clichéd Hero's Journey narrative structure to its benefit, and as a result it feels fresh.

Let's not turn this into an essay.

The Art Deco Gotham City looks amazing and the sense of timelessness, while effective isn't quite there yet (it's better achieved in Returns).

Aquaman (2018)

Waterboy

[3/10 · 26 October 2021]

James Wan's first outing into mainstream with Furious 7 was pretty bland and unfortunately this is no better.

Throw everything and the kitchen sink at the screen approach may bring in the dollars, but the end result is a jumbled mish mash of other better movies.

Jason Momoa tries his best with his limited range as an actor. He seems capable of expressing only two emotions: angry and happy. That's two emotions more than Keanu Reeves.

There really isn't much more to say here. If you told me Michael Bay directed this, I would have believed you.

Thor: Ragnarok (2017)

Not So Good

[3/10 · 5 October 2021]

Saying this is the best Thor movie is like saying Rampage is the best Uwe Boll movie (well Rampage is better than all the Marvel movies that's for sure). It's true, but it doesn't really mean much. When the bar is so low there's nowhere to go but up.

Comedy is one of, if not the most, subjective genre in cinema. If the humour doesn't click with you, it's pretty much impossible to judge whether the jokes work or not, leaving you with only the story to latch onto. And the story is cliché: Hero doubting, losing or giving up their powers then getting them back. It's a tired and overused trope ever since Superman II. It's not a very good trope either and a lazy way to raise the stakes. I don't know why writers and directors love it so much. Not to mention the first Thor movie already did that.

I can already tell how the pitch meeting went:

Feige: Taika, people loved Guardians of the Galaxy, so make it a GOTG style comedy. People love the Hulk, so put the Hulk in it. People love buddy movies, so make it a buddy movie too. Oh, and have Thor lose his powers because that's totally something we haven't seen before in a superhero movie.

Waititi: But, I can put my own personal stamp on it, right?

Feige: Nope.

Waititi: Okay, I have to pay the bills I guess.

Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)

Even Worse Than The First One

[2/10 · 4 September 2021]

All sorts of trash gets rated above 7 on here.

Two and a half hours of characters quipping, undermining any sense of tension or threat. Then again, when the main villain is also a wisecracker, it kind of fits.

Joss Whedon is a visually illiterate director and the most overrated screenwriter working in Hollywood. The endless and relentless quips do not a good dialogue make. He should've practiced directing between 2012 and 2014. Maybe he could have delivered, at least a competently made movie.

Whedon should stick to TV. It's clearly where he belongs.

Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)

Painfully Generic

[2/10 · 27 August 2021]

Marvel Studios is the cinematic equivalent of McDonald's. Crushing any creativity and selling their version of Happy Meals at record quantity but no quality.

Despite my gripes with the Raimi trilogy, it showed at least some, if misguided, sense of authorship. This however is bland and forgettable. Everything from acting to directing is average at best. Even Michael Keaton, who is usually great and can play a good villain: see Desperate Measures and Pacific Heights, is just phoning it in.

Completely forgettable.