Review: Thor: Ragnarok (2017) (Thor-Some?)

(SPOILER-FREE)

“I know what you’re thinking: how did this happen?”

Thor: Ragnarok is the latest Marvel Cinematic Universe film to get a shedload of critical acclaim. I’ve seen it advertised on Twitter as the “best reviewed Marvel film yet.” Of course, whenever something receives high critical acclaim, my Spider-sense tingles. It’s true, Thor: Ragnarok is enjoyable. You’ll laugh yourself silly. But I felt a little nonplussed when the credits started to roll. The third Thor film has little in common with its predecessors. The tonal shift is jarring, the characters involved are used mainly for laughs, and the story seems to have been written on the fly…

Review: Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017) (Time To Celebrate?)

So, Spider-Man has come back home to Marvel. Well, sort of. Sony have gone halves on Spider-Man with Marvel Studios after their first reboot of the franchise flopped. We first saw Tom Holland as Spider-Man in Captain America: Civil War. Now, he’s got his own movie, Marvel Studios style! The critical reaction is fairly positive, with most critics comparing it to a John Hughes movie with glued in action scenes (I’ve even read a review that calls it the best Marvel film in years). I’d rate it as the best Spider-Man since Spider-Man 2, but that’s no hard feat, is it? In fact, I left the cinema disappointed.

Review: Spider-Man 2 (2004) (The Greatest Superhero Sequel?)

“Woah, he stole that guy’s pizza!”

In my Top 10 List of Comic Books Films, I placed ‘Spider-Man 2’ at the hallowed #1 place (click here to view my Top 10 List). It’s been a while since I watched it, so I thought I’d pop it in the DVD player (it was either that or go to the cinema and watch Spider-Man: Homecoming. My fiancée couldn’t be bothered to go to the cinema…). Spider-Man 2 is a film I’ve watched countless times (as with Spider-Man, I watched it more than three times at the cinema alone!). However, every time I watch Spider-Man, its flaws become more and more apparent. I love it regardless, but still understand its flaws. However, each viewing of Spider-Man 2 only causes its brilliance to shine brighter than before.

Review: Spider-Man (2002) (The Amazing Spider-Man?)

“You don’t trust anyone, that’s your problem”

Some people would argue that the modern trend for superhero movies started with Blade (1998) and X-Men (2000). Those people have some good arguments, but I’d argue that the superhero craze properly began with Spider-Man (2002), which is celebrating its 15th birthday this year! Blade and X-Men were modest hits, but Spider-Man hit big. It was the first film to earn over $100 million in its first weekend, among other box office records. Yes, people may have been hyped for the more recognisable superhero (Spider-Man was/is more well known than either the X-Men or Blade), but there’s also another reason for its box office success: it’s a damn fine film, with unfortunate flaws that prevent it from reaching the heights that its sequel would grasp.