TV REVIEW: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. - Pilot

To say that Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. was highly anticipated is something of an understatement. Not only is it following in the wake of one of the biggest movies of all time, but it is also created and the pilot directed by current man of the moment, Joss Whedon, finally in the spotlight after years as a cult favourite. 

Those expecting to be instantly blown away by the show or expecting all the best bits of the Marvel Cinematic Universe in a TV episode might be disappointed. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. does not immediately hit the ground running with fully formed characters, a cohesive team or the atmosphere that Marvel have garnered in their films. And nor should it because this an expansion, not a recreation. Thankfully, it is a solid start to a television show that has the unenviable task of emerging from the shadow of the MCU, but also of ensuring that it belongs in that world of superheroes, operating on a much smaller scale than an Iron Man movie. 

A neat introductory montage quickly establishes the shifts that have taken place in this Marvel universe since the Battle of New York with flashes of Thor, Captain America, The Hulk and Iron Man all making a very brief appearance. The biggest connections though are the shiny insignia of S.H.I.E.L.D. itself and its agents, Maria Hill (a guest appearance from Cobie Smulders) and the returning Coulson, first name Phil (Clark Gregg who is just great). The longstanding connection across the MCU, Coulson's death in The Avengers was the galvanising factor and a suitably gut-wrenching moment. When it was announced he would return, I thought it would cheapen this but thankfully, there seems to be much more going on then he was dead for a little bit/held his breath. Also, his entrance was immediately my favourite moment of the episode. I may have guffawed.

The scale of S.H.I.E.L.D., when compared to what has gone before, is much smaller, but this is not to the detriment of the unfolding action which takes on a more individual focus through the figure of Mike, played by Whedon stalwart J. August Richards, who finds himself blessed/cursed with super-strength. With his backstory of being made redundant due to an injury and unable to find a job despite his new powers, Mike is a product of the economic climate; an everyman who can't catch a break. He's also very aware of his place in the story; rather than go for the moral black-and-white of 'he's about to explode = bad guy", Mike is placed firmly the grey area, capable of being the hero or the bad guy. The MCU may be dealing with gods, aliens and monsters, but the television branch has firmly set out to tackle the human story, those dealing with the knowledge that they are no longer the most powerful beings on Earth.

In the middle of it all is S.H.I.E.L.D., the agency tasked with preventing these situations from getting out of hand, tracking down Chitauri technology (if you haven't seen the Marvel one-shot on this theme, Item 47, track it down) and contain any threat. Now if you're familiar with Whedon's work, you'll know that shady corporations causing problems for our heroes are a fairly standard theme; think The Initiative, Wolfram & Hart or the Alliance. The thing this, now S.H.I.E.L.D. are the shady organisation, something which Mike is quick to point out to Coulson in their confrontation. It's an interesting dynamic and following on from Nick Fury's meddling in The Avengers and the shadiness surrounding Coulson's resurrection, it's clear that the upper echelons of S.H.I.E.L.D. may still not entirely be the good guys.

We also have potential antagonists, The Rising Tide, who we are introduced to early and meet one of their members, Skye (Chloe Bennett) who also serves the function of our introduction to S.H.I.E.L.D. Every science-fiction show seems to have this; the new recruit discovering this world for the first time and thus allowing the audience to do so too (think Dana Scully, Olivia Dunham, Gwen Cooper - I'm now noticing another pattern here...). However, in S.H.I.E.L.D., we got two of these and it was perhaps the only aspect of this episode that felt very clumsy. First up, there was Ward (Brett Dalton) and his assignment to Coulson's new team and then Skye herself, who for someone so against S.H.I.E.L.D., was remarkably quick to sign up. Convenient for the pilot yes, but just a little jarring.

The characters do look promising though and I particularly loved Ming-Na Wen's performance as obvious badass Melinda May whose backstory I am already desperate to know. Currently fulfilling the nerdy comic relief requirement, the combination of Fitz (Iain de Caestecker) and Simmons (Elizabeth Henstridge) also promises a great deal while Ward fills the action man requirement nicely. Much of the episode kept the team apart so whilst they had moments to individually shine, there's not much to go on just yet as to how they gel as an ensemble though I'm looking forward to learning more about them as the show progresses. It is, as expected, Clark Gregg who steals the show. All of the affability and then badassery that makes Coulson so great was present and correct and so too was the gravitas that makes him such an effective thru-line in the Marvel movies.

A promising start then from the men and women in dark suits and sunglasses. There is enough of a hook to keep everyone interested and it's going to be fun to get to know these characters and find out what place in this Marvel world they will possess.

- Becky

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FILM REVIEW: Iron Man 3

Set after the events of The Avengers, Iron Man 3 finds Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr) is struggling to come to terms with what happened to him in New York, alienating girlfriend Pepper Pots (Gwyneth Paltrow) by becoming increasingly focused on his work. However, he is soon called back into the world by the presence of a terrorist known only as The Mandarin (Ben Kingsley) who has succeeded in carrying out several dangerous bombings. Elsewhere, Rhodes (Don Cheadle) is now wearing a nice star-spangled Iron Patriot outfit in service of the President (William Sadler) and a new business rival for Stark appears in the form of Aldrich Killian (Guy Pearce)

The third film in a superhero franchise always seems to be the trickiest one to get right and it is a milestone where there have been some catastrophic disasters; Spider-Man 3 and X-Men: The Last Stand are probably the first ports of call when considering just how far these franchises can fall. The Iron Man franchise, part of Marvel's Cinematic Universe, started off at dizzying heights with Jon Favreau's first instalment and crashed spectacularly back down again for Iron Man 2. Then of course there is the small matter of Joss Whedon's The Avengers (sorry, I refuse to call it Avengers Assemble, it just sounds silly), one of the biggest films of all time and a smash hit across the world. So, Iron Man 3 was responsible not only for following that, but also getting Tony Stark's own franchise back on track. So does it succeed?

Thankfully yes, with yet another risky move by Marvel paying off brilliantly. Hiring a director with only one directorial credit to his name and a screenwriter for whom this is his first blockbuster credit (though first of a few according to IMDB) is not the usual practice when it comes to tentpole franchise films. However, putting Shane Black and Drew Pearce on the film proves to be one of Marvel's most inspired choices to date, and they have made many over the course of putting together their cinematic universe. The pair taken the superhero genre and mashed it up a bit, scaling back from the grandeur of The Avengers and taking Tony Stark on a more personal journey.

There has also been a great deal of effort into adding more depth and meaning into their superhero film. It is awash with familiar iconography from the war on terror that instils a certain level of trepidation in any watching. The Mandarin's canny use of media to spread his message directly recalls Bin Laden's use of the very same whilst the emphatic rebranding of Iron Patriot is a subtle criticism of the USA's bullish foreign policy, also evidenced in some of the antics that Rhodes gets up to later in the film. That's not to say it gets too serious either, far from it. In fact, it's probably the funniest Marvel film to date (yes, possibly even funnier than The Avengers). Black's partnership with Robert Downey Jr has already yielded one fantastic film in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (a film that was instrumental in getting Downey Jr into the suit) and it seems that Black and Pearce knowing exactly how to write for the actor. 

Stark is as glib as ever, delivered with wonderful aplomb by Downey Jr even though he is very nearly upstaged by Ty Simpkins in their scenes together.  The partnership of Stark and Rhodes gets a decent amount of screen time too, offering the notch on the 'buddy' quota. However, the comedy performance of the film has to go to Paul Bettany as Jarvis. Given much more of a character to work with this time around, as well as a couple of malfunctions to contend with, Bettany's deadpan delivery works a treat with Black's screenplay and was a real highlight. 

There isn't a weak link amongst the performances either, particularly Guy Pearce as uber-businessman Aldrich Killian. Held up as a reflection to Stark in terms their different methods and approach to technology, Killian proves to be a good foil for Stark in their scenes together. Gwyneth Paltrow also gives her best performance of the franchise here and though I can't go into too much detail about her role, Pepper's character arc has been excellent across the three films and given a good finish. However, it is, as expected, Ben Kingsley who steals the film. He is simply sublime.

One of the most interesting aspects of the unfolding narrative is the way in which Black and Pearce analyse Tony's relationship with his alter-ego through some canny use of the suit itself. A big feature of the marketing, the Mark 42 doesn't disappoint, used as a symbol of Stark's fracturing hold on reality after New York and focalising his post-traumatic stress into something more tangible, both for the character and for the audience. The construction of the suit also means that, for a lot of the time, Stark isn't wearing the whole thing, maybe just an arm, or part of a leg, meaning the audience get a lot more Downey Jr, but also Stark on his own, learning to rely on his wits rather than his suit. As a result, the action sequences are thrilling and entertaining, particularly the third act battle which sees Stark use the suits as extensions of himself. It's a fascinating take on the psyche of the character and a neat piece of analysis on Stark's reliance on an external representation of his identity, the mask he wears to hide himself away.

For the most part, it's joyfully entertaining, but there are a couple of niggles that take the sheen of the red and gold paintwork ever so slightly. Rebecca Hall's role as Maya is sadly underwritten and despite getting some choice one liners, barely has anything to work with. She's a brilliant actress, most recently evidenced in the sublime Parade's End, but she feels wasted in the role, especially in comparison to the strength of Pepper's part in the wider narrative. The film also suffers slightly from the usual second act sag; whilst necessary to the developing plot, a couple of scenes lack the same zip as the first and third acts. They are small issues, but it does mean the film falls just short of a five-star rating.

An excellent start to Marvel's Phase Two and the best Iron Man film yet, it also feels like it could be the last time we see Tony Stark on his own turf, but somehow that's actually ok. The character has developed considerably since we first saw him swaggering across the Middle East and the conclusion here fits wonderfully with what has gone before. I'm sure we'll see Mr Stark, and therefore Iron Man, again, just not necessarily on his own.

P.S. If you liked Iron Man 3 and haven't seen Kiss Kiss Bang Bang yet, you need to get on that right away. Like now. Go.

****

- Becky

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FILM REVIEW: Avengers Assemble

When the Asgardian god of mischief, Loki, returns to Earth with his very own brand of villainy, SHIELD works to unite several superheroes into one team, the Avengers, in order to put a stop to him bringing the world to its knees.

The Avengers (I'll call it this throughout the review as it sounds less like a vendetta against furniture instructions) has been a long time coming, building across five films to form a Marvel Universe the likes of which many comic book fans had only ever dreamed of seeing on screen. Though I'm relatively new to the full extent of the Marvel mythology, I've always grown up with the cartoons, the stories and the iconic characters. The Avengers was a bit of a fantasy; something that was a good idea and would be amazing to see on the big screen but that would probably never happen. It would just be too big. Then Iron Man happened. Ever since Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) showed up in the Iron Man post-credits sting talking about the Avengers Initiative, Marvel have been building towards this moment, a film that saw several superheroes, stars in their own right, come together to form Earth's Mightiest Heroes. After an expert marketing campaign that meant the (already considerable) hype had been ramped up to the maximum, The Avengers finally hit the big screen last week. And it's fantastic.


The plot centres around your friendly neighbourhood macguffin, the Tesseract, a Cosmic Cube of pure, self-generating energy that holds the key to a lot of things for a lot of people, last seen in Captain America: The First Avenger. SHIELD (i.e. Nick Fury and Clark Gregg's Agent Phil Coulson) are currently in possession of the Cube but with Loki (Tom Hiddleston) on the move, this isn't the case for very long. Soon, Bruce Banner/The Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Tony Stark/Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Clint Barton/Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner), Steve Rogers/Captain America (Chris Evans) and Thor (Chris Hemsworth) are brought together to try and stop Loki from destroying Earth as we know it.

First things first, director and co-writer, Joss Whedon really did have a hell of a job on his hands. Being able to juggle seven main characters, four of whom with super-powers and all with their own baggage, a villain with more angst than the average episode of Dawson's Creek and a decent plot with good action sequences then making sure that all of this makes a good film is no easy task. Thankfully, the screenplay Whedon and fellow writer Zak Penn have put together manages all of these things and more. Despite having to contend with a huge cast of major characters, every single one gets a moment in the spotlight and the cast seize each chance with both hands. Although many people are claiming that the Hulk steals the show (he is brilliant), for me, it's Tom Hiddleston's Loki who really shines in this film. As with his appearance in Thor, Hiddleston manages to create a villain that is thoroughly evil, compelling and yet still a little sympathetic. His desire to rule essentially comes from a place of low self-esteem thanks to some serious daddy issues and Thor's explanation for this is one of my highlights of the film. 


That's not to say the other actors do badly, in fact, I'd go so far as to say there wasn't really a dud performance in the film. Thanks to some classic Whedonesque one liners, the interplay between the superheroes offers each one a chance in the spotlight. Whether you want to see Thor going ten rounds with Captain America, Tony Stark verbally sparring with Bruce Banner or the Black Widow taking on the Hulk, every scene between the heroes is great to watch. Naturally with a film of this magnitude, a couple of characters are going to get a little less attention and in this case, it was Cobie Smulders' Agent Maria Hill and Renner's Hawkeye. The script does give both of them a chance to shine in their respective roles but I didn't feel like they got the same amount of development devoted to the other characters. That being said, it never felt that they were included simply to be filler, both playing an integral part in the story as the eyes and ears of the operation. Whedon is used to handling big casts of big characters with his experience on ensemble shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Firefly and the same skill is transferred here.


As always with a superhero film of this magnitude, the action scenes were going to have to be big and bold. Thankfully the action scenes are both necessary for the story and extremely well put-together. Not once did I lose track of what was happening or who was fighting who, a welcome feeling in an action film. Every scene was entirely organic to the developing narrative, never once feeling as if it was inserted just to kickstart the plot as the pacing was also well-handled. As with the interplay between all the characters, the fight scenes between the various heroes were every bit as thrilling as they should have been. The Chitauri, the alien race employed by Loki to take over the Earth, didn't exactly live up to the fearsome reputation that had been talked up earlier in the film. As they practically had 'canon fodder' stamped on their grisly foreheads, it makes enough sense that they could be dispatched without great difficulty but they could have a little more threatening. That's a very minor criticism though as these action sequences were really all about seeing the Avengers throw down. Even with the slightly dodgy foe, the final action sequence barely let you stop for breath with all the heroes pulling their weight in one of the most epic battles in recent history. It's a testament to both the writers and the cast that these action scenes actually further both plot and character development rather than merely being mindless violence for a few minutes at a time.


The Avengers always had the potential to be something revolutionary, a film that finally realised the full grandeur that the Marvel Universe had to offer but then it could also have been a complete flop. Thankfully in the hands of Joss Whedon and a truly committed cast, it's the former, a rollercoaster ride of action, comedy and spectacle from start to finish. It took all my strength to not clap and cheer loudly at several moments during the film and, for me, that's a sign of a truly great superhero film.




*****


- Becky

NEWS: The Avengers Superbowl Slot

Whilst the Giants were battling the Patriots for the glory of winning the Superbowl, audiences were treated to a fight between giants and patriots of a superhero-kind. As you have probably all guessed from my previous post, I am ridiculously excited about The Avengers; it's not just because it's the largest gathering of superheroes since Comic-Con, Joss Whedon or Chris Hemsworth's flowing locks but because, from the footage so far, it looks awesome. You can view the Superbowl advert here.


Now I am fully aware that we probably have a grand total of 3 minutes of footage released so far from the actual film and plenty can go wrong in a full feature, but everything about that footage has impressed. Particularly the final line of the Superbowl advert. I won't ruin it for you here (chances are if you've been following this film's progress as avidly as I have, you'll know it already) but it's worth it just for that ten seconds. It also gives us a look at the other Avengers such as Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) and Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) who have so far been a little lost among the other superhero heavyweights.


Oh yes, and there's a Hulk.


- Becky