'Man of Steel' review by Captain Raptor

'Man of Steel' review by Captain Raptor

Okay, cards fully on the table: I loathe Superman. As a concept, as a character and as a franchise I have always found it to be boring, tiresome and idiotic. Where's the joy in watching the man who can do everything? It took the triple threat of Zack Snyder (director of Watchmen and 300), Christopher Nolan (director of The Dark Knight and Inception, seen here on production duty) and Russell Crowe (the god that walks among us) to motivate me to see this movie, and even then I was sceptical going in. Right up until I saw the first scene.

The opening ten minutes of Man of Steel is one of the most astounding scenes I've seen this year. Russell Crowe, in all his bearded glory, runs around a beautifully animated Krypton (the finest looking and best used CGI since Avatar) as their society begins to crumble. It's near perfect in terms of visuals and really hooks the audience in from the start. The problem is that it's really too good - when your opening sequence features Russell Crowe riding a dragon through an exploding spaceship, where do you go from there? The brilliance of the beginning sets a standard that the rest of the film can't come close to equaling. Not that Man of Steel is bad - I've kinda-sorta changed my mind on the Superman front - because the masterful fingerprints of Christopher Nolan can be felt all over this film. It's a remake that attempts to shine in its own right rather than pay homage to the original, much like his Dark Knight trilogy, so there are no references or nods to the films of Richard Donner. Perhaps it's due to the compromise between Nolan and Snyder's individual styles, but at times Man of Steel feels indecisive and becomes somewhat overly restrained as a result- is it attempting to be a dark and moody re-imagining of the Superman mythos or an over-the-top, action-packed spectacle? The styles don't merge as well here as they have in Nolan's past, but neither can we feel Snyder's wizardry and control over the fight sequences to the full extent that was evident in 300 or Sucker Punch. 

The action sequences are a mixed bag. The first time you see Superman barrel into his opponent at a million miles an hour and send them flying across the landscape it's entertaining, but he doesn't seem to have any another fighting moves. The finale sees General Zod attempting to level the city of Metropolis, and the level of destruction is so unbelievably high that it makes what New York went through in The Avengers look like a walk in the park. Whether or not this is overwhelming to the point of being indistinct or simply breathtakingly awesome is a tough call. Speaking of Zod, Michael Shannon has been getting quite a lot of praise for his performance in this film, which while I don't feel it's necessarily undeserved it does confuse me as to while they single out him in particular. Everybody's performances are on an equal level of perfectly believable but nothing special, from relative newcomer Henry Cavill to screen icon Costner (I loved Russell Crowe's subtle and grounded performance, but I highly suspect that this is due to my own hero-worship). Nor is there fantastic characterization, and at times the dialogue is downright awful ("There are two ways this ends - either you die, or I do" was such a bland and self-evident thing to say that I almost burst out laughing), reminding me partially of The Great Gatsby - an visually appealing but fairly emotionless experience, although this works out considerably better for an action film like Man of Steel. It should be celebrated, however, that this incarnation of Superman is a lot more relatable and sympathetic than the Last Son of Krypton has been in the past. Cavill's Superman is decidedly less super, who seems to have limits to his power and his fear of rejection by humanity makes him a much more endearing character.

Man of Steel probably won't live long in my memory. I doubt people will be wearing quotes from the film on t-shirts anytime soon, or praising the excellent performance of any actor. However, the film provides some truly jaw-dropping moments of spectacle, and I would recommend seeing it if only for the fantastic opening. A fully confident and enjoyable superhero movie, and the first time that Superman as a character has been of any interest to me, Man of Steel certainly deserves praise and is worth watching, but let's just say that I'm not waiting for the sequel with bated breath.

'Kiss Kiss Bang Bang' review by Captain Raptor

'Kiss Kiss Bang Bang' review by Captain Raptor

I've been yearning to watch Kiss Kiss Bang Bang for a long time, not least because the leading double act of Val Kilmer and Robert Downey Jr is the closest we'll ever come to seeing Iron Man and Batman together on the silver screen. After my near-complete infatuation with the most recent team up of star Downey Jr and director Shane Black on Iron Man 3, I finally made the time this weekend to sit down and view the modern cult classic.

I was not at all let down by the viewing experience. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang seems like a composite of the best features of films that were later released, containing the knowing deconstruction of Hollywood and crime movies from within a Hollywood crime movie present in Seven Psychopaths; the mercilessly funny and whip smart black comedy of In Bruges; the witty and very deliberate subversion of tropes as seen in Serenity. Given it's fairly meagre commercial success it's unlikely that Kiss Kiss Bang Bang inspired these films, rather Shane Black's utterly brilliant screenplay is one the prime showcases of modern cinema techniques. The plot is an ideal mix of accessibility and complexity, as Downey Jr's naive and motor-mouthed thief-cum-actor Harry teams up with Kilmer's surly hardman detective Gay Perry and Michelle Monaghan's struggling actress Harmony as they all become further and further involved in a murder-mystery scheme. The performances from the lead trio are all outstanding, but the one most particularly worthy of a mention is that of Val Kilmer, showing comic timing I had no idea he possessed as the sardonic professional exasperated by Harry's amateurism. Other highlights include Harry's fourth wall breaking narration, during which he shouts at on screen extras and complains about the film's ending, and the various sharp shocks of black comedy that come out of nowhere, giving the film a real sense of insanity and unpredictability.

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is wickedly funny, but the film's appeal goes further than that. The plot takes on some dark undertones at various points, and the story moves along at such a pace that by the time you've recovered from one surprise, a second one jumps out at you. It's a film of intelligence, both in the sense that the dialogue and plot are very witty and savvy, and in the sense that it's a film that doesn't babysit its audience, the implications are there and its up to you to fill in the gaps for yourself. The film's protagonist Harry Lockhart is also one of the most enjoyably complex characters I've ever seen in an action comedy: he's laid-back and sarcastic yet clearly vulnerable; he believes in chivalry but it borders on judgemental, and ultimately he is a good person coerced into theft, conspiracy and murder. It all leads to excellent characterisation that's held up by Downey's excellent performance, making Harry the best accidental detective since The Big Lebowski.

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang balances intelligence, comedy and action in a way that's rarely seen, giving each element its moment to flourish and intertwining the three expertly. If, like me, you enjoy snarky and self-aware pop culture like Community or The Cabin In The Woods, then Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is simply a must-see. To everyone else, there's still a lot to be gained from this viewing experience: a near-perfect action comedy with extra doses of gallows humour and intriguing noir appeal.