Author: Darren Lucas

Unlock the Secrets of X-Men The Last Stand

Director: Brett Ratner
Writer: Simon Kinberg, Zak Penn
Starring: Hugh Jackman, Halle Berry, Ian McKellen, Patrick Stewart, Famke Janssen, Anna Paquin, Kelsey Grammer, James Marsden, Rebecca Romijn, Shawn Ashmore, Aaron Stanford, Vinnie Jones, Ellen Page, Daniel Cudmore, Ben Foster

Story The X-men team are still recovering from the death of Jean Grey (Famke Janssen). Cyclops (James Marsden) has stopped even trying to teach at the school leaving Wolverine(Hugh Jackman) to fill in. Wolverine and Storm (Halle Berry) are trying a new team Rogue (Anna Paquin), Iceman (Shawn Ashmore), Shadowcat (Ellen Page) and Colossus (Daniel Cudmore). Cyclops travels too where Jean died only for something to happen causing Jean to return only to be more powerful than anyone could handle.

Magneto (Ian Mckellen) with his new partner Pyro (Aaron Stanford) are recruiting new mutants while searching for the recently capture Mystique (Rebecca Romijn). Both sides are working out a plan to stop a mutant cure Beast (Kelsey Grammer, The Marvels) having a the right hand of the President tries to stop the release but fails.

We are left with everyone battling for to stop a cure but some will go further than others. With lots of casualties along the way who will still be standing at the end?

Verdict The story continues from the first too but takes a far more drastic line by killing of some of the main characters. The action is the best of the lot but doesn’t always make the most of the abilities. This is a bit shorter than the other X-men and you can sort of feel how this one was rushed. Seeing Charles and Erik working together shows how close a friends they are just driven to different paths. If you have seen the original two you should complete the collection but if you haven’t seen it you may find it hard to follow some of the previous character development.

Best quote Erik ‘Charles Xavier did more for mutants than you will ever know. My single greatest regret is that he had to die for our dream to live’

Favourite character Juggernaut has some funny one liners and is very destructive

Stand out performance Ian Mckellen as leader of the brother hood gets a more regretful storyline that he performs very well

Best moment Magneto moving the Golden Gate bridge to get to Alcatraz.

Worst Moment Angel not really having any lines or involvement in the main story

My rating 76%

X-Men 2: Mutant Confrontations Lead to Presidential Attack

Director: Bryan Singer
Writer: Zak Penn, David Hayler, Bryan Singer
Starring: Patrick Stewart, Hugh Jackman, Ian McKellen, Halle Berry, Famke Janssen, James Marsden, Anna Paquin, Rebecca Romijn, Brian Cox, Alan Cumming, Bruce Davidson, Aaron Sranford, Shawn Ashmore, Kelly Hu

Story After an attack on the President by Nightcrawler (Alan Cumming). William Striker (Brian Cox) is calling for all mutants to be captured. After capturing Xavier (Patrick Stewart) on one of his visits to Magneto (Ian McKellen) and Cyclops (James Marsden). Jean Grey (Famke Janssen) and Storm (Halle Berry) are of locating Nightcrawler leaving Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) in charge of the school.

Striker sets up an attack on the school trying to capture all the mutants inside with most getting out safe and Rogue (Anna Paquin), Pyro (Aaron Stanford) and Iceman (Shawn Ashmore) teaming up with Wolverine to locate the others and the location of Strikers base. While this is going on Mystique (Rebecca Romijn) is trying to free Magneto. We are now left with the humans who want to destroy the mutants, the mutants who want to destroy humans and the mutants who just want peace who will come out on top?

Verdict This is a brilliant sequel and one of the best superhero movies you will see. each character is well worked and performed well. The fights are all well executed to give full effect on the powers being used. The story is very well told adding to the what was built up in the first movie. You will be kept on the end of your seat from start to finish.

Best quote Magneto ‘Charles Xavier, have you come to rescue me?’

Favourite character Pyro gets all the best line and most development through the film

Stand out performance Hugh Jackman this is his best outing as Wolverine strong leader and big screen presences.

Best moment Magneto landing the X-men jet

Worst Moment Most of Storm’s scenes dull character with boring power

My rating 92%

Director: Edgar Wright
Writer: Michael Bacall
Starring: Michael Cera, Alison Pill, Mark Webber, Johnny Simmons, Ellen Wong, Kieran Culkin, Anna Kendrick, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Chris Evans, Brie Larson, Brandon Routh, Jason Schwartzman

Story Scott Pilgrim (Michael Cera) a 22-year-old guy starts dating a 17-year-old girl Knives (Ellen Wong). Knive’s becomes obsessed with Scott’s Band Kim (Alison Pill), Stephen (Mark Webber) and Young Neil (Johnny Simmons). While Knives falls for Scott, Scott falls for Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead).

Too win Ramona’s heart Scott must defeat her seven evil exes’. Each ex has a different fighting ability and style. Can Scott win Ramona’s heart and win the battle of the bands?

Verdict With a full range of characters including Scott’s gossip obsessed sister and gay roommate we are giving a full blown perfectly original action film. Each fight is like watching an arcade game and this comes off very well in its all out over the top fights. the music works to having all the bands feel like they are trying to make something of themselves. With this movies being a bit of a flop in the cinema it is a shame because this really is one that should be watched with fun action comedy all the way well worth a watch.

Best quote Kim ‘ We are Sex Bob-Omb! And we’re here to watch Scott Pilgrim Kick You teeth in!’

Favourite character Wallace has all the best one-liners

Stand out performance Kieran Culkin mostly because it’s a different character to what you would be used to coming from him.

Best moment Most of the fight scenes really

Worst Moment Mainly that fact it will be aimed more towards the arcade gaming generation.

My Rating 87%

Director: Jon Turteltaub
Writer: Lawrence Konner
Starring: Nicolas Cage, Jay Baruchel, Alfred Molina, Teresa Palmer, Toby Kebbell, Omar Benson Miller, Monica Bellucci, Alice Krige

Story After Three guardian Sorcerers of Merlin are split by betrayal one Balhazar Blake (Nicolas Cage) is left to find Merlin Heir but one day his old friend but not rival Maxim Horvath (Alfred Molina) is released and sets out to release Morgana (Alice Krige) a powerful sorceress who wants to destroy the world.

Balhazar stops the first escape but the capture leaves both stuck for ten years. Both Balhazar and Maxim escape their prison and search for the Heir a seemingly average guy David (Jay Baruchel) who excels at psychics. Balhazar find David and takes him under his wing while Maxim finds a young magician Drake Stone (Toby Kebbell) who lacks direction to help Maxim get the jar in which Morgana is trapped in.

David has the seemingly normal training but is always distracted by a chance encounter with a young lady he once had a crush on Becky (Teresa Palmer). Can David be trained, save the world and get the girl?

Verdict Basically this is a very simple film to watch giving some very good special effects around New York City, the characters are all likable with good banter between hero and villain. The story is strong leaving things to be discovered through out the narrative. It is a good watch and worth it for all action adventure fantasy fans.

Best quote Balthaza ‘ Keep it subtle, civilians mustn’t know magic exists. That would be complicated’ Dave ‘Says the guy in the 350 year old rawhide trench coat’

favourite character Drake Stone he is very much like Will Arnett character in Arrested Development just with the magic skill to back it up

Stand out performance Nicolas Cage great teacher role with some kick ass addition to his character

Best Moment A dragon ripping through China Town

Worst Moment The almost unbelievable romance between David and Becky

Rating 80%

Director: Danny Boyle
Writer: Alex Garland
Starring: Cillian Murphy, Chris Evans, Michelle Yeoh, Rose Byrne, Troy Garity, Hiroyuki Sanada, Benedict Wong, Mark Strong, Cliff Curtis

After reaching Mercury Harvey picks up a signal that has been lost in the background of space. The signal is from Icarus 1 the ship is still intact. The team is left with the dilemma on whether to complete their mission or go to Icarus 1 and collect a second bomb increasing the chances of success. Capa concludes two payloads will be a greater chance and the risk is worth it. After a small miss calculation from Trey some of the reflective shields are damaged. They lose their oxygen garden not leaving them with enough oxygen to complete the mission.

They arrive at Icarus 1 and see Pinbacker (Mark Strong) video on what happened Icarus 1 is in full working order but there is no crew to be found. While searching Icarus 1 something happens leading to the airlock being damaged Capa, Mace, Harvey and Searle after left to work out who is most important to the mission. After losing crew the team now has little choice but to go complete the mission but how far can they get?

Verdict: This is a top sci-fi movie take an idea that hadn’t been looked at before.built up with incredible tension from start to finish and very believable characters. The music adds to everything that happens so well creating more tension. The story will keep you guessing what will happen all the way through. This is a real edge of your seat classic one for all to see.

Best Quote: Capa’ So if you wake up one morning and it’s a particularly beautiful day, You’ll know we made it’.

Favourite Character: Mace He is willing to do anything to save humanity and has some of the best scenes.

Stand out Performance: Cillian Murphy again playing his character to his normal perfection.

Best Moment: The first reveal on Pinbacker on board Icarus 2

Worst Moment: Hard to find one but i guess the end half of the movie feels alot like Event Horizon

My Rating 89%

Director: Bryan Singer
Starring: Patrick Stewart, Hugh Jackman, Ian McKellen, Famke Janssen, James Marsden, Halle Berry, Anna Paquin, Tyler Mane, Ray Park, Rebecca Romijn, Bruce Davidson

Rogue goes on the run and end ups in a down in the gutter bar where there is cage fighting. One of the cage fighters is Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) who is unbeatable with his healing ability and his metal body frame. After being kicked out the bar Wolverine heads off for his next place to make money while Rogue sneaks a lift. After being discovered the two travel together only to be suddenly attacked by Sabretooth (Tyler Mane) but saved by Storm (Halle Berry) and Cyclops (James Marsden) and taken back to Professor Charles Xavier’s (Patrick Stewart) school for the gifted.

Senator Kelly (Bruce Davidson) is trying to pass a bill to make mutant registration compulsory. Jean Grey (Famke Janssen) one of Xavier students tries to appeal against this decisions but to little success. Magneto (Ian McKellen) also witnesses the outcome and sets out his plan.

Magneto gets his team of mutants Mystique (Rebecca Romijn) and Toad (Ray Park) to kidnap Senator Kelly and they turn him into a mutant. Magneto reveals his plan to turn all the worlds leaders into mutants and it is now up to Xavier X-Men to stop him can they over come their differences using the abilities to their advantage?

Being the first of the X-Men series this had little to live up to so turns out to be a good film. All the characters have different abilities which give the story what it needs to make every pieces of the puzzle come together. Each part is cast very well to suit who is playing the role with Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen as the wise elder characters who are preparing for a war that could change both their views on life.

If you are going to look at this film compared to the stories of the other X-men movies it starts as a building block for a successful franchise. While the prequel movies build on characters who start in this movie like Sabretooth who is a main character in X-Men Wolverine being Wolverine brother and rival in. Mystique starting as a friend of Charles Xavier in X-men first Class. The movies hints at an old friendship between Xavier and Magneto which get show more in X-Men First Class.

As a movie on its own i will give this a strong mark of 77%

Director: Matthew Vaughn
Starring: James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Kevin Bacon, Rose Byrne, Jennifer Lawrence, Oliver Platt, Alex Conzalez, Jason Flemyng, Zoe Kravitz, January Jones, Nicholas Hoult, Caleb Landry Jones, Edi Gathegi, Lucas Till, Glenn Morshower

In the early sixties a young C.I.A agent Morra MacTaggert (Rose Byrne) is investigating Colonel Hendry (Glenn Morshower) when she find the secret passage to Shaw’s secret meeting place. Shaw is trying to get Hendry to put missiles in Turkey incase of war with the Russians. Shaw has a few assistants who have powers in Emma Frost (January Jones), Janos Quested (Alex Gonzalez) and Azazel (Jason Flemyng). Having little option Hendry agrees to the plan.

Morra tracks down Charles to help talk her bosses that these people are real. Using Charles and his only friend Raven (Jennifer Lawrence) they meet with William Stryker (an enemy for a later film) and a man only known as Man in Black Suit (Oliver Platt) who take up their offer to work together.

The first mission is to locate Shaw but they are not the only ones looking for Shaw this night Erik is on a mission of his own. Shaw escapes but Erik is now recruited by Charles. Going to their new base they meet Hank McCoy (Nicholas Hoult) a genius who also has a mutation that he has hidden.

Charles is introduced to Cerebro the equipment that shows Charles where the mutant are hidden. Charles and Erik set off to find as many different mutants as they can. The ones they find are Banshee (Caleb Landry Jones), Darwin (Edi Gathegi), Angel (Zoe Kravitz) and Havok (Lucas Till).

Will this new team the X-Men be able to stop a potential nuclear war? How Did Erik and Charles friendship collapse?

When it comes to X-men films they were becoming plain with the Last Stand being quite poor. this new idea to show origins the characters is working well Wolverine proved that. First Class goes one better seeing how Charles and Erik become the figures they are in the first three films. Having cameos from later heroes and villains gives the future story an extra touch.

Some of the action sequences are simply brilliant. The fact all the new mutants are younger adults or children makes the idea that Professor Xavier teaches them to control the power or Magneto to unleash the powers adds to a real life prospective of being given guidance by a more experienced mutant.

Kevin Bacon does an excellent job as a mastermind of potential nuclear war while this is the first time i have thought James McAvoy has give a massively impressive performance. Michael Fassbender proves he is a rising star with another great performance as Magneto and having a character who never really shows which side he will be fighting for.

If your a fan of the characters in the films you will like this, as i have never read comics or seen cartoons i couldn’t tell you how closely it follows those. This is one of the best superhero movies I have seen which makes two highly recommend this year.

My rating is 91%

Director: Kenneth Branagh
Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston, Anthony Hopkins, Stellan Skarsgard, Kat Dennings, Clark Gregg, Idris Elba, Colm Feore, Ray Stevenson, Tabanobu Asano, Josh Dallas, Jaimie Alexander, Rene Russo

We get taken to Asgard the land of the Gods. We learn about how the ice giants tried to conquer all worlds only to be stopped by the Gods of Asgard and an agreement to stop war once the iron giants are about to be defeated. Odin (Anthony Hopkins) the king of Asgard has two sons that will one day take his throne, Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and Loki (Tom Hiddleston). When some ice giants get into Asgard Thor takes his four loyal Asguardians Volstagg (Ray Stevenson), Hogun (Tadanobu Asano), Farndral (Josh Dallas), Sif (Jaimie Alexander) and Loki and go to Jotunheim where the frost giants roam. A big battle starts before Odin save the Asguardians and Banishes Thor to Earth.

The mysterious man the scientist hit with their car was Thor and the event was him being banished. While rescuing Thor his hammer falls to Earth which brings out SHIELD lead by Agent Coulson (Clark Gregg). SHIELD take all of Jane’s research and quarantine the hammer location.

Where Thor is stuck on Earth his father Odin falls into a sleep meaning Loki becomes king of Asgard. When Loki becomes king his plan is revelled and his real father is also revealed.

Can Thor regain his power and return to Asgard? Who are SHIELD? this action adventure will answer all you questions in very entertaining style.

I watched this as someone who knows nothing about the Thor comics or myths so i enjoyed they movie for its own story. The story comes over very well filled with great action sequences and one liners that don’t put the story down. Chris Hemsworth does a brilliant as Thor in one of his first feature lead role. The story leads up to the eventual Avengers movie well too with Ironman, Captain America, Nick Fury, Hawkeye (who makes a cameo in Thor) and Hulk.

I personally think this is one of the best comic book superhero movies ever keeping me on the edge of my seat all the way through all characters are convincing and believable too.

My rating is 90%