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And_I_Must_Scream
IMDb member since February 2021
Reviews
Incredibles 2 (2018)
A Disgrace to the Original
9 September 2021 - 0 out of 2 users found this review helpful.
This film is, in my opinion, a hollow cash-grab released during (arguably) the hight of the superhero film genre's popularity.
The good stuff:
- Jack-Jack's powers are expanded upon (this is also the case for Violet, but to a much lesser degree)
- The opening scene had a lot of potential as a framing device for the first act
- There were many action scenes (however, they don't hold a candle to those in the original) and one or two funny moments
The bad stuff:
- The plot does not make sense whatsoever (supers are revealed to be illegal as of the end of the first film, only for Evelyn to want to make them legal, and then make them illegal AGAIN)
- Excluding Jack-Jack, the Parr family as characters have regressed, specifically in that they don't work as a team during the opening sequence (which you'd expect them to, given that one of the themes of the original was them learning to embrace their powers and ultimately become closer as a family)
- The Underminer (after a 14 year cliffhanger no less) not only manages to somehow man-handle Mr. Incredible, but also gets away and disappears completely for the rest of the runtime
- Adding to this, Mr. Incredible just feels weaker overall in this film
- They changed the art style of Tony's face, which is a very jarring change should you (for some reason) choose to watch this directly after the first film
- Dash does not develop as a character nor have any meaningful character arc at all during the film
- Bob is sidelined to a Mr. Mom subplot which has no payoff (such as, for example: fixing Violet and Tony's relationship in some savvy way after/instead of messing it up, and/or; helping Dash to become a top/good academic achiever)
- Evelyn's not nearly on the same level as Syndrome, mostly because her motivation is much weaker due to being illogical (like, literally straight-up dumb)
- Mrs. Incredible/Helen is ultimately a hypocrite for pursuing the superhero lifestyle after berating and discouraging Bob from doing the same in the first film
- Though it isn't her voice actress, Holly Hunter's fault (but rather Pixar's fault for waiting too long), Helen's voice noticibly does not have the same oomph as in the first film
- Adding to this, the main cast's voices (except for Dash and maybe Frozone) sound noticibly older, obviously
- There aren't really any memorable side-characters like in the original (such as Bernie, Mr. Huph and the tricycle kid)
- The film's plot is essentially just an inferior version of the original's, but with Bob and Helen's roles being reversed
- To my memory, the music score doesn't really do anything new (aside from the three superhero theme songs that are hidden away in the credits)
- The pacing is very slow; it really felt like two full hours to me, whereas the first Incredibles felt like 90 minutes
- The character models of the new introduced supers look very out of place to the point where they would seem significantly less so in Megamind
- Frozone's super suit gag can't even compete with the original, despite trying to
- The idea/concept of having the Incredibles fight each-other and Frozone could have been executed so much better
- Evelyn Deavor ("evil endeavor") being the villian was obvious from a mile away, ruining any chances of it being a twist
- That Screenslaver scene with the flashing lights was literally harmful enough to require/warrant an added warning for seizure-inducing imagery; at least this issue was addressed for the home release, I think
If you absolutely loved the first movie, then I would NOT recommend watching this, except out of morbid curiosity.
Even if you have not seen the first film at all, then this sequel is mediocre at best
2/10.
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Avengers: Endgame (2019)
Infinity War was way better
21 May 2021 - 7 out of 9 users found this review helpful.
My true rating would be about 4/10, but I'm giving it a 1 to counter the many unjustified and uncritical 10's.
The good stuff:
- The entire second act as a whole is well done i.t.o. Advancing the plot while also throwing in jokes, mythology gags (Cap saying "Hail Hydra" in that context was truly great) and closure for Tony
- The rise and fall of tension throughout the third act makes it feel truly great (that is, until you stop and think of the numerous problems and plot holes)
- Cap weilding Mjolnir is extremely satisfying
- Thanos punching Captain Marvel with the power stone was funny
The bad stuff:
- Thor's mental health is treated as a joke to the point where Rocket slaps him in the face (wtf?)
- Thor says nothing at all to Thanos during the final battle and also doesn't really contribute to the fight
- Fat Thor is arguably the biggest character downgrade in cinema, given his development in Thor: Ragnarok and IW
- Thor is prevented from atoning for his pride/mistake in IW (via the first snap to bring everyone back) in favour of Professor Hulk, despite Hulk/Bruce not having lost anyone at all in the IW snap in the first place
- Hulk never gets his much anticipated rematch against Thanos
- Black Widow's death/sacrifice (as opposed to Hawkeye because he has a family) has unfortunate implications and is also completely eclipsed by Tony's death and funeral
- The first act is dreadfully paced and boring
- The first LGBT character in the MCU is an unimportant character in a last minute, box-ticking director cameo
- The film's entire plot hinges on a RAT pressing a BUTTON
- Dr. Strange is written out of the final battle in order to fight... a large body of water for some reason?
- The film contradicts it's own time travel rules (Hulk says it's a static timeline but then the Ancient One says it's a dynamic/multi-timeline) and when Cap goes to return the stones in the "alternate" timeline he somehow returns, as old Cap, to the "main" timeline without returning to the platform
- The quantum van can apparently reverse aging, rendering old Cap completely meaningless
- 2014 Thanos has none of the character development of IW Thanos, making him a bad, generic villian
- The third act battle is a DC-tier CGI mess (for a battle done right, see the Battle of Helm's Deep form TLotR)
- Drax does not get closure/revenge against Thanos, he doesn't even get so much as a stab in
- The "girl power" scene is hamfisted comes across as forced and cringey
- Captain Marvel is overpowered to the point of not needing the other female avangers at all (to the loint where they had to write her out of 95% of the movie)
- Star Lord, after having lost the love of his life, is kicked in the balls and this is (somehow) played for laughs
- Thor declines his role as the king of Asgard (which could have made this comparable to TLotR: Return of the King)
- Minor things (Hulk dabbing and Fortnite in 2023 etc.)
To summarize: I loved Infinity War and was very disappointed in this mediocre conclusion to the decade-long Infinity Saga.
4/10.
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BoJack Horseman: The Face of Depression (2019)
Episode 7, Season 6
Pure Bliss
3 February 2021 - 12 out of 12 users found this review helpful.
This was probably the most wholesome episode of the entire show, even bringing tears to my eyes. To sum it up in a single word, this episode was cathartic.
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