It's been a couple of years since we last saw a certain Thunder God appear in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (barring a cameo appearance in last year's Doctor Strange post-credits scene), but now the Odinson has returned - and he's brought along a fellow absentee Avenger who's presence is equally memorable thanks to the circumstances of both heroes' situations. As his journey leads him to the path of Ragnarok, the warrior known as Thor returns to stop an evil long hidden away that threatens to consume his home realm of Asgard and everything he holds dear in the film "Thor: Ragnarok" - the seventeenth film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe which brings Chris Hemsworth back as the "God of Thunder" along with Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner and his jade giant alter ego, the Incredible Hulk!
Thanks to Marvel Philippines and Walt Disney Studios PH, I got to see the film in a special premiere screening last October 18th at the new Ayala Vertis North cinema - and indeed it felt like coming to the halls of Valhalla just by walking into a nicely decorated "Thor: Ragnarok" entrance adorned with Asgardian decor and featuring Heimdall's sword in the front! I brought along my trustee comic book version of Mjolnir to represent the Thunder God as well! So without any more delay, here's my review for "Thor: Ragnarok" - which opens in the Philippines on October 25th! SPOILERS MAY FOLLOW, so read at your own risk!
It's been a while since I've tackled movie reviews and done a post on this blog - and I've caught up with a couple that I thoroughly enjoyed in cinemas in the past month and recently that should be seen by moviegoers and fans of these franchises! We have two sequels and a nice disaster movie to talk about, so here comes the mini-reviews!
Big thanks again to 20th Century Fox PH, Columbia Pictures PH, and Warner Bros. PH respectively for letting me see these films during their runs!
Movie: Kingsman: The Golden Circle
Opened: September 20, 2017
Released By: 20th Century Fox PH
I really liked the first Kingsman film, and it was quite a surprise to see that that movie based on the Mark Millar and Dave Gibbons' graphic novel got a sequel with "Kingsman: The Golden Circle" - which brings back Matthew Vaughn as director and picks things up a year later where the British Secret Service agency faces a new enemy in the fictitious Golden Circle. Unfortunately the spy organization is all but destroyed thanks to the new threat's sneak attack, forcing the surviving Kingsman to seek assistance from their American counterparts - the Statesman.
It's always a joy to see action films that go beyond anything ordinary and deliver some action-packed, over the top moments - and Kingsman: The Golden Circle delivers that in spades. You have an all-star cast too, with Taron Egerton reprising his role as Eggsy and Colin Firth making a comeback as his mentor Harry Hart. Then you have a powerful supporting cast in Mark Strong, Jeff Bridges, Channing Tatum, Halle Berry, Pedro Pascal, and Julianne Moore... And it's quite the visual treat. This film doesn't actually best the 2014 original, but it doesn't disappoint either. A great sequel on all accounts.
Rating - 4/5
Movie: Blade Runner 2049
Opened: October 6, 2017
Released By: Columbia Pictures Philippines
Dystopian future films give us moviegoers a possible and fascinating glimpse of what could come years later if humanity progressed to a point where the line between what is real and what is artificial is blurred and we question our existence in this world. That's pretty much what "Blade Runner 2049" conveys with its stellar presentation and neo-noir tale of a cop who works to "retire" rogue artificial people known as "replicants"- only to be embroiled in a mystery that could change the very world they live in. It's the long awaited sequel to Ridley Scott's 1982 ambitious sci-fi wonder "Blade Runner"- which starred Hollywood acting legend Harrison Ford as Rick Deckard and left a lot of questions in its wake.
Now comes this sequel, and it's a visual spectacle to behold. Set 30 years after the events of the first movie, Ryan Gosling is the new protagonist in the saddle as "K" - a Blade Runner with a mysterious past who gets caught up in a case that could possibly change the world as we know it - which is filled with humans and replicants alike in addition to several advances in technology that blur the line between what is real and what is not real. Directed by Denis Villeneuve, this movie is really for those who like to think as they watch, and it's better appreciated if you see the original Blade Runner before walking into this one. It's all star cast line-up with Jared Leto, Robin Wright, Ana de Armas, Dave Bautista, and the returning Harrison Ford as Deckard only serve to make this one more enjoyable as a sci-fi visual treat for those who like to see a glimpse of what the future could be.
Rating - 4/5
Movie: Geostorm
Opened: October 12, 2017
Released By: Warner Bros. Philippines
This is one film that is really made for those who want to experience 4DX at its finest. Directed by one of the men responsible for the "Independence Day" films, Geostorm is a movie where man-made satellites control the Earth's weather - only to become corrupt and cause catastrophic weather changes and attacks on the planet that Gerard Butler and his supporting cast have to find a way to stop. It's over-the-top special effects and grinding make for some of the best popcorn moments you can experience for a disaster film - where it's just visually stunning to see places like Moscow melt with an intense heatwave or the Middle East experiencing a great flood coming its way. Definitely a film that should be for those moviegoers looking for action and intensity.
