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#86: Hook (1991)

29 Wednesday Oct 2014

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When Peter Pan grows up at last,
Forgetting all about the past,
Of Neverland, Lost Boys, and fairies,
He just settles down and marries
Wendy’s daughter Moira and
Becomes a father, dull and bland.
 
A businessman now, Peter spares
No time for Jack and Maggie’s cares,
Until they’re nabbed by Captain Hook.
The Pan has no clue where to look,
But Tinker Bell with pixie dust
Arrives, despite his lack of trust.
 
She spirits him to Neverland,
Where Hook has his kids close at hand,
But Peter’s weak and scared of heights
And not prepared for fights or flights.
So Tink compels old Hook to grant
Three days to sharpen this transplant.
 
The Lost Boys, led by Rufio,
Are quick to ambush those that grow;
They doubt this codfish is the Pan,
Yet Peter’s face persuades the clan.
His training yields no vindication
Till he finds imagination.
 
In the meantime, Hook ensnares
Young Jack by putting on such airs
To make the boy loyal to Hook,
The famous pirate chief and crook.
Though Peter’s shaken by this fact,
He finds his happy thought intact.
 
His love and hope of fatherhood
Bring back old Peter Pan for good.
He plays, he fights, he crows once more
And takes the battle to Hook’s door.
Pan rescues Maggie from her cell
And proves himself to Jack as well.
 
He duels with Hook and bests the fop
Before Hook’s swallowed by a prop.
Then Peter names his new right hand
And, with his kids, leaves Neverland.
Distractions will no longer be
A thorn for Peter’s family.
________________
 

Steven Spielberg’s contribution to the Peter Pan mythos wasn’t especially well-received in 1991, but it has become a family favorite since. The late Robin Williams is perfectly cast as the grown-up Peter, combining his proven dramatic ability with the comedic juvenility of his man-child persona. Likewise, Dustin Hoffman owns the title role, utterly unrecognizable under the elaborate wig and pirate costume, and embodies both Hook’s villainy and his preening arrogance. Other excellent performances come from Bob Hoskins as the bearded Smee and Julia Roberts as Tinker Bell, whose “pixie” cut (J) and perkiness hid well her engagement turmoil at the time of the film’s production.

What many criticized was the film’s supposedly halfhearted re-creation of Neverland, but while it’s not the most memorable of wonderlands, Spielberg’s Neverland has a charm of its own. The sets are obviously sets, yet they somehow fit the story, as if recalling Peter Pan’s stage origins. The pirate village is a particularly impressive mise en scène, with all the theatricality of an elaborate play, which I sometimes prefer to the overly wrought CGI dream worlds that have become routine nowadays. The games the Lost Boys play feel like genuine activities such unsupervised youngsters would invent in a magical world, and they’re given more unique personalities than the Disney version, which essentially differentiated most of them simply by their costumes. There is silliness on both sides, as well as some pirate-y violence, but even when the film’s tone shifts, it retains a giddy adventurousness that is continually entertaining.

One aspect that raises Hook above other Peter Pan films is the message of fatherhood. The idea of Peter Pan growing up might seem unimaginable, but his desire for a family, to be a daddy, is an admirable reason for the end of a legend. While his focus on work at the expense of his family is practically tragic at the beginning, his fully-realized love for his kids creates a satisfying return to priorities by the end. In the interim is a fanciful tale of Peter rediscovering the joy of both being a child and becoming a father.

Best line (just the way Williams says it): (Peter) “I do not believe in fairies.”
(Tinker Bell) “Every time someone says ‘I do not believe in fairies,’ somewhere there’s a fairy that falls down dead.”
(Peter) “I do not believe in fairies!”
[Tink feigns an overly dramatic death scene]
(Peter) “Oh my God, I think I’ve killed it.”
 
Rank: 53 out of 60
 

© 2014 S. G. Liput

235 Followers and Counting

 

#89: Star Wars Prequel Trilogy (1999, 2002, 2005)

26 Sunday Oct 2014

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(Spoiler Alert)
 
The Trade Federation’s blockading Naboo,
So Jedi are sent to negotiate peace.
A battle with droids and evasion ensue
As Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan fight for release.
 
Below on Naboo, Qui-Gon rescues a twit,
A Gungan outcast who is called Jar Jar Binks.
In gratitude, Jar Jar assists them, to wit
He leads them to where he is branded a jinx.
 
The Gungans live deep underwater, they learn,
But don’t wish to help anyone in the least.
One dark shortcut later, the Jedi knights turn
To Queen Amidala, whose fears have increased.
 
The Jedi and queen flee the threatened Naboo,
But their ship is damaged by enemy snares.
With help from a droid known as R2-D2,
They land on the sphere Tatooine for repairs.
 
While searching for parts, Qui-Gon locates a slave
Named Anakin Skywalker, only a boy.
This Anakin may be “the One” meant to save,
To bring the Force balance and peace to enjoy.
 
A bet and a pod race free Ani at last,
But he’s forced to leave his own mother behind.
They fight off Darth Maul, like a Sith from the past,
And head back to Coruscant with their new find.
 
The queen’s handmaid Padmé is rather friendly
With Ani, who’s introduced by Qui-Gon Jin.
The whole Jedi Council is loath to agree
With Qui-Gon’s assertions about Anakin.
 
Soon, everyone’s on their way back to Naboo
And seeks out the Gungans to help intervene.
At last, they agree to do battle anew,
When Padmé reveals she is really the queen.
 
As Jar Jar leads Gungans against battle droids,
The Jedi and Padmé sneak into the base.
Through luck, little Anakin somehow avoids
The fight on the ground for a battle in space.
 
Young Obi-Wan steps up to deal a death blow
To Darth Maul, who duels and dispatches Qui-Gon.
The droids are defeated, and peace seems to grow,
As Anakin’s trained under wise Obi-Wan.
_______________
 
When Padmé, now senator rather than queen,
Still serving Naboo with unflinching resolve,
Returns back to Coruscant, death unforeseen
Fuels fears that the peace may yet further devolve.
 
In light of the recent attempts on her life,
The Chancellor Palpatine bids her lie low.
The Jedi assign her two guards against strife,
With whom she’s familiar from ten years ago.
 
Young Ani has grown, and he clearly is smitten
With Padmé, though Obi-Wan bids him resist.
Soon after, they save her before she is bitten
And race to catch up with this antagonist.
 
Their target is nixed, so they go separate ways.
While Anakin takes Padmé back to Naboo,
His master does research and doubtfully pays
A visit to cloners deleted from view.
 
There, Obi-Wan learns that an order’s been met
For countless clone troops the Republic can claim.
He’s introduced to the clone-ee Jango Fett,
A cold bounty hunter, who flees to hide blame.
 
On Geonosis, Obi-Wan is detained
By evil Count Dooku, who chose the dark side.
Meanwhile, Skywalker is thoroughly pained
By dreams of his mother he cannot abide.
 
Returning to Tatooine, Padmé in tow,
He learns Tusken raiders abducted his mom.
He finds her in time for her final death throe
And yields to revenge as a coldhearted balm.
 
Both Padmé and he learn of Obi-Wan’s plight
And on Geonosis are captured as well.
Confessing their love, they are driven to fight
Three monsters in front of a large clientele.
 
The Jedi come calling with armies of clones,
And Jango and droids are no match for them all.
As Dooku retreats with some escorting drones,
Our heroes pursue for a lightsaber brawl.
 
Though Dooku defeats Obi-Wan and his ward,
When Yoda arrives, Count is nearly outmatched
And flees with some top-secret blueprints on board
To where his dark master has plans to be hatched.
 
Though Anakin lost his arm due to Dooku,
Because of the clones, this one battle was won.
As Padmé and Anakin wed on Naboo,
An unforeseen clone war has swiftly begun.
__________________
 
When General Grievous, who’s mostly a droid,
Abducts Palpatine in a militant raid,
Two Jedi and hundreds of clones are employed
To rescue the chancellor from this crusade.
 
With some difficulty, they breach the lead ship,
And Anakin finishes Dooku in rage.
They crash-land, and Grievous then gives them the slip
To find some more trouble in which to engage.
 
When Anakin learns that his wife is expecting,
He’s eager to end all the secrets they hide,
But more dreams of death make him doubt his protecting
Will save Padmé’s life since they will not subside.
 
As Chancellor Palpatine builds up his ego
And asks that Skywalker speak on his behalf,
The Jedi are doubtful about his amigo
And don’t wish the dark side to have the last laugh.
 
While Obi-Wan executes Grievous in flame,
His Padawan learns Palpatine is a Sith,
But Palpatine’s pledge to save Padmé by name
Convinces Skywalker to serve him forthwith.
 
His turn to the dark side at last is complete:
He massacres younglings as he is directed.
The order goes out to the clones in deceit
To kill all the Jedi that they have protected.
 
Though Yoda and Obi-Wan cheat death, the rest
Are caught by surprise and are exterminated.
When they learn of Anakin, both are distressed,
And Padmé refuses to trust what is stated.
 
When Anakin heads to a volcanic sphere
To wipe out the Separatist leaders at last,
His wife follows him, and his worry and fear
Are changed into anger when she is aghast.
 
He clashes with Obi-Wan furiously
As Palpatine barely bests Yoda as well.
Disturbed at the “Chosen One’s” deviancy,
Kenobi disarms and leaves him where he fell.
 
The Chancellor/Emperor’s now in control.
As Padmé gives birth to her predestined twins,
Darth Vader is painfully somewhat made whole
And ready for when the next chapter begins.
 
Though Padmé is lost and two Jedi alone,
The twins are divided and safely will stay.
Both Leia and Luke will have tales of their own
One day in that galaxy far, far away.
__________________
 

Many will probably disagree with my placement of George Lucas’s three-part return to the Star Wars universe. I have heard all the scorn for this trilogy: Jake Lloyd is the worst child actor of all time. What’s with all this Midi-chlorian crap? Hayden Christensen is so whiny and insipid as Anakin. The romantic dialogue is as corny as a popping machine and less entertaining. The politics drag, and the acting is mediocre. Nothing is as good as it should have been. These films are an embarrassment to the originals. Jar Jar Binks must die!

With all these criticisms, how then did the Star Wars prequels earn a place in my top 100? Quite simply, it’s because they’re far better than most people give them credit for. Do they compare with the first three as a whole? No. Are they flawed? Yes. But amid the minor annoyances that have garnered so much loathing, there are genuine moments of brilliance, with the visuals especially, that do make them worthy of the Star Wars name.

Episode I: The Phantom Menace is the weakest of the three because of its two most hated elements: Jar Jar Binks and the young Anakin Skywalker. Neither one ever bothered me much. There are much worse child actors than Jake Lloyd out there, and Jar Jar’s comic relief is not totally without charm, though it’s overplayed compared with the Ewoks of Return of the Jedi (again, I don’t mind the teddy bears). I agree that Lucas should not have tried to explain the Force with inscrutable talk of Midi-chlorians, but to me, these minor frustrations are overshadowed by the exciting, effects-laden sequences and the otherwise solid casting. Liam Neeson and Samuel L. Jackson (the first time I’d seen either of them) lend respectable sobriety, which is needed next to Jar Jar, and Ewan McGregor plays an up-and-coming Obi-Wan Kenobi who grew to become my favorite character in the next two films. Though his demise was a bit shocking at the time, Darth Maul also proves to be a formidable adversary. The pod race is far from pointless, as some detractors claim; it’s meant to buy Ani’s freedom and to be tense, impressive, and above all fun, and in my opinion, it succeeds, as do the battle scenes at the end. And let’s not forget John Williams’s magnificent score, which truly qualifies the film for its genre of space opera; no score could come closer to matching his musical achievement with the original Star Wars.

The first film was certainly closest to deserving its opprobrium, but Episode II: Attack of the Clones is as close to perfect entertainment as the prequels get. Perhaps I’m biased by the fact that it was the first Star Wars film I viewed in the theater, but it’s easily my favorite of the prequels. From the speeder chase on Coruscant to Obi-Wan’s rain-drenched duel with Jango Fett, Attack of the Clones offers the most exciting plot, as well as several explanations to burning questions, such as “What do all those stormtroopers look like?” While I think the first film’s obvious age difference between Anakin and Padmé was written away with the casting of Christensen, their relationship is sufficiently progressive to make it believable, even if the dialogue is indeed shallow. Plus, Anakin’s return to Tatooine is certainly a plausible prelude to his descent to the dark side. Episode II also possesses what is probably my favorite sequence of the entire saga: the Coliseum battle and its combination of giant monsters, droids, clones, bounty hunters, Jedi, a few pithy lines, and hopelessly romantic epicness, not to mention a subsequent peek at Yoda’s latent lightsaber prowess. I, for one, did not leave that theater disappointed.

I enjoyed watching Genndy Tartakovsky’s animated Star Wars: Clone Wars, which was released between the second and third films and set the stage for Episode III; thus, I was excited for Star Wars’ supposedly final installment. Revenge of the Sith is not an obvious favorite, not because it is bad (it actually received the best reception of the three), but because it is a tragedy, one that is surprisingly well-told. It essentially explains how Darth Vader came to be and how his children were separated. Anakin’s fear for Padmé’s life, foreshadowed by his premonitions about his mother in Episode II, is an effective catalyst for his moral plunge, though his embracing of murder is no less shocking or frustrating. The special effects of Episode III far surpass any other Star Wars film, and from droid commander General Grievous to Yoda’s showdown with the Emperor, from breathtaking beginning to tragic end, it is truly a feast for the eyes. (I love how the Yoda fight turned the long-established setting of the Senate chamber into an extravagant set piece.) The lava duel finale at last achieves the visual and emotional awe that words like saga and space opera imply; plus, the Emperor’s political intrigue provides timely, if occasionally ponderous, insights into the clandestine machinations of dictators. As splendid as Revenge can be, it’s depressing as heck and “ended” Lucas’s films on a disheartening note sorely in need of A New Hope.

Haters and critics can ridicule and underrate these films all they want, but George Lucas’s complete vision of the Star Wars saga is an absolute spectacle that earned him an AFI Lifetime Achievement Award after Revenge of the Sith was released. Yes, the dialogue is its weakest point, but the actors do their best with the sometimes clunky lines, such as Darth Vader’s lame climactic “Noooo.” Quiddities aside, the entire story of Anakin Skywalker deserved a full telling, and the Star Wars prequels supplied a fantastically realized narrative and some of the finest action sequences of the modern CGI era. I’ll be interested to see what J. J. Abrams has in store for the continuation of the franchise. Considering what he’s already done with Star Trek, I have high hopes for Episode VII.

Best line from The Phantom Menace: (Jar Jar Binks) “How wude!”
More serious best line for The Phantom Menace: (Yoda, to Anakin) “Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering. I sense much fear in you.”
 
Best line from Attack of the Clones: (Anakin, as their coliseum execution begins) “What about Padmé?”  (Obi-Wan, as Padmé climbs onto a pillar) “She seems to be on top of things.”
More serious best line from Attack of the Clones: (Queen of Naboo) “We have to keep our faith in the Republic. The day we stop believing democracy can work is the day we lose it.”  (Padmé) “Let’s pray that day never comes.”
 
Best line from Revenge of the Sith: (Anakin, crash-landing Grievous’s ship) “We lost something.”   (Obi-Wan) “Not to worry. We’re still flying half a ship.”
More serious best line from Revenge of the Sith: (Padmé, as the Emperor takes over with full senatorial support) “So this is how liberty dies… with thunderous applause.”

 

Rank: 53 out of 60

 

© 2014 S. G. Liput

232 Followers and Counting

 

#90: Star Trek into Darkness (2013)

23 Thursday Oct 2014

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When Kirk and the rest of the Enterprise crew,
Decide to save Spock in a crisis that grew,
They break regulations no captain should break,
Which leaves Kirk demoted for one Vulcan’s sake.
 
Meanwhile, John Harrison, some renegade,
Employs terrorism that’s sadly well-played.
To the Klingon home world, he flees after his strike,
Which murdered Kirk’s advocate, Admiral Pike.
 
Intent on revenge, Kirk demands a pursuit,
And Marcus bestows some torpedoes to shoot.
A clash with the Klingons endangers their mission,
But Harrison helps, yielding no opposition.
 
His ship somehow stranded, Kirk speaks with his catch,
Who dares him to open his torpedo batch.
They find human popsicles, centuries old,
Through whom Harrison was discreetly controlled.
 
Explaining that Khan is his real name (who knew?)
And that all the sleepers are his ancient crew,
He tells them that Admiral Marcus had plans
To start a war with weapons safe in his hands.
 
The Admiral shows up to wipe evidence,
But sabotage spares them some time for offense.
When Khan and Kirk seize the ship, Khan takes control
Till Spock turns the tables on Khan’s vengeful goal.
 
Both ships are quite damaged, but one sacrifice
Gives Enterprise power but at a steep price.
Khan’s vessel, however, crash-lands on the earth,
And Spock threatens him till he learns of Khan’s worth.
 
Despite heavy losses, Kirk’s crew and ship make it;
A five-year assignment appears, and they take it.
With Marcus’s daughter as part of his crew,
Kirk boldly goes searching for ventures all new.
_________________
 

Since readers know that Lost is my favorite TV show, it should be no surprise that show creator J. J. Abrams would contribute films to my top 100. After his game-changing reboot of the Star Trek franchise in 2009, fans were eager for the next installment, and Star Trek into Darkness did not disappoint. Some accused its reworking of Wrath of Khan to be plagiarism rather than homage, but the film clearly possesses enough originality to offset the cries of its detractors.

While Sulu and Chekhov are underused, the rest of the Enterprise crew continue to be memorable revisions of The Original Series cast. Particularly, the relationship between Chris Pine’s rebellious Kirk and Zachary Quinto’s conformist-yet-cheeky Spock is a highlight of character-building, and Simon Pegg’s Scotty is given a chance to engage on a deeper level than the usual engineer role. Peter Weller’s villainous turn as Admiral Marcus is all right but pales in comparison with Benedict Cumberbatch’s potent, authoritative presence as Harrison/Khan. Being a fan of Cumberbatch in Sherlock and Amazing Grace, I believe his casting as Khan was genius (even if it was criticized as “whitewashing” Khan’s original ethnicity) and, along with The Hobbit, will forever cement him as a go-to villain.

If I had to criticize the film, I suppose it would be for its obvious attempts at a plot twist. We’re not supposed to see twists coming, but they’re not particularly well-hidden. For instance, Alice Eve’s portrayal of Carol Marcus is originally under the name Carol Wallace. Why? Fans of Star Trek could see that coming simply from Admiral Marcus’s inclusion, and for non-fans, the name Carol Marcus doesn’t hold any significant meaning. Khan’s fake identity makes a bit more sense in the plot but wasn’t all that necessary. While many have pointed out plot holes in the film, the only major discrepancies I noticed were the diminution of distances, with transporters and warp engines traversing great spans much faster than they should at this point in Star Trek history. Also, while a certain scene echoing Wrath of Khan is quite effective, its consequences are wrapped up far too quickly.

While the film’s action sequences don’t quite hit the zenith of the first film’s drill showdown or ice planet chase, the special effects are well-employed to create some awesome visuals, such as during the tense space jump. The Enterprise’s descent into the atmosphere is a particular wonder, with gravity shifting to turn the ship into a giant Tilt-A-Whirl. So many films sacrifice their intelligence in favor of spectacle; J. J. Abrams and Marvel seem to be the main ones able to balance the two to create entertaining films, worthy of multiple viewings. With clever references to The Original Series and the introduction of Klingons to this altered timeline, Star Trek into Darkness stands on its own and sets the stage for what I hope will be an even more impressive threequel.

Best line: (Dr. McCoy, after helping to save Kirk) “We synthesized a serum from his… super blood. Tell me, are you feeling homicidal, power-mad, despotic?”   (Kirk) “No more than usual.”
 
VC’s best line: (Kirk, speaking of Spock, to Uhura in turbolift) “Wait, are you guys… are you guys fighting?”
(Uhura) “I’d rather not talk about it, sir.”
(Kirk) “Oh my God, what is that even like?”
[Turbolift opens to reveal Spock, and Uhura walks by him coldly]
(Kirk, to Spock) “Ears burning?”

 

Rank: 54 out of 60
 

 © 2014 S. G. Liput

231 Followers and Counting

 

#96: Star Trek: Generations (1994)

17 Friday Oct 2014

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When Captain Kirk was witness to the christened Enterprise
Long after he had left the venerated captain’s chair,
An incident in space occurred, in which he clearly dies,
Yet he helped save El-Aurians from an interspatial snare.
 
Some decades later on the current Enterprise, Picard
Gets word of family losses that disturb him to the core.
They answer a distress call from a solar station scarred,
Where fervent Dr. Soran has experiments in store.
 
He swiftly kidnaps Geordi after shooting out a star
And makes his getaway when Klingon enemies arrive.
Picard is told by Guinan that the doctor will go far
To get back to the Nexus, where one’s joys can come alive.
 
Deducing his next move and his own murderous intent,
The Enterprise arrives where he will kill another sun.
Once Geordi is retrieved through trade, Picard asks to be sent
To Soran on the planet, who has very nearly won.
 
Deception gains the Klingons an advantage, which they seize
And harm the Enterprise before they’re blown away at last.
The crippled saucer crash-lands, just as Soran guarantees
The advent of the Nexus and resulting deadly blast.
 
Picard is swallowed up and finds the family of his dreams
But knows he must return in time, which luckily he can.
Yet someone else could help, because such threats require teams.
That someone is James Kirk, whom he persuades is just the man.
 
Returning to the planet ere the doctor’s plan succeeded,
They battle him together and prevent another win.
Kirk fell but made a difference, the one last time he was needed,
And though the ship was lost, Picard awaits its next of kin.
_________________
 

Yes, another Star Trek movie. Star Trek: Generations is not the most popular of Star Trek films, but I believe it broke the supposed “Star Trek curse,” an odd-numbered Trek film that actually lived up to the show’s standards. In combining the old and new Enterprise crews, specifically pairing Captain Kirk with Captain Picard, the film caters to Trekkers’ inner fanboy while continuing/wrapping up minor open threads from The Next Generation series, such as Data’s emotion chip and the Duras sisters. It even marks the first time a film relied on a website dedicated to its promotion.

Most of the Next Gen crew are rather under-utilized, though not to the extent of Insurrection; most of the good lines go to Data, while most of the drama goes to Picard. Patrick Stewart’s range of emotions and his characteristic attempts at suppressing them showcase his skill as an actor. The loss of his loved ones (seen in the poignant post-Borg episode “Family”) is not witnessed like the death of Kirk’s son in Search for Spock, but it somehow carries the same emotional weight, making Picard’s reluctance to leave the joys of the Nexus quite justifiable. As for Kirk, William Shatner steps into his role as if he never left (The Undiscovered Country was only three years earlier), and as daring as it was to kill off such an iconic character, the filmmakers did it right, allowing him proper heroics and a final genuine goodbye. Shatner does have a tendency to overact, but his death scene was flawless, even if they had to reshoot it to get it right. Malcolm McDowall also provides his usual splendid villainy as Dr. Tolian Soran, who has an unconventional motive—his own bliss in the Nexus, an underexplained but unique plot device that allowed the merging of time periods without the traditional time travel explanation.

Some critics have focused on the film’s flaws, such as the fact that if Kirk and Picard had failed to stop Soran, they could have just started over after entering the Nexus again, thus robbing the finale of true tension. Those critics were obviously thinking too much when they should have just been enjoying the action, but while they have a point, reentry into the Nexus might have been harder to resist or Soran might have killed them before it arrived. Either way, the climax works, even if it forever changed the Star Trek universe, marking the end of a beloved character and the destruction of yet another Enterprise (which was much more impressive visually than in Search for Spock). We’ll see if Shatner ever manages to finagle a cameo in one of Abrams’ films.

While the sailing ship scenes err on the silly side and there are other quibbles I could make, the opening with Scottie and Chekhov effortlessly captures the atmosphere and maturized humor of the original movies, while the rest features a cinematic translation of the Next Gen series that would continue for three more films. I’ll be honest: I like the Next Gen crew a bit more than the original, but seeing both in the same film is a joy to this Trek enthusiast.

Best line: (Data, after tasting a drink with his emotion chip installed) “I hate this! It is revolting!”
(Guinan) “More?”
(Data) “Please!”
 
Rank: 53 out of 60
 

© 2014 S. G. Liput

229 Followers and Counting

 

#97: Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991)

16 Thursday Oct 2014

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Excelsior is hit with force,
A Klingon moon, Praxis, the source.
The race now lacks a prime resource
And can’t keep up with war.
So Kirk and friends are sent to space
To meet the Klingons face to face
And escort them to Earth with grace,
A task that they abhor.
 
Especially Kirk hates the foe;
They killed his son three films ago.
A dinner’s rather stiff and slow,
But nothing bad occurs.
But then the Klingons are attacked,
The ambassador is killed, in fact,
So Kirk surrenders with some tact
To not make matters worse.
 
Arresting both McCoy and Kirk,
Their justice system goes to work,
Condemning them where dangers lurk,
In Rura Penthe’s mines.
They don’t make friends, except for one,
A shapeshifter who helps them run,
But double-crosses ere they’re done,
According to designs.
 
Just in time, Spock saves the pair
But knows a traitor is somewhere.
They root out the deceiver there
And learn of the deceit.
The Federation’s President
Will soon be shot with fell intent;
As Kirk was set up, their descent
To war will be complete.
 
They first must conquer in some way
A hidden Klingon bird of prey.
After that, they save the day
And stop the homicide.
With that, Kirk’s anger finds release,
And regular aggressions cease.
Now that they’ve consummated peace,
They can retire with pride.
__________________
 

Star Trek V was a big disappointment, and I’m sure everyone is glad that it didn’t mark the end of the original series cast. When Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country was released two years later, it breathed new life into movie prospects, even as The Next Generation kept the franchise alive on television. With a plot informed by contemporary tensions with Russia (the Berlin Wall was torn down the previous year), the sixth film focuses more on the Klingons, giving them more depth than the typically villainous stereotypes Kirk had encountered in Star Trek III, when his son was murdered. The filmmakers made an excellent decision in focusing on Kirk’s prejudice over his loss; such pain is not something easily forgotten. Star Trek: The Original Series was at its best with potent sci-fi social commentary; Star Trek VI returns to such themes, with Kirk’s coming to terms with his bias being a thoughtful challenge to all those bearing blind bigotry.

The political intrigue is surprisingly intricate, though at times specific characters’ motivations are less than clear. Christopher Plummer as main villain General Chang is an obvious follow-up to Khan, even quoting Shakespeare as he attacks the Enterprise with smug superiority. Other conspirators are less obviously villainous (I won’t include too many spoilers), but it’s interesting to note that one is played by Brock Peters, who portrayed Tom Robinson, a victim of prejudice, in To Kill a Mockingbird.

Other actors include David Warner as the assassinated ambassador Gorkon, Robocop’s Kurtwood Smith as the Federation President, and Kim Cattrall as Vulcan newbie Valeris, who doesn’t quite fit as well as Kirstie Alley’s Saavik from Star Trek II (or Robin Curtis in III), perhaps intentionally. As for the main cast, they don’t all get the moments of glory that The Voyage Home afforded, but each slips into their familiar roles like a glove, particularly Shatner and Nimoy as Kirk and Spock disagree over the Klingon issue. George Takei’s Sulu (now Captain) gets the most memorable scene when the film begins with a literal bang. (The explosion of Praxis was revisited in “Flashback,” a memorable episode of Star Trek: Voyager which guest-starred Takei.)

It’s more serious than The Voyage Home and features a violent zero-g attack complete with floating blood unlike anything in the previous films, but there are enough bits of self-referential comedy and character introspection to still embody the Star Trek we love. It’s unfortunate for any beloved franchise to meet its conclusion, but Star Trek VI ended the original series on a high note, with new peace with the Klingons (Michael Dorn even guest-starred as Worf’s ancestor) and a fitting sendoff for the esteemed crew of the Enterprise.

P.S. Notice that Uhura doesn’t know Klingon and is forced to hastily look up translations in books(?), conflicting with Zoe Saldana’s Uhura in J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek reboot, who already could speak some Klingon, even apart from the whole tampering-with-the-timeline thing.

Best line: (Gorkon’s daughter Azetbur, after Kirk saves the day) “What’s happened? What’s the meaning of all of this?”
(Kirk) “It’s about the future, Madame Chancellor. Some people think the future means the end of history. Well, we haven’t run out of history quite yet. Your father called the future ‘the undiscovered country.’ People can be very frightened of change.”
(Azetbur) “You’ve restored my father’s faith.”
(Kirk) “And you’ve restored my son’s.”
 
VC’s best line: (Federation President) “Let us redefine progress to mean that just because we can do a thing, it does not necessarily mean we must do that thing.”
 
Rank: 53 out of 60
 

© 2014 S. G. Liput

229 Followers and Counting

 

Brother Bear (2003)

10 Friday Oct 2014

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(Best sung to Phil Collins’s “On My Way”)
 
When Kenai’s totem is named as love,
The thing that will make him a man.
He thinks that the spirits who shine above
Are messing up his life’s future plan.
 
One small mistake gets his brother killed,
And he’s quick to blame a hostile bear.
His thirsting for vengeance is soon fulfilled,
And the spirits lift him in the air.
 
He is given a chance to discover anew
The life that he took through its eyes.
As a bear now, Kenai must
Team with a cub,
Who is vocal for his size.
 
As they are headed for the spirits’ mount,
His other brother hunts the pair.
As they journey, he and Koda make the miles count,
And they bond on the trip that they share.
 
Kenai’s soon shocked to learn the bear he slew
Was Koda’s missing mother, long gone.
Though the heartache they’re both feeling splits them up,
They need each other;
They’re now brothers worth relying on.
 
Upon the mountain, his human bro
Attacks to have revenge as well.
As Kenai is nearing a mortal blow,
The spirits abolish their spell.
 
They reunite as the changes fade,
Assisted by their brother above.
Kenai stays as a bear yet a man is made,
Through the totem that he’s now proud of,
A brother’s love.
______________
 

Whereas my opinions of WALL-E agreed with the critical consensus, Brother Bear performed poorly among critics and audiences, but I consider it one of Disney’s most underrated successes. From the mountainous vistas in a painterly art style to “all that cuddly bear stuff” which is both heckled and embraced, Brother Bear is a beautiful film that stands as Disney’s last great use of traditional animation.

Phil Collins may have declined in popularity since then, but his music for Brother Bear added so much to an already great film. As with Tarzan, his songs play over various montages, such as the opening scenes of brotherhood with Tina Turner singing the lovely and catchy “Great Spirits.” “On My Way” during the cross-country journey and “Welcome” during the salmon run are also unsung masterpieces, so to speak.

The pagan spirituality is taken more seriously than, say, the comedic ghostly ancestors of Mulan, but unlike the New Age crystals of Atlantis: The Lost Empire, the spirits of Brother Bear have some cultural basis in real Native American tradition. I found their incorporation in the story to be a respectful nod to a unique people, as Disney had previously done with Lilo and Stitch.

The animation is among Disney’s best, and I love the character designs, particularly Kenai’s bear form, which matches Joaquin Phoenix’s voice better than his human form. Young Jeremy Suarez as Koda has the same garrulous, road-tripping insistence as Shrek’s Donkey while embodying all that is cute about a teddy bear. As for comic relief, Disney couldn’t have done better for this Arctic film than Rick Moranis and Dave Thomas as a moose version of their McKenzie Brothers comedy act (gotta love their game of “I Spy”).

In addition to the animation, comedy, and music, Brother Bear packs a powerful emotional punch that left me crying in the theater the first time I saw it. The entire message of the film is to see life from a different perspective, through another’s eyes, literally. Kenai misses this point throughout most of the film, only caring about his own loss, but when he realizes the far-reaching consequences of his actions, the sorrow is palpable, punctuated by Collins’s song “No Way Out.” While this tune is utterly depressing, sitting through the end credits is rewarded with an uplifting rewording of the song, which deserves a place in my End Credits Song Hall of Fame, along with the single “Look Through My Eyes.”

In addition to the much worse Home on the Range the next year, it’s a shame that Brother Bear’s poor reception spelled the end of Disney’s traditionally animated excellence. It’s exciting, moving, amusing, and able to bring my VC to tears every time. It’s an underprized gem about the value of love and brotherhood which deserved much better, eh.

Best line: (Koda, drowsily, when Kenai is waking him up) “Two more months, Mom….”

 
Artistry: 8
Characters/Actors: 8
Entertainment: 9
Visual Effects: 10
Originality: 7
Watchability: 10
 
TOTAL: 52 out of 60
 

Next: #102 – On Golden Pond

© 2014 S. G. Liput

221 Followers and Counting

 

Air Force One (1997)

06 Monday Oct 2014

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When President Mitchell assists Russian forces
With capturing Radek, a dangerous threat,
He vows to stop tyrant regimes at their sources,
Though most of his Cabinet’s not ready yet.
 
Not long after takeoff, his plane is hijacked
By terrorists led by Egor Korshunov.
They want Radek swiftly released, though the fact
That Mitchell escaped really ticks Egor off.
 
The Vice President’s politics are ignored
By Egor, who threatens continual slaughter.
The President, though, is still hiding on board,
In hopes of retrieving his wife and his daughter.
 
He plays cat-and-mouse with the terrorist band
And calls Washington for some needed advice.
Through sabotage, Mitchell disrupts what was planned,
Although interference does come with a price.
 
A helpful distraction allows him to sneak
The hostages out from the maniac’s grip.
When captured by Egor, things start to look bleak
Until Marshall violently gives him the slip.
 
Although he’s retaken his family and plane,
He now has to watch out for enemy fire.
The plane is soon damaged and cannot remain
For long in the air with no capable flyer.
 
Support gets his wife and his daughter away,
And they just have time for a last-minute run.
One final attacker can’t quite win the day,
And Mitchell escapes to the new Air Force One.
_______________
 

Air Force One is a clear imitator of 1988’s Die Hard, featuring a terrorist team that seizes control of a supposedly secure fortress, takes hostages, and is undone by a lone defender. The first terrorist killed even yields the protagonist his first weapon, a machine gun minus the “ho, ho, ho.” What Air Force One has over its predecessor is (A) an even direr situation aboard an airplane and (B) Harrison Ford as the President of the United States.

Ford’s star power and his sympathetic portrayal of a family man willing to do what’s right over what’s popular make him an ideal champion. I did like how his daughter’s complaint about her desire for mature involvement was depicted merely as normal angst rather than some kind of told-you-so in which she proves she knew better than Dad; such situations are all too common in film. Gary Oldman is an effectively intense Hans Gruber stand-in, and while he’s clearly insane, he obviously considers the ideological reasons for his crimes legitimate, making him an intimidating zealot. Most of the other performances, such as Vice President Glenn Close, are serviceable, but the film does feature a number of recognizable actors, at least to me. The Secretary of Defense is played by Dean Stockwell, better known as the hologram Al on Quantum Leap, and Egor’s pilot Andrei is portrayed by Elya Baskin, Peter Parker’s landlord in Spider-Man 2 and 3. Not to mention the Lost alert: another terrorist, who holds the President at gunpoint before a lethal scuffle, is Andrew Divoff, known to Lost fans as Mikhail or “Patchy.”

The action itself is taut and suspenseful, much like Die Hard, and refreshingly intelligent. None of the characters make foolish or stupid decisions, and a number of believable precautions and attempts at sabotage and diplomacy are carried out, such that the film carries some sense of realism. The end rescue is particularly intense, even if it is reminiscent of Airport 1975. The effects and explosions are often impressive, though their computer-generated origins are glaring in a few over-the-top scenes, such as the impact in the finale.

Despite frequent violence and language, Air Force One is an edge-of-your-seat actioner that upheld the familiar roles of Harrison Ford as hero and Gary Oldman as diabolical villain. It’s quite the flight. Harrison Ford for President, anyone?

Best line: (President Mitchell) “Peace isn’t merely the absence of conflict, but the presence of justice.”

More obvious best line: (President Mitchell, to Egor) “Get off my plane!”

 
Artistry: 8
Characters/Actors: 9
Entertainment: 10
Visual Effects: 8
Originality: 7
Watchability: 10
Other (language, violence): -1
 
TOTAL: 51 out of 60
 

Next: #105 – The Green Mile

© 2014 S. G. Liput

218 Followers and Counting

 

Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)

06 Monday Oct 2014

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As patriotism is reaching a high at the time of the Second World War,
Steve Rogers is eager to join with a corps,
Since freedom and goodness are worth fighting for,
But since he is sick, he is not their first pick
And simply could not get his foot in the door.
 
One Abraham Erskine, a German defector whose serum can better a man,
Gives Rogers a chance at the Army’s new plan:
This serum could take down the whole Nazi clan.
Although Steve is weak, he’s courageous and meek,
And Erskine picks him to do what few men can.
 
Assisted by Howard Stark, Erskine transforms the weakling he’d luckily found
To quite the he-man, unimpaired, muscle-bound.
They praise his success until Erskine is downed;
The serum’s destroyed by an agent employed
By the evil Red Skull, who is now gaining ground.
 
The Red Skull, who once used the serum himself, has found the arcane Tesseract.
He’s planning to harness its power intact
And conquer the globe and the Third Reich, in fact.
Meanwhile, Steve’s stuck selling war bonds with luck
But hopes to make more of a worthy impact.
 
He hears his pal Bucky was captured by HYDRA and sadly is most likely dead.
Both Stark and the fair Agent Carter are led
To get Steve past enemy lines with no dread.
He frees prisoners and his friend is no worse
So Steve’s private team gets the glad go-ahead.
 
Brave Captain America, Bucky, and team attack the Skull’s depots and bases,
But when they catch one of the Skull’s science aces,
Arnim Zola, poor Bucky falls with no traces.
Then Cap’s purposeful to take down the Red Skull
And rid the world of his most dreadful of faces.
 
Assaulting his headquarters, Cap follows closely aboard an explosive-filled plane.
The Skull is dissolved by the Tesseract’s strain,
But Cap sees his efforts to land are in vain.
Despite the steep price, Rogers crashes in ice…
And wakes up years later where S.H.I.E.L.D. must explain.
__________________
 

Yes, I consider Captain America: The First Avenger the best pre-Avengers Marvel film, as does my dad. Director Joe Johnston had already attempted a retro superhero flick in 1991’s The Rocketeer, and his treatment of Cap’s origins feels both familiar and fresh. The cinematography and the recreation of 1940s New York have the faded nostalgia of an old photograph, and the spectacular explosions and stunts set against this background (plus an Alan Menken musical number) make it uniquely entertaining.

Plus, the film boasts the unexpected star power of Chris Evans, whose gung-ho patriotism and intrinsic goodness are surprisingly convincing following his bad-boy impudence as the Human Torch in the lackluster Fantastic Four films. His goody two-shoes persona could easily have been boring, yet another hero we ought to cheer for just because, but the ways in which his character displays his selflessness gain the audience’s sympathy even before the famed experiment that transforms him into a beefcake. The effects used to diminish Evans’s physique are impressively seamless. Supporting players are alternately amusing and poignant, including Stanley Tucci as the Yinsen-esque motivator Dr. Erskine, Tommy Lee Jones as swift-tongued Colonel Phillips, Hayley Atwell as love interest Peggy Carter (who will soon have her own mini-series appropriately titled Agent Carter), Dominic Cooper as Iron Man’s father Howard Stark, Toby Jones as HYDRA scientist Dr. Zola, and Sebastian Stan as fallen friend Bucky Barnes. As far as comic book villains go, Hugo Weaving excels as the Red Skull, whose makeup could easily have become absurdly cartoonish but succeeds as an outward manifestation of his sanguinary intentions. The Matrix proved Weaving’s talent for villainy, but here his German accent and Nazi origins enhance his malevolence. The film also features an assassin played by Richard Armitage, who would go on to play Thorin Oakenshield in Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit trilogy.

In addition to Barnes’s sorrowful fall from the train, the thrilling climax aboard the Red Skull’s plane is deftly imagined. The villain’s “death” from the Tesseract is sufficiently ambiguous to make one wonder if he was really killed or perhaps transported elsewhere (you never know), and the film ends with one of the most credible instances of the he’s-dead-no-wait-never-mind cliché. I’ve mentioned this cliché before: used in countless films, many animated, it milks often contrived pathos from a character’s apparent death before resurrecting him, sometimes right away for a cheer, sometimes near the end as a deus ex machina. This doesn’t necessarily hurt a film overall; it just hampers its originality. The reason Captain America’s version of it works so heartbreakingly well is that, from the perspective of everyone he knew, Cap really did die, just as most of them had died by the time he was awoken. The final scene brings him up to speed with S.H.I.E.L.D. and the contemporary Avengers, but his sense of loss provides a somber conclusion to an otherwise rousing adventure. As the last film in Phase One of Marvel’s Cinematic Universe, Captain America: The First Avenger completed the cast for the subsequent Avengers team-up (even though Cap was not a founding member in the comics; just sayin’).

Best line: (Colonel Phillips, after Cap kisses Agent Carter and glances at him) “I’m not kissin’ ya!”

 
Artistry: 8
Characters/Actors: 8
Entertainment: 9
Visual Effects: 10
Originality: 7
Watchability: 9
 
TOTAL: 51 out of 60
 

Next: #106 – Air Force One

© 2014 S. G. Liput

216 Followers and Counting

 

Shrek 2 (2004)

03 Friday Oct 2014

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Fiona and Shrek, ever since true love’s kiss,
Are living the good life in marital bliss,
But soon they’re invited to Far Far Away
To meet with her parents, in spite of Shrek’s nay.
 
The journey is long and the company grates,
And when they arrive, the whole welcome deflates.
The king is disgusted by Shrek’s ogre ways,
And Shrek gives an equally ornery gaze.
 
A Fairy Godmother then visits Fiona
And isn’t much thrilled with her ogre persona.
The Godmother planned all along for her son
Prince Charming to wed her, till Shrek jumped the gun.
 
She urges the King, who is under her thumb,
To get rid of Shrek, so her own prince can come.
The King hesitantly obeys and recruits
A famed mercenary known as Puss in Boots.
 
The cat doesn’t win but befriends the main pair
And guides them to Godmother’s potion-filled lair.
One potion that guarantees beauty and joy
Transforms the two ogres to a real girl and boy.
 
The Godmother sees this as her perfect chance
For Charming to woo the princess at a dance,
But Shrek, with the help of his fairy tale friends,
Attacks the King’s castle before the night ends.
 
Redeeming himself, the King sticks up for Shrek
And thwarts the corrupt fairy pain-in-the-neck.
Both parents and son-in-law now get along,
And Donkey and Puss sing a toe-tapping song.
__________________
 

Shrek 2 ranks on my list as DreamWorks Animation’s best CGI film, as well as their most successful.  It also holds a special place in my heart thanks to my mom.  I was only 10 when my mom picked me up from school one day, but instead of driving home, I suddenly realized we were entering the parking lot of our local movie theater to see what else but Shrek 2.  The unexpected surprise (and enjoyable film) became one of those indelible childhood memories, even if she herself barely remembers it.

The film itself was a joy to watch, bringing back all the lovable players from the first film and introducing new classic characters.  It builds on the original story and doesn’t repeat itself.  Nearly every joke hits its target, and there are so many details and parodies that repeated viewings are definitely rewarded.  At the very beginning during the Oscar-nominated song “Accidentally in Love,” there are references to From Here to Eternity, Spider-Man, and The Fellowship of the Ring, and countless others follow, including spoofs of Alien, E.T., Beverly Hills Cop, Frankenstein, The Mask of Zorro, Mission: Impossible, Hawaii 5-0, and even the O. J. Simpson chase footage.  The Zorro resonances are especially ingenious since Antonio Banderas plays his feline counterpart Puss in Boots with enough gusto to give Donkey a run for his money as best animal sidekick.  (I’m a sucker for those big dark eyes.)  Yet, in addition to all these parodies, the film retains its own brand of humor:  Donkey’s annoying are-we-there-yets, the clever exchanges that both Shrek & Fiona and King Harold & Queen Lillian share before their rendezvous, the glimpses of the villains’ pub and the red carpet night.  As with the first film, a soundtrack of contemporary songs complements several thrilling action scenes; Jennifer Saunders’s rendition of “Holding Out for a Hero” as Shrek storms the castle is easily the best sequence of the whole film and my favorite version of the song.

Shrek 2 was a high point for DreamWorks that was quickly lowered by the likes of Madagascar and Shrek the Third.  The third Shrek film was an uninspired, unfunny mess focusing on all the wrong things and was only partially redeemed by the decent Shrek Forever After.  Perhaps it would have been better if Shrek and the gang had been left singing “Livin’ La Vida Loca.”  As far as satirical comedies with a romantic heart of gold go, DreamWorks has yet to do better.

Best line: (Fiona, unsure what Shrek’s new form looks like, questioning Puss) “Shrek?”  (Puss, eyeing her) “For you, baby, I could be.”

 
Artistry: 8
Characters/Actors: 10
Entertainment: 10
Visual Effects: 9
Originality: 9
Watchability: 10
Other (I like other films more): -5
 
TOTAL: 51 out of 60
 

Next: #107 – Captain America: The First Avenger

© 2014 S. G. Liput

215 Followers and Counting

 

Iron Man Trilogy (2008, 2010, 2013)

02 Thursday Oct 2014

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(Spoilers ahead)
 
The playboy genius billionaire
Tony Stark does not much care
About concerns he made his cash
From weapons that guerrillas stash,
Until this vain and selfish man
Is kidnapped in Afghanistan.
 
When locked up by some terrorists,
A fellow prisoner assists.
Life-saving Yinsen does his best
To stop the shrapnel in Stark’s chest.
When he is stable, Stark is forced
To build a missile he endorsed.
 
Instead of building what they’ll shoot,
Both he and Yinsen build a suit,
An Iron Man that Stark will drive
To get out of this cave alive.
Though Yinsen sadly meets his end,
Stark finds freedom, thanks to his friend.
 
When good pal Rhodey rescues him,
Stark then announces on a whim
That he’ll leave weapon tech behind,
And most believe he’s lost his mind,
Like partner Obadiah Stane,
Who makes his reservations plain.
 
Intrigued by his initial suit,
The terrorists find it to loot,
And Tony builds a better one
To stop the violence he’s begun.
An arc reactor in his chest
Protects his heart and fuels his quest.
 
His exploits mess with certain plots
And scare assistant Pepper Potts,
Who cares too much to just stand by
And watch her dear employer die.
He urges her to help him hack,
And they learn Stane ordained the attack.
 
Stane’s had another suit created,
Bigger, stronger, more ill-fated.
Powered by Stark’s tech he stole,
Stane has great power at his control,
Which proves too much, when it’s revealed,
For agents from a group called S.H.I.E.L.D.
 
Though weakened, Tony swoops right in
And battles Stane but cannot win.
Through streets and skies and rooftops too,
They duke it out in public view.
With Pepper’s help, they finish Stane,
But to the press, Stark must explain.
Though S.H.I.E.L.D. would have him stick to plan,
He tells the world he’s Iron Man.
__________________
 
Now that his cover has been blown
And his identity is known,
Ol’ Tony Stark’s enjoying it
And showing off his suit a bit.
The Stark Expo his dad began
Now showcases his Iron Man.
 
His rival Justin Hammer tries
To copy Tony’s “iron” prize,
And senators are less than thrilled
That Stark won’t share what they can’t build.
In any case, he’s flying high,
And yet he fears he soon will die.
 
Palladium inside his chest
Is killing him and leaves him stressed.
He names his girlfriend Pepper as
The CEO of all he has,
But while he’s at a grand prix racing,
There’s a brand new foe worth facing.
 
Ivan Vanko, wielding whips,
Removes the smirk from Tony’s lips.
Though Tony beats him, he can tell
That Vanko forged his tech quite well.
It seems that both their fathers had
Been partners ere Vanko’s went bad.
 
From jail, the Russian brute is sprung
By Justin Hammer, who has hung
His hopes on Vanko to provide
Something that Stark has not supplied.
Meanwhile, Tony’s recklessness
Distresses Rhodey to excess.
 
Rhodes takes a suit for Air Force use,
While S.H.I.E.L.D. stops Tony’s booze abuse.
Director Fury urges Stark
To visit matters in the dark,
His distant father’s expo plans,
Which may hold clues his life demands.
 
He halts his health’s unseen descent
By forging a new element
To spare his heart and fuel his suit.
Meanwhile, Hammer’s new recruit
Builds robot soldiers for his goal,
And they are under his control.
 
The Stark Expo is quickly made
A battleground by this upgrade,
And Rhodey in his borrowed suit
Is forced to battle Stark and shoot.
Because of his involvement, Hammer
Gets a ticket to the slammer.
 
Agent Romanoff from S.H.I.E.L.D.
Frees Rhodey on the battlefield,
And he and Stark take out the bots
And barely rescue Pepper Potts.
Once Vanko’s vanquished, Stark is told
By Fury he’s too brash and bold.
Stark is confused but not upset:
He won’t be an Avenger…yet.
________________
 
Since Stark helped stop a space invasion,
He’s been panicked on occasion.
Memories of nearly dying
Scare him, though he’s still denying.
In his basement, he grows roots,
Constructing countless high-tech suits.
 
The world is threatened once again
By someone called the Mandarin,
A terrorist with frightful voice
Who gives world powers little choice.
One Aldrich Killian tries selling
His A.I.M. technology compelling.
 
When Happy Hogan, Tony’s guard,
Is injured by a bomb and scarred,
Stark calls the Mandarin to fight,
And missiles answer him outright.
Both Maya Hansen, an old flame,
And Pepper flee the strike by A.I.M.,
 
But Tony’s suit instinctively
Flies him to rural Tennessee.
While there, he meets a lonely kid
Named Harley, who assists off grid.
They check a bomb-like suicide
With clues to how some others died.
 
When suitless Stark locates the foe,
He finds the Mandarin’s a show,
An actor, Trevor Slattery,
Who faked his crimes on live TV.
It’s Killian who is to blame
And his Extremis, backed by A.I.M.
 
With Rhodey’s armor, Killian’s bent
On kidnapping the President.
With him deceased, he’ll own and guide
The leadership of every side.
He’s kidnapped Pepper too, but soon
Stark’s suit returns when opportune.
 
A fleet of suits at Stark’s command
Attacks and makes a final stand.
The President saved, Stark gets aid
Defeating Killian’s tirade.
When all is done, Extremis ended,
All the villains apprehended,
Stark negates what he began,
But still, deep down, he’s Iron Man.
______________
 

Iron Man was the beginning of the Marvel Cinematic Universe that has grown exponentially ever since, including one or two films a year and an ongoing television series.  The seminal superhero flick introduced lasting facets of this universe, such as Robert Downey, Jr.’s Tony Stark, Clark Gregg’s Agent Coulson, and the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division, better known as S.H.I.E.L.D.  Even non-comic geeks probably knew the basics of the Batman, Superman, and Spider-Man mythos, but Iron Man was certainly less widely known, even if he too had a 1990s animated TV series (and was voiced by Airplane!’s Robert Hays).  The 2008 feature film established Tony Stark as a household name, thanks predominantly to Downey’s utterly entertaining charisma and the awesome CGI armor.  Gwyneth Paltrow also found her most recognized role as his girlfriend Pepper Potts, and who would have guessed that that unassuming Coulson urging for a debriefing would go on to have his own weeknight show?  Of the villains in the three films, Jeff Bridges as Obadiah Stane is the best, offering both an intimidating presence (which Vanko had and Killian lacked) and a worthy showdown (which Vanko lacked and Killian had).  Plus, Samuel L. Jackson’s incipient post-credits scene as Nick Fury opened up countless opportunities, referenced an Avengers film still four years away, and made the hearts of fanboys everywhere beat a little bit faster.

Iron Man 2 continued the all-around coolness factor that had made its predecessor such a success, starting off with some epic AC/DC.  Downey had his usual banter down pat, and Don Cheadle stepped gracefully into the role of Rhodey, previously played by Terrence Howard, though I wish they had kept Howard all the same.  (After all, he never got to wear the War Machine armor he was eyeing.)  Iron Man 2 introduced another menacing villain in Mickey Rourke’s Ivan Vanko/Whiplash, as well as Scarlett Johansson as S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow.  Sadly, neither of them were utilized fully; after Vanko’s initial assault on Stark, he’s off in the shadows letting robots fight for him, and when he finally arrives on the battlefield, he’s taken out within two minutes.  Likewise, Johansson is present mainly for eye candy and an overlong hallway melee meant to simply exhibit her strength and tenacity; otherwise, her role is minimal, though definitely bigger than Hawkeye’s cameo in Thor.  I did enjoy the lighter villainy of Sam Rockwell as Justin Hammer, and the portrayal of Stark’s morbid spiral into drunkenness, his paternal issues, and his struggle to synthesize his needed element deepened his character and provided a very obvious Captain America reference.

Iron Man 3 was the start of Phase 2, Marvel’s post-Avengers period, and proved that they still had the right balance of humor, heart, and action.  In a comic-book world where near-death experiences seem like an everyday annoyance, it was intriguing to see Tony’s recurrent distress from his time with the Avengers.  From the trailers, I was sure that Ben Kingsley would steal the show as the threatening Mandarin, and he did…for the first half.  The revelation of his true oblivious identity was a big let-down, for me and many comic fans, though a recent partial retcon in the Marvel One-Shot “All Hail the King” presents the possibility of future efforts doing the character justice.  On the other hand, the treatment of the Extremis story arc was exciting, complex, and influential to the Marvel universe, since Extremis continued to pop up in the first season of Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.  (By the way, minor Lost alert: Rebecca Mader, who played Charlotte Lewis on my favorite show, portrayed a nameless Extremis soldier who took down Rhodey’s armor.)  While I enjoyed Tony’s bonding with the boy in Tennessee, the threequel tried to cover a lot of territory, and some elements like Maya Hansen and Trevor Slattery were wiped away too quickly to make room for a slam-bang climax that was admittedly spectacular.  Pepper’s role in the final battle did seem rather contrived, as if Paltrow had simply requested more action for her character, and Tony’s destruction of his suits may have been “sweet,” but it was also irresponsible, considering they weren’t sure all the baddies had been defeated.  The denouement ties up the storylines with a contemplative bow, but its ambiguity left further entries in the series in doubt.  Maybe Tony now lives in the Avengers Tower/Stark Tower.

Overall, the Iron Man films are a huge feather in the cap of Marvel Studios, and Robert Downey, Jr. makes the role his own so effectively that any distant reboot couldn’t hope to find a worthy replacement.  Of the three, I probably prefer the original, a near-perfect origin story that displays a good reason for Tony to change (the dying words of Shaun Toub as Yinsen) and touches on themes of self-improvement and the War on Terror.  All three are among the finest and most fun superhero films thus far.

Best line from Iron Man: (Nick Fury, speaking to Stark and moviegoers everywhere) “’I am Iron Man’. You think you’re the only superhero in the world? Mr. Stark, you’ve become part of a bigger universe. You just don’t know it yet.”

Best line from Iron Man 2: (Tony, reading Romanoff’s description of him) “’Mr. Stark displays textbook… narcissism.’  [long pause]  Agreed.”

Best line from Iron Man 3: (Pepper, toward the end) “What have I got to complain about now?”  (Tony) “Well, it’s me. You’ll find something.”

 
Artistry: 8
Characters/Actors: 9
Entertainment: 9
Visual Effects: 10
Originality: 8
Watchability: 9
Other (violence): -2
 
TOTAL: 51 out of 60
 

Next: #108 – Shrek 2

© 2014 S. G. Liput

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