The Netflix MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) team has produced some of the best series ever. Apart from Iron Fist - which wasn't that highly rated but still enjoyable - the others have seen very positive reception with the high quality series of Daredevil, Jessica Jones & Luke Cage. So, there is a lot of expectation riding on this mini-series that finally brings together the four street-level New York heroes.
While there are some really enjoyable moments within the series, and some memorable scenes, too, I find The Defenders rather disappointing. The high quality storytelling and dialogue (as seen in their respective individual series) is missing. The series kicked on a little in the middle episodes after a very slow start in the first few episodes - but then was disappointing again at the end.
Some of the positives includes the interactions between these main characters. The clash of personality is an interesting aspect of the show. And so is the coming together of the supporting characters from respective shows and the banter they have. The new villain Alexandra (played by the wonderful Sigourney Weaver) is good to an extent - but still lacks that cutting-edge persona. And of course, the action sequences are visually among the best we've seen.
That being said, the storytelling & dialogue is poor. It didn't hook me in and get me invested as much as I did with the other series. The story feels shallow and without spoiling anything, a lot of the plot points only made me confused & annoyed. And those final two episodes also highlights why - despite having a high caliber actress in Sigourney Weaver - the villain in this show is nowhere near the likes of Kingpin or Kilgrave. And by the way, I underlined the word 'visually' in the previous paragraph because while the action looks cool, it didn't feel like it mattered because I wasn't invested enough and it never felt dangerous. Take, for example, the fight between Daredevil and The Punisher where each of the blow felt dangerous and you fear for what happens next. This one does not feel like that at all.
With so much expectations riding on this series, it certainly feels disappointing. There are some cool action sequences & enjoyable moments, but is overall a disappointing set of events to watch...poor storytelling. Among the Netflix MCU, Daredevil S2 remains my personal best & favourite, closely followed by the high quality Jessica Jones S1 & Daredevil S1. Iron Fist S1 is still enjoyable, but Luke Cage S1 & The Defenders S1 are both disappointing for me.
VERDICT: 40 / 100
I would not personally recommend this to anyone, but if you are an avid follower of the Netflix MCU, then it seems that there is no choice for you but to watch it and just try to enjoy the positives and keep your expectations low. Here's hoping The Punisher will be a much better turnout...
As usual, one of the quieter months of the Year...but with a nice little surprise towards the end of the month...
American Assassin (Sep 15 - USA, Sep 14 - UK, Oct 12 - Singapore)
At a quick glance, this, to me, looks just like another action flick. There could be more to it, but not from what I can gather from the trailers. It might still be an exciting action flick to enjoy, but I don't see this being much different from many other action flicks that have come before.
Trailers:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tlFfArvVDY (Teaser Trailer)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yoEyzOkTOI (Trailer #1)
Kingsman: The Golden Circle (Sep 22 - USA, Sep 20 - UK, Sep 21 - Singapore)
Not sure if this qualifies as the nice little surprise, but it certainly is the only major big-budget blockbuster in September. The first Kingsman film was a surprise, spectacular hit, and it was (I think) my number 2 or 3 film of that year. It was a really fun movie with lots of great humour & cool action, and not without a nice touching story, too. And this sequel, judging by all the trailers that has came out, looks to aim for more of the same, and that is exactly all I want from a Kingsman movie. With some great cast additions (mainly the American counterpart to the Kingsman), this is looking to be one hell of a film to watch.
Trailers:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6reo6h7h1wk (Trailer #1)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48WwGPbXhMo (Trailer #2)
The Lego Ninjago Movie (Sep 22 - USA, Oct 13 - UK, Sep 28 - Singapore)
This is the third movie in the Lego Movie series after the highly successful The Lego Movie and The Lego Batman Movie. Both were critically very well received and I really liked both of them, so that actually gives me the confidence in the quality of this next film. But it is the property that I am not quite familiar of and so far, the trailers have not made me much interested in it either. It still does look decent and looks to be a funny animation flick, so I hope to be enjoying this movie. But if you are asking if I am excited about it....not so much yet.
Trailers:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJBS1ogEVHE (Trailer #1)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1d2MYRboCsk (Comic-Con Trailer)
American Made (Sep 29 - USA, Aug 25 - UK, Aug 31 - Singapore)
Another collaboration between director Doug Liman and actor Tom Cruise. The film is supposedly a biographical crime story which tells about Barry Seal (who I only heard the name before from Narcos). And initially, I wasn't too sure what to expect from this film, and I figured it might well be a serious drama (like most biographies are) about the life of this person. Instead, the trailers came out and I was pleasantly surprised. It took the fun, high-octane style and Tom Cruise looks like he's having a lot of fun in the role. It just seriously looks fun, so I'm quite excited about this film.
Trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HG9lMOUtyXc (Trailer #1)
Other Movies:
As usual, you can expect to find some major horror flicks in this section because I actively avoid them. In this month, the big one has to be It (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAUTdjf9rko) which is based on the Stephen King novel of the same name, and will be out on September 8th. Meanwhile, this next film is more of a psychological horror/thriller instead and is directed (and written) by acclaimed director Darren Aronofsky. The film is Mother! (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtTE_DBKpRY), and will be out on September 15th.
There's quite a few comedies out in this month, but none of them really caught my attention. So I'm going to go ahead to a drama flick which did caught my attention, and that is Victoria & Abdul (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9Ad1M9DP-c), which actually looks pretty good. It is out on September 22nd.
The last film I want to call out is a remake/sequel (not sure which) of a film in the 90s, and that is the science-fiction thriller Flatliners (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1S52y5ZVlY). I'm personally not that sold, but if I hear good things about this film, I might go and check it out.
A movie directed by Edgar Wright is always going to be fun. And this film is very much so. The style of the film is really fast-paced and unique, and the songs incorporated in the film is perfectly put to use. But there seems to be a lack of substance or depth in the plot - which doesn't actually make it a bad movie, but its just not as special as I thought it'd be.
For sure, there is never any doubt in the directing ability of Edgar Wright. And since he also wrote this film and chose the songs and all, this is his film through and through. And the style he brings into the film is just unique & fun & fast-paced. The way the songs are incorporated in the film is perfect. The beats just match the scenes perfectly, and they enhance the feeling of the sequences. The whole film is really just straight-up energetic and fun to watch throughout.
Meanwhile, the characters are decent, with some special standout like Jamie Foxx. And the dialogue is brilliant, and a lot of the humour pulls through excellently. Instead, what the film lacks is the substance - the depth of the plot. It is a very simplistic plot. And especially the last act of the film is also kind of dragged out. This is definitely the area that could've been improved.
But otherwise, it really is a fun watch, with the Edgar Wright-style action & music. It is definitely worth the watch for a good fun, fast-paced movie. Unfortunately, it is all style, but little substance. So, don't expect a great movie, but expect a very fun one.
VERDICT: 70 / 100
It's been more than a week since SDCC 2017, so this is actually quite late, but I just want to share my thoughts on it...
There so many interesting announcements & information from SDCC 2017, but I won't be talking too much about them...I will focus only on the trailers that came out...especially the very good ones...
Star Wars: The Last Jedi (from D23 2017)
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ye6GCY_vqYk
Okay, I know this is not from SDCC 2017, but Disney's D23 Expo happened just a week earlier, and this is the only good thing that came out from it (in terms of trailers/clips). That being said, it is indeed really good. It is a behind-the-scenes video, but you really get the feel from it. Some of the images that they show are really cool, and there are some funny remarks (like the one from John Boyega) and some very inspiring ones, too (like from Carrie Fisher). And the music that accompanies it is really awesome, and fits perfectly to the tone of the montage.
Netflix Trailers
Bright: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6EZCBSsBxko
The Defenders: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_6J9BqgonU
Star Trek: Discovery: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWnYtyNKPsA
First off, Bright is a movie that will be released immediately on Netflix in December. Personally, I am not that keen into this film, but it does look pretty interesting and has a great cast. Meanwhile, if I have to pick the product that I am interested in most, it would be The Defenders. But the trailer is not that great. It's decent, but its nothing to rave about. Finally, Star Trek: Discovery actually looks very cool & has a pretty good trailer. I was initially concerned about a Star Trek TV series, but thanks to the involvement of Netflix, it received a high budget (for TV) which allows the special effects to be done so brilliantly well. It really looks good.
Other/Marvel TV Trailers
Inhumans: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xU9Z6cKsbY0&t=2s
The Gifted: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSvX-azZmG4
Now I know that there are a lot of DC trailers (Arrow, The Flash, Gotham, etc) that came out...but I have to admit that I am no longer following any of them. Unfortunately they feel too repetitive and I have lost the interest in watching them. Meanwhile, these shows (Inhumans, The Gifted) are new shows, so obviously I am interested and will give them a chance....whether I ended up liking it or giving up on them is another story. Also, before I have DC fanboys shouting at me, I need you to know that I have given up on Agents of SHIELD long before I had given up on the CW shows.
Now in terms of the above trailers, I have to say that I am just borderline interested in Inhumans. The trailer actually doesn't look that good, and I'm not too sure how the show will be. I am still interested, but I am cautiously optimistic with the quality of the show. On the other hand, initially I was very skeptical about The Gifted, but this trailer is really awesome! It looks very cool, and I like some of the characters involved (Polaris, Blink). And with Bryan Singer directing the pilot, I am now really quite interested in this show.
Kingsman: The Golden Circle
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fvqnGmr9S8
The trailer is pretty cool, but it didn't add too much excitement for me. Partially, it might be because I am already sold on the film, anyway, but its also partially because the trailer is not great (decent, but not spectacular).
Thor: Ragnarok
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ue80QwXMRHg
Marvel Studios may have released a bunch of videos in the panel itself, but the only one released to the public/internet is the new trailer for Thor: Ragnarok. And I have to say, I kind of enjoyed the trailer and where they are taking this film. I still admit, deep down, I would rather have a dark Thor movie (I mean, the title is Ragnarok, for God's sake). That being said, I really like everything that I have seen so far, and I am super excited to see this film now. Even the trailers themselves are already enjoyable to watch on their own.
Warner Bros Studios
Ready Player One: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znavw4akfoY
Justice League: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_6yBZKj-eo
Everything that I have heard about Ready Player One is nothing short of exciting. A great premise based on a great novel. Directed by Steven Spielberg, scored by Alan Silvestri, and includes an array of great actors (Ben Mendelsohn, Mark Rylance, etc). But the trailer wasn't very good. In fact, I was quite disappointed by it. The visual looks pretty cool, but the overall trailer quality was poor.
On the other hand, the winner of the best trailer of SDCC 2017 has to be Justice League. The trailer is 4 minutes long, and it is awesome! The glimpses of the villain is pretty cool (and that voice is super menacing!), and the whole trailer contains some very cool shots and exciting action sequences. I am still not totally into the jokes from Barry Allen (The Flash), but save that, this whole trailer is spectacular. Even the music in the trailer is just epic! And if we're getting into some of the details, I like the the fact that the villain mentioned 'No Lanterns' as reference to the Green Lantern, and of course, we can only guess who that mysterious individual was at the end there. But, as a trailer, it is a very good trailer with cool shots and great music. It is easily the best trailer of SDCC 2017!
