Category Archives: Reviews
Review: The Wolverine
Wolverine could be the next James Bond. Think about it. James Bond comes out with a new movie every few years and everybody flocks to see it. Few of the movies have anything to do with one another, especially when they change the lead actor. They’re all usually just stand alone James Bond adventures. If The Wolverine is any indication, that could totally work for everyone’s favorite clawed Canadian. There are decades worth of Wolverine comics, and an endless number of original ideas just waiting to be put up on the silver screen. We could be watching Wolverine movies for decades to come. Just point Wolverine at the latest super-villain and let him SNIKT his way back into our hearts each and every time!
The Wolverine is an entertaining, solidly-made action hero movie that keeps the story focused on its hero, where it should be. The movie is solid proof that Wolverine can easily hold his own as a leading man and doesn’t need the rest of the X-Men or a wealth of comic book references to make a good flick. Though it’s hardly a perfect movie.
Movie Rating: 7/10 – Good.
The Wolverine isn’t anything special. There are no great, memorable moments or lines. My pulse and heart were never racing. I maybe chuckled a few times. It’s just a solid, well-made movie with a great leader actor. Hugh Jackman returns for his umpteenth time playing Wolverine, and he continues to own the character. For that I give him all the credit in the world. Here is a guy who absolutely knows that playing Wolverine made him a star, so he’s more than happy to stick with the character to keep the fans excited. And it’s probably a ton of fun to play Wolverine anyway. Jackman is the strongest part of the new film, which is mostly about the character’s journey from lost soul back to hero – or from ronin to samurai, if you will.
Joining Jackman is a pretty great cast of Asian actors, including two new actresses playing his sidekick, Yukio, who was a lot of fun, and his love interest, Mariko, who was fantastic. The rest of the cast is good, and while the plot could get a little confusing at times, it was altogether a quality story. I’m sure when we have time to look back in hindsight, the villain’s scheme probably has a few holes in it. But I was never really bothered while watching the movie. Nor was I ever very surprised. I saw the twist ending coming from a mile away. And the big battle in the finale seemed more gratuitous than reasonable, as if the director thought the film had to have a Final Boss Battle.
I don’t know about you, but I don’t think a giant, evil, robot samurai really fit with the soul-searching, personal movie that came before it.
Join me after the jump for the full review. There will be some SPOILERS!
Hench-Sized Comic Book Reviews – 7/27/13
We check back in with a few different comics this week that I’ve skipped over in the past, namely Uncanny Avengers and Wolverine and the X-Men. The latter impressed me, if only for its superb use of Toad, while the former was kind of disappointing. The Marvel Universe is an odd place these days, and I just don’t think Uncanny Avengers really has a place in it. Maybe a few years ago it would have been something special, but these days, it’s lost in the shuffle.
Fortunately, Marvel is also publishing the excellent Superior Spider-Man comic, and I’ve finally given in to fan demand and read Avenging Spider-Man, now renamed Superior Spider-Man Team-Up. I liked it a lot, but this week it pals in comparison to the outright awesomeness of the Comic Book of the Week, Superior Spider-Man #14! Otto Octavius finally embraces his new Spider-Man persona, and it is glorious to behold!
How have we gone this long without Spider-Man henchmen?
Comic Reviews: Justice League Dark #22, Larfleeze #2, Superior Spider-Man #14, Superior Spider-Man Team-Up #1, Uncanny Avengers #10 and Wolverine and the X-Men #33.
Review: Teen Titans #22
I think Teen Titans #22 is where the series finally loses its mind. It’s jumped the shark. There is only the insane ramblings of a madman who has too much else to worry about, and can no longer be bothered to tell an even partially coherent story. Scott Lobdell is off writing both Superman comics. He’s got a lot on his plate. So clearly when it came time to write Teen Titans #22, he simply went off the deep end. Everything he may have learned in story-telling school has gone right out the window.
Teen Titans #22
Unprecedented recap page. The Deus ex Machina Squad. Trigon quitting. Evil Red Robin defeated off-panel. It’s all just so…so…lame.
Comic Rating: 2/10 – Very Bad.
On the one hand, the comic is comprehensible. I know what’s happening, I can understand what’s intended. But on the other hand, every other aspect of this comic is a wreck. It’s given up all pretense of being about the characters, and is instead just a rambling befuddlement of stuff that’s happening to a random, somewhat familiar group of superheroes. There’s no cohesion anymore. Issues don’t flow together. Characters are nothing more than colorful bodies who spout painful dialogue, and do what is required of them by the writer. Plot threads are dropped or dismissed seemingly at random, with only a little hand-waving to explain them away. While other plot threads just pop up out of nowhere and make no sense in the larger series.
Nothing matters anymore. Nothing. No friendships, no relationships, no idea of teamwork or why they’re even doing this. The Teen Titans are a train wreck. And the worst part is that they will now always be a train wreck.
Remember, there are no previous versions of the Titans. There is no long legacy of Teen Titans to fall back on anymore, not in the New 52 universe. It’s just Red Robin and this band of idiot misfits grouped together for the sake of hanging a series on. And it’s garbage, pure garbage. I’m pretty sure this book is surviving on name recognition alone at this point. But if it keeps going like this, Teen Titans isn’t going to have a name to bank on anymore.
Review: Ultimate Comics: All-New Spider-Man #25
If you couldn’t wait another moment for Miles Morales to become Spider-Man again, then your prayers have been answered! Our young hero dons the red and blacks at the end of this issue, when character after character either yells at him or guilt trips him into just doing it already. Part of it feels anti-climactic. We knew Miles would be Spider-Man again, but I was hoping for some kind of big moment where he couldn’t help but to put on the costume again. Instead, writer Brian Michael Bendis gives us a talking heads issue, where everybody simply points out that he should be Spider-Man. Why didn’t any of them mention this to Miles over the past year if all it took was a strong talking to?
Ultimate Spider-Man #25
Usually I love Bendis’ talking heads issues, but this one failed to impress. It’s still a good issue, and I’m glad Miles is Spider-Man again, but I feel it should have taken something a lot more dramatic to get him to put on the costume once again.
Comic Rating: 7/10 – Good.
I guess I was hoping for some kind of big, dramatic moment. Like maybe Miles’ dad’s life in in jeopardy. Or a big super-villain is going to destroy the city. Or anything, really. Maybe he has to reveal himself to save his girlfriend, Kate Bishop. Anything would have been better than Miles simply being talked into it. The people doing the talking are all favorites of mine – especially Spider-Woman – but I guess I just wanted something more. Still, it’s good to have Miles back in costume. I want to see some quality Spider-Man action, and Bendis has yet to truly disappoint in that regard.
Speaking of which, I hope the rumors that the Ultimate Universe is going to end in the upcoming Cataclysm storyline aren’t true. Or, well, I don’t mind if the rest of the Ultimate books are cancelled, just so long as the story of Miles Morales gets to continue. And I don’t mean it gets to continue with him joining the Exiles or coming to the regular Marvel Universe. No thank you. I just want to read the uncomplicated, highly-entertaining story of the new Ultimate Spider-Man.
Also, anyone super excited for Cloak and Dagger might also be disappointed with this issue, because their one scene is just another flashback that’s more weird than good. Oh well. Still a solid comic, and the next issue will hopefully be fantastic.
Join me after the jump for a full synopsis and more review!
Hench-Sized Comic Book Reviews – 7/20/13
Comic-Con International and Henchman-4-Hire have two things in common today: we’re both hard at work! Unfortunately, we’re not working together, at least not yet. Maybe someday I’ll have a booth at the comic book/pop culture Mecca of the world, but not yet. I’m still just a lonely nobody blogger plucking away at my keyboard here in Central New York. At least the comics were good this week.
I don’t know what it is, but comics have been on a roll for a few weeks now. I’m mostly reading some pretty awesome books anyway, but this week was especially good. What great, glorious world do I live in where Batwoman, FF, Thor: God of Thunder and Wonder Woman all come out in the same week? They’re some of my favorite comics! And this week, Wonder Woman is the clear winner of Comic Book of the Week. It’s spectacular. If you love the New Gods, I hope you’re reading Wonder Woman.
Wonder Woman has got this team leader thing down cold!
Comic Reviews: Batman and Catwoman #22, Batwoman #22, FF #9, Justice League of America #6, Thor: God of Thunder #10, and Wonder Woman #22.
Henchman-4-Hire 