AXELLERATEDREVIEWS

This is one of the most disappointing MCU entries. All the potential, none used in execution. Though not the worst film of the MCU, Brave New World tries to be too much, and fails as it tries to juggle three plots in one film. Character development is barely existent, introduced side stories lead into nothing, and the dialogue sounds like a blueprint of exposition. Most impressive was the camera work, giving the whole look a grimey 70s thriller feeling.

I had seen posters for this movie swirling around last year, believing it to be a game. As such, I didn’t pay much attention to this animated feature until it started earning a wave of awards, then I decided to look it up. Without a date set up for a cinematic release here in Germany, it quickly faded out of my mind until the Academy Awards early this year. I looked it up again, finding out that it was created entirely via an open-source platform called Blender, further captu

Whannell’s second re-imagining of the studio’s classic monsters is disappointing. The story shows promise, yet never dives deep into the theme of family trauma and anxiety. The pacing is off, making it feel much longer than it is. Abbott gives a remarkable performance, though it is the young Matilda Firth who steals the show. The body horror, reminiscent of Cronenberg, is great, but the final make-up for the Werewolf looks terrible, and the lighting is too dim. I was expecti

Though it isn’t a perfect action piece, Havoc is a refreshing take on its subgenre. The character-driven plot contrasts with the persistent rapid pacing. Though original, the use of standard topics hinders its uniqueness. Hardy gives a nuanced performance as Detective Walker, though it is Quelin Sepulveda, who steals the show with her stellar performance. The cinematography uses lively movement, paired with handheld shots, to create disorientating action scenes. Havoc is a fu

Flipping the Avengers plot and adding a good share of melancholy, this new entry in the MCU re-prioritises character development over mindless spectacle. Themes of mental illness give the story a fresh sensation. Pugh’s Yelena is the standout character. Visually, the tone is darker, the action is more grounded, and the colour palette adds nuances of grey. It is not perfect, oversimplifying some of its subject. All in all, Thunderbolts* is a step back, in the right direction f