Suicide Squad Movie Review!!!

 

Movie Review!!

Suicide Squad was released on August 5th, with $267 million made on its opening weekend. When first released, Suicide Squad was set to have a R rating. With various scene cuts, the film was level down to PG-13 like Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice. Why again? Deadpool held no punches back with its R rated release and the film became a huge win for Marvel Comics. Many comic fans have mixed feelings for the film, more negative than positive. Many feel the story or threat for the Suicide Squad could have been better. What was your take on the film?

The Suicide Squad is a group of dangerous criminals collected together by Amanda Waller, to take on assignments designed for no return or assignments to place blame on the criminals if spun out of control. These outlaws are individuals brought down by Batman, for the exception of Captain Boomerang, who is a criminal that commonly battles The Flash. The Flash makes an appearance in this film, but only briefly. Will Smith took the role of Deadshot, which is a change in character ethnicity like Laurence Fishburne taking the role of Perry White in Zack Synder‘s Superman. This movie is the reason Will Smith turned down Independence Day: Resurgence. Do you think Will Smith should have done the Independence Day sequel instead of this movie?

Batman also had a small cameo in this film, which were flashback memories with DeadShot and Harley Quinn. Even Ben Affleck made his small cameo at the mid credit scene, showing Bruce Wayne on his mission to form his super team of heroes. Affleck’s Batman is the first character to cameo in different films other than his own feature film. Is Batman the center piece for future DC films?

This film introduced the third Joker on film, which was portrayed by Jared Leto. This style of Joker is very different from the previous ones. This Joker has more of a rock star element, with the tattoos, silver teeth and jewelry. It was suggested that this Joker is actually Jason Todd, the former Robin, with few hints mentioned in Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice. What’s unique about this film is the history and developing relationship between the Joker and Harley Quinn. Do you think this was an excellent portrayal of the two lovers? Do you think this is the last we’ll see of the Suicide Squad, or will they return in Batman’s solo film?

Check out some exclusive statues of the Suicide Squad provided by SideShow Collectibles!!!

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Black Panther Movie Review!!!

Black Panther is one of Marvel Comics most anticipated films of 2018. It presold more tickets than any Marvel film, thus placing the movie as the third highest to sell over a weekend. To date, Black Panther has sold $727.9 million dollars worldwide! Captain America: Civil War was the film that ushered the Panther to Marvel Cinematic Universe. In the Avengers: Age of Ultron, the Nation of Wakanda was mentioned, as a country rich with Vibranium. Black Panther is a film with great action sequences, excellent African wardrobes, culture and an amazing cast.

Black Panther takes place a week after T’Challa turns Helmut Zemo in for his crimes and for the death of his father T’Chaka. T’Challa returns home to Wakanda to assume the role of King. During this time, Captain America and Bucky are fugitives kept in secret in Wakanda. Wakanda is guarded by a force field which hides the city in plain sight, just like Themyscira in the 2017 Wonder Woman. Wakanda is the only technologically advanced city on Earth. Under the city lies the rich Vibranium mine and the gardens of herbs which is used to give Wakandan kings their powers.

The Vibranium Panther suit was one of greatest features of the movie. The upgraded armor can materialize over the wearer from a special necklace. The user can then mentally command any part of the suit as needed. The vibranium in the suit stores incoming kinetic energy which then can be dispersed out like an explosive wave. This explosion can be used to hurl enemies, destroy vehicles or help catapult the wearer wherever needed. Its major weakness is sonic waves, very similar to the symbiotes of the Venom family. Which character do you think would use Vibranium in their tech more efficiently between Batman and Iron Man?

This film came with not one villain but three. Killmonger played by Michael B. Jordan was the major villain followed by the return of Klaue and the Man-Ape M‘Baku. Killmonger turned out to become a favorite villain in cinema because of his connection with the black audience. His goal was to help those of African descent around the world to fight against their oppressors with the advanced technology of Wakanda. When he became King for a brief period, he dawned himself as the Golden Jaguar instead of a Black Panther. He felt that all Africans should share in the wealth of Wakanda instead of just those who reside there. Klaue was last seen retreating for his life after Ultron cuts of his arm in Avengers: Age of Ultron. His arm has since been replaced with a sonic blaster, which has the same destructive power as the Panther suit. Klaue is eventually killed by Killmonger, who uses Klaue’s dead corpse as a pass into Wakanda. M’Baku turned out to be much different on screen than how he portrayed in the comics. Instead of being Wakanda’s major villain, M’Baku turned out to be the savior of T’Challa and even helped him reclaim his throne from Killmonger…

Next film slated for the Black Panther is Avengers: Infinity War. From the preview we can see Wakanda is invaded by, what looks like beings from another world. Some of the Avengers are helping the Black Panther defend his hidden nation. What is the Black Panther’s role in the upcoming Infinity War? Will the Black Panther have a second solo film? Now that Disney has acquired the Marvel Characters from Fox Studios, will we see Storm in future Black Panther films as the Queen of Wakanda? So, what were your final thoughts on the Black Panther film??

 

 

Justice League Movie Review!!!

Justice League generated $93.8 million on its opening weekend and to date, has grossed $657.9 million worldwide. Justice League is a continuation of the story started with the film Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice. Even though the Justice League was highly anticipated for DC Comics, it slowly grossed through the month of November compared to Dawn of Justice. This film is based on the comic stories Death and Return of Superman and Justice League: Origin.

There were many changes made to those two comic stories when entering the live cinematic realm. In the comic Justice League Origins, Green Lantern was the among the starting six members of the League. In the film, AquaMan took place of the Green Lantern with great results, slating a solo film release in 2018. Also, in Justice League Origin, the team coincidentally converged together because of the worldwide invasion by Darkseid. In JL 2017, Bruce Wayne went on his search for the metahumans that was discovered on the computer files of Lex Luthor. With the loss of Superman, Bruce needed a force to save the planet from a pending invasion. After gaining some knowledge of the Mother Box, the technology was then used to resurrect Superman. In The Death of Superman comic, Superman was rejuvenated in the Fortress of Solitude and even wore the iconic black kryptonian suit that fans wanted to see. There was a glimpse of this suit in Man of Steel when General Zod was explaining to Superman the purpose of the Codex. The Flash and Cyborg made their first appearance in the cinematic realm as well. With what we see of Cyborg, would Iron Man or Ultron be match for him? How about the Flash? Do you think the CG used to display his powers are better than Quicksilver in the X-Men movies?

Batman is technically the leader of the Justice League, even though Superman is the most powerful member. At the ending of the film, Bruce decides to use the old Wayne Manor as a base for the League. Is this idea made to replace the Watchtower concept, or will The Tower appear in future films? In JL 2017, you can see different versions of Batman which stemmed from various sources. Elements from the game Arkham City, was seen in the beginning scenes with Batman baiting in the Parademon. During the battle against the Parademon army, Batman wore the batsuit similarity worn in Arkham Knight. Comic fans felt the presence of Owlman when Batman wore his goggles. JL 2017 is the third film Ben Affleck‘s Batman has appeared without his own solo film. There are rumors back n forth whether or not Ben Affleck will continue his role as the Dark Knight. How much different do you think the Justice League movie would have been with the Christian Bale Batman and Christopher Nolan??

During his time on the kryptonian ship, Lex Luthor learned of the universal worlds stored in its computer archive. Here he probably learned of Apokolips and the owners of the mother boxes. Knowing that S.T.A.R. Labs has a mother box in possession, Lex more than likely informed Steppenwolf of this in the deleted scene “Communion“. Not only this, but Lex summons could also have been another way to destroy Superman in case his monster failed. In the ending scenes of Batman V Superman, Lex informs Batman of Steppenwolf’s future approach, where he ultimately does. What’s interesting in Steppenwolf’s first failed invasion, he retreated Earth on his ship along with his advisors. In his second failed attempt, boom tubes were the mode of transportation to Earth. Also, during Steppenwolf’s defeat, a boom tube was activated on his location, instantly teleporting him and his Parademons back to home base. Is it possible that Darkseid sent the boom tube himself to recall his general from ultimate defeat? Was it fitting to bring Steppenwolf to the big screen before Darkseid? What’s also interesting about the boom tube is that it looks and functions very similarly to the BiFrost Bridge used in the Thor films. Does Asgard and Apokolips share more similarities with each other with only the difference being good and evil?

During Stepphenwolf first assault on Earth, The Green Lantern Corps fought alongside the forces of the planet to put a halt to the general and his forces. These Green Lantern officers perished in battle, sending their power rings in the universe looking for worthy replacements. The cameo of the Corps gives fans a glimpse of the next super force to join the Justice League. Ryan Reynolds portrayed Hal Jordan in the 2011 film. Will Hal Jordan’s character return to the cinematic universe or will a different Earth Lantern like John Stewart or Guy Gardner take place among the super team? After the Justice League is completed with a Green Lantern, will Darkseid come to Earth himself to face the League?

Just like Batman V Superman, Justice League also had scenes deleted from the theatrical version. Many of these deleted scenes were visuals fans saw in the collection of previews for the movie. With the loss of these particular scenes, fans started a petition to have Zack Synder create a director’s cut to complete the story. Batman V Superman proved to be a greater film when sold as an Ultimate Edition, so why not have a director’s cut from the beginning? With a budget of $300 million, fans expected this film to bring silence to the recent Thor Ragnarok, but instead fell short by $200 million. Zack Synder left his masterpiece because of the death of his daughter and his vision was carried on by Joss Whedon, who is known for working in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Question is, with such low rated reviews, will Justice League have another film in the works? If so, will Jack Synder return and direct once more? What will become of the DC Cinematic Universe? Do you think DC Comics will ever stand a chance against the Marvel Cinematic Universe?

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Black Adam Movie Review!!!

Black Adam entered theatres with mixed reviews from movie critics, as comic fans enjoyed the film for the most part. Black Adam generated $393.5 million dollars from a budget of $230 million, categorizing this a failed project by DC Comics. Moviegoers would agree that Black Panther: Wakanda Forever could be the reason Black Adam didn’t generate more profits in its theatrical run. The success of the first Black Panther gave way for an easy win for its second film, taking away much interest in Black Adam after two weeks. Black Adam made an early digital release on November 22nd, 2022, then begins streaming on HBOMax December 16, 2022.

What do you think of Dwayne Johnson‘s portrayal of Black Adam? Dwayne expressed his desire to play Black Adam for some time, even being a part of production when Shazam was in development. In this cinematic story, Black Adam is released from his prison to become champion of Kahndaq once again, freeing the people from intergang mercenaries of the present day. Black Adam’s power is tested against Sabbac, ultimately and seemingly making Black Adam worthy of the powers originally bestowed to his son.

Black Adam and Captain Marvel are opposites sides on the same coin. In both films, The Wizards imbued young boys with the power of Shazam. Billy Batson accepted his power to protect his family and save the world from evil while Teth Adam used his power to take revenge for the death of his family. Neither character is featured in either film as a contender or ally. It’s suggested in both films that neither the Shazam Family nor Black Adam is aware of each other’s existence.

In Shazam’s deleted scene, there is one more seat in the Throne Room that is not filled. Is this seat for Black Adam? Is this the reason why Black Adam felt that taking the throne of Khandaq was wrong after defeating Sabbac? Will Black Adam and Shazam come face to face, since the possibility of battling Superman is nonexistence now that Henry Cavill will no longer be The Man of Steel?

The Justice Society of America made its intro to the cinematic world as the team to take down Black Adam. Ethnic background changes seem to be the norm now in comic films such with Hawkman, Cyclone, DeadShot, Human Torch and Heimdall just to name a few. What bothered comic fans was the death of Dr. Fate. Why would writers change Dr. Fate from being an immortal hero to becoming vulnerable? In the comics and television series, The Justice Society and Justice League works together to battle global and universal threats. Do you think we will see such union in future films? Will The Rock make his return as the champion of Khandaq or is this the end for the antihero? Leave your comments below, give us your take on Black Adam! Check out Sideshow Collectibles for Black Adam sculptures and many more!!

Morbius Movie Review!!!

Morbius is introduced to the cinematic universe through Sony Pictures, with a lot of negative reviews from movie critics. Morbius initial appearance was in the first Blade film before the credits, which didn’t make the theatrical cut. Because of the Covid Pandemic, this film suffered a delay on its release date, originally slated for July of 2020. With the time given by Covid, wouldn’t it been possible to make corrections to this film making it among the top rank vampire films? Despite the setback and many unfavorable reviews, Morbius generated 167.5 million from an $83 million dollar budget.

What did capture the audience’s attention for the most part was the visual effects. The display of superpowers Michael used as the living vampire was incredible, very reminiscent of Dracula Untold. With this display of vampiric power, it’d be cool to see Bruce Wayne take the serum for himself, especially in the Christopher Nolan series or even when battling Superman and Doomsday in Batman V Superman. Do you think this cinematic version of Morbius can take on Marcus Corvinus in a fight?

Do you think Morbius should have been introduced through Spiderman like in the comics? If so, this would have been an excellent third story for Spiderman portrayed by Andrew Garfield. In the ending credits of this 2021 feature, Morbius comes face to face with the Vulture presumably making a deal to work together. This is blending Sony and Disney’s interpretation of Marvel characters. We see this same instance in the ending of Venom: Let There Be Carnage, where Venom and Eddie Brock is transported into the MCU. Were these attempts to correct the cinematic background stories of Venom and Morbius, knowing that these characters didn’t exist without the story of Spiderman? What will become of this film, will there be another? Leave your comments below, tell us what you think of this feature! Also, take a visit to SlideShow Collectibles for their feature sculpture pieces of Morbius and many more characters!

 

Star Trek: Beyond

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Movie Review!!

This Movie Review of Star Beyond will also feature Star Trek 2009 and Star Trek: Into Darkness

Paramount Pictures released the third Star Trek film titled Beyond. Its opening weekend brought in $89.6 million, which is higher than the opening weekends of the first two films of 2009 and 2013. To date, Star Trek: Beyond generated 343.5 million worldwide. Many supporters feel Star Trek is very popular as Star Wars in the sci-fiction film category. Coincidentally, J.J. Abrams is the current director behind the two space franchises. Star Trek is set to have a fourth film in later years. How long will this film series continue or will Star Trek be reinvented once more in the future?

With J.J. Abrams visionary talent, Star Trek has been rebooted keeping its 50 year essence in tact. New actors resembling the original crew were excellent choices among fans and most importantly the visuals. In each of the films, you notice the progression of Captain Kirk also the rising experience, personality, and family bonding of the crew. With the Enterprise, you will take notice of science theories regarding space travel at light speeds. As you can see, J.J was not shy in having the Enterprise destroyed in each film!

All three movies featured its on unique villain. What so similar between the villains of each movie is that they all have a revenge mission on the Federation. Nero is a Romulan seeking to destroy Earth with a weapon that can create black holes in space. Nero revenge stemmed from the destruction of his homeworld which he believed could be saved. Khan is the second villain who sought to destroy the Federation for being used to create weapons which would start a war between two worlds. Also Khan was threaten with death along with the last of his people. The third villain is Krall, a once human and a captain. His gripe with the Federation is that Earth became unified with her universal enemies thus the Federation. Krall also felt forgotten about when his ship was disabled out on a mission. These villains see the Federation as an armada that has a vision to control the universe. Which of the three films did you like the most?

Sadly, the original Spock Leonard Nimoy, and actor Anton Yelchin have passed away. Leonard passed during the pre-production of Beyond and Anton pass in June, a month before the movie’s release. Star Trek Beyond is dedicated to the memory of both actors. Interestingly, Leonard second marriage was to Susan Bay, who is cousins with the famous film director Michael Bay.

Spiderman: Far From Home Movie Review!!!!

To date, Spiderman: Far From Home has grossed $970 million dollars, with Entertainment Weekly stating thatSpider-Man: Far From Home is a worshipful, slippery ode to Iron Man”. This is the wall crawler’s second solo film in the MCU, along with his featured appearances in Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame. This movie is a sequel to the Endgame, and the life of Spiderman after the lost of Tony Stark.

This film explains how Earth’s inhabitants began to cope with life after The Avengers defeat Thanos and those who died in the Snap, returning 5 years later as life moved on. Peter wants to live a normal life, but soon realizes that as an Avenger, he is always on call, especially when dealing with Nick Fury. Peter is gifted with Tony’s glasses codename E.D.I.T.H., Happy Hogan as his entrusted personal mentor, and has access to Stark’s technology. With this tech, Peter has a way to make any suit needed in his crime fighting career as Tony did. Will we see more of these web suit concepts in future films? How about tech features of the E.D.I.T.H sunglasses? Do you believe such technology exist today? Now that Happy Hogan is dating Aunt May, how do you think this would affect Peter’s personal life as well as his duties as Spiderman the Avenger?

What were your thoughts on Mysterio? Before the release of this film, there were rumors that the Multiverse would be involved in the story plot. During the course of the movie, the audience believed that Mysterio was a good guy from another dimension when the multiverse was mentioned. Maybe at that point in Peter’s mind, he believed Tony Stark could be alive in another dimension. Jake Gyllenhaal portrays the villain well, with first belief as being a new hero to the world but then later revealing himself to be a disgruntled former employee of Stark. Quentin used Stark’s tech that he helped design, to make illusions of grandeur.  Even after his defeat, Mysterio was able to be a step ahead of Peter by revealing Peter’s secret identity to the world, a wild card Toomes probably felt he’d keep for himself during the ending credits of SpiderMan: HomeComing.  What are your thoughts on Jake portraying the Master of Illusion?

 Comic book fans instantly recognized the four elementals that Mysterio used to deceive the public. The first elemental Mysterio battles is Earth, which is reference from the comic villain Sandman. There was a small scene in the movie where MJ mentioned that there were reports of a scientist that could control sand after being a victim of an experiment gone wrong. The next elemental that was seen was the Air element, which was representing the villain Cyclone. The most notable villain that we recognized was Hydro man when Mysterio was battling him in Venice, Italy. That scene was an incredible display of CGI effects. The last Elemental we see was Fire, which was referenced from the comic villain Molten Man. These villains were brought to the MCU as illusions, will the MCU feature SpiderMan’s real villains like Sony did in the Amazing SpiderMan series or will the MCU SpiderMan only face threats that are only handled with the Avengers?

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What are your overall thoughts for this film? What will be the the future for SpiderMan in the MCU? Will Peter continue to work alongside Happy Hogan, create more suits and become more involved as an Avengers or will he stay as the friendly neighborhood SpiderMan, now that his identity has been revealed by Mysterio and J. Jonah Jameson??  Leave your comments bit below and make sure to check out the SideShow Collectibles newest addition for SpiderMan: Far From Home! You don’t want to miss this!!

 

 

Avengers: Endgame Movie Review!!!!

To date, the Avengers: Endgame grossed $2.7 billion dollars worldwide, becoming Marvel Studios highest grossing movie! Endgame has broken Titanic‘s record by $544 million, while falling short to Avatar by $44 million. In In this sequel to Age of Ultron and Infinity War, The Avengers are on a mission to restore the Universe using time travel. This movie has moments that bring fans back through the films of the MCU and there are cliffhangers that show a possible future for the Avengers.

Tony became familiar with the threats that exist outside of Earth as one of the leading members of the Avengers and the only way to defend Earth is to upgrade his tech accordingly. The strike on New York put Tony in a state of anxiety and fear throughout the years until he faced Thanos face to face in Infinity War. Tony nearly losing his life against Thanos caused him to retire from Iron Man, to become the family man he set out to be. The idea that the universe can be saved with time travel, is what brought Tony back into action, for time travel is an achievement that Tony has wanted but yet to accomplish.

In the end of this film, Tony takes control of the Gems to defeat Thanos, ending both of their lives in the process. With the help of Banner and Rocket, Tony’s nano tech is able to use the power of the stones, as the original Gauntlet did. With the nano tech Gauntlet, Tony could easily transfer the gems from the nano Gauntlet to his armor, without struggle like before. In the 2010 Avengers#12 comic story, Tony Stark has possession of the Infinity Gauntlet, in hopes of making the world a better place. Instead, it was decided that the Gems be hidden away from the likes of Thanos.

Pepper‘s story begins as Tony’s assistant at Stark Industries. Pepper and Tony form a personal relationship which turns to marriage and the creation of a family. Throughout the years, Pepper has criticized Tony for being Iron Man because she believes its hazardous to his well-being and his business. By the third Iron Man film, Pepper was deep into Tony’s alternate life where she began to see the threats that Tony faces, especially with her own life in jeopardy. When the Avengers made their stand against Thanos, Pepper came to Tony’s side in battle with her own armor, which was an amazing visual for all comic fans! This brings the question, when did she decide to have her own armor constructed after all the effort she put into Tony to mantling the life of Iron Man?

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War Machine grew along with Iron Man in the cinematic universe, beginning as a weapons showcase for Hammers Industries. War Machine becomes a member of S.H.I.E.L.D, then an Avenger after the battle with Ultron. The War Machine armor changes designs with each movie but never reaches the stage of nano tech like Iron Man. When the War Machine took on heavy damage from Thanos surprise attack on the Avengers facility, Rhodes later shows to battle in an upgraded Iron Patriot armor. It’s appearance resemble a space like armor, could this be the works of Rocket? If so, would War Machine be a great addition to the Guardians of the Galaxy or should he stay on Earth and continue on with the remaining Avengers?

Endgame is the closing story for Captain America. In cinema, his character spans over seven films, including his three solo films and four films with the Avengers. Thor put the Avengers to the test to see if anyone was worthy to lift his enchanted hammer. When Steve took his turn, Mjolnir slightly moved under his effort, bringing a moment of shock and nervousness to Thor. Some fans believe Steve was always worthy of Mjolnir but never showed it to avoid hurting Thor’s pride, while others feel Captain was not fully worthy at that moment. In this film, Captain wielded the hammer to save Thor’s life and to begin an all out offensive against the Mad Titan. This fan favorite moment signified when when Steve wielded Mjolnir in the comics. Movie goers were amazed to see Steve summoning Stormbreaker to his hand but his moment was cut short when Thor insisted on switching Mjolnir for the Stormbreaker, in a comedic style during battle. Steve’s ability to use of the lighting was from the enchantment Odin laid on the hammer and observing Thor in battle over the years.

Since the Winter Soldier, Falcon became Steve’s new sidekick, and he has appeared in many other MCU films as well. At the end of the Endgame, Steve passed the mantle of Captain America to Falcon, after returning the Infinity Gems to their rightful place in time. According to the comics, it was Bucky who took on the role of Captain America before the role was given to Falcon. Do you think Marvel Studios will make a solo film for Falcon as Captain America, or will this cliffhanger be left for the imagination?

Steve gets into a fight with his past form, in the time of the New York City attack led by Loki. The current Steve took advantage of the fight by telling Steve of the past that Bucky was alive. That made the Captain of the past lower his guard because he was still adjusting to his new world and still feeling lonely over the lost of Bucky. When Steve goes back in time to return the Infinity Gems to their original places, he remains in the past with Peggy, to live the life he planned to have with her, when he returned from his fight with the Red Skull in The First Avenger. With Steve’s decision, would that have altered the past for Bucky? In Steve’s new timeline, did Bucky perish never to return or did Steve face Bucky again as he did in The Winter Soldier?

Failing to stop Thanos from wiping out half of the universe was still fresh in Thor’s mind at the beginning of this movie. Over the following years, the people of Asgard has settled in Norway, where Odin died in Ragnarok. Thor became a beer drinking slouch than a mighty ruler he set out to be after Ragnarok. When the option became available, Thor and Rocket travels back to the time to the period of a Dark World, to extract the Ether/Reality Gem from Jane Foster. Thor reunited with his Mother, to his surprise, she was aware that Thor was of from the future and she could sense the journeys he’d been through during the years after their current timeline. What comic fans loved the most was before Thor returned to his natural time, he summoned Mjolnir to his side to see if he was still worthy of its might. Taking Mjolnir from that timeline would not change the outcome of the Dark Elves attacking Asgard or preventing the death of his mother. Thor believes Mjolnir would give him more of a fighting chance.

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Some believe if Thor was in physical and mentally shape, like his battle in Wakanda, he would completely dominate the battlefield at the end of this movie. There is also a belief that Stormbreaker can be wielded by anyone because its not enchanted like Mjolnir. It’s noted that Stormbreaker was lifted by Groot and Captain America, even Thanos held it for a brief moment during the battle. Thor naturally has powers that flow through him but its his weapons that help focus and magnify his powers. Without the ability of super strength, a normal person would have difficulty lifting or using weapons of Nidavellir in battle for Thor stated a person’s mind would turn to madness.

Loki cameo happens during his apprehension in the first Avengers film. Loki escapes with Space Gem, leaving fans to wonder where his destiny leads. If Loki also took the Casket of Ancient Winters from Asgard’s vault before releasing Surtur, could he have stood a better chance against Thanos and his forces when they invaded the ship in Infinity War? Valkyrie returns as well, but what surprised the audience was her entrance to the war, along with Asgardian soldiers. In Ragnarok, all of Asgard’s soldiers were slain by Hela, leaving only Asgard’s common people. So where did Valkyrie get the warriors? Were they also revived by the snap made by the Hulk? If this was the case, it would have been a special moment for fans to see Heimdall, Lady Sif and the Warriors Three arrive to aid Thor, giving him the complete momentum he needs to unleash his full might. At the end, Valkryie is given the title Queen of Asgard, as Thor leaves to be a part of the Guardians of the Galaxy. Thor left Earth to join the Guardians because they could provide Thor with adventures in space that he always wanted. Do you think if Thor was chosen to revive the Universe, would he have survived the Gauntlet’s power at a greater degree than the other users? Or, what if Thor uses the Gems to recreate the realm of Asgard as it was before Surtur’s destroyed it?

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This scene like many others have been deleted from theatrical release. What do you think of this scene was leading to? Instead of the Avengers using the Guardian’s ship to face Thanos, Thor would open the Bi Frost to reach the Mad Titan. This could have taken place after Thor summons Stormbreaker in front of Carol Danvers. The transformation into his battle armor and teleportation to Thanos could also be a further gesture to Captain Marvel, display how he is the strongest among the Earth defenders. Just like her, Thor also has the ability to move across the universe and take on any situation that he may come across. Do you think it would be better for Thor to pair with Captain Marvel or continue on with the Guardians of the Galaxy?

At the end of The AntMan and The Wasp, Scott was in the Quantum Realm collecting energy when Thanos eliminated half the universe. Pym, Janet and Hope were in control of Scott going and coming from that dimension until they were among the people erased in the purge. With their sudden disappearance, Lang was trapped in the realm with no sign of return. He finally comes back five years later only to discovered life on Earth has moved on and he was pronounced dead among the millions.

Antman is the major reason time travel was a possibility to the remaining Avengers. Scott teams with Banner, Tony and Rocket to build the time machine and the quantum suits needed to travel in the vortex of time and space. This film was the third time Scott was able to enlarge himself in battle but this time, the strain of growing to a huge size doesn’t affect him like it did before. During the course of this film, Scott becomes a full-time member of the Avengers, which personally fulfills him just like it did Peter Parker when Tony anointed him. What’s the future for Ant Man and the Wasp? Will they continue the work they set out to do before the universal purge or will their next on screen début by as members of the Avengers?

Infinity War is Dr. Strange‘s second major appearance in the MCU. He returns in the Endgame as the last battle unfolds in front of him. In the Infinity War, Strange vowed to protect the Time Gem but still surrendered it to save Tony’s life. This time, Strange didn’t tell Tony how they would win because Strange knew that through his vision, the one chance of winning was through Tony’s sacrifice.

In the comic story Infinity Gauntlet, Strange has similar roles in the comic as he did in the MCU. Strange orchestrated the assembly of Earth’s heroes and transport, to and from the battle field in space. Do you think the battle in the Endgame would be more epic in space? What if Strange cast a spell where all of Earth heroes could survive in the vacuum of space, with the Moon being the battlefield? The comic version of Dr. Strange was never the keeper of the Time Gem, as his medallion is really the Eye of Agamotto. Was the Endgame the last of Dr. Strange or will he continue on with future films?

After losing his family to the universal purge, Clint‘s pain led him to his second alter ego as Ronin the Assassin. Now as an anti-hero, Clint goes on a killing spree wiping out Mexican cartels and asian gangs, much like Deadpool in his second film. Clint doesn’t hesitate to the chance in bringing his family back, so he joins the Avengers once again with a will greater than before. He volunteers to test run with the Pym Particles and the time machine first, with its success, the Avengers proceed with their revival plan. In the comics, Hawkeye used the Pym Particles on himself and became the hero named Goliath, named after the biblical giant.

Hawkeye and Black Widow are assigned to retrieve the Soul Gem. Natalia and Clint battle each other for the sacrifice, with Natalia giving her life for the gem. This brings a big spotlight to this situation because as explained in the Infinity War, you have to sacrifice a soul for a soul, one you love most. With every film released in the MCU, fans sensed a strong relationship between the two characters. What was later shocking Clint having a wife and daughter. Since Clint lost his family, Natalia was the next closest person to him. Natalia finds Clint and convinces him to join the Avengers once again in hopes to reviving his family. Clint has a strong bond with Natalia because he spends more time with her as Hawkeye than he would as husband and father at home. Natalia’s love and respect for Clint as a father is what drove Natalia to make the ultimate sacrifice, especially since she can’t have kids for her own. Her sacrifice was for Clint’s family.

Throughout the films in the MCU, the Hulk has taken on most foes with great success, even taking on a full powered Surtur in Ragnorak. What was very shocking to fans was the Hulk being defeated by Thanos in the Infinity War. After losing to Thanos, the Hulk we know disappeared and Professor Hulk was born. Banner utilized gamma radiation once again to bring a peace between him and the beast that resides within him. Professor Hulk appearing in the Endgame is parallel with the comics.

The comic version of Professor Hulk was reluctant in joining against the fight with Thanos than the cinematic version. The Professor only participated in battle and was in full control of the fight until Thanos overpowered him with the Gauntlet’s power. What was confusing to fans is why the Russo Brothers decided the damage Hulk sustained from the Gauntlet is permanent, when his powers from the comic blueprint allows him to heal from all forms of damage? Also it was mentioned that the gems give off gamma radiation. If this is the case, wouldn’t that have made the Hulk even stronger instead of weakening him? Maybe turning Banner into the Grey Hulk, Savage Hulk or maybe even the World War Hulk? This leads into another question. What is the future of The Hulk on screen? Will we get to see the different versions of the Hulk, maybe see General Ross become the Red Hulk himself? Or, will the She Hulk finally make an appearance on the silver screen?

Black Panther returns from death with the Wakandan Army, Shuri and Okoyo. It was unclear in the Infinity War if Shuri met her demise when Thanos did the snap. After Civil War, Black Panther became an ally to Steve Rodgers, providing safe haven to Bucky and provided Vision protection with the Wakandian army when Thanos’s forces arrived. T’Challla has taken on a new responsibility to providing Wakanda’s resources to the world.

In the ultimate battle of Endgame, Hawkeye and Black Panther meet face to face once again since their encounter in Civil War. This time, Black Panther assists Hawkeye by running the Gauntlet across the battle field for him. That scene further displays the strength and power of his Vibranium suit and how it could be the strongest battle armor we’ve seen during the fight and throughout the MCU. That scene make fans recall back in the comics when Black Panther had the power of the Gauntlet at his fingertips. If Black Panther used the Gauntlet in this film, would his suit be strong enough to absorb and disperse it’s energy, without bringing physically harm to T’challa? Tony Stark has yet to encounter T’Challa’s Vibranium suit or even get a chance to experience Wakanda’s superiority in technology. If he did, would Tony’s latest armor be constructed with Vibranium? Would Tony also consider Shuri as a partner in science as he did with Rocket, Banner and Scott Lang?

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Wakanda has been restored and its defenses upgraded since Infinity War. Black Panther made a big impact in the MCU since his introduction in Civil War and with his 2018 solo release. Will the Black Panther become a new member of the Avengers in future films? It’s been rumored that Killmonger will make his return in the next Black Panther movie. If so, what big impact would his character bring now that Wakanda has already faced its biggest threat with Thanos?

In the ending credit scenes of Infinity War, Nick Fury sends out a distress signal to Captain Marvel before turning to ash. In Captain Marvel 2019 ending credits, Carol arrives to Fury’s beacon, which is now in the Avengers Headquarters. It has been twenty-three years since Carol left Earth in her solo film. Carol missed over two decades on Earth, unaware of all the heroes that have spawned up over time. Because of this, Carol assumes that she is the strongest hero Earth has and her alliance is what would ensure the Avengers victory. This statement provoked Thor because before Carol, he is the strongest off world ally Earth has, mainly based on his war history, god status and power.

During this film, Carol had short roles for she was occupied helping other worlds in the Universe. In this movie, Carol is responsible for returning Tony back to Earth and being apart of the first mission to face Thanos on his sanctuary planet. Carol enters the final battle, destroying Thanos flagship as she enters Earth’s atmosphere. Captain Marvel almost overwhelms Thanos, who at that time had a completed Gauntlet. Thanos removes the Power Stone and simultaneously hit Carol with it, taking away her presence on screen until the end at Tony’s memorial. With this footage, its unclear if Carol is actually stronger than Thor, for in the comic book blueprints, Thor is the strongest between himself and Captain Marvel.

Thanos goal is to bring balance to the Universe for he believes life can destroy itself if it consumes all the resources it uses to survive. Thanos has been in the population control for some time until he discovered with the Infinity Stones, he could do the job once and then retire his status to leave in peace. Using time travel came with a consequence to the Avengers in the form of Nebula. When she travel back in time, her mental systems linked with past self, showing Thanos a visual recording of his success and then his death by hands of Thor. This knowledge sparked the creation of a new plan, to erase the universe and recreate it, so no one could remember there was a purge at all.

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The Gauntlet of the MCU is different from the one in the comics because this Gauntlet backfires on the user with damaging or fatal effects. Was the Power Gem and Reality Gem responsible for this? The Power Gem was featured in Guardian of the Galaxy Vol.1, where any normal mortal would instantly be blown apart by its power. The Reality Gem also has corruptible power on mortals in the example with Jane Foster but it would work in unison with Malekith. Thanos snapping his fingers is not a way of using the Gauntlet, but more of a simple gesture used to show the simplicity of wiping out the Universe with ease.

Vision’s characters doesn’t return for this film. What do you think happened to Vision, even after the Universe was restored? In the Infinity War, it was theorized by Banner that a lot of Vision’s interface would be left after the Mind Gem was removed. It would have been a great fan service to see Vision enter the battle field with Black Panther, Shuri and Okoyo. It would make sense that an arc reactor would be in place of the gem or even the creation of the Solar Jewel that Vision has in the comics. Gamora like Black Widow, could not return as their original selves because their souls were required to get the Soul Gem. The Gamora of the past takes the place of the fallen Gamora, but her character disappeared from the film with Nebula after the final battle, leaving Quill to begin his search for her.

At the end of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Ayesha plans to take revenge on the Guardians with her creation of Adam Warlock, a character who became leader of the Earth forces against Thanos in the comic series. Adam’s team consists of Drax the Destroyer, Gamora and Pip the Troll, which is very similar to the Guardians of the Galaxy. Could Adam become the next adversary for the team? Now they have Thor on their side, how will the team fare against the cosmic being?

The MCU spans over 22 films, mainly created around the Avengers as a team and it’s individual members. SpiderMan, Black Widow, and Black Panther are among the characters that will have more movies to come in Phase 4 of the MCU. In cinema, The X-Men will have their final battle as well with the Dark Phoenix. What if the X-Men became a part of the MCU? How much cooler would the ending battle scene of the Endgame have been if the X-Men arrived at the battlefield to take on Thanos with the Avengers?? Leave your comments below and be sure to check out Side Show Collectibles latest releases for the Avengers Endgame!!

AquaMan 2018 Movie Review!!!

The Justice League film spawned the solo movie for AquaMan with great success! This feature generated $1.150 billion dollars worldwide to date! Zack Snyder introduced the character to the big screen, but it was James Wan brought out the full details of the character. Jason Momoa turned out to be a perfect choice to portray the AquaMan character because Jason and Arthur both originated from people of the water and of the land. The costume designs were perfect for each character because they closely resemble those seen in the comic publications. Some comic fans find the underwater visuals on par with James Cameron’s Avatar. Even though this film used a lot of CGI, it, along with 2017 Wonder Woman, Man of Steel, and the Batman from Christopher Nolan, are the top-ranking origin films for DC Comics.When it comes down to character development on-screen, what fans loved about this film was how producers took time to explain and show visuals of how AquaMan’s powers work, especially during the training with Vulko. Since Aquaman is half human, he is physically stronger than all Atlantians and he has the unique ability to communicate with the animals of the sea. This telepathic ability help prove Arthur’s worthiness to the Trident.  Once wielded, Arthur’s telekinetic abilities expanded, connecting him to the Life Force of the Seven Seas. Even the vast amount Trench creatures came under control of AquaMan, a task believed to be impossible because of their savagery. When making a worldwide connection to sea animals, this visually looks similar to Professor Xavier using Cerebro in the X-Men films. In magic, the Trident is similar to Mjolnir by way of controlling lightning and weather. So, what Trident was Arthur wielding in Justice League if he had his mother’s Trident in his possession before the Trident of Poseidon?AquaMan 2018 would be Mera‘s second appearance on film, her first being cameo in The Justice League. In this film, Mera stuck closely to Arthur, helping him along the way to realize his importance as King of Atlantis, then later becoming his Queen to be. Mera is hydrokinetic like the Water Tribe of Avatar the Airbender. On film, we’ve seen Mera extract water from Arthur’s body, even turn wine into sharp, deadly projectiles. One question that was raised among fans is what was the reason for Mera to create an air bubble to speak to Arthur in Justice League, but never used that technique in this film? Was that a correction the producers wanted to make in concerns to Atlantean communication underwater? Or is this a different in style between Zack Synder and James Wan?

The main antagonist of this film was no other than Orm, Arthur’s half-brother. This family rival is similar to Thor and Loki or T’Challa and N’Jadaka. What’s common with these rivals is that the tensions begin for the rights of the throne. The unworthy King would use deception to become ruler but later become defeated by the rightful heir. Justice League: Throne of Atlantis was similar to this film, with the theme that a new King is needed in the underwater kingdom and to stop an impending war on the surface world. There were key differences in the films, but both were considered great origins stories of the AquaMan. Orm is imprisoned for his crimes but like most popular villains, it’s only a matter of time until he returns…

This film was big enough to feature another of AquaMan’s primary villains, The Black Manta. This Black Manta is quite different from the one in the comics. This film showed Manta as a pirate who has a strong relationship with his father. Arthur allowed Manta’s father die while they were on their hijacking mission, and this started the war between these two characters. In comic publications, during his youth, Black Manta was a victim of human trafficking. While at sea, Manta saw AquaMan and signaled for help to escape his kidnappers, but the King didn’t see this signal. Just as depicted in the comics, Black Manta is Orm’s human soldier who helped set up the stage for Atlantis and the surface to engage in war. Orm shared weapon technology with Manta so he could destroy Arthur but was defeated in the process. End credit scenes predict Manta’s return, but this time he may become a bigger threat than he was before….

What are your thoughts on this film? If we are to receive sequels to this film, how will they be incorporated in any future Justice League films? Rumors suggest Ben Affleck will not have his solo movie for Batman, and Henry Cavill is no longer playing Superman. DC Comics is down to two characters on-screen: Wonder Woman and AquaMan. Let’s hope the Shazam movie is just as outstanding as AquaMan 2018 to keep DC cinematic universe alive for the comic fans. Also make sure to Check out these amazing statues provided by SideShow Collectibles!!

Shazam Movie Review!!!

Shazam has entered into the DC Cinematic Universe, with good success and minimal criticism from comic fans! To date, the film has generated $325.5 million worldwide and with Rotten Tomatoes rating of 90%, Shazam gains popularity like his cinematic counterparts the Justice League. This 2019 feature by DC Comics is a comedy action adventure, for it emphasizes Captain Marvel’s adolescent behavior to the audience. Billy Batson is a kid with superpowers, that must learn the importance of responsibility and family.

When Shazam was first announced with its release, fans instantly thought Shazam would battle Black Adam. Instead, Shazam’s first rival was with Dr. Thaddeus Sivana, a scientist who studied magic in hopes to achieve what science cannot. In the comics, Thaddeus is responsible for freeing Black Adam from imprisonment, believing he could learn the magical arts from the ancient being. In this film, Thaddeus gained powers from the collective force of the Seven Deadly Sins, making him as powerful as Shazam. DWayne “The Rock” Johnson continuously petitioned that he would love to play the role of Black Adam, instead becoming the executive producer of this film! Even though Black Adam was absent, Dwayne’s involvement leaves the door wide open for a sequel and his awaited appearance as Shazam’s primary nemesis.

Another notable change didn’t resonate with comic fans was casting Djimon Hounson as the Wizard Shazam. This is because Djimon played as the King of the Fishermen in the 2018 AquaMan film, and recently reprising his role as Korath in 2019 Captain Marvel. Was Djimon used to connect the two characters together on screen because of sharing the same name Captain Marvel? And how is it Djimon is playing two characters in the same universe?? The Wizard’s ethnicity changed, much like Samuel Jackson playing Nick Fury or Idris Elba playing Heimdall. Do you think changing the ethnicity of comic characters is necessary for story and character development on screen?

One surprise to the film was the introduction of the Shazam Family. Much like the Family of the comics, Billy passed on the power of Shazam to his adopted brothers and sisters. The Family assisted Billy in defeating, then imprisoning the Seven Deadly Sins. In turn, Billy gained not only an adopted family in human form, but also a super team of his own. Since this is the case, should Shazam even join the Justice League as a recruit? Do you think the Shazam Family is strong enough to overpower the League?

The DC Universe has yet to show a successful cinematic universe with the consistency like The Marvel Cinematic Universe. Shazam could have been a great extension of the Justice League, as mentioned by Bruce Wayne and Diana Prince at the end of the 2018 film, where Bruce would use the old Wayne Manor as the Justice League headquarters.  Henry Cavill and Ben Affleck both dropped from their character roles, once again leaving fans wondering, who will be the next Batman and Superman? Not only that, will the next chosen actors supersede the earlier portrayals?

So, what were your thoughts on the movie? Shazam is a great film that WILL be overshadowed when Avengers: Endgame is released as well as Star Wars: The Rise of SkyWalker later this year. Just between Captain Marvel 2019 and Shazam 2019, Marvel and DC, who do you think had a better movie between the two characters?? Leave your thoughts below!