Film Review: The Avengers

Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury 

Marvel's plan to unite four separate super-hero franchises into one gigantic movie has been an ambitious and risky undertaking, and it could have very easily turned out to have been a whopping big mistake. Thankfully, it most certainty hasn't been a whopper; The Avengers is a fantastic film that does a great job of balancing it's extensive ensemble cast and also raising the bar for future super-hero films. Justice League who?



With Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury as its starting point, the Avengers ties together Iron Man (Robert Downey Jnr.), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Captain America (Chris Evans), The Hulk (newcomer Mark Ruffalo), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) and Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) for one huge super-hero smack-down against Loki (the magnificently cunning and devious Tom Hiddleston), it is easy to see how the plot could have easily drifted into being cluttered. Tying in the enormous amount of back-story that has been poured into the Avengers since Iron Man burst onto cinemas in 2008 can't have been easy for the head honchos at Marvel.

Thankfully, the trick up their sleeve is director Joss Whedon. Whedon, creator of TV shows such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Firefly, weaves his magic here yet again, somehow managing not to sideline any one of his sprawling cast. They are all given ample screen-time and plot devices; minor characters like Renner's Hawkeye are all integral to the film and don't get blurred into the background to make way for Iron Man.

That being said, one of the stand-out characters for me was definitely Downey Jnr.'s Iron Man/Tony Stark. When he is on screen, he's certainty hard to ignore, being handed 90% of the zinging one-liners that litter the script. The opening banter between himself and Gwenyth Paltrow's Pepper Potts is brilliantly witty, as is Stark referring to Thor as "Shakespeare in the park".

The rest of the cast also get chance to add a dash of humour as well, with Captain America and Thor's "fish-out-of-water" shtick being played up. The script really dazzles when "Earth's Mightiest Heroes" are at each others throats and vying for the position of top-dog in the first 90 minutes.

Another stand-out for me was Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner/The Hulk. Ruffalo steps into the role vacated by Edward Norton and Eric Bana seemingly with ease. His battle with his angry, green alter-ego (or "the other guy") is done well and helps drive the plot throughout the film's first half. Banner's budding friendship with Stark is an entertaining dynamic that Whedon plays on as well.

It's when the action starts to ramp up in the film's final hour that the Avenger's only failing comes to light. The fairly elongated Michael Bay-esque action sequence is certainty visually impressive (one extended shot that follows every Avenger has that "wow" factor), but it doesn't try anything new and, as a result, feels tried and tested. How many times can we sit through a large urban metropolis being reduced to rubble? Also, whilst Tom Hiddleston is on top form as Loki, his alien army feel a bit generic that could have been expanded on more. It is somewhat ironic that the film works best when Whedon's cast are allowed to riff off one another and show their vulnerability, not when smashing hordes of nasties to pieces.

These however are minor quibbles that hardly dampen what is, without a doubt, one of the best comic book films. Whedon and Marvel have done a fantastic job of uniting all the separate strands of the characters and it has far exceeded the expectations I held going in. You don't want to miss this, it's comic book gold. I give it 9 out of 10.

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Formula 1: Bahrain GP Overview

Vettel clinched his first win this season - Getty Images

Four races gone. Four winning drivers in four different teams. Four different leaders at the top of the standings. If 2012 is proving to be one thing, it's unpredictable. Seven days after qualifying 11th in China, Sebastian Vettel drove a sublime race from pole position to win his first race of the season.

In comparison to 2011, Vettel's start to 2012 has been positively pedestrian; a solitary podium in Australia followed by no points in Malaysia and fifth in China not giving the reigning champ the best of starts to the year. In Bahrain then it seems, Sebastian had a point to prove and he did exactly that. He didn't put a wheel out of place throughout both qualifying and the race, a well deserved victory. He's well and truly back in business. 

Completing the podium were Lotus F1's Kimi Raikkonen and Romain Grosjean. Kimi's drive from 11th to 2nd was great to watch, showing everyone he has lost none of that spark that made him World Champion in 2007. It would have been a great story for the sport had he managed to win in just his fourth race back but ultimately Vettel was too quick in the final stint when it mattered. 

Grosjean's 3rd place was impressive for a driver still in only his 11th F1 race. His confidence will continue to grow as the season goes on and there is every chance we could see both Kimi and Romain on the top step of the podium this year. Exciting stuff!

Mclaren had a shocker of a race, one they will definitely want to forget. One slow pitstop is bad luck but two in one race gives the impression that Hamilton has broken plenty of mirrors recently. His pace prior to his first stop wasn't great and there will no doubt be a big rethink at Mclaren before Round 5 in Barcelona. Jenson's pace was also pretty meagre and another non-points finish was disappointing for the 2009 Champ. 

Mark Webber has truly made 4th place his own, seemingly lacking the spark that Vettel had in that RB8. Nico Rosberg pulled some questionable moves on Hamilton and Alonso to finish 5th after a poor start and was lucky not to get a post-race penalty in my opinion. 

Mightily impressive was Paul di Resta in the Force India. Finishing 6th on a two-stop strategy was a great result for the Scot; his overtake on Maldonado and Perez was a great bit of opportunism.

Ferrari did well to get both of their drivers in the points; Alonso collecting 7th after Button's retirement and Massa picking up two points for 9th. Toro Rosso's Riccardo was visibly downbeat post-race after finishing 15th. He must have had his eye on one or two points when he qualified 6th but got an absolutely dreadful start.  

Williams were unlucky to record two DNF's with Senna and Maldonado but will take heart in the fact that rivals Sauber also failed to collect points.

Overall, the Bahrain Grand Prix was a big improvement on the last race staged in Sakhir; DRS and Pirelli adding a touch of excitement to proceedings. It'll be interesting to see if Vettel can begin to establish momentum after this first win or whether Mclaren and Mercedes can bounce back in Barcelona. One things for certain, 2012 has definitely got more surprises in store. 

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Formula 1: A Dangerous Mix

Anti-F1 Graffiti in Bahrain

If the ongoing saga that is the Formula 1 Bahrain Grand Prix teaches us anything, it is that sport and politics are an odd and dangerous mixture. The two very rarely go well hand in hand, and they don't exactly compliment the other very well; a bit like fish fingers and custard for any Doctor Who fans out there.

It is still surprising to me that the race this weekend is going ahead at all. The Bahrain Grand Prix has hardly established itself as one of the most valuable venues on the calender since its inception back in 2004. A country with little to no tradition or interest in the sport outside of financial ones, the Bahrain race is run on the Sakhir circuit; a track set against the endlessly dull backdrop of sandy desert with little character to speak of. 

Unlike some of the other new venues; Malaysia, Singapore and China, not one of the races hosted here sticks out as being memorable or pivotal.  Unless you count 2010, but that sticks out for all the wrong reasons, as being ball-achingly boring. As an event, it doesn't hold a candle to Monza, Silverstone, Suzuka or even Imola. The atmosphere isn't there, there's no buzz; that much is evident even through the power of television. 

The anti-F1 protests being staged this week

Which is why its fairly surprising that the ongoing unrest, that caused last years event to be cancelled, hasn't led to the race being dropped entirely. Sport and politics are a dangerous mix, and a worldwide spectacle such as Formula One can't be seen to turn a blind eye to the ongoing human-rights issues that are still being perpetrated in Bahrain. I don't pretend to be any expert on the matter, quite the opposite in fact. I'm merely a fan of the sport. And as a fan, I'd like the sports image to remain unscathed, something that isn't going to happen now that the race is going ahead. 

As you can see from the top picture, the infamous F1 logo having the F substituted with a smoking sub-machine gun is hardly the kind of imagery fans are usually accustomed to seeing attached to their sport. The banners and protests in the second image show how the addition of a political agenda to sport can be harmful to the sports image. Is it right that the lavish and exuberant race goes ahead whilst this kind of unrest takes place just outside the circuit? The only right thing to do in this situation is to drop the race. It's not F1's place to get involved with these people's strife and staging a global sporting event in their backyard will do nothing to end it. 

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Formula 1: Chinese GP Overview

Getty Images

Nico Rosberg drove a flawless race to clinch his first Grand Prix victory and Mercedes' first works outfit win since 1955. Behind him, it was chaos, with strategy and overtaking aplenty.


It was by far the most exciting race so far this season; in my opinion the best since Germany last year. At times, there were cars from 2nd all the way back to 12th line astern fighting for position. It was a great display of varying strategies at work; the choice between stopping for tires two or three times splitting the drivers. Some, like Rosberg and Vettel, were able to make the two stop strategy work to great effect; others, like Raikkonen, didn't and suffered as a result, with the Finn dropping from 2nd to outside of the points in a matter of three laps.

The main talking point was of course Rosberg and Mercedes. The young German's first win was faultless, and his driving mirrored that of his compatriot and team-mate, Schumacher in his prime. Proving to critics that their W03 is a genuine contender, Mercedes definitely seemed relieved to have sealed that first win since returning to the sport in 2010.

Elsewhere, the two Mclaren drivers came away with much to smile about. Button, who started 6th, put a three stop strategy to good use and finished 2nd. He claims it could have been 1st had he not been held up at his last pitstop, but I'm not so sure; Rosberg was just that little bit far ahead. Hamilton was impressive also; he kept a cool head to put passes on Senna, Massa, Maldonado, Raikkonen and Vettel. His third podium in a row puts him in the lead of the championship and recalls the same cool consistency he built up in his rookie year. All he has to do now is keep it going.

Red Bull came away with 4th and 5th for Webber and Vettel respectively. It's not where they wanted to be but it is still a double points finish and it keeps them in touch of the two Mclarens in the points table. They'll be putting the test at Mugello to great use after the Bahrain GP to work on developing their car and winning races. They might be frustrated now, but they'll be back on the top-step before the middle of the year, no doubt.

Raikkonen was unlucky to not finish in the points but his team-mate Grosjean did well to score the first of his career. He nearly had a coming together with Webber and Maldonado, but it must have been a relief to shake off the disappointment of Australia and Malaysia.

Williams' renaissance continued with both Senna and Maldonado scoring points. Senna is really starting to prove his worth with a impressive 7th place. Kobayashi would have been disappointed to finish 10th after starting 3rd but realistically I think a podium was going to be off the cards for Sauber in Shanghai unless it rained like it did in Sepang.

Ferrari's struggle continued in Shanghai; the absence of rain highlighting the un-competitiveness of their car. Alonso finished 9th and scored two points but Massa finished a dismal 13th. Three races and no points will not go down well back at Maranello.

Only a week until Bahrain then. Whether F1 should or should not be heading to the troubled Middle-Eastern nation is another matter. Hopefully we'll see some better racing than last time a race was held in Sakhir. The circuit will offer a different challenge to an unusually chilly China; the temperatures in Bahrain may mix things up yet again. Can't wait.

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Feature: Failed Book to Film Franchises

Disney's John Carter

Under the weight of blockbusting mega franchises like Twilight, The Hunger Games and Harry Potter, it's easy to forget that there are plenty more than fall by the wayside. So many fan favourite books from popular authors fail to translate onto the big screen. First up...

John Carter (2012)

Life lesson for Disney; no matter how many millions you throw in the direction of a classic sci-fi novel, it doesn't convert into an instant hit in film. John Carter, based on the 11-volume Barsoom series that were published from 1912 (!) to 1943, bombed so hard it made a hole the size the planet on which it is set in the pockets of the poor Disney studio that developed it.

With a 250 million dollar budget, John Carter is steadily making back its expenses but it has not gone well for Disney. Strangely, it did well in Russia. Huh.

Chance of spawning a sequel/franchise: Next to nil

Stormbreaker (2006)

As a fan of the original Anthony Horowitz book on which this film was based (and subsequent eight sequels) I'm not afraid to admit that Stormbreaker didn't hit the mark. Alex Rider, the series' protagonist, is a schoolboy caught up in a Bond-esque caper with spies, gadgets and all that jazz.

Sounds great on paper, but the film didn't draw in audiences and any plans for adaptations of the other (and actually increasingly better) Alex Rider novels were scrapped. 

Chance of spawning a sequel/franchise: After all this time, slim

I Am Number Four (2011)

Released last year, I Am Number Four is based on a novel of the same name by Pittacus Lore. A planned series of six novels, the current two books are unlikely to see the light of day in cinemas after the first didn't do as expected.

Plugged as a successor to Twilight, I Am Number didn't attain the same media whirlwind the vamp/wolf orgy did. Still, it made enough to justify a sequel so maybe we'll see a sequel sooner or later. Stranger things have happened *cough* Indy 4 *cough*

Chance of spawning a sequel/franchise: Slim to moderate

The Golden Compass (2007)

Based on the first novel in Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy, The Golden Compass was one of the most expensive projects undertaken by studio New Line Cinema. Packed with stars like Daniel Craig, Nicole Kidman, Eva Green and Ian McKellen, the film had franchise potential written all over it. 

The film however was written off as being rushed and lacking by critics and the chance of there ever being a sequel to The Golden Compass is slim. With such strong source material, it could well have challenged the likes of Potter and Narnia.

Chances of spawning a sequel/franchise: Next to nil

Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events (2004)

An adaption of the first three books in the series of the same name, A Series of Unfortunate Events had big stars (Jim Carrey, Meryl Streep) and a distinctive visual style but somehow still didn't manage to gain enough momentum to sustain a sequel. 

It's a shame because Snicket is the most enjoyable film out of these five. It was fun, over the top and kooky, all ingredients that can be the makings of a family film franchise. 

Chances of spawning a sequel/franchise: After nearly 10 years, very slim

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Burma VJ

Starting out as a small-time documentary, the 2008 film Burma VJ is something everyone should get on-board with, especially since the small South-East Asian nation is now front and centre in the media spotlight again. 

One of the most oppressive and restrictive governments on the planet, the Burmese military junta has shaped the way Burma is ruled for over 40 years. After anti-government protests in the country flared tensions in 2007, news of the riots were spread across the globe. Starting small and making waves through the public, the campaign of civil resistance were crushed brutally and swiftly by the government.

Burma VJ is complied together with footage that was smuggled out from Burma as well as reconstructed scenes of the Thailand editing suite in which the film was made.  Released in 2008 when the "Saffron Revolution" was still a hot topic on the media's lips, the film took the Oscar for Best Documentary Feature that year.

The film is unapologetically brutal in its depiction of the riots and the subsequent military action. There are no reconstructions of the protests and riots. All of these sequences are actual footage taken by hidden cameras; being caught filming in Burma ensures arrest and torture. The films protagonist, Joshua, risks his life to get word of the injustice to the worlds media and it really connects with the viewer. They show the revolution in its entirety; from initial murmurs on the street to full-scale tear-gas drenched riots in alleyways and across barricades. 

Burma VJ is harsh and unforgiving, in the same way the Burmese government is with its people. It doesn't avoid the fact that people are captured and tortured, that the protesters are hunted and killed. It is very close to the bone. Fully deserving of the Oscar, Burma VJ is eye-opening cinema that doesn't sensationalize and play up the drama for shock effect like a Michael Moore film. It is real and genuinely affecting.

With the recent by-elections giving the country its first slim (and I mean slim) glimpse of democracy, watching Burma VJ is a real eye-opening experience of how little attention is given to the struggles that the Burmese people undergo on a daily basis. It tells an important and heart-wrenching story in a brutal fashion and sheds light on a corner of our world that is usually shrouded in darkness.

If you haven't seen it before, now is your chance. 

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