The Seven Best Films with Marvel Characters

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Here they are (at last). In seven words, followed by seven reviews on the Seven Best Films with Marvel Characters. I said seven a lot there I know..

7: Thor (2011)
Director: Kenneth Branagh
Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman and Tom Hiddleston
In Seven Words: Hammers home sibling rivalry in astronomical fashion...
Review: Thor is a prodigious Marvel figure, he is the son of Odin for crying out loud! The studio required that the Norse god engage in a successful solo adventure before the Avengers could assemble in 2012. With Kenneth Branagh at the helm and Chris Hemsworth at the hilt, Thor swings and (thank god) doesn't miss. Unluckily for our titular hero, he becomes rather recalcitrant when it comes to swinging Mjolnir (his earth shattering hammer) and against his father's will, he leads his fellows into attacking the Frost Giants, an ancient enemy yes, but one that Odin (Anthony Hopkins) believes is far from threatening. The punishment for Thor is a vertical journey down to earth where the connection with his trusty weapon is severed. This is all to the amusement of Thor's mischievous adoptive brother, Loki (Hiddleston), who has just come into knowledge of his true parentage, thus exorcising his own evil plans for Asgard. Thor cannot assimilate with the humans that he encounters, and we glean a large amount of humour from this. His earthly vacation is where the film is at its best, smashing fantasy with reality, and introducing Thor to a resolute romantic interest in the form of astrophysicist Jane Foster (Portman). Although it has to be said that Loki, with his snarling witticisms and manipulative mannerisms, steals every scene he nudges into, with his pelt towards earth at the end making for a thrilling culmination. Admittedly, the final deployment of action, where a metal giant thumps a New Mexico town until Thor sends a sword through its spine, is a tad underwhelming. Yet, Hemsworth, Hiddleston and Hopkins make for a formidable triumvirate of a family in crisis; the underused mother Frigga (Rene Russo) falls to the sidelines. Branagh has excelled himself in directing an entertaining and characterful picture. A shame then, that the sequel was so preposterously poor.

6: Blade II (2002) 
Director: Guillermo Del Toro
Starring: Wesley Snipes, Kris Kristofferson and Leonor Varela
In Seven Words: Vampires play victims to the vicious Reapers...
Review: If you're looking for the most absurd screen insult ever: 'you cock juggling thunder cunt', you're watching the wrong Blade. That's the next one, a much maligned third outing that plunges in inferiority when compared to the eerie aesthetics and chaotic content of Blade II. Granted, it is a bit of an 'underground rave' comic-book movie: a manic thrill-ride that's not for everybody. But for its target market (storm chasers and hardcore ravers), Blade II is electric! The movie has been produced under Del Toro's other, perhaps less impressive strain of film-making. This being the "popcorn flick" (See Hellboy II: The Golden Army and Pacific Rim). With the likes of Pan's Labyrinth and Cronos, Del Toro delves profoundly into symbolic and religious imagery encompassed by an imposing Gothic aestheticism. His "popcorn flicks" are more concerned with entertainment value. This is no criticism; the blockbuster model tends to be more profitable for studios. Moreover, with Blade II, Del Toro doesn't surrender his originality completely, injecting the screen with some menacing motifs, the grim underground setting being a palpable example. In this sequel, Blade (Snipes) forms a reluctant alliance with adversaries, the Bloodback, a group of elite vampires, so as to fend off a new foe, the rather frightening Reaper vampires, headed by Jared Nomak (Luke Goss). The diet of the Reapers comprises of humans and vampires, thus making them quite the threat. Blade II has its flaws, but where it does succeed to impress is in its anarchic action sequences, which are accentuated by a heavy metal score where the viewer will meet some turbulence. I see it as one of Marvel's cult movies. It is the sharpest Blade and the sixth best outing for a Marvel manufactured character.

5: Iron Man 3 (2013)
Director: Shane Black
Starring: Robert Downey Jr, Gwyneth Paltrow and Guy Pierce
In Seven Words: Tony Stark rivals Loki in cracking wise...
The Review: Imagine Tom Cruise in this role, which could have been the case. Would he be able to match the delivery of Robert Downey Jr? With his flawless facial hair and excellent taste in sunglasses, Stark exudes coolness; the man who embodied Chaplin 21 years prior augments this in his best appearance so far as the impudent icon of technological breakthrough. For that reason alone this movie belongs on this list! The script of Iron Man 3 hastily shifts between tonal gears, drama then humour, humour then drama; it's like an erratic tragi-comedy, constantly wrong footing the viewer. Some critics like it for this reason, others loathe it. What is engrossing about it for me is how a personal integration develops between the man and the suit. One always feels that their relationship was superficial before, that Stark attaches no affection to his creation, though as the story develops, the man relies on his armour as a stark reminder of personal values. He's 'got a lot of apologies to make' and this is indicative of a more emotionally harnessed Tony (though still with the witty banter in his inventory). Action is aplenty, the Mandarin (Ben Kingsley) makes for a sinister psycho, and a bonkers but brilliant twist blows the final third wide open. Arguably, if the academy didn't veto superhero films, Ben Kingsley could have been nominated for an Oscar. Iron Man is put through the ringer (The Mandarin has nine rings... ho ho ho) and this is proof that Marvel can still push the boat out.

4. Avengers Assemble (2012)
Director: Joss Whedon
Starring: Chris Evans, Samuel L Jackson and Scarlett Johansson
In Seven Words: The Avengers assemble to save New York...
Review: That's New York City, not the state. And they do save it (and the world). Sure, superheroes lock horns along the way; a super soldier vs a billionaire playboy magnet, a God vs a Hulk. In other words, Marvel does Tekken. But essentially, if you are going to team up earth's mightiest heroes in their inaugural adventure together, one can be pretty certain that the antagonist will eventually succumb to getting their ass kicked. Or rather, The Hulk will fling him around like a rag doll. That "him" is Loki, brother of Thor, and he does not tire of that 'formidable foe' status that he carried in his last appearance. If anything Loki raises his game, utilising his power to take control of Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) and Professor Erik Selvig (Stellan Skarsgard). They, albeit unwittingly, aid Loki in inciting the 'wormhole over New York' climax. This leads to one of Marvel's most audacious battle sequences; with the Joss touch and Whedon wow-factor, our heroes don't drown in the action but thrive on the task of stopping Loki's alien army, whilst attempting to seal up that pesky wormhole. Mark Ruffalo in particular deserves praise with his embodiment of Bruce Banner. Ruffalo handles this capricious character in meticulous detail; every twitch could either be a perfunctory quirk of his or a quandary for his employers, SHIELD. The rest of the team perform admirably, though Captain America (Evans) is the least entertaining and commands more captivation in his solo outings. Ultron will prove a sterner test, as will Thanos later on down the line. That being said, Avengers Assemble (as it was called in the UK) is darn funny, damn well engrossing, and a valuable precursor to Phase Two of Marvel's cine-universe.

3: Spider-Man 2 (2004)
Director: Sam Raimi
Starring: Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst and Alfred Molina
In Seven Words: Spins his web for a second time...
Review: When I think of Marvel, I think of Spidey. He's their poster boy, zipping through New York, wise cracking. With Raimi's second Spider-Man, he protects the poster-boy image by not only preserving the formula from the first film, but upping the ante, bequeathing us with emotional heft, sharp wit and colossal fight sequences (there are a lot of limbs involved, mostly robotic). Otto Octavius is the antagonist of the piece, though the shadow of the Green Goblin begins to emerge whenever Harry Osborn (James Franco) steps into the light. We get to see Otto become Doc Ock (Molina), the good guy becoming a villain, which I always think is a very compelling character narrative to unfold. We also see Peter Parker's (Maguire) relationship unfurl with Mary-Jane (Dunst), who now knows Peter to be Spider-Man. The camera composition of Spidey's battle with Doc Ock on the fast-moving train is enrapturing, pure cinema. I am a firm believer in action sequences that package emotion with motion, and although the sentiment is finite here, it packs a punch! I remember when I was turned away at the cinema from the first Spider-Man (I was too young at nine, leading to the furore of films being classified wrongly; I take full credit). I was devastated, at the age I was, blockbuster spectacle was what I engaged with. The sequel is more than a blockbuster though. It is intelligently plotted, with a tendency to swing high. Raimi has pedigree in making superior sequels (see Evil Dead II). When it comes to thirds. Not so much...

2: Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
Director: James Gunn
Starring: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana and Bradley Cooper
In Seven Words: Starlord and fellow space criminals go rogue...
Review: I don't want those seven words to mislead you. They may start off as space criminals, but these intergalactic misfits collude to become the (you guessed it) GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY. It all starts off with Peter Quill (Pratt), he prefers Starlord, filching an orb in a next-to-know-where pocket of the galaxy, triggering a manhunt headed by Ronan the Accuser (Lee Pace), the most feared of many who want the orb for themselves. Its power could destroy the galaxy, and it is up to Peter, the only human on show, to save it, along with a few (one furry) friends he meets along the way. These are: Gamora (Saldana), raised through an evil family, though surmounts that indoctrination to follow good, Drax (Dave Bautista), a vengeance hungry behemoth who takes everything literally, Rocket Raccoon (Cooper), a feisty raccoon with all guns a'blazing and Groot (Vin Diesel), a walking tree whose lexical range is limited to three words 'I am Groot'. The best feature of Guardians is that it doesn't rely on Marvel films before it; it's its own entertaining space adventure, owing influence from Star Wars, though with more wit and less lightsaber. Yes it has the lineage with the Avengers due to Thanos, though this is necessary, and it does not dictate the entire narrative of the picture. The prominence of an eighties score is effective nostalgia, and enhances the humanist nature of Guardians. As the only earthling on show, Pratt, utilizing a character trait/flaw, steals the film, and this is no easy task with Cooper and Diesel (sounds like a shady insurance firm) on outlandishly good form. Pratt's star is rising, and his leading man status is firmly cemented. I know I mentioned Star Wars, but Guardians is in debt to some of the great Westerns, particularly Rio Bravo, with its character conflict conceiving much amusement, and the rebellious anti-hero-cum-good exploring the vast space around him. Bravo Mr Gunn!

1: X2 (2003)
Director: Brian Singer
Starring: Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart and Ian Mckellen
In Seven Words: This is the best Wolverine Origins story...
Review: The opening. A manipulated mutant named Nightcrawler (Alan Cumming) storming the White House, taking down every guard in the place before teleporting his way to the President, knife raised... sensational spectacle and foreboding a riveting movie ahead. For me, X2 was the greatest superhero film until the Dark Knight came along and growled his way to the top. Yes, even greater than Superman: The Movie. It is a finely pitched film, evolving from its predecessor into epic territory. The story is that an old foe of Wolverine (Jackman), William Stryker (Brian Cox), arranges a mutant attack on the President, after which the President enforces Stryker to take down Professor Xaviors school. Few escape, predominantly the main cast, but Charles Xavior is caught, with his own power under threat, when manipulated by Stryker. He plans to cull every mutant with Professor X's power, and this will come about, unless a short-term allegiance of Magneto and Mystique with Charles' band of brothers (and sisters) can stop the embittered Stryker. The exploration of character, particularly Wolverine, hence my seven words, synthesized with the phenomenal fight sequences makes for a direct and dynamic picture. X2, like a lot of comic book movies, is a looking glass into fantasy attempting to depict reality. What I mean is this; Stryker's want to cull the X-Men could represent the Nazi slaying of the Jews in the 30's and 40's. Bobby living under a lie, until coming out to his parents as a mutant could represent the same situation for a person coming out to their parents as gay, which is how I read that scene. These double-entendres are intrinsic to a morally defiant picture, and this is one of the stand-out strengths of X2. It is a depiction of rights and wrongs, and this message is never lost in the heavy action. It merges with it perfectly. A Marvel story, on-screen, has never been told better.

My Next Seven Best Article Will Be.... The Seven Best Openings to a Motion Picture!

A Message from your blogger: As well as the Seven Best, I plan to write more articles and lunchtime teasers on the subject of film. I hope you enjoy them and thank you for trailing through my lists! And please use the link below to follow me on bloglovin'! 

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