Captain America...Reviewed by Joseph Carter

Captain America is the latest in the long list of Superhero Movies on offer over the last year. It tells the tale of one of MARVEL COMICS most iconic characters, the origin of the propaganda ridden, recruit turned super soldier US Army Captain!

Set mostly during World War II, Steve Rodgers (Chris Evans) is determined to sign up with the US military, however his scrawny body shape (achieved by some wonderful CGI effects) results in him being rejected again and again. Luck changes though when Dr. Erksine (Stanley Tucci) recruits him for a secret government project. Showing great courage Rogers undergoes the experiment and transforms into a tall, muscular, Super Solider aka Captain America. Meanwhile in Nazi Germany the head of a secret research department, Johann Schmidt (Hugo Weaving) is set on taking over the world (in true comic book form). So our unique hero, Captain America, is put to work to save the world from the dastardly Red Skull aka Johann Schmidt.

A perfect recipe for Superhero fun, and admittedly this movie is enjoyable from the very start. Styled as a Saturday Morning Serial with larger than life characters, high stakes drama and action. The cast is adequate at fulfilling what is nessacery for such arch performances, no one stands out by any means, which is actually a strength. However much this movie is about Captain America it feels very much like an ensemble piece, where even minor characters have great impact on the story. 

The action scenes are rip roaring, cartoonish and immensely unrealistic, but once again it works. It knows very much what kind of film it is, not losing its way at any point. Worth mentioning is the rousing score by Alan Silvestri, it fits the style perfectly and enhances the action just enough without distracting us.

So, the film ticks all the boxes…well…nearly. However well constructed and executed, this movie is lacking something big. It lacks originality, it’s perfectly good but instantly forgettable. Simply put, we have seen it all before and in this over saturated genre, Captain America sadly disappears. I honestly felt like I would have been better served renting out the DVD in another 3 months. There is nothing special about this film, at all. By all means completely enjoyable but entirely unremarkable.

3 out of 5

An enjoyable Superhero flick, keeps your attention from the very start. But ultimately fails in being remotely memorable. Better luck next time Marvel.

Review by Joseph Carter

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Insidious...Reviewed by Joseph Carter

"Insidious" tells the story of a family in turmoil after their son, Dalton, falls into an unexpected coma. But there is much more to this illness than meets the eye, as they delve into the world of the paranormal to bring back the spirit of their son. 

Advertised as a horror, I was surprised at the direction this film took. The first half sets up a very tense, traditional ghost story, nodding towards the ghostly cliches (Rocking horses, closing doors etc). With some genuinely unsettling scenes which even though I have seen the like time and time again still held some "umph". Not terrifying but...just creepy enough to hold interest.

The cast is adequate, with Patrick Wilson as the father of the piece, convincing and strangely relate-able even throughout the surreal second act. The other two stand out performances come from the "Comedy" double act found in Paranormal Investigators "Specks N Tucker" (Leigh Whannell and Angus Sampson), when I say stand out, I really don't mean that in a positive way, their knowingly kooky mannerisms appear just at the moment the film takes a turn for the worse...and the plain weird.

I don't want to spoil the wonderfully original way the movie twists, but lets just say this film attempts to put a new spin on the old ghost story. Involving other dimensions and inception style dream hijacking. However admirable the intentions of this fresh take, I found it frustratingly misguided, jumbled and embarrassing. Unfortunately this results in destroying the nervous horror built up so well in the first act and replaces it with a comic book villain fantasy. The kind of thing a student would experiment with in film school. Sadly we are treated to a never ending cast of ghosts and ghoulies who looked like they belong in a kids channel Halloween special. Almost pantomime at times. Too many spirits spoil the broth? Something like that.

I understand what James Wan wanted to do, and I admire his intentions, the execution of this filmic experiment is just so lost and disappointing that when the credits rolled I felt cheated of the well crafted ghost story established in the first 60 mins.

I genuinely hope that this film is remade one day (one of the rare occasions I encourage such things) but with a more controlled and stable plot. 

Overall its not a terrible piece of film, I commend the ambition of its creators, but can't recommend it as scary night at the movies. 

2 movies for the price of 1 isn't always a good thing.

2.5 out of 5

review by Joseph Carter