Amazing Spider-Man 2 VS Captain America

  VS  

THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN vs CAPTAIN AMERICA: 2014: ACTION: ++:  Summer isn't the same without some blockbusters and now it seems like the superheroes have taken over, especially those of the Marvel Comics variety.  Both movies delivered great visuals and action sequences, but which was more original and packed more of a punch?

Spider-Man 2 began with a short montage of him flying through the air and web-slinging in much the way that the X-Men movie started this year, creating a sort of microcosm of the movie itself.  The effects were excellent and getting a sense for how Spidey moves in the air was thrilling.  However, the use of his own music on his phone and in his dialogue was odd.  How could a super-hero know his own music, especially that from the old cartoon series?  That was for the kids I guess.

Spidey slings while humming his own theme song?  Cheesy?

The stop motion effects were impressive throughout the movie but I missed the darker tone that the first Amazing Spider-Man had. It seemed to be edgier and this one immediately gave you the impression that this was not going to be the case.  Back to campy Spidey with a ton of wise cracks.  Don't get me wrong, this is from the comic, but it didn't necessarily have to follow every action sequence.

Can you just hear the wise crack he's about to say?  

Captain America began without any bells and whistles but get's you ready for a very real and exciting fight scene after he meets a fellow serviceman who becomes an ally running.  Not only that, but he gets picked up by Scarlett Johansson in the new Corvette. Not a bad way to introduce both characters.

The new Corvette and Scarlett, who wouldn't get in?

A new ally arises in Captain America..nice!

The action sequence that follows on the ship didn't disappoint and it was great how they introduced the physics of the shield and how Captain America uses it in combat.  Oh and by the way, he jumps out of an airplane without a parachute.  That line beat all of the cheesy wise cracks in the beginning of Spider Man 2 because it was subtle but effective.

Parachutes aren't necessary for Cap

The plot for Spider Man 2  becomes pretty predictable after Jamie Fox is electrocuted.  It follows many of the other films, even some of the Toby Maguire films, which I know a lot of people want to forget.  It was almost following a blueprint of what was going to happen.  

Soon to be a villain, Jamie Fox starts off very poorly.

Here is the plot in a nutshell: New villain arises, receives special powers by some freak accident, and then decides to go after Spider Man.  In this case, the reasons are very confusing.  First he idolizes him and then he hates him because he forgets his name, on his birthday?  I don't remember that from the comics.  

Come on..who wrote this?  Oh, it was re-written by Roberto Orti, or something.  Yes, re-written.  Never a good sign.  That's why Stan Lee appeared early in the film and was never seen again. Early cameo, then he's outta there.

Spidey, first I idolize you, then I hate you.  It's my Birthday Dammit!

The fighting scene in Times Square for Spider Man 2 was excellent and a definite high point in the movie.  The effects of the buildings losing power, the authenticity of the stores, and the stop motion was superb.  The special effects team should be praised for that portion.

The Time Square scene was done with excellent effects!

The Captain America action sequences weren't anything to disregard because they had plenty of great effects and felt more physically possible.  I especially loved it when he single highhandedly takes on a huge airship and turns it into rubble using only his shield and his quick reflexes.

This scene was awesome!  

I felt that the plot was better organized in Captain America with the use of Samuel L Jackson as Fury because it maintained some level of a twist while keeping you on your toes as to who should be trusted and who shouldn't be.  The scene where Fury is in the armored vehicle getting barraged by bullets was outstanding.

I loved this part of Captain America!

Do you want to see my identification officer?

The love interest part with Gwen and Spidey was alright, but I thought that the chemistry between Toby and Gwen was better in the previous Spider-Man version. Nothing beats that scene where Spidey gives her the first kiss while dangling on the web.  In the new Spidey, it just seems a bit hot and cold and doesn't have consistency.  What little chemistry there was in Captain America, even if it was tense, seemed to work better because again, it seemed more organic.

Spidey and Gwen have communication issues and little chemistry.

Now there's some chemistry, even if it's a bit strained, there's eye contact at least!

Case and point is when Cap and Scarlett have to kiss on the elevator.  That put the part where Spidey writes "I love you" on the Brooklyn Bridge to shame.  That was so cheesy it made me cringe.  Again, maybe it was for the kids. 

What, no exclamation point!  FAIL!

The villains in both movies were on equal grounds, neither was really compelling or made you hate them.  There was definitely more of a connection between the villain in Captain America than in Spider Man because they both fought on the same squad in their previous lives.  That made the conflict more visceral and engaging.

 OR 

Other than that the rest is academic. To me the Amazing Spider-Man series was meant to draw AWAY from the previous version with Toby, but in this one it went right back to the camp and cheese.  Captain America stayed true to it's roots and delivered a more consistent flow of action and suspense, with some sexual tension.  

Oh and throwing in the Hobgoblin in the end to round out the action in Spider Man seemed like a good idea, but it just fizzled as the scene only lasted like 5 minutes. 

There was just not enough Hobgoblin.  Save it for the sequel I guess.

This was an epic battle.

I liked the Hobgoblin.  He was great in the comic.  Again, it's obvious this movie is just setting up another sequel and following in the footsteps of the previous Spider-Man movies, which I think is a mistake.  

Spidey lost his edge, but he is still a favorite for the kids.  

So Spidey lost his edge and Captain America sharpened his shield.  I guess that's the way of the world.  Amazing Spider-Man 2 79%

Captain America 83%

"We knew we would win this comparison, no problem!"

Citadel: Embarrassed of Zombies?

CITADEL: 2012: HORROR: --:  This movie had its moments.  Fledgling director, Ciaran Foy, attempted subtle use of suspense and terror to evoke fear and it didn't completely disappoint.  

The acting by Aneurin Bernard was actually pretty good and the lighting, sets, backgrounds, music and character selection was on par.  The movie had it's fair share of scares, so let's get to some of the elements of this new director's movie.


Good use of lighting, camera shots, and other things show the director's skill.

From the beginning, it grabs you due to the fact the main character's wife is assaulted by what look like children in hoodies.  She goes into a coma but the baby lives and therefore the father is left to care for the infant. On top of that, he lives in an area that is dilapidated and seems to hold some sort of devilish secret. Finally, he suffers from panic attacks and is scared of everything.


Look they're in hoodies!


Not the ideal place to live, the settings are dreary but that adds to the atmosphere.

The beings that inhabit the building in which Tommy (Aneurin Bernard) live aren't quite human but aren't zombies. They sure act like them though and many of the scares are taken directly from Dawn of the Dead, The Walking Dead, or other movies of that ilk.  So they work because they startle you, but there is nothing new or original in the way they worked.  It was a zombie movie that wanted to deny being a zombie movie.  The fact that the main character is a male caring for an infant doesn't alone separate it from all the other zombie/ living dead movies.


This scene delivered a scare, but it's used in many horror movies.


They're not zombies, but they sure act like them.

The rest of the plot is basically aimed at blowing up the building that they inhabit.  OK, that should be easy enough to do, but the main character fears everything from a bottle clanking in the distance to wind rustling leaves on the ground. Come on, this is just stupid.  


I have an idea you scared moron, just blow up the building!  Yhea, that's new!!

I'm giving the new director some leeway here and giving the movie a slight pass because it did have some scares (when the creature lunges at Tommy but is chained and the initial abduction scene). But other than some gloomy camera shoots and dreary music, this movie was a passe take on a very crowded zombie horror genre:65%


Afraid to read the review?

Black Death: It Should Just Die Already!

BLACK DEATH: 2010: HORROR: +-: Seeing this on the Netflix cue, I decided to give it a chance since it dealt with some interesting subject matter and had Sean Bean, who I've seen in other movies like Lord of the Ring.

It's not that it's a terrible movie, it just lacked focus and became lost in it's own plot line.  While the scenery and music were well done, the characters were only mildly developed and their overall motivation was unclear.  There is a plague ravaging the society, but why exactly are they gallivanting about on their horses with a monk? It's only vaguely detailed.  

 
Some of the scenery and locations were excellent.

I also don't know how this is a horror movie.  There were some gruesome torture sequences during the end, but overall, it was not scary in the sense that it triggered the usual effects of a horror movie like a quickening pulse, anxiety, or dread.  It just was violent and gory.  


Is violence equivalent to fright?

There was also a fight scene midway through the movie that didn't really make any sense at all.  They were just raided by thieves and had to kill them in order to survive.  That was it. 


There was some action in the movie but it had no bearing on the plot.

A horror movie set in this time period would be great and in some ways the sets and the overall mood were in line with a horror movie, but it just wasn't enough to make it scary.  


The atmosphere attempted to set the stage for horror, but ultimately fell short.

The movie gets it's most interesting elements when the team of knights, vagabonds, and rogues come to a village that seems untainted by the black death plague.  Although they are welcomed but, Ulric, played by Sean Bean, is skeptical of the village, especially of its beautiful leader, played by Carice van Houten. She seems like a benevolent leader, but things aren't always as they seem.


She seems nice at first, or does she?

The group is invited to imbibe on some ale while being entertained by the women folk.  They are actually poisoned and wind up in a cell where they have to renounce their faith in order to live or get tortured.  At this point, the torture scenes are pretty gruesome.


One of the gruesome scenes and this isn't the worst of the bunch..

The monk had an inkling that there was something wrong because the night before he saw the woman leader performing necromancy, bringing back a love he once had before becoming a monk.  This confuses him but ultimately sets up the final battle.


The necromancy scene where the leader shows she is a witch was a high point.

I won't give away the ending because if you like this time period and want to watch a movie that has some action and other elements of the medieval epoch, watch it.  I just didn't think it lived up to expectations: 69%