Monday, 12 November 2012

Skyfall (2012)


Film: Skyfall (2012)
Director: Sam Mendes
Starring: Daniel Craig, Judi Dench, Javier Bardem

Skyfall was easily one of my most anticipated films of 2012. I'm a huge fan of the Daniel Craig Bond films and Casino Royale would probably make my list of top 10 favourite movies. I'm such a big fan of Craig that I looked past the flaws in Quantum of Solace and actually enjoyed it (I still think it's a decent film, it just doesn't match the highs set previously by Casino Royale). So heading into Skyfall, my levels of excitement were high to say the least.

And it did not disappoint. Skyfall has been called the best Bond film ever in numerous reviews and I struggle to disagree with that statement. I have to admit, before Casino Royale I was not much of a Bond fan. The Connery films were decent but I won't touch the Roger Moore editions with a ten foot pole. My first experience of Bond as a youngster was Pierce Brosnan's debut as 007 in Goldeneye and unfortunately it all went downhill from there. Die Another Day is one of worst films I've ever seen. Thankfully Skyfall has everything to satisfy the fans who love the previous movies as well as the new breed like myself who adored Casino Royale. It has all the brutal and stylish traits that Craig has brought to the role as well as the classic 007 trademarks from the series's glorious past, like the return of Q and that unmistakeable Bond theme tune (you know... duh duh, duh duhhhhhhhh, duh duh duh!). Skyfall has something for everyone: the Bond girls, the gadgets, the villain, the ridiculous action-packed set-pieces, but it's very tastefully done and doesn't feel corny or stupid like a lot of the old Bond's do.

That's largely thanks to director Sam Mendes. It was a master-stroke by the Broccoli's and MGM to bring the Oscar winner on board to direct Skyfall and it came together perfectly. Mendes successfully incorporates the best aspects of Bond's past into the Daniel Craig era and makes it work; not an easy feat when you have so many people to please. With Mendes' trusted hands at the wheel, Skyfall soars to new heights that few Bonds before it have ever matched. There has never been a more beautifully shot Bond movie and DOP Roger Deakins should take all the plaudits. The landscapes throughout are incredible and every scene is given astonishing care and attention.

However a film is only as good as it's cast and Skyfall possesses one of the finest in Bond history. Daniel Craig returns to the role of 007 in his third outing as Britain's top spy. The man just exudes coolness. In Skyfall Craig is given license to show more emotion than he has previously. In Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace Craig was a ruthless and brutal killing machine who didn't think twice about his actions (only towards the end of Casino did we see his sensitive side with Eva Green's Vesper.) Here we see a more sensitive side to 007 as Craig deals with the mortality of Bond. For the first time we see 007 lose a step,as we see him struggle to battle back to his best. Skyfall see's Craig's best performance as Bond yet and you can really see he's grown into the role. In my opinion he is the best Bond of them all.


Special mention must also be made to the leading lady in Skyfall, the ultimate Bond girl, Judi Dench. She was the only survivor when the studio cleaned house from the Brosnan era and her performances as M have been  brilliant. But in Skyfall Dench takes the character to another level and very nearly steals the show. Her role as mother/mentor to Craig's Bond brings out the best in both actors and when the pair grace the screen together we see some of the strongest scenes in the whole film. Credit must also be given to the rest of the cast. Every actor and actress featured in Skyfall is sublime. Javier Bardem ripped out a page from the No Country For Old Men scrapbook and brought his best villain performance to the role of Silva, Bond's new cyber-terrorist nemesis. Bardem is downright terrifying and creepy at the same time, plus his hair is enough to scare you senseless. The Bond girls in Skyfall are two of the finest in the franchise's history; Berenice Marlohe (pictured above) is the sultry and mysterious Severine and Naomie Harris is the deadly yet flirtatious Eve. Both actresses bring something different to Skyfall and both leave a lasting impression. The British contingent of Ralph Fiennes, Ben Whishaw and Albert Finney are also superb and help elevate Skyfall to another level. This film is blessed with an abundance of on-screen talent that puts the majority of 2012 films to shame.

I only have one problem with Skyfall; I'm still not entirely sure I can rank it above Casino Royale. My decision on the subject changes every day but right now I have both films on par together, perfectly balanced, neither movie edging out the other as my favourite. My love for Casino Royale is absurdly high because it was the first Bond film I'd seen that was actually cool. It shed all those awful Bond one-liners and cheesy moments. No stupid gadgets and ridiculous situations. Daniel Craig's Bond in Casino is a post-Bourne Bond, big on realism and I loved that, and still do. Skyfall certainly has all of those traits and keeps very true to the realistic feeling set in Casino and Quantum but there's a part of me, that Casino loving maniac part, that felt a bit of put off when those classic Bond moments popped up in Skyfall. Not to the extent where I felt the film suffered because of them but I just felt it was, well, a bit naff sometimes. Despite that, I do feel that Skyfall has a superior ending than Casino Royale. That's the only part of Casino that bugs me because the first three quarters are so amazing that the ending feels somewhat underwhelming. Skyfall has an incredible and unforgettable finish that really rewards the viewer, something Casino lacks. 

I'm pretty positive you've probably already seen Skyfall if you're reading this but if you haven't, do yourself a favour and get to the cinema before they stop running it. Even if you don't really like Bond movies you will enjoy this, such is the quality of the talent and direction put into this film. Like I said previously, Skyfall is the best of both worlds and will please Bond fans and neutrals alike. 

A More Enjoyable Reality Rating: 9/10

Thanks for reading.

Saturday, 14 January 2012

Stranger Than Fiction (2006)


Film: Stranger Than Fiction (2006)
Director: Marc Forster
Starring: Will Ferrell, Emma Thompson, Dustin Hoffman

So... it's been a while huh? I haven't reviewed a film here at A More Enjoyable Reality for months. And quite frankly I've been absent for far too long. I've certainly watched plenty of films since my last post but you know how it is; life, work and pure laziness get in the way of getting to the keyboard to write something meaningful. However thanks to a free 2 month trial for LOVEFiLM, I've had a resurgence in enthusiasm for this blog and thought to myself, since I'll be watching a lot more movies over the next 2 months why not review some? 

Since activating my LOVEFiLM account last week I've been busy browsing their immense catalogue of films and adding more than a few to my rental list. And the first disc to pop through my letterbox was Marc Forster's Stranger Than Fiction, a film I'd seen a trailer of ages ago but completely forgotten about until a colleague at work mentioned it recently. It came highly recommended so it was quickly added to my LOVEFiLM list and just as quickly dispatched to my house. Stranger Than Fiction stars Will Ferrell as Harold Crick, a man who doesn't live his life to the fullest. That is until one morning, whilst brushing his teeth (obsessively so), he hears a voice narrating his every action and movement. It turns out the voice belongs to acclaimed author Karen Eiffel (Emma Thompson), who is typing up her latest novel. Little does she know that every word she types, poor Harold Crick has to experience. Fortunately for Harold, Karen's plot for her new book changes his life like he'd never thought was possible - he finally begins to live his life. That is until Harold hears Karen reveal that the protagonist of her novel, Mr Crick himself, is set to die...

The plot is pretty simple but executed to perfection. Throughout the whole film I was glued to the edge of my seat in anticipation, endlessly speculating how the film would end. Surely poor Harold wouldn't bite the dust? I won't spoil anything, in fact I've probably revealed too much, but if you have the opportunity watch this wonderful film.


Will Ferrell puts in a superb performance. Straying away from his usual roles in comedies like Anchorman and Old School, this is a serious Ferrell and a side to the actor I enjoy much more. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy his stuff that has made the man the household name he is today, but it was refreshing to see him play a different character for once, and so perfectly suited for him. As Harold Crick, Ferrell shows a side to him you rarely get to see in his comedies and it would benefit his career as a serious actor a lot more if he was featured in more movies like Stranger Than Fiction. The supporting cast must of course take some credit, particularly the excellent Maggie Gyllenhaal. Playing the feisty and rebellious baker Ana Pascal, Gyllenhaal's performance raises the film to a new level, her scenes with Ferrell making you laugh out loud one moment then feel immensely for the characters the next. Dustin Hoffman, Emma Thompson and Queen Latifah all contribute well to the overall tone of the film and each performer bring a uniqueness to their characters that benefits the film enormously. 

All in all, Stranger Than Fiction was a worthy choice for my first disc from LOVEFiLM, and if the rest of my rentals are of the same quality as this, then I'm in for a very good couple of months.

A More Enjoyable Reality Rating: 8/10

Thanks for reading.

Saturday, 18 June 2011

Green Lantern (2011)


Film: Green Lantern (2011)
Director: Martin Campbell
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively, Mark Strong

This was always going to be a tricky one. Martin Campbell and Ryan Reynolds had a massive job on their hands to make Green Lantern a success. First of all, the film had to be good enough and big enough to please the masses - to pull in the punters off the street to see this blockbuster, to generate the cash to rationalise this expensive movie. But the biggest task that Campbell and Reynolds faced was pleasing the fanboys, the men and women who have been following the character for years in the comics. Now I love Green Lantern and Hal Jordan in the comics, he's quickly become one of my favourite characters in the DC universe over the last few months as we built up to the film's release. My graphic novel collection of Geoff John's tales of the Green Lantern Corps has been expanding at a pace that my bank balance probably won't be able to sustain. So I knew the back-story and the history entering the cinema last night and knew what to expect to a degree, but I would never consider myself a rabid fanboy that craves absolute authenticity and would burn down the Warner Bros. studio if the people responsible got it all wrong. I'm not that mental...

Still, I wanted a faithful representation of the character with a good story and that's largely what I got, contrary to what the merciless critics and fanboys have said in the press. Martin Campbell is a good director but I thought he was perhaps an odd choice for a super-hero movie, especially one so detached from reality like this. I loved Goldeneye, and Casino Royale is my favourite Bond film ever but Green Lantern is a world away (literally) from the other films on his CV. However I thought he did a commendable job with what was always going to be an incredibly difficult movie - it was never going to satisfy everybody. With a film that was going to rely heavily on CGI, which I usually hate, Campbell told the story well and it was enjoyable for the majority of the 105 minutes. On the topic of CGI I could see no faults with any of it and I simply sat back and embraced what was happening on screen. If you start to analyse these types of films too much, you'll run into a mess that will undoubtedly make you miss the whole point of the movie.


The cast were decent throughout and good on the whole. Ryan Reynolds was a natural Hal Jordan, more so when he was out of costume but he seemed to grow into the role as his character did, embracing what it means to be a Green Lantern over the course of the film. It was crucial to get the right guy for the lead and I can think of few actors out there more suited to Hal Jordan than Reynolds. Peter Sarsgaard was the baddie, the evil Hector Hammond and he was actually a lot better than I was expecting. In every trailer and in all the build-up I felt that if there was going to be any weak link in Green Lantern it would be Sarsgaard's Hammond but I was pleasantly surprised. The makeup was probably too over-the-top and his dialogue a bit iffy but he was menacing and dangerous and Sarsgaard did a good job with a character who must have been a nightmare to try and replicate on screen; overall, Sarsgaard wasn't half bad and didn't bring down the movie as much I as I thought he could have. Blake Lively performed well in the time she was given and like her role in The Town, she was perfect as the eye candy and had good chemistry with Reynolds. Some criticised her for being a poor representation as Carol Ferris but I didn't see it, Lively was more than acceptable. Perhaps the best performance in Green Lantern came from Mark Strong who was excellent as Sinestro, another difficult character to get right. Lots of people have said that the relationship between Hal and Sinestro was underwhelming and that it felt incomplete but Campbell and the writers can't fit everything in and what scenes Strong was in, he was fantastic. I felt he was a terrific as Sinestro and my mate practically jizzed when he saw Strong pull on that yellow ring at the end. It was a good moment for sure.

To conclude, Green Lantern wasn't a great superhero film but it was good enough, in my opinion. It certainly had its flaws but it also had its moments too, and overall the film was enjoyable. As a comics fan I loved seeing the characters I enjoy reading about on the big screen. Put it this way: if you can't tell your Hal Jordan from your Tomar Re and have no idea about the history of the character or what to expect, I don't expect you'll enjoy this film. Kids will love it for the action but people unfamiliar with the Green Lantern universe might struggle to embrace the idea. Its not like the story is hard to understand but to Green Lantern newcomers, the movie probably isn't the best place to start as you're kind of thrown into it and rushed through. There is a rich history to the characters on screen that this film, and probably any other rendition, cannot capture like its paper-based predecessors have done.

A More Enjoyable Reality Rating: 6.5/10

Thanks for reading.

Monday, 13 June 2011

Water For Elephants (2011)


Film: Water For Elephants (2011)
Director: Francis Lawrence
Starring: Robert Pattinson, Reese Witherspoon, Christoph Waltz

Like Your Highness, I saw Water For Elephants over a month ago and was in the final stretch of my dissertation so didn't really have the time to review it. Based on Sara Gruen's novel, Water For Elephants sees Jacob Jankowski's (Pattinson) world turned upside down with the sudden death of his parents. Jacob has to abandon his studies as veterinary student at Cornell University as the reality dawns on him that he is now homeless and penniless in the time of the Great Depression. One evening whilst walking along a train-track, Jacob decides to hop aboard the next locomotive, which just so happens to belong to the travelling circus menagerie known as the Benzini Brothers. Jacob runs into the circus's unstable leader August (Waltz) and his beautiful wife Marlena (Witherspoon) but soon puts his talents as a vet to use and becomes one of the circus's crew. Soon Jacob becomes entwined in a dangerous love triangle with Marlena that threatens the livelihood of the entire circus as well as his life, as the unpredictable and possessive August is never faraway.

Now a film starring Twilight sensation Robert Pattinson would never normally be at the top of my list but my girlfriend had just finished reading the book and raved about it, plus the trailer interested me for some reason. I agreed to see Water For Elephants and any misconceptions I had about it being a chick-flick or a Pattison love-fest were quickly dashed within the first twenty minutes of the film. I thoroughly enjoyed Water For Elephants and it surpassed any expectations I had going into the cinema.


Pattinson was (surprisingly) very good as Jacob. I know the guy gets a lot of crap for his stuff in Twilight but the dude can act and he was really good in this. Reese Witherspoon was also good and I disagree with what many of the critics said about her giving a lacklustre performance in the film. In Empire's review, Angie Errigo said "Witherspoon, it is said, loved the book. One suspects it was the costumes she loved best here," but I disagree as I personally felt Witherspoon was terrific. I had heard going in that the film was somewhat spoilt by a lack of chemistry between Pattinson and Witherspoon but again I saw no cause for concern. Perhaps their chemistry was not as electric as some on-screen relationships in the past have been but I've certainly seen a lot worse. Despite Pattinson and Witherspoon giving quality performances, one man steals the show and its no surprise that man is Christoph Waltz. His performance as the volatile August harks back to when I first saw him in Inglourious Basterds, as he was equally edgy and erratic, not to mention terrifying, as the circus's ringleader. Every moment Waltz was on screen you couldn't tell what he'd do next and some of his scenes with Pattinson were incredibly uncomfortable to watch (a good thing). Waltz certainly relished in his role as the villain and you really come to hate him as the movie progresses, which only cements that he's done his job perfectly.

Overall, Water For Elephants was a fantastic film I could recommend to anybody. Yes its a romantic period drama, but its got a sense of adventure few films in that genre possess. Plus, who doesn't like elephants?!

A More Enjoyable Reality Rating: 8/10

Thanks for reading.

Your Highness (2011)


Film: Your Highness (2011)
Director: David Gordon Green
Starring: Danny McBride, Natalie Portman, James Franco

This review will be short and sweet since I saw this film weeks ago and just didn't get around to reviewing it. My girlfriend and I needed a break from the heavy university work we were both stressing over so we went to see Your Highness to relax and takes our minds off the dreaded dissertations that were weighing us down. And the film's credit, it did the job. Your Highness is exactly what you expect it to be: a laugh-out-loud medieval comedy full of dick and fart jokes - it's basically Pineapple Express set in a fantasy world (funny how McBride and Franco were in that too...)

Let's start by looking at the all star cast, because Your Highness boasts a wealth of Hollywood A-listers. One has to wonder how on earth they persuaded Natalie Portman to sign onto this film, let alone drop her clothing, but she was great and her character was pretty funny. Franco and McBride took centre stage as the two knights on a quest to save Franco's bride (played by another star, Zooey Deschanel) and they were fantastic. McBride in particular was hilarious, even if he does play the same character in everything I see him in. I'm not complaining though, because it works so well, and McBride could play this kind of character for years and it wouldn't get old.

Anyway, if you want a movie you can switch off to and just have a laugh, Your Highness fits the bill and won't disappoint. It will never be considered a comedy classic but it does exactly what it says on the tin and you will laugh a lot, which is really all you can expect from a comedy.

A More Enjoyable Reality Rating: 6/10

Thanks for reading.

Tuesday, 7 June 2011

The Town (2010)


Film: The Town (2010)
Director: Ben Affleck
Starring: Ben Affleck, Rebecca Hall, Jon Hamm

I was shopping in Sainsburys recently and I'm always a sucker for their selection of cheap DVDs. I'm like a moth to a flame, I can't resist a movie bargain. Well I was certainly surprised and over the moon to see The Town on the shelf for a mere £5. I had the Blu-Ray edition on my Amazon wishlist for a while but I thought for half the price and getting the film there and then, I'd settle for the DVD version instead. The Town was one of many films I wanted to see last year that slipped through the net but it was always in the back of my mind when any potential DVD or Blu-Ray opportunities presented themselves. Despite all the stick Affleck has had in the past I actually don't mind the guy and I think he does some good movies.

The Town is a bank-heist crime drama set in the gritty Charlestown neighbourhood of Boston, which just so happens to be the breeding ground for the city's worst bank robbers. The film follows four esteemed robbers in particular, led by Affleck and Jeremy Renner. When a heist doesn't exactly go to plan and Affleck's crew are forced to take a hostage (Rebecca Hall), things spiral out of control and the entire group's lives become entwined. Then of course there's the always-lurking FBI led by Jon Hamm pursuing them.

I can't honestly say that there's a single Boston orientated film I haven't enjoyed in my time as a film-goer. I loved The Departed and The Fighter. Good Will Hunting is a classic. I even enjoyed The Perfect Catch, purely because I'm such a baseball nut. So when I saw The Town was not only directed but starred Ben Affleck, a Boston native, and there was a large part of the film shot at the historic Fenway Park (home of the Boston Red Sox baseball team), I knew I'd likely be pleased with the results. I was not disappointed.

The cast and crew were top-notch and really gave The Town that feel of authenticity, a trait vital to the success of a film like this. I have yet to see Gone Baby Gone, Affleck's directorial debut, but after seeing The Town I'll be keeping a close eye on his career as a director in the future and make sure I put Gone Baby Gone on my "films to see list" (it's already quite extensive). Affleck did such a fantastic job with The Town, I cannot point out any flaws in his work. He put together a very smart film with some of the greatest action-pieces you're likely to see in a while. The battle at Fenway Park is especially brutal but so well done.


The star studded cast helped bring the fascinating characters to life, with excellent performances from Affleck and Hamm in particular. Not only did Affleck have to contend with the difficult job of directing, he also had to focus on his performance and he succeeded on both fronts. I've been a fan of Jon Hamm ever since I became obsessed with his incredible turn as Don Draper on Mad Men and he was equally brilliant as FBI chief Adam Frawley. Hamm's scene with Affleck in the interrogation room was simply mesmerizing. Jeremy Renner did a fine job as Jem Coughlin and certainly succeeded in his role as the dangerous loose-cannon. However I'm not sure Renner coped very well with his Bostonian accent, as he often mumbled his lines and some of his dialogue was rather poor at times; for example, shouting obscenities whilst shooting at the cops just felt out of place, even for the deranged psychopath he was supposed to be. This is just nit-picking though as for the majority of the film Renner was terrific and you really started to despise his nauseating persona. The rest of the cast were faultless: Rebecca Hall and Blake Lively, despite playing contrasting characters were outstanding as the leading ladies: the vulnerable Claire Keesey played by Hall and the intoxicated Krista Coughlin by Lively. Lively received a great deal of acclaim for her role as the drug-riddled Krista, despite not appearing in the film as often as I'd expected. For what she produced, she was superb but I thought maybe Hall should have received more praise since her character was much more important to the film than Lively's. However, Lively will play Carol Ferris in the new Green Lantern film so she will get another opportunity to display her obvious talents again.

To conclude The Town was a thoroughly enjoyable way to spend two hours. Its not very original and the material is nothing new but the story was captivating nonetheless and the fantastic cast really helped make this film realise it's potential. The Town isn't a classic by any means but it does everything well and lets it's fantastic cast and characters tell the story, which is really all you can expect from any film worth paying for.

A More Enjoyable Reality Rating: 8/10

Thanks for reading.

Thursday, 2 June 2011

X-Men: First Class (2011)


Film: X-Men: First Class (2011)
Director: Matthew Vaughn
Starring: James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence

So last night I went to see X-Men: First Class and, for the first time in a while, felt it warranted a review here. I haven't written on A More Enjoyable Reality for a while and that's down to a few reasons, the main one being I've had loads of uni work to finish (final year stuff - important) but now that's all over I can devote a bit more time to blogging. Since my last review on here, of How To Train Your Dragon, I have seen a few movies (Your Highness, Water For Elephants) but I haven't had the time to write about them yet. Fear not, they will be coming, probably over the course of next week.

Anyway, lets talk about X-Men. Whilst I consider myself to be a fan of comics and my graphic novel collection is increasing all the time, the X-Men have never really appealed to me. I just haven't really gotten into Marvel's team of mutants. I enjoyed the first films (not the horrific X3 though) but they were never up there with my favourite comic book movies like Donner's Superman or Nolan's Batman films. It doesn't help that I've always swayed away from Marvel comics and towards the DC universe (I just prefer DC's characters most of the time). Nevertheless I was excited about First Class because I love origin stories and the 1960s setting looked very interesting. I was not disappointed, for most of the film anyway.

X-Men First Class sets out to explain how Charles Xavier (McAvoy, formerly Patrick Stewart in the original films) searched the world for his team of mutants and how they came to be his formidable X-Men. The studio execs at Twentieth Century Fox have taken many liberties from the original source material found in Marvel's archives but First Class is primarily focused on Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr, aka Magneto (Fassbender, formerly Ian McKellen). Matthew Vaughn's story concentrates on how Charles and Erik befriend each other and proceed to find and recruit other mutants to join them in their fight against the evil Sebastian Shaw (Kevin Bacon) and his Hellfire Club. Action and adventure ensue, but its typical comic book stuff so I'm not going go into any more detail with the plot.

For me First Class got off to a rough start and I wasn't quite sure if it was going to hit the heights I'd expected it would. For example some of the acting by the child actors in the beginning was pretty bad and it gave the film an uncomfortable feel, that something wasn't right. In fact, the first 45-50 minutes of First Class left a bad taste in your mouth, it just wasn't clicking into gear and everything felt wrong. Its hard to explain but luckily, once the X-Men got away from all the rubbish with the CIA, the movie picked up a bit and the last half/two thirds of First Class was excellent and really made up for its slow start.


Credit must go to the brilliant cast for making First Class so enjoyable, McAvoy and Fassbender in particular were terrific throughout. McAvoy brought a new element to the Charles Xavier character that we'd never seen before, a bit of a ladies man and don't forget the hair - Professor X with hair! If McAvoy was excellent, Fassbender was astoundingly good. His scene with the ex-Nazis in Argentina was incredible, reminiscent of his role as Lt. Archie Hicox in Inglourious Basterds. Fassbender will surely be high on Hollywood's radar now and when Daniel Craig is done with 007, Fassbender would make a brilliant Bond. When McAvoy and Fassbender were on screen together it made First Class a much better movie. Without them, the film seemed to struggle at times.

The supporting cast were largely good, but some were better than others, as would be expected with such a large cast. Kevin Bacon was particularly inconsistent throughout; he could be very convincing one moment and then laughable the next. Maybe it wasn't Bacon's fault, I expect it had more to do with the dialogue he was given, but First Class is not one of his finest performances. Jennifer Lawrence looked great as Mystique but I don't know if its just me but did she walk a bit funny? She had a bit of a limp it seemed, or was struggling with her heels throughout the entire film. January Jones was a great Emma Frost, as I expected she would be - if any actress is going to come close to the comics version of Emma Frost, it has to be Jones (just look at her). On the whole everybody else was good, and I really liked how the team gelled over the course of the film and each major character seemed to find his/her self by the end. The team responsible for the costume design but be praised, they did such a good job and nailed the look and feel of the era First Class is set in - everything looked so good. One moment that made the entire film for me? A certain cameo from a popular member of the X-Men renowned for his retractable claws. It was hilarious.

Overall, X-Men: First Class is probably more than you'd expect from your average comic book blockbuster. Of course it has great action pieces and beautiful stars to leer at, but it also has a great sense of humour and two unforgettable performances from McAvoy and Fassbender that elevate the film far above its predecessors.

A More Enjoyable Reality Rating: 7/10

Thanks for reading.