Chadwick Boseman (Get On Top and 42) puts in a stellar performance with a regal delivery and stately manner befitting of the role’s royal origins. He gets strong support from Lupita Nyong’o (12 Years The Slave and Star Wars) as his love interest who is also committed to social justice and Danai Gurira (The Visit and All Eyes On Me) who is riveting as a real badass who puts her country above all.

All the main characters have values systems that are very strong and their struggles are noble ones, even the big baddie, Michael B. Jordan (Creed and Fruitvale Station) turns out to have a solid value system for a bad guy. Success at delivering a superhero film devoid of one dimensional characters gives hope to many other members of the MU..

Its wonderful to get lost in the dark with characters this admirable and somewhat unusual for the universe from which they have sprung. Some of the special effect visuals are less sharp in focus and a little difficult to discern but in difference to the genre, it’s the interpersonal relationships that provide the film’s real firepower.
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Luke Evans (Dracula and F&F) imbues the character of Professor Marston with a nod towards intellectualism but tempers it with a bohemian and libertarian attitude that was never going to withstand the glare of investigation. His loss of being able to make a living in the scholastic world led to him pouring his alternative views into his invention of Wonder Woman.

Cleverly incorporating images from the actual early editions of the WW comic books, you begin to realise how risqué the original character was drawn. The themes of domination, submission and bondage are clear to see and it makes one wonder how the publishers of the time got away (even temporarily) with it. It’s also interesting to note that some of Marston’s real living relatives have come out and denied some of the more salacious elements of the film.

The creation of such a lasting character as Wonder Woman with the multiple versions to reflect the temper of the times is a testament to Marston’s brilliance and clever subversion. This is a human story and one that fans of the bigger than life comic book figures will enjoy as well.

Rob Hudson
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The great thing about the Wolverine spin off films is that they’re more humanist drama/action movies than they are traditional comic book adaptations. This applies even to the much-derided X-Men Origins: Wolverine. They represent a maturation of the comic book films that are freer to explore other genres outside the literally derived, primary-coloured storyboard format.

James Mangold’s two Wolverine films – this one and its predecessor, The Wolverine – are a particular case in point. Absent are the ridiculous spandex suits which would be more at place in Strictly Ballroom, and in their place are civilian clothes, gritty drama, bloody violence and even (gasp) boobs! The gratuitous brutality and potty-mouth language are more at home in a Tarantino flick than an X-Men movie and that’s not where the comparisons with Tarantino end. Interestingly, Mangold’s films share much with Kill Bill Vol. 1 & 2 with his first Wolverine film being an ‘Eastern’ (samurai/kung fu) and his second, a Western featuring our favourite grumpy lone wolf bladeslinger reluctantly defending those in need. Indeed Mangold even goes so far as to explicitly cite the Western classic, Shane, as if to drive home the reference. This does, however, make these two films an admirably unique duo within the Marvel film canon.

Both Hugh Jackman and Patrick Stewart have publicly confirmed their departure from the X-Men franchise with this film and Logan is a good one to go out on. Largely casting off the shackles which usually restrict seasoned thespians in these types of roles, both have the freedom here to explore the idiosyncratic minutiae of their respective characters, allowing them to shine as performers like no other Marvel film before it. And we know from Jackman and Stewart’s performances elsewhere that they are certainly up to this task.

The other standout is young Dafne Keen who gives a performance reminiscent of Natalie Portman in Leon. While she may not say much, it is a fine internalised performance with much depth. There’s a future career to look out for.

There remains a couple of major plot point omissions (continuity errors, perhaps?) such as how on earth did Wolverine get his adamantium claws back after they were so dramatically excised in the previous solo film? And there still hasn’t been a straightforward explanation as to how Xavier returned from being obliterated by Jean Grey in X-Men 3: The Last Stand. (Yes, I know they implanted his mind in another body – but the same crippled body…?) Given that these are two major features of the story arc, it’s amazing that Mangold manages to get away with it. But it’s a measure of his overall level of quality that we can so easily turn a blind eye to these seeming blatant oversights.

Stuart Jamieson
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Ryan Reynolds is the perfect man for the job and his ability to act the class clown and emote even with his face covered in a silly red and black mask is outstanding. He has finally found a role that utilizes all of his talents. Animator Tim Miller makes his directing debut with Deadpool and his sense of pace is spot on. He throws so many jokes and unique ideas your way that the fun doesn’t stop from the hilarious opening credits to the very end crazy credit (don’t miss it).

By now most will have seen a trailer or two so no real synopsis is needed to describe the chaos that is afloat here but the thing that does surprise is how well the tender moments are handled. Wade/Deadpool’s relationship with Vanessa played by Morena Baccarin (Homeland, Serenity) comes across as real as they both share the same sense of absurdist humour and disdain for convention. Their onscreen chemistry is intoxicating.

If you fail to find Deadpool funny, it might just be that you are too old, but that’s OK, just work through that temporary roadblock and enjoy what is one of the funniest films of this fresh new year.

Rob Hudson
www.foxmovies.com