* The New Avengers
Went to see this film with my son and wow what a fantastic addition to the Marvel universe! I'd even venture to say if this is the standard of writing from now on, it may stand a chance of getting back to its best.
IMDB says: After finding themselves ensnared in a death trap, an unconventional team of antiheroes must go on a dangerous mission that will force them to confront the darkest corners of their past.
In this Jake Schreier (Beef, Robot & Frank) directed movie, written by Eric Pearson (Thor: Ragnarok, Black Widow), Joanna Calo (The Bear, BoJack Horseman) and Kurt Busiek (Astro City, The Avengers), Florence Pugh (Little Women, Black Widow) stars as Yelena Belova who goes to complete what she thinks is her last mission before becoming a public facing asset, who finds she has been double crossed along with other hired assassins. Also in the facility is a random civilian Robert 'Bob' Reynolds AKA Void (Lewis Pullman - Top Gun: Maverick, Salem's Lot) who they take great pains to save.
This leads to a team up with her father Alexei Shoshtakov (David Harbour - Stranger Things, Quantum of Solace) AKA Red Guardian, Bucky Barnes AKA The Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan - Avengers: Endgame, The Apprentice), John Walker AKA failed Captain America (Wyatt Russell - Overlord, The Falcon and The Winter Soldier) and Ava Starr AKA Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen - Ant Man and the Wasp, Ready Player One) to try and bring down corrupt Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus - Hannah and Her Sisters, Seinfeld) whilst the select committee tries to impeach her.
Not just an action anti-hero movie, this is a bold and nuanced take on depression and mental health elevating what could be just another superhero movie. A fresh take which is as honest as it is emotionally uncomfortable, this film not only explores with empathy and takes us on a journey not just in Yelena's character and Void's but also the differing aspects affecting other characters, showing the viewer that even heroes can have mental health demons.
Every character has been broken down by society, their own anxieties and have withdrawn to protect themselves yet they not only come together, but they learn to work as a team bolstering each other in the process. A clear allegory for how people need each other, not just family but friendships too, especially in the dark times and when most would not want to give second chances.
Pugh's outstanding performance carries the film as Yelena is both flawed yet beautifully giving in the way she transcends her own demons to help Bob, firstly to save him when she thinks he is just a civilian, but doubly so when she realises he is a flawed anti-hero just like her.
Pullman is also standout as the complex character who is literally fighting himself as well as his demons, who delivers as raw a performance as Pugh and I hope we will see more of him in future blockbuster films.
The action is fast-paced with beautiful vignettes interspersed that tug at your heart along with humour both visual and narrative, which will have you laughing out loud even with the tears still in your eyes.
10/10
Remember to stay for the two end credit scenes
Tagline: Be careful who you assemble.
Trivia: Florence Pugh actually jumped off Merdeka 118 in Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, the second tallest building in the world at 2,227 feet tall. The lab Yelena blew up wasn't CGI but a charged explosion set on a floor of a building. The old Soviet parade Alexei watches on TV was an actual parade that took place 1 May 1981 in Moscow Square and a younger Alexei/Red Guardian was digitally inserted into the historical footage.
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