Fans to Marvel at superhero epic
AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR (Cert 12A; 149mins)
THE budgets may soar, the cast list might swell but nothing really changes in the world of the Avengers. It almost feels as if we are seeing the same film every time as an evil force threatens to destroy humanity but varying combinations of Avenger assemble to save the day.
We have been happily devouring every thrilling variation on the theme since Iron Man first appeared in 2008 and on the surface Avengers: Infinity War feels like the usual winning formula. But as the film unfolds you realise it is a monumental undertaking, gradually emerging as the War And Peace of superhero movies.
The film-makers have rightly called for discretion to avoid spoiling any of the surprises unleashed by the plot.
There is a basic contest between good and evil, of course, but the stakes are raised to the highest levels imaginable.
So let’s just say the evil on this occasion is represented by Thanos (Josh Brolin), a monster with a belief in the power of genocide to solve the problems of overpopulation and scarce resources.
His plan for the galaxy is to gain enough power to wipe out half the inhabitants of a planet in order to allow the other half to live long and prosper.
Now he has his sights set on Earth and all he needs to succeed is to collect all six Infinity Stones, “artefacts of unimaginable power” that will make him invincible.
Naturally Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr), Spider-Man (Tom Holland), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Dr Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) and countless others will use every ounce of their strength to stop Thanos.
It isn’t giving too much away to reveal that not everyone is still standing by the time the film ends.
Amid the race to save humanity there is time for banter between Iron Man and SpiderMan, the rekindling of the bromance between Thor and Captain America (Chris Evans), the chance for Zoe Saldana to steal some of the acting honours as Gamora and a brief but impressive use of Edinburgh as a key location.
There is blood, sacrifice, loss, battle scenes that dwarf even those in Lord Of The Rings and an ending to make your jaw drop and your heart pound.
You are so caught up in the story that it is only when you step back and take a breath that you start to appreciate what directors Joe and Anthony Russo have achieved. Not only do they orchestrate mayhem on a
staggering scale but they succeed in fitting together all the pieces of a massive jigsaw in which each character has a place and a chance to shine.
They balance action, emotion, wit and tension while always keeping an eye on the bigger picture. Even if comic book adaptations are not your thing, you cannot fail to appreciate the sheer scale and sweep of the storytelling.
Where the series goes from here is impossible to imagine but right now Avengers: Infinity War feels like the stunning culmination of a decade’s work at Marvel and every superhero fan’s dream epic.
BEAST (Cert 15; 104mins)
A WINDSWEPT Jersey adds to the atmosphere in Beast, a twisted, unsettling thriller that is determined to keep you on your toes. Jessie Buckley stars as Moll, a tourist guide who is unhappy in work and life and considered the black sheep of a family headed by her cold, controlling mother Hilary (Geraldine James).
Hilary clearly has favourites among her children and Moll isn’t one of them.
Then along comes Pascal (Johnny Flynn), a handsome, mysterious bad boy who looks like trouble. But Moll thinks she has found someone who understands her and will liberate her from the straitjacket of her interfering mother.
The prospect of star-crossed lovers in conflict with a disapproving family seems familiar enough but added spice comes when a string of murders takes place on the island and a teenage girl disappears. How much does Moll know about Pascal and how far is she willing to go to protect him?
Strong performances from Buckley and Flynn keep you engrossed even as the film settles down to a methodical police investigation into guilt or innocence.
THE WOUND (Cert 15; 88mins)
DIRECTOR John Trengove shows a good deal of promise with his first feature The Wound, an ambitious South African drama with elements of Brokeback Mountain.
Xolani (Nakhane Touré) is a Queenstown factory worker who returns to his home village each year to assist with the Xhosa ritual of male circumcision. The trip is also an opportunity for a long-awaited reunion with his married childhood friend Vijami (Bongile Mantsai).
This year, the two-week forest retreat will mark the passage to adulthood for rich Johannesburg boy Kwanda (Niza Jay Ncoyini).
Kwanda readily senses the bond between the men and the shifting dynamic between the trio gradually comes to dominate the film. The Wound is predictable in places but told with a generosity of spirit and unexpected depth and shading to the characters.
It shows a fatalistic search for happiness that becomes a reflection on race, class and the expectations of others.
THE OLD DARK HOUSE (Cert PG; 72mins)
LOVERS of vintage cinema should seek out 1932 chiller The Old Dark House, now lovingly restored and returned to our cinemas.
James Whale had just directed Frankenstein when he turned his talents to this macabre gothic yarn.
A raging storm forces weary travellers to take refuge in a remote mansion in Wales but inside lurks an eccentric family and countless dangers.
It is a witty and highly atmospheric film boasting a terrific cast that includes a bluff, hearty Charles Laughton, urbane Melvyn Douglas and Boris Karloff as Frankenstein’s monster. Great fun.