Marvel Cinematic Universe
REVIEWS
The Disney/Marvel team really has the formula dialed in when it comes to creating successful and enjoyable superhero movies. Through a deft mix of writing, casting, humor, big action pieces, and a 10-year storyline that both lives on its own and weaves between all films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the Marvel films are entertaining and re-watchable, making them fantastic for viewing at home. And while many carry a PG-13 rating, as does this film, they are very family friendly in nature. read more
The 4K HDR transfer looks fantastic, with tons of detail and with HDR used effectively throughout, bringing pop and detail to images. The terrific detail in the costume design is revealed, letting you see the weave in Cap’s suit, and all the scrapes and damage to Iron Man. During one scene between Romanoff and Barton, you see the wear and pores in Barton’s face starkly contrasted with the smooth foundation makeup that makes Romanoff’s skin glow. The added resolution really does a wonderful job revealing those micro-details and textures throughout. read more
Visually, Ultron is a treat, with tons of detail in every scene. As with Avengers, HDR is used effectively to enhance bright objects like lightning blasts, explosions, and the glowing blue trim on Black Widow’s suit. Perhaps one of the best examples of how HDR improves the image is when you see the visualization of Jarvis as an orange glowing sphere of light along with Ultron as a blue light sphere inside the Avenger Tower. This scene just glows off the screen in this version, and has far better color depth. read more
If you’re just in this for the eye candy, Kaleidescape’s presentation works on that front, even if the vivid and detailed presentation does at times make some of the special effects slightly too obvious. Audio enthusiasts who’ve grumbled at Disney for their lackluster audio mixes will also be delighted by the richness of the soundtrack and its effective use of bowel-loosening bass and the aggressiveness of the Dolby TrueHD Atmos track’s height channels. read more
Fortunately for home theater owners, Black Adam looks and sounds great. The transfer is taken from a 4K digital intermediate, and images look clean, polished, and terrific. Closeups have incredibly sharp detail and clarity, showing single strands of hair, whiskers, and all the pores in actors’ faces, the bulging veins in The Rock’s head, cracks and texture in rocks, stones, and buildings, or the finest details in clothing. Though this ultra-clarity and detail comes at the expense of some of the effects and environments, revealing their CGI roots. read more
Can I just say that this is yet another blockbuster I’m so glad I didn’t have to suffer through in a packed cinema? Disney+’s presentation far surpasses the quality of any commercial cinema I could reach in a half-day’s drive, and I also got to enjoy it without suffering the distractions of an auditorium full of chatty extroverts and their rowdy kids. At home, I could give it my full attention and even take a tinkle break halfway through without being forced to choose between skipping an action sequence or a bit of character development. read more
Visually, Captain Marvel is a treat. The movie has gobs of detail in every scene. Closeups abound with texture, letting you see the pebbling and grain in Fury’s shoulder holster or an alien’s skin or the metallic surfaces of the various spaceships. There’s a scene where they visit a planet that’s covered in a smoky, hazy mist. This is a total video torture test for noise and banding, especially as the smoke is illuminated in a variety of ways from lights, fire, and streaking laser bolts, but the image is always stable, clean, and noise-free.
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Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness isn’t the best nor is it the worst of the MCU entries. While the story is a bit thin, the movie is certainly entertaining, filled with engaging visuals and packing a dynamic surround mix that will show off your system. Sam Raimi’s style might also appeal to viewers not traditionally fans of superhero films. Plus, there are some really interesting character crossovers that could point the way to future installments in the franchise. read more
Disney has often been slagged for producing anemic, bass-less soundtracks but I didn’t find that to be the case here. There are lots of moments where your subs will pressurize the room, and impacts and collisions have authoritative weight. An earthquake early on has tons of rumble and rattle with the sounds of objects shaking and falling all around the room. The Deviants also have a really throaty low-bassy growl to their sounds. read more
Shang-Chi was just OK. It was fun to watch, looked great, the fight scenes were dynamic and visually interesting, and the actors did a fine job, but the story itself felt a little thin. And, ultimately, it just didn’t feel like a Marvel movie. But with a Rotten Tomatoes score of 92% and an Audience Score of 98%—the highest combined score of any film in the MCU—it seems like I’m in the minority, and perhaps my opinion will change on future viewings. read more
Far from Home looks fantastic, never wanting for pop or detail. This is a marquee title and it absolutely looks it. Both closeups and long shots have great detail and texture and razor-sharp edge detail with incredible depth and dimension—things like the metallic texture of Spidey’s Iron Spider suit or the fine detail in Ned’s hat. read more
I didn’t really have a lot of desire to see Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse when it was in movie theaters. Nothing about the trailer really grabbed me, but when it started getting rave reviews both from critics (97% on Rotten Tomatoes, with comments like “It is a game changer”) and audiences (94% positive), I figured maybe the trailer didn’t resonate with me but the film would. Then, when it took home the Academy Award this year for Animated Feature Film, that clinched it. read more
At 148 minutes, No Way Home is long, but it’s so filled with action, characters, humor, and heart-filled moments that it zips by. By the time you get to the finale—which is huge, cinematic, and full of heart, risk, and payoff, and crammed with effects and sonic bombast—you’ll have that endorphin rush that almost feels like you’ve completed a workout. This movie is reference-quality throughout, and is easy to recommend! read more
If you go into Thor: Love and Thunder predisposed to hating it and wanting to pick apart all the jokes and humor, you’ll probably find plenty of fodder. But go in expecting to have a good time, to be wowed by some beautiful and stunning visuals, and to enjoy some dynamically deep bass, then you probably will. read more
Venom belongs to that increasing group of films that sees a real divide between critics and fans. While scoring a meager 28% on Rotten Tomatoes, it managed an 85% audience score. In short, I’d say Venom is a classic big summer, popcorn action film where it pays to check your brain at the door and just sit back and marvel (no pun intended) at the terrific visual effects and pummeling Atmos audio track. If you’re looking for some home theater eye and ear candy, Venom won’t disappoint. read more
Venom: Let There Be Carnage isn’t a great film, but it is an entertaining one that looks and sounds great. It’s one of those where you just sit back, don’t think too hard, and enjoy. But it’s most promising moment is actually its mid-credits scene, and it is perhaps in Venom’s third act where we’ll really get to see the story shine! read more
Ever since Captain America: Winter Soldier, Marvel Studios has built up a stockpile of trust with superhero-movie fans by consistently cranking out entertaining action romps that span the genre spectrum from intense ’70s-style espionage thrillers to intergalactic comedies to dramatic epics. With WandaVision, it’s spending that trust on an offbeat experiment that will, in retrospect, be seen as either a massive success or an embarrassing failure. And two episodes into its nine-episode run, it’s nearly impossible to tell which of those outcomes is more likely. read more
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