Top 10 Blockbuster Movies of the 2010s Which Deserve More Love

It’s a little way to go yet, but soon enough summer will be here, which on the film calendar means blockbuster season! The wonderful few months where our cinema screens are taken over by super-powered beings in tights, magical stories of ‘chosen ones’ and all sorts of explosive action. With the promise of the biggest stars and huge budgets, you’d think that these films guarantee success, but fairly often these ambitious projects lead to disappointment. However, sometimes these so called ‘disappointments’ don’t deserve the stick they receive. Rather than focussing on the negatives, I’m going to look through the top 10 underrated blockbusters from 2010-2020 and why I think they deserve more love.

• 10. xXx: Return of Xander Cage (2017)

You know the phrase “so bad, it’s good”? Well I think that’s the perfect way to describe this action packed and utterly ludicrous Vin Diesel led sequel. The opening scene alone features Samuel L. Jackson’s Augustus Gibbons attempting to recruit Brazil and PSG football superstar Neymar Jr., to become a super spy. Things get crazier and crazier and although it’s ridiculous, it’s anything but boring. A fun supporting cast is assembled here with the likes of Donnie Yen, Toni Collette, Ruby Rose and Nina Dobrev all providing entertaining performances whilst Vin Diesel just does what he does best. You’re definitely going to either love or hate this film and I would understand your feeling whichever way you lean, but trust me when I say that there will at least be a handful of moments which make you smile whilst watching it.

• 9. Terminator: Dark Fate (2019)

Sometimes I wonder how the Terminator franchise survived this long, especially considering there hasn’t been a good film in the franchise since 1991. Terminator 3 had its moments, as did Salvation but Genisys looked like the final nail in the coffin when that crapfest released. Someone somewhere, however, saw life in the Terminator franchise and with 2019’s Dark Fate, produced the best Terminator film since T2. The new cast is great, with Mackenzie Davis particularly shining and Diego Luna proving an intimidating presence, but it’s the return of Linda Hamilton’s Sarah Connor and Arnie as the T-800, which are the real highlights. Director Tim Miller also nails the action sequences and turns those nasty machines in to antagonists to be feared again. Sadly the film proved to be a bit of a flop at the box office, so it seems that for the foreseeable future the Terminator franchise is once again dead in the water.

• 8. Warcraft (2016)

Having never played World of Warcraft, and with little to no knowledge of the world or characters, I went into this one pretty blind. Warcraft has some issues for sure, but for the most part this is a really enjoyable fantasy adventure that’s well worth a watch. We follow the stories of both Orcs and Men and I think credit has to go to the filmmakers for making the CG Orc characters the more interesting group to watch. I’m sure a lot of references to the games went over my head so I can’t say how accurately it mirrors the source material, but for a newcomer entering this world I had a great time with it, and I’m sure you will too.

• 7. Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011)

The Transformers franchise is a peculiar one, when these films are good, they’re really good, but when they’re bad… oh boy. Michael Bay is very good at what he does, that can’t be denied, but it also cannot be denied that what he does isn’t to everyone’s taste. This third film in the Transformers franchise has the best action scenes and visuals of the franchise, and let’s be honest, that’s what we watch these films for. The wing-suit sequence stands out as one of the best actions scenes of the last 10 years and that alone makes this film worth viewing if you ask me! If you’re looking for a well crafted plot and compelling characters then look elsewhere, but for a fun few hours with robots kicking the crap out of each other, then stick around and enjoy the ride!

• 6. Tomb Raider (2018)

The Tomb Raider video game which rebooted the series in 2013 is one of my favourite ever games, so when this film was announced, which clearly looked to be influenced by the newer series of games, I was super excited to see how it was. After a bit of a slow start, things realy begin to get going, and what we’re left with is a really great action film! There’s not much tomb raiding involved but the story is still compelling enough and there’s a few great action sequences which make this stand out compared to the standard blockbuster. Alicia Vikander absolutely kills it in this role and I can’t wait to see more of her as Lara in future sequels, which should hopefully be on the horizon! The always brilliant Walton Goggins plays the antagonist here, so there’s some added incentive to see the movie if you were on the fence at all!

• 5. The Man From U.N.C.L.E. (2015)

Henry Cavill and a pre-rumoured cannibal Armie Hammer in a 1960s spy romp directed by Guy Ritchie? Um, yes please! I really don’t understand how this film failed to make more of an impact, it wasn’t exactly a flop but I truly believe there was enough good here to start a successful franchise. Cavill is suave and charismatic as US agent Napoleon Solo, whilst Hammer is brilliantly stern as Russian straight-man Illya Kuryakin, and they make a terrific double act. Alicia Vikander shows up in this list for a second time and she once again delivers a great performance, this time in a supporting role. There’s car chases, shoot outs and a host of gadgets, as you’d expect in any spy film and a cracking soundtrack to back it all up too. Seriously, go check this film out!

• 4. Spectre (2015)

I’m a big fan of James Bond, and Daniel Craig’s version of the character particularly. What Craig has done with the role deserves a lot of credit, for bringing life back to a franchise which many assumed had seen its best days. Spectre didn’t sit well with everyone and was seen as a big step down in quality after 2012’s Skyfall, and I’m aware it’s not exactly a popular opinion to love this film, but I really do! The action is great, some of the classic cheesiness of Bond films of yesteryear returns, and we get Christoph Waltz, what’s not to love?! The dramatic weight of Skyfall’s story might not be here, but that may sound like a relief to you if you’re just looking for a lighter and more fun Bond adventure.

• 3. Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)

I must have a death wish to write anything about Star Wars online these days! The fan-base has sadly become something so toxic I feel I need to constantly remind myself that it’s not all problematic, and there are people who truly love the franchise for what it is. I won’t get in to it but I think we all know how 2017’s The Last Jedi was so divisive and really split the fan-base in two, and is a big reason behind why Solo didn’t make the impact it should have at the box office. There was always a lot against this film going in and Alden Ehrenreich had the impossible job of playing a role as iconic as a young Han Solo, something which he absolutely smashes here! He’s genuinely great and makes the role his own rather than trying to just copy what Harrison Ford did with the character. The supporting cast features Emilia Clarke, Woody Harrelson, Donald Glover and Erin Kellyman and they’re all great, as well as Paul Bettany who is clearly having a great time as twisted villain Dryden Vos. I’d recommend this film to people even if they’re not a Star Wars fan, it’s just a really fun ride and far too many people slept on it.

• 2. Men In Black 3 (2012)

Coming up just short of top spot on this list of blockbuster movies of the 2010s that deserve more love is Men in Black 3, a superb time-travelling sci-fi spectacular. The Men in Black franchise has always been entertaining, even Men in Black II, despite its drop in quality from its predecessor, still had some great moments. In this third film in the series we find Agent J (Will Smith) chasing villain Boris the Animal (Jermaine Clement) back in time to 1969 in a clever, hilarious, and surprisingly heartfelt movie. We get to meet loads of new aliens in the film, all with unique and wonderful designs, but none as memorable as Boris. Clement puts in a brilliant performance as the insane criminal and the only negative thing I can say about him is he isn’t in the film enough! Credit to Josh Brolin too for playing a young version of Agent K and doing the most perfect Tommy Lee Jones impression, superb stuff!

• 1. Alita: Battle Angel (2019)

Alita: Battle Angel is great, like super great! If any film on this list is deserving of more love and a sequel/s then it’s definitely this one! Directed by Robert Rodriguez and produced by James Cameron, this movie has some huge talent working on it behind the camera, as well as a cast of cinema greats like Christoph Waltz, Jennifer Connelly and Mahershala Ali in front of it. The CGI in this is some of the best I’ve ever seen, and the way Alita herself is brought to life is just fascinating, it’s the kind of stuff that’s well worth checking out in the behind-the-scenes footage if you get the chance. What makes Alita stand out on this list is that unlike many of the films previously mentioned here, Alita was actually pretty well received for the most part by critics and audiences, but it just wasn’t seen by enough people to warrant a sequel. It made over $400million at the box office which is obviously a huge amount of money but sadly not close enough to the target to warrant any more than hopeful discussions for a sequel. The ending of this film leaves you wanting more, and wanting to see more of Alita’s journey and her eventual showdown with chief villain, Nova, who is teased in a quick cameo appearance at the film’s climax. There is still some hope a sequel will come, we all thought the Snyder Cut would never happen, but it’s amazing what power a popular hashtag and a few thousand devoted fans have these days so fingers crossed #AlitaSequel makes a similar sort of impact!

So there you have it, the top 10 blockbuster movies of the 2010s which deserve more love! Let me know if you agree with my picks and if there’s any film/s you think I’ve missed out. Thanks for reading if you’ve made it this far, and hopefully see you next time!

Man Of Steel review

Supes soars!

Superman, arguably the most famous and iconic superhero of all time. Everyone knows the story about the child from Krypton who crash landed in Smallville and was raised by the Kents before becoming Earth’s flying protector, so why are we watching all this again Mr Snyder? Well because we haven’t seen Superman or his origin told like this before.

The film opens with the audience being introduced to the dying planet of Krypton, however unlike the 1978 original Krypton which looked like an icy desert, this is a magical looking place which makes the most of modern CGI (THERE IS A FOUR WINGED DRAGON!) and has some of the film’s best visual moments. Instantly you know that this is an incredibly ambitious film. 

It is in this opening sequence where we meet Jor-El, played brilliantly by Russell Crowe who effortlessly steals every scene he’s in. Much like in the original Superman film (which I promise to stop referencing soon) we see Jor-El informing a Kryptonian council of the planet’s impending doom, but before he can tell them how their race can be saved he is interrupted by the menacing General Zod, played here by Michael Shannon. Now, Shannon’s name was unfamiliar with me before seeing the film but after watching him in this i’m making it my mission to watch everything he has been in because boy is he a good actor! Great superhero movies need great villains and General Zod proves to be one of the most memorable of recent times as he is genuinely terrifying in his unrelentless mission to restore Krypton to it’s former glory, but i’ll touch more on that later…

I went off a bit there but yes Zod interrupts the council, this leads to Jor-El and his wife Lara sending their newborn son Kal off to Earth in a very emotional scene. Hans Zimmer’s fantastic score brings tears to the eyes as we see the sacrifice these parents are making for their son’s future.

Cut forward and we are shown a grown up Kal-El (now Clark Kent) but going by several different names as he goes about doing good in the world in his pre-costumed days. We do however throughout the film see glimpses of Clark’s childhood and some of the moments which help him become the hero we will see by the end of the film. I am a big supporter of the way the film is structured with these flashbacks as they all help make Clark a more relatable character as we see the struggles he has to face and signs of the good inside him.

We gradually meet key characters from the Superman mythos including his Earth parents, Daily Planet editor Perry White and of course Lois Lane, arguably the most famous woman in the world of comics. The casting for the film is perfect as all of the actors excel in their roles, some perhaps don’t get enough time on screen but this is Clark/Superman’s film and I have to say Henry Cavill absolutely owns the role. I was a huge fan of Christopher Reeve and thought nobody would ever be that good again but after seeing this film (twice at the time of writing) I think Cavill is the standard for all other actors playing this character to reach. Much like Zod’s Shannon I was relatively unaware of who Henry Cavill was and don’t recall seeing him in anything else apart from the mildly entertaining Immortals where he didn’t exactly blow me away. Here however Cavill lights up the film and really looks like he is the next big thing in the acting world. This is a different Superman to Reeve’s but it has to be! These are different times and audiences are tired of the boyscout who in recent times has been described as dull. Cavill still plays Superman as someone who is undeniably ‘good’ but this is a more powerful and more grown-up Superman than we’ve seen in the past.

The hidden gem in this is definitely the relatively unknown German actress Antje Traue who plays Zod’s accomplice Faora who is just as, if not more, deadly as her General. Her character is as memorable for her ruthlessness as her beauty and I will definitely be looking for her in more films in future!

The 2 standout actors in the film are Russell Crowe, who i’ve already talked about, and the brilliant Kevin Costner who seems as though he was born to play Jonathan Kent, Clark’s Earth father. His are the most emotional scenes in the film as we see how he shapes Clark to be the hero the world needs.

If emotional films aren’t your thing though don’t worry as this film has a crazy amount of action and we see destruction on a ridiculous scale, think Avengers x10. Director Zack Snyder is famous for his stylish action sequences and if you’ve seen 300 or Watchmen you will be aware of this and I think it is fair to say this is his best film in terms of action. I’ve seen some crtics have said there is too much action in this film and it takes away from the characters but if you ask me I say that’s a load of rubbish. Sure there’s a lot of fight scenes but there has to be! It’s Superman! 2006’s Superman Returns was a decent film but there was no way near enough going on to make it interesting enough to watch again and again. In this film however, you see some of the most incredible looking fights seen on film and they blow the action scenes from any other superhero films out of the water. The action isn’t just restricted to punches though as we see the true god-like abilities of Superman and when he flies through the air these are the standout moments. Snyder’s decision to film with a shaky handheld camera is a wise one as you really feel the speed at which our hero is flying. Perhaps my favourite scene in the film is when Clark is first learning to make the most of his powers and takes flight for the first time, it’s a beautiful scene and the mix of brilliant cinematography and the joy on Cavill’s face makes it wonderful to watch.

The film is not perfect though despite how highly i’m speaking of it. One of the few faults of the film is that it is perhaps a bit too simplified some of the time, on several occasions some of the characters think it is necessary to tell previous events in the film again and again which can be tiresome. Another problem I had with the film was that the romance between Lois and Supes was a bit too rushed and a tad unconvincing, there’s a sequel coming though so there’s hope for it to be explored more then. One thing that really sucked though was a lack of “Kneel before Zod!” (for those unaware of what i mean by that quote then you need to see this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFyHTU8tg_0) not a serious point but still would have been nice!

So in conclusion I would say that Man Of Steel is not only the best Superman film ever but also one of the greatest superhero films of all time. It is definitely my favourite film of the year and it will take something special to beat it. For fans of the character it is the film you’ve waited to see, and for people more unfamiliar with Superman it makes you want to see more. There are also a few cheeky Easter Eggs to look out for with references to both Lex Luthor and the dark knight himself Bruce Wayne so pay attention to those. Exciting times ahead for DC!

10/10