X-Men: Apocalypse- A Massive Mutant Party

'Welcome to the 80s', announces a young, Mohawk-wearing Storm, as she takes a gulp from a can of Coca Cola. There, we have it on our faces- both the winning streak and the fatal error of Bryan Singer's latest 'X-Men' outing- it is too true to the spirit of the 80s.

The X-Men films can be considered as the gold standard in the Marvel franchise, (except for maybe Brett Ratner's overblown threequel), simply because they were the first films to introduce the concept of identity into men-in-tights films and then the likes of Christopher Nolan and Joss Whedon took a cue from them. So, as if taking a break from all the narrative weight that the previous movies presented in spades, 'Apocalypse' is as bombastic as its name suggests- a plain, old-school superhero template which sees our heroes pitted against a supervillain all set to annhiliate the world in style.

While Matthew Vaughn's 'X-Men: First Class' was fashioned like a 60s James Bond caper with its Cold War allusions, and 'Days Of Future Past'  had shades of a 70s Nixon-era thriller even with its 'Back To The Future'-style tricks, this one, which is unsurprisingly set in the 80s, is also very much an Eighties spectacular in tone- think the colliding styles of Spielberg, Robert Zemeckis and John McTiernan put together to create a heady blend of all the excesses of the action genre, curried together for maximum impact. (Even the big surprise cameo of the film appears like John Rambo with claws. Literally.)

What makes the difference is the often artful approach that 'Apocalypse' takes. It is often marvelously shot- with Singer regular Newton Thomas Sigel expertly cutting across the film's sprawling narrative with both pace and poetry- from lingering over the shaved pates of the multitudes of Egyptians worshipping the eponymous villain to often zooming out magnificently to capture much of the film's moments of monumental destruction in fascinating slow-motion. The globe-trotting nature of 'Apocalypse' often helps the film to pick up both style and snap- and Singer stylishly shuffles from ancient Egyptian ziggurats to the pock-marked and bustling souks of modern-day Cairo to the dank cage fights in Communist Berlin to cold, claustrophobic Poland. The destruction that unfolds with a sublimely unsettling beauty is also often mesmerizing, as it results in a nuclear disarmament that is tense and pulse-pounding. It is, in many ways, truly epic in scale and size.

It is also, however, a tad too ridiculous, at times. For one thing, the central villain- the hulking and bulking Apocalypse- is a bit of a waste, his  'survival of the strongest' agenda merely a flimsy version of Nietzsche's philosophy done in a highly predictable, self-aggrandizing and foolhardy style. His methods are also too obvious- why should he choose to announce to the world of his intentions, that too through none other than Charles Xavier, who can clearly use it to his advantage? Other than introducing the entire eventual cast of the original X-Men ensemble rather ingeniously, the plot could have spent a bit of time in developing its primary antagonist but nah, he remains the archetype 80s kingpin character and as for the four 'Horsemen' that he recruits to be his allies, almost all (save for one, but we will get to that) are just intriguingly delectable creations needing more meat and conflict. A couple of promising ideas are wasted here- including one that could have been a reveal as big as the one in 'The Empire Strikes Back'- but the biggest problem in this X-Men film seems to be its treatment of its women. 

All the ladies in the film are pretty troubling in the way they are wasted- with the notable exception of Alexandra Shipp as a spunky young Storm. Jennifer Lawrence, who shone throughout 'Days Of Future Past', is here mostly looking lost, robbed of being centre-stage in the action and given not much to do. Rose Byrne makes a lovely comeback as Moira MacTaggert and seems all poised for action but ends up being again on the periphery of the big things, except for Xavier's mind, maybe. Olivia Munn is extremely irresistible as a sexy Psylocke and there are moments when she blazes the screen but is eventually wasted. Sophie Turner is a strangely odd choice to play the witty and self-assured Jean Grey; she spends most of her time looking dour and uncomfortable but her increasing involvement in the film's plot does lend her character some gravitas that are well-worth watching out for.

The men, however, often rock the show. James McAvoy, perennially wry and armed with a silver-coated tongue, brings a winning warmth and vulnerability of his Professor Xavier, his charisma most infectious when wistfully sighing at the memories of Moira or when instructing his students to leave the classroom so that he can talk to a new mutant alone. Nicholas Hoult is reliably great as Beast and Tye Sheridian as a troubled but ultimately cocky Cyclops is a treat as well. Kodi Smit-McPhee brings comic relief as a slinky Nightcrawler and as for Evan Peters…well, well, well. As long as the series retains Quicksilver as a pivotal character in the proceedings, his Peter Maximoff will always have his trademark moment in the sun- freezing time, tweaking things here and there and making sure that heroes survive and the best laid evil plans fail. This film even has him thwarting a secret college rooftop kiss in style. 

As Apocalypse, Oscar Isaac brings occasional menace but is often trapped by the severe limitations to the character's development. This is also because how the film devotes its attention to the man with magnetic charm. 

Much of Singer's film is all about Erik Lehnsherr, here first trying to live a normal life with a family, without his violent streak. Things, however, take a tragic turn for him and I would hate to reveal more of how this parallel track unfolds, adding an unexpected poignancy to the proceedings. All of it is driven solidly by Michael Fassbender, an actor who can do no wrong now and as Magneto, he has found himself a signature role as arguably the greatest comic book villain of all time. Bringing both empathy and a vengeful streak of malevolence to his character, this is the performer in peak form, handing us a tragic villain whom we end up rooting for, as he sways like a moral compass.

A film with Magneto as an intriguing arch-nemesis rather than a bulk of self-centered indulgence would have been a real masterstroke then. Still, even with flaws, there is confidence here, a really slick coherence of things happening. Singer does not blow things out of proportion and keeps enough style to make things consistently compelling. The scenes in Egypt feel like those from an 'Indiana Jones' classic while there is also a fabulous nod at 'The Birds' which adds a lot of sophistication to the style all around. Also, for a film that often has things exploding magnificently, it pays equal attention to the smaller details. The 80s zing is done well enough- from Ms. Pacman to nuclear submarines to 'Star Wars' sequels playing in theaters- and there are the possible sparks between Cyclops and Jean Grey, which can be thwarted possibly by that famous hero making his  grand cameo here.

For the hard-core comic fans, there are also a few little quirks worth mentioning- most notably as Psylocke turns her sword into a whip and uses it mid-battle to stunning effect. The end result is not flawless and often a mess- much like the burgers I and my friend had- but yeah, there are also many meaty nuggets and much delicious sauce to enjoy in between as well. Dig in.

My Rating- 3 and a half stars out of 5

The Ten Best Hollywood Films Of All Time

10- The Elephant Man (1980)

Dir- David Lynch

It is a wonder how easily David Lynch fans forget ‘The Elephant Man’. While it is considered by many as a deeply affecting and humanely moving story of compassion and its various shades, not many hold it up to what the surrealist extraordinaire did in his later years. 

It is actually a shame since ‘The Elephant Man’- a loosely factual story of the real-life Joseph Merrick (Joseph becomes John in this film)- is every bit a Lynch masterwork- a film which shoves both the morbid horror of his life and physicality as well as the magnificent beauty of his eventual redemption at our face and on our senses. Visually too, this is wholly his world, filled with unrelenting dread and yet an overwhelming sense of gritty beauty. The 19th century London that it recreates- armed with master Freddie Francis’ beautifully grimy black and white visuals-is reeking of ugly truths about the nature of life and more. 

Yet, what makes ‘The Elephant Man’ so spectacularly beautiful is that rare thing in Lynch’s canon- hope. It is the cast of beautifully judged performances- including Anthony Hopkins as the well-meaning Dr. Treves and a phenomenal John Hurt as a tortured yet dignified Merrick- that creates characters both truly good and terribly evil and makes sure that this will remain a profound meditation on morality, deformity and death.

9- Apocalypse Now (1979)

Dir- Francis Ford Coppola

Till ‘Apocalypse Now’, war films taught us only two things. War could be glorious and worth the sacrifices. Or it could be real hell, damaging not only people but also their lives for once and for all. And then, Francis Ford Coppola’s epic, dystopian and hard-hitting take on Joseph Conrad’s ‘Heart Of Darkness’ nudges open the door to a far disturbing truth- that war creates monsters out of men. 

Few films- actually, no film of this genre- have the power to shock and stun, to both enthral with its epic qualities yet sober with its grave meditations. The odyssey of Captain Willard (a superb Martin Sheen) into the literal heart of darkness amidst the raging Vietnam War is a tale of heart-pounding dread and danger; the world around him and his rag-tag crew is one of violence and death- napalm incinerates jungles, villages are set aflame, women and children are gunned down and the hapless troops themselves are left defending without purpose and direction. Yet, it is only when they reach the end of their journey- to the abode of the deranged Colonel Kurtz (Marlon Brando, unforgettable) that the real horrors of war begin to surface. 

Shot with the eye of both a poet and an artist by Vittorio Storaro, scored to the chopping blades of helicopter and ‘The Doors’ Oedipal ‘The End’ playing stealthily, ‘Apocalypse Now’ is as thrilling as war dramas can get, even as it busts all the genre rules and emerges as something deeper.

8- Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

Dir- Steven Spielberg

So much of Spielberg’s career is built upon bringing to life the child inside us, that we almost forget how he brought out the adventure-loving boy inside us all when he kick-started the swashbuckling ‘Indiana Jones’ franchise with this whip-cracking, bullet-paced action romp that remains a classic for ages. 

This is a wonder, since how much ‘Raiders’ actually recycles the firmly entrenched action movie tropes of the past. The exotic locations- Peru, Tibet and Egypt- and the occasional innuendo reek of James Bond, the creepy crawlies and fantastical elements have all the whimsy of Ray Harryhausen while the 1930s setting and the Nazi villains are reminiscent of those enjoyable WW2 yarns of the 60s. But on its own, this remains a spectacularly ripping yarn that harnesses all its energies on a rubber tight, witty plot enlivened by exciting action and stunning effects that have aged equally well along with its hero. In Harrison Ford’s Indiana Jones, we also get an action hero of both rippling machismo yet a vulnerable, tender core that makes him so endearingly heroic and worth rooting for. 

The sequels are all good in their outrageous ways (though the last one is pretty weak) but there is no beating the sheer energy of storytelling that Spielberg brought to the gem of that first film.

7- Pulp Fiction (1994)

Dir- Quentin Tarantino

Has any American film given us more cultural touchstones, more memorable quotes, more extraordinary characters than Quentin Tarantino’s endlessly enjoyable gangster caper? The answer will be a resolute ‘No’ (yes, even ‘The Godfather’ can’t beat it). 

With a narrative that is actually made up of nearly half a dozen smaller plots with their own sub-plots and teeming with quirky people, ‘Pulp Fiction’ is too eclectic and avant-garde a piece of entertainment to be called either a gangster thriller or a comedy of manners- hell, it is all that and more. The plot structure is all messed up, the characters are all a bunch of goofs in some way or the other and the conversations they have go on for darn too long. And yet, all this is what drives ‘Pulp Fiction’s pulpy tropes. The dialogue is exceptionally punchy and quote-worthy (yes, you can quote that ‘Ezeikel 25:17’ monologue over and over again), the situations a crazy blend of romantic, outrageous- an adrenalin shot for an overdose- violent and ultimately hilarious. 

Over the years, Tarantino has done different genres and delivered more incredible stuff but ‘Pulp Fiction’ lives on. Even today, you can feel the taste of that hamburger, ‘the cornerstone of every nutritious breakfast’, as Jules Whitfield would say.

6- Taxi Driver (1976)

Dir- Martin Scorsese

Look back 40 decades ago and you will find the sourcebook for any of the recent vigilante movies you might have watched. Except for the fact that ‘Taxi Driver, unlike any of the recent films, never sought to coat Travis Bickle with the air of hero-worship. Rather, it showed us what it was to be lonely and defeated in a chaotic world which seemed to look uglier and meaner at night. 

Its themes of urban decay and loss of innocence are still resonant today but don’t miss the power of Scorsese’s tense, sweltering yet elegiac direction as it gazes solely at its desolate protagonist with a blend of pity and unblinking dread. Travis Bickle, forever immortalized in Robert De Niro’s compulsive, hypnotic and ad-libbed (that mirror scene was his improvised creation) performance, is not just a loner in need of love. He is also a damaged soul back from the war, fighting his own battle with insanity and nihilism in a city that is growing crazy. ‘Taxi Driver’ mirrors the hideous demons of grime, racism and seedy prostitution against the raging terrors of Bickle’s mind. All it takes is Cybil Shepherd’s Betsy and her spurning of his not-so-friendly advances to plunge him down a heart-breaking path of misplaced rage at the world.

Yet, even with the doom all around, Scorsese and writer Paul Schrader also hand our unlikely vigilante a lifeline- in the form of child hooker Iris (Jodie Foster), who brings back his conscience. To see whether he survives the storm is one of the other unforgettable experiences of watching ‘Taxi Driver’- you just can’t look away from how real it is.

5- Psycho (1960)

Dir- Alfred Hitchcock

Some movies leave their imprints a bit too distinctly in almost every second film that comes along. So, if you thought that it was only westerns and ‘The Godfather’ whose elements are recycled in both Hollywood and Bollywood outings, think again. Have not we discovered bloody corpses behind bathroom curtains, time and again in movies?

So, ‘Psycho’ was from where it all started. And that is the deceptive part. Essentially, the initial part of Alfred Hitchcock’s masterpiece plays out like trademark Hitchcock formula. A blonde office secretary (Janet Leigh) elopes with a stash of cash and hits the road. All the time, Bernard Hermann’s score is playing its menacing beats fiendishly- a cop is tailing her too. Then, she hits upon the desolate Bates Motel for refuge and everything changes, transforming this into something really special.

I would hate to reveal more of what follows. Plot is not what makes ‘Psycho’ so perfect; what makes it so fresh to our senses even today is how it pushed the boundaries of its own formula. It is a plain old murder mystery but is armed with possibly the best, nastiest twist in film history. It is as much about frenzied screams as about Freud. It is as exciting as it is artful and flawlessly crafted.

There is so much detailing to marvel at (the stuffed birds on the walls of Norman Bates’ room), so much horror to gasp at (yes, chocolate sauce does feel like blood) and that climax (can you forget that smile?) still has the power to bring an unearthly chill down the spine. To sum it up, of all classics, there will be none like ‘Psycho’. It is a movie that feels fresh as ever and remains a truly terrifying horror classic for ages. 

4- Schindler’s List (1993)

Dir- Steven Spielberg

Tragedies make us cry. Massacres make us flinch. It is rare to see a film that does a little of both, without ever losing its precision, without ever blowing it out of proportion. In short, it is rare to see an intelligent portrayal of a truly horrific time in history.

And it is rare to see that a director, whom critics would only fault for sentimentalism, outdoes himself with a film that stays so remarkably unsentimental yet totally compassionate. ‘Schindler’s List’ is not just the only- and I am not counting Roman Polanski’s ‘The Pianist’- mainstream portrayal of the horrors of Holocaust that never shies from showing us the dark truth. It is also, most crucially, a stunning story of real-life disaster, death, defeat, despair and ultimately hope- hope coming in the form of the unlikely saviour Oskar Schindler ( a brilliant Liam Neeson) who made many a dirty deal to save Jews from certain death at hands of Nazis.

But there is more to the film that it would suggest for Spielberg admirably never glorifies Schindler or his exploits but rather makes him an enigmatic character whose true motives are never known. It is this that makes ‘Schindler’s List’ so intelligent as a character study- its protagonists are men of both good and evil means but there might not be much of a difference in the way they take their desperate measures to make ends meet.

Let’s not forget-the film’s raw and powerful indictment of the atrocities and horrors of the pogrom (shot grittily in black-and-white for impact) is what also gives a throbbing heart to a brainy film like this. That is its beauty- ‘Schindler’s List’ is razor-sharp intelligent yet accessible, a film which never overstates its emotions yet also remains often shocking and visceral yet endowed with hope for survival and life against all odds. 

3= There Will Be Blood (2007)

Dir- Paul Thomas Anderson

Certain films are more than just limited to their narratives. They tell us more than that. They tell us about the world around us, the truths that we might have left out of our brains but truths we cannot ignore. Truths which matter.

And that has been the practice of Paul Thomas Anderson, a wunderkind who gave us a rollicking party in ‘Boogie Nights’ and a thrillingly epic multi-character drama in ‘Magnolia’ while lamenting the sorry state of relationships, morals and life in a filthy-rich America. In this searing, stunning adaptation of Upton Sinclair’s ‘Oil!’, he goes a step further and exposes the demons that created this ‘get filthy rich’ dictum- essentially the nascent spectre of capitalism that has built the bones of the America we know today.

But then came along master actor Daniel Day-Lewis who took that ghost and brought it to life in larger-than-life fashion, creating a power-hungry oilman who is as much a businessman as much as a bully. Out he goes, his unforgettable Daniel Plainview, to seize everything that is not his, his often amoral exploits giving the edge of a terse, thudding thriller to this extraordinary period piece that turns phenomenally intense with each turn.

Even as it speaks volumes of the obsessions with both money and religion (Plainview’s arch rival is false prophet Eli, played chillingly by Paul Dano), let’s not forget how dramatic ‘Blood’ actually is. We see Plainview as an impenetrable wall of solid, cold-blooded resolve that breaks apart when his only shred of morality has to be ripped apart by his own ambition. Anderson lets it rip from here, making this gritty epic reach an orgasmic conclusion that comes only from a heady dose of life-altering cinema.

2- Goodfellas (1990)

Dir- Martin Scorsese

Some might be wondering: where the hell is ‘The Godfather’ in this list? And I answer you with a simple suggestion. Watch ‘Goodfellas’ and then try telling me if I missed the greatest gangster film of all time.

The truth is that I did not miss it. Whereas Coppola’s soap opera adaptation of Mario Puzo’s bestseller is as stunning as it can be in its faith to the material, Marty’s ‘Goodfellas’ is stunning in its own right. Whereas ‘The Godfather’ is shackled to the source material in every way possible, ‘Goodfellas’ breaks free recklessly and gleefully, even as it stays true to Nicholas Pileggi’s book on Henry Hill and his fellow wiseguys. Whereas ‘The Godfather’ is mostly a tragedy on parenting, family matters and the American Dream, this is a swinging party with everything- roaring comedy, fiery violence and yes, unexpected emotional drama.

But comparisons aside, this is one hell of a triumph of American cinema, a film that sees Marty at the peak of his powers- currying together all his trademark elements along with a searing streak of social commentary that thickens his portrait of Italian-American underworld to a stew of violence, false allegiances and false vanity that constantly spills over. 

Even with these weighty considerations, it is also a hefty, purely hedonistic slice of entertainment. Edited with plastic agility by Thelma Schoonmaker and punctuated with a soundtrack full of classic rock moments, the film revels in its orgies of gore and gab- the deliciously irreverent humour enlivening what is mainly a grim and often dark portrait of crime and criminals. And that cast only makes things more incredible- Ray Liotta as Henry Hill, Robert De Niro as Jimmy Conway and Joe Pesci as an unpredictable Tommy De Vito.

1- Mulholland Drive (2001)

Dir- David Lynch

What defines a good film? Aside from all narrative and histrionic considerations, the main purpose of film has been to astound. A good film is designed to shock, to stun, to amaze, to satiate our hungry senses and to evoke a reaction. By that measure, David Lynch, a true master of light and sound, of image and spoken word, crafted the ultimate sensory experience of all time in this twisted neo-noir set in Hollywood. Gushingly sensuous colors pop at the eye, textures and lights immerse you into an ethereal world and the contrast between ugliness and beauty- between smooth contours and dirty edges- is often surreally stunning.

So much for the sheer sensory pleasures that 'Mulholland Drive' offers. Add to that Angelo Badalamenti's sombre score and a labryrinthine plot of murder and guilt, of love and lust, of the dark and the bright and you get a cinematic experience unlike any other. 

There have been many attempts to decipher the beautifully convoluted narrative- of an attempted murder in the eponymous location and the subsequent romance between Rita (Laura Harring) and aspiring actress Betty (Naomi Watts) even as a cast of disturbingly intriguing characters are plotting something. Mid-way, Lynch twirls the template and foxily turns the narrative on its own head and by now, we are entranced, as much as by the exquisite storytelling as by how much the film tries to tell us on every single viewing.

What is it, really then? Is it a dark portrait of dreams crushed and compromised in   a not-so-glitzy Hollywood? Is it the fevered, wish-fulfillment fantasy of a starlet who has lost more than her innocence? Or is it a horror story full of the demons that plague our better selves? Lynch asks us the questions even as he constantly stuns us to silence, his craft at its finest and most transcendent ever.

What makes a great film? That, in the darkness of the theater, it lets us discover ourselves. 'Mulholland Drive' does that and more. No wonder it tops my list. 

The Prestige- A Mesmeric Magic Trick

Magic is a tricky business. Even when made sheer pulp, as in the Arabian Nights or the Grimm tales or even books by Tolkien and Rowling, it can either make or break the deal. So much depends on the swish of a wand or the right incantations whispered that it becomes a matter of life and death. One wrong move or word can possibly end your life. But if you get it all right and add your own style to the act, you can create real magic.

So much for real magic. As it happens in ‘The Prestige’, magic trickery- the art of making illusions that dazzle as much as they deceive-is not without its own share of stakes of life and death.

Christopher Nolan takes that central idea, adapts Christopher Priest’s fiendishly smart novel and gives the entire source his own ingenious twists and tweaks- the result being a film markedly different and more enthralling in a conventional sense without losing the essence of enigma. ‘The Prestige’ is an uncommonly smart film, a whodunit thriller fashioned with elegance and driven by excitement and one which never ever lets one up. It takes the central human conflict- of showmanship and real talent- from the novel but plays it out in trademark style- the film’s mysteries concealed in smoke and mirrors in fascinating non-linear style-that ties up all strands ingeniously even as keeping the real mystery out of our grasp.

Set in the 19th century London, fashioned like a wonderfully decaying noir cityscape that also has the feel of a Lynch-like steampunk design, the beautifully structured narrative is, as Priest had it, about rival illusionists Robert Angier (flashy and slick) and Alfred Borden (talented yet enigmatic), duking it out with tricks and concepts instead of swishes of wands or spells. And that is essentially just one part of the film- the red-hot rivalry between the two magicians, spurred by a horrific tragedy. The rest of the ambitious film has quite a few things on its mind, one of them being a debunking of the myths surrounding magic tricks and illusions.

With typical Nolan-like stealth, ‘The Prestige’ sneaks up behind the scenes of the great acts themselves, yet never ever makes the error or revealing a little or big detail that would give away too much.

As we watch, spell-bound, there is a wealth of secrets behind every single magic trick that explodes on the stage so magnificently. There is a marvel of engineering or science that makes it happen. There is a secret stashed away in a place that you might choose to ignore. There is meticulous planning and even the audience members are in the game. There is then an extra layer of trickery and deception but even that is nothing in the face of the bigger stakes behind the stage.

Both Borden and Angier are driven by something more than just the cut-throat rivalry between them. For Angier, it is showmanship- the heady delight of deceiving his audiences (he even does not celebrate his successful illusion because he can’t even see his crowds applauding him) and seeing the wonder in their faces. It is a passion for him to be the ultimate illusionist, upstaging his rival and his rage for his wife’s death becomes tragically secondary to this obsession. For Borden, sacrifice is what defines real commitment to make a great illusion and we see him going through his own trials. Divided between a lover (Scarlett Johannson’s bewitchingly seductive Olivia who switches sides in the conflict) and his loyal wife Sarah (Rebecca Hall, impressive), Borden struggles to keep the enigma of his own illusion intact, eventually succumbing to the fate that awaits him. Nolan portrays both men as flawed dreamers, each trying to find out what is a great illusion all about and whether illusions can be really magic.

Real magic, however, pops up in the form of actual invention- in this case, the mysterious powers of alternating electricity by none other than Nikolai Tesla. It is he who intrigues Angier yet cautions him to avoid falling into the same cul-de-sac of obsession. Nolan masterfully weaves fact into fantasy at this juncture- we see Tesla hounded by not only rival Edison’s smear campaign but also by his own demons. In his parallel track as a real wizard who has delivered miracles but also succumbed to them, we see the real selves of both Borden and Angier reflected with shattering conviction.

It is a class act, every bit of it- the film paced flawlessly like an elaborate yet heart-pounding stage act itself, peppered with many a thrill and spill but while the well-tailored suspense plot often amazes, the film’s attention to detail is equally well-judged and astute.

From a secret box in the table which hides a bird killed in the name of magic to grimy back-stages that reveal darker truths as much as they conceal, the visual world of ‘The Prestige’ is one of both mystery and morbid dread. And that makes it all more unsettling- even with split-second thrills and twists and flashes of smart banter, this is a mostly taut thriller enlivened only by the moments of wide-eyed wonder and of course the mammoth performances.

Hugh Jackman is terrific as Angier, endowing his eventually amoral character with a cocky, rascally charisma that is irresistible. Driven by fervour of one-upmanship as well as a natural flair for dramatics, his Angier is a cocky youngster at heart who jumps before he thinks and pays for it in ways best left unsaid. Yet, the real tour de force often comes from his perfect foil: Christian Bale as Borden. Enigmatic, often conflicted yet dedicated and blazingly intelligent, Bale is in top form as Borden, crafting a complex character with realism that is hard-hitting.

Michael Caine is superb as John Cutting, a shifty and veteran stage-hand who becomes Angier's unlikely accomplice in his malicious quest of obsession while motion-capture legend Andy Serkis is terrifically slimy as the trusty aide to Tesla. And that brings us to Tesla himself.

In a casting masterstroke, Nolan picked out the late and incredibly enigmatic David Bowie for playing the equally mysterious inventor. This decision pays off in spades for this is clearly one of the pop and rock legend's another absorbing, indelible screen performances. The well-chosen words he speaks- of how society can deal with only one change at a time and of how his own obsession has made him prisoner- go on to reveal a hidden core to both Tesla and Bowie himself- something that we may not know much about. His quietly chilling essence is itself stunning- he enters the frame, walking through crackling electricity, not unlike many of the icon's unforgettable musical personas. And it is he who, in his small but pivotal role, brings a real emotional darkness to the tale. Not to forget that famous stare of that one dilated pupil, which soaks us all in serious moonlight.

Mesmerizing, like the rest of the film, really. 

Captain America: Civil War- A Classic Clash Of Titans

It is high time since we realized that superheroes are different, not only from the rest of us ordinary folk but also from each other.

Differences emerge inevitably from a certain ideology, a certain opinion or the way of doing things right, saving the world. And while most assembles of heroes might eventually gel together like a good team to kick evil in its nuts, when pushed to edge, we might eventually see the cracks in their group dynamic that might eventually lead to a clash of ideas and personalities.

The Russo Brothers, continuing a smashing run with their deft hand on the superhero genre after 2014’s tautly thrilling ‘The Winter Soldier’, have taken this central premise and woven around it a fascinating, solidly conventional (or even unexpected unconventional) superhero yarn that lets our favourite screen heroes- and intriguing newbies- duke it out in a battle, which lets them decide what is right and what should be done.

It is the most classic of all superhero templates and while ‘Captain America: Civil War’ is also bursting with layers of wacky wit, much excellent daredevilry and even flashes of unexpected emotional baggage, it never really strays from its main objective- to let us sigh and gasp (and yes, even have a ball) as we see once-teammates taking on each other, each endowed with style, snap and superpowers that makes him or her really special and crucially different from the others. Hell, this is the film that ‘Batman Vs Superman: Dawn Of Justice’ could have been. 

Comic-book movies might deviate from actual plots of the paperbacks and even tweak the origins here and there but what makes a good comic book movie is how it lets its men and women in tights to keep on their true selves. Nothing is taken away from any of the masked and caped heroes in this film- and that itself makes the entire clash intriguing. We always need to see whether these oddballs can actually fit in with each other when it comes to big choices and it is exactly this shred of conflict that makes the actual smack-down a worthy debate that lets you pick sides. Or rather, even both sides.

The big choice in this case is what the great Alan Moore described some of in his seminal series ‘Watchmen’- the public exploits of heroes need to be controlled- or even subdued- by a ruling political authority. The United Nations steps in to restrain these bushy-tailed adventurers who might have saved the day but have also created collateral damage. Tony Stark, now visibly greying at the edges and palpably defeated, agrees but his perfect opposite, the evergreen Steve Rogers won’t really take it lying down. 

And that is all you need to know, really. ‘Civil War’ skimps on the weightier narrative elements and instead decides to pile up the fun. The build-up before the big clash towards the climax is a tightly plotted game of move and countermove-deftly laying the bones of the central debate between Captain America and Iron Man, whilst letting in irresistibly interesting characters with their motives and affiliations into the narrative. The action comes in incidentally, intuitively- slick, frenetic yet often punchy and coherent. The fresh faces- the embittered African prince T’Challa, a trusty Falcon, a slippery burglar who starred in Marvel’s most low-key venture and a kid from New York whom you know too well- step into ‘Civil War’ in unexpected and strategic ways, the result being that the director-duo along with their writers keep everything on an even keel. Everything- from the shifting allegiances to the main gist of a whodunit plot involving Bucky Barnes to the entry of the afore-mentioned characters- fits in like clockwork. 

When the big battle eventually erupts, it is time for both nostalgia and novelty. ‘Civil War’ smartly pits together two teams- Captain’s ensemble of mostly mercenaries, both old and new, pitted against Iron Man’s team of reliable allies and yes, of course that kid. It could have been an overblown battle of incoherence- yes, but in the hands of a director like Zack Snyder. In more capable hands, the battle turns not only into a classic standoff of heroes laying down friendships for a greater cause but also witty, often ingenious and enthralling. Yes, the action actually delights because it never digresses into redundant hokum and the film sticks with both teams- letting each hero have both a moment in the sun as well as a mighty fall. It is also incredibly hilarious at times- the visual daredevilry often amuses as does the verbal banter amidst the chaos. I cannot forget the sight of Ant-Man doing his greatest trick- no spoilers, I assure you- or both Spiderman and Captain America pausing for a breath to talk about from where in good old New York did they come. 

Is it all fun and games? As the film reaches a head in a sobering climax in Siberia, the film smashes the ground rules and turns darker but it never feels indulgent or overdone. Most importantly, we never forget who the heroes are and what makes them different.

Keeping the superhero style and snap firmly in their tights and spandex are the actors, all better than ever. Chris Evans makes for a solid Captain America, a bit out of league of the big stakes the game requires but nevertheless soldiering on with true-blue diligence and determination. Scarlett Johannson still kicks ass as Natasha Romanoff, here divided between a natural liking for Rogers and a logical allegiance to Stark while Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany add wonderful side-turns as Wanda Maximoff and Vision respectively. Paul Rudd is a stellar Ant-Man, carrying off goofy charm effectively while Chadwick Boseman’s T’Challa is the film’s biggest surprise- a dark-edged Avenger in the literal sense. And finally, we have Tom Holland playing a Spiderman that we always wanted but never got till now: low-key, wet behind his ears yet a load of swinging fun.

As the film’s central antagonist, Daniel Bruhl is quietly chilling as he plots and carries out the film’s chaos with the elegance of a tragic villain done wrong. Old faces like William Hurt and Don Cheadle are a delight, though more could have been done with Jeremy Renner’s Hawkeye, and Marisa Tomei still manages to look great with the man who fell in love with her in a film called ‘Only You’.

That man- who is actually Robert Downey JR’s Tony Stark- often steals the film. This might be a franchise film for Captain but it is Iron Man who emerges, unexpectedly, as the film’s moral compass and its emotional core. Downey’s Stark is here a man mostly beaten down on all levels and even his constant barrage of wisecracks lacks the punch that it once had. But then, that is the deal- this is a Stark losing it all- Pepper Potts is gone, his well-intentioned inventions have failed and all his demons are tumbling out of that iron suit. Downey gets the snappy banter right as always but he also digs beneath the armour and comes up with a vulnerable, damaged soul that we have never seen before. It is clearly the performance of the film.

Is ‘Civil War’ the finest superhero film out there? It is definitely one of the finest, for here we have all the ingredients in place- well-picked characters oozing with charisma, enough meat for the plot and enough hard-boiled action to satisfy the boys. But like the much-loved ‘Star Wars’ sequel it references hilariously at a point, this is also a brave superhero yarn that refuses to end on a happy note but instead leaves a cliff-hanger and us hungry for more. Imagine Christopher Nolan taking on the Marvel series and giving us something for everyone. Now that is really smart. 

My Rating- 4 and a half stars out of 5