Author: Dr. K

Game Corner [Sci-Fanuary]: Star Fox 64 / Lylat Wars (Nintendo Switch)

Dr. K3 Comments

January celebrates two notable dates in science-fiction history, “National Science Fiction Day” on January 2 and Arthur C. Clarke’s HAL 9000’s birthday on January 12. Accordingly, I’m dedicating January to celebrating sci-fi in an event I call “Sci-Fanuary”.

Released: 25 October 2021
Originally Released: 27 April 1997
Developer: Nintendo EAD
Also Available For: iQue Player, Nintendo 64, Nintendo Wii, Nintendo Wii U (Original); Nintendo 3DS (Remake)

The Background:
In their effort to break into the 16-bit market, Nintendo forged a close relationship with Argonaut Software, leading to the ground-breaking creation of the “Super FX” chip and the Super Nintendo Entertainment System’s (SNES) ability to process 3D graphics. Nintendo and Argonaut drew inspiration from the original Star Wars trilogy (Various, 1977 to 1983) to showcase the chip with arcade shooter Star Fox (1993). However, despite becoming the fastest-selling videogame in North America and garnering rave reviews, a sequel was unceremoniously cancelled so Nintendo could focus on the more powerful Nintendo 64. Although gamers had to wait over twenty years for Star Fox 2 to be released, lead producer and series creator Shigeru Miyamoto spearheaded a Nintendo 64 entry that began as a port of the original game as the developers struggled to adapt to the Nintendo 64’s hardware. After six months of testing, Nintendo higher-ups were apparently unenthusiastic, though it took only a ten second demonstration at Shoshinkai 1995 for the project to be approved. Artist Takaya Imamura was heavily involved in many aspects of the game, from the art direction to gameplay mechanics, while Miyamoto sought to both build upon the existing mechanics and recycle some of the work that had gone into the cancelled Star Fox 2, specifically the multiplayer mode and branching paths. The developers created new craft for the Star Fox team to utilise (though on-foot sections were scrapped due to time constraints), and the game was the first in the Nintendo 64 library to use the Rumble Pak peripheral. Retitled to Lylat Wars in Europe, Star Fox 64 released to critical acclaim. The multiplayer and gameplay were highly praised, and it even initially outsold Super Mario 64 (Nintendo EAD, 1996). Despite this, it would be another five years before there was another game in the franchise, though it did receive an equally successful 3DS remake in 2011 alongside numerous ports, and it’s highly regarded as one of the best in the series.

The Plot:
Five years after being exiled for biological warfare, the mad scientist Andross attacks the Lylat system, causing General Pepper to hire the Star Fox team – Fox McCloud, Falco Lombardi, Slippy Toad, and Peppy Hare – to defend the worlds within.

Gameplay and Power-Ups:
Star Fox 64 is an arcade-style, space-based shooter that largely takes place on-rails and with you back in control of an Arwing space craft. In many respects, the game is a remake of the original Star Fox, taking few elements from the cancelled Star Fox 2. You’re back controlling Fox alone with three AI-controlled wingmen helping you out, and there are no real-time strategy elements to think about (though the path you take and the missions you tackle will change depending on how you play). If you’re new to the game, you can get to grips with the controls in the “Training” mode, or jump right into the main story and take on seven stages (or “Missions”) to confront Andross’s forces. Players begin with two lives and a basic shield meter, which depletes as you take damage and can be refilled with silver rings, extended with gold rings, and replenished by passing through checkpoints. You blast enemy ships with A, holding the button to charge a homing shot that targets the nearest enemy, or destroy all onscreen enemies with one of your limited supply of Nova bombs with B. Y boosts you ahead, which is great for rushing past hazards, chasing down enemies, or outrunning ships on your tail. X brakes, which is also great for avoiding hazards and having pursuing craft fly past you, though this and the boost are tied to a small, replenishing meter to keep you from abusing their functionality. ZL and R allow you to bank, aiding in strafing and quickly sweeping enemy swarms. Double tapping either performs a “barrel roll” to evade and deflect incoming fire, and the left and right sicks execute a U-turn (though I struggled with this nine times out of ten).

Fox has more versatility, vehicles, and options than ever in this fun arcade shooter.

The right stick also switches to a cockpit view, if that’s your preference, though I was very impressed with how the game handled from the standard third-person viewpoint, especially compared to the last two games. The onscreen aiming reticule helps, for sure, as do the tighter, far more responsive controls that makes flying a breeze. Things get a little trickier when you enter “All-Range Mode”, where you’re confined to a set arena, generally to battle a boss or attack a central target. I found it a bit difficult to get my bearings in these situations, generally crashing into objects and being forced back into the fight by an invisible border, which my wingmen were quick to comment on. Yor wingmen offer advice encouragement, criticism, and require your help constantly. Generally, they’re pretty useful and will attack targets, but you can’t command them and they (Slippy, usually) are always getting into trouble or flying into your laser fire. It pays to keep them healthy, however; if they take too much damage and leave, you’ll lose out on Slippy’s analysis of bosses and the accompanying health meter, Peppy’s gameplay advice, and Falco’s alternative paths. Depending on which route you take, you’ll also be aided by Bill Grey or Katt Monroe, and ROB 64 will occasionally provide helpful pick-ups, as indicated by an onscreen notification to flick the right stick, or provide cover fire in the Great Fox. Players also take to the ground in the Landmaster tank and the sea in the Blue Marine, which have all the same capabilities as the Arwing except the Landmaster can’t fly (it can briefly hover, though I could never remember which shoulder buttons to press to do this) and the Blue Marine fires homing torpedoes. While there’s only one underwater mission, Landmaster missions are a nice change of pace but aiming can be a little trickier, something made even more troublesome by your Arwing-based wingmen still needing your help despite having the high ground. If you take too many hits, your ship will sustain heavy damage to its wings, which can be repaired with the Spare Wing pick-up. Your lasers can also be powered-up, and you’ll gain 1-Ups either by finding them or finishing a mission with a high kill count.

Missions, objectives, and the game’s difficulty all change based on how you play.

Your performance is graded at the end of every mission; your remaining wingmen and your health is tallied against your kill count, which increases your chances for a 1-Up. It’s advisable to avoid being too trigger happy as you’ll rob yourself of your backup while they go in for repairs, and General Pepper is billed for property damage at the game’s end. Generally, missions simply involve flying through a set course, defeating enemies, dodging hazards, and taking out a boss. However, even linear missions can hide secret paths; downing a set number of enemies, flying through certain alcoves, defeating rival team Star Wolf, and shooting switches can lead to alternate paths both in the mission and on the main map. The path you take dictates the game’s difficulty (with the top path being the hardest), though you can opt to change your path if you wish. Some missions task you with completing an objective in a time limit; others have you destroying shield generators, rushing through narrow corridors, or blasting through asteroid belts. When on Solar, your shield constantly drains from the intense heat; on Titania, you’ll bomb across the sand avoiding collapsing ruins in search of Slippy. Katina sees you defending a pyramid base from a swarm of enemy fighters alongside Bill, and Macbeth has you chase after a train, blasting boulders and defensive towers. Warp gates appear sporadically, allowing you to skip ahead, and you’ll face battleships, space stations, and swarming forces as you approach Venom, Andross’s home base. Walls, girders, fire plumes, space debris, and turrets will test your reaction times, and you’ll occasionally have to pick different paths and make tight turns as you race towards (and away from) Andross.

Presentation:
I’ve always said one of the main things holding back Star Fox was the awful polygonal graphics. They might’ve been impressive at the time, but I never liked them and they really ruined my experience in a lot of ways. Thankfully, that’s not an issue here with the superior power of the Nintendo 64. The entire game is brought to life through polygons (with the exception of some background elements and such, I’m sure), with the correct textures and rendering making for a smooth and far more pleasant experience. The game’s story and character interaction are all fully voiced (a rarity even at the end of the Nintendo 64’s lifecycle let alone the start), and the cast all have distinctive personalities: Peppy is wise and seasoned, Slippy a pain in the ass, and Falco a stubborn jerk. Although most cutscenes relegate the crew to amusing flapping heads, each mission gets an intro and outro, generally showing the team checking in or setting the stage for the current conflict. The game’s sound effects and music are also top-notch, with stirring military themes, adventurous tunes, and ominous overtures adding to the increased stakes as stages get progressively difficult. Some interesting touches are included here and there, such as planets looming into view when you’re blasting through space, enemy tanks toppling columns, and the very architecture itself coming to life around you. As you’d expect from the Nintendo 64, there’s some pop-up and fog effects here, but it’s generally masked or incorporated into a level’s structure, or the action ramps up to compensate.

The technology has finally caught up with the concept to present a charming action romp.

There’s quite a bit of variety to the mission locations in Star Fox 64; you view your current path and its branches from a rotatable space map, encouraging experimentation to visit new worlds, with their objectives tweaked depending on your path. Things start off familiarly enough with the distinctly Earth-like Corneria, with its river-filled mountains and futuristic main city. Weather effects and seasons taint the remaining planets in the Lylat system: Fortuna is the icy home to one of Andross’s outer bases, Solar is quite literally a raging star, Titania is a desert world filled with ruins and beset by a raging sandstorm, and Aquas takes place in the ocean depths. When partaking in space missions, you’ll blast towards stars, constellations, and planets taking on vaguely Star Wars-like battleships, debris, asteroids, lumbering craft, and surprise attacks from swarming, Space Invaders-esque (Taito, 1978) ships. Even confined areas like Bolse can have a lot going on with their intricate mechanical textures, endless enemy swarms, and unique objectives. Sure, it’s all a bit quaint these days, with blocky polygons and out-dated graphics, but Star Fox 64 has aged far better than the first game. The on-rails action keeps you moving, lasers and explosions and interesting obstacles are as constant as cries for help and warning notifications, and there’s always something to see, collect, shoot at, or avoid as you blast along. Although I found the stage aggravating and full of hazards, Macbeth was a great example of this as enemy ships fly overhead, the train trundles along firing concussive blasts and dropping boulders, and you’re constantly swerving to avoid obstacles and target everything in sight.

Enemies and Bosses:
If there’s a downside to Star Fox 64, it’s mostly the enemies. Indistinct polygonal crafts of various sizes pop up, fly in, or swarm around each area, blasting at you or charging into you or chasing Slippy and forcing you to rescue her for the hundredth time. They’re easily shot down with your primary weapon but it’s recommended you charge a shot to take out multiple foes at once (and net yourself a power-up and a hit combo in the process). Turrets, mines (both land, sea, and space), towers, and bigger swarms become more frequent as you progress. Snake-like Moras weave throughout the Meteo asteroid field, whole swarms fill the screen with grid-like laser patterns, bee-like fighters dance about firing coloured rings, and winged craft rise from Solar’s burning depths. Some of the more interesting enemies are land-based, such as the Garudas (construction robots who topple buildings and toss girders at you) and the giant, crab-like walkers of Titania. Anime-like Shogun Troopers attack the Corerian fleet in Sector Y, disc-like defence station platforms and large battle cruisers act as both hazards and targets in Area 6, and you’ll be hard-pressed to destroy each section of the seemingly unstoppable train on Macbeth, especially while blasting tanks, towers, and through gates. As versatile as Andross’s forces are, often splitting apart and flying at you as horizontal and vertical hazards, his home world of Venom is rife with buzzing swarms, tight turns, explosive booby traps, and walls that sprout hazards at the command of the stone golem, Golemech.

The game’s not short on gigantic bosses to challenge your skills.

Each mission culminates in a boss battle, though some missions have more than one depending on how well you play or will add additional phases and challenges (such as a time limit) to bosses. It’s recommended that you keep Slippy alive as that’s the only way you’ll properly gauge your progress against the boss as she brings up their health bar, though pieces of them will break off as you attack. Many are also accompanied by or spawn smaller enemy craft or fire destructible projectiles, which are worth targeting if your shield or bombs are low. Finally, the general strategy against these bosses is to simply avoid their attacks and target their weak spot (often a glowing yellow target), though you will have to adapt to All-Range Mode and partake in some tricky dogfights in some missions. On Corneria, you’ll battle either an Attack Carrier or Granga’s Mech, with the latter being the harder option. The Attack Carrier’s weak spots are small but it’s dead simple to avoid its shots and blast its wings off, while Graga stomps about firing homing missiles and making his mech a hard target to track. When facing the Meteo Crusher, fire when the central metal plate rotates to expose the weak spot but watch for the big Death Star-like laser it fires and its second phase where it flips around to shoot from the front. The giant clam Bacoon awaits on Aquas, the heavily armoured Sarumarine on Zoness, and the crab-like Vulcain on Solar, with this latter swiping its pincers, crating lava tidal waves, spewing fie plumes, and spitting flaming boulders. There’s even a fun Independence Day (Emmerich, 1996) homage when you team up with Bill to attack a gigantic, saucer-like alien mothership on Katina. As mentioned, Macbeth really aggravated me the first time through as the Forever Train was a difficult battle. A winged mech detaches from it and rains spears onto the track, but it’ll also crash into you if you don’t take it out fast enough at the end. However, if you target eight switches dotted alongside the main train track, you can one-shot the boss with a cutscene!

After besting Star Wolf and all his forces, you’ll take on the monstrous ape-thing Andross!

After taking out the security facility on Boise, you’ll infiltrate Andross’s pyramid-like base and chase down Golemech, blasting away his sandstone hide to attack his mechanical innards. You’ll battle the Spyborg in Sector X, which launches its fists at you and fires projectiles from its head. Take too long battling it and it’ll swipe Slippy to Titania, forcing you to rescue her from Goras, which has Slippy hostage in one pincer and fires lasers with the other. Target the limbs first, then switch to the chest and heart to bring it down. To finish Sector Y, you’ll chase down and destroy some super-fast Shogun Troopers and the larger, chrome-plated Shogun who eventually (and conveniently) settles atop an attack carrier and makes itself an easy target. The Gorgon super laser in Area 6 proved quite a challenge; you need to destroy its extendable tentacles and attack craft, then the three energy spheres inside it, all to finally expose its inner core multiple times over to succeed, By far your most persistent foes will be rival team Star Wolf, who you’ll face numerous times. Sometimes you can ignore them in favour of other objectives, but if you engage then you’re in for a tough dog fight. Star Wolf and his team love to come at you from behind and chase down your wingmen, and their ships have the same capabilities as yours, making them formidable foes. I found the battle against them on Venom particularly frustrating due to the enclosed space, them sporting shields to negate your charge shot and bombs, and Andrew Oikonny being a douche and not getting off my ass! No matter which path you take, you’ll end up facing Andross alone with Fox, though this giant disembodied ape head only shows his true form (a giant brain!) on the hardest path. Andross attacks by swiping his hands, firing an electrical blast from his fingertip, and sucking you in to eat you. Target his eyes to briefly stun him, destroy each hand in turn, and drop a bomb in his mouth and you’ll soon encounter his second form, a mechanical devil head that chomps at you. Destroying this is enough for the easy and medium paths, but the final form sees you desperately flying around blasting first Andross’s eyes and then the grey matter on the back of his brain as he teleports about, then desperately following Fox’s father as he leads you to safety.

Additional Features:
As mentioned, there are three paths to choose in Star Fox 64, though you really need to be paying attention in missions to figure out how to tackle the different levels and challenges. Rescuing Falco or ignoring Star Wolf or prioritising kills will put you on different paths and, while you can change to a lower path, you can’t change up to a higher one. You’ll get slightly different endings for each, with Andross only being properly destroyed on the hardest path, though this encourages replaying the game as much as the high score table. As if that wasn’t enough, if you accumulate enough kills and keep your allies alive, you’ll be awarded a medal. Get a medal on every mission to unlock the harder “Expert” mode and really challenge yourself. There’s also a Versus mode where you compete against friends for points, either working towards a set number of kills or against a time limit, which also allows you to play outside of a vehicle. Beyond that, you can mess about with the title screen, search for warp points, unlock artwork by beating Expert mode, and use the Nintendo Switch Online functionality to create save states.

The Summary:
I’ve played Star Fox 64 before; I never had it on the Nintendo 64, but I downloaded it for the Nintendo Wii and I was even tempted to get the 3DS version. What put me off was my dislike of the original Star Fox, a clunky and ugly game that hasn’t aged well at all. This isn’t true of Star Fox 64, which retains the same charm and appeal as it had all those years ago. The technology has finally caught up with the concept here, providing slick, tight, action-orientated space battles that really bring the idea to life. I loved the presentation of the story, the way the vehicles controlled (Landmaster aiming notwithstanding), and the challenge on offer. It’s a bit cheap to not make it more explicit what you have to do to pick each path but the signs are there, guides exist, and it’s fun replaying and experimenting, especially as missions are altered each time. This means some missions that are quite easy can become much more difficult, your approach to Venom and reaching Andross changes, and you get slightly different endings for your troubles. Yes, constantly rescuing Slippy and the others is annoying but the on-rails action is really fun. There’s also a lot happening and everything runs really smoothly. All-Range Mode was a bit tricky for me, and some missions and boss battles (particularly against the powered-up Star Wolf) had me tearing my hair out at times, but this stress was mitigated by the Switch’s save state feature. I would’ve liked to see a free play mode, the ability to play as the other characters, a co-op mode, and a boss rush implemented but that’s all stuff I’d expect to see in a sequel or remake. As is, Star Fox 64 is the first entry in the franchise I really enjoyed playing. It wasn’t a chore to control or look at, the soundtrack is excellent, blowing up enemies was satisfying, the bosses were huge and engaging, and the game finally brought the characters and the action to life in a way I could enjoy.

My Rating:

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Great Stuff

Are you a fan of Star Fox 64? Do you consider it the best of the classic Star Fox titles? Which vehicle and boss was your favourite? Did you ever best every mission and complete every path? What did you think to All-Range Mode and the branching path system? Do you have any memories of playing this with friends back in the day? Which Star Fox game is your favourite? Whatever your thoughts on Star Fox 64, please share them below and check out my other sci-fi content across the site! 

Screen Time [Sci-Fanuary]: M.O.D.O.K.

Dr. K1 Comment

January sees the celebration of two notable dates in science-fiction history, with January 2 christened “National Science Fiction Day” to coincide with the birth date of the world renowned sci-fi writer Isaac Asimov, and HAL 9000, the sophisticated artificial intelligence of Arthur C. Clarke’s seminal 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), being created on 12 January. Accordingly, I am dedicating all of January to celebrating sci-fi in all its forms.

Air Date: 21 May 2021
Directors: Eric Towner and Alex Kamer
Network: Hulu / Disney+
Stars: Patton Oswalt, Aimee Garcia, Ben Schwartz, Melissa Fumero, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Jon Daly, and Beck Bennett

The Background:
Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, George Tarleton, the “Mental Organism Designed Only for Killing”/MODOK first appeared in the pages of Tales of Suspense back in 1967. The deranged, cybernetic would-be conqueror has been a thorn in the side of numerous Avengers and a mainstay of Marvel videogames, though he’s had a tumultuous life on the big and small screen. While I best know the character from his appearances in the 1990’s Iron Man cartoon, most mainstream audiences probably best know him from his infamous appearance in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (Reed, 2023). Before that debacle, MODOK received his own adult animated series on Hulu, the first in what was planned to be a bunch of adult animated series before his fellow “Offenders” were summarily cancelled. A stop-motion production in the style of the similarly-themed Robot Chicken (2005 to present), M.O.D.O.K. was well-received upon first airing. Though some found it incomparable to its peers, most reviews praised the vulgar tragicomedy for its workplace humour and entertaining performances. Unfortunately, neither the generally positive reactions or a Golden Trailer Award nomination were enough to produce a second season and M.O.D.O.K. was cancelled after only one season.

The Plot:
After failing to conquer the world, MODOK (Oswalt) loses control of Advanced Idea Mechanics (A.I.M.) when it goes bankrupt and schemes to regain his position while dealing with a failing marriage and a mid-life crisis.

The Review:
M.O.D.O.K. is an adult stop-motion animated series in the same visual style of Robot Chicken, a show I haven’t watched all that much but have enjoyed its zany take on pop culture. However, I used to watch The Adam and Joe Show (1996 to 1999) as a kid and that regularly included segments featuring stuffed toys and action figures, so it’s a style I’ve always enjoyed. M.O.D.O.K. skews more towards the action figure aesthetic; this is especially evident in scenes where MODOK and A.I.M. attack Avengers Tower and battle Anthony “Tony” Stark/Iron Man (Jon Hamm), who’s styled after the Toy Biz “Marvel Super Heroes” action figure. Considering how painstaking stop-motion animation is, I’m surprised by how long each episode is, with each clocking in at around twenty-five minutes; though it’s my understanding that the animation studio, Stoopid Buddy Stoodios, used elaborate puppets during filming. The result is a very surreal animation style that perfectly matches the bizarre nature of the show, which is much cruder and ruder than the average Marvel production. M.O.D.O.K. features blood, violence, a touch of body horror (both in MODOK’s unsightly appearance and in a Fly-like (Various, 1957; 1958 to 1989) genetic monstrosity), and some swears, thus firmly setting it as a more adult-orientated show. Additionally, and most prominently, M.O.D.O.K. tackles adult themes such as divorce, mid-life crises, and navigating an increasing unstable workplace undergoing corporate mandated overhauls to be more politically correct and accommodating. As enjoyable as it is to see characters have half their faces melted off, blood and guts burst on the screen, and MODOK’s long-suffering (but endlessly enthusiastic) henchman Garfield “Gary” Garoldson (Sam Richardson) get his arm blown off just for standing in the wrong place at the wrong time, it’s the domestic drama where M.O.D.O.K. really shines. There’s an unexpected pathos laced throughout the show as MODOK desperately attempts to win back his frustrated wife, Jodie Ramirez-Tarleton (Garcia), and the approval of his kids, aspiring supervillain Mental Entity Living to Induce Seriously Sinister Anarchy/Melissa (Fumero) and endlessly jovial Lanky Organism Undeniably Irresistible and Syphilitic/Lou (Schwartz).

The once-fearsome MODOK is reduced to squalor by his failing company and family life.

MODOK’s family is acutely aware of his evil deeds; it’s hard for them not to be since the only thing he talks about at home is himself, how superior he is, and spinning disastrous failures into overblown wins just because he stole Iron Man’s boot. MODOK’s obsession with destroying the Avengers and conquering the world stems from his childhood, where he was relentlessly bullied for his big head and supervillain-level genius. However, his loving mother (Unknown) encouraged his ambition and he continuously experimented on himself with science and cybernetics in a bid to take over he world and “improve” it with his own twisted version of a utopia. Unfortunately, MODOK’s preoccupation with this goal has caused him to neglect his family: he barely acknowledges Jodie’s success as a self-help guru or her upcoming book launch, Melissa resents him for embarrassing her and not acknowledging her opinions, and Lou, though seemingly cheerful, is hiding his own insecurities behind a happy-go-lucky façade and an amateur interest in stage magic. When MODOK’s reckless spending pushes A.I.M. to the brink of bankruptcy, MODOK’s forced to sell to young, socially aware Austin Van der Sleet (Bennett), owner of tech company GRUMBL, who, despite his assurances, makes so many changes to A.I.M.’s corporate structure that MODOK is eventually reduced to a mere mailman. His frustrations see his marriage crumble; realising they no longer have anything in common, Jodie demands a divorce and kicks MODOK out, forcing him to live in squalor with the family’s underappreciated robot slave, the Super-Adaptoid (Daly). When MODOK’s begging and pleading for a second chance fail, he and Gary break into the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division’s (S.H.I.E.L.D.) headquarters and steal a time machine, desperate to undo a past mistake and take Jodie to a Third Eye Blind concert to rekindle their love. However, the attempts fails when she’s angered at him using the jaunt to also try and assassinate Austin and he inadvertently creates the show’s overarching villain when his ineptitude angers his past self and displaces him from time after he shatters the time machine’s Chrono Crystal.

MODOK’s long-suffering wife and daughter come to resent his selfish attitude.

Jodie’s frustration with MODOK is well founded; he’s an egotistical, selfish, obnoxious braggart who causes chaos wherever he goes. At work, MODOK is largely idolised by A.I.M.’s mostly nameless and faceless beekeepers; MODOK shows he cares for them when he begs Austin to keep them employed, but also treats them as disposable pawns when enacting his plans. Jodie feels a degree of the same disregard, constantly feeling second fiddle to MODOK’s greater aspirations, and forces a separation so she can get her life in order. When she starts dating Simon Williams/Wonder Man (Nathan Fillion), Jodie sees her stock and fame skyrocket due to the sordid publicity surrounding Wonder Man and she shamelessly embraces it. She manipulates both Wonder Man and MODOK to promote her book, coldly using the limelight-loving superhero for her own ends, and even injects Lou with a serum to give him a peanut allergy to give him a personality flaw, showing why she’d fall for a supervillain in the first place. It’s clear Jodie and MODOK still have feelings for each other (when trapped in the past, they grow old and rekindle their feelings, only to be erased from time) but they struggle to reconcile even for the sake of their kids. Melissa, though a female copy of MODOK, is actually very popular and has aspirations of being a supervillain but is continuously let down by him ignoring her input. She expertly teaches him how to psychologically manipulate others during a work conference, only for him to default to a grandiose plan for hero worship by opening a portal to the Broodworld. She works hard to give him a makeover, but he ruins his new look by brawling with Wonder Man. It’s doubly frustrating for Melissa considering she’s the most pragmatic of the family. Indeed, when faced with discovering which of them are murderous robot doubles created by Arcade (Alan Tudyk), Melissa doesn’t hesitate to slaughter their doppelgängers either on a whim or by closely watching their body language and behaviour.    

MODOK’s struggles to regain A.I.M and be taken seriously are compounded by his family life.

Lou is the black sheep of the family. Whereas MODOK and Melissa and even Jodie can be cruel, cold-hearted, and manipulative in their own ways, Lou is kind and jovial, without a care in the world. Not confined to a floating machine like his sister and father, Lou’s free to express his boundless energy, seemingly finding the good in every situation, no matter how dire. The only concern he seems to have is about his upcoming Bar-Mitzvah, and even then he just wants to perform magic for his audience; a desire so great that it drives him to chase after his props when MODOK callously transports them to Asgard. There, he earns the awe and loyalty of the goblin-like Kodolds, setting him against his father but ultimately aiding him in escaping death when he learns the MODOK is just trying to protect him from possible humiliation. While his family love him, Lou’s mostly perplexing to them; he finds a kindred spirit in outcast, sullen goth Carmilla Rappaccini (Zara Mizrahi) and gains a brother when he befriends his robot duplicate, but an overriding concern of MODOK and Jodie’s is that Lou is hiding his pain behind his magic. MODOK’s attempts to be a good father, win back Jodie, and regain control of A.I.M. see him turning to lower-tier supervillains for assistance when big shots like Samuel Sterns/The Leader (Bill Hader) and Doctor Nathanial Essex/Mister Sinister (Kevin Michael Richardson) turn him away. Begrudgingly relying on the Super-Adaptoid for company and transport, MODOK forms a crew consisting of David Angar/Angar the Screamer (Bill Hader), Antonio Rodriguez/Armadillo (Dustin Ybarra), Bruno Horgan/The Melter (Eddie Pepitone), Marion Pouncy/Poundcakes (Whoopi Goldberg), and Alvin Healy/Tenpin (Chris Parnell) to steal Captain Steve Rogers/Captain America’s shield and curry favour. Naturally, this goes hideously awry when the D-listers get distracted by their own personal dramas and incompetence, and when they abandon MODOK after learning he was manipulating them. However, MODOK comes to sympathise with the downtrodden villains and they agree to storm Avengers Tower, only to fall asleep on the trip and the Melter to die from excitement.

MODOK’s abrasive nature creates his own villains and even angers a past version of himself.

MODOK’s abrasive personality and disregard for his underlings means he has many enemies beyond the likes of Iron Man, even within his own company. Most notably, he’s constantly challenged at work by Monica Rappaccini (McLendon-Covey), an A.I.M. scientist whose genius matches, or many even surpasses, that of MODOK. Initially excited to be hired as another disposable beekeeper since she idolised MODOK, Monica slowly came to resent him when he not only undermined her inventions but also took credit for her killing an unnamed Avenger. Monica’s frustrations with MODOK’s leadership lead to her betraying him and siding with Austin, fooling the cybernetic villain with her jelly-like doubles and taking his place as A.I.M.’s “Scientist Supreme”. Despite her lofty position, Monica becomes paranoid when MODOK seemingly embraces his new position as a mailman, but ends up partnering with him when he sells a controlling share of A.I.M. to Iron Man and sets up A-I-M-2 with Gary once it’s revealed that Austin’s masters, a sentient, alien corporation known as the Hexus, plans to brainwash the world with their new GROME device. The exact opposite of MODOK, Austin is an overly friendly and accommodating boss who insists his employees take regular breaks, vacations, and relaxation time. Claiming to idolise MODOK, Austin repeatedly tolerates his abusive behaviour until he’s caught stealing from the company, but eventually turns on his alien masters when they order him to dispose of his beloved dog, though being on the same side doesn’t stop him from being run down by Gary. The show’s ultimate villain is MODOK himself, literally and figuratively. A younger version of him becomes displaced from time and, angered at MODOK’s failures, conspires with the likes of Arcade to kill his family and set MODOK towards world domination. Calling himself “The Anomaly”, this younger MODOK shows his older self that his plans are destined to fail unless his family dies. While MODOK cannot bring himself to sacrifice the ones he loves and is determined to have it all, the Anomaly is not so morally inclined and murders his wife and children, creating a dystopian future where MODOK rules all. However, when he exhausts the energy of the Chrono Crystal and the life of his younger counterpart, the sullen dictator vows to find a way to bring his family back and retain his supreme position, ending the show on an unresolved cliff-hanger.

The Summary:
Though not set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), M.O.D.O.K. is clearly influenced by it in many ways. Avengers Tower, for example is basically a carbon copy of the MCU’s version and Iron Man is a snarky asshole like in the films. Other characters, like MODOK’s crew and the assorted villain cameos, are styled more after their comic book counterparts. Even S.H.I.E.L.D.’s uniform is modelled after the comics and A.I.M.’s employees are all rendered anonymous by their comic accurate beekeeper outfits. MODOK, though, is ironically more akin to his later MCU counterpart than the source material. Rather than being a frothing, maniacal supervillain, he’s an insecure, angry, petty cyborg lashing out at the world around him. MODOK is seen as a lesser-tier villain, even more so than in the 1990’s Iron Man cartoon where he was a glorified henchman; he’s not allowed in the supervillain club and ends up slumming it with D-list villains. When MODOK approaches Iron Man with an offer to buy A.I.M., the armoured Avenger initially believes he’s there for a fight and downplays MODOK’s threat, despite the rotund villain sporting various dangerous weaponry such as buzzsaws, claw arms, and his iconic brain blasts. Thus, just as his kids seek his approval and the likes of Gary and the Super-Adaptoid long to be recognised for their significance, so too does MODOK strive to be acknowledged as a (or the) superior being. His plots and ambitions are lofty and often exceed his grasp, causing him to steal technology from others or claim ownership of victories that weren’t his own. Constantly, desperately seeking approval and acceptance, he initially plans to save a party of investors from the Brood then quickly takes credit for the party-loving Ciegrimites who arrive instead. He manipulates an army of Asgardians into attacking the Kobolds since his systems have been damaged and ends up bleeding out when his younger counterpart fatally wounds him, only to be begrudgingly saved by Melissa.

Episodes are full of lewd comedy, bloody violence, and a surprising pathos.

Many episodes have great moments in them, either spontaneous scenes of violence, workplace gags where MODOK is taken to human resources, or emotionally charged explorations of MODOK’s fragmented family life. “The M.O.D.O.K. That Time Forgot!” was a pivotal episode not just for exploring MODOK and Jodie’s past but also for introducing the younger MODOK, who isn’t held back by the domestic drama that befuddles his elder’s life. The plot twist of the Ciegrimites being so party hard that they literally dance people to death was fun, but I really enjoyed watching Melissa teach her dad how to emotionally manipulate people into seeking validation from him, and Monica’s desperate attempts to get out of using her corporate-mandated vacation time in “If Bureaucracy Be… Thy Death!”, which also showed how low MODOK will stoop to be seen as a great villain. “This Man… This Makeover!” showed a darker side to Jodie, who becomes consumed by the fame being associated with Wonder Man brings her and her book, to the point where she disregards Wonder Man’s very real feelings for her and manipulates MODOK into embracing his base instincts just to make headlines. “O, Were Blood Thicker Than Robot Juice!” promises a reconciliation for the family, only to reveal that Jodie, Melissa, and Lou have been replaced by Arcade’s robots. Arcade then forces them to fight to the death against multiple robotic duplicates, a fight easily won by the real family not because they know each other so well, but because Melissa eagerly resorts to violence. I loved the satirical take on corporate greed that comes to the forefront in “What Menace Doth the Mailman Deliver!”, where the Hexus’ plot to control and conquer the world is seen as a heinous by-product of their dislike of Austin’s puppy. This episode also commentated on society’s dependence and love for smart technology like Alexa by having the GROME brutally murder people when activated. The show ends with a surprisingly emotional gut punch in the aptly named “Days of Future M.O.D.O.K.s”, where MODOK’s forced to see that the only way he’ll conquer the world is if his family dies before his eyes. He’s complicit in this and is brought no joy at being the undisputed master and ruler of the world, but is sure to torture the Anomaly to death to both see glimpses of his family and make him pay for making him endure such a loss.

A bizarre and entertaining show bolstered by its toy-like animation and characters.

Thus, MODOK’s characterisation may irk fans of the character. He’s a very co-dependent, egotistical narcissist, one who takes his family for granted and demands adulation without really earning it. The juxtaposition of this gruesome supervillain cackling away with his minions and bludgeoning his enemies retreating to suburban mundanity is amusing. MODOK’s efforts to destroy his enemies and retake his company are seen as equal to his attempts to win the favour of his kids and deal with his messy divorce, casting him as a desperate and clingy villain whose knee-jerk reaction is to blast his way out of every situation. Eventually, he embraces his wife’s teachings and tries to turn his life around, then braves Arcade’s death trap to save them when they’re replaced by robot doubles, ultimately refusing to kill them but, paradoxically, also not trying to save them when they’re targeted by the Anomaly. I loved the biting wit and satire at work in the show, and the explosive violence. Seeing the dolls get torn to shreds, guts and gore splattering everywhere, was really fun and the occasional swears really hammered home that this was a different sort of Marvel project. The animation was commendable, with the dolls and puppets showcasing a lot of personality, none more so than MODOK, expertly brought to life by Patton Oswalt as an insecure, unpredictable villain burdened by time and family life and desperate to make his mark on history. It’s a shame the show was cancelled without a proper resolution as the door was left wide open for more episodes. There were many plot threads left dangling that promised greater things in another season and plenty of places for the characters to go, especially as M.O.D.O.K. wasn’t afraid to explore surreal, colourful, and obscure aspects of the Marvel Universe. I really enjoyed the marriage of suburban drama with violent, over-the-top comic book action; seeing MODOK struggle to adapt to corporate policy and appease his children was as enjoyable as his fight for world domination. He might not be a completely faithful rendition of the character, but he’s endlessly more interesting here due to how complex and layered he is, with the show emphasising that he can be a serious threat if given sufficient motivation.

My Rating:

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Great Stuff

Did you enjoy M.O.D.O.K.? What did you think to his characterisation as a struggling family man and villain? Did you enjoy the animation style and the various cameos spliced throughout the show? What did you think to Austin, Hexus, and the satirical commentary on corporate synergy? Which of MODOK’s family was your most or least favourite, and did you enjoy the family drama? Would you have liked to see another series, or at least a resolution to the ending? What are some of your favourite MODOK stories? Share your thoughts on M.O.D.O.K. in the comments and then go check out my other sci-fi content on the site!

Mini Game Corner [Sci-Fanuary]: Star Fox 2 (Nintendo Switch)

Dr. K2 Comments

January celebrates two notable dates in science-fiction history, “National Science Fiction Day” on January 2 and Arthur C. Clarke’s HAL 9000’s birthday on January 12. Accordingly, I’m dedicating January to celebrating sci-fi in all its forms in an event I call “Sci-Fanuary”.

Released: 12 December 2019
Originally Released: 9 September 2017
Developer: Nintendo EAD / Argonaut Software
Also Available For: Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) Classic Edition

A Brief Background:
While working to enter the 16-bit market, Nintendo had a close relationship with Argonaut Software that saw the creation of the ground-breaking “Super FX” chip, which allowed the SNES to process 3D graphics. To best showcase the chip, the two companies took inspiration from the original Star Wars trilogy (Various, 1977 to 1983) and created Star Fox (1993), an arcade-style space shooter that became the fastest-selling videogame in North America. Despite this, and rave reviews, its sequel was unceremoniously cancelled so Nintendo could focus on the more powerful Nintendo 64. Prior to this, Star Fox 2 was reportedly 95% complete. Powered by the Super FX 2, the game boasted improved visuals and a degree of free-roaming gameplay, alongside additional playable characters and even a mech walker form for the Arwing craft. For decades, Star Fox 2 remained an elusive piece of lost media playable only through buggy, illegally leaked ROMS and emulators. However, thanks to Nintendo archiving the title, Star Fox 2 finally saw the light of day when it was included in the line-up of the SNES Classic, resulting in positive reviews that praised the ambitious gameplay and expanded mechanics while criticising its short length.

The Review:
Those reviews were right about one thing: Star Fox 2 certainly is a short game, perhaps even shorter than the first. Because of this, it didn’t seem worthwhile doing one of my usual long, in-depth reviews, though I did play enough of the game to share some thoughts. Fundamentally, Star Fox 2 is very much the same game as its predecessor, but with aspects changed or expanded and mechanics tweaked into something resembling a strange hybrid of an arcade shooter and a real-time strategy (RTS) game. This time around, you can pick which member of the Star Fox team to play as, with two new, never seen again characters tossed into the mix. Not only does each character have their own unique craft, but they have different stats, too, with some being faster, stronger, or taking less time to charge their weapons. You also pick two characters, a lead pilot and a wingman, and can switch between them by pressing – on the main map screen. I believe this allows you to send one character one way and the other in a different direction, and allows two player simultaneous co-op, but the craft simply followed each other in my playthrough. Star Fox 2 also offers four control schemes, with the default settings seeing A brake, B firing your primary blaster, X unleashing a limited supply of special weapons (a smart bomb, a shield, or replenishing your regular shields), and Y letting you boost towards targets. Holding B charges a more powerful shot, but this doesn’t home in on your target so I usually missed unless the target was stationary or flying right at me. Double tapping L or R lets you “barrel roll” out of harm’s way and, when on a planet’s surface, – will transform your Arwing into its mech walker mode.

The expanded dogfight gameplay is joined by odd RTS mechanics and a mech walker mode.

In this state, the controls change slightly. Now, A jumps and L and R are used to awkwardly spin around and your shots do seem to home in on targets. In this mode, you’ll mainly clomp about blasting enemies and stepping on switches to unlock doors, but it’s also the recommended state for destroy the heavily armed energy cores that lie in the centre of Andross’s bases. Another new aspect here is the aforementioned RTS mechanics. When on the map or engaging with Andross’s forces, cruisers, or bases, Corneria is under constant threat of attack. Missiles fire at the planet and Andross rocks up in his Star Destroyer-esque cruiser to fire a devastating shot, so you’ll need to intercept these and even quit out of stages to defend the planet. If Corneria’s damage percentage reaches 100%, it’s game over, which was honestly an aggravating mechanic as it interrupted the gameplay flow. By default, your forced into a first-person cockpit view; you can change this with + but the third-person view isn’t much better. There’s a lot of clutter on the screen, from arrows pointing you towards targets, the mini map, and the heads-up display, none of which can be turned off. You’re not on rails this time so it can be disorientating and difficult to fly about and focus on your target, especially if you don’t invert the controls. You no longer replenish your shield’s defences with rings; instead, you grab energy tanks and medals for a power-up. If you’re destroyed, you can choose to quit or switch to your wingman to carry on, effectively meaning you get two lives per game. There are also three difficulty settings available (though only “Normal” and “Hard” are selectable at the start), with enemy aggression and numbers increasing on harder difficulties.

Take out Star Wolf and Andross’s forces to confront the main man himself.

There’s a degree of chance at work in Star Fox 2. Andross randomly picks which worlds to establish his bases on and places his battle cruisers in different locations each game, eliminating the branching paths of the first game but ensuring no two playthroughs are ever the same. A simple gameplay loop quickly becomes apparent, however. You either intercept missiles to defend Corneria or engage with one of Andross’s cruisers, battling past the defences and flying inside its narrow corridors to destroy the core. This will give Corneria a reprieve, but you’ll only get to confront Andross directly after destroying his planetary bases. To do this, you’ll fly to a planet, open his base with the walker, and then fly or stomp through the same narrow corridors, blasting turrets and insectile craft to destroy the power core. Once you’ve cleared all Andross’s forces, you’ll warp to his main base for the final confrontation. In between this gameplay loop, additional challenges will arise: Andross’s mega powerful laser cannon, for one, or his projectile spitting Mirage Dragon for another. Yet, the bulk of the game’s challenge comes from rival space team Star Wolf. Its members lurk around the planets and asteroid belt and challenge you to a dog fight, a prospect that’s pretty daunting given how fast they are, their capabilities (which match yours), and how hard it is to track targets. Star Wolf himself challenges you right before you head to Andross’s base and these battles are even tougher on “Hard” mode. Andross’s base includes every hazard you’ve overcome so far (narrow hallways, tight corners, turrets, flame walls, and doors) and houses a disturbing Andross cube at its core. Destroying this is child’s play and no different to the other central cores, but you’re ejected into a psychedelic final battle battle against Andorss afterwards. Like before, he encases his cuboid core behind a projectile-spewing mask. You must fire at his eyes to drop his defences and then attack the cube as it spits out rectangular Andross projectiles, a prospect that’s far from challenging compared to the dogfights against Team Star Wolf. Once you’re victorious, you’ll get a rundown of the game’s enemies over the credits, a final score tally, and can challenge the next difficulty level if you like.

The Summary:
Star Fox 2 is a very strange game. Its very nature means you spend more time flying in the void of space or dodging asteroids as you desperately try to destroy missiles or enemy craft, which doesn’t make for the most inspired presentation. Similarly, the battle cruisers and Andross’s base are a mess of grey corridors and bland textures, and things are only slightly better when you’re clomping about on a planet’s surface. The planets themselves are far more restrictive this time, confining you to a small play area where your only objective is to activate switches. The music doesn’t fair much better, being nowhere near as memorable, though the game boast far more cutscenes are more detailed sprite art. The character variety is appreciated, as is the ability to avoid Slippy’s constant cries for help, but the screen is constantly bombarded by text from your wingman or arrows or other mess that clogs up the view. The RTS mechanics were an interesting inclusion; it kind of works to mix up the formula but adds unnecessary pressure to the admittedly shallow gameplay loop. If Corneria was spared danger when you were in a space battle, at least on “Easy” mode, that might’ve helped but, as presented, you’re encouraged to quit mid-mission to defend the planet, which interrupts the action. The polygonal models are as ugly as ever; they seem slightly improved, but they’re still a mess to look at and it makes it difficult to focus at times since the hardware seems to be struggling to bring the game to life. Ultimately, Star Fox 2 is just way too short. It lacks the epic boss battles of its predecessor and the final “choose your own adventure” mechanics and plays very much like an advanced tech demo for a Star Fox RTS spin-off rather than a capable sequel. It doesn’t expand upon what came before (and actually limits you more than you’d expect) and is more a curiosity than anything. It’s a shame as there was definite room for improvement over the original, but it seems the developers got ahead of themselves a bit by being too ambitious for their own good.

My Rating:

Rating: 2 out of 5.

Could Be Better

Have you played Star Fox 2? What did you think to the RTS mechanics? Which character was your go-to? Were you disappointed by the lack of big boss battles? Did you ever go to great lengths to emulate this game back in the day? Which Star Fox game is your favourite? Whatever your thoughts on Star Fox 2, please share them below orand check out my other sci-fi content across the site! 

Back Issues [Sci-Fanuary]: Tales of Suspense #93/94

Dr. KLeave a comment

January celebrates two notable dates in science-fiction history, “National Science Fiction Day” on January 2 and Arthur C. Clarke’s HAL 9000’s birthday on January 12. Accordingly, I’m dedicating January to celebrating sci-fi in an event I call “Sci-Fanuary”.

Writer: Stan Lee – Artist: Jack Kirby 

Story Title: “Into the Jaws of… A.I.M.!”
Published: 1 June 1967 (cover-dated: September 1967) 

Story Title: “If This Be… Modok!”
Published: 29 June 1967 (cover-dated: October 1967) 

The Background:
In addition to their colourful superhero efforts, Marvel Comics was once known for publishing various anthology comics. One of these was Tales of Suspense, a science-fiction anthology series that later hosted the first appearance of Anthony “Tony” Stark/Iron Man. In time, Marvel’s peerless superheroes came to be featured in two-in-one stories and it was in Tales of Suspense that readers were first introduced to George Tarleton, a technician for noted supervillain organisation Advanced Idea Mechanics (A.I.M.) who was transformed by “mutagenics” into a grotesque, deranged cybernetic head dubbed MODOK (or, “Mental Organism Designed Only for Killing”). I’m most familiar with MODOK from the Iron Man animated series (1994 to 1996), where he was voiced by the legendary Jim Cummings and served as a secondary antagonist and lackey to the show’s big bad, the Mandarin (Ed Gilbert/Robert Ito). Though most mainstream audiences are probably more familiar with MODOK’s questionable appearance and portrayal in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, he had better luck in his Robot Chicken-esque (2005 to present) animated series. Generally popping up as a boss character in Marvel videogames, MODOK has been a pretty significant villain in the comic books, tangling with various Avengers, directing A.I.M. towards world conquest, aggressively pursuing the Cosmic Cube, and eventually upgrading himself to a far superior form.

The Review:
The entire crux of this two-part story centres around Captain Steve Rogers/Captain America’s efforts to rescue Nick Fury, the gruff and tumble top agent of the Supreme Headquarters, International Espionage and Law-Enforcement Division (S.H.I.E.L.D.) spy organisation. To accomplish this task, Cap was forced to place the one woman he loves, the mysterious Sharon Carter/Agent-13, in mortal peril and, as this story opens, he’s hell-bent on avenging himself against, A.I.M., the group responsible for it all. Outfitted with a suitably Kirby-esque breathing apparatus, Cap follow his radar to a set of underwater coordinates provided to him by Fury, eventually locating A.I.M.’s massive submarine base deep beneath the ocean. Unfortunately for the star-spangled hero, the “eyes of MODOK are everywhere” and A.I.M.’s bee-suit-wearing operatives easily spot him, blasting him with knockout gas and bringing him aboard, where he’s held to a table by “sheer magnetic force” and told stories of MODOK’s dreams of world conquest. Though Cap’s mind is working a mile a minute to think of some way to escape, he’s relieved when Agent-13 is revealed to be alive. Although she makes a big show of chastising him for stupidly risking his life to rescue her, Agent-13 secretly releases his magnetic trappings with her convenient “anti-polar coveralls” when she leans in for a kiss. Though A.I.M.’s soldiers try to blast Cap, he easily and effortlessly dispatches them, much to Agent-13’s amazement, and rushes to retrieve his iconic shield.

Cap and Agent-13 infiltrate A.I.M.’s submarine base to learn the truth about MODOK.

A.I.M.’s scientists are conducting a series of test on the indestructible weapon, marvelling at its unique properties and preparing to present their findings to their mysterious master, MODOK. Naturally, Cap and Agent-13 get to them first, beating up the scientists and reducing their lab to flaming wreckage. Cap then follows Agent-13’s lead in taking cover to avoid A.I.M.’s shock troopers and agrees to stick around and help her complete her mission. Namely, discovering who or what MODOK is to better determine and combat his threat. MODOK’s authority is so absolute that A.I.M.’s troopers dare not speak against him or the strange circumstances that transformed their greatest weapon into their oppressive master, especially as his disembodied voice orders their death for failing him so completely. Watching from the shadows, the two heroes eagerly await MODOK’s big reveal but are suddenly attacked by a shock trooper. Cap bravely takes the shot, ending up paralysed as a result. His sacrifice is largely in vain since Agent-13 refuses to flee and is easily captured and brought before MODOK’s large viewscreen, where she’s dropped through the floor in dramatic fashion. Although an A.I.M. soldier is prepared to finish Cap off, one of his peers stays his hand since only MODOK can issue such an order. Angered, the soldier speaks of rebelling against their master and, though his fellows are sceptical of their chances against MODOK’s supreme power, they’re convinced to go along with an elaborate scheme to have Captain America defeat their oppressor to save his ally.

MODOK’s awesome power terrifies even A.I.M. and sees him fatally betrayed.

Thus, Cap is also teleported to another location to confront MODOK. Though freed from his paralysis, Cap is immediately felled by MODOK’s “brain beam” and approached by the man himself, a massive cybernetic head with tiny arms and legs that floats about! Once a “human guinea pig” for A.I.M.’s experiments, he has come to rule the organisation with his vast power thanks to his comically enlarged brain. Agent-13 is on hand to further MODOK’s narrative, urging Cap not to attack since MODOK’s “uncontrollable brain” is far too powerful. Yet, MODOK swiftly moves to strike, giving the Avenger no choice but to defend himself. Despite Cap’s superhuman deftness, MODOK easily manipulates his shield to toss him about and then sends him crashing to the floor. MODOK’s mind beams are incredibly versatile, allowing him to psychokinetically direct debris at Cap and causing the floor to erupt in flames. As the two battle, A.I.M. prepare to rally; while one squad escapes, another mobilises to attack MODOK while he’s distracted. MODOK’s power is so great he can freeze Cap’s shield as it flies through the air with “the speed of thought”, yet he fails to detect the betrayal of his own people, who open fire with a fusillade of shells that shatter MODOK’s cybernetic chair. A.I.M. then turn their weapons on Cap, who easily takes them out with an assist from Agent-13 before commandeering the escaping craft and apprehending the remaining scientists. As for MODOK, he’s left broken and dying. Refusing to go out in such a disgraceful way, MODOK uses the last of his power to overload the submarine base and cause a massive explosion, which Cap and Agent-13 assume means the end for A.I.M.’s grotesque commander.

The Summary:
This was an interesting two-part tale for me. My experience with Captain America’s adventures is quite limited and usually more focused on his team-based exploits, so it was a nice change of pace to see him in action. He’s working with S.H.I.E.L.D. here, which isn’t too uncommon these days; but back then, S.H.I.E.L.D. was more of a clandestine spy organisation than a global military power. Still, they have plenty of technology and resources on hand, enough to not only plant Agent-13 as a double agent in A.I.M. but also to get Cap to the group’s hidden submarine base. Although Cap and Agent-13 don’t know each other’s true identities at this point, it’s clear the two are smitten by each other. Cap goes solo to rescue her and constantly moves to protect her throughout these issues, and Agent-13 is in awe of his physical abilities and moral compass. Unfortunately, Cap does come off as a bit condescending here, referring to Afent-13 as “little girl” and “lady” a few too many times and Agent-13 mostly chips in here and there rather than being portrayed as Cap’s equal. Still, she’s not some blonde bimbo and she’s clearly a capable spy; her anti-polar outfit and A.I.M.’s respect for her reputation as a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent speak to that. She’s also as stubborn and dedicated to her duty as he is; she refuses to flee when they have the chance since she has a mission to accomplish, and then equally refuses to abandon Cap to die. Still, it’s Cap who gets all the big action scenes, throwing punches, his shield, and cannonballing about the place like a man possessed while Agent-13 just fires her pistol. AI.M.’s nameless, faceless soldiers and scientists were very entertaining here. Though they appear ridiculous in their haz-mat suits, they’re well organised and have the numbers advantage. It’s nothing compared to Cap, but they give it a good go, retreating when necessary and even unloading enough firepower to seemingly kill MODOK.

The feared MODOK is a force to be reckoned with despite his ridiculous appearance.

At first, they’re depicted as the typical minions of an oppressive master; terrified into servitude since failure is punishable by death, they’re subservient to MODOK’s incredible power and forced to obey his every command. However, many of them speak out against MODOK, questioning why a creation of theirs is giving them orders. Though talk of insurrection is forbidden, they’re encouraged to turn on their grotesque creation and manipulate Cap to fight on their behalf, showcasing a deceitful nature that’s unlike most common minions. As for MODOK himself, he’s a bizarre and ludicrous figure with his useless little limbs and enlarged cranium, but he showcases a wide array of powers that have Cap on the ropes before A.I.M. turns against him. We don’t learn the specifics about who he is or what A.I.M. did to him, but we learn he was their greatest experiment and built to be their deadliest weapon, but he took control of the organisation when they succeeded a little too well in their efforts. Now an all-seeing, overpowered commander who violently punishes any transgression, MODOK exhibits cybernetically endowed “brain beams” that can stun, hurl, and blast his foes with ease. Essentially immune to conventional attack, MODOK’s only weakness is underestimating his downtrodden minions, who leave him to die as little more than a useless cripple. Yet, despite his explosive end and his absurd appearance, MODOK is seen as a very real threat. A.I.M. fears him and Cap struggles to fight him, making him a strangely menacing figure with a laughable visage. These stories were a fun exploration of A.I.M.’s goals and inner workings and I enjoyed seeing MODOK as the outrageous face of their organisation. There was a lot of action, and it built upon the relationship and mutual respect between Cap and Agent-13. MODOK definitely stole the show, but I would’ve liked to see him showcased a little more. Perhaps a three-part story would’ve worked better in this regard, with the first part building up to the reveal, the second showcasing his powers and origins, and the third detailing A.I.M.’s betrayal and MODOK’s vulnerabilities. Still, it was a fun read with some striking art and MODOK remains one of Marvel’s strangest villains yet and it was fun to see his first appearance.

My Rating:

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Pretty Good

What did you think to MODOK’s dramatic first appearance? Were you put off by his bizarre appearance or did you find his powers impressive? What did you think to the relationship between Cap and Agent-13? Did you enjoy seeing A.I.M. turn against MODOK and stage a revolution? Would you like to see Marvel bring back the Tales of Suspense anthology? What are some of your favourite MODOK stories and moments? Tell me your thoughts on MODOK down below and go check out my other sci-fi content.

Game Corner [Sci-Fanuary]: Star Fox (Nintendo Switch)

Dr. K2 Comments

January celebrates two notable dates in science-fiction history, “National Science Fiction Day” on January 2 and Arthur C. Clarke’s HAL 9000’s birthday on January 12. Accordingly, I’m dedicating all of January to celebrating sci-fi in an event I call “Sci-Fanuary”.

Released: 6 September 2019
Originally Released: 21 February 1993
Developer: Nintendo EAD / Argonaut Software
Also Available For: Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) and the SNES Classic Edition 

The Background:
In the early days of their successful foray into 16-bit gaming, Nintendo worked closely with Argonaut Software. This collaboration gave birth to the “Super FX” chip, a ground-breaking component that allowed the SNES to process 3D graphics and unique visuals. To best showcase the Super FX chip, the two developed the basic concept of Star Fox. Inspired by the original Star Wars trilogy (Various, 1977 to 1983), the game would be an arcade-style space shooter and its main characters were designed by Shigeru Miyamoto, Katsuya Eguchi, and Takaya Imamura, who were influenced by Japanese folklore. Argonaut’s developers were kept separated from Nintendo’s main office due to being outsourced developers. However, Miyamoto frequently checked on the game and helped tweak aspects of its design, though Star Fox was mainly seen as an experiment to see if a 3D game could sell. Still, Nintendo went to a lot of effort to market the game, allegedly sinking $15 million into advertising and even signing off on competitive showcases where players compete for merchandise and cash prizes. The result was a critical and commercial hit; Star Fox topped Japanese sales charts and became the fastest-selling videogame in North America, eventually selling over four million copies by 1998. Reviews gushed about the arcade-style gameplay and pioneering 3D graphics, and the game is fondly remembered as a 16-bit classic despite some notable flaws. While Star Fox may have been a hit and inspired a Nintendo Power comic strip, it didn’t see a port or re-release for nearly twenty-five years and the sequel was famously cancelled. Even the critical acclaim of Star Fox 64/Lylat Wars (Nintendo EAD, 1997) and the franchise’s prominent inclusion in the Super Smash Bros. series (Various, 1999 to 2018) couldn’t stop the series from suffering a decline over the years due to some odd decisions on Nintendo’s part.  

The Plot:
Fox McCloud and his fellow anthropomorphic mercenaries (known as “Star Fox”) are called in by General Pepper of the planet Corneria to pilot the experimental “Arwing” craft against the invading forces of the mad scientist Andross. 

Gameplay and Power-Ups:
Star Fox is a pseudo-3D rail shooter in which players assume the role of Fox McCloud and engage with the armies of Andross, which have invaded the Lylat System and can only be stopped by the firepower of your Arwing and with the assistance of your teammates. The game offers four control styles and you can test these out both in the control selection screen and in the game’s “Training” mode. Personally, I went with control style B as it maps the Arwing’s blaster to the B button but pick whatever you prefer! This setup sees you tapping B to fire; sadly, there’s no rapid fire option and you can’t hold the button to continuously fire or charge up a bigger attack). A fires one of your limited supply of Nova Bombs, using Y to brake and X to boost ahead for as long as your meter lasts, and holding the L or R triggers to fly sideways. You can also tap these, in conjunction with the control stick or directional pad, to “do a barrel roll” and avoid incoming fire. This is a necessity in the game’s later stages and against certain bosses, where incoming fire comes in a barrage and walls and hazards pop out of nowhere. You can also press – to switch between a third-person view and a first-person view from Fox’s cockpit. This latter option is automatically assumed in some of the space-based stages, but I found it too disorientating so I preferred to stick with the default out-of-cockpit camera position. 

Blast across numerous Stages and three different Courses, helping your wingmen as you go.

Although Fox isn’t alone in his campaign against Andross, you’re not allowed to play as anyone but the titular Star Fox, which is a bit of a shame and means the game does not different stats for the different characters, such as stronger defence for Falco Lombardi and a faster speed for Slippy Toad. However, your teammates provide encouragement and backup as you fly through the game’s stages. Often, each will inevitably require your help when they pick up a bogey, requiring you to rescue them in exchange for their gratitude (or admonishment in Falco’s case) and assistance with some firepower. On the flip side, it’s very easy to accidentally tag them with your blasts so check your fire as your final percentage grade will be affected by how healthy your team’s shields are. Also, if you lose a wingman at any point, they’ll be gone for the rest of the game, severely hampering your ability to get 100% completion. Additionally, Star Fox doesn’t use a traditional difficulty system; you pick from three paths (or “Courses”) containing seven Stages each. Some are shared across each path but with minor differences, such as containing different visual effects and bosses, and some lead to hidden areas, but the difficulty of the game depends on which Course you choose, with the top Course being the easiest and the bottom Course being the hardest. “Hard”, however, is somewhat relative. You may be attacked by more enemies, have to deal with more hazards, and encounter different bosses, but you’ll still find extra Nova Bombs, the odd extra life, and various sparkling circles to replenish your shield or alter your blaster fire. 

Things get more hectic and cluttered as you progress, but variety is at a minimum.

Fox’s Arwing is pretty tough and manoeuvrable, but it can only take so much damage. Fortunately, you can use silver and/or gold silver rings to replenish some or all of your shield. There’s also a power-up that temporarily renders you an invincible wireframe model, and upgrades that increase the strength and rate of your firepower. These are worth picking up, but are often placed near closing doors, pistons, columns, buildings, and other hazards, meaning you need to calculate the risk of acquiring them. The Arwing can also be a bit clunky at times; it’s got quite a large hit box and slips about when you roll, meaning it’s easy to crash into things and lose parts of the ship, and you’re not always given enough time to react to incoming hazards. Additionally, there are no other game modes available here and no other mechanics to challenge you. You simply fly along a set path, blast enemies, and defeat a boss, rinse, and repeat. Sometimes you’ll need to boost or avoid pistons, doors, and other crushing hazards; sometimes you’ll automatically fly through a tunnel or navigate tight hallways; and sometimes you’ll have to blast meteors, semi-sentiment columns, and destroy buildings. Ultimately, though, you’re simply flying along and destroying enemies until you reach the find of the stage. 

Presentation:
If there’s one thing Star Fox has going for it, it’s the music and sound design. Hajime Hirasawa brings the energy with some memorable, militaristic, and foreboding tunes that do a fantastic job of engaging you as you blast through Stages. Fox and his allies chatter in an amusing gibberish, but the game does feature English sound bites here and there, which is always impressive on 16-bit hardware. Yet, one of the reasons I’ve never really played Star Fox (beyond being a SEGA kid growing up) was because of the polygonal graphics employed to bring the ships and much of the environments to life. Even as a kid, I remember being unimpressed with these supposedly “ground-breaking” effects and they really haven’t aged very well today. Ships and buildings appear blocky, angular, and amateurish, featuring next to no textures or details, and really clashing against the more traditional sprite work on offer. The game tries to impress with its cinematic opening and shameless borrowings from the original Star Wars trilogy, but the models just don’t hold up and I can’t help but wonder if it would’ve been better to limit the polygonal effects to the bosses. As it is, I found it incredibly difficult to see what was happening when I was playing. As beautiful and varied as many of the environments are, the clash of styles makes it difficult to spot and target enemies (and the lack of an aiming reticule in third-person mode doesn’t help). Many of the hazards (from enemies to incoming missiles and even towers and cuboid blocks) tend to pop in out of nowhere because the SNES hardware is struggling to render the 3D graphics. 

The game’s polygonal graphics and atrocious pop-in effects age and ruin the gameplay.

It’s a shame as the sprite work is really good. The team pop up in animated dialogue boxes to offer hints, encouragement, and admonishment as you play, enemies will sometimes fly at the screen after their crafts are defeated, and the Mode 7 techniques for scaling and rushing across water and grass gives the game an epic scope and makes it fun to swoop around blasting at those awful polygonal ships. Environments are quite varied; you’ll fly through gates and past blocky skyscrapers on Planet Corneria, dodge pixelated asteroids and polygonal missiles in the various asteroid fields, desperately avoid rotating beams and space debris against a backdrop of stars and flaming nebula, and even blast through ice-, lava-, and storm-themed worlds full of mountains, flaming hazards, and rumbling storm clouds. Many times, you’ll automatically enter battleships, facilities, or the core of Andross’s homeward, Venom, where you’ll navigate tight corridors, blast doors, avoid pistons, and destroy power cores to succeed, often with the environment crumbling and exploding around you. However, I did notice a few graphical hiccups here and there. The pop-in is outrageous, one environment didn’t load properly, and the game’s bosses are a mess of crude polygons that can be difficult to battle since their weak points aren’t always immediately clear due to the awful 3D models. 

Enemies and Bosses:
As if Andross having an entire army at his disposal wasn’t bad enough, you’ll also have to watch out for various onscreen hazards. Asteroids, buildings, and cubes will dog your progress, as will spinning obstacles, rectangular plates, collapsing columns, and various debris all rotating or positioned to chip away at your shield. Andross’s forces are an eclectic bunch piloting various ships, from simple cannon fodder, tanks, and blaster turrets to larger walkers, spider-like robots, and co-ordinated attack craft that appear in formations. You’ll shoot down butterfly-like spacecraft, small frog-like ground troops, spheres that wait behind asteroids, blast missiles fired from enemy crafts or the surface of planets, mash L or R to shake off blob-like amoebas that stick to you, slowing your ship and draining your shield in Sector Y, and even encounter strange, mechanical animals such as a manta ray and a bird, the latter of which will warp you to the bizarre “Out of This Dimension” stage where you’ll encounter hostile paper plates! Larger ships can be found in some space Stages. These Star Destroyer-like craft can only be subdued by blasting the hexagonal panels on their sides or disabling their turrets, and you’ll then venture inside to take them out for good and even tackle one head-on in the form of the Great Commander boss. The path you choose at the start of the game determines which bosses you’ll face. Each (with one exception) has a helpful health bar and sports at least one glowing weak spot, and some are shared across the different paths but with altered strategies. Still, your best bet for almost all of them is to conserve your Nova Bombs to make short work of them since your teammates will conveniently abandon you before each battle.  

Each Course has its own bosses, but some are repeated, more aggressive, or plain bonkers.

At the end of Corneria, you’ll battle the Attack Carrier twice and the Destructor once. The Attack Carrier flies overheard to start, so keep low to the ground, opening hatches to unleash enemy fighters or missiles. On Course 2, the enemy fighters also fire missiles instead of lasers, but your strategy remains the same: destroy the hatches to then target the main body, avoiding plasma blasts as you go. The Destructor, fought in Course 3, is far more formidable. It’s a tank-like machine whose top pods split off to reveal bolt-firing turrets that will regenerate until the pods are destroyed. The more of the Destructor you destroy, the more aggressive it becomes, ramming you and firing more missiles from its underside. Finishing the Asteroid Belt will see you battle that Rock Crusher on the top two paths and the Blade Barrier on the lower path. While the Rock Crusher is relatively simple (destroy the hexagonal panels when they open up, avoiding its lasers and body parts as you attack), the Blade Barrier is not only invulnerable to your blasters but they actually bounce off it and can hurt you! It spins around, firing missiles and a web-like tractor beam that you’ll need to shake off with L and R, and can only be damaged after its fins are blown off and even then you have to watch for it smashing into you. Things really deviate on the third Stage; on the easiest Course, you’ll encounter the Atomic Base, which also appears in Sector Z on the lower Course. This is a rotating power core that’s protected by an impenetrable outer casing. You need to destroy the electric power nodes as they rotate around the core to expose its innards, but this is easier said than done due to the odd angle and some dodgy hit detection. 

Once you learn his limitations, final boss Andross offers less challenge than same prior bosses.

The Dancing Insector and Metal Smasher can cause issues, the former due to you being forced to target its legs and its surprisingly powerful flame burst when reduced to a saucer, and the latter since it sucks you in to crush you between its two halves. In comparison, I barely even registered Professor Hanger, a robotic drone that attacks from an overhead path and is easily destroyed, despite summoning fish-like enemies to pop up from the sea below. Star Fox also offers a taste of the surreal: you’ll encounter a giant slot machine that can only be bested by scoring a lucky seven, the unimpressive Spinning Core that spits iron balls at you, and a two-headed dragon/bird hybrid that hops about laying giant explosive eggs and forcing you to blast its head and butt! Yet, the Plasma Hydra is one of the toughest bosses, spinning and flailing tentacles, with its weak spot being at the end of these and it flying at you in a kamikaze run when near death. The Phantron was also a troublesome boss due to its incredible speed and duplication ability forcing you to hit the right double in order to deal damage, but later reappearing and transforming into a larger form with large, triangular “arms” for you to blast at.  No matter which path you choose, you’ll end up battling Andross, an unsightly polygonal head with no health bar and whose only attack is to spit a salvo of tiles at you and try to devour you. You need to destroy each of his eyes to reveal his true form, an erratic cube that must be attacked to win the game but, while Andross can become a malicious devil-like face that also fires plasma balls, he’s a joke once you learn to barrel roll through his attacks and target his weak points. 

Additional Features:
With no multiplayer, no other playable characters, and no native save features, Star Fox is a little light on replay value. Your main reason for replaying the game will be to try a different Course and discover the two secret areas, one of which includes the ridiculous slot machine boss and some unsettling clock faces and the other is a bizarre black hole filled with space debris. Otherwise, your main aim is to hit 100% for every Stage and Course, which requires you and your teammates to survive with as much health as possible. However, the appeal of this is somewhat diminished as there’s no high score system and this data isn’t recorded anywhere. Otherwise, this version of the game has all the quality of life features you’d expect, including save states and rewinds to help you get past the trickier sections, but these are also somewhat weakened by the lack of any unlockable features, like a stage select or boss rush. 

The Summary:
I’ve been hesitant about playing Star Fox for years. Not only was I basically unable to as I never had a SNES, been its Nintendo 64 follow-up largely passed me by despite sitting in the virtual library of my Nintendo Wii. It’s a little odd in some ways as I quite like the concept, which is essentially Star Wars with anthropomorphs. The game is packed full of fun, engaging, action-packed dogfights and big bosses with a fair degree of variety to them, and the environments. However, the biggest selling point of Star Fox are its visuals, which I’m sure impressed many at the time, but which have always appeared dated and cumbersome to me. In practise, the game struggles with its polygonal models, running at a slow pace and offering little gameplay variety. The visual clash between traditional sprites and 3D polygons also makes the game very messy at times. The music, characters, and the world are appealing, but not enough to make me consider this an under-appreciated 16-bit gem. Ultimately, while it’s good for a quick playthrough, Star Fox quickly becomes repetitive even with the multiple paths and the visuals just didn’t impress me enough to want to pick it up once I’d seen everything it had (which basically happens in one playthrough). A SNES classic, maybe, but one that hasn’t stood the test of time for me and was surpassed by its sequels. 

My Rating:

Rating: 2 out of 5.

Could Be Better

Have I ruined your childhood with my opinions on Star Fox? Were you impressed with the game at the time, and how do you think it holds up today? Which Course was your favourite to playthrough? Were you disappointed that you couldn’t play as the other characters, and did it annoy you having to save them all the time? What did you think to the bosses and the polygonal models? Which game in the Star Fox franchise is your favourite and would you like to see a new one? Whatever your thoughts on Star Fox, feel free to leave them below and check out my other sci-fi content across the site! 

Wrestling Recap: Sting vs. Triple H (WrestleMania ’15)

Dr. KLeave a comment

The Date: 29 March 2015
The Venue: Levi’s Stadium; Santa Clara, California
The Commentary: Michael Cole, Jerry “The King” Lawler, and John “Bradshaw” Layfield/JBL
The Referee: Charles Robinson
The Stakes: No disqualification singles match

The Build-Up:
For an unprecedented eighty-four weeks, World Championship Wrestling (WCW) dominated the “Monday Night Wars” thanks to big-name star power, big-money contracts, and ground-breaking storylines involving the New World Order (nWo). During this time, Hulk Hogan, arguably wrestling’s greatest icon, experienced a career revival as the villainous “Hollywood” Hogan and his clash against WCW stalwart-turned-dark avenger Sting became the stuff of wrestling legend on this day in 1997. On 26 March 2001, the wrestling world changed forever when World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) bought WCW and claimed ultimate victory. However, while many WCW wrestlers jumped ship to the WWE for an ill-fated “Invasion” angle, Sting repeatedly turned down offers to join the WWE and instead spent nearly ten years signed with Total Nonstop Action (TNA). Over the years, WWE repeatedly tried to negotiate a contract and fans longed to see the Icon clash with the Undertaker in a dream match. However, it wouldn’t be until 2014, when Sting was shockingly announced to be included in WWE 2K15 (Yuke’s), that the WCW Icon finally decided to sign with the company. At the time, the WWE was in one of its worst ruts as weekly television was dominated by the Authority, a stable of wrestlers and corporate figureheads led by Triple H that routinely interrupted matches and quashed fan favourites. It was in the midst of a multi-man match against the Authority’s representatives that Sting finally made his presence felt. He debuted at the 2014 Survivor Series to help Dolph Ziggler fend off Triple H and pin Seth Rollins to remove the Authority from power. Although this only lasted for a few weeks, Triple H was incensed by Sting’s interference and challenged him to a face-to-face confrontation at Fastlane. Sting accepted and the two brawled, with the Icon besting Triple H’s signature sledgehammer. However, the simple story of Sting being a “vigilante” looking to oust Triple H from power was quickly muddled by the ridiculous decision to reframe the feud into a battle for the honour of the long-dead WCW.

The Match:
As a massive Sting fan, I was super pumped about him finally signing with WWE in 2014. Sure, he was getting on a bit but there were still so many opportunities for dream matches there, especially with a light schedule and a bit of smoke and mirrors. Sadly, things were kind of botched right from the start. After Sting helped remove the Authority from power, he really should have been placed as the replacement authority figure, one who favoured putting on interesting matches and seeing things go down in a fair and just way. Also, they never should have replaced his WCW music with that generic, awful quasi-goth metal track. I didn’t expect the WWE to pay for Metallica’s “Seek & Destroy” but they bought WCW, so they owned the rights to his original Crow music that is so iconic to the character, so they really should’ve used that. Finally, as much as I feel like Triple H vs. Sting was definitely a match to do while he was about, this is not the match people wanted to see. People wanted Sting vs. The Undertaker, even back in 2014, and I’ll never understand the decision to veto that in favour of this except to stroke the egos of a bitter Vince McMahon and the vindictive Triple H. Speaking of whom, the Game came to the ring following a pre-taped introduction by Arnold Schwarzenegger, flanked by T-800 endoskeletons, and decked out in Terminator-themed apparel that might’ve looked cool if the match hadn’t taken place in broad daylight! I get that this was a tie-in to the event’s sponsor, Terminator Genysis (Taylor, 2015), but it actually didn’t make much sense since the last time Schwarzenegger and Triple H interacted, the Austrian Oak slapped the shit out of the Game. Oh, and Triple H looked ridiculous in his cheap cosplay outfit, too. The bell hadn’t even rung before Michael Cole was repeating the ludicrous diatribe that Triple H’s goal was to destroy the last remnant of WCW. As if that wasn’t bad enough, JBL constantly kept ragging on Sting throughout the match, questioning his ability to hang in the WWE, and pretending like he’d been absent from the business for the last ten/fifteen years. Just absolutely pathetic stuff all around from the commentary team, really. WCW was dead and buried and Sting had a whole career after it, so all they succeeded at here was sending mixed messages about the legendary figure.

Sting dominated the early stages of the match until D-Generation X rushed the ring!

After milking a brief outburst of “This is awesome!” (which, to be fair, it kind of was because it was Sting at WrestleMania!), the two locked up. Sting knocked Triple H down with a shoulder block so the Game countered with another lock up to show some off his fundamentals and then hit a shoulder block of his own. Sting bounced back with a hip toss and a dropkick that sent Triple H scurrying into the corner as Sting pandered to the crowd to chants of “You still got it!” Though hesitant, Triple H engaged in another lockup, but this time he turned the match into a brawl. Sting shrugged off Triple H’s patented knee smash and sent him scrambling to the outside to avoid the Scorpion Death Lock. After clearing his head on the outside, Triple H returned to the ring to slug it out with Sting once more only to end up back outside after taking his little flip over the top rope off an Irish whip. This time, Sting followed but crashed and burned into the barricade when the Game dodged a Stinger Splash. Triple H chucked Sting shoulder-first into the ring steps and hefting him back into the ring with a suplex off the apron for a two count. Triple H maintained his dominance with some mounted punches, a whip into the corner, and relished in seeing Sting fall to his knees at his feet. After another near fall, Triple H slapped on a rest hold as, apparently, all this action was just two much for the competitors. When Sting tried to mount a comeback, the Game shut him down with his signature spinebuster for another two count before returning to his rest hold. This time, Sting fought out with the Scorpion Death Lock after countering a top rope attack. However, Triple H’s old D-Generation X buddies, “Bad Ass” Billy Gunn, “Road Dogg” Jesse James, and X-Pac, rushed the ring, forcing Sting to break the hold to fight them off. Sting even countered the Pedigree and launched Triple H from the ring, and then took all of D-X out with a top rope dive! Unfortunately, a momentary distraction from Billy Gunn was all the opportunity Triple H needed to plant Sting with the Pedigree but, incredibly, Sting got the shoulder up before the three count.

While faction warfare broke out at ringside, it was Triple H’s sledgehammer that made a chump of Sting.

Stunned, Triple H retrieved his sledgehammer from under the ring but he was interrupted by, of all people, “Hollywood” Hulk Hogan, Kevin Nash, and Scott Hall of the nWo! Yes, Sting’s long-time enemies, who he vehemently opposed during arguably the most memorable moments of his entire career, actually helped him! This led to an admittedly awesome moment as the nWo finally got into it with D-X, it just had no place being in this match as it made no sense for them to defend either him or the “honour” of the long-dead company. Regardless, in the chaos, Sting dropped Triple H with the Scorpion Death Drop for a two count. Sting then reapplied the Scorpion Death Lock and Hogan moved the sledgehammer out of Triple H’s reach, which really should’ve been the finish to the match. Instead, Triple H grabbed the ropes (which shouldn’t have counted as it was a no disqualification match…) and Sting was blasted by a Sweet Chin Music from the ”Heartbreak Kid” Shawn Michaels! Since Triple H was slow to cover, Sting kicked out, so D-X slid Triple H his sledgehammer and Sting’s hated enemy, Scott Hall, passed him his trusty baseball bat. Sting not only nailed Triple H with the bat, he also comically snapped his sledgehammer in two before unleashing a flurry of strikes in the corner. A Stinger Splash followed but, rather than hitting a second and bringing the match to a close in a feel-good moment, Triple H blasted Sting in the head with the tip of his sledgehammer and pinned him for the three count! To make matters worse, the two shook hands in a show of respect after a tense showdown between their factions! This match feels like it was put together by someone who had no idea about anything that happened in WCW and just wanted to see D-X and the nWo have a scuffle while putting the final nail in the coffin of the long-dead company. Sting looked pretty good but it was clear from the rest holds that he was getting a bit gassed by the middle and, honestly, this match should’ve made better use of the no disqualification stipulation to help with this. Instead, it was tonally all over the place, with Sting proving a daunting figure but being buried by JBL, him getting the better of Triple H but being beaten by a sledgehammer to the face, and then him shaking Triple H’s hand afterwards like he was beaten by the better man and not a brute who cheated to win.

The Aftermath:
Since Sting lost this match like a chump, Triple H and the Authority continued to dominate the WWE, especially as their golden boy, Seth Rollins, had captured the WWE World Heavyweight Championship in the main event of WrestleMania ’15. Thanks to having the Authority in his corner, Rollins successfully defended the WWE World Heavyweight Championship throughout the year and even toppled John Cena in the main event of that year’s SummerSlam. To honour him and his accomplishments, the Authority presented Rollins with a commemorative statue, but were stunned to find Sting in its place. Despite the fact that he lost his big match, Sting challenged Rollins for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at Night of Champions, a decision that would’ve made a lot more sense if Sting had won at WrestleMania ’15 and spent his time afterwards continuously opposing the remnants of the Authority. This also could’ve tied into Rollins’ later rivalry with Triple H as he could’ve claimed to beat the man who beat his mentor. Unfortunately, Night of Champions would spell the end of Sting’s in-ring WWE career as he suffered a debilitating neck injury from Rollin’s trademark Buckle Bomb. Although the remorseful Rollins got some flack for this (and, honestly, he really should’ve stopped using the move from that point), Sting maintained that it was a freak accident. Despite announcing his retirement during his induction to the WWE Hall of Fame, Sting jumped ship to All Elite Wrestling (AEW) in 2020, where he took on a mentor role to youngster Darby Allen and even returned to the ring for a handful of matches.

My Rating:

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Pretty Good

What did you think to Sting’s long-awaited WWE debut? Were you disappointed that he faced Triple H and not the Undertaker? What did you think to the involvement of D-X and the nWo and do you think it made sense for the nWo to help Sting? Were you annoyed by JBL’s commentary during the match and the anti-WCW narrative being told here? Did it annoy you that Sting lost and how do you feel about his time in the WWE? Whatever your thoughts on Sting, and this match in particular, feel free to voice them below and be sure to check out my other wrestling reviews!

Movie Night: Sonic the Hedgehog 3

Dr. K5 Comments

Released: 20 December 2024
Director: Jeff Fowler
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Budget: $122 million
Stars: Ben Schwartz, Keanu Reeves, Jim Carrey, Colleen O’Shaughnessey, Idris Elba, and James Marsden

The Plot:
When a mysterious black hedgehog known as Shadow (Reeves) escapes from captivity and goes on a rampage, Sonic the Hedgehog (Schwartz) and his friends – Miles “Tails” Prower (O’Shaughnessey) and Knuckles the Echidna (Elba) – must team up with their old foe, Doctor Ivo Robotnik (Carrey), against a common enemy.

The Background:
As a key player in the aggressive Console War between Nintendo and SEGA, Sonic had quite the life outside of the videogames, starring in many comic books and cartoons. The idea of a Sonic the Hedgehog movie had been doing the rounds since 1993 but, thanks to legal and creative issues, the best we got was the gorgeous original video animation (OVA), Sonic the Hedgehog: The Movie (Ikegami, 1996). That all changed once Paramount Pictures acquired the franchise rights and produced a live-action/CGI hybrid movie that first horrified and then impressed audiences, A critical and commercial success, Sonic the Hedgehog (Fowler, 2020) repeated this feat with a hugely profitable and well-regarded sequel that, surprisingly, saw star Jim Carrey reprise his role and added more elements from the videogames to the formula. This success saw Knuckles branch out into his own solo series (to mixed reviews) alongside development of a third film. Although he teased his retirement from acting, Carrey was convinced to return by a 24-carat script and the chance to play a dual role. Taking inspiration from Sonic Adventure 2 (Sonic Team USA, 2001) and Shadow the Hedgehog (SEGA Studios USA, 2005), the filmmakers cast Keanu Reeves as the popular anti-hero, who was teased at the end of the last film, and worked hard to both capture the spirit of his videogame counterpart and deliver something new to the character. To make up for unfortunate delays, multiple special effects studios worked simultaneously on the film’s effects and Sonic the Hedgehog 3 released to widespread acclaim. Reviews praised both Reeves and Carrey as the standout stars, alongside the humour and surprising gravitas, though the supporting cast were criticised. Still, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 made more than $210 million at the box office and hopes were high for a fourth entry and additional spin-offs.

The Review:
If there are two things I’ve never been shy about, it’s my love for the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise and my dismay that his big-screen adventures haven’t been all-CGI animated affairs. Yet, despite this (and the notorious reputation movie adaptations of videogames have), the live-action/CGI hybrid Sonic adventures have actually been pretty good. Blending elements of Sonic’s long defunct, Western canon with more modern elements of his lore, the films recast Sonic as an adventurous and enthusiastic, high-speed hero from another world. After coming to Earth and living alone, desperate for friends and acceptance, Sonic has found a surrogate family alongside Tails, Knuckles (fresh off his solo series), and their human family, Tom (Marsden) and Maddie Wachowski (Tika Sumpter). On the anniversary of Sonic’s b-Earth-day, Sonic and Tom reflect on the hedgehog’s journey, how he found friends and a place in the world despite experiencing great pain as a child and being separated from his parental figure. Having formed a brotherhood during their last adventure, the trio (colloquially known as “Team Sonic”) perfectly complement each other’s abilities: Sonic’s the leader, Knuckles is the muscle, and Tails is the gadget guy. Though they banter at times and Knuckles is often the butt of many jokes due to his thick-headedness, the three vowed to never again use the Master Emerald lest its power threaten the world and are depicted as a tight-knit group of friends. Team Sonic are also closely affiliated with the Guardian Units of Nations (G.U.N.), a military division established to monitor and respond to alien threats, with the three now regarded as trusted allies of the G.U.N. overseer, Commander Walters (Butler). Unlike in Sonic Adventure 2, where Sonic was targeted by G.U.N. because they ridiculously mistook him for Shadow, G.U.N. Director Rockwell (Krysten Ritter) is dispatched to recruit Team Sonic’s aid, a task she performs reluctantly as she’s suspicious and distrustful of the “aliens”.

Overwhelmed by Shadow’s speed and power, Team Sonic are forced to join forces with Dr. Robotnik.

Though Team Sonic and the Wachowskis enjoy their peaceful downtime, they jump at the chance for some action (Team Sonic at the beginning and the Wachowskis later, when the boys ask for their help infiltrating the G.U.N. headquarters). However, while Knuckles is eager to test his mettle against the new hedgehog, Sonic calls for cooler heads, despite the chaos and destruction Shadow unleashes upon the city. Angered and suspicious of the “colourful bunch” since they arrived in a G.U.N. helicopter and Shadow’s vendetta is primarily against G.U.N., the enraged hedgehog refuses to listen to reason and easily trounces the three with his impressive physical strength and powers of teleportation. As if that wasn’t bad enough, Shadow’s rocket boots and natural Chaos Energy make him more than a match for Sonic, resulting in a resounding defeat for the trio. After learning of Shadow’s tragic origins from Commander Walters, the three are suddenly attacked by Dr. Robotnik’s egg drones, only to learn from the doctor’s long-suffering right-hand man, Agent Stone (Lee Majdoub), that the increasingly manic (and finally overweight) Dr. Robotnik is not only alive but not behind the attack. Incensed to learn that his machines have been hijacked, Dr. Robotnik begrudgingly agrees to a short-lived team up to track down their common foe. Naturally suspicious of the mad scientist, Sonic keeps a close eye on the maniacal doctor and shares his regret for Shadow’s pain. Their conversation leads Dr. Robotnik to “trauma dump” to his foe and reveal that he also had a tragic childhood filled with bad choices and a lack of parental figures, echoing the main theme of the film (essentially, don’t let your past/pain define you). Equally, discussions with Tails regarding the nature of Team Sonic’s relationship leads Agent Stone to question his devotion to Dr. Robotnik, who routinely humiliates and belittles Stone despite his clear awe and loyalty. We don’t get too much additional insight into Knuckles and he remains and arrogant and proud warrior who takes things far too literally. However, Knuckles proves to be an extremely loyal friend; even when an emotional Sonic is ready to go to blows with Knuckles, Rad Red takes the high road and falls back on the trust he placed in his family.

Desperate to connect with the family he never had, Dr. Robotnik teams up with his maniacal grandfather.

The team up between Team Sonic and Dr. Robotnik is tenuous, at best, given the doctor’s past actions and unstable disposition, but it quickly falls apart when they explore the G.U.N. facility where Shadow was once experimented on. There, the bald lunatic is surprised to meet his long-lost grandfather, Professor Gerald Robotnik (Carrey), an equally devious and intelligent scientist who once ran tests on Shadow and who has returned after fifty years in prison to enact revenge through the angst-ridden hedgehog. Playing dual roles really allows Jim Carrey’s natural, madcap comedy stylings to take centre stage here. Both Robotniks are very similar, sharing an eccentric and dark sense of humour and a desire to vent their personal frustrations upon not just their enemies, but the entire world. Elated to finally meet a member of his family, Dr. Robotnik abandons his newfound allies and devotes himself to Gerald’s cause, using the power of virtual reality and amusing montages to bond with his elder and feel a sense of belonging so strong that he angrily rebukes and dismisses Agent Stone when he raises concerns about Gerald’s intentions. While Dr. Robotnik employs a few mechanical aids throughout the film, they’re secondary to the duo’s more threatening objective: the Eclipse Cannon, a world-ending space station Gerald built for G.U.N. back in the day. Perfectly matched in their mania, genius, and physical abilities, the Robotniks are also cunning and spiteful. While infiltrating the G.U.N. headquarters, Dr. Robotnik tests his laser-reflective clothing by threatening his grandfather’s life, much to Gerald’s respect. Though distrustful of Shadow, Dr. Robotnik relishes the chance to have the power to prove his superiority over the world and his fleet-footed foe, a mad desire that sees him finally donning a game accurate outfit and standing beside his grandfather on the Eclipse Cannon. Unfortunately for the pining doctor, Gerald’s ambitions extend far beyond subjugating the world. Intent on eradicating all human life, including his own, Gerald’s mad plans clash with Dr. Robotnik’s desire to rule, turning the crazed scientist into a reluctant ally for the final act.

Consumed by anger, Shadow vents his wrath upon the world to avenge his lost friend.

Of course, the central antagonist the entire film revolves around is Shadow, a dark and brooding hedgehog from beyond the stars who’s focused only on revenge. While the trailers made it seem like Keanu was phoning in his performance, his growling delivery is pitch-perfect for the enraged anti-hero and he perfectly captures Shadow’s pain and rage. Falling to Earth over fifty years ago and subjected to years of experiments to harness his powerful (but unstable) Chaos Energy, Shadow was treated as a mere lab rat and shown none of the warmth and affection that shaped Sonic into a self-serving hero. Shadow’s only friend was Maria (Alyla Browne), Gerald’s well-meaning granddaughter who bonded with Shadow, giving him someone to care about. After realising Shadow’s powers were too dangerous to contain, G.U.N. sought to keep him in stasis and, during an escape attempt, Maria was accidentally killed, fuelling Shadow’s rage. Shadow’s so consumed by his anger and pain that he attacks G.U.N. and anyone who gets in his way on sight. Thus, when he sees Commander Walters, Shadow doesn’t hesitate to strike to retrieve one of the Eclipse Cannon’s keycards. Unfortunately, Shadow actually attacked Tom in disguise, causing him to not only question his vendetta but enrage Sonic, who abandons his family to extract a measure of revenge from his dark doppelgänger. Although you might not be surprised to learn that Tom isn’t killed, it is touch and go for a moment and the risk against him is great considering the destruction Shadow causes when unloading on G.U.N.’s soldiers. Unlike in the videogames, Shadow doesn’t need a Chaos Emerald to teleport or reach blinding speeds; equally, he’s specifically said to be from the stars, rather than a result of Gerald’s experiments. Yet, he’s just as angry and misguided as in the source material, and equally unstoppable. Even Team Sonic’s combined might cannot match with Shadow’s powers, making him an incredible formidable foe.

The Nitty-Gritty:
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is a story about choices; specifically, the choices we make that shape us. Sonic chose not to let his pain rule his heart and to be a selfless hero, whereas Shadow is consumed by his grief and is turning his rage upon the world he believes wronged him. Similarly, years of rejection and abandonment issues shaped Dr. Robotnik into a spiteful and malicious supervillain, just as decades in prison and the loss of his granddaughter twisted Gerald into a crazed madman ready to destroy himself alongside the world. Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles are depicted as brothers as much as friends and teammates; together, they’re their greatest source of power and inspiration. While this doesn’t give them the edge against Shadow, their combined abilities and resourcefulness see them explore other options to subdue their foe. It’s therefore incredible tense and heartbreaking when Sonic, consumed by anger and a lust for revenge after Shadow hurts Tom, is ready to fight Knuckles to learn the location of the Master Emerald. Tails, in particular, is distraught by Sonic’s emotional state and his refusal to listen to reason, just as Knuckles is angered that his friend would abandon his morals and their vow. Yet, Knuckles refuses to betray their bond, even if Sonic is ready to, and Sonic’s subsequent efforts to beat Shadow into submission as Super Sonic serve as a character test for the misguided hero. Indeed, during their fight, Shadow not only riles Sonic up more and transforms into his own Super form, he also spits Sonic’s rage in his face and draws comparisons between them. Despite Sonic rejecting the notion that he’s anything like his destructive foe, he’s forced to face reality when he remembers Tom’s words and teachings and, thankfully, lets go of his rage to find common ground with Shadow. Similarly, Sonic learns there’s more to Dr. Robotnik than just a crazed supervillain during their short-lived team up. Much of Dr. Robotnik’s lust for power comes from not having strong moral influences and a resentment towards the world though, ultimately, all three learn to set aside their personal grievances to protect the world.

Shadow’s power makes him a formidable threat, even to Super Sonic!

Like its predecessors, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is full of colourful, fast-paced action and adventure. Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and Shadow all sport poses, lines, and abilities from the videogames, with Shadow riding through Tokyo on a motorcycle while blasting at Sonic with a laser pistol and many of his dramatic, angst-filled poses being ripped right out of Sonic Adventure 2 and Shadow the Hedgehog. It’s a joy to see and witnessing Shadow’s raw power is endlessly exciting; he zips about, blasting foes with kicks and punches, and laying waste to everyone. Equally, Team Sonic continue to impress: Sonic defies all laws of physics, Spin Dashing and blasting around at incredible speeds, Tails keeps pace with his helicopter blade tails, and Knuckles easily hefts around objects as though they were weightless. Of the three, Sonic has the best chance of fighting Shadow thanks to Knuckles’ hot-headedness and Tails’ comparative fragility. However, it takes all three (and Tom and Maddie utilising holographic disguises) to breach G.U.N.’s headquarters. After Tom is left fighting for his life, we see the triumphant and dramatic return of Super Sonic; however, Shadow’s power is so immense that he blasts the Chaos Emeralds from his foe with one blow and absorbs them in turn. The battle between Super Sonic and Super Shadow sees them literally tear up the landscape, causing volcanoes to erupt and them to battle across the globe and eventual on the surface of the Moon! Setting aside everyone’s ability to breathe in space, these are some of the film’s most exhilarating moments and seeing Super Sonic and Super Shadow team up to stop the Eclipse Cannon was an exciting finale. Although the Biolizard and Finalhazard don’t appear, there was a cute reference to it and other Easter Eggs for eagle-eyed fans. The Eclipse Cannon console is modelled after a Mega Drive, for example, Dr. Robotnik’s ring tone is Paul Shortino’s “E.G.G.M.A.N”, a hard rock cover of “Live and Learn” plays when Super Sonic and Super Shadow team up, and Team Sonic regroup in a super fun Chao Garden restaurant!

Unexpected alliances and sacrifices see Team Sonic save the world from destruction.

One of the best aspects of Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is how it focuses more on the videogame characters and yet still finds a way to keep Tom and Maddie relevant. They’re there to reinforce the familial bond that separates Sonic from Shadow and contrast the Robotniks’ volatile and twisted relationship. While Director Rockwell added little to the plot and could’ve easily been supplanted with Commander Walters and another fight against Shadow, the infiltration of G.U.N. headquarters was a fun sequence that culminated in the Eclipse Cannon dramatically launching from the River Thames! After being reminded of everything he’s lost, the enraged Shadow powers up the cannon and battles with Super Sonic before realising that he’s been walking the wrong path, one that would dishonour Maria’s memory rather than avenge her. Similarly, Dr. Robotnik is aghast to learn of his grandfather’s suicidal plot and battles him aboard the Eclipse Cannon, matching his nanotech against Gerald’s, and only coming out victorious thanks to a last-minute save from Tails and Knuckles. Thus, with the world in peril from the Eclipse Cannon’s devastating death beam, Super Sonic and Super Shadow block its path while Dr. Robotnik, Tails, and Knuckles fight to redirect the space station, saving the world but blasting half of the Moon! The effort drains the Chaos Energy from Sonic and sees him plummet through the atmosphere; bravely, Tails and Knuckles follow and succeed in saving him. Unfortunately, the Eclipse Cannon’s core overloads and the only ones capable of sparing the Earth from a cataclysmic event are Dr. Robotnik and Shadow. While Super Shadow expends the last of his energy pushing the space station as far away from the Earth as possible, Dr. Robotnik fights to stabilise the core. After delivering a heartfelt message to Agent Stone and thanking him for his loyalty and friendship, Dr. Robotnik and Shadow are seemingly vaporised when the Eclipse Cannon explodes. After making amends with his friends, Sonic returns to his family, grateful for their love and friendship, only to be attacked by a robotic doppelgänger (and a hoard – or “brotherhood” – of the machines) on the outskirts of New York City. Thankfully, he’s saved by a mysterious pink hedgehog and the post-credits reveal that Shadow survived the explosion, setting up further adventures.

The Summary:
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is a rare gem, for sure. Not only is it an enjoyable movie adaptation of a videogame franchise, but it’s also an entertaining third entry in a film series, and the first time Jim Carrey’s ever portrayed a character three times, making it incredibly rare in the grand scheme of Hollywood. Naturally, given the source material, the film is a tad darker than its predecessors; Shadow alone is a grim, edgy figure, to say nothing of his tragic backstory. There’s far more action and peril this time around and the world is not only endangered, but humanity faces global annihilation from Gerald’s insane plot. Still, there’s a lot of fun, colourful action and humour at work here, including Jim Carrey’s physical comedy, references for the fans, and topical gags for mainstream audiences. Jim Carrey steals the show, throwing his all into both Robotniks, devouring the scenery, and commanding the screen whenever he’s present. I loved the energy and enthusiasm he brought to both roles and it was an inspired decision to expand Gerald’s character into an even darker and more insane mirror of his grandson. However, it’s Shadow that’s the star of the show here. Keanu Reeves perfectly captured Shadow’s angst and pain and flawlessly brought the misguided and outraged anti-hero to life. I enjoyed the tweaks to his backstory and the parallels between him, Sonic, and Dr. Robotnik that reinforced the film’s themes of family, choices, and overcoming grief. Add to that some enjoyable references to the videogames, particularly Shadow’s outings, and some fun gags and you have a hugely enjoyable adventure that successfully appeals to kids, adults, game fans, and mainstream audiences.

My Rating:

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Great Stuff

Did you enjoy Sonic the Hedgehog 3? How do you feel it holds up compared to the previous films? Did you enjoy the addition of Shadow and the changes made to his backstory? What did you think of Jim Carrey’s dual performance as Dr. Robotnik and Gerald? Did you enjoy the fight between Super Sonic and Super Shadow and the many references to the videogames? Where do you see the films going from here and are there any Sonic games or characters you’d like to see make an appearance in the future? To share your thoughts on Sonic the Hedgehog 3, leave a comment below and be sure to check out my other Sonic content on the site!

Movie Night [Christmas Day]: Die Hard 2

Dr. K3 Comments

Released: 4 July 1990
Director: Renny Harlin
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Budget: $60 to 70 million
Stars: Bruce Willis, William Sadler, Fred Thompson, John Amos, Art Evans, and Bonnie Bedelia

The Plot:
While waiting at Dulles Airport to pick up his wife, Holly Gennero-McClane (Bedelia), Lieutenant John McClane (Willis) is embroiled in a complex cat-and-mouse plot by disgraced Colonel William Stuart (Sadler) to hijack the planes and liberate a corrupt foreign military leader.

The Background
Roderick Thorp published a follow-up to his 1966 thriller, The Detective, in 1979, to decent reviews. Accordingly, an adaptation of Nothing Lasts Forever did the rounds before being retooled by struggling screenwriter Jeb Stuart. Stuart reimagined Thorp’s aging Detective Joe Leland into a flawed everyman, a role so expertly portrayed by Bruce Willis that it changed the perception of action heroes forever. Despite garnering mixed reviews, Die Hard’s (McTiernan, 1988) $140-odd million box office made it a a massive financial success that revitalised 20th Century Fox and redefined the action hero stereotype. For the sequel, the filmmakers turned not to Thorp’s writing but to Walter Wager’s 58 Minutes (1987), a thriller in which a police officer has less than an hour to stop terrorists who have hijacked an airport. Inspired by the Iran/Contra affair, Steven E. de Souza helped rework the concept into a Die Hard sequel, which saw star Bruce Willis return to the tune of $7.5 million and producer Joel Silver removed after his spending ballooned the budget. Also marketed with the subtitle Die Harder, Die Hard 2 was the first film to digitally compose live-action footage with a traditional matte painting, which was used for the final runway scene. With a box office of $240 million, Die Hard 2 exceeded expectations and held the largest pre-opening record for six years, though reviews were mixed. Even positive reviews noted issues with the plot and it was dubbed another disappointing sequel of the era that failed to capture the magic of the first film. Still, there are some who claim it to be an under-rated entry and the box office success alone was enough to justify a third entry some five years later.

The Review:
Die Hard 2 immediately expands the focus of its action by pivoting away from a claustrophobic, confined location and dropping grizzled, promoted cop John McClane into a bustling airport over the holiday season. In Die Hard, McClane was burned out, irritable, and desperately trying to win back his estranged wife. His personal issues were compounded by the terrorists who took over Nakatomi Plaza and he vented his anger and frustration on them with sharp-tongued relish. In Die Hard 2, things are going much better for McClane: he’s looking a little less haggard, he’s been promoted and has transferred to the Los Angeles Police Department, and he and Holly are back together. Unfortunately, while they might be on much better terms, they’re still apart as Holly’s flying in to spend Christmas with him, the kids, and her family. Still, they remain in contact through the miracle of airphones and McClane’s excited to meet her at Dulles Airport. Things get off to a shaky start for McClane, however; bad luck seems to follow him around, even when things are going well, as he’s unceremoniously towed by Sergeant Vito Lorenzo (Robert Costanzo) for illegally parking outside the building. McClane’s appeals fall on deaf ears as, in a taste of the disregard McClane’s later shown, Vito’s unimpressed by his rank and stature. To make matters worse, it was his mother-in-law’s car! Still, a $40 fine is the least of McClane’s worries when he wanders through the airport and not only bumps into a strangely familiar face and spots a handful of guys acting very suspiciously. Attentive and curious, McClane observes as the men covertly talk, sync their watches, and Sergeant Oswald Cochrane (John Costelloe) and Miller (Vondie Curtis-Hall) slip into a restricted baggage sorting area. Interestingly, McClane’s first thought isn’t to investigate himself but to instead alert the airport police. However, when he’s greeted by Vito’s smarmy grin, he realises they’ll never take him seriously and follows the two alone. When confronted by McClane, the two open fire and a brief fracas ensues that leaves Cochrane dead, McClane in custody, and Miller alive to tell the tale to his commander, shamed military veteran Colonel William Stuart (the man McClane had bumped into earlier).

Met with opposition at every turn, McClane faces another Christmas ruined by a new terrorist plot.

After McClane verifies his identity, he’s brought to Captain Carmine Lorenzo (Dennis Franz), who just so happens to be Vito’s brother and who’s not only dismissive of McClane’s reputation, but personally offended by his presence and his attitude. Consequently, Carmine angrily rebukes McClane’s suspicions that the two men were anything more than simple luggage thieves and has him removed from his office. Stubborn and unimpressed by Carmine’s failure to take the situation seriously, McClane takes matters into his own hands and faxes a copy of Cochrane’s fingerprints to his old friend, Sergeant Al Powell (Reginald VelJohnson), who reveals that they’re fake. Based on this, and the men’s weapons, and the impending arrival of the crooked General Ramon Esperanza (Franco Nero), McClane realises that something bad is about to go down and forces his way into the airport control tower to warn Carmine and air traffic controller Ed Trudeau (Thompson) that a group of mercenaries are obviously planning something. While Trudeau seems to take the threat seriously, especially when the tower starts losing power and access to their systems, Carmine refuses to entertain any of McClane’s warnings, believing he’s an overhyped, out of his depth cop trying to steal the spotlight. McClane is unceremoniously booted from the tower and accosted by keen reporter Samantha Coleman (Sheila McCarthy), who name-drops Colonel Stuart and puts the final pieces of the puzzle together for McClane. Unlike in the last film, McClane is surrounded by potential allies but constantly met with antagonism, resentment, and dismissal. No one takes his warnings seriously, causing not only the tower to be compromised when Colonel Stuart hijacks their systems, but also many deaths when Carmine’s crack troops are gunned down by Colonel Stuart’s men (leaving airport chief engineer Leslie Barnes (Evans) wounded) and Stuart brings down an aeroplane in retaliation. Although McClane desperately tries to provide a warning to the doomed aircraft, he ultimately fails and those deaths weigh heavily on his troubled conscience throughout the film. While Trudeau shows some compassion to McClane following this, he continues to be met with hostility from the airport staff and from no-nonsense Major Grant (Amos), who arrives with a bunch of troopers to take control of the situation and, like Carmine, immediately butts heads with McClane, who’s seen as a dangerous loose cannon despite his best efforts to help.

McClane’s reputation and aggressive demeanour mean he’s as short on allies as he is time.

Luckily, McClane does have some allies amongst all these hot-headed egos. While Powell is sadly relegated to a cameo, he does confirm McClane’s suspicions that something’s amiss at Dulles. Barnes proves extremely helpful in offering alternative ways to signal the aircraft, though Colonel Stuart angrily retaliates each time or has set up contingencies for these. Barnes is also the one who clues McClane in that Colonel Stuart’s men are using a coded frequency (though he’s unable to break it) and who re-routes the emergency beacon to covertly communicate with the pilots. While racing to find solutions and workarounds to Colonel Stuart’s plot, McClane ends up in a network of access tunnels beneath the runway and bumps into Marvin (Tom Bower), a quirky janitor with racks upon racks of blueprints who helps McClane get to different areas of the airport, try new ways of signalling the planes, and locate Colonel Stuart’s outpost at a nearby church. Marvin also retrieves the coat and pre-coded walkie-talkie of one of Stuart’s men, allowing McClane to listen in and retort to Stuart directly. This gives McClane the chance to vent his anger on the man responsible for ruining his latest Christmas, though Colonel Stuart isn’t easily baited and out-thinks McClane at every turn. While Major Grant and McClane clash, McClane earns his begrudging respect after he helps storm Colonel Stuart’s church, raiding their operation and driving off Stuart’s men. This resolution is short-lived, however, when McClane realises he and Major Grant’s men were firing blanks the entire time. While Carmine again refuses to believe McClane’s claims, he’s forced to realise they’ve all been duped when McClane dramatically opens fire on Carmine (somehow not being gunned down by the cops present) to demonstrate his point and Carmine finally comes on side, giving McClane clearance to intercept the villains. While McClane treats Coleman with about as much respect as Colonel Stuart and has no time for her sniffing around for a story, she proves somewhat useful first in identifying Stuart and then in joining him in intercepting Stuart’s Boeing 747, giving McClane the chance to dramatically tackle the bad guys and end their plot.

Holly’s safety means McClane has a personal stake in the film’s events.

While Holly returns, she’s far less of a factor and has far less agency this time around. She’s stuck in the air, as far out of McClane’s reach as before, but with even less control over her situation. While she communicates with McClane using an airphone, she has no idea why her landing has been delayed and only becomes concerned about the situation after the returning Dick Thornburg (William Atherton) points out the circling aircraft in the nearby skies. As obnoxious and grating as ever, Thornburg feels slighted and threatened by Holly since a right-hook to his jaw knocked out two of his teeth after he endangered her children in the last movie, leading him to take out a restraining order against her. While this earns Holly the admiration of Connie (Karla Tamburrell), an air hostess equally repulsed by Thornburg, Holly’s forced to endure his presence as the situation worsens. Ever the opportunist, Thornburg patches into the cockpit radio and learns of the situation, then remotely forces his way on-air to report on the situation live, selfishly thinking only of his career and not the panic it causes those waiting at Dulles Airport. As perceptive and feisty as her husband, Holly not only catches on that their situation is going to become a real problem due to lack of fuel but also retaliates against Thornburg once more by subduing him with a fellow passenger’s taser. Still, while Holly doesn’t get much else to do, it’s the drive to save her from plummeting to a fiery death that pushes McClane on downside. His personal stake in the events sees him aggressively interject himself into the situation and causes as much of the animosity he receives as his smart mouth, though McClane excels in a pressure situation and simply forces himself to fight harder or find other ways around problems, even if it means pissing off those in authority. The subtext of Die Hard 2 is lesser than the first, with more generic masculine and pseduo-sexual connotations, but the premise of this stubborn, determined “Everyman” fighting against the odds to save the woman he loves is strong, though I would’ve liked to see Holly have a more active role in the main plot.

Colonel Stuart enacts a diabolical plan to liberate his anti-communist idol.

This time, McClane is up against an opponent just as intelligent, ruthless, and heavily armed as Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman) but one with the added benefit of a lifetime of military service and equally well-trained, incredibly loyal followers. A former Special Forces officer and one time student of Major Grant, the anti-communist Colonel Stuart strongly supported General Esperanza and even funded his operation, being dishonourably discharged and disgraced as a consequence. After fleeing the United States prior to his court martial, Colonel Stuart and the imprisoned General Esperanza plotted an elaborate scheme to hijack Dulles Airport, intercept Esperanza’s plan, and abscond to safety in a Boeing 747. A stoic, calculating martial arts expert, Colonel Stuart plans everything to the smallest detail, easily infiltrating Dulles Airport and hijacking their communications and power array and duplicating much of their control room in a nearby church. From here, Colonel Stuart and his men easily dupe the aircraft into thinking ground control is experiencing nothing more than heavy weather and effectively holds all incoming aircraft hostage, crashing them without a second’s thought whenever and reprisals are attempted. Though he doesn’t hesitate to take lives, even those of his men, Colonel Stuart reprimands Trudeau and McClane for not obeying his instructions and forcing his hand, indicating that he’s trying to rescue his beloved General with as little bloodshed as possible. His patience with McClane quickly wears thin, however, especially when John intercepts Esperanza’s aircraft and nearly brings him into custody. Aggravated that one stubborn cop could cause his meticulous plan so much trouble, Colonel Stuart has his men open fire on the craft and tosses a bunch of grenades in to take out McClane but is forced to flee when McClane miraculously survives thanks to his quick thinking. Colonel Stuart’s men are fiercely loyal; while they briefly hesitate upon being ordered to trick an aircraft into crashing, they obey his every word without question out of fear of his reprisals. Colonel Stuart’s joined by Major Grant, a deceptive and equally ruthless military man who slits newcomer Telford’s (Patrick O’Neal) throat just for not being “one of them” and aids in duping McClane to cover their escape. When push comes to shove, Colonel Stuart finally gets his hands dirty in a one-on-one fight with McClane, being far more physically capable than Gruber. He’s also much more in control of his emotions and motivated not by greed, but by a warped sense of patriotism and pride.

The Nitty-Gritty:
Die Hard is a Christmas movie. I don’t care what you say or think; it just is. Die Hard 2 is also a Christmas movie, but the season is far less of a factor in the plot. Seasonal jingles aren’t as prominent in Michael Kamen’s score and Christmas trappings aren’t as easily noticeable thanks to how bustling Dulles Airport is, but the entire crux of the plot is Holly coming home for Christmas and half the reason the weather is so bad is because we’re deep into the festive season. McClane does note that his bad luck constantly ruins the season for him, but this seems more emblematic of him than of the festive period. Indeed, Major Grant notes that McClane is in the “wrong place at the wrong time” during one of the many tirades launched against him for trying to help, and the situation only escalates as things spiral out of control. McClane is in a slightly better position this time around, though; he’s wearing shoes, for starters, is fully armed, and has more resources at his disposal to try and help. Unfortunately, he’s constantly hampered by those around him. Since Carmine doesn’t take his concerns seriously, Trudeau doesn’t prepare the control tower for a possible hijacking; since doors are constantly shut in his face, McClane can’t share his insight or opinion on the situation; and since Colonel Stuart is so resourceful and intelligent, the odds are stacked against him in a far greater way than before. This time, McClane battles to save not just his and Holly’s lives, but the lives of all the people on the planes unable to land because of Colonel Stuart. McClane might be selfishly driven to intervene to ensure Holly’s safety but he doesn’t just sit back and do nothing when Stuart hijacks a British airliner. He runs out onto the landing strip and desperately tries to do something, though this is of little comfort when his efforts inevitably fail. While Die Hard 2 is therefore more of a typical action/thriller and less of a tale of reclaiming masculinity and enforcing masculine power like the first film, some aspects of this still remain. Half the reason Vito, Carmine, and Major Grant clash with McClane is because they view him as a threat to their authority and masculinity. McClane is a loose cannon who shouts his opinion and acts impulsively, with little respect for local authority and the chain of command, which especially irks Carmine and equally annoys Major Grant, who believes McClane’s interference is doing more harm than good.

Aside from some explosive moments, McClane is largely a gunfighter this time around.

Ironically, even if McClane approached these figures with a more reasonable and respectful tone, it probably wouldn’t have helped since McClane is something of a celebrity now after his actions in Die Hard. This, and departmental xenophobia, are equally strong reasons for them to dislike McClane and dismiss his concerns, only to begrudgingly realise that he’s been the only one making sense the entire time, which is frustrating but still an improvement over the bungling police presence in the last film. While thematically and narratively very similar to Die Hard, Die Hard 2 broadens its scope for action set pieces; there are more characters involved so more opportunities for big shoot outs, with McClane even engaging in a snowmobile chase near the climax. However, I’ve never thought of Die Hard 2 as being “bigger” or “better” than the first one in terms of its action. It’s often far more explosive, that’s for sure; the plane crash is a notable set piece, as is the destruction of General Esperanza’s plane. However, it’s pretty obvious both are model and composite shots, making them ironically less impressive than McClane’s leap from the exploding Nakatomi helipad. McClane doesn’t get as many opportunities to throw hands this time; he always has his pistol and ammo on him, so he’s more apt to just gun down his foes with a wry remark, meaning we see less of McClane’s physical tenacity. However, this is supplanted by his “die hard” nature; he’s a stubborn cockroach of a man who won’t quit and keeps fighting even when met with a hail of gunfire. Ironically, he’s far less banged up and bloody than in the first film despite the greater odds against him and McClane’s resourceful nature comes not from finding innovative ways to kill his enemies but from finding creative ways to save lives, galvanising McClane into a more broadly heroic character. That’s not to say Die Hard 2 is tame, by any means: plenty of guys are executed by gunshot to the head, people are strangled, have their throat cut, and are riddled with bullets or blown to pieces. But it does feel far less personal this time around; before, McClane was desperately picking Gruber’s men off one by one but Colonel Stuart has far more men with far less memorable characteristics, so it just feels more generic when they’re killed rather than a rousing victory for our lone hero like before.

Though he’s no match for Stuart, McClane gets the last laugh and rescues his wife once again.

McClane is against a ticking clock throughout Die Hard 2. He only has ninety minutes before Holly’s plane runs out of fuel so he does everything he can to restore communications with the planes and find a way to negotiate her safety. He experiences ups and downs in this endeavour as Barnes does manage to contact the pilots, but McClane is intercepted by Colonel Stuart and his men before he can barter Esperanza’s life for Holly’s. The wounded General Esperanza escapes but things start to look up with Major Grant comes along and leads an all-out assault on Colonel Stuart’s church base, only to dupe McClane and the others with blanks and betray them to aid Stuart and Esperanza’s escape. With time running out and Holly’s plane preparing for an emergency landing, McClane finally gets the assistance he’s been demanding the entire movie and has Coleman’s pilot chase after the escaping villains. With no way to block the larger aircraft, McClane is forced to make a desperate drop to the wing on their Boeing 747 to try and stop them. Unlike the first movie, which ended with a tense showdown akin to an Old West duel between the exhausted McClane and the smug Gruber, Die Hard 2’s climax centres around bare-knuckle fistfights on the wing of a speeding aircraft trying to take off. Major Grant is the first to head out to put a beating on the outmatched McClane. However, thanks to his tenacity and resourcefulness, McClane manages to trip Major Grant and send him into a jet engine, splattering him across the plane and further screwing up Esperanza’s attempts to get off the ground. Thus, Colonel Stuart takes matters into his own hands and beats the shit out of McClane in a way Gruber could only dream of, finally kicking him to the speeding runway below. Returning inside to celebrate with his men, Colonel Stuart is completely oblivious to the fact that McClane opened the plane’s fuel valve. Bloodied and beaten, McClane delivers his “Yippie-ki-yay, Mister Falcon motherfucker!” catchphrase and tosses his lighter at the fuel trial, which naturally defies all physics and logic to burn into the plane and explode it in mid-air. As an added bonus, the flame trail and burning wreckage act as a marker for the planes to use to make a safe landing, reuniting McClane and Holly once more and bringing their latest Christmas drama to a close.

The Summary:
Die Hard is a Christmas tradition for me. I watch it every year and every year I enjoy it as much as the last time I watched it. Die Hard 2 also makes the Christmas watch list, but I’d be lying if I said I looked forward to it as much as the first movie. It’s not that it’s bad, really, just not as enjoyable or memorable as the first film. The atmosphere is both familiar and yet different, which is what you want from a sequel but something just feels off. Narrative beats, returning characters, and a sense of repetition help thematically link it to the first movie while also expanding upon the characters and setting. John McClane is far less beaten down than before, but no less tenacious; however, his character is noticeably different, largely because of the supporting cast. He’s face-to-face with the same type of bureaucrats who got in his way last time and we live his frustration with their dismissive attitude and his desperate attempts to do something while they sit around, stubbornly refusing to believe him due to their slighted pride. McClane is as resourceful and enjoyable as ever, delivering some wry quips and surviving some unbelievable situations, but he’s recast as a more typical heroic figure this time. Die Hard 2 isn’t just about saving a handful of hostages; it’s about saving thousands of lives from Colonel Stuart’s reprisals. It’s not about reclaiming masculinity; it’s about reinforcing it and a clash of “Alpha Male” figures and egos. Colonel Stuart exemplifies this; unlike Gruber, he’s a physical and intellectual challenge for McClane, after all. Oddly, despite its greater scope, I find Die Hard 2’s action to be lacking compared to the first. Things don’t feel as intimate and personal and a lot of the impact is dulled, as though everyone’s just going through the motions despite some enjoyable performances. In the end, I still watch Die Hard 2 at Christmas and still enjoy it, but I would much rather watch Die Hard twice or skip to one of the other sequels as they delivered a new challenge for McClane in a far more unique way than what we see here.

My Rating:

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Great Stuff

Are you a fan of Die Hard 2? How do you think it compares to the first films? What did you think to Colonel Stuart and his cold-hearted depiction? Did you like seeing McClane face new challenges, especially following his infamy from the first movie? Were you also disappointed by the action sequences? Is Die Hard 2 on your Christmas watch list? What are your plans for Christmas Day today? Whatever your thoughts, feel free to comment down before and have a great Christmas!

Movie Night [Christmas Countdown]: Home Alone 2: Lost in New York

Dr. K1 Comment

Released: 20 November 1992
Director: Chris Columbus
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Budget: $28 million
Stars: Macaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern, Catherine O’Hara, Tim Curry, and Brenda Fricker

The Plot:
While jetting off to Florida for Christmas, an airport mix up separates young Kevin McCallister (Culkin) from his mother, Kate (O’Hara), and his family, leaving him to deal with vengeful burglars Harry (Pesci) and Marv (Stern) in the Big Apple.

The Background:
Widely considered one of the greatest Christmas movies, Home Alone (Columbus, 1990) was dreamed up by writer and producer John Hughes and brought to life by Chris Columbus. Macaulay Culkin beat over two hundred children for the breakout role in the critical and commercial hit, which became an instant Christmas classic. The first of its many sequels entered development just one year after the first film landed, with Culkin receiving a lucrative payday for returning, alongside a share of the film’s gross. Once again, the shoot was difficult for star Joe Pesci, who suffered serious burns during filming, and the film was a commercial success even if its final gross fell short of the first film. The third highest-grossing film of 1992, Home Alone 2 was nevertheless met by largely negative reviews. The cartoonish violence, sentimental hook, and central concept were all noted to be lazy, derivative repeats of the first film, though the performances were praised and it has since been regarded more favourably, especially compared to the later, unrelated sequels.

The Review:
It’s been a year since the McAllisters and their chaotic extended family left Kevin home alone and things are very much the same as before in their opulent and inexplicably luxurious family home. That is to say that the house is full of kids and adults rushing back and forth in a mad panic trying to pack and prepare for another family vacation, this time to Florida and at the expense of the McAllister patriarch, Peter (John Heard). Everyone slips right back into their previous roles exactly as depicted in the last film, with Peter unwittingly causing the family to sleep in by unplugging the alarm clock and Kevin’s uncle, Frank (Gerry Bamman), being as aggressive and dismissive towards Kevin as ever. Some things have changed, however; Kevin isn’t as bratty as before and his relationship with his mother is much improved. Kate makes more of an effort to listen to and include him and goes out of her way to ensure that Kevin makes it to the airport this time, acutely aware of her previous mistake and desperate to keep it from happening again. Despite reaching a mutual respect at the end of the first film, Kevin is still at odds with his older brother, Buzz (Devin Ratray). Still resentful towards his little brother and happy to demean him at every turn, Buzz delights in humiliating Kevin in front of the entire school, including the parents and staff, by pulling a mean-spirited prank during his choir solo, one that’s entirely unfunny but which has everyone in the audience in stitches. Kevin naturally lashes out, causing a ruckus, and the two are taken to “family court” to discuss the issue. While, on the surface, this seems more productive and fairer than what we saw in the last film, where Kevin’s family condemned him without giving him a chance to defend himself, it’s a kangaroo court, at best, and Buzz easily sways the family into believing he regrets his prank. Naturally frustrated that his family expects him to apologise, Kevin once again bemoans his unfair treatment and chastises his family’s ignorance. Still, he successfully makes it to the airport this time, despite not wishing to spend his Christmas in Florida due to his sudden love of Christmas trees.

Lost in New York, mischievous Kevin touches hearts and raises suspicions as he indulges himself.

Unfortunately for Kevin, things go awry at the airport. Thanks to Peter, the family’s again in a mad rush to reach their flight and, thanks to messing about putting batteries in his Talkboy tape recorder and lackadaisical airport security, Kevin accidentally boards the wrong flight and ends up in New York City. After quickly overcoming his surprise and a brief flash of fear, Kevin takes in the sights of the city and heads to the luxurious Plaza Hotel. Posing as “the father” and using his dad’s credit card and cash, Kevin secures a swanky room and all the treats he could want. Kevin’s arc in this movie is, like much of Home Alone 2, copy and pasted wholesale from Home Alone except he’s now in the city. Given complete freedom to do whatever he wants, Kevin indulges in sweets, bad movies, and a trip to Duncan’s Toy Chest, where he chats with the proprietor, Mr. Duncan (Eddie Bracken), and showcases an empathy beyond his years. Kevin even repeats that same routine of fear, misunderstanding, and befriending of a misjudged local, in this case an unnamed vagrant (Fricker) with a love of pigeons. Unlike the last film, though, Kevin’s not just relishing the chance to do whatever he wants without consequence; he’s living the Christmas vacation he feels he desires, one that caters to his every whim. However, the presence of a lone child in the Plaza Hotel foyer raises the suspicions of the hotel concierge, Mr. Hector (Curry), who immediately tries to confirm that Kevin’s….well, it’s not entirely clear what Mr. Hector is trying to discover, actually. He exhibits the same strangely confused reaction at seeing a kid by himself, but it’s not entirely clear why he’s so sceptical. Thanks to Kevin’s quick thinking, the youngster throws Mr. Hector off his scent with a blow-up doll and a convenient recording of Uncle Frank yelling at him, securing Kevin the hotel’s co-operation for a short time out of fear of reprisals from his unseen father. However, thanks to Kate and Peter reporting Kevin’s absence to the police, Peter’s credit card comes up as stolen, verifying Mr. Hector’s suspicions and leading him to more aggressively confront the mischievous youth. Though Kevin again holds them at bay with a convenient ruse, he’s forced to flee the hotel, believing he faces criminal charges for credit card fraud, and wanders the dangerous streets of New York, the fun suddenly sucked out of his impromptu vacation.

Harry and Marv get distracted from their big payday with thoughts of revenge.

In a film (and franchise) full of coincidences, Kevin’s old enemies, Harry and Marv (now calling themselves the “Sticky Bandits”) also end up in New York following a jail break. Fugitives and desperate for a quick, big score to abscond to safer shores, the two rule out petty theft or any big-time jobs and instead target Duncan’s Toy Chest, believing that it’ll be an easy score since no one would be stupid enough to rob a toy store on Christmas Eve. Ever year, Mr. Duncan donates the store’s profits to a local children’s hospital, in cash and in person, meaning all the crooks have to do is hide out in the store until it closes and rob the place. Unfortunately, there’s a glaring plot hole with this plan: Mr. Duncan tells Kevin he plans to donate the money at midnight but the money’s still there when the Sticky Bandits come out of hiding. Anyway, it’s a moot point as Kevin shows up to interfere with their plot. Earlier in the film, the three just happened to cross paths despite the vastness of the city and Kevin was horrified to find his enemies out and about and hungry for revenge. Thanks to the busy city streets and some quick thinking, Kevin evaded the Sticky Bandits and got to safety, but not before learning of their appalling plan to screw over sick children. Harry and Marv are exactly the same as before: malicious and bumbling. Harry may be the smarter of the two, chastising Marv’s foolishness and loose tongue, but he’s hardly the sharpest tool in the drawer. Like Kevin, Harry and Marv have learned from their previous experiences, however. Not only do the crooks have no desire to go back to prison but they’re acutely aware of how adept Kevin is at setting up traps, meaning they’re far more likely to be cautious when chasing him rather than simply barging in head-first. This doesn’t help them in the slightest when it comes to chasing Kevin as they still fall afoul to his many traps and tricks, but there are fleeting moments when it seems like the two might pose a significant threat this time around. While they’re happy to simply steal some cash and get out of the country, they can’t pass up the chance to get a measure of revenge on the kid who sent them to jail and they become fixated on this. This leads to their inevitable torture and downfall when they could’ve simply targeted a different toy shop or schemed up a slightly different plan and potentially have avoided being scarred for life.

Kate and the family are side-lined for a greater focus on Kevin and his new friends.

Unlike Home Alone, Kate doesn’t get a big side plot this time around. She, Peter, and the kids are stuck in Florida, their vacation ruined not just by Kevin’s absence but the inclement weather. Since they have no idea of where Kevin is until Peter’s credit card gets flagged, they can’t do anything but wait at their surprisingly lowkey hotel, though they immediately get the next flight to New York once the Plaza Hotel alerts the police. We don’t get to see this flight and we also get far fewer reactions from Kate and the others at Kevin’s plight; she simply expresses concern for his safety and that it. That is, of course, until she meets Mr. Hector and finds out what a botched job he and his long-suffering bellhop, Cedric (Rob Schneider), did at keeping Kevin safe and secure at the hotel. Flustered and desperate to appease the enraged Kate, Mr. Hector’s forced to shut his yap and acquiesce to the McAllister’s every whim to avoid any reprisals more severe than a slap to the face and Kate braves the cold, dangerous streets to try and find Kevin. This is a far cry from her cross-country travels and the guilt-ridden reflections of the first film, meaning the bulk of Home Alone 2 is spent following Kevin and drinking in the awe of the hustle, bustle, and sights of New York City. At first, this is portrayed as a beautiful and awe-inspiring location and Kevin is amazed at everything he sees, but his wonder turns to fear when he’s left wandering the streets and Central Park at night, surrounded by surly vagrants and dark shadows. He reacts with fear whenever he sees the Pigeon Lady, creeped out by her grim façade, ragged clothes, and the pigeons clinging to her, but quickly comes to realise that she’s not bothering anyone and was trying to help him. He bonds with her in the same way he bonded with Old Man Marley (Roberts Blossom) in the last film, learning there’s a deeply emotional and tortured soul beneath the repulsive visage and again learning that he’s been unfair to his family and shouldn’t have taken them for granted. It is, as I said, essentially the same character arc he underwent in the first film. Even the musical cues, much of the dialogue, and a lot of the trap sequences are mirrors of Home Alone’s and I don’t think Home Alone 2 does enough with its new setting to differentiate itself from the original as a consequence.

The Nitty-Gritty:
Similarly, every theme and character arc seen in Home Alone 2 is a repeat of what we saw in Home Alone. Kevin’s siblings and family may not be as explicitly aggressive or dismissive towards him (except for Buzz), but they still all laugh at Buzz’s prank and take the older boy’s side after the fact. Kate is far more protective and aware of Kevin this time, but only when it comes to planning their trip and ensuring Kevin isn’t left behind. When she and Peter begrudgingly report Kevin’s disappearance to the cops, there’s a sense that Kate’s despondent not just because of the same emotional turmoil she faced in the last film (namely, questioning her ability as a mother) but also at the idea of her being judged for letting this happen two years in a row. Kate’s concern is definitely framed as being for Kevin’s welfare (this is clear when she desperately hits the streets trying to find him) but it also seems much more rooted in her desire to not be seen as a bad mother. As before, Peter doesn’t seem all that bothered until they reach the hotel and Mr. Hector proves to be less than useless, and even then he’s more worried about losing Kate or her getting hurt searching for Kevin. All the other McAllister’s return and have even less personality or impact than before. They’re there simply to enforce that this family is way too big and it’s easy for Kevin to be lost in the shuffle. Instead of focusing on Kate’s turmoil, Home Alone 2 follows Cedric’s struggles to find out more about Kevin for his boss and his inability to secure a decent tip from the youngster, and Mr. Hector’s problematic pursuit of investigating his young guest. Again, I’m not sure why Mr. Hector is so suspicious of Kevin; he’s right to be, but I just don’t get what raised that flag for him, especially considering how many guests (including kids) are milling about in the bustling hotel.

Kevin’s hazardous traps once again scupper the crooks and he’s rewarded with a merry Christmas.

As fun as it is living vicariously through Kevin as he explores the city, treats himself to all sorts using his dad’s mysterious wealth, and messes about with his Talkboy, the main appeal of any Home Alone film is the traps and tricks the kids use against the bumbling burglars. Although Harry and Marv are initially confident of their chances at nabbing Kevin and tossing him in the river since he doesn’t have a kitted-out funhouse to torture them in, they run right into an all-new booby-trapped domicile after Kevin photographs them robbing the toy shop and alerts the police. Desperate to retrieve the evidence and get their revenge, they follow Kevin to his uncle’s place, already a death trap thanks to hefty renovations, and endure incredible punishment that surely would’ve killed them a dozen times over. Though wise to some of Kevin’s tricks and testing doorknobs and light switches and even avoiding swinging paint cans, the Sticky Bandits are nevertheless hit in the face by bricks, dropped down several storeys, and set ablaze by Kevin’s malicious traps. Marv absorbs the brunt of the punishment, I’d say, taking a nasty tumble, being crushed by shelves, being electrocuted, and having a bag of plaster land right on his head. Not to be outdone, Harry gets set on fire and partially exploded and the two are crushed by a giant iron bar and a tool chest, their cautious nature giving way to their anger and frustration. Unfortunately, it’s all very much the same as in the last film, just dialled up to be more comical and ridiculous. Harry’s sent flying into the air and crashing onto a car and they two are forced to take what’s clearly a life-ending plummet from a rope to avoid being set on fire! Even Harry packing heat doesn’t help them since his gun gets jammed and the two are ultimately undone simply because they spend too much time growling threats at Kevin, allowing the Pigeon Lady to intervene and subdue the crooks for the cops. Kevin’s relief at seeing his foes be apprehended is doubled after his wish upon a gigantic Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center coincides with Kate remembering that Kevin loves Christmas trees (all of a sudden…) and finally tracking him down. Thanks to Kevin’s note, Mr. Duncan rewards him and his family with a bunch of presents and all seems well…until Peter is handed the bill Kevin ran up during his stay!

The Summary:
Home Alone is far from my favourite Christmas movie. It is, however, a staple of the season for me and I have a lot of nostalgia for it, despite its flaws. As a kid, I always wanted to watch Home Alone 2 but it never seemed to be on and I didn’t watch it until I was in my mid-twenties. Consequently, I have far less nostalgia for the film and find it to be much weaker than the first. This isn’t helped by the fact that Home Alone 2 is essentially exactly the same movie as the first one, just set in New York City. The core concept is the same, many of the characters are unchanged, and the lessons and pratfalls are either copied wholesale or drawing heavily from what we saw before. Just because it worked once doesn’t mean it’ll work again, and I think Home Alone 2 plays things way too safe and relies far too much on slapstick violence, diluting the charm of the original into a poor imitation. The film just doesn’t do enough with its new setting; Kevin has all of New York to play with, but the finale is once again him being chased through a boobytrapped house by the same bungling crooks. The film also suffers from an increased emphasis on Macaulay Culkin; we follow Kevin’s indulgences and exploits far more that in the last film, and it gets a bit dull after a while since he’s literally pulling the same shtick as before. Tim Curry tries to salvage these scenes with his flamboyant performance but it’s both weird and not enough to make the film as enjoyable as the first. It’s a shame as the concept had a lot of potential and seeing what Kevin could get up to in the big city with near-unlimited funds could’ve been fun, but instead it’s just a rehash of the first film with in a slightly expanded environment and far less entertainment value. Honestly, just watch the first film twice and you get the same experience.

My Rating:

Rating: 2 out of 5.

Could Be Better

What do you think to Home Alone 2: Lost in New York? How do you think it compares to the first film and is it a Christmas tradition for you to watch this movie? What did you think to the increased screen time for Macaulay Culkin? Do you agree that the film squandered the potential of its larger setting? Were you also disappointed that it copied so much from the first film? What did you think to the new traps and the punishment endured by the Sticky Bandits? What did you think to the other sequels in the franchise? Whatever your thoughts, leave a comment below and be sure to check out my other Christmas movie reviews!

Movie Night [Christmas Countdown]: Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas

Dr. K1 Comment

Released: 17 November 2000
Director: Ron Howard
Distributor: Universal Pictures
Budget: $123 million
Stars: Jim Carrey, Taylor Momsen, Christine Baranski, Bill Irwin, and Jeffrey Tambor

The Plot:
The monstrous Grinch (Carrey) hates Christmas with a passion. When the joyful holiday cheer of Whoville becomes too much for him, the Grinch disguises himself as Santa Claus and sets out to ruin Christmas by stealing the town’s presents! 

The Background: 
In 1955, poet and children’s author Theodor Seuss Geisel (better known by his pen name, “Dr. Seuss”) wrote and illustrated “The Hoobub and the Grinch”, the precursor to a more expansive work focusing on the mean-spirited Grinch. Inspired by his personal life and the rampant commercialisation of the season, Dr. Seuss quickly completed the story, which reportedly received critical acclaim and saw the titular character become an instant and surprisingly complex Christmas icon. Following previous collaborations, Dr. Seuss teamed with legendary cartoon director Chuck Jones to adapt the story into a television special that became a universally loved Christmas classic. Although he refused to sell the film rights to his works before his death, his widow, Audrey Geisel, successfully negotiated a lucrative merchandising deal that gave her a high percentage of any profits and creative control over any projects. Many filmmakers and names vied to produce a Grinch adaptation but Geisel rejected them all until a reluctant Ron Howard impressed with a pitch to flesh out the story and add a backstory to the Grinch. Jim Carrey signed on to portray the title character and endured a torturous experience, courtesy of renowned make-up artist Rick Baker, that saw him irritable and moody due to the uncomfortable suit and make-up before eventually learning to endure the process. With a worldwide box office gross of nearly $350 million, Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas was a commercial hit, though reviews were mixed. While Carrey’s performance was universally praised, it was seen as both the sole saving grace of an otherwise uninspired film and awkwardly gratuitous at times. The film was followed by an equally successful CGI reboot in 2018, Carrey’s appearance was evoked for bizarre slasher film in 2022, and Carry later said he’d reprise the role if he could use motion capture rather than a practical suit.

The Review:
Just as in the original children’s story and the classic animated special, the film is set in Whoville, a wonderous, magical land populated by enthusiastic and joyous beings known as Whos. As related by our narrator (Anthony Hopkins), the entirety of Whoville and its surrounding lands, including the ominous Mount Crumpit, is contained within a single snowflake and, while the Whos celebrate every season and holiday with gusto, their most favourite holiday is, of course, Christmas time. The Whos really get into it, decorating the entire town and swarming the shops to buy gifts upon gifts for their nearest and dearest (and, seemingly, everyone in town). While all Whoville revels in the season and is united in jubilation, some competitiveness does exist within the town: Betty Lou Who (Molly Shannon) strips her entire house of every lightbulb she can find in a bid to outdo her neighbour, Martha May Whovier (Baranski), who always has the best lights in Whoville. The pompous mayor, Augustus May Who (Tambor), is positively giddy during the festive season, especially as he manipulates the town’s goodwill into regularly voting him as the “Holiday Cheermeister” so he can bask in their adulation and generosity. Interestingly, this is a world where everyone is eager to buy and exchange presents but also one in which Santa Claus exists, indicating that they also receive additional presents from the Big Round Guy. It’s no surprise, then, that the Grinch later lays into the Whos regarding their avarice and their hypocrisy for, while all the Whos delight in the season and pile gifts under the tree, almost all their presents get “dumped” to Mount Crumpit via a lengthy disposal tube, causing a mountain of disregarded Christmas gifts to pile up near the Grinch’s snow swept home. Indeed, Christmas is depicted as a chaotic time in Whoville, especially for postmaster Lou Lou Who (Irwin), who has the unenviable task of sorting and delivering everyone’s Christmas cards and gifts. You’d think a small town like Whoville wouldn’t need such a large and hectic mailing system but, as I said, the Whos are nothing if not enthusiastic and generous and it’s heavily implied that other, similar towns also exist on the same snowflake.

Disillusioned with Whoville’s Christmas obsession, Cindy Lou investigates the mysterious Grinch.

Yet, despite the chaos, Lou remains captivated by what all Whos see as the Christmas spirit. Whoville is a town committed to the idea of spending their cash on gifts and going all-in with the season and see all the excess and frivolity as being part and parcel of getting into the spirit of things. Even the youngsters are encouraged to make gifts for their friends (“Christmas of Love”) and it seems Whoville celebrates Christmas all year round in at least some capacity. Hell, the town clock even counts down to the minute as they approach the big day! However, there’s one Who who’s not feeling the Christmas spirit this year: little Cindy Lou Who (Momsen). This year, Cindy Lou is perplexed by the excess and greed, sad to learn from her father and all those around her that there isn’t more to Christmas than just presents (“Where Are You, Christmas?”) Disillusioned with the town’s obsession, Cindy Lou desperately searches for some deeper meaning to the holiday and, eager to please her father, Cindy Lou tries to help out in the mailing room only to come face-to-face with the Grinch, an ostracised figure known throughout the town as a miserly spoilsport who hates Christmas. Shocked by the monster’s appearance, Cindy Lou almost falls victim to the post office’s gigantic and ludicrous sorting machine but, annoyed by her screams for help, she’s saved by the Grinch. From that moment, Cindy Lou becomes fascinated by the creature and goes out of her way to find out everything she can about him. While this annoys Mayor May Who and causes some concern throughout the town, she learns that the Grinch came to Whoville many years ago on a strange wind and was conditioned to hate Christmas from an early age. Left out in the cold while the Whos celebrated the season and bombarded by obnoxious Christmas spirit, the young Grinch (Josh Ryan Evans) was the antithesis of his joyous Who peers: furry, mean spirited, and with a vile disgust towards all things Christmas. Despite everyone in town preferring to act like the Grinch doesn’t exist, Cindy Lou actively campaigns to both talk about and involve him in the festive season, believing that the true spirit of Christmas is offering holiday cheer to all, regardless of their appearance or demeanour. This sets her at odds with Mayor May Who, who harbours a deep-rooted jealousy and dislike towards the Grinch that stems back to their childhood, where they both vied for the attention of the young Martha May (Landry Allbright).

The Grinch’s spiteful mischief escalates into a full-on rampage against the Whos and Christmas.

Indeed, Martha was one of the few Whos who showed any affection for the young Grinch and, even in adulthood, is still awestruck by the monster’s rugged charisma and inexplicable superhuman strength. Described as more of a “What” than a Who, the Grinch’s animosity towards Christmas was only exacerbated when the young May Who (Ben Bookbinder) mocked and bullied him, leading to an anti-Christmas outburst and the Grinch exiling himself to the frigid wastes of Mount Crumpit. There, he lives alongside his dog, Max (Kelley/Various/Frank Welker) and amuses himself by scaring away any Whos daring enough to climb his mountain. Incensed by Whoville’s Christmas cheer, the Grinch throws on a simple disguise and heads into town to cause them mischief, sabotaging bikes, encouraging kids to run with a hacksaw, making prank phone calls, and messing up Lou’s mailing system. Satisfied with his malice, the Grinch returns home and is seen to be an extremely lonely individual, one who consoles himself with feelings of animosity and spite but who secretly yearns for affection and to be accepted. Disgusted by these feelings and caught in a perpetual cycle of self-loathing, the Grinch actively pushes away any who attempt to reach him, including both Max and Cindy Lou, and wrestles with his insecurities and anxiety when Cindy Lou invites him to accept the title of Holiday Cheermeister. After debating with himself, the Grinch finally decides to accept Cindy Lou’s offer and cautiously arrives at the ceremony. Despite his mean-spirited demeanour and disgust of the Whos, the Grinch genuinely seems to enjoy participating in the holiday games and being celebrated by the town, but his brief flash of happiness turns to rage when Mayor May Who humiliates him in front of everyone with a shaving razor. Seething, all his childhood memories of being bullied overwhelming him, the Grinch launches into another tirade, berating the Whos and going on a rampage, incinerating the town tree and reaffirming the town’s wariness of him. Retreating to Mount Crumpit, sure that his actions will have crippled the town’s Christmas spirit, the Grinch is further incensed to find the town “relentless” in their celebration and quickly returning to their holiday cheer. This causes the vile Grinch to hatch a devious plot to ruin their Christmas once and for all just as he does in the source material (“You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch”).

The Nitty-Gritty:
It’s actually quite amazing how Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas manages to take the story, and the original animated feature, and make it so spectacularly dull. Obviously, the source material isn’t long enough to sustain a full-length feature film and I understand wanting to expand upon the concept and the Grinch’s character, but this is honestly one of the Christmas movies I dread watching every year. The pacing is really off and the film feels way too long, spending far too much time in Whoville and needlessly complicating the Grinch with a backstory that really isn’t all that interesting. It would’ve been so much easier and saved so much time to simply say that a town of Whats lived over the mountains or beyond the sea or whatever and one of them randomly landed on Mount Crumpit one Christmas and was ostracised by the Whos because of his startling and terrifying appearance, leading to him resenting them and Christmas. That would’ve spared us the time spent exploring the Grinch’s childhood (as much as I like the “You’re eight years old and you have a beard!” line) and the strange love triangle between the Grinch, Martha May, and May Who that could easily be cut from the film. Martha May’s shown to be fascinated by and attracted to the Grinch, yet does nothing to defend him and is just as horrified by his rampage; the Grinch doesn’t even spare her when he steals the Whos’ Christmas! Additionally, I love Jim Carrey as much as the next guy and he’s the best part of this film, but so much of the runtime is spent just watching him riff and mess about in the Grinch’s lair. It’s funny seeing him eat glass, argue with his echo, and thumb through his depressing diary, but it also feels like needless padding since the film knows it doesn’t have enough steam to justify being nearly two hours long and must rely on Carrey’s comedic antics. Honestly, this would’ve been perfectly fine as a 90-minute feature, or they could’ve worked in some more musical numbers to stave off the utter boredom I always feel around the second act.

While the Whos look monstrous, Carry steals the show as the theatrical Grinch.

Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas is like a feature-length stage show, in many ways. Whoville never feels like anything other than a sound stage and the film seems to be embracing its whimsical roots in its aesthetic. Everything is bright and over the top, accentuating Whoville’s obsession with Christmas and compounding the Grinch’s sour nature since he’s literally and figuratively bombarded by this holiday cheer, which only shrinks his already small heart. The Whos honestly look horrific, even more so than the Grinch! Rick Baker’s prosthetics and make-up perfectly capture Dr. Seuss’ artwork but looks extremely uncomfortable for the actors, whose facial features are distorted to make them appear comical and exaggerated. The Grinch, meanwhile, looks superb. Garbed head to toe in yak fur, with oversized fingers and a cat-like visage, Jim Carrey disappears into the role, embodying the Grinch through and through, yet retains full body and facial movement, allowing his rubber-faced antics to shine and his over-the-top performance to steal every scene. The Grinch is another of Carrey’s famous live-action cartoons; every movement is exaggerated, even subtle ones, and he’s clearly throwing everything he has into bringing the cartoon character to life. The Grinch provides many of the film’s most amusing lines and scenes: I love his interactions with the Whos, many of which feel improvised by Carrey, and his utter revulsion towards them (and, depressingly, himself). His only companion is Max, a doggy who secretly loves Christmas but goes along with the Grinch’s plans out of sheer loyalty. The Grinch is shown to be an alluring, terrifying figure, exhibiting superhuman strength and durability as well as a mischievous nature and aptitude for invention. He has many large contraptions and machines in his lair and easily cobbles together a fully functioning, flying sleigh out of the Who’s discarded gifts and trash. The Grinch is both vain, conceited, and incredibly insecure; he just wanted to be accepted for who he was and was faced with mockery at every turn. He embodies Cindy Lou’s disillusionment, representing both the lack of Christmas spirit and the true meaning of the season since he doesn’t want presents: he just wants to be accepted without judgement. Of course, he doesn’t do himself any favours: he causes havoc in town and wrecks the Who’s decorations with his outbursts, reinforcing the belief that he’s nothing more than a mean-spirited monster, much to the delight of Mayor May Who.

A remorseful Grinch returns the stolen gifts and discovers his Christmas spirit.

Enraged at the Who’s relentless Christmas spirit, the Grinch fashions himself a Santa suit, builds a flying sleigh, and forces Max to act as his Rudolph as he sneaks into town on Christmas Eve to steal everyone’s Christmas presents (and all their Christmas paraphernalia) in scenes that directly adapt the animated feature. Swiping every gift using a giant hose and stuffing them into a magical, oversized bag, the Grinch leaves no stone unturned: he forces Mayor May Who to kiss Max’s butt and even steals from Martha May. However, while ransacking the Lou Who’s house, the Grinch is once again met by Cindy Lou. Naturally, she doesn’t recognise him due to his “convincing” disguise and is disappointed when “Santa” reinforces the belief that Christmas is all about presents. The Grinch keeps up the charade to avoid being discovered, sending Cindy Lou to bed and swiping her tree before hefting his haul back to Mount Crumpit to toss it all over the edge. While Mayor May Who is enraged to discover what’s happened and blames Cindy Lou for inviting the Grinch into town, he’s shut down by Lou, who finally finds his backbone, sticks up for his daughter, and relates the true meaning of Christmas: family. Galvanised by his words, the Whos join hands and sing (“Welcome Christmas”) and even the Grinch is touched by their spirit, finally understanding the true meaning of Christmas and finding his heart enlarged by their cheer. Immediately remorseful, he attempts to save the town’s gifts but is only able to summon the strength when Cindy Lou appears on the sleigh and is endangered. With the gifts secure and Cindy Lou safe, the Grinch speeds down the mountain to return what he stole and admits his wrongdoings, prepared to be punished for his crimes. While Mayor May Who encourages Officer Lihan Who (Jim Meskimen) to arrest the Grinch, the cop and the town are only too happy to forgive and forget since the Grinch not only apologised but returned everything he stole. To make matters worse for the greedy mayor, Martha May rejects his engagement in favour of the Grinch and the once monstrous figure enjoys his first Christmas with the Whos, hosting the season at his cave and carving the Roast Beast alongside Cindy Lou, his heart having finally grown large enough to allow love and warmth into his life.

The Summary:
There’s no doubt that Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas is a Christmas classic. It has a lot of fans and I can understand its appeal, but I just find it to be far too long. The movie loses a lot of momentum after the first hour and it becomes painfully obvious that the movie is struggling to expand the source material into a feature-length production. I’m honestly surprised it didn’t lean more into being a colourful, Christmas musical; at least some more musical numbers would’ve kept the energy up. Instead, it relies entirely on Jim Carrey’s madcap, comedic antics to sustain it and, while these are amazing and the best parts of the film, it’s not enough to keep me from descending into boredom as the film limps along to the finale, the only part that’s even remotely like the source material. Thankfully, Jim Carrey gives a magnetic and inspired performance here; despite being completely unrecognisable under the make-up, his personality and energy shine through and it’s clear he put everything he had into bringing the miserable monster to life. Everything from his theatrical delivery, his over-the-top performance, and his exaggerated motions make the Grinch an amusing and instantly memorable character and he’s responsible for the best lines and moments in the film. I loved seeing him stewing on Mount Crumpit, him arguing with his insecurities and causing mischief in town, and his fully justified rampages when he’s humiliated by May Who. Everyone seems to be channelling that stage show energy, to be fair, leaning into the ridiculousness and embracing the quirky nature of their appearances and rhyming patterns. The whole film has a colourful, unique visual appeal that make it almost dream-like and I enjoyed those aspects, even if the environment did feel a bit cheap at times. However, because of the sheer amount of needless padding, you can easily just watch a montage of Carrey’s performance and skip to the final act, where the film finally adapts the source material and the Grinch steals Christmas. Everything else feels bogs down the runtime and really makes Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas a chore to watch, at least for me, meaning it’s not one of my favourite Christmas movies.

My Rating:

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Pretty Good

Are you mad that I’m so critical of Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas? Do you regularly watch it for the Christmas season? How do you think it compares to the book and other adaptations? Did you enjoy the additional lore added to the Grinch or did you also find it unnecessary? What did you think to Jim Carrey’s performance? Are you a bit of a Grinch around this time of year? What Christmas movies and specials are you watching this year? Whatever your thoughts on Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas, leave them in the comments and go check out my other Christmas content across the site.