Enjoyable, entertaining, and slick with plenty to engage

Rating: Null/10 (24 March 2018)

I watched this film a day or so after watching Wonder Woman, a film which had disappointed by how meh it all was throughout. I came into this one expecting it to be yet another by-the-numbers superhero film, but was reminded by it how well Marvel have delivered their franchise. By all rights, this film should be a disaster. It is the third reboot of the character in recent years, it is part of a massive infrastructure of characters and stories, and it enters a very heavily saturated marketplace. How then does it manage to seem so effortless in what it does?
I'm not sure but it benefits from the confidence that all the other films in the franchise do. It sets out its stall well, doesn't waste time on an origin story even though it does start early with its character. It has a solid plot with interesting characters, and produces lots of good action with humor throughout. It is an entertaining film that justifies the cost, and unlike Wonder Woman, the effects are consistently impressive and seem natural. It is a bit too slick and polished at times; some jokes and elements are a bit too knowing for example, and the cast has far too many recognizable faces in it that really only deliver a few lines. All of it has a quality feel, but at times it does feel a bit too manufactured within an inch of its life. Well worth seeing though, and yet another enjoyable film in the Marvel universe.