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The following review was done by James Bernet:
The fine people at Marvel and Lions Gate screened the much anticipated sequel to last years hit DVD release of the Ultimate Avengers tonight at the Comi Con in San Diego. The new movie is called Rise of the Panther and it will be available for sale on DVD starting August 8th.
Before I tell you what I thought of this movie, let me just preface my remarks by saying that I really enjoyed the first movie. I know that some people had legitimate complaints about the first Ultimate Avengers feature, but none of things mentioned had bothered me about it. Obviously some of the edgier plot lines had to be toned down in that first movie, as they were in the sequel, but those more mature themes continue to be explored through clever use of subtext.
I will save any spoilers for the second half of this review and I will let you know before they start.
My overall impression of this new movie is that it is fantastic. Definitely every bit as good as the first one. In fact, walking out of the theater I heard several people say that they liked this one better than the first.
The most important part of any story is the writing and the creators of Rise of the Panther definitely got this part right. The script was tight and coherent. Each character was given their own personal crisis to deal with and was allowed to experience growth. There was plenty of action spread out evenly, creating a steady flow between the human elements. The humor was woven natural throughout the story and there were plenty of stand up and cheer moments for the fans.
Another well done aspect to the movie is the music. Both powerful and compelling, the music tracks supplemented the action on the screen beautifully. It was large and dynamic but never overwhelming or distracting. The music complimented the story telling perfectly.
Almost equally important to the script is the actors who bring those words to life. Returning for the sequel are all the original voice talents from the first movie. The casting of the talent is definitely one aspect of this project that the creators got exactly right. The actors do a fantastic job conveying the conflict and emotions that the characters are experiencing. Their personalities are distinct and consistent. The actors all did a superb job and I really didn’t feel that there were any weak links.
Obviously this movie is an animated feature so it wouldn’t be fair to omit that aspect of the feature from this review. The art in Rise of the Panther was really quite good, especially for a direct to video project. While it did not rise to the level of a say a Pixar animated feature, that is not the playing field upon which the Ultimate Avengers are competing. The art had shading, texture and detailing which did quite a satisfactory job in displaying both the action and the emotions that the characters are experiencing. The visuals are very exciting and dramatic.
Overall, each element of this movie works together to create an excellent whole. I highly recommend it.
And now, on to the spoilers. Stop here if you don’t want to know any of the actual details of the this movie.
The action centers around the kingdom of Wakanda. The opening scene shows T’Challa’s father donning his Black Panther gear to investigate an apparent intrusion of the secretive kingdom by outsiders. The outsiders prove to be a Chitauris scouting party lead by none other than Herr Kleiser. It is revealed that Kleiser is actually the alien equivelent of the super-solider, as he is the only one of the aliens that can change shape and heal almost instantly.
After driving T’Challa to take up the mantal of the Black Panthar, the action then turns to Captain America who is trying to exercise his personal demons by wailing on some Hydra agents. The Captain’s powers seem to be upgraded in this movie as he is seen shrugging off several direct bullet’s to his torso and he is able to throw his shield through the back of a van, driving it easily all he way through the engine and out the front. The fact that Cap is jeapordizing his life by acting on his own rather than with his team, annoys the Black Widow to no end.
Tony Stark is shown being the thrill seeking playboy businessman we all know and love. He is escorting his out of shape and over weight executive staff on an artic hike. This is perhaps the only scene where Stark doesn’t have a drink in his hand.
Meanwhile, the Wasp and Giantman are continuing to develop Pym’s growth process, but the real story for them centers on the strains their relationship caused by Giantman’s self-centered egoism. Clearly the two are on the rocks, though Pym doesn’t seem to realize it.
One interesting aspect of the movie is the way in which Thor is protrayed. His character is shown to be much more mystical than has been previous portrayed. The fact that he is praying and casting bones in a ritual to get a vision of the future seems so obvious for a character with his backround that it’s suprising it hasn’t been shown before. Thor’s vision turns out to be of all the Avengers lying dead in the midst of a ruined landscape. When he prays to his father, the god Odin, he is ordered to forget the humans and return to Asgard. But Thor cannot abandon his friends so he choses to disobey his father.
The last member of the team who is checked in on is Bruce Banner. An old rival of Banner’s has been assigned to assess his responsibilty in the destruction caused by his Hulk alter-ego. His analysis technique seems to mostly consist of forcing Banner to relive his guilt by watching video footage of the Hulk on a rampage. Before Banner gets too angry though, his containment chamber is flooded with knock-out gas.
The Avengers are brought into the action by the new Black Panthar who had found Capatain America’s pictures amoung his father’s things. Recognizing that his father respected the Captain, the Panther seeks him out for guidance on how to defeat Kleiser and the Chitauris.
The aliens it turns out are after the Vibranium in Wakanda. They launch a full scale invasion of the entire planet to try and get it. Their assault is rather reminiscent of the alien invasion in War of the Worlds, but an essental difference is that the Avengers are working hard to stop them.
Needless to say, the finally confrontation between the Avengers and the aliens is a grandious battle that brings out the best in our heroes and gave the audience several moments to break out into spontaneous cheers. Unfortunately one of the Avengers pays the ultimate price for risking his life to save the world. Who that character is, I’ll let you watch the movie to find out.
Suffice it to say, the Rise of the Panther was a fantastic movie and I can’t wait to get the DVD. Also after this we can expect to see a animated feature for Dr. Strange and Iron Man.
