Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Movie Analysis - Very Average

Leaving aside a few action set-pieces, not the final Chadwick Boseman movie you would have wanted in the Marvel Universe.

Directed by: Ryan Coogler

Imdb link -> Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022) - IMDb

“You said you wanted to burn the world. Let us burn it together.”

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Spoilers ahead...

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King T’Challa’s Sudden Death Shakes Up Wakanda

It's been a year, and Wakanda is still mourning the loss of King T'Challa (Chadwick Boseman) when they learn about a new civilization, Talokan—blue-skinned people living underwater, ruled by Namor (Tenoch Huerta). T'Challa's mother, Ramonda (Angela Bassett), his sister, Shuri (Letitia Wright), and General Okoye (Danai Gurira) are ready to fight Namor rather than accept his offer of being allies to destroy the surface land, which he feels is after the vibranium that Talokan possesses, much like Wakanda.

Chadwick Boseman Gets a Deserving Tribute in the Movie

The movie's start and ending both have some heart-wrenching scenes paying tribute to Chadwick Boseman, and if you are his fan, then it will most likely make you very emotional. The unexpected death of King T'Challa and a well-executed funeral set the tone for this movie, which you might expect to explore grief and loss further, especially as another key character dies halfway through the film. Even the Marvel logo animation pays a brilliant silent tribute with images of Chadwick in the Marvel Universe before.

Why Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Falls Short?

I don't understand what made this film a mess. Was it the decision not to bring a new actor to play Black Panther, resulting in the death being shown in the first scene? Or because they made Namor so identical to Killmonger (from the first part, whom T'Challa killed in the final battle)? Or did the pressure of being the first Marvel movie to get an Oscar nomination get to them? For me, the movie appeared as confusing as Shuri felt throughout the film.

I enjoyed Letitia Wright more when she was at her humorous best in previous movies. The idea of Shuri becoming the new Black Panther felt absurd, especially for the long time it takes to get there. Watching her explore the already tried theme in Captain America: Civil War by T'Challa himself felt like nostalgia that wasn’t really worth repeating. When Shuri visits Talokan, which showcases glorious-looking underwater visuals, it seemed for a moment that she might not be keen on going to war, but sadly, she does the opposite.

Tenoch Huerta, on the other hand, is great to watch. He gives a believable performance, even if it resembles Killmonger. His introduction scene is very well staged, using the right background music to create the mystery surrounding who he really is. The mutant features of him flying or taking oxygen through the sea, despite not having the build of Hulk or Thanos, show how tough it is to beat him. There's never a better sight in any movie—superhero or not—where it takes immense effort to defeat the villain. If only the motives were different, it would have made for a much better watch.

General Okoye: The Most Lovable Character

Danai Gurira, for me, was the most enjoyable character. She has great comic timing, and her camaraderie with Shuri as Okoye throughout provides some good laughs, especially in a movie that deals with loss and grief for the most part. I loved the wonderfully executed runaway sequence that involves another new key character, Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne). It's a pity that first, we see Okoye unreasonably removed from her duties as a General, and thereafter, we see very little of her.

Another Average Marvel Movie

When a movie isn't working, the last thing you want is for it to be as long as 2 hours and 40 minutes. As always, there's a reveal at the end credits, giving hope for a new, better movie. But you feel it's high time Marvel got their act together and made the movie we are watching worthy, too. After Thor: Love and Thunder, Black Widow, and DoctorStrange in the Multiverse of Madness, this is the fourth movie in a row that has turned out to be average at best. It worries me for the upcoming Ant-Man movie. Also, since Avengers: Endgame, there's been one sad common trend: how the final battles have been lackluster.

Verdict on Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

Overall, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever works for a few action set-pieces and, mostly, the tributes to Chadwick Boseman. However, the new story is never engaging, and the confused narrative, along with the choices characters make, does this film no justice.

Rating: 5/10

Also, Check out Movie Analysis of Thor: Love and Thunder

Thor: Love and Thunder Movie Analysis - Very Underwhelming

Very Underwhelming as the promised Gorr vs Thor battle never takes off.

Directed by: Taika Waititi

Imdb link -> Thor: Love and Thunder (2022) - IMDb

“It feels more like a promise than a curse. So, this is my vow : all gods will die.”

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Spoilers ahead...

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A Promise of an Epic Battle of Gorr vs. Thor

Gorr the Butcher (Christian Bale), after a personal tragedy, seeks the extinction of the Gods, with Asgard being next in his path. To fight him, Thor (Chris Hemsworth) enlists the help of King Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson), Korg (voiced by Taika Waititi), and his ex-girlfriend Jane Foster (Natalie Portman).

The movie starts with Gorr losing his daughter when his prayers to his God go unanswered. This tragic event leads him to the cursed Necrosword, eventually killing his God as he believes this sword is not a curse but a promise that "All Gods must die." Such a dark start gives hope to what the movie could potentially explore, but all those hopes are diminished right after this.

Better Than Thor 2, But Disappointing

From the trailers, I feared this film would disappoint, and while it's not as bad as I anticipated, there are certainly some scenes that make you laugh. However, it falls short of the greatness of the first or, especially, the third film. It's only slightly better than "Thor: The Dark World."

I feel this movie works more as either a nepotism way (Chris Hemsworth wife, two sons and daughter are all in the movie) or buildup to next Thor movie with the way they kill Jane sending her to Walhalla and Thor looks after daughter of Gorr. Russell Crowe cameo (playing God Zeus) comes across very irritating and cringeworthy, my guess is that the idea was to replicate somewhat of Grandmaster (played by Jeff Goldblum) in the last movie but it misfires totally. And the end credits suggest we might go a very silly route for a sub-plot where Zeus son takes revenge for the humiliation he got by Thor and co. 

An Under-Utilized Christian Bale Shines in Limited Screen Time

Christian Bale is excellent in the limited screen time he gets, particularly in the horroresque sequence where he kidnaps children. However, his character, Gorr, is poorly written. For someone nicknamed "The Butcher," you would expect at least one violent scene to showcase his pain and anger, but we never get any of that. Instead, we're told that off-screen he has butchered many Gods. Even the few times he fights Thor or anyone else, he comes across as a weak villain, which makes you question how he earned the title of "The Butcher."

Tessa Thompson and Natalie Portman: Wasted Potential

Tessa Thompson, like Bale, is underused, given insignificant scenes in her limited screen time. The film could have explored her life as King of Asgard in a much more meaningful way, rather than focusing on comical robotic duties.

Natalie Portman’s return was a highlight, and she has a good role until the end when they decide to kill her off. This raises the question of whether this movie was just a means to tie off loose ends rather than to attempt something fresh in the post-Thanos/Natasha/Ironman era. Her portrayal of the Mighty Thor was commendable, including her holding the hammer/Mjolnir and her humorous attempts at catchphrases were enjoyable.

Chris Hemsworth's Comic Timing Saves the Day

Chris Hemsworth's comic timing is great as always, although his goofiness is a bit overdone in some places. I did enjoy his interactions with Stormbreaker and his ex-weapon Mjolnir, and his chemistry with Natalie Portman was excellent. However, it's disappointing that he had so few scenes with Tessa Thompson.

The Guardians of the Galaxy only make a brief appearance at the start of the movie, which is a good thing. Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) delivers a poignant scene, telling Thor that it's better to feel pain over a lost love than to feel empty having never loved. Thor's journey in this movie touches on this theme, though it could have been explored more deeply.

The soundtrack in Thor: Ragnarok was terrific, and I totally missed the use of Led Zeppelin's 'The Immigrant Song.' Instead, we get 'Guns n' Roses,' which doesn't quite have the same impact.

Verdict on Thor: Love and Thunder

In the end, "Thor: Love and Thunder" is watchable with some laughs, but it's ultimately disappointing. MCU offlate, with the exception of "Spider-Man: No Way Home," have consistently fallen into mediocrity. Something needs to change, or this superhero saga may not survive the next phases.

Rating: 5/10

 

Also, Check out Movie Analysis of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness Movie Analysis

Disappointing as they just never explore the madness you would have hoped for. Solid performances still by both Benedict and Elizabeth.

Directed by: Sam Raimi

Imdb link -> Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022) - IMDb

“This time it's gonna take more than killing me to kill me.”

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Spoilers ahead...

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Plot: Doctor Strange in the Multiverse Tries to Stop Wanda

Doctor Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) wakes up from a dream where he sees himself from another universe trying to save the powers of a teen girl, America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez), from falling into the wrong hands. After attending the wedding of his former love, Dr. Christine Palmer (Rachel McAdams), he encounters a large one-eyed octopus trying to capture the same girl he saw in his dream. Soon, he realizes that it wasn't just a dream but reality, and that America Chavez possesses the power to navigate through different universes, albeit with one issue—she can't do it on purpose; it only happens when she's terrified. Dr. Strange discovers witchcraft is involved and seeks help from Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen), unaware that Wanda has her own motives.

Wanda Maximoff Felt Too One-Note

The story takes place after the events of both Spider-Man: No Way Home and WandaVision (I haven't seen the latter yet). For me, the Scarlet Witch's plot felt over the top. Even if I had watched WandaVision, it seems there was still a need to further develop Wanda's character, who comes across as too one-note, driven solely by her desire to reunite with her children in another universe at any cost. While stubbornness is a human trait, this portrayal felt more like silly stubbornness. A conflict within herself, perhaps similar to Green Goblin in Spider-Man, could have added depth.

At one point, I couldn't help but wonder if only Wanda had come across the Darkhold book before Thanos destroyed the world, we might still have Natasha and Tony Stark alive. Even without it, Wanda was so powerful in that scene of Avengers: Infinity War, where Thanos comically says, "I don't even know you."

Dr. Strange and Chavez mimic Tony Stark and Peter Parker

The bond between Dr. Strange and America Chavez tries hard to evoke a father-daughter dynamic, especially since America never had a father, being raised by her lesbian moms. However, this attempt clearly feels like a rehash of the Tony Stark-Peter Parker relationship but fails to work, mainly due to the chaotic narrative that focuses more on action set-pieces and CGI monsters than on the actual human motives at play.

This same chaos is why the line "I will love you in every universe" failed to invoke any emotional reaction from me, something "I love you 3000" did so effortlessly in Avengers: Endgame. The relationship between Dr. Strange and Dr. Christine could have been better developed, especially after showing her getting married to someone else due to the five years he was missing, having turned to dust.

Multiverse of Madness Lacks Real Madness

There was an opportunity to explore how similar Dr. Strange is across different universes, particularly the "Are you happy?" theme, which was underutilized, especially considering how less selfish he is in the current universe (compared to his initial God complex). The cheesy dialogues were another drawback.

The entire Illuminati scene, where we are introduced to various superhero cameos, fell flat despite their brutal deaths at Wanda's hands. Part of the reason is that I had little knowledge of who they were; some characters were from Marvel TV shows, others from Fantastic Four, none of which I had seen. It felt like these cameos were included just to please their respective fan bases, which is why they were all killed off. Wouldn't it have been better if we saw Thor, Ant-Man, or Hulk from another universe in this room? Of course, the idea of killing them all in the next sequence would have to be omitted and replaced with something else.

While Spider-Man:No Way Home was chaotic in a good way, even if it relied heavily on nostalgia, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness merely shows glimpses of madness through multiverses but never fully commits to it. For instance, we see an amazing scene where Dr. Strange is pulled into a portal by America Chavez, traveling through numerous universes—one is all paint, another is an animated universe, and more—but in reality, we only see two other universes in detail, with the story focusing more on Wanda.

Musical Notes Fight Scene Was a Major Positive Highlight

What I wanted more of were scenes like the fight between the two Dr. Stranges from different universes, where they throw musical notes at each other, ranging from Bach to Beethoven, creating a hilarious battle. Or when Sam Raimi, who has been teasing a horror atmosphere throughout the movie (with a few good jump-scares), finally unleashes a corpse of Dr. Strange with many heads of other dead people attached to fight Wanda—an even more evil-looking Dr. Strange was so fun to watch. The gap junction and incursion concepts are only superficially touched upon. A mention of America Chavez's moms at the end or a reunion scene would have been good too.

The movie's pace felt too fast for my liking, which is expected given how much they were trying to include. I believe another 30 minutes could have done justice to some of it, if not all, with better writing.

Benedict Cumberbatch and Elizabeth Olsen Deliver Solid Performances

Performance-wise, Benedict Cumberbatch is good, especially with his humor, his attempts to save the world, or portraying the loneliness he feels he'll carry in every universe. I particularly loved his small cameo as the evil Dr. Strange, who has succumbed to the influence of the Darkhold, much like Wanda. Despite this being a Doctor Strange movie, I felt Elizabeth Olsen was the major scene-stealer with her act, despite her character being poorly written, especially the mom part where she wants her children at any cost, not caring at what expense. I just wish her character arc had changed much earlier, perhaps around the start of the third act.

Verdict: Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

Overall, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is disappointing because I had enjoyed the first part a lot and expected much more from this one, given the potential of exploring the multiverse. However, I would still rate it higher than other Marvel movies like Black Widow or Captain Marvel because, despite the mess, I didn't find it dull; it had entertaining moments, visually stunning scenes, and a decent horror backdrop.

Rating: 5.5/10

Also, Check out Movie Analysis of Black Widow

Black Widow Movie Analysis: Natasha deserved a better film

Very Disappointing and dull in parts, Natasha Romanoff deserved a better solo movie.

Directed by: Cate Shortland

Imdb link -> Black Widow (2021) - IMDb

“The truth rarely makes sense when you omit key details.”

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Spoilers ahead...

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Plot: The Origins of Black Widows and How Natasha Connects With it

Set some time after the events of Captain America: Civil War, Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) is on the run for violating the Sokovia Accords, the same accords on which most Avengers had different opinions. Hiding in a safehouse in Norway, she is forced back into her past, one she believed was over after killing Dreykov (Ray Winstone). Now, she’s on a mission to finish Dreykov and his 'Red Room,' where he brainwashes young girls, turning the capable ones into 'Black Widows' while killing the rest.

Scarlett Johansson’s Solo Marvel Movie Came Too Late

One wonders if this movie happened out of necessity or due to fanbase pressure. Natasha deserved her own movie, but it should have come before the third Avengers movie or even earlier. Watching it now, knowing Natasha is dead, ruins the enjoyment, and Scarlett Johansson’s performance feels mentally drained, as if she wasn’t contributing 100% to the role. This might be because the film itself is a mess.

The start is pretty good, establishing the fake parents of Natasha and Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh)—Alexei (David Harbour) and Melina (Rachel Weisz)—with a lovely use of "This Will Be the Day That I Die (American Pie)" while they drive away from trouble. The scene where a young Natasha is told to help her mom by getting the plane off the runway in a do-or-die situation is also compelling. The opening credits track "Smells Like Teen Spirit," with a montage of blurry, dark scenes showing the dirty world of Dreykov and the Red Room, is very well captured and sets a mood I was hoping the entire movie would maintain.

The way the action set pieces are done—my favorite being the chase involving both Natasha and Yelena—and how the villain Dreykov isn’t shown until the very end, reminds me a bit of the last Bond movies.

Weak Climax and Over-stretched Natasha-Yelena Sister Drama

Where the film could have excelled was by diving deeper into the 'Red Room,' showing what exactly happens there in more detail, even if it went a little dark. The idea of mimicking is introduced but never really utilized in the narrative. They could have easily cut the first meet-and-fight scene between Natasha and Yelena; there are many other ways to break the ice between characters. Even the rescue mission where the sisters (not real) try to rescue Alexei was too stretched for my liking.

The climax was a mess too, yet that final credits scene showing Yelena grieving at the loss of her sister was emotional to watch. The link to Clint felt unnecessary, clearly meaning Yelena will go after him, even though it wasn’t his fault that Natasha died.

As I said earlier, I couldn’t enjoy Scarlett Johansson’s performance; her roles in other Avengers movies combined would make for a better watch when it comes to Natasha’s character. Florence Pugh was fun to watch, though her character also felt half-baked. I did love her imitation of Natasha’s pose, which she finds disgusting. Their little banter makes for a good watch. Her long reply to Alexei regarding whether it’s that time of the month was hilarious too.

David Harbour was disappointing; his comedy never really landed for me, which is surprising given how much I love him in Stranger Things. Rachel Weisz does get some good scenes at the start and then much later on when the family reunion happens.

Verdict on Black Widow

Overall, Black Widow turned out to be very disappointing and dull in parts, even more so than Captain Marvel. Natasha surely deserved a better final movie (ironically still her first). It’s hard to say what went wrong—whether it was the wrong timeline to showcase Natasha’s solo movie or just the timing of the release that made it not work.

Rating: 4.5/10

Also, Check out Movie Analysis of Argentina, 1985

Argentina, 1985 Movie Analysis: Good but a Tough Watch

Political Biographies are never my favorite genre. It’s a good watch but a tough one. The courtroom drama could have been more intense.

Directed by: Santiago Mitre

Imdb link -> Argentina, 1985 (2022) - IMDb

“Never Again.”

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Spoilers ahead...

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Plot: Political Biography About Events of Argentina in 1984

Inspired by the true events of Argentina in 1984, when the military fascist dictatorship rule finally ended. Over the past many years, there were kidnappings of innocents, people disappearing, torture without reason, rapes, and deaths. It has now been 7 months, and no trial from the military court has occurred regarding the injustices committed by the previous people in command. Therefore, the civilian court gets the chance to hear the case, with the prosecution led by lawyer Julio César Strassera (Ricardo Darin), who later gets assistance from Luis Moreno Ocampo (Peter Lanzani).

Biographies are already a tough watch because the chronological order of narrating the story often isn’t compelling. When it becomes a political biography, it’s worse because, firstly, I hate political figures, and secondly, with all the pressure from powerful people, the chances of a true depiction and not just seeing one side of the story diminish greatly.

Since I know nothing about Argentina or this story, I viewed the movie as a courtroom drama. There’s humor involved whenever Julio’s family scenes are shown—whether it’s about how he makes his son spy on his daughter to ensure she isn’t dating someone who could be a danger to him and his family or the frustrated expressions he makes while watching an interview with a political figure on TV. Interestingly, Julio even takes his son’s help for the final statement in court.

The scenes involving tortured people narrating how and what happened to them are the toughest to watch, especially knowing this happened in real life. The pregnant lady being tortured is heart-breaking and deeply disturbing, even without visuals.

Issues in Argentina, 1985

The two major issues I felt were, firstly, the whole trial period where they had to gather evidence is done too quickly through a montage. They could have shown more struggle before eventually getting 800+ witnesses and loads of evidence files. The other problem was the courtroom drama felt less intense, mainly because the tussle between prosecution and defense happened rarely. Surely, there was room for building a lot more tension, knowing this wasn’t just any case but a political one involving past commanders of the country. Also, I didn’t understand why there was no defense statement at the end—do courts in Argentina not do that?

Ricardo Darin and Peter Lanzani Deliver Enjoyable Performances

The Julio-Luis pairing was fun, initially for the inability to get his name right every time. The only big argument they have, when Luis blames Julio for not doing anything during the dictatorship period, gets very intense.

Ricardo Darin is excellent, portraying a character who is constantly worried about his family but also wants to give justice to all those people mistreated by the military dictatorship. He’s also humorous, like how he orders his secretary to do something and quickly changes his tone to a request when told he can’t fire her. I liked his final moving statement that ends with the words, "Never Again."

Peter Lanzani does well in a supporting role. The moment when Luis is being followed from the lift, I almost felt he might die, and how that makes him feel in the next courtroom scene where he keeps fearing there’s an actual bomb in there.

Verdict on Argentina, 1985

Overall, "Argentina, 1985" is a good watch. It might resonate more with locals or those who know the history better. As a courtroom drama, I felt it lacked in some departments, yet it tells the tale of people who suffered, and you can’t help but wonder how such dictatorship rule has ruined lives in any country where it’s applied, directly or indirectly.

Rating: 6/10

Also, Check out Movie Analysis of The Fabelmans

The Fabelmans Movie Analysis: Likeable but Couldn't Love it

Get to see about early life of Steven Spielberg, likeable but I just couldn’t love the movie.

Directed by: Steven Spielberg

Imdb link -> The Fabelmans (2022) - IMDb

“You do what your heart says you have to. Because you don't owe anyone your life. Not even me. ”

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Spoilers ahead...

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Plot: Loosely Based on the Childhood of Steven Spielberg

Sammy Fabelman (Gabriel LaBelle), at a very young age, realizes his obsession with the camera and aspires to be a filmmaker. The story follows the struggles he faces while living in a family where his parents, Burt Fabelman (Paul Dano) and Mitzi Fabelman (Michelle Williams), are going through an unhappy marriage.

The movie is a semi-autobiographical portrayal of the early days of Steven Spielberg's life. The opening scene beautifully establishes how Sammy is mesmerized watching his first movie at a theater. Later, Mitzi discovers the reason Sammy wants to recreate the train crash scene with toys: he seeks control over what frightens him.

As the story progresses, we see how innovative and smart Sammy is, especially when he realizes that a shot in his short movie looks fake due to the gunshots. He quickly finds a way to make it look real. Whenever the movie focuses on Sammy and his camera, it feels great to watch.

What Doesn’t Work in The Fabelmans

However, the other subplots don't resonate as strongly with me, whether it's the bullying at high school, the anti-semitism, or the coming-of-age elements. My main issue lies with the Mitzi-Burt storyline, where Mitzi's affection for Burt's friend Bennie Loewy (Seth Rogen) feels too stretched and never-ending. This point could have been made more effectively without the self-indulgent long scenes. Despite a wonderful performance from Michelle Williams, I couldn't fully connect with her character. I do love two of her scenes: the one where she drives her children to see a tornado and then realizes what a reckless thing she did as a mom, and the other where she tells Sammy to follow his heart and not listen to anyone, not even her.

Performances of Gabriel LaBelle and Judd Hirsch

There's a lovely cameo by Judd Hirsch, who plays Uncle Morris, Mitzi's brother. He bluntly warns Sammy about where he is eventually heading, explaining how artists and filmmakers often prioritize their work over their loved ones. However, I don't think the role was significant enough to earn an Oscar nomination for him.

I loved Gabriel LaBelle's performance, especially in the scene where Sammy discovers his mother's feelings for Bennie while editing the camping trip video. Another standout moment is when Sammy talks to his dad, expressing his uncertainty about where he is headed—a dilemma almost every teenager faces.

One scene that will always stick with me is the one involving Sammy's girlfriend Monica Sherwood (Chloe East), where she insists Sammy bring Jesus inside him before they can make love. It was tough to control laughter during this hilarious scene.

Verdict on The Fabelmans

Overall, The Fabelmans provides some insight into the early days of Steven Spielberg. There's plenty to like and enjoy, but I just couldn't love it.

Rating: 6/10

Also, Check out Movie Analysis of Empire of Light

Movie Analysis : Empire of Light

Directed by : Sam Mendes

Imdb link -> https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14402146/

No one's gonna give you the life you want. You have to go out and get it. 

Spoilers ahead...

Set in an English coastal town in the early 1980's, Empire is a seaside theatre where Hilary (Olivia Colman) works as a Duty Manager. She's regularly seeing a doctor because of some mental illness she is going through and there's a very good improvement in her health when a new hire at the theatre Stephen (Micheal Ward) arrives with whom she forms a great friendship blossoming into romance.

When the opening credits began, showing the various places of a theatre, from the food counter to stairs leading to various screens, projection room and finally the movie hall, I felt this would be a movie that will show the workings inside a theatre, about the staff and their daily routines and lastly some sort of ode to the cinema. Unfortunately, that's just one of the many themes this film tries to show off and failing at each one of them. 

There's mental illness, sexual exploitation - Hilary's boss Donald Ellis (Colin Firth) asking for favours in his cabin all the time, racist violence, vandalism of public property, power of cinema and also short little romance of Hilary-Stephen that the narrative tries to cover. As expected, it turns out to be a total mish-mash, unable to balance these plots together. 

In one scene, Hilary who has till date not dared to use her credentials to sneak in and watch a movie with the audience, decides to finally watch a movie asking the projectionist Norman (Toby Jones) to play any of his favourite movie. Norman decides to play 'Being There', and as the movie proceeds we see Hilary getting so involved that by the end she is in tears. Now, I haven't seen that movie but from this scene I can gather the motive was to show how powerful the medium of movies can be, only that I couldn't feel same way as Hilary does here because the path taken to reach this moment has been not engaging. Similarly, when Norman is describing to Stephen about 24 frames per second and escapist cinema that he feels people in majority come here for, you just get a feeling he is preaching and its not naturally coming out for us to feel. Something that Fabelmans did right. 

I love the metaphor done related to pigeons scene, where Stephen tries to help one of the pigeon who has lost wing and days later help it fly away. He tried to help Hilary out too, and at start it seems to work before totally falling apart. 

Cinematography and score of the movie is good. Also, one particular scene that I loved when a customer is told by Stephen to either eat the food he has or throw it as outside food ain't allowed inside, there's a hint of racism but this situation holds true otherwise too as many people do tend to dislike being told about such rules. .

Even though this is another of Olivia Colman's fine performances, I would rate it below 'The Father' and 'The Favourite'. I rather liked Michael Ward much more, playing a guy who wants to do college and become an architect but gets stuck at ticket counter of a theatre while also going through the humiliation of racist attacks time and again. The theatre attack scene could had been well written, I didn't get why the other staff won't ask him to hide rather than letting him help close the doors which lead to the attack. Silly writing!

Overall, Empire of Light could had been lot more had it chosen one of the sub-plots preferrably the daily life routine of people working at a theatre and let the rest story revolve around it. Rather tries for a lot and fails at it badly

My Rating : 4.5/10