Ashes2Phoenix : Three for Three CBM Summer 2012

Well we have finally come to the end of the big three CBM's this year and I couldn't have been happier. At the beginning of the year there was speculation about all three films and I was certain one or two of them would fall short. In my honest opinion, all three comic book movies have done very well and this will be a year remembered by myself as one of the great CBM years. During this article I am going to go through what I liked from each film.

The Avengers :

This was a fantastic comic book/popcorn flick in my opinion. Where it lacked in depth it made up with some of the best action sequences I have seen in recent years. There was nothing more breathtaking than watching Iron Man spiralling up into the sky, soaring and blasting his way through scores of enemies. The action had my adrenaline pumping and really satisfied me. What I think is also special to note, is that tHis film is the first of it's kind and nothing pleases me more to see it become a success. The dialogue was also wonderfully written, which is a task in itself, when you have multiple characters with differing personalities.

The Amazing Spider-Man :

This was the film that had probably received the most mixed reactions. There were people who didn't like what they were seeing and people who loved what they were seeing. I personally feel this film did much better than first anticipated. It had an emotional depth, that I found lacking from The Avengers and it had a real sense of spirit and heart. There have been some alterations here and there but the core character of Spider-Man, for me, is the best interpretation on the silver screen to date. Andrew Garfield really made the role his own and what I found compelling is the way he played the mannerisms in Spidey. When he is in the suit you can read his body language very well and I feel it takes a tremendous amount of ability to pull this off. The action was fun and I found the film to be exciting in general. It ends with a very uplifting sequence and left me with a smile on my face.


The Dark Knight Rises :

Well what can I say ? This was a worthy conclusion to Nolan's bat trilogy. Like it's predecessors it has a very dark and brooding atmosphere, that neither The Amazing Spider-Man and The Avengers had. It was emotional and inspirational conclusion and tops off a trilogy that will be remembered for years to come. Nolan in a sense paved the way for CBM's to be taken more seriously by the general public and I could not thank him more. It has created a time where we are starting to see some excellent comic book adaptions and even though his trilogy has ended I believe it is just the beginning. Nolan set the bar and I am certain that bar will only be lifted even higher in the years to come.


All in all, it has been an exceptional year for CBM's. There has been something for everyone, whether it was the pure adrenaline buzz that The Avengers provided or the heartfelt and uplifting atmosphere The Amazing Spider-Man offered, or a very fitting conclusion to a great trilogy, there was something everyone could enjoy. I personally loved all three for their own unique reasons. They each had something the other lacked and vice versa. I do however, appreciate not everyone loved all three but for me it was a solid win this year. Two new series have started ( The Amazing Spider-Mand and The Avengers) and I strongly believe these two will duke it out for top CBM of this decade, with The Dark Knight over.

Anyways enough of my rant. Did you guys enjoy all three or do you feel disappointed ? Let me know.