DC has answered

You need to be called Martha for all of Superman (Henry Cavill), Batman (Ben Affleck) and Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) to save the world from Lex Luther (Jesse Eisenberg) and Kryptonian forces far beyond the capability of Earthly powers to fight. Batman vs Superman – Dawn of Justice begins with the dark overtones that we love in the Batman franchise, but degenerates into the relentless sfx and fighting sequences that typify the franchise. Incoherent entertainment

13.5/20

Spread Out

Contagion is a well-paced and largely gripping thriller on the spread of a highly contagious and lethal virus. The movie has one distinctive feature – somehow it manages to hold your attention in spite of every element in it being a cliché. A deadly disease that has its origins in livestock and wild animals in – where else – China. Finds its way to the top of the food chain, to none other than the travelling businesswoman Beth (Gwyneth Paltrow) and her son, but miraculously skips husband Mitch (Matt Damon). Kills millions before the desperate search for a vaccine is finally successful, thanks to the tireless efforts of Dr Orantes (Marion Cottilard) and Dr Cheever (Lawrence Fishburne). In the meantime, notable martyrs include Dr Mears (Kate Winslet), the early health worker, tireless and felled by the disease in the line of duty. The one non-cliched character is the profiteering and rumor-mongering freelancer Alan (Jude Law) – about the only character in the movie who is not a rank stereotype. In the meantime, chew a few fingernails as director Soderbergh (Solaris, Ocean’s Eleven) spreads disease and paranoia all around

13.5/20

Out of this World… ?!

Ex Pianist (Adrien Brody) is paratrooped into an alien world, and soon finds himself in the company of the earth equivalent of Predators – cannot help quoting from Gladiator – “ferocious mercenaries and warriors from all brute nations”. They decide to work together – and soon find to their consternation that they are not on a terrestrial forest as they might have imagined. The plot thickens with predator dogs, rogue humans and traps of many descriptions. In the end human morality is called into question – and questions answered. And, as in all previous installments, there are many engaging action scenes, and some but not many survivors. With generous credits to the original throughout the movie through a vast (all?) number of “inspired” scenes and characters, this is a reasonably entertaining movie, but difficult to identify a single feature or character that was truly striking. On to a hopefully better next edition

10.5/20