Declaring an all-out assault on the GRC, wanted fugitive Karli Morgenthau (Erin Kellyman) unleashes her final plan to stop the GRC for good, and stuck in the middle of it are Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie), Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) and Sharon Carter (Emily VanCamp), who are trying to stop Karli before it’s too late. But not content with just arresting Karli is former Captain America John Walker (Wyatt Russell), who is out for blood and is willing to do anything to stop Karli once and for all.

Right from the start Episode 6 of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, ‘One World, One People’ cranks up the action and director Kari Skogland gives audiences an incredible opening fight scene that carries on for two acts of the final episode and showcases an all-new Sam Wilson, who has now accepted the responsibility of both the shield and the mantle of Captain America. And it is fun to see him come into his new role within the greater MCU.

Featuring everything from intense ground combat to a full-on helicopter aerial battle chase, this opening act of ‘One World, One People’ is sure to get your adrenaline raised up and with so many different characters and perspectives, Skogland keeps everything interesting and on point. Praise needs to be directed not only at the battle between Wilson’s new Captain America and Georges St. Pierre’s vindictive mercenary Batroc but also at the brutal showdown between the Flag Smashers and John Walker, alongside the final fight between Karli and Wilson. All of these moments have serious narrative consequences, and in them we see these characters come full circle in their unique arcs within this series.

Of particular note is the presence of John Walker, who stripped of his moniker of Captain America, and driven by rage overcomes his anger and accepts his duty once more as a protector, choosing against his own need for vengeance over his duty as a hero. It’s a quick redemption for Walker, and in the closing moments we see him re-assigned to a new position with the US Government’s counter-terrorism fight and I think we’ll be seeing a lot more of his complex heroism in the MCU down the line as he skirts the line between hero and villain.

‘One World, One People’ is ultimately the triumph of Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson as he accepts his calling and the promise he made to Steve Rogers to carry the shield of Captain America and it’s certainly inspiring to see him make that character completion. In one of the episode’s most compelling moments, Sam also pays back a debt to the character of Isaiah Bradley (Carl Lumbly), an African-American Korean War veteran and super-soldier whose legacy and achievements were torn from him and it’s this moment that many veterans will shed a tear to as Bradley is finally paid the respect that he is ultimately deserved. It’s one of the series most moving and emotional moments and certainly has an effect on all who watch it.

This final episode of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier was also not without its shocking revelations and things definitely took an interesting turn for Emily VanCamp’s Sharon Carter. While not to lead to the risk of spoilers, I will say that Sharon’s new evolution as a character in the MCU was something I did not see coming, and it’s a revelation that will have long-running consequences for years to come. Also of note was Baron Helmut Zemo (Daniel Bruhl), who even locked up in The Raft gets his final revenge, and I believe we haven’t seen the last of his Machiavellian scheming just yet.

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, like WandaVision before it, leaves the MCU in a very interesting place going forward and with new characters and new threats, I believe things will get very interesting from here going forward within the greater MCU.

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier is available to stream on Disney+

Image: Walt Disney Pictures

The post ‘The Falcon and the Winter Soldier – ‘One World, One People’ – Review appeared first on SpicyPulp.

Having tracked down wanted revolutionary Karli Morgenthau (Erin Kellyman) and her anti-patriotism cell the Flag Smashers in Latvia, Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie), Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) and Baron Helmut Zemo (Daniel Bruhl) move to intercept her. But while Sam calls for a diplomatic approach, the arrival of Captain America himself, John Walker (Wyatt Russell), threatens Sam’s non-confrontational plan, and soon things go wrong very quickly for all involved.

The heat is dialled all the way up in the ‘The World World Is Watching’, the latest episode of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and director Kari Skogland takes us into some very heavy drama in this episode. After a devasting bombing campaign in the previous episode, Karli Morgenthau has now moved from freedom fighter to terrorist and this is where Skogland places her attention in this latest episode. Her focus in the narrative moves to perspective and she takes audiences into the mindset of both Karli and John Walker, and these are two characters who are on total opposite spectrums. And stuck in the middle of it all are Sam and Bucky.

Episode by episode we have seen the actions of Karli Morgenthau escalate, while she began stealing food and medicine to help those who had become undone by the ‘blip’, she has now stepped it up a whole new level and is actively engaging in terrorist activity to build her new world. But Karli is not a straight-up villain, but instead, a complicated lost girl who is just trying to do the best she can. But she’s beginning to cross the line, and her newfound power is moving her to make radical decisions that have dire consequences. A strong sense of belief and radical optimism shape Kellyman’s performance and this makes her very interesting to watch in the events that unfold.

Playing off against Karli’s anarchist dreams is Wyatt Russell’s John Walker, the new Captain America and the pressure is starting to get straining for this appointed defender of truth and freedom. Russell plays into Walker’s military leanings and the discomfort he feels with the pressure that comes from his newfound celebrity. Added to this are some frustrating events that mar him in a bad light and even this hero isn’t immune from the consequences of ego and hubris. There’s a subtleness to Russell’s performance and this helps to sell the complexity that this character is feeling and Skogland uses this to her advantage in this episode to great effect.

With Morgenthau and Walker facing off against one another, and Sam and Bucky stuck in the middle, Daniel Bruhl’s Baron Helmut Zemo comes into his own…and he’s having a lot of fun in the chaos that is erupting. As the ‘fly in the ointment’, he’s using the complexity that is unfolding around him to his own advantage, and we see his Machieveillain scheming come into play. Bruhl has terrific composure as Zemo, and you never know what he is going to do next, keeping things very interesting in the process. He also has an explosive interaction with Morgenthau, and the consequences of his actions lead into the episode’s shocking revelation.

Also making a notable presence in ‘The World World Is Watching’ is the character of Ayo, played by Florence Kasumba, a member of the Wakandan warrior elite The Dora Milaje, who has a strong relationship with Bucky Barnes, having helped him recover from the Winter Soldier into the White Wolf. And this is a very real test for where Bucky’s loyalties lie. Not only do we see the re-introduction of Wakanda, but we also get a stronger bond between both the films of the MCU and this new long-form episodic storytelling on Disney+ and the result is one giant canvas. The presence of the Dora Milaje also leads to one of the episode’s most exciting action scenes that proves that there is no equal to their combat skills.

‘The Whole World Is Watching’ is the most complex episode of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier to date, and director Kari Skogland uses its ongoing narrative to explore further ideas of right and wrong, anarchy versus the status quo, and the consequences of unchecked power. The idea of the ‘super-soldier’ is of key importance to this episode and the concept of choice of whether to accept its power or not. Skogland is playing with a lot of heavy ideas in this episode, and it’s clear that repeated viewings of this episode will be needed to get at the heart of what she is exploring as there is so much complexity to unravel.

The action and intensity of ‘The Whole World Is Watching’ doesn’t let up for a moment and it’s very clear that in the hero game no one is innocent. Wilson. Barnes. Walker. Morgenthau. Zemo. All of them have blood on their hands, and it’s clear that we’re no longer in a world where the rules of black and white apply. This isn’t 1944 with Captain America fighting the Red Skull in a battle between good and evil, but a grey world where the forces of patriotism, anarchy, freedom and totalitarianism are all smashing together. All of these forces lead to a shocking conclusion that will send a cold shiver of dread down the back of your spine, and things are about to get very bad from here in the MCU.

‘The Whole World Is Watching’ will go down as one of the most defining moments for the character of Captain America within the MCU, and where this series goes is anyone’s guess now. With so much unchecked power, and raw emotion leading the series it’s clear that things are about to get a whole lot worse for our heroes of Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes. The match has been lit….and the explosion is imminent.

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier is available to stream on Disney+

Image: Walt Disney Pictures

The post ‘The Falcon and the Winter Soldier’ – ‘The Whole World Is Watching’ – Review appeared first on SpicyPulp.

Facing the threat of unstable super-soldiers in the form of global rebels The Flag Smashers, Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) and Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) turn to former enemy Baron Helmut Zemo (Daniel Bruhl). Breaking out Zemo and enlisting him in their global hunt for the Flag Smashers, the three men end up in the exotic island of Madripoor, and it’s on this fantastical island where things get interesting.

Episode by episode the intensity of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier has been building, and Episode Three ‘Power Broker’ is by far the best episode to date and really takes audiences into the spy genre like never before. Director Kari Skogland enlists the talents of John Wick creator, Derek Kolstad, to conceive this episode and Kolstad’s knack for exotic world-building and innovative character-driven action really shine through in this episode and there’s plenty to keep audiences engaged with here.

Of significant importance to ‘Power Broker’ is the re-appearance of Daniel Bruhl as Baron Helmut Zemo, a Sakovian terrorist who was responsible for the events of Captain America: Civil War and who now finds himself re-introduced to the Marvel Cinematic Universe in a very interesting way. Fans will be surprised to find out that Zemo is in fact ‘enlisted’ into Sam and Bucky’s hunt for The Flag Smashers, an interesting turn given Zemo’s villainous past, and this keeps things exciting for audiences. Skogland focuses on Zemo’s aristocratic heritage, and we finally get to see Bruhl pull on the mask and it’s fair to say that this Machiavellian character has his own objectives to meet.

In keeping with the genre expectations of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Skogland also takes things to a new level in this episode and audiences are introduced to the fantastical ‘pirate state’ of Madripoor. This island nation could best be described as a mix of Tokyo, Singapore and Macau on steroids, and with its extensive use of neon lighting and fusion techno-music, it makes for a wicked set piece for Bucky, Wilson and Zemo to explore. As a criminal sanctuary within the MCU there are plenty of bad guys hiding out here, and the resulting action is awesome to watch unfold. Skogland and her team apply some awesome creativity in bringing Madripoor to life and I hope we get to explore more of this location in future MCU narratives.

It’s also on Madripoor where we are re-introduced to Emily VanCamp’s Sharon Cater/Agent 13, and this former S.H.I.E.L.D operative has gone to ground and re-invented herself as a badass smuggler who is doing whatever she has to do to survive. Audiences will be shocked to see the change in Sharon, who has gone from noble crusader to bad girl thief, and she carries deep anger towards the sudden appearance of Sam and Bucky and is not at all welcome to their plans in the first instance. However she soon sees the opportunity in their plan and she goes to work and quickly showcases an array of lethal new combat skills, and put it this way, Sharon has no interest in fighting fair.

While the bulk of the action of ‘Power Broker’ is contained within Madripoor, we also lean more into the motivations of Erin Kellyman’s Karli Morgenthau, and her actions are moving from anti-patriotism to straight-up terrorism with The Flag Smashers. And it’s clear that a burning hurt is powering her in her fight to bring about radical change. Juxtaposed to this is Wyatt Russell’s John Walker, who is acting as the ultimate company man as the new Captain America and he’s clearly starting to show cracks at having to put up with the bureaucracy that is controlling him. And I’m pretty certain that we’ll see him walking off the board and engaging in his own hardline vigilante justice in future episodes.

‘Power Broker’ is without-a-doubt the best episode of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier to date and to say that the episode ends on a strong cliffhanger would be an understatement. The action is intense, the character interactions complicated, and the worldbuilding exotic and exciting and it’s only going to get more interesting as this narrative continues.

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier is available to stream on Disney+

Image: Walt Disney Pictures

The post ‘The Falcon and the Winter Soldier’ – ‘Power Broker’ – Review appeared first on SpicyPulp.

Here’s the synopsis:

Set during World War II, The Zookeeper’s Wife tells the incredible true-life story of Antonia Zabinski (Chastain) who, along with her husband Jan (Johan Heldenbergh), sheltered more than 300 Polish Jews from the Nazi’s reach during their occupation of Poland at the Warsaw Zoo.

If you’re looking for an emotional rollercoaster then you’ll definitely find it in The Zookeeper’s Wife. From beginning to end, the film’s trailer pairs the magic and splendour of Antonia’s Warsaw Zoo, with the very real threat imposed by Nazi Germany. Chastain’s courage in the role is inspiring to watch, especially as she stands up to Daniel Brühl’s ambitious German zoologist Lutz Heck, who has sided with the Nazis in order to pillage the Warsaw Zoo of its animals. The trailer certainly forces you to fight back the emotions, and we’re certain that you’ll need some tissues beside you to get through this one.

The Zookeeper’s Wife will be released in cinemas on March 31, 2017 in the US and UK and on May 4 in New Zealand and Australia.

The post Witness the power of hope in the first trailer for ‘The Zookeeper’s Wife’ appeared first on SpicyPulp.