8 Biggest Summer Blockbusters To Watch in 2015

Fantastic Four

This new version of the superhero team seems to be forgoing the recent trend of sticking close to comic book source material on the big screen. For this reason, as well as the fact it’s not being made by the hit factory that Marvel Studios has become, means it is already facing an undue quota of criticism from fandom.

However, rumours regarding director and co-writer Josh Trank’s behaviour and competence on set have been gaining traction on the online gossip mill. Evidence on this is insubstantial, but since the first trailer hit Youtube earlier this year it’s looking conclusive that the film will draw on the same aesthetic that made Trank’s last film, Chronicle, something of a breakout hit.

With a noticeably younger cast than the last two Fantastic Four outings, this will not be the sort of superhero flick we have become used to seeing recently. Trank’s interpretation looks to be a lot more moody, and possibly bleaker, in tone.

Recommendation: Be ready for less humour and more grittiness if you choose to try this one out. It’s far from a guaranteed hit, but don’t let the online hate sour you on it.

 

The Man from U.N.C.L.E

I must confess to being almost entirely ignorant of the original TV show on which this movie is based, but Henry Cavill looks to be having a lot of fun in an action role that isn’t Superman. The much maligned but skilled hands of Guy Richie will be in the director’s chair.

It’s hard to tell as a newcomer to the characters how close to the source material this will stick , but the basic concept is steeped in early Cold War espionage. Cavill’s American Napoleon Solo and Armie Hammer’s Russian Illya Kuryakin are agents of the United Network Command for Law and Enforcement and must stop a criminal group from spreading nuclear weapons across the world.

The film sets itself apart from the summer’s other blockbusters by being a period piece, and based on the trailer the film looks to have a strong boys-and-their-toys vibe. Like many of Guy Richie’s films this will probably be a story of manly men and femme fatales. There’s a good chance it will be rather light on strong female characters.

Recommendation: More than anything this film looks like it could be fun. Coming in the middle of August, well after most of the big releases, this could be the best bet for that month – but only if it gets the balance of humour and spy action right.

 

Hitman: Agent 47

That this film exists is a curiosity. Video game adaptations rarely translate into box office success, but the original 2007 Hitman film raked in quite a bit on a surprisingly small budget. It was also not very good. In fact, and forgive my inner film nerd here, it was pretty awful.

With a new actor portraying the eponymous hitman, this movie might best be described as a soft reboot. Fans of the video games will make their minds up about the film on the trailer, which looks neither terrible nor noteworthy. Agent 47 looks to be a stylish but generic action guy flick, and many people will likely be able to fill in the plot points left out of the trailer before the movie even comes out. The hitman is from some kind of government/corporate superspy programme, which is probably involved in some kind of conspiracy, and there is probably a helpless but plucky love interest who he has to save.

Even from the trailer you’ll spot that you’ve seen most of the plot cliches in other films, but given the relative success of the 2007 Hitman, it is too early to count this out. With a late summer release it’s possible people will see it for want of anything else new being in theatres. Whether the film is ultimately worth the price of entry will come down to first time director Aleksander Bach’s action scenes.

Recommendation: Unless you’re a fan of the series you might want to avoid this. Coming in at the end of August though, there might be little else worth watching.