Movie Review: "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania" - The Reverse Ragnarok

 

"Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania" is the first film of Phase Five for the Marvel Cinematic Universe and is where the Multiverse Saga gets kicked into high gear. According to a majority of critics though, it's kind of a messy start, so much so that it's the MCU's second lowest rated film after "Eternals." After seeing it myself, I'm really scratching my head how those two films are in the same boat and that "Quantumania" is getting treated a little harshly.

The common criticism I've seen towards the film is that it lacks the same comedic spark of the previous two Ant-Man films. This is admittedly the most serious of the films and the lack of comedic actors like Judy Greer and Michael Pena are noticeable. But there's still plenty of laughs to be had with a lot of thanks for that going to Paul Rudd. I feel the tone shift is warranted though and considering the film took some inspiration from "Thor: Ragnarok", I can definitely see that and the approach they took is the opposite of what happened with the Thor series. Both films involve the protagonist being transported to a new world and flung into a revolution against a tyrant. The difference though is while Thor was a serious character from the previous films and became surrounded by comedic characters like Korg and the Grandmaster, it's the opposite for Scott as he goes up against the biggest threat he's had to solo.

As the film dives deeper into the Quantum Realm, it creates a very Star Wars like environment in a positive way through a mix of practical and digital effects, with more so on the latter. As you'd expect, it's a very CGI heavy film and I know some people find it hard to get invested in that kind of thing. Nonetheless, it still had some creatively wild moments you'd come to expect from an Ant-Man film.

Something I noticed that I feel is kind of a subversion for the third film in a trilogy is that when we meet up with our returning characters (with each actor turning in a fine performance) at the beginning, they've all seemed to reach their happy endings. After two Ant-Man films and "Endgame", everyone's living their best lives, reveling in their celebrity status, openly using Pym tech to help the world and just being with their loved ones after being separated for so long. It's nice to see Hank and Hope lighten up compared to the last two films, like all their struggles were worth it. Scott and Janet are the ones with the most arc and help carry the film, as Scott is working to connect more with his daughter Cassie while Janet has to face and come clean about her time in the Quantum Realm.

Kathryn Newton takes over as the now teenage Cassie Lang and has a Pym suit of her own. I was already a fan of Newton's from her work as Claire Novak on "Supernatural", who's a much more closed off character compared to the lighthearted Cassie here; Newton certainly has range is what I'm saying. Without spoiling anything, her best moment in the film gives her some catharsis from a moment in the first film. She's a great addition to the MCU's next generation of heroes; I know I keep saying that every time Marvel introduces a new young hero, but they're just that good at it.

The one thing everyone seems to love about the film is Jonathan Majors' performance as Kang the Conqueror, and it is truly excellent. Majors' portrayal showcases how stern, manipulative, maniacal, and just overall dangerous the villain can be. As the big bad of the Multiverse Saga, Majors as Kang cements himself as a worthy successor to Thanos.
Going back to the Star Wars comparison, there's actually a Vader to Kang's Palpatine in MODOK, with Corey Stoll's Darren Cross/Yellowjacket returning from the first film in his new cybernetic form. As you might expect, the CGI with the character is pretty uncomfortable, which I feel may have been the intent. Considering MODOK is a giant floating head with regular sized arms and legs, there was probably no winning when it came to bringing the character to live action.

While "Quantumania" is nothing really groundbreaking, it's not as bad as it's being made out to be. The film is serviceable and fulfills what it set out to do: deliver a fun new adventure with characters we love and solidify the next big Marvel villain we'll continue to build up for the next few years.

Why The Spectacular Spider-Man Holiday Episodes Work

One of the unique elements that sets The Spectacular Spider-Man aside from other Spidey shows was that it established a clear timeframe. A lot of cartoons have episodes that can happen anytime of the year unless a specific holiday is being mentioned. With Spectacular Spider-Man, the two seasons of the series take place from Fall to early Spring of Peter Parker's junior year in high school; the intent was to reach five seasons culminating in Peter's graduation had the show not been cancelled. I believe this aspect can be attributed to series developer Greg Weisman as the use of a clear timeframe would later be seen in Young Justice, another series he worked on.
As such, The Spectacular Spider-Man incorporated some holidays into certain episodes, five in total. During a recent rewatch, I started to think a little deeper and that the themes of the holidays presented worked as part of the story and not just a simple backdrop. So let's analyze what makes these holiday episodes of the Spectacular Spider-Man work so well.

HALLOWEEN: THE UNCERTAINTY PRINCIPLE

Halloween is a time of fear, costumes, and trickery. Which Spider-Man villain do these attributes fit better with than the Green Goblin (who has screaming pumpkin bombs in this series to boot). His depiction here is fun and scary with Steven Blum's voice performance as the character comparable to Mark Hamill as the Joker. The Goblin was the main villain of the show's third arc, culminating in episode nine, "The Uncertainty Principle." 

On Halloween, the Goblin plays his own kind Trick or Treat by luring both Spider-Man and Tombstone to a steel refinery enticing them with the promise of hard evidence of the latter's criminal activities that would put him away. The two go in prepared for a trap, which it is as the Goblin shamelessly admits everyone involved knew it would be. The battle that ensues involves lots of red lighting and molten steel pouring out everywhere, which invokes some hell-like imagery and gave me some vibes of Freddy Krueger's boiler room; the green smoke coming from the screaming pumpkin bombs throws in a good contrast and even more chaos to the situation.

The episode reveals the Goblin's identity as Harry Osborn, apparently donning the costume during blackouts resulting from his use of an OsCorp experimental performance enhancer Harry had stolen to do better in school and play football. The keyword in that sentence was "apparently." The series finale of the show "Final Curtain" would reveal even more disguises and deceit were at play in this episode. In actuality, Norman Osborn was the true Goblin and used a blacked-out Harry to his advantage to throw Spider-Man off the trail of his identity, dressing his son in the costume for the hero to discover; it's scary how Norman "father of the year" Osborn could do that to his own son without qualm. Additionally, there was a scene in "Uncertainty Principle" where Norman and the Goblin were seen together, but it would also be revealed in "Final Curtain" that the Norman seen there was the Chameleon in disguise committing corporate espionage.

There's also a subplot involving J. Jonah Jameson's astronaut son, John, who is attempting a risky reentry into Earth's atmosphere after his crew's shuttle had been damaged by an asteroid. There's a chance they won't survive, creating a sense of dread and fear of loss for those close to him. The shuttle makes it through and lands successfully, but the episode's end reveals that the asteroid left behind a guest on the shuttle's hull in the form of a certain alien made of black goo, closing out as a horror movie would with one final scare.

THANKSGIVING: NATURE VS. NURTURE

The fourth arc of the series dealt with the symbiote and alien costume. In the penultimate episode "Intervention", Peter realized the symbiote's sinister intentions but becomes trapped in his mind. The symbiote forces Peter to relive the memory of his worst failure in Uncle Ben's death, bringing Peter to his lowest point in its bid to bond permanently and take the life he deserves. But this awakens Ben's memory, helping Peter realize that he decided against his darker thoughts before when he caught Ben's killer, as well as all the good he's done as Spider-Man and all the people who care about Peter himself. This gives Peter enough positive affirmation to take back control and remove the symbiote. As the story goes though, the symbiote later bonds with Eddie Brock, creating Venom. In this series, Peter and Eddie have been friends since childhood, borrowing from the Ultimate comics where their parents worked together and died in the same plane crash. As the series plays out, Peter makes some questionable choices due to his life as Spider-Man that slowly dissolves their friendship, eventually leading to Eddie hating someone he considered a brother. This might be the best origin story for Venom because it makes Eddie's hate for Peter and Spider-Man feel more legitimate. Whereas other versions show Eddie blaming Spider-Man for his own mistakes, Peter's choices in this series have had a direct impact on Eddie despite his good intentions.

This brings us to the finale of the arc and season one with "Nature vs. Nurture." On Thanksgiving, Venom makes his presence known, attacking Peter and revealing his plan to make him suffer by going after those he cares about. After initially planning to go after Aunt May, who is in the hospital following a heart attack two episodes prior, Venom snatches up Gwen Stacy and places her in a precarious position by dangling her to a balloon during the Thanksgiving day parade on a web line that's slowing unraveling. Spidey is able to save her with an assist from their Midtown High friends before turning his attention back to Venom. Realizing he's outmatched, Peter offers himself back to the symbiote, saying he's nothing without it. The symbiote takes the bait, leaving Eddie and attempting to bond again with Peter. However, as the symbiote feeds off negative emotions, Peter's positive thoughts of his friends and family are enough to repel it from taking hold, essentially starving it. As it attempts to return to Eddie, Peter is able to snatch up the weakened symbiote and dump it in a cement mixture at a construction site, trapping it in concrete. Peter's support system being the catalyst for Venom's defeat works very well for Thanksgiving, as it's clear how much Peter cares for those in his life and that they give him as much strength as his spider-powers (though why Sally Avril is included is a mystery to me). Compare that to Eddie where the episode makes it evident that he had a harder life compared to Peter after their parents died and he doesn't have as strong a support system in his life, or he at least doesn't hold them in as high regard. It certainly made him easy prey for the symbiote to bond with and makes me wonder more about his upbringing. Come to think of it, I think it might have heightened some sociopathic tendencies Eddie has considering he knows many of the same people Peter does but is still willing to harm them.

Along with the main conflict, Thanksgiving worked in two other ways in the episode's plot. The first is Peter contemplating giving up being Spider-Man to be there more for his loved ones, feeling guilty about not being there sooner for May after her heart attack due to Spidey stuff. He'd even go so far as to remove his powers by taking a vial of gene cleanser that had cured Curt Connors of being the Lizard in episode three. The end of the episode shows Peter pouring the vial down the sink drain, being grateful for both parts of his life. The other involves Gwen. After Thanksgiving dinner with the Parkers, her dad, and Dr. Bromwell (who brought May home), Gwen kisses Peter before leaving. My thought is after her brush with death, I'm sure she was feeling grateful for many things, though it may have been what helped facilitate her to reveal her true feelings for Peter because she almost didn't have the chance.

CHRISTMAS: REINFORCEMENT

The Master Planner arc started off both the show's second season as well as what would have be its first winter season. This would mean a snowy backdrop for awhile, which was nicely animated and lead to some of the best fight scenes of the series. The first half of the arc were introductory episodes for Mysterio and Kraven while the second gave us a twofer of holiday episodes with Christmas and New Year's.

While "Reinforcement" more prominently takes part seemingly on Christmas Eve, it is still the season with plenty of Christmas decor and music to match the spirit. Two big parts of Christmas are gathering with loved ones and surprising them with something special. For Peter, these elements are seen with him skating with friends at Rockefeller Center and the ending showing him give Aunt May a framed family picture as a present, a touching moment given it's their first Christmas without Ben.

But since "Reinforcement" is more of an action heavy episode, these elements are more prominent with the show's second incarnation of the Sinister Six. This time, the Six change tactics by attacking Spider-Man in waves. Electro and Vulture are at bat first causing a ruckus at Rockefeller Center, but Spidey doesn't initially give them his full attention expecting four more villains to pop out. After incapacitating the two, Spidey gets surprised by the appearance of Rhino and Sandman. Once Spidey dispatches them (with Rhino's defeat being one of the funniest moments of the whole series), he's all ready to take on Shocker and Doctor Octopus. This leads to his last surprise with the final villains to defeat are actually Mysterio and Kraven, finishing the two and the six as a whole at a shopping mall.

NEW YEAR'S: SHEAR STRENGTH

"Shear Strength" reveals the Master Planner to be Doctor Octopus (which isn't a big surprise for the already initiated) and his goals for global domination. And the timing seems well placed as he enacts his master plan on New Year's Eve. At this point in his machinations, Ock is able to control all the technology in New York as he can his mechanical arms but needs codes from Homeland Security to take his reach worldwide. To this end, he blackmails police Captain George Stacy by kidnapping his daughter Gwen, wanting him to enter HomeSec's New York headquarters and transmit the codes Ock needs. While the timing is applied to be coincidental, Ock taking over the world at the start of the year would have been very fitting; it would have been the Year of the Octopus and beginning of a new world order. Of course, Gwen's kidnapping catches the attention of Spider-Man, who thankfully thwarts Ock's plans by destroying the equipment he's been using to control the technology in the city.

With a new year comes resolutions, and we see how this aspect of the holiday works with Peter in this episode. Another part of this arc has featured Peter reeling from Gwen's kiss at the end of the previous season, trying to talk about it with her and sort out his own feelings. But his attempts to do so are frequently preempted by, among other things, cheerleader Liz Allan and her seduction tactics, taking Peter's attention away from Gwen. When Gwen is kidnapped in "Shear Strength", we see a certain drive in Peter to save her, first by doing a Batman-style interrogation on the Tinkerer that leads him to Ock's underwater base. After thwarting Ock's plan, the villain proves himself a sore loser and sets the base to self-destruct, with some rubble pinning Spidey down and water beginning to submerge him. At first, Spidey's accepting of his fate knowing that he stopped Ock. Realizing Gwen is still depending on him though, Spidey tests the limit of his strength (and his costume's stitching) by lifting the rubble off himself in an homage the original Master Planner story from the 60's comics and is able to get her to safety.

So after everything he went through to save her, Peter seems to have head on straight and feelings for Gwen clear, trying to contact her at home before midnight hits. But this is when Liz shows up at Peter's doorstep, proclaims her feelings for him, and kisses him when the clock strikes twelve, which begins the two's relationship. And that's a New Year's Resolution in a nutshell: making a promise to yourself and breaking it not so long after. Despite not even making it to the new year, Peter had this resolve for Gwen, only to fall into old habits when Liz throws him for a loop. And as much as we love Peter, let's remember he is a sixteen-year-old nerd who's never been in a relationship before; didn't we all at that age want to be with one of the attractive popular kids? It's like Mary Jane says in an earlier episode: "Pete's a smart guy, but he's still a guy."

VALENTINE'S DAY: GANGLAND

Our final holiday episode of the series sees the gang war story arc wrapped up on Valentine's Day with "Gangland" (and I'm just now realizing holiday episodes and arc finales tend to coincide with one another). In what can be called a Neo-St. Valentine's Massacre, we see Spider-Man battle Silvermane, Tombstone, and Doctor Octopus in a four-way battle after a summit between the three leaders goes awry. It's a knockdown drag-out brawl set to opera music that makes for one of the series' best fights and features the long-awaited rematch between Spidey and Tombstone that's been built up since episode six.
But of course, Valetine's Day is meant for love. While the episode continues the love rectangle between Peter, Liz, Gwen and Harry (the latter two having started dating soon after the New Year's episode), there's plenty of other relationships and types of love present. In addition to the established Midtown High couples of Sally/Rand and Glory/Kenny, we have the blossoming romance of Flash and Sha-Shan and the casual relationship between Mary Jane and Liz's brother Mark. Outside the high school demographic, we have a seasoned relationship with J. Jonah Jameson out with his wife Joan (whose voice and seemingly likeness is provided by Jane Lynch), the fractured history between Hammerhead and Silver Sable on display, and a "is there something more going on here?" moment between Aunt May and Dr. Bromwell during a house call check-up. But I think the sweetest example of love in this episode involves the engagement between a man and woman who met after both being saved by Spidey way back in episode eight. They may have only been together for four months at this point, but good for them; it's another positive impact Spider-Man has unknowingly had with his actions.

As evident, holiday settings were just one of the many aspects that showcase how much care went into the production of The Spectacular Spider-Man and why it still remains the web-slinger's best animated show.

Dragon Ball Z Movie Retrospective Part Two: Movies 6-9

The Dragon Ball Z Movie Retrospective keeps on rolling with the entries released during the Android saga. You should know the drill if you checked out part one, so let's dive right in.

RETURN OF COOLER

Original Japanese Title: Clash! 10 Billion Power Warriors

SYNOPSIS: As an eerily familiar foe threatens the peaceful people of Namek, Goku and the Z-Fighters are summoned to save a world that is not their own.
MY THOUGHTS: As the dub's title suggests, "Return of Cooler" marks the first DBZ movie to act as a direct sequel to a previous entry. While the "copy of Frieza" criticisms aren't helped by Cooler attacking the Namekians and reappearing with mechanical enhancements, it's all about execution. Rather than being targeted for the Dragon Balls, New Namek is just an unlucky victim of the mechanical Big Gete Star, absorbing its resources and people to power itself (which makes it similar to the Tree of Might if you think about it). And despite not seeing Mecha-Frieza's capabilities before Future Trunks easily defeated him, Meta-Cooler realizes the concept and once again outdoes his brother with a chrome metal body capable of regeneration. And not only does Cooler continue to impress with him revealing to also know the Instant Transmission technique and nearly blowing Vegeta's head off with his hand over his mouth, but the start of his battle with Goku to me felt like the closest thing we would get to a Goku vs. Frieza rematch before Super came around.
Once again, the animation is the true highlight of the film. It may be due to a film's higher budget, but there's this crisp look to New Namek (as well as other backgrounds) compared to old Namek in the series. There's also much fluidity in the movement not only for the fight scenes but for moments like the Big Gete Star attaching to New Namek at the beginning and the wires within Cooler as he rebuilds his body. I found it somewhat akin to the film "Akira".
Other pros I have to give the film are how Meta-Cooler's body reflects the sunlight and Vegeta and Goku somewhat working together against an enemy for the first time in the franchise.
The problems I have with the film aren't necessarily with the plot, but there are some odd choices made. * First off, Dende's presence as Earth's new Guardian means the film (as well as movies seven and eight) takes place just before the Cell Games, but Gohan's power is still at the same level from before he entered the Hyperbolic Time Chamber when he should be Super Saiyan at this point. 
* Second, considering the urgency of the situation, why didn't they just teleport to New Namek with Goku's Instant Transmission rather than take a ship, especially since the trip took days the last time Goku used a ship to get to Namek.
* Lastly, why are Oolong and Yajirobe even here? It's not like this was a vacation gone wrong, they knew there was danger ahead. Comic relief seems the likely answer, but Krillin and Roshi could have filled it easily. While Roshi does get captured by Cooler's robot army after his one punch failed, his combat experience would have been enough rationale for him to try and help. Despite not doing much in the main Z series, his fights in "World's Strongest" and later contributions in Super show Roshi isn't to be underestimated.
These points are what keep me from considering this film canon like its predecessor, which I feel is still the better film. With "Return of Cooler", it's best just to shut your brain off and enjoy the animation.

SUPER ANDROID 13

Original Japanese Title: Extreme Battle! Three Great Super Saiyans

SYNOPSIS: A mysterious fiend is creating Androids that are faster, stronger, and far deadlier than anything ever devised by the deceased Doctor Gero. Goku and the rest of the Z-Fighters must find the identity of the murderous mastermind if they are to halt the onslaught of his lethal inventions.
MY THOUGHTS: Like "Lord Slug", "Super Android 13" has its moments but honestly feels off in the grand scheme of Dragon Ball. However, I have to give "Lord Slug" credit with the twist that Slug was a Namekian and King Kai expositing lore of evil Super Namekians banished from the planet. I should point out that I've been taking the synopsis of each movie from the packaging of the DVD movie packs; that being said, the plot for "Super Android 13" is not that as deep as described above. It's just an action heavy movie with the main draw being three Super Saiyans (including Future Trunks' movie debut) against three more Androids. At this point in the series, Cell had been established as the main villain of the current saga, and I feel both fans and even the characters were getting tired of how many Androids kept revealing themselves. If there's anything people will remember most about the film, it's the part where Super 13 appears to punch Goku below the belt and the dub's decision to give 13 a redneck personality.
I will give props where it's due though:
* The arctic setting helps the film stand out.
* Vegeta's entrance was pretty rad.
* Watching the film this time around, I realized elements of 14 and 15 were mixed into 13 for his Super form. He became more muscle bound like 14 and the purple skin of 15 was transferred to make Super 13's red hair and blue skin. It's something you had to think about, but creative once it hits you.
* Super 13's defeat is one of the coolest from the movies with Goku charging a Spirit Bomb, going Super Saiyan to absorb the energy he collected, and using it to deliver the final blow.
At the very least, the people behind GT seemed to like the movie enough to use the Super Android concept again.

BROLY - THE LEGENDARY SUPER SAIYAN

Original Japanese Title: Burn! Hot Battle - Fierce Battle - Super Fierce Battle

SYNOPSIS: Broly - a powerful Saiyan warrior with an unspeakable evil streak - has the Z-Fighters squarely in his sights. Now, a race to save the universe turns into a test of survival skills for Earth's mightiest warriors.
MY THOUGHTS: In what may come as a surprise, this is my favorite of the original Dragon Ball Z movies. It's really the epitome of what Dragon Ball movies were in the past. You had this ultra powerful villain our heroes face off in an intense battle that pushes them to their limit only to pull out a victory in the end (and its connections to the main series help it as well). You have Goku, Gohan, Vegeta, Trunks, and Piccolo trying valiantly to put down Broly while the monster seems to be toying with them. It makes for a long and entertaining battle, especially since you have five Super Saiyans in the battle (one of them being the first evil one) shining over a dark backdrop of an alien city's ruins and the planet beginning to crumble as a comet approaches.
Broly is without a doubt the most popular movie villain, being featured in two more movies, many video games, and the character being reimagined into the main canon with the 2018 Super film of his namesake. He's also proven controversial, being viewed as nothing but a meathead who's only motivation to kill Goku being because he cried next to him as a baby in the maternity ward. While the 2018 version has been better received, I do think the original Broly has some merit, at least in his first movie. Seeing Goku may have triggered Broly's memory, but let's not forget that as a baby on the same day, Broly was also stabbed by King Vegeta, left for dead along with his father, and yet still had the power to save them both as Planet Vegeta was being destroyed by Frieza. The point is, he went through much more traumatic events than just a crying baby Goku. He was also shown to have some character with his sadistic side, wanting to destroy to show his dominance and being able to speak full sentences. He wouldn't become a brute repeatedly shouting "KAKAROT!" until his next movie. Honestly, Broly faced a similar problem as some comic book villains in the 90's like Venom, Doomsday, and Bane; their popularity led to them being used in ways they weren't intended to.
Despite where things would go later for this version, Broly's first outing was truly legendary.

BOJACK UNBOUND

Original Japanese Title: The Last Minute of the Galaxy! A Super Incredible Guy

SYNOPSIS: Warriors from every corner of the galaxy are gathering to compete in the most incredible martial arts tournament ever conceived. Many will test their strength and skill, but few will live to see the end. Before a victor can be crowned, Bojack - a powerful evil intergalactic villain - turns the tournament into a fight for survival.
MY THOUGHTS: The final movie for this part of the retrospective is the last of my runner-up favorites. While Bojack and his minions don't really offer much as villains and its questionable whether the alien fighters invited for the tournament were genuine, I found quite a bit to like about film. The tournament aspect gives us a variety of locations for fights and the presence of all current Z-Fighters is a real plus. In both regards, Trunks is a real MVP for his fight with Tien and being the only other Z-Fighter to kill one of the villains (which makes it somewhat better than "Tree of Might" for the latter).
Of course, what I love most about the film is Gohan being featured as the main protagonist. Gohan was my favorite character since I started watching DBZ with his transformation into Super Saiyan 2 and defeat of Cell being some of the best moments of the franchise. Being set after the Cell Games, "Bojack Unbound" serves as an epilogue to the Android saga, with the film's conclusion just as exciting because of Gohan. And considering Gohan had been intended to be the new protagonist of the series after Goku's death, there's something special about seeing Gohan in all his forms wearing his father's gi to solidify the idea. As this would turn out to be Gohan's last big victory until 2022's "Super Hero" movie, "Bojack Unbound" would hold a special place in the hearts of Gohan fans because of that. Even then, it's still great to see after the fact. You can also look at it as a book end with "Dead Zone" when you consider the Android saga was another intended stopping point for the series (and I kind of wish it happened that way), so you would have had movies featuring Gohan at different points in his potential beating the bad guy before and after the main Z series.

When the third and final part comes out, we jump forward seven years in the timeline to the movies released during the Buu saga. How will those films hold up? Find out next time with the conclusion of the Dragon Ball Z Movie Retrospective!

Dragon Ball Z Movie Retrospective Part One: Movies 1-5

In 2017, I did a four-part retrospective of the Dragon Ball GT series. This year, I'm undertaking a similar endeavor by looking back at another aspect of the franchise that's also not considered part of the "official" continuity: the original Dragon Ball Z movies released in Japan between 1989 and 1995.
The Dragon Ball films originally were produced with the intent to premiere at Toei film festivals, making them special events for the fans and families to gather to watch. The films had no bearing on the ongoing anime series at the time with the best way of looking at them as stand-alone stories with character designs and power levels resembling how they were in the series at the time of the film's release. The plots were generally simple, being more action heavy with our heroes fighting against the newly created villains for the film. The first film to be officially considered canon wouldn't come until 2018 under the Super series. Despite the non-canonicity of the original films, their legacy left an impact on the Dragon Ball franchise, helping to inspire some story ideas and some aspects being readapted into the main canon.
In the United States, the movies would be dubbed and released alongside the main series, though not at the same schedule they both first premiered in Japan. As a kid at the time, I had no understanding of canon and was just happy to enjoy more DBZ. While I would later learn the true nature of the films, it doesn't really take away their entertainment value and I think if things were tweaked a little, the stories they tell could fit within the series' timeline. It's been a long time since I watched these, so I think it'll be fun to see how well they hold up.
Much like the series, the films can be broken up into three eras based on the saga of DBZ they were released during. This post will cover the first five DBZ films which were released during the Saiyan and Frieza sagas.

DEAD ZONE

Original Japanese Title: Return My Gohan

SYNOPSIS: Garlic Jr. is on the hunt for the seven Dragon Balls, and Gohan lands on the hit list when he refuses to surrender his own magic orb. Goku is ready to fight to save his son, but the situation takes a dire turn after the pint-sized villain summons Shenron and wishes for immortality.
MY THOUGHTS: I didn't expect nostalgia to kick in so early when starting to rewatch these movies, but here we are. Timeline wise, "Dead Zone" takes place just before the Saiyan saga, so for those who started watching with DBZ, this gave viewers of taste of the original Dragon Ball series. There was no mention of aliens, the fights were more about martial arts (and included Goku's power pole) than energy clashes, Kami got more hands on in the conflict, and Goku and Piccolo were still enemies turned reluctant allies for this film. It seemed so simple compared to how universal the franchise is today.
The biggest strength of the film in my opinion is the animation. The setting of Garlic Jr.'s castle with its spiky structure and the red skies does a good job in creating a demonic landscape where we spend most of the film, the fight scenes are entertaining (again due to the martial arts), and a lot of the facial expressions are top notch (particularly when Nicky gets enveloped by Goku's Kamehameha wave and when Gohan unleashes his power to push Garlic Jr. into the Dead Zone). I also think the film does well in hyping up the tension. For example, I got goosebumps during this rewatch at the start of the film when Garlic Jr.'s henchmen arrive at the Son family house; there's such an air of menace as they've already took down Ox King and circle around Chi-Chi with the four year old Gohan clutching to his mother's leg in fear.
It's worth noting that the villains of some of these films are considered retreads of villains from the main series. In the case of Garlic Jr., he's essentially a more competent version of Emperor Pilaf (which isn't helped by the fact that they basically have the same voice in the dub). Still, I thought Garlic Jr. was well done for the kind of villain these films bring to the table. He seeks world domination and seems to have the strength to make it happen, especially once he receives immortality. Garlic Jr. is also a pioneer of transformation in the series, which would become a staple for the main DBZ villains. And considering he goes from a light blue imp to a hulking dark green monstrosity, it's a transformation that should definitely evoke fear.
Aside from the inconsistency that Bulma, Krillin, and Roshi are aware of Gohan's existence, "Dead Zone" works well as a prelude to Dragon Ball Z. It's somewhat essential viewing as the film received a follow up story within the main anime. As series creator Akira Toriyama had intended to end the series at the Frieza saga but decided to continue, he needed time to begin crafting the Android saga. As such, we received the infamous ten episode Garlic Jr. saga to fill up some time.
There are a couple plot points in the film's story that are questionable though. First, why did Garlic Jr. try to have Piccolo and Kami killed before he used the Dragon Balls given all three's existence are intertwined? Yeah, it doesn't make much sense; the only explanation I can think of is because they needed a reason to have the two become aware of the villain's plan. The second is why the now immortal Garlic Jr. would open the Dead Zone? This one I can defend. Garlic Jr. was getting overwhelmed by Goku and Piccolo and pulled his trump card, protecting himself with an energy shield as the portal began sucking up everything. And let's be honest, DBZ villains have a tendency to try to destroy everything when things aren't going their way. Plus, this showed Garlic Jr.'s overconfidence which would prove to be his undoing as Gohan would release his own tremendous power to push Garlic Jr. through the portal and cause it to close. And now that I think about it, this was Gohan's first big victory in the franchise and would be a harbinger of great things to come for the character.
For the first Dragon Ball Z movie, "Dead Zone" is certainly not dead on arrival.

WORLD'S STRONGEST

Original Japanese Title: The Strongest Guy in the World

SYNOPSIS: After his cunning assistant gathers the Dragon Balls, Dr. Wheelo is finally freed from his icy tomb. The deadly duo plans to conquer the world with their brilliant biotechnology, but first they must find a body worthy of the doctor's amazing brain. Number one of the wish list - none other than Goku.
MY THOUGHTS: So this is where it all began for me. When DBZ was first starting in the United States, the first three movies were split into multi-part episodes, and I caught the final part of "World's Strongest" late night on Cartoon Network as a kid. Knowing nothing of what I was getting into, I saw these different looking characters fighting a brain in a giant robot with lasers coming out of their hands, tons of explosions, and a fight above the Earth's atmosphere in the end. And I was hooked. Over twenty years later, this film holds up extremely well.
During this rewatch, a thought occurred that "World's Strongest" could be looked at as a sci-fi horror film, which certainly helps it stand out in the Dragon Ball franchise. Dr. Wheelo is a unique movie villain, being a mad scientist with these creatures he's created to aid in his quest for domination; you could argue he was a precursor to Dr. Gero in the main series, even down to his brain occupying a robotic body. And of the forementioned creatures, the higher-ranking Bio-Warriors have some nice designs and unique power sets that make for some entertaining fights. A bulk of the film takes place in the confines of Wheelo's fortress/laboratory, which really stands out when you realize most Dragon Ball fights tend to take place in an open space. The structure and lighting (or lack thereof) within the fortress certainly creates a threatening environment and the feeling you're trapped along with our heroes.
While the characters match their stats as they were at the end of the Saiyan saga, the events of "World's Strongest" (as well as movies three and four) can't really take place until during the three-year training period for the Androids. Yes, you do have to fudge the power levels a little to make the threats credible, but it could work. While Goku was a Super Saiyan by then, I argue that Goku would normally get a feel for his opponents and raise his power to what the fight needs; and personally, I feel like Goku wouldn't want to use Super Saiyan as a crutch.
Everything that I thought was great about "Dead Zone" also applies to "World's Strongest" and to a higher degree at that. Aside from the Biomen just being blue Saibamen with different faces, I have nothing but positive thoughts toward the film. And at this point in my rewatch of the films, it's certainly reaffirming my belief that nothing beats old school Dragon Ball.

TREE OF MIGHT

Original Japanese Title: The Decisive Battle for the Whole Earth

SYNOPSIS: Turles, a Goku look-alike with very bad intentions, pits father against son with the help of a plant designed to consume the energy of an entire planet.
MY THOUGHTS: Of the original Dragon Ball Z movies, I have one main favorite and three runner-ups. "Tree of Might" is one of those runner-ups. What I love about the film is its "all hands on deck" nature. This is one of two films where all the Z-Fighters at the time of release got involved in the conflict. As someone who grew up on Power Rangers and Justice League, I always liked seeing heroes teaming up. While Goku is the only one to really get anything done, it's still cool to see the other characters in action and showing off their skills. Plus by this point as a kid, this was the first time I saw the Earth nearly destroyed in the franchise, what with the Tree of Might absorbing all of the planet's resources.
Of course one of the biggest topics of discussion of the film is its main villain Turles and his resemblance to Goku. Thematically, his appearance is supposed to be a dark mirror of Goku had he embraced his Saiyan instincts and took over the Earth as he was sent there to do. The two prevalent theories for his looking like Goku are that low-class Saiyans have similar features to each other or that he's simply another brother of Goku. I tend to side with the latter, because of what we would learn later about the nature of Saiyan hair both pure blood and hybrid. Throw in other characters from Goku's family including Bardock, Goten, and Goku Jr. from GT, it's clear that Saiyan hairstyle is hereditary (which can also be seen in Vegeta's family with his own father and descendent in GT). Turles being another son of Bardock isn't that impossible.
Turles and his role in the film has been considered a retread of Vegeta in the Saiyan saga. I don't really see that though as his motives were quite different. I'd say he's closer to Raditz, but that could be the potential familial ties influencing that thought. And while he does chastise Goku for turning his back on his heritage, that's pretty par the course when it came to Saiyan characters by that point.
Appearance and personality aside, I thought Turles was an impressive villain. He brought one of the most brutal moments in Dragon Ball by blasting Goku multiple times in the back while he was down and it was shocking to me when he was able to deflect Goku's initial Spirit Bomb (albeit a weaker one, but still). It certainly made his defeat through a wild west style showdown all the more satisfying in the climax.
While not perfect, "Tree of Might" is a worth a watch for those who want to see good triumph when things seem their darkest.

LORD SLUG

Original Japanese Title: Super Saiyan Son Goku

SYNOPSIS: Goku and Krillin race to save Earth from a giant asteroid, but a far greater menace lurks in the shadows. Lord Slug, a Namekian with legendary powers, seeks to create a new home for himself in the wake of his banishment.
MY THOUGHTS: To be blunt, "Lord Slug" is a serviceable film, but it's not one I'd go out of my way to watch outside of a movie marathon. While its biggest criticism is that it's a blatant retread of the King Piccolo saga from Dragon Ball (even down to Goku flying through Slug's chest), it's still very entertaining. The fight between Goku and Slug through a desolate city is a real highlight, both on the ground level and when Slug goes full kaiju. I also have to give a shout out to one of Slug's minions, Medamatcha; his rolling bulgy eyes and ability to spawn mini-me's that absorb energy make him a unique adversary in Dragon Ball as a whole.
So something to note is that the Japanese title for the film references Super Saiyan. And we do see the power-up...in a way.

When the film was released in Japan, the anime was still in the Frieza saga and Piccolo, after fusing with Nail, was about to fight Frieza in his second form. Super Saiyan hadn't officially debuted yet and Toriyama hadn't actually nailed down what the transformation would entail. In this film, we see what fans would dub "False Super Saiyan". While it appears more like a golden version of Kaio-Ken, it does nail down some of the aspects of what Super Saiyan would become known for, with a yellow aura and being triggered when a Saiyan is angered and at their lowest point (plus I think there was still debate at the time about whether Super Saiyan would be a controlled transformation or only came out when most needed). When it came to the dub's release schedule, the film didn't come out until well after the series finished the Cell Games. So imagine ten-year-old me, knowing the Japanese title for the film and expecting to see Goku go Super Saiyan for the first time in the movies. It was honestly a little disappointing for me, especially since the False Super Saiyan transformation didn't really play a part in Slug's defeat. Learning the circumstances later, I can't really fault them for my expectations.
Something else to note is that with movies four and five, the dub included then-current hard rock music, featuring bands like Disturbed, Deftones, Finger Eleven, and more. A real highlight of this aspect for "Lord Slug" is the use of "Stupify" by Disturbed, kicking in when an exhausted Goku catches Slug's fist and goes "Super Saiyan." Honestly, that moment alone makes the film worth a watch.

COOLER'S REVENGE

Original Japanese Title: The Outstanding Strongest vs. Strongest

SYNOPSIS: Cooler, brother of the fallen Frieza, travels to Earth on a mission to settle an old score with Goku. Backed by his evil Armored Squadron, Cooler aims to eliminate all of Goku's closest allies, staring with Piccolo and Gohan. The monster seeks vengeance, and he'll destroy the entire planet to get what he came for.

MY THOUGHTS: The final movie for this post is another one of my runner-up favorites. "Cooler's Revenge" has the benefit of building off the events of the main series and while the plot is simple, how it uses its elements is what helped engrain the film into my memory.
Cooler and his Armored Squadron are quite similar to Frieza and the Ginyu Force, but they still stand out to me. The Armored Squadron play a much bigger role compared to other movie villain minions, which makes them easier to remember than others, especially their fights with Piccolo and their deaths at his hand. Showing how strong they are also hypes up how more powerful their boss could be.
Along with being more methodical in his actions, what I think really sets Cooler apart from Frieza is his power level. Being set after Frieza's defeat, it only makes sense that Cooler would be stronger than his brother, especially if he's to be taken seriously as a threat in the movie. It was a good start with Cooler incapacitating Goku with a shot in the back from his eye lasers. The most iconic thing about Cooler though is he has one more transformation than Frieza; not only is it an intimidating design (and also more creative than the new forms Frieza would get in Super), but it's in that form that Cooler is able to give Goku a pretty brutal beatdown, including being able to fly through a Kamehameha to deliver a punch in one of the more amazing visuals of the film.
As such, this beatdown leads to Goku's first official Super Saiyan transformation in the movies. It's a spectacular sight in its own right and one of the best "going Super Saiyan" moments of the franchise, but it's the dub's use of "Change" by Deftones that takes the scene to a higher plane. Between this and the scene in "Lord Slug", the dub really knew how to hype up the legendary transformation.
As mentioned, the connections "Cooler's Revenge" has to events of the main series helps hype up the film and it would be easy for someone to see it as canon. Along with Frieza's defeat being Cooler's motivation for coming to Earth, the opening of the film shows Cooler was present during Bardock's last stand against Frieza and the destruction of Planet Vegeta. Said scene also shows Cooler witnessing a baby Goku's Saiyan pod flying from the planet but allowing it to go believing it to be Frieza's problem, which makes his defeat by Goku even more satisfying when he realizes he could have prevented his family's demise. While movies two through five can be placed during the three-year training period for the Androids, "Cooler's Revenge" is the one with the least trouble doing so. The only real inconsistency is Gohan's hair retaining its bowl cut from the Frieza saga and his tail randomly appearing for a majority of the film despite not being there when we first see him at home or at the end after Cooler's defeat. Plus, as I brought up way back in the Super Android 17 Saga post, Cooler's appearance in GT among the villains who escaped Hell does make "Cooler's Revenge" canon to the anime in some regard.

And so, "Cooler's Revenge" gives us a strong finish to a strong start to this series of posts. Will the second batch of films from the Android Saga keep this streak going? Find out next time on the Dragon Ball Z Movie Retrospective!

My Top Five Favorite Imagine Dragons Songs

 

Much like Nickelback, alternative rock band Imagine Dragons is another musical act that tends to get a lot hate thrown their way. While the criticisms are similar, I can't really defend Imagine Dragons the same way I did Nickelback a couple years ago. There are certainly some songs by Imagine Dragons that sound generic and fit right in with modern pop music, whereas Nickelback at least has their own distinct sound. Still, I don't think this happens too often as most of the songs I've heard by the band do tend to fit more with the alternative genre. Again, it's up to you whether you like an artist or not. For the most part, I think there's more to like about Imagine Dragons than not, and I wanted to share my thoughts on some of their best hits. These are my top five favorite Imagine Dragons songs.

5. WHATEVER IT TAKES

If you're building a motivational playlist, I feel like "Whatever It Takes" would be a good selection. Lyrically, the song is meant to amp you up, trying to build your confidence as you work towards your goals. There's also this need for support from others but acknowledging you may have to go it alone. Musically, I love how each stage from the song, from the verses, pre-chorus and chorus (especially the background vocalization), is different while still building off each other. It does a good job at showcasing lead vocalist Dan Reynolds' range as a singer, from fast paced to soft spoken and everything in between.

But as an English major, I am going to use this opportunity to call out a grammatical error in the song: a comma is more appropriate to signify there's more to see rather than an apostrophe.

4. ZERO

"Zero" is a fascinating song in how its sound and message juxtapose each other. Much like "Semi-Charmed Life" by Third Eye Blind, "Zero" is an upbeat song with dark lyrics when you listen closely. To top it off, the song was written for the Wreck-It Ralph sequel "Ralph Breaks the Internet" and played as the end credits begin to roll; it's just kind of ballsy to close out a kids film with a song that has nigh suicidal tendencies. And yet, it fits really well for the film. "Zero" is basically an outcast anthem that acts as a rallying call to other outcasts (possibly quite literally with the vocalizations at the song's beginning and ending), showing they're not alone. Ralph and Vanellope were the outcasts of their own games, bonding over their similar lots in life and becoming best friends. The line "I'm looking for a way out" could also be a reference to the characters "going Turbo" by jumping into different games, like Ralph did in the first film and Vanellope staying in "Slaughter Race" at the end of the second.

The film's context aside, I find "Zero" to be an easily relatable song in its own right. Sometimes you'll find yourself going through life feeling without purpose, and to some degree, you'll either be open about it or keep it inside while finding ways or reasons to stay afloat above the darker thoughts. The verses before the final chorus with the loss of the upbeat music may signify opening up as a way, as said before, to find others who feel the same way.

3. RADIOACTIVE

While considering my choices for this list, I had a feeling that the song that gained Imagine Dragons widespread recognition would be included, similar to what "How You Remind Me" was for Nickelback. While "It's Time" was the band's debut single, I think it's the follow up in "Radioactive" that truly set Imagine Dragons apart. I like "It's Time" and understand its sound had more appeal, but "Radioactive" probably should have been the lead single because it brought something unique and was more likely to catch your attention (it did for me at least). Its' foreboding tone accompanies the description of a world unlike our own and a darker one at that. The lyric "Welcome to the new age" works not only in the message of the song but also as the introduction of the band as they bring something new to the mainstream music scene.

2. DEMONS

Much like "Zero", "Demons" is a song about self-worth but more even more so, it's about being afraid to open up. Even good people have darker traits they keep hidden out of fear of how those they care about could be affected by it. They don't want their own darkness to hurt or spread to someone who doesn't deserve that kind of pain. "Demons" does well in capturing the emotions of such a struggle. The lines that resonate most with me are "Don't wanna let you down but I am hell bound" and "Your eyes they shine so bright, I want to save that light." There is a glimmer of hope though of the right person standing beside you in spite of that ("I can't escape this now unless you show me how").

Before my number one, here's some quick honorable mentions of songs I enjoy just as much and/or feel are similar to those on this list: "Ready, Aim, Fire", "Shots", "Believer", and "Bad Liar".

And my favorite Imagine Dragons song is...

WRECKED

Inspired by the death of Dan Reynolds' sister-in-law, "Wrecked" is about how losing someone close can affect you in a way that you may never fully recover, likening it to the wreck of a ship. It's another easily relatable situation, and in my opinion, this is the band's best song. Ironically, everything about "Wrecked" is so well put together. At each stage of the song, the musical composition heightens Reynolds' emotional vocals as the ship metaphor is used perfectly to describe the feelings being conveyed. While there's a silver lining of the song's message in the verses before the final chorus, it's really more about how grief works in a circle; in between the moments of pain, you remember that the person you lost would still want you to live your own life to the fullest along with the hope you'll someday meet again in wherever the journey after life leads next.

Overall, "Wrecked" highlights the complex feelings of loss and is a perfect example of how deep Imagine Dragons can really be.

Movie Review: "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" - Making Peace

 

It came as a shock to the world when the Black Panther himself, Chadwick Boseman, passed away in 2020 after years of battling colon cancer. It was an unprecedented situation where the lead of a mainstream superhero franchise died while still active in the role. In spite of the loss, Marvel moved forward with the Black Panther sequel and decided to lay the character of T'Challa to rest as well. Many have disagreed with this choice given superhero recastings of the past and normally I would agree that an actor shouldn't be bigger than their character. But this is different. One, this isn't some behind the scenes drama like with what happened with Terrence Howard and Edward Norton in their respective roles. Two, the first Black Panther movie was a cultural milestone with Boseman's performance being a key factor. And most importantly, it's too soon. There are people still grieving for Boseman's death, including the cast and crew of the first film, who returned for the sequel to both process their grief and honor their fallen friend. At this point, it would be cheap and disrespectful to swap another actor in. So will we ever see T'Challa in the MCU again? Well, the multiverse and variants are in play now, so there's certainly a chance. Right now, we have "Wakanda Forever", which acts as a powerful tribute to the past and a moving path to the future.

As much of the MCU post-Endgame has dealt with how one processes loss, "Wakanda Forever" probably has the most poignant portrayal due to the real world connotations. Much like Boseman, T'Challa's death is due to illness, which is respectful to the actor's memory and shows that a hero's death can be the normal kind of tragic and not due to some sort of supervillain's plan. After a one year time jump, we see how his passing still affects those closest to him and the world at large which reflects how anyone could deal with such a loss. Some bury themselves in their work, some ignore their emotions, some try to make the world a little better as a way to honor their memory, some feel anger and the need to release it, while others are more opportunistic (which kind of ties in with my thoughts in my "Ms. Marvel" review with the direction the MCU may be heading).

It's an overwhelmingly emotional film full of many outstanding performances with the best coming in my opinion from Letitia Wright as Shuri, the central character of the film. As T'Challa's sister, she seems to be hit the hardest by his loss, especially since she was trying to cure his condition before his passing. As such, we see her go through much mental anguish, processing her own grief while dealing with the new threat to Wakanda. Her arc reminds me much of T'Challa's back in "Civil War" and Killmonger's motivation in the previous film as she tows the line between duty and self-satisfaction.

Our main antagonist of the film is Namor, with Tenoch Huerta Mejia successfully bringing one of Marvel's oldest characters to live action for the first time (and is actually less dickish than I thought he'd be). Similar to Black Adam, he is more of an anti-hero than a villain and there are many parallels with his story and Shuri's. Namor is the ruler and protector of the underwater civilization of Talokan. Much like the introductions of Wakanda in the first Black Panther and Ta Lo in Shang-Chi, the film does a good albeit brief job of establishing another new world to the MCU with its Mayan influence helping it stand out. Since Talokan is also rich with Vibranium, it puts its warriors on even footing with the Wakandans, making for some well-done fight scenes. I believe the similarities between the two cultures ties in with the political message of the film which calls back to T'Challa's speech to the UN in the previous film, and it's something that's still relevant today as division still rears its ugly head in society.

A new hero is introduced in the film in the form of Dominique Thorne as Riri Williams. A nineteen year old genius, she's able to build her own prototype Iron Man armor before using the resources of Wakanda to craft the perfected Ironheart suit for the film's climax. Thorne gives a good performance for a young character thrown into some superhero craziness but wants to do what she can to help. We don't learn too much about her, but it should be enough to get people interested in her Disney+ series coming next year. While the film seems to connect her more to Black Panther in the MCU rather than Iron Man like in the comics, I would still like to see her and Spider-Man interact at some point in the future and maybe compare notes.

I still prefer the first Black Panther film due to some of the action being more appealing to the eye, but I know action (as good as it was) isn't the driving force for "Wakanda Forever." As the film pours out so much emotion that you'll still be processing it long after the ending, we're given a successful tribute to the late Chadwick Boseman and T'Challa's legacy as well as one of the best entries in the MCU in its own right.

Changing of the Doctor Part Two: Final Thoughts on the Whittaker Era

 

Another era of Doctor Who has come to an end as Jodie Whittaker has completed her final adventure as the series' Thirteenth Doctor. It's been an interesting time to say the least, and it seems only right to give my thoughts on the show's last few years from the Doctor herself, her companions, the storylines, and the game changing moments that came about.

As I said in my previous Doctor Who post, Whittaker brought a lot of youthful energy very reminiscent of both David Tenant and Matt Smith and an optimistic personality that never wavered even when her whole universe was literally crashing down around her. I really have no negative notes as her performance was a joy from beginning to end.

The Thirteenth Doctor's initial companions included Ryan Sinclair, his former school mate Yasmin "Yaz" Kahn, and his step-grandfather Graham O'Brian. Having three main companions was a real change of pace for the revival era with the diversity of the characters creating more of a family dynamic, hence the Doctor constantly referring to them as "fam." I really liked them all and what they brought to the show, particularly Ryan and Graham's relationship as they grow closer while still mourning the loss of Grace, Ryan's grandmother and Graham's wife, in the season eleven premiere. Admittedly though, it was a bit of a juggling act getting to know each one and who got more focus in an episode, especially since this era seemed to give just as much focus to an episode's guest characters as the main ones.
Ryan and Graham left the show after season twelve, leaving Yaz as the Doctor's sole companion for the time being. It was by this point that it became evident that Yaz had romantic feelings for the Doctor; it may feel like it comes out of nowhere, but a rewatch shows these seeds were being planted since episode 11.4, "Arachnids in the UK". While they could have returned to formula with the Doctor and their companion with romantic connotations, the thirteenth season introduced Dan Lewis as a new fellow companion. Now Dan was a fun character, but his introduction kind of highlighted this era's penchant for constantly adding characters. More importantly though, it made it seem like the people behind the scenes didn't want it to be just the Doctor and Yaz on adventures. It's as if they either didn't have the skills to write stories for just the two of them or they didn't want to commit to a same-sex relationship for the Doctor without someone of the opposite gender in the mix somehow.
I'd also be remiss if I didn't talk about Sacha Dhawan as the new incarnation of the Master. He reminded me much of John Simm's portrayal, having this manic energy and penchant for theatrics that highlighted his psychopathy. He made a great archenemy to Whittaker's Doctor with his reveal alone being one of the best moments of her era.

When it comes to the stories of the Thirteenth Doctor, there's nothing I can really say that I couldn't about any other Doctor's era. You have some great episodes, some are less so, but the performances of the actors are always on point, usually resulting in entertainment to some degree. I do think her first season was the best, as doing done in one stories with no overarching plot was a fun change of pace. The main criticisms I've seen during this era are that the show became "woke" or that the messages of an episode were too blatant. To the first one, I refer you back to my comments about toxic fandom from my She-Hulk review. On the second, honestly in this day and age, some people need to have things spelled out for them.
I will say though that in their efforts to harken back to the Tenant and Smith eras, they may have borrowed and remixed ideas from Tenant's episodes a bit too much (which makes the next regeneration funny, but we'll get to that). The following is a list of things I noticed that happened during both Tenant and Whittaker's runs:
* The Doctor leaving a pre-recorded message that seemed to respond to its recipients in real time.
* A black and red bug themed monster of the week.
* The Doctor's memories being contained in a pocket watch.
* The current Doctor's end being prophesized with the message hanging over their head up to their final episode.
* Companions from the classic era returning and making the current one feel less special.
* The Master copying his genetic template into someone without their consent.
* The Doctor and a large group of allies working to save the day (twice in Whittaker's case).
It just seems a little too coincidental if you ask me.

Of course, the biggest development in Doctor Who to come from this era is the Timeless Child revelation. As it turns out, the Doctor was not born on Gallifrey, but was found as a child and brought there with their ability to regenerate discovered and then implanted in what would become the Time Lords. At some point, the Doctor had their memories erased before regenerating once more into a child that would eventually become the First Doctor introduced when the series began in 1963.
The implication that there were multiple regenerations before the First Doctor has had a polarized reaction within the fanbase. Some applaud it for doing something new with the franchise while others see it as a needless change that brings complications more than anything. I'm a bit torn on the matter. I started watching with Tenant, so I don't think I'm allowed to be as mad about this as those who have been lifelong fans. Besides that, Doctor Who has been no stranger to retcons, with John Hurt's War Doctor being a prime example. More relevant though, the rules of regeneration have been a little fast and loose within the show's history, but the prominent standing has been that Time Lords are only allotted twelve regenerations (though the Doctor received another set of twelve at the end of "The Time of The Doctor"). However, the classic era episode "The Brain of Morbius" from 1976 implies that there were more incarnations of the Doctor before the First and is referenced during Whittaker's era.
I do sympathize with some fans' anger though who adhered to the established rules of regeneration and that William Hartnell was the true First Doctor. The Timeless Child revelation has felt like a black cloud over the show ever since. I was honestly expecting them to retcon the retcon after the fan reaction and reveal it was the Master who was actually the Timeless Child, but they stuck to their guns and I respect that. However, it does feel like this is something that the showrunners moving forward will avoid referring to, similar to how Marvel didn't talk about the Spider-Man Clone Saga for years after its completion. When the Doctor retrieves a pocket watch that contains her pre-First Doctor memories, she asks the TARDIS to hide it away, and it's not brought up again for the rest of Whittaker's run.

When it comes to the Thirteenth Doctor's final episode, "The Power of the Doctor", I thought it was overall fine if a bit rushed. The premise was interesting and there were a lot of good ideas used, though not to their full potential in my opinion, especially since this episode also seemed to be serving as an anniversary special as well. Nonetheless, it was a good way for Jodie to ride off into the literal sunset.
Overall, I think Whittaker's time as the Doctor will be viewed as infamous not because of her but because of story choices made during her run. It's kind of a shame because there were still plenty of good moments these last few years.

I'm about to go into SPOILER territory now concerning the Doctor's latest regeneration and what it might mean for the future, so I'd advise to stop reading now if you haven't watched "Power of the Doctor" yet.

First off, I'm sure the TARDIS appreciates that the Doctor actually landed this time and regenerated outside. Of all the regenerations I talked about, this one is definitely the most optimistic and fits Jodie's Doctor well. Even in the end, she was just happy to give someone else a turn.
During the course of the episode, the Master had actually prompted a forced regeneration on the Doctor and transfer himself over to her body, intent on ruining the legacy of the name (sort of a Superior Spider-Man situation, which is funny because I used this comparison in my Iron Fist season two review and it was Sacha Dhawan there too). Inside the Doctor's mind though, she was alive and encountered manifestations of her previous incarnations (with actors reprising their roles) who tell her she can still return. Thanks to Yaz's efforts, the regeneration was reversed and the Thirteenth Doctor came back and saved the day. As a proper regeneration was triggered by the episode's end, it seems that despite looking forward to the future, some part of her was still looking back and threw a curveball as she regenerates into another previous incarnation with David Tenant returning to the role. And they've since made it clear that this isn't the return of the Tenth Doctor; the version Tenant is playing now is indeed the Fourteenth Doctor.
While it feels like a stunt to bring David Tenant back as the Doctor (in addition to Catherine Tate as Donna Noble) for a few special episodes in hopes of bringing back fans who may have given up in the last few years, it is still David Tenant after all. The man's original tenure as the Doctor brought in a new generation of fans (myself included), is regarded by many as the best version, and they even considered ending the show again when he wanted to retire. His reputation precedes him, and it will be fun to see him on new adventures and it could be interesting to see how Fourteen may be different from Ten.

Doctor Who won't return until November 2023, but like Thirteen, I'll be hopeful for what the future brings to the Doctor and the fans.