Product Info

Studio

Bones

Director

Kenji Nagasaki

Genre

Action, Adventure, Animation

Rated

PG-13

Theatrical Release Date (NA)

Sep 25, 2018

Release Date (NA)

Mar 19, 2019

Film Length

1hr 36min

Purchase From

Amazon

Best Buy

Does it seem that superhero movies these days are dark and kind of depressing where even Superman of the DC Extended Universe is a gritty shadow of his hopeful self? Granted, many of these stories are dealing with heavy themes across an elaborate narrative tapestry like in Marvel’s cinematic goldmine, but aside from a Guardians here and a Ragnarok there, finding the fun and joy in them is increasingly difficult. Then there’s My Hero Academia, an underdog story about a would-be-hero born without special powers (Quirks) in a world where most people have them, and the feature length debut of this smash anime and manga series offers a light in that darkness. My Hero Academia: Two Heroes shines bright, delivering a straightforward but crowd-pleasing adventure.

The opening scene of the movie exemplifies that idea perfectly. It focuses on All Might, the television series’s version of Superman, in an exploit from before he became the number one hero in the world and the Symbol of Peace. Crooks with Quirks have just robbed a casino in Las Vegas and are making their getaway in the air with a massive squad of police cars after them on the ground. However, it doesn’t take long before the cops are thwarted by one of the crook’s powers. Enter All Might, college student, along with his friend Dave who says to make it quick because the two of them are late for class. All Might, smiling wide and laughing boisterously, takes down the villains with his overwhelming strength, and with the crowd in awe and wondering at the identity of the hero, Dave plays the role of promoter. Afterward, the duo drive away, only to hear of trouble elsewhere via the radio. Dave sighs at All Might’s eagerness to go but relents because helping people is always worth it, after all.

It’s a stand-up-and-cheer moment for the audience, both in-universe and in real life, and it’s not simply because the heroic music swells or the fact that the good guy has beaten the bad guy, although those do help; it’s because the character himself loves helping people, and you feel it. All Might is almost childlike in his genuine good-ness. It’s infectious, and that positive feeling forms the underpinning of the entire movie. From the way people work together to the positive can-do attitudes, hope is present no matter how bad the situation gets.

Of course, All Might is not the protagonist of the movie, which takes place between the events of seasons two and three of the televised series; that honor goes to his apprentice, fan, and student at hero school, Izuku Midoriya, also known as “Deku.” He and All Might travel to I-Island, a man-made city built solely for the purpose of studying Quirks and their effects, at the request of a friend in order to see the I-Expo, an event that’s part Disney World and part industry convention for the latest and greatest in professional hero support. The two are welcomed at the gate by the lively Melissa Shield, daughter of All Might’s friend Dave, and it turns out she brought them there to surprise her beloved father who is now a world-renowned Quirk researcher. As the old friends reminisce, Deku and Melissa explore the expo and run into several of Deku’s fellow hero school classmates. However, when villains take over the expo, capture All Might, and hold Dave and all the other guests on the island hostage, it is up to them to save everyone.

The action ramps up from there, and because most of the remaining film takes place in one giant tower, it’s actually a little reminiscent of Die Hard, minus 99.9 percent of the swearing and Alan Rickman’s Hans Gruber. The various enemy encounters as they climb upward allow for each of the students to show off their special powers in a satisfying way, and there’s plenty of humor between them to balance out the tension. The final battle against the main villain naturally raises the stakes to their highest, nigh-insurmountable level, but you can’t help but get excited as the heroes get pumped up and battle their way back. And that finishing blow is freaking awesome, period. It’s all also visually clean and crisp with bright colors, and the 3D-modeled elements, while noticeable, don’t detract from the frame at all.

However, although the movie is a joy to watch, there are a couple issues that hold it back. Mainly, the primary villain is kind of forgettable. I honestly don’t even remember if they ever bothered to mention his name, but his Quirk is the ability to control metal, which inevitably draws comparisons to Magneto of the X-Men franchise. It also doesn’t really help that he just stands around, looking menacing for most of the film and says little until the end. That’s a real shame because in the Japanese version of the movie, he’s played by Rikiya Koyama, who has voiced several cool anime characters both heroic and villainous, and it feels like a waste of a good voice. Plus, given the fact that the series has memorable villains like Stain and All For One, it’s surprising that he is little more than a glorified thug.

In addition to the villain, the story itself is relatively simplistic. For a series that constantly examines what it truly means to be a hero, the movie doesn’t delve too deeply into the points that it raises. Yes, good people sometimes do bad things, but these motivational circumstances are only touched on in a quick explanatory scene. As a result, the reveal and subsequent responses by certain characters lack dramatic weight, which is disappointing. Other minor things are questionable, too, like the fact that the Full Gauntlet that Melissa gives Deku conveniently bypasses his physical shortcomings regarding the use of his powers, as well as the fact that Deku and All Might are able to have an entire, non-Quirk-enabled conversation with only their eyes. Both instances strain the audiences suspension of disbelief, but they’re not too problematic.

For the most part, though, the new elements the movie adds to the series work well, from the way it fits perfectly into the chronology to the new characters it introduces. It’s unknown if Melissa Shield will reappear at some point but she would be a welcome addition. Plus, you can’t help but smile when she refers to All Might as “Uncle Might.”

Overall, My Hero Academia: Two Heroes is a strong first film in the popular franchise. Although it trips on its own cape a couple times, it’s still a fun ride that radiates a positivity that’s been missing in recent superhero films. Now, the Plus Ultra second film awaits!

Fans can visit the film’s official website for more information.