This is a review for Sony Pictures latest Marvel installment called Morbius – Starring Jared Leto, Matt Smith and Adria Arjona.
Doctor Michael Morbius is suffering from a rare blood disease, and he attempts to cure this using very specific DNA from Bats. However, this does not go completely in his favour, and ends up becoming the Living Vampire.
The main story is straight-forward, explained well, and solid throughout. It’s easy for someone to be introduced to this character for the first time, through this movie.
There were some scenes that had thrilling action sequences, and scenes that gave a good jump-scare. There was a great on-screen chemistry built up between the characters (Michael Morbius, Martine Bancroft and Loxius Crown), and interactions felt genuine, in order to reach that ending perfectly.
Jared Leto embodies the role of Michael Morbius very well and feels like his best performance in years! Leto conveys his line deliveries with the impression of being in pain, as expected with someone suffering from an extreme medical condition, and begins to bring more energy to his role once he transforms.
Matt Smith acted tremendously as the villian Loxius Crown, alongside Jared Leto. Some cheesy scenes ‘here and there’ for Smith. However, Smith did the best with what he was given, and does fit well with his acting style like in Doctor Who.
Adria Arjona was a great supporting role as Doctor Martine Bancroft. Martine is important with helping Morbius’ journey to becoming the Living Vampire. Looking forward to her role growing further in future movies.
There was one line that bugged me, when Morbius said the Venom joke, that was in the trailer: he said “I am Venom!” except he only told half of it in the movie, by leaving out “just kidding, it’s Doctor Michael Morbius at your service”, even through this was cheesy, the line worked better when it was complete.
The pacing and scene transitions seem edited so much better; less rushed and less choppy compared to Sony’s other movie ‘Venom: Let There Be Carnage’.
Some of the CGI does look very outdated and unfinished, mainly when there are face changes from human to vampire. It’s important that Sony should have focused more on this. That part is like watching the bad side of an early 2000’s movie. Besides this, other aspects look impressive; when Morbius traverses around the city and moving to fight people. The appearance of echo-location being used also looks and sounds very cool!
Post-credit scenes
As mentioned earlier in the beginning of the article… the main story is consistent. Apart from when the post-credit scenes arrive to mess this up.
Since Daniel Espinosa (Morbius director) no longer counts these as spoilers, as he spoiled them a week before cinema release, I will critique them here.
There are two credit scenes that instantly lose the consistency of Morbius’ journey and confuses the ending of ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’.
First credit scene
Adrian Toomes appears in a cell in the Venom-verse (same one that Morbius is set in). Michael Keaton’s Vulture should have gone back to the MCU after the spell was reversed by Doctor Strange.
Second credit scene
Vulture is essentially assembling a team to get revenge on ‘a’ Spider-Man. There’s not really any motive there for Morbius to be involved in this vendetta against him. Since Tom Holland’s Spider-Man is not even in that universe. It’s not really clear if they will just assemble a team to attack any Spider-Man that they find.
Why was Venom dragged back to his own universe while Vulture continued to be in the Venom-verse too, as well this; enough time passes, that Adrian builds a new suit!? Very convenient and lazy plot writing! Did Doctor Strange still mess up the spell? It’s very messy!
Without focusing on the credits and inconsistent CGI on the faces too much. It’s a straight-forward origin story, with exciting moments throughout. The main story ending gets wrapped up well. Morbius makes for a decent watch.
