Movie Review - Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation

Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation

2015

The Cast

  

This is an all-out actionfest.  Right from the opening you've got Cruise (Ethan Hunt) holding onto the side of an aeroplane as it takes off - Bloody Nutter!  This in most films would be the top stunt; this, of course, is MI so it's just your opening salvo of insaneness.

It's the story which kinda lets it down.  These have now become secondary to the stunts, which I have to say are superb - and not too much CGI (except for the tech stuff, that is).  Here you have a secret organisation called The Syndicate (nope they don't rig the lottery).  But as "syndicate" describes a group working towards an aim, then the name is wrong as it turns out to be one man controlling his own mercenary army.  I think there would have been great scope had it actually been a syndicate with many heads like the hydra.

There are a couple of holes in the story though they are minor... except for the ending... just how did the bad guy NOT think the scenario would turn out this way.  Bit of a let down as he'd been ahead of Hunt and his team all through the film.  In fact, the way Lane (Sean Harris) manipulates people is pretty awesome and is a good plot builder and twist creator.  It's this element that keeps the story interesting.  But in the end, Hunt has to overcome... it's just a shame that the ending wasn't as twist orientated as the rest of the story.

I cannot fault the direction or the pace of the film, as McQuarrie, gives the audience an atmospheric and excitement filled rollercoaster ride of a movie.  He is great at filming the fight scenes and chases as well as the drama set-up acting scenes.  For example the car and bike chase between Hunt and Ilsa Faust (Ferguson).  When Hunt's car crashes he slows down the action to build tension... and then to build to a comical end to that scene, before revving up the torque to near maximum for the rest of the chase.

In fact, it's Rebecca Ferguson (Faust) that adds Kudos to the cast.  She gives a fantastic performance as a strong-minded and deadly woman who happens to be beautiful and sexy to boot.  She even has an air of secrecy and mystery to her.  You are never too sure about her or her motives.  This in some way is told by the story but a lot of it comes from Ferguson's portrayal of Faust.  This is one actress to watch.  She and her character really made this film for me.  It's nice to have a new strong character as we've gotten used to the others.  And to be honest when I see Cruise, Penn, Rhames, Renner and Baldwin I actually see them and not their characters as throughout the years they've become partially stereotyped.  Which is a shame as it's this that lets the film down slightly.  At least in MI III, the writers tried to give Ethan Hunt a deeper character, one with issues and problems - shame they didn't progress down that line.

I would happily recommend this to all lovers of Mission Impossible and action films alike.  There's not much you have to do as a viewer except sit back and enjoy... hopefully you'll make it to the edge of your seat a couple of times.

I give this an impossibly rip-roaring 7.75 out of 10.

The Trailer

Movie Review - The Debt

The Debt

2010

Production Companies:  Miramax, Marv Films, Pioneer Pictures

This cold war spy story takes place in two time periods - 1965 and 1997.  Three Mossad agents are sent into East Berlin to retrieve the Nazi war criminal.  However, things do not go according to plan.  The details of which have been repressed but are now threatening to break into the light and bring the agents and their mission into a very public eye.

If you like spy thrillers you may like this one, it is beautifully filmed though a tad on the slow side with a story which isn't as strong as the acting.

The writers do a great job with interweaving past with the present, especially where the secrets are concerned.  Having Rachel's daughter publishing a book about her and the mission at the time when things are starting to unravel is a brilliant idea, though I don't think it's fully utilised and expanded upon, because when the truth is revealed it will make her daughter look inexperienced as an investigative reporter.  This would have added greater depth and better characterisation of Helen Mirren's Rachel; which it needed.  There was enough space within the story to accomplish this as there are scenes which are too drawn out.  The ending is predictable and feels like it's been tagged on to give the story a happier ending.  To me, it felt like a cop out and once again showed the differences between the Rachel characters.

Another drawback is the secret itself.  I for one cannot understand why they didn't tell the truth, to begin with.  That way they could have just got on with rectifying the situation.  It was this thought that through the rest of the film out of balance by making it feel weak and pointless.

It was the acting, especially from the 1965 cast, which carried the story and the film.  Chastain's Rachel is an intelligent and strong individual; this, however, is not the case with Mirren's Rachel who doesn't appear to have these characteristics.  To be honest, only Wilkinson's and Csokas' Stephen Gold could be the same person.  These differences in the main characters slightly detracted me from the movie.

As for the direction, this could have been tighter at times to create an exciting atmosphere when needed and slower at other times to build suspense.  Unfortunately, the director opts for a steady pace, which at times, is too slow and verges on boring.  The locations are great and give the feel of the period, as does the lighting,  Along with some nicely thought out camera shots, it adds strength and atmosphere to the film.

I'd recommend this to all lovers of spy thrillers, though if you're new to the genre I wouldn't start with this film; it's not the best of its kind and may put you off watching other better spy thrillers.  That said, it is worth at least one watch.

Movie Review - The Man From U.N.C.L.E.

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

2014

The Cast

I must be having a Reboot Session, what with watching this title as well as the 2010 version of A Nightmare On Elm Street and the 2013 The Lone Ranger.

This was another of my favourite television programs of my childhood with the suave spy Napoleon Solo (I mean what a great name - and a spy to boot) and Illya Kuryakin (try saying that when you're only six - English was hard enough...)

So I put off watching this film as I hated Guy Ritchie's take on Sherlock Holmes... and I'm not a great Mark Strong fan.  Well, I couldn't believe my luck, a Guy Ritchie film minus Mark Strong...

... and ...

A brilliant adaptation of the original series.  Right from the beginning, I was hooked.  Guy Ritchie does a brilliant job of recreating the sixties... the cars... the buildings... the clothes... the feel... It is awesome to behold.  And the fact that, on the whole, the special effects are real, only using CGI to mask wires, cranes, etc, is superb and makes the movie more believable, sometimes CGI can distance an audience if not used correctly.

The opening sequence, a car chase between a Trabant and a Wartburg is one of the best I've had the privilege to watch.  Truthfully, all the action sequences are marvellous and great to watch.

The directors of "Man of Steel - Batman vs Superman" and "The Lone Ranger" should take note that their leading men were exceedingly better in this movie than theirs.  In fact, Henry Cavill gives a performance as Napoleon Solo, that would also have made a great Superman, not the womanising and arrogant parts of his character, but the surety of the character and his vocals.  Armie Hammer is a brilliant Illya Kuryakin, who, in this movie, is more of a powerhouse and doggedly determined.  This difference from the original's character makes for a better dynamic between the two spies and a stronger film.

I also liked the idea that this is the story of the creation of U.N.C.L.E. (United Network Command for Law and Enforcement), and that we get to see a little bit of Waverly's background, again this makes for a stronger film, as well as stronger sequels.

This movie is all about style, right from the beautiful opening credits to the closing credits, and the soundtrack is no different.  It works so perfectly with the feel of the movie, adding to the action sequences, the romance, and even the comedy.

The only reason this didn't rate a 10 was the bloody annoying subtitle's - Guy, you chose the wrong font.

If you like stylised spy thrillers with great story telling, action sequences, and brilliant acting, that leave you feeling happy and invigorated then this is a "buy me" film.  Had I known it was so good I would've purchased at full price and not waited for the price drop.  Everybody deserves their money for this endeavour.

I give this Retro Remake a Spytastic 9 out of 10.

The Trailer