'Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation' Review

Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation Review:

Buckle Up

BY IAN TAN

I'd like this on my room wall

            In Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation the CIA, believing that the IMF’s (Impossible Missions Force) unorthodox methods of accomplishing missions are a threat to global security, shuts it down. Meanwhile, Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) discovers The Syndicate, a rogue nation consisting of disavowed agents that will stop at nothing to eradicate the IMF for good. With the CIA believing The Syndicate to be a figment of Hunt’s imagination, Ethan is tasked with killing two birds with one stone: 1) exposing The Syndicate to the CIA, thus proving its existence and justifying the need for the IMF, and 2) preventing The Syndicate from carrying out their dastardly plans for “world change”.  

            First of all, as far as action is concerned, this sequel towers over its predecessors. In Rogue Nation, director Christopher McQuarrie takes all your favourite action sequences from prior M:I films and injects them with steroids. “So you liked that motorcycle chase from M:I:II? Here’s a better one. Loved seeing Tom Cruise scale the Burj Khalifa in Ghost Protocol? We’ve got him strapped onto the side of a flying aeroplane this time. Want us to pay homage to that vault infiltration scene from the first movie? We’ll make him do the same thing, this time underwater, with a spinning turbine, and no oxygen for a good six minutes” was probably what went through McQuarrie’s head while writing the script for the movie. The action in this film is truly exhilarating and deserves to be seen on the largest screen possible. The use of more exotic locations such as Vienna, Casablanca and London escalates the scale of the film as a whole too.

Dude left his phone on the plane.

But action’s not the only thing this film does better than its predecessors; the character dynamics in Rogue Nation are probably the best ever seen in a Mission: Impossible movie. The film opens with our main characters split up from one another, but as the plot unfolds, it’s genuinely exciting to see them slowly come together as a team, especially in the film’s climax where sweet justice is served.

The cast does a terrific job in their respective roles. It’s nice to see the camaraderie between Jeremy Renner’s Agent Brandt and Ving Rhames’ Luther in the movie – two characters that know Ethan Hunt but have never worked alongside each other. It makes for some fun exchange. Simon Pegg of course, is always reliable as techie Benji Dunn and gets to flex some of his dramatic muscles in this movie. However, it’s series newcomer Rebecca Ferguson as the feisty and mysterious Ilsa Faust that stands out the most. Here’s to hoping she returns for future Missions. In addition, Alec Baldwin does great in his minor role as Agent Hunley and Sean Harris is chillingly menacing as Solomon Lane, the film’s antagonist. He’s not the best villain of the series though. That honour still goes to Philip Seymour Hoffman’s Owen Davian from M:I:III.

Luther never parts with his hat. 

            Of course, who can forget Tom Cruise, who’s 53 and at the top of his game, delivering a slightly more vulnerable version of Ethan Hunt. The fact that there are instances where even his teammates begin to doubt him makes for some intriguing character development, but alas, Ethan Hunt begins the movie as a determined, unshakable agent and ends the movie the same way. There are hints at how his character may be taking things a little too far at times (I mean, look at the risks the guy takes to accomplish his missions) and how it may just be detrimental to his wellbeing, but all that is dropped for the sake of some cool espionage and spy work. It would’ve been nice if the movie explored his character a little more deeply, but I have to give screenwriters Christopher McQuarrie and Drew Pearce credit for trying, at least.

"It's impossibru."

Looking back, the Mission: Impossible franchise has seen more good days than bad, with every instalment in the franchise being better than the one before it, save Mission: Impossible II, which remains the least good film in the (now) five-film series. When I first saw the trailer for this film, I honestly couldn’t see Rogue Nation topping the adrenaline-packed thrill ride that was Ghost Protocol. However, by a miracle of sorts, I have to say that Rogue Nation is by far my favourite film in the franchise. It’s jam packed with some insanely intense stunts and action sequences, and does a great job with its characters, both returning and new. It takes the best aspects of the series and fuses them into one heart-pounding actioner that’s full of energy, spectacular action and charismatic performances. This is one to watch.

Final Verdict

Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation gets 8.8 out of 10 stars – Got your seatbelt on yet?

           

Impossible Missions, Impossible Stunts

Impossible Missions, Impossible Stunts…

         BY IAN TAN

            …not if you’re Tom Cruise. With a penchant for always wanting to perform his own spine-tingling stunts, the 53-year-old actor has consistently upped his game as one of Hollywood’s greatest action stars ever, if not, the greatest. From narrowly escaping an exploding fish tank just inches away from him to hanging off the exterior of a plane as it takes off, the guy’s practically Superman.

            In conjunction with the release of the fifth Mission: Impossible movie now playing in cinemas and IMAX, let’s cruise (pun intended) through my top 5 favourite Mission: Impossible stunts.

5. Knife To The Eye – Mission: Impossible II (2000)

Okay, this may not be as trail-blazing as some of the other stunts in the series, but it remains on my number 5 spot for the mere fact that that was actually a real, razor sharp knife just about a centimeter away from Tom Cruise’s eyeball. For safety purposes, the knife was attached to a cable measured to stop just before it could hit Cruise’s right eye. But even then, any closer and we’d have to say goodbye to Tom Cruise and future Mission: Impossible movies.

4. Hanging On A Wire – Mission: Impossible (1996)

Probably the most memorable and referenced stunt in the entire franchise, the lab infiltration scene where IMF Agent Ethan Hunt hangs from a wire literally an inch away from an auto-alarmed floor remains a staple of the franchise, with every Mission: Impossible movie after this one having Cruise hang from a wire in some way or another. That man must have had some real muscle cramps by the time director Brian de Palma yelled, “Cut!”

3. Rock-Climbing in Utah – Mission: Impossible II

The opening of M:I:II sees Ethan Hunt climbing a cliff at Utah’s Dead Horse Point with no harness, no gloves, no nothing. Of course he was strapped to some wires in real life, but thanks to the magic of digital special effects, the wires are nowhere to be seen in the movie. What made the scene even more impressive was the fact that Ethan was risking his life several thousand feet in air just for some holiday fun. Some vacation.

2. Scaling the Burj Khalifa – Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol

Asking an actor worth $470 million in net worth to scale the tallest building in the world sounds like quite the risk, but Cruise being the committed actor he is, insisted that he’d do the entire stunt without a double. In the film, he scales the Burj using some nifty sticky gloves, but in reality he’s strapped on a harness while acting. Still, you’re 2,722 feet above the ground. That takes some serious acting skills, not to mention bravery!

1. Dangling On The Edge of a Plane – Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation

No clip for this one. You’ll have to experience it yourself on the big screen!

As is the trend with the Mission: Impossible films, the stunts keep getting bigger and riskier with each consecutive film, and in Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation, they take it up a notch by dangling Tom Cruise on the edge of a plane as it’s taking off and when it’s already taken off! You’d be hard pressed to find anyone not blown away (pun intended again) by this insane stunt, especially when seen on an IMAX screen!

Now that you’ve got a dose of my Top 5 favourite stunts from the Mission: Impossible movies, buckle up for one heck of a ride with Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation showing in cinemas and IMAX now!

Get your tickets to Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation : The IMAX Experience here! - http://tgv.com.my/movies/mission-impossible-rogue-nation-HO00004375

'Ant-Man' Review

Ant-Man Review:

Small Scale, Big Fun

BY IAN TAN

        Closing up Phase 2 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is Ant-Man, a hero with the ability to shrink to the size of an insect. That sounds like quite a ridiculous concept for a superhero. I mean, Ant-Man? It seems like Stan Lee and Jack Kirby were really scraping the bottom of the barrel when they came up with this superhero. However, as Marvel Studios has proven with Iron Man and Guardians of the Galaxy, no hero(es) too unknown, big or small can fail to attract millions of dollars at the box office as long as Marvel’s got their name in the opening titles.

            In Ant-Man, we follow Scott Lang (Paul Rudd), a down-on-his-luck burglar who’s trying to make things right with his estranged daughter. Just when things go from bad to worse for Scott, an old man by the name of Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) offers him a shot at redemption – a heist that involves Scott having to break into Darren Cross’ scientific facility and steal a piece of shrinking tech called the Yellowjacket before it falls into the wrong hands. The original shrinking technology achieved by Hank Pym years ago was never meant to go public, but sour mentor-protégé drama between Pym and Cross has led the latter to do everything in his power to harness it for the sake of revenge and monetary success.

The baldie, the baddie. 

With the production of the film being quite a mess (director Edgar Wright opted out of the project due to creative differences, the script underwent multiple rewrites and a new director was needed to replace Wright) – I was worried that the film might’ve turned out like an Iron Man 2 instead of a Guardians of the Galaxy. Thankfully, I am pleased to say that Ant-Man is more of a Guardians of the Galaxy triumph than an Iron Man 2 disappointment. Good on you, Marvel. May you never make another mediocre film again.

Director Peyton Reed had some big shoes to fill after Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead, Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World) stepped down from the director’s chair, and Peyton Reed did a great job with this movie. The combination of action, comedy and drama is well balanced thanks to Reed’s direction and the film’s witty script. Much like The Avengers, this Marvel production makes the best use of its ensemble cast seen on screen. Every actor is given a chance to shine in this movie. Many supporting characters such as those played by Michael Pena, T.I. and David Dastmalchian will definitely remain in audiences heads long after the credits roll. 

The cast of Ant-Man. Director Peyton Reed on the right.

              The standout for me was Michael Douglas, who's as good as an on-screen Hank Pym can get, and injects some genuine emotion into the role. The parallel of having both Hank and Scott deal with father-daughter issues puts the film's heart in the right place, even though the family drama in the Pym house resonates more than Scott and Cassie's. Paul Rudd too is excellent as Scott Lang/ Ant-Man, playing the character with some great comedic timing and a good dose of down-to-earth charm. I can't wait to see the camaraderie he'll share with the other members of the Marvel Cinematic Universe once Captain America: Civil War  opens next year. 

Action-wise, Ant-Man features some really interesting sequences thanks to the titular hero’s shrinking abilities. Although there really isn’t that much action until the final act of the film, Scott’s journey of discovery as a hero is what really glues audiences to the screen, much like in the first Iron Man. Several scenes involving Scott training in the Ant-Man suit with the supervision of Hank and his daughter Hope (Evangeline Lily) make for some really entertaining sequences. And whenever shrinking is involved, the special effects look great. There are a couple of instances where the Yellowjacket suit does look a little CG, but the overall use of special effects here is convincing enough. Also, this is Marvel’s best use of 3D since Guardians of the Galaxy, and the third dimension really enhances the overall movie-going experience.

Honey, I Shrunk Myself

Now, Marvel’s standalone films have never been recognized for memorable villains, and Ant-Man is no exception. Corey Stoll as villain Darren Cross/ Yellowjacket is underwritten, dull and forgettable. He’s basically Obadiah Stane from Iron Man, but Jeff Bridges already nailed that business rival villain character so there’s nothing new or noteworthy about Ant-Man’s similar nemesis. Villains aside, although the film has its share of dramatic and heartfelt moments that work when they need to, they don’t seem to fit in smoothly with the overall storyline due to some choppy editing and lack of dramatic focus. In addition to that, the film does suffer from some expositional dialogue in the first quarter of the movie, and it sometimes feels a little unrealistic and forced. What does work, however, is the humour. Every character in Ant-Man is subject to at least one scene of comedy, and it works every time. Michael Pena in particular has two hilarious scene-stealers, one early on in the film and the other towards the end.

Red and yellow. Bee Vs. Ant. CGI Vs. Practical.

             In a nutshell, Ant-Man is another Marvel success. Not only does it serve as a well-told superhero origin story, it also fits in seamlessly with the Marvel Cinematic Universe with some great nods to past and future events within the shared movie universe. Despite its lack of a compelling villain and a bit of uneven editing, Ant-Man provides big entertainment on a small(er) scale compared to previous Marvel entries, and its merits definitely outweigh its faults. As far as superhero origin films are concerned, this one comes pretty close to the quality of Iron Man and Captain America: The First Avenger. 

Final Verdict

Ant-Man gets 8 out of 10 stars – A small, but thoroughly entertaining Marvel Phase 2 finisher.

'Terminator Genisys' Review

Terminator Genisys Review:

Reboot Limbo

BY IAN TAN

Poster: Non-spoiler edition

            Upon leaving the cinema, Terminator Genisys left me with mixed feelings. On one hand, I appreciated the thought that went into making this film. On the other, I felt as though the series had run its course, and that this reboot/sequel only emphasized that notion. In addition to that, the fact that Paramount Pictures took tips from The Amazing Spiderman 2 school of trailer-making made me less and less impressed at Genisys’ twist that’s actually a pretty darn good one.

            If you’ve seen any Terminator movie ever, the plot remains as you’d expect it to – where only two words are needed to describe it: destroy Skynet. Of course, new elements are thrown into mix. In this case, ala J.J. Abram’s Star Trek reboot in 2009, it’s an alternate timeline; a new, fresh start for a dying franchise such as this one. For many, it’s convoluted and filled to the brim with plot holes, but for me, most of it worked. I didn’t hate Terminator Genisys. Bite me.

           

In fact, I found myself entertained throughout. The idea of the alternate timeline director Alan Taylor presents in this film is a smart one, with twists and some nostalgic appearances from characters we’ve come to know… and fear. The most impressive of said twists occurs in the first act of the film, featuring scenes from the original The Terminator recreated meticulously by Taylor with the help of some impressive CGI face work. Patrick Lussier and Laeta Kalogridis’ screenplay also captivates and adds to the mythology of the Terminator franchise. Furthermore, the implementation of Skynet in the Genisys storyline and how it fits in thematically with today’s generation is also done cleverly. And if you go into this movie without seeing the second trailer, the film’s major plot twist is something that’ll catch you completely off-guard.

This CG Arnie looks amazing.

                 Don’t get me wrong, the film isn’t without its flaws. Actually, no time travel movie is ever really “flawless”, so that comes to no surprise. The issues I had with the screenplay weren’t too much on the time-traveling mumbo jumbo but more on how the returning characters were reimagined and the way they played off one another. Terminator Genisys' Kyle Reese in particular, is so not Michael Biehn’s Kyle Reese from James Cameron’s T1 and the odd casting of Jai Courtney as the character only makes things worse. Physically, Courtney looks nothing like Kyle Reese. Acting and character wise, he’s nothing like Kyle Reese either. He also lacks that balance of down-to-earth likability and emotional depth that Michael Biehn brought to the character in 1984. Emilia Clarke on the other hand, does a pretty good job at being Sarah Connor despite her relatively small(er) size and younger age compared to Linda Hamilton in T1 and T2. Jason Clarke is alright as John Connor, even though he plays the iconic warrior almost like a cartoon character. Thankfully, and this is something that worried me, Arnold Schwarzenegger is still great as the T-800 (credited as ‘Guardian’ in the film), adding more depth to the role that made him a star and allowing the character to grow (literally and figuratively) naturally. The use of his age is also well knitted into the story on two occasions. The father-daughter like relationship between Sarah and the T-800 has its emotional moments, but it never hits the dramatic notes it strives to achieve. 

John Connor yo.

                On another note, the visual effects in this film that’s not a CGI’d young Arnold Schwarzenegger are rather unimpressive, with some obvious green screen shots during some of the action. I guess that young CGI Arnie must’ve taken up most of the film’s budget. Also, this movie gives Skynet a face, like a literal face, and it doesn’t do the evil computer system any favours. In fact, it makes the antagonistic Skynet seem like a lot less of a threat than it has been before in previous films. Showing less is more sometimes.

Damn...you gotta admit that the CG in T3 looked wayy better than this.

                 On the whole, I can’t recommend Terminator Genisys to everyone. It’s not terribly bad, but it isn’t terribly good either. It’s somewhere in between. There are definitely those who’d rip it apart and hate it, but for me, Genisys was an entertaining albeit uneven sci-fi adventure that sits quite nicely next to James Cameron’s T1 and T2. I think I can see why he endorsed this movie, but if you can’t handle the changes Genisys does to the Terminator timeline, you can always pop in the first two movies on Blu-ray again. I mean, they may be old, but definitely not obsolete.

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Final Verdict

Terminator Genisys gets 7 out of 10 stars – I’m with James Cameron on this one.