MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - ROGUE NATION Is Best Yet In Franchise

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - ROGUE NATION Review:

- The Mission Impossible movies have always been unique among modern action franchise films. There's nothing particularly memorable about their characters or plotlines, yet the franchise has consistently delivered solid - even great - action thrills via a series of talented directors and a star, in Tom Cruise, who is always absolutely driven to ensure that each MI film pushes the limits. Cruise - not his character Ethan Hunt - is the real star of Mission Impossible. He brings an intensity and physicality to these movies - even at age 50 - that few other modern-day action stars can approach. And in ROGUE NATION, Cruise is paired with a director who is similarly old-school in his approach to visceral action - Christopher McQuarrie. McQuarrie, both as a writer and director, has a knack for infusing movies with clockwork precision in story and action. In a franchise that's gone extreme via John Woo and over-the-top big via Brad Bird, McQuarrie brings things back down to earth - crafting a visceral film that makes sure that each action scene is tightly crafted and tells a story. In my mind, that makes ROGUE NATION the best in the series to date. While other MI movies tend to be entertaining but ultimately somewhat forgettable, ROGUE NATION'S cleverly choreographed action scenes have stuck with me over the last few weeks. This one was a great way to close out the summer blockbuster season - an old-school action movie that works on all levels.

The short version of ROGUE NATION's premise is that Cruise's Hunt is on the run and separated from his team. The Mission: Impossible unit has been disbanded by a government that finds it too much of a liability. But instead of coming home to roost, Hunt goes rogue - convinced that a top-secret organization called The Syndicate is pulling the strings from behind the scenes - taking out MI operatives and plotting various nefarious acts of global terror. Jeremy Renner's William Brandt - the MI government liason introduced in the last film - finds his hands tied by the government's blacklisting of the whole MI program, but he decides to help out Hunt in secret. As does Simon Pegg's ever-loyal tech expert Benji, and Ving Rhames' bruising weapons guru Luther. Hunt desperately tries to find the mysterious man behind the curtain of The Syndicate - the villainous Solomon Lane (Sean Harris), even as he runs afoul of femme fatale Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson), who may be working for The Syndicate, may be a double agent, or may have her own mysterious agenda.

So, a couple things to talk about there. The first is that McQuarrie does great things with the MI team. After five movies, this is the first one where I realized that I really dug this combo of actors and characters. McQuarrie infuses all of the team members with jolts of personality. I mean, sure, Pegg has the comic chops and charisma to make Benji entertaining regardless. But here, Benji is more than just comic relief - we really get insight into his friendship with /hero worship of Hunt - and there's an added emotional layer to the character. There's lots of great banter - and genuine tension - between Cruise, Pegg, Renner, and Rhames. Throw in Alec Baldwin as a melodramatic government suit at odds with Renner, and you've got lots of great character dynamics to play with.

I also really enjoyed Sean Harris as the villain. He's like Mike Myers' Dieter as the leader of a global criminal conspiracy. And man, the final confrontation between him and Hun is just ingeniously staged. But more than that, the way the villains are introduced here is just Action Movie Making 101. McQuarrie gives each of Harris' henchmen just enough personality to make every fight and chase feel personal.

But the biggest story here is clearly Rebecca Ferguson as Ilsa Faust (great character name, by the way). Begin your fan-casting for her in the role of every kick-ass female franchise part now, because she is flipping fantastic in ROGUE NATION. As much as we've seen the which-side-is-she-really-on? femme fatale done before, Ferguson owns the part in a way that's rare and noteworthy. In the past, we've seen female leads in the MI-verse that couldn't quite match Cruise's intensity and presence. But here, Ferguson proves herself to be the real deal. It helps that the film's script ultimately does right by her character - giving her an arc that ultimately makes sense, and emotional and dramatic stakes that matter. But you've also got to give credit to the presence and badassery of the actress bringing this character to life. Suffice it to say, there's a brutal fight scene towards the film's end in which a lesser movie would have sidelined Ilsa. But in ROGUE NATION, Ilsa is not only right in the middle of the fray, but she is a complete ninja.

To talk a little more about Cruise, I think we're all getting to the point where - whacked-out Scientology baggage aside - we've got to acknowledge Cruise as a modern cinematic treasure. The level of commitment the guy brings to these roles - whether it be via participating in insane stunts, or just in general with the ferocity and physicality of his acting - is unmatched. Cruise is one of the few actors who I'm basically okay watching play a version of himself. Not to say he can't also do great character roles. But what I'm saying is: I can forgive Ethan Hunt being sort of a blank slate, because really, we're here to watch the Cruise show. And what's sort of - again - ingenious about ROGUE NATION is how fully aware it is of that on a meta / script level. The movie's main themes - about Hunt being turned on by the cruel system that birthed him, and wondering if he should just chuck it all and disappear - nicely parallel Cruise's own story. In any case, Cruise 100% brings his A-game to this one, and it makes a difference.

Now, Cruise and McQuarrie had a nice little action-sleeper recently with Jack Reacher. But their skill-sets really sync perfectly here. ROGUE NATION has several standout set-piece action scenes that are just masterfully composed. I'm thinking about a gorgeously shot fight scene that takes place backstage at an opera house, as Hunt tangles with a Syndicate heavy atop suspended platforms that rise and fall depending on how they are weighted. I'm thinking about a nail-biting underwater sequence in which Hunt has to hold his breath while trying to open a computerized lock, all while giant rotors rotate around him, forcing him to dodge for his life. I'm thinking of a high-speed motorcycle chase that has you holding on to dear life in your seat. What makes these action scenes work so well? For one thing, each is big, elaborate - and yet, each is grounded in physics and logic and "rules." It's amazing how effective an action scene can be when we understand the physics of what's happening in a given moment - that's how you make something visceral. For another thing, each one tells a story. We understand what the characters are after, it's clear what the goal is, and we understand the underlying stakes. Again, it's movie-making 101, but it feels like a lost-art in today's blockbuster world.

My only complain with the film is that, occasionally, the tone feels a little off. McQuarrie tends towards the pulpy - which is cool - but I think that the movie occasionally has some dialogue and character stuff that serves as unintentional comic relief because it's so grandiose. Alec Baldwin, in particular, goes a little too Jack Donaghy in some places.

ROGUE NATION feels like a throwback - not because there's anything dated about it, but simply because it feels practical, real, and beholden to real-world logic even at its most extreme. This is the rare action movie that has you hanging on every punch, every leap, every bullet's trajectory.  The best Mission: Impossible movie and one of the summer's best.

My Grade: A-

AMERICAN HUSTLE Captures The Spirit of '78

AMERICAN HUSTLE Review:

- David O. Russell's latest, AMERICAN HUSTLE, is a stylistic exercise in 70's-era excess - packed to the brim with big-name stars, over-the-top moments, and energy to spare. You might call it Scorsese lite. The film pays homage to the twisty, whip-crack narratives of films like Goodfellas and Casino, and borrows heavily from Scorsese's trademark crime-as-rock-n'-roll aesthetic. The "lite" part comes from American Hustle's relatively breezy plotline. Whereas Scorsese's crime films are about dangerous men doing dangerous things, Russell's movie is about con-men, poseurs, and wannabes trying to be something other than what they really are. So the "lite" label isn't a knock - instead, the jokiness and satirical nature of the film is intentional, a mirror of the characters, their rather absurd schemes, and of the era in which they lived. A flip disclaimer at the top of the film claims that it's only partially based on true events. As American Hustle progresses, you can see why: this is a film less about capturing the details of what really happened, and more about capturing the spirit of 1978 - in all of its gaudy glory.

The film follows small-time partners-in-crime Irving Rosenfeld (Christian Bale) and Sydney Prosser (Amy Adams) - two opportunistic con-artists who meet at a party, bond over a shared love of Duke Ellington, fall in love, and quickly go into business together - dealing forged art and handing out fake loans. The film opens with a painfully comic scene in which we see Irv put in place an absurdly elaborate comb-over, and from the get-go, it's clear that he is a man living out any number of lies upon lies. In fact, Irv's marital situation is revealed, at least at first, as merely a casual inconvenience. We soon find out though that Irv is married to a piece-of-work woman, Rosalyn (Jennifer Lawrence), and has a young son, which further complicates his relationship with Sydney. Sydney, meanwhile, has taken to using an English accent and telling prospective clients that she can get them a large and quick loan through banking connections in London. Soon enough, she all but completely hides her true self from others. Eventually, Irv and Sydney's scams attract the attention of an ambitious FBI agent, Richie DiMaso (Bradley Cooper). Rather than simply apprehend the pair, DiMaso has plans to use them to achieve a larger goal: utilizing Irv and Sydney's con-artist expertise, he plans to set up and entrap a number of high-profile politicians, convincing them to take political funds from disreputable sources, including the mob. One of the key targets: a well-meaning, much-loved politician - Mayor Carmine Polito (Jeremy Renner), who Irv and Sydney must set up to take a big fall. This is all based on the real-life ABSCAM operation that was run by the FBI in the 70's.

Like I said, AMERICAN HUSTLE is populated by a total all-star cast, and just about every star shines brightly. My pick for MVP of the film is Christian Bale. His Irv feels like the most nuanced, well-rounded character in the movie - a guy who was taught from a young age to succeed at all costs. Irv is a walking contradiction: an outwardly smooth operator who bottles up stress to the point where he frequently collapses and needs emergency heart medication. He's madly in love with Sydney, but can't bring himself to run away with her, for fear of abandoning his son (he'd likely leave his unhinged wife without a second thought). Aside from the character work that Bale puts into Irv, the sheer physical transformation is pretty astonishing. Bale walks with a slight hunch and a hint of pain, he moves deliberately but confidently. He inhabits this character to the last detail.

Amy Adams is also pretty spectacular as Sydney (aside, even, from her rotating wardrobe of plunging-neckline dresses). It's incredible to me how versatile of an actress she is - she's played everything from Disney princesses to tough Boston broods to Lois Lane - but here, she again knocks it out of the park. Sydney parallels Irv in many ways. Outwardly, she's glamorous and sharp and magnetic. But beneath the surface is a troubled woman harboring a lot of sadness, rage, and a major identity crisis.

Bradley Cooper emerged as a legit actor in David O. Russell's last film, Silver Linings Playbook - and his hot streak continues here. Cooper is funny and semi-disturbing as DiMaso, who is prone to Pesci-like bouts of violent rage, and whose "good guy" status as an FBI agent is seriously compromised by his propensity for lying and manipulation. He plays DiMaso as a coked-up, hyperactive guy who is semi-blinded by ambition. Despite his denials, he clearly wants to be the guy to find and expose the next Watergate scandal.

As for Jennifer Lawrence, she's great as Rosalyn, although it's the one part that feels a little like stunt casting. Lawrence is capable of playing older than she is, but it still feels like this boozy, had-it-up-to-here housewife character was meant for an older actress. Even so, Lawrence turns in a typically fantastic performance, and she nails the kind of melodramatic, comedic tone needed to really sell the part.

The film is also littered with great supporting performances. Some of them are, I think, supposed to be a bit of a surprise, so I won't spoil them all here. But I will say that when you've got even minor roles in a film filled by great actors like Shea Wigham and Jack Huston of Boardwalk Empire, you know you've got a stacked cast.

What's interesting about the film is how lies bleed into truth and vice versa. Sydney's insistence that she cozy up to DiMaso to get a leg up on him becomes real-life mutual attraction. Irv's dealings with Polito form a genuine friendship between the two that makes Irv question his plans. And Rosalyn ends up getting mixed up in Irv's plans after she becomes a favorite of Polito and his wife. Through it all, Irv and Sydney get pulled apart, played against one another by DiMaso, and see a rift form between them. But they keep circling one another - and the movie posits that, perhaps, their relationship is the one real, true thing in this whole crazy mess.

AMERICAN HUSTLE suffers a bit from a problem that plagues too many films these days: it's too long. While I normally am a long-film apologist, this one definitely feels dragged out beyond what was needed to tell its story most effectively. Part of the problem is that the movie seems to stumble a bit, in general, to figure out what it's all about. There are some obvious overarching themes - some of which I've talked about above. But sometimes, the movie feels unpredictable in a way that's not necessarily good - meaning, there's a sense that Russell and co-writer Eric Singer are trying to figure out, as they go, where and how things end up for these characters. Whereas the Scorsese films that this emulates tend to play out like clockwork, American Hustle seems messier and less sure of itself. The emphasis is on the style (prepare to be wowed by a psychedelic disco scene) and the big, melodramatic moments. But the plotting ends up taking a back seat.

Still, as a style exercise, the film is second-to-none. And as I've insinuated, the movie's semi-hollowness is, in a strange way, keeping with its biggest theme. Just as DiMaso's entrapment plan is really a desperate career-advancement move disguised as a noble pursuit of justice, you might argue that AMERICAN HUSTLE is gaudy kitsch disguised as serious cinema. But hey, that's okay, because that's the point. That may, ultimately, prevent this film from being held up alongside the Scorsese classics it's being compared to. But it does not, certainly, prevent it from being one of the most dazzlingly entertaining films of the year.

My Grade: A-

HANSEL & GRETEL: WITCH HUNTERS Is A Bad Brew

HANSEL & GRETEL: WITCH HUNTERS Review:

- I'm all for a great B-movie. But what I don't like is a bad movie trying to salvage itself by throwing in random edginess, by turning the tables and trying to make the audience think it's in on the joke - when that likely wasn't even the original intention. It can be a fine line. This past summer, for example, a lot of people dismissed Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, thinking that its over-the-top title and genre mash-up stylings automatically meant it was a bad movie. And yet, I found it to be a lot of fun - a movie that knew exactly what it was doing, and skillfully walked the line between legitimate action/horror film and self-aware pulp fiction. However, Hansel and Gretel has little of that same finesse. It's violent and gory for the sake of being violent and gory, and its main running gag is to have fairy tale characters drop f-bombs like they're in a Tarantino flick. Furthermore, it all seems fairly tacked-on ... not integral to the plot, and not consistent with the overall tone of the film - which more often than not, is whimsical and cutesy. This makes HANSEL & GRETEL feel like a bit of a mess, unsure if it wants to imitate the Disney-with-a-twist modern fairy tale feel of Once Upon a Time, or to be a B-movie grindhouse flick catering to the midnight movie crowd.

The premise of the film is at once bare-bones and yet overly convoluted. Basically, the Hansel and Gretel of fairy tale fame, following their initial encounter with and disposal of the famous witch who lived in the house-made-of-candy, grow up to become badass, leather-clad witch-hunters in a world that is apparently overrun with witches. That's the simple part. But the movie takes some kind of sadistic pleasure in casually tossing out bits of mythology that we're led to believe are big and important, but that ultimately add up to, well, not much. There's something about Hansel having candy-poisoning, and needing to take a regular injection to keep him healthy and alive (yep, seriously). There's something else about Gretel herself being a witch (because her mother was one?), and therefore being some sort of chosen one - a good witch whose blood contains magical properties. There's a Big Bad - a particularly nasty witch played by Famke Janssen, who has some sort of uber-scheme involving the aforementioned magical witch blood. There's a troll, who is the standard-issue monster-with-a-heart-of-gold. And there's a sort of stock nerdy/fanboy-type character who worships Hansel and Gretel and who joins up with them on their adventures. All of this leads to total brain shut-off about half way through the movie. I wasn't sure what the characters were doing, or why. I pretty much got to the point where I was just in it to see some decent pyrotechnics.

And there are some pretty decent pyrotechnics in the film. The movie doesn't skimp on over-the-top violence, and so there's a lot of dumb-but-fun action that keeps things moving at a decent clip. The film does this whole steampunk thing where the characters all have anachronistic fantasy weapons that are the medieval equivalents of every crazy-ass videogame gun ever imagined. This too translates into the characters' wardrobe - they all look less like fairy tale characters and more like they just dropped in from the Matrix movies. Or probably more accurately, the Underworld movies.

The movie tries way too hard to be badass, but the badassery is virtually all surface-level. Take Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter ... the reason that movie worked so well is because the character of Abe Lincoln is so fully-drawn, and it becomes this great juxtaposition of a well-mannered, soft-spoken, determined U.S. president using his famously steely will to purge his nation of the undead. But Hansel and Gretel ... well, they're pretty much devoid of defining personality traits. Hansel is Jeremy Renner being very Jeremy Renner-esque ... stern, serious, humorless, etc. That's really all there is to the character. And Gemma Arterton's Gretel is similar - perhaps a tad bit spunkier and more carefree, but mostly, it's just Gemma Arterton in form-fitting leather. Not that there's anything wrong with that ... except the movie doesn't even have her do anything particularly sexy or interesting. That's what makes the excessive use of profanity more jarring than novel - it'd be one thing if it somehow fit with the characters' personalities, but since they have such little personality in the first place, it feels very, very forced.

Renner and Arterton both seem only partially-invested in the film, and I don't blame them. They're given very little to sink their teeth into. Luckily, there are some good supporting players in the mix, like a Peter Stormare, a guy who really needs no reason to go all-out and act crazy - he just does, and it helps inject some life into the film. Same goes for Janssen, who if nothing else, seems to have some fun playing the queen-bitch of the witches. The other thing I'll say for the movie is that it does have some fun sets (i.e. the Candy House) and some really nice f/x. In particular, I dug the design and execution of the troll character - who had a Jim Henson-esque look that reminded me of something out of old-school fantasy films.

If only more of the movie dared to go old-school and embrace straight-up fantasy storytelling. The direction mixed quick-cutting new-school chaos with locations that often look less fantastical and more like someone's backyard. The movie features lots of generic-looking fields and forests, and the movie tends to look drab and bland in a way that makes it feel small-scale and low-budget. And rarely have I seen a movie that has such a lack of geography. Hansel and Gretel seem to just wander and stumble from place to place, ending up in a strange village one minute, and in their childhood home the next. Sadly, the one time the movie really grabs you and takes on an epic, imaginative feel is in the animated opening credits, which are quite well done.

I was not one of the haters who prematurely bagged on this flick. In fact, I was pretty excited going in, and eager to see what I hoped would be a fun, delightfully over-the-top genre-bender. The movie was indeed over-the-top, but a couple of good witch-slayings is not enough to create a great movie or even a great B-movie. Ultimately, I had to do my best to enjoy myself by laughing at the movie and its absurdities, but that only got me so far. I suppose there's some enjoyment to be had in watching this ironically - but not much. This isn't a gloriously bad movie - just a mediocre one.

My Grade: C-