Lorne Balfe

‘Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One’ – Never Less Than Entertaining

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

Well, we are finally back in IMF territory where Ethan Hunt keeps taking a lick but keeps on ticking, just like the Energizer Bunny. Like Nicole Kidman keeps saying at your local AMC multiplex, we come into this theater to see if Tom Cruise and his director of choice for this franchise, Christopher McQuarrie, can top what they did previously in “Mission: Impossible: Fallout” which itself was one of the best action films in recent memory. Better yet, can it be the equal of last year’s exhilarating spectacular, “Top Gun: Maverick,” which Cruise starred in and McQuarrie co-wrote? Whenever these two are presented with a challenge, they always rise to the occasion no matter what the cost. And speaking of cost, “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One” is the most expensive installment of this franchise yet, let alone in Cruise’s film career.

“Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One” begins with what I would like to believe is an ode to “The Hunt for Red October” as we encounter a Russian submarine with stealth capabilities, and its captain believes he is in command of the most lethal weapon on planet Earth. But before he knows it, the submarine is destroyed in a way similar to how the Konovalov went down, and we are introduced to this film’s McGuffin: a key which will give one power over an experimental AI (artificial intelligence) called the Entity. Originally designed to sabotage digital systems, it went rogue like Ethan often does, but in the process, it has infiltrated defense and military systems and intelligence networks. As a result, all the major powers are racing to get control over the Entity before it does the whole planet in.

These days, AI is the perfect villain as it threatens to take over all our lives and the work human beings are supposed to get paid a healthy salary to do. Clearly, audiences need to revisit the first two “Terminator” movies as James Cameron was really onto something. You remember what happened when Skynet became self-aware, right?

As always, it is fun to see in what format Ethan will receive his mission in, should he choose to accept it. In the past, he has gotten it via vinyl record, a pair of cool-looking sunglasses, a disposable camera, and a small videotape. This time, it comes to him in a food delivery bag like the kind Door Dash and Postmates often utilize. The irony, however, is inside it is a micro-cassette recorder, an allusion to the past which Ethan will be forced to confront. And while many “Mission: Impossible” installments are made to stand on their own, this one remembers how its characters, particular Ethan Hunt, have a history which has come to inform where they are now. Peter Gabriel said it best when he wrote how “nothing fades as fast as the future, nothing clings like the past.”

Following the plot of “Dead Reckoning Part One” is a bit hard as, like some of the other sequels, it gets a bit convoluted as so many ideas are brought up to where the plot is a little hard to follow. Then again, we do not go into these movies for logic. We go into them for the action and amazing stunts.

Still, I was reminded of how McQuarrie won an Oscar for writing “The Usual Suspects” and how brilliant that screenplay was while watching “Dead Reckoning Part One.” Like “Usual Suspects,” this film is a puzzle piece filled with characters trying to figure it all out before the timer on that bomb, any bomb, reaches zero. Also, I am not sure I have seen another movie in recent memory with so many actors putting on their best poker faces. As I watched everyone do their emotions hidden and not show any sign of vulnerability, I kept waiting for Lady Gaga’s “Poker Face” to start playing on the soundtrack. It doesn’t, but maybe Cruise and McQuarrie are saving it for “Dead Reckoning Part Two.”

But yeah, let’s talk about the stunts. There have been several trailers and featurettes dealing with the key stunts which include a massive train crash and Ethan riding a motorcycle off a cliff, and it made me wonder if Paramount Pictures was giving too much away in advance. But sure enough, they are amazing stunts which thrilled me to no end as Ethan is forced to catch up with a train in the worst way possible, and the payoff is priceless.

As for the train crash, everything leading up to is pulled off ever so skillfully. Clearly, Cruise and McQuarrie have watched the best action films out there and look to one up the stunts which have enthralled us before. While the situations seem similar, the screws have been tightened ever so tightly to where the room for error is miniscule. This is especially the case when the characters are on top of the train, looking to take one another out while also avoiding certain tunnels and structures which could knock them out of the way without much warning.

And wait a minute, I forgot to mention the car chase which precedes these scenes in Paris as Ethan and the ever so clever burglar, Grace (Hayley Atwell), race through the streets of Paris, and it featured a moment where one has to be grateful for the existence of airbags. Unlike your average car chase, this is one which puts you right behind the wheel, and just when you think things are getting better, they do not.

Cruise has always been a better actor than people typically give him credit for, but this film reminds one of what an excellent producer he can be. Along with McQuarrie, he remains determined to give audiences around the world a very good reason to see movies in a theater long before they have a chance to stream them at home. Indeed, the spectacle on display is best experienced on the biggest silver screen in your neighborhood as it will make your cinematic experience all the more invigorating.

When it comes to Cruise’s co-stars, they all deserve a wealth of credit. Simon Pegg has been this franchise’s comic relief for a while now as Benji Dunn, but here he shows how this character has evolved from his meek beginnings in the IMF to where he is not the least bit naïve about how his life compares to this or any other mission. Ving Rhames who, like Cruise, has been in every single “Mission: Impossible” movie since the 1996 original, remains an ever so powerful presence as Luther Stickell, a man who will never give up on Ethan even if someone forces him to. And let us never forget Rebecca Ferguson who once again returns as Ilsa Faust, one of the coolest MI6 agents you could ever hope to see on the silver screen. Ferguson remains an ever so indelible presence in this franchise, and she also shows an inescapable vulnerability which just might prove to be her undoing.

But when it comes to returning characters to the “Mission: Impossible” movie franchise, the most notable one to be found in “Dead Reckoning: Part One” is Eugene Kittridge, played once again by Henry Czerny for the first time since De Palma’s “Mission: Impossible” back in 1996. A Canadian actor, Czerny has proven to be enigmatic presence in films like “Clear and Present Danger,” “The Ice Storm” and “Scream VI” among other works. Here, he proves to have the greatest poker face of them all.

As for the new faces, we have Hayley Atwell prominently on display as Grace. She gives a very strong performance here as she matches Cruise scene for scene, and watching her character evolve throughout helps to give this installment more depth. Kudos also goes to Cary Elwes who is memorable in everything he does, and that includes his role here as Denlinger, Director of National Intelligence. And then there is Pom Klementieff who proves to be a lethal and maniacal presence as the French assassin, Paris.

In terms of villains in the “Mission: Impossible” movie franchise, they have been a mixed bag at times. But for my money, Esai Morales proves to be one of its best as the powerful terrorist, Gabriel. Like Philip Seymour Hoffman’s villain in “Mission: Impossible III,” he is a nemesis who enjoys the suffering and humiliation more than the kill, and he is a seething presence from start to finish to where I could not wait for Ethan to lay waste to him.

I have a hard time ranking the “Mission: Impossible” movies as this franchise has been around for several decades, and I get frustrated a lot with numbers. For me, this installment is not quite as good as “Fallout,” but that was a hard one to beat. Plus, we know there is going to be a direct follow up to this one next summer, and it has me wondering, and quite fearful, about what crazy ass stunts Cruise and McQuarrie will come up with next. Like many, I am convinced Cruise is going to get himself killed in a future sequel, but nothing seems to be stopping him.

“Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One” is superb entertainment, and I cannot wait to see what comes next.

* * * ½ out of * * * *

‘Top Gun: Maverick’ Was Well Worth the Wait

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

Movies take a long time to make and bring to the silver screen, but this one took forever to debut thanks to the pandemic and a superstar’s strong desire to ensure it DID NOT debut on streaming. This is also a sequel which comes to us 36 years after the original, and that one was a classic 1980’s flick. Can you make a sequel to an 80’s classic in another decade where things have changed ever so much? I mean, Paul Hogan tried to do this with “Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles,” and it proved to be one of the most needless sequels in cinematic history.

Well, when it comes to “Top Gun: Maverick,” this is a sequel which proves to be well worth the wait. While it does pay some homage to its predecessor, especially in its opening moments where the music of Harold Faltermeyer and Kenny Loggins blast through the speakers and generate a wealth of nostalgia, this sequel is the rare one which largely stands on its own and proves to be even better than the original. Now that is saying a lot as “Top Gun” forever holds a special place in my heart for being one of the most iconic 80’s films whose VHS tape gave our home speakers quite the workout and proved to be one of the few from this glorious decade which I did not walk out of crying uncontrollably. Believe me when I say this is saying a lot.

We catch up with Pete “Maverick” Mitchell all these years later as he continues to avoid promotion in order to keep flying. He works as a test pilot who is determined to lay waste to any of Chuck Yeager’s all-time records. The problem is, pilots like him are in the process of being phased out to make room for drones. As Rear Admiral Chester “Hammer” Cain (the great Ed Harris) points out, Pete is on his way to becoming a relic. Of course, the Admiral tells Pete this at the same time he is forced to point out his talents are needed back at Top Gun to train a new generation of pilots for an important mission.

While his fellow aviators have advanced in rank, Pete has remained a captain and continues to piss off admirals and other superior officers in ways both intentional and unintentional. When the original “Top Gun” ended, Maverick was about to become a instructor, but here we learn he only lasted two months as one before ditching those duties. I have to say I was annoyed upon learning this as dropping out after such a short period of time seems rather petty of Maverick, but it also once illustrates what a rebel he is among his fellow aviators.

Upon his arrival at Naval Air Station North Island (a.k.a. NAS North Island), Maverick comes to meet a new generation of aviators which include Lt. Natasha “Phoenix” Trace (Monica Barbaro), the lone female pilot of the bunch, and Jake “Hangman” Seresin (Glen Powell) whose ego knows no bounds even when you want it to. But the two individuals who will factor most strongly into Maverick’s life here are Penny Benjamin (Jennifer Connelly), and admiral’s daughter whom he once did a high-speed flyby years ago and now owns a bar, and Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw (Miles Teller) who just happens to be the son of his best friend, the still missed Goose (Anthony Edwards). Suffice to say, some here have not quite gotten over the past, and dealing with the present may prove to be even more challenging.

One of the things I have to address about “Top Gun: Maverick” is the fact Kelly McGillis did not return to portray Charlotte “Charlie” Blackwood. Many consider this the latest case of ageism in Hollywood, but while I do not want to lay any shade to that, there are also several other actors who are absent in this sequel: Tom Skerritt, Rick Rossovich, Meg Ryan, Michael Ironside, and James Tolkan to name a few. When it comes to the filmmakers/ response to this, they said they did not want to spend a lot of time looking backwards, and to this I applaud them endlessly.

The problem with a lot of sequels, especially ones which come 10 or more years after their predecessor, is how much they reflect on what happened previously. Sequels are clearly made to cash in on the original’s massive success, and it gets to where filmmakers are a bit too fearful to tinker with an established formula. I was reminded of this while I was watching “Blues Brothers 2000,” a sequel I was honestly excited to see come fruition. But as I watched this movie unfold before me, the following dialogue started playing in mind:

“Hey, remember when we did this years ago?”

“Yeah.”

“Remember when they did that?”

“Yeah.”

“Hey, remember this bar owner from the original?”

“Yeah.”

“He was funny when he said what he said, you know?”

“Yeah, he was.”

“Seriously, do you want to turn this sequel off and just watch the original?”

“Oh yeah, way ahead of you!”

We love what came before, but not everything can be the same. Granted, “Tom Gun: Maverick” does not reinvent the formula or the genre it is a part of, but it does give us something new and fresh which makes everything we see here all the more thrilling. This is not a simple regurgitation of what we previously witnessed, but instead a look at the present and the challenges it presents for the characters here. While certain notes from the original are played on here, this sequel is not necessarily business as usual.

More importantly, this is one of those sequels which are better than the original. As incredibly entertaining as “Top Gun” was, it did suffer from cliches and a romantic subplot which the movie really could have done without. “Top Gun: Maverick” improves upon its predecessor in many ways as, even if repeats familiar beats, brings a lot more depth to the proceedings and more heart to where, even when things seem emotionally manipulative, I got so swept up in the action. I cheered as loudly as the next audience member during the climatic sequences, and this made me feel like I was back in Thousand Oaks watching “Return of the Jedi” for the first time. The audience got so involved in the action, and it filled my spirits in a way few cinematic experiences could have back then. Believe it or not, the same goes for this long-awaited sequel.

The late Tony Scott, who directed the original “Top Gun” and to whom this sequel is dedicated, gave us some amazing aerial dogfights years before. “Top Gun: Maverick” was directed by Joseph Kosinski who previously worked with Cruise on “Oblivion” and was also behind the camera for “Tron: Legacy” and “Only the Brave.” Like Cruise, he was clearly determined to not fake a single scene from start to finish. The g-forces you see the actors experience is no joke, and it made me wonder what was going through their heads as their faces were being smushed in beyond their control. And seeing those fighter jets fly through treacherous terrains at such high speeds was infinitely thrilling.

Kosinski has proven to be a strong director with a great visual style, and “Top Gun: Maverick” is his best film yet.

As for Cruise, there is no doubt about his dedication to authenticity. While, to quote a lyric from Aerosmith’s “Dream On,” all those lines on his face (or his forehead to be more specific) are getting clearer, he is not about to let age get in the way of what he wants to accomplish in a motion picture. When it comes to his star-making role, he slips back into it ever so easily, and he is not just portraying Maverick in the same way he portrays Ethan Hunt.

I also got to praise the rest of this cast as they more than rise to the occasion here. Miles Teller has long since proven to be a truly talented actor, and I love watching him hold his own opposite Cruise from scene to scene. Jennifer Connelly remains an infinitely talented presence as she gives Penny Benjamin a reason to stand head-to-head with a man who once flew by her at very high speed. Glen Powell tricks you into believing his character’s strong ego will be forever crushed, but it makes sense as to why it never does. And then there is Val Kilmer who returns briefly as Tom “Iceman” Kazansky, and his presence reminds us of how powerful a presence this actor can be even if cancer has forever robbed him of his wonderful voice.

It would have been a joke if Cruise did a “Top Gun” sequel back in the 1990’s or at the cusp of the new millennium. He would have needed such a sequel back then as “Cocktail” would have. His career was flying high without a need to revisit his past, but when it became time to do so, he was not about to serve us the same old shit.

“Top Gun: Maverick” for me is the epitome of a summer blockbuster as it makes you feel like a part of the action, and you find yourself cheering with the audience in a way you normally do not. While it not be a cinematic masterpiece, it does its job with sincerity and boundless enthusiasm, and like many, I cannot wait to see it again. Yes, this sequel was made to be seen on the silver screen, so please do so before it does make its debut on streaming.

I cannot wait to see it again.

* * * * out of * * * *

‘Ambulance’ – Michael Bay’s Best Film in an Eternity

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

Those of you who have read my review of “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” know just how much of a simmering hatred I have for filmmaker Michael Bay. I walked out of that sequel so furious and angry to where I could never let myself sit through any of his films all the way through for over a decade. But with his latest action-packed spectacle, “Ambulance,” I could not help but be intrigued. Seeing two bank robbers desperately try to escape the police quickly brings to mind all of the Los Angeles car chases we keep seeing on the news with helicopters flying over a speeding vehicle being followed by several LAPD vehicles while news anchors comment on what we are seeing. Deep down, part of me roots for the pursued to escape as I honestly wonder if escape is even remotely possible for those hoping to evade the police when they have so much technology at their disposable to keep you in their sights.

Does “Ambulance” provide audiences with an accurate view of such a police chase? Well, no, but it does prove to be the best action film Bay has made in ages. Sure, many of the director’s flourishes are here such as quick editing, shots which swoop all over the place and characters yelling at each other while in close proximity to one another, but I could bear all of these things this time around with little in the way of argument. Sure, not everything we see go on here makes logical sense, but even I knew to leave my brain turned off when I entered the theater.

The movie opens up on war veteran Will Sharp (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) as he tries to get his insurance to cover his wife Amy’s (Moses Ingram) much-needed surgery. But since this surgery is seen as “experimental,” the country he served to protect against all enemies foreign and domestic is not about to give him the $231,000 he needs for medical necessities. This should serve as a reminder of how politicians tend to stop saying “support the troops” when the war comes to an end. Lord knows our support for them should never stop there.

Desperate for help, Will turns to his adoptive brother, Danny Sharp (Jake Gyllenhaal), for a loan. The only thing is, Will is meeting up with Danny on the day he and his grungy cohorts are going to rob a bank of $32 million dollars, an amount Jeff Bezos would refer to as pocket change. Against his better judgment, Will goes along with Danny, perhaps out of a need to protect his brother among other things. But like all bank heists which are planned down to include every exact detail such as knowing when the police will arrive, acquiring the biggest and nastiest assault weapons, being aware of security cameras, observing the habits of the bank’s loyal employees and knowing where all the best escape routes are, it all goes horribly wrong. Then again, if everything went right, there would be no movie.

Will and Danny end up hijacking an ambulance, toss out its driver, and make their way out of downtown Los Angeles in the hopes of getting away with something God would not approve of in the slightest. However, they have a couple of guests in their midst which include emergency medical technician (EMT) Cam Thompson (Eiza González), and she is furiously trying to save the life of LAPD Officer Zach (Jackson White) who has just suffered a serious gunshot wound to his leg. Who shot him? Just watch the movie.

From there, “Ambulance” becomes one long chase as Will and Danny race through the streets of Los Angeles with sirens blaring as they seek to escape the cops and FBI agents who are right on their tail. As I watched Bay’s camera swoop all over the place, I wondered when rush hour traffic was going to start settling in. Certain characters like Captain Monroe (Garret Dillahunt) keep saying the city is about to hit rush hour, but it never does. Also, I kept waiting for the scene where Will and Danny realize their gas tank is almost empty, but it never came up. Do ambulances really get great gas mileage? Inquiring minds want to know.

But regardless of these questions, nothing could take away from my enjoyment of “Ambulance” which is the kind of action movie I feel I have not seen in some time: an exhausting action spectacle that piles one conflict on top of another and leaves you completely wrung out by the time the end credits start rolling. For Bay, this puts him right back in “The Rock” territory as the loud gunfights and explosions never overwhelm the actors and the characters they play, and it is their predicament that keeps us emotionally tuned into the action.

It’s a gas watching Gyllenhaal here as he looks to be channeling his inner Nicolas Cage. Seeing him go all bug-eyed while wearing a mask was almost worth the price of admission as I was laughing my ass off. Whether you find his performance among his best or worst ever, there’s no dying he’s as entertaining to watch here as Cage was in “The Rock,” and it is abundantly clear to me he gave at least 115% of his energy to this role.

Abdul-Manteen has proven to be a solid actor with his work in “Us,” “Aquaman” and “The Matrix Resurrections,” and he gives “Ambulance” the emotional center it needs. While his character of Will makes one questionable choice after another, the actor inhabits the role with passion and intense energy as he shows how Will is so in over his head here and trying to make things as right as he can.

As for Eiza González, she gives Cam a great introduction as she works to save a young girl who has been impaled by a metal object, and then makes it clear to her ever so naïve partner how important it is to keep an emotional distance from the patient in order to be an efficient EMT. Still, we know her work ethic will eventually be tested in an extreme way as she is forced to do the seemingly impossible to keep her patient, the wounded cop, alive. Watching her here reminds me of Jack Bauer’s last scene in season three of “24” as even he could not hold back the emotion which was overwhelming him.

And yes, Bay still has yet to meet a tripod he could truly fall in love with, but in spite of the cameras flying all over the place, I never got the slightest amount of motion sickness while watching “Ambulance.” Furthermore, I must add I had a full dinner of flank steak and a Roma tomato before driving out to the theater, and this is not the kind of motion picture you want to watch on a full stomach. But I did, and I am still in one piece.

Am I being a bot over effusive in my praise of “Ambulance?” Perhaps, but this is the first Michael Bay film I watched in years which I found myself applauding once the end credits began. The last one I did that for was “Armageddon,” and I don’t care what you say because it is part of the Criterion Collection for a reason. This film brings the filmmaker back to form after he got suckered into making one “Transformer” sequel too many (even he admits that), and I had no problem telling the good guys from the bad ones this time around. Here’s hoping his next films will be as good.

* * * ½ out of * * * *