Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation

Film Review: Mission: Impossible – Fallout

Christopher McQuarrie’s Mission: Impossible – Fallout is the best blockbuster of the year so far. No mean feat for the sixth film in the series.

After a mission goes wrong, Ethan Hunt and the IMF team face a race against time to fix things. Along the way, the team encounter a familiar face, and are joined by members of the CIA…

The second film in the series to be helmed by Christopher McQuarrie (after 2015’s Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation), Mission: Impossible – Fallout is quite possibly the best film in the franchise thus far. Written and directed by McQuarrie, the film gets a lot right. Action sequences are immense, the plot is entertaining, and the momentum is strong.

The film brings back some of the characters from the previous instalment. As well as the team members, a few other characters return. There is more cohesion to the IMF team this time around, and there are even some more affecting moments to be found. The other main addition is CIA agent Walker, who is tasked with joining Hunt and co on their mission. The plot of the film works well; it is reminiscent of the Bond series – in a good way. There is sufficient peril, but really the narrative takes a backseat to the action.

The numerous action sequences are brilliantly executed. Unlike so many recent blockbusters, McQuarrie relies on stunts rather than CGI to bring the thrills. The sequences are highly exciting, whether it is magnificent fight choreography in one room, a pulsating chase sequence, or a large-scale finale. Tom Cruise tenacity pays off in bounds, giving viewers exactly what they want from an action film. Henry Cavill is a good addition, and Vanessa Kirby is lively in a small role.

Mission: Impossible – Fallout will be hard to beat this year in terms of authentic thrills. A must-see for most.

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Film Review: Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation

The fifth instalment in the franchise, Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation is a formulaic but finely executed action thriller.

Ethan Hunt is convinced of the presence of a shadowy organisation known as The Syndicate. When the IMF are called into question, it is down to Ethan and his small team to trace and combat the rogue group…

The Mission: Impossible film franchise bucks the trend of movie series in that it seems to improve with every instalment. Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation follows the same tread as its predecessors. The big set pieces are present, along with jet-setting adventure, espionage intrigue, and jokes to lighten the mood. Nevertheless director and writer Christopher McQuarrie pulls off the action thriller with some aplomb.

The narrative focuses on the official disbanding of the IMF, and Ethan’s drive to uncover The Syndicate. Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation is very much about espionage. The film harks back to Cold War sensibilities, with the mysterious double agent trope, and the shiftiness of spy agencies. This works well to provide a backdrop and reasoning for the action that unfolds in the film.

What makes Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation so successful is the way it has been executed. Pacing in the film is excellent, with little let up between action sequences. These action sequences are great, with cinematography, sound and effects all working together well. Panoramic shots make the most of exotic locales featured in the film.

Tom Cruise is as active as ever as Ethan Hunt, upping the stunt stakes even further in Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation. Alex Baldwin is a good addition to the returning cast. Rebecca Ferguson is decent as the sole female character Ilsa, a suitably complex role. However, it is a shame that she is reduced to voyeuristic shots in skimpy attire. He skills and physical prowess suggest that she is little more than eye candy, which makes these shots feel all the more dated. Nevertheless, this is one negative of a great film overall.

Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation is a tremendously entertaining film which should thrill fans of the franchise.

Previews: Inside Out TV Spot, Maggie Trailer and More

A cornucopia of film-related goodness in this week’s preview of coming attractions, including the latest Inside Out TV spot, a Terminator Genisys featurette, Maggie trailer and lots more…

Inside Out TV Spot

Here is the latest Inside Out TV spot. The Disney Pixar film has been doing fantastic business in the US, and looks certain to replicate that in the UK with its summer holiday’s release. With the voices of Amy Poehler, Bill Hader and Mindy Kaling, Inside Out hits UK screens on 24th July 2015.

Terminator Genisys Featurette

The cast and crew of upcoming Terminator Genisys talk about protagonist Sarah Connor in this new featurette. The famous action heroine is played by Game of Thrones‘ Emilia Clarke, who indicates that there will be nods to the original film in this latest instalment of the franchise. Terminator Genisys is released on 2nd July 2015.

Ant-Man TV Spot

Marvel’s latest super hero to receive the big-screen treatment is Ant-Man. From the above TV spots and earlier trailers, the film looks to offer a fair amount of humour. Starring Paul Rudd and Michael Douglas, Ant-Man launches its way onto the big screen on 17th July 2015.

Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation Poster

Tom Cruise returns as Ethan Hunt in the five instalment of the Mission: Impossible film franchise. Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation sees the IMF disbanded, leaving Ethan and his team trying to combat deadly terror attacks. With Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg and Ving Rhames also returning, Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation bursts into cinemas on 30th July 2015.

Maggie Trailer

Arnold Schwarzenegger must once again play the hero in new thriller Maggie. The film is a teenage girl who is infected during a zombie outbreak, and her father’s efforts to protect her. Also starring Abigail Breslin, Maggie is set for release on 24th July 2015.

Ted 2 Trailer

So teddy bears coming to life is something that I dream about. Ted is a little lewd for my tastes, but the first film was enjoyable enough. Ted 2 reunites Mark Wahlberg and Seth McFarlane, and brings on board Amanda Seyfried as Ted’s lawyer. Ted 2 hits the big screen on 8th July 2015 in the UK.

Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension Trailer

The trailer for the latest instalment of the Paranormal Activity franchise is here. Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension sees a family discover some old VHS tapes which hold a nasty surprise. The conclusion of the horror franchise is scheduled for release on 30th October 2015.

Vacation Poster

Here is the latest poster for upcoming comedy Vacation. The film is the latest in the National Lampoon franchise, and sees a grown-up Rusty Griswold (Ed Helms) taking his family on a road-trip vacation. Also starring Christina Applegate, Leslie Mann and Chris Hemsworth, Vacation is release in UK cinemas on 21st August 2015.

The Secret Life of Pets Trailer

I know what pets to all day; the nap and eat and nap some more. That is to say, they live the life. New animated comedy The Secret Life of Pets takes us behind closed doors. Featuring the voices of Louis C.K., Ellie Kemper and Hannibal Buress, The Secret Life of Pets is set for release on 24th June 2016.

Fantastic Four Photo Shoot

Here are the stars of the new Fantastic Four film looking dapper. Miles Teller, Michael B. Jordan, Kate Mara and Jamie Bell star as the superhero quartet in the reboot of the Marvel franchise. Fantastic Four launches its way onto the big screen on 6th August 2015.

Spectre Vlog

Here is the latest blog from the set of new James Bond move Spectre. Director Sam Mendes discusses filming a scene that takes place amidst the Day of the Dead festival in Mexico City. Starring Daniel Craig and Christoph Waltz, Spectre will be released on 6th November 2015.

Magic Mike XXL Clip

The marketing for sequel Magic Mike XXL has been wonderful. This latest clip suggests the tongue-in-cheek attitude will continue in the film. Whereas the first film descended into schmaltz, here’s hoping this instalment will keep the tone humorous. The film is, after all, about male entertainers. Magic Mike XXL is released in cinemas on 3rd July 2015.

Previews: Jurassic World Featurette, Macbeth Trailer and More

Plenty in this week’s preview of coming attractions, including the latest Jurassic World featurette, the trailer for Macbeth, and the latest Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation trailer…

Jurassic World Featurette

Steven Spielberg talks about passing the torch to director Colin Trevorrow in this new Jurassic World featurette. The importance of the cast and crew being fans of Jurassic Park is highlighted in the video, which hopefully means that the new film will pay homage to the original. Jurassic World hits the big screen on 11th June 2015.

Macbeth Trailer

This trailer for the new film adaptation of Macbeth is haunting. Starring Michael Fasbender and Marion Cotillard, this is a period-set version of the Shakespearean classic. Macbeth, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, is set for release on 2nd October 2015.

Song of the Sea Trailer

After it’s Oscar nomination, Song of the Sea gets a UK release. The animated film tells the story of Ben and his sister Saoirse who embark on a journey across a fantastic world. Featuring the voice of Brendan Gleeson, Song of the Sea will be released in cinemas on 10th July 2015.

Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation Trailer

The big set pieces continue in this latest instalment in the franchise, Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation. The film sees Tom Cruise reuniting with Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg, and Ving Rhames, plus some new faces. Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation will hit UK screens on 30th July 2015.

Terminator Genisys Clip

This clip shows Terminator Genisys paying homage to its predecessors with a famous line. The film sees the return of Arnold Schwarzenegger in his famous franchise, as well as Jai Courtney, Emilia Clarke and Jason Clarke. A fractured timeline is created when Kyle Reese is sent back to 1984 to protect Sarah Connor. See what happens when Terminator Genisys is released in Uk cinemas on 2nd July 2015.

Stuff To Look At

Plenty of film previews this week, with Mad Max: Fury Road, Spy, Poltergeist and more…

Amy

Above is the teaser trailer for documentary Amy. Filmmaker Asif Kapadia looks at the life of late singer-songwriter Amy Winehouse. From the footage here, she is depicted as quiet personality, perhaps debunking tabloid representations. Amy is set for release in UK cinemas on 3rd July 2015.

Mad Max: Fury Road

Here is the latest trailer for Mad Max: Fury Road, starring Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron. It was announced this morning that six minutes of footage from Mad Max: Road Fury will be shown before screenings of Fast & Furious 7 exclusively at Odeon cinemas from 3rd April. Mad Max: Fury Road will hit the big screen on 14th May 2015.

Spy

Director Paul Feig teams up again with Melissa McCarthy for Spy. Also starring Jason Statham and Jude Law, McCarthy plays a desk-bound CIA agent who goes undercover on a dangerous case. Spy will be released in UK cinemas on 5th June 2015.

Poltergeist

I have chosen to feature this terrifying-looking poster as I want everyone to experience the same discomfort I felt when first glancing upon it. The Poltergeist remake, which stars Sam Rockwell, is set for release in UK cinemas on 22nd May 2015.

Terminator: Genisys

What this latest TV spot for Terminator: Genisys shows us is that robots age. This latest Terminator film stars Jason Clarke, Emilia Clarke, Jai Courtney and, of course, Arnold Schwarzenegger. It will be interesting to see whether Schwarzenegger can bring back the magic of the first two films. Terminator: Genisys hits the big screen on 3rd July 2015.

Speaking of ageing action heroes… No! The trailer for the latest Mission: Impossible movie is here, and looks as action-packed as ever. Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation sees the return of Tom Cruise, Simon Pegg and Jeremy Renner, alongside newcomers Rebecca Ferguson and Alec Baldwin. The film is released in UK cinemas on 30th July 2015.

The Falling

Carol Morley’s The Falling is about a fainting epidemic at a girls’ school in the 1960s. Starring Game of Thrones‘ Maisie Williams and newcomer Florence Pugh, The Falling is out in cinemas on 24th April in the UK.