Movie Review: ‘Mission’: See this movie

Published 5:30 am Wednesday, August 5, 2015

“Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation”

Action: 2 hours, 11 minutes

Starring: Tom Cruise, Rebecca Ferguson, Jeremy Renner, Ving Rhames and Simon Pegg

Director: Christopher McQuarrie

Rated: PG-13 (Violence and brief partial nudity)

Movie Review: Tom Cruise does some engaging dangerous stunts in this fifth addition to the franchise, a series that started with 1996’s “Mission: Impossible” (Director Brian De Palma) and based on the television series that ran 1966–1973. Action scenes are keenly played, and the story, while messy in a few scenes, is top-notch entertainment.       After the United States government dismantles IMF, Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and his team are uncovering the unknown international organization known as The Syndicate, a network of highly skilled special agents. The Syndicate has a plan for a new world domination. Hunt and his team stand in the way, and they have help this time. British agent Ilsa Faust (Ferguson) is on the scene and garners Hunt’s attention. Hunt and his team face their most impossible mission — a rogue nation.

Cruise is daredevil, and the fact he does some of his own dangerous stunts increases his appeal as an action star. Here, he hangs onto the side of an airplane as well as doing other stunts. He is impressive as Ethan Hunt. Cruise takes this role seriously in a gratifying manner.

His pairing with the talented and beautiful Ferguson is good cinema. Their characters appear made for each other.

The screenplay does not do the obvious. It does put them together romantically in a manner audiences might like.

Instead, this concept and others presented in “Rogue Nation” do not play to stereotypical moments. They keep one guessing as to what is going to happen next by abstaining from formulaic material and material seen in the previous “Mission Impossible” movies.

Comedy insertions are also present. Pegg scores laughs, often stealing scenes. His quips are a welcome retreat when the action scenes become too aggressive.

This is brilliant work of Director McQuarrie, who helmed “Jack Reacher” (2012), and he wrote “Edge of Tomorrow” (2014). Both movies starred Cruise as leads. Cruise and McQuarrie make a good team. Here, they provide an engaging story and good action. “Rogue Nation” is impressive entertainment.

Grade: B (Your mission should you choose to accept it: Go see this movie.)

“Mr. Holmes”

Drama/Mystery: 1 hour, 45 minutes

Starring: Ian McKellen, Laura Linney, Milo Parker, Hattie Morahan and Hiroyuki Sanada        

Director: Bill Condon

Rated: PG (Thematic elements, some disturbing images and incidental smoking)

Movie Review: Sherlock Holmes was a man who solved many mysteries from Baker Street. “Mr Holmes” focuses on the man behind those mystery stories. It is a well-acted, appealing feature.

Retired some time ago, an elderly Sherlock Holmes (McKellen), searching for a rare plant for health, travels to 1947 Japan, where he sees post-nuclear devastation.

There, a past event becomes a mystery, as Holmes does not remember the event told to him via Mr. Umezaki (Sanada).

Meanwhile, Holmes wishes to correct a story by his former associate, Dr. Watson, about a case involving Ann Kelmot (Morahan). The case ended tragically, and Holmes wants his version of the story in print. As Holmes’ health fails at his seaside estate, he befriends Roger (Parker), the son of Holmes’ housekeeper, Mrs. Munro (Linney).

Incredible performances and a genuinely decent story drive this drama. McKellen is exceptional. His acting is grand. He is Oscar-worthy as Holmes. He, Linney, Parker, who is award worthy, too, and others are endearing as a cast. Even during flashbacks, these personas maintain continuity and interesting behaviors.

Bill Condon (“Kinsey,” 2004) is a fine director. He directed McKellen in the superb “Gods and Monsters” (1998), for which Condon won an Academy Award for Best Writing. He also wrote the acclaimed “Chicago” (2002), and he wrote and directed “Dreamgirls” (2006). He is a talented director. “Mr. Holmes” adds to his resume of good photoplays.

For moviegoers looking for a decent movie, this one works. The story provides a nice atmosphere for mystery while being invitingly charming.

Grade: B (Elementary, this is a good tale, indubitably.)

“Vacation”

Comedy: 1 hour, 39 minutes

Starring: Ed Helms, Christina Applegate, Skyler Gisondo and Steele Stebbins   

Directors: John Francis Daley and Jonathan M. Goldstein

Rated: R (Sexuality, crude humor, profanity, violence and nudity)

Movie Review: Some vacation plans need cancellation. The Griswolds should have stayed home. Their trip is miserable for them, and it is not a getaway for audiences, either.  

Rusty Griswold (Helms) wants to

make his family’s relationship stronger. Along with his wife, Debbie (Applegate), and their sons, James (Gisondo) and Kevin (Stebbins), the Griswolds head across the United States to Walley

World via car making several stops

along the way. Their adventure is anything but uneventful. Plenty of mishaps happen that complicate the Griswolds’ vacation.

“Vacation” is really a sequel to the 1983 screenplay titled the same. The current movie involves some of the same instances as the 1983 version, but it features the children and grandchildren of Clark and Ellen Griswold, played by Chevy Chase and Beverly D’Angelo, who reprise the roles they played in 1983’s “Vacation.”        

Silly pranks make goofy scenes. A kid curses continuously. This is supposedly comedy, but the moments become tediously repetitive. Other jokes are also repetitive.

The comedy lacks intellect and convincing characters to make it worthwhile. The plot has holes that leave incomplete moments. Stupid characters and unsophisticated antics do not equate to good comedy this outing.

Grade: D- (Vacate this movie.)