Tag: Spy

Posted in 2020-2029, Film Review

Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning (2023)

Posted on by Martin: Through the Silver Screen
© Paramount Pictures, Skydance and TC Productions

Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning – Film Review

Cast: Tom Cruise, Rebecca Ferguson, Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames, Hayley Atwell, Vanessa Kirby, Henry Czerny, Pom Klementieff, Esai Morales

Director:  Christopher McQuarrie

Synopsis:  Ethan Hunt and the IMF find themselves in a race against time to prevent a new weapon from being utilised by a powerful enemy…

Review: Ever since making his first screen appearance as secret agent Ethan Hunt in 1996, the unparalleled commitment of Thomas Cruise Mapother IV to pull some truly insane and incredible stunts has made him practically unrivalled in terms of an out-and-out movie star. Here’s a man who has across nearly three decades of this franchise, among other things, climbed the tallest building in the world, hung off a plane in mid-air,  performed a HALO jump and flown a helicopter for a pulsating tense chase sequence, all in the name of entertaining the audience. The success of last year’s Top Gun: Maverick, which was filled with some of the best aerial combat sequences ever captured on film, reinforced Cruise’s status as a box office draw. Now after a long and arduous journey to get to the big screen thanks to the Covid pandemic, Cruise once again suits up as Ethan Hunt for another nail-biting mission.

As the trailers kept the plot shrouded in secrecy, it would be impolite to go into massive amounts of detail about the plot. Suffice it to say, given the extraordinary amount of conversations which have been generated by the subject in question, it is extremely timely, packs what you’d normally expect from an MI adventure, and ensures the stakes for this seventh instalment somehow feel even bigger than its previous entries. When Ethan Hunt and the IMF learn of the existence of a new threat which would unleash global chaos if it fell into the wrong hands, Hunt along with trusted associates Benji (Pegg) and Luther (Rhames) and Ilsa (Ferguson) must set off another global mission to retrieve an artefact which could lead to this mysterious new weapon, while being pursued by an array of other forces who have also taken an interest in this weapon, which includes Vanessa Kirby’s Alanna Mitsopolis AKA the White Widow.

Given the remarkable longevity with which he has played this character, it will not come as a shock to learn that Cruise is once again terrific and there is genuinely no one else in the world who could possibly take on this role at this point. He continues to prove that age is just a number as despite now being into his sixties, he remains as committed as ever to throwing everything he has at the stunts this franchise has become so well known whether that be a crazy car chase, an exhilarating chase sequence or actually driving a motorbike off a cliff. While none of his IMF colleagues are involved with such extraordinary stunts, as is the case with Cruise, they have embodied these characters for so long now, they’re on reliably good form. As for new characters, the most noteworthy is Hayley Atwell’s Grace, a mysterious character who gets entangled with the IMF’s hunt for this mysterious weapon. With Sean Harris’s Solomon Lane now out of the picture, the latest villain to pose problems for the IMF comes in the form of Esai Morales’s Gabriel. While he is not the most well-developed villain in the franchise, he nevertheless proves to be a methodical antagonist who poses a substantial threat to give Ethan and the IMF a substantial headache, along with Paris (no, not the city), but instead, a sword-wielding assassin played with evil glee by Pom Klementieff.

While the stunts in this latest instalment continue to push the boundaries for what action cinema is capable of, it does come at a cost. In this entry of the franchise, more than any other which has been helmed by McQuarrie, it is noticeable that while the filmmakers go all out in terms of the action and the mind-bogglingly impressive level of stuntwork which must go into bringing them to life, McQuarrie and Erik Jendresen’s script stutters as a result. In this instalment, more so than any other film helmed by McQuarrie, it is apparent the screenplay is worked around the stunts and the unintended consequence of that is the events in the first act are a little convoluted and messy in its first act as it establishes the groundwork for what this mysterious weapon is and why it is so heavily sought after.

Once these wrinkles have been ironed out, the film kicks firmly into gear and its 163-minute run time flies by as quickly as its lead star can run. While it might not scale the heights of its predecessors (it will seriously be hard to beat that Burj Khalifa climb, the HALO jump or the jaw-dropping helicopter sequences), the intensity of the third act will have you in its grip for the entirety and will not let go until the credits have begun to roll. Time will tell just how long this franchise will have legs for, but so long as its star is willing to keep on running and pulling off more insane stunts, and its director remains committed to making them, it’s unlikely to run out of road or missions any time soon.

Following the pulsating highs of Fallout was always going to be a mission not even the IMF could accomplish. Nevertheless, the unwavering star power of Cruise and his commitment to delivering adrenaline-fuelled entertainment ensure that coming back for Part Two will be a mission audiences will be more than willing to accept. 

Posted in 2020-2029, Film Review

No Time To Die (2021)

Posted on by Martin: Through the Silver Screen
© Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Eon Productions

No Time To Die – Film Review

Cast: Daniel Craig, Rami Malek, Léa Seydoux, Lashana Lynch, Ana de Armas, Ben Whishaw, Naomie Harris, Jeffrey Wright, Christoph Waltz, Ralph Fiennes

Director: Cary Joji Fukunaga

Synopsis: After spending time living a peaceful, retired life, James Bond is brought back to the world of assassins and espionage when an old friend approaches him to request his help for a new mission…

Review: It has been a difficult journey for the 25th instalment of the James Bond franchise to make its way to the big screen. A planned November 2019 release date that never materialised due to creative differences, which led to initial director Danny Boyle to depart the project. The injury that star Daniel Craig suffered during its production. All of which were compounded by the multiple enforced delays to its planned release due to the COVID pandemic. It was beginning to feel like there was an unbreakable curse on this film, that would prevent it from ever seeing the light of a big cinema screen. For a film that was marketed as Daniel Craig’s final bow in this role, it has been an agonising wait for it to finally be unveiled to the public. Now at last, Craig’s Bond takes aim at his final mission, and it was worth the wait.

Following on from the events of Spectre, Bond and Madeleine (Seydoux) are living a peaceful, quiet life in picturesque Italy. However, it isn’t long before their romantic bubble is burst when some startling revelations about the past are uncovered, which threatens to tear their relationship apart. Determined to find some answers, Bond teams up with old ally Felix Leiter (Wright) who approaches Bond for his help with a mission that leads back to some familiar faces, whilst uncovering a deadly plot at the hands of the villainous Safin (Malek), that threatens to unleash global destruction.

For a time, it was very uncertain whether Craig would continue in the role due to some infamous comments that he once made when asked if he would return to the role. Right throughout his tenure, Craig has always thrown everything he’s got into the role, and it is fitting that his final turn as this iconic character is possibly his best performance. He’s a character who has been on quite the journey since we first met him back in Casino Royale. While he often exhibits the cold and stoic persona that would be demanded of a paid assassin, there is a substantial amount of emotion to his final portrayal of this character. Of the new cast members, the standout is easily Lashana Lynch’s Nomi, a new double 0 agent that Bond must work with on this mission. Ana de Armas as the CIA agent Paloma that Bond also teams up is also another delightful addition to this cast. Given that they worked together to wonderful effect in Knives Out, the chemistry between de Armas and Craig is perfect. Frustratingly, she’s given a scarce amount of screen time.

Following the tragic fate of Vesper Lynd, it would have seemed unlikely that any other woman would capture Bond’s heart. Yet, following on from her introduction in the previous film, Lea Seydoux’s Madeleine Swann proved otherwise, given it was her that prompted Bond’s decision to retire from the life of a double 0-agent. Her performance, and the relationship that she shares with Bond here very much represents the heart of the film. There’s been no shortage of memorable women in the history of this franchise, and when looking back at this era of the Bond franchise, it will be hard not to recognise her as one of the more noteworthy Bond ladies. While Craig and Seydoux are the heart and soul of the film, it would not be a Bond film without the supporting cast. The familiar faces of Naomie Harris’s Moneypenny, Ralph Fiennes as M, and especially Ben Whishaw’s Q are all once again excellent.

The Craig era has introduced us to some of the most iconic villains, from Le Chiffre and Silva in Casino and Skyfall respectively, Malek’s Safin is not quite as memorable as the aforementioned villains. Nevertheless, he is a calm, methodical antagonist who proves to be more than a match for 007. While he was not the first choice for the director’s gig, Cary Fukunaga proved to be the perfect director for the task of giving Craig’s Bond the send off that he deserved. Craig’s Bond era has set the benchmark for gripping opening action scenes. From the enthralling opening action scene, to every action scene that the film packs into is run time, there’s a grittiness and intensity that is consistent throughout all of the action that gets the adrenaline pumping, aided by an excellent score from the maestro that is Hans Zimmer.

At 2 hours and 43 minutes, this is the longest film in the franchise’s history. Fukunaga worked on the script alongside franchise regulars Neal Purvis and Robert Wade. As such, the film is filled with everything you have come to expect from a Bond film, as well as one of the best one-liners in this franchise’s history. One suspects that could be down to the script polishes that came courtesy of Phoebe Waller-Bridge. However, that run time does feel overly long as the film does suffer from pacing issues in a handful of places. The James Bond franchise is one that has endured over multiple decades and with five films across nearly 15 years in this role, Daniel Craig bows out of this franchise with a legacy that will live forever.

The expectations were enormous, and after an agonisingly long wait, Craig’s final bow has met those expectations in an enthralling and stylish manner. A fitting send off for one of the best actors to ever don Bond’s tuxedo.

Posted in 2010-2019, Film Review

Mission: Impossible – Fallout (2018)

Posted on by Martin: Through the Silver Screen
Image is property of Paramount, Bad Robot Productions and Skydance Media

Mission: Impossible – Fallout – Film Review

Cast: Tom Cruise, Rebecca Ferguson, Simon Pegg, Alec Baldwin, Ving Rhames, Vanessa Kirby Michelle Monaghan, Henry Cavill, Sean Harris, Angela Bassett

Director: Christopher McQuarrie

Synopsis: When the IMF learns of an organisation in possession of some deadly nuclear weapons, they face a race against time in order to prevent global catastrophe…

Review: Though the word Impossible is in the title, the Mission Impossible franchise continues to prove that nothing is impossible when it comes to creating mind boggling stunts, and combining that with very well crafted and compelling stories. The remarkable stunts however are in no small part down to the incredible work of Tom Cruise who goes all out in terms of giving the audience the perfect, adrenaline fuelled thrill ride. And with each new entry into this franchise, it continues to offer that, and in jaw-dropping and spectacular fashion.

With this being the sixth entry into the franchise, this can be the point where things start to run out of steam, but this can definitely not be said for Mr Cruise who is showing no signs of slowing down even well into his fifties, and long may that continue. In the wake of the events of Rogue Nation, after a mission goes awry, a sinister group threatens to unleash global nuclear catastrophe. Consequently, the IMF once again finds itself in a desperate mission to save the world once more. However, it wouldn’t be a MI film if there weren’t some solid characters, a bunch of agendas flying around, people being double-crossed, and some people with some sinister motivations.

Bit high up here, isn’t it?

Cruise, as he has been across all 6 films, is once again terrific as Ethan Hunt, likewise for his IMF companions in Luther (Rhames) and the tech wizard Benji (Pegg). Though the absence of Jeremy Renner’s Brandt is never really explained. Also making her return is Ilsa (Ferguson), mysterious as ever, and out on her own mission that threatens to get in the way of Hunt’s. This in turn drags Sean Harris’s nefarious Solomon Lane back into the picture, which isn’t really good news for anyone. As for the newbies, Henry Cavill, and his well publicised moustache, certainly gives Hunt another headache that he could really do without. Fresh from her work on The Crown, Vanessa Kirby’s mysterious role was an interesting one, but sadly she is somewhat underused as is Angela Bassett as the new director of the CIA.

For each new entry into the franchise, a new director accepted the mission to helm the project. However, this time McQuarrie is once again writing and directing.  Given the slick style of action that he brought to the table, it is a welcome one to see him return. This film has almost every action set piece you can think of, and it’s just absolutely glorious to watch. There are some necessary breathers, which is helpful because by the time we reach the final action set piece, it really goes up a notch. The word tense REALLY just doesn’t do it justice, especially if you are afraid of heights. Sometimes you do wonder how on earth they accomplished what they did, this is action film-making at its absolute best.

The franchise has certainly seen absolutely batshit stunts like the thrilling Burj Khalifa scene in Ghost Protocol, but here Cruise might have just outdone himself with some of the stunts that are on show here, particularly in that enthralling final action scene. With each entry, this franchise just continues to just be a source of spectacular and electrifying entertainment, and arguably getting better with each instalment. The fallout of the film-making brilliance that you see on screen here means that should anyone choose to accept the mission to direct any future instalments, that itself is going to be its very own impossible mission. Good luck to whomever decides to take that challenge on.

A very well crafted and engaging story, fused with excellent action set pieces and some absolutely jaw-dropping stunts once more. Please fasten your seat-belts, you’re in for a pulsating ride. 

Posted in 2010-2019, Film Review

Kingsman: The Golden Circle (2017)

Posted on by Martin: Through the Silver Screen
Image is property of 20th Century Fox and Marv

Kingsman: The Golden Circle – Film Review

Cast: Taron Egerton, Mark Strong, Colin Firth, Jeff Bridges, Channing Tatum, Halle Berry, Sophie Cookson, Pedro Pascal

Director: Matthew Vaughn

Synopsis:  After their organisation comes under attack, The Kingsman seek the help of their US Counterparts, the Statesman, to help them save the world…

Review: It is always nice when a film knows exactly what the audience wants and doesn’t take itself too seriously. In addition, when said film knew that it was a ridiculously over the top, almost parody of the the spy films that it obviously drew inspiration from, and plays that to its advantage to deliver an absurd amount of entertainment, and laughs, that’s always a most welcome outcome, and this is precisely what Kingsman: The Secret Service was. Therefore, a sequel to this surprise hit was almost inevitable, and Vaughn despite perhaps some initial hesitation, eventually came back to the director’s chair.

The first film was, for the most part British-centric, and more specifically on the Kingsman and the recruitment of young Eggsy into this elite spy organisation. The plot now goes a bit more global, well across the Pond to be exact. With the Kingsman on their knees following a vicious attack, a clue leads them to their US based allies, the Statesman. Their research leads them to something that is known as the “Golden Circle” and with the Kingsman and Statesman now side by side, they must band together to help save the world because as you would expect, as there’s always some dastardly villain looking to wreak world havoc.

Eggsy’s development from deadbeat chav, to a sophisticated gentleman spy was a central theme of what The Secret Service was all about. All the while saving the world with mentor Harry Hart (Firth) by his side. Though Harry initially seems to have suffered a grim demise, but with a presence that is hard to miss if you have seen any promotional material, it indicates that Harry did not meet said demise. Their character development was a key arc of the first movie, but there is much less focus on that arc, and indeed character development as a whole, which can be frustrating to say the least.

“We are the three amigos…”

Instead Vaughn and Goldman zone in on the action stakes, turning up the volume to maximum. If his past work is anything to go by, Vaughn is certainly a director who knows how to helm jaw dropping action scenes,  the church scene from the first film certainly stands out. They’re very fast paced and exhilarating, although sometimes they way they are cut together, with very fast, quick cut editing can make them a bit jarring to watch. The plot is again a bit far fetched to say the least, even more so than the last film, but the movie knows that this is part of its charm, and it uses that to its advantage.

Taron Egerton remains on great form as Eggsy and he is ably supported by the familiar faces of Merlin and Roxy, whilst continuing a relationship with his royal girlfriend. The main bunch of new recruits comes in the shape of the Statesman cast, with Bridges giving Rooster Cogburn a 21st century makeover in the form of Statesman top dog Champ. Tequila and Ginger Ale (Tatum and Berry) are welcome additions but both feel somewhat underutilised. Meanwhile Pedro Pascal as Whiskey is perhaps the most interesting of the new bunch, honing his Oberyn Martell-esque fighting skills to great effect, and while she does have some time to shine, Julianne Moore as the antagonist would have benefited from a bit more screen time.

Though it doesn’t get too bloated, the film does feel perhaps a tad too long, perhaps because Vaughn does cram so much into this new adventure. but there’s more than enough good material here for audiences to enjoy. Like last time, the movie remains very self-aware, it knows it is a bat shit crazy experience with spies, espionage, gadgets, action and VERY adult humour. And that’s just what you signed up for, suited and booted and all.

There’s not a great deal of character development to be found, but like its predecessor, The Golden Circle delivers those insane and thrilling action set pieces and adult humour that make it such a blast to watch.

Posted in 2010-2019, Film Review

Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol (2011)

Posted on by Martin: Through the Silver Screen
ghost protocol
Image rights belong to Paramount, Bad Robot, Skydance Productions and TC Productions

Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol – Film Review

Cast: Tom Cruise, Paula Patton, Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg, Lea Seydoux, Michael Nyqvist

Director: Brad Bird

Synopsis: The IMF is disavowed following a mission, and must use any means they can to take down a growing terrorist threat, bent on global destruction.

Review: If there is one movie star today who absolutely commits himself to every stunt he does, for the sole purpose of giving the audience the ultimate thrill, edge-of-your-seat action, then look no further than Tom Cruise. In this fourth instalment of the Mission Impossible franchise, Cruise really decided to up the “holy shit” factor by actually scaling the tallest building in the world, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, and in doing so produced one of the best set pieces ever put to film.

Of course, this is one exhilarating and intense action sequence in a movie jam packed with amazing sequences and some really great characters, all under the supervision of animation veteran Brad Bird. The IMF has been disavowed after a pretty catastrophic event which they are subsequently blamed for, and it is up to them to clear their name and find the real perpetrator. From a thrilling prison break sequence in the beginning, a daring mission in Moscow, the aforementioned scaling of the Burj Khalifa, to a climatic chase in Mumbai. The action sequences are thrilling and very intense at times, and can certainly lay claim to some of the best in the franchise. Yet, there are plenty of moments to allow the audience to catch their breath.

burj khalifa

Aptly for the fourth film in the franchise, the IMF has four key players, Cruise’s Ethan Hunt, Benji Dunn (Pegg), and newbies Jane Carter (Patton) and William Brandt (Renner). Together the four of them make a pretty effective team, although it’s not always happy times, as Agent Carter has a vendetta, specifically against the secondary antagonist played brilliantly by Lea Seydoux. Each of the actors give excellent performances. Sure Cruise’s Hunt is the main character but the team play an important role too and that is stressed throughout out this movie, they are a team, and they get stuff done as a team. Pegg’s Benji is there to provide the humour, and he does so wonderfully well. Lea Seydoux appears as a secondary antagonist, but she is a much more compelling villain.

The real trouble here is the main villain, Nyqvist is fine in the role, but he is a bit generic. A madman who wants to wreak global nuclear destruction, not exactly anything new in the genre of spies and espionage movies. However, it serves to help the plot move forward, which also in itself is a little bit generic, as it tries to create a new Cold War, except this one wouldn’t be so cold as to very very hot one. Nevertheless, it remains a very exciting movie to watch, and a stylish one at that! When a franchise reaches its fourth instalment, there are times when a franchise needs to be put to bed, or it proves to provide awesome entertainment that ensures it keeps going. The latter is applicable here and when the fifth instalment came out last year, it went on to produce even more greatness for the franchise.

Gripping action sequences, with top performances from its cast, especially from Cruise, the Mission Impossible franchise continues to accept its missions, and with great style too! 

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Posted in 2010-2019, Film Review

Spectre (2015)

Posted on by Martin: Through the Silver Screen
Image rights belong to Eon Productions, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Columbia Pictures
Image rights belong to Eon Productions, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Columbia Pictures

Spectre – Film Review

Cast: Daniel Craig, Christoph Waltz, Lea Seydoux, Naomi Harris, Ralph Fiennes, Ben Whishaw, Monica Belluci, Andrew Scott

Director: Sam Mendes

Synopsis: With a clue left behind by the recently deceased M, Bond uncovers a link to a sinister organisation known as Spectre. While the new M battles to keep MI6 afloat from sources at home, Bond must go it alone and uncover the dark truth behind Spectre and its leader, Franz Oberhauser.

Review: How do you top a film that smashed box office records for the franchise, won two Oscars and was hailed by many as one of the best Bond films ever made? Well quite simply, you rehire the same director who brought us Skyfall and ensure that the steely blue eyed Daniel Craig is back on board as the man with the license to kill, globe-trot like never before and up the stakes considerably. Skyfall certainly raised the bar after the less than stellar effort from 2008 (which shall not be named) but with this newest addition into the long running franchise, it proves once again that the accuracy of this franchise is right on point once more, and with this new film we may have our best film of the franchise, certainly the best film of Daniel Craig’s tenure as Bond. If this is his final run as Bond, then he can certainly say he went out on a massive high note.

Carrying on from the events of Skyfall, from the wreckage of Bond’s childhood home comes a dark clue and it is one that leads Bond to the dangerous organisation known as SPECTRE, making its triumphant return to the franchise after a lengthy absence. Events that were set in motion from the previous films have come full circle for Bond, and now Bond has to face off against this menacing organisation and its all powerful leader, Franz Oberhauser, who has some close personal connections to Bond and in typical Bond fashion, there is a plan that needs to be foiled, by forces both at home and abroad.

The exact same team that wrote Skyfall, Neal Purvis and Robert Wade, again joined by John Logan must have thought how on earth could they beat what they achieved in 2012? Well whatever were the results of their  super secret script meetings, they pulled it off and in some style with one of the best Bond scripts in recent times.  With an incredible opening scene set in Mexico, that surely ranks amongst the series best, to an intense finale in North Africa. The film boasts ar remarkable set of locations. Sam Mendes knew what worked with his previous Bond picture, and upped the style and then some. The dialogue is sharp, witty when it needs to be, but most importantly of all, keeps the audience engaged, which in no small part helps due to the magnificent cinematography, this time by Hoyte van Hoyetma. Like Skyfall, visually the film is breathtaking with some more excellent directing by Mendes.

With the great story comes great characters, Craig remains electric as Bond, and the rest of his ensemble cast all bring their best performances to their respective roles. Having taken over the role as M, Ralph Fiennes shows he is more than capable of filling the role that Judi Dench played so magnificently for so many years. He had enormous shoes to fill, but he filled them and then some! With Ben Whishaw and Naomie Harris both impressing in their roles once again as Q and Moneypenny respectively.

But it’s not out with the old and in with the new entirely as the new incoming cast certainly shine arguably the brightest. The identity of Waltz’s character has been the subject of much scrutiny (saying nothing…)  the two time Oscar winner certainly demonstrates his great ability in an extraordinary performance. Equally magnetic and brilliant is Lea Seydoux, one of our two Bond ladies, who shows she’s more than capable of being a badass whilst when wearing an evening dress, while Dave Bautista brings his strength and silent presence in the form of ruthless henchman Mr Hinx. Yet for all the greatness with the new characters, there are some frustrations with Monica Belluci’s Bond lady being almost criminally underutilised, while other characters feel somewhat underdeveloped and their plot lines left a tad unexplained as to their true motivations.

Yet take nothing away from Mendes and his team. The gauntlet they had set themselves after Bond’s 23rd outing was a big one, but they absolutely rose to the challenge and in terrific style.  The series has arguably never been stronger and firing on all cylinders, and it will take a brave soul to step up to the plate to take on Bond 25, cos the bar has been raised once again, almost higher than never before. Although next time, a better theme song would be most welcome!

With some stellar acting Craig, Waltz and Seydoux, whilst remaining visually beautiful with some extraordinary set pieces and some tremendous directing, the franchise is all guns blazing, and is not going to miss!

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Posted in 2010-2019, Film Review

Skyfall (2012)

Posted on by Martin: Through the Silver Screen
skyfall
Image is property of Eon Productions, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Sony Pictures and Columbia Pictures

Skyfall – Film Review

Cast: Daniel Craig, Javier Bardem, Judi Dench, Naomi Harris, Ralph Fiennes, Ben Whishaw, Bérénice Marlohe

Director: Sam Mendes

Synopsis: When MI6 comes under attack from an unknown threat, Bond finds his loyalty to the organisation and M, put under extreme pressure. Shaken from a near death experience, Bond must put aside questions and hunt down the ominous threat looming over MI6.

Review: Dr No, the first time a suave and charismatic agent known as James Bond came onto screens and audiences got their first look at what has since become an iconic character and franchise. In those fifty years, 23 films arrived, and on the fiftieth anniversary of the franchise, the 23rd film in this remarkable franchise blasted its way onto our screens and in doing so with Daniel Craig’s third outing as 007 cemented itself as one of the best the series has ever seen in its long and illustrious history, and for Craig to once again reinforce himself as one of the finest actors to ever don the 007 tuxedo and hold that license to kill.

In this latest adventure, Mr 007 has been through some trouble and in a brilliant opening chase sequence, is after an important piece of hardware that has some top secret information on it (as par the norm with Bond!) Yet when things go awry and it is only due to desperate need that he returns to espionage duty when a large threat is hanging over the British Secret Service. Yet he is not in the best of shape and must get back into the game. As per the course, we have our usual Bond elements, beautiful women, gadgets, and the so on. However what Skyfall does so brilliantly is make Bond a human being and a man with layers to him. He is not a superhero, he is mortal and at his heart he’s a very wounded man. You really feel Bond’s mortality in this story, he could very easily die and credit for that must go to screenwriters Robert Wade, Neal Purvis and John Logan.

As well as making Bond a very wounded and human character, the screen-writing team also deliver an astounding script with a very good story that keeps you engaged. With each passing film Craig cements himself as the perfect actor to play Bond. In addition, Dame Judi Dench as M probably gives the best performance she ever has in the role. She has dark secrets that she has been keeping from Bond and it really tests the relationship she has with him. With our heroes in place, a good villain is paramount and an essential ingredient of any Bond movie. Enter Oscar winner Javier Bardem as the ruthless, cold, Raoul Silva, a former MI6 agent who threatens to unleash chaos on the world. A brilliant and masterful portrayal from the man who chilled everybody to the bone in No Country For Old Men. Here he delivers another wounded performance that is certainly up there with the very best villains that this franchise has ever seen.  Another stellar addition to the cast is the addition of a youthful Q, played by the brilliant Ben Whishaw, who provides some sharp and witty banter with Bond when presenting him with his innovative new gadgets. The cast all play their roles exceptionally well.

With the addition of Roger Deakins as cinematography, the film is visually beautiful with some remarkable shots of astounding beauty and brilliance. In addition to this Sam Mendes did a masterful job behind the camera with some breathtaking direction.  With Thomas Newman’s top notch score to boot, all of the elements mesh perfectly to create a brilliant, exhilarating and enthralling adventure that  ticks all the boxes a Bond film should have but adds darker elements in there with the traditional, to brilliant results. What’s more, the film has an Oscar winning theme song to boot! Vodka Martini shaken and stirred to perfection Mr Bond!

Visually magnificent, with some expert directing, some great acting, particularly from Craig, Dench and Bardem, Bond celebrated his 50th birthday with an almighty bang! 

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Posted in 2000-2009, Film Review

Casino Royale (2006)

Posted on by Martin: Through the Silver Screen
Casino Royale
Image is property of Eon Productions, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Columbia Pictures

Casino Royale – Film Review

Cast: Daniel Craig, Mads Mikkelsen, Eva Green, Judi Dench, Tobias Menzies, Jeffrey Wright

Director: Martin Campbell

Synopsis: Having recently acquired his double 0 status, Bond is tasked with the mission taking down a terrorist funder, which may involve a high stakes poker game at Casino Royale, with several millions on the table.

Review: So for the 21st film in this remarkable franchise, we go back to the beginning, to the very first novel that Ian Fleming’s literary career. A fresh take on the character for the 21st century audience. With this reboot, came a new face into the iconic role, that of Mr Daniel Craig and a script by frequent Bond screenwriters Robert Wade and Neal Purvis, with the addition of Paul Haggis, with the director of Goldeneye Martin Campbell on board, these combinations were a match made in Double O Heaven! The usual elements come into the mix, of stunts, exotic and beautiful locations, women, cars and exhilarating action scenes that truly get the heart pumping. It’s the perfect mix of classic old school Bond, fused with modern elements.

Having recently obtained his Double 0 agent status, in a rather explosive intro scene, Bond is ultimately tasked with bringing down a man who provides funding for international terrorists. The introduction sets the pace going immediately and the action is fast paced but it is not relentless. There are moments to let him catch his breath and fall in love with another seductive and sexy Bond lady, played by the gorgeous Eva Green. Like many Bond ladies, she’s charming and beautiful but she is a woman of mystery with some secrets of her own. The chemistry between the two of them is fascinating and great to watch them exchange banter whilst falling deeply in love, and Green’s performance certainly puts her up with there with the very best of the Bond ladies of the past.

Facing Bond is the terrorist banker Le Chiffre, played by an electric Mads Mikkelsen. This man is the cold and manipulative villain who while displaying ruthless villainous traits shows a sense of vulnerability, which centres around his own beautiful and lethal lady friend. As the financer for the world’s terrorists, he is forever looking his own shoulder and in many ways you almost feel for him. Mikkelsen gives a tremendous performance and while not quite being the best villain the franchise has ever seen, he more than holds his own. Of course Judi Dench provides a stern and authoritative, yet compassionate turn as M once again.

When Craig was cast, he was met with a little bit of backlash from the fans, with some threatening to boycott the film in protest over his casting. However, with film this he certainly proved he was more than capable of holding his own in the role and he has since established himself as among the very best of the actors who have had the honour of donning the dinner jacket, firmly silencing the doubters. He also shows he’s capable of handling the action scenes, pulling off his best Tom Cruise with his running style. While there are some slow scenes for sure, it allows the audience to catch its breath. The poker scenes are brilliantly filmed, with tension filled moments a plenty.

The directing, score and cinematography are all excellent and this film proved to be the much needed reinvention of the franchise after the disappointment that was Die Another Day. The perfect start for Craig, and reinforcement of Martin Campbell’s credentials as a Bond film maker, having successfully launched the careers of both Craig and Pierce Brosnan in the role as the suave agent with Goldeneye. Bond was back, and his accuracy was on point, and aren’t we all glad it was?

The perfect reinvention for the franchise with some incredible action, intriguing and tension filled dialogue with Craig proving himself in the role and a tremendous showing from Eva Green, the perfect start for Craig. 

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Posted in 2010-2019, Film Review

Kingsman- The Secret Service (2015)

Posted on by Martin: Through the Silver Screen
Image rights belong to Marv Films, Cloudy Productions, Shangri-La Entertainment, TSG Entertainment and 20th Century Fox

Kingsman: The Secret Service – Film Review

Cast: Colin Firth, Taron Egerton, Michael Caine, Mark Strong, Samuel L Jackson, Sophie Cookson, Sofia Boutella

Director: Matthew Vaughn

Synopsis:  A young man, down on his luck, is given the chance to turn his life around, and to apply for a unique organisation called the Kingsmen.

Review: When you think of the spy movie genre, the likes of a sophisticated gentleman sipping a Vodka Martini whilst dressed in a sharp looking tuxedo may come to mind. Over the years, the James Bond franchise has dominated the spy genre, and this film recognises that. Yet it is not a rip off, not at all, it is director Matthew Vaughn’s love letter to the genre. It’s not quite From Russia with Love, more like From Vaughn with Love. The class and sophistication that is reminiscent of 007 is most certainly present, but Kingsman comes along, and ups the fun ante by a considerable amount.

The focus of this story is Eggsy (Taron Egerton). Immediately it is apparent that this is a guy who is seemingly on the road to nowhere, almost destined for prison. This is until a gentleman in the shape of Harry Hart (Colin Firth) comes in. An opportunity has arisen to apply to become one of the Kingsman, a very unique organisation. All the while, as with almost all spy movies, there is a crazy villainous dude (Samuel L Jackson) who has some rather disturbing plans to bring about the end of the world via a device that many of us find ourselves glued to these days. Thus we descend into familiar territory, gadgets, crazy fights, and just some good fun entertainment, that is definitely worth the price of an admission ticket, and then some. The fun is here, and so is the vulgarity and the violence that would make Quentin Tarantino very proud indeed.

KSS_JB_D11_01307 – Harry (Colin Firth), an impeccably suave spy, helps Eggsy (Taron Egerton) turn his life around by trying out for a position with Kingsman, a top-secret independent intelligence organization.

As in 2010 with Chloe Grace Moretz, Matthew Vaughn has unearthed another gem of a young, talented actor in Taron Egerton. His character transformation from young troubled kid living in a rather sorry looking estate to a sophisticated gentleman is a joy to watch. There providing his support is an electric Colin Firth, who is definitely having the most fun he’s had in quite some time. Here is a gentleman who will sip a beer and then smash you over the face with the glass! Together their chemistry is enthralling to watch. You really witness that Harry sees something of a kindred spirit in Eggsy. While his character’s lisp is a little bit annoying at times, Samuel L Jackson also brings his A game to his villainous role, and like Firth, he definitely looks as though he’s having an absolute blast. Accompanying him is a lethal femme fatale in Gazelle, who is armed with some dangerous blades on her feet in a throwback to old school Bond villains.

To some this may feel like a James Bond rip off, and this couldn’t be further from the truth. There is no denying that James Bond has a big influence, what with all the references that are littered throughout, but this is definitely a Matthew Vaughn picture. The action is handled extremely well with exhilarating scenes aplenty. Although some scenes may unsettle some as they venture into the Tarantino scale of madness. There are also times when it is seemingly apparent that there is a stunt double in action. However, the sharp, funny screenplay by Vaughn and Jane Goldman packs plenty of emotion in there as well. The villainous plot is a little bit ridiculous and implausible, but you leave your brain at home here, you are here to be entertained, and Vaughn and co bring that in abundance, shaken and stirred to the best degree possible. Fasten your seatbelts, cos you’re in for a blast, innit bruv!

Enormously entertaining with plenty of wit, humour, vulgarity and some terrific action scenes, the gauntlet has been well and truly thrown down to Daniel Craig and co with this year’s Spectre. 

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Posted in 2010-2019, Film Review

Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation (2015)

Posted on by Martin: Through the Silver Screen
mission-impossible-5.35209
© Bad Robot Productions, Skydance Productions and Paramount Pictures

Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation – Film Review

Cast: Tom Cruise, Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames, Rebecca Ferguson, Sean Harris

Director: Christopher McQuarrie

Synopsis: When the IMF learn of the existence of the Syndicate, a group committed to destroying them by causing global panic, Ethan Hunt and his team have to go rogue and take them down

Review: Is there an actor working today more insane and more gutsy than Tom Cruise? Here’s an actor who absolutely commits to his roles, including taking on some ludicrously dangerous, death defying stunts all in the name of some awesome entertainment. Climbing the tallest building in the world? Check. Fighting on top of a high speed train? check? Clinging on for dear life as a jet takes off with him on the outside? Check. On the basis of this evidence, the answer is yes, Tom Cruise is certainly one of the most barking mad actors in the business, but all the better for it, because it provides us cinema goers with some awesome high pulse action sequences and a thrilling movie that reminds us why we pay money to go watch these movies on the big screen. In what is his fifth outing as Ethan Hunt, Tom  Cruise shows no signs of slowing down, He’s choosing to accept these missions, and we the audience are very grateful that he is.

The MI franchise has had a few stutters on its way to its fifth outing. Yet the last picture, Ghost Protocol was a storming critical and commercial success, so Rogue Nation had much to live up to. However in the hands of Christopher McQuarrie, taking over directing duties from Brad Bird, the ship is well and truly afloat once more. This time, the team has the task of tracking the Syndicate, an organisation which ruthlessly carries out tasks with the intention of causing mass panic on a global scale, and much like in Ghost Protocol, they have to go it alone after they are disbanded by the CIA. Right out of the gate, the action on show is fantastic, from the enthralling opening sequence of the plane, as we saw in the trailer and on the poster, to a spectacular battle right in the middle of an opera show.

There are more than enough action scenes to get the heart truly pounding, but through all of these impossibly plausible action scenes (clue is in the name) there is emotion that resonates throughout the story, similar to that of Ghost Protocol. Yes there is a lot of crazy and borderline ridiculous action going on, but the story packs heart in there. The audience cares about these characters, and feel on edge when they seem to be in extreme peril.

Cruise, as usual, brings his A game to this movie and shines brightly. Yet a key theme of these movies has been the team element. Cruise is awesome, yes but the team play an important role in the mission as well. Simon Pegg, returning as Benji Dunn, effortlessly provides the comic relief once more, whilst also maintaining a very serious tone as the gravity of the situation they are in is fully realised. Taking over the role of femme fatale from Paula Patton is Rebecca Ferguson, who provides great charm and sexiness, whilst also being a very dangerous badass in a dress! Ving Rhames and Jeremy Renner are both back to complete the team line up, and together they all make a powerful ensemble.

Previous MI villains haven’t always been the greatest, and it is certainly the franchise’s Achilles Heel. No one has really topped Phil Seymour Hoffman’s turn in MI 3. However, we are here presented with a much strong villain, with some more clear motives. Yet the series has really lacked that strong, powerful villain that is so often present in for instance the James Bond franchise.  But take nothing away from Rogue Nation, it packs a lot of fun into its 130 minute running time, and with talk of a sixth film in the franchise in the works, Tom Cruise shows no signs of slowing down just yet.

 With a great ensemble cast, and some superb action sequences, nothing is truly impossible with this franchise

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