Not sure how actually great it is but all I know is I loved it.
It just moves. It just consistently hits all the right beats, switches up its scenery once the audience might feel even slightly bored by the sights on screen, varies the action tremendously, it's super tightly constructed with a joyous verve and nonchalantly clever twists and turns, and even five movies into this series, it manages to pull at least one mask reveal that actually took me by surprise! It wasn't even the sole employment of them! No small feat.
It's like a fifth album by a band that owns its identity in a well-worn two-guitar, bass, drums, and vocals, traditionalist rock style, except replace those instruments and genre with spies being double-crossed, globe-trekking, engaging in high-speed chases, climbing to new unheard heights of danger, and of course, those magic masks. Even a scene that uses a now-tired juxtaposition trope of having intense action set alongside an unsuspecting opera production manages to be an enthralling sequence. There's also some basic location shots that could act as straightforward connective tissue to dialogue scenes, but in Elswit's hands, he sneaks in a few compositions that are just quietly jaw-dropping out of nowhere -- one with escalators in particular. Not to mention he shoots the hell out of the higher-octane stuff too. A foggy sequence towards the end is especially gorgeous.
Renner and Rhames are fairly underused considering their involvement in past installments. It's structured as Cruise & Pegg's show with the antagonistic catalysts for everything going up against the IMF luckily fleshing themselves out sufficiently creepily with a fairly unrecognizable and perfectly reptilian Sean Harris in charge. Baldwin is fun, but basically just playing Jack Donaghy if he became more gruff and jaded in his post-NBC Universal days.
But REBECCA FERGUSON just owns this movie whenever she's involved. Aside from the stunning action the movie gives her (particularly the hand-to-hand bits), she's just the most insanely captivating, sexy, alluring presence a movie like this (or any type) could ask for. The White Queen just skyrocketed to the top of my TV watch-list out of the blue. Whew.
So yeah, I had a blast with it, and maybe if it doesn't click with you early on in the same way you'll take a more critical eye to it, but I think at this point you know where you stand with this series, and it's just as genuinely exciting as anything that's come before to put that sort of attitude aside and just let it take you for its ride. You don't always need to break new ground to build something to marvel at.
***1/2 / 8.3
Last 11 things I really enjoyed:
Speed Racer (Wachowski/Wachowski, 2008)
Safe (Haynes, 1995)
South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut (Parker, 1999)
Beastie Boys Story (Jonze, 2020)
Bad Trip (Sakurai, 2020)
What's Up Doc? (Bogdanovich, 1972)
Diva (Beineix, 1981)
Delicatessen (Caro/Jeunet, 1991)
The Hunger (Scott, 1983)
Pineapple Express (Green, 2008)
Chungking Express (Wong, 1994)
I'm an unabashed MI2 supporter. And I am well aware that we are a minority.Quoting D_Davis (view post)
“What we are dealing with here is a perfect engine, er... an eating machine. It's really a miracle of evolution. All this machine does is swim and eat and make little sharks and that's all.”
I used to try to be because of my love for John Woo, but man...I had to come clean, and be honest with myself.Quoting Scar (view post)
I think there is an OK movie there, but about 40 minutes needs to be cut.
I liked the second one as well. In fact this is the rare franchise for me that gets better and better with each one, for four consecutive installments now. This one might break that streak of mine, although that is based more on how much I loved the fourth one and Brad Bird's direction. I expect to enjoy this one a lot as well (and would be happy to be proved wrong about that streak).
Midnight Run (1988) - 9
The Smiling Lieutenant (1931) - 8.5
The Adventures of Robinhood (1938) - 8
Sisters (1973) - 6.5
Shin Godzilla (2016) - 7.5
I like mi2 enough. Heck, i've seen terminator genisys.
[+] closer to next rating / [-] closer to previous rating
- Dark (S3) ✦✦✦½ [-]
- Fall (Mann, 2022) ✦✦✦½ [-]
- Ms. Marvel (S1) ✦½ [+]
- Dark (S2) ✦✦✦✦
- Moon Knight (S1) ✦✦½ [-]
- Get Carter (Hodges, 1971) ✦✦✦½ [+]
- Prey (Trachtenberg, 2022) ✦✦✦ [-]
- Black Bird (S1) ✦✦✦✦
- Better Call Saul (S6) ✦✦✦½ [+]
- Halo (S1) ✦✦✦ [-]
- Slow Horses (S1) ✦✦✦½ [+]
- H4Z4RD (Govaerts, 2022/BE) ✦✦½ [-]
- Gangs of London (S1) ✦✦✦½ [+]
- We Own This City (S1) ✦✦✦½ [+]
- Thor: Love and Thunder (Waititi, 2022) ✦✦ [+]
Agree that the movies improve with each outing. Maybe a longer genesis between films helped; there's only been four installments over twenty years.
Curious too that the directors involved have always had a higher profile, but have also gotten arguably "worse" (Brian DePalma > Brad Bird).
Add me to the list of those in favor of M:I2.
Yeah, it'd be my pick too, but the rest are so hard to rank.Quoting D_Davis (view post)
I mean, M:I-2 is last place kinda by default, but even then it was my favourite movie of the moment when I was around 10 years old, regardless of how it might not hold up for me now (and I haven't seen it for at least a decade to know for sure).
Otherwise, my memory of the original is that it's awesome, Ghost Protocol is an expertly crafted blast, and Rogue Nation feels about the same tier as both of them (and with a more satisfying final third than Ghost Protes).
Last 11 things I really enjoyed:
Speed Racer (Wachowski/Wachowski, 2008)
Safe (Haynes, 1995)
South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut (Parker, 1999)
Beastie Boys Story (Jonze, 2020)
Bad Trip (Sakurai, 2020)
What's Up Doc? (Bogdanovich, 1972)
Diva (Beineix, 1981)
Delicatessen (Caro/Jeunet, 1991)
The Hunger (Scott, 1983)
Pineapple Express (Green, 2008)
Chungking Express (Wong, 1994)
3 > 4 > 2 > 1
1 > 4 > 3 > 2
3 > 4 > 2 > 1
“What we are dealing with here is a perfect engine, er... an eating machine. It's really a miracle of evolution. All this machine does is swim and eat and make little sharks and that's all.”
4 > 3 > 2 > 1. If Ghost Protocol had the villian on the level of III's PSH, it would have been a top five action film for me.
Midnight Run (1988) - 9
The Smiling Lieutenant (1931) - 8.5
The Adventures of Robinhood (1938) - 8
Sisters (1973) - 6.5
Shin Godzilla (2016) - 7.5
I find them tough to rank because, although I liked them all, they are ultimately disposable and weightless.
Last 10 Movies Seen
(90+ = canonical, 80-89 = brilliant, 70-79 = strongly recommended, 60-69 = good, 50-59 = mixed, 40-49 = below average with some good points, 30-39 = poor, 20-29 = bad, 10-19 = terrible, 0-9 = soul-crushingly inept in every way)
Run (2020) 64
The Whistlers (2019) 55
Pawn (2020) 62
Matilda (1996) 37
The Town that Dreaded Sundown (1976) 61
Moby Dick (2011) 50
Soul (2020) 64
Heroic Duo (2003) 55
A Moment of Romance (1990) 61
As Tears Go By (1988) 65
Stuff at Letterboxd
Listening Habits at LastFM
I whole heartedly endorse this statement.Quoting Peng (view post)
“What we are dealing with here is a perfect engine, er... an eating machine. It's really a miracle of evolution. All this machine does is swim and eat and make little sharks and that's all.”
That's probably my ranking, too.Quoting Dukefrukem (view post)
I watched the first one recently and thought it held up well. DePalma crafted it quite nicely. I haven't seen the second recently, but I'm comfortable putting anything with a promotional soundtrack featuring Limp Bizkit and Metallica well at the bottom of any list. PSH is the only good thing about the third one (the new Star Wars movie is going to be terrible, sorry). Bird's entry is the most entertaining after the first. I still prefer DePalma for the craft, but Bird's work is a lot of fun and the setpieces are memorable (I loved the car park bit at the end).
Giving up in 2020. Who cares.
maɬni – towards the ocean, towards the shore (Sky Hopinka) ***½
Without Remorse (Stefano Sollima) *½
The Marksman (Robert Lorenz) **
Beckett (Ferdinando Cito Filomarino) *½
Night Hunter (David Raymond) *
What about a movie featuring Guns N Roses with cross over music video?Quoting Stay Puft (view post)
[]
“What we are dealing with here is a perfect engine, er... an eating machine. It's really a miracle of evolution. All this machine does is swim and eat and make little sharks and that's all.”
Quoting Scar (view post)
And the villains in the MI series are seriously dull.
Last 10 Movies Seen
(90+ = canonical, 80-89 = brilliant, 70-79 = strongly recommended, 60-69 = good, 50-59 = mixed, 40-49 = below average with some good points, 30-39 = poor, 20-29 = bad, 10-19 = terrible, 0-9 = soul-crushingly inept in every way)
Run (2020) 64
The Whistlers (2019) 55
Pawn (2020) 62
Matilda (1996) 37
The Town that Dreaded Sundown (1976) 61
Moby Dick (2011) 50
Soul (2020) 64
Heroic Duo (2003) 55
A Moment of Romance (1990) 61
As Tears Go By (1988) 65
Stuff at Letterboxd
Listening Habits at LastFM
For myself it'd be 3>1>4>2
"All right, that's too hot. Anything we can do about that heat?"
"Rick...it's a flamethrower."
1
4
3
2
[+] closer to next rating / [-] closer to previous rating
- Dark (S3) ✦✦✦½ [-]
- Fall (Mann, 2022) ✦✦✦½ [-]
- Ms. Marvel (S1) ✦½ [+]
- Dark (S2) ✦✦✦✦
- Moon Knight (S1) ✦✦½ [-]
- Get Carter (Hodges, 1971) ✦✦✦½ [+]
- Prey (Trachtenberg, 2022) ✦✦✦ [-]
- Black Bird (S1) ✦✦✦✦
- Better Call Saul (S6) ✦✦✦½ [+]
- Halo (S1) ✦✦✦ [-]
- Slow Horses (S1) ✦✦✦½ [+]
- H4Z4RD (Govaerts, 2022/BE) ✦✦½ [-]
- Gangs of London (S1) ✦✦✦½ [+]
- We Own This City (S1) ✦✦✦½ [+]
- Thor: Love and Thunder (Waititi, 2022) ✦✦ [+]
I really don't go to MI films for the villains. I see it for the crazy ass stunts and set pieces.Quoting transmogrifier (view post)
Rogue Nation is awesome. How is Rebecca Ferguson not Wonder Woman? I hope some casting director got fired for that.
Sure why not?
STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI (Rian Johnson) - 9
STRONGER (David Gordon Green) - 6
THE DISASTER ARTIST (James Franco) - 7
THE FLORIDA PROJECT (Sean Baker) - 9
LADY BIRD (Greta Gerwig) - 8
"Hitchcock is really bad at suspense."
- Stay Puft