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Film reviews

The Naked Gun Review

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A cop movie with some of the most unadulterated humor I have seen in ages, The Naked Gun is full of slapstick fun mixed with heavy tones of seriousness and many disastrous moments that come through in genius writing. Silly to the max, but it works…because it is all from the voices, performances, and attitudes of Liam Neeson and Pamela Anderson. Based on the television series Police Squad and written by Dan Gregor, Doug Mand and Akiva Schaffer. Schaffer is also the director of the film. The writing and characteristics are all combined to make this a cop movie that had me laughing really hard. Neeson has thatcharacteristic voice of his that does not fit the context in serious moments. That is why he is perfect in The Naked Gun.  Neeson has played in many films as a detective and Anderson has her past role as that cool girl with attitude from her many years with Baywatch. It is these two roles in past projects that create a strong duo to keep the slapstick moments rolling vigorously throughout. So funny… I could not get enough of The Naked Gun.

In The Naked Gun, Neeson plays Frank Deblin Jr. A long-time detective bound for retirement and making all kinds of foolish choices and witty mistakes. Some of these include hit and run, causing more damage to do less paperwork, and his very inappropriate cop humor through it all. He has, “A secret set of skills,” as is said in his role in the Taken franchise, but this is one where he lollygags it all to the full-throttle mode. He finds himself up against the world at risk from AI weapons run by a man by the name of Richard Crane (played by Danny Huston). There are a lot of incidents occurring with Tesla vehicles and all other kinds of devices. Regardless, Frank is distracted by making his errors but somehow pulls off the job as a detective. With his lacking capabilities love may be his chance for a strong revival.

Dim-wittedness thrives in the fun of The Naked Gun. Neeson and Anderson are like two characters in an Austin Powers universe, because they are two people in a mixed-up relationship where one has a goal to save the world. The question is can he do so without his nonsense getting in the way? “Nonsense” of champions is what I call The Naked Gun. That is because Neeson can pull it off as a detective that is absent-minded but still goes bananas when in savior mode.

Anderson truly stands out in The Naked Gun. She dazzles the film with her goofiness and wonderful gem of caring personality. She also has a high level of tolerance. Neeson’s performance brings a lot to the table when they go into a relationship mode. Throwing together a couple, the world being at risk, and a detective who keeps making messes and trying to cover them up makes for a joyful ride that I could not get enough of. Neeson still jumps and talks like a master of suspense. Quirky, but well written and clever with many puns, tangents, and a whirlwind of punchlines that will just make audiences heads go crazy. A masterpiece of comedy that may present itself as looking absurd, but I found it to be genius. While some moments over fuel its ridiculousness, the voice and ego of Neeson is the magic touch to it all. Three-and-a-half out of four stars for The Naked Gun.

 

 

Film reviews

Mission: Impossible—The Final Reckoning Review

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The many films in this franchise have tested boundaries and pushed limits on stunts. Through it all, the often-misdirected grandeur always succeeds and does again in This is Mission: Impossible—The Final Reckoning. As someone hooked on this franchise, my heart has adjusted to the pulsing moments when Tom Cruise is running, jumping, and flying. In each of the films, his performance includes a key component—the acceptance of his mission. 

Directed again by Christopher McQuarrie, who has been the director since Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation (the fifth film in the franchise). In Mission: Impossible—The Final Reckoning the landscape is set by many events from previous films which fuel the film’s high-octane suspense. I have always been enthralled by Cruise’s stunts in the franchise. From running on buildings and trains to hovering over planes, my adrenaline is fueled by the element of surprise. It felt like there were ten times more surprising outcomes in Mission: Impossible—The Final Reckoning.

The team is back, and Cruise plays Ethan Hunt who is continuing his fight from Mission: Impossible—Dead Reckoning Part One. The risk of missiles set in different countries waiting to be unleashed puts many lives at stake. The enemy is Gabriel (Esai Morales). Ethan teams up once again with Benji Dunn (Simon Pegg), Luther Stickell (Ving Rhames), Grace (Hayley Atwell), and Degas (Greg Tarzan Davis). With countries at risk, Ethan has many difficult choices to make. The possibility of survival hangs in the balance in Mission: Impossible—The Final Reckoning. 

This is the most audacious, dramatic, and vividly stunning Mission: Impossible experience.  The missiles are hidden, so Ethan and his team must put the pieces together and know who they can trust. The film’s story spans just a matter of days, which isn’t long for Ethan to put an end to the exponential risks. Time has been of the essence since the beginning of the franchise. My head was spiraling with curiosity about the many missions that led to Mission: Impossible—The Final Reckoning. There have been many technological factors that have created a following over the years. The dynamic performances of Cruise, Rhames, and Pegg are the pinnacle of these movies throughout their many missions over the years.

One very invigorating aspect of the film is how much more scientific the approaches are. It is deep with the tactics—places, operations, alternatives, Plan B’s, and a flurry of other intriguing elements for its audience. “The entity” is still the biggest source of danger …even more than Gabriel, the primary enemy. Ethan’s choices and all the adventures to find the truth are like a waterfall of a treacherous nature which fills the screen with mind-blowing cinematic scenes. The film is all about what Cruise brings in his role as Ethan Hunt.

The risks of the various moving parts escalate as the time runs out in Mission: Impossible—The Final Reckoning. As tasks are completed, the layer of hidden truths unravels and leads to more twists and turns. At times, the stunning cinematics made me feel like I needed to wear a helmet, especially when Cruise is fighting on a plane, trying to save himself while trying to stop a threat that could destroy many around the world. Mission: Impossible—The Final Reckoning is unstoppable! 

As the treacherous tasks unravel, the film shifts back to the previous films, which is positive for audiences in that it provides a link to how the risks correlate to what is going on in Mission: Impossible—The Final Reckoning. The scenarios and choices all serve a logical purpose. The film’s suspense even proves that with the many tunnels and underwater scenarios that lead to Cruise’s incredible stunt. The cinematic ride is one for ages and is a wonderful reminder of how suspenseful this franchise has been. Three-and-half out of four stars for Mission: Impossible—The Final Reckoning.

 

Film reviews

Novocaine Review

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When it comes to an unexpected hero to save the day, Novocaine delivers lots of spellbinding revelations. Jack Quaid successfully plays a nerdy introvert whose life is altered when his reality becomes his biggest nightmare. Novocaine is boggled up with emotions waiting to be unleashed.

This is a thriller where there are lots of laughs. Audiences can really rock thanks to the premium 4DX format at select cinema chains which includes moving seat and strobe effects. Novocaine is the right title for this format, because its main character has a disease which makes him unbreakable. 

In Novocaine, Quaid plays Nate who has a career in accounting and leads a relatively sheltered life due his disease. The layout of Nate’s life provides the writing on the wall at the start of the film. Due to Nate’s genetic disorder, CIPA which stands for “congenital insensitivity to pain, with analgesia,” puts him to the test.  He is in love with a girl named Sherry (played by Amber Midthunder). A heist takes place at his bank, and she is kidnapped. Nate decides to put himself at risk to save her. By doing so, he utilizes his condition which shields him from feeling pain in his body. 

As the film moves forward, Nate goes on a spree to get answers about Sherry’s kidnapping. His presentation is dorky and witty which makes the film so joyful. Quaid’s babyface seems to be easy to punch. However, he is going bananas trying to save Sherry. He does so with every fragment of his body. The heist features events ranging from car crashes to fights in restaurants to combat with tattoo machines, and a whole lot more. The film is relentless with a variety of high hazard jams. The fact that there are no feelings in the main character’s body makes Novocaine a daring ride. Nate continues to display his dominance while the submissives hold Sherry hostage.

There is a sense of exasperation which takes effect during the film. A lot of the scenes are predictable, but then there are moments that are lethal and unanticipated. The aspect that impressed me the most was in Quaid’s performance as a hero who comes out of his shell due to his disease. His unusual, yet creative superpower makes Novocaine shine. There is also a nerdy connection, his gaming buddy Roscoe (played by Jacob Batalon) who helps him with his troubles.

There is a rapid dynamic in this story that is out of this world. Quaid is monumental in his quirky yet realistic portrayal of Nate. Quaid, Midthunder, and Batalon have an intriguing dynamic as last-minute heroes. With Quaid as the leader and Midthunder and Batalon as his sidekicks—their performance is fueled with adrenaline. Novocaine is a thrill ride of chills and hysterical aftermaths.

For the full effect, Novocaine is a movie I would suggest seeing in 4DX. I saw it at the Regal City North in Chicago. During moments when Nate was in motion, my seat was also in motion.When he got wet, water splashed in my face. During every key perilous scene …4DX provided the ideal format to feel mesmerized. Three-and-a-half out of four stars for Novocaine.