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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.

Film reviews

September 5 Review

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There are captivating insights that feel real in the film September 5. Directed by Tim Fehlbaum, the actual events highlighted in this movie are compelling. With a stellar cast including Peter Saarsgard, John Magaro, Ben Chaplin, and Leonie Benesch, their performances portray a powerhouse of a team that comes together during the Olympics in Munich, Germany in 1972. The era of old-school news technology and various technicalities which pose challenges—the broadcast is at times more surreal than the story itself.

The film features Geoffrey Mason (Magaro) who is assigned to handle the events surrounding the Olympics of 1972. When the terrorist event begins, the tasks of the job become tedious and detrimental. His superiors are Roone Arledge (Saarsgard) and Marvin Bader (Chaplin). As the terrorist attacks interrupt the broadcast, the decisions regarding what to share with the world and what to broadcast grows critical. The pros and cons of what is chosen to be televised always poses a risk, so making the right decision is essential. Israeli athletes are being held hostageduring the Olympics.  How deep does the team have to go to dig into the story? How do they find out the severity of the situation and its accuracy? The ABC sports crew finds themselves in a tough spot as they must grapple with all that is going on to provide the content for their network. September 5. has a real-life quality to it which showcases a pattern of brutality in the wake of a news team taking on a story that is bigger and scarier than they had imagined. The assistant and translator is Marianne Gebhardt (Benesch). She speaks German and can translate what is being said. However, the technological limitations of the times create a spark which ignites suspense during this uncertain situation.

Uncertainty is vivid and pervasive throughout September 5 because as the news evolves, there are new objectives that must be continuously considered. Much of that weight falls onto Mason. However, the more major and crucial choices are in the hands of Arledge and Bader. All of them have mixed feelings about every step they take, and every direction they lead.  Thenews team is already in a state of stress and shock based on the disturbing footage that gradually comes through their channels. When there are hostages, the true events heighten the film’s authenticity The film is the most anxiety-producing yet exhilarating news story adaptation I have ever seen. The characterizations and the stressors building the momentum to find the solution of what is proper for the broadcast are done incredibly well.

The setting of solely being in the news station makes the audience feel they are in the era when the story occurs. This was the first story about terrorism to sweep the nation. The direction is spellbinding and successful at portraying a team working together to do their best in very difficult conditions. While they hit many plateaus, there is always a light due to the realism in this film. Three-and-a-half out of four stars for September 5.