Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol (2011)

This mission sees Ethan Hawke and his team try to clear their name after they are framed for bombing the Kremlin. As a result Ghost Protocol is initiated; which essentially means that IMF is shut down until the situation is resolved. Cue lots of stylish set pieces, high-tech gadgetry, slick subterfuge and Tom Cruise performing some unnecessary aerial acrobatics.

It is, however, all very entertaining. Director Brad Bird has made the transition from animation (probably best know for Up, Ratatouille and The Incredibles) to live action very well. He does nothing especially fancy, but is slick enough for this kind of film. The main cast are all given enough to do, and there is also time to flesh out Ethan's character a bit. As Ethan, Tom Cruise is in his element; and as someone who does all his own stunts, everything looks pretty spectacular. Maybe the MI series exists just to make Tom look good, but to be fair he does it justice. Good to see Simon Pegg out in the field, and not just to bring brevity to tense situations. Jeremy Renner is good but perhaps suffers from having to play second fiddle to Tom; still, they could have done a lot worse. He's even involved in Ethan's back-story. Paula Paxton is fairly kick-ass as the sexy Jane Carter and Michael Nyqvist as a fairly one dimensional baddie completes the main cast.

Overall, perhaps the most enjoyable film of the franchise, maybe only let down by a weak villain, but then most of the fun is had in tracking him down. Spectacular, intriguing, and clips along at a good pace despite its 133 minute run time.

The Bourne Legacy (2012)

Legacy was perhaps a completely unnecessary sequel, but I actually enjoyed it nonetheless. Jeremy Renner made a good "Bourne", and had Matt Damon not been available, then Renner would have been a pretty good choice for the original trilogy. Rachel Weisz was as alright as usual, playing a similar character to Evy in The Mummy but rather more capable. There was some attempt to give a reason for why the "assets" are as bad-ass as they are. Now I am usually one of the first to complain about "Spacker Science" in films, but I thought that the claims they made (however implausible) made sense within the scope of the film. It is certainly nowhere near Midichlorian territory! 

Impressive action scenes and solid performances from many respected actors including Edward Norton and Albert Finney make Legacy an enjoyable younger brother to the Bourne series. Fun and exciting, but lacking the impact of the original.

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007)

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (AJJ) does exactly as it says on the tin, but does so in a truly spellbinding way. The film charts the final days of Jesse James’ life (Brad Pitt) following his last train robbery, his descent into paranoia & depression and finally his murder by Bob Ford (Casey Affleck) who has ingratiated himself into Jesse’s gang before his ultimate betrayal. Brad Pitt is as excellent as he usually is, but it is Casey Affleck’s performance that stands out. He really nails the nervous determination of Robert Ford; in the scene just before he kills Jesse he looks truly terrified as if he’s about to throw up. Surrounding these two main players are an impressive support cast including Sam Rockwell and Jeremy Renner.

Robert’s character is quite an interesting one; rather than being a coward, as the youngest member of the James gang, he is butt of all the jokes and never taken seriously. It is this insecurity and desire to prove himself that drives him to murder Jesse. This is despite the fact that he worships Jesse. For years Robert has collected comics of the adventures of Jesse, and at one point Jesse says to him that he doesn’t know if he wants to be just like him or to be him. There is never any mention of the fact that he could be gay, but the way he constantly glances at Jesse certainly raises that possibility. Actually Robert is no less cowardly than Jesse himself, as during his descent into paranoia Jesse takes an ex gang member “for a ride” and shoots him in the back!

The movie is beautiful, really stunning. Andrew Dominik’s direction is sweeping, yet simple; and the cinematography by Roger Deakins is as amazing as usual and gives the film an epic feel. The pace is slow, but perfect for the film, and a shorter run-time would make everything feel very rushed. Complementing the bleak, melancholic feel the film has is the beautifully haunting, lugubrious soundtrack composed by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis, who bring an incredible atmosphere to the film. These are the guys who composed the soundtrack to The Road, so you can imagine the ambience, but the AJJ soundtrack is easier to listen to. For those with Spotify: Jesse James

A really interesting film, with amazing scenery, great cast, beautiful music and tremendous atmosphere.

The Hurt Locker (2008)

War is a Drug

On the face of it The Hurt Locker is about a group of bomb disposal marines posted to Baghdad, about the difficulties working there and the heroic deeds that this group of men do on a daily basis. Under the surface the film shows how dangerous clashes of personality can be under these stressful situations, how difficult it is for soldiers to disengage from the army when they return to their families, and that to people of a compulsive nature war really is like a drug.

Sergeant William James (Jeremy Renner) is the new appointment to take charge of a three-man bomb squad which also consists of Sanbourne (Anthony Mackie) and Elridge (Brian Geraghty). Whereas Sanbourne had a great rapport with his previous team leader, James is very much a loose cannon. There is instant conflict between the reckless James and the serious Sanbourne as James puts everyone at risk by doing his own thing, disregarding normal protocol.

By concentrating on just a few characters, the film is able to really develop their relationship. The thing is that you don’t know what Renner’s character is likely to do next because he is so reckless; this leads to some very tense moments. Adding to the tension is the steady cam work; most of the film is shot alongside the soldiers, putting the viewer right in the action. By being in with the troops, combined with lots of quick zooms and edits, the film manages to convey the confusion of the squad as they desperately try to quickly read every situation; because anyone could be a bomber. There are also many shots of the marines from behind buildings, railings etc all adding to the claustrophobic feeling that the troops must have in the city centre.

I’ve only ever seen Renner before in The Town. He was good in that film, but he was only ever playing second fiddle to Ben Affleck. In The Hurt Locker Renner is very much centre stage, and he’s very good. For the most part he is an arrogant adrenaline junkie, but he does have his more heartfelt moments; and having experienced his character out in the field the viewer can really relate to how he feels at the end of the film when back home with his wife and son. Especially when faced with a bewildering choice of food in the supermarket. Mackie and Gerahty are also very good supporting actors, and the dynamic between the three is consistently believable.

A very enjoyable film, concentrating on what is presumably a largely forgotten aspect of war. Emotionally acted, dynamically shot, and a very engaging story. Well worth a look.

The Town (2010)

The Town is a bank heist movie with a bit of a romantic twist to it. After four guys hold up a bank at the beginning of the film, a hostage (Rebecca Hall) is taken who is shortly let go when the robbers are out of danger (it kinda makes sense in the film). She is then viewed by the criminals as a loose end, but when Doug (Ben Affleck) tracks Claire down he starts to fall in love with her. Doug is forced to balance this relationship with the local criminal kingpin (Pete Postlethwaite), and reluctantly agrees to do one last job. Meanwhile the FBI are slowly closing the net.

As well as starring in the main role, Ben Affleck also directs this film, which can't have been easy, so it's impressive that he has made a fairly solid gangster story. It's nothing special, but I did find myself feeling quite tense during the final heist, wondering who was going to make it through. It's a good story and the cast are generally good, nothing outstanding; Ben is a good driving force throughout the movie, and Jeremy Renner's character is suitably unpredictable. It's funny how when in these films the bank robbers wear comedy masks (skeletons or nuns in this case) I can't help but think of Point Break. I'm sure the Dead Presidents weren't the first daft masks in cinema bank jobs, but for me they are the most memorable.

The Town was an enjoyable film, tense at points, well directed and competently acted; but it's really nothing to write home about.