Watching the Credits

Tag: action

  • ‘Ballerina’ allows a new star in the fray

    ‘Ballerina’ allows a new star in the fray

    “Ballerina,” the first spin-off of the “John Wick” franchise, proves that a star younger than the age of 60 can still successfully lead a highly practical, stunt-heavy action film to success. Whether or not that success translates to the box office remains to be seen.

    Ana De Armas excels in the fighting and inner fury of Eve Macarro, who since the murder of her father has grown up in the service of the Ruska Roma — a boarding house of assassins with an affinity for the ballet. In her early days as a working killer, she is given a lead on the cult that murdered her father, and puts her promising career as a gun for hire on the line to exact revenge.

    De Armas brings a raw emotion and sensitivity to the character of Macarro, a big departure from the more business-as-usual approach of Keanu Reeves as Wick. She is green in this world of assassins, and much of her humanity is still intact — you get the feeling that it’s all still a bit new for her. 

    Directed by Len Wiseman, “Ballerina” maintains the high energy and globe-trotting beats of “John Wick” director Chad Stahelski’s entries (Stahelski’s team was very involved in the production). The Wick films have a high bar for action and stunts, and the spinoff clears them with ease. From De Armas sporting a cocktail dress and fighting through a barrage of goons in a night club, to a flame thrower duel that is a high point for the “big dumb loud fire” crowd (AKA me). The action and pace that is customary for these films are both there in spades, and some of the kills would make the “Final Destination” films tip a cap.

    There’s not much originality to the story outside of what’s been established in previous films, but Gabriel Byrne is excellent as the big bad — The Chancellor — who takes some notes from the many diabolical, violent villains of ‘80s cop films. It works; you’re fully ready early on for this guy to get his comeuppance.

    The character Wick himself gets a not-insignificant amount of screen time, which really feels like a hedge on the bet of a new lead. His presence doesn’t really help the film all that much but doesn’t hurt it either. Listening to Reeves throat talk slowly and beat up goons is always a treat — I shan’t take it for granted. The character Wick is reluctant and a bit annoyed to be there, which is played by Reeves quite convincingly (he probably didn’t have to reach too deep for that).

    How “Bellerina” performs will likely be an indicator of how long these films set in the John Wick world can go. As someone who enjoys epic hand-to-hand fights, exploding faces and flamethrower fiascos, I hope they stick around for a while.

  • ‘Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning’ showcases the worst and best of the franchise

    ‘Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning’ showcases the worst and best of the franchise

    Invoking Dickensian prose to sum up the eighth entry of an action franchise led by Tom Cruise might seem an odd choice, but little describes “Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning” better than “it was the best of times, it was the worst of times.”

    The latest and possible final installment of the “Mission” franchise is a tale of two halves — one stuffs in brutally dull dialogue and endless self-mythologizing. The other builds to one of the most exciting and beautifully shot action finales ever put on a screen. To be entirely honest, the really good stuff only arrives in the last 30 minutes (along with a terrific underwater sequence around the halfway point).

    So do two amazing set pieces justify two hours and 50 minutes of runtime? For me, that answer is yes. But barely.

    Ethan Hunt (Cruise) — known by some as “the manifestation of destiny” — continues his battle against the Entity, a rouge artificial intelligence hellbent on ruling the world. Along with his ever-changing and growing team, Ethan must do battle with technology for the fate of the future.

    The usual suspects Benji (Simon Pegg) and Luther (Ving Rhames) help Ethan in his struggle with the internet, as well as newcomers Grace (Hayley Atwell), Paris (Pom Klementieff) and Degas (Greg Tarzan Davis). The absence of Illsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson) is felt deeply in this — it would’ve been nice to see her in the fight one last time.

    There seems to be two things the “Mission” makers were terrified of in releasing this installment: that people would not think the franchise’s legacy — or Hunt as a character — was big or important enough, and that people would entirely forget the events of “Dead Reckoning,” which was released two years earlier. There could’ve also been a severe re-strategizing after that film disappointed at the box office.

    Whatever the reason, the result is a dump truck of reminiscence on the importance of the series’ hero, and the franchise as a whole. The problem is, all of that talk barely lets any action (the real legacy of these movies) get in its way for the first half of the film. Some series altering, hugely important events take place in the first 30 minutes, but they mostly play second fiddle to a barrage of Ethan glazing and repetitive conversations about the Entity and how bad it is.

    While this self-serious brand of expositional table setting is not new to the franchise, in past films it’s happened pretty quickly and more or less in the action: a talk in a van on the way back from a prison break, a briefing on the runway Ethan is flying out of for his next mission, a fakeout assignment from the bad guys before gassing out our hero. Director Christopher McQuarrie’s entries have up to now been quick to start, and maintained a brisk rhythm throughout. This one has a really long, flat overture. 

    Once the pretense is dropped, and the film is allowed to be a “Mission” movie again, it soars higher than the biplanes Cruise dangles from. The submarine sequence near the middle of the runtime plays like “The Abyss” meets “The Poseidon Adventure,” as Hunt has to navigate a rolling submarine housing nuclear weapons. The final action sequence involves skyward stunts that nearly defy logic. Cruise dangles from, stands on, and climbs all over multiple planes in flight. Once the Impossible Mission Force is doing its third act thing and that aspect ratio opens up, it’s a beautiful ride to the finish line.

    A compelling couple stretches in an otherwise mid film doesn’t usually justify the admission price. But McQuarrie and Cruise have become such masters of these unthinkable set pieces, it’s unlike anything you’ll see on any screen. We have access to a lot of exciting entertainment these days. But nothing like this. The crowd I saw this with was gasping during the final sequence. It’s the sort of thing that makes me want to stand and salute, and immediately go over to my Mom’s and turn off motion smoothing on her TV. This is nothing new for these movies, but it’s what makes them truly special.

    While a well executed entry with a standalone energy similar to “Rogue Nation” or “Fallout” would’ve been a preferable conclusion, the film franchise’s legacy was ultimately honored: Tom Cruise hanging on — to both these films and airborne vehicles — for dear life.