Bori Bernat takes a look at the newest entry into the Mission Impossible franchise. 

Mission: Impossible seems to be the franchise that just doesn’t want to die. Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt, an IMF agent saving the world once again in the franchise’s sixth instalment: Mission: Impossible – Fallout. Since its release a little over a week ago, this film has stirred critics and audiences alike, which beg the questions: how successful can a sixth instalment be? Does it stand its ground as a standalone film, or should it only be considered as part of the franchise? And most importantly, was Henry Cavill’s moustache worth it?

Ethan Hunt is yet again visited by a “Your mission, should you choose to accept it …” message, and though the mysterious enemy is yet to be discovered, he’s also forced to face some old foes. While looking for an extremist known by the cover name John Lark, who’s of course set on destroying the world as we know it, Hunt meets his arch nemesis from Rogue Nation, Solomon Lane. In his latest espionage endeavour, he’s paired with Agent Walker from the CIA. Since going rogue is part of his MO, the trust between agencies is easily severed.

One of the reasons why Fallout achieved its success is it has all the elements of a classic spy film. An ambitious villain who wants to destroy civilisation, a smart, agile, quick-thinker, sharp-shooter hero, whose belief that he is doing the right thing keeps him doing incredible feats, a love story, car chases, explosions, near misses, and of course the oh so famous Mission Impossible tune. The music plays a major part in this franchise, its iconic melody has appeared in different spy films, parodies and satires. Apart from the famous tune, however, Fallout’s score is on point as well. It plays on the audience’s emotions perfectly, as it matches the excitement and pace of the scenes well.

Tom Cruise produced and starred in this film, as he is, of course, Mission Impossible face – the entire franchise depends on him. Or does it? Although there are talks of a seventh installation following the success of Fallout, Cruise may just take part in the producer role. The actor’s famous for doing his own stunts, one of which in this film resulted in him breaking his ankle. Regardless of what may come next, Tom Cruise gave a solid performance of the spy, showing us a more persevering side of the hero. He’s lost his love, he lost the trust of his agency, yet he keeps fighting the battles and lets little to nothing know about his emotions. The rest of the Fallout cast is spectacular: Simon Pegg and Ving Rames provide great comic relief, Rebecca Ferguson returns to the role of Isla, who surprisingly doesn’t quite work alongside Hunt, Alec Baldwin steps in as the director of IMF, and even Michelle Monaghan makes a small appearance.

The CIA operative working with Hunt, Agent Walker, is played by no other than Henry Cavill. You may have heard of the feud between the production of Fallout and Justice League over some facial hair that resulted in some heavy CGI over the actor’s face: While Superman is quite a smooth-faced character, Agent Walker sports a heavy moustache and a light beard. However, as his contract with the Mission Impossible franchise stated he was prohibited from shaving, it caused trouble during Justice League reshoots, and forced them to invest millions into the digital removal of said facial hair. I have to say, Paramount’s pettiness over the issue is truly hilarious, but was it worth it? Apparently, since with the premiere of Fallout, this story came back to provide more press for the film, thus the revenue rising. Pretty smart move, Paramount.

Mission Impossible is often compared to the James Bond franchise. I must say, Ethan Hunt is a much better spy and character than James Bond will ever be. He’s equally smart and skilled if not more, and he possesses qualities that make him a lovable character. He’s noble, heroic, and hopeful for humanity. Bond’s famous for being a ladies man, but Hunt only loved two women his entire life, he’s a pretty loyal guy. The Mission Impossible franchise also has some great female characters. The strong and resourceful Isla may be a better spy than our protagonist, and Hunt’s main love interest, Julia, is a successful doctor.

Fallout is a good movie to watch, as part of the franchise and as a standalone film too. Prior knowledge of the previous films is definitely not mandatory. The time and money invested in this production show well. Its action scenes glue you to the seat, Cruise’s stunts make your hands sweat, and if you can disregard the logical loopholes that films such as this often have, you’ll walk away with a pleasant cinema experience.

Mission: Impossible – Fallout is now released in UK cinemas everywhere. Watch the trailer below:

Bori Bernat reviews the latest feature on Marvel’s smallest superhero. 

One of 2015’s most unexpected feel-good films was Ant-Man. Featuring a hero capable of shrinking to the size of an ant with a suit, the film’s witty humor, exciting action scenes and great cast quickly became a loved Marvel film. Fans then welcomed the charming protagonist, Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) back on screen for a bit in Captain America: Civil War, and this summer came the much anticipated sequel to the original story about a goofy but well-meaning superhero: Ant-Man and the Wasp.

Scott has been dealing with the fallout Civil War has left him in for the past two years. Since he fought on “Cap”’s side, he’s been working hard to be friendly to the lawful side of life. He started a new business with Luis (Michael Pena) and reconnected with his loving family, and all while he’s successfully completing his house arrest. However, an important unsolved mystery comes back to haunt him: the whereabouts of Janet Van Dyne (played by no other than Michelle Pfeiffer), Hank Pym’s (Michael Douglas) wife and Hope’s (Evangeline Lilly) mother, who we know from the previous film as having disappeared in the quantum realm. A hope that she could be alive drives her family to do everything they can to bring her back, and because Scott feels that he owes them, he joins Hope and Hank in this mission, while risking his family and freedom.

The antagonists of this story come in many forms. The police guarding Scott on his house arrest, a squad of gangsters eager to take the only tool to bring Janet back, and the antihero of the film, Ghost, a mysterious warrior who’s able to move through walls, motivated by something completely different than the rest. With these opposing dynamics at work, the film becomes action packed and exciting, each moment energetically driven to defeat these forces, occasionally several at times. All the while the story successfully intermits the tense and serious scenes with tasteful, witty and family-friendly humor. Luckily, though the sequel fit more one liners and jokes in as the previous film, it never overpowers the story itself (unlike the mistake of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2).

Ant-Man and the Wasp, as the title suggests, introduces a new hero: the Wasp. Hank Pym was initially set against letting his only daughter Hope wear a suit similar to Ant-Man’s, but by the second film he builds her an upgraded version, one with wings and blasters, making her the superior force in this film, named “the Wasp”, a name inherited from her mother. As Scott’s daughter Cassie so wisely puts it, Ant-Man needs a partner, someone to look out for him, and the Wasp seems to be the perfect solution to that. She’s smart and motivated, taught Scott how to fight and use the suit well, and is overall an extremely talented character, who’ll surely be useful to the Avengers later on.

All in all, Ant-Man and the Wasp is a very successful sequel. The storyline aligns with the first film well, continuing its most important unexplained aspect, playing well on the relationship of the characters, giving us an insight as to what the outcome of Civil War was to Scott, Hank and Hope, and it introduces a worthy antihero. Of course one has to accept that the science behind science fiction is mostly fiction, but no one should let that get in the way of the pure fun the film offers, with its amazing CGI, action packed scenes, and the best kind of humour a Marvel film could wish for.

As for the larger MCU, this is the first film since the shocking ending of Avengers: Infinity War, and many have been wondering what happened to Ant-Man, since he’s one of the few heroes not present in the biggest team up yet. Although the answer doesn’t quite lie in this film, it gives fans a great way to regain the Marvel joy after the somber note of Infinity War, an upbeat step into the next phase of our superheroes.

Despite being the 20th film on Marvel’s 10 year long roster, I can reassure those unfamiliar with Marvel that Ant-Man and the Wasp, though a sequel, does an amazing job in catching those up who haven’t seen the first film, or Captain America: Civil War. Flashbacks, explanations and even humorous mentions let everyone enjoy and understand the film to its fullest. One does not have to go through the daunting task of watching every film of the MCU to understand it (see: Infinity War). Maybe the hardcore Marvel fan might be disappointed that this film is quite standalone, only dealing with matters that involve the Ant-Man and his friends, it will still satisfy, as it has everything a Marvel fan could wish for and loves.

Everyone can find something they enjoy in this film, as it represents the Marvel quality well. Action, CGI, an amazing cast, perfect cinematography, well-written story, humour, and a great buildup of emotions throughout. So regardless of whether you’ve seen all the previous films, or just a few, or even not any at all, it’s a solid film to just relax and have fun with. As always, make sure you stay for both after credit scenes, standing up right after it ends is a Marvel faux pas!

Ant-Man and the Wasp will be out in UK cinemas on August 3rd. Check out the trailer below: 

Bori Bernát watches Saul Dibb’s star-studded war film.

Although the audience is always keen to see a new war movie, filmmakers nowadays struggle to bring a new angle to the so often seen trauma. Balance is crucial – it must contain a twist that spices up the traditional, yet not too severe to make the film distasteful. That is exactly what Saul Dibb’s Journey’s End offers: a classic war film set during World War I with the intention to honour those who gave their lives on the battlefield, and to shed light on the intimate relationship between soldiers rarely mentioned. As the fifth film adaptation of R. C. Sheriff’s play of the same name, it had even more to live up to.

Journey’s End is set in 1918 on the frontline in Aisne. Officer Raleigh (Asa Butterfield) is young, ambitious, and incredibly naïve. Upon joining the British army in France, he immediately requests to be transferred to a troop on the frontline to meet his childhood friend, Captain Stanhope (Sam Claflin). Outside of expectations, he found his friend completely changed, only a shadow lingering in place of a man. Raleigh must soon realise that war is nothing like he’s imagined, and faces the cruel reality that awaits him. Some of the officers he joins with are like Stanhope, lost in the hopelessness of war, while Lieutenant Osborne (Paul Bettany) handles the pressure fairly better, taking the place of Raleigh’s mentor in the process. While they wait for the inevitable in the dugout, men form stronger bonds than expected, and rely on each other in hopes of a better fate.

The film is about the loss of innocence. World War I is portrayed at its cruellest point, taking lives and hope alike, no ending in sight. The strain of fighting changes the best of men, including Stanhope, and slowly Raleigh as well. We watch day by day as they fade into ghosts of their former selves, corrupted by the stress, anxiety, alcohol and depression. However, Journey’s End is also about relationships. The shared experience of war between soldiers is beautifully portrayed. The nuances that surround each men unfold with grace, thanks to Dibb’s direction, which highlights the extraordinary intimacy between officers of war that is not often portrayed in film.

An interesting aspect of Journey’s End from a cinematographic point of view is the unusual yet refreshing use of lighting – or lack thereof. According to the director of photography, Laurie Rose, the dugout location was a very limited space to be filming in, and thus lighting was the first thing cut out of production. This resulted in an authentic dark ambiance that complimented the mood of the story well. They used natural lighting – the sun and candles – to a great artistic effect, not to mention also historically accurate.

Butterfield (The Space Between Us, Hugo) gives a brilliant performance as Raleigh, capturing the audience with his boyish charms, risking being put out of place considering the environment the story is set in. Nevertheless, he utilises this physical trait and turns it to his advantage quite well. Bettany (A Beautiful Mind, Avengers: Age of Ultron) is as great as ever. He portrays Osborne with wisdom and grace, making him an easily lovable character. However, the biggest surprise and transformation comes from Claflin (Hunger Games: Catching Fire, Me Before You). His portrayal of Stanhope and his struggle with the world, the war and his own discipline, is the perfectly captivating. Stepping away from the charmingly handsome characters he’s known and casted for, we experience a completely new side to Claflin and his craft.

It is important to mention that the battle takes place in 1918, exactly a hundred years from now, making it no coincidence that the film premieres in 2018. Paying tribute to lives lost, the end result is a beautiful honouring of a painful history.

Journey’s End comes out February 2 in the UK. Watch the trailer below: