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Bob Mann (459 KP) rated Mission: Impossible - Fallout (2018) in Movies
Sep 28, 2021
Hunt on the edge… again.
2015’s “MI: Rogue Nation” was one of my favourite films of that year, so of all the summer blockbusters this was the one I was most looking forward to. Was I delighted? It’s a slightly qualified “YES!”.
The film neatly follows on from Rogue Nation with arch terrorist-in-need-of-a-razor Solomon Lane (Sean Harris) being extraordinarily renditioned (probably not a valid phrase!) between multiple countries who want to torture/punish him. But his followers – “The Apostles” – are still active and on the trail of plutonium that could devestate key sites, with religious centres being the top of the target list. Since Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) originally caught Lane, IMF Director Hunley (Alec Baldwin) despatches Hunt to intercept the plutonium.
But CIA director Erica Sloan (Angela Bassett) has no faith in the IMF, or trust that the organisation has not been infiltrated, and she insists that her ‘heavy’ August Walker (Henry Cavill) goes along for the ride. But they are not the only parties in play, for Isla Faust (Rebecca Ferguson) is also involved. But who is she working for?
What makes these films a cut above your average action adventure is the stunt work, with the knowledge that Cruise is at the centre of the action. In “Skyscraper” you KNOW Dwayne Johnson is standing on the ‘edge’ in front of a big green screen. Similarly here you KNOW Cruise is standing on the edge of the Tate Modern tower – probably without a safety line – as the camera goes 360 degrees around him. This makes all the difference to the adrenalin count.
There are some outstanding set pieces in the film, with extraordinarily spectacular shots from a ‘halo jump’ and a dramatic helicopter finale. But it is some of the smaller stuff that really impresses: a dramatic edge-of-the-seat car and motorbike chase through central Paris is one of the most impressive and terrifying things I’ve seen on film for many years; and Cruise’s literally bone-crunching run through London is also extremely exciting, with Simon Pegg adding good humour in his regular role of Benji. By the way, series regulars Ving Rhames, as Luther, and Michelle Monaghan, as Hunt’s ex-wife Julia, also make welcome returns but Jeremy Renner is missing this time.
Tom Cruise at 56 (he’s just 15 months younger than I am, damn it!) will eventually meet a Roger Moore-like Bond cliff when his Hunt role is no longer credible. But he’s not there yet! Rebecca Ferguson is again outstanding as Faust and as a newcomer in a similar role Vanessa Kirby (memorable as Princess Margaret in “The Crown”) impresses as the “White Widow” – someone with a familial link to a villain from the past!
Unusually, for a film series which has traditionally been kept fresh by changing directors and composers at each turn, Christopher McQuarrie (“Edge of Tomorrow“, “The Mummy“) returns following “Rogue Nation“, and he also writes the screenplay. The composing baton is handed over this time though to Lorne Balfe (“Churchill“, “Terminator: Genisys“) and for me this was a bit of a step down from the “Rogue Nation” soundtrack by Joe Kraemer which I really enjoyed.
Is it sufficiently fresh though? Let’s be clear here, I was enormously entertained throughout, and this should be near the top of your summer watch list. But it did ultimately feel at times a little like a light retread of “Rogue Nation“. Some of the stunts – notably the Paris and London scenes as above – were a step up for me, but there are some annoyances in McQuarrie’s script (see the spoiler section below the trailer), so for me the rating plateaus at the same as “Rogue Nation“.
The film neatly follows on from Rogue Nation with arch terrorist-in-need-of-a-razor Solomon Lane (Sean Harris) being extraordinarily renditioned (probably not a valid phrase!) between multiple countries who want to torture/punish him. But his followers – “The Apostles” – are still active and on the trail of plutonium that could devestate key sites, with religious centres being the top of the target list. Since Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) originally caught Lane, IMF Director Hunley (Alec Baldwin) despatches Hunt to intercept the plutonium.
But CIA director Erica Sloan (Angela Bassett) has no faith in the IMF, or trust that the organisation has not been infiltrated, and she insists that her ‘heavy’ August Walker (Henry Cavill) goes along for the ride. But they are not the only parties in play, for Isla Faust (Rebecca Ferguson) is also involved. But who is she working for?
What makes these films a cut above your average action adventure is the stunt work, with the knowledge that Cruise is at the centre of the action. In “Skyscraper” you KNOW Dwayne Johnson is standing on the ‘edge’ in front of a big green screen. Similarly here you KNOW Cruise is standing on the edge of the Tate Modern tower – probably without a safety line – as the camera goes 360 degrees around him. This makes all the difference to the adrenalin count.
There are some outstanding set pieces in the film, with extraordinarily spectacular shots from a ‘halo jump’ and a dramatic helicopter finale. But it is some of the smaller stuff that really impresses: a dramatic edge-of-the-seat car and motorbike chase through central Paris is one of the most impressive and terrifying things I’ve seen on film for many years; and Cruise’s literally bone-crunching run through London is also extremely exciting, with Simon Pegg adding good humour in his regular role of Benji. By the way, series regulars Ving Rhames, as Luther, and Michelle Monaghan, as Hunt’s ex-wife Julia, also make welcome returns but Jeremy Renner is missing this time.
Tom Cruise at 56 (he’s just 15 months younger than I am, damn it!) will eventually meet a Roger Moore-like Bond cliff when his Hunt role is no longer credible. But he’s not there yet! Rebecca Ferguson is again outstanding as Faust and as a newcomer in a similar role Vanessa Kirby (memorable as Princess Margaret in “The Crown”) impresses as the “White Widow” – someone with a familial link to a villain from the past!
Unusually, for a film series which has traditionally been kept fresh by changing directors and composers at each turn, Christopher McQuarrie (“Edge of Tomorrow“, “The Mummy“) returns following “Rogue Nation“, and he also writes the screenplay. The composing baton is handed over this time though to Lorne Balfe (“Churchill“, “Terminator: Genisys“) and for me this was a bit of a step down from the “Rogue Nation” soundtrack by Joe Kraemer which I really enjoyed.
Is it sufficiently fresh though? Let’s be clear here, I was enormously entertained throughout, and this should be near the top of your summer watch list. But it did ultimately feel at times a little like a light retread of “Rogue Nation“. Some of the stunts – notably the Paris and London scenes as above – were a step up for me, but there are some annoyances in McQuarrie’s script (see the spoiler section below the trailer), so for me the rating plateaus at the same as “Rogue Nation“.
Nick Friesen (96 KP) rated Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016) in Movies
Jul 23, 2017
New Characters are Excellent (3 more)
God Bless Alan Tudyk
Perhaps the Best Space Battle in Star Wars Yet
The Rebels "Storming the Beach"
A Crazy Caper Set in a Galaxy Far, Far Away
Rogue One is a fantastic film. It feels so fresh, despite being "a Star Wars Story," mostly because it is so different than any of the movies in the main saga. Better yet, it functions as an awesome prequel to the original trilogy. Even if you're of mind to forget Star Wars 1-3, I'm betting you'll be more than willing to add this movie to the start of your Original Trilogy marathons. Rogue One is a delightful mash of a couple genres, most notably spy, heist, and war films, and it works so well. It's a ground level look at the Rebellion and their efforts to steal plans to the Death Star, shown through the point-of-view of regular soldiers with no apparent Force powers to speak of. It's a thrilling ride, and one that also gets you invested in its well-written characters in a fairly short amount of time. Oh, and Disney, is there any way Alan Tudyk can come back to the series?
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Alpha Rogue: volume 3 in Books
Oct 16, 2021
172 of 250
Kindle
Alpha Rogue: volume 3
By Terry Bolryder
Once read a review will be written via Smashbomb and link posted in comments
When Rose is sent to do surveillance on a rogue alpha working in the underground cage fighting circuit, she isn't expecting Hawes: a pretty boy with the looks of an adonis and the ability to easily crush opponents twice his size. She also isn't expecting him to be cocky, conceited, and too independent for his own good. Not to mention unwilling to listen to Rose when she tells him he's in danger.
But when Rose is the one threatened, she finds out there's more to the irritating alpha male than she thought. For one, he'll do anything to protect her. For two, he drives a Ferrari and owns a mansion. And for three, he sets her blood on fire when he kisses her.
Now if only they can escape the people chasing them long enough to figure out if there's something between them that's really worth fighting for.
Terry Bolryder does shifters well they are fast paced an got books! This one did not disappoint! I would recommend reading all 3 volumes one after the mother though.
Kindle
Alpha Rogue: volume 3
By Terry Bolryder
Once read a review will be written via Smashbomb and link posted in comments
When Rose is sent to do surveillance on a rogue alpha working in the underground cage fighting circuit, she isn't expecting Hawes: a pretty boy with the looks of an adonis and the ability to easily crush opponents twice his size. She also isn't expecting him to be cocky, conceited, and too independent for his own good. Not to mention unwilling to listen to Rose when she tells him he's in danger.
But when Rose is the one threatened, she finds out there's more to the irritating alpha male than she thought. For one, he'll do anything to protect her. For two, he drives a Ferrari and owns a mansion. And for three, he sets her blood on fire when he kisses her.
Now if only they can escape the people chasing them long enough to figure out if there's something between them that's really worth fighting for.
Terry Bolryder does shifters well they are fast paced an got books! This one did not disappoint! I would recommend reading all 3 volumes one after the mother though.
David McK (3557 KP) rated Star Wars X-Wing: Wedge's Gamble (Rogue Squadron #2) in Books
Sep 8, 2024 (Updated Sep 8, 2024)
Second entry in Michael A Stackpole's Star Wars: X-Wing series (a total of 10 novels, the first four written by Stackpole and centring around a reconstituted Rogue Squadron), following on from'Rogue Squadron' and taking as its inspiration the old LucasArt X-Wing/TIE fighter series of computer games. Hadn't read books these since the late 90s.
These novels (and the aforementioned games, now all considered 'Legends' by Disney) are my head-canon of what the sequel trilogy should have been.
Anyway, in this novel in particular, the action now moves from space to the city-planet of Coruscant, the seat of the Imperial Government that took over from the Old Republic and - in the Legends continuity at least - also that of the New Republic.
Here, we have the members of Rogue Squadron infiltrating said city planet and looking for a way to bring down the planetary shields so that the rest of the fleet can arrive, but they may be playing into the villain-of-the-piece Ysanne Isard's hands in so doing ...
For anybody that hasn't read this, it ends in a massive cliff-hanger, so be warned you'll be wanting to move onto the sequel 'The Krytos Trap' not long after finishing it ...
These novels (and the aforementioned games, now all considered 'Legends' by Disney) are my head-canon of what the sequel trilogy should have been.
Anyway, in this novel in particular, the action now moves from space to the city-planet of Coruscant, the seat of the Imperial Government that took over from the Old Republic and - in the Legends continuity at least - also that of the New Republic.
Here, we have the members of Rogue Squadron infiltrating said city planet and looking for a way to bring down the planetary shields so that the rest of the fleet can arrive, but they may be playing into the villain-of-the-piece Ysanne Isard's hands in so doing ...
For anybody that hasn't read this, it ends in a massive cliff-hanger, so be warned you'll be wanting to move onto the sequel 'The Krytos Trap' not long after finishing it ...
Sarah (7800 KP) rated Raising Steam: (Discworld Novel 40) in Books
Jul 31, 2017
Good but probably the weakest of the 3
Moist Von Lipwig is one of my favourite Discworld characters. I loved him in Going Postal, as he's a scoundrel and a bit of a rogue, but a charmingly funny and loveable one. My issue mainly with this is that despite stating numerous times throughout this book, Moist is no longer much of a scoundrel and is now pretty much domesticised, which is very disappointing.
However that said, it's still a fun, enjoyable read and take on the railway. I loved the addition of the goblins although i did still miss Gladys and Mr Pump.
However that said, it's still a fun, enjoyable read and take on the railway. I loved the addition of the goblins although i did still miss Gladys and Mr Pump.
Erika (17789 KP) rated Mission: Impossible 2 (2000) in Movies
May 17, 2018
This week, I'm doing a Mission Impossible marathon, and I'm fixin' to watch Rogue Nation here in a bit. The MI movies seem to be very solid action/adventure films, and I dig it.
So, prior to watching this film a few days ago, I had only seen parts of it.
I think I liked MI2 more than MI1 actually. To me, the story seemed to flow better, and I really liked Thandie Newton in it. Though, the shtick with the masks is completely irritating to me.
Dougray Scott was a compelling villain, and I think the strongest villain in the series.
So, prior to watching this film a few days ago, I had only seen parts of it.
I think I liked MI2 more than MI1 actually. To me, the story seemed to flow better, and I really liked Thandie Newton in it. Though, the shtick with the masks is completely irritating to me.
Dougray Scott was a compelling villain, and I think the strongest villain in the series.
graveyardgremlin (7194 KP) rated A Christmas Baby (Rogues Club, #4) in Books
Feb 15, 2019
A nice close to the Rogue series, if, and I hate be redundant, a bit unoriginal. The characters were nice, there were some funny moments, and the plot was good, but it didn't touch me like other romances do. However, I did like the whole Christmas thing at the end, it was cute if rather saccharine.
One of my main problems was that this series must have the worst editors. In all four books there are missing quotation marks, sentences that aren't clear, and misspelled/or forgotten words. I would hope that these would be minimal.
One of my main problems was that this series must have the worst editors. In all four books there are missing quotation marks, sentences that aren't clear, and misspelled/or forgotten words. I would hope that these would be minimal.
Lumrunner (6 KP) rated Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018) in Movies
May 27, 2018
Classic Star Wars Era (2 more)
Fan Service
Really builds Han's character
This is how a Star Wars movie should be made
This is the Star Wars movie I've been waiting for since Rogue One. It easily ranks in my top 3 movies in the series. Ron Howard gets Star Wars, he's not taking strange twists like The Last Jedi did, just to make himself look like an avant-gard director. He hits all the points a Han Solo movie should, and even throws things in for long time followers.
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