Mechanic: Resurrection - Review

Mechanic: Resurrection

Plot summary:

Arthur Bishop has left his life as an assassin behind him and lives an incognito life he has made for himself in Brazil. This all changes when he is approached by a group of people who attempt to blackmail him back into his previous life.  Escaping them, Bishop goes to Thailand, where he meets a woman named Gina who has been forced into becoming a honey-trap for Bishop. After learning of this, Bishop questions Gina, who explains that if she didn’t do as she had been instructed, the children and co-workers, who she works with at an orphanage, would be harmed. The man pulling the strings behind all this appears to be a man named Crain – a person from Bishop’s past who is now an arms dealer. Soon after, Gina is kidnapped and held captive, forcing Bishop to come out of retirement and go on three missions to assassinate three major heads of crime.

Review:

To start off, the cinematography was pretty good, and the scenic aerial shots associated with the different countries were beautiful to watch. The action was fantastic – it was pretty fast-paced and brutal to a certain degree, at times. Plus there was a lot of shooting and explosions involved, so considering the action genre, it was all well-done. Some scenes stood out from others, especially towards the end. The music was pretty good, and it assisted well in building up the suspense in some scenes.

The plot, at some points, however, did not fit well. The romance between Bishop and Gina built a bit too fast. Sure, she had to get captured and be used as leverage, but the romance factor itself just seemed rushed. Plus the success of the first two assassinations is questionable too, considering the fact that they have to look like accidents, according to Crain(Sam Hazeldine), and the methods used by Bishop(Jason Statham) aren’t all impeccable to mask foul-play. And then there was the scene where Bishop attempts to rescue Gina, where Crain’s logic could be brought into questioning. He should’ve taken Gina to another location with another means of transportation without using the same mode, which was already compromised. The dialogues could’ve used a bit more work too, to have a stronger effect on the viewers.

The casting was good. Michelle Yeoh(Mae), Gina(Jessica Alba), Tommy Lee Jones(Max Adams) were some of the other supporting characters involved, and they all portrayed they’re roles well, albeit they did not have a lot of screen-time. Mae being Bishop’s old friend in Thailand, and Adams being Bishop’s third target. And Jason Statham, no doubt fitted in well with this role. We’ve seen him act similar roles frequently, as this same role, back in 2011. This may not be the best action film we’ve seen him in, but it’s still pretty good, aside from a few plotholes and shortcomings.

Watch the trailer here:
Mechanic: Resurrection Official Trailer #1 (2016)

The Equalizer - Review

The Equalizer

Plot summary:

Robert McCall has left his old life as a CIA agent behind him and now lives a quiet life. But all this changes on one particular day, when an acquaintance of his, Alina, AKA Teri, who’s an underage prostitute, gets brutally assaulted by her Russian handlers. With his desire to seek justice for the helpless re-ignited, McCall sets out to wreak vengeance upon the people responsible. And he doesn’t stop there – McCall continues his one-man army mission to take down the entire organization behind this, brick by brick, body by body.

Review:

The movie introduces into the character of Robert McCall, played by Denzel Washington, deeply. He is shown to be an insomniac, and suffering from Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder(OCD), although you really can’t say he suffers from it because he utilizes it well, from keeping a strict daily routine to cleaning, and to even killing. He’s shown to be lost – as if there’s nothing really of significant importance in his life or in what he does currently. Coming to Alina, played by Chloe Grace Moretz, although her screen-time may not be long, the movie delves deep enough into her character as well, depicting a girl who has been dragged into a life she did not choose, and yet holds on to a hope that she could someday live the life she dreams of. Plus it also introduces us to the character Nicolai Itchenko, who’s under the alias Teddy Rechen, played by Marton Csokas – a psychopathic loose-cannon, and a so-called “fixer” of problems.

Denzel Washington really brings the character of McCall to life. It’s all synchronized, from the movements, to the look, to the speech. His relentless one-man kill-squad role is pretty convincing, down to the look in his eye. And Marton Csokas is equally convincing in his acting, considering all those aspects as well. It’s almost as if it’s natural. I guess you could they that the both of them equalize well. And not forgetting Chloe Grace Moretz, whose acting is also noteworthy in meeting the aspects of her role.

A notable aspect in this movie is its symbolism and messages. In the beginning of the movie, McCall is shown to be reading a book, in which, as McCall explains it, an old man catches a fish, and as he attempts to take the fish ashore, sharks eat it. And as the sharks eat the fish and the fish fights for its life, the old man comes to respect the fish and its fight for survival. This, symbolizing two kinds of opponents that one would face in life: one which brings out the best in a person, and the other, which reaps no positivity in confrontation whatsoever. And the movie also conveys the message that you got to be who you are in this world, no matter what.

The lighting, the backgrounds, the setting, and the music, all combined well in setting the varying moods, be it sadness or suspense. The build-up to the fight scenes, with the changes in lighting, in my opinion was amazing. And showing McCall’s OCD working, planning and calculating a strategy based on his surroundings was indeed, interesting. Both were good to stir up some tension. And the action was pretty awesome – brutal and bloody. I loved it. The cinematography and the editing were both definitely spectacular, especially in the action scenes. And the added slow-motion scenes during the explosions and during the final encounter between McCall and Nicolai were brilliant. And I loved the scene enveloping the final encounter between the two. It was pretty intense, and way more brutal than the previous ones, and the setting was especially brilliant for it. This movie is just brilliant.

Catch the trailer here:

The Equalizer - Official Trailer

And get the movie here:

The Equalizer

Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation - Review

Mission: Impossible – Rogue nation

Plot summary:

Bringing into account all the so-called misadventures of the Impossible Mission Force(IMF), Director of the CIA, Alan Hunley, addresses the United States Senate, requesting the dissolving of the IMF and the transference of their salvageable assets to the CIA. The Senate agrees, and subsequently, the IMF is dissolved. Meanwhile, Ethan Hunt receives a message from The Syndicate – a shadow organization that Hunt has been tracking for a year – after which, he is abducted. With the help of a mysterious woman, Hunt escapes, and then goes into hiding, pursuing this shadow organization whilst the CIA pursues him. In his pursuit, Hunt is taken across the globe, and lead to a major incident which in turn gets the Special Activities Division(SAD) on both, his, and his former IMF colleague, Benji Dunn’s tail. Seeking to assist Hunt, his former colleagues, William Brandt and Luther Stickell, set out to locate Hunt and Dunn. Together, they attempt to take down this rogue nation. Helping them is Ilsa Faust, the woman who previously helped Hunt escape, and who may or may not be on their side.

Review:

This movie had a pretty good pace from the get-go. I actually didn’t feel time pass while I was watching it. This had brilliant dialogues built on an astounding plot, all which kept it very interesting and enthralling. Not to mention the dialogues, at times, bring in some good laughs throughout the movie. Amazing work by Christopher McQuarrie, who was both, the screenwriter and director of this movie. The high-speed chase scene, as well as the scene with the liquid-cooled array, in particular, were definitely noteworthy for the excitement-inducing factor.

The story progresses with some well-established twists and turns, all which makes it the more interesting. And it was backed up by some terrific action. You see some sharp moves, especially from Rebecca Ferguson’s character, Ilsa Faust. And her character is presented in a way where it is uncertain if she’s friend or foe, to add a little extra mystery to this story. Plus her character is shown to give some extra “fan service”, as you could say, with the revealing dress in one scene, in particular, aside from the other obvious scenes. And being the only major female character in the movie didn’t prevent Ilsa Faust from standing out in this movie as one of the most interesting characters.

Rebecca Ferguson gave some compelling acting as Faust, and so did Alec Baldwin, as Alan Hunley. Needless to say, Tom Cruise is completely in tune with his character: Ethan Hunt. And Jeremy Renner(William Brandt), Simon Pegg(Benji Dunn), and Ving Rhames(Luther Stickell), Sean Harris(Solomon Lane), Simon McBurney(Atlee), all were excellent as well. Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation really holds your attention. It’s definitely an awesome movie to watch.

Catch the trailer here:

Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation Official Trailer

And get the movie here:

Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation

Extraction - Review

Extraction

Plot summary:

CIA agent Leonard Turner’s cover gets blown, and his family, compromised, which leads to the assassination of his wife. Ten years later, he is kidnapped by a group of criminals during a mission to secure and escort The Condor prototype, which is the ultimate hacking device, enabling the possessor to have complete control of any governments communications systems. Learning of his father’s abduction, Turner’s son, Harry, who’s also a CIA agent, sets out on an unsanctioned mission of his own to locate and rescue his father. His path crosses with a former colleague, Agent Victoria Fair, who’s assigned to this mission, and together, they investigate into the matter, leading to a surprising turn of events and a shocking revelation. 

Review:

To be honest, this movie doesn’t have a very intricate plot, but it does not make this movie any less interesting. The story is obvious from the start, though there are a couple of secrets to be unveiled at the end of the movie. Plus the event-flow was good. I don’t see any plotholes or any other discrepancies to point out. The cinematography was employed well, notably in filming the action scenes in cramped spaces. And the assassin sent by the CIA – nice footwork. The fight scenes were fun to watch – they had good choreography – though I feel like Gina Carano’s(Victoria Fair’s) initial struggle at the night club should’ve gone better considering the fact that she is a CIA agent who can defend herself. Nevertheless, Carano does some good ass-kicking. Plus the lighting was good, varying with the settings and the scenes accordingly to give the needed effect and mood. Plus the music was pretty cool. It helped notably in the couple of chase scenes that were shown, giving some excitement. No complaints about the acting, either. They all did a pretty good job portraying their respective roles.It’s a pretty cool movie to watch.

Check the trailer out here:
EXTRACTION Official Trailer

And get the movie here:
Extraction