Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol: Movie Review

Cast: Tom Cruise, Simon Pegg, Paula Patton, Jeremy Renner, Michael Nyqvist

Director: Brad Bird

Your mission - should you choose to accept it.

Ethan Hunt's back in the fourth Mission Impossible outing - and what a return to form for the series.

When Ethan and his team are blamed for the bombing of the Kremlin as he carries out an undercover mission, the whole crew is disavowed by the US Government. However, it transpires the bombing is the work of a secret operative hellbent on unleashing nuclear war on the world.

So Ethan - along with his core crew of computer expert Benji (Pegg) and spy Jane (Patton)-  are forced to go rogue and clear their names, as well as stopping terror being unleashed on a global scale.

When it comes to the plot, this latest Mission Impossible is really nothing out of the ordinary; at the end of the day, it's an American secret agent forced undercover and facing overwhelming odds takes on a Russian agent and a mad scientist hellbent on nuclear destruction.

But what they've managed to do with this is turn it into a tightly produced, restrained and tense thriller which will have you on the edge of your seat.

From its opening scenes, where you're thrust directly into the action, it's clear Brad Bird and Tom Cruise have ramped up the stakes in this latest (seeing it on an IMAX screen will help too) when it comes to packing together a zippy film which is suspenseful, tense, adrenaline filled and slick in the extreme.

By dialling down the team to just four members as well, it gives the film a tauter, tighter edge and really does up the ante for character work; Simon Pegg's on great form as the edgy, nervy, quippy computer techie, Paula Patton's impressive as the get the job done spy who almost comes undone; and Jeremy Renner's got an air of mystery as Brandt, who is unwittingly caught up in the action. Nyqvist brings a cool crisp menace as Hendricks, the baddie of the piece.

But it's Cruise who impresses too - his aged Ethan, world weary in scenes and in control of others is a much improved Hunt that we've not really seen in the past films. The slightly harder edge makes him a great leader and gives the flick a much needed point of focus.

Plus throw in some truly impressive global set pieces - including an eye popping sequence on the exterior of Dubai's building, the tallest in the world - as well as some truly astounding technology and gadgets, and you've got the right recipe for a perfect thriller.

The only minor niggle is the film comes a little undone in its final climax, a jaunt to Mumbai which doesn't really pack the punch it needs after some two hours of thrills and spills - and it gives it the feeling of being a little longer than maybe it needs to be.

Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol is the best of the franchise; your mission - and I dare you not accept it - is to catch one of the best action films of the summer while it's on the big screen.

Rating:

Downton Abbey: S2: Blu Ray Review

Downton Abbey: S2: Blu Ray Review

Downton Abbey
Rating: M
Released by Universal Home Ent

So the phenomenally popular costume drama series makes its second appearance.

Eight episodes of Julian Fellowes' terribly posh and slightly different version of Upstairs Downstairs unfold.

Set in the looming shadow of world War One, season one ended with the spectre of war ahead for the inhabitants of the Downton Abbey. And its shadow is cast long over this latest outing - even if the overall feel of the series is a little more rushed than the first.

Downton will always appeal to the fans - it's all about studied and measured performances from its central cast; the likes of Hugh Bonneville, Dame Maggie Smith all impress - but this second uneven series feels a little slight in comparison to the relative lyrical highs of the first. Sure it all looks impressive and is beautifully shot, but its appeal is somewhat limited this time around. Plus setting a lot of the series around the first World War means you're taken out of the walls of the Abbey, which is where most people would rather see the comings and goings.

It's to be hoped the creative highs of season one are rediscovered for the next season otherwise, Downton Abbey will be a one hit wonder.

Extras: Commentary on ep 1, featurettes

Rating: 6/10 

Dr Who: Colony in Space: DVD Review

Dr Who: Colony in Space: DVD Review

Dr Who - Colony in Space
Rating: PG
Released by BBC and Roadshow

It's to 1972 we head for this six part slice of time travelling with Jon Pertwee's Dr Who.

When the Time Lords realize the Doc's nemesis, the Master's got his hands on a Doomsday device, they send the Doc and his companion Jo to the 25th century to try and save the day.

Slightly wonky and aged sets aside, this serial isn't a bad entry into the final batch of releases from the Who range. Atmospherically put together and acted with such purpose by Pertwee and Katy Manning, plus a great chemistry between Roger Delgado's The Master and The Doctor, it's a fairly pacy romp which looks at the consequences of weaponry - but in a non overtly preachy way.

An average set of extras for the release include commentary and a doco looking back - but nothing sensational.

Rating: 6/10 

Priest: Blu Ray Review

Priest: Blu Ray Review

Priest
Rating: M
Released by Sony Home Entertainment
Paul Bettany and our very own Karl Urban star in this latest outing.
For centuries man has been at war with vampires. And with the vamps hunting them to near extinction, there was only ever one line of defence - the priests.
But after the vamps' defeat, the priests were abandoned and reintegrated back into society.
However, when an apparent vamp attack kills the brother of one nameless priest (Paul Bettany), he has no choice but to hunt down their daughter and break his vow, risking all out war...
Priest isn't a bad attempt at a western crossed with vampires.
There's plenty of imagery from the wild west (including a final set piece on a train) and the bleached look of this post apocalyptic world, along with some quite cool comic style pre titles, give it a bit of different feel. But some wonky CGI and some frankly laughable dialogue see it unable to rise from the dead.
Which is a shame as Bettany is good as the monosyllabic priest and Nikita's Maggie Q and Karl Urban also are solid as supporting cast (even if the latter chews a bit too much of the scenery).

Rating: 5/10

Melancholia: Movie Review

Melancholia: Movie Review

Melancholia
Rating: 8/10
Cast: Kirsten Dunst, Kiefer Sutherland, Alexander Skarsgaard, Charlotte Gainsbourg
Director: Lars von Trier
Not sure about the wisdom of releasing a film about the end of the world just before Christmas...

This latest from Lars von Trier is a sumptuous piece where to be frank, very little happens but everything is affected.

Centring on Kirsten Dunst's depressed Justine's wedding day, the film sees her starting the day in a good mood and sliding into a depression as the night goes on-despite being wed to True Blood's Alexander Skarsgard.

It then switches to after the wedding where there's more of a period of gloom around - thanks to the fact a planet called Melancholia is passing by the earth - and with some fearing it'll hit, you've got cosmic fears on a very personal level as the level of doom rises on an ultimate scale.

From the opening sequences which are gorgeous eye candy - some of the best ever committed to celluloid - and which set a mood of uncertainty, Melancholia is a sumptuous experience (which admittedly some may find hollow).

But it's a mesmerizing and divisive watch - much like Tree of Life earlier this year was.

Dunst seriously impresses, providing her best work as the depressed bride who rallies when the end of the world comes - but equally as good is Charlotte Gainsbourg as her sister who's helpless to save her and who's futile attempts to try and save their already strained relationship.

As it leads to a downbeat ending which blows you out of your seat, this is a mind-blowing film.

Dr Who: Complete Season 6: Blu Ray review

Dr Who: Complete Season 6: Blu Ray review

Dr Who Season 6
Rating: PG
Released by BBC and Roadshow
Matt Smith returns as the Doctor in this box set of the latest season to hit the small screen.
And this time around, after a few years of teases from head honcho, Steven Moffat, we finally get some answers as to who River Song is, what part the travelling companions the Ponds play and what lies ahead for the Doctor.
It's a heady rush of a season which packs in some great adventures in its 13 episode run - but also some slightly less convincing ones as well.
But all in all, the quality is eminently watchable and each adventure zips along with gusto.
However, when the pace slows and the writing comes out, the actors have their chances to shine. Arthur Darvill and Karen Gillan who play Rory and Amy Pond are astounding in the heartbreaking episode The Girl Who Waited, which centres on Amy accidentally being abandoned by the Doctor and Rory. This is the stand out ep of the set and is an emotionally charged ep which is a little scifi and a little human as well.
Matt Smith can do no wrong as the Doc but some of the writing in places feels a little haphazard and seems to service the ongoing season long arc rather than provide quality episodes when it should. Thankfully, there's a feeling of resolution at the end of the season and so maybe the writers next year will be able to provide some stronger standalone material.
Extras are a mixed bunch too - sure, there's extra scenes which have been filmed for between episodes, but the inclusion of the cutdown versions of the behind the scenes companion show are pretty much a waste of time in this format. It's to be hoped the quality of the additional content is upped in future releases because it does feel a little tired currently.

All in all, Who fans will want this set to complete the collection - but newcomers may feel a little lost by how ensconced this latest run is in its own mythology.

Rating: 6/10

Torchwood: Miracle Day: Blu Ray Review

Torchwood: Miracle Day: Blu Ray Review

Torchwood Miracle Day
Rating: M
Released by BBC and Roadshow
How did it go so wrong?
After the stunning mini series of Children of Earth, it was a question of how the writers would top the quality of this Dr Who spin off.
And the answer is they didn't.
The previously Wales set serial has now gone global over this ten episode run - and some American newbies are along for the ride too. Mekhi Phifer stars as FBI Agent Rex Matheson who begins an investigation when one day without warning, people stop dying.
His hunt for answers lead to the abandoned Torchwood team who disbanded at the end of the last series and went underground.
But it turns out the head of Torchwood Jack Harkness (John Barrowman) has more to do with what's going on than anyone could realise.
The problem with Miracle Day is that there's not enough story and plot to sustain the suitably intriguing premise over 10 whole hours. It means some of the episodes feel like padding and plod as a result.
There are flashes of brilliance but they're too sporadic and not enough to give this mediocre serial the punch and deftness it actually needs.
Extras are a decent bunch though - with the web exclusive comic being one of the best of them (and giving the overall release an extra point) - but if this is how Torchwood finishes for good, it's a sadly anaemic and lacklustre end.

Rating: 5/10