Argo (2012)

Ben Affleck provides another “convincingly” gripping and powerfully triumphant film in all aspects…well almost!

Warner Bros. Pictures in association Smokehouse Pictures and GK Films present…

Based on the memoir of an ex-CIA operative titled “Master of Disguise: My Secret Life in the CIA” published in 2000 and Joshuah Bearman’s Wired article “The Great Escape” which was released in 2007. The film Argo a.k.a. “Lord of Light” from Roger Zelazny’s 1976 novel who recently won Best Picture for the Academy Awards is a historical drama that depicts the story from the rescue of 6 US Diplomat hostages who were forcibly sheltered at the Canadian Embassy during the Tehran, Iran hostage crisis in 1979.

The man who “assisted” in carrying out the rescue mission was Antonio Joseph Mendez, a former CIA Operative who specialized in disguises and graphical work related to espionage. His talent gave him credit in the Technical Services Division and had tenure with the agency for 25 years. With his creativity and resourcefulness, he finally was able to provide a divisive plan to extradite the Americans from imminent danger with special thanks to the sci-fi film “Battle for the Planet of the Apes”.

Golden Globe and BAFTA Award Winner for Best Director Ben Affleck (Sum of All Fears) this guy has been hauling awards for the past few years! His diversity for juggling writing, directing and acting at the same time did much good for his career considering that his father had the same talent while working in Boston’s Theatre Company. His love for film making had earned him accolades left and right which even gave him bigger offers and projects to work with.

Ben managed to oversee the film’s intricate plot that makes it overwhelmingly intact but   “misinterpreted” in context. While creating a montage of news and media coverage’s key points taken place at the U.S. Embassy to the post hostage crisis reports. He was able to “at least” send a “semi-generalized” view in rapport to the public.

Another award winning quadruple threat George Clooney (Syriana) together with Grant Heslov (Catch Me If You Can) and the Director takes the lead in providing the finances needed to make this project come into fruition. While Best Screenplay was given to Chris Terrio (Damages) who even for the lack of experience helped paved the way for the script to take shape (not to mention its “obscurities”) as well for William Goldenberg’s “golden” efforts in editing 2 nominated films from the same year with a difference of a 3 month span in relation to their respective releases.

Together with some very talented supporting casts, Bryan Cranston (John Carter) as “forged” CIA Jack O’Donell and former co-star of Jennifer Garner (Ben’s wife) in “Alias” Victor Garber (External Affairs) who plays Canadian Ambassador to Iran Ken Taylor. To round it up, veteran Actors Alan Arkin (Escape from Sobihor) portrays fictional Producer Lester Siegel and John Goodman (Masked and Anonymous) is film make-up artist John Chambers. Now, actually 2 of these guys were not real, noting also how ironic for an organization to honor an award to someone who was not actually there seems farfetched and unfortunate!

Here’s the thing, in film making you need to device your own ingenuity and imagination in order for the story to be relayed to the audiences but more importantly when this is being based on true events, the facts should be straightened out plain and simple and at best convey this as closely as possible to what actually happened. This was the same scenario in Ridley’s Scott’s “Black Hawk Down” where a number of soldiers and scenarios were mashed up and sensationalized just to add levity to the intense framework of the story. Argo had the same scenario with too much publicity and criticisms that were thrown at the film and its producers stating the inaccuracies of how the story was told and also why were other countries such as UK, Switzerland and especially Canada were not given “enough credit” for their “initiative” and “crucial” contribution in the seeming cohesive caper. To add, there was no “crucial moments” considered in the imminent last minute escape more so in their actual departure from the airport.

Another aspect is that I have watched Kathryn Bigelow’s “Zero Dark Thirty” which was based on actual events as well. In terms of getting swept away by the plot and narratives, it was slowly paced until it reached the inevitable climax but still had the necessary input to make the experience surreal in the perspective of the Director and Screenplay. But what I am trying to connect with this story is that both were great in their own way, had real element settings the difference was Ben and his crew had more visually concurrent turmoil and hostility where it had this overwhelming presence of people on both ends of the floor: one group filled with so much anger needs to validate the wrong doings of their former Ruler, bring him to court and be hanged while they still have to resort in killing people in order to accomplish this! On the other end, individuals in the middle of a crossfire fearing for their lives with just the clear intention of getting out of this country alive would just be an understatement.

We don’t need to argue how things turn out and who won and who didn’t. Important thing is we have the understanding certain people gave their time, effort and risking their lives in order to save others. Yes, there were inconsistencies, some important representatives were taken aside and a country was misinterpreted for their actions but this will not stop in the harboring of hatred just to compensate for justice and that is the real sad part of this story.  In finality, with words coming from Mendez’s given lines: “This is the best bad idea we have, sir.” and in response, frankly we still give a damn!

Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol (2011)

Finally, Ethan grows an epiphany that it’s a team sport just in time before everyone literally becomes  a “ghost”!

Paramount Pictures in association with Skydance Productions, TC Productions and Bad Robot Productions present…

A new team of agents saving their nation and ensuring the security of the world…

Based on Bruce Geller’s Mission: Impossible 1966 TV series, the fourth installment offers a monolith that has a grander scale embedded in the high stakes game of global supremacy! Director Brad Bird (The Incredibles) breaking away from animated films from Disney, Brad had brought back his “magic” to the big screen without to compromise entertainment for the grownups!

Producer Paula Wagner has left Tom to run his own Production Company, falling out as well from Paramount, Tom was still given a holding percentage from another studio MGM to save it from being closed down. Now making it on his own, he collaborated with J.J Abrams the former Director to help substantiate the needed financial backing for the film!

In his fourth straight inning Tom Cruise (Knight and Day) returns as IMF’s number one agent! Ethan Hunt was brought back from Prague to help infiltrate the Kremlin and recover a top-secret file. In spite of a worn down physique and going back to his long hair since M:I II, you can still see Tom do his own stunt work, always raising the bar to fulfill his adrenaline rush providing the audience with charisma and of course pure entertainment! From jumping on one prison floor to the next, sliding down on a wire is all in a day’s work for the actor. Climbing cliffs is one thing but scaling 2,723 feet of glass is another! The Burj Khalifa, currently the highest manmade peak in the world, the famous skyscraper was used for the scenes to exemplify feats the aging actor can do and you can’t keep a good man down!

Comedy sensation Simon Pegg (Hot Fuzz) what can you say about this guy? From his success in the cult hit Shaun of the Dead, his playing with the big boys now! Reprising his role from the last film, he plays Benji Dunn an IMF Technician who recently passed the test is living the dream working with Hunt in the field! The Writer and Actor always brings the goods with him, even for supporting roles he can easily steal the show with his “spitballing” and discreet bantering with the team. The comedy was there but not too elaborate since it was mixed with the spy action theme and nostalgic drama!

Jeremy Renner (The Town) is all over the place nowadays, the next action star being primed by Hollywood to be the new face in the movie industry! Big projects are on their way including the highly anticipated culmination of superheroes The Avengers (well, he was part of this team longer), other films include the fantasy reimagination of Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters and continuing the fight for paranoia is the “Bourne Legacy”.

He’s come a long way and now he shares the spotlight with screen icons and greats! In the film he portrays the Chief Analyst of the current IMF Secretary while trying to escape “ghosts” from his past which made him reluctant to go back to field duty!

While Paula Patton (Deja Vu) as Jane Carter former mission leader who turned into subordinate (everyone yields). After a failed mission that involved Agent Trevor Hanaway, all gloves were off! Paula really has potential and can be part of bigger projects in the future! She can act without the need to be flamboyant, blends well with the cast members and never gave a dull moment in the film.

Lalo Scrifin’s original score was bespoked to capture each specific film’s tempo and premise! Even though each transition was great to listen to, I believe my preference would still be from Adam Clayton’s version in the first installment! Grammy Award Winner Michael Giachinno’s work did not bring out any fulfillment to what it’s trying to convey, it was drowning in the background especially for the opening theme which was nauseating!

Gaining cosmopolitan accolades from his work on the “Millennium Series”, Michael Nyqvist (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo), is Swedish/Russian madman who wants to start a nuclear war to make peace! The way that his character was written was weak even without any solid background that could eventually help the audience relate to his specific objectives, not just merely out of retaliation. At least he was still in the background being chases around by Hunt’s IMF unlike the villain in “chaotic spy film” I reviewed previously!

Andre Nemec and Josh Appelbaum (Alias) collaboration as Writers for the film, their background was extensively shown and derived from their TV spy heroine “Sydney Bristow”! Stating the obvious that the IMF (Impossible Mission Force) is an “unofficial branch” of the CIA gives levity already in being treated as “non-existent individuals” in the so-called free world! As always, multiple locations of spy based films were already a given spanning from Moscow, Prague, Dubai, Bungalore and Vancouver, a partial coverage of these places were shot in IMAX cameras courtesy of Robert Elswit (Syriana) to capture the wide cityscape and at the same time the highest tower as well!

The gadgets being used in the film were fantastic, especially the Holographic Projection Screen that was used in the corridor but in order for it to be effective it must have only an individual looking in your supposedly reflection on the given surroundings, it flickers the image when multiple visuals are already being tracked by the camera at the back of the screen. It makes it believable coming from just a film having these technology to access very tightly secured locations even for the Kremlin! Another gadget was used to incinerate the cemented floor of the prison into rubble while someone was trying to escape! Lastly, the vehicle being used in the last scenes was a BMW i8 concept car which runs in a plug-in hybrid that allows the owner to recharge its battery that runs in lithium-ion which goes to say economists, businessmen and investors talk about nowadays as the next “super green fuel” and “the next oil” worth $11.5 Trillion in revenues!

Though there were some miscues like after an agent was shot his colleague followed the suspect who just left in a few seconds without any feedback to the team leader. How did the gadget used in the Kremlin corridor perfectly measured the length and width of the screen to be used? Superfluous moments like letting the Anatoly Sidorov, a Russian Intelligence Operative belittling Hunt’s attempt to escape even if it was already a dead end situation!

From NOC (Non-Official Cover) List of rogue agents stolen being sold to the highest bidder, to the deadly virus called Chimera and from the last film, the White Rabbit a “doomsday device” that would annihilate every single thing it touches and now, “nuclear Armageddon” is inevitable, impossible not with this team! All falls into place and will be in good hands as long Ethan and his IMF is on the job! On a side note, the repercussions of these destructive device dates back since its early development in October 1939! Today it’s about Syria, Iran and North Korea who’s giving the international community and world leaders much speculation for the development of nuclear weapons!

Garnering a huge success in profits amounting to $608 M in the box office receipts making it the unprecedented frontrunner from the film franchise! Great chemistry and casting, a superb thrill ride that keeps the spark burning! Mission: Impossible V is being planned out already to follow-through the film’s huge success and we don’t want it to fade away just like Ethan in the mist…

Mission: Impossible III (2006)

The film falls short on intrigue along with the thrills that was degraded by a spy who seems to have a knack for a one man show!

Paramount Pictures with Cruise/Wagner Productions and Bad Robot Productions present…

The third chapter of the Impossible Mission series!!!

Director J.J. Abrams (Star Trek XI) and his side kicks are back for another fun filled action extravaganza! I got to give credit to these guys providing great stories but on this one, it lacked the in-depth clarity of a spy movie leaving the CIA covert team to be less sought-after and more intolerant from its intention to capture a larger fan base! (Mr. Bond, show Mr. Hunt his dunce corner). Roberto de Orci and Alex Kutzman (Transformers Trilogy) wrote a quite disappointing screenplay; don’t forget to mention JJ’s inputs as well! Fine, they were able to cover the international aspect of the film’s purpose like counter terrorism and subversion in which the main goal was to detain a dangerous (clichéd) black market weapons supplier and that’s all there was to it!

Typical as always, Tom Cruise (The Last Samurai) is retired IMF Team Leader Ethan Hunt, always giving his ego, audacity and charisma to work for him, jumping towering heights that puts even Spider-Man to shame, running spontaneously, shooting bad guys in erratic succession. Is there anything else he can’t do?

I don’t know if it’s just me that I find Michelle Monaghan (Eagle Eye) without any excitement for the roles she brings even more her on-screen relationship with Ethan was not impressive, she plays his fiancée Nurse Julia who needs aspirin from the constant migraines not knowing where her husband goes and having a naive demeanor makes it harder to get dynamic between the two main protagonists!

Supporting casts was given a better performance, equal duties partaken for the next mission. First off, Ving Rhames (Undisputed) the only returning cast who reprises his role as computer and communications expert Luther Stickell. Together with new crew members Jonathan Rhys Myers (From Paris with Love) plays chopper pilot and driver Declan Gormley and Maggie Q (Die Hard 4.0) is background specialist Zhen Lei and on-site techie Simon Pegg (Shawn of the Dead) brings in his comedic antics as usual from Benji Dunn.

Mission 1: GERMANY

Search and Rescue was the initial mission, to retrieve Keri Russell from enemy lines! Contacted by a new head, Billy Crudup (Waking the Dead) was great! He plays Operations Manager John Musgrave who gives Ethan his mission. I kind of remember his “Watchmen” co-star Patrick Wilson in The “A-Team”, it was kind of a fresh air to play a different role for once.

Enter Laurence Fishburne (The Matrix) is IMF Director Theodore Brassel, reprimanding his Team Leaders given the fact that the given mission was a failure, a lunatic is on the loose and to add, collateral damage on a dead captive was inexcusable!

It was really nice they way they did the scenes and how team work manifested itself, a cheesy line here and there but it came out alright! The only thing that gave credence was it was personal for Hunt to take this mission since he personally trained and recommended the young Keri Russell (We Were Soldiers) as captured field agent Lindsey Farris.

Mission 2: ROME

To infiltrate the Vatican City and capture Philip Seymour Hoffman (Capote) who plays a ruthless, poker faced, “invisible man” Owen Davian, an international weapons / arms dealer who is having the time of his life until Hunt’s team gave him a little more to think about! Albeit, given dangerous situations there was still enough humanity for the agents just to add a lighter side on the subject.

To follow their post abduction, massive explosive sequences coming from both the convoy and the personal army of Davian who were tantamount to the IMF’s cleverness! (pun) But seriously, who would anticipate a clear retrieval point coming from another country? From supporting cast to Academy Award Winner Philip is great in every aspect, a well rounded actor that makes him more fun to watch!

Mission 3: CHINA

The Good, The Wife and The Traitor; well if you got to go, don’t go away angry…just go! All culminates here as Ethan desperately needs to locate his wife and put an end to all this madness! The rabbit’s literally giving his all to run and leap in bounds to save the love of his life!

Now, here is the part where I personally detested, why did it take for so long for the chip to neutralize Hunt more so he was able to instruct his wife gun mechanics, knock out Davian’s senses and finally concoct a defibrillator! Oh, by the way…he was still able to profess his undying love! (give me a break).

It had over the top, high octane scenes and the same type of objectives which I find simple which furthermore sways into its one sidedness only to bring a myriad of gun fights, extreme sports repertoire courtesy of Ethan and searching across the globe from either the Rabbit’s Foot or people that needs saving or capturing!

There was no more sense of conspiracy of being a spy under cover which was highly praisable from the first film! Tom Cruise had placed so much focus on his stunts and death defying acts to wow audiences which were fine but to make the story more captivating the senses at least there was something the he could have done to make the story more uplifting since he co-produced the film right? That is one of the trends of Tom Cruise’s films, the Director and script is so fixated on him because he‘s the one putting the money in the bank which should not always be the case that’s why there are other cast’s to share the spot light…to experience and grow in the films they make!

Roberto, Alex and J.J. will still be paid nonetheless for their effort; I admire their contingencies of putting up with a better cast but still falling short on the intended premise. The story only looked more distressful (metaphor or otherwise) because Hunt and his team was not just out there saving the world but his wife as well which I believe was very fundamental just another way to ante up the mission’s mandate and its significance! Signature moves, scenes and M.O. (Modus Operandi) from its predecessors in all out honesty, was a done that, been there scenario already!

Terrorism is nothing new let alone dealing with double agents or what they call “Moles”, it was the same sub-plot of the last two predecessors. The films had been exceptional starting with the suspense thriller take of Brian de Palma’s and John Woo’s combination of intense action scenes with the serenity of doves flying. The prequel Directors had different ways to elaborate their techniques to give the action hero; the IMF’s name needs to be a little more accurate on what it stands for!

To set things right (hopefully) there will be a protocol for all of these failures…that’s right!!! Another one is set with a bigger cast and talent! Hopefully Bird’s take will make it fly higher!

Skyfall (2012)

“Though much is taken, much abodes, and though we are not  now that strength which in old days moved Earth and Heaven, that which we are, we are…one equal temper of heroic hearts, made weak by time and fate, but strong in will to strive, to seek, to find and not to yield.” – Ulysses

Metro-Goldwyn- Mayer, Columbia Pictures in association with Eon Productions and Danjac LLC present…

After a incredible and tiring month last October, me and my beautiful wife head off to our well spent vacation to relax and unwind! Here, we continue to what has been a trend of sorts since the first time I’ve watched Daniel Craig portray the Spy of all Spies back in 2006’s “considerably” Casino Royale! Then before setting sail to another country I was still able to experience the burning sequel of Quantum of Solace in 2008 and so far it’s worth the wait…

From being an Assistant Director to front line Producer of her father’s magna opus, Barbara Broccoli (Goldeneye) and her half-brother Michael G. Wilson (A View to a Kill) never gave up on this project in spite of financial difficulties you might say even when the “sky was falling”, they were still able to salvage the film at all cost!

This is the end…

A covert mission, a train of death, a missed gunshot and a man falls! To kick start the 50^th Anniversary of James Bond, London premiered it as one of the highest grossing films to date and it will be a bloody hell when Bond get’s out of this!

Directed by Sam Mendes (Revolutionary Road) they made this film absolutely in a new direction seeking to find the reasons why Mr. Bond is more than a spy to his organization and to his country. It was not meant to relegate the essence of the film’s action but rather see another perspective what real danger awaits for those who works in these clandestine agencies. As he works on his takes with the silhouettes, mixing darkness with electric lights while never failing to inject charisma and passion which definitely makes Bond the top of the spy genre both in films and novels alike!

Full time MI6 Director and surrogate Mother Judi Dench (A Midsummer Night’s Dream) portrays M in a crucial role that will literally shake the Agency which she has lead for so many years! Hunted down by still an unknown enemy though grave as it may sound, she still got his closest ally in the business…his undying, always resurrecting son!

The premise was definitely not mission centric and what made it more interesting is that he faces a far more threat outside their walls but only this time it was within MI6! With the help of Screenwriter Neal Purvis (Johnny English), Robert Wade (Stoned) and John Logan (The Aviator) they have collaborated to bring the 23^rd film come to life both figuratively and literally!

Editing chores were made flawlessly by Stuart Baird (Vantage Point) from sound, amalgamation of action sequences and a combination of special and visual effects. Cinematography by Roger Deakins (Revolutionary Road) made it clear that not only does locations bring the story to come to life but how he brings each continent and country to capture moments of Bond’s escapades let’s just say to fall in the right place! From India (not pushed through), Istanbul, London and to Shanghai and an abandoned island off the coast of Macau. Adding the very talented and multi-awarded singer Adele to provide her sultry and alluring voice to capture the film’s premise gives meaning through reckless abandon and yet with a strong disposition to do whatever it takes to seize the day in spite the tragic situations.

Mr. Swagger himself, Daniel Craig (Defiance) continues his never ending fight for Britain and for the world’s safety. But for the mean time he needs to take care of business and this time it’s personal! Daniel was more comfortable with the role making him more dangerous and unpredictable for his character.

While after being whipped by a certain wizard to his seemingly eternal imprisonment, Ralph Fiennes (The Constant Gardener) as Gareth Mallory, to make it significant but not too obvious that he will have to leave office after what he has done! Absolutely better than his brother Joseph (no offense he’s good)! But Ralph exceeds what is expected of him not just in terms of performance but of choosing the right projects that will make him more enticing to the movie masses. On the same note, we commend one of today’s sought out actors as Javier Bardem (Biutiful) as Tiago Rodriguez a.k.a Raoul Silva, he portrays cyberterrorist, a character that makes you laugh and throw up at the same time (go figure it out)! Javier is a nonchalant super spy until something gave him a sort of epiphany. Just to make it clear that he has the utmost right to be able to protect himself first before protecting his country it was just unfortunate that it was like the case of a “Schrodinger’s Cat” where

What is a Bond film without his women? After a botched field work, Eve Moneypenny played by Naomie Harris (Street Kings) has been sidelined to a desk job just to get her mojo going again! To be honest she only has a role intended to fill-in a gap of need to give at least this pivotal character she was intended to play especially in the coming years ahead! While a former sex slave named Severine taken in by the villain was merely for eye candy she is played by Berenice Marlohe at least she had some acting in her that can convince other Producers that she can be part of something less inconvenient than a woman’s sob story longing for a hero to sweep off her feet.

It would seem farfetched, but I can’t help but compare the similarities of the premise with the Dark Knight Trilogy. A hero and a villain with the same background, roots and training while having a mentor or ally being haunted by guilt from their past sins and hunted down to pay their debts to society. The house of pain, the Butler until the end, the rich kid traumatized by a death in his family leading to become an orphan at a young age. Another angle we can look into is how a man got his face disfigured by his faith and with his disposition to uphold what needs to be done right unfortunately, serving their fate to be tragic and a lost cause! Finally, someone who seemingly died was brought back to life just to accomplish his mission no matter the cost…

 It was a personal one indeed, as it gave James Bond and the film a fantastic turn of events, convened to be a thriller that has given 007 a definite ending, a new chapter to be precise, a beginning of sorts as batons were passed on to carry the mantle as MI6 moves on while the earth crumbles, the oceans dries up or even if the sky falls…

Quantum of Solace (2008)

Casino Royale delivered the aces! Now, this is where Bond had left off and things are about to get “stirred and shaken” literally!

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in association with Columbia Pictures, EON Productions and B22 present…

A Barbara Broccoli with Michael G. Wilson Production.

Swiss-German Director Marc Forster (Finding Neverland) gave the film another exceptional take on the Spy finding his way to stop a criminal clandestine group and avenging his first true love. Screenwriters Paul Haggis (Crash), Neal Purvis (The World is Not Enough) and Robert Wade (Die Another Day) provide another premise so full of energy and excitement! I admired how they were able to let the flow of the story connect the two films where it still incorporates details, names and locations dealt with Vesper Lynd the double crossing lover and Le Chiffre the primary antagonist from Casino Royale.

Outstanding captured moments from the revolving 5 axis crane camera while panning-in at the snake-like roads of Garda and Carrara Italy and as it becomes closer so does the intensity of revd-up Aston Martins cruising in the tunnels while Bond is being gunned down by the “organization” only known as Quantum. Absolutely breathtaking initiated in the well choreographed car chase scenes courtesy of Arm Driver Dean Bailey and Stunt Coordinator Gary Powell from intro to its cliff hanging demise!

This film had more action oriented scenes and the body count that goes along with it keeps getting higher and higher by the minute! To make the ambiance relevant, David Arnold’s music made it transcending from the boat chase up-tempo beats then soothing it down flawlessly in the next sequences. The project also had plenty of places to go and to explore wherein locations scouted for an ocular by the Director and Crew to give it a better sense of authenticity from the script and required settings, spanning from the festive tradition Palio horse race of Italy, to the damp and cold London, next we are taken to the humid streets of Haiti, sophisticated Austria and the extremely unbalanced lifestyle of Bolivia where the rich tramples on the poor and its minority!

To add, in your typical spy thriller or anything with a military plot attached to it, we usually get the computer encoded Time Frame, Location and its classification bleeping at the bottom of the screen at least here, we have unique fonts to take us into the different places as we follow the story.

Wounded from the last encounter, Jesper Christensen (The Interpreter) returns as Mr. White! He is making it harder for the MI6 to understand the threat they pose as an organisation, even mocking M and Bond in the interrogation process. As Quantum’s new “slave” Mathieu Almaric (Mesrine) plays Dominic Greene, another pawn in this cat and mouse game! A supposed Philanthropic Businessman who expresses his concerns with the environment and its preservation through his company The Greene Planet! He’s demeanor for being wickedly manipulative hides behind his clean propaganda, a front for his Superiors to let a deposed General rule the country once again! Mathieu can be soft spoken but makes up for his intentions for the greed he generates while his eyes glare in the moment of betrayal, aggravation or by making him feel insulted!

Returning as 007 Agent Daniel Craig (The Golden Compass). In this 22^nd film, Bond makes it personal giving in to the thrill of pursuing Agents, Assassins, Gun Men and Body Guards who still have no absolute idea who they are dealing with. He is constantly monitored by M, ignoring her often times for the killing spree he has been doing in taking out possible leads to their objective…

There was this particular scene when he follows and does surveillance for Mr. Greene in an Opera titled Tosca, he goes to the highest point to monitor all of those involved in the transaction presented by the “eager” businessman!  I liked the way how it was executed and seeing all these mocked up so-called “Illuminati” members get their head shots (metaphorically speaking) while they are simultaneously downloaded to MI6 HQ! To add, I believe that something significant about the involvement of the Canadian Government which will hopefully explained and given more detail in Skyfall!

Judi Dench (Goldeneye) again serves as his Superior M and as a “surrogate mother”! There is an unraveling inner conflict and at the same time mutual feelings about these two people. Both have commented in their respective performance and the only thing that matters with them is to trust each other no matter the cost! With new Bond Girls coming to the foray, Olga Kurylenko (Hitman) as Ex-Bolivian Agent Camille who has her own agenda in avenging her family and Gemma Anterton (The Disappearance of Alice Creed) is an ordinary girl with an extra-ordinary job! I asked myself what? Her screen name was Strawberry Fields how cute can you get? Is it just to flatter Bond or make it something less conspicuous bringing in the Spy to be reprimanded or suspended to say the least!

Returning cast Jeffrey Wright (Lady in the Water) as CIA Agent and “brother” Felix Leiter who works more intensively trying to uncover the secret plans of the Tierra Project being put in place while Giancarlo Giannini (Hannibal) reprises his role as veteran Agent Rene Mathis, suspected in working with the “terrorist” he was later pardoned and was given a luxurious haven as a gesture of apology from the British Government! He was the only one Bond can approach now seeing that he has been cut off from the Agency’s finances. Mathis brought in the epiphany for Bond to contemplate on just to remind him that all is forgiven between them and most of all, forgiving Vesper and himself in the process to move on with his life.

To encapsulate, the ideas being given deals with a bigger scenario that makes 007 work incessantly to bring down this corrupt organization that not only destroys lives but countries as well! The Director gave it the same powerful take in the missions and life of the British Secret Spy. On the other hand, in the earlier parts of the film were fast paced but got slower with cut up or shortened scenes as the story progresses. I still commend him for instilling the perfect environment for the characters to blend in; everything he injects from hotels, cars, boats and even propeller driven planes has their own persona that matches the world where James Bond carry out his duties, a little old fashioned but up to date!

As mentioned in the final scene when M wanted him back in the Agency, he promptly replied ”I never left…” this completes his trail for his vendetta and soon will be tackling another threat with the same group of people only known as Quantum!

Casino Royale (2006)

“The name’s Bond, James Bond!”

Columbia Pictures in association with Eon Productions, Casino Royale Productions, Stillking Films, Babelsberg Film and Government of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas present…

Ian Lancaster Fleming’s first book of the British Intelligence Agency’s most well known Agent, Spy, Soldier and Commander of the Naval Fleet! His character had many depictions and basis, the first one was an actual member of the Royal Navy’s Intelligence Division who worked with Mr. Fleming in World War II, his name was Merlin Minshall, another was Serbian double agent Dusko Popov, a charismatic womanizer and lastly, a real Jewish Russian secret agent named Sidney George Reilly employed in the British SIS. To add, his character’s name came from a real life Ornithologist in Philadelphia.

Casino Royale was the main catalyst of the forthcoming adventures of James Bond. Since it was published in April 13, 1953, it was adapted on screen three times and was written and finished in Jamaica. Mixing both real life experiences and the Author’s own imagination, he was able to bring to the UK and the rest of the world a truly remarkable fictional icon and hero!

Now with Barbara Broccoli’s supervision in all upcoming and remaining projects from his late father’s Albert R. Broccoli’s EON Productions, the daughter has been doing an overwhelming job multi-tasking from both ends of the floor while producing; she also acts as Second Unit Director in the field! Both of them have been involved in the films of the British super spy with the former starting off with Timothy Dalton’s “The Living Daylights” in 1987.

So it begins…

On his second mission, we are taken to Prague in Czech Republic. Bond was tracking down a double agent who was selling intelligence reports to make profit. The black and white ambiance gives it a more suspenseful take on the scene, even the dialogue that they did for just a few minutes with a non-linear take on his first kill was absolutely wicked. It was concise and crisp “considerably”… Thus, James Bond was now promoted to the status of “00”!

The actual battlefield is not your typical highway chase shoot them up style… here it is the Poker Table! Originally it was the card game Baccarat, it was changed to make it contemporary since it gave more reasons to relate to the fans and audiences alike. This game can tell you a lot on who’s playing and to think that it’s not only betting millions of dollars on table that makes you quiver…instead, it’s the world’s safety!! It was also segmented into three significant parts which I aptly named: 1. Bomber’s Away! ; 2. Death Poker and 3. Becoming Bond!

The latest 007, Daniel Craig (Layer Cake) was criticized heavily to be the next Bond especially with his facial attributes but they clearly underestimated his would be performance beforehand giving these unhealthy remarks, this film will absolutely put all doubters on the other side of the river! He gave a powerfully solid, straightforward and headstrong take on the Secret Agent, no more lingering too often with gadgets (it’s alright Q, you’ll be fine) which is very ideal since he relies more on his wits and physical stamina to chase the bad guys from one point into the next even putting in spectacular pursue scenes which involved the sport “free running”. This is the Bond that we are all waiting for shoot first ask questions later (give him the benefit of the doubt for being trigger happy).

The film was superbly done, with an amazing cast. The life of a spy, traveling around the world meeting beautiful women and surviving them was all in a day’s work for Mr. Bond. This story is really significant not only because it depicts his origins but also why he came to terms with having to “trust no one”. He fell in love with the leading lady Eva Green (Kingdom of Heaven) who plays the alluring Vesper Lynd, an ILO (International Liaison Officer) from the HM Treasury sent by M to aide Bond in his next assignment. Smart, strong willed and fatal even for the most dangerous man in the agency!

Together, they need to stop Mads Mikkelsen (King Arthur) is Le Chiffre, a terrorist financier, a genius bent on world domination (economically speaking); his portrayal of being the villain is fantastic! He needs to recuperate the money he owed from a brutal warlord Steven Obanno whom he met in Mbale, Uganda where his intention was to bet against the stock market in his favor by blowing up the largest prototype airplane in Miami! A remarkable actor that can play the bad guy anytime without throwing any punches and you’ll still hate him for his subtle and yet cruel simplicity! He is also backed up by an ominous organization coming from the mouth of Mr. White, played by Jesper Christensen (The Debt) another criminal in the dark, he always plays in the background of his so-called “clients”, we would see later on what his goals are and what its repercussions for Bond…

Supporting casts Jeffrey Wright (Syriana) as CIA Agent and close friend Felix Leiter since back in the early stories with Giancarlo Giannini (Man of Fire) as French local Agent Rene Mathis of the Duexieme Bureau. The only returning cast was Judi Dench (Notes of a Scandal) since Pierce Brosnan’s take in Goldeneye. She reprises her role as Bond’s superior M, the Head of the British Secret Service! Judy’s take and contribution to her character for the last 16 years has been very pleasant, she embodies M as a Superior sometimes cold and uncaring (the Author had his own experiences…) but with the guidance and demeanor of a mother figure.

Directed by Martin Campbell (The Mask of Zorro) who gave us a great film encompassing all the elements of a spy thriller! With the help of Screenwriter Neal Purvis, Robert Wade (Die Another Day) and Paul Haggis (Crash) the former two comes back from the same character with a different take and persona! They have both given a full range of authenticity and intrigue in the story! Kudos as well to Debbie McWilliams (Othello) for finding the best people to portray these characters, I seldom commend the Casting Head but this was remarkably, undeniably well thought of!

Former Sound Garden and Audioslave headman Chris Cornell is one of my favorite performer’s in the music industry! His collaboration with David Arnold to bring the sound of James Bond is truly ear candy. To add, this is the first time that the Bond film franchise chose a male lead coming from a long line of females laying down their voice to capture the fascinating and sophisticated computer generated theatrics of the film’s storyline and premise. This is one of the many films that provide an amazing opening, a synergy of seduction, thrills and excitement!

From the sun glazed Madagascar, to the beautiful beaches of the Bahamas and the classy and elegant Montenegro where the ensuing battle draws to a close! The sights and sceneries from these countries were in the eyes and hands of the brilliant Cinematographer Phil Meheux (Goldeneye), returning with the same projects collaborated with the Director, the direction of his camera provides the audience with fast paced action and the right amount of passion that makes the world of James Bond so impetuously invigorating!

The Debt (2010)

It was almost vindicated by seeking redemption if only the debt was paid earlier!

Miramax Films in association with Marv Films, Focus Features and Pioneer Films present…

Directed by John Madden (Layer Cake) who is known for his crime and heist films like “Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels” and “Snatch”. He worked with the Screenplay from BAFTA Winner Peter Straughan (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy), Matthew Vaughn also a Director who in the past few years collaborates with Mark Millar and Bryan Singer for comic book films “Kick-Ass” and “X-Men: First Class” respectively which garnered superior box-office results together with the versatile Author, Writer and Producer Jane Goldman (Stardust).

Based on the Israeli film with the same title in the year 2007 which was Directed by Assaf Bernstein but with different patterns on how they compose the characters and for the story to take shape. Set in for the last 30 years which brought together 3 spies that needs to bring a certain “madman” into justice for his crimes committed against humanity.

East Berlin, 1965…

The responsibility for their country and their mission was the primary objective. Returning home hailed as heroes was etched in both the psychological and physical aspects to the supposedly troika of the Mossad led operation but this was only through mere stories and worse with false ones which lingered too long and  worse too deep! Setting things right, the once courageous agents hide in their shadows of hypocrisy though it was well meant to be great as characters were able to precisely relay by top of the line actors and actresses portraying their roles from two timelines.

Multi-Award Winner Helen Mirren (The Queen) is a distraught mother waiting for her daughter to finish the praises that only makes her more uncomfortable. She is Rachel Singer, you can see right away a scar on her right cheek indicating that somewhere along the way; fate was never kind to her! It was 1997; a book was being launched commemorating the story of 3 people who went out of their way to hunt down a Nazi criminal but not all things are what they seem. Fast rising star and Academy Award Nominee Jessica Chastain (Take Shelter) regarded as one of the best actresses to date brings another unforgettable performance as she portrays a younger Rachel doing her best to fulfill her mission…

Theatre Actor Ciaran Hinds (Road to Perdition) is one part of the given whole, while Sam Worthington (Terminator Salvation) plays the younger David Peretz, a man who lost his whole family in the Holocaust which makes him even more determined to be involved in this manhunt until everything went wrong.  Although he was instructed by someone higher to still be an actual hero for his country diligent his intentions maybe, unfortunately the uncompromising Team Leader Marton Csokas (Bourne Supremacy) whose name was Stefan Gold doesn’t seem to grasp his subordinates without getting himself too involved both in camaraderie and intimacy. Academy Award Nominee Tom Wilkinson (Michael Clayton) proves all that when his regret gets the better of him and even sends his ex-wife to dance with the devil one more time!

Another villain on the run that needs to be mauled down is Jesper Christensen (The Interpreter) who last portrayed the infamous Mr. White of the Organization known as Quantum in the box-office hit “Casino Royale”. An infamous surgeon by the name of Dieter Voegel from Germany’s Third Reich who killed Jews in World War II by the use of pseudo-medical experimentation which were coerced to create better weapons and tactics to win the war wherein these actions led to the Nuremberg Code of medical ethics. Jesper together with the senior casts has time and again given well- performed characters that set the bar a little higher than the rest. His performance was absolutely invigoratingly wicked while setting his timid demeanor that hides a monster that has no conscience.

Typically adapted from a straightforward point of view making the dialogue and the performances grounded as should be. Frankly speaking, this was a star studded cast that had absolute grasp of the story being told though it may have been off put in terms of driving more into the predicament at hand which was redeeming themselves from a sham that is about to go out in the public. Another angle would be was the actual hunt of the German Doctor which should have been the fundamental thought of having the story zero in from the first place.

Having said, the connection with the original film comes into simple terms of changing the names and relationships but not with sequences that was crucial in relaying the premise which was not even compromised seeing that it had the same intention to make it surreal but at least it should have been focused on a different perspective which I have mentioned earlier. While the love triangle arc did not bother me at all but was it necessary? Since coming from its predecessor this was not even elaborated and the film still worked. Maybe something came out of the Writers brainstorming just to get a more dynamic approach for the characters to be able to extend the needed scenarios to prolong the story’s short running time while keeping pace the needed ambiguity and thrills transparently conveying the debt to be paid though it was just unfortunate that certain charges will have to apply in spite trying to correct their errors in an unchecked and unsettled predicament!

Salt (2010)

Not taking it with a grain of Salt, it was a definite premise for another spy franchise!!!

Relativity Media with Di Bonaventura Pictures in association with Columbia Pictures present…

North Korea, a woman in a jail cell tortured by soldiers was given a chance to be released in terms of an exchange by a prisoner from the US. (Bond here anyone, anyone???)

Present Day…

Evelyn Salt (Angelina Jolie), the Vice -President for a disguised Washington D.C. oil company is about to leave office to meet with her husband Michael, a German arachnologist who was instrumental for her release 2 years ago. As she was about to exit the door with superior Ted Winter (Liev Schreiber), it turns out there was an alert stating that a Russian is currently detained for questioning.

Situation given, the man by the name of Orlov states that he is a defector from Russia and claims that Day X is about to commence and Evelyn Salt would be the main player of these events to come! The information that was handed over is crucial for the survival of both countries.

Salt, now on the run for her life climbing walls, rooftops and jumping from one vehicle to the next in a freeway. Finding a way to contact her husband against a mob of CIA agents and government officials she was able to elude them and fulfill her mission to kill the Russian President who is attending the funeral of his close friend the deceased Vice President of the United States.

The story climaxes in another given mission for Salt and a liaison NATO officer in the White House, they were instructed to assassinate the President and to make a missile assault in Mecca and Tehran as all hell breaks loose!!!

Main Cast

Angelina Jolie (Tomb Raider) pulls another ace in her sleeve making another thriller film that was exciting and entertaining to watch.  She portrays a very unique character that jumpstarted a franchise for women spies that can take most action guys to shame!

Liev Schrieber (X-Men Origins: Wolverine) makes up more of a better villain with his direct to the point, suave, pencil pushing Superior together with the anti-hero based characters of Chiwetel Ejiofor (American Gangster), very nice delivery all the time, I begin to think of him as a young Laurence Fishburne. Very passionate and creates an atmosphere that is gritty and cold at the same time. Now, he is one of the most sought out actors in Hollywood providing award winning performances and blockbuster films.

Production

Director Philip Noyce (The Bone Collector) initially gave this project to Tom Cruise but he respectfully declined seeing this film as another spy/agent character, pertaining to Ethan Hunt of the Mission Impossible franchise. I think it was best this way since it was more convenient for another actor to portray the role.

Angelina Jolie was brought in and with the help of Kurt Wimmer, a decent writer/director in my opinion who wrote “Law Abiding Citizen”, “The Thomas Crown Affair” and “Street Kings”. Though not all his works were credible he directed “Ultraviolet”, “Equilibrium” and wrote “The Recruit” which were all flops. Noyce’s film nevertheless had Box Office sales that was decent making it more than 100 million worldwide.

The score and soundtrack is genuine and depicts the tone of the given sequences. I specifically loved the Barge Apocalypse, it had a Terminator base into it and with an eclectic background!

Story

The film dictates that Salt is a sleeper, double agent, a mole in the United States soil. Trained by Orlov, a spymaster (Daniel Obrychski) since the fatal accident that killed her parents (so it would seem). Moulded to be assassins, they were given specific instructions when and where to strike.

I was aware that the film connotes what specific plot influences are being manifested since the beginning of the film’s title was shown; it had a background depicting a Russian font and in red color to signify a double effect on the name of Salt. It gives a bigger picture on how the story works wherein two great countries, one was a superpower currently in the spotlight. Actually, it’s already farfetched for these two countries to be at war again, but all is forgiven since it’s only a film!

It also gives pertinence to the backdrop of the Bourne series action sequences, take note only the intricacies of the escape and M.O. was significantly copied, I too agreed on the concept at first but it took me to another level where the film was going and give it a try to be blown away.

I really loved the ending because it was not mission intrinsic but to help save a nation in crises, one must know and understand where loyalty lies and what future holds for someone like her who is still on the run from the government (not just the US of course!) I think you don’t get away that easily killing off KGB spies or defectors for that matter.

Full of chases, adrenaline sequences and lame guards pun intended!  It was a straight up action film that makes Angelina one of the best and sought out actresses of our time!

This Means War (2012)

All is fair in Love and War but what isn’t is McG still making films up to this time!

20^th Century Fox, Overbrook Entertainment with Robert Simonds Productions present…

McG seriously needs to change his so called “forte” his films are really predictable with its bad comedy and over the top action scenes but since the Director has a knack for being a hyper-energetic, he can compliment his scenes with the right type of music playing in the background especially if it’s involved with the right amount of adrenaline rush!

Script Writers Simon Kinberg (Mr. and Mrs. Smith) and Timothy Dowling (Just Go with It) maybe had so many sleepless nights thinking on what to put in the premise of the film. Maybe “Die Hard 3” (vengeance from a brother who falls from a building)! To add, in applying the rapport within the characters, there was no actual chemistry felt between Chris and Tom they were just saying their lines for the sake of making the story plausible! The audience does not even know what’s being served already going from a “undercover” operation gone bad to trying and ante-up each other in dating the woman they both love! The worst part is that they left the bad guy unchecked just like the organization “Quantum” in the James Bond films and then it finally hits you while stating “I’m still here you morons!”.

For the leading lady, she can be very versatile knowing how to handle a whole range of genres which is great except that it was difficult to watch her saying nonsensical lines and redundant scenes from her suitors. Reese Witherspoon (Legally Blonde) is the desperate Lauren Scott who keeps on bumping into his former boyfriend while trying to evade him without making so much a fuss on her personal life! Reclused, she only has a friend named Trish to whom she shares her anxieties and now needs to find a man to call her own. Her performance was bland, uncharismatic and not worth to be taken seriously.

I won’t assign numbers it might make an emphasis on their credibility of who is number one but rather will just put it as options for the audience to choose:

“Falling is the best part.”

Spy A: Tom Hardy (Soldier, Sailor Tailor, Spy) his comedy will take a while in getting used to since he has more inclinations for action and drama which was not clearly emphasized on what character he portrays in the film just makes him look silly.  He is Tuck Henson, a hopeless romantic and a boy scout who has a son coming from a failed marriage.

“It’s the mistakes that make us who we are.”

Spy B: Chris Pine (Unstoppable) is a natural comedian; he doesn’t need to overdo things just to make people laugh. If they will do a reboot, remake or re-imagine the Fantastic Four he’ll get my vote to play Johnny Storm. He is Franklin Delano Roosevelt “FDR” Foster, the playboy, masochistic, egoistic woman charmer who suddenly grows an epiphany when he finally meets Lauren!

Still waiving his hands for attention! Til Schweiger (Inglorious Basterds) is the “forgotten villain” who actually makes the film come into “full circle”. He is Heinrich, the mission that started it all! The Director and Writers inclined on so many themes that it got so messed up, the romantic segment was predominant while their adversary looms in the dark waiting to just shoot them while they are entwined with their rivalry!

Overtly delivered dialogue as a comedy film was not needed to entertain, just let the talent of these people work it out. It’s a given a fan service seeing how could it be so much harder to imply the whole nine yards of different themes in film making when it was clearly intended to appeal or rather to already appease the viewing public for standing up not to applause but to walk out of the cinema! For instance, the CIA is a joke just being used to be a Prop Master for these to Romeos providing them with cars, paintings, surveillance tech, manpower and intel being used to feed the two lovesick agents! Collins will hear about this!

Speaking of the devil, coming from the bomb film Green Lantern Angela Bassett (Nothing But the Truth) is CIA Director Collins who made laugh so hard for her delivered line “and remember this mission is covert” (please…) it’s a freaking spy film and you have to tell your Agents that the mission mandates, as Elmer Fudd would have said it “be vewy vewy quiet, I’m hunting wabbits huh-uh-uh-uh-uh-uh-uh”! She was just there to reprimand the boys and give orders absolutely useless (again)! Even “Aunt May” joined the barge headed for “McG’s World” where everyone is all smiles! Rosemary Harris (My Life So Far) is still the sweet and endearing Grandmother Nana Foster who had her share in the spotlight in spite of all the ruckus!

The trailer sold me until the Director’s name showed up! At least I wanted to give it a try because of the very well commended main protagonists and an Academy and BAFTA Award Winning Actress! The film had its moments of being wacky to cheesy; you will laugh in a few seconds and then forget about it! So if you’re just looking for something to watch and unwind then you can try it otherwise, you can make up your mind take the test and swim in the sea of this muddled up romantic action, thriller, comedy, morally downtrodden, bromance, spy love story…what’s going on here?!? Even the title of the film will get you confused of what you’re trying to watch! Get your “mission” straight!

 

Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)

“Keep your friends close but keep your enemies closer.” – Sun Tzu (The Art of War)

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures and Marvel Studios present…

Captain America was created back in the day where war was a huge detriment to society and in order to alleviate the populace in its own little way, thus the “super soldier” was born! After two years since the attack on New York City from beings in outer space, Steve Rogers tries to catch up with the modern world and now works as an operative for the United States Government’s specialized department code named S.H.I.E.L.D under the command of Director Nick Fury with compliments to Samuel L. Jackson (The Spirit) who has since became a household name when it comes to comic based films, making his undeniable presence since the day he showed up in Iron Man (ground zero for the MCU films)!

Directed by Anthony and Joe Russo (You, Me and Dupree) while screenplay was provided by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely (You Kill Me). Never would we have known that the comedy centric tandem of these writers would absolutely produce a runaway success hit that comprises the whole nine yards of film making and giving it relevance to the actual reality that the world is being controlled by a handful few! On the other hand, the Cinematography counts a lot for given measure since Trent Opaloch (Elysium) gives the story sweeping and specific capture of details on given scenarios while making it more tangible and nail biting in reference of the music provided by Henry Jackman (X-Men: First Class).

A TALE OF TWO SOLDIERS: FRIENDS AND FOES

Two men, lost in a world filled with lies and deception! The former became the patriot for his country as he continues the good fight against the forces of oppression while he leads another set of commandos who might have a different perspective in terms of this era’s global war! Coming back from a frozen icy grave (irony) Chris Evans (Iceman) together with the “multi-tasking” Scarlett Johansson (The Black Dahlia) makes the most of their reunion considering that their specific skill sets gives room to be “more” acknowledged making them go toe to toe with their adversaries. They team up with covert black-ops missions whom they coordinate with a team known as S.T.R.I.K.E (Special Tactical Reserve for International Key Emergencies) upon which Frank Grillo (Warrior) is a member plus acting as lieutenant to the “Sentinel of Liberty”! Modern times has changed drastically especially for the man who is on the run, as Steve tries to find the truth about the agency he is working with, their real agenda and at the same time to those who give the orders.

The latter was a comrade at arms, a former sidekick and above all an irreplaceable friend! Created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby and appeared as his title character in Captain America Vol. 5 No. 1 on January 2005. Enter the Winter Soldier played remarkably by Sebastian Stan (The Covenant), his concept on how to approach the character was derived from “The Joker” from the block buster phenomenon “The Dark Knight”, the actor explains that his intentions are not just to be the villain in the story but to allow utter chaos flow with his actions as he terrorizes the populace by mass killings and assassinations being made even in broad day light!

While the errand boy does his master’s bidding, veteran and multi-awarded actor Robert Redford (Spy Game) portrays the enigmatic Alexander Pierce, his presence alone does give stipulation of how his so-called long term goals coincide with a “new world order” by tearing the old one down so as to handle prejudice across the globe by answering back not with words of diplomacy but rather with “hell bound” helicarriers!

TRAITORS, ALLIES AND TECH SUPPORT

Cobie Smulders (The Long Weekend) goes in and out of the playing field to provide prop up for the heroes just to save millions of people from being annihilated including both humans and super heroes alike (Ororo Munroe, Amadeus Cho, Bruce Banner, Dr. Stephen Strange, Tony Stark the list goes on). While adding a new face in the MCU (and practically in The Avengers roster soon) is former USAF pararescue Anthony Mackie (The Hurt Locker) as the high soaring Falcon, he has always given his supporting presence some levity where he can still be a team player without acting like someone who is egotistical, he handles his scenes and dialogue as someone who is willing to fight another war just to help his friends and save humanity!

Speaking of which, I was glad that we still got to see the newly inorganic, reincarnated monstrosity (200 K feet of data banks) and former “Swiss” Scientist Dr. Arnim Zola (HAIL HYDRA!) portrayed again by Toby Jones (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy). Marvel is ingenious to give the Doctor the right contemporary look compared in the pages of the comic books! His plans were well carried off by carefully positioned “ground troops” knowing that one day their slithering tentacles will seize the right opportunity to strangle S.H.I.E.L.D and all of its glory (maniacal laughter HAIL HYDRA!).

The commandeering of the vessel ship, the gun fights, car chases, martial arts / hand to hand combat simulations, the CGI courtesy of ILM looked flawless especially for the characters taking into account their given roles. Noteworthy is the inclusion of Georges “The Leaper” Batroc known in the Marvel Universe as a thief who uses his strong legs to get away from his crimes. Former UFC World Champion Georges St-Pierre gives the Captain a rare one on one stand off to jumpstart the film’s premise!

I watched this film in a cinema where I was asked to choose which one would be better “300: Rise of an Empire” or this one? To be honest I was so happy I chose the latter! It’s already given that you are watching a fan favorite from the comic books as Marvel and Disney ante up the plot a bit more to tilt into the spy-political thriller where every detail should not be left behind nor unturned since it will allow you to connect piece by piece the actual agenda of HYDRA and how they were able to manipulate S.H.I.E.L.D all these years. There is an underlying conspiracy that gives the plot a catalyst to see that no matter how resolved anyone with their ideals; it can still be shaken or controlled by paranoia!

Control would be a good word coming from the special effects team of six companies including ILM, Scanline, Lola, Luma Pictures, Whiskytree and The Embassy plus pre-visualization by Proof which gives the sequences a little more “kick to the teeth” and at the same time to make it look awe inspiring! The casts are more comfortable with each other and dialogue has an easier flow especially with Steve and Natasha working to resolve this clandestine commandeering of their agency!

There were a lot of nail biting moments from the Lemurian Star take over, Fury being hunted down, the secret HYDRA base where it housed the computer Zola and all of the third act’s glory! It is actually so far the best film in the MCU with a smartly written screenplay, thought provoking, real modern times aligned machinations, what else can you ask for?

So, to give emphasis on this juncture another major villain is leading the amputated “skull squid” as he states that this is not a world anymore for spies and heroes but rather of “miracles”! Given that the so-called twins shown after the film were Pietro and Wanda Maximoff better known as the siblings Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch, the “mutant” children of Magneto “Master of Magnetism”!

In relation, we also need not overlook how things have changed in the MCU primarily since they want to involve as many characters as possible; unfortunately they were not able to do so since selling the rights of some of their properties to both Fox and Sony which includes “X-Men”, “The Fantastic Four” and “Spider-Man” although given that their contractual obligations to be definite, we just need to be patient when all of these characters will finally come home!

In related news, a boy was recently abducted from planet Earth and is destined to be a “guardian”…