Reviews by PvtCaboose91

An intelligent but misguided young adult, Londoner Eggsy Unwin (Taron Egerton) lost his dad under mysterious circumstances, which has haunted him for years. After being arrested, Eggsy is approached by the enigmatic Harry Hart (Colin Firth), who seeks to recruit Eggsy to become a Kingsman agent. The Kingsman is highly a classified secret service organisation invisible to the public eye, and, as it turns out, Eggsy's father died as a recruit on Harry's watch. Given the opportunity to follow in his father's footsteps, Eggsy is put through the training process, where he's given a punishing introduction to the service by Merlin (Mark Strong). But Eggsy and Harry soon face a formidable adversary in the form of lisping billionaire Richmond Valentine (Samuel L. Jackson), who looks to implement a secret weapon that could kill billions of people.

Whereas most brainless action blockbusters fail to pay much mind to storytelling, Kingsman is surprisingly sedate for its first two thirds, with the occasional violent scene but mostly focusing on Eggsy's training and Harry's investigation of Valentine's shady business. It's rare for a spy movie to actually focus on the schooling aspect, which allows Kingsman to stand out as unique. Written by Vaughn and frequent collaborator Jane Goldman, the picture is essentially an origins tale, but Vaughn does wise by splitting focus between Eggsy and Harry, in turn maintaining sufficient momentum and shaking up the archetypal formula. Vaughn capably brings us up to speed on the Kingsman and how they operate, on top of securing relationships and establishing the central villainous plot. As Vaughn has himself stated, all the best villains in spy movies are grounded in a sense of reality, and Richmond Valentine ticks this box, with the character being based off the likes of Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg. It is scaringly plausible for a big tech company to act like a classic James Bond villain. Better, Valentine's theory behind his sinister machinations actually does make sense, and he's not in it for money.

All the build-up leads into an action-heavy final third that's well worth the wait. Vaughn further confirms his talents when it comes to staging frenetic action sequences, whipping up a frenzy of insane, off-the-hook and exceedingly violent confrontations peppered with wonderfully creative touches. Kick-Ass had the young Chloe Moretz killing a room of goons to the theme tune from The Banana Splits, and here we have heads exploding like colourful fireworks, and images of the general public slaughtering each other to the gleeful tune of "Give It Up." But the picture's centrepiece is the irresistibly un-PC church scene in which Valentine tests his mind control ray, compelling Harry to slaughter a good fifty Westborough Baptist Church-style caricatures in an awesome display of cartoonish ultraviolence. The sequence is an utter contrivance, nothing but an excuse for Harry to show off his incredible skills in battle without him being held in any way accountable for his actions. And yet, it's so competently staged and deliriously enjoyable that it undeniably works. 007 adventures are mostly suitable for kids, but Kingsman is an R-rated actioner, with Vaughn permitting blood spurts and some insane moments of violence. The camerawork is a bit on the frenetic side, though, and the movie might have been superior with smoother cinematography.

Just as Kick-Ass took the piss out of superhero iconography, Kingsman is a post-modernist love letter to spy movies, merrily finding its own weirdly quirky and at times pitch-black voice. Valentine, for instance, may be a stereotypical bad guy, but speaks with a lisp and has an aversion to blood - he projectile vomits if he sees so much as one drop of blood. The finale, meanwhile, contains a rather left-field anal sex joke that had this reviewer in stitches (but others might find a bit beyond the pale).

Kingsman is undeniably bolstered by smart casting, with Firth in particular doing a superb job as Harry Hart. Firth is the furthest thing from an action hero type, yet he nails the role - his posh sensibility serves him well as a gentleman spy, and his physical prowess is surprisingly outstanding. It's obvious that the veteran actor did a lot of training to prepare for the movie, and it pays off. Equally excellent is newcomer Taron Egerton, who's a real catch as Eggsy. His transformation from punk hooligan to sophisticated spy is surprisingly nuanced, and he's easy to get behind. As the token villain of the enterprise, Samuel L. Jackson is completely cartoonish in all the right ways, clearly enjoying himself in the role which goes against his Marvel hero persona. Other veteran actors pop in as well, with Strong placing forth fine work while the reliable Michael Caine is spot-on as the head of Kingsman. Also keep an eye out for Mark Hamill, who's fun to watch in an extended cameo.

Vaughn has carved out a career in comic book movies, and Kingsman is another solid addition to his filmography, an energetic action-comedy lark which provides big laughs and a number of adrenaline-pumping action scenes. The characters here actually discuss contemporary spy films, bemoaning that they have become too serious, but Kingsman is flat-out fun. Admittedly, pacing is not always spot-on, but the movie undeniably improves upon repeat viewings. For viewers who have grown tired of the sanitised PG-13 action movie scene, Kingsman is a wonderful reprieve, and its almost defiantly politically incorrect stance makes it a real winner.

8.3/10

A former assassin for feared New York mob boss Shawn Maguire (Ed Harris), Jimmy Conlon (Liam Neeson) has fallen on hard times, becoming a sad-sack alcoholic with minimal money to his name. During a moment of drug-fuelled aggression, Shawn's son Danny (Boyd Holbrook) murders a couple of Albanian drug dealers, and Jimmy's estranged son Mike (Joel Kinnaman) bears witness to the killings. Mike soon becomes a target to avoid loose ends, but Jimmy kills Danny to protect his son, which enrages Shawn. Despite their long history, Shawn decides that Jimmy and Mike must be killed to avenge his son. As Shawn begins recruiting his goons to hunt down the pair and dismantle their lives, Jimmy urges Mike to leave New York City with him, compelling the young man to trust his despicable father for just one night. Meanwhile, Shawn calls upon a professional hitman (Common) to ensure that the pair are dead by morning.

One of the big issues with Run All Night unfortunately rears its ugly head from the outset, with an unnecessary flash-forward that detracts a certain degree of suspense from the proceedings, as we are immediately shown that Jimmy and Mike have escaped NYC. Such a narrative device is usually used as a hook, but it simply comes across as needless in this case. Furthermore, the actions of Common's assassin character are often illogical; he's supposed to be doing clean, neat work, but he has no qualms about killing any number of policemen or innocent bystanders. Silliness can be forgiven in action movies, but Collet-Serra insists on a solemn, gritty tone throughout - Run All Night would have probably worked better if pitched at a more fun tone akin to the first Taken, or if the screenplay was tidied up to be more sophisticated. It's not a deal-breaker, but it does detract from the movie to some degree.

Rather than a sanitary PG-13 effort like Taken 3 or Non-Stop, Run All Night is an R-rated action film, and it's a creative decision that elevates the enterprise. This is a thoroughly adult effort, with a tone and demeanour that simply would not fly in a PG-13, not to mention there's visceral impact to the gunshot wounds which makes the action scenes more satisfying. Collet-Serra is a competent visual craftsman, and Run All Night benefits from his directorial touch, imbuing the picture with authority and gravitas. Junkie XL's score is often a tad generic, but it's nevertheless effective, amplifying the intensity of the movie's various set-pieces.

The picture also benefits from a proficient selection of performers, who actually make some of the quieter character moments as compelling as the action scenes. Neeson and Harris are both seasoned professionals who can do this type of stuff in their sleep, and the movie's best scenes stem from their interactions, most notably a Heat-esque meet in a diner that really should have been longer. Run All Night is a competent showcase for Neeson's newfound action-hero cool, and Harris is likewise solid, showing yet again that he's one of the best in the business. Their gravitas is a huge benefit to the movie. In the supporting cast, Kinnaman - who was woefully ineffective in the bomb that was 2014's RoboCop remake - submits a solid performance with a father/son dynamic that feels real enough. Meanwhile, Vincent D'Onofrio and Common do their respective jobs well enough, while Nick Nolte also shows up out of nowhere for a one-scene cameo. Reportedly, Nolte was supposed to have a more sizeable role but wound up being almost cut out of the finished film. What a shame.

Run All Night's reception was lukewarm, to say the least, and it certainly underperformed at the box office. Unfortunately, this probably came as a result of Taken 3; the two-month gap wasn't enough time for people to recover from that limp franchise trilogy-capper. Judged on its own merits, Run All Night is a robust little gem that deserves more attention. And it's a definite improvement over the forgettable Unknown and the stale Non-Stop. It's worth a rental, at the very least, especially for action fans.

7.0/10

An LA-based investment fund manager, James King (Will Ferrell) is living the dream, blessed with a gorgeous fiancée, Alissa (Allison Brie), and a large, luxurious home that’s tended to by groundskeepers and maids. Soon after being made partner in his firm by Alissa’s father, Martin (Craig T. Nelson), James is arrested for fraud and sentenced to ten years in San Quentin. Trying to maintain his innocence, James is given thirty days to sort out his affairs before serving time. James dreads the prospect of prison life, ultimately calling upon a car washer named Darnell (Kevin Hart) for help. Even though the squeaky-clean Darnell has never been in the slammer, James assumes that he has a cell block record simply because he’s black. Realising that he has the chance to make some easy cash, Darnell goes along with it, pretending to be an ex-con and creating a prison survival boot camp to toughen James up.

Like most comedies of this ilk, Get Hard is essentially a string of comedic vignettes with a very tenuous through-line to justify the madness. It’s somewhat surprising that Etan Cohen directed the picture since he also scripted Tropic Thunder and Idiocracy, both of which possessed some degree of intelligence, providing clever satire to supplement and enhance the laughs. Get Hard, on the other hand, is purely superficial, and you’ll struggle to find any meaty satire or satirical subtext amid all the rape jokes and crude dialogue. Perhaps the movie’s biggest issue is the lack of a character arc for James, who’s a stuffy, racist rich guy - and the movie asks us to empathise with him. Additionally, the story’s machinations are so perfunctory and half-hearted, not to mention predictable, that the premise might have been better-served as a series of short comedy skits on YouTube.

With its shoddy script and plotting, Get Hard would have been borderline unwatchable if it was an inoffensive PG-13 comedy. However, the production is given a boost by its R rating, which Ferrell lobbied relentlessly to maintain, allowing for salty language and humour that pushes the boundaries of good taste. Performances all-round are fairly workmanlike, with Ferrell again leaning on his trademark oblivious man-child idiot persona. Ferrell knows his strengths, and he plays to him, with the role never removing the actor from his comfort zone. Then again, nobody really expected anything more. Hart, meanwhile, is pretty much just Kevin Hart.

There is not much more that can be said about Get Hard. Humour is subjective, and if there’s not much to analyse beneath a comedy’s shiny exterior, it doesn’t exactly provide strong fodder for an in-depth treatise. As someone who predominantly likes Will Ferrell and enjoys R-rated comedies, I found myself laughing quite a lot throughout the movie’s 100-minute duration in spite of its inherent flaws and hit-and-miss comedy. Those who enjoy the likes of Step Brothers might enjoy it with beer and pizza, but others are advised to tread lightly.

6.1/10

After CIA head Alan Hunley (Alec Baldwin) works to shut down the Impossible Mission Force (IMF), Ethan Hunt (Cruise) goes rogue, living off the grid as he works to bring down a shadow organisation known as The Syndicate. The likes of Agent Brandt (Jeremy Renner) and tech guru Benji (Simon Pegg) are drafted into CIA service, forced to assist as the agency seeks to find and apprehend Hunt at all costs. As Hunt ventures around the globe determined to prevent further deaths at the hands of The Syndicate, he finds assistance in Benji, Brandt, and old pal Luther (Ving Rhames), while also frequently encountering a British Intelligence agent named Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson) whose loyalties remain unclear.

The well-publicised stunt involving Cruise dangling from a plane is actually part of the opening sequence, which kicks off the movie on an exhilarating high note. The set-piece is a real treat, a thoroughly armrest-clenching, hugely competent opener scored with the iconic M:I theme that left this reviewer giddy with excitement. It was a sublime creative decision to include this stunt at the start of the film - it amplifies the exhilaration factor for the ensuing action scenes, as it's never entirely clear what's real and what has been tinkered with through digital effects. And that's the highest compliment one can award a blockbuster of this ilk. Additionally, while all previous entries in the series have aped the show's title sequence, Rogue Nation takes it one step further, with clips to introduce each respective main player. Indeed, the feature wears its television origins on its sleeve, and it feels closer to the original TV show than all four of its predecessors. As a matter of fact, The Syndicate was a recurring antagonist on the show.

There's an air of class to Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation that's unexpected considering its summer blockbuster pedigree, with McQuarrie taking cues from Alfred Hitchcock in particular, as well as paying homage to other classics. Part of the story takes place in Casablanca, which in itself will conjure up memories of the classic 1942 film Casablanca, but the name Ilsa will also be familiar to any cinema aficionados. Additionally, one of the standout set-pieces takes place at an opera in Vienna, which appears to be a callback to Hitchcock's 1956 version of The Man Who Knew Too Much. Such touches would be foolhardy in a less skilful production, but Rogue Nation is executed with a deft hand, and it's smartly-written to boot.

McQuarrie's proficient directorial talents are aided considerably by the exotic global locations, the vibrant cinematography courtesy of the Oscar-winning Robert Elswit, and Joe Kraemer's pulse-pounding score which makes great use of Lalo Schifrin's iconic theme music. For the most part, Rogue Nation is a surprisingly grounded blockbuster, generating excitement through stretches of intense, cloak-and-dagger espionage rather than outright mayhem. McQuarrie gets plenty of mileage out of suspenseful, mostly wordless sequences, reminiscent of Brian De Palma's work on the original Mission: Impossible film. Even the climax has been dialled back, leaving the trailers to mostly foreground the extended vehicular chase through the streets of Morocco which closes the second act. However, the movie does have its fair share of silly moments, including an over-the-top car roll that looks too digital and is too unrealistic.

The M:I franchise has had its share of witty one-liners, but Rogue Nation is probably the most humorous to date. It's full of amusing bantering and clever scripting, which keeps the enterprise feeling fun and light. And it's a testament to McQuarrie's direction that he is able to juggle the varying tones so well. Naturally, performances right across the board are hugely effective. The decision to induct Pegg into the franchise's ensemble remains superb. He's a great asset, and it's fantastic that the British funny-man returns here in a larger capacity. Meanwhile, Rhames, who has appeared in every instalment thus far, is terrific as always, handling the comedy with a deft hand. Renner also makes his return here, and he's yet again on fine form. Then there's Cruise, who remains a consummate pro and a true movie star despite being in his fifties. Cruise did his own driving and stunts, and he's perpetually focused from start to finish. As for the newcomers, Baldwin makes a positive impression, while Sean Harris excels as the villain. If the last movie, Ghost Protocol, had a flaw, it would've been the lack of a memorable bad guy, but Harris fulfils his duties admirably here. And finally, Swedish actress Ferguson really impresses as Ilsa, and she shares great chemistry with Cruise. However, the absence of Michelle Monaghan is a tad disappointing - this series still needs to provide closure on the relationship between Ethan and Monaghan's Julia.

Rogue Nation is a long movie, ultimately clocking in at over two hours, and at times it does feel its length. After two incredible opening acts, the flick slows down for its final third, which does affect narrative rhythm and pacing. With that said, however, Rogue Nation does improve upon repeat viewings, which solidifies this as another joy for 2015's summer movie derby and an ideal way to cap off the season. At this point, the prospect of a sixth Mission: Impossible movie is extremely enticing indeed, which is more than can be said for other, less skilful long-running franchises, like Fast & Furious.

8.0/10

Catching Milat is a full meal, with its combined runtime of three hours dedicated to covering as much material as possible from the 2007 novel Sins of the Brother by investigative journalists Mark Whittaker and the late Les Kennedy. Penned by Justin Monjo, the teleplay is thoroughly bathed in stereotypical Aussie vernacular, with the Milat family in particular speaking like uneducated bogans. The show completely encapsulates our home-grown culture, which may turn off potential international viewers but is overall fairly true to life.

Despite being a ratings smash, Catching Milat was slammed quite openly in the press by Clive Small, who served as superintendent on the case. Small took issue with the show's depiction of Detective Paul Gordon (Richard Cawthorne), who is shown working on the case for two years here and being instrumental in Milat's capture, when in reality he played a much smaller role in the investigation. However, beefing up Gordon's role makes sense from a dramatic standpoint. After all, this is a dramatisation rather than a documentary; it needed a protagonist to guide us through the story, making all the major discoveries and remaining a constant from start to finish. Running through the lengthy roster of policemen involved in the case would simply be tedious. What matters is that the script's broad narrative strokes are accurate, particularly in relation to the various suspects and discoveries, not to mention the inclusion of English backpacker Paul Onions (Alex Williams), who escaped Milat's clutches and whose testimony was vital in court.

It's undeniable that television has reached its zenith in terms of production value, with shows like Game of Thrones, Daredevil and Sherlock looking utterly cinematic. Luckily, Catching Milat is immensely competent from a technical perspective, maintaining a fluid pace across its two ninety-minute episodes. With the story occurring in the early '90s, the miniseries employs oodles of period detail to recreate the era, from the technology to the fashion to general household decor. It's all achieved convincingly, and it's topped off with stylish cinematography courtesy of Australian TV luminary Joseph Pickering (Underbelly) which belies the modest budget. Luckily, too, the acting is uniformly strong right down the line. Leading the pack is Kennard, who's thoroughly convincing as the titular Milat. Sporting facial hair, Kennard is the spitting image of his real-life counterpart, and delivers a menacing performance. He's a great asset to the production.

As perhaps to be expected, Catching Milat does not get everything right. This is a dense story, with plenty of content to be covered across the show's two episodes, and it's undeniable that some aspects do feel short-changed in the grand scheme of things. The court case in particular is given little-to-no airtime, serving as a perfunctory footnote as opposed to something more substantial. If executed competently, an entire episode could have been devoted to the court case. Nevertheless, Catching Milat is well worth checking out; it's an often absorbing look at a hugely controversial, well-publicised and horrific moment in Australian history.

7.8/10