For the first 3/4 of this movie, I was thinking that this was one of the best movies I'd seen all year. Crazy, right? Then the last 1/4 dragged a little. It wasn't terrible or anything but the bar had been set so high in the first 90 minutes. I think that part of the problem might have been that the Jeremy Renner hovering in the air thing was referencing a scene from the first installment of the series that I've never seen. Maybe I just didn't get the joke? Then again, there were some interesting parts in the last 30 minutes so why am I complaining?
But oh man, that first 90 or so minutes. There were at least two or three moments that I was genuinely surprised by the turn of events. There were at least three or four moments where my jaw dropped in amazement at the sheer audacity and fun in the filmmaking. Just look at that poster, dude! And I haven't even mentioned anything about that incredible duststorm. What a movie!
A few other thoughts and comments:
- This was the first live action film from Brad Bird (The Iron Giant, Ratatouille, The Incredibles) and I think I will make the commitment to watch any other movie he ever directs. The man's got chops.
- I love that the Russians are kind of sort of the nemesis. But not really. It's 2012, you know.
- Tom Cruise is looking old, weird, and a wee bit droopy. And he's kind of the weak link to the movie. Which is kind of a drawback to the overall chances of this film truly being great I suppose. Then again, I guess he was fine - I'm just tired of the guy in general.
- I loved the music - especially the Dean Martin song at the beginning.
- This movie was funny. Are all of them this funny?
- I think this might be the first ever feature film I've ever seen on on IMAX screen.
- I now have seen the second and fourth installments of this franchise. I had no interest in the time in seeing the first. I saw the second in Seattle with Sam and about three minutes of the third on a plane. Philip Seymour Hoffman seemed really oddly cast in that one. I guess I should just go ahead and see, at the very least, the first one.
Directed by Brad Bird
2011
Times Square 25
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