Mission Impossible - Ghost Protocol

Ratings: 8.0/10

Genre: Action Thriller

Film Class: B+

Before I continue with my review, I have to admit, this year's year-end blockbuster movies are definitely one of the best so far. There's so many good movies out there, like Sherlock Holmes MI4, War Horse, The Artist and 50/50. 3 of which I have yet to watch but reading the synopsis and the reviews, will only be a matter of time before I catch them on the big screens. But my first 2 top choices, Sherlock Holmes and MI4 was a good call.

While MI2 and MI3 totally flopped, which made me rather skeptical about the fourth, MI4 did justice to the very first movie of Mission Impossible. The classic scenes were still prevalent no doubt, with slight twists here and there but it didn't feel that cliche compared to its previous 2 movies. It was a one off event and weren't overly done. This time, the focus were more on the story and the characters instead of the filming style and trademarks of the MI franchise. If you're wondering what classic scenes/trademarks I'm talking about, they are:

1. Mission device will self destruct in 5 seconds

2. Tearing off of face disguise

3. Mission impossible theme song

4. Super cool gadgets (though some seemed a little exaggerated)

5. "Conquering" a famous place in the world

6. Flashing of the female lead's sexy legs when coming down from a super cool car
7. Classic 4 limbs stretched out suspension

Points 5 and 6 are more like the trademark scenes which evolved midway with the franchise. And from what I've observed, MI4 is probably going to pave the way for the female lead to clinch more movie contracts in the future. The MI franchise is starting to be like the modern day James Bond franchise, where it's like a platform for relatively unknown actors/actresses to make their debut and rocket their popularity regardless of how successful the movie turns out, in this case, excellent.

The only demerits of this movie I thought were some rather fake scenes (not that good a job with the CGI under Hollywood standards) and somehow, I wasn't able to follow the movie entirely. *spoilers ahead* I didn't quite get why landing himself in prison will act as a decoy? That said, the first prison breakout scene was a fitting grand opening to set the pace going and I don't think there was even a lull moment in the movie. It was hard hitting action scene after scene which made the 2hr+ long movie seemed like a 1/2 hr movie. Yup, it's that good. Though CGI lost to Transformers 3, the whole package beats the former hands down.

MI4 just proved one thing, the mission isn't that impossible after all to revive a dying franchise. I'm been humming the theme song in my head ever since I left the cinema hours ago... "Den Den Den, Den Den Den, Den Den Den, Den Den... Tu Tu Tu, Tu Tu Tu...Tu Tu!!"

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

Ratings: 8.0/10

Genre: Action Thriller

Film Class: B+

This intellectual sequel of Sherlock Holmes left me feeling satisfied yet again, though a rather short flashback explanation at the end would have made it more complete, the ending didn't affect the pluses in this movie.

Plus 1: Robert Downey Jr. sure can act. I'm so glad he's back in the movie industry ever since he knocked himself out of drug addiction. He's an excellent Iron Man, even better Sherlock Holmes. Plus 2: Judd Law's like the eye candy for this movie (feminine speaking). However, it seems he has less "credit" for his character this time round but he does good the scenes he's given. Plus 3: I salut the new face on the big screens, the villain Professor Moriarty, or at least the actor acting as him. Have liked him ever since I first saw him in the series Fringe, and I'm sure we'll see more of him the near future.

Plus 4 & 5: For the comic moments, witty and humorous lines, and of course, the trademark "smart" plot. It's not exactly thought provoking, but gives the good substance type of feel. Especially loved it when the director pieced together the seemingly random events at the end. Opps, no spoilers alert this time but any fan of Sherlock Holmes would have guessed it either way. For those who haven't caught the first, then it's really like a "OMG" cause Sherlock Holmes definitely is one of the better movies of all time and missing the first is like missing the first series of Harry Porter and/or Lord of the Rings.

Fear not though, this movie is independent and you don't have to catch the first to appreciate this. Which brings me to my Plus 6: Cool action scenes. I almost forgot about the coolest part of Sherlock Holmes... his "Spider-Sense" detective skills. Sherlock Holmes has the ability to predict 10 steps in advance (metaphorically speaking) and it's so cool every time he "turns on" that ability of his.

Possibly the only minus in this movie, rather personal, is that I don't like the female lead. She's the lead from the Swedish version of Girl with the Dragon Tattoo Trilogy and though I liked her in that, she just didn't quite seem to fit the role in this. She's a good actress nonetheless.

Overall, this sequel does justice to the Sherlock Holmes franchise and it paves the way for more installments to come. However, like most other sequels, the first still beats this one, but that doesn't mean part 2 was bad, it just means part 1 was better. The front, the middle, the back... two words to describe them... Good Stuff.