Mission Impossible: Fallout

2018’s Mission Impossible: Fallout, written and directed by Christopher McQuarrie.

Starring Tom Cruise, Sean Harris, Henry Cavill Simon Pegg, Rebecca Ferguson, Ving Rhames, Alec Baldwin, Angela Bassett, Vanessa Kirby, Michelle Monaghan, and Wes Bentley.

What is it about?

Super spy for the IMF Ethan Hunt (as always played by Tom Cruise) returns in the sixth Mission Impossible movie. We saw in the previous film Hunt incarcerating the leader of the terrorist group “The Syndicate”, Solomon Lane (Sean Harris). Here, the remaining terrorists form a new group called, “The Apostles”. Hunt and his team of operatives Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames, and Alec Baldwin, need to recover platonium to avoid it from being used by the Apostles as nuclear weapons. This won’t be easy, as the arms dealer (Vanessa Kirby) wants Lane’s release back to The Apostles to be the price of the platonium, while at the same time the distrusting CIA director (Angela Bassett) has her right hand man (Henry Cavill) tailing Hunt, AND mysterious MI6 operative Ilsa (Rebecca Ferguson) also shows up to further complicate things. Will the Impossible Mission Force be able to save the day?

Why is it worth seeing?

The sixth movie in the series, (for the first time) Fallout does not introduce a new director or writer. Bringing back Christopher McQuarrie gives the series a continuity not seen before, and it’s a familiar vibe to go along with the series-long commitment of human special effect Tom Cruise continually jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire. McQuarrie introduces some new characters, and brings back a ton more from previous installments, for resolutions of different characters’ motivations. It’s just a shame that with all the players involved, that we don’t get the resolutions that we want.

After 6 movies, at this point it’s difficult to say much about who Ethan Hunt is. He’s a spy, a super duper one (with the charisma of say, Tom Cruise), and he hates innocent people getting killed. The rest is up for debate- say while skydiving or dangling from a mountain? But that doesn’t mean McQuarrie doesn’t try to explore a thread that was left hanging in pt. III (and briefly but pointlessly returned to in Ghost Protocol). That’s always been the biggest misstep of the series- to take a character who’s motivations are unclear and all of a sudden try to explain them- as a man of mystery, it works better not knowing that stuff at all. The fact that the series previously essentially punted on Hunt’s plans for a life devoid of masks and spy software, leaves us grasping even more at the one relationship that Hunt does share chemistry with- that of him and Ferguson’s Ilsa. She powerfully returns here, and remains as mysterious as ever- except in terms of demonstrating the most chemistry with Cruise since him and Vanessa Redgrave batted eyes at each other in the original film. Ilsa may not complete him, but she definitely could be someone worth growing old with- without having to check for tails, or nuclear detonators.

But that would mean no more impossible hijinks. While suffering from a plot that can feel quite convoluted (featuring more double crosses than a graveyard), Fallout leaves nothing in the tank in terms of delivering more heart stopping stunt pieces, with plenty more footage to add to the generous archives of Mr. Cruise’s marathon inclinations. From sky diving to piloting motorcycles to sprinting to manning helicopters to climbing tall things, Cruise breathlessly glides from one impossible thing to the next. Does he not feel fear? Was the decision to not have Jeremy Renner (practically the only past character who doesn’t appear here) replace him based off of Cruise’s need to continue to amaze people at his craziness? It’s a kind of hyper meta reflection on the mindset of an actor’s need for an audience.

Another welcome return is McQuarrie’s sense of composition in the rare slower scenes. There’s a couple of scenes in Paris that are the loveliest to look at since John Woo’s takes of different scenery in MI:2. However, the third act of the film drags, and for the first time in the series it feels like Hunt, really doesn’t have much of a plan- other than bumper cars. It’s disappointing for a series known for so much cloak and dagger deception, that the film ends with a bit of a clumsy whimper. One wonders if it could bring up questions of longevity. During the film, Cruise has a collision, and then narrowly escapes. We see something on his 50+ years face we’re not used to seeing, something that looks a bit like weariness. Ethan Hunt has always sworn that he’ll never let us down- but he might be thinking it.

With a pretzel of double crosses, a collection of cunning new characters to blend with the old ones, some nice shots to compliment the players, and the usual heart stopping stunt pieces, Fallout’s strengths are compromised by clumsy exposition to explain a relationship that was never that captivating and a refusal to capitalize on one that is. Maybe that’s just something to intercept in the next installment.

Rating:

3.5/5

Trailer: Click Here.

Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation

2015’s Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation, written and directed by Christopher McQuarrie.

Starring Tom Cruise, Sean Harris, Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg, Rebecca Ferguson, Ving Rhames, Alec Baldwin, Simon McBurney, Tom Hollander, and Jens Hultén.

What is it about?

Super spy for the IMF Ethan Hunt (as always played by Tom Cruise) returns in the fifth Mission Impossible movie. Joined by fellow spies Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames, and Jeremy Renner, Cruise learns of a “syndicate” organization (headed by Sean Harris) that is attempting to topple his organization and unleash terror. With a CIA director (Alec Baldwin) officially trying to shut down the IMF back home in America, Hunt and his team (again) find themselves on their own with no resources or place to turn- except for a disowned MI6 spy (Rebecca Ferguson) who’s intentions are unclear. Will the outgunned espionage team be able to prevent the syndicate from unleashing mutually assured destruction?

Why is it worth seeing?

By the fifth movie in the series, people know what they are going to get from a MI viewing: agents in masks, double crosses, and the seemingly ageless Tom Cruise explicitly showing the value of life insurance. However, director Christopher McQuarrie brings hints of something to the table that none of the other MI directors previously could: restraint.

Don’t get me wrong, the Mission Impossible series is nothing if not an attempt to constantly try to top itself with yet another breath taking stunt fuelled set piece (the underwater sequence will challenge your lungs). But McQuarrie’s steady hand (and connected writing) makes those pieces flow together more organically, something not really seen in previous entries as it at times felt like an excuse to get to the next impossible heart attack scene.

Freed of the cloak and danger femme fatale vibes of Brian De Palma’s original, the testosterone music video poses of John Woo’s sequel, the domesticity attempts at a normal life for Hunt in J.J. Abrams third chapter, and the over the top zany cartoon vibes from Brad Bird’s fourth chapter, McQuarrie is free to focus on the nuts and bolts of his crazily charismatic star (and his underrated team mates) zigging and zagging through an unadulterated world of Spy vs. Spy. It produces simple but iconic thrills, such as watching a team infiltrate their mark at the opera, or an epic game of bluff the bomber.

Every great film needs a great villain. As the baddie syndicate leader, Sean Harris brings a quietly intellectual menace to the table that while perhaps can’t qualify him as the series’ ultimate foil, does put him in the conversation with Philip Seymour Hoffman (RIP)’s performance in Pt .III. With Harris’ almost stuttering vocal delivery of a whisper, the series’ refusal to explain its character’s motivations comes in handy here for keeping his character in the shadows.

While Tom Cruise’s team provides more screwball thrills to support him (Simon Pegg is great again as the capable but humble field operative), Cruise finally meets his match in Rebecca Ferguson’s MI6 character. Ferguson is presented as not just somebody who’s intentions are unclear (love interest? Friend? Mutual Spy? Enemy?), but more importantly a character (who happens to be a woman) who’s competence and proficiencies seem to faze the unflappable Ethan Hunt. Is she an ally to help take down the bad guys, or will she be the one who ends his career? More please.

Like the previous entry Ghost Protocol, Rogue Nation sometimes can wear out its welcome (I’ve always felt an action thriller need not exceed 2 hours), and its scenes of the spy agency being taken to “court” for a “hearing” are comical. But there is a consistent tone that runs throughout that McQuarrie brings across that really translates the simple fun in watching spies do their jobs, before they go onto the next impossible stunt. With new characters to bring fresh blood to the franchise, the series can’t be accused of being on Cruise control.

Rating:

4/5

Trailer: Click Here.

Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol

2011’s Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, directed by Brad Bird.

Starring Tom Cruise, Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg, Paula Patton, Michael Nyqvist, Vladimir Mashkov, Samuli Edelmann, Ivan Shvedoff, Anil Kapoor, Léa Seydoux, and Josh Holloway.

What is it about?

Super spy for the IMF Ethan Hunt (as always played by Tom Cruise) returns in the fourth Mission Impossible movie. Joined by fellow spies Simon Pegg, Paula Patton, and Jeremy Renner, Cruise is broken out of a prison so that he may attempt to foil a defected Russian spy (Michael Nyqvist), who is out to unleash nuclear terror on the world. With Nyqvist framing the IMF for bombing the Kremlin, the team finds itself on its own, without supports. Can the team of elite spies, lead by Hunt, rise to stop him, or will the planet plunge into apocalyptic chaos?

Why is it worth seeing?

As per previous entries, Ghost Protocol takes the series’ standard espionage beats of crazy stunt set pieces (especially Cruise’s work), and sleight of hand tricks, and has director Brad Bird (Iron Giant, Tomorrowland, The Incredibles’ series) ’s animated tendencies to wrap around them. The results are thrillingly electric at times, but also sometimes uneven and un-natural.

We’ve already established that Cruise has to be one of the most foolhardy A listers ever, with the previous 3 films showcasing Cruise himself, fearlessly hanging off of cliffs, running around like a maniac, and getting blown away by explosions. But for Protocol, how about scaling sky scrapers? It’s pretty crazy, watching Cruise climb- and descend(!), Dubai’s tallest building. Also spectacular- watching the group break into the Kremlin, which requires minimal athleticism, but maximum quiet (and some super technology). It’s a breath taker.

Let’s get something out of the way. The Mission Impossible series is a fictional universe, taking place in a present day world where super spies wear masks with vocal copying modules to infiltrate and deceive others. It’s not always realistic (possible?). But it exists in a world of flesh and bone, meaning that even the preposterous events that occur could happen. Here, the line between make believe and unbelievable gets somewhat breached. Bird’s tendencies towards animated flourishes (streams of water that squirt from one side of the room to another, or a lit fuse that burns from one credit scene to the next) can be electric (or alternately look silly in a slapstick kind of way), but they stand out in sharp contrast to the rest of the film, when humans have to stand there and speak to one another, or walk down the street. The result is a feeling of unevenness, causing the film to drag as the live action world struggles to jive with that of the cartoon one.

With the series’ run not quite finished, its feels premature to pick its least memorable villain. Square in the running for that consideration though, would be Michael Nyqvist (whom I loved in 2009’s Girl with the Dragon Tattoo). We’re told he’s a bad guy, and that he’s quite clever- that’s nice. His personality (never mind his motivations) are the real ghost protocol here. There’s even a scene where we thought we were watching somebody else, but it turns out to be him- I’m confused if there’s a difference.

A nice change to the formula is Ethan Hunt having more of the good guys to help him out. We meet his team, and see them take some of the weight off of Cruise’s shoulders. From Pegg’s funnyman in the field routine, to Patton’s sizzling, um, competence, to Renner’s abilities both at the computer station and otherwise, a world where Ethan Hunt has friends he can rely on is one worth saving.

Ghost Protocol also punts on Mission Impossible III’s attempts to make Ethan a domesticated man. It was an awkward fit, since the character of Ethan Hunt is a blank slate of the state, with nary a clue as to why he decided to become a spy in the first place (nor remain one). So far so good, however the decision as to why there was a change in plans is baffling, since it further clouds Hunt’s motivations and wonder what it was that was making him consider domestic life back in pt. III.

With plenty of funny and capable friends, and mind blowing stunts, Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol  delivers on thrilling viewers with its energy. It’s just a shame that the whole thing feels so weightless when it comes to the stakes, and that the unnevenness makes the film drag when you really want it to soar to the height of skyscrapers.

Rating:

3.5/5

Trailer: Click Here.

Mission Impossible III

2006’s Mission Impossible III, directed by J.J. Abrams.

Starring Tom Cruise, Michelle Monaghan, Philip Seymour-Hoffman, Ving Rhames, Billy Crudup, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Keri Russell, Maggie Q, Simon Pegg, Laurence Fishburne, and Aaron Paul.

What is it about?

Super spy for the IMF Ethan Hunt (as always played by Tom Cruise) returns in the third Mission Impossible movie. We catch up with Hunt (who I guess has abandoned Thandie Newton after the results of the last film), and find he has developed a taste for domestic life. Newly engaged to Michelle Monaghan, he wants to have a life freed of grappling hooks and tuxedos. But one last job pulls him and his team (Ving Rhames, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Maggie Q, and Simon Pegg) into rescuing a former trainee (Keri Russell), and when the whole thing goes south, bad guy Philip Seymour Hoffman forces Hunt to obtain a biochemical weapon called, “The Rabbit’s Foot”. Will our favourite hero be able to obtain the Macguffin and save his partner so he can retire from the Impossible Mission Force and live happily ever after?

Why is it worth seeing?

One of the appeals of the Mission Impossible series is how they serve as a paint by numbers canvas for their respective directors. All of them (Brian De Palma, John Woo, and now J.J. Abrams) have brought their individual brushes and painted in shades of equal parts suspense and action. III continues more of the same, but Abrams injects an intimacy to the proceedings not yet seen in the series previously.

It’s not just in the novelty of seeing romantically agile Ethan Hunt tie the knot, but also in the enhanced relationships (almost like a family) that Hunt has with his team members- and even how Abrams frames his scenes. They’re tighter (using a longer focal length), and more intimate (all the better for the famed lens flares). At times using a handheld camera to emphasize the organic nature of the action, it really sucks you in.

In the running for best villain of the franchise, Philip Seymour Hoffman, fresh off of his Best Actor Oscar win for Capote, makes a strong statement. While not the most gifted physical performer (there’ll be no jump kicks on beaches here), he brings a sense of murderous detachment that is equal parts sociopathic and focused. What a bummer the movie isn’t that focused. The action can be confusing at times, and we never find out Hoffman’s motivations, nor the purpose to the movie’s Macguffin. With that lack of clarity, the movie’s run time at times starts to drag, despite a rash of impossible stunts and a yeoman’s amount of Cruise cruising.

 

Speaking of Cruise, he continues here on his path of effortless recklessness and charm. Comfortably ensconced in the chapter of his career that would see him cranking out action films with him performing impossible stunts, lovers and haters alike have plenty to enjoy as they watch Cruise smash, fall, propel, and plummet his way to movie star glory. But Cruise also tries on a new facet- vulnerability. The character of Ethan Hunt typically is a guy who rarely lets you see him sweat (unless dangling from a Virginia ceiling)- that is until now. The amount of times that Hunt comes up agonizingly short, and is plagued with desperation, is a welcome change for the character.

But what of the look at Ethan Hunt’s newfound love for staying home? Could we ever understand such an extroverted character’s motivations, in a meta series where an eccentric and polarizing actor plays a spy who plays multiple versions of themself? Despite attempting to get to know Ethan better with his newfound goals of not just being a spy, do we really believe that this is it for him, Batman Forever style? Will the series turn into Mr. and Mrs. Smith, with Mrs. Hunt handing him his lunch on the way out the door to fly to Morocco to intercept an intelligence leak? It’s tough to swallow.

Flush with action and impossible stunts, but also adding wrinkles of domesticity and desperation, Mission Impossible III shows a franchise that is starting to turn into one of the more bankable thrill rides in Hollywood, but also wears out its welcome at times and answers questions that perhaps should never have been answered. One question that begs to be asked: I wonder who the studio will hire next?

Rating:

3.5/5

Trailer: Click Here.

Mission Impossible 2

2000’s Mission Impossible 2, directed by John Woo.

Starring Tom Cruise, Dougray Scott,  Thandie Newton, Richard Roxburgh, Ving Rhames, John Polson, Brendan Gleeson, Rade Serbedzija, and William Mapother.

What is it about?

Mission Impossible 2 is the sequel to 1996’s original film (itself based off the 1960-70’s Television series). Tom Cruise returns as IMF super spy agent, Ethan Hunt, who has to duel with mercenary Dougray Scott, who wants to unleash a Chimera virus on the world. With expert thief/love interest Thandie Newton, and returning computer expert Ving Rhames helping, will Hunt be successful in saving the world from villainy?

Why is it worth seeing?

MI2 is as much a showcase for director John’s Woo’s talents and tendencies as MI’s is for Brian De Palma- again for better or worse. Gone are the femme fatale vibes, vanquished in favour of kinetic swoops and pirouettes, as well as metaphors such as the ocean and doves. Narratively and chemistry wise it has its issues, but Woo leaves no rounds in the chamber.

MI ‘s propensity for over the top action was never in question, but 2 introduces a new phenomenon- that of superstar Tom Cruise as bat shit crazy when it comes to performing his own stunts. Just how many waivers did he sign before climbing the mountain seen here? The gulp factor alone will have you throwing carabiners at the screen. Same for yet another building rooftop entry mission, an exercise that will have you holding your breath in silence. And that’s what it comes down to with the Mission series- set pieces that blow you away. The plot stuff (literally in terms of production) comes later and is of minimal importance.

Woo’s direction introduces (to the MI series) a new style: that of balletic poetry. Backed by Hans Zimmer and siren Lisa Gerrard’s glossolalia score, there’s a kinetic motion, a preference to suggestion and continuity, of swirls and fades in Woo’s interactions. Whatever by stars staring at one another or exchanging gunfire, those elements combined with heaping amounts of slow motion showcase Woo’s electricity he became so renowned for in Hong Kong action cinema, not to mention his previous American films (Hard Target, Broken Arrow, and Face Off). It’s a treat, until it’s not. Call it too much of a good thing, or something lost in translation.

Cruise has long been criticized as being just another pretty face, however, the 4 years that had elapsed between the original and this sequel show a lot of improvement for Cruise (especially with what I believe to be his peak: 1999’s Magnolia). He may never win an Oscar, but there’s no false notes here, whether it’s him hanging from a cliff or telling his chemistry-less partner what he thinks he should do with a globe killing virus. It’s a good thing he’s so charismatic, as while Dougray Scott brings more to the role of villain than Jon Voight, it’s not much more. And it’s disappointing that love interest Newton reverts to damsel in distress mode, after a promising start as an enterprising thief who plays a deadly game.

It’s no surprise that the producers of this franchise think of their set pieces first, and then story second. Specializing in thrills that are equal parts quiet and explosive, MI2 is a promising add on to the original, possessing more energy and bombast while eliminating the dated noir staleness of the original. While some scenes can grate from lack of chemistry, trying too hard, and just outright lunacy, it’s a thrill ride that knows what it is and doesn’t pretend otherwise. What’s better than a spy that knows its purpose?

Rating:

3.5/5

Trailer: Click Here.

Mission Impossible

1996’s Mission Impossible, directed by Brian De Palma.

Starring Tom Cruise, Jon Voight, Emmanuelle Béart, Henry Czerny, Jean Reno, Ving Rhames, Kristin Scott Thomas, Vanessa Redgrave, Emilio Estevez, and Ingeborga Dapkunaite.

What is it about?

International Spy Agency IMF needs to obtain a list of sensitive information. Leader Jon Voight assembles a team, quarterbacked by super spy Ethan Hunt (played by Tom Cruise, with Kristin Scott Thomas, Emilio Estevez, Emmanuelle Béart, and Ingeborga Dapkunaite supporting). Something goes fatally wrong, and Ethan has to figure out who double crossed him, while running for his life. Will he figure out who betrayed him, and not lose any more people he cares about?

Why is it worth seeing?

MI modernizes the classic television show, inserting the origins of super agent Ethan Hunt. Director Brian De Palma brings his flashy style (and Tom Cruise’s smile) to the screen- with mixed results. While things go boom and there are some nice moments of tension, De Palma’s style, along with David Koepp and Robert Towne’s script, often goes flat.

Don’t get me wrong- MI made a ton of money at its time of release. But moviegoers weren’t going because the experience made a ton of sense, was a treat to listen to, or because the experience felt real (and not “De Palma’d”). They went because Tom Cruise is a feast for the eyes (check out the chemistry with Vanessa Redgrave), and the now dated effects driven scenes were exciting (I still recall the Television ads).

In an age of origin stories, team ups, sequels, reboots, prequels, and various combinations of the above, MI feels like it was finding its legs- forgivably speaking, like any origin story. But things are a little clunky, at times a little artificial- one wonders if there’s a boom mike just above that book case, or if the awkward original spy team’s introduction scene was improvised. Cruise himself was still finding his range as an actor (his career peak performance in Magnolia would come in 4 years), and while he can sprint with the best of ‘em, you can see where people were coming from when he was called just another pretty face.

De Palma himself, who was an avid fan of Hitchcock, has done plenty of noir exercises, which would be a logical place to start with a spy betrayal whodunit. However, De Palma’s instincts are also rooted in trash, and those 2 sensibilities clash here, as we wait for Basic Instinct-like scenes to break out from behind the prosthetic masks and bugged conversations. Like his career overall, the talent and instincts clash awkwardly.

However, Cruise’s physicality is a feat that requires no further improvement, and it’s amazing how this is just a hint of what was to come in the Mission Impossible series. Here he delivers plenty, as he runs, jumps, and plummets around with abandon. It’s the best kind of special effect- one that may age, but never dates.

With equal measure crashes and stealthy espionage, the effects of which are diluted by the passage of time, distracted direction, a script that’s clumsy, and acting that is squandered (is it illegal for Emilio Estevez to be recognized past The Breakfast Club?), Mission Impossible proves that it’s not impossible to make a kinetic thriller that appeals to the mind and eyes- just really difficult (and done in later films).

Rating:

3/5

Trailer: Click Here.

Game Night

2018’s Game Night, directed by John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein.

Starring Jason Bateman, Rachel McAdams, Kyle Chandler, Sharon Horgan, Billy Magnussen, Lamorne Morris, Kylie Bunbury, Jesse Plemons, Michael C. Hall, Jeffrey Wright, and Danny Huston.

What is it about?

Game Night is about a competitive couple (Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams) who host regular games nights with a group of friends (Billy Magnussen, Lamorne Morris, and Kylie Bunbury). Jason Bateman’s sketchy brother (Kyle Chandler), shows up one day, with an offer to take their game night to the next level. While the group tries to avoid inviting next door neighbour police officer (Jesse Pleamons), Chandler’s recreational escalation goes off the rails and the group’s game night morphs into a true life role playing quest involving kidnapping, witness protection, and international gangsters. Will the gang be able to solve the case, or end up in Trouble and Sorry?

Why is it worth seeing?

Hollywood studio comedies of late have a real Monopoly on under cooked scripts that don’t have a Clue. Focusing instead on comedic actors showcasing improvisation skills, they make the rare meaningful laughs feel almost Taboo, as even the too few amusing moments fail to connect. That’s why Game Night is so refreshing- it creates a world with characters that feels like it’s a funny and Small World.

At first blush, Night could come across to film lovers like an homage to 1997’s The Game, both in content and appearance- that is if the Michael Douglas character refused to believe that the Snakes and Ladders chicanery was happening in real life. Directors John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein re-create the David Fincher aesthetic of slick grubbiness, and even at one point have an inspired long take- giving it a level of care and intention that delivers far more than the genre typically demands.

Mark Perez’s script’s characters feel a little in the vein of Battleship’s- simple archetypes, but they can pack a heavy punch. By the end of the film, the gags and the characters feel lived in, like we’re a member of the nerdy community that can’t wait for next week’s Schrades contest. Its pauses, awkward silences, and perfectly punctuated comments, are expert level writing.

Main characters Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams, him of the familiar put upon straight man, and her of as the hyper competitive but bubbly out of her element  partner (I’m biased, as I feel she can do anything), do a great job of conveying a couple whom originally bonded as Cranium calculators, but seem poised to get through anything together. Capably supporting them, are their supporting friends/family. From the scam-a-minute brother Chandler, to Lamorne Morris and Kylie Bunbury’s couple whom have a Danzel Washington themed crisis, to serial dater Billy Magnussen (who is testing out/being tested by Sharon Horgan), to the hysterical Jesse Pleamons as a neighbour who makes your skin crawl. They’re collective efforts are playing Chess instead of Checkers.

Like a thrilling game of Scattergories, Game Night’s thrilling action and genuine laughs offered from its characters convalesce into an enjoyable evening for all. With Hollywood preferring limp offerings of celebrity comedians improvising over proficient character driven oddities, it’s a treat that offers no Risk to having in your home any night of the week.

Rating:

4/5

Trailer: Click Here.

Blockers

2018’s Blockers, directed by Kay Cannon.

Starring Leslie Mann, John Cena, Ike Barinholtz, Kathryn Newton, Geraldine Viswanathan, Gideon Adlon, Ramona Young, Graham Phillips, Miles Robbins, Jimmy Bellinger, Colton Dunn, Sarayu Blue, Gary Cole, Gina Gershon, Diane Raphael, Hannibal Buress. 

What is it about?

Cock Blockers is about a group of adults (Leslie Mann, John Cena, and Ike Barinholtz) who’s children (Kathryn Newton, Geraldine Viswanathan, and Gideon Adlon) are about to graduate high school, and plan to lose their virginity for prom night. Overly attached, the parents work together, madly dashing around town to save their children’s virginity before it’s too late. Will they be successful in their blocking?

Why is it worth seeing?

Blockers’ comedic premise is intriguing, as a trio of parents’ experience what every parent inevitably goes through- their kids’ exploration of their budding sexuality. Not content to stew in helpless guardianship anxiety, they instead strike out to ruin their young adults’ attempts at deflowering. But even with all the peripheral gross out humour, we’re not spending enough time with the real heroes of the story- the kids.

One of the strengths of American Pie’s franchise is the appeal of its (usually) young characters. Sold as gross out sex filled comedies, the lessons and bonding the characters mature through is the sentiment that keeps you coming back (at least before the dreaded direct-to-video dreck arrived) for more. Blockers takes a similar drive, so integral in Pie, and instead bases most of its perspective through the neurotic parents, who are determined to prevent their children from losing their innocence.

But the teens presented perhaps could lose a bit of their innocence. Here are multi-dimensional, kind, and sympathetic people, who’s parents just don’t seem ready to acknowledge that their kids are probably more mature than they are. Any steam generated from spending time with the kids is at times quickly evaporated by the hijinks of Cena, Mann, and Barinholtz.

It’s not that the folks don’t have chemistry- Cena in particular is hilarious as the dad whom is out of his element but thinks his intensity will barrel his way through any situation. But it’s difficult to believe typical adults with reasonable capacity (Mann in particular) would go to the absurd lengths depicted here, and it makes you wish that we could spend that time with the kids instead (like we spend time doing in Ladybird or any John Hughes film).

Full of post modern comic banter, testicle grabbing, and vomit and beer-butt chugging, Blockers is heavy on comedic banter and gross outs, but light on the characters who really matter.

Rating:

3/5

Trailer: Click Here.