In Red Joan, that life is recast as a tale of love, ideology and the folly of youth. Judi Dench is written large on all the billboards and publicity materials for the film but it’s the actor, Sophie Cookson, who plays the character during her youthful years that enjoys the most screen time. The is largely done through extensive back stories as the film begins with Joan’s arrest.

Young Joan is presented as a woman of science with an active intelligence and an abhorrence to the death and violence the years during and after World War Two created. She was also seduced by the attraction she had to a young communist firebrand Leo Galich (Tom Hughes). He abuses this attraction for his own ends.

More character study than spy thriller, the film shows how youthful ideology can become an adult passion. Senior Joan never backs down from her stance on why she provided the Russians with information and it rings true with the reality with how the cold war played out before the fall of the Soviet Union.

Rob Hudson
www.facebook.com/transmissionfilms

As an action piece, it gets the job done but as a proper Jason Bourne movie, it’s quite the disappointing experience. Gone are almost all the clever ways Bourne can extract himself from trouble and in their place are just Teflon walks in the park. Moments where no real menace can really stick.

He gets out of almost every jam with just brawn and no brain. Julia Stilles is very much underutilized as well and sadly exits early and takes with her the only character that links Bourne to a friendlier past. In the place of proper story telling are a series of spectacular action sequences that not only strain the law of physics to their breaking point but also tend to wear the viewer out. Pokemon Go

If this edition reignites the franchise that will be a good thing because Matt Damon fills this role splendidly when given something to really sink his teeth into. Next time out let’s hope for far more intrigue and much less outlandish action.

Rob Hudson
www.jasonbournemovie.com.au

Firstly this edition, Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation puts storyline characterization on the back burner as it ramps up the action. These are real live stunts, not ones dependent on CGI and as such the film’s action sequences provide the big bang factor. In comparison to the film’s main rivals, the Bond and Bourne franchises, having Cruise on board with his bravery on overdrive creates some extremely crazy moments to view.

This approach makes for an at times spectacular experience but this rush towards visual stimulus instead of strong characterization does the film no favours in between stunts. Some of the cast’s assets are underutilized. Simon Pegg’s humour is mostly absent and the chemistry between Cruise and female lead Rebecca Ferguson is weak at best. Also one of the best bad bosses in the business, Alec Baldwin is not given much to work with.

The overall effect of this type of film making leads to a lot of wow moments but it does leave you wanting a bit more. It is spectacular to look at but untimely not very memorable.

Rob Hudson
www.missionimpossible.com