Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol

It's a known fact that sequels are almost never as good as the original. But for the Mission Impossible series, this wasn't necessarily the case. The second and third installments each brought more explosive effects and stunts, and more diabolical villains to the mix. However, when I heard that a fourth film was in production, I had my doubts. Even if sequels are better than the original, a franchise that ventures past a trilogy is rarely guaranteed success. But with the great marketing campaign and director Brad Bird (The Incredibles) heading up the project, I remained optimistic. Not only is "Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol" a great addition to the spy genre, but it's the best film of the Mission Impossible series.

IMF Agent Ethan Hunt's (Tom Cruise) latest mission has landed him in a Russian prison, but he doesn't seem to be worried. He knows that agents Jane Carter (Paula Patton) and Benji Dunn (Simon Pegg) will soon break him out and they do, in quite an explosive way. Hunt escapes only to find out that another agent was killed while investigating a man with the codename "Cobalt." Hunt and his team then infiltrate the Kremlin to acquire files on "Cobalt" but are forced to evacuate when an unknown group bombs the building. The Russians then place the blame on the IMF and as a result, the organization is disbanded. However, the three agents are given the chance to "escape" to continue their investigation and now Hunt must go against all of Russia to prevent a madman from starting a nuclear war.

What drives every Mission Impossible film are the brilliant stunts and action sequences and "Ghost Protocol" boasts the most jaw-dropping ones yet. To give an example, the film shot scenes at the tallest building in the world in Dubai. The filmmakers could have just settled for a thrilling sky-dive/fight off the gigantic tower but no, they wanted to have Tom Cruise run up, down, and across the side of the building while the iconic theme song plays...and it's awesome. This installment has frequent and intense hand to hand fighting, chase scenes, and explosions. All around, it's one wild ride.

Also, don't expect "Ghost Protocol" to just be another predictable action flick. While many sequels reuse plot points from earlier films, "Ghost Protocol" features a new, suspenseful story that will keep you guessing what is gonna happen next, just the same as the previous three. A great thing about the plot is that it welcomes those who haven't seen the first three, avoiding conversations and lingering plot points concerning the previous films that would easily confuse a newcomer to the series.

Director Brad Bird's most famous film, "The Incredibles," had many elements of a spy-thriller, so hiring him to direct a film that is part of one of the most iconic spy franchises of all time was an excellent move. And he succeeded not only in amping up the action of stunts, but providing a fresh story, a great set of new characters, and one of the best action blockbusters of the year. I give it three and a half stars out of four.

"Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol" has a running time of two hours and thirteen minutes and is rated PG-13 for sequences of intense action and violence.

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

Yes! Batman is back! Oh, sorry I'm still freaking out over the newest trailer for "The Dark Knight Rises." Ahem...the Great Detective is back! Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, and director Guy Ritchie surprised us all two years ago when they brought their take on the "Sherlock Holmes" series to the silver screen. When the film was released, the people were shown a different kind of Holmes that uses his supreme intellect to solve crimes AND take down bad guys in the most creative, jaw dropping ways. There was no doubt that a sequel would eventually be made and now its hit theaters to once again attempt to impress the crowds. Make no mistake, Holmes is back and better than ever...in every way.

"Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows" seems to pick up right where the first left off. The evil Professor James Moriarty (Jared Harris) had begun to strike terror across Europe through a series of bombings and assassinations taking place in different countries. The goal is to create a World War that he can profit from through the selling of advanced weaponry that he and his men have created. Fortunately Holmes (Downey) has picked up on Moriarty's trail but there is a slight problem. His closest friend and partner Dr. Watson (Jude Law) cannot help him on the case because he is preparing to get married. With the upcoming honeymoon which will keep Watson away for several weeks and the public threat that Moriarty has made against Watson and his fiancee, Holmes sees this time of romance as an obstacle and, using his brilliant mind, finds a way to "postpone" it. Now with the help of his partner, Holmes and Watson must race across Europe before Moriarty sends it plunging into war.

What makes "Sherlock Holmes" great is the acting. The leading men are all suburb. Robert Downey Jr. plays the title role with such a great mix of wit, cockiness, and a bit of insanity and is absolutely fantastic. Better yet is the chemistry that he and Jude Law have on screen. The duo's different characters and personalities mesh so well that not only does it create great acting, but lots of humor. Downey also has a great on screen chemistry with Jared Harris who plays Moriarty with the same wit and cockiness as Holmes but also adds a more cunning and menacing side creating an even more powerful character. The two scenes with Holmes and his nemesis having a battle of wits (and fists) were definitely my favorite of the film.

Another highlight of both "Holmes" films is the excellent cinematography. The way that the film is shot is remarkable. Many will remember the scenes from the first films featuring Holmes thinking in his head (in slow-motion) on how to beat his opponent, and then doing just that (back in regular speed). There is much more of this in the new installment and it makes the best action. The many different and diverse camera angles that cover all points of the different action and fight scenes will impress many. Action aside, the film features many beautiful landscapes and set pieces and while I could go on forever with the look of the film, I need to leave some for surprise.

The final aspect of "Holmes" that I'll devote a paragraph to is the music. Hans Zimmer is without a doubt my favorite composer. His music is powerful, energetic, and creative and he did an outstanding job with the first film's score. For the sequel, Zimmer brings back the great main theme and a few other memorable compositions, but has also created a whole new soundtrack of fantastic music that will surly be remembered as some of his best work.

In the end, the makers of "Holmes" took everything from the first film, and improved on it. The action is bigger, the acting is better, the story is even more complex and engaging (which is really saying something). Not many sequels end up besting the first, but "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows" is a grand exception. I give it three and a half stars out of four.

"Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows" has a running time of two hours and eight minutes and is rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, and some drug material.