Most films compete against the wrong things. They compete against other films, other producers, other actors, even sometimes against the audience.
This series competes against itself and that is what makes it special. MI #1 was an "homage" to the original TV series. With every subsequent installment they have kept raising the bar, competing with their own last script. And the result is solid entertainment.
Cruise in his early 50s is just fine, actually better than fine. Sure he is riffing off his own image, but if anyone is entitled to do that, it is Cruise himself.
Finally props to the producers for waiting to greenlight the project until they had a writer/director who was golden. And that is Christopher McQuarrie -- the script could be the best in the series, perpetually interesting without ever pandering to the viewer.
Highly recommended. My only additional comment is that other production teams could learn from this. Should learn from this. I hope as much care and love was poured into the upcoming Bourne installment as went into this MI tale.
This series competes against itself and that is what makes it special. MI #1 was an "homage" to the original TV series. With every subsequent installment they have kept raising the bar, competing with their own last script. And the result is solid entertainment.
Cruise in his early 50s is just fine, actually better than fine. Sure he is riffing off his own image, but if anyone is entitled to do that, it is Cruise himself.
Finally props to the producers for waiting to greenlight the project until they had a writer/director who was golden. And that is Christopher McQuarrie -- the script could be the best in the series, perpetually interesting without ever pandering to the viewer.
Highly recommended. My only additional comment is that other production teams could learn from this. Should learn from this. I hope as much care and love was poured into the upcoming Bourne installment as went into this MI tale.