Guest Contributor: Bill Wagman
Bill Wagman is a longtime music programmer on local radio station KDVS and KDRT-LP, as well as an occasional host to touring musicians. As a child growing up in New York his love of movies dates back to memories of “The Million Dollar Movie.” a television program that showed the same movie two or three times a day for an entire week. He watched “King Kong”, “Godzilla” and other classics dozens of times. I’m very grateful that he consented to write this review of a movie genre I’ve never been attracted to.
I have never been a big fan of the Mission Impossible (Improbable?) movies but a recent review in the S.F. Chronicle praised the most recent one, Dead Reckoning – Part 1. I left my doubts behind and went to see it. The Chronicle Critic praised what was intended to be the highlight stunt of the movie in which Tom Cruise who has a parachute on his back jumps off a high cliff while riding a motorcycle, jumps off the motorcycle and parachutes down to the train holding the villains. Give Cruise credit, he did the stunt himself and it was the most touted part of the film. (Although we of a certain age have seen Evil Knievel attempt this many years ago.) And then there was the obligatory fight on the roof of the speeding train– including the few times it was necessary to drop down to avoid an oncoming tunnel. Nothing new here. One break from the cliches is wonderful scene where Cruise and the heroine need a car and the IMP provides them with an older Fiat 500 I guess the filmmakers do have a sense of humor. Heaven save us from Dead Reckoning – Part 2.
Upon relating my commentary to a friend he suggested he prefers the John Wick movies starring Keanu Reeves. I watched John Wick: Chapter 4 in which he starred in and also executive produced. Perhaps the only way the film would get out. John Wick: Chapter 4 is simply a two hour and forty-five minute gunfight. Most interestingly it seemed as though half the population of Paris joined the villains in chasing John Wick during the last thirty minutes of the film. Although I did have a favorite moment. There is a scene in the movie where the action shifts to an art museum, probably the Louvre although not specifically stated. As they are going through the gallery a large painting, The Raft Of Medusa appears on display. I loved this moment as the painting was used on the cover of the Pogues album Rum, Sodomy and the Lash with the band members heads superimposed on the heads of the characters in the painting. I can only hope this was paying homage to the Pogues. ( I also wondered why everyone in the film has hair which is nicely coiffed but Keanu Reeves is a mess?) In any case, If you are willing to enjoy a bit of action cliches and numerous battles both can be fun.
New York Cynic 