The Equalizer 2 (2018)

The Equalizer 2 (2018)

6/10

Starring

Denzel Washington

Directed by Antoine Fuqua

After the awesome viewing of The Equalizer (2014) (based on the TV series of the same name by CBS in 1985), I knew a sequel was eminent. Hey, studios like to make movies people love and especially were a success in the box office.

Therefore, the moment the date for The Equalizer 2 was set, I got it down as a must watch. There is something about Denzel’s style of bad ass former operative now vigilante kicking ass that was just cool.

The first movie had a focus; Robert McCall (Denzel) met a lady he wanted to inspire to be a better person. After developing a guardian like father figure relationship with her, one dude decides that he has other plans. The other plans include sex trafficking. He was forced to step up and take down the man and his team of villains. The fun is not the tale, but the action sequences that followed.

The movie’s main plot here has McCall working as a Lyft driver who helps others with the aid of his friend, Susan. One day, while Susan was investigating a supposed murder-suicide with McCall's former partner, she was murdered, in a suspected robbery.

Now McCall is on the case, to capture the people behind the death of his friend. He discovers that it was not a robbery, but a murder. McCall also discovers that the case Susan was working on was actually a murder and not a murder-suicide. After submitting his findings, he too was attacked in an attempted murder, but the assailant failed.

Now, McCall has to put two and two together and figure out why Susan has been killed and why his life is now in danger.

The first movie had other random acts of kindness here and there, but this new Equalizer has numerous acts of kindness that are not needed. I prefer the first movie’s style of presenting our hero, focused on one tale, but other things were happening on the side requiring his expertise. Here it was like a never ending doing good, you will first be wondering which the main plot will be. This made the movie’s pacing not so good, even though the acting and performance of Denzel was still top notch and the action sequence very cool.

This is the fourth collaboration between Denzel Washington and director Antoine Fuqua. They worked together in the Academy Award winning Training Day (2001), The Equalizer (2014) and The Magnificent Seven (2016).

I enjoyed this movie very much, even though there were many distractions from the main tale.

I hope the movie makes enough from the box office to give us a third movie, which will be as focused as the first. If you like the first The Equalizer (2014) you will like this one.

Mission: Impossible – Fallout (2018)

Mission: Impossible – Fallout (2018)

8/10

Starring

Tom Cruise

Ving Rhames

Simon Pegg

Directed by Christopher McQuarrie

Mission: Impossible – Fallout is the sixth installment in the Mission: Impossible film series and arguably one of the best of the six. Now the movie is considerably long in length so prep yourself to sit through over two hours, but don’t be alarmed it will be worth it.

Do note, it has been a long time since Tom Cruise have done something worth watching. Hell, it has been a while since Tom Cruise did a movie that was a clear box office success.

This movie is critically and commercially successful, with stunts and cool action sequences, to keep you glued. The story is nerve racking and the screenplay is inviting making it sure that a part seven could be possible if the money recouped is good enough.

The story goes, Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) is called in for a new mission, which as usual is not in the books and almost can’t be done. After the capture of Lark (Sean Harris) his group has not packed it in, calling themselves The Apostles. They have come into possession of three plutonium balls which is believed will be used for terrorist attacks.

Ethan and his IMF team are tasked with retrieving the three plutonium balls. They came up with a plan to retrieve the balls, but everything failed when Ethan scarified the mission to save his friend Luther (Ving Rhames).

Unhappy with the turn of events CIA Director Sloane places operative August Walker into Ethan's team to monitor the retrieval of the plutonium.

A new plan is put into action, but as usual things did not go according to plan. Ethan is implicated and seen as the man behind all the crime that has been going on for years and worse still, he must help break out Lark.

His past too is not letting him go as shadows from the past come up in this mission making his decisions more complicated and tasking.

Many of the old team are packaged together for this. Other than Cruise, Rhames and Simon Pegg we had Rebecca Ferguson, Sean Harris, Michelle Monaghan and Alec Baldwin, all reprising their roles from previous films.

The fun addition to this crew is Henry Cavill (August Walker). He gave a performance that made me think of him differently as an actor worth recognizing for a job well done.

This action spy film is written, produced and directed by Christopher McQuarrie. McQuarrie also was the man behind the fifth installment Mission: Impossible Rouge Nation (2015).

I took my time before seeing this movie, much because I’m not too much of a fan of sequels, but in the end it was worth it.

The Spy Who Dumped Me (2018)

The Spy Who Dumped Me (2018)

6/10

Starring

Mila Kunis

Kate McKinnon

Sam Heughan

Gillian Anderson

Justin Theroux

Directed by Susanna Fogel

I do hope there will be a part two to this movie. The chemistry between Mila Kunis and Kate McKinnon was just out of this world. The movie is funny, and this will be the first time I have come to appreciate Kate McKinnon’s style of comedy.

The Spy Who Dumped Me did not at any time try to be more than what it is. This action comedy is about two ladies (Audrey and Morgan) trying to fulfill the dying wish of Audrey’s ex, who happens to be CIA.

These two ladies had their lives turned upside down and before long, they both committed murders, were involved in a car chase and broke numerous international laws.

Audrey (Kunis) is dealing with a breakup from her boyfriend, Drew (Theroux). She is at her birthday party been thrown for her by her best friend Morgan (McKinnon), who then told Audrey that they should burn all her ex’s stuff. Morgan then sent a text to Drew that his stuff will be burnt. This makes Drew show up at her and Audrey’s place and he inform Audrey that he works for the CIA and her life was in danger.

Telling her that he cares for her and when he saw that his work was going to get her killed he decided to dump her before that happens. Their talk was interrupted by an attack on Audrey and Morgan’s apartment, and a man that Morgan let into the apartment shot Drew.

Drew had asked Audrey to take a trophy to Vienna for him in the case he doesn’t make it and give it to a certain person at a restaurant.

Morgan convinces Audrey to follow through on Dew’s request. The couple then journeyed to Vienna, and while there, they were ambushed by not just the CIA, but some other bad people who want the trophy.

Now the two are on the run from everyone and have no clue who to trust.

This is not the funniest movie I have seen this year, neither is it the most inventive spy movie there is, but it was fun to watch.

The couple get captured, tortured and find a way to joke their way out of things from bad to worse.

I just wish the movie pulls through in the box office and makes a profit, because worse movies than this have made profits.

I enjoyed my trip of watching this movie and I know you will too when you get to see this movie.