Paula Patton | Fast Lane Film

What do movies and sports have in common? Match-ups. It’s all about the match-ups baby. Some cinematic pairings just get us excited, like the prospect of Mark Wahlberg (Pain & Gain) and Denzel Washington (Flight). Washington is a living legend, and Wahlberg has cemented his place in modern cinema with critically acclaimed turns in films such as The Fighter and The Departed, for which he received Oscar nominations. The action comedy is on the rise lately, and 2 Guns tantalized moviegoers with the rare opportunity to see Washington bring levity to a performance. Unfortunately, even charismatic leading men can’t save a goofy script.

Washington and Wahlberg are Bobby Trench and Michael Stigman (Stig), respectively. When we meet the pair, they are hatching a plot to rob a small bank to swindle a drug lord named Papi Greco (Edward James Olmos) out of his holdings. They each have distinct reasons for wanting to pull this caper, but each is keeping the real reason a secret. At first blush we think these two are criminals, after all who else would be robbing a bank? In actuality they are both “undercover” in their own way, with Bobby being a DEA agent and Stig having firsthand experience with naval intelligence, despite the appearance of being a career criminal.

As each plays fast and loose with the law, the viewer is left wondering if our protagonists are corrupt or just deep undercover. Bobby tries to convince fellow agent Deb (Paula Patton, Mission:Impossible – Ghost Protocol) that the robbery will serve as a way to nab Papi, while Stig is beholden to corrupt superior officers (James Marsden, Straw Dogs) within the Navy. Their plan goes awry when they find out Papi’s bank vault yields a much larger heist than expected. Not only do they need to ascertain the origin of the surplus money, they must ward off several factions who will stop at nothing to retrieve it. Complicating matters is the fact that Bobby and Stig can’t really trust each other after having lied about their true identities.

I’ll start with the positive. Washington and Wahlberg have tons of chemistry and good comedic timing. I don’t have an issue with their performances at all; my issue is with the source material. The storyline was simply foolish and muddled, and much of the characters behavior was far-fetched. The screenplay marks the big screen debut for writer Blake Masters, who has previously worked in television. Maybe his next effort will be more successful, although 2 Guns appears poised to have a solid opening weekend. Nevertheless, it takes more than two talented leading men to make a successful movie, even if the pairing looks like a “slam dunk.” Even a dynamic duo like Al Pacino and Robert DeNiro aren’t a sure-fire success if the script is wanting (see Righteous Kill). If those two legends can team up for a dud, no tandem is above reproach. The rest of the cast did little to bolster the movie, and it will not be remembered as a summer standout. I’m not saying it was horrible, just very mediocre – in spite of its two stars. Grade: C

This article first appeared at Poptimal and was reprinted with permission

Tom Cruise (most recently of Knight and Day) used to be one of my favorite actors. Then, his public perception began to decline after marrying Katie Holmes. An unfortunate appearance on Oprah and some ill-advised comments about Brooke Shields’ post partum depression didn’t help matters. It seemed like people were no longer focusing on the movies; they were focused on the Scientology and the wacky behavior. Cruise has been a certified hit machine since Risky Business. He’s given us classics like Top Gun and Rain Man. It would take the passage of time and several enjoyable movies for people to move past the punch lines of a few years ago. With the latest edition to his blockbuster Mission: Impossible franchise, maybe Cruise has finally returned to being the likable star he once was.

The Mission: Impossible franchise has always been a good one, with the first movie in the series opening in 1996. It’s the only Mission: Impossible that I own on DVD and it remains the most suspenseful of the four movies. Ghost Protocol finds Ethan Hunt being busted out of a Russian prison by fellow IMF agents Jane (Paula Patton, Precious) and Benji (Simon Pegg, Hot Fuzz). They need Ethan’s help to find the assassin who recently killed another agent. Furthermore, Ethan’s official mission is to prevent the same assassin from delivering nuclear launch codes to a Russian madman. When the team botches a plan to break into the Kremlin, the entire agency is disavowed in the wake of a perceived potential return to the Cold War era. ‘Ghost Protocol’ is initiated, and the agents are on their own. They must clear themselves of the Kremlin incident and still prevent the Russian lunatic from getting the launch codes. After Hunt’s contact tells him about the Ghost Protocol, they add government analyst and former agent Jeremy Renner (The Town, The Hurt Locker) to the mix.

Ok, let’s talk about what worked and what did not work. First of all, the plot was very simplified this time around. I’ve seen a million action movies, and sometimes the plot gets really intricate, almost to the point of being unnecessary. Here, things are pretty straightforward. Nuclear weapons are bad. Russian man wants to launch one. That would be bad; he must be stopped. If you’ve seen more than one Mission: Impossible movie, you know there will be lots of action and some great stunt work. I tip my hat to Cruise for always being up for the challenge. His scenes on the side of a skyscraper in Dubai were heart stopping. The gadgets can’t compare to those in the 007 movies, but the cars and high-speed chases make up for that. Cruise is still in great shape after all these years, and I laughed at an extended foot chase scene similar to one featured in Mission: Impossible 3. He’s still got ‘it.’ You can count on him and Will Smith to run their asses off in a movie. Tom Cruise was even running like the wind all over town in The Firm, briefcase flopping everywhere – remember that movie? I digress.

Mission: Impossible 4 – Ghost Protocol was an entertaining movie, but it was good – not great. A few really great scenes, including a suspenseful opening sequence, and the aforementioned foot chase through a blinding sandstorm, held the movie together. Cruise can play Ethan Hunt in his sleep. Jeremy Renner continues to show his versatility, and Simon Pegg provided great comedic timing and comic relief. Which brings me to Paula Patton. She turned down a recurring role on Law & Order: SVU to take this role, and at first I thought that was a mistake. There’s an obvious upside to appearing alongside Tom Cruise, but I thought the stability of a television series with a strong following would have been better for her career. Is Thandie Newton (For Colored Girls) a big star because she was in Mission: Impossible 2? I don’t think so. But, after further consideration – I think I was wrong. Ghost Protocol was a good look for Ms. Patton. She showed that she could hold her own in an action movie and look beautiful while doing it. However, there were some awkward moments that could have been left on the cutting room floor. I picked up on some unintentional comedy in the way she delivered a few of her lines, and I think she should continue to improve as an actress.

You know what you’re getting with Mission: Impossible, but I thought it made for an enjoyable day at the movies. It wasn’t the best installment in the franchise, but it’s definitely worth checking out.