Movie Review: Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation

Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation.

Let me start off by saying that I love spy-action movies. Love them. I was raised on the Jack Ryan novels and Bond movies. I love Bourne and Mission Impossible both. I enjoyed Ghost Protocol and similarly enjoyed Rogue Nation.

That being said, action-spy movies often leave a LOT to be desired on the representation front. Bondgirls die, characters of color are few and far between and I cannot, honestly cannot, bring to mind a single confirmed LGBT character.

Rogue Nation, as a popcorn munching summer flick, delivers. The plot is the same basic Mission Impossible plot (the government says ‘spies what spies NO ETHAN NO’, Ethan says ‘fuck you all I’m going to save the day’ and at the end of the film Ethan is reaffirmed as the spy world’s darling and saves the day while looking cool and blowing shit up). But the plot is solid as is the casting, old favorites reappear and a new femme fatale brushes up against the cast. The bad guy reminded me a little too much of Raoul Silva, but I’ll let it slide. Rogue Spy gone ROGUE is as good a plot as any.

The fight scenes were good and the chase scenes were way more believable than the last Fast and Furious movie.

That being said, if you have any motorcycle crash related trauma there are LOTS AND LOTS of motorcycle crashes in one of the chase scenes. Other than that, standard action movie triggers apply.

The Bechdel:

Hah. There aren’t even two named women in the whole fucking movie.

I hate girl on girl fight scenes that exist ONLY for a chance to get the girl to fight but they at least allow for the role of two women existing in the same frame. Possibly even speaking to each other. Our femme fatale keeps it real, fights the big boys, and despite wearing 4 inch heels kicks them off when necessary. She does not, however, throw down with any other ladies.

Racial Bechdel Test:

Again. There aren’t two named characters of color in the whole movie. Ving Rhames is there as Luthor Stickler, and is an important part of the crew, but at no point does he speak to anyone who isn’t a white guy.

The Mako Mori:

I’d say that Ilsa’s story arc is her own but at the same time she’s spending the movie fighting against the big bad that Hunt is trying to bring down.

The Sexy Lamp:

Nah. Ilsa might be attractive and they do show that off but I don’t think a sexy lamp can kick ass or have a showdown with the Bone Doctor like Ilsa.

The Anti-Freeze:

Surprisingly, no. At one point in the movie I was expecting her death but she gets out of every scrape intact.

The “Strength is Relative”:

I’d say a pass but it’s debatable.

The Russo: LGBT representation

Nope. Nope, nope, nope. Haha.

The Black Widow: Romantic relationship that serves the plot/is in character

While Ilsa falls for Ethan (or at least implies a romantic wish) it fits her character, runs along the plot and doesn’t derail or take anything away from the film.

Movie Review: Jurassic World

On whether Jurassic World passes the Bechdel, the Mako Mori, the Sexy Lamp, the Anti-freeze, the Russo, the Racial Becdhel and the Black Widow test.

All in all, I liked the film. I embarrassed myself giggling like a fiend at several parts (I’m sorry, I love the Jurassic series) and had to stop myself from muttering ‘oh you’re gonna die’ at others. 

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The Bechdel:

Jurassic World most likely fails the Bechdel test. I know, you’re like ‘what do you mean most likely’ and the rest I say most likely is because a) some of you people are going to say WHAT ABOUT THE DINOSAURS and b) I’m not sure if Vivian and Claire talk long enough for it to count and c) the conversation Claire has with Karen concerns the boys at first and then is about how Claire should have kids of her own.

Edit: I have been reminded that Claire and Zara talk about work in front of the boys. Again, the boys are right there and Claire is talking to them in between talking to Zara. Your mileage on this may vary.

Regarding the dinosaurs – they do communicate. But if we start counting dinosaurs the movie has potential genderqueer representation because we saw in Jurassic World that the dinos can change their gender.

The Mako Mori:

Eeeeeeeeh. Ehhhhh. Claire’s story runs tangentially to Owen’s.  I wouldn’t say she supports his own storyline because Owen doesn’t really grow through the course of the movie. Claire, however, does. But at the same time Owen dominates the screen and park, pushes constantly and doesn’t recognize Claire’s authority. (He is, in fact, the kind of dude I want to kick in the nuts, no matter how competent or attractive he is.)

The Sexy Lamp:

Now, this one it passes. Claire could not be replaced by a sexy lamp.

The Anti-Freeze:

I’m gonna say that Jurassic World fails this. Her death serves no purpose except to be a brutal ‘oh fuck oh FUCK’ scene. Did we need 5-10 minutes of a woman struggling (without gore at least) against a dinosaur before her demise? No.

The “Strength is Relative”:

Definite pass. All of the women are different from each other but again, the men dominate the screentime.

The Russo Test:

Barring the dinosaurs (THE DINOSAURS DO NOT COUNT) there is no LGBT representation.

Racial Bechdel Test:

Passes! Henry Wu and Masrani have a long conversation about science! And about fucking up.

The Black Widow:

Does a character become involved in a relationship over the course of a movie/show that doesn’t serve any purpose/make any sense.

I am making this test up. New test! (It probably exists.)

The Jurassic series has always been about 3 things. 1) Dinosaurs, 2) children, 3) relationships.

In Jurassic Park Ellie and Allen are in a relationship. This is apparent in the way they interact and care for each other. It’s not a major plot point but it serves to further their characterization. In Lost World Ian and Sarah are in a previously established relationship that pushes Ian to come back to the island (despite swearing NEVER AGAIN) because he is worried about her. It also serves as part of their characterization. In JP3 we find out Alan and Ellie have seperated, Ellie has moved onto a happy dinosaur-less life and we have to spend the movie dealing with bickering divorced couple Paul and Amanda. I can’t remember if they get back together to not. Their relationship is AGAIN, previously established, serves as background in characterization and actually also furthers the plot.

If you’ve seen the previous for Jurassic World you’ve seen Owen and Claire’s frosty relationship. In a very rom-com manner, Owen just wants Claire to loosen up, let her hair down (take off those ridiculous heels). Claire is a stereotype of the work obsessed woman in his 30s. She’s practically aseptic (I didn’t want to use the word sterile as it has negative connotations) at the beginning of the film, focused on work and nothing else. In a survival situation, however, she steps up. She steps up all throughout the film and Owen, who starts off joking about the fact that they never would have worked out because she’s too uptight (but is nonetheless attracted to her physically) finds that attractive as all hell. Claire, seeing Owen outside of the joking manner he presents and instead in the field where he thrives, becomes attracted to him as well.

BUT, I do feel the movie would have been better without romance. With a few lines cut and the line left teetering between romantic and platonic the whole film would have set better with me.