Is Hollywood falling apart?
One wonders, as to who is getting dumb and dumber, is it the film makers or is it audience. or is it the critics or is it me who is struggling hard to understand how the the critics in rotten tomatoes has given 97% rating, followed by the IMDB which has rated 8.5 or metacritic has given a rating of 86% and how a movie made at a budget of US@ 178 million has made Rs. 193 million dollars within a week after its release.
My daughter who does not see English Films, surprisingly accompanied me, just laughed at the end of the movie. stating that this was no different from the 'masala movies' in India and she had a desi feeling watching the blockbuster. Interestingly she made a comment that some of the action blocks of Shah Rukh Khan thriller, "Fan' were better than the MI: Fall out sequence.
Two and Half action blocks to be precise plus tonnes of verbal diarrhoea, where Ethan Hunt is out to save the world. It has to be Iron Man, Super Man, Spider man, Hulk, Dr. Strange, Bond(from Cousin country) or Ethan Hunt. There are other comedic pieces of efforts to save the universe like the dark Star Wars( a triumphant effort in infusing darkness into young minds across the universe) and than pioneering efforts life Star Trek.
The bucks got bigger, the dimensions got bigger, the canvas got bigger, but brain cells are shrinking rapidly faster than ever before.
I cannot help examining those two and half action pieces.
The half I mention is the Cruise's chase across terrace and then in a lift only to miss the villain who escapes in a helicopter from the top of the building. Available on Youtube is Fear over city, the French film made in early or mid seventies. There is this extraordinary action block where Jean Paul Belomondo, chases the villains on roof tops and then across the subway metro train. MI: Fallout, action block is a far cry from this specific action block.
Mid Air sequences, with the background of the majestic mountains, has it never be seen on the screen before. Cliffhanger 25 years ago, had the thrilling mid air sequence as well as some of the most thrilling stunts set in the backdrop of the mountains. After thirty years, one has to honestly question oneself, if the action sequence in MI are anywhere to close to it.
The flow of the motorcycle against the current of the cars, has it not even been done recently in Ready Player One. Even Babyy Driver, recently had some great action sequences I truly would like to understand, what is so great about this chase sequence.
One can be even be magnanimous to consider, the dropping down from the parachute into Paris onto a high rise as an action block. Just compare it to Clint Eastwood's entry into the fort atop a cable car in 'Where Eagles Dare?", using the pick axe to gain a toehold. There was a joy of a thrill with a hint of suspense. Tom Cruise seems to be truly lost.
The bigger question, is that Hollywood seems to have completely run out of ideas. With the thinking predominantly focused on themes of Supermen and saving the world, Hollywood will in the long run lose it's position of eminence. In fact in the last decade, Hollywood has been steadily slipping.
There is a leadership position vacant and it is up for grabs. Back in India, we still seem to be content with aping the west.
With other avenues like Netflix, Amazon and host of other channels coming up, Content is going to get dumped. Fatigue will set in with audience sooner or later.
Given the compulsions of commerce, which weigh heavily on the mind of the producers, my fear is that the art itself may morph into something else or that the Cinema itself is on self destructive mode.
True test of creativity is the clear and present challenge.
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