It was just a few days ago that the much-hyped ‘Spectre’ opened to an encouraging response at the Indian box office, sending fans of the popular ‘James Bond’ franchise into a state of absolute frenzy. Interestingly, this Daniel Craig starrer came across as a reminiscence to yet another action-thriller ‘Rogue Nation’. The fifth installment of the ‘Mission Impossible’ series, it had arrived in theatres a few months ago.Here is a look at the similarities between ‘Spectre’ and the Tom Cruise starrer ‘Rogue Nation’.
To begin with, in ‘Rogue Nation’, the central character Ethan Hunt is projected as a brave and daring secret agent who goes toe to toe with a host of deadly enemies. Moreover, he is also shown to be nothing short of a daredevil who has no qualms about putting his life in danger. As such, Hunt comes across as the very personification of machismo.
However, as the film progresses, it becomes clear that Cruise’s character is vulnerable to pain. At numerous points, he is beaten up and tortured by his rivals. All of this establishes him as a relatable human being rather that a “superhero”. Similarly Craig’s Bond too comes across as a suave and charismatic “macho man” who has an eye for women.
But as the narrative progresses, Bond comes across as extremely vulnerable. This is particularly true for the scene in which he is pulverized by Bautista’s character. Moreover, the emotional vulnerability about the character is highligted,courtesy a few references to his troubled childhood and friends.
Another point of similarly between ‘Spectre’ and ‘Rog Nation’ is their core theme. At the end of day, both movies revolve around existential crisis.
In ‘Rogue Nation’, Cruise’s character tries prove the presence of an international criminal organization called ‘The Syndicate’ and thereby save the IMF from being dissolved. Similarly, in ‘Spectre’, Bond tries to prove that a dreaded criminal, who had supposedly died years ago, is actually alive. In doing so, he finds a purpose in life and proves the importance of the ‘oo’ secret service.
The last and perhaps most remarkable similarity between the two films is the presence of a strong emotional track. ‘In Rogue Nation’, the emotional quotient of the film was magnified, courtesy the crackling rapport between Cruise and his onscreen friend Simon Pegg. This is best illustrated in the pulsating scene in which Hunt saves his friend’s life while endangering his own welfare.
On a similar note, ‘Spectre’ too features emotional undercurrents. In it, Lea Seydoux essays the role of a doctor who has a very disturbed relationship with her father. Her animosity to him is quite evident rights from the word go. However, she is shocked and shattered when she learns about the tragic way in which his life ended. This transformation in her attitude post the revelation adds a lot of depth to the narrative. Moreover, the emotional aspect is emphasized further in the climax when Bond spares his arch nemesis, hinting that there are better things in life.
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