I won't be cliche and tell you that your mission, should you choose to accept it... You know the rest. Without a doubt, this is the best of all the Mission Impossible movies, including the original. Over the years, the MI franchise had become something of a cartoon of itself. So, it seemed appropriate that Brad Bird should be chosen to helm MI4 Ghost Protocol. As the Oscar winning director of the Incredibles, he made animated cartoons seem very real. Now, he's made Mission Impossible real again. He's injected a fresh breathe of confidence, humor and camaraderie into a series that sorely needed it. He's not only re-invigorated the franchise, he's re-invigorated Tom Cruise's career as an action star. With this movie, Tom is back on top. You'll notice that there is a lot of the Incredibles in MI4 Ghost Protocol. That's not only because of Brad Bird's influence, but because the Incredibles was a humorous homage to action films. You could say it's the IMF meets the Incredibles. That is not a deterrent. It's a tribute to a director who can think outside the proverbial action box. This isn't the same old, same old. The movie is much more upbeat and doesn't take itself too seriously. Which works to its advantage. Tom Cruise has never been better. This isn't the brooding Ethan Hunt of previous movies. He's a man on a mission. pardon the pun. To make a complicated story short, the IMF has been shut down and disavowed after a massive explosion at the Kremlin. That explosion is blamed on the IMF. But, it was nothing more than a diversion to steal a nuclear detonator by a terrorist hell bent on ensuring peace on Earth by starting a nuclear war between the super powers. It's up to Ethan, and his cobbled together disavowed team, to hunt down the nuclear terrorist and save the world. simple. Once you have suspended disbelief, sit back and enjoy. The cast is uniformly excellent. Jeremy Renner plays an IMF analyst suit (with more than desk skills at his disposal) reluctantly recruited into the field. Paula Patton is the former team leader of a mission gone bad sent to rescue Hunt. Simon Pegg is back as Benji, the computer/technology genius. While it may seem like he's there just for comic relief, he is an integral part of the team. There are no dull moments. The movie has a quick pace, fun one liners and mind blowing special effects filmed in glorious IMAX. Paula Patton and Jeremy Renner both have sensational action sequences. Tom Cruise isn't the only actor who gets to jump off buildings. And if this movie is any indication, Jeremy Renner is going to make a fantastic Jason Bourne. This wasn't a vehicle for just Tom. Everyone gets a piece of the action. It's a true throw back to the original TV series. and wait until you see the car. James Bond would trade in his Aston Martin for it.
By
pastapadre
Dormant since the third entry in the series arrived in 2006 - that one helmed by J.J. Abrams garnered good audience and critical response - Mission: Impossible returns and with rookie live-action director Brad Bird of Pixar fame. What materializes is arguably the best of the franchise delivering some tremendous action sequences coupled with a credible story that elevates it beyond just being a series of incredibly impressive set pieces. When IMF is framed for the bombing of the Kremlin - four agents including Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) must go underground to stop a plot to beget nuclear war while also clearing thei r names. Hunt is joined by the returning Benji (Simon Pegg) and newcomers Jane (Paula Patton) and Brandt (Jeremy Renner).Bird shows incredible skill at framing fight scenes and providing some beautiful shots of locales. Being set in Russia, Dubai, and India allowed for plenty of opportunity to capture some great looking footage. The scenes with Hunt on the outside of the Burj Khalifa building were so anxiety-ridden that I almost got uncomfortable watching. That might be partially due to knowing that Cruise was actually hanging out there doing his own stunts and that it wasn't CGI - regardless it goes to show just how much impact the film had in delivering an intense experience through its action and sense of suspense which carried through to the other scenes as well.Ghost Protocol leans heavily on Cruise who delivers an outstanding performance - an example of his undeniably strong screen presence that shines through more here than maybe ever before. The others do well also i n their roles - Patton in particular was subdued in a way that typically isn't reserved for the "sexy" lead female.If there is any area that falls somewhat flat it is some of the attempts at humor - which are handled in a subtle enough manner that any misses didn't hurt the film. What the lighter dialogue did do was provide some levity and a chance to breathe in what was practically non-stop adrenaline pumping action from start to finish. There is also a human touch to the story and the relationships between the characters. I particularly liked the ending - which wrapped things up in a very satisfying fashion that went beyond what one would expect out of a typical action movie.Several scenes were shot with IMAX cameras - for those who have a (real) IMAX theater nearby it's definitely worth paying extra for. The visceral nature of those scenes are amplified greatly.Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol is one of the best action films in recent years. The combination of spectac ular action, great performances, expert direction, and a competent story driving the events has become a rarity and Ghost Protocol delivers in every way.
By
Jonah Waldman
Mission Impossible 4: Ghost Protocol was a hit! Although its two hours and thirteen minutes were quite lengthy, it was jammed packed with action, and kept you on the edge of your seat. Well, Tom Cruise starred in the movie, so it must be great! He exquisitely portrayed strong leadership while he was also ambitious. He set his goal to accomplish the "mission" and not to what seemed to be "right". One great component of the movie is that the actors had humorous dialogue in serious situations. MI4 was appropriately rated at PG-13. I recommend anyone 10+ up to go and watch the film. Though if you decide to take your young ones, they will surely appreciate the awesome gadgets used. For example, wall climbers were used to climb up the largest building in the world. The spies even took a picture of a wall and then put the image on a screen that deceives the eye, and makes you believe the wall is where it always was, even though there are people right in front of you. You might be wondering by now what the movie is really about. A Russian ruler steals nuclear power codes, it is Tom Cruise and his crew's job to stop him before he blows up the world. The movie displays outstanding visuals of famous buildings and places across the globe. Really, the only con on the movie I am able to think of is that I finished my popcorn before the previews were over. In fact, that might have been a pro considering that I was more able to focus on the movie's theme of pressure. The group was working face to face with live terrorists that had the potential to blow up the worl d, and they had to keep their composure. Now, your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to go see Mission Impossible 4: Ghost Protocol!
By
Jiang Xueqin (Toronto, Canada)
There are many drawbacks to having Tom Cruise as your leading man. There's that scary and unsettling "private" life that he leads, and he is short, forcing you to cast actors who can appear not so short (not an easy task). But there's one thing that redeems it all: he has tremendous screen presence. Having been a superstar for almost thirty years, he's effortlessly charismatic on the big screen, and it's his confidence and self-assuredness that propels this film -- otherwise a haphazardly concocted spy thriller -- forward. Yes, the action sequences look daring and creative, b ut they only hold because of Cruise's magnetic pull. Put in Matt Damon in the same role, and the movie would just fall apart.
By
WTDK "If at first the idea is not absurd, the... (My Little Blue Window, USA) (TOP 50 REVIEWER)(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)(VINE VOICE)
When Tom Cruise lost it a couple of years back it impacted my ability to enjoy the films he was in and for a long while I avoided them. Having said that, I enjoyed "Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol" and found it to be the most consistently entertaining of the fou r films produced in the "MI" film series. Bringing director Brad Bird ("The Incredibles", "The Iron Giant")best known for his CGI films made with Pixar was a wise move--Bird proved that he had the ability to make an exceptional thriller with involving characters even when they were CG and now he had the chance to prove he could do the same with live action thrillers.SPOILERS:The convoluted plot boils down to this: Ethan Hunt has been disavowed due to an operation that went awry and he's forced to work with an mysterious analyst named Brandt(Jeremey Renner "The Hurt Locker" and forthcoming "Avengers"), Jane (Paula Patton "Jumping the Broom")and the only member of his team that he's worked with before Benji (Simon Pegg "Paul", "Star Trek") now a field operative. Hunt's team can't rely on anybody within IMF because the organization is being blamed for the destruction of a military facility in the Kremlin. Hunt discovers that Hendricks (Michael Nyqvist of the original "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo")a dangerous terrorist has active launch codes for a Russian nuclear device and plans on using it to start a nuclear war.END OF SPOILERS:A well made thriller with some truly astonishing action set pieces including a scene where Hunt must scale the tallest building in the world in Dubai, "Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol" truly delivers on its promise and is, quite possibly, the best of the four films that Tom Cruise as starred in and co-produced. The writing by André Nemec and Josh Applebaum (both "Alias" alumni working with "Alias" creator J.J. Abrams as co-producer of the film)focuses on developing the plot not so much the characters in the film (although a cursory attempt is made with the IMF team)but then these type of films aren't about developing character as much as it is to create just enough to help the plot fly.The action is nonstop in "M:IGP" and fans looking for a spectaular display of explosions/action sequences won't be disappoin ted. The main flaw of the film is the lack of character development and the use of familiar faces (Jeremey Renner, Josh Holloway in a cameo, Tom Wilkinson)to help flesh out characters that aren't given much screen time to develop but, as I mentioned earlier, that's really not the point of "M:IGP".
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