Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol - 9 stars out of 10

Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol - 9 stars out of 10

"Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol" has finally found the perfect balance of action, intrigue, and comedy that the series has been searching for since M:I 2.  Although I cannot say that it is as good as the original (whose plot and twists will probably never be matched), this film is better in a few ways.  The original relies completely on mind-games but this fourth edition in the Mission: Impossible series continues the awesome mind games while adding stunning special effects and heart-pounding action sequences.  Our HD culture doesn't hurt when it comes to filming these exotic locations.  It differs from previous installments by basically splitting the story into three definitive chapters - Moskow, Dubai, and Mumbai.  The previous films have had a very linear feel from start to finish but this format works as this mission makes us feel the step-by-step process that this crew goes through when things go wrong and they have to revamp their plan.  While the enormous, monster twist does not involve the villain like the previous films, there are a ton of little twists and unexpected events that make this film the opposite of predictable and will keep it from ending the way that you expect.  Tom Cruise is excellent in this one and I also liked Paula Patton's spunky performance.  Jeremy Renner wasn't nearly as good as in "The Town" and I also think that Michael Nyqvist fell short of my expectations because of his performance in the original "Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" series.  Actually, the performer that I enjoyed the most was Lea Sedoux, who I think was severly underused in this story.  Of course the gadgets were cool, particularly the moving screen and the BMW.  This film focuses on the gadgets more than Missions 1-3, but I didn't mind the Bond-esque feeling that these gadgets created.  The Dubai sequence is my favorite of the film, from the complexity of their plan to Tom Cruise scaling the side of the tallest hotel in the world (in real life!) and the explosion at the Kremlin.  I could go on about other awesome scenes (like the prison break and the sandstorm car chase), but that's the joy of this film: every single scene is good.  There really isn't a single boring part in this entire film.  While we are used to the cool gadgets and unexpected twists, the effective use of comedy is what sets this film apart from the others for me.  Simon Pegg is so funny, and yet his jokes come at all of the right moments and never seem like a momentum-killer.  With this subtle comedy, the film adds a new facet of entertainment value.  It's just a well-rounded film and there are only two negative comments that I have.  First, some of the injuries are a bit far-fetched.  Granted, I appreciate that they actually show the characters being affected by their injuries, but nobody could get up and run around with this much physical trauma.  Also, the last 5 minutes - an incredibly important explanation that creates an enormous twist - are rushed.  It almost seems like the characters on-screen are speaking too fast for us to comprehend the twist that they are trying to leave on our minds.  Yes, the movie is over 2 hours long but don't rush through the most important dialogue of the entire film!  Despite these two short-comings, it is easy to give this film such a high rating because it was truly awesome and had my adrenaline pumping from start to finish.  This is a great accomplishment for an already successful series and I really hope to see a new Mission: Impossible in the near future!

Mission: Impossible III - 8 stars out of 10

Mission: Impossible III - 8 stars out of 10

Without question, "Mission: Impossible III" is the most intense of the series.  It finds the balance between action and mind game that the second one was searching for without the attitude of "more masks = more mind games."  Philip Seymour Hoffman makes such a sinister villain as he is calm and collected but uses his resources to impose misery on others.  The film's opening sequence cleverly sets the tone with a "what the heck is going on" moment and immediately gets your adrenaline pumping.  Without explaining who, where, when, or why, the scene throws off your equilibrium and yet, it does not seem out of place or confusing because of the nature of this series.  When you finally return to the scene toward the end of the movie, every single confusing detail makes sense.  This opening scene alone makes me look at the film and say "awesome."  I like the militaristic feel that the extraction creates, once again giving the series a fresh feel.  Cruise continues to make his character one of the coolest in film and thank goodness for the inclusion of the awesome Ving Rhames again.  Simon Pegg and Keri Russell were not used enough but I do love the twist with Lawrence Fishburn.  His role is a bit confused as he uses a little too much Morpheus in his character for me to completely buy it, but his attitude really does fit the character well.  Every scene is mapped out really nicely, from the momentum of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge attack to the clever lip reading and escape from the prison.  I love that in Shanghai, they show Ethan's break-in (PS "the fulcrum" is one of the coolest aspects of any of these movies) but do not show what happens inside of the building.  It may seem like a cop out to some but in my honest opinion, this is a strategic move on the writers as they anticipate the audiences familiarity with the complex break-ins throughout the series.  By leaving it to the audience's imagination, our familiarity with the series enhances the sequence as you subconsciously piece together a million different cool scenarios in your head while the chase ensues through the city.  After the ginormous twist at the end, It gets a bit far-fetched but you won't care at the time because it's so intense while the resolution has your heart pounding out of your chest (and hopefully his).  Nothing can beat the original but "M:i:III" is a complete package that will thrill you and twist your mind in circles.

Mission: Impossible 2 - 6 stars out of 10

Mission: Impossible 2 - 6 stars out of 10

"Mission: Impossible 2" is often criticized but is still enjoyable to watch.  I put it in my "Amazing action and special effects, but I wish that it had a great plot to match" category.  Since this story lacks a CIA conspiracy aspect within its plot, the writers attempted to make up for it by adding more action sequences that aren't always related to the story.  This did not work.  They look cool but just take away from the reality of the film (like the convertible chase sequence and dueling motorcycles(?)).  Don't get me wrong.  I truly enjoy watching this film but I have to consider it as purely an action film instead of an espionage thriller.  Th thing that does impress me about this film is Hans Zimmer's incredible film score which ties everything together with its Spanish flair.  The story of the Chimera is really cool, particular as we discover the results of this disease and begin to feel helpless.  The story utilizes the masks again, this time almost feeling like too many plot twists reliant on these twists.  I'll just say it: there are too many masks..  The anticipated break-in in this film is just as poignant as the one in the first film, keeping you on your toes and being a part that you'll look forward to the entire film.  I really don't care for Thandie Newton (who never shows the right emotion at the right time), but Ving Rhames is back as the incredibly Luther Stickwell.  Dougray Scott makes a good villain.  Unlike the first film, we know who the villain is the entire time and the love triangle between Cruise, Scott, and Newton becomes more important than the actual mission (the recovery of the Chimera virus and antidote).  This film would be okay if it wasn't in the "Mission: Impossible" series, but the label creates an expectation of intrigue instead of a love subplot that imposes itself over the mission that we care about.  It also loses the realism that makes the original so special as this film contains over a dozen "yeah, right..." moments that make these IMF agents seem like a fairy tale instead of a secret, hidden branch of our government that exists without us knowing.   The chase scenes are intense and the special effects are stunning, but this film will leave you wanting more "mission" and less "impossible."

Mission Impossible - 10 stars out of 10

Mission Impossible - 10 stars out of 10

Mission Impossible is one of the most classic spy films ever imagined.  With characters disguised by masks left and right and twists lurking around every corner, your mind will be working overtime.  A lot of people dislike Tom Cruise but it is difficult to dislike him in the role of Ethan Hunt.  In this story, a special agent finds himself in an "impossible" situation (see what I did there?) when his entire team is killed and he is wrongly identified as a mole in the system.  Unfortunately, he has to put himself into an even more "impossible" situation (See? I did it again) in order to clear his name and put the real mole behind bars.  This excellent cast includes Jon Voight, Jean Reno, Ving Rhames (who plays one of the coolest roles in film), Kristin Scott Thomas, and Vanessa Redgrave.  You can't go wrong with 4 Oscar-nominees in your cast.  The film's iconic scene, with Cruise lowered from the ceiling of a secure room in the CIA, is just as intense as when it first came out over 15 years ago.  The film delivers the perfect blend of action and mental intrigue and I cannot imagine anybody figuring out how all of these twists can possibly be resolved on their first view.  Who is a good guy and who is a bad guy?  Don't bother answering the question since the roles will be reversed five minutes farther into the movie.  Even on my 10th view, I pick up new little subtleties that keep the plot interesting even when the ending is known.  I am so glad that this series has been extended over several films and hope for more in the future.

In the Line of Fire - 9 stars out of 10

In the Line of Fire - 9 stars out of 10

Clint Eastwood is B.A. (as always) and deserves a lot of praise for a wonderful performance, but the shining star in this movie is John Malkovich.  I was really glad to see him receive an Oscar nod for his strong (and disturbing) performance.  Movie writers know that the most threatening villain is the one who is not afraid to die, but that character requires a very talented actor to bring it to life.  Malkovich was the perfect candidate to play Mitch Leary.  The story is thrilling, but only because Eastwood and Malkovich's characters are so well written.  Though the cat-and-mouse plot does not have any sort of twist, it will definitely keep you on the edge of your seat and keep you wondering what will happen in the end.