Mission: Impossible Reviews
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The film isn't amazing but it holds its own well enough, slightly better than 'Bond' in my view, more of a younger version perhaps. Nice ensemble cast which all work well together throughout the film, never too sure who may get killed or double cross the team, its also closer to the original source material as 'Hunt' always worked in a team, it didn't solely revolve around Hunt, well not too much.
A good 'light' action flick which everyone can enjoy as there is no excessive violence or blood, better than 'Bond', on par with 'Indy' but not as hard as 'Die Hard'.
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Die hard fans of the series had lots of issues with how certain characters were portrayed and how things were done, but I can't really weigh in on that aspect. Though the broad plot (a hunt for a mole who tries to betray the company due to disillusionment) is nothing new, and the film is rather light on subtext, it's all done with tons of style, energy, and competance. Brian DePalma is at the helm, but it seems like many of his big flashy trademarks are downplayed, and used more subtly, which is fine by me even if it shows that anyone else could have been in charge instead of him.
There's some big action scenes, one of which gets a bit too over the top, but, as good as all this is done, where the film shines is with the mood, tone, atmosphere, and the building of suspense and tension. The film has very much the feel of a slick, updated film noir quality about it, especially in the first act setpiece with all the shots of foggy streets and heavy backlighting. The real highlight of the film though, is the incredible sequence at Langeley where agent Ethan Hunt is suspended from a ceiling trying to steal valuable information from a heavily protected computer. Everytime I watch this sequence, no matter how many times I've seen it, it really holds up, and the only way it could have been more suspenseful would be if it was all done in a single take.
The cast are well chosen and they all put in some good work. Say what you want about Cruise, but he is a good choice and pulls off the part pretty nicely. Emmanuelle Beart makes for a sultry femme fatale, Jean Reno and Ving Rhames each bring some charisma and humor to things, and having Jon Voight in your film is always a good idea.
Give this one a watch. It's a real fun and entertaining ride, and Danny Elfman's score blends in nicely with Lalo Schifrin's classic theme song.
Super Reviewer
Super Reviewer
Tom Cruise's portrayal of Ethan Hunt is most likely the best portrayal of any spy I have ever seen. He has the wit of Roger Moore's James Bond (using Roger Moore, because I thought he was the most witty of all the Bonds); the grittiness and hot-headedness of Matt Damon's Jason Bourne; and the occasional sarcasm offered in an original manner. Of course, it is tedious to compare him to Jason Bourne, onscreen, as THE BOURNE IDENTITY came six years after this, but to make it more reasonable, Robert Ludlum's authorized portrayal of Bourne may have been part of what Tom Cruise tried to work toward in his character--and he succeeded!
If you have not seen this, be sure to catch it on TV or come across it in a DVD store. It's worth at least one watch, and really, with all the action and thrills, it's (nearly) impossible not to love.
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To me, Tom Cruise is one of the greatest actors out there and his Ethan Hunt is just ridiculously cool and the American equivalent of a young James Bond. At times he's incredibly cocky and over his head, but when it comes down to high pressured situations, he's the best at what he does. Seeing him go from a seemingly naive agent into a paranoid conspiracy theorist and then into a mastermind of deception is just really fun. Then there's an endless amount of great supporting roles including an effectively creepy John Voight, Jean Reno and Ving Rhames.
What this does in terms of plot is really original for a T.V. adaptation. It continues the story of Phelps, while also making something completely new with the general idea. David Koepp does a great job of making this something that nearly anyone can watch instead of just fans of the show. The plot is just a really great espionage scenario in which you have the whole concept of secret agents being questioned. The series of twists and turns that follow the initial mission are really well put together; it's just endless in delivering great action and intense character moments.
Brian De Palma is a director that I admire a lot and he does some amazing work here. He manages to keep the story going smoothly, but also bring in some of his trademark techniques that make it more than just average film making. His mastery of split screen, long shots, flat out bizarre camera angles and sequences editing together into in ways you just wouldn't expect. He basically makes this movie more than entertainment and knows exactly what he's doing in terms of storytelling and giving a unique experience.
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