Review of Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol (2011) by Outsidein — 31 Dec 2011

Mission Incredible Director Bird -he of The Incredibles/Pixar pedigree - has delivered a no brain, non-stop thriller that makes the latest James Bond look like a BBC period piece. Forget the premise - who can believe a genius Swedish physicist fit enough to outrun Cruise, wants to start a nuclear war? So don't expect any Christopher Nolan style cleverness (thank God!)to lumber the movie in layers of psycho-babble.

This is popcorn chomping of the highest order. The key to the success of this film rests in the fabulous stunts and chases and an excellent ensemble cast. Right from the first scene, the movie grabs you in an adrenalin pumping escape from a Russian jail.

It takes you from one amazing set piece to the next - all featuring the nearly 50 year old Cruise doing the impossible. The top scene is the one set in Dubai which had the entire audience gasping for air.

Forget suspension of disbelief - there was not one believable scene - it was a tour de force of CGI and physical prowess from Cruise. The real bonus was the four characters who make up the Impossible team - Cruise, Pegg, Renner and the girl (Carter?).

The three men were terrific - Cruise, charismatic, Pegg, funny, and Renner - just wonderful. The Amazonian mocha colored girl was unbelievable as all these females are - beautiful, powerful - incredible.

Yet the interplay worked with all of them, and they separated this movie from the usual action dross. Points off for total lack of coherent plot, terrible villain, and a dash of hoke throughout - Cruise's wife, the Russians, the female agent's grief over a lost agent/boyfriend - well, you can't ask for everything.