Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol is the best Mission Impossible movie to date. It’s faced-paced, stylish and filled with beautiful and intense action sequences, all being wonderfully helmed by animated director, Brad Bird. Tom Cruise has always been a great lead, but Ghost Protocol brought Tom Cruise back in the best way possible, solidifying that he is still force to be reckoned with.
Blamed for a terrorist attack on the Kremlin, Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and the entire IMF agency are disavowed by the U.S. government, while the president initiates the Ghost Protocol. Forced to go “off the grid” — left without resources or backup — Hunt must somehow clear the agency’s name and prevent another attack. Complicating matters even more, Ethan must undertake the impossible mission with a group of fellow IMF fugitives whose actual motives are suspect.
Ghost Protocol almost feels like a soft reboot for the franchise, even though it still is canon with the other three installments. Before the release of this movie, Tom Cruise’s career wasn’t on the biggest hot streak. Sure, he had Valkyrie and his tremendous role as Les Grossman in the comedy Tropic Thunder, Cruise wasn’t doing a whole lot of work. The initial plan of Ghost Protocol was to pass the torch on to another, and that person was originally set for Jeremy Renner. However, things drastically changed after how critically and financially successful Ghost Protocol turned out to be. And boy, are we glad that Tom Cruise got his career back on track with this movie. No disrespect to Jeremy Renner, but Cruise should be the face of this franchise for the foreseeable future because Cruise is terrific in this movie.
Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol acts as reigniting the franchise, in a way that doesn’t rely on the predecessor to fully grasp the events and characters that are introduced. Instead of being directed by J.J. Abrams, who previously directed Mission: Impossible III, Brad Bird (Incredibles and Iron Giant) steps in to helm his very first live-action movie, and delivers in spades. The opening scene inside a Russian prison expertly shows the choreographed and playful fun that Bird carries over from his animated films and pastes into his live-action proceedings. Considering Bird is notably known from his work in animation, he offers a great sense of timing with brilliant comedy, spectacular stunts. He then takes things up a notch with enjoyable character dynamics and a straightforward but still intriguing story featuring plenty of unique action set piece.Cruise and company all work seamlessly within the action, especially when Bird incorporates a good chunk of humor for them to spew at each other from time to time.
What Ghost Protocol really benefits from is having its lead star appear almost indestructible at the age of 50. Say what you will about Tom Cruise, but he will always find ways to gives audience spectacle and adrenaline. For someone who’s over the age of 50 that puts themselves in a death defying situation is an incredible feet, but it also heightens the tension. The famous sequence that Ghost Protocol is famously known for is the sequence in which Tom Cruise, himself, straps himself on the tallest building in the world, the Burj Khalifa. Standing at over 2700 feet, Cruise pulls off one of the most impressive and stress inducing moments maybe in action film history. Shot primarily with IMAX cameras, it gives each action set piece more immersion and life, thereby making it more prominent. Cruise has always been one of Hollywood’s best actors, and Ghost Protocol elevates him more as a great action star.
What Ghost Protocol succeeds in doing is giving a great sense of team chemistry with Tom Cruise and the rest of the gang. Simon Pegg, as Benjii, is easily one of the best additions in this franchise. Not only is his character a great sense of comedic relief, but the dynamic he notably shares with Tom Cruise is one aspect as to why this movie works. The banter between the two and even the action scenes that Pegg is involved in are terrific and superbly entertaining sequences. Newcomers Paula Patton and Jeremy Renner also provide some great dynamics within the team, and seeing Jeremy Renner kick butt, before he took on the role of Hawkeye in the MCU, was a huge testament to how physically capable he was to stand up to someone like Tom Cruise, and he didn’t disappoint.
Michael Giacchino, who has collaborated with Brad Bird on Up, The Incredibles and Ratatouille, teams up with Bird to deliver another great score for the Mission: Impossible franchise. His score is another extra source of high-pitched amusement that heightens the film’s stimulating tone that it accompanies. He may have borrowed a lot of his sensibilities from doing the music for Mission: Impossible III, but Giacchino found a new and creative way to make the music add layers to the big moments and to the smaller moments. It’s sad he never came back to compose more music for the rest of the franchise, but Lorne Balfe and Joe Kraemer were perfect replacements, but as far as the music goes, Giacchino is the face of that.
Mission: Impossible Ghost-Protocol is the best example of how to make a skillfully made action film that works because of all the right elements that are blended together to create pure adrenaline bliss. Tom Cruise gives a great performance, both from an actual performance and physical performance. The action is choreographed perfectly, that also adds more to the enjoyment factor of the entire movie. The team chemistry is well developed and even though Cruise outshines them all with his charisma, the unification between all of them doesn’t feel overshadowed by Cruise, as a talent. This is entertainment in the best fashion.
My grade for Mission: Impossible-Ghost Protocol: A+
Zane's take at the Cinema's 