Light the fuse and run.
The latest instalment in the Mission: Impossible franchise sees a return to form for a series that had threatened to disappear after the disappointing box office results of the previous sequel. Part three wasn’t helped by a slew of embarrassing media appearances by Tom Cruise in the lead up to release which you could argue has also led to a succession of mediocre to downright bad movies from the former top gun.
With that in mind, it feels like Cruise along with director Brad Bird (with his “live” action debut) and producer J.J. Abrams (Lost, Star Trek) have pulled out all the stops to ensure that ‘Ghost Protocol‘ ups the ante for any future action/spy movies.
Blazing from one dazzling set piece to another, ‘Ghost Protocol‘ sees Ethan Hunt (Cruise) and his IMF team go rogue to try and stop a sadistic Russian terrorist from starting nuclear war and to clear their name after being accused of blowing up the Kremlin. Why is it always the Russians who are the bad boys with the evil tools of destruction?!
The IMF team chemistry is one of the most successful parts of the movie with each supporting character given adequate time to shine. Paula Patton looks absolutely fantastic as revenge fuelled agent Jane Carter while Brit funny man Simon Pegg naturally provides the necessary comic relief as gadgets expert Benji. The addition of Jeremy Renner as new agent Brandt also adds a layer of mystery to a sequel that feels fresh yet familiar. Renner is good but possibly slightly underused considering the buzz around him right now. After landing the lead in the Bourne film and as Hawkeye in next Summer’s ‘Avengers’, one can only hope he gets more screen time if the ‘Impossible’ series gets the expected green light for more sequels.
As for Cruise, he is effortlessly charming, charismatic and still packs a bone crunching punch as Ethan Hunt. I do feel like this should be the big hit he needs to get his career back on track and his invigorated performance smacks of an actor proving he can still cut it with a new slew of action movie stars. And yes, he runs in this movie. A LOT. (‘Family Guy’ viewers will know what I’m talking about)
Ultimately though, most people are going to walk away from ‘Ghost Protocol’ talking about the stunts and special effects. A lot had been made pre-release of the scene with Cruise hanging from the world’s tallest building – the Burj Khalifa in Dubai – and the hype is well worth it. Anyone with a fear of heights will probably slip in to a vertigo induced coma after seeing Cruise hanging by the tips of his fingers thousands of feet up. The rest of us will just admire his stubborn ability to ignore the danger and make the role seem that more believable.
The Dubai scene is one of many spectacular throughout the movie as we’re treated to an epic sandstorm chase, a massive explosion at the Kremlin and a final headache inducing showdown in a high tech multi-storey car park.
If you get a chance to go see it in IMAX then do it. The scale and scope of ‘Ghost Protocol‘ is quite phenomenal as director Bird takes us on a world tour around Moscow, Dubai and Mumbai. Watching movies like this on a massive screen really do show up 3D for being the relatively cheap gimmick it is.
Yes, the movie has it’s cliches and some cheesy dialogue so if you’re looking for intricate performances and lots of dramatic tension then you should probably pick another movie this Holiday season. But in terms of providing explosive, non-stop and over the top action, ‘Ghost Protocol‘ ticks all the right boxes.
‘Impossible’ fans will be pleased that the series hasn’t quite chosen to self destruct yet. If anything, it’s heart is beating stronger than ever before. Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to suspend disbelief for a couple of hours and treat yourself to a couple of hours of kick-ass action. And Tom Cruise running.
8/10
Official Trailer:
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