No Plan. No Backup. No Choice.
Rating: 7/10
Running Time: 133 minutes
US Certificate: PG-13 UK Certificate: 12A
Being a fellow short-arse, I have an immense respect for Tiny Tom. I really wanted Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol to do well even if it is a seemingly pointless vehicle made by Brad ‘The next Walt Disney’ Bird and Hollywood’s answer to the plague.
Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol sees the IMF – not the worthy but sometimes flawed International Monetary Fund but the Impossible Mission Force (Jesus that sounds lame after a hiatus) – implicated in a bombing of the Kremlin. The IMF are banned and so their poster boy Ethan Hunt (Cruise) and his crew fight to clear the name of this international police force. Ironically, a plot which appears to have been stolen from Team America – a movie poking fun at this kind of movie.
To be fair, Brad Bird has done a pretty good job to turn the ailing franchise around. The depressing mood of the third M:I has been replaced with a more upbeat and fun approach. The plot isn’t Shakespeare but easy to follow and the foreign menagerie of bad guys is there to boo even if their motivations are character traits are barely touched upon. Sean Pegg’s been bought in to provide the funnies, Jeremy Renner’s mainly there to add some much needed cool and Paula Patton is the good looking – a real necessity as Tom’s no longer able to single-handedly carry a movie. As Ethan Hunt, Tom does bring a familiarity and charm to the role as he breezes through the enjoyable but, at times, overly ridiculous action.
It's Got: The Tom Cruise show with able support, simple and fun storyline and action
It Needs: More explanation of bad guy motivation and the technological wizardry
Summary
A likeable, old fashioned blockbuster that puts the Mission: Impossible franchise and Tom Cruise back on track. Not a classic but a fun watch nonetheless.