Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol | |
---|---|
Directed by | Brad Bird |
Produced by | |
Written by | |
Based on | Mission: Impossible by Bruce Geller |
Starring |
|
Music by | Michael Giacchino |
Cinematography | Robert Elswit |
Edited by | Paul Hirsch |
| |
Distributed by | Paramount Pictures[1] |
| |
133 minutes[3] | |
Country | United States[1] |
Language | English |
Budget | $145 million[4] |
Box office | $694.7 million[4] |
Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol is a 2011 American actionspy film directed by Brad Bird and written by Josh Appelbaum and André Nemec. It is the fourth installment in the Mission: Impossible film series, and also Bird's first live-action film.[5] It stars Tom Cruise, who reprises his role of IMF agent Ethan Hunt, alongside Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg, Paula Patton, Michael Nyqvist, Léa Seydoux and Anil Kapoor. Ghost Protocol was produced by Cruise, J. J. Abrams (the third film's director) and Bryan Burk. It saw the return of editor Paul Hirsch and visual effects supervisor John Knoll from the first film, and is also the first Mission: Impossible film to be partially filmed using IMAX cameras.
Released in the United States by Paramount Pictures on December 16, 2011, the film went on to become the highest-grossing film in the series, with $694 million, until it was surpassed by Mission: Impossible – Fallout.[6] It is the fifth highest-grossing film of 2011 as well as the second highest-grossing film starring Cruise.[7][8][9] It was followed by Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation, which was released in July 2015.
- 3Production
- 5Distribution
- 6Reception
Plot[edit]
Mission Impossible Fallout
IMF agent Trevor Hanaway is killed in Budapest by assassin Sabine Moreau, who takes his file containing Russian nuclear launch codes so she can give them to a man known only as 'Cobalt'.
IMF agent Ethan Hunt has purposely become incarcerated in a Moscow prison to acquire Bogdan, a source of information on Cobalt. With help of Jane Carter, Hanaway's handler, and newly promoted field agent Benji Dunn, Hunt and Bogdan make their escape. IMF tasks Hunt to infiltrate the Kremlin to gain more information on Cobalt. During the mission, an unknown entity broadcasts on the IMF frequency ordering the detonation of a bomb. Hunt's team aborts the mission just as a bomb destroys much of the Kremlin. Carter and Dunn escape, but Hunt is captured by SVR agent Anatoly Sidorov and charged with destroying the Kremlin.
Hunt escapes and meets with the IMF Secretary, in Moscow on other business. The Secretary tells Hunt they had to initiate 'Ghost Protocol', disavowing IMF, but secretly orders Hunt to continue to pursue Cobalt. Sidorov's forces catch up to Hunt, and the Secretary is killed; Hunt escapes along with the Secretary's aide and intelligence analyst William Brandt. Regrouping with Carter and Dunn, Brandt is able to identify Cobalt as Kurt Hendricks, a Swedish-born Russian nuclear strategist, who seeks to start a nuclear war between the U.S. and Russia. Hendricks used the Kremlin bombing to cover up his theft of a Russian launch-control device, and now is planning a trade with Moreau at the Burj Khalifa in Dubai to gain the required launch codes.
The team travels to Dubai. On the 119th floor of the hotel, they create deceptions using their various gadgetry and disguises to make Moreau believe she is meeting with Hendricks, and vice versa, when in fact they are interacting with the IMF team. Moreau discovers the deception, and in the ensuing chaos, Hendricks manages to escape with the launch codes, losing Hunt's pursuit in the midst of a dust storm. As Moreau tries to escape, she is knocked out of a window by Carter and presumably falls to her death. Brandt accuses Carter of letting her love for Hanaway compromise the mission, but Hunt recognizes that Brandt has also been keeping secrets from them, having shown combat skills atypical of a mere analyst. Hunt leaves to meet with Bogdan to get more information on Hendricks, while Brandt tells the others that he had been assigned to secretly protect Ethan and his wife Julia in Croatia. Julia had been killed by a hit squad and Brandt feels responsible for Ethan's loss, which is why he stopped being a field agent.
Bogdan directs Ethan towards Mumbai, where Hendricks is set to negotiate with Indian telecommunications entrepreneur Brij Nath to gain control of an obsolete Soviet military satellite. The IMF team splits up to stop Hendricks; Carter seduces Nath to get the satellite override code, while Hunt, Brandt and Dunn try to stop Hendricks from using Nath's broadcast station. They are too late as Hendricks has sent the launch codes to a Russian Delta III-classnuclear submarine to fire a single missile at San Francisco and disabled the station's computer systems. Brandt and Dunn race to get the systems back online to send the override code, while Hunt pursues Hendricks, eventually having a brutal brawl with him face to face in an automated car park. Hendricks, with the launch device, jumps to his death moments before the missile is set to land. Hunt then uses one of the cars and takes a dangerous fall to use the device; he barely disables the missile before it strikes. Sidorov, who has followed IMF from Dubai to Mumbai, arrives and realizes that the IMF is innocent of the Kremlin bombing.
The team meets in Seattle after Ethan accepts a new mission from Luther Stickell. Brandt confesses to Ethan about his failure to protect Julia. Ethan, however, reveals that her 'death' and the murder of the Serbians were part of a plot to give her a new identity and enable Ethan to infiltrate the prison. A relieved Brandt happily accepts his mission, and becomes an agent once again. Meanwhile, Julia arrives at the harbor. Ethan and Julia gaze at each other from afar before Ethan departs for his next mission.
![Mission impossible rogue nation Mission impossible rogue nation](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/f/ff/MI_%E2%80%93_Fallout.jpg)
Cast[edit]
- Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt
- Simon Pegg as Benji Dunn
- Jeremy Renner as William Brandt
- Paula Patton as Jane Carter
- Michael Nyqvist as Kurt Hendricks
- Léa Seydoux as Sabine Moreau
- Vladimir Mashkov as Anatoly Sidorov
- Samuli Edelmann as Marius Wistrom
- Ivan Shvedoff as Leonid Lisenker, a nuclear code expert forced by Hendricks to authenticate the codes
- Josh Holloway as Trevor Hanaway
- Pavel Kříž as Marek Stefanski
- Miraj Grbić as Bogdan
- Ilia Volok as The Fog, an arms dealer and Bogdan's cousin
- Andrej Bestcastnyj as Major Egorov
- Andreas Wisniewski as The Fog's contact
- Anil Kapoor as Brij Nath, an Indian media tycoon
- Tom Wilkinson (uncredited) as IMF Secretary.[10]
- Ving Rhames (uncredited cameo) as Luther Stickell[11]
- Michelle Monaghan (uncredited cameo) as Julia Meade-Hunt, Ethan's wife[12]
Production[edit]
Despite Mission: Impossible III earning less than its predecessors at the box office, its critical reception was much better than the second film and Paramount Pictures was keen on developing a fourth in the series.[13] In August 2009, Josh Appelbaum and André Nemec were hired to write the film's screenplay.[14] Because of other commitments, J. J. Abrams said that it was unlikely for him to return as director but made note that he will produce the film alongside Tom Cruise.[15] By March 2010, director Brad Bird was in talks of directing the film with Cruise returning to star as Ethan Hunt.[16]
The film was originally announced with a working name of Mission: Impossible 4 and code-named 'Aries' during early production.[17] By August 2010, title considerations did not include the Mission: Impossible 4 name, and thought was given to omitting the specific term 'Mission: Impossible', which Variety compared to Christopher Nolan's Batman sequel film The Dark Knight.[18] In late October 2010, however, the title was confirmed as Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol.[19]
Christopher McQuarrie (who later directed Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation and Mission: Impossible – Fallout) did an uncredited rewrite of the screenplay, explaining that:
On Ghost Protocol I came in on the middle of the shoot to do a rewrite of the screenplay, though they had already started the movie. I had to communicate with the entire staff to determine what I could and couldn't change, what sets had been built or struck, what scenes I could or couldn't reshoot. I learned so much about production being right there. .. The script had these fantastic sequences in it but there was a mystery in it that was very complicated. What I did was about clarity. The mystery had to be made simpler. It's like reaching into a sock and pulling it inside out. It's still a sock, still all the same pieces, but all put together in a different order.[20]
Filming[edit]
The film was partially shot with IMAX cameras, which made up approximately 30 minutes of the film's run time.[21][22] Bird insisted that certain scenes of the film be shot in IMAX, as opposed to 3D, as he felt that the IMAX format offered the viewer more immersion due to its brighter, higher quality image, which is projected on a larger screen, without the need for specialised glasses.[23] Bird also believed that the IMAX format would bring back 'a level of showmanship' to the presentation of Hollywood films, which he believes the industry has lost due to its emphasis on screening films in multiplexes as opposed to grand theaters, and vetoing 'first runs' in favor of wider initial releases.[23]
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'When we were first looking at the image of Tom climbing the Burj, in the long shots we could not only see the traffic in the reflections when he presses down on the glass .. But you actually saw the glass warp slightly because of the pressure of his hand. You would never see that in 35mm. The fact that the screen fills your vision and is super sharp seems more life-like.' |
—Brad Bird describing the advantages of filming in the IMAX format.[24] |
Principal photography took place from October 2010 to March 19, 2011.[25] Filming took place in Budapest, Mumbai, Prague, Moscow, Vancouver, Bangalore, and Dubai.[26][27][28] Tom Cruise performed a sequence where Ethan Hunt scales the outside of the Burj Khalifa tower, which is the world's tallest building, without the use of a stunt double.[29] Although Cruise appears to be free solo climbing in the film with the help of special gloves, in reality, he was securely attached to the Burj Khalifa at all times by multiple cables.[25]Industrial Light & Magic digitally erased the cables in post-production. Following Cruise's example, Patton and Seydoux also chose to forgo the use of stunt doubles for their fight scene at the Burj Khalifa where Carter exacts her revenge upon Moreau for Hanaway's death.[25]
Many of the film's interior scenes were shot at Vancouver's Canadian Motion Picture Park Studios, including a key transition scene in a specially equipped IMF train car and the fight between Hunt and Hendricks in a Mumbai automated multi-level parking garage (which was constructed over a six-month period just for the film).[25] The film's climax scene was shot with Indian film actor Anil Kapoor in the Sun Network office in Bangalore.[30][31] The film's opening Moscow prison escape scenes were shot on location in a real former prison near Prague.[25]
Bird, having directed several Disney and Pixar films and short films, incorporated the trademark 'A113' into the film on two separate occasions. The first is the design print on Hanaway's ring during the flashback sequence, and the second being when Hunt calls in for support and uses the drop callsign, Alpha 1–1–3.[32]
Soundtrack[edit]
Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol: Music from the Motion Picture | ||||
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Soundtrack album by | ||||
Released | January 10, 2012 | |||
Genre | Film score | |||
Length | 76:28 | |||
Label | Varèse Sarabande | |||
Producer | Michael Giacchino | |||
Michael Giacchino chronology | ||||
| ||||
Mission: Impossible chronology | ||||
|
The musical score for Ghost Protocol was composed by Michael Giacchino, who also composed the music for the third film and collaborated with Bird on The Incredibles and Ratatouille. As in previous installments, the score incorporates Lalo Schifrin's themes from the original television series.[33] 'Lalo is an amazing jazz writer. You know you can't write a straight-up jazz score for a film like this but you can certainly hint at it here and there,' said Giacchino, explaining the stylistic influence generated by Schifrin's history with the franchise.[34] A soundtrack album was released by Varèse Sarabande on January 10, 2012.[35]
All music composed by Michael Giacchino.
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | 'Give Her My Budapest' | 1:57 |
2. | 'Light the Fuse' (Contains Mission: Impossible Theme by Lalo Schifrin) | 2:01 |
3. | 'Knife to a Gun Fight' | 3:42 |
4. | 'In Russia, Phone Dials You' (Contains Mission: Impossible Theme and 'The Plot' by Lalo Schifrin) | 1:40 |
5. | 'Kremlin with Anticipation' (Contains Mission: Impossible Theme and 'The Plot' by Lalo Schifrin) | 4:12 |
6. | 'From Russia with Shove' (Contains Mission: Impossible Theme by Lalo Schifrin) | 3:37 |
7. | 'Ghost Protocol' (Contains Mission: Impossible Theme by Lalo Schifrin) | 4:58 |
8. | 'Railcar Rundown' (Contains Mission: Impossible Theme by Lalo Schifrin) | 1:11 |
9. | 'Hendricks' Manifesto' (Contains Mission: Impossible Theme by Lalo Schifrin) | 3:17 |
10. | 'A Man, A Plan, A Code, Dubai' (Contains Mission: Impossible Theme by Lalo Schifrin) | 2:44 |
11. | 'Love the Glove' (Contains Mission: Impossible Theme by Lalo Schifrin) | 3:44 |
12. | 'The Express Elevator' (Contains Mission: Impossible Theme by Lalo Schifrin) | 2:31 |
13. | 'Mission Impersonatable' | 3:55 |
14. | 'Moreau Trouble Than She's Worth' | 6:44 |
15. | 'Out for a Run' | 3:54 |
16. | 'Eye of the Wistrom' | 1:05 |
17. | 'Mood India' (Contains Mission: Impossible Theme by Lalo Schifrin) | 4:28 |
18. | 'Mumbai's the Word' | 7:14 |
19. | 'Launch Is on Hendricks' | 2:22 |
20. | 'World's Worst Parking Valet' (Contains Mission: Impossible Theme by Lalo Schifrin) | 5:03 |
21. | 'Putting the Miss in Mission' (Contains Mission: Impossible Theme by Lalo Schifrin) | 5:19 |
22. | 'Mission: Impossible Theme (Out with a Bang Version)' | 0:53 |
Distribution[edit]
Marketing[edit]
In July 2011, a teaser trailer for Ghost Protocol was released illustrating new shots from the film, one of which being Tom Cruise scaling the world's tallest building, the Burj Khalifa building in Dubai.[36] Moreover, prior to its release, the studio presented IMAX footage of the film to an invitation-only crowd of opinion makers and journalists at central London's BFI IMAX theater. One of the many scenes that were included was a chase scene in a Dubai desert sandstorm.[37]
During November 2011, the Paramount released a Facebook game of the film in order to promote it. The new game allowed players to choose the roles of IMF agents and assemble teams to embark on a multiplayer journey. Players were also able to garner tickets to the film's U.S. premiere and a hometown screening of the film for 30 friends.[38]
Theatrical release[edit]
Following the world premiere in Dubai on December 7, 2011,[39] the film was released in IMAX and other large-format theaters in the U.S. on December 16, 2011,[40] with general release on December 21, 2011.
Home media[edit]
Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol was released on DVD, Blu-ray, and digital download on April 17, 2012.[41] The home media releases, however, do not preserve the original IMAX imagery,[42][43] and its aspect ratio is consistently cropped to 2.40:1 rather than switching to a 1.78:1 aspect ratio during the IMAX scenes. Blu-ray Disc releases such as The Dark Knight,[44]Tron: Legacy,[45] and Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen[46] will switch between 2.40:1 for regular scenes and 1.78:1 for IMAX scenes. The film was released on 4K UHD Blu-Ray on June 26, 2018.[47]
Reception[edit]
Critical response[edit]
On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 93% based on 238 reviews and an average rating of 7.7/10, The critical consensus on Rotten Tomatoes calls it 'big-budget popcorn entertainment that really works'.[48]Metacritic assigned the film a score of 73 out of 100 based on 47 critics, indicating 'generally favorable reviews'.[49]
Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave the film 3.5 out of four stars, saying the film 'is a terrific thriller with action sequences that function as a kind of action poetry'.[50] Stephen Whitty of The Star-Ledger wrote 'The eye-candy—from high-tech gadgets to gorgeous people—has only been ratcheted up. And so has the excitement.' He also gave the film 3.5 out of four stars.[51] Giving the film three out of four stars, Wesley Morris of The Boston Globe said 'In its way, the movie has old-Hollywood elegance. The scope and sets are vast, tall, and cavernous, but Bird scales down for spatial intimacy.'[52]
Philippa Hawker of The Sydney Morning Herald gave the film three stars out of five and said it is 'ludicrously improbable, but also quite fun.'[53] Owen Gleiberman of Entertainment Weekly opined that the movie 'brims with scenes that are exciting and amazing at the same time; they're brought off with such casual aplomb that they're funny, too. .. Ghost Protocol is fast and explosive, but it's also a supremely clever sleight-of-hand thriller. Brad Bird, the animation wizard, .. showing an animator's miraculously precise use of visual space, has a playful, screw-tightening ingenuity all his own.'[54] Roger Moore of The Charlotte Observer gave the film three out of four stars; said 'Brad Bird passes his audition for a career as a live-action director. And Ghost Protocol more than makes its bones as an argument for why Tom Cruise should continue in this role as long as his knees, and his nerves, hold up.'[55]
Box office[edit]
Ghost Protocol grossed $209.4 million in North America and $485.3 million in other countries for a worldwide total of $694.7 million.[56] It is the second highest-grossing film worldwide in the Mission: Impossible series,[57] and the fifth highest-grossing film of 2011.[58] It is also the second highest-grossing film worldwide starring Cruise, surpassing War of the Worlds from the top spot.[59] It was the franchise's highest-grossing film and Cruise's biggest film at the time of release, before being surpassed by Mission: Impossible – Fallout seven years later.
In limited release at 425 locations in North America, it earned $12.8 million over its opening weekend.[60] After five days of limited release, it expanded to 3,448 theaters on its sixth day and reached #1 at the box office with $8.92 million.[61] The film reached the top stop at the box office in its second and third weekends with $29.6 million and $29.4 million respectively.[62][63] Though only 9% of the film's screenings were in IMAX theaters, they accounted for 23% of the film's box office.[64]
Outside North America, it debuted to a $69.5 million in 42 markets representing approximately 70% of the marketplace. In the United Arab Emirates, it set an opening-weekend record of $2.4 million (since surpassed by Marvel's The Avengers).[65] In two countries outside the U.S. in which filming took place, its opening weekend gross increased by multiples over the previous installment: in Russia, more than doubling, to $6.08 million[66] and in India, more than quadrupling, to $4.0 million.[67] It is the second highest-grossing Mission: Impossible film outside North America.[68] It topped the box office outside North America for three consecutive weekends (during December 2011)[69] and five weekends in total (the other two in 2012).[59] Its highest-grossing markets after North America are China ($102.5 million),[70] Japan ($69.7 million), and South Korea ($51.1 million).[71]
Accolades[edit]
Award | Category | Recipients and nominees | Result |
---|---|---|---|
Alliance of Women Film Journalists[72][73] | Kick Ass Award for Best Female Action Star | Paula Patton | Nominated |
Golden Reel Awards[74] | Best Sound Editing: Sound Effects and Foley in a Feature Film | Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol | Nominated |
Kids' Choice Awards | Favorite Buttkicker | Tom Cruise | Nominated |
MTV Movie Awards[75] | Best Fight | Tom Cruise vs. Michael Nyqvist | Nominated |
Best Gut-Wrenching Performance | Tom Cruise | Nominated | |
Saturn Awards[76] | Best Action or Adventure Film | Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol | Won |
Best Director | Brad Bird | Nominated | |
Best Actor | Tom Cruise | Nominated | |
Best Supporting Actress | Paula Patton | Nominated | |
Best Music | Michael Giacchino | Nominated | |
Best Editing | Paul Hirsch | Won | |
Teen Choice Awards[77] | Choice Movie: Action | Mission Impossible – Ghost Protocol | Nominated |
Choice Movie Actor: Action | Tom Cruise | Nominated | |
Choice Movie Actress: Action | Paula Patton | Nominated | |
Visual Effects Society Awards | Outstanding Models in a Feature Motion Picture | John Goodson, Paul Francis Russell and Victor Schutz | Nominated |
World Stunt Awards | Best Stunt Coordinator and/or 2nd Unit Director | Pavel Cajzl, Dan Bradley, Russell Solberg, Gregg Smrz and Owen Walstrom | Nominated |
Sequel[edit]
In December 2011, Pegg suggested that he and Cruise were interested in returning for a fifth Mission: Impossible film.[78] Paramount was also reportedly interested in fast-tracking a fifth film due to the fourth film's success.[79] Bird had stated that he probably would not return to direct a fifth film, but Tom Cruise had been confirmed to return.[80] It was revealed in August 2013 that Christopher McQuarrie would be the director of Mission: Impossible 5.[81] Principal photography began in February 2014 in London.[82] Paramount Pictures released the film on July 31, 2015.[83] The plot centers around Hunt's IMF team in conflict with 'the Syndicate', an international criminal organization first mentioned at the end of Ghost Protocol.
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|url=
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- ^Box Office: December 30 – January 1, 2012. Boxofficemojo.com.
- ^'IMAX Is on Cruise Control'. Daily Finance. January 4, 2012. Retrieved January 12, 2012.
- ^Finke, Nikki (May 7, 2012). 'Avenger Actuals: $654.8M Weekend = $207.4M Record Domestic, $447.4M Foreign'. Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on May 9, 2012.
- ^Russia – CIS Box Office December 15–18, 2011. Boxofficemojo.com.
- ^Subers, Ray. 'Around-the-World Roundup: 'M:I-4' Lights Fuse Overseas'. Box Office Mojo. Retrieved December 21, 2011.
- ^Subers, Ray (January 22, 2012). 'Around-the-World Roundup: 'Sherlock' Outwits Competition for Third-Straight Weekend'. Box Office Mojo. Retrieved January 23, 2012.
- ^Subers, Ray (January 4, 2012). 'Around-the-World Roundup: 'Mission' Accomplished Again'. Box Office Mojo. Retrieved March 12, 2012.
- ^'China Weekly Box Office (Mar 19 – 25): John Carter repeat on a quiet weekend for openers'. Box Office Follower. March 28, 2012. Retrieved March 29, 2012.
- ^'MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – GHOST PROTOCOL'. Box Office Mojo. Retrieved February 23, 2012.
- ^'Alliance of Women Film Journalists Awards 2011'. Movie City News.
- ^'Alliance of Women Film Journalists Awards 2011 winners'. AWFJ.org.
- ^'2011 Golden Reel Awards nominations'. The Award Circuit.
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- ^'First Wave of 'Teen Choice 2012' Nominees Announced'(PDF). Teen Choice Awards. May 18, 2012. Archived from the original(PDF) on May 18, 2012. Retrieved May 18, 2012.
- ^Exclusive : Pegg, Bird on Mission : Impossible 5; Tom Cruise not retiring Ethan Hunt after all Movie Hole
- ^‘Mission: Impossible 5′ Being Fast-Tracked by Paramount? Screen Rant
- ^The 'Alien 3' Effect: Brad Bird on Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol Crave Online
- ^'TOLDJA: Christopher McQuarried Confirmed To Helm 'Mission: Impossible 5′'. Deadline Hollywood. Penske Media Corporation. August 5, 2013. Retrieved October 30, 2013.
- ^Chitwood, Adam (October 30, 2013). 'Christopher McQuarrie to Direct Sci-Fi Anime Adaptation STAR BLAZERS; Filming on MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE 5 Begins February 2014'. Collider.com. Retrieved October 30, 2013.
- ^The Deadline Team (November 13, 2013). ''Mission: Impossible 5′ Gets Christmas 2015 Date'. Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved December 25, 2013.
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![Patton Patton](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/b5/Mission_impossible_ghost_protocol.jpg)
It has a good mixture of interesting action scenes, suspense, drama, humor, great scenery of Venice, Italy, and fine acting. Nothing is overdone to the point of being too much and, as most MI films go, it has the normal espionage-type intrigue to figure out.
It's just plain entertaining. Kudos to all: the director, the actors and the special-effects and cameraman. A superb job done all around.
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Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol is the forth film in the franchise (though first not to acknowledge its place in the title) and sees Tom Cruise reprising the leading role of the globe-trotting super spy Ethan Hunt. Throughout the series Hunt has evolved from team player to lone wolf and now in Ghost Protocol he must become a true leader of a team that, for the first time, he didn't choose.
The film blasts off into overdrive from the minute the gates open and rarely lets up, it's one hell of a ride and there's enough action and gadgets here to please any fan of the spy film genre. The plot is fairly straightforward; the bad guy obtains the key to the ultimate weapon and plans to destroy the world with it. Hunt and his team, working without the support of the IMF, must stop him at all costs. It has enough twists and turns to keep you engaged but it never gets so complicated that you risk getting lost while you're immersed in the mind- blowing stunt sequences. One thing fans of the series will probably notice this time around is that Hunt is more 'human' when it comes to the action than he has been in most of the previous outings. Not everything goes to plan and if he gets hit or falls down it hurts. Sure he's still a super spy and can do things most mortal men would never try in a million years but the added vulnerability and consequences of those actions gone wrong lifts the film to a new level and is one of the reasons it kept me on board all the way to the end.
If there is anything about this film that let me down a little it was the absence of a true 'super villain' like we had in MI3. Yes there's a villain and yes he's dangerous but there is something missing. I guess I could put it this way – there is no, Joker to Hunt's Batman. In MI3 things get very personal between Hunt and Owen Davian (Philip Seymour Hoffman) and that jacked up the menace and intensity of the conflict to a level you'd expect to see in the ultimate villain but in M:I-GP that level of personal rivalry between protagonist and antagonist was a bit lacking. It's not that Michael Nyqvist (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) didn't deliver a good performance in the few scenes where he interacts with Cruise, it's just that there are so few of these moments that he is, in many ways, almost like another one of his own henchmen and I mistook him for other characters on a few occasions.
Personally I felt a greater presence and sense of danger from the female assassin, Sabine Moreau (Lea Seydoux – Robin Hood), a beautiful yet malicious woman with a cold heartless gaze, completely devoid of compassion. In my opinion she'd have made a much better leading villain, especially as her actions do personally effect one of the team, but despite this little hiccup there is certainly more than enough obstacles to keep Hunt and his team busy and the audience well and truly entertained so this is really just nit-picking on my part.
After the relative disappointment of the second Mission: Impossible film, first time feature director J.J. Abrams (of TV's ALIAS and Lost fame) injected some much needed heart and soul into the third installment, expertly balancing a romantic subplot with the high-octane action sequences all fans demand of such a film. Although Abrams was not going to direct the fourth film it was reassuring to see that he was still involved as a producer so I had relatively high hopes that Ghost Protocol would live up to MI3 and I wasn't disappointed.
Like MI3 before it Ghost Protocol's director's chair is filled with another first timer of sorts and like the previous chapter that 'gamble' has paid off. Although Brad Bird is not a first time feature helmer this is his first foray into the world of live action so he might not seem to be the most obvious choice but there was never any doubt from either Abrams or Cruise about his talent and potential to deliver a great film. Bird's impressive previous credits include The Iron Giant, The Incredibles and Ratatouille (the last two having won Academy Awards for best Animated Feature Film). Like Abrams, Bird has also had great success on the small screen as an executive consultant on the Simpsons and I've been a fan of his work since chancing upon Family Dog (from Spielberg's 'Amazing Stories' series) in the early 90's.
Simon Pegg (Paul) reprises his role as Benji Dunn from MI3, the computer whiz behind all the action. Dunn has now graduated from a 'behind the desk cameo' to a fully qualified field officer and as a result gets a much beefier role in this mission becoming one of Hunt's rogue team. Pegg's natural comedic timing and likable charm adds a much-needed element of lightheartedness to the franchise that could have easily backfired had this role been miscast.
Rounding out the new team are IMF agents Jane Carter (Paula Patton – Deja Vu) and William Brandt (Jeremy Renner –The Hurt Locker), and both actors deliver solid performances. Carter is as sexy as she is deadly and Patton slips between these two persona's with ease while Brandt hides a secret past allowing Renner to show a vulnerability we're not used to seeing in the roles he normally plays.
Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol delivers exactly the type of entertainment action fans crave and as a result it is perfect popcorn movie. If you don't enjoy this ride then entertaining you is a mission: impossible.
![Pdf Pdf](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/EFf-dZevkXw/maxresdefault.jpg)
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I won't get into the story too much as I don't want to ruin it for anyone, but the basic plot is that the Kremlin in Russia is bombed by a terrorist group and IMF is framed for it. Because of these actions, the president decides to activate Operation Ghost Protocol, which essentially means that the entire IMF organisation is disavowed, meaning Ethan and his team are on their own, and like the tagline says 'No Plan, No Backup, No Choice'.
The story I found to be quite solid. Nothing groundbreaking but enough to keep the interest of your average movie-goer.
The performances were generally good all around. Simon Pegg was enjoyable as Benji and Tom Cruise is always great as Ethan Hunt. Jeremy Renner and Paula Patton also gave some great performances.
The action sequences are where the film really shines. Not all scenes were great, I thought the bombing of the Kremlin used some very fake looking CGI which made it more humorous then intense. Also, some scenes seemed a little too far-fetched and made me think that Tom Cruise must be made of steel or something. But if you try not to look into this too much, then chances are you will enjoy the action. The fight scenes were done very well, incredibly brutal and realistic looking. The sound for this film really helped as you could almost feel every punch and kick as well as the explosions. The greatest scene for me was Ethan climbing the hotel in Dubai, the worlds most tallest building. Shot in IMAX as well, I almost felt like I was right there next to Ethan looking down from above. Huge credit goes to Tom Cruise for performing this stunt himself!
Overall, I found the film very enjoyable. I enjoyed it a lot more than the 2nd and 3rd entries, but the 1st has always been the best one for me. I would have given this a perfect 10 but it loses 2 points for the some of the action scenes being a bit silly and unrealistic.
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This one's got everything an action thriller could ask for; guns, flying fists, explosions, cool gadgets, sexy cars, the occasional unanticipated startles, hot chicks, sandstorms, jumping off tall buildings (I think jumping off tall things has always been an MI trademark), also the very much needed occasional comic relief, very occasional (which is good). And this one actually has a decent enough story!
Every single actor in the movie has acted brilliantly. Paula Patton was very natural in her acting, Simon Pegg (the Hot Fuzz guy) was hilarious as usual with his well timed one liners and Jeremy Renner was surprisingly good! (all 3 part of Ethan Hunts team). Not to mention Anil Kapoor!
Oh and Anil Kapoor! Obviously he has been the talk of town for this movie. His character in the movie and his acting (however little its duration) has been spot on and he delivers on the character. His part in the movie will certainly be one of the highlights when you leave the theater. Oh and the portrayal of Mumbai has been quite unique indeed.
I won't spill the beans on the story but I am sure you know the gist of it from the trailers, a certain KABOOM'ing of the Kremlin puts Ethan Hunt in a tough spot and he is being chased down by Russians for something he hasn't done, so he needs to set it right and the only way he can do that is by starring in this awesome movie.
All in all Ghost Protocol is hands down the best one yet from the Mission Impossible series mainly because it is different from its predecessors (thank GOD for that). It is jam packed with action from the very first scene till the last and is filled with insane stunts, gadgets, car chases (sweet ones). It is fast paced and has a good enough story with a script that will keep you in the loop. This movie will keep you on the edge of your seat throughout and not give you a seconds stare away from the screen. The audience actually went 'what? Not NOW!' when the interval screen came up! Yes, it was THAT good.
Well done Cruise.
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Ghost Protocol takes the viewer on a roller coaster of a ride from Moscow to Dubai, all the way to Mumbai, never allowing a breathing space, keeping him on the edge of the seat throughout. MI – GP is indeed the quintessential action extravaganza that the ardent lovers of the genre perpetually anticipate to devour upon in order to satiate their ever growing hunger for unremitting action and adventure. Ethan Hunt is back in all his glory with some newly added dimensions to his old daredevilry that had established him as the greatest contemporary to Ian Fleming's larger than life human incarnate. As seen with Bond in Casino Royale, the key men behind the MI franchise have made conscious efforts to make the caricature of Hunt more vulnerable to danger and crises, and hence more human. MI – GP delivers everything that an action-movie lover craves for: suspense, intrigue, passion, daredevilry, razzmatazz, and much more. The adrenaline filled action is well complemented by the dazzle of the geeky gadgets on display and it is this synergy that makes MI – GP an incredibly sublime experience. The tremendous reputation that the high octane franchise carries meant the newly appointed director Brad Bird—mostly renowned for his animation flicks The Incredibles and Ratatouille—had his work cut out for him. Brad Bird has indeed been up to the task and has lived well to the expectations of Cruise and the entire production team led by J.J. Adams, who directed the third movie of the series back in 2006. Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol is packed with a plethora of action sequences that includes a shootout in Budapest, an escape sequence from a Moscow Jail, a sandstorm chase in Dubai, and a classic brawl in an automated parking garage in Mumbai. However, the sequence that stands out is the one in which Tom Cruise climbs the tallest building in the world, Burj Khalifa by clinging to it from the outside using suction gloves, giving the Spiderman a run for his money.
After the splendidly executed siege of the Vatican in the third installment, Ethan and his IMF team are on the lookout for some classified information pertaining to a Russian extremist Kurt Hendricks, which takes their quest to Kremlin. The covert mission goes awry as their plan is sabotaged by the personal intervention of Hendricks, which turns the tables on Cruise and his team rendering them sequestered and helpless. The questionable events that unfold at Kremlin, forces the US President to invoke the Ghost Protocol leading to the disavowal of IMF. Ethan and his team, which includes the computer geek Benji Dunn (Simon Pegg), agents Jane Carter (Paula Patton) and William Brandt (Jeremy Renner), despite their severe handicap are the only hope left at preventing the diabolical duo of Hendricks and his stalwart Wistrom from fulfilling their demonic mission of global destruction through a nuclear war. Simon Pegg as Benji is spot on with his persiflage, and his nonchalance adds a much needed levity to the otherwise tense plot. Paula Patton as Jane Carter is a treat to the sore eyes: her imperial gait, upright posture, predatory agility, dusky complexion, steamy mystique, athletic built, curvaceous figure, and apparent haughtiness make her an object of envy for males and females alike. Her ethereal presence undoubtedly leaves a lasting impression on the viewer. The introduction of Jeremy Renner as William Brandt adds another layer of intrigue to the plot of MI – GP. Brandt's enigmatic part allows Renner to depict a wide array of emotions that his previous roles couldn't offer. The over-hyped inclusion of veteran Indian actor Anil Kapoor in the MI – GP cast is undoubtedly movie's greatest disappointment, especially from the perspective of Indian cineastes, as the actor fails to make an impression during his ephemeral performance.
Overall, MI – GP has managed to raise the bar for the Action genre. Indian movie-makers, who have recently started to delve into the genre, can look to take a note or two out of MI – GP in order to iron out the usual glitches. Despite the occasional lack of coherence in the plot, MI – GP works quite well at almost all the levels and promises to be a great entertainment. 8/10
www.apotpourriofvestiges.com
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This energetic movie packs unstopped action , hair-raising suspense , exciting thriller , frenetic pursuits and lots of violence . Well made high-tech hijinks and full of breathtaking set-up with impressive images . Tom Cruise performed the sequence where Ethan Hunt scales the outside of the Burj Khalifa tower himself without the use of a stunt doublé , the Burj Khalifa tower is the tallest building in the world , it is the Armani Hotel Dubai , the first hotel designed and developed by Giorgio Armani . During the filming of production, Tom Cruise did the majority of his own stunts including the skyscraper sequences to show the audience it was actually him ; this would allow director Brad Bird to have more capabilities with camera angles & not having to hide the fact it is a stuntman doing the stunts . The film contains an interesting as well as twisted story in flamboyant treatment , worth two hours'time, written by Josh Appelbaum & André Nemec and based on the vintage characters by Bruce Heller . Lalo Schifrin's classic score television is again well reused here , at a much higher decibel level and adding a stirring soundtrack by Michael Giacchini , fitting perfectly to action . Fascinating and luxurious cinematography by excellent cameraman by Robert Elswit . As usual, Tom Cruise co-executive produced , along with J.J. Abrams , Josh Appelbaum , Bryan Burk , David Ellison , but not the usual Paula Wagner ; in fact this is the first Mission: Impossible film not to be produced by herself . The motion picture was compellingly directed by Brad Bird , though this is his live-action directorial debut . He's a successful producer , writer and director with a lot of hits such as ¨Ratatouille¨ , ¨Iron Giant¨ and ¨The Incredibles¨ . Rating : Better than average and well worth seeing . The tale will appeal to Tom Cruise fans and unstop action movies fans. The film made $693 million at the box office worldwide, becoming the highest-grossing installment in the franchise ; it also surpassed War of the worlds (2005) to become Tom Cruise's highest grossing film as of 2012.
Other installments from this popular and successful series are the followings : ¨Mission : Impossible¨ by Brian De Palma with Tom Cruise , Ving Rhames , Jon Voight , Henry Czerny , Kristin Scott Thomas , Vanessa Redgrave Emmanuel Beart , Jean Reno ; ¨Mission : Impossible II¨ by John Woo with Dougray Scott , Thandie Newton , Richard Roxburgh ,John Polson , Brendan Gleeson ; ¨MI 3¨ (2006) by J. J. Abrahams with Philip Seymour Hoffman , Ving Rhames, Maggie Q, Jonathan Rhys Meyers and in preparation ¨Mission : Impossible V¨ (2015) by Christopher McQuarrie with Jeremy Renner , Simon Pegg , Ving Rhames , Rebecca Ferguson , Sean Harris , Alec Baldwin and , of course , Tom Cruise .
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The story: the IMF is accused for bombing the Kremlin, although they were not actually the perpetrators. Due to this, the IMF is shut down and 'Operation Ghost Protocol' is launched with Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise), Jane Carter (Paula Patton), Benji Dunn (Simon Pegg), and William Brandt(Jeremy Renner), a group of 4 people being what is left of the IMF. Together, they find that there was another person behind the bombing code-named 'Cobalt' and he has a plan to ignite a nuclear war which he believes would begin the next stage of human evolution.
From beginning to end, I was hooked by all the action scenes. The action scenes and all the moves are spectacular. The hand-to-hand combats, the chase scenes, the gunfights are very well-done and spectacular. The cinematography was excellent and one of the best in years.
Of course, the Burj Khalifa scene was the trademark of the whole film. Ethan Hunt climbing the Burj Khalifa was thrilling enough. But with a limited time, having trouble going back down, and running around and swinging around the structure just quickens the pace of the story and makes the scene very stylish. This scene is just outstanding and will be one of the highlights of the film.
The acting was very well-done. After 5 years of absence in the series, Tom Cruise still got his spy skills here. Paula Patton's bad girl character is very well-played. Simon Pegg as the clumsy-but-genius Benji Dunn was amazing. Jeremy Renner as the so-called-analyst-but- actually-IMF-agent William Brandt was stunning and great. The performances of the actors/actresses are very strong and convincing.
I love the technology used in this film. They are just unreal. A device that lets you float using magnetic attraction. A device that copies the scenery behind and displays it into a screen that allows you to deceive other people who are looking at the screen. A suit that turns into a casual jacket when you wear it inside-out. All of these devices are creatively made and looking at them being operated is just so fun. And be sure to see the amazing BMW Vision (a futuristic, BMW concept car) in a scene set in Dubai. (Also, this movie is keen about BMWs.)
The mission tactics are also ingenious. The tactics are very smart and are very entertaining. How they create diversions in the most unlikely situations and the scenes involving the composition of a plan keep the film in a constant quick pace and increases the suspense of the film. When they take their tactics into action, that's where they get more interesting.
The comedy here adds up the fun in this film. Sometimes, prolonged scenes of action are just too noisy and make the movie feel plain. But not here. The comedy scenes here act as intervals between so we don't always see long, noisy, and bloated action scenes (major trouble of 'Transformers') and make sure that we have a perfect dose of both.
All these elements are very well-done and balanced and together form a suspenseful, fast-paced, and thrilling, yet funny action ride worth to experience. I think we should thank genius director Brad Bird for successfully revitalizing the movie series. This movie is just brilliant and I think it's because of Bird's genius directing.
Final Verdict: With fast-paced directing by Brad Bird and exciting action sequences, yet with funny moments, this movie is a thrilling ride worth to experience.
Rating: 10/10
Thanks for reading my review on 'Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol'. I hope this review is useful.
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Clearly JJ Abram's mission impossible, should he choose to accept it, is to lead a talented team to resurrect a declining franchise and re-ignite it with renewed vigour and a very high dosage of fun and entertainment.
I'm glad to say, mission highly accomplished.
Brad Bird's first time direction of real actors (must have been a shock when they talked back at him) exhibits the same zestful energy and fun that we got from his animated films such as The Incredibles. Though not with the subtlety of his Iron Giant but this is Mission Impossible, so we cant expect that kind of subtlety here.
Story is outrageously OTT and thats how it should be for a franchise that violently throws plausibility out of the window with much deliberation. Not much else to say about the story apart from the fact that it can easily be translated into a Bond movie. We're in that kind of villainous territory here and it is fun.
The action sequences are inventive, relentless, fun and tense. Some scenes are filmed in IMAX format and when seen on an IMAX screen, are breathtaking and immersing.
As well as Brad Bird's energised and retro direction, the cast really sparkles too. Cruise rocks as an action stunt hero. In fact more so now than he ever did. His traditional self stunt work in this series continues to impress particular in his skyscraper scenes. There is also more playfulness and assuredness in a role he has now worn into nicely. Simon Pegg gets a delightfully big promotion to join Hunt's team making us laugh throughout the movie. And Paula Patton adds an elegant sexiness to the MI team missions. Another new addition to the team, Jeremy Renner also gels smoothly into the squad.
This film has drastically rejuvenated the franchise that I now highly anticipate further adventures of Ethan Hunt and his new vibrant team, equally or even more so than the next James Bond movie.
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I'm giving it a 10/10 because there was nothing I didn't like about this movie and it was worth every cent!
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The plot is primitive, except for the first 15-20 minutes most actions are predictable with virtually no drama. Action scenes are made with some care but are very mechanical.
The Burj Dubai (Khalifa) was where we expected some stunning blood-freezing action and there it was the action but blood did not freeze.. The Moab scene in MI2 was one -- I clearly remember the cinema audience holding their breath, and one cannot stop comparing these two..
Those who go to IMAX version will be specifically disappointed when they realize only few sequences are filmed in IMAX format whereas during the rest of the movie you see coarse film grain and other low-res artefacts of a regular movie format blown to a huge IMAX screen as .. Why is that, dear Tom & Brad, the budget did not allow more?
In the absence of real or virtual drama the whole thing becomes flat and boring -- I wish they considered hiring Robert Towne again, for example.. .
It is not very often that some characters are so irrelevant to the plot that а movie could live without them. Despite superb acting of Mashkov (russian cop Sidorov) I really miss why this character is in the movie at all ! Take him out and.. nothing changes !
Paula Patton (Jane) - I am sorry but Jane is as 'persuading' in the role of a field agent as Halle Berry was in JB Arctic story.
I'd better stop now and will not go into smaller details (read- spoilers). The nice side is that at least some of the sequences ARE filmed in IMAX, the opening soundtrack seems to have been re-recorded and is excellent, there are some nice areal IMAX shots of Dubai and Mumbai at night. Most of Moscow seems to have been shot in Prague or Wroclaw and does look very fake.
What else - Tom plays as he usually do but because of the primitive plot and dull screenplay there is nothing left to remember or comment. Knight & Day is what You remember, not MI-4.
I personally believe any review/rating higher that 7/10 for this one is a 90% fake ('stimulating') whereas 8-10/10 ones are 103% such.
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Indeed, the last 'Mission: Impossible' from 'Alias' and 'Lost' creator J.J. Abrams was then easily the best of the series- though all that positive word about it couldn't quite triumph the bad press surrounding its star and producer Cruise's erratic behaviour. So 'MI3' ended up hitting a nadir for the franchise at the box-office, and Cruise's star wattage has never since fully rebounded. Trying to restore its lustre wasn't a mission impossible, but it was going to be an uphill task as well- if not only for the fact that it had to better J.J. Abrams' solid work.
That gamble has however paid off with an unlikely bet- choosing animation hero Brad Bird from 'The Iron Giant' and 'Ratatouille' to make his first live-action film. Bird is also of course the director of Pixar's 'The Incredibles' and there is certainly the same pulsating energy running through every frame of 'MI4'. From the very beginning, Bird places his definitive stamp on the series with a classy opening that sees IMF operative Ethan Hunt breaking out of a Russian prison. That sequence, which combines Dean Martin's 'Ain't That A Kick in the Head' with Steve McQueen's 'The Great Escape', is carefully executed and fluidly filmed- and both are signature attributes of Bird's style throughout the movie.
No 'Mission Impossible' film would be complete without the exotic locales, fancy gadgets and big explosions- but there is a certain finesse by which Bird assembles all these elements together into one package. So even as the setting moves from Russia to Dubai to Mumbai, even as the gadgets grow increasingly fanciful (one especially nifty device is a nifty retina-based mirror-like screen) and even as the explosions get more colossal (how about blowing up the Kremlin?), Bird never lets the adventure get frenetic, alternating confidently between quiet tension and full-blown action to keep you on the edge of your seat.
Riveted is what you'll be as Hunt and his team infiltrates the Kremlin to steal some classified intel about the Russian extremist Kurt Hendricks (Swedish actor Michael Nyqvist from 'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo'), then hoodwinks two sets of bad guys just one floor apart atop the Burj Khalifa, and then races against time literally in the crowded streets of Mumbai to stop Hendricks from precipitating an all-out nuclear war between the United States and Russia. Each elaborate setpiece is in itself a spectacle, and watching them unfold one after another quite simply takes your breath away.
But the most awe-inspiring- and worthy of singular mention- setpiece is Cruise's vertiginous climb up the glass exterior of the Burj Khalifa using suction gloves. It is Cruise himself way up on the 130th floor, and the authenticity of it shows in every second of Robert Elswit's breathtaking cinematography that is enough reason alone to catch this in IMAX. It is even more heart-stopping than you can imagine, not least when Cruise is left dangling with just one glove after the other malfunctions. Nothing else quite comes close to the sheer dizzying excitement of this sequence- not even the intensely gripping race- against-time climax with a good-old fistfight between Hunt and Hendricks in an automated parking garage.
Yes, Cruise isn't one to rest on his laurels, and at the age of 49, the extent to which he commits to perform the stunts in this movie by himself is simply amazing. When he is not attempting some death-defying move in the air or for that matter on the ground, Cruise uses his immense charisma to deliver a slickly captivating performance as the leader of the disavowed IMF. He also enjoys great chemistry with his supporting players- the tech whiz Benji Dunn (Simon Pegg), the tough sexy female player Jane Carter (Paula Patton) and last but not least the enigmatic analyst William Brandt (Jeremy Renner). The banter between Cruise and Pegg is particularly enjoyable, the source of most of the movie's comic relief.
Their wisecracks may at first seem at odds with the gravity of the situation at stake, but ultimately these lighter moments provide a light zesty touch that ensures the movie doesn't sink into its own self- seriousness. Besides these instants of levity, the script by Josh Appelbaum and Andre Nemec works hard to spin an intriguing espionage plot amidst the action set-pieces that harks back to the Cold War- though admittedly their most glaring failure is in creating a more compelling villain than simply another madman bent on world destruction. They fare much better drawing links between this instalment and J.J. Abrams' last, especially in explaining Hunt's absence from duty as well as Brandt's mysterious past.
Still, story isn't its strong suite, and Bird knows that well enough to keep most of his cards close and revealing just enough clues to keep his audience hooked. But the 'Mission Impossible' films were always going to be about delivering thrilling blockbuster entertainment, and it is in this regard that Bird truly shines. To say that the action on display is exhilarating is merely an understatement, and let us reassure you that the extra bucks you will shell for an IMAX ticket is worth every additional cent. It is quite simply the best 'Mission Impossible' entry yet, and the best action film you'll ever see this year.
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From the awful opening scene with Josh Holloway from 'Lost' hamming it up, you're wondering if this is a joke scene. Maybe it's a 'Turn off your cell phone' bit. No, it's not, you're just at the beginning of a two hour odyssey of extreme Dell server maintenance.
Having read the general hyperbole for this movie, it's stunning at how thin the plot is and how pointless each action sequence is. This is not Bourne or Bond. If you're looking for a tense build up to all-out global nuclear war, you're better off checking out Wargames (1983). If you're looking for scene after scene of running and looking for codes then get in line here.
If you missed a car tumbling over Ethan Hunt in M:I3, don't worry, you can see it right here in M:I4. If you missed any previous server room break-ins, don't worry, M:I4 brings you not one but two of them. If you love Charlie and the Chocolate Factory you'll love the fan and the tube scene, except Jeremy Renner doesn't know he has to burp! Oh those fizzy lifting drinks are trouble!
This by-the-numbers action flick gets tiresome very quickly as clichéd character back story is spoon fed to us at regular intervals with plenty of explanation. A lost unrequited love? Check. Guilt over an innocent's death. Check. Said lost love resulting in a ten second girl fight? Check. Futuristic super-car that turns up out of nowhere? Check. Character that is pivotal to the first scene and then turns up later for no reason to no avail? Check. The list just goes on and on. It's all mix and match character tropes, did the writers phone this in?
Simon Pegg's character has no back story other than pre-existing in the M:I universe and being English.
Even the nemesis of the entire operation has fairly little screen time or motivation other than being evil and mad. MAD I say! It might have worked for The Incredibles, but this isn't a cartoon. This lack of realism pervades the whole film, the police never show up, America lets a missile get within 500 ft of a West coast city without launching a full on retaliatory strike. Did they not watch Dr. Strangelove?
The classic Mission:Impossible mask reveal is a really weak one too. Secondary bad guy turns out to be oooooOOOoooo... the other bad guy.
Spy movies need to have unseen before, secret spy gadgetry right? Well hold on to your socks because M:I4 brings you GPS navigation, chain mail and magnets, a USB memory stick and a reversible jacket, casual on one side and Russian formal on the other. OK, the magic gecko gloves were new but they're no exploding chewing gum.
Brad Bird and J.J Abrams must have a 'Get out of jail free' card because if anyone else produced this movie it would have been savaged. Savaged in the same way as Transformers: Dark of the Moon, yet it will find the same audience and make lots of money.
On leaving, someone said, 'Wow that was intense.' Intensely boring you mean. In what's supposed to be a breath of fresh air in the action genre, this feels like a boat load of the same. Cruise fans should just watch War of the Worlds again or even the first Mission: Impossible
A word of warning, if you see the IMAX version with the 6-minute Batman preview, it only highlights the massive drop in creativity and originality that you're about to watch.
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There is no doubt that the Mission Impossible series has always been an out and out action series and you never could expect anything more than that. However even going in with the same expectations I must say I came out disappointed. A lot of people will tell you that the action scenes were amazing and indeed they were. I can imagine how much hard work went into making those shots possible like the one on the outside of the Burj Khalifa and the one in the parking lot in Mumbai. But there is a fine line between making amazing stunts and making improbable stunts and MI4 erred on the wrong side more often than not.
I can start by pointing out things that Tom Cruise did that would even make Batman proud, for example falling from a good 10 feet and hitting your face onto a steel bar and coming out unscathed. there are many more but I don't want to point them all out and look like Im nitpicking.
Coming to the story line I must say I actually groaned when I figured out this would be yet another 'Russia attacks US with nuclear missiles because of some misconception' kind of a story. Also there wasn't enough detailing given which left holes the size of craters in the plot.
On the plus side however is the cinematography which is spectacular. From Kremlin to Dubai to Mumbai, the cities have been captured beautifully which made it feel more like a Travel show. the acting is decent too.
However I must say I did not watch it on an IMax screen and I guess that did take away some charm.
So finally I'd say you can watch it if you're easily amazed. But honestly I'd watch the Bourne series again instead of MI.
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I'll admit that I am a fan of these movies and always have been. Episode 2 is the lone let down in the series, with the first and third movies both being fantastic. But 'Ghost Protocol' just takes the series to a new level. This one really has some dynamic special effects, and it emulates the style of the third movie but manages to have an even more engaging and thrilling plot (although the script of Episode 3 is hard to beat).
That said, you really can't go wrong with 'Ghost Protocol'. Give it a shot if you haven't seen it!
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And now Tom Cruise is driving his amazing flashy Xenu 500 to some posh European cocktail party - or something - where all the doors have been unlocked by that British dweeb who used to be funny. We don't learn how he was able to do any of it, but no explanation is needed because OMG did you see that car.
Now let's pause briefly for another snippet of a weird, uninvolving and unresolved subplot about the wife.. and straight back to Tom, faffing about on the outside of a big building, scampering around with a pair of customised washing-up gloves. Snore.
No-one looks to Mission Impossible films for detailed character studies, but there's literally nothing here to make us understand the motivations of the baddies or care on even a shallow level about the goodies. This is a crack-force team of androids for whom nothing seems much of a challenge. They have carbon-fibre bones which cannot break, and an electro-magnetic forcefield which repels bullets. And they're not programmed with personalities.
Tom Cruise is a strange one. He makes these hugely narcissistic films but doesn't seem to be offering any performances worthy of his own faith in himself. He polarises public opinion and doesn't have the broad groundswell of support to be able to afford to churn out such a lazy film at this point in his career.
Nice sandstorm though.
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Now pushing 50 years old, Tom Cruise is back as Ethan Hunt, sporting his M:I-2 Haircut, and looking as young and in shape as ever (and I say that having a staunch record of unblemished heterosexuality). He is complimented by a very well-cast team of agents. This team is better than any of the others Hunt has everworked with. It includes Chief analyst William Brandt (portrayed by rising star Jeremy Renner.. nominated for an Oscar 2 consecutive years in a row for his performance in the films THE HURT LOCKER & THE TOWN IN 2010 AND 2011), a likable and easy-to-relate-to character, who also has a secret..Jane Carter, (portrayed by the lovely Paula Patton) another new addition to the team, who is tough and attractive. She's not only great as eye candy, but she serves as an integral member of the team.. Returning from his small part in M:I-3 is Benji Dunn (portrayed once again by Simon Pegg). His role has been expanded as he is now a field agent. He provides a lot of laughs and comic relief..This time around, Ethan Hunt leads this team of IMF agents as they try to prevent nuclear war with Russia.. That's the basic premise: If you want more plot details, see the movie!
I had the pleasure of seeing this film in I-MAX, during its limited I-MAX run, and I've gotta say - The I-MAX does very effectively enhance this movie, especially during one particular scene midway through the film, which has got everyone talking..
This film draws from each 'Mission' blending the best ingredients from each one. Ghost Protocol, while lighter in tone feels closer to M:I-3 than to any of the others..Not surprising considering its scored once again by Michael Giacchino (Medal of Honor, UP, Lost, Star Trek, Super 8)and produced by M:I-3's director JJ ABRAMS (Alias, Fringe, Lost, Star Trek, Super 8). Its also like M:I-2 in that it features an unrelenting amount of action/stunt work...and Tom Cruise with long hair again..It even echoes the TV Series, because it has some of the same musical cues, and really makes the mission a TEAM EFFORT.
Now Ghost Protocol is less story driven/character focused than M:I-3, even if only slightly so. It really isn't too heavy on story, but does have a decent amount of character development, especially once it really gets going. I felt like we really got to know Ethan Hunt as a human being in M:I-3. This is true in Ghost Protocol, but not so much as in M:I-3. Some may say Ghost Protocol lacked a strong villain, like Owen Davien in M:I-3. While that's not necessarily a fault, I will say that it would have been nice to see another great villain coming off the heels of M:I-3.
One thing I love about these movies is that each one is so different from the last one. Each one has a different director, and therefore a different style, feel, and flavor. Brad Bird, known for his work in animation, helms Ghost Protocol. He was an surprising choice, considering he'd only directed animated films (The Iron Giant, The Incredibles, Ratatouille) prior to accepting, but definitely a great choice.
Overall, M:I-4 is great popcorn entertainment. It has going for it some really awesome action sequences - one in particular that's truly remarkable, and an outstanding ensemble cast. Its definitely worth seeing in theaters, and owning on DVD/BluRay. One of my top favorites of 2011 and perhaps my favorite Mission: Impossible when its all said and done!
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So what is it about M:I – GP that works so well? Tom Cruise, returning as IMF agent Ethan Hunt, once again puts everything he's got into his role. This franchise is clearly Cruise's baby, and the famously passionate star characteristically doesn't shy away from the more perilous stunt work. The level of commitment shown by Cruise is staggering, whether he's clinging to the side of the worlds tallest skyscraper (130 floors up!), or throwing himself down several levels of a parking garage. Say what you will about his eccentricities, but the man takes a pounding at every turn of this film only to rise and face down the next challenge, the very definition of a fearless performance. Also of note is Simon Pegg making a welcome return in a much larger role than the last film, and his wisecracks and facial silliness provide much needed relief from the relentless suspense of the narrative. The story is somewhat familiar as Ethan and his team fight to stop a psychopathic genius (Michael Nyqvist) hell bent on starting world war three, but what could be a fairly standard affair in less capable hands is turned into something wonderful by Bird.
As you can probably gather, the real star of M:I – GP is Brad Bird. From a dialogue perspective, the film is surprisingly minimalist, as the director boldly lets his spectacular visuals speak for themselves, rather than relying on too much exposition from his characters. Likely because of his background in animation, where the visual style comes literally from the hands of the artist, Bird's compositions and framing are so meticulously crafted, particularly in some of the more pulse- pounding set pieces. The aforementioned skyscraper climb is one of the most exciting sequences I have ever seen in a film, but it's merely one of several fantastic scenes constructed by Bird and his team. Even in the quieter moments, seemingly unimportant small gags (Hunt shedding a disguise for example) add so much to the film, like the delicate icing on a huge, many-layered cake. As welcome as a new animated film from Bird would be, the astounding quality of M:I – GP suggests that anything he chooses to do from this point will be hotly anticipated. Whether his Pixar compatriot Andrew Stanton can pull off the same transition with next year's John Carter remains to be seen, but for now, Brad Bird seems to be a director who can do no wrong.
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Jane Carter, and newly promoted field agent Benji Dunn extract Ethan Hunt and Hunt's source Bogdan from a Moscow prison. Hunt is recruited to lead Carter and Dunn to infiltrate the secret Moscow Kremlin archives and locate files identifying Cobalt. During the mission, someone broadcasts across the IMF frequency, alerting the Russians to Hunt's team. Although Dunn and Carter escape, a bomb destroys the Kremlin, and Russian agent Sidorov arrests Hunt, suspecting him as part of the attack. But as it turns out it's a terrorist who is looking to create a nuclear war and to start man kind over again in order to create world peace.
I loved all the action scenes in here. The best by far is when Tom Cruise has to climb the side of this sky scrapper building with these gloves that are magnetic, you know that one of the gloves is bound to slip and it does and he manages to grab the glass at last minute with one hand. He also then has to land back onto the floor but is a little short on slack so has to get a head start, he runs and barely survives! You know they have to put a predictable outing of the plot where he will survive in there, but it's still exciting to watch. I also loved the dust storm chase scene, that was really intense and exciting to watch. Simon Pegg made for some great comic relief. Jeremy Renner made for a great action side kick that held his own next to Ethan. Paula Patton was a great tough sexy chick the group needed and added a great cat fight to the movie. My only complaint is that the villain didn't seem as developed, so I didn't feel as big a threat with him as I should have. However, Tom Cruise never disappoints with the tension and suspense of the situation. I think it's safe to say that I've fallen back in love with Tom Cruise and the rest of America can too, he may be crazy as a nut, but he never fails to entertain when giving us a great action movie. Very much the best of 2011 and I cannot wait to add it to my video collection. If this is what we have in store for the next Mission Impossible movie, I'll be the first in line.
8/10
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Apparently, since the global economic downturn, a spy organization as sophisticated as IMF doesn't have the budget for foolproof self-destruct phones anymore. The newly assembled ghost IMF team is comprised of incompetent misfits;
Ethan Hunt - As every super hero since Superman and Batman can tell you, personal relationships can be difficult, particularly if you choose a 'civilian' (non-super hero) to be your spouse resulting in every demented supper villain coming after them as a means of striking at the Achilles' Heal of the super hero - Duh. Ethan was well aware of this danger since MI-1 when Kittridge used coded news footage of his aunt/uncle being arrested to uncover his location. Everything that Ethan hunt did was pointless; he saved a fellow Russian prisoner as future collateral for contacting a Russian connected with black market weapons - unnecessary and he probably could have gotten the same information from a Google search. He infiltrated the Kremlin as an aged but youthfully well built Russian general and failed to prevent a national disaster, resulting in an annoyingly re-occurring cat-and-mouse chase with Russian intelligence. Lastly, he has a wife that he can never talk to - huh?
Benji (the tech guy) - is plagued by delusions of grandeur and suffers from AADD. Even when presented with the opportunity to go undercover in Russia, Benji just can't manage to shut up, even though his 'English' mutterings might just give away the fact that he is not a Russian officer. Every gadget this guy touches malfunctions. Apparently, the American version of James Bond's 'Q' leaves much to be desired.
Agent Carter - after leading a failed op that resulted in the death of not only her key agent, but apparently a secret love interest, she battles with a schizophrenic bout of manic depression. When ordered not to kill potentially important sources of information what does she do - she kills the important source of information (instead of properly incapacitating them - what, no knock out serum?). During her one important mission to seduce an Indian mogul, she displays a neurosis that oddly proves sadistically seductive. The goal is to procure his coded access to his satellite in order to prevent the Russian physicist from transmitting his launch codes. Which they ultimately fail to do. But thankfully there is always a backup shutdown switch in a briefcase!
Agent Bradt - another failed agent whose covert mission to protect Ethan and his wife while on vacation ended in a muddled cover-up operation to disguise Ethan's wife' witness protection plan as a faked death. Otherwise, he is utterly useless in preventing his boss from being killed or bad guys getting lose.
Bottom line, the story was underwhelming and lacked a clever/complex layered story, and was instead a sappy, corny, comedic parody of previous MI films. So, if you are expecting hi-octane drama, nail biting suspense, and memorable acting, skip MI-4 and see War Horse.
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M.I. 1 was terrible despite a couple of scenes that became iconic. John Woo failed as the director of M.I.2.
M.I.3 was better mainly because of the late Philip Seymour Hoffman who made a great villain, but still..
This one is by far the best (breaking the curse of sequels) and it's more than obvious that first timer director (with actors at least) Brad Bird had only one purpose in his mind: To please the audience.
Tom Cruise is GREAT. Many of his stunts were performed by him. Most notable the scenes at Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world at Dubai. Simon Pegg seems like a good addition and a comic relief to the action.
I admire the direction, plus its collaboration with the editing and the music. All the ingredients melted together nicely.
Almost every scene is fun. Carefully designed to please and entertain. And there is a 'connection' with the previous installment for those who like to think the 4 (soon 5) movies as a series.
Overall: Get your popcorn. The movie is about to begin..
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Cruise does not seem to sit well with the role of Ethan Hunt this time, in this format. He just never looks comfortable with the amateur comedy routines with his fellow cast-mates. It's just a bad, cheesy film. It lacks sophistication; no charisma; the action is B-movie-ish from start to end and style makes all the gadgets seem rather pathetic. There's just no depth to it at all.
After the smooth style of the third instalment, this one drops the baton spectacularly. It feels dis-jointed and never finds a flow which could pull it all together. Even the music doesn't seem to work. You're just left not caring whether this new band of jokers fail/succeed, live or die.
Very poor attempt.
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The film starts off well enough and after a high octane prison break our familiar hero Ethan Hunt is whisked into another impossible mission which results in his and his IMF team being disavowed (already sounds like familiar territory) . Along with Cruise Simon Pegg returns and is solid enough providing the comic relief they are joined by Jeremy Renner who feels vastly underused and lost in this material which is quite frankly beneath him. The gadgets become exceedingly ridiculous as the film goes they are used so much they fail to impress at all.
The last third of the film is where it really falls away completely and the final scene with cruise and Renner where a ludicrous sub story involving Hunt's supposedly dead wife is resolved feels so contrived and clichéd I was praying for the credits to roll.
Personally Mission Impossible 4 is indicative of the blockbuster action film today (barring a few eg Dark Knight), lots of product placement and ipads but zero substance and originality .
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