The Mission Impossible film franchise has been a rare bright spot in the overcrowded action market. Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol is the fourth film in Tom Cruise's revamping of the TV series that ran in the 1960's. It is also the best Mission Impossible film. It's directed by Brad Bird, who before this film had only directed two films, both animated (The Incredibles and The Iron Giant). I think that when he came up with some of the concepts for the action sequences, he forgot he was going to be dealing with real people instead of cartoons. There are some intense and insane shots, made more insane by the fact Tom Cruise does his own stunts. Most action scenes in movies are pretty unrealistic. The scenes in this movie are completely unrealistic. Yet they work. There are many action scenes that are absolutely implausible, that would never in a million years happen. But I was so nervous that my palms were sweaty while I watched, which has never happened to me in a movie. My head was saying, "oh, come on. Seriously?" But my stomach dropped anyway from some of the dizzying overhead shots. The director recognizes that humans have an instinctive fear of falling, and he exploits it successfully by staging most of the action shots using heights.
The plot of Ghost Protocol is acceptable, if slightly confusing and unoriginal. Nuclear war, get the codes, blah blah blah. Who cares? It should be about the action, anyway. One thing that I think made this film surpass the others in the series is that it didn't introduce a love interest for Ethan Hunt, Cruise's character and the main protagonist of the Mission Impossible films. The first three movies introduced a new love interest in each film. Really, how believable is he as an emotionally sensitive tough guy if he has commitment issues? I like what the script did with his love life. It was a sad, romantic, and sweet touch; thankfully, it was also a very minimal part of the story that added just enough emotional depth.
The best part of Ghost Protocol (other than the action sequence shot at the world's tallest building in Dubai) is the supporting cast. Simon Pegg, who starred in one of my all-time favorite comedies, Shaun of the Dead, plays an ultimate action cliche; the goofy sidekick. I usually find that cliche grating, but he makes the character likable instead of irritating. Paula Patton does a good job as the obligatory female agent. Usually, the women who play these roles are wispy little girls who would never be able to hold their own in a fight. I love that Patton, although gorgeous with a killer body, actually looks like she could throw a punch. Or a kick in this case, which she does in one heck of a fight scene. I was excited to see that Michael Nyqvist from the Swedish film versions of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo trilogy was cast as the villain in this. I'm a huge fan of the films (and yes, I plan to see the US version, and it has a lot to live up to because the Swedish version is exceptional). Then there's Jeremy Renner as an analyst with a secret, and what can I say about this guy? He is one of the best of the new generation of great actors. If you want proof, watch his Oscar-nominated turns in The Hurt Locker and The Town. The guy is amazing, and I love to watch him. He elevates "action movie" acting in a role that could have easily been hammy and overacted.
If you're going to see Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol for a good story, you're either 1) mistaken, or 2) lying to yourself. The story is acceptable, but it's all about the action. It is a thrill ride of a movie. The action is some of the best I've seen, with sequences that are suspenseful, exciting and most importantly, unique. The performances elevate it from popcorn movie status to a quality moviegoing experience.
