Actual grade: 10/10
Now THIS is how you do an action movie, ladies and gentleman.
I've always loved the MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE series, as I'm a sucker for the intrigue of spy dramas and the action of big-budget blockbusters. (Well, let me be more specific. I love the first and third M:I entries -- I had never even seen the much-derided second one until two days ago -- and it definitely deserves all the ridicule it gets.) So I was thrilled when I heard they were reviving the franchise, especially considering the creative minds involved (more on that in a bit). I thought the trailer looked fantastic -- I was prepared for a fun, mind-numbing, popcorn-munching time in the theatre. I got so much more.
Five years after the last mission, Tom Cruise returns to the classic action franchise, this time directed by Brad Bird in his live-action feature debut. Mr. Bird is best known for his work directing for Pixar, most notably (and relevantly) THE INCREDIBLES. Forget the fact that it was animated, THE INCREDIBLES was perhaps the best action film of 2004. JJ Abrams, who breathed new gritty life into the M:I series after the completely ludicrous second entry, returns for this one as producer. The collaboration of Mr. Abrams' and Mr. Bird's hyper-creative minds results in the most thrilling, adrenaline-pumping action flick in recent memory and hands down the best film in the series.
Mr. Bird's background in animation is perhaps the film's strongest asset -- his adeptness at staging elaborate set pieces (including a jaw-dropping magic trick involving an empty hallway and a final showdown in a constantly-shifting parking garage) and his ability to infuse tense sequences with a sense of zingy fun is apparent and much-needed. (As much as I enjoyed Abrams' M:I3, my only qualm was how serious everything was.) Mr. Bird is aided immensely in the humor department by the presence of Simon Pegg (SHAUN OF THE DEAD) as the awkward techno-geek Benji, whose (regrettably brief) headquarters appearance in M:I3 has been upgraded to full-blown field agent and sidekick. The rest of the supporting cast is just as solid if not as showy: Paula Patton (PRECIOUS) as the emotionally-troubled yet kick-ass Jane, and Jeremy Renner (THE HURT LOCKER) as Brandt, an "analyst" with a secret past. The film is packed with brilliant cameos (a couple of which I won't spoil here) -- Josh Holloway (LOST) packs a punch in a brief sequence at the beginning; Anil Kapoor (SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE) hams it up as a billionaire playboy; Léa Seydoux (INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS) infuses her few scenes with a palpable sense of danger as a steely-cold assassin.
Tom Cruise will most likely (and ironically) receive the least applause of all the cast members, as this is now the fourth time we've seen him in the role and he still has a less-than-sterling reputation with many people. But it is impossible to deny his abilities (not to mention balls of steel) when watching this movie. Notorious for doing most of his own stunts, it's impossible not to gape in amazement as he scales the side of the Burj Khalifa. Sure, he was assisted by wires that were edited out in post-production, but that doesn't change the fact that Tom Cruise himself was climbing up the outside of the FREAKING BURJ KHALIFA. You know, the tallest building in the world at 2,723 feet. The fact that the stunt was filmed on the actual tower itself and not on a green screen lends the sequence a dizzying sense of realism, made even more pronounced in vertigo-inducing IMAX.
In fact, next to the elaborately-choreographed action and infusion of fun, it's this sense of realism that sets GHOST PROTOCOL above its contemporary action peers. In a time when, aided by increasingly-powerful special effects, action is becoming ever slicker and sleeker, it's surprising and refreshing to see an action film inhabited by fallible characters. Nothing goes right for these people. Ever. Their improvised plans never go smoothly. They mess up. Their emotions get the best of them. They're not perfect. When Tom Cruise takes a flying leap through a window, he doesn't sail through in a somersault and leap to his feet -- he smacks hard against the windowsill, spins out of control, and nearly plummets to his doom. The technology, too, consistently fails the agents -- mask-makers run out of paint, sticky gloves run out of batteries, scanner-contacts get scratchy. Not only do these failings make the movie more realistic, they make it more fun, too. When technology fails them, the agents have to improvise, ratcheting up the tension to an almost-unbearable degree.
Ratcheting up the tension is maybe what this film does best. Mr. Bird and the screenwriters take every seemingly-impossible situation -- and carry it one step further. Ethan has to break out of prison...during a riot. He has to scale the outside of a skyscraper...with a defective glove. He has to chase down the nuclear codes...through a blinding sandstorm. I had to put down my popcorn about halfway through the film just so I could grip the armrests of my seat. I forgot about it for the rest of the film.
Seriously, if you've ever liked an action movie, ever, do yourself a favor and go see this. In IMAX, if you can. In an IMAX screening that's showing the 6-minute THE DARK KNIGHT RISES prologue, if at all possible. (That's a whole discussion unto itself, but let me just say... Holy Smokes, Batman.)
I give this film a 10 out of 10 for the sheer scope of the superbly-staged action, just the right amount of humor, realistic stunts, and eye-popping IMAX experience. In terms of taking a sometimes-great, sometimes-ludicrous series and turning it into a viable, respectable, enjoyable franchise, I say to Mr. Bird, Mr. Abrams and Mr. Cruise: MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.
What did you think, Fellow Addicts? Were you as dizzily impressed as I was? Or did the action fail to deliver? Are you hoping for a fifth M:I film? (After this, I know I am.) Vote in the poll below and then hit the comments!
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