Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol Review

So, what do you get when you take the aging Mission: Impossible brand, fluff it up with some returning characters and a few new ones, and hand it over to The Incredibles director Brad Bird for his live-action directory debut? The answer is Ghost Protocol, the fourth entry in a series many presumed dead due to its five-year absence from multiplexes. 

The filmmakers throw out a key ingredient that made the third film as solid as it was for Ghost Protocol: the intense, tangible and emotionally distressing threat, in favor of the more overarching threat of large portions of humanity ceasing to exist. After a routine mission gone wrong, Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) finds himself and his team pegged as terrorists, blamed for the destruction of the Kremlin and as instigators of the seemingly inevitable nuclear war between Russia and the US.

While some will criticize the formulaic nuclear threat, it never feels stale thanks to the clever backdrop involving the initiation of "ghost protocol", which mandates the shutdown of the IMF, meaning that Hunt and his team are all that’s left of the top secret agency. 

Surprisingly, Ghost Protocol, despite what its trailers suggested, never takes itself very seriously. It pokes good fun at its own corniness at a few moments and it’s never afraid to showcase high-tech gadgets or ridiculous stunts. It’s interesting that, during a time when the James Bond series has been evolving towards realism, Mission: Impossible takes almost the opposite approach, perhaps for its own good to separate itself from a major competitor. 

Which brings us to the set-pieces. Ah, the set-pieces. From a breathtaking climb up the tallest building in the world to a riveting street chase during a sandstorm, Ghost Protocol delivers where it counts. I never ceased to stare in awe at the film’s expertly choreographed action, and for the first time in my life I feel obligated to recommend seeing this film in IMAX. Simply put, the bigger the screen you can see this movie on the better the experience you’ll get.

There are also some startlingly intense oral exchanges to coincide with the slick action. One sequence in particular, involving two parallel conversations using information gathered from each other in real time, had me both amused, thanks to Simon Pegg’s natural comic presence, and glued to the edge of my seat. An emotional subplot also involves a startling revelation that no one will see coming, especially from a Mission: Impossible movie. The character relationships still aren’t top notch here, but they’re definitely expanded upon and have potential to go in some interesting directions in future installments.

The cast here is top-notch as well. Tom Cruise delivers in the lead role, Simon Pegg is perfectly lovable with just the right amount of comedy mixed with cool, Paula Patton has got to be one of the most badass lady-spies of the 21st century, and I’d be very disappointed if Jeremy Renner’s Brandt didn’t make it into future installments. His historical ties with Cruise’s character have some real potential.

For all of its strengths in the intense action and dialogue, it comes as a surprise that Ghost Protocol feels rather anti-climactic. I wasn’t sure whether the final act really was the end, or if we were going to be whisked off on another stage in the mission. When the film did end, I found myself disappointed that it was over, wishing for just one last foreign backdrop, one more insane stunt, one more ridiculous set-piece that I never could have dreamed up in a thousand years. So...wait a minute. All this complaining about the movie being anti-climactic, but all this does it make me want more? Oh, how very devious of you, Hollywood.

Ghost Protocol is stylish, lavishly produced and sharply directed. The cast is solid, the action is breathtaking, the situations ooze creativity and the film as a whole radiates pure espionage goodness. At the end of the day, I find it difficult to summon any prominent criticisms that really detract from what this film is trying to accomplish. Okay, it’s not perfect from an “artistic” standpoint, with all the explosions and what not. Who gives a crap? If this movie doesn’t entertain you, then good luck finding something that does.

Final Score:

8.0/10

"Great"