Starring – Tom Cruise, Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg
Director – Brad Bird
Screenwriters - André Nemec and Josh Appelbaum



After an explosion in the Kremlin, the IMF (and Cruise’s spy team specifically) is blamed for the explosion and a ghost protocol is initiated. So, Ethan Hunt and his team go solo in order to prove their innocence, while also trying to save the world from a Nuclear War. It might all sound like the plot of every spy movie, but Brad Bird adds a special touch this time around.


I enjoy all four of the Mission: Impossible movies for different reasons. The first was original, and Tom Cruise definitely proved his worth as an action hero. The second raised the bar on the action. John Woo brought his “Hard Boiled” touch. Even though the story wasn’t nearly as good as the first, it was still an enjoyable ride. The third film is an important film to me. It’s one of the movies that made me love movies. When I was in sixth grade, a friend and I went to see the film. At the time, it was the most exciting thing I’d ever seen. I was in awe. Phillip Seymour Hoffman was a terrifying villain. I still remember the films opening and it’s been years since I’ve re watched. So, of course I had high expectations for the fourth film. I’m also a huge fan of Brad Bird. Who doesn’t love the Incredibles and Ratatouille (he directed the two).


“Mission Impossible – Ghost Protocol” doesn’t disappoint. It’s thrilling and a lot of fun. Imagine this…the tallest building in the world, a girl fight that tops “Obsessed”, Car Chase through a sandstorm, Tom Cruise holding on for his life hundreds of feet above the ground, and Simon Pegg. Doesn’t that sound incredible! Indeed it does, and that’s just one of the many action sequences. The action in the fourth film is top-notch. The huge set pieces and taught direction from Bird bring new light to the series. From the opening scene (Hunt’s team breaking him out of prison) to the final fight in a futuristic parking garage, the action never lets up. He knows how to stage an action sequence, something many Hollywood actors lack. Each one is unique, and exciting.


The action is only one of the many amusing things in this fourth installment. Simon Pegg returns as the gadget and technology expert Benji Dunn. He’s always there to deliver a witty or sarcastic anecdote. Chuckles could be heard after many of his lines in the theater. Now that James Bond is all serious, it’s great to have an action spy series that has so much humor. Paula Patton is also great as the sex appeal for the team. The gadgets are cool. Each one was different and creative. Jeremy Renner is also an important character. On a failed mission, he was supposed to protect Hunt’s wife from danger, but she was killed. Could it be action movie with character development and back-stories? Whooda thunk! All four of the spies on the team have great chemistry and they all work well off of each other.


As I left the theater, I heard multiple people uttered, “That was good”. It’s a simple phrase, but it’s short, sweet, and to the point. In most cases, bigger isn’t better. But “Mission: Impossible- Ghost Protocol” disproves the theory. 4.5/5