Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol

I’ll be the first to admit that I wasn’t a huge fan of the Mission Impossible movie series. I enjoyed the movies, but felt they never lived up to their potential. One of my biggest issues was in the basic concept: Mission Impossible should have been about an elite team, but these movies focused more on the individual, Tom Cruise. Sure, he had help – but that help was there to assist him rather than work with him. That said, Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol was directed by famed animation director, Brad Bird (The Iron Giant, The Incredibles), and that alone had me excited about the fourth movie in the franchise – and I wasn’t disappointed.

After a wonderful teaser, Ghost Protocol begins with Ethan Hunt (Cruise) breaking out of a maximum security Russian prison with help from his soon-to-be team of Benji (Simon Pegg) and Jane (Paula Patton). Right at the top, Ghost Protocol sets its tone – the jailbreak is equal parts exciting and humorous – something that holds throughout the film.

Once he’s reunited with his team, Hunt gets the mission in the typical fashion. That mission, should they choose to accept it, is to track down stolen launch codes for former Soviet nuclear missiles, before they get in the hands of Hendricks (Michael Nyqvist). Along the way, fourth team member Brandt (Jeremy Renner) joins them. Soon Hunt’s entire team is framed for the theft and Ghost Protocol is invoked – the U.S. government no longer acknowledges they exist. Ethan and his team have to go rogue, with the potential of being branded as terrorists, in order to stop a nuclear disaster.

Hendricks’ plan is more of a MacGuffin than anything, but it works to move the plot along. He intends to incite a nuclear war between the U.S. and Russia, eliminating most of the world’s population and granting humanity a chance to start over. It boils down to Hunt’s team needing to stop the launch of a nuclear missile. This all leads to a series of breath-taking action sequences which flow seemingly from one to another – something Brad Bird proved he was great at in The Incredibles.

Some highlights include the now famous “window climbing” sequence, a break-in at the Kremlin, a chase through a sandstorm, and a hand-to-hand fight in a futuristic garage in India. Each one is cartoonish in its own way, often pushing the boundaries of reality. And yet, despite this, these sequences look and feel so real, we’re willing to believe them.

The most important thing to take away, however, is that for the first time a Mission Impossible movie actually feels like a team adventure. Every character has a role; every character is involved in the action. In fact, the movie even pokes fun at the previous films when, at one point, Hunt insists on going alone, he is told flat out that is impossible – he needs help.

Tom Cruise is the best he’s been in any of the films, mixing a good deal of humor in with the action and his morbid past. The unbelievable feats he attempts are made all the more real by his disbelief that he’s actually doing them – something made clear in the window climbing. Simon Pegg adds even more levity, providing most of the humor of the film – particularly in a sequence where he helps an equally enjoyable Jeremy Renner break into a nearly-impossible room that controls a satellite. Even Paula Patton, whose character is mostly serious, adds some laughter when she tries to seduce an Indian millionaire playboy to get his computer access codes.

In one simple word, Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol is fun. It’s a thrill ride that doesn’t shove things down your throat, like so many modern action movies do. It’s equal parts funny and exciting – and you can’t help but leave with a smile on your face. For that alone the movie is an incredible success.

Here’s hoping that Brad Bird directs the next Mission Impossible as well.