Having not seen the three previous films in the series, I didn't know quite what to expect coming into this one but was delighted to watch and grasp one of the most thrilling movies of the year starring one of the pinnacle actors of Hollywood, Tom Cruise.
Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) is on a mission to halt the plans of a Swedish born Russian nuclear extremist code-named "Cobalt" (Michael Nyqvist), who believes that starting a nuclear war will bring about a wave of human evolution that is good for the ecosystem. After a mission to infiltrate the archives at the Kremlin go awry, Hunt's team is accused of the bombing, and in turn forces the US president to activate Ghost Protocol, a covert operation when the entire IMF is disclaimed and there is no back up available, forcing Hunt's team to become the black sheep and hunt down "Cobalt" as outlaws of the state. The stakes are high because if they are caught or killed, they will be convicted and arrested for their alleged crimes. They also acquire a new team member after the murder of the secretary of the IMF (Tom Wilkinson), William Brandt (Jeremy Renner). Brandt works as an analyst but was in fact a field agent for the IMF, never being able to continue as one because of the guilt he possesses from failing his last mission, which concerns Ethan and his wife. They travel to exotic locations such as Dubai and Mumbai, but will they be able to stop one of their most elusive adversaries and the damage he is willing to enforce on the world, in such a limited amount of time?
I absolutely loved this film and the diversity it brought to the screen. I really enjoyed all the action stunts, the most memorable being when Cruise has to climb the Burj Khalifa (the tallest building in the world). It made my knees shake and my head dizzy just by seeing the unimaginable heights he was faced with. Vertigo was definitely in play right through the whole sequence! It's definitely one of those blockbuster hits where you know you're gonna get you money's worth, and I definitely did because not only were the stunts impeccable, the humor and emotional struggles Hunt's team possess really balanced the entire film and their motivations.
I have no idea why everyone is so snarky towards Tom Cruise. Everyone keeps on bashing him about his religious beliefs when they should just appreciate the movies he brings to people and the onscreen persona that he portrays with such dedication. I mean, who would have the guts to do their own stunts and having to do them at a height where I would pass out in an instant. Not only does he take on the risks that his film roles have to offer, he produced this monster of a film and really left his mark on it. He is a great actor and I admire him for everything that he has achieved with not only this feature film, but his entire film career. Jeremy Renner brought a character to the screen that had his charms but also a back story that evoked a sense of feeling for not only his internal guilt, but his courage to go back to the job that caused it. Paula Patton who plays a character also affected by recent loss, brings a great example of a strong woman out to do what she knows is right despite having a hole in her heart. It's definitely great to see such a character in the form of a woman, making us realize that Hollywood does want to show women as a powerful gender who are equally capable of the tasks that men are conventionally known to do. Simon Pegg brought a splash of humor to the gloomy and somber atmosphere surrounding his character and made the movie that much more fun apart from all the entertaining stunts that were shoved down our throats. His dialogue and comical wit kept the film moving right along its destined path but with quirky results in between.
Brad Bird brings some his best work to the table for this one, showing us glimpses of his professional work in The Incredibles with the fluid motions of the camera and the noir-esque lighting that we saw from his smash Pixar productions. He really conveyed a dark nature throughout the movie but kept it fresh and dynamic nonetheless. I absolutely loved the opening title sequence and how it sort of showed us what we can expect in the film. The opening title sequence is a work in itself, because it sets the tone of the film and can be just as exciting to watch as the movie and only the greatest filmmakers can truly execute such original pieces of art.
Underlying themes in this film are definitely friendship and being able to put your differences as well as emotional heart-breaks aside, in order to carry out something that can impact everyone around you. The chemistry between the team was truly unique because of their different backgrounds yet similar empathy for each other's losses. So it's not just an explosive thriller with suspenseful climaxes throughout, but also the story of revelation, loss and solace.
Ethan Hunt's mission may truly be impossible, but how he and his team members choose to confront it, conveys that their mission is accomplished at heart. Kudos to all the crew for making this smash hit and I must say that Cruise's Russian is pretty good (coming from a native Russian speaker).
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