Movie Review: Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol

I've never been hugely passionate about the Mission: Impossible franchise, but this, I dare say, was one of the finest action films this year. Really.

Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol was immensely enjoyable just because unlike many of the films out there, this one got some serious spunk!! It was that kind of movie that kept me on the edge of my seat and gave me a good adrenalin rush, which most action films recently failed to do so. It had enough twists and turns that made things interesting, despite the fact that it followed the standard structure of it's predecessor.

Yes, the story wasn't the film's strongest suite, but the series was always about delivering exhilarating blockbuster entertainment, and it was in that regard where the film truly shined. I mean, the action on display alone were so meticulously crafted, particularly in some of the more pulse-pounding set pieces.

The action sequences were breathtakingly shot and choreographed that it constantly left me picking my jaw up off the ground. The chase scene on a sandstorm was brilliant, and the fist fight on a stylish parking garage in Mumbai was incredibly hard hitting. Oh, and don't get me started with the most hyped up scene: the Burj Khalifa climb. To me, this would've been the most riveting sequence I have ever seen in any film this year. It was an absolute masterwork in tension. Plus, the fancy gadgets were quite rad. A particularly nifty device during the Kremlin scene had me in awe.

I also found the pacing to be very impressive, stunning cinematography and a direction that was unexpectedly awesome. Brad Bird, who directed The Incredibles and Ratatouille, was outstanding in his first live action directorial job. There was certainly the same pulsating energy running through every frame of this film that was evident in his previous works.

But between the jaw-dropping action scenes, I thought the perfect casting made the film quite remarkable. I actually felt that the cast worked well together, and had a pretty good team dynamic. Tom Cruise, as expected, portrayed his role perfectly. Paula Patton and Jeremy Renner delivered solid performances and Simon Pegg's natural comedic timing gave the movie a much-needed lightheartedness.

One minor quibble though about the film was the non-threatening villain. I don't know. He wasn't compelling enough and I actually felt a greater sense of danger from the female assassin than the actual antagonist.

Ultimately, Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol was exactly what it sets out to be - a well made blockbuster film that is guaranteed to entertain. It's flawed - no question about that - but it was, as I've said, extremely entertaining. So, if you want to take a little escape from reality, I guess this is the movie to enjoy.