Ethan Hunt (Cruise) is a secret agent framed for the deaths of his espionage team. Fleeing from government assassins, breaking into the CIA’s most impenetrable vault, clinging to the roof of a speeding bullet train, Hunt races like a burning fuse to stay one step ahead of his pursuers… and draw one step closer to discovering the shocking truth.
- Based on Mission: Impossible (TV) created by Bruce Geller.
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With the upcoming supposed final movie in the franchise (Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning) on the horizon, it seemed like a good time to go back and take a look at how all this started – with Mission: Impossible. Would the original film still be worth watching today? Or was that its most impossible task?
Tom Cruise starts the series out strong in Mission: Impossible. Looking so much younger than he does now, he brings a passion to the role. While he seemed like a mismatch when he was the title character in Jack Reacher, this Ethan Hunt character fits him much better He makes Hunt worth watching, and it’s no wonder this series has gone on as long as it has: people keep coming back to see more adventures involving Ethan Hunt.
The rest of the cast is solid too. Jon Voight, Emmanuelle Beart, Jean Reno, Vanessa Redgrave…they are all solid in their roles. Still, Ving Rhames’ computer hacker Luther quietly steals the show in his sequences. He makes his character incredibly likeable – despite being not much more than a background character for most of the film.
Surprisingly, the credits leave out a pretty big name – Emilio Estevez. While he doesn’t play a part in the latter part of the film, he’s pretty prominent near the beginning, so it’s definitely a surprise he’s not in the main credits. Neither is Ingeborga Dapkunalte (Hannah), but she’s not as big of a star – but oddly, Kristin Scott Thomas (Sarah Davies) is. Funny how credits work sometimes.
With Brian De Palma (Scarface, The Untouchables) behind the helm, he gives his own spin to Mission: Impossible. He brings in a murder mystery, deception and plot twists the viewer won’t see coming – but he makes them seem entirely plausible in retrospect. True, fans of the original may be upset by the use of some classic characters, but this is a modern retelling that showcases that in Ethan Hunt’s world, no one can be above suspicion.
Of course, De Palma has done some exciting action sequences before (the shootout in The Untouchables at the train station for instance), and he brings that action knowledge with him to Mission: Impossible. While the ending sequences goes way overboard (and involves a helicopter, a speeding train and a tunnel), the setup at the beginning and an explosive end to a meeting at a restaurant both showcase some new exciting action from this director.
With Mission: Impossible, the filmmakers were able to take the best of the classic series, update it to reflect a post-Cold War mindset, and bring in a solid cast to make things work. While lots of television adaptations seem a bit cheesy (Charlie’s Angels, 21 Jump Street), this one works on so many levels. While some viewers may find themselves a bit confused at times – and for good reason – viewers should have a great time watching (or re-watching) this one.
