Should You Choose to Accept It...

The "Mission: Impossible" franchise is somewhat of a paradox.  I believe a character in the first movie even uses that word at some point.  With each new installment in the series differing wildly in scope and tone from the last, you can rest assured that "Ghost Protocol" follows that pattern.  For this reason, I believe the franchise has stayed fresh and kept a still in great shape Tom Cruise on his toes.  Dropping the usual roman numeral from the title, "Mission: Impossible-Ghost Protocol" has a new jumping off point for where the series could go, and as directed by Brad Bird, it is an exhilarating experience; especially on the IMAX screen.

Brad Bird is no stranger to action, but the kicker here is that "Ghost Protocol" marks his first live-action motion picture, yet he brings much of the same stamina and physicality that he brought to "The Incredibles" and "The Iron Giant."  He is a natural, and it isn't hard to see why he was chosen for this mission.  For one thing, this easily has the best opening credits sequence of the entire series.  It delighted me.  I don't know how much of Bird's input went into the design, but the way the classic fuse is animated and the design of the titles themselves makes me believe it bares his unmistakable signature.  In a strange way, it also harkens back to the opening titles of the television series and other features from the sixties.

 To my knowledge, this is the third feature film since "The Dark Knight" and "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" to shoot scenes using the full 70mm IMAX format.  Whenever I see a sequence displayed on that gigantic screen, I furiously wonder why anyone is still trying to make movies in 3D when the IMAX experience is unquestionably better.  Of the film's two hour, twenty four minute running time, somewhere around 28 minutes features IMAX footage and Brad Bird makes ingenious use of that.  Of course the central sequence, much shown in the trailers, is a panic inducing climb up the Burj Khalifa.  The reason for this is simultaneously simple and ingenious.  Ridculous absurdities like that are why this series is a paradox.

I realize I have side-stepped a brief plot discription to give so much praise to Brad Bird, but make no mistake; he deserves it.  I will spare details of the plot, but will mention that it essentially includes an all new team to accompany Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt.  Returning from the third installment is Simon Pegg as Benji but other than that, this is a new roster.  Paula Patton brings a feminine touch to the IMF team as Jane, and Jeremy Renner shows up well into the proceedings as the CIA analyst Brandt, although he may turn out to be something more.  The Impossible Mission this time around is to stop a weapons dealer name Hendricks (Michael Nyqvist) from causing nuclear war after he has framed the IMF for a bombing at the Kremlin.  This is simpler in discription than in action, and considering how seldom "Mission: Impossible-Ghost Protocol" slows down to tell the story, it is amazing to pick up even that much. 

The one glaring weakness to "Ghost Protocol" is the unmemorable bad guy.  Nyqvist does a fine job to be sure, but when "M:I:III" had Phillip Seymour Hoffman seething pure nastiness, how can Hendricks the arms dealer even compare?  He can't, and the whole nuclear missile plot could have been set in motion by anyone for all we care.  Of course, Hendricks and Ethan Hunt must eventually come to blows by the finale, and it's so hard to buy into because you just cannot believe an older, pudgier man would be able to best Tom Cruise in a fist fight.  Lea Seydoux as a female assassin is a much more intimidating presence, and gets a better fight at the Burj Khalifa with Paula Patton.  I'd say the real villains here are the circumstances that keep mounting against the IMF team.  The "Ghost Protocol" of the title means that the entire agency has been disavowed and they must operate off the grid with limited resources and no support.  This provides an opportunity to see some cool new gadgetry even if it doesn't always work properly.  The trademark 'human mask' technology is back but doesn't quite function as expected and in fact, most of what the IMF plans must be scrapped in favor of improvisation at the last minute.

Considering this is Brad Bird's first go with live action, improvisation may be what makes "Mission: Impossible-Ghost Protocol" work so well in the first place.  It certainly managed to keep it feeling fresh and relevant.  Whether he returns for a fifth installment is hard to say because one of the strengths providing longevity here is the change in director each time out, although the production team on this one includes JJ Abrams, who helmed the third movie.  There is also a rumor that Tom Cruise is to be handing off the franchise to Jeremy Renner, who essentially plays second fiddle here.  I think a better choice would be to balance them out and give each equal opportunity.  Both are more than capable considering the age gap.  Besides, when it comes to leaping out of the 130th floor of the tallest building in the world, could you imagine anyone crazy enough to do it besides Cruise?  Maybe in the next one he could jump out of a plane while jumping up and down on a couch.  Now THAT would be a paradox.