deadly threat with another bureaucratic “suit” trying to trip
them up as well.
Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Starring: Tom Cruise, Henry Cavill, Ving Rhames,
Pegg
Why I Liked It – A popcorn movie with
the usual dash of hot sauce.
These movies are
prominent members of my “Guilty Pleasures” movie list. The
characters haven’t much depth, and the plots are predictable. But
with some spectacular explosions and a cast that has a rollicking
good time playing it out for us, it works. They will not strain
your brain, but that’s not the point.
Cruise has become
a solid action hero. His dedication to physical training so he can do
his own stunts is impressive. As are some of the outrageous things he
does for these movies. The greatest challenge is that he continues to
age while needing to keep “upping the ante”.
All the
movies follow a tried-and-true pattern for movies of the genre. The
well-muscled team leader who struggles between his dedication to his
understanding of truth and justice, and the inner demons that follow
him. The twitchy nerd whose skills are a vital cog in every job, but
who can’t believe what is happening to him. The “father figure”
character, the “heart” of the team and dispenser of wisdom. There
will be a love interest for the leader, whose life/safety will be on
the line, along with at least one other member of the team. Also
vital is the “suit”, a silky smooth bureaucrat who understands
neither truth nor justice, and who threatens to abandon the unit for
his own power maneuvers. He hates people and things that don’t obey
his every command, so he has no love for our hero. The primary
antagonist in the story is infinitely intelligent and equally
ruthless. It will take a combination of virtue, bravery,
self-sacrifice and pure dumb luck to defeat him. Which our hero does
by the end.
It’s been done a thousand times. And with
the occasional hiccup here and there in the franchise, “Mission
Impossible” does this routine very well. The most important part is
getting the right cast. Cruise has the people he needs around him.
Simon Pegg plays the twitchy nerd, Ving Rhames is the communications
expert and father figure to them all, the tragic love interest in
Phelps’ past, the obligatory bureaucrat in a suit who doesn’t
understand the importance of doing it right, and some over the top
villain intent on mayhem on a massive scale. It’s familiar, trite
and done a thousand times.
But, damn, it’s a lot of
fun!
What’s the story for this one? Same as usual.
Honestly, the story isn’t that important. It’s the gadgets and
the stunts and the relationships among the team. To borrow a phrase
from a different movie, “It’s all just fun!”
Rating
– **** Recommended
Stories Are My Life 
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