Renn Brown: The Mission: Impossible franchise has gone a lot of places and struck many tones, having been molded and explored by four very different filmmakers, and in Ghost Protocol we see it simultaneously at its most stripped-down and yet most beefed-up. The action is bigger, taller, and much more punishing, while the team is smaller, their goals more focused, and the stakes much broader. The result is one of the most refined entries yet, but one that is probably the most devoid of a specific personality.
Representing Brad Bird’s entry into live-action filmmaking, Ghost Protocol is a sign that the director’s chops do not live solely in the world of animation. If Bird will one day be able to translate his skills with a virtual camera into the real-world remains to be seen though, as the energy and dynamics of his action can’t help but be diluted to some degree when passed through a corporeal camera, at least this first time out. Cruise on the other hand, be it at 120 stories or 120mph, is as comfortable leading an action film as ever and effortlessly brings his rare form of star power back to the big screen, supported by a well-tuned group of supporting players. He, the IMAX format, and a general sense of classy competence make this film work in a big, but ultimately forgettable way. If anything, Brad Bird has made a case that Mission: Impossible is still a spirited, valuable franchise that has yet to find a sustainable groove that could drive it beyond being a Cruise showcase. It still works for now though.
Nick Nunziata: It more than works. I am a huge fan of the third installment in this series and I felt that it rebooted the franchise a bit. This film feels very much like a soulmate of that film and though it may not be quite as laden with sizzle it holds its own on every front but in its choice of villain. Michael Nyqvist has none of the weight or adversarial panache of Phillip Seymour Hoffman, and though the climactic automated parking garage sequence is fantastic he never registers as much more than Eurotrash. I love the stripped-down vibe here. Though it was nice getting to know Ethan Hunt’s private life a little, this film is hard. Edgy. Dirty. Brad Bird embraces it, and though he doesn’t stake his own unique claim on the material he does a fine job of letting some great scenes unfold and a handful of very good performers work together in a manner that elevates the material admirably.
Renn Brown: I was surprised by how much I appreciated the humor here as Simon Pegg was elevated into a real character that bounced off of every member of the team exceptionally well. The general levity permeates even the bigger stunts and spy sequences, which doesn’t help the feeling of M:I lite, but keeps the entertainment factor high. The focus on the team dynamics also compensates for the aforementioned vanillain who just wants to nuke something somewhere for some reason at some point. The script and Bird instead focus on big action sequences with a hint of old school spy action, though there’s not really the same focus on gadgetry and cool techniques as in the past, as most of that is just stalling for the fist-fights, car chases, and acrobatics. In fact, the filmmakers seemed to have mostly given up on out-gadgeting our gadget-filled lives and most of the tech runs off of Apple products as iPad or iPhone accessories, with viruses and computer wizardry delivered by simple USB drives. This is simultaneously a nod to how things pretty much are these days, calculated and shameless corporate synergy, and just kind of a bummer.
Nick Nunziata: Only if you let it be. I find it more insulting when filmmakers conjure up ridiculous fake tech just to distance the current generation so as to create a canvas for the ridiculous. I agree about Pegg, and I also find that Brad Bird has done the unthinkable and make Jeremy Renner warm, funny, and inviting. I’m a huge fan of the actor but seeing him showcase a personality takes an already fantastic performer and only enhances his potential. The real surprise here is Paula Patton, who starts off somewhat bland and ends the film as ravishing and an extremely effective physical action heroine. Cruise does what he always does: give 110% and outclass everyone else within range. There is no better example of an actor whose personal life has eclipsed the ever-impressive body of work and the quality and dedication behind his craft.
Renn Brown: I don’t think the onus is on me to be more accepting of naked corporate tie-ins, certainly not when I have to look no farther than one of the thousands of major tech blogs (or any random stretch of a Facebook feed) to see articles about amazing cutting-edge technology that is not yet public. I’d probably be less bothered if many of the examples of tech the film did include weren’t so especially silly or so hyper-specific (the chain-mail hover suit and the door-number changing machine coming to mind). This is not crippling for a film that is, quite simply, most concerned with action, but it’s not a virtue either.
And it’s true: Cruise can’t be praised enough for maintaining a charming sense of humor and a believable sense of will-kick-your-ass that drives this franchise. Manning up for the IMAX cameras and genuinely running about on the side of the world’s tallest building definitely lends the film’s most powerful action scene a greater sense of gravity… gravity you’ll be all too respectful of as your gut plummets to the floor for some shots. The slow, methodical, sudden jerk pacing of the Burj Dubai sequence is one of the most spine-tingling of the entire franchise. Though Ethan Hunt’s original ceiling suspension gag is referenced elsewhere in the film, this building-side exploit feels like the ultimate conclusion of Hunt’s escalating series of suspended stunts. The annoyed but fearless humor with which Hunt takes on the side-mission is also a treat, and fits in nicely with the overall tone of “I’ve seen it all” with which Cruise imbues the character these days.
Nick Nunziata: And that’s why I like this movie a lot. Action movies get you in the door with the spectacle but if the characters are boring it’s a useless experience. Though Ethan Hunt isn’t some complex character or one that allows for much depth, Cruise makes the most of it. The moments between the action are quite good here, and when you’re four films into an action franchise it’s not often that there’s enough meat on the bones to do much more than serve as connective tissue between set pieces. There’s still vitality to this series and it serves as a perfect vehicle to establish Brad Bird as a live-action director. The thing’s on rails, the actors are as adept as possible, the 2nd unit’s going to help with some of the heavy lifting, and though a nice array of directors have handled the reins it’s not a director’s franchise as originally planned. Brian DePalma invested a lot of his style into the first film but John Woo showcased how the brand is more important than the stylist. J.J. Abrams was probably the perfect choice for the series, as his wheelhouse is firmly entrenched in technical action direction and a particular distance from his work. Bird perhaps doesn’t invest enough of himself into the material but this is a nice transition from the third film. In a way the Quantum of Solace to its Casino Royale. Works for me.
Nick:
Rating: 
Out of a Possible 5 Stars
Renn Brown: I can definitely see the Dubai sequences getting a rewatch or two, but the lack of any kind of distinctive stamp on the film means the details are already beginning to slide off of my brain. I appreciate Brad Bird stepping back a bit from the typical long lens action coverage a bit, even if it’s all absolutely still shot in the same overriding style of the times, and heavily relies on concussive sound design to have an impact. It’s definitely a positive live-action debut for Bird, but he’s not exactly breaking into the format in such a way that leaves me hungry for his next effort. Frankly, I’ll be more excited in a movie or two when he makes a big return to animation. It’s good for Cruise, in a transitional way, and a fun few hours to spend with Pegg and an uncharacteristically chipper Jeremy Renner, but there’s no way this stays relevant for any length of time. However, in a year when utter garbage has been shoveled into theaters posing as action at a particularly distressing pace, a guiltless good time at theater can not be undervalued. Shuffling a competent and exciting film of this scale out through the system these days (without being a profitable visionary with free reign) is a hell of an accomplishment, and much credit should be laid at Bird and Cruise’s feet. It’s even more of an accomplishment to make a fourth entry in a series that manages to add momentum to the franchise rather than cancel it out. So while I may not make a midnight screening of M:I 5, I’ll certainly show up for it.
Rating:
Out of a Possible 5 Stars