Mission Impossible (1996) --- "Only The Mission Matters And Every Second Counts. Expect The Impossible."

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Plot Summary

When U.S. government operative Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and his mentor, Jim Phelps (Jon Voight), go on a covert assignment that takes a disastrous turn, Jim is killed, and Ethan becomes the prime murder suspect. Now a fugitive, Hunt recruits brilliant hacker Luther Stickell (Ving Rhames) and maverick pilot Franz Krieger (Jean Reno) to help him sneak into a heavily guarded CIA building to retrieve a confidential computer file that will prove his innocence. (1)

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Review

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Hello, Movie Buffs! 

     Mission Impossible (1996) is director Brian DePalma's (1983 Scarface) modern remake of the TV series from the 1960’s and 70’s. The series followed the Impossible Missions Force (IMF) and a group of its agents as they attempt to pull off impossible missions with minutes or even inches to spare. The series was well-received and rather successful if its seven seasons are anything to go by. Although I have never watched the original TV series and I doubt that I ever will, so I was unsure as to what I would expect before watching this film. Until recently the only Mission Impossible films I had seen were 2011’s Ghost Protocol and 2015’s Rogue Nation, and after watching the first three films recently I have come to appreciate the newest films even more.

     Mission Impossible (1996) is an entertaining and thrilling film that must be carefully watched from beginning to end because there are some twists that could easily be missed should you not pay attention. The story gets more complicated then it sounds since the writers (Robert Towne, David Koepp, and Steve Zaillian) add just about every twist imaginable, which makes for a clever and  thrilling film. Director DePalma understands how to balance action and suspense in a spy film without making it feel cliché or slowing the pace of the film. Every time you think you might have the film figured out, the writers and DePalma throw in a new twist.

     The film’s biggest appeal is the visuals. Through its use of set-style cinematography, the visuals have an old Hollywood feel to the film which gives the film a personal feel. The film didn’t need expensive or flashy visuals and effects to move the story along nicely. And the music done by Danny Elfman (The Girl on the Train), was great as well.

     The cast was great in their respective roles. Tom Cruise is a reliable hero, Jon Voight (National Treasure) is good, Henry Czerny (Pink Panther) plays another mysterious government figure, and French beauty Emmanuelle Beart is mysterious as Clair. Ving Rhames (Mission Impossible films) and Jean Reno (Pink Panther) play disavowed agents who help pull off the "Mt. Everest of hacks". Kristin Scott Thomas (2018 Tomb Raider) is lovely, Vanessa Redgrave (Atonement) was a nice addition to the cast, and Emilio Estevez (The Breakfast Club) played a small role quite well.

     Overall, Mission Impossible (1996) is a thrilling and entertaining action-spy film that requires you to pay attention to every detail otherwise you might miss something important. The story had a nice pace that blended the action and suspense quite well. The visuals have an old Hollywood feel to them while the cast was great. I highly recommend this film, especially to fans of the series who have yet to give this film a chance. You won’t be disappointed on this thrill ride.

"Zero body count."

- Ethan Hunt

Final Vote

Worth Seeing:  7.5 of 10 star

Worth Buying:  7.5 of 10 stars

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