Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol (2011) User Reviews

The most rewatchable in the series

[mahmus · 8/10 · 15 September 2020]

The first one was well made, but got boring. The second tried too hard to be cool. The third one was great, but the style was too jarring. The fourth one said: "screw it, let's just have some fun" and everyone else followed its lead.

Ghost Protocol might be the most rewatchable movie in the franchise (it's certainly the one I've rewatched the most). Its creative set piece, amazing stunts, likeable team, fast pace and perfect runtime make for an endlessly rewarding viewing experience.

It's a bit dissapointing that Luther only got a cameo at the end, but making Benji a field agent was one of the best desicions made in the series. The villain is the most boring in the franchise, but this is arguably the first MI movie to really focus on the whole main team and not just Ethan Hunt and I love it for that.

With its first three entries, the franchise was clearly trying to find its identity. Here, they finally found it, and I love it.

Excellent action movie.

[PWNYCNY · 8/10 · 31 July 2018]

The movie presents a story that is absurd. Nevertheless, it is entertaining. The movie takes the players to many different parts of the world. How they get to these places the movie does not explain. At each place people are on the run, traps are being set, communications are tense, as the good guys and bad guys try to outwit the other. The movie is devoid of any overt political content, concentrating its attention on telling the story. Tom Cruise delivers an energetic performance that carries the movie. He is in almost every scene. The movie is never dull. For fans of action movies, this movie will not disappoint.

Mission Impossible at its best!

[charliep14 · 8/10 · 11 August 2015]

The first half of the movie is probably the best action movie of the last 20 years. It is intense, well shot, engaging and absolutely stunning visually. The stunts and action set in Budapest, Moscow and Dubai and are absolutely fantastic and make the movie. Unfortunately the movie slows down greatly in the second half of the movie (or is it two thirds/one third?) in Mumbai and loses itself in some common genre traps: too much explaining stuff that doesn't make sense and some fairly 'average' action. It's a small gripe, probably half explained by the fantastic beginning of the movie. The cast is the best of the series: Jeremy Renner is a good addition, Lea Seydoux is a pretty cool villain and the female lead whose name escapes me is somebody I wish I would have seen in another movie? And Cruise is Cruise, he's the man in this saga. A great movie overall, well done Brad Bird!

Timeless Thrills, Epic Adventure

[pawanpunjabithewriter · 9/10 · 5 July 2023]

Mission: Impossible 4 Ghost Protocol captivated me to the core leaving me eager to relish it even in 2023. I wonder how astounding and exquisite the experience would be to watch such contents in 4D!

The movie's inception with a gripping prison break set the tone for a non-stop thrill ride considering we get an idea this is something big. The exhilarating momentum reached its zenith during the iconic Burj Khalifa scene which was marvelously shot! It's still one of the greatest scenes in the world of Cinema!

Tom Cruise's brilliance and the surreal work on the Burj, including the elevator sequence, left me in awe. Simon Pegg's resourcefulness and humor in action movies added a delightful charm.

The film's action and adventure never failed to entertain ensuring there was never a dull moment. The thrill remains intact, making it a delightful re-watch. I eagerly await more MI movies, hoping to watch one in 4D!

Excellent: The MI Series Still Going Strong

[ccthemovieman-1 · 10/10 · 15 June 2012]

This was a fun movie to watch; much better than I anticipated. Usually sequels have totally run their course by the fourth time, but not so here. In fact, this might even be the best of the Mission Impossible films.

It has a good mixture of interesting action scenes, suspense, drama, humor, great scenery of Venice, Italy, and fine acting. Nothing is overdone to the point of being too much and, as most MI films go, it has the normal espionage-type intrigue to figure out.

It's just plain entertaining. Kudos to all: the director, the actors and the special-effects and cameraman. A superb job done all around.

Mission Impossible

[0U · 13 February 2020]

Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol is filled with edge of your set thrills executed with great performances, visual splendor and great direction all thanks to Brad Bird!

I could be sent back to boot camp for this review

[A_Different_Drummer · 7/10 · 12 July 2016]

A MI movie starring Cruise co-produced by Abrams and directed by (OMG!) Brad Bird should be a no-brainer.

Literally.

It should be one of the best films of all time and we the viewing public should be grateful it was made in the first place.

But this reviewer begs to differ. Respecfully.

Great opening sequence. And although the remainder of the film is technically perfect and has some of the best special effects ever put on film, the rest of the movie fails to live up to the opener.

You ask why? Because of the mechanical plot, the lack of humanistic connection, and shallowness of the villain (who best resembles the shape-changing robot from Terminator, has only one purpose, keeps popping up, never changes tempo or facial expression and has almost no dialog).

Lets drill down a bit deeper to see where they went wrong? The original TV series (yes I saw them all, I am old) had a plot device which worked at the time. No matter how carefully the IMF plan was, something always went wrong at the last minute.

This astonishingly over-written film has taken that single trope and used it in virtually every scene!! The entire film is essentially about carefully laid plans that do not work.

This is not the way to build a successful film.

This entry, in spite of the talent behind the camera, is not one of the best in the series.

If you can't enjoy this ride then entertaining you is a mission: impossible.

[pjvanes69 · 9/10 · 7 December 2011]

"Mission Accomplished"...

Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol is the forth film in the franchise (though first not to acknowledge its place in the title) and sees Tom Cruise reprising the leading role of the globe-trotting super spy Ethan Hunt. Throughout the series Hunt has evolved from team player to lone wolf and now in Ghost Protocol he must become a true leader of a team that, for the first time, he didn't choose.

The film blasts off into overdrive from the minute the gates open and rarely lets up, it's one hell of a ride and there's enough action and gadgets here to please any fan of the spy film genre. The plot is fairly straightforward; the bad guy obtains the key to the ultimate weapon and plans to destroy the world with it. Hunt and his team, working without the support of the IMF, must stop him at all costs. It has enough twists and turns to keep you engaged but it never gets so complicated that you risk getting lost while you're immersed in the mind- blowing stunt sequences. One thing fans of the series will probably notice this time around is that Hunt is more 'human' when it comes to the action than he has been in most of the previous outings. Not everything goes to plan and if he gets hit or falls down it hurts. Sure he's still a super spy and can do things most mortal men would never try in a million years but the added vulnerability and consequences of those actions gone wrong lifts the film to a new level and is one of the reasons it kept me on board all the way to the end.

If there is anything about this film that let me down a little it was the absence of a true 'super villain' like we had in MI3. Yes there's a villain and yes he's dangerous but there is something missing. I guess I could put it this way – there is no, Joker to Hunt's Batman. In MI3 things get very personal between Hunt and Owen Davian (Philip Seymour Hoffman) and that jacked up the menace and intensity of the conflict to a level you'd expect to see in the ultimate villain but in M:I-GP that level of personal rivalry between protagonist and antagonist was a bit lacking. It's not that Michael Nyqvist (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) didn't deliver a good performance in the few scenes where he interacts with Cruise, it's just that there are so few of these moments that he is, in many ways, almost like another one of his own henchmen and I mistook him for other characters on a few occasions.

Personally I felt a greater presence and sense of danger from the female assassin, Sabine Moreau (Lea Seydoux – Robin Hood), a beautiful yet malicious woman with a cold heartless gaze, completely devoid of compassion. In my opinion she'd have made a much better leading villain, especially as her actions do personally effect one of the team, but despite this little hiccup there is certainly more than enough obstacles to keep Hunt and his team busy and the audience well and truly entertained so this is really just nit-picking on my part.

After the relative disappointment of the second Mission: Impossible film, first time feature director J.J. Abrams (of TV's ALIAS and Lost fame) injected some much needed heart and soul into the third installment, expertly balancing a romantic subplot with the high-octane action sequences all fans demand of such a film. Although Abrams was not going to direct the fourth film it was reassuring to see that he was still involved as a producer so I had relatively high hopes that Ghost Protocol would live up to MI3 and I wasn't disappointed.

Like MI3 before it Ghost Protocol's director's chair is filled with another first timer of sorts and like the previous chapter that 'gamble' has paid off. Although Brad Bird is not a first time feature helmer this is his first foray into the world of live action so he might not seem to be the most obvious choice but there was never any doubt from either Abrams or Cruise about his talent and potential to deliver a great film. Bird's impressive previous credits include The Iron Giant, The Incredibles and Ratatouille (the last two having won Academy Awards for best Animated Feature Film). Like Abrams, Bird has also had great success on the small screen as an executive consultant on the Simpsons and I've been a fan of his work since chancing upon Family Dog (from Spielberg's 'Amazing Stories' series) in the early 90's.

Simon Pegg (Paul) reprises his role as Benji Dunn from MI3, the computer whiz behind all the action. Dunn has now graduated from a 'behind the desk cameo' to a fully qualified field officer and as a result gets a much beefier role in this mission becoming one of Hunt's rogue team. Pegg's natural comedic timing and likable charm adds a much-needed element of lightheartedness to the franchise that could have easily backfired had this role been miscast.

Rounding out the new team are IMF agents Jane Carter (Paula Patton – Deja Vu) and William Brandt (Jeremy Renner –The Hurt Locker), and both actors deliver solid performances. Carter is as sexy as she is deadly and Patton slips between these two persona's with ease while Brandt hides a secret past allowing Renner to show a vulnerability we're not used to seeing in the roles he normally plays.

Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol delivers exactly the type of entertainment action fans crave and as a result it is perfect popcorn movie. If you don't enjoy this ride then entertaining you is a mission: impossible.

Recommended 👍

[TheNonSmoker · 7/10 · 3 July 2020]

Very cool I liked the ideo of having a hero who accomplishes impossible missions possible

The Best of the Mission Impossible Franchise

[Instant_Palmer · 8/10 · 16 October 2017]

This MI production is well executed in every regard - A top cast of talented actors, direction and editing that earn a B+, and a plot and a list of film locations that are as interesting as any in the best Bond films.

The only thing preventing a 9 rating are a handful of scenes that could have been cut down for the sake of keeping the overall snappy pace intact...10 minutes shorter and this film would rate a 9 (A-).

Great fun and edge of your seat moments are dispensed throughout the film - if in-need of a MI, Bond, or Jason Bourne fix, I highly recommend MI Ghost Protocol and a bowl of popcorn.

MI-4: Toilet Protocol (w/ spoilers)

[dezell6 · 6/10 · 2 January 2012]

Easily the worst in the MI franchise. It's movies like this that make me wonder how movies ever get made. The story is a badly regurgitated Cold War plot that requires the ghosted IMF team to stop a Russian physicist trained in special forces martial arts from acquiring nuke launch codes and starting Armageddon.

Apparently, since the global economic downturn, a spy organization as sophisticated as IMF doesn't have the budget for foolproof self-destruct phones anymore. The newly assembled ghost IMF team is comprised of incompetent misfits;

Ethan Hunt - As every super hero since Superman and Batman can tell you, personal relationships can be difficult, particularly if you choose a "civilian" (non-super hero) to be your spouse resulting in every demented supper villain coming after them as a means of striking at the Achilles' Heal of the super hero - Duh. Ethan was well aware of this danger since MI-1 when Kittridge used coded news footage of his aunt/uncle being arrested to uncover his location. Everything that Ethan hunt did was pointless; he saved a fellow Russian prisoner as future collateral for contacting a Russian connected with black market weapons - unnecessary and he probably could have gotten the same information from a Google search. He infiltrated the Kremlin as an aged but youthfully well built Russian general and failed to prevent a national disaster, resulting in an annoyingly re-occurring cat-and-mouse chase with Russian intelligence. Lastly, he has a wife that he can never talk to - huh?

Benji (the tech guy) - is plagued by delusions of grandeur and suffers from AADD. Even when presented with the opportunity to go undercover in Russia, Benji just can't manage to shut up, even though his "English" mutterings might just give away the fact that he is not a Russian officer. Every gadget this guy touches malfunctions. Apparently, the American version of James Bond's "Q" leaves much to be desired.

Agent Carter - after leading a failed op that resulted in the death of not only her key agent, but apparently a secret love interest, she battles with a schizophrenic bout of manic depression. When ordered not to kill potentially important sources of information what does she do - she kills the important source of information (instead of properly incapacitating them - what, no knock out serum?). During her one important mission to seduce an Indian mogul, she displays a neurosis that oddly proves sadistically seductive. The goal is to procure his coded access to his satellite in order to prevent the Russian physicist from transmitting his launch codes. Which they ultimately fail to do. But thankfully there is always a backup shutdown switch in a briefcase!

Agent Bradt - another failed agent whose covert mission to protect Ethan and his wife while on vacation ended in a muddled cover-up operation to disguise Ethan's wife' witness protection plan as a faked death. Otherwise, he is utterly useless in preventing his boss from being killed or bad guys getting lose.

Bottom line, the story was underwhelming and lacked a clever/complex layered story, and was instead a sappy, corny, comedic parody of previous MI films. So, if you are expecting hi-octane drama, nail biting suspense, and memorable acting, skip MI-4 and see War Horse.

Fourth entry of the Mission Impossible series filled with thrills , twists , turns and lots of action

[ma-cortes · 8/10 · 4 March 2015]

The undercover unit comes back into action with several fine spectacular scenes . The crack undercover agent Ethan Hunt(Tom Cruise) is again called back into action by IMF staff , his assignment is a crucial mission to take some nuclear artifacts . The outfit formed by stalwarts specialists (Paula Patton , Simon Pegg ,Jeremy Renner) execute a dangerous operation in the Kremlin , Moscow . But the IMF is shut down , forcing the President to invoke Ghost Protocol , when it's implicated in the bombing of the Kremlin , causing Ethan Hunt and his new team to go rogue to clear their organization's name . Meanwhile, Ethan and his undercover bunch try to discover who set them up . Ethan and his group pursue the main suspect , Hendricks (Michael Nyqvist) , to Dubai where carry out dangerous capers .

This energetic movie packs unstopped action , hair-raising suspense , exciting thriller , frenetic pursuits and lots of violence . Well made high-tech hijinks and full of breathtaking set-up with impressive images . Tom Cruise performed the sequence where Ethan Hunt scales the outside of the Burj Khalifa tower himself without the use of a stunt doublé , the Burj Khalifa tower is the tallest building in the world , it is the Armani Hotel Dubai , the first hotel designed and developed by Giorgio Armani . During the filming of production, Tom Cruise did the majority of his own stunts including the skyscraper sequences to show the audience it was actually him ; this would allow director Brad Bird to have more capabilities with camera angles & not having to hide the fact it is a stuntman doing the stunts . The film contains an interesting as well as twisted story in flamboyant treatment , worth two hours'time, written by Josh Appelbaum & André Nemec and based on the vintage characters by Bruce Heller . Lalo Schifrin's classic score television is again well reused here , at a much higher decibel level and adding a stirring soundtrack by Michael Giacchini , fitting perfectly to action . Fascinating and luxurious cinematography by excellent cameraman by Robert Elswit . As usual, Tom Cruise co-executive produced , along with J.J. Abrams , Josh Appelbaum , Bryan Burk , David Ellison , but not the usual Paula Wagner ; in fact this is the first Mission: Impossible film not to be produced by herself . The motion picture was compellingly directed by Brad Bird , though this is his live-action directorial debut . He's a successful producer , writer and director with a lot of hits such as ¨Ratatouille¨ , ¨Iron Giant¨ and ¨The Incredibles¨ . Rating : Better than average and well worth seeing . The tale will appeal to Tom Cruise fans and unstop action movies fans. The film made $693 million at the box office worldwide, becoming the highest-grossing installment in the franchise ; it also surpassed War of the worlds (2005) to become Tom Cruise's highest grossing film as of 2012.

Other installments from this popular and successful series are the followings : ¨Mission : Impossible¨ by Brian De Palma with Tom Cruise , Ving Rhames , Jon Voight , Henry Czerny , Kristin Scott Thomas , Vanessa Redgrave Emmanuel Beart , Jean Reno ; ¨Mission : Impossible II¨ by John Woo with Dougray Scott , Thandie Newton , Richard Roxburgh ,John Polson , Brendan Gleeson ; ¨MI 3¨ (2006) by J. J. Abrahams with Philip Seymour Hoffman , Ving Rhames, Maggie Q, Jonathan Rhys Meyers and in preparation ¨Mission : Impossible V¨ (2015) by Christopher McQuarrie with Jeremy Renner , Simon Pegg , Ving Rhames , Rebecca Ferguson , Sean Harris , Alec Baldwin and , of course , Tom Cruise .

Absolutely Amazing!

[GoDzReaper93 · 7/10 · 4 December 2011]

So, this is my first ever review. IMDb readers may not believe this. A review up this early. However, I had the chance to see Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol early, thanks to a competition on the IGN website, at the IMAX theatre in Sydney Australia presented by none other than director Brad Bird and actor Simon Pegg. First off, the appearance of Bird and Pegg sparked enormous applause (with Bird accidentally tripping over stairs and Pegg stating that he almost had a coronary after watching Ghost Protocol and wishing that the audience would not have one). After Bird said to us what an immense project the film was, and that we were the first to view the film in the world (the Dubai premiere is on Thursday) the film rolled. The first thing I noticed, was Bird's directing style. It was different to the hectic camera-work/editing of J.J. Abrams (Although he did Produce the film), different to the styalized work of John Woo. In fact, Bird's directing is closer to Brian De Palma (Director of the first film). After being framed for a "gas leak" at the Kremlin, Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise), Benji (Simon Pegg) and Jane (Paula Patton) are disavowed by the American government, and the IMF (Impossible Mission Force) is shut down, leading the crew to stop a deadly terrorist from launching nuclear weapons and creating global nuclear war. To do this, they must travel to Dubai, Mumbai and Moscow. Let me just say, the movie was amazing in IMAX format. The scene showcased in the trailer with Cruise hanging off the Burj is absolutely fascinating, creating a heart pumping, adrenaline filled sequence. Tom Cruise is back as Ethan Hunt, with Cruise being the usual awesome actor that he is. Patton not only provides eye-candy, but is also a central part to the team. Pegg's character, Benji, plays right into the actors wheelhouse, with both sharp wit and amazing sense of humor. Jeremy Renner's, Brandt, is also another awesome addition to the team, showcasing Renner's acting abilities. Individually, the actors are good, however, as a team, they function amazingly, and this is what must be done in order to achieve success in the latest Impossible Mission. Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol is an amazing action film, mixed with elements from the Bond and Bourne franchises, the film does not let up for one minute. Superior to the De Palma and Woo films, on par with the action masterpiece of J.J. Abrams' threequel.

Disappointing due to hollow screenplay, incomplete IMAX and primitive plot

[ionov · 4/10 · 18 December 2011]

A very much expected X-Mas premiere disappointed me very much.

The plot is primitive, except for the first 15-20 minutes most actions are predictable with virtually no drama. Action scenes are made with some care but are very mechanical.

The Burj Dubai (Khalifa) was where we expected some stunning blood-freezing action and there it was the action but blood did not freeze... The Moab scene in MI2 was one -- I clearly remember the cinema audience holding their breath, and one cannot stop comparing these two...

Those who go to IMAX version will be specifically disappointed when they realize only few sequences are filmed in IMAX format whereas during the rest of the movie you see coarse film grain and other low-res artefacts of a regular movie format blown to a huge IMAX screen as ... Why is that, dear Tom & Brad, the budget did not allow more?

In the absence of real or virtual drama the whole thing becomes flat and boring -- I wish they considered hiring Robert Towne again, for example... .

It is not very often that some characters are so irrelevant to the plot that а movie could live without them. Despite superb acting of Mashkov (russian cop Sidorov) I really miss why this character is in the movie at all ! Take him out and... nothing changes !

Paula Patton (Jane) - I am sorry but Jane is as "persuading" in the role of a field agent as Halle Berry was in JB Arctic story.

I'd better stop now and will not go into smaller details (read- spoilers). The nice side is that at least some of the sequences ARE filmed in IMAX, the opening soundtrack seems to have been re-recorded and is excellent, there are some nice areal IMAX shots of Dubai and Mumbai at night. Most of Moscow seems to have been shot in Prague or Wroclaw and does look very fake.

What else - Tom plays as he usually do but because of the primitive plot and dull screenplay there is nothing left to remember or comment. Knight & Day is what You remember, not MI-4.

I personally believe any review/rating higher that 7/10 for this one is a 90% fake ("stimulating") whereas 8-10/10 ones are 103% such.

A fun, enjoyable action flick

[cyber_dude_135 · 8/10 · 4 December 2011]

I attended a VIP screening of Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol last night at the Darling Harbor IMAX Theater in Sydney, Australia. Before the movie started, there was an introduction by Director Brad Bird, and by actor Simon Pegg where they shared how much they enjoyed making the film and shooting scenes in the IMAX format.

I won't get into the story too much as I don't want to ruin it for anyone, but the basic plot is that the Kremlin in Russia is bombed by a terrorist group and IMF is framed for it. Because of these actions, the president decides to activate Operation Ghost Protocol, which essentially means that the entire IMF organisation is disavowed, meaning Ethan and his team are on their own, and like the tagline says "No Plan, No Backup, No Choice".

The story I found to be quite solid. Nothing groundbreaking but enough to keep the interest of your average movie-goer.

The performances were generally good all around. Simon Pegg was enjoyable as Benji and Tom Cruise is always great as Ethan Hunt. Jeremy Renner and Paula Patton also gave some great performances.

The action sequences are where the film really shines. Not all scenes were great, I thought the bombing of the Kremlin used some very fake looking CGI which made it more humorous then intense. Also, some scenes seemed a little too far-fetched and made me think that Tom Cruise must be made of steel or something. But if you try not to look into this too much, then chances are you will enjoy the action. The fight scenes were done very well, incredibly brutal and realistic looking. The sound for this film really helped as you could almost feel every punch and kick as well as the explosions. The greatest scene for me was Ethan climbing the hotel in Dubai, the worlds most tallest building. Shot in IMAX as well, I almost felt like I was right there next to Ethan looking down from above. Huge credit goes to Tom Cruise for performing this stunt himself!

Overall, I found the film very enjoyable. I enjoyed it a lot more than the 2nd and 3rd entries, but the 1st has always been the best one for me. I would have given this a perfect 10 but it loses 2 points for the some of the action scenes being a bit silly and unrealistic.

Ethan Hunt is Back in Action ...

[aaronjbong · 10/10 · 17 December 2011]

... and he's climbing the tallest building in the world, the Burj Khalifa of Dubai. Not only he's ascending the super-tall structure, he's going to infiltrate the Kremlin in Moscow, chase people in a huge sandstorm, and of course ... save the world.

The story: the IMF is accused for bombing the Kremlin, although they were not actually the perpetrators. Due to this, the IMF is shut down and "Operation Ghost Protocol" is launched with Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise), Jane Carter (Paula Patton), Benji Dunn (Simon Pegg), and William Brandt(Jeremy Renner), a group of 4 people being what is left of the IMF. Together, they find that there was another person behind the bombing code-named "Cobalt" and he has a plan to ignite a nuclear war which he believes would begin the next stage of human evolution.

From beginning to end, I was hooked by all the action scenes. The action scenes and all the moves are spectacular. The hand-to-hand combats, the chase scenes, the gunfights are very well-done and spectacular. The cinematography was excellent and one of the best in years.

Of course, the Burj Khalifa scene was the trademark of the whole film. Ethan Hunt climbing the Burj Khalifa was thrilling enough. But with a limited time, having trouble going back down, and running around and swinging around the structure just quickens the pace of the story and makes the scene very stylish. This scene is just outstanding and will be one of the highlights of the film.

The acting was very well-done. After 5 years of absence in the series, Tom Cruise still got his spy skills here. Paula Patton's bad girl character is very well-played. Simon Pegg as the clumsy-but-genius Benji Dunn was amazing. Jeremy Renner as the so-called-analyst-but- actually-IMF-agent William Brandt was stunning and great. The performances of the actors/actresses are very strong and convincing.

I love the technology used in this film. They are just unreal. A device that lets you float using magnetic attraction. A device that copies the scenery behind and displays it into a screen that allows you to deceive other people who are looking at the screen. A suit that turns into a casual jacket when you wear it inside-out. All of these devices are creatively made and looking at them being operated is just so fun. And be sure to see the amazing BMW Vision (a futuristic, BMW concept car) in a scene set in Dubai. (Also, this movie is keen about BMWs.)

The mission tactics are also ingenious. The tactics are very smart and are very entertaining. How they create diversions in the most unlikely situations and the scenes involving the composition of a plan keep the film in a constant quick pace and increases the suspense of the film. When they take their tactics into action, that's where they get more interesting.

The comedy here adds up the fun in this film. Sometimes, prolonged scenes of action are just too noisy and make the movie feel plain. But not here. The comedy scenes here act as intervals between so we don't always see long, noisy, and bloated action scenes (major trouble of "Transformers") and make sure that we have a perfect dose of both.

All these elements are very well-done and balanced and together form a suspenseful, fast-paced, and thrilling, yet funny action ride worth to experience. I think we should thank genius director Brad Bird for successfully revitalizing the movie series. This movie is just brilliant and I think it's because of Bird's genius directing.

Final Verdict: With fast-paced directing by Brad Bird and exciting action sequences, yet with funny moments, this movie is a thrilling ride worth to experience.

Rating: 10/10

Thanks for reading my review on "Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol". I hope this review is useful.

A nearly perfect action movie...

[Dr_Sagan · 18 January 2015]

Well, what the hell. I'll give this a 10. Obviously it's not a masterpiece that belongs to the top of Movie classics but as an entertaining action movie is top notch.

M.I. 1 was terrible despite a couple of scenes that became iconic. John Woo failed as the director of M.I.2.

M.I.3 was better mainly because of the late Philip Seymour Hoffman who made a great villain, but still...

This one is by far the best (breaking the curse of sequels) and it's more than obvious that first timer director (with actors at least) Brad Bird had only one purpose in his mind: To please the audience.

Tom Cruise is GREAT. Many of his stunts were performed by him. Most notable the scenes at Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world at Dubai. Simon Pegg seems like a good addition and a comic relief to the action.

I admire the direction, plus its collaboration with the editing and the music. All the ingredients melted together nicely.

Almost every scene is fun. Carefully designed to please and entertain. And there is a "connection" with the previous installment for those who like to think the 4 (soon 5) movies as a series.

Overall: Get your popcorn. The movie is about to begin...

Quiet an enjoyable must see spy action film

[deoxy-adi · 7/10 · 5 December 2011]

I had the opportunity to attend a special fan screening in my city's (Mumbai, India) IMAX theater where stars Tom Cruise, Paula Pattan and Anil Kapoor had come to promote the film. To put it down simply, the plot was almost linear and slightly above average. Well done script, but nothing ground breaking, much better than the 2nd and 3rd installments and I must say almost equal to the 1st. Visual appearance and sound were great, since being the IMAX format a decent job done. Sound was average and not much appealing. Action sequences were overall good, certain key scenes were absolutely well made, realistic, brutal and good fighting, and in between good humour being the icing in the cake. The film was fast and continuous, and less likely one might get bored over some 'filler' on screen, so that is a plus one. So concluding, a must watch which maybe enjoyed watched a couple of times due to the amazing IMAX shots.

A Potpourri of Vestiges Review: The Action flick of the year, should you choose to watch it!

[murtaza_mma · 8/10 · 16 December 2011]

The long wait is finally over as Tom Cruise finally returns to the celluloid to reprise his epic role of the enigmatic IMF agent Ethan Hunt. The brilliance of Mission: Impossible III was marred by the infamous sacking of Tom Cruise by Paramount's owner and movie mogul Sumner Redstone, who blamed Cruise's bizarre sofa-hopping TV antics, and intransigent support of Scientology for movie's relatively poor show at the box office that resulted in losses of up to £75million in revenue. The sordid incident ensured that the wait for the next installment of the franchise had to be a long one. The half a decade lull that ensued saw Cruise's career sunk to a new nadir with movies like Lions for Lambs (2007), Valkyrie (2008), and Knight and Day (2010) failing to impress at the box office, while his contemporaries and coevals continued to tumble records at the box office, attaining new heights of fame and stardom. It is indeed ironic that Cruise's most impressive show in this interim has been his well-disguised cameo in Ben Stiller's Tropic Thunder (2008) in which he plays a the foul-mouthed, hot-headed, half-bald studio executive. But, every coin has the other part that completes the picture. While the things have been going a bit rough on the professional front, Cruise's personal life has finally been witnessing a much needed sense of calmness and stability. Such stability on the personal front can often lift a person's morale providing him with a sense of rejuvenation that can help him fare well in all the facets of life. Tom Cruise's rejuvenated self is pretty much apparent in the latest installment of the MI franchise, Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol.

Ghost Protocol takes the viewer on a roller coaster of a ride from Moscow to Dubai, all the way to Mumbai, never allowing a breathing space, keeping him on the edge of the seat throughout. MI – GP is indeed the quintessential action extravaganza that the ardent lovers of the genre perpetually anticipate to devour upon in order to satiate their ever growing hunger for unremitting action and adventure. Ethan Hunt is back in all his glory with some newly added dimensions to his old daredevilry that had established him as the greatest contemporary to Ian Fleming's larger than life human incarnate. As seen with Bond in Casino Royale, the key men behind the MI franchise have made conscious efforts to make the caricature of Hunt more vulnerable to danger and crises, and hence more human. MI – GP delivers everything that an action-movie lover craves for: suspense, intrigue, passion, daredevilry, razzmatazz, and much more. The adrenaline filled action is well complemented by the dazzle of the geeky gadgets on display and it is this synergy that makes MI – GP an incredibly sublime experience. The tremendous reputation that the high octane franchise carries meant the newly appointed director Brad Bird—mostly renowned for his animation flicks The Incredibles and Ratatouille—had his work cut out for him. Brad Bird has indeed been up to the task and has lived well to the expectations of Cruise and the entire production team led by J.J. Adams, who directed the third movie of the series back in 2006. Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol is packed with a plethora of action sequences that includes a shootout in Budapest, an escape sequence from a Moscow Jail, a sandstorm chase in Dubai, and a classic brawl in an automated parking garage in Mumbai. However, the sequence that stands out is the one in which Tom Cruise climbs the tallest building in the world, Burj Khalifa by clinging to it from the outside using suction gloves, giving the Spiderman a run for his money.

After the splendidly executed siege of the Vatican in the third installment, Ethan and his IMF team are on the lookout for some classified information pertaining to a Russian extremist Kurt Hendricks, which takes their quest to Kremlin. The covert mission goes awry as their plan is sabotaged by the personal intervention of Hendricks, which turns the tables on Cruise and his team rendering them sequestered and helpless. The questionable events that unfold at Kremlin, forces the US President to invoke the Ghost Protocol leading to the disavowal of IMF. Ethan and his team, which includes the computer geek Benji Dunn (Simon Pegg), agents Jane Carter (Paula Patton) and William Brandt (Jeremy Renner), despite their severe handicap are the only hope left at preventing the diabolical duo of Hendricks and his stalwart Wistrom from fulfilling their demonic mission of global destruction through a nuclear war. Simon Pegg as Benji is spot on with his persiflage, and his nonchalance adds a much needed levity to the otherwise tense plot. Paula Patton as Jane Carter is a treat to the sore eyes: her imperial gait, upright posture, predatory agility, dusky complexion, steamy mystique, athletic built, curvaceous figure, and apparent haughtiness make her an object of envy for males and females alike. Her ethereal presence undoubtedly leaves a lasting impression on the viewer. The introduction of Jeremy Renner as William Brandt adds another layer of intrigue to the plot of MI – GP. Brandt's enigmatic part allows Renner to depict a wide array of emotions that his previous roles couldn't offer. The over-hyped inclusion of veteran Indian actor Anil Kapoor in the MI – GP cast is undoubtedly movie's greatest disappointment, especially from the perspective of Indian cineastes, as the actor fails to make an impression during his ephemeral performance.

Overall, MI – GP has managed to raise the bar for the Action genre. Indian movie-makers, who have recently started to delve into the genre, can look to take a note or two out of MI – GP in order to iron out the usual glitches. Despite the occasional lack of coherence in the plot, MI – GP works quite well at almost all the levels and promises to be a great entertainment. 8/10

www.apotpourriofvestiges.com

Entertaining Adventure

[claudio_carvalho · 7/10 · 28 April 2012]

The terrorist Kurt Hendricks (Michael Nyqvist), a.k.a. Cobalt, plans to begin a Nuclear War and he hires the killer Sabine Moreau (Léa Seydoux) to steal the Russian launch codes in Budapest while he erases his records in the Kremlin.

Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) is assigned with his team to retrieve Hendricks's identity in the Kremlin, but the terrorist arrives first and bomb the Kremlin. The IMF is blamed for the bombing and the President of USA invokes the Ghost Protocol, shutting down the organization. Ethan Hunt and his team travel to Dubai first and to Mumbai later trying to clear the name of IMF and avoid Hendricks from bombing USA and begin the war.

"Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol" is an entertaining adventure with good doses of action, tension and humor. When I see this franchise, I always imagine if, for example, Gerard Butler were the lead actor instead of the shorty Tom Cruise. Michael Nyqvist, from the original Millennium, is the villain of the story in his second American film. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Missão: Impossível - Protocolo Fantasma" ("Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol")

Mission Impossible to Resurrect Franchise: Solidly Accomplished

[theycallmemrglass · 8/10 · 9 December 2011]

Saw this at a London IMAX press preview screening.

Clearly JJ Abram's mission impossible, should he choose to accept it, is to lead a talented team to resurrect a declining franchise and re-ignite it with renewed vigour and a very high dosage of fun and entertainment.

I'm glad to say, mission highly accomplished.

Brad Bird's first time direction of real actors (must have been a shock when they talked back at him) exhibits the same zestful energy and fun that we got from his animated films such as The Incredibles. Though not with the subtlety of his Iron Giant but this is Mission Impossible, so we cant expect that kind of subtlety here.

Story is outrageously OTT and thats how it should be for a franchise that violently throws plausibility out of the window with much deliberation. Not much else to say about the story apart from the fact that it can easily be translated into a Bond movie. We're in that kind of villainous territory here and it is fun.

The action sequences are inventive, relentless, fun and tense. Some scenes are filmed in IMAX format and when seen on an IMAX screen, are breathtaking and immersing.

As well as Brad Bird's energised and retro direction, the cast really sparkles too. Cruise rocks as an action stunt hero. In fact more so now than he ever did. His traditional self stunt work in this series continues to impress particular in his skyscraper scenes. There is also more playfulness and assuredness in a role he has now worn into nicely. Simon Pegg gets a delightfully big promotion to join Hunt's team making us laugh throughout the movie. And Paula Patton adds an elegant sexiness to the MI team missions. Another new addition to the team, Jeremy Renner also gels smoothly into the squad.

This film has drastically rejuvenated the franchise that I now highly anticipate further adventures of Ethan Hunt and his new vibrant team, equally or even more so than the next James Bond movie.

All-around fun and puts the team back in Mission: Impossible

[marcellopenso · 7/10 · 17 December 2011]

A fun movie with some compassion, that gets the team work 'back into the action'.

Brad Bird and the writers make a number of correct decisions that recall the uniqueness, character and excitement of the original series. Bird relies on larger-than-life live action stunts (particularly thrilling on the IMAX) rather than rely on CGI fakery or shaky camera work. This more traditional but more realistic direction adds to the fun. Tom Cruise has (and does) the best stunts, of course, but the rest of team also contribute much more than in the previous films. This shift in emphasis by the writers also contributes to the fun by allowing all the characters to actually play an important or critical role (best shown in the last sequence in India) rather than just 'be helpers' to Tom Cruise. This too was a compelling characteristic of the original series.

The cast is enjoyable, and the bits of comic dialog add to the fun. The occasional failures of some of the gadgetry also provide lighthearted moments, keeping the film light enough so that it is balanced and proportional, with the correct mix of action, suspense, and relief. It never takes itself too seriously, which is appropriate to the genre.

Best seen while eating popcorn.

It is PROTOCOL to watch it!

[devopamb · 9/10 · 14 June 2012]

YES! Finally a good no-nonsense Cruise starrer action thriller. No lovey-dovey stuff like the last one, no attempts to show how charismatic Ethan Hunt is neither are there any obvious attempts to portray how cool he is. A good old action movie with Tom Cruise doing what he is known for best: Action!

This one's got everything an action thriller could ask for; guns, flying fists, explosions, cool gadgets, sexy cars, the occasional unanticipated startles, hot chicks, sandstorms, jumping off tall buildings (I think jumping off tall things has always been an MI trademark), also the very much needed occasional comic relief, very occasional (which is good). And this one actually has a decent enough story!

Every single actor in the movie has acted brilliantly. Paula Patton was very natural in her acting, Simon Pegg (the Hot Fuzz guy) was hilarious as usual with his well timed one liners and Jeremy Renner was surprisingly good! (all 3 part of Ethan Hunts team). Not to mention Anil Kapoor!

Oh and Anil Kapoor! Obviously he has been the talk of town for this movie. His character in the movie and his acting (however little its duration) has been spot on and he delivers on the character. His part in the movie will certainly be one of the highlights when you leave the theater. Oh and the portrayal of Mumbai has been quite unique indeed.

I won't spill the beans on the story but I am sure you know the gist of it from the trailers, a certain KABOOM'ing of the Kremlin puts Ethan Hunt in a tough spot and he is being chased down by Russians for something he hasn't done, so he needs to set it right and the only way he can do that is by starring in this awesome movie.

All in all Ghost Protocol is hands down the best one yet from the Mission Impossible series mainly because it is different from its predecessors (thank GOD for that). It is jam packed with action from the very first scene till the last and is filled with insane stunts, gadgets, car chases (sweet ones). It is fast paced and has a good enough story with a script that will keep you in the loop. This movie will keep you on the edge of your seat throughout and not give you a seconds stare away from the screen. The audience actually went "what? Not NOW!" when the interval screen came up! Yes, it was THAT good.

Well done Cruise.

Surprisingly strong fourth entry

[rparham · 7/10 · 29 January 2012]

After Tom Cruise had a falling out with Paramount following his controversial behavior in mid 2000s from his ranting about psychiatrists and promotion of Scientology, it seemed somewhat unlikely that another Mission: Impossible film would be in the offing starring him. But in Hollywood, time heals all wounds, at least where there is money to be made. So, several years later, here is the fourth entry in the Mission: Impossible film franchise, subtitled Ghost Protocol. And, most interestingly, it is one of the better entries in the series, featuring some strong action set pieces that keep the audience on the edge of their seat at several key points in the proceedings.

Ghost Protocol finds Ethan Hunt (Cruise) in prison in Russia at the opening under mysterious circumstances. Sprung by IMF agents in a sequence that brings to mind the opening of a James Bond film, we quickly learn that Ethan is needed to help locate and stop a former Russian politician named Kurt Hendricks (Michael Nyqvist) who believes that the only way to achieve global peace is to start a nuclear war and let the survivors sort out the mess. Joined by Jane Carter (Paula Patton), Benji Dunn (Simon Pegg) and a somewhat unwilling analyst named Brandt (Jeremy Renner) who has been forced by circumstances to work with the team, Ethan finds that, after the Kremlin is bombed, that the President has "disavowed" the entire IMF by declaring Ghost Protocol, and they must work outside of official sanction to stop Hendricks from detonating a nuclear weapon with stolen launch codes. The trail for him takes them from Russia to Dubai and finally Mumbai as they race against the clock.

At first glance, you might find yourself wondering how three of the four Mission: Impossible films finds the team outside of their support system and being treated as terrorists; haven't the writers seen the other films and don't they get a little beat of wandering down the same road so many times. But, frankly, as with the ever ongoing Bond films, Mission: Impossible is less about plot and more about its action sequences, and this time the film has delivered in spades. Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol features the live-action debut of animation director Brad Bird, who helmed Pixar's hit The Incredibles, and he does a good job of assembling strong, involving set pieces that keep the audience on the edge of its seat. The standout is the middle portion, set in Dubai, where script contrivances lead Ethan to need to scale the exterior of Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building. Bird stages these scenes stunningly, really ramping up the vertigo and tension as Hunt uses glue-like gloves to climb the side of the glass windowed tower. Other set pieces in Russia and Mumbai also have zip to them, keeping the suspense solid throughout.

If Ghost Protocol has weaknesses, they are largely in the development of the villains. Hendricks and his henchman Wistrom (Samuli Edelmann) have the basic makings of some nice megalomaniacal villains, but suffer from limited screen time and some very limited depth. They serve the plot's basic need for villains, but don't really come across as the kind of visceral bad guys you love to hate. As much as the nuclear launch codes Ethan and team are chasing, they fill the standard Hitchcock position of the MacGuffin, and don't make a lasting impression on the audience.

Back for his fourth turn as Ethan, Cruise is dependable as always, giving Hunt that reserved, slightly above it all attitude that keeps him largely cool under fire, but he does have his moments when the guard is lowered and you can see him concerned about the stakes they are fighting for. Paula Patton is attractive in the role of Jane, who the script gives some more personal drive in the search for Hendricks and his cronies, Pegg delivers some welcome comic relief in the role of Benji and Renner, who has been rumored to be groomed for future Mission: Impossible films if Cruise steps down, holds his own in the action sequences, as well as providing the audience with a semi-outsider to empathize with as the circumstances consistently get higher and higher for the characters past what he is used to dealing with in his role as an analyst thrown into the action.

For the most part, Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol delivers a strong, fast, popcorn munching action film that provides thrills without turning into an over-edited explosion fest that you often get from a film directed by Michael Bay. If this is what the Mission: Impossible franchise can deliver on its fourth outing, then it may have plenty of entries for years to come.

Weak plot and screenplay...watch it if you're easily amazed

[sarosh-mohammad · 5/10 · 18 December 2011]

I'll skip the details about the plot because you'll find it elsewhere and go straight to the weaknesses.

There is no doubt that the Mission Impossible series has always been an out and out action series and you never could expect anything more than that. However even going in with the same expectations I must say I came out disappointed. A lot of people will tell you that the action scenes were amazing and indeed they were. I can imagine how much hard work went into making those shots possible like the one on the outside of the Burj Khalifa and the one in the parking lot in Mumbai. But there is a fine line between making amazing stunts and making improbable stunts and MI4 erred on the wrong side more often than not.

I can start by pointing out things that Tom Cruise did that would even make Batman proud, for example falling from a good 10 feet and hitting your face onto a steel bar and coming out unscathed. there are many more but I don't want to point them all out and look like Im nitpicking.

Coming to the story line I must say I actually groaned when I figured out this would be yet another "Russia attacks US with nuclear missiles because of some misconception" kind of a story. Also there wasn't enough detailing given which left holes the size of craters in the plot.

On the plus side however is the cinematography which is spectacular. From Kremlin to Dubai to Mumbai, the cities have been captured beautifully which made it feel more like a Travel show. the acting is decent too.

However I must say I did not watch it on an IMax screen and I guess that did take away some charm.

So finally I'd say you can watch it if you're easily amazed. But honestly I'd watch the Bourne series again instead of MI.