Tonight, action film enthusiasts are in for a treat as one of the most iconic franchises in the genre is available to watch. The Mission Impossible series features Hollywood superstar Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt.
In the fourth instalment, Mission Impossible – Ghost Protocol, Ethan, a field agent for the covert government agency, the Impossible Missions Force (IMF), finds himself having to clear his name. Despite all the films in the series being famous for their adrenaline-fuelled adventure, some fans consider this to be the best of the lot due to its truly remarkable stunts, many of which were performed by Cruise and the cast themselves.
Ethan and his team are tasked with infiltrating the Russian Kremlin, but the mission goes awry when it is destroyed in a terrorist attack. With the IMF disowned by the President, who initiates Ghost Protocol, and a strategist hell-bent on sparking a nuclear war between Russia and America, the team must operate off the grid without their usual resources.
To complicate matters further, Ethan is uncertain if the rogue agents he is collaborating with to vindicate the IMF’s name are trustworthy. Simon Pegg stars as new field agent Benji, Jeremy Renner plays intelligence analyst William and Paula Patton portrays Jane – Ethan’s fellow agent.
Helmed by Brad Bird in his first foray into live-action filmmaking, Ghost Protocol was shot across multiple locations including Moscow, Dubai, Mumbai and Budapest. Upon its 2011 release, it secured fifth place among the year’s biggest box office successes, earning $694.7 million (£531.3 million) globally, reports the Mirror.
Critics praised the production, highlighting Bird’s directorial skills, the thrilling action sequences and naturally, Cruise’s commanding performance.
Fans of the picture agreed and some maintain it surpasses every other instalment in the franchise.
On Rotten Tomatoes, where it boasts a 93% approval score, one viewer said: “The best in the franchise, and an amazing movie.! love the action, the stunts, the story and so much more. I definitely recommend it.”
Another added: “Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol has amazing stunts, a great cast, and is above all thrilling, which makes it one of the best in the series.”
A third supporter endorsed their view with: “This is definitely one of the best Mission Impossible Films. The Action Sequence is good, The visuals are fantastic, The storyline is perfect, and the cast is packed. Tom Cruise really knows how to make his movies exciting, really the best actor of all time. I just love Tom Cruise and Mission Impossible Movies! ! !
“The stakes keep getting bigger, the action keeps getting better, the spectacle keeps getting grander. It makes sense as Ethan Hunt’s success keeps elevating him to bigger missions. This one had a pretty clear plot and a nice dynamic between a new crew but of course, it all hinges on the action, which was very successful,” another viewer said.
