Stunning action scenes led by a fantastic Tom Cruise

Rating: 8/10 (7 May 2012)

I don't normally think much of the M:I films. Having watched the TV series as a child, the films didn't have quite the same level of class. I found M:I I through to III to be a trio of watch-able, if formulaic, action films which I wouldn't add to the list of those worthy of a re- watch.
M:I - Ghost Protocol doesn't really break the mould I've laid out above which was set by the previous three instalments. It seems strange then, that I have given this film a rating of 8 out of 10 but the fact that I was expecting another copy of 1,2 or 3 is probably the reason I was so shocked by how good this film was.
Yes there isn't much which ties it to the original series. Yes it's formulaic, even though there are some twists and turns - you generally know how it's going to turn out. And yes, it's still based on Tom Cruise's charisma, as with the first three films. And yet... Everything is so much more impressive this time round. Tom Cruise seems to have shrugged off the nagging 'what the hell were you doing?!' questions from his antics on Oprah and carries the lead role in the film effortlessly. You want him to succeed and he doesn't disappoint. The spectacular action scenes are incredible, it doesn't look to be CGI (which makes the question of whether it is or not irrelevant) and I've never seen a film which has had me believing in the danger which the characters faced as much as this. Finally, the supporting cast provide a solid foundation for Cruise to shine.
All in all, I enjoyed this film immensely. I do worry that my rating was swayed by my low expectations based on the first three but I can only base a review on my own experiences, which were of fully baked action film, brimming with excitement and charm - well worth a watch. Although I probably won't be revisiting it again just yet.