Mission: Impossible 4: Ghost Protocol

Rating: 8/10 (15 December 2011)

This is the first live-action directed by Brad Bird who is well-known for his Pixar movies including The Incredibles. I was particularly interested in seeing how he will fare in his debut live-action movie and it turns out that he proves live-action is not a problem for him. Mission: Impossible 4 is a fun thrilling action-packed ride.
The story: Ethan Hunt is back for a new mission as seen in the opening scenes-he rescues a criminal from prison. And from there, the action almost does not stop. The story is straight-forward but the whole movie is filled with tense action. We didn't even hear the characters talking randomly about other topics other than spy stuff. I never got bored as the movie does not give you a chance to be bored. The tense action is always running to keep you glued to your seat. The action scenes are cool and brutal. I am surprised Brad directs those scenes brutally with bone-crunching sounds. The fist-cuffs are brutal for the franchise. Of course, one of the most notable scenes is when Ethan climbs the tallest building in Dubai. The whole scene is tense as it is real. Another notable scene is the thrilling chase in the sandstorm. Is it intense for someone to chase someone without able to see properly? The humour mostly from Simon Pegg helps to enhance the movie. Acting wise is fine. Music wise is good. It helps to give a more tense feeling to the already tense action scenes.
Overall: It is solid entertainment. It is also a action spy movie to whet fans of the spy genre and James Bond. This could actually be the best Mission Impossible movie. This is actually better than the good J.J Abrams' Mission Impossible in terms of action and tense story. This proves that Brad Bird not only can direct animation but can direct an action-packed movie filled with cool action scenes.