Great movie - well worth it!

Rating: 7/10 (20 February 2012)

I have a man-crush on Tom Cruise, and after watching Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol (i.e. M:I4), I am not ashamed to admit it. That being said, I dare say that there are more of us out there, that share this infatuation, than we dare admit. After all, M:I4 did gross over $197 Million (as of January 22nd, 2012, according to IMDb.com's numbers). For my part, Cruise-mania aside, this bankable action star still knows how to put out a good product. Is there much of a storyline? No. Is the predictable? Of course. But, is the action well worth the money spent on the ticket, popcorn, over-sized-pop, and sticky floors? Hell, yes!
In a nutshell, M:I4 does not veer too far from the standard Hollywood action flick formula: bad guy blows-up the Kremlin and is threatening the world with nuclear warfare; good guy and his team are setup to take the fall for everything; bad guy gets within inches of accomplishing his evil plans, but good guy and his team save the day at the very (very) last second. The world-wide locales throughout the movie range from Budapest to Russia, and from Dubai to Mumbai, with panoramic screen shots that rival most modern-day James Bond movies. All the while having its main focus on an all-American team, counter-balanced with a group of Russian villains, and it even included one upper-level US Politician (played by the brilliant British actor, Tom Wilkinson, no less).
The movie's political machinations were a thinly veiled mirror for those in reality. In fact, the overall plot of the movie, itself, was somewhat gaunt. However, the action sequences, stunts, and graphics do not disappoint in the least. Yes, at least according to IMDb.com, that is Tom Cruise himself, hanging from the tallest building in the world (the Burj Khalifa). And yes, Tom Cruise, at 50 years old, still looks better with his shirt-off than I ever will!
In addition to Cruise reprising his role as Ethan Hunt, Simon Pegg returns as Benji Dunn. But in this latest installment, Jeremy Renner is brought on as William Brandt and Paula Patton signs on as Jane Carter. With the exception of Pegg's character, the other three members of the team are given a backstory to infuse their characters with a level of depth. Hunt is supposedly haunted by the memory of a loved one; Renner is guilt-ridden over the failure of a critical mission that is coincidentally related to Hunt; and Carter is driven by revenge. Admittedly, these character stories would be interesting in a novel adaptation of this movie. But in a movie that unabashedly promotes itself as an ear-drum rattling action flick, this psycho-analytical character development is far better suited for a much slower screenplay.
Pegg does an excellent job of bringing back the comedic relief that made me a big fan of his Shaun of the Dead cult classic. Although retrospectively, I felt remiss that Pegg's character did not have some level of angst to deal with, his comedic timing is flawless, as usual. Patton's sex appeal leaves no question as to where her real-life husband (Grammy Award Winner musician, Robin Thicke) finds his inspiration. Her butt-kicking abilities give an entirely new meaning to the phrase "badass". She is as stunning as she is perfect for the role of Agent Jane Carter.
The real question comes with the introduction of Renner's character, William Brandt. The denouement raises very subtle questions about whether or not Ethan Hunt will, in fact, continue to be part of the IMF. Could Brandt be his replacement? Is Renner being introduced to the audience as the new leading man of the M:I franchise? If that is truly the case, Renner is well-equipped to handle the part. After having seen Renner in The Hurt Locker, he definitely has the action "chops" needed for the role. Beyond being a fan or Renner's work, I respect his famous (or infamous) independent streak. So, here's hoping that Renner's Brandt is the replacement for Cruise's Hunt.
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