Brad Bird Puts Other Action Directors to Shame

Rating: 9/10 (16 December 2011)

I'll admit it, I've never been hugely passionate about the Mission: Impossible series (in fact, until I re-watched the movies this week I hardly remembered them), and when I first heard that a fourth Mission: Impossible was in the works I couldn't have been less interested. That is until I read the words "Brad Bird has signed to direct." Those six words instantly rocketed this film up to the top of my most anticipated list, and his live action debut does not disappoint. Not one single bit.
The Mission: Impossible series has had a bit of a rocky past. The first film is a decent spy thriller with a clever twist, the second movie is borderline self-parody with it's over-the-top antics, and the third movie was the previous high point of the series with exciting action blended with strong characterization. With each new installment a new director has brought a new element to the series, and the element that Brad Bird brings to M:I-GP is scope. Massive, exciting, jaw-dropping scope. This is easily the biggest, boldest, and most ambitious Mission: Impossible film to date, and as far as I can recall at the moment, the biggest, boldest, most ambitious action film in general since Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End.
Brad Bird handles his first live action film like an old pro and puts many other "veteran" action directors to shame. The pacing is impeccable, moving seamlessly from massive action spectacles to more downplayed character moments without ever losing momentum; the action is big without being silly; and the action sequences are breathtakingly shot and choreographed and constantly leave you picking your jaw up off the ground. The marketing has really played up the scene in Dubai in which Ethan Hunt scales the Burj Khalifa (the tallest building in the world) from the outside, and I began to worry that the scene wouldn't live up to all the hype. It does. Especially in the expanded IMAX aspect ratio, this scene is an absolute masterwork in tension, and while this may be the high point of the action in the film, the other sequences stand nearly as tall. From a chase scene during a sandstorm, to a fist fight dodging loading and unloading cars in a parking garage the action is fast-paced, hard- hitting, and fun.
This is Brad Bird we're talking about, though, and so he's not content with putting contemporary action directors to shame, he also makes sure that the story and characters get their proper focus and time to shine. The story of this movie never reaches the emotional heights of Bird's previous works like Ratatouille or The Iron Giant, but this type of movie really doesn't call for that. The story hearkens back to Cold War tensions and old-school spy scenarios while still feeling modern and fresh. It's the perfect pairing of classic storytelling with modern polish and style. As for the cast of characters, everyone in this movie is great. The previous movies have all focused the attention on Ethan Hunt, and while Hunt is definitely still the "lead" in this movie, the ensemble cast is much more important than they've ever been before with each member of the team getting almost equal screen time and a strong sense of purpose propelling the story. Simon Pegg steals the show with his brilliant comedic timing, but Paula Patton and Jeremy Renner both give strong, multi-faceted performances, and their characters are invaluable to the film. The villain this time around is not quite as memorable as Philip Seymour Hoffman's character from M:i:III, but the story is much more focused on the IMF team this time around and having a major heavy like that probably would have made the focus of the film uneven.
Brad Bird has already proved himself to be a brilliant filmmaker with three of the best films of the last decade, but for anyone foolish enough to think he couldn't handle live action just as well Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol should drive the point home. Bird handles the movie with the grace and assuredness of someone who has been making films like this for years. This is one of the year's best films and one of the best action movies I've seen in quite a while. I definitely recommend this movie, and also encourage you to see it in IMAX. While nothing I have seen in the format so far has quite matched the level of awesome that was The Dark Knight in IMAX, M:I-GP uses the format very well and the action scenes that take advantage of the full aspect ratio are incredible to behold.
Now, let's just hope the execs at Warner Bros. take note of this and give Brad Bird the budget he needs to make 1906. That's a movie that I cannot wait to see green lit.
A