The first M:I is still a great film

Rating: Null/10 (29 July 2015)

(This is my first film review in a while and I thought it would be great to review the Mission: Impossible films in preparation for Rogue Nation) When a mission in Prague goes sour which results in the death of an entire IMF team leaving only one survivor named Ethan Hunt who framed as a mole and subsequently disavowed from his organization. In order to discover who the mole is and clear his name he must strike a bargain with the mole's reclusive employer Max and form a team to conduct a huge heist.
Looking back on the first "Mission: Impossible" film or "M:I" for short, it is amazing how well that this still holds up as not only a great "M:I" film but a great spy film as well. In the past many people have said that the plot to this film is either convoluted or hard to follow. This is true to some extent but that is only if you are not paying attention and it is great that a summer blockbuster requires you to think. I've watched this film many times over the years and I've enjoyed it for its great plot, atmosphere, suspenseful sequences that live up to the franchise name "Impossible" and good acting by the entire cast including Tom Cruise, Jon Voight, Emmanuelle Béart, Henry Czerny, Jean Reno, Ving Rhames and Vanessa Redgrave.
Tom Cruise's charismatic performance a Ethan Hunt proved that he could carry an action film and the fact that he does his own stunts makes the action sequences all the more engaging. The rest of the cast does a great job with their roles.
U2's updated take on the classic theme song is still great and catchy.
The director is Brian De Palma and he understands how to put suspense and atmosphere into a spy film. Many sequences are directed with refined style. One sequence in particular is the best and iconic part of the film where Tom Cruise is hanging from a wire. The combination of acting, music, camera work, sound mixing and camera work easily make this (in my opinion) one of the best suspense sequences put onto film. The rest of the film is great cloak and dagger intrigue with good plot twists. 9/10