Better than most action thrillers

Rating: 7/10 (2 July 2003)

'Mission: Impossible' is sort of like an entertaining 'movie: impossible'. To understand the plot completely and to really believe the things we see on the screen are pretty impossible, but it does deliver what it promises. I was able to put the confusing parts aside and enjoy this well made action thriller.
The movie starts in Prague with a team of agents on a secret mission that includes Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise), Jack (Emilio Estevez), Sarah (Kristin Scott Thomas), Claire (Emmanuelle Béart) and her husband and also leader Jim (Jon Voight). Things go terribly wrong and Ethan is the only one who survives the mission. He meets with his main superior named Kittridge (Henry Czerny) only to find out they were looking for a mole. Since he is the only survivor they think Ethan is the man they want. Of course he escapes and to find the real mole, or at least discover the truth, he contacts the person the mole was working for, codename: Max (he turns out to be a she with the face of Vanessa Redgrave). Since a lot of people are looking for Ethan he decides to help Max and deliver what she wanted from the original mole. He does this with the help of Claire, who survived after all, and two other men (Jean Reno and Ving Rhames) who used to work for the same organization as Ethan did.
I guess what I have written above is true, but completely sure I am not. It is hard to complain though. The action is terrific and there are at least five singles scenes that could have been entire movies. To give you an example, Ethan has to retrieve something for Max from the CIA head quarters. Since he is a wanted man he has to steal it in a difficult way, of course. This turns 'Mission: Impossible' temporarily into a heist movie with events that could fill complete movies like 'Heist' or the terrific 'Ocean's Eleven'. The movie moves so fast that you can't even realize you don't get the plot entirely.
Maybe in the end the movie has trouble to make the right choices but on the other hand it gives us the kind of action we want. Much better than the sequel 'Mission: Impossible' is a movie that delivers. Brian De Palma's direction makes sure we get what we want in a nice way.