It might be a failure, but they failed trying

Rating: 5/10 (19 June 2005)

Probably the best way to understand what is right and wrong with this movie is to listen to the music. Based on the original TV series (and the bad 80s remake) Mission Impossible has the advantage of having one of the classics of lounge music associated with it. The problem is that the rest of the music is pretty bad, seeming to be there to fill in the gaps between when "Mission Impossible Theme" is to be played.
So the plot is simple (there are some twists, but simple twists that will make you yawn). Ethan Hunt's team is wiped out on a mission to recover a list of spys and he is accused of being the turncoat. So what can he do, nothing except track down the real killer.
This potentially intense drama is less than intense. Spy thrillers don't really work in the post cold war era, because the stories become about the break down of traditional loyalties.
Yes this movie manages to transcend its plot, defining the idea of super secure computers (though the designers of the secure computer system should do a search on the internet for the "evil overlord list", especially the bit about making air vents too small for people to crawl through) and particularly how to break into secure environments. Of course, you only need to watch the trailer to see that bit.
Not such a bad effort, takes the mission impossible idea to new places (whether you like it or not) and at the end of the day they failed trying. The roof top train chase, breaking into the supercomputer, the face masks, the betrayal, among other things, all are fascinating ideas, just poorly executed.
Mission Impossible 2 is much better, though less idea driven.