DE PALMA MAKES HIS MARK

Rating: 8/10 (17 March 2019)

I love the original Mission. It's got the feel of a real film, not just a popcorn movie, which was somewhat lost in the sequels. It's selling point wasn't another big stunt. Although there are two or three wonderful set pieces throughout. The plot engages your intellect and requires something of the viewer. And its a pretty concise film too, not overstaying its welcome with a ridiculously overblown running time like many summer films these days. Brian De Palma's stylish direction elevates the material and his use of camera angles is brilliant as always. Tom Cruise delivers an earnest and charismatic performance. The rest of the cast is great as well, Kirstin Scott Thomas, Emilio Estevez, Jon Voight...Danny Elfman's score was great, especially that bass slapping! in the mission theme and his use of that theme in the climactic action scene...overall its a tense and suspenseful spy thriller full of twists and turns, maybe a but convoluted, but most spy films are I suppose.