Strong, tense thriller ... but pay attention!

Rating: Null/10 (18 October 1998)

Joining other recent thrillers such as "The Usual Suspects" and "L.A. Confidential" in the realm of mind-twisting suspense, "Mission: Impossible" puts a solid stamp into the genre. While it's not as good as the above two movies, it is worthwhile, intelligent entertainment, though not for the cerebrally challenged.
Those who dismiss it as too confusing have most likely been spoon-fed for a bit too long on a few key movie trends as of late. Recently, in order to not baffle its audience, a movie has not only had to present everything such that what is happeneing is exactly but it seems, but everything has to be repeatedly explained in monosyllabic words. Thankfully, the occasional flick such as this comes around that doesn't assume the audience has a collective IQ below 70.
For the movie itself, the acting is strong, with Cruise casted perfectly as Ethan Hunt, and a surprisingly effective cameo by Emilio Estevez. The plot hums along, and the heist scene is one of the most suspenseful I've seen in a while. If you are capable of paying attention, and do, this is a very fun movie to watch.