Product: Mission: Impossible (1996)
Rating: 3.0
Mission: Impossible (1996)
Director: Brian De PalmaCast: Tom Cruise, Jon Voight, Emmanuelle Beart, Emilio Estevez, Vanessa Redgrave, Harry Czerny, Ving Rhames, Jean Reno.Running Time: 110 minutes.Rated PG-13 for violence and some language.Based on the popular 1960's television series, this Brian De Palma ("Carrie", "Scarface") production possesses all of the qualities of a fun, top-of-the-line action flick--only to see it slightly crumble due to a storyline that is extremely tough to follow. Tom Cruise stars as the slick covert agent Ethan Hunt, who has been assigned with a crack team of American undercover agents to set up operations in Prague to catch a double agent (Jon Voight) in the act.There are many scenes that are very exciting, especially the chase scene on the train finale; however, De Palma does not expand on a script that assumes the audience knows all of the technological and spy jargon, leaving us loving the action but lost in the wind. Cruise is only fairly adequate as Hunt, not given the chance to expand his character. Excellent special effects, a riveting, catchy musical score, and some fine supporting roles from Voight, Emmanuelle Beart, and Ving Rhames. A good action movie, but nothing more. Luckily director John Woo stepped in as director the second film, creating a rough-and tough, out of this world sequel that surpasses the original.