Product: Mission: Impossible (1996)
Rating: 1.0
Impossibly dull
The first 15 minutes of the film nod to the original series and promise a slick new version for the 90s. Then suddenly the film becomes dull, predictable and cliched, featuring all the ideas that had previously been rejected as potential storylines for an MI film - ideas suggested by people who knew little about the series but thought the title sounded catchy. When the mission goes wrong and Ethan is speaking to Phelps...its so obvious what is happening and the film vanishes under a cloud of predictability.After the excellent first quarter hour the film plods along between its two dull stunt set-pieces. Even these are just the usualy "by-the-book" standard fare from the Hollywood production line. If you've seen one explosive/roller-coaster ride/hero triumphs over bad guy sequemce you've seem them all. When Ethan breaks into the CIA to steal the CNOC list - there's nothnig new there at all. Its a scene that has been used in other films and a great many commercials. The Channel Tunnel scene is utterly laughable - not once did it have me on the end my seat - it just had me at the end of my tether that the film deteriorated so progressively.I have heard some people say that this is a complicated film - I can only say that its complicated if you come in durnig the end titles. This is simplistic drivel, not only easy to follow but easy to predict. If you can't see what's happening next then you are too young to be watching this film.Overall, a lame, boring film which again demonstrates that Brian dePalma is an overrrated director. Even the one outstanding scene I remember from one of his films was ripped-off from another (Battleship Potemkin).If you liked the TV series - AVOID the film. If you like production line films with a couple of stupid stunt scenes in them then this will suit you right down to the ground.