Product: Mission: Impossible (1996)
Rating: 4.0
�Green Light!� for this fine DVD edition
Nitpickers be warned: as with many spy movies, the best of Bond included, realism is not Mission: Impossible's long suit. Some complain that the plot is confusing, but it's all there if you pay careful attention to the twists and double-crosses. If you just go with the story and have fun with it and not get bogged down thinking about what is and isn't realistic, MI is well done and well worth seeing. It holds up well in repeated viewings, making a video purchase worth considering rather than just a one-time rental. MI has a strong cast; yeah, okay, Tom Cruise does overact in a couple brief segments, on the first pay phone and in the restaurant, but is otherwise very good, as is the rest of the cast. Other highlights include direction by Brian DePalma that builds the tension and peaks effectively, and convincing special effects and stunts. MI doesn't have the visual pizazz and striking cinematography of the sequel, but I prefer it overall to MI2, hurt by John Woo's direction of fighting and chase scenes, too much over the top for me. (I can "go with" MI and enjoy it; I can't do that with the fights and chases that comprise the second half of MI2.)Specifically as to the DVD edition, MI got a very good video transfer. There's a 2.35:1 widescreen version; at this ratio, you'll probably want a large-screen or widescreen TV to prefer the widescreen to the included and well-framed pan-and-scan version (on 27" and under, the widescreen image is too small); the colors and detail in the video transfer are quite good. Soundtrack choices include a terrific English Dolby Digital 5.1 track that really rocks the house on a good sound system (there is no DTS track here), an English Dolby Surround track, and a French language track in Dolby Surround. English and Spanish subtitles can be superimposed. There's a trailer, but no special features. Four stars both for the film and for the DVD transfer, a reasonable value.