When Brian De Palma's classy action thriller Mission: Impossible came out in 1996, it reinvented the action movie genre. It seems now that after two sub-par outings, Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol recycles that very same genre and it does so in great style. The film's director, Brad Bird, having made some great animated movies that include Ratatouille and The Incredibles, shows a natural flair for putting together breathtaking action sequences.

The movie opens with a well-orchestrated scene which involves our hero, Ethan Hunt, escaping from a Russian prison. This sequence finds the perfect balance between choreography and humour, with minimum dialogue, and commands the attention of the viewer from the get go.

In today's world of blockbusters, it is refreshing to see an action movie rely on shot placement and camera momentum to intensify its 'edge-of-the-seat ' feeling rather than quick cuts and tight shots. We have seen too many movies lately that resort to quick editing to give the illusion of fast paced action. The film's director, Brad Bird does a good job collaborating with masterful cinematographer Robert Elswit to create a sense of tension through well-paced camera movements and vertigo inducing angles. I am referring to one scene in particular which takes place at The Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world. The film on the whole is well-paced and creates an ambience of suspense with the help of Michael Giachhino's score, which at times is the leading force in establishing some of the most suspenseful and masterfully crafted scenes.

The global canvas of the film paves the way for a storyline that will definitely have a wide appeal. We follow the IMF (Impossible Missions Force) team as they move through a high-adrenaline plot which takes them from the cold prisons of Russia to the sandstorms of the Middle East and the busy streets of Mumbai. In this installation, Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) is joined by tech expert Benji Dunn (Simon Pegg), new inductee into the IMF and ex-analyst William Brandt (Jeremy Renner), Jane Carter (Paula Patton) and a humorous cameo by Anil Kapoor. While the supporting characters do well in carving out a place for themselves in the plot and providing support to the fearless antics of Tom Cruise's Ethan Hunt, my only qualm with the film lies in some of its dramatic scenes involving the characters which are hastily placed in between high-on-adrenaline sequences to fill in the emotional requirements of a mainstream movie.

These misplaced scenes only break the momentum of the movie, seeming out of place and at times forceful in respect to the film's overall mood and pacing. This, in my opinion, is where the film goes wrong, ending on a point much lower than what it effortlessly achieves in its action sequences. Never really recovering from this break in momentum; it left many viewers disappointed with the final act in comparison with the events that led up to it. Having said, it is no reason to take away the praise that the film deserves for serving its genre.

In my overall opinion, Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol is definitely the series best since the original. It ensures an entertaining night out at the movies and boasts great technical abilities, witty humour and Tom Cruise's charismatic self to cater to viewers from all ages.

– Omer Arshad

*CINEMATIC SUICIDE
**FORGETTABLE
***WATCHABLE
****COLLECTIBLE
*****AWARD-WORTHY

In today's world of blockbusters, it is refreshing to see an action movie rely on shot placement and camera momentum to intensify its 'edge-of-the-seat ' feeling rather than quick cuts and tight shots. We have seen too many movies lately that resort to quick editing to give the illusion of fast paced action. The film's director, Brad Bird does a good job collaborating with masterful cinematographer Robert Elswit to create a sense of tension through well-paced camera movements and vertigo inducing angles.