by Kroze Kresky, Media Editor

Normally fourth installments of film series end up being stale, boring rehashes of what has come before. Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol had a lot of things going against it, but much like the Ethan Hunt and his team pulling off the impossible time and time again, this movie- against all odds- ends up being the best of the series and one of the most entertaining movies of the holiday season.

Tom Cruise returns as the infamous spy known as Ethan Hunt for yet another globe trotting adventure to save the world from a nuclear holocaust. It should be easy for a member of a top-secret organization who suplies its agents with the lastest in high tech spy gear and intel, right? Well… not so much… turns out the US goverment has initated what is known as “Ghost Protocol”, an order to destroy every member of the IMF as well as any person associated with the team after they are implicated in a bombing. Ethan quickly becomes hunted and branded as a terrorist. With the actual terrorist still at large, Ethan must work with a small, thrown-together team in order to prevent the world from being destroyed.

Joining Ethan out in the field this time around is an operative named Jane (Paula Patton – Precious) who’s husband has been killed by an assassin working for the nuclear terrorists. Jane is out for revenge making this mission personal. Pulled along for the ride is agent analyst Brandt (Jeremy Renner – Thor, 28 Weeks Later), whose mysterious past is tied to Ethan’s wife, and finally fan-favorite Benji (Simon Pegg – Shaun of the Dead, Star Trek) returning from the previous film now fully trained and ready for battle!

The cast has lots of chemistry together, especially Renner and Pegg whose conversations together are some of the best parts of the film. Hopefully these two will be returning in the enivitable sequel! Cruise slides easily back into the role of Ethan Hunt and manages to do some very impressive stunt work… including running down the side of an over-130-story tall building! Newcomer Patton does a suitable job as the female sidekick but nothing about her role really stands out. Director Brad Bird (The Incredibles, The Iron Giant) does a phenomenal job for his first time directing a live-action film and breaths new air into this movie franchise! Michael Giacchino as always comes through with delivering an epic action score that perfectly suits the tone of the film at all times. Your ears will not be displeased with the audio assult this film will assult them with!

Overall

Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol is a deceptively surprising action popcorn flick and just all around fun! The casting is spot on (with some really great cameos- Lost fans will have something to cheer about- The special effects and set pieces are awesome to watch, especially on an IMAX screen where you can truly apprecate the action this movie has to offer! For anyone looking for a good, mindless action movie this holiday season, you can’t go wrong by choosing Mission Impossible! This review will self destruct in 5… 4… 3…

ComicsOnline gives Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol – 4 malfunctioning self destructing telephones out of 5.

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