.
Mission: Impossible (1996)
Rating: 5 1/2
Brian De Palma
.
Main Players: Tom Cruise, Jon Voight, Emmanuelle Beart.
Story: The IMF is back again - in a way - to catch a mole.
Comment: Firstly let me say that I did not like the way the story went. As a fan of the original and the re-made series, I was hoping for a louder, slicker and more interesting plot than what was dished out here. Unfortunately, De Palma opted to make a Mission Impossible movie that would shock all its fans. Big mistake.
What attracted people to the original series was Jim Phelps and his team. They'd fool the best of villains and they always worked as a team. Politics was never an issue. They were the good guys and their boss was the Secretary. We didn't care about the moral implications of their missions. They just did as they were told, like good soldiers. I never liked the concept of 'obeying orders without question', but Mission Impossible made it look 'cool' to do so.
So when the core of the series was violated, I won't tell you how, it was as if the whole movie was a lie. Fans would feel betrayed while first-timers would not be that much more entertained with the adventures of "this" IMF team.
Sure, the special effects are good; the theme song so much more "bass'y'" and Beart - ohh sooo delicious. But there is no spirit of the original series anywhere. OK, there was a hint of it in the first half an hour or so. But when the story starts to take off, this is just another soulless "Boom Boom" special effects vehicle.
Cruise is competent as the lead while the rest of the cast are just there to provide him with interaction. They don't stand out nor are they memorable in any way.
Conclusion: If you were a fan of the series, be prepared to be disappointed. If you're seeing this movie for the first time, it's a normal action movie; nothing spectacular.