It's a fun, cheesy action spy thriller that created some iconic scenes. Tom Cruise is having a lot of fun and the stunts are cool. The hanging scene really is great. The train scene looks a little dated but still is entertaining.
Really good action movie... Just hearing the M:I theme, well you all know it sounds awesome xD
I think there's only one thing to say here: Watch it!! ;)
Holds up surprisingly well for a 25+ year old film. The key is that the most iconic set pieces/sequences didn't require overly ambitious special effects that would date the film as it aged. This is before Tom Cruise's propensity for stunt work drove the series toward big spectacle action. This first outing was a spy film, first and foremost. I mean, the hook of the Langley heist is literally just Tom Cruise hanging from a rope and yet it is just as tense and effective today as it was back in 1996. Of course, the finale does ramp things up and the helicopter sequence certainly shows its age, but even that holds up more than expected. It's a simple thing and probably is completely unrealistic, but the way the speed of the train is shown with Tom Cruise struggling to hold on, flipping and sliding across the top of the train was appreciated and still looks solid. Ironically, I actually wish Dead Reckoning had taken some notes in that respect, as its train-top fight scene felt weightless and glossy in comparison. Beyond the spectacle, the story here is strong, with a brilliant opening that sets the stage for a host of twists and turns. I don't want to continuously bag on Dead Reckoning (I actually did enjoy it), but the dialogue and plotting feel so much more natural here. All in all, Tom Cruise's first stint as Ethan Hunt is a worthy starting place for a franchise that has built itself into an action juggernaut.
(635-word review) My first thought regarding this film boils down to competent film-making. It seemed well put together, from Brian De Palma's direction (the atmosphere and suspense were prominent) to the cinematography, especially the camera work and particular shots by Stephen H. Burum: the angles, POV perspectives, overhead shots, Dutch angles, and the close-up shots where some part of the background's also in focus.
That's not usual for spy thrillers or similar films. Or so I imagine. This one could've set the example through innovation/pioneering a new "blueprint." However, most subsequent films that are similar enough seem unsuccessful at following suit. This one possessed luck: a fair assumption.
Its story was sufficient. I don't want to say it was weak, although it wasn't necessarily up to par with the other aspects of the film. The main reason for that was its predictability; is it even possible to get more predictable? The individual who framed Ethan Hunt from the moment that plot point began was evident. Whether you believe(d) it or not, the red herring character could've fooled some people, especially when the film was released; however, now, I'm aware/was aware that person returns in the seventh installment of the franchise.
On the plus side, there was more to it, particularly the scene of the (crime) frame. That didn't "make up" for the predictability, but it was a layer that I appreciated.
The biggest draw here is Tom Cruise, without a doubt. That smile. That damned smile. And the way he eases into it is sublime. How does he do it!? We, the human species, need a scientific explanation for this. His charisma is palpable. It flows through his blood and drips out of his pores. Irresistibly. He IS charisma itself. Anyone who denies that is lying to themselves. The scene with Ethan and Max meeting for the first time was great: the individual performances, specifically the overflowing chemistry.
I also want to say that Vanessa Kirby's performance in Mission: Impossible – Fallout seems quite similar in cadence and demeanor to Vanessa Redgrave. That may not have been intentional on her part; maybe it's just a British thing, but I like the mirroring there.
And while I'm on the subject of performances, Henry Czerny deserves to be a participant in the conversation. I don't know the consensus concerning him, reception-wise; part of me thinks it's underrated. His line delivery is something else. It's partially comedic and villain-like, which is impressive. His character in ABC's TV series Revenge is the epitome of that, although my memory about that is fuzzy; I'll have to (re)watch (to an extent, as I only saw bits and pieces) that show in full.
As far as scenes are concerned, another one that stood out was the stealing scene. I already know (without knowing) that it must be one of the most iconic scenes in the entire franchise; iconic, at the very least. I kept thinking, "Alright, this is when it ends." But it kept going! Talk about walking a fine line. Ethan being lowered down, in particular, was well done with the deafening silence.
Danny Elfman's score was also quite good. It had a chaotic feeling to it, which seemed fitting and appropriate. And, of course, there was the iconic theme song, originating with the TV series; it's very memorable. Its "pop culture" status is akin to "Ezio's Family" by Jesper Kyd; that even became THE theme song for the Assassin's Creed franchise because it was so iconic.
All-in-all: entertaining stuff. While my rating is what it is, it's closest to the next one rather than in the middle or closer to the previous rating.
At the forefront is an energetic theme song (heightening the experience further), with a concoction of tension, suspense, and charm (Tom Cruise's forté), and the result is a success.
With Mission: Impossible, De Palma made one of the most recognizable action movies of the 90s, and it has actually aged rather well. Just as fun as I remembered it.
Though...the one thing that STILL rubs me the wrong way is that they made a certain person a bad guy. That does not ring well with a fan of the old tv-series. If you read up on that, you'll know what I mean.
A classic still worth to spend time with!!!
I wanted to watch the whole series before dead reckoning because I only remember some a few scenes from every movie but never actually watched them entirely. I wasn't expecting much from this because most people only talk about the newer entries. Glad to say that I was surprised how good it was. I was totally expecting an outdated action movie but now I'll say that this movie still holds up very well.
Mission: Impossible has your average typical spy film story line. For a late 90's film the action scenes weren't that bad and some of the special effects seemed impressive for a film of this age. Mission: Impossible proves that you can make a great movie out of a television series. For a classic of a film this came to be, it was pretty entertaining to watch; which says a lot because I don't like watching old films. On top of all that, the Mission: Impossible (with the exception of Mission: Impossible II) sequels that follow get better and better which is rare in a film franchise.
I remember the pre-release hype for this movie. If my memory is reliable at all, it was marketed as much for its action as it was for Tom Cruise. The moment when Cruise's Ethan Hunt leaps from helicopter to high-speed train during an explosion was the big tease. And that moment is really sold during the movie. The way that the camera zooms in from a long distance shot to set the mood for what's coming still has impact. Hunt suspended from wires is also another great, suspense-filled act. His escape from captivity in a Russian restaurant is pretty amazing, too.
Unfortunately, the plot is confusing and requires at least a couple of viewings to understand. And I think it's just more convoluted than complex. The villain is pretty weak and the rubber mask misdirection, which is also featured in other M:I films, is not a twist that I enjoy.
This first M:I entry is just a really fun action flick with a solid performance from Cruise.
I know the original cast from the TV show weren’t best pleased with this one, especially since the main man Jim Phelps turned out to be a traitor, but I find it hard to dislike De Palma’s work here. He makes it work as an action film while giving it the old-school-spy thriller vibe to set it apart from everything else.
I remembered this as being quite cheesy but aside from the final scene (where a helicopter navigates the channel tunnel…), the jokes work quite well, the action scenes stand up even 20 years (!) after the fact and the performances are solid.
I think it was good enough to convince the wife to watch all five.
http://benoliver999.com/film/2017/05/12/missionimpossible/
7/10
Good
Thought I'd start my
Mission Impossible
collection watch up
to the new one and
although number one
is overly complicated
and gets a little
muddled at times,
especially in the
second act it all works
out in the end to be
a rather satisfying watch.
this isn't my favourite
genre and I saw some
of the twists coming,
the effects were acceptable
for a first installment
and to say this franchise
is closing in on being
30yrs old I have to
give it credit and
Acknowledgement
for that.
Kudos and much
Appreciation to
Tom for keeping this
franchise alive all
through the decades.
That Is Near enough A
MISSION IMPOSSIBLE.
In this day and age of even more reboots and sequels it’s amazing to think that they made the legacy character the villain. While I love the current day stunt version of the franchise this does make me miss some more natural tension that this movie has in spades.
Kinda drops the ball with the writing, the story is needlessly convoluted and it has a hard time creating memorable characters. Yet despite all of that, this is still a very efficient paranoia thriller that feels inspired by a lot of movies from the 70s. De Palma is a steady hand behind the camera, creating the right tone and atmosphere that’s needed for this film (I really like how the stuff in Prague is directed in particular). It’s not his most stylish film by any means, but I like that he got so much of his own voice into a film like this. The Langley heist is clearly the highlight of the film, there’s so much tension in that scene despite taking such a minimal approach conceptually, visually and sonically. It’s been parodied to death, but it still remains an incredible scene to this day. They really should’ve thought of something else for the climax though. Not only does it get visually tacky, it’s way too over the top when taking the rest of the film into account. All in all, it’s a decent start for the franchise where all of the seeds for the superior sequels were planted.
6/10
Even though the "Mission: Impossible" films are now among the best in the action genre for me, it took a while for them to find their voice. The first three installments in particular are tonally very different. Still, I'm always excited about the first film, with which director Brian De Palma hoisted the TV series onto the big screen. Here, the connections to the source material are still obvious, and for the most part, they work. And overall, the film is consistently entertaining, thanks in part to the iconic sequence at the CIA headquarters as well as the spectacular finale on a train. All in all, it's really a very good start for the series.
The good: great themesong, two iconic scenes (hanging inches from the floor and exploding from a helicopter onto a speeding train), lots of action and spy-stuff.
The bad: terribly annoying plot that only consists of running from one actionscene to the next. Whenever some plotpoint gets stuck it gets solved by the fact that someone was doublecrossed, even if it doesn't make sense.
The ugly: Throughout the movie I kept expecting development in the (cardboard) characters, some overarching storyline or some surprising twists to get me emotionally involved, but this movie consists only of empty thrills. I might as well have only watched the actionsequences and skipped the rest of the 'story'. I get the feeling this movie was only made because Tom Cruise wanted to star in an actionfilm.. There is no tension throughout the film, no excitement, no funny dialogue, no romance, no emotion whatsoever: just actionscene followed by a doublecrossing, actionscene followed by a doublecrossing...
Peasantly surprised by how well this has held up. Shoutout to Cinemastix on YouTube for pointing out the absolutely beautiful cinematography in this movie.
Fun and entertaining action flick. Period!
Mission: Impossible (film series)
1 Mission: Impossible (1996) https://trakt.tv/movies/mission-impossible-1996
2 Mission: Impossible 2 (2000) https://trakt.tv/movies/mission-impossible-ii-2000
3 Mission: Impossible III (2006) https://trakt.tv/movies/mission-impossible-iii-2006
4 Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol (2011) https://trakt.tv/movies/mission-impossible-ghost-protocol-2011
5 Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation (2015) https://trakt.tv/movies/mission-impossible-rogue-nation-2015
6 Mission: Impossible – Fallout (2018) https://trakt.tv/movies/mission-impossible-fallout-2018
7 Mission: Impossible 7 (2023) https://trakt.tv/movies/mission-impossible-7-2023
8 Mission: Impossible 8 (2024) https://trakt.tv/movies/mission-impossible-8-2024
A decent movie. I believe this franchise is one that evolved in a really good way throughout the movies, reaching its peak with Fallout. I liked this one, it has some classic moments and some key elements that are still present in the newest films.
Cool credits opening scene, such an awesome theme song.
The beginning was unexpected with every member of Ethan’s team dying. The plot is really confusing though and at some points the story moves too fast. I got lost in some moments.
The movie has acceptable action scenes, kind of over the top sometimes and not making much sense. For this reason I was sort of out of the movie in the final act, the bad and old CGI doesn’t help either.
Took some time, but I'm glad they improved every aspect of the franchise in the newest films.
Although it absolutely reeks of '90s blockbuster clicheés, a confident performance from Tom Cruise and two or three truly great action sets ultimately save the first M:I from the dregs of mediocrity. The plot is a bit too twisty-turny for its own good, with perhaps ninety percent of the cast switching allegiances at least once before it's through, but that's kind of its thing and I can write off a few eccentricities in the name of identity.
Jean Reno and Ving Rhames are wasted as generic lackeys, though, and the vital makeup effects aren't nearly as good as I had remembered. The magic of watching a guy rip off a faceful of fake skin is sort of lost when I can immediately identify who's wearing it as soon as they step on-screen. Though campy at times, it's still worth a watch for the perfect, trendsetting blend of action and suspense it brings to several key moments.
Its a Decent Adaptation to the Big Screen
Tom Cruise Ethan Hunt, a secret agent framed for the deaths of his espionage team, is on the run from government assassins, as he tries to uncover the shocking who's and why's of his setup.
Cruise performs well in the role, and the support from Jon Voight, Emmanuelle Beart, Jean Reno, Ving Rhames and more is strong and definitely adds plenty of body to the film.
With some good intrigue and tension, a few breathtaking stunts and a strong conspiracy style plot; Mission Impossible is a decent adaptation of the original series, without really being too familiar.
7/10 but should have been better
it is so confusing and complex but good movie
I’d have rated it higher if I watched it in 1996! I imagine the tech seemed so far fetched back them, but now it’s built into everyone’s iPhone!
Cheesy, slow plot, but some great action scenes for that time period made up for it.
A childhood classic that accessed parts of my brain I never knew was hiding so nostalgia makes this one more personal but even objectively ... this is a fucking good flick. People don't talk about the sublime cinematography enough.
Over the top spy movie. Silly but a fun watch.
fun movie. excited to see more
Like the human body: lots of holes but still enjoyable.
Terribly outdated, but it has its charm. In comparison to subsequent installments, the film embraces the essence of classic spy stories, with palpable Hitchcockian undertones in the cinematography. While the action centers around the two main set pieces, I was also captivated by the premise in Prague. On the other hand, the plot’s languid progression, coupled with its convoluted nature, only made Tom Cruise’s poor acting less forgivable.
I have to admit that i liked this a LOT more than i expected. It was really well paced, went by insanely quick for a near 2 hour movie. I'll admit that i saw at least part of the twist coming, but a lot of it shocked me. Tom Cruise was great as expected, though hes always creeped me out a little. This was a fun ride.
Luther: "You really think we can do this?"
Ethan: "We're going to do it!"
This is my first time watching a M:I movie, spy thrillers are not usually my go to. Mission: Impossible is not an exception, it wasn't great but it was fine. I thought the mission would be more impossible than that. I'm hoping to be surprised by the rest of the franchise, which i've heard gets much better. Tom Cruise is overacting and oversmiling at times, Henry Czerny was a standout, badass iconic theme song, some truly unexpected twists and turns, well-paced and the vault scene was the best part. Those old man rubber faces creep me the hell out. I like the inclusion of cool unique spy gadgets, gives it a surrealistic touch. I hope there's more in the next movies. The helicopter/train scenes made me think of Fast & Furious, so ridiculous!
I enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would. It's cheesy, the story is all over the place - betrayal after betrayal after betrayal - and some of the shots are... a choice (the bloody hands scene on the bridge were so weird, lol). However, all things considered, it's a fun time, and feels like a movie that knows not to take itself too seriously. Looking forward to watching the rest of them.
Mission Impossible is a fantastic action movie that offers a thrilling and engaging experience. What really sets this movie apart is the way it updates a classic series for modern audiences. While it maintains the core elements that fans of the original love, it injects new life into the franchise with fresh characters and modern technology. Overall, Mission Impossible is a well-produced and thrilling action movie that fans of the genre won't want to miss. It's a great update on a classic series.
This film is fair, but also fairly flawed. Tom Cruise and the other actors deliver some solid performances, and the cinematography is serviceable as well, yet there are a lot of twists and turns that are hard to understand, and are even incredulous at the worst possible times. It doesn't keep the movie from being fun though.
very confusing at times, but cool
The sweatiest movie of all time.
You’ll have no idea what’s going on but have a good time having no idea what’s going on. I am pretty sure Jim Phelps is about the only character from the show.
Phelps was the hero in the show, in this he’s not and it’s all about Tom Cruise and his character Ethan Hunt “of course.”
Brian De Palma’s style with this one was at least closer to the series at least. The sequels are more about watching Tom climb buildings, mountains and etc.
I know I watched this years ago, but didn't remember anything about it except it had Tom Cruise and was based on the old TV series. Gave it another watch, and even though it is considerably dated, it was still a fun watch. A lot of the stunts were pretty outlandish but that's what makes it fun. I would say give this one a watch, even though it IS almost 30 years old.
A great De Palma action film. Despite the complexity of the plots and the scenes, you can always follow what’s happening. It’s the most different of the MI franchise, and that’s not a bad thing. Also I love that the secret agent network is run by an organisation called the IMF :joy:
"Computers are a bitch."
Those damned floppy disks!!!
Mission: Impossible is already 25 years old and luckily for us, this franchise is still going strong! It has grown to be one of my favorite movie franchises and one that someone can't seem to disappoint me.
Still love re-watching the vault scene, love the soundtrack, love that it made Tom Cruise a bonafide action star, Ving Rhames is my favorite hacker, Emilio Estevez still dies a horrible death, love the Prague setting, love that it doesn't hold your hand and still freaking love those masks.
Mission: Impossible never gets old and I am so happy that we are getting the next one next year and that the 8th installment is already announced.
Very fun, has some wtf moments, but overall a good spy movie.
As good as a spy thriller can get,a real thrill ride to say the least!.
When I first saw this movie I did not like it at all. My main gripe with the movie was (and is) that it did not feel like a Mission Impossible movie.
Spoilers ahead! In the original series the team always succeeded, at least in the episodes I watched. However, the movie starts off with a big failure. Then to make matters worse we learn that Mr. Phelps, one of the original lead characters, is actually a traitor. I was so disappointed!
Now when I watched it for the second time with my son I actually liked it a lot more. I still think it is sad that the script writers felt they had to introduce all these chock elements but trying to look past those this is a pretty good movie. I still do not think it is truly a Mission Impossible movie in the good old style of the series though.
It is a very good action/thriller movie though. Tom Cruise is really not bad in the role of Ethan Hunt and so are the rest of the actors. He is performing quite a few spectacular stunts and there are a decent amount of high tech stuff in the movie. Sure, some of the stunts and action scenes are perhaps a bit convoluted but it provides for some good cinemagic and it is fiction after all.
If this movie would not have been labelled Mission Impossible I would probably have given it another star but I cannot bring myself to completely overlook how far from the original inspiration it has strayed.
A suberb movie based on the hit 1988 - 1990 TV Show, director Brian De Palma (Carrie, Carlito's Way, Casualties of War, Rising Cain) gives us a suspense filled action thriller, that really captures the original TV series. Tom Cruise was well chosen to play the lead Ethan Hunt. Great film with the usual twists and turns one comes to expect from a Brian De Palma film. Original and best of the MI movies, although Ghost Protocol comes damn close.
Although the acting is bad (Especially Henry Czerny almost unbearable performance), the movie does have moments of suspense and has you thinking "who don it" enough for you to the sit through movie.
One of the best spy action movies ever.
Good acting and pacing, humor that is not cringy and all the spy movie tropes a real classic needs. Two thumbs up.
Mission: Impossible was fun. I think I'd seen parts of it previously but not the whole thing through. The script was pretty rubbish but I wasn't expecting much else and it worked well enough as an action flick.
Shout by Dann MichalskiBlockedParent2019-08-02T23:10:47Z
Brian De Palma brings Mission: Impossible to the big screen in an explosive and action-packed adventure. Branded a trader when his team is killed during an intelligence operation, IMF agent Ethan Hunt goes rogue in order to clear his name. The plot's rather good, and does a fair job at building suspense and intrigue. Starring Tom Cruise, Jon Voight, Emmanuelle Beart, and Ving Rhames, the casting’s pretty solid. And, the action sequences are shot especially well, adding a lot of energy and intensity to the film. Danny Elfman's score is also excellently done. Incredibly entertaining, Mission: Impossible is a fun and thrilling action film.