Mission Impossible: Because They Needed Another One

Tom Cruise loves to run. Anyone who has seen his films will tell you. Not in every one of Cruise’s films, but particularly those following his 80’s prime movies of synthesized triumph songs and intricate high fives with fellow pilots. He always has a running scene. Since he boarded the Mission Impossible train toward fake spy flick station, he’s gone from hanging over heat sensing floors to crashing helicopters in train tunnels. Yet another one has come out, but this time with some nicer suits, a few more BMW’s and a taller building. Other than these few minor intricacies, Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol is pretty similar to its predecessors.

Yes I agree… we should discuss the title! If two words combined make for a lackluster action flick title, they are ghost and protocol. Other terrible ones include “The Rise of Cobra,” from back when they made a movie about a doll. However, we cannot forget about Cruise. Now rounding 50, Cruise’s new movie involves the exploding of the Kremlin, and then somehow the hypothetical nuclear war of the 21^st century. Needless to say, they stop it at the last second with a metal briefcase. Way to go Ethan Hunt!

What I do enjoy about the Mission Impossible series is their diverse cast list from movie to movie. Each seems to employ young, hip actors to play the supporting role. I’m not sure where they go between each movie. I know for a fact they never die in the movies. Maybe Ethan Hunt enjoys changing it up to make things interesting.

But perhaps the largest contributor to every one of these films is the man himself: Ving Rhames. If a director throws a fedora on Ving Rhames ultra smooth shaven head, it will certainly make for a great laugh. If you don’t believe me, take the time to watch his few scenes in 2007’s I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, where Rhames plays a sexually confused firefighter with a history of a bad temper. In Ghost Protocol, he makes an appearance in the final scene, and honestly that was the best part. Other than that, the movie takes us around the world from Russia to Dubai, with the earing guy from that Slumdog movie and the princess from Robin Hood. Nobody really remembers their names.

It is an airplane movie for sure, but otherwise don’t go out your way to see it. If you get uncomfortable when Tom Cruise grows long hair and looks like he did in the Last Samurai minus the beard, don’t bother at all. I give it 2.5 bulldogs, but feel free to give it as many as you’d like.