Film review: Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol (four out of five stars)

(PG) 133mins

Director: Brad Bird

Starring: Tom Cruise, Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg

IN TERMS of exciting all-action movies then the MI franchise has to be one of the best.

You just know that there will be amazing stunts, explosions and a fair number of bodies littered about.

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The early subtlety of the popular TV series was quickly ignored in favour of special effects.

There has been the introduction of a more human side with Tom Cruise’s character, Ethan Hunt, faced with some emotional challenges.

But the tears are quickly wiped away in favour of a good punch-up.

The storyline sees the IMF (Impossible Mission Force) blamed for blowing up the Kremlin. They set out to clear their name, plus stop a possible nuclear war.

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There’s also a back plot with a new recruit and his link to Hunt.

The new boy (William Brandt, played by Jeremy Renner) certainly adds to the drama and Paula Patton certainly packs a punch (literally) as Hunt’s side-kick Jane Carter.

But it’s Simon Pegg who adds a welcome comic touch.

MI4, as it’s known, has some incredible stunt work, including climbing up part of the tallest building in the world - the Burg Khalifa in Dubai.

There’s also a dramatic fight sequence in a Mumbai car park.

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OK, so you have to suspend belief with a lot of the action - most people wouldn’t survive the things Hunt gets up to.

But the two hours slip away quite quickly thanks to Brad Bird’s slick direction.

Steve Payne

Screening courtesy of Cineworld Crawley

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