Swanner: This time of year, along with the Oscar contender movies we also get the big studio tent pole title movie. This week we have two, both are sequels and both have big name casts. The difference is that one forgot what the movie was supposed to be about (Sherlock Holmes) and the other has rediscovered its roots. Mission Impossible was always good for lots of action but never quite captured what the original story was about ‘til now. The have brought teamwork back to the show and I was thrilled to see it.
Judd: I was dreading this MI:4. I didn’t like the first three, and even though Brad Bird (The Incredibles, Ratatouille) directed this current one, I could not shake my feeling of doom. Within the first 15 minutes, my anxiety lifted and I was completely immersed in the movie. Agent Ethan Hunt (Cruise) is framed for blowing up the Kremlin. IMF is shutdown, and Hunt teams up with the remaining two field agents (Simon Peg and Paula Patton) and an analyst (Jeremy Renner) to track down a crazy who believes world peace can be achieved through nuclear war.
Swanner: We were lucky enough to see it at the IMAX theatre and I was thinking it was going to be too big and active for an action picture of this scope work but it did. That’s not to say the film won’t be great to look at on regular screens but it was a treat seeing it that way. Director Brad Bird kept the film movie nicely to where it’s 2+ hours running time just zoomed by. If you think about The Incredible this movie does feel a bit like it with its pace and excitement. Simon Pegg keeps things funny without being forced so the film just stays very well rounded.
Judd: Given the cost of IMAX movies, I wouldn’t recommend seeing MI:4 at the IMAX. I didn’t think the IMAX scenes added anything to the movie. I thought the movie felt very much like Casino Royale, which I consider one of the most tightly precise action movies of recent times. MI:4 ticks like a watch. Brad Bird directs the movie like an expert jeweler.
Swanner: I think my favorite part of this film was that Tom Cruise wasn’t the “star” of the movie. All four characters had a storyline and a mission of their agenda. The bad guys were all good even though I can’t remember any of their faces. I agree that the expense of the IMAX makes it hard to validate the cost, but most people won’t enjoy the IMAX for their documentaries, so maybe something commercial is a great gateway to a new experience. I had a great time with what seems to be the only “good” popcorn movie of the season.
Swanner: 
Judd::
Swanner & Judd Film Reviews 