Sunday, December 18, 2011

Mission Impossible 4: Ghost Protocol


I must admit that when Tom Cruise became the new top dog of Impossible Missions Force (IMF) team, I did not like it one bit.  I have grown up watching the TV series and I was used to seeing Jim Phelps run the show so when Ethan Hunt came and stole Phelp's thunder I was naturally pissed!  But I guess time heals all wounds and mine was gone when MI2 was shown.

Ghost Protocol is the 4th installment of this movie franchise and it has once more delivered its audience share of fast paced action!  And you know what's funny?  Its director, Brad Bird,  did not have an action movie under his belt before this!  In fact all he had to show for is a chock-full of animated films like "The Incredibles", "Ratatouille", and "The Iron Giant".

As a movie producer, Tom Cruise sure knows how to make money.  The only staple character in the last three installments were Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and Luther Stickell (Ving Rhames); otherwise, Hunt does not have a permanent team to speak of.  In Ghost Protocol Stickell only appears as a cameo so it's only Hunt in the lead here.  Now why is that?  Well, as you may well know, MI, MI2, and MI3 were box office hits.  Keeping a "team" would have given the cast members with a card to play come contract negotiations.  More payment to the stars would mean less profit for the company.  Nice move Tom!

Needless to say, the only real star in this franchise is Tom Cruise!  So long as he delivers my ACTION fix---I'm fine with that!

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