Directed by:
Brian De PalmaCinematography:
Stephen H. BurumComposer:
Danny ElfmanCast:
Tom Cruise, Jon Voight, Emmanuelle Béart, Henry Czerny, Jean Reno, Ving Rhames, Kristin Scott Thomas, Vanessa Redgrave, Ingeborga Dapkunaite, Emilio Estevez (more)VOD (4)
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Tom Cruise stars as Ethan Hunt, a secret agent framed for the deaths of his espionage team. Fleeing from government assassins, breaking into the CIA's most impenetrable vault, clinging to the roof of a speeding bullet train, Hunt races like a burning fuse to stay one step ahead of his pursuers... and draw one step closer to discovering the shocking truth. (official distributor synopsis)
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Reviews (10)
At a time when the creative reins of the entire series are firmly held by Christopher McQuarrie, it is hard to believe that a quarter of a century ago there was a film in which the main hero was not a complete legend with a cold gaze and a stunt up his sleeve, as we have him in our minds now, but an unbearable clown who surprisingly often plays by chance. I considered Brian De Palma's contribution to the IMF archive a dull spy installment for many years, but today it surprisingly feels fresh to me thanks to Prague, the legendary (and timeless) break-in into Langley, or the pleasantly overblown train finale. However, its main problem remains the striking inconsistency. One moment Ethan is devastated by the loss of all certainty, only to casually flirt with the enemy or perform cheap magic tricks a few minutes later, solely to annoy a colleague he didn't much like. So even though Tom Cruise is surprisingly bad, and at times two or three films play out before my eyes, I am willingly raising the rating above average. The pace, unlike the subsequent installments, never stops for a moment, and out of all the entertaining spy flicks that have irrevocably disappeared from cinemas, I have to add some affection for Czech-based escapades.
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I don’t think I know anyone who doesn’t know Ethan Hunt and the Mission: Impossible series in general. It’s truly an established brand in the realm of spy action films. Today, it’s really considered a classic in every sense. I decided to revisit the entire series from the very beginning. Although the first film is nearly 30 years old, it still has a lot to offer, particularly its originality. Casting Tom Cruise in the lead role was a brilliant move by the creators, and it paid off handsomely. I’d dare say that this film played a significant role in elevating him to Hollywood’s A-list. Director Brian De Palma delivered a film that has stayed in everyone’s memory. I can’t forget the iconic theme music. And the train scene at the end was incredibly well executed (considering the year the film was released). For me, it gets a solid 8/10 (original review edit from 2016).
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For its time, it had good special effects and was probably a hit back then, but somehow, after almost twenty years, it doesn't captivate me as much anymore. The original series still seems a bit more interesting and imaginative to me. As I said, the special effects are excellent, and the tunnel scene is just action-packed cool, but it's not the same anymore. I guess I'd have to be a kid to appreciate it that much. The fourth and last film was also cool, but simply more modern and faster-paced.
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Looking back on it, De Palma filmed certainly the darkest and most convoluted Mission: Impossible. The entire infiltration of Langley was ingeniously filmed. You can’t tell me that the scene with the balancing Cruise didn’t make an impression on you. The stifling silence and tension can be cut with a knife. The final revelation of the conspiracy when Hunt slowly pieces together fragments of “what we didn’t see in Prague" is nicely filmed too. Complete satisfaction is spoiled by the slight difficulty I found in orientating myself in the story. The first M:I wasn’t as mediocre as they say.
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I’m between three and four stars, but thanks to several scenes where the tension is almost like out of a text-book (the gymnastics in the CIA vault, the gymnastics on the train), I will go for a more generous rating. That said, the script is quite messy; by the end, at least, it’s clear who was good and who was bad, but during the story, who’s playing what wasn’t very clear. The opening part in Prague was nice.
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Photo © Paramount Pictures
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