Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol (2011)

Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol

• This movie was absolutely phenomenal. That about sums it up. Everything about it was really great, and I really loved the story. The whole “stop a nuclear war” plot might feel a bit cliche sometimes, but in this case, it works extremely well. The story is constantly moving forward, with lots of great twists and turns that take you down a crazy path. One thing that this movie did a really great job with was the characters. It took enough time to fill you in on their backstories and relationships with each other, and by the end of the movie, you really feel like you know them. It doesn’t just throw them in there without letting you know about their backgrounds, but it makes sure that you know who they are and what they’re doing. They were also played really well. I really enjoyed Jeremy Renner’s role, and he was probably my favorite, besides Ethan. Probably the thing I enjoyed most about this movie was the setting. Like the previous movie, I really enjoyed how it used multiple countries to keep the setting fresh and unique. Starting the movie out in Russia and using historical landmarks was awesome, and then slowly transitioning to Dubai was really good. During the scenes in Dubai, the architecture and culture really made this feel very Indiana Jones-y, so that made it even more fun. One of my favorite scenes was the fight/chase in the car “vending machine”, and it was a really ingenious idea to use that. It gives the film a modern take/feeling, without making it feel too in-the-now. I also really loved how the IMF was disbanded, and watching a go-for-broke espionage team was amazing. It gives you a sense that success is the only answer (which it was), and you are all alone with no help or backup. I loved the concept of that, and it was very well written into the story. One of the last two things I’ll mention is the music. The score was extremely well done, and each action sequence was accompanied by a beautiful yet very intense theme. I also really loved the inclusion of “Ain't That a Kick in the Head” by Dean Martin. That song is easily in his top 5 best (along with my top 5 favorites), so being able to see him get recognition was fantastic. The second thing I wanted to mention was the ending shot. Ethan walking into the smoke, and then disappearing seconds later was absolutely amazing (and a bit Batman-y), and it was the perfect way to end the movie. Anyways, I would highly recommend this one, and it was extremely well made. This film is officially Berry Approved, so go check it out now!