While I’ve never recommended that a film must be seen in 3D, for the first time since The Dark Knight, I’m urging you to only consider seeing Mission: Impossible: Ghost Protocol on the biggest premium screen around you – IMAX, if possible – because a huge chunk of it was filmed with IMAX cameras, making the wild action scenes even more intense and insane. If you plan to see Ghost Protocol over the next five days, that’s the only option you’ve got. It doesn’t open wide on standard screens until Wednesday, Dec. 21.
Being the fourth film in the movie series, Ghost Protocol takes the franchise back in the direction of the old television series. It’s no longer just “the Tom Cruise show,” he’s leads a full team on this rogue mission where each member is equally as important and necessary to the plot as the other. His team in Ghost Protocol consists of Simon Pegg (who appeared as a bit character in Mission: Impossible III), Paula Patton and Jeremy Renner – who is supposedly taking over the franchise as the team leader from here out.
This time around, a terrorist attack on the Kremlin and the theft of a Russian nuclear launch device has been pinned on Ethan Hunt (Cruise) and his team, causing IMF (Impossible Missions Force) to shut down and disavow each agent in the field. With the Russians hot on their trail, Ethan and his team must go rogue without any safe houses or support to aid them on a seemingly impossible mission to stop a madman from cleansing the world via global nuclear war.
Aside from a few mindless plot holes, the story of Ghost Protocol is intense and sound. It takes our characters from Budapest to Russia, Dubai and Mumbai, offering up some of the best Mission: Impossible moments yet – which is exactly why you must see Ghost Protocol on IMAX. Watching Tom Cruise climb out onto the glass face 130 floors up the tallest building in the world is terrifying and breathtaking. It must be seen in the huge format in which it was filmed.
With Ghost Protocol, J.J. Abrams takes over as co-producer with Tom Cruise and Pixar’s Brad Bird hops behind the camera and directs his first live-action project since Amazing Stories. Pixar fans, pay close attention for a couple delightful easter eggs.
Ghost Protocol isn’t perfect. It requires you to shut your mind off for a few flawed moments. But it’s still one for the most satisfying popcorn flicks of the year. For the last time, don’t settle for anything less than IMAX, XD or any other large premium screen.
Photo credit: Paramount
