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Mission: Impossible
User Score
7.3 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 43 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 39 out of 43
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 43
  3. Negative: 3 out of 43

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  1. grandpajoe6191
    Dec 26, 2011
    7
    Brian De Palma's action blockbuster "Mission Impossible" succeeds the impossible job most action movies do; seducing the audience without fear.
  2. marshallm.
    Aug 1, 2005
    8
    Amazingly entertaining, but does leave some questions unasked...nonetheless...rent this movie!!!
    • 2 of 2 users said yes
  3. BradB.
    Nov 3, 2006
    10
    This is the best mission impossible film due to its originality and flair. Remember this film was made in 1996, 10 years ago yet it is still very captivating today.
    • 2 of 2 users said yes
  4. ManfredP.
    May 1, 2006
    10
    t's been a long time coming. It's April 18th 2006. It's been ten years since this film was released and its second sequel is less than a month away. Now seems like the perfect time to reach back into the wells of my cinematic career and re-examine one of the single most important movies in my life. This is one of the movies that made me fall in love with movies. It made me appreciate the meaning of a good plot, the importance of cerating tension, the methods with which one creates suspense...and how to flawlessly set up, construct, and execute an explosive finalé so effective that you could've swore it gave you an errection. [***SPOILERS***] The movie opens with the simplest of shots: a camera slowly tracking in on a security monitor with an unknown guy hunched keenly over it watching two equally unidentified figures talking in a room. All we know is that we are in Prague. But our ignorance soon turns to astonishment as the layers of this lie - courtesy of fictional(? ) CIA special branch, IMF (Impossible Missions Force) - are stripped away and the truth is revealed. This one opening scene effectively establishes the style for the rest of the film; confused ignorance followed by shocking revelations. DePalma crafts an extraordingary plot of intrigue and betrayal and, of course, impossible missions whose tasks include a pursuit on the roof of a high-speed train and infiltrating the Central Intelligence Agency. But as well-conceived as the plot may be, the cinematography is equally commendable. With a range of shots being able to take the viewer from a sense of extreme panic and disorientation all the way to the most in-your-face shots that allow the action and story to carry the film on their own merits. I've seen other highly commended DePalma works, including 'Scarface' and 'The Untouchables', and whilst the former is exceptional in its style and excecution the latter is miserably out-of-synch with its own content. Even against 'Scarface', 'Mission: Impossible' more than holds its own. In fact, if there is one thing that 'Mission: Impossible' has over 'Scarface', it's the presence of a much more satisfying conclusion and a much more streamlined story. Heck, even the visuals give the reverred 'Scarface' a run for its money. I must have been about twelve or thirteen when I first saw this film, and it's as affecting today as it was all those years ago. Unfortunately, I'm not a member of the 'Star Wars' generation. Nor is my childhood filled with images from 'Star Wars'. My childhood was defined by movies like 'The Neverending Story' and 'The Land Before Time'. 'Mission: Impossible' was one of the first mature films I'd actually seen. It certainly left quite an impact on me...if only for the fact that I resolved I would one day understand the plot completely. Which, you'll be pleased to know, I now do :-D… Expand
    • 1 of 1 users said yes
  5. JaredC.
    Dec 12, 2006
    2
    The movie was exciting and suspenseful, but needed a better adventure.
    • 1 of 2 users said yes
  6. [Anonymous]
    Dec 17, 2005
    8
    I like MI-2 better, but this one certainly is more ambitious plot-wise. The safe-heist and bullet train sequences are keepers, but the other sequences aren't that good. THe plot kept me guessing. However, that complex plot ultimately backfires on itself at the end, failing to achieve it's highly ambitious goal, but you got so many satisfying thrills out of the plot that you can forgive it's somewhat implausible ending.… Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  7. gm101
    May 6, 2012
    9
    While the plot doesn't make complete sense until the very end of the movie, but that's just a minor nuisance from a thrilling spy movie.
  8. chardr69
    May 21, 2011
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The first of the "Mission: Impossible" series, starring Tom Cruise as IMF Agent Ethan Hunt. Brian De Palma (Scarface/The Untouchables) directed as well. When a mission in Prague goes wrong and most of his team killed, Impossible Mission Forces Agent Ethan Hunt realizes that he has been set up by a mole within IMF itself, and he must assemble a rogue crew to clear his name and find out who the traitor actually is. A very entertaining film, but can be a little confusing if you don't like to think while watching a movie. Plus, a very nice cast including Ving Rhames (awesome as always), Jon Voight, Jean Reno and Henry Czerny.… Expand
  9. Halfwelshman
    Jan 2, 2012
    7
    What you get from Mission: Impossible is spectacle. And that's all you should want from an action thriller. It doesn't offer you too much more in terms of drama or performance, but the plotting is tight, and the storytelling involving (and this is a real achievement considering the film went into production without a finished script). It's just entertainment at the end of the day, and Brian De Palma's stylish direction makes it a very high-end, polished example of entertainment at that. The set-pieces are extremely well handled (particularly the iconic scene where Ethan Hunt hangs from the ceiling of a high-security CIA vault) and Tom Cruise proves he is more than able to handle the stunt work. Cruise was also one of the main driving-forces behind the film's production, and he's clearly aware what audiences want from an action movie. When judging the cast's performances, there's no-one who particularly stands out - Tom Cruise is serviceable, and Jean Reno plays the same character he plays in every film, though Jon Voight has a decent attempt at reading the mediocre dialogue straight-faced, and at least Vanessa Redgrave appears to be having a lot of fun with her role. Yes, the screenplay is nothing special, the character development a bit lacking, and the cutting-edge-for-the-90s technology Ethan Hunt's team uses in their escapades looks laughably dated to a modern audience. Mission: Impossible is good fun to watch, and as long as you don't dwell on the little details, you can get a lot out of this glossy and engaging, yet undeniably silly thriller.… Expand
  10. j30
    Nov 9, 2011
    8
    A really entertaining action/thriller film from the great Brian De Palma. This is by far the best in the series and by the previews of Ghost Protocol it will probably remain the best.
  11. julian_zizzle
    Oct 28, 2011
    10
    This one is a killer! I loved the action and scenario. Even though got some holes in story, it was a less than 2 hours adventure which i will probably never forget.
  12. EssenceOfSugar
    Jan 30, 2012
    9
    Packed with thrills, I enjoyed what this film had to offer. I loved the use of high tech equipment, and the theme tune is just solid gold. It was pretty much of a roller-coaster ride, what with the plot that was sometimes complicated in parts, but the pace of the film spreads it out so it is possible to pick up certain major details. And even if you don't pick up what's going on, at least you can be intrigued by the chemistry that is shared between the main characters. The action sequences are also extremely exciting. Tom Cruise also makes an excellent agent, because he certainly looks the part. Overall, this makes out to be a very entertaining, if not fascinating, film.… Expand
  13. Jedi_Jettson
    Feb 3, 2012
    6
    I found the story's lack of tension to be boring amongst entertaining adventures without enough thrills and suspense along with underrated action sequences. Not that impressive, but it was OK.
  14. movie2187
    Dec 31, 2011
    10
    Intriguing, Expertly told and crafted and a great Action performance by Tom Cruise. Also the cinematography is amazing how it suggest paranoia. Also the film is uniquely edited. This is a movie that shows that great direction can really enhance anything! The second best film of 1996 (after Fargo) and while this film was a hit I feel it is slight underrated. Amazing how the film, along with the action scenes don't feel dated at all.… Expand
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Critic Reviews

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Metascore
60 out of 100

Mixed or average reviews - based on 16 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 16
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 16
  3. Negative: 3 out of 16
  1. Austin Chronicle
    Reviewed by: Steve Davis
    50
    Whatever the reason for its disappointments, Mission: Impossible is a mission gone awry, prompting you to hope that reruns of its television incarnation will pop up on cable soon.
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  2. Chicago Reader
    Reviewed by: Jonathan Rosenbaum
    30
    Every effect is so calculated that only the conscious minds of filmmakers and viewers are engaged--and not by very much or for very long.
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  3. Chicago Sun-Times
    Reviewed by: Roger Ebert
    75
    The bottom line on a film like this is, Tom Cruise looks cool and holds our attention while doing neat things that we don't quite understand--doing them so quickly and with so much style that we put our questions on hold, and go with the flow.
    Read full review
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