Mission: Impossible (1996)

User Rating:

6.8/10   

Director:

Brian De Palma

Writers (WGA):

Bruce Geller (television series)
David Koepp (story) ...

Release Date:

22 May 1996 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Thriller

Tagline:

Expect the Impossible

Plot:

An American agent, under false suspicion of disloyalty, must discover and expose the real spy without the help of his organization.

Plot Keywords:

Mission | Spy | Stealing | Traitor | Espionage

Awards:

3 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

Tom Cruise	...	Ethan Hunt
Jon Voight	...	Jim Phelps
Emmanuelle Béart	...	Claire Phelps (as Emmanuelle Beart)
Henry Czerny	...	Eugene Kittridge
Jean Reno	...	Franz Krieger
Ving Rhames	...	Luther Stickell
Kristin Scott Thomas	...	Sarah Davies (as Kristin Scott-Thomas)
Vanessa Redgrave	...	Max
Dale Dye	...	Frank Barnes
Marcel Iures	...	Alexander Golitsyn
Ion Caramitru	...	Zozimov
Ingeborga Dapkunaite	...	Hannah Williams
Valentina Yakunina	...	Drunken Female IMF Agent
Marek Vasut	...	Drunken Male IMF Agent
Nathan Osgood	...	Kittridge Technician

Also Known As:

Mission Impossible

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for some intense action violence.

Runtime:

110 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Ireland:PG | Malaysia:18SG | Brazil:Livre | New Zealand:M | Argentina:Atp | Australia:M | Canada:PG | Chile:TE | Finland:K-12 | France:U | Germany:12 (bw) | Hong Kong:IIB | Iceland:12 | Netherlands:12 | Norway:15 | Peru:PT | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG | South Korea:15 | Spain:13 | Sweden:11 | UK:PG | USA:PG-13

Filming Locations:

Albert R. Broccoli 007 Stage, Pinewood Studios, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

The bridge over the Vlatava River in Prague where Jim (Jon Voight) is "killed" is the same bridge that Xander Cage (Vin Diesel) is sitting during the end of the movie xXx (2002).

Goofs:

Continuity: At CIA headquarters, the fire alarms in three sections are tripped. Then Luther hacks into the alarm system to trip the alarm in Section 21. Later in the Situation Room, the alarm is displayed in a corner of the wall display, but Section 21 isn't lit up.

Quotes:

Eugene Kittridge: [after Hunt's team was killed and meets up with Kittridge in some kind of Aquarium/Restaurant place] Ethan. Ethan, I can't tell on how sorry I am. I know how Jim ment to you personally, as well as professionally.
[Slides Hunt a Passport]
Eugene Kittridge: Here is the usual stuff. You follow?
Ethan Hunt: [Muffled] Yeah. I follow.
Eugene Kittridge: I think we lost anough agents for one night.
Ethan Hunt: You mean, *I* lost enough agents for one night.
Eugene Kittridge: You seem to be bent on blaming yourself, Ethan.
Ethan Hunt: There was another IMF team tonight.
Eugene Kittridge: I don't quite follow you, Ethan.
Ethan Hunt: [Looking up to Kittridge] Well, let's see you can follow me around the room.
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in 99euro-films (2001)

Soundtrack:

Theme From Mission: Impossible

Confusing, But Still Fun To Watch

Here's another film I watched when it came out and then later when the DVD was released and enjoyed both viewings, despite the fact I got "lost" several times. It's about time for another look because it's well-worth it and who knows....maybe I'll finally figure it out!

If you get a little confused trying to follow the plot, don't feel stupid. This isn't an easy story to follow but it gets high marks for keeping it interesting despite that problem.

The interesting characters, good cinematography, fun James Bond-like gadgets, just the right amount of action scenes and one very memorable heist scene with Tom Cruise dangling from a wire all make this an enjoyable two hours of entertainment. That scene with Cruise trying to break into this vault-like room remains as the one of the better tension-filled scenes I've ever witnessed on the big screen.

The final action scene with the speeding train and helicopter also is very memorable. John Voight, Emmanuelle Beart, Henry Czerny and Jean Reno make it a fun cast to watch, too. Note: stick with this film and forget the sequel. Despite the confusion, this film is still fun to view.