[film] Mission Impossible 4: Ghost Protocol

[CeeKay]

coming Memorial Day 2011.  JJ Abrams is on board as a producer, and is being written by a couple of writers from Alias and Life on Mars.  I liked the third MI movie better than the second, so hopefully they'll have a decent outing even without Abrams directing.

[Kagath]

I haven't even seen the third movie and I like it better than the second. That one was horrible compared to the first one.

[JayDee]

The third movie was really good.

[metallicorphan]

i have quite liked all 3....number 2 on DVD had the extra feature the MTV Mission improbable spoof with Ben Stiller,and that's worth the DVD purchase on its own...or the free Youtube video


(here it is,However English with Italian Subtitles.couldn't find just English)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgbdx4JjTE0&feature=related



so i take it Paramount and Tom Cruise have made friends again now?

[CeeKay]

Tom Cruis has announced the full title will be Mission Impossible Ghost Protocol.


they should have stuck with Mission Impossible 4.

[CeeKay]

French trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIuO55Aj7oo

[Turtle]

Sega should get the movie license, rebrand Alpha Protocol to Ghost Protocol, change the main character to look like Tom Cruise.  Instant movie tie in sales.

[Gryndyl]

Here's hoping that they manage to come up with a plot where the bad guy isn't yet another MI agent gone rogue. Seriously, based on the last three movies they'd be best off dissolving the agency to prevent future incidents.

[Blackjack]

English trailer at EW:
http://insidemovies.ew.com/2011/06/28/mission-impossible-ghost-protocol-trailer-tom-cruise/

I had no idea that Brad Bird (Pixar's The Incredibles) was directing, his first live action movie. While it looks amazing, the trailer left me thinking Tom Cruise is passe and Jeremy Runner should be the star.   But we'll have to wait for The Avengers next summer for that...

Also, I thought Michelle Monaghan was the most appealing part of MI:3. I liked her enough and her chemistry with Cruise to, well, root for them. His affection for her made him seem like more of an actual human being and less of an MI cardboard movie prop. She's absent from this movie, afik, which I find disappointing.

The potboiler plot, from what I can tell, involves some attack on the Kremlin that may be pinned on the MI team so they're told they have to escape and never be found, or else be branded terrorists. Ya know, something straightforward and not convoluted.  

[hepcat]

Yeah, I was also surprised to find out Brad Bird was directing this.  Talk about coming out of left field...

However, I will probably see this now that I know he's the man behind it all.  Bird made Iron Giant and The Incredibles...those two alone would put me in a seat even if it were a live action Cabbage Patch Doll movie. 

[Blackjack]

Bit of news -- Paramount bumped the release date a few days from Friday, Dec. 16 to Wednesday, Dec. 21:
http://collider.com/mission-impossible-4-one-shot-release-date/106040/comment-page-1/#comment-164864
(there's a typo in the first paragraph, but they seem to be saying from Dec. 16 to 21st and not the other way around)

I really liked MI 3 (even bought it on DVD) because JJ Abrams tried so hard to humanize his character and give him a heart, and not just have him be a stonefaced, rappelling stunt jumper. Brad Bird's animated films always have tremendous heart, so I'd like to think he'll bring that here too, even if the trailer doesn't exactly suggest that.

[CeeKay]

latest trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kxrndgt7gIY

[PeteRock]

I liked what Abrams did with MI3 and found it to be my favorite of the series.  While Ghost Protocol looks like it's in a similar vein, I'm concerned with Brad Bird being the director.  I would have been in on day one if it were Abrams, but Bird predominantly does animated features.    Not sure how he'll do with an action film.  Guess we'll see.  At least Abrams is on as producer, so he's at least somewhat involved.  And Renner has become one of my new favorite actors.  I could watch him in anything.  He won me over in The Hurt Locker and I've loved his performances I've seen ever since.  List me as "cautiously interested."

[Blackjack]

There was a featurette recently:
New 'Mission: Impossible -- Ghost Protocol' featurette: They let Tom Cruise do what!?
http://insidemovies.ew.com/2011/10/29/new-mission-impossible-ghost-protocol-featurette-they-let-tom-cruise-do-what/
*It's pretty clear Tom isn't afraid of heights, but I can only imagine what his insurance companies thought of letting him do this.  

EW's print edition has a really in-depth interview with Jeremy Renner, including a little bit on MI4 (I'll share the link here if/when they post that online). Apparently, Renner was going to audition with JJ Abrams for the role of the dad in Super 8 (which went to Kyle Chandler). Renner was going to tell Abrams he didn't see himself in the part, and Abrams asked him if he'd be interested in a new role in MI4 instead.

According to the article, Renner has signed up for 3 MI movies total, which he emphasizes is with the proviso Cruise wants to continue doing them -- he's not signed up to be Cruise's successor. Renner has signed up to sort-of (won't play the same name character) succeed his pal Matt Damon in the Bourne series.

Renner's success has come really late in his career (he was 38 at the time of The Hurt Locker, I believe), after toiling for years in obscurity and for a few years in poverty, so I can't really blame him for grabbing every high profile offer sent his way (The Avengers, MI and Bourne). I don't think he'll have time for a Hawkeye spin-off.  

I liked MI:3 too in that, at least in places, it made Cruise's character vulnerable enough I could root for him. It pushed the character right to the edge of "maybe he won't get out of this and they're ending the series right here." But it underperformed domestically at the b.o., though it did well internationally like most Cruise films do (http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=mi3.htm).

[th'FOOL]

I liked what Abrams did with MI3 and found it to be my favorite of the series.  While Ghost Protocol looks like it's in a similar vein, I'm concerned with Brad Bird being the director.  I would have been in on day one if it were Abrams, but Bird predominantly does animated features.    Not sure how he'll do with an action film.  Guess we'll see.  At least Abrams is on as producer, so he's at least somewhat involved.  And Renner has become one of my new favorite actors.  I could watch him in anything.  He won me over in The Hurt Locker and I've loved his performances I've seen ever since.  List me as "cautiously interested."

Brad Bird is solid gold as far as I'm concerned. Being a AAA director of animation definitely makes him qualified to direct, period. It is far more difficult to direct a good animated film than a live-action film.

[Blackjack]

Movie Hole has a recap of a 20 minute IMAX preview:
http://www.moviehole.net/201148407-clint-previews-20-minutes-of-footage-from-mission-impossible-ghost-protocol
*I think this is stuff we've seen in trailers, it's just it's a full 20 minutes rather than snippets.

It's supposed to premiere at a festival over in Dubai Dec. 7, so you may see some early reviews of the full movie filter out after that event.

I'm a little disappointed they appear to have thrown away Michelle Monaghan's girlfriend character from MI3, but perhaps she just makes a cameo appearance or two.

[metallicorphan]

has anybody seen this yet?,i ask because its getting some good reviews,some saying its the best MI yet

and also 93% on Rotten Tomatoes


also,they are already talking about Mission Impossible 5
http://screenrant.com/mission-impossible-5-kofi-144888/

[EngineNo9]

I saw this over the Christmas holiday with my family and thought it was really good.  Obviously it is an action movie and not an Academy Award winner, but it had some really amazing stunts and was overall better than I expected.  Simon Pegg also helped lend a good air of humor to parts of it, as he usually does.  Lots of fun and highly recommended. 

[Isgrimnur]

My biggest beef is that you shouldn't pay attention to the opening sequence, as it tips away most of the set pieces in the film. 

[EngineNo9]

My biggest beef is that you shouldn't pay attention to the opening sequence, as it tips away most of the set pieces in the film. 

Agreed.  I had forgotten about that but yeah, it is basically a bunch of spoiler clips and I'm not sure why it was there.

[pr0ner]

I guess an homage to the TV show (which is something the first Mission: Impossible movie did as well) is not kosher?

[Isgrimnur]

I never watched the show.  I suppose if that's the norm, it's fine.  And you forget about half of it by the time it comes back around.  But I think the impact of it is a bit more pronounced with a film than it would be on a TV show.

[Blackjack]

I wanted to take my mom to see The Artist (silent movie getting much movie awards buzz), but she's stressing out about some family things and said she wanted me take her to a movie where she doesn't have to "think too much" (why she thinks a silent movie with music will require her to "think too much," don't even ask me  ).

So I said, well, maybe MI4 will fit the bill. Will let you all know later. 

[hepcat]

It's actually pretty fun.  I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it.  Brad Bird will hopefully get some more live action jobs out of this.

[Blackjack]

We thoroughly enjoyed it. My mom professed to not understand most of the plot, but that's been pretty much how the series has been (fakes, double-crosses, rubber masks etc.) going back to Brian DePalma's original take in 1994. And I think even if one entirely sick of Tom Cruise (as many area), he's generally pretty appealing in this.

For my part, I maybe preferred the characters and the "personal revenge/vendetta" angles of the Abrams-directed MI:3, but I can see where this would have a more mass market appeal and simply more fun factor on the action.

As a fan of MI3, I quite enjoyed the

Spoiler for Hiden:

cameo by Michelle Monaghan at the very end as Ethan Hunt's wife. I hadn't heard of that particular spoiler, so it was a pleasant surprise to me. My mom of course didn't know what the heck that was all about. 

While I'm sure the Hollywood temptation will be to plug Brad Bird into action franchises (a Star Trek sequel! a comic book movie! an etc. etc.), I hope he gets (maybe in a movie or two) to do something he has a personal interest in doing. Usually if you have a really monster hit or two, you at least get a window of opportunity as director or actor do do a "passion project" that the studios might've been previously hesitant to fund.

[hepcat]

While I'm sure the Hollywood temptation will be to plug Brad Bird into action franchises (a Star Trek sequel! a comic book movie! an etc. etc.), I hope he gets (maybe in a movie or two) to do something he has a personal interest in doing. Usually if you have a really monster hit or two, you at least get a window of opportunity as director or actor do do a "passion project" that the studios might've been previously hesitant to fund.

My preference would be an Incredibles sequel.  

I was going to say Iron Giant as that's hands down my favorite Bird film, but I don't think it should have a sequel.  It's perfect the way it is.

[leo8877]

Saw this last night and it was ok.  Cheesy, but fun.

[Blackjack]

While I'm sure the Hollywood temptation will be to plug Brad Bird into action franchises (a Star Trek sequel! a comic book movie! an etc. etc.), I hope he gets (maybe in a movie or two) to do something he has a personal interest in doing. Usually if you have a really monster hit or two, you at least get a window of opportunity as director or actor do do a "passion project" that the studios might've been previously hesitant to fund.

My preference would be an Incredibles sequel.  

I was going to say Iron Giant as that's hands down my favorite Bird film, but I don't think it should have a sequel.  It's perfect the way it is.

This CinemaBlend item is sort of a misnomer; he doesn't say "I won't do the next MI movie," he's just commenting that the series has had a different director each time out.

Brad Bird Confirms He Won't Helm The Next Mission Impossible
http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Brad-Bird-Confirms-He-Won-t-Helm-Next-Mission-Impossible-30492.html

The thing is, I don't think Brian DePalma ever saw himself as an action movie director, and my recollection was he butted heads with Tom Cruise quite a bit on the original. To me, MI2 just had too much John Woo-isms for its own good.

In terms of emotional storytelling, I really like JJ Abram's take in MI:3, but I believe it made the least amount at the box office.  I tend to blame that more on "Tom Cruise fatigue" at the time more than any flaws with the movie. But it was the first time I actually liked Tom Cruise and the Ethan character in the films. And JJ had bigger fish to fry (Star Trek, Super 8 ) so clearly he wasn't going to helm another MI film.

While I'd love to see BB come back, he's just starting out in live-action, so it would probably make sense to try different genres and spread his wings, so to speak. I know from interviews he'd love to revisit The Incredibles, but they simply don't have a script at this point.

[CeeKay]

got this from Amazon last week and watched it for the first time today.  not bad but it felt like it ran overlong.  was kind of bummed Sawyer wasn't in it very long.

[disarm]

I finally saw this tonight and really enjoyed it.  The story is pretty thin, but it's one heck of an action movie with some really great set pieces and solid performances all around. The other films in the series have been so varied that I really wasn't sure what to expect, but I think it's one of the best so far.  I'd say Brad Bird did a really great job for his first live action film

My biggest beef is that you shouldn't pay attention to the opening sequence, as it tips away most of the set pieces in the film. 

I watched this on bluray and the video clips used in the main menu do the same thing.  Impressive shots from key events in the film should not be used in menus just because they look cool

[Reemul]

Just watched this, both the wife and i thought it was total crap. Weak storyline, I don't expect total realism but some parts of it were just so stupid, the baddie is a scientist yet holds his own in a fight with a top notch Secret agent. I thought as soon as someone farts in Russia the USA would know let alone the main thing at the end that happened which no one seemed to know about.

Wish I could get them 2 hours of my life back.