Mission: Impossible (1996)

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 scene in which the water tank explodes and Ethan Hunt escapes from the restaurant were shot at two different locations. The tank explosion and Hunt's jump through the restaurant window were shot at Paramount Studios. The portion of the scene in which he is running into the streets of Prague with the water running behind him were actually shot in Prague.

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): When Ethan is quoting the Bible to Max, he says "palaces" instead of places as shown in the Bible he is reading.

Quotes:

Luther Stickell: Reach your folks?
[Ethan nods]
Luther Stickell: How do they feel?
Ethan Hunt: About what?
Luther Stickell: The apology from the Justice Department, VIP treatment. You know, the whole nine yards.
Ethan Hunt: Well, my mom was a little confused how the DEA could mistake her and Uncle Donald for a couple of dope smugglers in the Florida Keys.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Pretty Cool (2001)

Soundtrack:

Dreams

Thrilling Thriller

Brian De Palma delivers a kinetic live wire suspense filled espionage thriller to open the Mission Impossible franchise. The camera work is exceptional with De Palma's trademark sense of motion applied to suspenseful heists and an amazing train ride sequence during which you really get the sense of speed and danger. Also created is one of the most iconic images from any thriller of recent times Tom Cruise suspended mid heist inches from a pressure sensitive floor. Cruise lives up to his star billing and for me really nails the Ethan Hunt character, Jean Reno, Ving Rames and the stunning Emmanuelle Beart provide able support.

My one problem with this film and unfortunately quite a big problem is that the twist in the tale can be seen coming a mile off. Which is a real shame as this film is inventive, fun, stylish and everything a main stream thriller should be.

Fun but the twist in the tale doesn't have enough of a sting 7/10