Mission: Impossible (April 7/06)

One of the most common complaints leveled against Mission: Impossible during its theatrical run revolved around its admittedly intricate plot, although - as it turns out - the film is actually fairly easy to follow. This may have something to do with the proliferation of shows such as Alias and 24, which sport far more complicated storylines that continue over an entire season.

Based on the '60s television show, Mission: Impossible stars Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt - a top-notch spy who must clear his name after being accused of killing most of his team members during a routine mission. After hooking up with a pair of disgraced operatives (Jean Reno and Ving Rhames), Ethan concocts a scheme to steal a highly-classified list from the CIA (that said list is being held within a ridiculously secure room does not deter the agent).

Screenwriters David Koepp and Robert Towne pepper Mission: Impossible with a number of genuinely thrilling action sequences, as well as a curious emphasis on needless exposition - a choice that affords the film an unmistakably erratic vibe. Consequently, there's no getting around the fact that particular sections of the movie are far more effective than others - something that's true of the various action sequences (which are, as expected, thrilling and suspenseful).

Director Brian De Palma infuses the movie with several much-appreciated bursts of style, though it's clear that he's holding back to a certain extent (ie there's no uninterrupted SteadiCam shot). Nevertheless, there's no denying that Mission: Impossible is probably a lot more entertaining than it has any right to be thanks mostly to De Palma's flamboyant directorial choices. The surprisingly strong cast plays a substantial part in the film's success, as De Palma fills the screen with an assortment of first-class performers (including Reno, Rhames, Henry Czerny, Vanessa Redgrave, and even Jon Voight).

Cruise is his usual personable self, though the actor does a nice job of transforming his character into a more than just a seemingly invincible action hero. That Ethan becomes such a compelling figure is due almost entirely to Cruise's effective performance, particularly since Koepp and Towne's screenplay contains almost nothing by way of character development (we learn that he's got a mother and an Uncle Donald, but that's about it).

Mission: Impossible succeeds in offering up several exciting and suspenseful sequences, though one can't help but wish that the dialogue-based moments packed the same sort of punch.