MOVIE REVIEW - MIssion Impossible 4

Tom Cruise is back, overacting but still trying to find new ways to keep the Mission Impossible series alive with Ghost Protocol.

This is his fourth installment of this 1960's TV show come to the movies, and to be fair it is what it is. No one is going to change cinematic history with this, or win 11 Oscars. But it is pretty fun. And that's what these are. This is holiday fun - period. And I'm good with that.

The IMF team is still doing amazing things with out of this world gadgets, and making it all look pretty easy. This time they are trying to stave off nuclear war with Russia, after someone bombs the Kremlin, and lays the blame on the IMF team. Will they succeed?

For the most part this is well paced, and well thought out. Although there are a few holes in it. But again, this is holiday fun so let's not get carried away here. Great music soundtrack again and some really wonderful action scenes. The scene where Ethan is scaling the worlds tallest building from the outside is really sweaty palm stuff, and is exceptionally compelling. There is a bunch of slow burn tension moments too that set this above most action flicks. And that's great.

But there is entirely too much people chasing people. One sand storm scene goes on for what seems like years, and there are a few very unimaginative chase scenes that actually slow this whole thing down. Cruise still has a tendency to overact at times and becomes a slight parody of himself, by overall he is still good in this series.

This is available to you in regular D, 3-D, and there is IMAX for this. I know the IMAX is pricey, but I would think that may be very compelling for this flick, especially in the tall building scene. May have to go back and check that out.

Mission Impossible 4. Good holiday fun for virtually anyone.