Mission: Impossible (1996)

Director: Brian De Palma

Writers: David Koepp, Steven Zaillian, Robert Towne

Composer: Danny Elfman

Starring: Tom Cruise, Jon Voight, Emmanuelle Beart, Henry Czerny, Jean Reno, Ving Rhames, Kristin Scott Thomas, Vanessa Redgrave, Ingeborga Dapkunaite, Dale Dye, Emilio Estevez

More info: IMDb

Tagline: Expect the Impossible

Plot: Secret agent Ethan Hunt is framed for the deaths of his espionage team. Fleeing from government assassins, breaking into the CIA's most impenetrable vault, clinging to the roof of a speeding bullet train, Hunt races like a burning fuse to stay one step ahead of his pursuers . . . and draw one step closer to discovering the shocking truth.

My rating: 7/10

Will I watch it again? Yeah.

There was a time when I REALLY didn't like Tom Cruise (it might have something to do with the ex-wife adoring him, beats me).  I haven't seen this since it opened in theaters and I had a bad taste in my mouth from it (that could have been from the ex, too, hee hee hee).  But something happened when I went back to the theater to see MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE 4: GHOST PROTOCOL (2011); Cruise wasn't the annoying fuck I remember and it was nice that the film focused on a team rather than mostly Cruise.  Anyway, this first one fared pretty this time.  It's a better story and film than I remembered.  De Palma's direction really helped a lot and Elfman's score was really nice.   I dug it.  It gets a little ridiculous with all of the twists and intricate plot lines that go on a bit too long.  Oh, how I long for the 1970s when thrillers were simpler and could still knock your socks off.  So, I suppose now I'll revisit the second film (I didn't like that one back then, either) and watch the third one for the first time (I'd given up after the first two, see).  At least I'll have Philip Seymour Hoffman to enjoy.  Ooh, Simon Pegg's in it.  Neat. And a score by Michael Giacchino! I love that guy.