Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol Review (4/5)

I came into Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol expecting a far-fetched, predictable romp which did little that other action movies hadn't done before. I was right on all accounts, and yet I came out pleasantly surprised with just how much fun I'd had with it. The plot revolves around Ethan Hunt's escape from prison and his mission to clear the names of his team and himself, framed for the bombing of the Kremlin. The scene where we enter that famous Russian monument is about as stereotypical of a country as a film gets, but you'll be too busy loving Simon Pegg's impression of an egotistical general to get too bothered by the blatant generalisation. In fact, that sentence can be applied to most of the flaws that the fourth MI shows- no one setpiece is ever innovative or perfect, just thrilling enough that you couldn't care less about the reasons why. Despite what you'd think, the number of films that can still provide a colossal fun factor and moreso a thrill factor constantly is growing worringly slim nowadays, and although I think it's our overreliance on franchises such as this one that's allowing this swift reduction, Ghost Protocol doesn't suffer from this trait. There will rarely be a moment where you're left bored, simply because you'll be too engrossed in the activities of the main protagonists to think about the actual likeliehood an realism of said activities. Yes, the chances of someone surviving a car crash involving their vehicle plummeting head-first down twenty feet of open air are pretty damn slim, let's be honest, but this is Ethan Hunt we're talking about, so why not? Tom Cruise really is on fine form here as he was with his all-action hero in Knight & Day, yet newcomers Jeremy Renner (who we'll be seeing a lot more of in the next year, since he's got lead roles in The Avengers and The Bourne Legacy!) and Paula Patton more than hold up their own, as does returnee Simon Pegg, who's always on hand to provide some comic relief in the film's rare dark moments. So Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol won't win any Oscars- who cares? Honestly, I couldn't think of a more exciting way to end this Year of Film than with this brilliant action film, a wonderful showcase of how the genre can still work even today. If this series gets another mission soon, I'd be the first to accept it.
As such, I've made a little change to the Top 15 Films Of The Year list, taking out the iffy I Am Number Four and replacing it with Ghost Protocol, a movie that is superior in so many respects. What a great surprise to end the year! You can see the updated list below...
15. RANGO
14. TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY
13. MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: GHOST PROTOCOL (PREV: I AM NUMBER FOUR)
12. THE INBETWEENERS MOVIE
11. PAUL
10. TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON
9. THE HANGOVER: PART II
8. SHERLOCK HOLMES: A GAME OF SHADOWS
7. THOR
6. THE ADJUSTMENT BUREAU
5. X-MEN: FIRST CLASS
4. HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS: PART 2
3. SUPER 8
2. THE KING'S SPEECH
1. RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES (FILM OF THE YEAR)