Since the release of Mission: Impossible - Fallout in 2018, we waited a whole five years for Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol. During these days, the world underwent tremendous changes, and Hollywood movies, especially high-profile, large-scale action films, have been shrinking in numbers each year.
After watching the IMAX version of "MI7", I couldn't recall the last time I saw such an exhilarating, captivating, and immersive Hollywood action film in theaters.
The primary reason most people walk into the cinema to watch this movie is probably the same as the sentiment expressed in the previous paragraph. The "Mission: Impossible" saga has set a continuously raising bar for Hollywood action films. "MI7," with its focus on grandiose scenes and daring practical stunts, possesses a scarcity that is rarely seen in domestic theaters. Coupled with a record-breaking 99% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the anticipation surrounding "MI7" was incredibly high.
After watching the film, you might discover that it meets your expectations while also offering something different. The spectacle of the action sequences are still awe-inspiring, and Tom Cruise even in his 60s, remains the same "action hero" with his charisma bursting off the screen. The film carries the nostalgia of the 27-year-old "Mission: Impossible" saga, and fans can find traces of it throughout.
What sets it apart is its stylistic homage to the original, directed by Brian De Palma, even incorporating classical elements. Thematically, it dives into the latest hot topic: AI, creating the series' most unexpected antagonist.
The film opens with a stealthy Russian submarine attacked by its own torpedo, which introduces the movie's MacGuffin: a cruciform key composed of two key halves. Once the key is inserted into its designated position, it grants ownership and access to the AI program called "The Apostles", capable of controlling every electronic information system worldwide.
All factions are attempting to obtain the cruciform key and seize control of the AI as a weapon. Ethan Hunt, wanted by his own agency and on the run worldwide, starts to confront the most formidable antagonist in history. It hides in the shadows, without a physical form, existing in a virtual realm of chaos. Just as the IMF team operates in secrecy like ghosts, the AI represents a new kind of "ghost agent" for the digital age. Ethan's first appearance in the darkness sets up this metaphorical "iteration."
"Whoever controls The Apostles controls the truth." The "war" in "MI7" has evolved into a battle over human "perception patterns." From the submarine's torpedo launch system to the AI infiltration technology of the Apostles, people's perception of reality no longer relies on the physical body but on instructions reproduced on screens and the digitized virtual world. The constant exchange of the key signifies that the struggle for virtual power has intensified to a white-hot level.
Each opponent that appears in the film has different positions and motivations, shrouded in layers of fog and desires. However, one thing is certain—they are all looking to control Ethan. In the story of "MI7," Ethan is the crucial decision-maker because he and his team are the only ones who want to use the key to eliminate The Apostles without giving its control to any party. All other characters, without exception, stand on the opposite side. In this process, the newly introduced female character, Ilsa Faust, gains significant character development. As a thief who suddenly enters the scene, she has an unsavory past and imperfect personality. Yet, her unconventional actions become crucial to completing the mission and earn her a place in the IMF team.
The greatest feature of Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol lies in presenting novel themes through a return to classical form. At first, due to the existence of The Apostles, the spy organization immediately switches to using typewriters to record confidential information, and the IMF team repeatedly faces setbacks, unable to use the latest high-tech and encrypted communication. Then, in terms of aesthetic construction, there are scenes of sniper battles in Abu Dhabi's desert, high-speed driving in a yellow Fiat 500 through Rome, thrilling chases and close-quarters combat in the water city of Venice, and the ultimate showdown on the steam train "Orient Express." Each action scene exudes the classic charm and tone that only old-school action films possess.
The retro car Fiat 500 is adorable.
Lastly, the film's immersive practical shooting style and Tom Cruise's practical stunts are the evergreen topics. Nowadays, CG digital effects are overly used in action movies, he chooses the traditional and classical approach to deliver a genuine physical experience to the audience.
During shooting, Tom Cruise insisted on not using stunt doubles and personally completed all dangerous actions. Climbing on trains, street racing, motorcycle cliff jumps... all required daily practice. The cliff jump scene, which lasts only two minutes in the film, required him to practice 13,000 off-road motorcycle jumps and 500 high-altitude parachute jumps in a year. On shooting day, he jumped six times from cliffs over 1,200 meters high without specific protective measures.
He even filmed the "unconventional" carriage action. As the train slides, Ethan and Ilsa climb one carriage after another, performing daring feats of strength and extreme escapes. So that is why the intensity of the entire film reaches a new height after the cliff jump. This kind of crazy extreme challenge puts Tom Cruise in constant danger, but it also keeps us, the audience, completely engrossed, believing that everything happening on the screen is real, not created by digital technology or AI. The charm of "Mission: Impossible 7" lies in this duality—it combines the classical with the innovative and breaks the illusion of false imagery through genuine physical experiences.
Coincidentally, all these elements are fundamentally connected to the film's AI theme, exploring what constitutes reality and virtuality. AI can predict future trends and provide established possibilities, but it can never represent emotions, experiences, or humanity, nor foresee the moment when the future becomes the most real scenario. And this may also be the reason why I still find "Mission: Impossible" emotionally moving. Over the course of 27 years, you can feel Tom Cruise's real passage of time on the screen. He and Ethan have merged completely, deeply ingrained in our hearts, becoming a symbol of an era. Despite the effects of the passing of time, he never loses his strength.
Just like the concise introduction he wrote for himself, encapsulating a lifetime: "Running in movies since 1981."
If I were to summarize the "Mission: Impossible" saga in one word, it can only be "Tom Cruise".
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