Mission: Impossible 4 on IMAX is a thrill to watch

There’s only one way to watch the latest blockbuster movie of Tom Cruise, Solar Entertainment President Wilson Tieng told the eager crowd at the Philippine premiere of the film, and that’s on IMAX. He was right; if not for the stunning panoramic shots and breathtaking stunts, any film buff would surely get bored with the film’s inane storytelling.   Not that we were expecting anything mind-blowing from a Mission: Impossible franchise, but then again, for such a big-budget film to scrimp on such things as a sensible plot does seem like a disservice to moviegoers. Then again, this is Hollywood, so maybe it’s really too much to expect anything except ridiculous fun from an action film.   Fortunately, director Brad Bird makes good use of the IMAX camera in capturing the charming landscape of Budapest and Moscow, as well as the golden sand dunes of Dubai. We were told Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol had nearly 30 minutes’ worth of IMAX footage, and to the producers’ credit, the film showcased the best qualities of the medium to its full dizzying effect, with sweeping shots of the spires in Europe and the sheer glass façade of the towering Burj Khalifa building.

  Much of the plot was contrived to focus on Cruise, the lead star and co-producer, in his best action superstar mode in a flurry of chase scenes and frenetic fighting sequences.   It’s a more brooding Tom Cruise we see here, and for those who have seen his career shoot up from Top Gun to Minority Report, it was a little disconcerting to watch him looking rather … old. Adoring fans need not worry though – he’s still got that toothy grin and drop-dead gorgeous looks even in prison garb.   But, intended or not, Cruise gets upstaged by co-star Jeremy Renner in several scenes, the latter’s puppy dog eyes mesmerizing the audience at various unexpected turns. When he says, for instance, after a particularly dangerous stunt, that “next time, I get to seduce the rich guy,” my gay seatmate muttered, “yeah, and I want to be the rich guy.”   Paula Patton is stunning as the obligatory female supporting cast, but her acting often seemed off-kilter, like she’s supposed to be depicting one emotion and portraying another feeling entirely.   Josh Holloway was dashing as the film’s opening eye candy, and female fans will probably sigh that his role was all too brief.   As the team’s gadget guru, Simon Pegg provided most of the comic moments that were vaguely reminiscent of one’s favorite British eccentric.   In fact, there’s a lot of deadpan humor in the film, but much of it failed to resonate with an audience expecting just mindless action and fell flat on the wayside. With a plot that is such old hat – a nuclear nihilist scenario with a bunch of arms dealers thrown in – the plodding storytelling was a pain to watch and almost makes one scream at the screen to stop the schmaltz already and get on with it.   Still, for anyone expecting brisk action and not much else, Ghost Protocol will probably rank high in the entertainment meter. For avid followers of ‘80s hit TV shows like The A-Team, MacGyver, and yes, Mission: Impossible, this is the Internet-era version of what was once an exciting boob tube series. If you’ve got extra bucks, follow Mr. Tieng’s advice and watch the film in the IMAX theatre nearest you. – ELR, GMA News