Mission Impossible 4

What I like the most about the Mission Impossible film series is the variety. With the fourth installment we get the fourth director, the result of which is an entirely new movie. These films don't fit the standard sequel mould; rather it's a completely different experience each time. Of course this can be risky, since there isn't much continuity between the films. Personally I believe that Brian De Palma's work on the first film remains the best. The action sequences are memorable, but more importantly the twists and turns within the plot make it a very entertaining ride. John Woo brought his stylized action to the second movie, going way over the top; which was fun. J.J. Abrams directed the third film, essentially making a big budget episode of Alias with the added bonus of drones, wind turbines, and lens flares (I'm not saying any of that is a bad thing).

Here in the fourth movie, Brad Bird makes a live-action version of "The Incredibles". If that doesn't sound totally awesome to you, then I suggest that you get a check-up immediately. As with the last two movies, story and plot is of little importance, it merely serves as the thread to tie one set-piece to another. In a sense I was somewhat disappointed, considering that Brad Bird directed "Ratatouille" and "Iron Giant", he has proven his ability to bring substance to film. Yet the visuals and action in this movie are so captivating that I forgave him right away for the shallow story. There is absolutely no reason to describe the three main action sequences; yet I will comment on the third which would be right at home in any good Pixar film (minus the blood and broken bones of course). While watching this amazingly choreographed scene I became aware of something interesting; the camera is a hindrance. In "The Incredibles", "Iron Giant", and "Ratatouille" there are no limits to what Brad Bird can do. In the real world Bird is constrained by the limits of the camera, which made certain shots seem somewhat static. While I hope to never see digital animation replace live-action, it's exciting to see the marriage of the two, and watch the evolution which is taking place in filmmaking. Hopefully Hollywood will get the message that we don't want Jar Jar Binks, but we do want a hovering camera capturing Tom Cruise climbing the tallest building in the world without ropes.