Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol

I have to steel myself to watch a Tom Cruise movie.  I just don't like the man.  He gives off jerk vibes to me.  The trouble is, more often than not they are good films and I end up liking them despite myself.  One near exception to that rule has been the Mission Impossible series.  The first three films have been I would call "hot messes."  Sure they have some stand out scenes, but over all they are examples of when style shouldn't be over substance.  "Ghost Protocol" is the first film of the series that I can say I like from beginning to end.

Starting in a Russian jail and then roaming around the world, it's the story of how the IMF is implicated in bombing the Kremlin and is forced to shut down.  They can't though because a rogue terrorist has the power to order up nuclear strikes and doesn't seem at all afraid to use it.  There's also a sense of a personal grudge match since they have already lost agents because of this crisis.  So Ethan Hunt and what's left of his gang (including a very amusing Simon Pegg) are all that's left between us and nuclear Armageddon. 

The team and plans seem to work very well and aren't as gimmicky as in other mission impossible films.  The actions scenes are across the board excellent.  I love the scenes in Dubai because they keep building suspense with the help of an on coming sand storm.  You keep waiting for that sucker to hit and you aren't disappointed.  Definitely a film worth watching.