Mission: Impossible

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1:50

Mission: Impossible

PG-13

Released May 22, 1996

1h 50m

Action

Adventure

Mystery & Thriller

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

67%

Tomatometer

165 Reviews

71%

Popcornmeter

250,000+ Ratings

When U.S. government operative Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and his mentor, Jim Phelps (Jon Voight), go on a covert assignment that takes a disastrous turn, Jim is killed, and Ethan becomes the prime murder suspect. Now a fugitive, Hunt recruits brilliant hacker Luther Stickell (Ving Rhames) and maverick pilot Franz Krieger (Jean Reno) to help him sneak into a heavily guarded CIA building to retrieve a confidential computer file that will prove his innocence.

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Critics Consensus

Full of special effects, Brian DePalma's update of Mission: Impossible has a lot of sweeping spectacle, but the plot is sometimes overly convoluted.

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Philip Wuntch

Dallas Morning News

The movie has too much vitality to allow itself to be overly analyzed; so just participate in the magic carpet ride.

May 13, 2025

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David Denby

New York Magazine/Vulture

The screenwriters, David Koepp and Robert Towne, barely sketch in relationships among the characters.

May 6, 2025

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Paul Kalina

The Age (Australia)

Many of the capable cast are wasted, misused or miscast.

May 6, 2025

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Alan Jones

Radio Times

It's best to forget the complicated plot - something about Cruise clearing his name and proving to the CIA he's not a treacherous mole - and simply enjoy the epic rollercoaster ride that De Palma brings to life with his customary brilliance.

Rated: 4/5

Aug 31, 2025

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Bob Strauss

Los Angeles Daily News

The director's fertile visual imagination graces this soulless blockbuster with wit, suspense and personality.

Aug 20, 2025

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Ed Bradley

Flint Journal

To enjoy "Mission: Impossible" is less to analyze it than to wallow in its often breakneck pace and sophisticated production values.

Rated: 3.5/4

Aug 19, 2025

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rjerrycaldwellmsncom

I enjoyed watching it but I have seen it before.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

06/25/21

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Flynn S

A classic. Tom cruise in action.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

09/08/25

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Andrew B

Great start to the series of 8 movies.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/23/25

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Lucky01

Over all it's a good one

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/12/25

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Audience Member

Great movie! The 'silent' scene is classic!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/08/25

Full Review

Solomon N

This is definitely one of the most underrated films. It has great action, mixed with suspense and good character development. The plot twists are something almost no other M:I movie has been able to replicate and the black vault break-in scene is amazing even if the stunt doesn’t compare to others in the franchise. It is a great movie and a great start to the Mission Impossible franchise!

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

08/06/25

Full Review

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Brian De Palma

Director

Tom Cruise

Ethan Hunt

Jon Voight

Jim Phelps

Henry Czerny

Kittridge

Ving Rhames

Luther

Kristin Scott Thomas

Sarah Davies

Movieclips: Mission Impossible's Best Scenes

32:30

Mission: Impossible: Official Clip - Is He Serious?

0:59

Mission: Impossible: Official Clip - Tunnel Chase

2:12

Mission: Impossible: Official Clip - High-Speed Train Ride

2:12

Mission: Impossible: Official Clip - Master of Disguise

2:11

Mission: Impossible: Official Clip - Out of the Vault

1:33

Mission: Impossible: Official Clip - Into the Vault

2:13

Mission: Impossible: Official Clip - Close Call

2:13

Mission: Impossible: Official Clip - Mission Gone Wrong

2:07

Mission: Impossible: Official Clip - A Mole Hunt

2:13

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Mission: Impossible II

57%

42%

Mission: Impossible II

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TRAILER

for Mission: Impossible II

Mission: Impossible III

73%

69%

Mission: Impossible III

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TRAILER

for Mission: Impossible III

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7%

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56%

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Mission: Impossible: Trailer 1

1:50

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Synopsis

When U.S. government operative Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and his mentor, Jim Phelps (Jon Voight), go on a covert assignment that takes a disastrous turn, Jim is killed, and Ethan becomes the prime murder suspect. Now a fugitive, Hunt recruits brilliant hacker Luther Stickell (Ving Rhames) and maverick pilot Franz Krieger (Jean Reno) to help him sneak into a heavily guarded CIA building to retrieve a confidential computer file that will prove his innocence.

Director: Brian De Palma
Producer: Tom Cruise, Paula Wagner
Screenwriter: David Koepp, Robert Towne
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Production Co: Paramount Pictures, Cruise-Wagner Productions
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Action, Adventure, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): May 22, 1996, Original
Release Date (Streaming): May 2, 2008
Box Office (Gross USA): $180.9M
Runtime: 1h 50m
Sound Mix: Stereo, Dolby Digital, DTS, Surround, SDDS
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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