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Mission: Impossible

Play trailer 1:50 Poster for Mission: Impossible PG-13 Released May 22, 1996 1h 50m Action Adventure Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
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65% Tomatometer 158 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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Mission: Impossible

Mission: Impossible

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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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Critics Reviews

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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 Full Review David Denby New York Magazine/Vulture The screenwriters, David Koepp and Robert Towne, barely sketch in relationships among the characters. May 6, 2025 Full Review Paul Kalina The Age (Australia) Many of the capable cast are wasted, misused or miscast. May 6, 2025 Full Review Alan French Sunshine State Cineplex De Palma’s fingerprints are all over Mission: Impossible, but without Cruise’s superstardom, it might not have been the showcase we’d expect. Rated: 9/10 May 26, 2025 Full Review Sarah Vincent Sarah G Vincent Views If anyone but Cruise was behind “Mission: Impossible” and in front the camera, there would be no sequels. May 17, 2025 Full Review David Elliott Copley News Service Enjoyable, fleet-fingered nonsense, less in debt to the "fabled" tv show than to some Hitchcock thrillers and to the Bond movies. Rated: 3/4 May 13, 2025 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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rjerrycaldwellmsncom I enjoyed watching it but I have seen it before. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 06/25/21 Full Review qalbi animated M I think this movie is the second worst Mission: Impossible movie. But that doesn't mean it's not good for a first movie, because i still enjoy it. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 05/29/25 Full Review Kim B Not the worst of this franchise, that's held by MI2, followed by The Final Reckoning. Possibly due to it being 29 years old? I do remember liking this movie back then, so maybe I'm just being too hard on it now. But, damn, those action scenes are painfully excruciating to watch 😆 Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 05/29/25 Full Review Pedro Alejandro M Una película que más que ser de acción, es un thriller centrado más en el suspenso. Brian De Palma logró hacer una película muy icónica y querida por el público. Al principio todo es impactante de ver, como la muerte de casi todo el equipo (quedando únicamente el protagonista, que además es inculpado poco después) y la infiltración en la bóveda que genera una gran tensión (formando una de las escenas más icónicas del cine). La trama se ve que está bastante pulida, puede llegar a ser enrevesado de entender todo, pero eso es algo característico de esta saga. Y la escena final con el tren bala y el helicóptero debajo del túnel es simplemente alucinante. Para todo el que le guste el genero de suspenso es increíblemente recomendada. No es la mejor de la saga pero como inicio está muy bien. Definitivamente un comienzo increíble para una saga grandiosa. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 05/26/25 Full Review SkyRo P The original Mission: Impossible film genuinely impressed me. It was an exhilarating ride filled with action, and it introduced something fresh to the cinematic landscape, which explains why the franchise has endured and flourished over the years. The first movie set a high standard that left audiences craving more. Tom Cruise shines in his role, showcasing his remarkable talent and dedication. Additionally, I believe the dynamics of the female characters in the Mission: Impossible series deserve more recognition. While the James Bond franchise is often associated with its “Bond girls”—new love interests in each installment—Mission: Impossible has similarly impactful female characters who contribute significantly to the story. I appreciated the abundance of action, creativity, and the clever use of disguises that kept audiences guessing about the characters’ true identities. It all came together seamlessly, making for a truly enjoyable experience. Overall, I found the film to be exceptionally well-directed, edited, and scripted, resulting in an incredible cinematic achievement. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 05/26/25 Full Review K S Z IMO the best of the MI series. Loved every minute of it. The storytelling in this film was epic. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 05/25/25 Full Review Read all reviews
Mission: Impossible

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Mission: Impossible

Movieclips: Mission Impossible's Best Scenes Movieclips: Mission Impossible's Best Scenes 32:30 Mission: Impossible: Official Clip - Is He Serious? Mission: Impossible: Official Clip - Is He Serious? 0:59 Mission: Impossible: Official Clip - Tunnel Chase Mission: Impossible: Official Clip - Tunnel Chase 2:12 Mission: Impossible: Official Clip - High-Speed Train Ride Mission: Impossible: Official Clip - High-Speed Train Ride 2:12 Mission: Impossible: Official Clip - Master of Disguise Mission: Impossible: Official Clip - Master of Disguise 2:11 Mission: Impossible: Official Clip - Out of the Vault Mission: Impossible: Official Clip - Out of the Vault 1:33 Mission: Impossible: Official Clip - Into the Vault Mission: Impossible: Official Clip - Into the Vault 2:13 Mission: Impossible: Official Clip - Close Call Mission: Impossible: Official Clip - Close Call 2:13 Mission: Impossible: Official Clip - Mission Gone Wrong Mission: Impossible: Official Clip - Mission Gone Wrong 2:07 Mission: Impossible: Official Clip - A Mole Hunt Mission: Impossible: Official Clip - A Mole Hunt 2:13 View more videos
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Movie Info

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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