MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - GHOST PROTOCOL (Bird, 2011) - The 93% rating this one has on Rotten Tomatoes surprised me before I watched it. I get it now, though: M:I-GP knows exactly what the audience expects of a film like this, and gives it to them/us in spades. There are three thrilling set pieces (four if you count the prison one), in exotic locations. There are futuristic gadgets (I especially loved the wall trick), prone to tension-enhancing misfires. There’s comic relief, provided by the ever-reliable Simon Pegg, there are two girls in low-cut dresses for the boys/lesbians and Jeremy Renner extensively wiggling his ass in a well-cut suit for the ladies/gays/everyone*. And - perhaps most importantly - the movie is fully aware of its inherent preposterousness, even embraces it. All that, and it’s dynamically but very cleanly directed (you can always tell who’s where doing what). It’s popcorn fluff - tomorrow I’ll be confusing its plot points and that of the previous installments - but it’s a blast while you’re watching.
*seriously, I’m not even that into Renner, but who could not enjoy that?
