Mission: Impossible

Ein chaotisch geschnittenes und unübersichtliches Gewirr von Intrigen und einer elektrischen, überlebensgroßen und technisch brillanten Action. Viele originelle Szenen, die oft in späteren Filmen aufgegriffen wurden. Spionage-Orgien mit Stil. Ein Vergnügen für Augen und Ohren, ein zu komplizierter Twister für den Kopf. (14.08.2003)

The script is very bad, if it wasn’t for De Palma’s directorial tricks it wouldn’t be worth watching. The only thing perhaps worth mentioning is the scene with Cruise's acrobatic act suspended on ropes, that's where de Palma really hit the spot. (15.02.2003)

I’m between three and four stars, but thanks to several scenes where the tension is almost like out of a text-book (the gymnastics in the CIA vault, the gymnastics on the train), I will go for a more generous rating. That said, the script is quite messy; by the end, at least, it’s clear who was good and who was bad, but during the story, who’s playing what wasn’t very clear. The opening part in Prague was nice. (29.08.2011)

Eigentlich sieht das Ganze aus wie eine amerikanische Reaktion auf Bondfilme aus, denn die Story profiliert sich typische Spionageverzwickung voller Intrigen und falscher Identitäten, die Action behält zunächst die Füße ziemlich am Boden, nur um sich im Nu in etwas amüsant Unrealistisches und Verrücktes zu verwandeln. Tom Cruise spielt den Ethan Hunt in der Tat lediglich mit seinem Gesicht, ansonsten ist sein Agent eine Art indifferenter Kleiderbügel für schöne Klamotten in Form eines geradezu archetypalen Goodies. Brian De Palma oszilliert mit seinem Stil zwischen einem aufregenden Spionagefilm sowie einem adrenalingeladenen Actionfilm, jedoch man kann nicht sagen, dass MI enorm charakteristischen Stil, eine starke Power oder einen Moment der Überraschung hätte. Es scheint mir, als ob selbst die wichtigste Wendung in Anbetracht des schlechten Timings einfach vorbeizieht. Im Vergleich zu Bondfilmen ist dies wirklich ziemlich seelenlos, macht jedoch trotzdem Spaß. (13.01.2007)

At a time when the creative reins of the entire series are firmly held by Christopher McQuarrie, it is hard to believe that a quarter of a century ago there was a film in which the main hero was not a complete legend with a cold gaze and a stunt up his sleeve, as we have him in our minds now, but an unbearable clown who surprisingly often plays by chance. I considered Brian De Palma's contribution to the IMF archive a dull spy installment for many years, but today it surprisingly feels fresh to me thanks to Prague, the legendary (and timeless) break-in into Langley, or the pleasantly overblown train finale. However, its main problem remains the striking inconsistency. One moment Ethan is devastated by the loss of all certainty, only to casually flirt with the enemy or perform cheap magic tricks a few minutes later, solely to annoy a colleague he didn't much like. So even though Tom Cruise is surprisingly bad, and at times two or three films play out before my eyes, I am willingly raising the rating above average. The pace, unlike the subsequent installments, never stops for a moment, and out of all the entertaining spy flicks that have irrevocably disappeared from cinemas, I have to add some affection for Czech-based escapades. (17.03.2020)

Looking back on it, De Palma filmed certainly the darkest and most convoluted Mission: Impossible. The entire infiltration of Langley was ingeniously filmed. You can’t tell me that the scene with the balancing Cruise didn’t make an impression on you. The stifling silence and tension can be cut with a knife. The final revelation of the conspiracy when Hunt slowly pieces together fragments of “what we didn’t see in Prague" is nicely filmed too. Complete satisfaction is spoiled by the slight difficulty I found in orientating myself in the story. The first M:I wasn’t as mediocre as they say. (13.01.2007)

A spy movie that has no image or panache. Just a few technically proficient scenes and Tom Cruise. (07.02.2005)

I can’t really say that Mission: Impossible disappointed me much. It’s indeed very original, brisk and boasts two brilliant scenes, one of which in particular has become a cult-classic, and I can't count the number of times filmmakers have parodied it. The rest, however, felt somehow unexploited, artificially packed into a wannabe spectacular whole, which can be quite relaxing the first time, but I probably wouldn't go for it a second time. Besides, I have never found Tom Cruise very likeable, which also showed a lot, and if he had switched roles with the incomparable Jean Reno, I would have enjoyed this film a lot more immediately. If the whole story was on a comparable level to those two great scenes, it would be awesome, but as it is, it's just an over-hyped bubble and a rather bland work by De Palma's standards. 70% (23.11.2012)

Trick-wise, it was really good for its time and probably a hit back then, but I can't help but feel that after almost twenty years, it doesn't impress me as much anymore. The original series still seems a bit more interesting and imaginative to me. As I said, in terms of tricks, this is excellent and the scene in the tunnel is just action-packed and cool, but it's just not the same anymore. I guess I would have to be a child again to appreciate it like that. The last - fourth - movie was also cool, but just more modern and faster. (06.05.2014)