A Look Back at “Mission: Impossible”: “Mission: Impossible” and “Mission: Impossible 2”

“Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning” is (as of right now) the final installment of the action/spy franchise that has been entertaining us on the big screen since 1996. The final entry of the series opens nationwide and at the Dietrich Theater Memorial Day weekend and I will be checking the sequel out that weekend! So, just like the “Final Destination” review series I’m currently working on, I will be going through the “Mission: Impossible” series leading up to “The Final Reckoning” - starting with 1996's “Mission: Impossible” and the 2000 sequel “Mission: Impossible II.”

In the ‘96 movie, when US government operative Ethan Hunt and his mentor, Jim Phelps, go on a covert assignment takes a disastrous turn, Jim is killed, and Ethan becomes the prime murder suspect.

Now a fugitive, Hunt recruits brilliant hacker Luther Stickell and maverick pilot Franz Krieger to help him sneak into a heavily guarded CIA building to retrieve a confidential computer file that will prove his innocence.

The 1996 movie is an high-octane espionage thriller that kicked off one of the most successful action franchises ever. With an engaging (and at times convoluted) plot and quite a few memorable sequences, the first movie really stands out as it focuses more on the suspense and intrigue, rather than pure action like the other movies in the series.

This entry of the series delivers a good amount of twists that are really surprising, yet a couple of the twists are kind of expected. Now, while it’s not nearly as exhilarating and action-paced as the others, the grounded espionage thriller aspect is still quite interesting. It also provides us with quite a few memorable sequences, including the iconic scene where Ethan is dangling in the CIA building trying to get the computer file.

In the 2000 sequel, Ethan Hunt leads his IMF team on a mission to capture a deadly

German virus before its released by terrorists.

His mission is made impossible due to the fact that he isn’t the only person after samples of the disease. He must also contend with a gang of international terrorists headed by a turned bad former IMF agent who has already managed to steal the cure.

The 2000 sequel is a thrilling action spectacle that delivers more exciting, memorable moments. The rock climbing scene in the beginning is probably one of the most iconic moments of the entire franchise and can be a little exhilarating. It’s also noted that Tom Cruise also performed the entire rock climb. There is also a decent amount of suspense scattered throughout as this sequel involves a deadly virus.

Now, while this sequel does deliver some great action-paced moments and a few exhilarating sequences, the pacing of this movie is actually on the slower side and is slightly weaker compared to the previous entry. Sure, there are some over the top moments, which the series can be known for. But the story line for this movie is surprisingly not that compelling.

You can currently stream the entire “Mission: Impossible” franchise on Paramount Plus and keep on checking the Examiner for more of my “Mission: Impossible” review series!