126 replies to this topic

[Safari Suit]

I've actually grown to kind of like Cruise since I made my earlier posts in this thread some 2.5 years ago, so it's not him returning I have a problem with, it's JJ Abrams. For one thing I don't rate him as a director, for another he's going to bring in another couple of writers from Alias. But mainly, even though the first M:I is the only one I really liked (and I think it's a real corker, and possibly better than any Bond movie from the last twenty years) I wish they'd stuck to the "revolving auteur" nature of the franchise which is just about the only thing which really made it stick out from the crowd as a series.

[Brian Flagg]

Just some thoughts on the movies series in general:

It's interesting to see how much of the fanbase for these movies is completely different from we fans of the original, classic show (I don't recall seeing too many here posting on the M:I TV show thread).

I wouldn't have a problem with the M:I films if the first one didn't take a steaming dump on the Jim Phelps character by making him a traitor. The movies could've existed as M:I "in name only", and the show's fans wouldn't have a problem. If Cruise and his cronies didn't like the "old" show to begin with, then they shouldn't have even acknowledged it, or even better--used its theme.

My hat's off to the poster who cast new actors as the original, cherished characters--I liked those picks. And even better than that was the poster who said that Peter Graves should show up and put a bullet in Ethan Hunt's head! It's hard for me to disagree with that course of action!

The most classic moment of the M:I movies was when Greg Morris, dying from cancer, walked out in disgust halfway through that first Cruise film. That moment sums up the film series as we "classic" M:I fans see them.

[Simon]

Great news. I know I'm in a minority here, but I love the MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE flicks and can't wait for the next one.

I enjoy them too, especially the last one.

But then again, The Man with the Golden Gun is one of my favourite Bond movies too, so what would I know.

Sir, your sense of self deprecation is wonderful.

I find myself aligned entirely with the above.

[RufusCobb]

I wouldn't have a problem with the M:I films if the first one didn't take a steaming dump on the Jim Phelps character by making him a traitor. The movies could've existed as M:I "in name only", and the show's fans wouldn't have a problem. If Cruise and his cronies didn't like the "old" show to begin with, then they shouldn't have even acknowledged it, or even better--used its theme.

Hear, Hear! Well said, that man!

As someone who watched the series back in the 60's, I too was disgusted they had to take the hero from then and make him the villain, just to make Tom Cruise's 'non-entity' character look better.

[Dekard77]

The dumbest thing Cruise ever did with MI is replacing Jim Phelps without introducing Cruise character with that name. Ethan Hunt character is a confused mess at times. However the films had a very very interesting style about them. Adding to that the audience is left confused with his love life on screen.
I love the original series and they were all about the Mission and less about the lead actor who at that time was bigger than a studio.

[Cody]

I wish they'd stuck to the "revolving auteur" nature of the franchise

I agree with that, I'm fine with him producing but I don't want Abrams to direct again. Hopefully they'll hire another director who will be able to bring his own style to it.

[Gobi-1]

They need to get rid of Tom Crusie and make it an ensemble piece. My suggestion if they were to reboot and reintroduce the original characters.

Jim Phelps - Team Leader - George Clooney
Rollin Hand - Master of Disguise - Robert Downey Jr.
Cinnamon Carter - Femme Fatale - Gwyneth Paltrow
Barney Collier - Technical Whiz - Don Cheadle
Willy Armitage - The Muscle - Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson

I just noticed that three of my suggestions are all from the Iron Man series.

[Double-Oh Agent]

They need to get rid of Tom Crusie and make it an ensemble piece. My suggestion if they were to reboot and reintroduce the original characters.

Jim Phelps - Team Leader - George Clooney
Rollin Hand - Master of Disguise - Robert Downey Jr.
Cinnamon Carter - Femme Fatale - Gwyneth Paltrow
Barney Collier - Technical Whiz - Don Cheadle
Willy Armitage - The Muscle - Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson

I just noticed that three of my suggestions are all from the Iron Man series.

And two from the Ocean series.

[marktmurphy]

Barney Collier - Technical Whiz - Don Cheadle

I'd only be happy if he played it with a British accent.

[Loomis]

After VALKYRIE and the somewhat surprising performance he managed to get out of Cruise for that flick, I wouldn't mind seeing Bryan Singer hired to direct MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE IV. Then again, there are plenty of other directors (famous and not-so-famous) to choose from, and so many directions this series could go in. It's really quite exciting, and I'm looking forward to watching how M:I-IV shapes up.

At the very worst, I think we're in for a so-so action yarn that provides a couple of hours of glossy fun. But there is, of course, plenty of potential for something much more than that.

[Harmsway]

I'd be excited for MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE IV if the following two conditions were met:

1) Cruise was either not in the film, or appeared only in a cameo-esque supporting role.
2) J.J. Abrams wasn't involved.

[Safari Suit]

I'll settle for just 2). Although I guess he can be producer if he insists (as long as he doesn't hire "those two" again or any other Alias writers).

[Harmsway]

I'll settle for just 2). Although I guess he can be producer if he insists (as long as he doesn't hire "those two" again or any other Alias writers).

Yeah, but given how Abrams works, he's likely to bring on board his buddies from other projects. And since I don't think too highly of Abrams' other projects, I'm not too keen on seeing talent from those projects being brought on board this one.

Ah, well.

[Cody]

It's being written by Alias writers Josh Applebaum and Andre Nemec.

[Loomis]

I could live with Abrams as director again. Of course, I loved MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE III, so would be more than up for more of the same. Also, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed STAR TREK. It's just a load of fluff, but it's an entertaining load of fluff.

[Safari Suit]

I thought it was a wildly overpraised, only sporadically entertaining load of fluff.

[Diabolik]

I wouldn't have a problem with the M:I films if the first one didn't take a steaming dump on the Jim Phelps character by making him a traitor. The movies could've existed as M:I "in name only", and the show's fans wouldn't have a problem. If Cruise and his cronies didn't like the "old" show to begin with, then they shouldn't have even acknowledged it, or even better--used its theme.

Hear, Hear! Well said, that man!

As someone who watched the series back in the 60's, I too was disgusted they had to take the hero from then and make him the villain, just to make Tom Cruise's 'non-entity' character look better.

Hear, hear! I can't believe Paramount even allowed that storyline to come to fruation!

Just a fanboy dream, but I'd like the next one to reveal that the real Jim Phelps has been in some prison in some foreign country all this time and that the "Jim Phelps" in M:I 1 was an imposter. (It's not a stretch in a show where everyone wears masks that make them look like another person).

The story could be about rescuing him and Peter Graves could actually return as Phelps (and pass the baton to his replacement). I can only imagine Peter Graves reaction when they mailed him the script to M:I 1 and saw he was a traitor!

Edited by Diabolik, 18 August 2009 - 10:03 PM.

[Harmsway]

I thought it was a wildly overpraised, only sporadically entertaining load of fluff.

Indeed.

[Syndicate]

Well this is from IMDB when you search for Mission Impossible 4


Is Tom Cruise Going to Play Ethan Hunt?
EditHistoryDelete The answer is probably yes, but the script is not written yet and possible solutions for actors have not been chosen yet. Tom Cruise however, has expressed interest to play Hunt and is likely to at least produce the movie again too.

Brad Pitt was at one stage rumoured to take over the series as a new IMF agent but this was later shot-down by a spokesperson.

Page last updated by crashvictim, 1 week ago
Top Contributors: jmjhora, YOUR_mom_dude_YOUR_mom, crashvictim (View full history)

[Simon]

Would be happy with either JJ or a change - not fussed.

Would prefer Cruise to be lead actor. He does put his all into his work, terrific energy levels.

[Loomis]

I thought it was a wildly overpraised, only sporadically entertaining load of fluff.

Indeed.

Well, for what it's worth, it's the only STAR TREK flick to have held my attention. I won't pretend it's a great movie, or even a particularly good one, but it does have its moments. It could have been much, much worse.

[dodge]

I thought it was a wildly overpraised, only sporadically entertaining load of fluff.

Indeed.

Apparently, every major critic in the country was wrong about ST. Which, I admit, is possible--since every bloomin' one of them is wrong about DISTRICT 9: bombastic, airheaded Bible-thumping at its worst.

[Harmsway]

I thought it was a wildly overpraised, only sporadically entertaining load of fluff.

Indeed.

Apparently, every major critic in the country was wrong about ST. Which, I admit, is possible--since every bloomin' one of them is wrong about DISTRICT 9: bombastic, airheaded Bible-thumping at its worst.

There's nothing resembling "Bible-thumping" in DISTRICT 9. I don't even think that it's really a "message" film.

[Cody]

Abrams Isn't Planning To Direct

In 2006, J.J. Abrams was largely known as a TV guy, one of the creative minds behind fare like "Lost" and "Alias." Then came a turn in the directing chair for "Mission: Impossible III," when he popped off explosions galore around Tom Cruise, and Abrams' career was never the same. Rebooted "Star Trek," anyone?

Now, a fourth "Mission" is in the works. Will Abrams step back into the role that brought him from small-screen whiz kid to big-screen guru? That seems unlikely, as Abrams made clear in an interview with MTV News.

"I'm producing with Tom," he said recently. "My guess is, given other things, that I will not be directing the movie."

So it seems a new director will have to step up — the fourth in as many films. But what about Cruise? While the Hollywood star has been a steady presence as agent Ethan Hunt since the first "Mission" in 1996, rumors have been floating around that a younger actor — or even an ensemble — might take over for Cruise as the focus of the franchise. Is this really true?

"I don't want to give anything away yet, but I will say that it's a story that will feel consistent with the world that has been created," he explained. "It's not a reboot kind of thing."

What is known is that Josh Appelbaum and André Nemec are penning the screenplay, and the whole thing came together because Cruise wanted to reunite with Abrams. "Tom asked if I'd be interested in working with him again," Abrams said. "I didn't have a sense of what the story would be, but very quickly this idea came to mind, and Tom reacted to it in a way that got me excited, and then we got André and Josh to come onboard, and they began developing the idea with us."

Appelbaum and Nemec are "Alias" vets who Abrams said are "so adept at that kind of genre and putting great characters into insane situations." Neither Cruise nor Abrams wanted to work on something that didn't feel like a worthy successor to the first three "Mission" films, but, as he said, the "story was just so damn cool, and we got so excited about it."

Given Abrams' commitment to the "Star Trek" franchise, it seems as if his likely decision to skip directorial duties on "Mission" means audiences could see the fourth film in a shorter timeframe than if he were helming the movie. Shooting could even start soon.

"My hope is that when the script comes in — the dream would be that we could shoot this soon," he said.

[Safari Suit]

IMO good news frankly (although I'd probably be even happier if it wasn't being written by Alias scribes). I do hope they keep to the series tradition of finding a distinctive, established director rather than just plopping for an untested newbie though.

[Simon]

I do hope they keep to the series tradition of finding a distinctive, established director rather than just plopping for an untested newbie though.

Pity the poor newbies who are yet to be tested as clearly, they will not have the chance to be plopped on...

[Safari Suit]

Hey, it's a rough business.

I should say I, of course, have nothing against first-time or inexperienced directors helming films, but as I have said the M:I films as a franchise have stood out mostly for their "revolving auteur" system.

[Simon]

Hey, it's a rough business.

Not made any easier by anonymous fans' perspicacious comments.

[Safari Suit]

As long as they're perspicacious...

[AgentBentley]

Since the M:I movies are very much Tom Cruise productions, I can't see him drop out of them.
I will be looking out for M:I4, but I found the previous movies lacking in 'soul,' mainly because Ethan Hunt is not strong enough as a character.