Mission: Impossible | Rotten Tomatoes

Mission: Impossible

PG-13

Released May 22, 1996

1h 50m

Action

Adventure

Mystery & Thriller

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Mission: Impossible: Trailer 1

1:50

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66%

Tomatometer

65 Reviews

71%

Audience Score

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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Critics Consensus

Full of special effects, Brian DePalma's update of Mission: Impossible has a lot of sweeping spectacle, but the plot is sometimes convoluted.

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Carol Buckland

CNN.com

The "set" pieces of this film come off like clockwork, but there's no connective tissue -- no story line, no solid characterization, etc. In the end, De Palma's work seems full of sound and visual fury without signifying much of anything.

Jan 5, 2018

Full Review

Owen Gleiberman

Entertainment Weekly

When it’s over, and the Rubik’s Cube finally does line up, we’re left with the odd sensation that, distracting as the picture may have been, there never was very much to it.

Rated: B

Sep 7, 2011

Full Review

Steven D. Greydanus

Decent Films

De Palma has a choppy, episodic sense of story, and he crafts individual scenes rather than telling a single unified story.

Rated: C+

Oct 29, 2008

Full Review

Patrick Hicks

Feelin' Film Podcast

This works as a really great conservative prototype for future installments, complete with fun tech gadgetry and big action set pieces.

Rated: 4/5

Jul 3, 2023

Full Review

Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

Brian De Palma's Mission: Impossible is clever sleight-of-hand filmmaking on a Hollywood scale, earning the label of pure cinema.

Rated: 4/4

Mar 6, 2023

Full Review

Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

At times, it’s a touch too complicated for its own good (some of Ethan’s visualized hypotheses are arranged to be purposely confusing), but the notion that no one can be trusted is largely effective.

Rated: 5/10

Aug 29, 2022

Full Review

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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

Joseph L

Critics got this one wrong....so wrong. I am sure most would admit it. This Mission Impossible film as aged like good wine. While the franchise is heading onto its 8th outing and has done very well, the most iconic moments still are found in this film.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/06/24

Full Review

Lucas t

This is good, but I prefer the second one. 7.5/10.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

06/04/24

Full Review

Benyamin M

Classic Action Film!!! What's not to love?

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

05/08/24

Full Review

Caleb A

Mission: Impossible's first installment to the big screen is a win, with a solid cast, unexpected twists, and a clever thought; although perhaps the film is lacking in action.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

04/21/24

Full Review

Allanilton D

Muito bom mano mas me deixou decepcionado o final

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/11/24

Full Review

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Brian De Palma

Director

Tom Cruise

Ethan Hunt

Jon Voight

Jim Phelps

Henry Czerny

Kittridge

Ving Rhames

Luther

Kristin Scott Thomas

Sarah Davies

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Movieclips: Mission Impossible's Best Scenes

32:30

Mission: Impossible: Official Clip - Is He Serious?

0:59

Mission: Impossible: Official Clip - Tunnel Chase

2:12

Mission: Impossible: Official Clip - High-Speed Train Ride

2:12

Mission: Impossible: Official Clip - Master of Disguise

2:11

Mission: Impossible: Official Clip - Out of the Vault

1:33

Mission: Impossible: Official Clip - Into the Vault

2:13

Mission: Impossible: Official Clip - Close Call

2:13

Mission: Impossible: Official Clip - Mission Gone Wrong

2:07

Mission: Impossible: Official Clip - A Mole Hunt

2:13

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56%

42%

Mission: Impossible II

TRAILER

for Mission: Impossible II

7%

28%

Extreme Ops

71%

69%

Mission: Impossible III

TRAILER

for Mission: Impossible III

17%

32%

XXX: State of the Union

94%

87%

Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation

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Mission: Impossible: Trailer 1

1:50

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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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