Mission: Impossible

If spy genre is your favorite, then there's no way Mission: Impossible would have gone unheard! Ever since the first film was put out there in the open, critics and box office successes have been claiming this franchise left right center!

With a risky opening under a fake set, you know the missions this team handle are full of high stakes, just like the main crisis they'll be involved in the movie's plot. Their interactions and schemes were realistic! Mission: Impossible is known for its iconic theme music, ever slick Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt, self-destructing message object that conveys the plot goal and fancy gadgets like the target marking spray used here.

On the technical front, Stephen H. Burum's cinematography stood out. The way he has choreographed parallel movements between outsides and insides of an elevator was astounding! He knew precisely how to utilize Dutch angles and elevate the tension around, together with Danny Elfman's amazing score!

Speaking of tension, Mission: Impossible has an edge-of-the-seat sequence that'll make you bite your nails off! Yes, you've guessed it right - the CIA containment room hack in silence! From explanation, planning to execution, this was perfect filmmaking! Ethan hanging down the ceiling held tight by a member above with a mouse nearing him from behind, officer walking in and out of the room while Hunt's trying to retrieve data from the computer below, an almost complete dropdown with Ethan saving a sweat droplet from hitting the pressure-sensitive floor and the army knife landing right onto the table before everything would have been a clean success were beyond nerve-wrecking! Sure, sighting a rat inside a clinically sterile headquarters was definitely questionable, but the purpose of thrill was fulfilled.

Action sequences were of top notch quality! Bomb deployment in Aquarium, Ethan crawling on a high speed train before traversing between two of them and getting an almost throat-slit from a helicopter blade inside tunnel were absolutely intense! The only issue with the plot would be the revelation regarding Jim Phelps' betrayal, which was a tad silly and unbelievable. But Jon Voight's performance as the antagonist was great! The email trial-error scene could have been cut shorter or picturized in a different way as well. Other than these, the disc-testing and NOC list magic trick scenes were memorable! With a new loyal confidant in the form of Luther (Ving Rhames) by our side and a hint at upcoming sequels, let's hop to the next mission!