I watched this movie a few weeks after I watched Mission Impossible 3. The ten year difference between the two really shows.

Mission Impossible 1 is a suspense thriller involving conspiracies, ambiguous allegiences, good guys who are bad guys who are good guys and vice versa, and other assorted plot bending antics that require you to think to figure out what’s going on. It’s an exciting, cinematic mystery/espionage novel of sorts.

Mission Impossible 3 has a simplistic plotline, uninspiring characters, cliched bad guys, and a dualistic, clear-cut us-vs.-them attitude that is underwhelming and unexciting. But, there’s lots of eye candy.

Mission Impossible 1 is a good movie. I salute it, and Brian de Palma, for not caving in to popular demand and falling victim to a recycled, unelaborate storyline. Perhaps this all had to do with the fact that special effects were not as advanced back then, and producers and directors had to come up with intriguing storylines to draw the crowds.

Okay, I’m done with my bitter diatribe. I just wanna see a good movie in the theaters, for cryin’ out loud! For perhaps the last 3 years or so Hollywood keeps on lettin’ me down!