Released in 1996, “Mission Impossible” made a lot of noise among the audience and turned into one of the most popular franchises, and the main character Ethan Hunt became one of the film’s favorite “spies”, along with representatives such as Jason Bourne and even James Bond himself. The audience is looking forward to each new film and watching it several times with interest. The fourth film, Mission Impossible: The Phantom Protocol, has also become popular.
Plot
After being rescued by colleagues from a Russian prison, Ethan Hunt receives a new assignment. To find out the real name of the international terrorist Cobalt, Hunt needs to penetrate the secret vault of the Kremlin and seize the files of a terrorist who is actively promoting the topic of nuclear war. But Cobalt is ahead of them and, together with his dossier, is abducting a Russian nuclear case. To leave, Cobalt undermines the Kremlin, placing the traces in such a way that they accused Hunt's team of everything.
In connection with this situation, the US President initiates the “Phantom Protocol”. The Mission Impossible squad is officially disbanded. However, the Prime Minister gives Hunt an opportunity to escape, along with supplying him with all the available information related to Cobalt. The outlawed team must neutralize the terrorist and prevent a nuclear catastrophe. And the only opportunity is his business meeting in Dubai ...
Interesting facts about creating
From the very beginning, it was planned that the project would be named “Aries” as the second name, but before going out for hire, the producers decided to name it “Mission Impossible.” The Phantom Protocol ”(the actors included in the final composition are also not all those who were planned from the very beginning).
The most spectacular scenes of the film were shot by IMAX cameras (especially the scenes where Hunt climbs a skyscraper in Dubai), which allowed the picture to be made whiter clear and colorful. By the way, Cruz himself climbed a skyscraper without the help of an understudy (which is not surprising, because everyone knows that he always performs all the tricks that managed to become a kind of franchise calling card).
Location filming is very diverse. They took place in Dubai, the Czech Republic and Canada. And although it is known that some scenes were shot in Moscow, but as for the key plot twists, they were not shot in Russia. So, for example, the building of the district court in the city of Mlada Boleslav (Czech Republic) turned into a prison, where Hunt escaped. Butt Lane, where Ethan was given the task in an abandoned payphone, was filmed in Vancouver. But as for the filming in the Kremlin, it is the Prague Castle fortress.
The head of the filming process was Brad Bird, known for the productions of the animated films "The Incredibles" and "Ratatouille". The film "Mission Impossible: Phantom Protocol" (the actors will be presented separately) became his debut as a film director. In addition to him, the candidates for the director's chair were Edgar Wright and Ruben Fleischer. Byrd managed to add his own twist to the project, which had a very positive effect on the commercial success of the picture - the fourth part of the franchise was the most successful in box office and reviews of viewers and film critics.
“Change of government” in the project “Mission Impossible: Phantom Protocol”
Tom Cruise has long been the person whose name is associated with the popular spy franchise. Which, however, is not surprising, because he is also the producer of all the films in the series. But initially, after, to put it mildly, the modest success of the third "Mission", the studio, responsible for the production and success of films about Hunt, was going to transfer the reins of the main star of the project to another in the fourth film. However, with the advent of the Brad Bird project, everything changed. And, as practice has shown, for the better.
The story of "with humor"
After attracting new actors, the script underwent significant revision. Now all the action spun not only around Ethan Hunt - all the members of the squad became the main characters, having received equal shares of significance in the plot. There was also more humor and self-irony. Although, it would seem, where do they come from in a film such as “Mission Impossible: Phantom Protocol”? Simon Pegg, who can be said to be “responsible” for the humor in the frame, was able to “revive” the film, which is reasonable, because he is a famous British actor in the comic genre.
Female team link
Appeared in this super-espionage company and the female image that embodied Paul Patton (known for her role in the acclaimed film "Deja Vu" by Tony Scott, as well as in the fantasy "Warcraft"). Due to its good physical preparation and eastern appearance, it complements the spy team well. And although the role does not fully reveal her artistic ability (which, in principle, is not necessary for a film in this genre), there is no feeling that the person is not in her place. And Paul Patton coped with the task. Well, to her role - she, as mentioned above, has equal weight for the development of the plot, like the other members of the squad.
Characters and actors "on the other side"
Opens the list of "bad guys", of course, Cobalt, played by the Swedish artist Michael Nyquist. He is also known for his work in films such as “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,” “John Wick,” and “The Colony of Dignidad.” The character of Michael is eager to change the balance of power so that the existing system collapses.
Not without a Russian scientist (Ivan Shvedov). After his family was taken hostage, he is forced to assist Cobalt in the upcoming deal in Dubai. The cast in this film can be said to be international. Russian actors were also invited to play the roles of Russian characters. And Ivan Shvedov is one of them. He is known for the films “The Bourne Supremacy”, “Spy Bridge”, “Simple Things”. It can also be seen in the TV series Children of the Dune, Crossing the Line. And this is not all of his work. He is also an actor in dubbing.
Also, one can not help but pay attention to another terrorist assistant. More precisely, an assistant. The role of a hired killer who gets paid with diamonds went to the French actress Leia Seydou, who is gaining popularity. The most famous of her works are the Tarantino “Inglourious Basterds” and the acclaimed “Life Adele”. A few years after participating in the “Mission”, Leah became the “Bond Girl”, playing in the film Sam Mandes “007: Spectrum”.
Also in the film, the star of Indian cinema Anil Kapoor also “lit up”. He is known to the wide audience for his role as the host of the program in the film Slumdog Millionaire. Although he was not very much in the frame, still his character catches the eye (in a good way).
Bad good russian
By the way, the film “Mission Impossible: The Phantom Protocol” (the actors, as you can already notice, are the most diverse), boasts another world-famous star - this is Vladimir Mashkov. The actor does not need separate representations, because it is very difficult to find a person who has not watched at least one film with his participation. His characters are always vivid and memorable. We only recall that in his vast arsenal of roles in such films as The Thief, Composition for Victory Day, State Counselor, and so on. It is also worth noting separately his role as David Markovich Gotzman in the series “Liquidation”. In addition, Vladimir Mashkov starred in Hollywood projects.
Having received a role in the Mission, he played an employee of the Russian special services, eager to find terrorists guilty of undermining the Kremlin, as Ethan’s detachment believes. Although the role turned out to be not the most outstanding (as it was planned in the script), but still bright. But in a different way Mashkov cannot.
Unexpected success
As mentioned above, from the very beginning it was thought that Ethan Hunt would “hand over his powers” ​​to the new character in this film, and not least the initiative came from Tom Cruise himself. In the original version of the script, in the scene where a car with Hunt and the Prime Minister and his assistant fall into the river, Hunt dies, and Wilm Brant (Assistant Prime Minister) enters into a fight with the terrorist. Thus, this will become a kind of restart of the franchise with a new main character. But, as mentioned above, with the advent of the new director, everything changed.
At the premiere of the film "Mission Impossible: Phantom Protocol" (the actors, by the way, with pleasure participated in the filming process), which took place on December 7, 2011, many went with great apprehension. Someone thought that the project had already outlived its own. Many believed that Cruz was no longer suitable for the role of a super agent. And the restart was generally skeptical, because without Hunt-Cruz, the “Missions” would lose their style and charm (and rumors had been creeping for a long time).
The premiere passed, as they say, with a bang. The picture wasn’t just a success - the film “Mission Impossible: Phantom Protocol” (Jeremy Renner, gaining momentum and who was predicted to be the main character, played one of the key roles) became the highest grossing “Missions” existing at that time.
It's not over yet ...
The new life, which was breathed into the fourth film of the popular franchise "Mission Impossible", served as an impetus for subsequent paintings. And Cruz, along with Ethan Hunt, were also able to prove that it was too early to "send them to retire." In 2015, the fifth picture was published entitled “Mission Impossible: The Outcast Tribe”, where the plot begins with the mission that was unsuccessfully completed, which Hunt received at the end of the “Protocol”. The film turned out to be very interesting, but this, as they say, is another story ...