In terms of chaos and mayhem, MI: Ghost Protocol delivers

I have to declare my conflict of interest followed by a mea culpa and then culminating in an e i e i o.
Seriously, I thought Mission Impossible Ghost Protocol was going to be a waste of film and the death knell for Mr Cruise as an action hero and I have to admit I’m dead wrong.
It was a great diversion and exactly what I needed after a world of kids movies. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.
I like movies that have a significant body count before the opening credits and this one delivers in spades.
Cruise is in some foreign prison and his boy Simon Pegg uses his computer/techno genius to take over all the electronic systems at the prison. Enter Sandman and Cruise is off to the races.
Roll opening credits and that tell-tale music and we’re off.
The cast is fleshed out by Jeremy Renner who has a convenient coincidental connection to Ethan Hunt. OK it’s a little more than coincidental since he’s responsible for the death of Hunts wife. Shhhh. That’s a secret.
Then there’s Paula Patton who is long on muscles and short of romance scenes but they had to have a skirt so she’ll do. It’s the least significant role in the film.
So here’s the deal.
The Kremlin gets blown up and the IMF is framed for it which results in the usual scramble, denial and disavowment from the government and Little Tommy Cruise has to call in a bunch of favors to save the world, his reputation and maybe even Betty Sue.
If you take out the cheese factor, the incredible improbability of the events that unfold, it’s a pretty good film.
There is a scene where he has to climb outside the world’s tallest building in Dubai using these tricked out gloves which of course fail and it’s beyond brutal. I never jump in films and I hit zero gravity twice. As ridiculous as it is, I couldn’t help but watch.
The requisite bad guy is pretty bad (played by Michael Nyquist) the bad guy from the original Girl With a fill-in-the-blank series. He’s just plain nuts and thinks it would be cool to see the end of the world, because there is always regeneration after a massive disaster. Ya, just plain nuts.
This won’t necessarily win Cruise any new fans but I have to say, it you like action films this one is great. That’s right, I said it. It’s a great film. I don’t want meaning. I don’t want plot. I want stuff getting blown up in a  big way and no tough thought process.This movie delivers. It dreams big in terms of chaos and mayhem and it delivers. Big time.
Ghost Chronicles rejuvenates this franchise and it speaks well of future efforts. The addition of Jeremy Renner as the new guy on the block is a welcome addition and he dials back that maniac intensity that served him well in The Hurt Locker.
Simon Pegg is very funny as the nerdy brit who controls the board and therefore the world. He keeps wanting to be more of the scene and he has thing for wearing masks. It’s all good. The girl is mostly eye candy which is a waste but I think little Tommy doesn’t write women very well. Not that it’s all him but you know.
I strongly recommend this film and I have to admit I just threw up a little bit in my mouth when I typed that but it’s the truth. I always figured if I tell the truth once in awhile I can lie another 20 times. We’re good for the next four months.
As always, other opinions are welcome, but wrong. That’s it for this week the cheque’s in the mail and I’m outta here. Paul.