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Mission: Impossible

Play trailer 1:50 Poster for Mission: Impossible PG-13 1996 1h 50m Action Adventure Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
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65% Tomatometer 184 Reviews 71% Popcornmeter 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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Mission: Impossible

Mission: Impossible

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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 overly convoluted.

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Critics Reviews

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Marc Lee Daily Telegraph (UK) Sep 8, 2026
The result is a virtually impenetrable plot with so-so special effects, too much talk and the unforgivable loss of Kristin Scott-Thomas after only 20 minutes. Go to Full Review Dennis Lim Independent (UK) Aug 31, 2026
Even for a summer multiplex filler, the movie is garbled. Go to Full Review Joseph Gelmis Newsday Aug 31, 2026
The mechanical quality of the drama reduced the movie to a glitzy update of the TV series that inspired it. Go to Full Review Larry Ratliff San Antonio Express-News Aug 24, 2026
3/4
The wheels never quite come off "Mission: Impossible" when it comes to high-voltage entertainment. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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chris Jun 2, 2026 A truly classic offering from De Palma. Its the best installment if the whole franchise. See more Dimitri B May 20, 2026 Iconic. Classic. Pure Cinema. See more Zachary M May 20, 2026 I dont know why but this viewing this viewing was special. Maybe it was because I took a friend that had never seen it? Or hearing the Dolby Atmos track for the first time? Or the sound system being ear piercingly loud? Or Danny Elfmans score finally making an emotional connection with me? I dont know. This just had the sauce. It reminded me why I love this franchise so much and why it will be known as the most consistently great film franchise in film history. The best to ever do it. One of the best movies made and theres like 4 other ones like that in this franchise. Peak cinema. See more Anita M Jan 7, 2026 Exciting, suspenseful. See more kyle Jan 7, 2026 Peak cinema take me back to these days See more John D Jan 7, 2026 Quintessential DePalma! See more Read all reviews
Mission: Impossible

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Cast & Crew

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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

Movie Clips

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Mission: Impossible

Movieclips: Mission Impossible's Best Scenes Movieclips: Mission Impossible's Best Scenes 32:30 Now Playing Mission: Impossible: Official Clip - Is He Serious? Mission: Impossible: Official Clip - Is He Serious? 0:59 Now Playing Mission: Impossible: Official Clip - Tunnel Chase Mission: Impossible: Official Clip - Tunnel Chase 2:12 Now Playing Mission: Impossible: Official Clip - High-Speed Train Ride Mission: Impossible: Official Clip - High-Speed Train Ride 2:12 Now Playing Mission: Impossible: Official Clip - Master of Disguise Mission: Impossible: Official Clip - Master of Disguise 2:11 Now Playing Mission: Impossible: Official Clip - Out of the Vault Mission: Impossible: Official Clip - Out of the Vault 1:33 Now Playing Mission: Impossible: Official Clip - Into the Vault Mission: Impossible: Official Clip - Into the Vault 2:13 Now Playing Mission: Impossible: Official Clip - Close Call Mission: Impossible: Official Clip - Close Call 2:13 Now Playing Mission: Impossible: Official Clip - Mission Gone Wrong Mission: Impossible: Official Clip - Mission Gone Wrong 2:07 Now Playing Mission: Impossible: Official Clip - A Mole Hunt Mission: Impossible: Official Clip - A Mole Hunt 2:13 Now Playing View more videos

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Mission: Impossible

Movieclips: Mission: Impossible (4K) - BEST Scenes Of All Time (Updated) Movieclips: Mission: Impossible (4K) - BEST Scenes Of All Time (Updated) 9:50 Now Playing Mission: Impossible: Trailer 1 Mission: Impossible: Trailer 1 1:50 Now Playing View more videos
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Mission: Impossible

Mission: Impossible (1996) View more photos

Movie Info

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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