I HATE how people say MI4 is the best one...its the WORST!

I seriously think many of you out there who claim MI4 is the best are just too young to have seen the first and third films or dont remember how awesome they were. I also think alot of people are Kool Aid drinking Brad Bird fans and love everything that man does. I have only see The Incredibles (which I LOVED) so im not the biggest expert on his animated films but to be honest I was not very impressed with his live action directorial debut. I didnt like the way he shot his action either. Just MEH to me.

To me MI4 was actually the worst one in the franchise. Why? Because it was BORING and completely forgettable. Other than the Burj skyscraper sequence there was not ONE SINGLE memorable action scene in the whole movie. I cant even remember the plot, who the villain was, nothing. Even the LOOK of the film was bland and nothing special. It also played way too much like a comedy, mostly due to Simon Pegg (who can be funny in small doses but annoying if you let him take over your film). The MI films are supposed to be INTENSE. MI4 had NOTHING close to intensity, tension, or suspense.

To me the BEST one is still the third one. The one JJ Abrams directed. Here's why:

1) It has the best cinematography (DP was DAN MINDEL, who worked alot with TONY SCOTT, shot the Abrams STAR TREK films, and is shooting STAR WARS FORCE AWAKENS with JJ as well)

2) the best and most memorable action

3) BY FAR the franchise's best villain (Philip Seymour Hoffman was AMAZING)

4) the best story (we get to see how Hunt's job effects his relationship with his wife and for the first time there's personal stakes for him in the mission, its not just another job)

5) the best acting and EMOTION (you HATED Hoffman & cared for Hunt to get his wife back)

6) we got to see Hunts personal life (Michelle Monaghan subplot was well done)

7) the best TEAMWORK (Ving Rhames, Maggie Q, Jonathan Rhys Meyers in his prime, Keri Russell, Simon Pegg)

Just everything about that movie was EPIC. Best bridge action sequence since TRUE LIES. Every scene with Hoffman was riveting!

I know alot of people have issues with Abrams' visual style in the film. Some say it looks "too much like a TV show" or that the camera work is too frenetic and shot too close to the actors faces. Some have complained it reminded them of a Michael Bay film or an episode of 24. Since Bay is my favorite action director and 24 is one of my all time favorite shows thats not a bad thing for me. The over saturated colors, hand held tight shaky camera work, blown out frames, jumpy editing, all added to the tension to me. To me, MI3 had the most distinct visual style of ANY of the MI films and I loved it for that. I am a filmmaker myself and whenever I work with a new cinematographer and they ask me what type of style or color palette I'm looking for, I just tell them to watch MI3 (or Tony Scott's "Domino", both shot by Dan Mindel) and say: "give me THAT".


The first film is a CLASSIC directed by the legendary Brian DePalma and is my second favorite next to MI3. It had a smart complex plot that really made you think and Hunt never fires a single gun in the entire film. Some complain the first MI was too slow and low on action, but I actually didnt mind that. It was more of a thinking man's spy thriller, alot like the TV series. And the white sound proof room sequence with him hanging by the wires is easily the most iconic sequence and shot of the franchise and one of the most intense scenes in movie history.

I know everyone hates MI2 and I agree it was a subpar film that was edited to pieces by the studio but John Woo at least gave us his trademark action ballet awesomeness with the kung fu, gun fights, motorcycles, and doves/pigeons. That opening mountain climbing sequence was sick too. I remember that summer of 2000 and my anticipation for MI2 very vividly. I was in summer school (for the only time in my life, i was usually a straight A student) and so angry about it and at the time Metallica and Limp Bizkit had their MI2 songs out from the soundtrack and I rocked out to them both everyday on my walkman cassette tape player (yes remember those? lol). I couldn't wait for that movie!!! Yes looking back on it the overall film was a disappointment but I still feel the final 20 minutes of that film is worth the price of admission alone and probably the best final set piece in the franchise. Too bad the rest of the film is junk.

I am looking forward to Rogue Nation because the motorcycle scene looks cool (although somewhat copied from MI2) and that final shot of Hunt hanging off the side of the plane as it takes off, looks like another classic MI stunt that could be memorable if done right and the most exciting thing we have seen in a while in this franchise. Fingers crossed and stoked for JULY 31st!!!