Mission: Impossible (1996)

Brian De Palma’s Mission: Impossible (1996) launched what would become one of the most successful action franchises in modern cinema. This sleek, suspenseful spy thriller marked a shift for the genre in the ’90s—combining psychological twists, high-tech gadgets, and intense action set pieces. With Tom Cruise in the lead as Ethan Hunt, the film blends classic espionage intrigue with kinetic modern filmmaking.

Detailed Summary

The Embassy Job Gone Wrong

The movie opens with IMF (Impossible Mission Force) agent Ethan Hunt and his team, led by Jim Phelps (Jon Voight), on a mission in Prague to prevent the theft of a top-secret list containing the identities of undercover agents. The mission quickly spirals into disaster: team members are killed one by one, and the list ends up in the wrong hands. Ethan narrowly escapes.

Back at a café rendezvous point, Ethan tries to contact his handler. He learns the list was a decoy and the entire mission was a setup to identify a mole within the IMF. Now, Hunt is framed as the traitor.

Ethan on the Run

Declared rogue, Ethan goes underground. He uses his wits and spycraft to contact arms dealer Max (Vanessa Redgrave), the buyer of the list, to prove his innocence and bait out the real traitor. He recruits disavowed IMF agents Luther Stickell (Ving Rhames) and Franz Krieger (Jean Reno) for a nearly impossible mission: to steal the real NOC list from CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia.

Langley Heist: The Most Iconic Scene

The Langley heist is the film’s most famous sequence—Ethan suspended by cables in a pressure-sensitive, temperature-controlled vault, unable to make a sound. It’s a masterclass in tension and restraint. The team pulls it off, barely, but the mission puts them deeper in danger.

Unraveling the Mystery

With the list in hand, Ethan plans to expose the real mole. He starts piecing together the truth: the betrayer wasn’t a random IMF agent—it was Jim Phelps, his trusted team leader, who faked his death in Prague and orchestrated the betrayal to sell secrets.

Claire (Emmanuelle Béart), Jim’s wife and fellow team member, turns out to be complicit—or at least conflicted.

Movie Ending

The climactic showdown occurs on the Eurostar train to Paris, where Ethan confronts Jim Phelps. Ethan reveals he figured out the betrayal and has been recording their conversation. Meanwhile, Luther is on the train, ensuring the NOC list doesn’t fall into the wrong hands.

A final, thrilling action sequence plays out on top of the moving train. Krieger, working with Phelps, attempts to escape via a helicopter attached to the train. In a wildly cinematic (and physically implausible, but unforgettable) moment, Ethan attaches the helicopter to the train and it crashes inside the Channel Tunnel.

Jim is killed during the helicopter explosion, Claire is shot after hesitating to stop Ethan, and Ethan clears his name. Max is arrested. Luther is reinstated, and Ethan, though disillusioned, receives a new mission hinting at future adventures.

This ending ties up the film’s web of betrayals and trust issues, but it also opens the door for sequels—proving Ethan’s journey is far from over.

Are There Post-Credits Scenes?

No, Mission: Impossible (1996) does not have any post-credits scenes. The film ends with Ethan receiving a new mission on a plane—one last nod to the ongoing IMF operations—but the credits roll traditionally with no hidden stingers.

Type of Movie

Mission: Impossible is a spy thriller with elements of action, mystery, and suspense. It draws heavily from Cold War-era espionage tropes while infusing a modern, high-octane aesthetic.

Cast

• Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt
• Jon Voight as Jim Phelps
• Emmanuelle Béart as Claire Phelps
• Ving Rhames as Luther Stickell
• Jean Reno as Franz Krieger
• Vanessa Redgrave as Max
• Henry Czerny as Eugene Kittridge
• Kristin Scott Thomas as Sarah Davies

Film Music and Composer

The film score was composed by Danny Elfman, delivering a suspenseful and edgy take on the classic Mission: Impossible theme originally composed by Lalo Schifrin. Elfman’s score enhances the paranoia and tension throughout the film, blending orchestral and electronic elements.

Filming Locations

• Prague, Czech Republic – Key sequences were shot in Prague, including the embassy scenes and the fateful mission gone wrong.
• London, UK – Used for interiors and some train station scenes.
• Scotland – The Langley exteriors were actually filmed here.
• Paris and the Channel Tunnel – The final scenes are set aboard the Eurostar between London and Paris, though much of this was created using green screen and sound stages.

These locations play a critical role in setting the globe-trotting tone of the franchise and grounding the espionage in real-world places.

Awards and Nominations

While Mission: Impossible didn’t rack up major awards, it received praise for:

• Best Action Sequence nominations at MTV Movie Awards
• BMI Film Music Award for Danny Elfman
  It was a major box office success, earning over $450 million worldwide and laying the groundwork for future entries.

Behind the Scenes Insights

• Tom Cruise performed most of his own stunts, including the famous vault drop and train top sequence.
• The vault scene was so difficult that Cruise had to put coins in his shoes to maintain balance while hanging.
• Brian De Palma insisted on using real locations whenever possible for authenticity.
• The train chase was one of the most expensive scenes filmed at the time, using a combination of wind tunnels and CGI.

Inspirations and References

• Based on the 1960s TV series Mission: Impossible, with a more serious and cinematic tone.
• De Palma brings Hitchcockian flair to the storytelling—paranoia, double-crosses, and voyeuristic camera angles abound.
• The twist-heavy script was inspired by classic spy thrillers like Three Days of the Condor and The Spy Who Came in from the Cold.

Alternate Endings and Deleted Scenes

There are no publicly known alternate endings, but several scenes were trimmed for pacing and clarity, particularly involving deeper background on Ethan’s team. The film underwent several rewrites during production, and at one point, there were discussions about making Phelps less villainous—but the final cut preserved the bold twist.

Book Adaptations and Differences

While not based on a book, the movie was adapted into a novelization by Peter Barsocchini. It stays largely faithful but includes deeper insight into Ethan’s internal monologue and slightly more background on IMF operations.

Memorable Scenes and Quotes

Key Scenes

• The Prague embassy mission where everything goes wrong.
• The white room CIA vault break-in.
• The final helicopter-in-a-train tunnel sequence.
• Ethan’s subtle but intense confrontation with Kittridge at the aquarium restaurant (complete with exploding gum).

Iconic Quotes

• “Your mission, should you choose to accept it…”
• Kittridge: “I want him manning a radar tower in Alaska by the end of the day. Just mail him his clothes.”
• Ethan Hunt: “Kittridge, you’ve never seen me very upset.”

Easter Eggs and Hidden Details

• Jim Phelps was the only character carried over from the original series—only to be turned into the villain, which shocked fans.
• Ethan uses exploding gum, a nod to the original show’s creative gadgetry.
• The movie subtly critiques Cold War espionage ethics through Phelps’ motivations.

Trivia

• Tom Cruise also produced the film, taking creative control early in the process.
• Brian De Palma almost quit due to creative conflicts with the writers.
• The script was rewritten daily during production.
• The original cast of the TV show criticized the movie’s treatment of Jim Phelps.

Why Watch?

Watch it for:

• Tense, cerebral action rather than just explosions.
• The origins of Ethan Hunt as a modern action hero.
• The vault scene—still unmatched in suspense.
• A stylish spy thriller that respects intelligence and patience.

Director’s Other Movies

• Scarface (1983)
• The Untouchables (1987)
• Carrie (1976)
• Body Double (1984)
• Blow Out (1981)

Recommended Films for Fans

• The Bourne Identity (2002)
• Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011)
• Skyfall (2012)
• The Hunt for Red October (1990)
• Enemy of the State (1998)
• Mission: Impossible – Fallout (2018)