Masks! The Mission: Impossible movies tend to use those, some more than others. Not knowing if and when we'll see someone peel their face off has become part of the suspense of the action films, which is why we've compiled this supercut of the mask-rips featured in the first four Mission: Impossible films. MAJOR Spoilers from MI:I-IV ahead!
The video comes to us courtesy of CinemaBlend's own Jeff McCobb, who combed the first four Mission: Impossible films to compile this supercut of all of their great mask-ripping moments.
As we warned, the above video is riddled with spoilers (and so is this article, and possibly the comments!), as a few of the mask-rips featured in the first three Mission: Impossible movies -- and the fact that Ghost Protocol seemed to have more references to masks than it did uses of -- come as a surprise. Just when you think you know what's happening in a scene, someone reaches behind their ear and peels their face off. Surprise!
Mission: Impossible II used the mask-rip situation repeatedly, which I actually think is part of the film's ridiculously gimmicky charm. Looking at the first four films, if Mission: Impossible were a family, MI:II would be the goofy middle child doing whatever it needs to to draw attention onto itself and away from its more serious older sibling, and its far superior younger ones. Say what you will about it, it has its place within the family. And it's probably the most fun at parties.
Mission: Impossible III limits its mask rips significantly by comparison to II, giving us a great Phillip Seymour Hoffman moment earlier in the movie, and that big surprise-rip with Julia.
And then there's Mission: Impossible: Ghost Protocol, which turned the surprise around on us by having Benji comment repeatedly about getting to wear a mask only to deprive us of the many mask twists we've come to expect.
Does Mission: Impossible: Rogue Nation have some mask rips in store? You may have spotted Simon Pegg's scene in the montage above, and it's featured in the trailer for Rogue Nation as well...
It really doesn't look like it's everything he hoped it would be, but based on what appears to be happening in that scene, something's gone wrong.
Whether or not there are any more great mask moments in MI:V remains to be seen (in theaters, this weekend!).
In the meantime, read our review of Mission: Impossible: Rogue Nation here, and if you have the option to see it in Dolby Atmos, you might want to take Christopher McQuarrie's advice and check that out.
