You go to see this because you feel you should, which is what I did, even after reading the one-star reviews.
But if you want entertainment, suspense and thrills you’d be better off watching the other M:I movies, the first three Bourne movies or, for “will there be a nuclear holocaust or won’t there?”, who can beat Wargames (the original) or Crimson Tide?
The first hour of M:I 8 is a pointless, boring mess of wordy exposition, and flashbacks that only serve to remind you how good the other M:I movies were. At times this could have been a radio play it was so static and text-heavy. I spent the first hour wondering when it was going to start, and the last hour wondering when it was going to end. I looked at my watch several times throughout- never a good sign.
Seriously, if you must see it, do yourself a favour and arrive in the theatre about an hour in, just as Ethan jumps into the sea from the aircraft. That’s the natural start to the movie.
So many of the turgid multi-character scenes reminded me of that Family Guy spoof of Return of the Jedi when they’re on Jabba’s ship in the desert, and they all repeatedly look at each other before escaping. In M:I 8 it became quite noticeable and unintentionally comic.
No denying the work and film-craft that has gone into this movie, but it’s a serious let-down. If a movie is going to be almost 3 hours long, it had better be brilliant, and this isn’t.