Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol (Brad Bird, 2011)

The moneymaker rolls on like a juggernaut, this time with the twist of having Brad Bird at the helm, previously responsible for sterling animations such as The Incredibles and Ratatouille. A Tom Cruise actioner may thus superficially seem like a divergence from this path, but then the Mission: Impossible films are at their best when they admit their cartoonish true nature. So the plot is purely perfunctory, with Russian nuclear missile launch codes to be recovered to prevent a world war, ridiculous gadgetry and preposterous stunts, but at least the first half is mercifully free of car chases and shoot-ups, although of course you know they will come, and Simon Pegg as the scowling Scientologist's sidekick provides welcome comic relief, making a few hours breeze by inoffensively.

5/10