Mission: Impossible was one of the best action blockbusters of the 1990s, deriving a quality unique among its peers from the tension between Brian De Palmas directorial stylisation & the overriding presence of its star & producer, Tom Cruise. The original 1960s television series provides not only the wonderful musical motif, but also the layered complexity of false realities & masked identities, which are revealed with the playful conjuring of a Russian doll. De Palmas trademark set pieces include a giant exploding fishtank in Prague, a helicopter chase through the Channel Tunnel, &, most notably, a break-in to steal a vital disc from CIA headquarters in Langley