They say that a sequel is never as good as the original. Well this is certainly the case with the first and second movies in the Mission: Impossible franchise. So I was somewhat aloof when the the third MI movie came out a few years ago. And while that movie wasn’t horrifying, it left few people desiring a fourth movie. However, Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol is just what came out a few short weeks ago, and it was shockingly refreshing.

The movie begins with our hero Ethan Hunt being broken out of a Russian prison for unknown reasons and the action just keeps on kicking from there. While Ghost Protocol is similar to all the other Mission: Impossible movies in that it has death defying stunts, betrayals, implausible survival scenarios, and bad guys that can’t shoot straight, it was much more satisfying than the others.

Was is the quirky comic relief provided Simon Pegg’s tech-savvy character? Or maybe it was the additions of the cool and confident Jeremy Renner and Paula Patton. What really made the movie stand out from the others is the chemistry between these three actors and, of course, our main man Tom Cruise. After coming together in unlikely circumstances, the four of them work together and try to save the planet in typical Hollywood fashion. But the audience finds itself connecting with this unruly band. Renner and Pegg provide a smooth integration of nerdy and suave, of kick-butt and wannabe. Plus there is no awkward and forced romantic tension between Cruise and Patton, which proves to be a welcome turn of events in a society in which there is a new sex scandal once a week.

Did I mention that Ghost Protocol was also visually stunning? From climbing the world’s tallest building to racing through a blinding sandstorm, this movie keeps the action coming. I have never seen anything like it. And unlike the previous Mission: Impossible movies, director Brad Bird keeps the stunts (semi) believable. There are few times when you think to yourself ‘that’s dumb, there is no way anyone could ever do that’. Bird toes the line between breathtaking and foolishness with all the mastery of an Asian tight rope walker.

All in all, Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol is one of the most surprising hits of the winter. Tom Cruise reprises his storied role masterfully and keeps the audience on the edge of their seats for the entire two hours. It has been a few years since he was in the spotlight and who knows, maybe this could be Cruise’s comeback movie.