MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – GHOST PROTOCOL (Rated PG-13)

As a purist, I held the view that the “Mission: Impossible” film series was an unworthy subversion of the excellent original TV series starring Peter Graves.

It just seemed that Tom Cruise’s Ethan Hunt was no match, either in style or intellect, to Graves’ Jim Phelps, the urbane leader of the Impossible Missions Force.

The first “Mission: Impossible” film was heresy insofar as Jim Phelps was rendered one of the bad guys. The abrupt departure from the TV series took the film in a foolhardy direction.

Now along comes the fourth installment in the film series, “Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol,” the best of the entire lot. Moreover, it’s such a top notch action thriller that I no longer have misgivings.

For one thing, Tom Cruise has never looked better in the role of the IMF undercover agent. Not only has he matured into the part, he’s very convincing as an unflappable tough guy adept at handling the physical and mental strains of the job.

As for the action, the adrenaline rush begins with Ethan’s daring breakout from a Russian prison, assisted by IMF team member Benji Dunn (Simon Pegg), the computer wizard who simultaneously manages to unlock prison doors while blasting a classic Dean Martin song on the loudspeakers.

Once on the outside, Ethan, with the help of his colleagues, is dispatched to infiltrate the Kremlin’s hidden vault so as to locate the identity of a villain with a plan to steal Russian nuclear codes.

Unfortunately, the mission goes haywire when the Kremlin is blown up and the IMF team is falsely blamed for masterminding the explosion. Even worse, the IMF secretary is killed during an assault by Russian forces, further compromising the mission.

As a result, Ethan’s team is forced to go underground, as the U.S. government invokes the “ghost protocol” that cuts the IMF loose with no official portfolio or financial resources.

To clear their names, the IMF team, including the beautiful but deadly Jane Carter (Paula Patton) and the mysterious “analyst” William Brandt (Jeremy Renner), initiates a globe-trotting adventure to chase a shadowy target named Hendricks (Michael Nyqvist).

Forced to become rogue agents, the IMF team heads off to Dubai on the trail of Hendricks as the terrorist seeks nuclear warheads he can launch merely for the purpose of a blowing up the planet for senseless pleasure.

Though loaded with great action scenes, the best one in “Ghost Protocol” requires Ethan to climb the glass window exterior of Dubai’s Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest skyscraper.

This act requires him, like Spider-Man, to scale the high-rise more than 100 floors above the ground with nothing more elaborate than a pair of adhesive gloves, one of which malfunctions at an inopportune time. Meanwhile, the audience suffers a severe case of vertigo.

Actually, “Ghost Protocol” is filled with breathtaking moments of great danger. Brandt, levitated by a magnetic device, hangs precariously over a giant turbine as he breaks into a building’s computer command center.

A climactic battle between Ethan and Hendricks takes place in a high-tech parking garage in Mumbai, where the two fighters leap from one moving platform to another in a dazzling acrobatic display of vicious hand-to-hand combat.

Complicating the mission is the fact that a Russian agent (Vladimir Mashkov), mistakenly believing the IMF team is responsible for the Kremlin bombing, is trying desperately to kill Ethan and his gang.

One of the fascinating tidbits about this film is that director Brad Bird (“The Incredibles”) is known for his work in animation. Here, he demonstrates tremendous skill and flair for staging very impressive action scenes.

Another revelation is that Tom Cruise is really at the top of his game. He’s never been more imposing than he is now as the consummate action figure possessed of athletic poise and mature elegance.

“Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol” is truly one of the best action pictures of the year, and even better still if you catch it in IMAX.

Tim Riley writes film and television reviews for Lake County News.