Why Mission: Impossible’s Jim Phelps Villain Twist Still Shocks Fans 29 Years Later

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The shocking revelation about Jim Phelps’ villainy in the original “Mission: Impossible” movie remains the most daring move the franchise has ever made, even 30 years after its release. When it comes to comparing the “Mission: Impossible” films, the 1996 version holds a distinctive place in the series. Generally speaking, viewers consider it an entertaining film on its own and preferable to its immediate sequel, but they don’t find it as impressive as the more recent installments that started with “Mission: Impossible III” in 2006. Despite the flaws often found in the “Mission: Impossible” series, the first film remains a favorite among fans.

Of course, fans are eagerly anticipating the release of The Final Reckoning in May 2025, which means they’ll be revisiting the entire Mission: Impossible series ahead of time. The question on everyone’s lips is where to catch these action-packed movies, especially with the original film celebrating its 30th anniversary next year. Even after nearly three decades and the franchise’s impressive evolution, there’s one particular aspect of the Mission: Impossible storyline that remains more grandiose and daring than any other move the series has made to date.

Mission: Impossible 1996 Made Jim Phelps A Villain After Being The TV Show’s Lead

The Movie Drastically Changed A Legacy Character

In question was the choice to make Jim Phelps, the primary antagonist in Mission: Impossible. For those unaware of the original TV series on which the 1996 film is based, this may appear to be a routine decision without much daring significance other than being a plot twist. However, Phelps was the central character in the original Mission: Impossible series, so the decision for the 1996 movie carried the risk of damaging his reputation for those who had followed him as an IMF agent for years.

In the original TV series, Peter Graves portrayed a character named Jim Phelps, much like Tom Cruise’s Ethan Hunt in the Mission: Impossible film series. For six out of seven seasons, Phelps led the cast, frequently putting himself on the line to safeguard the world and its inhabitants as part of the Impossible Mission Force. Thus, turning a character with such a noble background into a villain who distrusts all heroes was undeniably daring. To make matters more intriguing, the film initially appears to kill off Phelps, which could have sparked debate. However, bringing him back as a villain later on amplified this unconventional move.

Jim Phelps’ Villain Twist Received Some Backlash

Especially From Those Involved In The Original Show

The movie “Mission: Impossible” faced some criticism for turning Jim Phelps into a villain, with the original TV series actors being the main source of this backlash. Even though it was generally well-received upon release by both audiences and critics, actor Graves expressed his dissatisfaction with the movie’s portrayal of Phelps after being given an opportunity to play him again. Graves refused the role, as he felt strongly that Phelps would never betray the IMF and become a double agent.

1996’s “Mission: Impossible” was criticized by another actor from the original series, Greg Morris, who portrayed Barney Collier. In a report published in the “LA Times” following his death during that same year, it emerged that Morris stormed out of the theater after watching just 40 minutes, labeling the movie as an atrocity. Another actor from the original show, Martin Landau, stated he declined reprising his role for the film because the initial script eliminated members of the original team, including Phelps, which he felt was disrespectful (as reported by “Slashfilm”).

Mission: Impossible’s Jim Phelps Villain Reveal Probably Wouldn’t Happen Nowadays

Modern Legacy Movies Tend To Take Different Routes

Considering the debate about the latest “Mission: Impossible” installment, it’s intriguing to explore this topic within the framework of contemporary legacy films. It seems reasonable to assume that such a daring decision might be less common in a more recent rebooted franchise. For instance, let’s look at the modern revival of “21 Jump Street,” which, similar to “Mission: Impossible,” was based on an older TV show. The film from 2012, 16 years after the initial “Mission: Impossible” release, featured actors from the original series in a cameo appearance.

In the series, Johnny Depp and Peter DeLuise returned to play their characters, similar to how Peter Graves did in “Mission: Impossible.” Unlike their previous roles involving sinister twists, they portrayed DEA agents in this instance, preserving the original image of their characters. This scenario illustrates that today’s films might be less inclined to follow the villainous Jim Phelps twist from “Mission: Impossible,” as it could provoke negative reactions.

Impossible” without sparking significant backlash.

Why The Jim Phelps Villain Twist Works

Regardless Of The Controversy

In a nutshell, the twist in which Jim Phelps becomes the antagonist in the Mission: Impossible movie holds up well, particularly when considered independently rather than as part of a series or character reboot. The series cleverly leads viewers to suspect Kittridge and other characters as possible moles, leaving audiences guessing who could be the villain. Interestingly, Phelps himself is rarely suspected, either because of his earlier portrayal as dead or due to his familiarity from the TV show. Consequently, the surprising revelation that he serves as the film’s villain is indeed an effective plot twist when considering it outside any external debates.

Future Mission: Impossible Movies Haven’t Come Close To Replicating The Surprise Of Jim Phelps Being A Villain

Villain Twists Are Not As Common In Mission: Impossible’s More Recent Installments

One reason why the Jim Phelps twist continues to be effective, despite some criticism, is that no other Mission: Impossible film has been able to replicate it in the 29 years since the original. Each subsequent movie has had a clear villain, such as Owen Davian in Mission: Impossible III, Solomon Lane in Rogue Nation and Fallout, the Entity and Gabriel in Dead Reckoning and The Finale Reckoning. Unlike these films, the original Mission: Impossible was unique for not revealing its main antagonist until the third act, and this twist has yet to be replicated in any of the subsequent Mission: Impossible movies.

As a die-hard fan of the Mission: Impossible series, I’d say that among all the films, it’s only Mission: Impossible – Fallout that comes close to pulling off a twist similar to those in this franchise. In this installment, Henry Cavill’s character, August Walker, is unmasked as the antagonist after seemingly aiding Ethan Hunt. However, unlike previous twists that left audiences shocked and guessing, many fans had already speculated about Walker’s villainous nature before the film even premiered. This diminished the impact of the revelation since it wasn’t entirely unexpected within the universe of the story. The lack of prior character development for Walker compared to Phelps also made the twist less surprising and, in my opinion, Mission: Impossible’s villainous twists remain the most daring and jaw-dropping choices in this action-packed series.

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2025-04-27 15:11