Mission: Impossible (TV Series) The Bunker: Part 1 (1969) User Reviews

A flying saucer, enemy impersonation, and pyrotechnics

[CCsito · 8/10 · 27 June 2013]

*SPOILER ALERT*

This is a 2 part episode involving a mission to rescue a missile expert and his wife from an underground bunker who is being forced to complete the assembly of a ballistic missile for an enemy country. Complicating the matter is an assassin sent to kill the missile expert from another country. Jim, Cinnamon, and Rollin impersonate people who get into the bunker area. Barney and Willie gets to work and help the wife of the scientist to escape and to replace her with Cinnamon. This mission was among the better ones in Season 3. The only weak part was the cliffhanger at the end of the first part. Willie helps the scientist's wife to escape through a paper incinerator unit as it is loaded with paper and is ignited during their escape. The cliffhanger could have been made a bit more compelling by having the pulley unit malfunction as the fire grows higher. Nevertheless, the use of the "flying saucer", having someone impersonate Rollin, and the "big bang" at the end made for a good episode.

Quintessential episode

[zervoman · 8/10 · 24 June 2022]

I didn't like the fact that the tape sequence was from stock footage and don't get why..... The plot too implausible especially the mask scenes. Why should Cinnamon wear two masks? Maybe because they should fit on her face by the specialist Roland - ok there is an answer.... But many times in order to create a mask they first create a matrix from the person's face.

However, sometimes, somehow they can construct a mask without a reference. Even with the reference photo they had, that would be impossible.... (But you will respond ,my friend that is why the mission is not ,, dangerous,, as the Greek translation suggests but Impossible, so you ask too much..... ) An other part of the story that is too extreme is the flying saucer gadget. Couldn't they just provide the injection through his ,, wife,,? Or otherwise?

An other extreme element of the plot is the precise timing. All happens as it has been considered before. Ventlos hit Roland and impersonated him, at least he took reference from his face. How can Roland recovers the exact moment the bunker is about to explode and reunites with his team? If he hadn't recover they wouldn't be able to find him.... And how do they know how much time is left to evacuate the bunker?

I will stop taking a dig at the series. Apart from the flaws and the stretched plots is very good otherwise I wouldn't watch it... The most impossible is this episode is not the mission but the face of Lee Meriwether... And I will mention the use of the clock in close ups. It enhances the suspense and the viewer's agony. Besides that is the point. To cause agony to the viewer as much as you can. There is no terror in the bang, only in the anticipation, as the master Hitchcock used to say.....

One of the greatest Mission Impossible adventures: Ever!

[shakspryn · 10/10 · 25 May 2022]

This two-parter is outstanding; classic IMF adventure. It is brilliantly written; tightly directed; superbly acted. A key plot element involves technology that was very advanced indeed for 1969; you'll see it in Jim Phelp's briefing at the start, and it will make you smile! Talk about being ahead of its time!

This outing, our IMF team is involved in a very high-risk operation in a foreign, Iron Curtain type country. This is definitely one of the toughest challenges the team has ever had. Are they up to it? You know they are!

Some of the many pluses in this two-parter: Willy has key and important things to do; beautiful Lee Meriwether has a big part; we get to see Milton Selzer (Dr. Rojak) as an admirable genius; there are good twists and turns; lots of action; and man, the final climactic scenes! Absolutely spectacular! Worthy of a James Bond movie--yes, it's that good and exciting! Talk about a high budget two-parter: whew! It's all on the screen in this one! I somehow didn't see this one when I was a teenager; I just watched it tonight on dvd. Highest recommendation.