''Mission: Impossible'' plot leaves many viewers confused

Mission: Impossible. It’s a movie of betrayal, suspense, and intrigue — at least we think so. Judging from the reactions of patrons exiting one New York City theater on the film’s opening day, Tom Cruise and company might well have titled their film Twister.

Of the dozen people polled, two thirds claimed to have understood what the mission was, though they were hard-pressed to articulate it. One twentysomething male offered this summation: ”to get that thing, find the guy who was trying to steal it, catch him in the act, and get it back from them.”

He wasn’t the only one confused. ”I got to the part where they wanted to get the info,” said another Gothamite, ”but then it got all messy.” Not that the mess distracted from his enjoyment. ”I didn’t get it, but it was pretty cool.”

But there was one fan for whom everything was crystal clear. ”The mission,” said a Manhattan woman, ”was to make as much money as possible.”