If you have been foolish enough to sleep on this franchise for all these years you better start watching because Mission Impossible: Fallout is in my opinion not only the best film in the series but one of the greatest action movies in recent memory. Not many franchises if any at all can say that their sixth entry has over 95% on Rotten Tomatoes, yet Christopher McQuarrie has managed to craft what I'd say is a genuine masterpiece.
This is the first film in the series to be a direct sequel to its predecessor, following up the events of Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation. With the former operatives of the Syndicate operating freelance, a global terrorist threat is imminent. Ethan Hunt and his team must try to obtain plutonium from their foes before it is used to bomb many major cities, all while the CIA questions their every move.
Tom Cruise is back in the spotlight as Ethan Hunt, in his sixth film as the character. I know Tom Cruise has some weird beliefs and he may not be a one of the best actors, but he is hands down the best movie star out there. He is committed to delivering a genuine experience to the audience and that's what we get here, with every scene elevated by his dedication and craft. The action sequences are heightened by the fear we have knowing that it's Cruise doing the near death stunts, and the lengths he goes to in pushing the limits of what stunts are possible are crazy to watch. Joining him are returning faces such as Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames, Rebecca Ferguson, Alec Baldwin, Sean Harris, and Michelle Monaghan. Pegg is his bright enjoyable self as always, but showed some action chops in one scene that I thought was a treat to see. Rhames isn't as great as he once was but his character is great and he plays it well enough. Ferguson is easily one of my new favourite actresses, and hopefully she'll become a household name soon as this is another great performance of hers. She is tough as nails but also leaves room for some emotional work as well and I thought she knocked it out of the park. Alec Baldwin is much like Rhames, not as great as he once was but serves his character quite well. Sean Harris is back as the villainous Solomon Lane and is fantastic. His voice is creepy as hell and he makes Lane a terrifying villain. Michelle Monaghan isn't in the film much but her presence was felt and enjoyed. The films big new additions are Henry Cavill, Angela Bassett, and Vanessa Kirby. Kirby plays sort of a black market seller that Hunt comes across while trying to get the plutonium. I found that she did a pretty solid job and hopefully will come into play in future installments. Bassett has limited screen time but makes the most of it by showing her dominant presence throughout. Cavill plays an assassin working for Bassett and is great. This is likely his best work yet, providing us with a strong physical opponent for anyone he goes up against, while also portraying the suave secret agent well.
So I loved all the characters and performances, but are they what make this film so great? While they do elevate the film a lot, the technical elements are what really make this film special. From a direction standpoint I think McQuarrie did a great job. The tension and excitement in the film is some of the strongest I've seen, and the way he maps out stunts and especially car/motorcycle chases really impressed me. His writing is on point as well, with this script having enough twists and turns to have the audience never quite sure where the story is going. This is a film where you'll need to pay strong attention to the dialogue but that works beautifully in delivering strong mystery and intrigue, while also not babying the audience. McQuarrie also balances tones well, providing a few comedic beats that all work really well and don't feel abrupt, also throwing in some effective emotion at times, all while delivering us a fun and intense espionage action thriller. The editing is strong as well, with a handfull of really creative transitions and cutting at the perfect moments. Lorne Balfe acts as the composer of the film and carrys on the franchises tradition of strong heart pumping soundtracks that utilize notes from the original well while also being their own thing. And the cinematography in this film? Absolutely magnificent. The camera movement is great and the shots are composed beautifully. Very few action movies are shot as well as this one and it impressed me throughout. Now, onto the stunts. The stuntwork in this film is some of the best ever, whether it's a motorcycle chase through oncoming traffic, a massive halo jump, doing things with a helicopter that they weren't built to do, or just a traditional hand to hand fight, these stunts are done perfectly. Each one is elevated by the genuine danger you feel knowing that Cruise is the one testing fate. His dedication gives a next level immersion that cannot be denied. Even aside from how crazy it is that Cruise does all this, these stuns are so insane that I honestly forgot to breathe multiple times.
This film has a long runtime but if you feel any need to pee it will be squandered by the excitment you'll feel in this film. This isn't just one of the year's best action movies, or the decades best action movies, I honestly think this is one of the best action movies in general. The stunts are at a whole new level, the writing and direction is superb, and the film is one of the most beautifully shot of the year. See this movie as soon as possible, and if you can see it in IMAX I'd highly suggest you do because it is an amazing theatre experience. Sorry other films of 2018, but there's a new king in the castle, and it's Mission Impossible: Fallout.
Rating:5/5
Written by Matt McKenzie
This is the first film in the series to be a direct sequel to its predecessor, following up the events of Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation. With the former operatives of the Syndicate operating freelance, a global terrorist threat is imminent. Ethan Hunt and his team must try to obtain plutonium from their foes before it is used to bomb many major cities, all while the CIA questions their every move.
Tom Cruise is back in the spotlight as Ethan Hunt, in his sixth film as the character. I know Tom Cruise has some weird beliefs and he may not be a one of the best actors, but he is hands down the best movie star out there. He is committed to delivering a genuine experience to the audience and that's what we get here, with every scene elevated by his dedication and craft. The action sequences are heightened by the fear we have knowing that it's Cruise doing the near death stunts, and the lengths he goes to in pushing the limits of what stunts are possible are crazy to watch. Joining him are returning faces such as Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames, Rebecca Ferguson, Alec Baldwin, Sean Harris, and Michelle Monaghan. Pegg is his bright enjoyable self as always, but showed some action chops in one scene that I thought was a treat to see. Rhames isn't as great as he once was but his character is great and he plays it well enough. Ferguson is easily one of my new favourite actresses, and hopefully she'll become a household name soon as this is another great performance of hers. She is tough as nails but also leaves room for some emotional work as well and I thought she knocked it out of the park. Alec Baldwin is much like Rhames, not as great as he once was but serves his character quite well. Sean Harris is back as the villainous Solomon Lane and is fantastic. His voice is creepy as hell and he makes Lane a terrifying villain. Michelle Monaghan isn't in the film much but her presence was felt and enjoyed. The films big new additions are Henry Cavill, Angela Bassett, and Vanessa Kirby. Kirby plays sort of a black market seller that Hunt comes across while trying to get the plutonium. I found that she did a pretty solid job and hopefully will come into play in future installments. Bassett has limited screen time but makes the most of it by showing her dominant presence throughout. Cavill plays an assassin working for Bassett and is great. This is likely his best work yet, providing us with a strong physical opponent for anyone he goes up against, while also portraying the suave secret agent well.
So I loved all the characters and performances, but are they what make this film so great? While they do elevate the film a lot, the technical elements are what really make this film special. From a direction standpoint I think McQuarrie did a great job. The tension and excitement in the film is some of the strongest I've seen, and the way he maps out stunts and especially car/motorcycle chases really impressed me. His writing is on point as well, with this script having enough twists and turns to have the audience never quite sure where the story is going. This is a film where you'll need to pay strong attention to the dialogue but that works beautifully in delivering strong mystery and intrigue, while also not babying the audience. McQuarrie also balances tones well, providing a few comedic beats that all work really well and don't feel abrupt, also throwing in some effective emotion at times, all while delivering us a fun and intense espionage action thriller. The editing is strong as well, with a handfull of really creative transitions and cutting at the perfect moments. Lorne Balfe acts as the composer of the film and carrys on the franchises tradition of strong heart pumping soundtracks that utilize notes from the original well while also being their own thing. And the cinematography in this film? Absolutely magnificent. The camera movement is great and the shots are composed beautifully. Very few action movies are shot as well as this one and it impressed me throughout. Now, onto the stunts. The stuntwork in this film is some of the best ever, whether it's a motorcycle chase through oncoming traffic, a massive halo jump, doing things with a helicopter that they weren't built to do, or just a traditional hand to hand fight, these stunts are done perfectly. Each one is elevated by the genuine danger you feel knowing that Cruise is the one testing fate. His dedication gives a next level immersion that cannot be denied. Even aside from how crazy it is that Cruise does all this, these stuns are so insane that I honestly forgot to breathe multiple times.
This film has a long runtime but if you feel any need to pee it will be squandered by the excitment you'll feel in this film. This isn't just one of the year's best action movies, or the decades best action movies, I honestly think this is one of the best action movies in general. The stunts are at a whole new level, the writing and direction is superb, and the film is one of the most beautifully shot of the year. See this movie as soon as possible, and if you can see it in IMAX I'd highly suggest you do because it is an amazing theatre experience. Sorry other films of 2018, but there's a new king in the castle, and it's Mission Impossible: Fallout.
Rating:5/5
Written by Matt McKenzie
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