By the time most films hit their second or third sequel, the original idea has played out. There are notable exceptions, like the Star Wars franchise. Mission Impossible also falls into the exception category. The television inspired film series has consistently delivered high-quality, high-octane fun with intelligent writing and intriguing characters. The latest edition, Mission: Impossible - Fallout does not disappoint.
Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) is the double-oh-seven of impossible missions. Literally. He is the star agent of a shadowy organization called the Impossible Mission Force (IMF). The name almost has a Trumpian Space Force ring to it. It is a grand idea borrowed from an era when good old-fashioned television delivered great fun each week. Hunt has a capacity to get himself into tight situations. Impossible situations. Situations so contrived and perfectly timed that any reasonable person would guffaw at the premise. But this is Mission Impossible. It is supposed to be far fetched. So sit back and enjoy the ride.
In Fallout, the IMF team finds itself in a web of intrigue that has it fighting international terrorists, the CIA and Mi6. The team doesn't know who they can trust as they attempt to recover three stolen plutonium cores that are believed to headed to The Apostles, a terrorist organization bent on ushering in a new world order through mass casualties and suffering. Hunt must trust his trustworthy teammates Luther (Ving Rhames) and Benji (Simon Pegg). The trio use a combination of tact, technology, disguise and brute force to see their mission through.
Things couldn't possibly be easy. So we get to throw in the head of the CIA (Angela Bassett), Alan Hunley (Alec Baldwin) a former CIA operative, and a cleaner named August (Henry Cavill) who has a nasty reputation for carrying out the CIA's dirty work. The mission takes a turn when Hunt finds himself required to free his former nemesis, Solomon Lane (Sean Harris). The mission carries the team on a globe-trotting mission to locate and disarm a pair of powerful nuclear devices that have fallen into enemy hands. The mission is complicated when Hunt is framed as a terrorist mole. The mission builds to an impossible crescendo with obligatory action and violence propelling our heroes forward to accomplish the impossible. And save the world...or at least one third of the world.
The thing that sets Mission: Impossible - Fallout apart from other action films is the writing. The plot is intricate in a way that may be a bit contrived, but also manages to be engaging. The film uses a bit of sleight of hand on the audience as part of the storytelling. I like it when a film manages to deliver big action, cutting edge special effects and still delivers an intriguing story. Yes, it is typical save the world fare. But it has substance. As convoluted and over-the-top as the writing is, the story manages to be engaging. It is heart-pulsing fun with a touch of mental stimulation thrown in for good measure. The story has great pacing and a strong narrative arc leading to a spectacular conclusion. The apex of the film takes a bit long to develop and then feels slow to wrap up, but the ride getting there was a blast.
Tom Cruise may be an old man (mid-fifties), but he still has it. Twenty-two years and five films later, Cruise still manages to do his own stunts in the sixth installment in this franchise. Seriously? That is impressive. I know that Cruise has the money to get hair implants or have other work done, but he really does look good for his age. But the fact that he does his own stunts is the part that blows me away. These are not small stunts. Cruise is impressive. I have long been a fan of Simon Pegg (particularly his spoof films), and thoroughly enjoy him in the Impossible films. This one is no exception. Ving Rhames, Henry Cavill and Rebecca Ferguson round out a core group of actors that bring this film to life. A great cast. I am glad to see that so many came back for another crack at the franchise.
Mission: Impossible - Fallout eked out a PG-13 rating from the MPAA. This is an action film that includes some violence, but the gore factor is kept in check. There were several deaths in the film, numerous fight scenes, knife play, gun play and even references to torture. But this film threads the needle, keeping sensitive subject matter in check. The other factors affecting the rating are the intense action sequences and a bit of strong language. Based on what I see in modern television, this film is pretty tame. Most of the rating is action-related. And this is an action film. I wouldn't restrict this film by age. Run time is a massive two hours, 27 minutes. Although it feels shorter than that up until the final fifteen minutes...which begin to feel a little bit drawn out.
While I enjoy intellectually stimulating films or great character studies, there is a warm place in my heart for a good action film as well. Mission: Impossible - Fallout it what other films in this genre should strive to be. Great special effects, interesting characters, seat-gripping action sequences and a plot. Yes, a plot. I have seen too many flat stories propped up by special effects and action. It is nice to see a film with sharp dialogue and an intricate plot. While it may be contrived, it was conceived well. I would highly recommend this film for viewing while it is still in theaters. The big effects are certain to be better on the big screen.
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