Mission: Impossible - Fallout

Mission: Impossible - Fallout

Starring Tom Cruise, Henry Cavill, Simon Pegg, Rebecca Ferguson

Directed by Christopher McQuarrie

The Story:
After three plutonium cores fall into the hands of The Apostles - a spider-sect of their former leader Solomon Lane (Sean Harris) who's in prison, IMF agent Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) is tasked with finding them and bringing them back home safe.  He's given a partner in CIA assassin August Walker (Henry Cavill), and relies on his old teammates Luther (Ving Rhames) and Benji (Simon Pegg) to assist.  The job gets more dicey when MI6 agent Ilsa (Rebecca Ferguson) re-emerges and is also seemingly on the hunt for the cores, as well as searching for a man named John Lark who's set to buy the cores.  As the double-crosses and espionage levels rise, the threat becomes all too real for Hunt and the world at large.

The Synopsis:
"Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is somehow find a way to make a franchise that began in 1996 (and earlier if you consider the television series it's based off of) and not just churn out mindless sequels, but somehow make them bigger, better, more extravagant, and most importantly, more ingenious."  Director and writer Christopher McQuarrie (who also directed the last outing) decided to take on this challenge with gusto, and delivered easily the best "Mission: Impossible" film to date, as well as one of the best action films overall since "Mad Max: Fury Road."

The "Mission: Impossible" franchise truly lives up to its title - it has an impossible mission, but manages to exceed it every time.  Much like "The Fast and the Furious," it keeps upping the ante with each sequel, delivering a thrilling, action-packed performance that's brilliantly shot and edited, with visually stunning choreography and practical effects.  This isn't a green-screen performance here, but rather good ole classic action we see on screen, and that serves to be the most thrilling aspect of all.

When it comes to story, it's rather simple - bad guys have nukes, want to spread pain, cause destruction, raise hell.  There's no need for in-depth ideologies, bad guy monologues ("The Incredibles" taught us that), or long-winded speeches - instead, the film starts with diehard action from the get-go, and barely gives the audience a moment to relent.  You're forced on the edge of your seat from the opening sequence to the end, and due to brilliant camerawork, make you feel like you're in the film yourself.

It's the action that takes center stage here, and McQuarrie truly amps it up to another degree.  Tom Cruise - at fifty seven years old - is infamously known for doing his own stunts, and he once again does so here (even suffering a real-life broken ankle in the process), and you feel absolutely exhausted for him.  Whether he's running over rooftops, driving through the streets of Paris on a motorcycle, HALO jumping out of an airplane, or piloting a damaged helicopter, Cruise keeps up the pace with his much formidable (and younger) action co-stars and gives another thrilling performance.  "Mission: Impossible" would never be possible without Tom Cruise at the helm.

For this film, the story focuses on two differing viewpoints on life.  Cruise's Hunt values the life of one over the lives of millions, while his reluctant partner August Walker doesn't hold personal ties to anyone, and therefore would sacrifice anyone to save a multitude.  This issue is faced several times throughout the film, and is also what adds a sense of humanity to the project - because, to be honest, it's all pretty farfetched.  Seeing what Hunt has to go through would leave even the most seasoned, most well-developed man dead several times over, but we get to witness Ethan Hunt in a different light here - he's no James Bond, as he suffers bruises, doesn't deliver punches like he used to, and is forced to act by the seat of his pants in several occasions.  He's not always on top, but he finds a way to get there eventually.

Henry Cavill was a great addition to the franchise as no-nonsense August Walker, who comes into contention with Hunt throughout the film (not to spoil things, but it becomes pretty obvious who the main antagonist is even through the trailer).  He's a bulking brute here, a man of pure muscle who juxtaposes against Cruise's Hunt in a dazzlingly stylish way.  As the head of the CIA said, "you use a scalpel, I prefer a hammer."  Cavill is most certainly the hammer to Cruise's scalpel, and there's no bigger comparison than the now-classic bathroom fight scene, which was ingenious and exciting all at once.

All the old players return for another round, and they're all a welcoming sight.  Ving Rhames shines as the big but lovable Luther, while Simon Pegg is given a more meatier role as the comedic Benji.  Rebecca Ferguson also reprises her role as Ilsa, after appearing in "Rogue Nation," as she and Hunt clash during the film and often find themselves at opposite ends, yet still manage to work together as well.  The history of the film lies heavily with the cast, and everyone truly believes in the project they're working on, which adds to the excitement they deliver.

 The Summary:
More than living up to the hype, "Fallout" is easily the best "Mission: Impossible" film to date, and serves as a fantastic action adventure sure to get the adrenaline flowing from the moviegoers who witness it.

The Score: A+