Oh, how time flies. . . twenty two years ago, Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) was outsmarting many a villain, one of which was Max (Vanessa Redgrave) – a woman who was a British arms dealer. . . now, in 2018’s Mission: Impossible – Fallout, it is implied that the American spy is dealing with that original foe’s daughter, the White Widow (Vanessa Kirby).
It is a signal of a franchise that, for the most part, has done things right. . . each movie (other than the woeful second effort), finding a quality mix of action, adventure, spycraft and intrigue (all while developing an entertaining story that combines outrageous, authentically shot stunts that somehow outdo the previous film’s seemingly unbeatable sequences), while also highlighting the longevity of a successful franchise and career (Tom Cruise now only a year younger than Jon Voight was in the original movie).
But, the above mentioned connection also demonstrates that this is the first time that the Mission: Impossible franchise has developed a true sequel to a previous effort – not only reaching back to 2015’s Rogue Nation, but also the third and fourth feature (and more loosely, the original picture). . . it is all put together once again by Rogue Nation’s writer/director Christopher McQuarrie.
Newer viewers, who have only jumped into the franchise back in 2015, will perhaps be scratching their heads as to why Rebecca Ferguson’s Ilsa Faust looks different in the opening shot. . . well, that is because it is actually Hunt’s ex-wife from MI3, Julia (Michelle Monaghan) – a nightmare in which the super-villain from the previous film, Soloman Lane (Sean Harris), marries her to Hunt’s ever dangerous life. It is a continuing dream that haunts the man throughout, the first crack in the psyche of a spy who has always kept it together. . . further complicating things, he now has feelings for Faust – the only two women he has ever loved.
Taking place two years after the rogue operating Impossible Mission Force, comprised of Hunt, Luther Stickell (Ving Rhames – the only actor other than Cruise to appear in each film), Benji Dunn (Simon Pegg – around since the third film), and Faust, were able to outfox the fox and capture Lane, they gained an ally in well connected CIA higher-up Alan Hunley (Alec Baldwin). With Hunley now leading the Force, they are still on a short chain, for, even with his friendship with the President, Director of the CIA, Erica Sloan (Angela Bassett) has convinced the leader of the free world to allow her to send her hound dog, assassin August Walker (Henry Cavill) to watch their every move as they attempt to recover three plutonium cores that were lost by Hunt on a previous mission – choosing to save his team rather than simply do the job and complete their goal.
Trimming the fat, Mission: Impossible – Fallout is an all out, two hour, twenty-seven minute adrenaline ride. An impressive, spectacle-laden adventure, the remnants of Rogue One’s Syndicate have become The Apostles, and they are attempting to recover Lane as well as acquire the three nuclear bombs in order to put their diabolical plan into play. Further complicating things, an unknown alias is bandied about – John Lark, it is suspected that he may be a mole within the American government.
Cruise, once again exceeding expectations, performs a bevy of stunts. . . expect to see the star jumping out of a plane (known as a HALO jump, standing for high-altitude – low opening. . . the team made over one hundred jumps, one a night around sunset from 25,000 feet – they finally got the three takes McQuarrie needed), running across the tops of buildings – the scene in which Cruise shattered his ankle can be seen in the film (hitting the building, he pulls himself up, hobbling away to continue the chase), flying his own helicopter (doing spins and flips at low altitude, no less – he trained for eighteen months to be able to do this), a helmet free motorcycle chase through the streets of Paris (oh yeah, that’s just Hunt riding around the Arc de Triomphe against traffic), and numerous other dangerous, high-octane sequences. The bathroom fight scene must also be mentioned, a complex battle that finds Hunt and Walker dealing with a speedy martial-arts expert (expected to be shot in four days, it took over four weeks to complete the set piece).
The rest of the cast also deserves credit, matching Cruise’s gusto, completing many of their own stunts for the enjoyment of the movie audience. Cavill’s Walker is a menacing counterweight to Hunt, while Kirby’s newbie, the White Widow, is a fascinating black market broker, a sultry woman whose sex drive is teetering on high from the dangerous life she lives. Expect the same superb efforts from Rhames, Pegg, Ferguson, Baldwin. . . and it is nice to see Monaghan back in the franchise.
Set in the most glorious locations, filming took place in Paris, France; London, England, as well as New Zealand, Norway, and the UAE. It provides a stunning backdrop for all of the amazing action, it capturing that James Bond like aesthetic to perfection.
Though there are a few things that are a tad disappointing: Lorne Balfe’s score misses the nuance of Joe Kraemer’s previous entry – an over the top, bombarding composition, it does not shy away from the original Lalo Schifrin theme song (which isn’t a bad thing, it just becomes blandly repetitive); while the classical style spycraft that took the team to the Vienna opera in the previous outing, as well as its Casablanca-inspired storyline, gives way to a much more modern narrative (losing that magical combination of old and new). That is not to say that this story does not work – it is a focussed, action-driven script that holds a few twists and turns, as well as the most emotion we’ve seen in a Mission: Impossible motion picture to date. The stakes are high, the love and loyalty strong, you can truly feel the chemistry and bond between the cast seeping through the screen. It is about dealing with your past, present and future. . . in reality, a perfect bookend for an extended franchise – even though this is likely not the end.
The most action-packed feature of the franchise, Mission: Impossible – Fallout does not jeopardize its story, or the surprising comedy that popped up frequently in the last film, finding a mesmerizing groove from beginning to very end. So, don’t deactivate yourself from this mission, it is a nuclear powered action extravaganza.