Mission: Impossible – Fallout
After this much generated infamy between both Mission: Impossible and the DC Cinematic Universe, Henry Cavill’s mustache deserves a Best Supporting Actor nod.
Cast of Characters:
Ethan Hunt – Tom Cruise
August Walker – Henry Cavill
Luther Stickell – Ving Rhames
Benji Dunn – Simon Pegg
Ilsa Faust – Rebecca Ferguson
Solomon Lane – Sean Harris
Erica Sloane – Angela Bassett
White Widow – Vanessa Kirby
Julia Meade-Hunt – Michelle Monaghan
Alan Hunley – Alec Baldwin
Director – Christopher McQuarrie
Screenplay – Christopher McQuarrie
Based on characters created by Bruce Geller
Producer – Tom Cruise, Christopher McQuarrie, Jake Myers & J. J. Abrams
Rated PG-13 for violence and intense sequences of action, and for brief strong language.
Following the events of Rogue Nation, the remains of Solomon Lane’s (Sean Harris) organization The Syndicate have reformed into the terrorist group The Apostles. After receiving word that The Apostles are closing in on a sale of three plutonium weapons, IMF agent Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise), Benji Dunn (Simon Pegg) and Luther Stickell (Ving Rhames) set out for Berlin to intercept the sale; however, a crucial, life-saving decision by Hunt leads to a mission failure, and the plutonium is acquired by Lane’s organization.
Feeling responsible for his actions, Hunt again sets out with his team to right his wrongs, yet despite the support of his IMF superior Alan Hunley (Alec Baldwin), newly appointed CIA director Erica Sloane (Angela Bassett) orders her operative August Walker (Henry Cavill) to shadow Hunt on this mission. Alliances will be tested and orders will be broken as Hunt’s team races against time to prevent Lane and his Apostles from achieving their catastrophic goals.
Running for over two decades and grossing close to $3 billion worldwide, the Mission: Impossible franchise, based on the ’60s-70s television series of the same name, has grown to become one of the most successful film series of all-time. Of course, like some franchises, stumbling blocks have occurred along the way (I’m looking at you, the oppressively boring Mission: Impossible III), but aside from that, the Tom Cruise led series has managed to be one of the more dependably thrilling franchises in the action genre.
So now we have the sixth entry, Mission: Impossible – Fallout, which created a little bit of a stir over Henry Cavill’s notorious mustache. For those who are unaware, after Justice League director Zack Snyder stepped down following the death of his daughter, reshoots were planned with his replacement Joss Whedon. However, by that time, Cavill was done with his scenes, and was already shooting Fallout. Paramount told Cavill the mustache had to stay, which meant Warner Bros. and DC Entertainment were saddled with the unsavory task of digitally removing his facial hair on his reshot scenes. So why the stir over something you might think to be trivial? Well, take a look at the junior high Windows Movie Maker project rendering DC slapped together and you’ll see why.
Following his work on Rogue Nation, Oscar-winning writer/director Christopher McQuarrie (Best Original Screenplay, The Usual Suspects) returns to write and direct this sequel. This marks the first time the franchise has brought back a director to make a second picture, whereas each of the first four films had a different filmmaker at the helm – Brian De Palma, John Woo, J. J. Abrams and Brad Bird. A fresh directorial approach to each film can sometimes help keep a franchise going strong; however, McQuarrie delivered the goods with Rogue Nation, so it’s not like Paramount is dropping the ball and totally shitting the bed by bringing him back.
You know… kinda like you did with Michael Bay for five straight Transformers movies.
So with Cruise back, McQuarrie back, Team IMF back, leading man ankle injuries and mustaches galore, does Fallout continue Mission: Impossible’s strong run, or flounder like a dead fish?
The Good: Fallout, like most of the Mission: Impossible movies, is a perfect example of Roger Ebert’s credo: “It’s not what a movie is about, it’s how it is about it.” One could make a very solid case that if you’ve seen one Mission: Impossible film, you’ve seen them all. True as that may be, they have delivered on every requirement of what an action film should be, and now six films in, Fallout is proof that this franchise is showing no signs of slowing down.
This is a film series that has prided itself, and deservedly so, on showcasing action sequences that aim to surprise, awe, wow and leave every jaw in the theater dropped to the floor. McQuarrie doesn’t disappoint once again, having already delivered the goods in Rogue Nation; in fact, the action set-pieces here might actually be the best of the series, or at least neck-and-neck with what we got in the first film and Ghost Protocol. Whether it’s the visceral hand-to-hand combat scenes (Cruise and Cavill’s bathroom brawl packs a brutal punch) or the incredible exterior sequences, Fallout is white-knuckle entertainment from the opening to end credits.
What makes these sequences really pop is the craftsmanship McQuarrie and his team apply to them. From Rob Hardy’s fluid, roving cinematography, to Eddie Hamilton’s precise editing, to the immersive sound design, we viewers are treated to action spectacles that are focused and sharply constructed. In particular, a midpoint, highspeed motorcycle chase through Paris will have you clenching your armrest as it dodges and weaves through oncoming traffic from all directions like a game of Frogger on crack. When a lot of action films today have sequences that range from stale and static to choppy, slapdash and disorienting, it’s always refreshing to get a film that so clearly shows a lot of care and effort went into creating these set-pieces.
Of course, a great deal of credit here has to go to Tom Cruise, who at four years shy of sixty, still has that commanding action star presence, and has been owning the role of Ethan Hunt since day one. Cruise has gained quite a bit of notoriety for performing his own stunts in these films, going as far as even injuring himself in the process of making Fallout. He may be bat-shit crazy for doing what basically boils down to us watching him try to kill himself for over two hours, but one also can’t deny that he clearly has, as Duke Nukem would say, balls of steel the size of Texas. That is part of what makes these action scenes so enjoyably nerve-wracking. Unlike other similar movies, both good and bad, where typically the actor is either replaced by a stunt double or aided by CGI, we’re watching Cruise actually perform these death-defying stunts. I mean, for God’s sake, he learned how to fly a helicopter for this movie.
Probably ’cause he thought John Travolta managed to get a pilot’s license, so how hard can flying really be?
Along with Cruise, the supporting cast turn in noteworthy efforts, most of them returning from the prior films, such as Simon Pegg, Alec Baldwin, Rebecca Ferguson, Sean Harris and longtime franchise member Ving Rhames (the only other cast member, along with Cruise, to appear in all six films). Cruise, Rhames and Pegg’s banter still clicks, and although the romance between Cruise and Ferguson’s Ilsa is understated, the chemistry between them is evident. Among the newcomers, Angela Bassett is solid in a handful of scenes as the steely CIA Director Erica Sloane. Henry Cavill turns in one of his better performances as Erica’s shady operative August Walker, whose questionable allegiances creates a genuine feeling of palpable tension between him and Hunt.
The Bad: It’s hard to really criticize a Mission: Impossible film when it provides exactly what it’s advertising, and does such a damn good job at it. As it’s been said before in regard to horror and comedy films, much can be forgiven if they’re either scary or funny, respectively. That said, it’s still a little bit hard to overlook the fact that this franchise has been coasting on the same dire threat film after film: Track down the dangerous device before the bad guy gets it, and prevent mass destruction from happening. Then, while the clock is ticking, there’s lots of finger wagging and stern warnings from Ethan Hunt’s superiors, to which Hunt will respond by giving them the finger and proceeding with the plan anyway. Wash, rinse and repeat for the next film. One need not be a rocket scientist to see the formula at play here.
Speaking of clocks ticking, I can’t help but bring up one of the most tried-and-true clichés in the action film book that this film shamelessly goes all-in on, and that’s the “never-ending timer”. Now, maybe Hunt found another device that’s able to manipulate the space-time continuum, or maybe Marty and Doc showed up in the nick of time to warn him about some pissed off, incoming Libyan terrorists and stolen plutonium, who knows? What I do know is that I watched a 15 minute electronic detonator take 30 minutes to wind down to the end. Why? ‘Cause if Fallout was going by real time, Hunt and his entire team would’ve been blasted into a million bits and pieces all over the Kashmir region.
All that said and out of the way, these are certainly not deal-breakers. The Mad Max films hardly have complex, labyrinth plots and they’re some of the greatest action films of all time. McQuarrie’s direction, the way he generates tension and executes these spectacular action sequences, and a strong, earnest selling by the cast transform recycled plot points into an electrifyingly fun time.
The Ugly: If you think digitally removed mustaches look bad, just imagine the appallingly hideous Mr. Potato Head CGI cookie duster Cavill would’ve been sporting had the tables have been turned on Mission: Impossible.
Even uglier, at the Thursday night IMAX screening I attended, the theater made the mistake of initially playing Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again instead of Mission: Impossible. My guess is they figured me having to grit my teeth through Pierce Brosnan barking out karaoke versions of ABBA like a stray dog in heat just once already in July wasn’t enough. Hey, I ended up getting a complimentary popcorn and soda on my next visit, but the biggest takeaway from this is the Mission: Impossible-Mamma Mia! crossover film I came up with afterward.
Stay tuned, moviegoers… it will blow you away.
Consensus: Fast-paced, sleek and intense, Mission: Impossible – Fallout is a consummately crafted, action-packed thrill ride that further extends the franchise’s reign as one of the most consistently entertaining blockbuster series we have today.
Silver Screen Fanatic’s Verdict: I give Mission: Impossible – Fallout an A- (★★★½).
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