Mission: Impossible - Fallout (2018) Review
10:25 AM
Some missions are not a choice.
This review contains spoilers.
This review contains spoilers.
Mission: Impossible - Fallout solidifies this series as Hollywood's most reliable franchise. When purchasing a ticket for a Mission: Impossible movie, the viewer is signing up for an exhilarating time. Fallout is possibly the franchise's best entry yet. McQuarrie has directed and written a film with great characters, spectacular stunts and a cleverly constructed story. Rogue Nation raised the bar for this franchise and I think Fallout tops it. McQuarrie's writing and direction combined with Rob Hardy's exquisite cinematography and Tom Cruise's valiance has resulted in one of the year's best films. Mission: Impossible - Fallout is faultless.
What excites me most about this franchise are the action sequences. Not only are they always well choreographed and inventive, but it is forever exciting to see Tom Cruise do his own stunts. The stunts in Ghost Protocol and Rogue Nation were more breath-taking. However, McQuarrie and Cruise could not really go any further without the stunts becoming impractical and unbelievable. This time around, Cruise's impressive stunts are matched with a well-written and thrilling story. In this entry, Cruise flies a helicopter, hangs on to a rope that is attached to a helicopter, rock climbs and partakes in many different vehicle chases. The stunts gradually get bigger and bigger, increasing the thrill of the action as the story reaches its climax. Tom Cruise does not have an Oscar yet but he deserves a special one for his commitment and fearlessness. Unlike the Fast & Furious franchise, the stunts feel contained and realistic. It doesn't really matter if Fallout's stunts do not match its predecessors in terms of scale; Cruise's injuring proves that even the smaller stunts (i.e. jumping from one building to another) can be just as dangerous. I feared for Cruise as he hung from a flying rope, rooted for Cruise as he chased Cavill across London and cheered Cruise on as he threw punches in the men's bathroom. The Mission: Impossible franchise is the only one with genuine stakes. Extravagant but practical, Fallout's stunts are splendid.
Mission: Impossible - Fallout finds the perfect balance between spectacle and narrative. Firstly, the action scenes never distract from the plot, they are essential for the plot to continue moving forward. Secondly, McQuarrie's screenplay is excellent. It is smart, well-constructed and entertaining. Fallout may run for 140 minutes but it flies by. From the opening scene, Fallout is smart. McQuarrie sets up the plot quickly: Ethan's (Cruise) mission is to find John Lark and retrieve the plutonium before it gets in the wrong hands. I liked how this film showed Ethan's flaws but also turned his weaknesses into strengths: Ethan opts to save Luther (Rhames) which leads to the plutonium disappearing. This decision haunts Ethan throughout the film as the CIA does not trust him. Ethan Hunt may as well be a pseudonym for Tom Cruise as Cruise's stardom overshadows any sort of character development. Back to the opening sequence; Hunt tricks the corrupt scientist into giving him access to the Apostles' server. This was clever and innovative; I did not see it coming. From this fake hospital room to masks and deceitful government agencies, Fallout is full of smart surprises. The dialogue-heavy scenes are just as entertaining as the action sequences; it is intoxicating to watch the mysteries unravel. McQuarrie's Fallout is one of the most well-written films this year. I can't find blatant plot holes, I can't find flaws in the villain's agenda and it never seems unrealistic. Fallout has the best story out of all of the films in the series.
Henry Cavill is this film's biggest surprise. Not because the character is the villain - that is obvious - but because both his performance and character are so good! Cavill has never looked better. Cavill's performance as August Walker is better than his portrayal as Superman. At first, his character reminded me of Peter from Deadpool 2 - the comic relief dead-weight of the team. Walker quickly showcases his skills in the incredible bathroom fight - one of my favourite scenes. Superman does not allow Cavill to fight so aggressively, but with an expert fight-choreographer and Tom Cruise by his side, Cavill shines. Walker's true intentions are unmasked when he slyly hands over a fake phone to Erica Sloan (Angela Bassett) trying to stitch up Ethan Hunt. As the film slowly reveals that Walker is the villain, Cavill's performance transforms into an evil mastermind. There are many shades to Cavill's performance (and character). Walker's uncovering is another highlight; he begins interacting with Solomon Lane (Sean Harris) who is actually a masked Benji (Pegg). Walker's line about the team's use of masks is well-timed and one of the film's memorable quotes. Cavill gets to become a full-on villain in the third act and is relentless. Cavill's Walker is tough, pitiless and is a good match for Tom Cruise. Although Fallout is definitely Cruise's movie, Cavill fights for the audience's attention just like he fights Cruise's Hunt. It's no coincidence that many of my favourite scenes involve Cavill's Walker.
In Rogue Nation, Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson) was introduced. That film spent some time questioning Ilsa's trust. McQuarrie couldn't repeat this three years later so I understand why Walker's wicked side is a little more obvious. Ilsa was one of my favourite characters in Rogue Nation. There is less of her in Fallout but every second of her screentime is great. Ferguson is fantastic as the character, She is the franchise's most notable female character and it is good to see her treated as an equal. Her gender is never mentioned. Ilsa has many great action scenes including a bike chase and a fight against Solomon Lane. With Hunt, Ilsa and Walker, the Mission: Impossible series has many exceptional characters. It's unfortunate that one of those will not be able to appear again.
Fallout is a sophisticated and slick action film. McQuarrie's direction and Rob Hardy's cinematography have created a visually impressive film. I gasped at some of the visuals. They are even more amazing because they are real. McQuarrie and Hardy have created a very atmospheric film. The directing and camerawork is especially impressive during the film's final '15 minutes' (because it was definitely longer than 15 minutes). The creative choice to not have the countdown as real-time was effective because it made every second count (or it was 15 minutes and felt longer because of the tension). The final few seconds are some of the tensest I've ever experienced at the cinema. There is also a great shootout scene which pays homage to every great Western.
It's always hard to review such an excellent film because I can never find the words to do them justice. Mission: Impossible - Fallout is one of those excellent films. From start to finish, I was entertained. Fallout is the most sophisticated action movie I have seen in a long time; McQuarrie puts just as much thought and effort into the action as he does the story. Tom Cruise continues to be daring but does not sacrifice a good performance. Ferguson and the other returning cast members are all great. Henry Cavill is a truly pleasant surprise; he was made to be a villain. Mission: Impossible - Fallout rounds out what has been a terrific July for cinema. I said it at the start and I'll say it again, Fallout is Faultless.
Mission: Impossible - Fallout finds the perfect balance between spectacle and narrative. Firstly, the action scenes never distract from the plot, they are essential for the plot to continue moving forward. Secondly, McQuarrie's screenplay is excellent. It is smart, well-constructed and entertaining. Fallout may run for 140 minutes but it flies by. From the opening scene, Fallout is smart. McQuarrie sets up the plot quickly: Ethan's (Cruise) mission is to find John Lark and retrieve the plutonium before it gets in the wrong hands. I liked how this film showed Ethan's flaws but also turned his weaknesses into strengths: Ethan opts to save Luther (Rhames) which leads to the plutonium disappearing. This decision haunts Ethan throughout the film as the CIA does not trust him. Ethan Hunt may as well be a pseudonym for Tom Cruise as Cruise's stardom overshadows any sort of character development. Back to the opening sequence; Hunt tricks the corrupt scientist into giving him access to the Apostles' server. This was clever and innovative; I did not see it coming. From this fake hospital room to masks and deceitful government agencies, Fallout is full of smart surprises. The dialogue-heavy scenes are just as entertaining as the action sequences; it is intoxicating to watch the mysteries unravel. McQuarrie's Fallout is one of the most well-written films this year. I can't find blatant plot holes, I can't find flaws in the villain's agenda and it never seems unrealistic. Fallout has the best story out of all of the films in the series.
Henry Cavill is this film's biggest surprise. Not because the character is the villain - that is obvious - but because both his performance and character are so good! Cavill has never looked better. Cavill's performance as August Walker is better than his portrayal as Superman. At first, his character reminded me of Peter from Deadpool 2 - the comic relief dead-weight of the team. Walker quickly showcases his skills in the incredible bathroom fight - one of my favourite scenes. Superman does not allow Cavill to fight so aggressively, but with an expert fight-choreographer and Tom Cruise by his side, Cavill shines. Walker's true intentions are unmasked when he slyly hands over a fake phone to Erica Sloan (Angela Bassett) trying to stitch up Ethan Hunt. As the film slowly reveals that Walker is the villain, Cavill's performance transforms into an evil mastermind. There are many shades to Cavill's performance (and character). Walker's uncovering is another highlight; he begins interacting with Solomon Lane (Sean Harris) who is actually a masked Benji (Pegg). Walker's line about the team's use of masks is well-timed and one of the film's memorable quotes. Cavill gets to become a full-on villain in the third act and is relentless. Cavill's Walker is tough, pitiless and is a good match for Tom Cruise. Although Fallout is definitely Cruise's movie, Cavill fights for the audience's attention just like he fights Cruise's Hunt. It's no coincidence that many of my favourite scenes involve Cavill's Walker.
In Rogue Nation, Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson) was introduced. That film spent some time questioning Ilsa's trust. McQuarrie couldn't repeat this three years later so I understand why Walker's wicked side is a little more obvious. Ilsa was one of my favourite characters in Rogue Nation. There is less of her in Fallout but every second of her screentime is great. Ferguson is fantastic as the character, She is the franchise's most notable female character and it is good to see her treated as an equal. Her gender is never mentioned. Ilsa has many great action scenes including a bike chase and a fight against Solomon Lane. With Hunt, Ilsa and Walker, the Mission: Impossible series has many exceptional characters. It's unfortunate that one of those will not be able to appear again.
Fallout is a sophisticated and slick action film. McQuarrie's direction and Rob Hardy's cinematography have created a visually impressive film. I gasped at some of the visuals. They are even more amazing because they are real. McQuarrie and Hardy have created a very atmospheric film. The directing and camerawork is especially impressive during the film's final '15 minutes' (because it was definitely longer than 15 minutes). The creative choice to not have the countdown as real-time was effective because it made every second count (or it was 15 minutes and felt longer because of the tension). The final few seconds are some of the tensest I've ever experienced at the cinema. There is also a great shootout scene which pays homage to every great Western.
It's always hard to review such an excellent film because I can never find the words to do them justice. Mission: Impossible - Fallout is one of those excellent films. From start to finish, I was entertained. Fallout is the most sophisticated action movie I have seen in a long time; McQuarrie puts just as much thought and effort into the action as he does the story. Tom Cruise continues to be daring but does not sacrifice a good performance. Ferguson and the other returning cast members are all great. Henry Cavill is a truly pleasant surprise; he was made to be a villain. Mission: Impossible - Fallout rounds out what has been a terrific July for cinema. I said it at the start and I'll say it again, Fallout is Faultless.
85
/100
What did you think of MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - FALLOUT? What's your favourite stunt Tom Cruise has ever done? - COMMENT BELOW
0 comments