Mission: Impossible – Fallout (2018)
2h 27min | Action, Adventure, Thriller | 27 July 2018 (USA)
Synopsis: Ethan Hunt and his IMF team, along with some familiar allies, race against time after a mission gone wrong.
Review: The deadline for writing this MISSION IMPOSSIBLE – FALLOUT review is fifteen minutes. Luckily in MI time that is like forty minutes so why hurry. Spoiler alert: there are a lot of impossible things going down in this movie which makes it so much fun. Say what you will about Tom Cruise and the franchise but you can’t deny that it raises the bar for adrenaline fueled action.
The gang is all back together in this one. Hunt (Tom Cruise), Luther (Ving Rhames), and Benji (Simon Pegg) are again trying to save the world while the politicians try to thwart them with legalese and, well, politics. There are lingering ghosts haunting Hunt and he has to find a way to deal with those along with the mission at hand. More so than any of the past MI films this one focuses heavily on the bond these men have. There are emotional threads that weave through their past and make them able to work in the present. It is these elements that at times seem to give them more strength than any training could.
Have no fear that action has taken a backseat to angst. This film is 147 minutes of full throttle intensity. There is barely time to catch your breath from one impossible sequence to the next. If you want believability watch Avengers. This is about a team of men doing something that no human being should be able to do. They live and breathe espionage, spy games, and high tech gadgetry. We mere mortals should not try and understand it but rather just enjoy the ride and appreciate the invitation. But wait, how can a car going that fast possibly.. shh… stop.. don’t spend the energy.
There are some returning faces in this one, both good and bad, which I won’t spoil for you here. These characters add the depth and emotion to Hunt’s journey that give it a nice tone. The addition of August Walker (Henry Cavill) is a benefit too. Walker is one of those agents who you aren’t sure you can trust but most certainly want on your team. Kudos to Cruise for having the confidence to add a man like Cavill without worrying if he will steal the thunder. I mean, come on, he’s superman. But they work well together and Henry is able to blend right in with these MI vets.
The story line in this one is another reason it is worth your time. There are twists and turns that you think you see coming but then realize you didn’t have a clue. It is the ability to make something so cliche it surprises you. Those moments in this one are a lot of fun. The plot isn’t hard to follow and the many layers build smoothly as they go. There is no rush, no hurry, no need to brush over an important line of dialogue. Yes it makes for a long movie but you certainly do not leave feeling cheated.
Often I was reminded of the classic action films of the 70’s when they would spend 15-20 minutes on one car chase. No one was worried about getting on to the next thing in fear of losing the attention of the quick vid generation. The choreographed fights and high speed chase scenes are fantastic. Again, impossible, yet such a pleasure to see. Bottom line is that you get your money’s worth with this one; and then some. Mission: Impossible – Fallout is rated PG-13 for action, violence and some language. Nothing in this one to worry about as Hunt has no time for those James Bondesque indulgences. He is on a mission and impossible or not you know he is going to find a way.
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