Mission: Impossible - Fallout (2018)

Mission Impossible: Fallout is the 6th instalment in the death defying franchise, under the helm of returning Director Christopher McQuarrie (Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation). We see Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) facing the consequences for having chosen to save one of his friends over completing a mission, thus sending him on a globe-trotting journey to stop this threat for good.

The opening sequence is a brilliant introduction to what this film is (up there with The Matrix opening), acting as a better version of the classic James Bond openings, as this one actually has a stake in the overall story through subtle foreshadowing and setting up Hunts flat arc.

The reason why Fallout stands out as the best of the franchise, is because it gives the previous instalment a stake in this narrative, with various returning characters such as Ethan’s wife, Julia (Michelle Monaghan) and the previous films villain, Solomon Lane (Sean Harris). Cruise also delivers his most grounded performance since the third instalment (even though he’s surviving impossible odds). This has (finally) turned Hunt into a tangible character, as we see how the events of previous instalments have affected him, thus preventing him from becoming an avatar for Cruise to portray. All of this culminates in a climax that isn’t just focussed on the (amazing) action, but also on Hunt’s character, which is incredibly refreshing for an action movie.

Another way Fallout gives legitimacy to the rest of the series is through bringing together the numerous different visual styles of previous films, such as giving a subtle homage to the famous De Palma P.O.V. in a surreal dream sequence. While this could have corrupted this film’s visual style through transforming it into a bland remake of previous films, through having an almost completely different crew to the previous film, these few visual quotes are carefully imbued into Fallout, allowing it to have its own distinctly colder aesthetic.

Newcomer to the series August Walker, who’s brilliantly portrayed by Henry Cavill, acts as an homage to the 80s action hero, such as Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone, who were unstoppable powerhouses who could never be rivalled. Forcing Hunt and Walker to work together lends a new dimension to the film, as we get to see how these two archetypes (who belong in different eras) would interact with each other, with the two of them constantly disagreeing on how to tackle issues. This shows how long running franchises can stay fresh through reflecting upon their genre, to then tell a completely new story.

Now let’s move onto the best aspect of the entire film... the action sequences. Every single action sequence would be the best sequence in any other action film. This is primarily for three reasons, the first is that the hero never dominates the battle which gives each sequence more tension, as they’re either outnumbered or out of their depth. The second is that since every single sequence is shot in an incredibly kinetic way, you can physically feel the punches instead of tuning out (which happens in most modern blockbusters). The final reason is that since there’s such a diversity of sequences throughout, with none of them remotely belonging in the same category, you never know what you’ll get next.

In conclusion, Mission Impossible: Fallout stands out as one of the best action films of the decade, due to the great characters, giving most of the series value, the classic title sequence, thrilling action and finally establishing a sense of continuity. I’m crossing my fingers that the upcoming sequels will live up to this perfection/master class in how to do an action film.