Summary:
There's a thing. And the mission is impossible. Ethan gets a team. Blah blah blah. Explosion. Car chase. Explosion. Seriously, go see this movie: the less you read about its plot the better.Pros:
Artisanal Action: Writer and director, Christopher McQuarrie, is an artist. Anyone can assemble some A-listers, put guns in their hands, have them run around amid explosions, and call it a day. It takes a true filmmaker to put something as entertaining as Mission: Impossible - Fallout together. I've been a fan since his previous collab with Tom Cruise, 2012's Jack Reacher. McQuarrie knows how to frame a shot, how to edit a fight scene, and how to stage knock-down drag-out set pieces with verve and excitement. He approaches action like an auteur, and his films are gorgeous to look at. He keeps the madcap action flowing from one exotic locale to the next, and barely comes up for air. What results is two and a half hours of wall-to-wall action. And I think Hollywood has finally discovered that sweet spot between Jason Bourne and James Bond: smart, expertly crafted spy stories with ridiculous action throughout. In short, the Mission: Impossible movies have become a national treasure.Running: The Movie, starring Tom Cruise: Tom Cruise runs. A lot. Full bore, arms pumping, breath huffing in and out running. Like... I don't even know how many takes they could possibly get of him running like that, because ONE take like that would most likely kill me. Tom Cruise is the quintessential American action hero, even at the ripe age of 56. Sorry, The Rock "Dwayne" Johnson, Cruise wears the crown, and he won't stop fucking running with it. All joking aside: Tom Cruise is a wonder. He commits to mind-blowing stunts, sells the action and pain and triumph like none of his peers. As long as his body can make these movies, I will see them.
A Good Crew: The MI films always sport great ensembles, and Fallout is no exception. Ving Rhames returns as the wise Luther; Simon Pegg is back as the silly Benji; and we get a return to badassdom for Rebeca Ferguson as the gender-swapped Ethan Hunt, British super spy Ilsa. Sean Harris returns as the exquisitely evil mastermind, Solomon Lane. We even get some new blood in douche-bag extraordinaire August Walker, played (too well) by Henry Cavill; and then there's Vanessa Kirby's deliciously evil White Widow, an arms broker masquerading as a philanthropist. Everyone understands what kind of movie they are in, and are along for the ride in good faith. Part of this movie's fun is that everyone making it looks like they are having the time of their lives.
Music: Lorne Balfi steps in to score the proceedings and knocks it out of the park. The original Mission: Impossible theme is so damn good, but Balfi puts his spin on it, and lets it echo throughout the film in both stripped down and overly orchestrated ways. The action keeps chugging due in large part because the music keeps the adrenaline pumping. Balfi has a laundry list of features before this, but this is the first time I looked him up. Bravo. It's the hand drums: they really add some nice spice and flavor this go round. Listen for the hand drums.
All the Clues Are There: The Mission: Impossible franchise is known for its twists and turns, as well as its bonkers set pieces. What I liked about McQuarrie's script (yeah, he wrote it, too: what a talented ass hole) is that it never pulls its punches or tries to throw the wool over your eyes. His camera lingers on clues, like cracked phone screens and injured body parts, so that when the twists come, you realize that the film was letting you know important bits right up front. Lines, bits and gags are called back and paid off with wit in this movie, and I really appreciated that. For a movie that requires its audience to check their disbelief at the door, I really respect that the movie plays by the rules it establishes, and features a genuinely clever plot. Even if it is mostly explosions and collisions.
Insane Action: There's a HALO drop; there's a bathroom fight; there's a car chase through France; shadowy shoot outs; there are desperate searches; there are a few bomb defusings; there's even a helicopter chase (YES, A HELICOPTER CHASE). The set pieces in this film are insane, and gads of fun. It is a testament to the entire production team that each crunch, explosion, collision, and wound makes you flinch, groan, and hitch-in-your-breath. The action is gorgeously rendered, and breath-taking to behold. There's nothing like when a plan comes together. Of course, half the fun is watching a good plan implode. And, in this movie, Ethan Hunt gets to have his exploding cake and eat it, too. The team's plans fall apart, but they are always a few steps ahead, so, too, however, are the bad guys. Double crosses, plot twists, and clever turns abound. If you love a good action flick, your summer fix is here.
Cons:
Ethan Hunt: Messiah: Look, the film gets a little preachy about how Ethan Hunt will ALWAYS be there to save the day. Women hang on him, even when they can't love him, and men want to be him, always. It's a little much. But then, I guess that's the price you pay walking into these feature-length odes to Tom Cruise's ego.In Conclusion:
I had a damned good time with this movie. The Mission: Impossible films keep delivering the goods, some six films later (I think we can all agree to forget the second movie, right?). They are clever enough and absurd enough, along with being well-executed, and masterfully acted. Mission: Impossible - Fallout is the perfect kind of summer movie, and there is nothing wrong with that.Should You Watch It?
Yes, go have fun. You deserve it.Miscellany:
- Henry Cavill was called in, during the production of this movie, to do reshoots for Justice League. Paramount, in an epically petty move, refused to allow the star to shave his mustache, and cost the Justice League movie millions to digitally remove the mustache in post. You might have noticed that moment in the movie where Caville's face becomes a CGI Nightmare. I will never not laugh at this.
- Vanessa Kirby's character, The White Widow, is the daughter of Max, the villain from the first Mission: Impossible film from 1996, played by Vanessa Redgrave.
- Tom Cruise broke his ankle jumping from one building to another, which halted the production for SEVEN WEEKS. The film was not delayed, however, and managed to meet its scheduled release.
- Solomon Lane is the first villain in the series to appear in two films. McQuarrie is the first repeat director in the series, too.
- Simon Pegg got into insane shape for the film, causing his costars to nickname him "Eight-Pack Peggles."
- Tom Cruise trained for over a year to do the HALO jump stunt: yes, that is actually him jumping out of a plane.
- The bathroom fight took four weeks of shooting. It was intended to be shot in four days. Jeesh.
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- Tom Cruise broke his ankle jumping from one building to another, which halted the production for SEVEN WEEKS. The film was not delayed, however, and managed to meet its scheduled release.
- Solomon Lane is the first villain in the series to appear in two films. McQuarrie is the first repeat director in the series, too.
- Simon Pegg got into insane shape for the film, causing his costars to nickname him "Eight-Pack Peggles."
- Tom Cruise trained for over a year to do the HALO jump stunt: yes, that is actually him jumping out of a plane.
- The bathroom fight took four weeks of shooting. It was intended to be shot in four days. Jeesh.
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