Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to run to the theatre as soon as Mission: Impossible - Fallout drops later this month, because it very easily could be the most impressive blockbuster you will see this summer. The sixth instalment in the Ethan Hunt action series is a perfect blend of genuine stakes, thrilling action set pieces and a relevant storyline with an emotional core for good measure. Not only is Fallout one of the year's strongest blockbusters of the year thus far, but it's easily one of the best action films of the decade - if not the century.
With Solomon Lane, Leader of terrorist organisation Syndicate, escaping custody, Ethan Hunt takes it upon himself to fulfil an original briefing that ended poorly, causing the CIA to begin questioning his loyalty and motives. In a race against time and hunted by assassins and former allies, Hunt works to prevent a global catastrophe that would change life as we know it forever, destroying the old world order in the process. Tom Cruise, as indestructible as ever, returns to the role he first took on 22 years ago; now, well into his 50s, he shows absolutely no signs of slowing down.
Fallout is a brilliantly-paced, well-charged and heart-pumping piece of filmmaking that demonstrates exactly what blockbusters can, and should, be doing. Returning to the franchise, director Christopher McQuarrie takes everything that worked in Rogue Nation and across the franchise and scales it up, resulting in a product that understands what their audience want to see as well as how they can most effectively develop the franchise in an appropriate manner. More surprising is that even at 147 minutes, it rarely ever drags; sure, its third act customary countdown seems to go on for an age but it's thrilling and intense for every overdrawn second and it zips along in an energetic manner that it sustains effectively, packing it with whole lot of palpable, nail-biting suspense.
McQuarrie is incredibly skilled in delivering outstanding set piece after outstanding set piece, moments that only seem to heighten in their bombastic nature and dynamism as we head deeper into the feature: from a bathroom brawl that deserves to go down as one of the series' crowning achievements to the Paris-set car chase and helicopter acrobatics, these electrifying sequences are executed in a creatively satisfying and ultimately crowd-pleasing way that continues to amaze in their bold, slick execution. Viscerally striking and exciting, in an industry increasingly reliant on computer-generated imagery, the practicality of effects on display here deserve even more attention and appreciation.
At the heart of all this is Mr. Cruise, who once again proves that he is the leading action man to end all leading action men. He's back doing what he does best, and he's never done it this well: he sells every high-speed sprint, every death-defying leap and every bruising punch with force and gusto; this series doesn't need 3D -- the effort in Cruise's performance is more than enough for it to enthral and be truly felt by the audience. And it's not only with the stunts and stakes that he excels with: there's an emotional core to the film that enhances the power of the story and gives direction to the series heading forward. Cruise infuses these more intimate moments with a nuance that always surprises and frequently impresses.
His supporting ensemble throw themselves into Fallout, too. Rebecca Ferguson returns as Ilsa Faust, continuing to instil the character with a mystery and ambiguity that makes her presence constantly intoxicating and thrillingly unpredictable: she's a livewire and Ferguson makes the most out of the action beats and scenes. Simon Pegg benefits the piece with a lightness and charm that is often required to prevent the film from feeling too serious, while Ving Rhames is the film's grounding presence who assists with anchoring the action and cultivating the emotion. New addition Henry Cavill makes the Justice League foolery (almost) worth it, with his performance as August Walker just as rugged and perfectly suited to his choice in facial hair. Vanessa Kirby gives a fantastic turn but, like Angela Bassett, is unfortunately underused; if I were the filmmakers, I'd keep their agent's number on tap because Kirby, in particular, could be a really promising addition as the enigmatic and menacingly-named White Widow.
McQuarrie pens his own script and the result is a sharp, layered piece that taps into modern sentiments while leaving room for the story to make its own impact outside of our dark reality. Injected with an intensity difficult to shake, Fallout is one of the weightiest summer releases so far, and the film benefits from a director and writer who understands how best to utilise the brutality and nerve-shredding stakes to impeccable effect. While the humour doesn't always work and there are a few logical lapses, it balances these elements impressively enough that it stands out for all the right reasons - there are no tonal or genre deficiencies that spring to mind, measured well across the board. It's creatively satisfying, well-structured and tightly-paced; a thrillingly-exhausting and impressively coherent spectacle with depth and strong theme work to elevate it beyond the blockbuster template and preconceived downfalls.
Mission: Impossible - Fallout continues the franchise's ascent by tremendously calibrating every individual element into an overall package packed with zeal, imagination and boldness. Stupendous stunts, committed cast performances and sleek visuals marry into a terrific script helmed by a confident director intent on delivering crowd-pleasing thrills and jaw-dropping set pieces. In one of the finest action pieces of the decade, Fallout shows what can be achieved when the cast and crew are firing on all cylinders. It showcases a franchise who understand how to balance fan demand with organic progression and development, landing on an incredibly well-rounded piece difficult to criticise.
When Mission: Impossible leaps to a cinema near you, you should jump in to Fallout.
Summary: Mission: Impossible - Fallout continues to evolve the franchise in a deliriously exhilarating fashion, delivering an impressively seamless blend of heart-pumping thrills, nerve-shredding stakes and globetrotting antics that gives the series an even broader scope - and even more space for Tom Cruise to demonstrate his impeccable stuntwork.
With Solomon Lane, Leader of terrorist organisation Syndicate, escaping custody, Ethan Hunt takes it upon himself to fulfil an original briefing that ended poorly, causing the CIA to begin questioning his loyalty and motives. In a race against time and hunted by assassins and former allies, Hunt works to prevent a global catastrophe that would change life as we know it forever, destroying the old world order in the process. Tom Cruise, as indestructible as ever, returns to the role he first took on 22 years ago; now, well into his 50s, he shows absolutely no signs of slowing down.
Fallout is a brilliantly-paced, well-charged and heart-pumping piece of filmmaking that demonstrates exactly what blockbusters can, and should, be doing. Returning to the franchise, director Christopher McQuarrie takes everything that worked in Rogue Nation and across the franchise and scales it up, resulting in a product that understands what their audience want to see as well as how they can most effectively develop the franchise in an appropriate manner. More surprising is that even at 147 minutes, it rarely ever drags; sure, its third act customary countdown seems to go on for an age but it's thrilling and intense for every overdrawn second and it zips along in an energetic manner that it sustains effectively, packing it with whole lot of palpable, nail-biting suspense.
McQuarrie is incredibly skilled in delivering outstanding set piece after outstanding set piece, moments that only seem to heighten in their bombastic nature and dynamism as we head deeper into the feature: from a bathroom brawl that deserves to go down as one of the series' crowning achievements to the Paris-set car chase and helicopter acrobatics, these electrifying sequences are executed in a creatively satisfying and ultimately crowd-pleasing way that continues to amaze in their bold, slick execution. Viscerally striking and exciting, in an industry increasingly reliant on computer-generated imagery, the practicality of effects on display here deserve even more attention and appreciation.
At the heart of all this is Mr. Cruise, who once again proves that he is the leading action man to end all leading action men. He's back doing what he does best, and he's never done it this well: he sells every high-speed sprint, every death-defying leap and every bruising punch with force and gusto; this series doesn't need 3D -- the effort in Cruise's performance is more than enough for it to enthral and be truly felt by the audience. And it's not only with the stunts and stakes that he excels with: there's an emotional core to the film that enhances the power of the story and gives direction to the series heading forward. Cruise infuses these more intimate moments with a nuance that always surprises and frequently impresses.
His supporting ensemble throw themselves into Fallout, too. Rebecca Ferguson returns as Ilsa Faust, continuing to instil the character with a mystery and ambiguity that makes her presence constantly intoxicating and thrillingly unpredictable: she's a livewire and Ferguson makes the most out of the action beats and scenes. Simon Pegg benefits the piece with a lightness and charm that is often required to prevent the film from feeling too serious, while Ving Rhames is the film's grounding presence who assists with anchoring the action and cultivating the emotion. New addition Henry Cavill makes the Justice League foolery (almost) worth it, with his performance as August Walker just as rugged and perfectly suited to his choice in facial hair. Vanessa Kirby gives a fantastic turn but, like Angela Bassett, is unfortunately underused; if I were the filmmakers, I'd keep their agent's number on tap because Kirby, in particular, could be a really promising addition as the enigmatic and menacingly-named White Widow.
McQuarrie pens his own script and the result is a sharp, layered piece that taps into modern sentiments while leaving room for the story to make its own impact outside of our dark reality. Injected with an intensity difficult to shake, Fallout is one of the weightiest summer releases so far, and the film benefits from a director and writer who understands how best to utilise the brutality and nerve-shredding stakes to impeccable effect. While the humour doesn't always work and there are a few logical lapses, it balances these elements impressively enough that it stands out for all the right reasons - there are no tonal or genre deficiencies that spring to mind, measured well across the board. It's creatively satisfying, well-structured and tightly-paced; a thrillingly-exhausting and impressively coherent spectacle with depth and strong theme work to elevate it beyond the blockbuster template and preconceived downfalls.
Mission: Impossible - Fallout continues the franchise's ascent by tremendously calibrating every individual element into an overall package packed with zeal, imagination and boldness. Stupendous stunts, committed cast performances and sleek visuals marry into a terrific script helmed by a confident director intent on delivering crowd-pleasing thrills and jaw-dropping set pieces. In one of the finest action pieces of the decade, Fallout shows what can be achieved when the cast and crew are firing on all cylinders. It showcases a franchise who understand how to balance fan demand with organic progression and development, landing on an incredibly well-rounded piece difficult to criticise.
When Mission: Impossible leaps to a cinema near you, you should jump in to Fallout.
★★★★★★★★★☆
(9/10)
Summary: Mission: Impossible - Fallout continues to evolve the franchise in a deliriously exhilarating fashion, delivering an impressively seamless blend of heart-pumping thrills, nerve-shredding stakes and globetrotting antics that gives the series an even broader scope - and even more space for Tom Cruise to demonstrate his impeccable stuntwork.