Love him or hate him, Tom Cruise (“Top Gun,” “Tropic Thunder”) will undeniably put himself on the line for his beloved “Mission Impossible” films. “Fallout” is no different, featuring lots of real-world stunts and crazy action, but it's also unique within its own series.
“Fallout” is the first film in the series to pull plot and character elements directly from a previous film, “Rogue Nation”, to build its story. Ethan Hunt must track down plutonium being sold to the remaining members of the previous film’s villain organization, The Syndicate, now known as The Apostles.
The film keeps the pace up throughout its entirety, not once letting audience members take a breath until the very end. It's incredibly refreshing that this tension works so well. Often in blockbuster cinema, threats to the characters feel so inconsequential and fake, due to an over-reliance on CGI, close calls, or any combination of things.
However, this is directly what sets “Fallout” apart. It feels like at any moment, something could go wrong. This is backed up by the green screen-less stunts and the rock-solid emotional core of the plot, and it allows the film’s tension to remain, even throughout quiet scenes.
“Fallout” isn’t afraid to put its characters through hell, but not just physically. “Fallout” is the most emotional of all the “MI” films, with moments of heart and tears peppered throughout the action. These are people who constantly put their lives on the line and could come back dead, and writer/director Christopher McQuarrie (“The Way of the Gun,” “Jack Reacher”) isn’t afraid to touch on those sentiments.
It’s almost impossible to describe what makes this outing so great, especially in comparison to 2011’s “Ghost Protocol,” and 2015’s “Rogue Nation.” Both are excellent films, head and shoulders above the first three, but there’s just a spirit within “Fallout” that sets it apart.
Never before has it felt like Hunt and his team could truly lose their fight, and it’s been years since any action film has so expertly avoided the feeling of inevitable victory. This is a film not afraid to pull punches, and yet it never feels too down. It does dabble in the somberness of its situation, with plenty of painful ironies and close calls, but it never overwhelms the proceedings.
That’s due to Cruise and McQuarrie having such a tight grip on the details and heartbeat of the film itself. It never goes anywhere they don’t want it to, meaning every fleeting moment can be carefully calculated to deliver the most excellent action film they’re capable of making.
Cinematographer Rob Hardy (“Ex Machina”) helps to bolster this excellence by giving the film an absolutely gorgeous look. Warm colors, in particular orange, accentuate this adventure, coupled with the most excellent musical score the series has seen yet courtesy of Lorne Balfe (“Pacific Rim Uprising”, “The LEGO Batman Movie”).
Cruise and the rest of the cast bring their A game to these proceedings, ratcheting the tension up even higher thanks to genuine emotional performances from each. Ving Rhames in particular is a standout, finally getting the recognition he deserves for his efforts throughout the series.
The entire film is such a white-knuckle experience that keeps you so in the moment, that it isn’t until credits role that audiences can appreciate just how good the film was. It’s an action film that delivers best in class action, without ever letting it sacrifice the character’s emotional arcs, the plot, or really anything.
It isn’t a stretch to call “Mission Impossible: Fallout” the best action film of the year, and one of the year’s best so far. It also wouldn’t be a stretch to put it up near “Die Hard”, “Mad Max: Fury Road”, “The Dark Knight”, or “The Great Escape (1963)” as one of the greatest action films ever made, period. Relentlessly tense, constructed with razor sharp genius attention to detail in both its action and its emotion, and gorgeous to look at, “Fallout” isn’t just a damn good time at the movies. It’s pure, sublime and phenomenal. Mission accomplished. 5/5
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