Glorious action and a tortured protagonist take the unstoppable franchise even higher.
Even though it remains an unpopular statement, the first installment of the Mission: Impossible franchise will always be a favorite simply because it was the lone entry in the series which never had the pressure of having an act to follow. As a film, Brian De Palma’s initial entry was allowed to do its own thing; take the general premise and explore the different possibilities within to the delight of all involved. It’s dated technology and schizophrenic screenplay (due to behind-the-scenes conflict) may have alienated some, but in the years since the movie has been appreciated and credited for setting the precedent for one of the strongest film series in movie history. With Fallout, the 6th entry in the unstoppable series, the Mission: Impossible brand sees a rejuvenation not seen in quite some time; a movie going experience which offers up cutting edge action sequences as well as a script that takes a telling look at the movie’s main hero. It is the first installment to both embrace the luxuries the first one enjoyed and set a new standard for the future.
In Fallout, the IMF is back with Agent Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) at its center. This time, Ethan, Benji (Simon Pegg) and Luther (Ving Rhames) find themselves in trouble with the CIA when the trio lets a dangerous amount of Plutonium fall into the hands of the dangerous Solomon Lane (Sean Harris). While the team sets off to find the madman and stop whatever catastrophic plans he has made, Director Erica Sloane (Angela Bassett) insists Special Agent Walker (Henry Cavill) join them as her eyes and ears. As if the tension between the two alpha agents weren’t distracting enough for Ethan, a ghost from the past in the form of Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson) appears hot on their tail.
By now, it’s the action of Mission: Impossible which has become its most identifiable hallmark (even eclipsing that iconic theme). With every succeeding entry in the series, the ante is raised and the results always deliver. None of the entries deliver more this time around however than Fallout. It isn’t so much the level at which the film takes its action, but rather the amount of excitement and care that has been given to each of them. Virtually none of the set pieces here further the story, yet they don’t feel throwaway either. Fallout’s elaborate action sequences are nothing short of breathtaking, including a skydive between Ethan and Walker and a prolonged dual helicopter battle which becomes all the more entertaining and excruciating as it plays out. The film also shows an appreciation for the practical, crafting action scenes between characters in pure throwback fashion. The most standout of these is bathroom fight scene where an arm-cocking Walker and Ethan take on a dangerous figure. The scene is so well-choreographed in terms of its action and its timing, that the adrenaline is nothing short of palpable, making it all but impossible to not be awestruck the whole way through.
Perhaps more now than before, Fallout is the first to go the furthest with Ethan on an emotional level. By now whatever hopes Ethan may have had in the past of living a normal life have been put to rest. Yet here we see the consequences of the choices he’s made play out in his mind. Throughout the film Ethan has nightmares of past love Julia (Michelle Monaghan) trapped in life-threatening situations which he is unable to save her from; frightening visions that can only stem from the guilt felt towards realizing how much being a part of his life ultimately cost her. Because the team is essentially his family now, there is a more paternal sense about the way Ethan relates to Benji and Luther this time around, wanting to do whatever he can to protect the only familial unit he really has. But the life of an IMF agent, largely crafted by Ethan himself, will never set him free. Fallout drives this point home in the various connections to past series installments, letting Ethan know that the choices he’s made, both personally and professionally, will forever hold him captive. As much fun as Fallout’s spectacle side continues to delight and thrill, it’s the image of Ethan as a haunted man, unable to shake the ghosts of the past, which makes the installment one of the more thoughtful action films of the year.
No one comes to a film like Fallout for great acting. Yet the ensemble here doesn’t care, ensuring their characters stand out whenever they can. Cruise enjoys his richest turn as Ethan, taking a character he’s so familiar with and unearthing a great vulnerability only hinted at before. Pegg brings humor (as well as some surprise intensity), Rhames rules, Bassett is fierce and Monaghan brings her character to a rightful, sweet conclusion. Only Cavill proves wooden and stunted in his role as the agent with something to hide, overplaying the ambiguity of the role and still coming off as lifeless.
The trap of any successful film series, regardless of genre, is that it will inevitably end up trying to one up themselves in every way possible to the point of becoming cartoonish. How fortunate that this has not happened with Mission: Impossible yet. Some have always pointed to the revolving door of directors as the secret ingredient to keeping things fresh. De Palma’s flair for Hitchcockian dynamics, John Woo’s blending of Asian and American action sensibilities, J.J. Abrams’ explosiveness, Brad Gray’s animated energy and Christopher McQuarrie’s penchant for script and set pieces have each collectively made the Mission: Impossible series what it is today. With McQuarrie being the first director to return for a second outing (and possibly future ones), the series does now run the risk of rehashing itself in ways it successfully managed to avoid before. But if it ends up going the way of Fallout, audiences it will be all the better for it.
