Ethan Hunt and the IMF join the CIA on a mission to prevent one of the greatest disasters the world could potentially face. However, when a mission ends badly, there are dire consequences. Now, with the CIA questioning his motives and loyalty and a CIA assassin on his back, Hunt and the IMF discover the dangers of what’s to come as they race against time to prevent the disastrous outcome…

It didn’t seem like it was possible, but McQuarrie outdid himself and made an even better Mission: Impossible movie with Fallout. The beauty and perfection of M:I Fallout doesn’t come from its betterment of the franchise’s best (Ghost Protocol & Rogue Nation) – though true in every essence; but it’s the best because it combines the perfect aspects of all the M:I films into one. For one, the storytelling is methodical. The film, unlike the most recent two, begins slower with the continuation of its storyline from Rogue Nation, which truly allows the audience to seep into its spy world if they haven’t done so already. It allows the audience to grip the main plot without the accompanied, fast-paced action (though it comes later), which sets the tone on the stakes of the film. This was a great decision by McQuarrie because when the action finally comes, it’s the edge-of-your-seat type of sequences that really sells the film’s tone. And by the time the action kicks into high gear in the 2nd act, it feels so incredibly earned and perfectly paced coming in HOT to provide an enriching, captivating, highly intensified, high-stakes series of showdowns that will have you on the edge of your seat or have your jaw on the floor, but most likely both.

One of the greatest aspects of M:I6 is that moreso than any of the others in this franchise, we dive deep into what it is that makes Ethan Hunt the best in the business. And it’s not because of his ability to improvise at any given moment, his expert combat training that gives him the upper hand in fights, or even his luck – which are all things that certainly contribute to his expertise. However, what truly makes Ethan Hunt special is that he cares. He cares for the individual and for his friends because he truly believes that no life needs to be lost, which is a concept that typically gets “lost” among agents in this business. So, it was an exceptional aspect to this story.

It was so difficult to believe the hype prior to watching the movie, but the action sequences have gotten even better. Impossible right? No – not in this case. They blew my mind so much that there was a minute or so stretch in the 3rd act that had me holding my breath. The motorcycle/car chase, the helicopter fiasco, the battle on the mountain. I mean goodness – the sequences and set pieces were breathtaking. The VISUALS were eye-catching in the highest order thanks to Rob Hardy’s amazing cinematography, but it doesn’t take you out of the movie. It simply enhances them and the watching experience. Additionally, Lorne Balfe’s music paired with each and every scene was perfection. The sound mixing & editing is so underrated in this entry of the franchise; and this is all made possible by his use of percussion and snares that amplify every moment.

This is probably my favorite performance from Tom Cruise (in this series) besides M:I3. He wasn’t just running (which should be a documentary in itself) or yelling – he was really ACTING in this one. And I felt It, I believed it. He blew me away. Henry Cavill did well playing August Walker and fit perfectly into this film as well. His performance was exceptional, but his accent in the beginning of the film was a little honky. I’m sure he’ll work on it. Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg & Rebecca Ferguson once again show up and show out! The supporting cast carried their weight equally and provided humor at necessary moments or intensity at others. Honestly, Team Hunt is so badass, but we already knew that. Angela Bassett is great in everything she does, but in Mission: Impossible – Fallout, she feels a little underused. It certainly doesn’t take away from the film and it’s probably justified due to an already length 2 h 28 min. run time. However, the fan in me just wanted to see more of her.

In 2018, 22 years after the first Mission: Impossible movie debuted, they are still using face masks/trickery. The best part of it all? It will still dupe you. Don’t even try to see it coming! But that’s how great this movie is. It sucks you in so deep that your mind only follows what is presented. Therefore, it leaves no room to guess or predict what’s to come. Honestly, just hold on to your seats because this one’s a nail-biter. Here’s your Mission: go see Fallout. And should you choose to accept, You will not regret it!

5/5