Reviews & Ratings for
Mission: Impossible - Fallout (2018)

The mission impossible series of movies has been ongoing since 1996 and most of the movies so far have been stand alone. Not Mission Impossible Fallout. It has threads connecting to at least 2 previous films if not more.
After 5 films, this one could have been mediocre, resting on the laurels of the previous hits, but this movie is the exact opposite… it does rest some of its plot points on the previous films, but this is the best damn M:I film till date.

Imagine if Chris Nolan made a spy flick. Sure, inception was pretty damn close but Mi:Fallout is exactly how he would have done it. In fact, a lengthy sequence in the film seems to be shot at the same locations where inception was shot (in paris) making it seem all the more a Chris Nolan type film.

Acting :
Tom Cruise is back as Ethan Hunt. His most successful character till date. His usual team of Benji, Luther and the leader of IMF is also with him and for the first time in a Mi Film the leading lady is back. The lady from Rogue Nation is back to settle her plotline.
The Mi films are not meant to or known to have Oscar worthy performances. They are primary high octane action films. BUT the actors have gotten pretty good in their roles and they are believable and convincing. By this I mean, the lead Ethan hunt has a haunted look in his eyes from all the things he has seen and has done over the past at least 22 years since we have been seeing him on his missions. He is no longer self-assured and confident, he is now afraid… that he will make a mistake, lose his team and blow up the world!
This shows in the acting and that is what bring a believability to the characters and the film. That is NOT easy to do. They have also earnt it over the years. Film by film Ethan hunt is more and more damaged. It shows in the natural aging of the actor as well as his acting.
Why am I praising this aspect so much? Because this simple thing is what a LOT of action franchises forget. Take for example ‘Die Hard’ series. It has been going on since 1988 till 2013. However, by the last film, forget about haunted or damaged, bruce willis barely seemed to be playing John McLane. He seemed to be salman khan-ing it.
Mi films have till now avoided this. The side roles of this film are also convincing. The new addition is Henry ‘superman’ Cavill. Playing his second spy role after the disastrous 2015’s Man from U.N.C.L.E. here, he sports his infamous mustache, which became the fuzz of all jokes in justice league. (JL had to do reshoots and they digitally removed Henry’s mustache grown for this film).
Henry Cavill is a capable actor and he is Good in his role. But nothing exceptional. Just good. They could have another actor to play his role. It wouldn’t have made any difference to the film.

The Plot :
To fully understand the plot the viewer HAS to have seen the previous film. Otherwise it is all meaningless action and running around without context. Like the last James Bond film (Spectre was a sequel to SkyFall) this is more or less a direct sequel to Rogue Nation. But unlike James Bond’s spectacular flop, this movie is well written with a plot that keeps things flowing. It doesn’t get too convoluted, but its complex enough to keep the audience engrossed without confusing them.
A few references might go over the viewer’s head if he or she hasn’t seen ALL the previous 5 films recently. There is a lot of references to Film 3 (Mi:3), film 5 (Rogue Nation) and one throwback to the First film.

The Action :
This movie has the second best action sequences after MI: Ghost Protocol. But overall the way its edited and shot this is the best movie action wise in this genre. That’s because unlike other action films, the sequences DON’T cut rapidly to excite the viewer, instead they have much longer scenes where the action is fully coherent, we can SEE what’s going on and it’s thrilling. In addition, it is exciting beyond belief to see long shots of tom cruise on a bike in between hundreds of cars missing them by inches. It looks real. Michael bay needs to learn how to do action right by seeing this film.
And… this film is NOT in 3d. Thankfully. This makes it easy to see in the darker parts of the film and doesn’t distract from the great action sequences. Thank you producers.
While the Burj Khalifa sequence from movie 4 (Ghost Protocol) is the best thrill sequence in any MI film till date, this film tries to match that, doesn’t quite get there but the excellent plot more than makes up for this. The action is a bit more realistic than previous films and only the end sequence goes past the, ‘a man can probably do this’ believability. But what is a Mission Impossible film if the stunts and sequence all seem Possible?


Overall :
This film adds something to the genre other than just new ways to do action. The plot adds a very personal stake to Ethan Hunt’s mission and makes it all the more do or die for him.
This film is a must watch for fans of the series and action movie buffs.
This is more or less as good as this genre of action spy films will ever get. James Bond move aside, Mission Impossible is unarguably the better action – thriller – spy franchise.
(p.s: This is with reference to the last 4 Bond – So called modern Bond Films. Doesn’t NOT count the Brosnan films)
Don’t forget to brush up on the previous film Rogue Nation before seeing this one…

Rating :
8.5 / 10. The director & writer from the previous film makes a return to direct this film and although the previous film was decent, with a second chance the writer and director of Rogue Nation has knocked it out of the ball park with this film. The action, plot and everything comes together to make this the best entry into the series till date.

Possibly the best movie so far of the MI franchise, Fallout makes your day worthwhile. It is packed with the most jaw-dropping stunts and heart-thumping moments and literally keeps you rooted in your seat at every moment. Tom Cruise is at his exceptional best and his dedication is clearly visible in the entire movie. Henry Cavill is spectacular too and doesn't miss to impress. The supporting cast have played their part amazingly. The stunts are phenomenal and you tend to hold your breath in anticipation.

You know when the direction and screenplay is impeccable, when you get involved in the story. That is exactly what happens in Fallout and proves that what you see may not be what appears always...

Mission: Impossible – Fallout is a film written and directed by Christopher McQuarrie. Having watched the trailers and being a fan of the series, I was very excited to watch the film. And once again, the M: I series did the impossible.

Plot: Ethan and his IMF Team are tasked to work with CIA Agent August Walker to recover 3 plutonium cores that could be used for nuclear fallout.

Story and direction: This series doesn’t fail to surprise me. Each time I wonder what new they will bring to a franchise. Because by the time a sixth film does come in there is franchise exhaustion. But McQuarrie (who also directed ROGUE NATION) very well understood what he is dealing with and gave us and enthralling and memorable action film to watch. The story may not be ground-breaking in any way, but it was engaging enough to keep me glued to my seat and relish 147 minutes of pure fun. I was not bored for a single scene. The film is quite darker and mellowed down than the previous films, which I very well appreciate. The cinematography is just wonderful and captures the essence and beauty of the captivating locations perfectly. The action scenes and VFX are top-notch. The makers really upped the ante in terms of both the story and action aspect. Even the score is just awesome. Lorne Balfe has really done a good job and I can also term it the best score of the series.

Performances: Tom Cruise is as usual the main star of the series and it is quiet a sin to fault him for a role he has excelled at doing for 22 years. Same goes to the eccentric Ving Rhames. Simon Pegg never fails to impress me even in the scenes that don’t require comedy. Henry Cavill gave a compelling performance. Where it was felt in ROGUE NATION that Solomon Lane was not justified, Sean Harris just nails the role here. Rebecca Ferguson also added her charm and charisma to the screen. Vanessa Kirby, Angela Basset and Michelle Monaghan were good additions to the film.

Favorite Scene: Not spoiling anything, the scene was kind of an epilogue between Ethan and Julia. It was beautiful and poignant to see these two characters on screen together after a very long time. Also the dialogues in that scene were very beautiful, which instantly attracted me to the scene. In addition to this scene, the final action sequence of the helicopter chase was jaw-dropping. Each time I was on the edge of my seat.

Verdict: FALLOUT would be the best the M: I Series has yet to offer. I feel that for a sixth film they did justice and lived up to the name. I walked out of the hall satisfied both as a fan and a movie-goer. If there will be a seventh instalment, it better be in par with this one or above this (which I think is very difficult to top).

A Perfect 10 from my side for this film.

Tom Cruise is probably the biggest Hollywood star working today and multi decade career has taught him to play his strengths to the maximum. MI series has come a long way since its inception with the first one being a small scale heist film, where the mission to large extent did not feel impossible. In the sixth edition of the series the stakes are raised the race is to secure plutonium bombs from the bigger terror organisations. The action is fast paced and Tom Cruise knows the exact stunts to woo the audience and he spectacularly delivers them. Unlike the Fast and furious series the story to large extent makes sense and the suspense is well maintained. Some stunts are grounded to deliver a much more realistic action while some are blown way out of proportion to be a respectable part of a superhero franchise. But, respectfully speaking who can deny Ethan Hunt a place in superhero teams.

The movie is everything which franchise stands for (including mask sequences :) )and yet the after five installments, it still amazes. The jaw-dropping action, fist fight, the heart-pounding traffic sequence, every second of the movie is exciting.
For an action thriller franchise, it so easy to fall for mediocrity over time but this one keeps getting better. Keep more coming. Tom Cruise FTW.