Review of Mission: Impossible - Fallout (2018) by Catalin L — 04 Aug 2018

There are films that come with a lot of positive buzz and anticipation. As the release date looms the anticipation builds up to the point where it's too high to ever be met, and you can't help but be a tiny bit disappointed when finally viewing it. It takes some time pondering and a good step back to see it's full beauty. For me in the last few years only two highly anticipated films have not fallen victim to this phenomenon, impressing from the opening credits to the end credits pulverising expectations and snatching breath away before one can gasp. The first was Blade Runner 2049 and the second is Mission: Impossible Fallout.

Never has a modern action film (let alone a sequel in an inconsistent franchise) confounded my expectations and defied the limits of what an action film can achieve. It's incredible, thrilling, chilling and gorgeous to look at. From the shadowy and clandestine opening that recalls the cold-war shadowplay of the original. The slick extended shots of action sequences and dialogue and stunning action beats to quieter moments where we get to pause for a half breath and soak in the beauty of the many locations they shot in to the final much lauded helicopter sequence. This is a movie that just keeps on giving. From Halo jumps to bruising fist fights to bike chases, car chases, foot chases shoot outs and finally dangling below a helicopter before climbing up inside it (for real too) to chase a second helicopter through snow capped mountain ranges (New Zealand doubling as Kashmir) and that's just the action!

It also contains some of the most layered characterisation of any M:I film a coherent plot and chilling villian(s). Not to mention the female representation. M:I has Ironically managed to do over the last 4 films what Bond has not been able to do over 24 films. Create strong, independent woman with their own motivations and convictions capable and self reliant for the most part while still managing to knock 'em dead in a evening gown when required. They threaten to steal the show as does Henry Cavill in his hulking intimidating and unstoppable yet still charming form. It manages to pay homage to the best parts of the previous entires even better than Rogue Nation did and land the 3rd act better than Rogue Nation did too while loosing the "cutesy" tone of the previous two for a grittier more grounded approach with real stakes this time. Reverting to 35mm as a shooting format is also a welcome return, rendering a beautifully filmic image that appears natural yet embellishing in all the right places.

I struggled to like Rogue Nation as much as I wanted to. The tone was something I couldn't reconcile and the action wasn't as Polished and well staged as I'd hoped and the film lost its motivation somewhere after the final bike chase. Fallout rectifies this and then some. It's not only the best M:I to date it's potentially the best action blockbuster ever -and that's saying something. The real Impossible Mission (should they choose to accept -(sorry)) will be topping this with the next entry. Good luck though. Highest recommendation.