Review of Mission: Impossible - Fallout (2018) by Thomas D — 31 Jul 2018

The Mission franchise is an interesting one. It's spanned over 20 years, has only had two actors appear in every film, has never fully embraced continuity, and has undoubtedly gone through many production issues. Alas, it's also one of the greatest franchises because it has defied what it means to impress audience with action and it keeps getting better and better with every film. Although admittedly, I'm not exactly sure how it can get any better from here. I saw this movie early, and instantly felt it was one of the best action movies of all time, but I also knew I needed to see it at least one more time before I really did give it that title. Well, I've seen the film 4 times now and each time further cemented my feelings. Everything from the Halo jump, to the middle act (which is essentially one long chase sequence), to the callbacks, to the Helicopter scene, to Henry Cavill's unnecessary but totally bada** facial hair. Mission: Impossible Fallout is an unbelievable ride that simply never lets up. Even in its quiet moments, it has touching dialogue that makes the action more weighted. Even in my 4 viewings, I've never been bored, and I can't wait to see it again. It also surprisingly had a great amount of emotional stakes, something the serious didn't really have since Mission 3. There are a few moments with Ving Rhames, Rebecca Ferguson, and Michelle Monaghan that really hit me emotionally, and I never would have expected that from this series. It has the best antagonist(s) since Phillip Seymour Hoffman, and maybe even better, the action is easily the most impressive in years (probably since Fury Road), and the actors have never been better. If there's going to be another one, then take your time and do it right, because this could very well be the best conclusion possible for the series. Thank you to Tom Cruise and Christopher McQuarrie for making this an instant classic.

10/10.