Mission Impossible: Fallout - Flawed but fun

Preface: 

One of the things that can make film criticism challenging is the separation of artist and person: distinguishing and appraising the quality of the work created by an artist despite said artist being a less-than-stellar human being. A prime example of this phenomenon would be H.P. Lovecraft. His stories have been lauded by many as some of the best horror stories ever written, yet we seem to overlook the fact that Lovecraft himself was a vicious anti-semite. The same thing can be said about Tom Cruise: a Hollywood legend with an incredible commitment to quality, artistic integrity, and genuine entertainment value, who also has an over-inflated ego and is likely a dangerous and unstable mental case. The fact that he is a Scientologist should speak for itself. So, are we all terrible people for enjoying the works created by people of questionable morality? Well, in my opinion, no. Art is, above all else, a human creation. As such, when the art itself is of high enough quality to enthrall you, enrich your life, or even make you cry, whoever was behind the creation of the art is irrelevant. Let the art speak for itself! Because it has a voice of its own that deserves to be heard, and should not be drowned out by the sins of its creator.

Thank you.

And now, the actual review:

The Mission: Impossible franchise has gone through a lot of evolution over the years. Starting out as a television series from the 1960s it didn't get a full-blown movie adaptation until 1996. Since then, Tom Cruise has been pretty much managing the entire franchise with each subsequent film getting progressively better. Due in no small part to the efforts of Tom Cruise himself and his commitment to high entertainment value at any cost. The last movie from 2015, Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation, was arguably the peak of the franchise, where it hit the best possible level of quality it could have reached. Thereby causing this brand new entry, Mission Impossible: Fallout, to try and one-up its own game yet again. And while it tries valiantly to do so, it doesn't really hit the mark, but it is still very entertaining in its own way.

Taking place a few years after the previous film, the story follows IMF (Impossible Mission Force) agent Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) on a special mission to recover three cases of stolen plutonium before they can be made into bombs causing world devastation. However, Hunt's reputation of going rogue and defying his superiors, albeit in the name of the greater good, has raised suspicion upon him and his convictions. Because of this, the CIA has decided to step in and insist that Hunt must be shadowed by their own agent August Walker (Henry Cavill), who is authorized to take down Hunt should he decide to try and go rogue again. Now, Hunt must work his way through even more challenges to save the world yet again.

What I just described is really just the main plot of the movie. In actuality, there is a lot more going on. This movie contains many additional b-stories, subplots, and sideways twists that, while they are mostly well organized, make the film feel overly crowded. In addition to the main plot, there is a sub-story about Ethan Hunt's relationship with his estranged wife (whom we haven't seen since the third movie and was only briefly mentioned in the fourth). There's another subplot about one of the characters from the previous movie dealing with her own baggage in relation to Ethan. There may be a few too many scenes involving the rubber mask reveal which, admittedly, the series is known for. And, much to my disappointment, there is no Jeremy Renner. Who was, in my opinion, the best addition to the Mission: Impossible family. If they make another movie they would do well to bring him back. I don't care how much you have to pay him, he is worth every cent.

There is also the issue with Henry Cavill. Who I am starting to suspect is really just a good looking guy who can't actually act. Granted, he hasn't really had too many roles that would allow him the freedom to show off his chops, but here, he's just too one-note. He comes off less like a CIA tough guy and more like a frat boy trying to act more adult than he really is. If there is any genuine acting talent in Mr. Cavill, I have yet to see it. He's tollerable in this movie mostly thanks to the rest of the supporting cast who are all doing their parts admerably.

Even so, despite these flaws, the movie is still enjoyable and entertaining. As you might expect from a Tom Cruise helmed action movie, he does the vast majority, if not all, of his own fighting and stunts. Even better, all of the really "are you kidding me" sequences were filmed in real time, and little to no digital effects were used. This includes an actual HALO jump and a Helecopter dog fight. It's the kind of thing that fewer movies are doing these days which makes it all the more welcome.

The film was written and directed by Christopher McQuarrie, who previously made Jack Reacher and the previous Mission Impossible movie, and also wrote The Usual Suspects. McQuarrie has indeed demonstrated his talent as an action director, both with his previous films and with this new one. He has openly stated his disdain for gimmicks like shaky cam and rack zooms, saying how they only serve to hide a lack of energy and artistic commitment. Also, his writing is just genuinely fun. His dialogue is witty, his understanding of characters is spot on, and his ability to juggle multiple twists may not be perfect, but it is still mostly adequate. I look forward to this mans next film whatever it may be.

While I would not go so far as to call this latest installment my new favorite, I still had a good time. It knows what the audience wants and delivers it with flair. If you're looking for a crazy fun time at the movies, this is a good choice. Though, personally, I would still recommend you see Equalizer 2 first.

Is this movie worth seeing?
Yes.

Is it worth seeing in theaters?
Yes.

Why?
Despite its flaws, it still manages to deliver the goods and keep you engaged all throughout. Choose to accept this mission.

Ladies & gentlemen, I am TheNorm, thank you for reading.