Our favourite American operative is back and with possibly the most action-packed mission yet as he finds himself facing off with both new and old enemies in his urgent assignment to save the world from a menacing nuclear threat.
The film opens with Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) haunted by the threat of former MI6 agent and now criminal leader, Solomon Lane (creepy Sean Harris), while fearing for the safety of his ex-wife (Michelle Monaghan). A knock at the door signals the beginning of his next mission and Hunt and his team find themselves attempting to make a deal that will see them regain three stolen plutonium cores from the black market. It’s no surprise that the plan goes awry and, due to Hunt’s inability to kill one of his own team members, the plutonium once again disappears into the wrong hands.
The plot begins to thicken as the team track the plutonium to Paris where it’s to be sold to a mysterious broker known as the White Widow. This time, though, they’re joined by CIA agent, August Walker (breath-taking Henry Cavill with a moustache) who has been assigned to watch over Hunt and make sure he doesn’t lose their prize target again.
The film is a mix of both fantastic fight scenes, jaw-dropping locations and cringe-worthy moments (would it really be a Mission: Impossible film otherwise?). The combat scenes have been choreographed, acted, filmed and edited meticulously, especially a particularly vicious fight that takes place within a Paris nightclub’s luxuriously white, polished men’s bathroom. If you can peel your eyes away from Henry Cavill’s perfectly sculpted features, the locations will also knock your socks off – heart-pounding car chases through charmingly old Parisian streets and helicopter chases across the rough and rugged mountains of India.
Despite all its positives, the film still maintains the unfortunate Hollywood stereotype of syrupy sweet sentimentality that makes you wrinkle your nose in disgust – as Cruise bends down and gently caresses a beautiful French policewoman’s face while whispering “Je suis désolé (I am sorry)”, the audience audibly cringed.
Cruise does what Cruise does best, bringing his concerned expression (mouth slightly ajar and brow furrowed – you know the one I’m talking about) back to our screens as the dedicated American agent. The supporting cast is also full of familiar faces from within the franchise with returning actors Rebecca Ferguson, Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames, Sean Harris, and Michelle Monaghan all reprising their previous roles.
Although it has its moments of sheer ridiculousness, Mission: Impossible – Fallout is a fun, action-packed blockbuster that will provide edge-of-your-seat action for a fun night at the movies.
Mission: Impossible – Fallout is in cinemas from August 2.
Check out the official site here.