MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FALLOUT (2018) – Film Review
Of course,
few movies can live up to that kind of hype. Was my excitement justified, or
did I crush Fallout with the weight
of my unrealistic expectations? That’s what we’re here to find out.
As a
reminder, I rate movies based on three criteria: objectionable content (C), artistic merit
(A), and my personal opinions (P).
CONTENT
(C): 9 out of 10
During the
CIA headquarters break-in scene in the very first Mission: Impossible film, Ethan Hunt stops one of his team members
from killing a guard. His instructions are emphatic: “Zero body count.” Hunt’s
noble desire to spare innocent life at all costs has continued throughout the
series, and in this sixth installment, this desire is given further room to
shine. The great lengths to which Hunt goes to ensure no collateral damage is almost
shocking in its unwavering earnestness.
Another
element in this franchise needs to be mentioned. The last installment, Rogue Nation, attempts to create sexual
chemistry between Hunt and the mysterious Ilsa Faust, even though the audience knows
Hunt is still married to Julia. To be fair to the character of Hunt, he does
not act inappropriately toward Ilsa. (In other words, anything inappropriate is
more the storytellers’ fault than the characters’ fault.) In Fallout, this tension is resolved with a
surprising amount of catharsis. It might not be handled in complete accordance
with the orthodox Christian views of marriage, but it eliminates any hint of
glorifying marital unfaithfulness.
It is also
worth noting that this is the first M:I
film (since movie #1, that is) that does not ask any actress (or character in
the story) to undress or objectify themselves for the sake of the narrative—a
fact for which I am most grateful.
As far as
profanity goes, this movie runs par for the M:I
course—except for the addition of two f-bombs (one spoken and the other
soundlessly mouthed).
ARTISTRY
(A): 9 out of 10
As
one might expect from an espionage-themed action/thriller, Fallout has its twists and turns. As the story unfolds, the plot
points and various character motivations develop believably. So engaging are
the proceedings, in fact, that the film’s two-and-a-half-hour length feels much
shorter. Only one action sequence (involving a helicopter chase) causes
suspension of disbelief to go past the breaking point.
Much
has been made of the numerous death-defying stunts performed by Tom Cruise
during this movie, and rightly so. Possibly more so than in any other M:I film, Fallout’s stunts function both as an extension of the story’s development
and an expression of Hunt’s character—not so much as a mere publicity stunt to
create hype about the movie. The realness of these stunts adds a level of
urgency to many scenes.
As
my friend Jonathan Broxton has pointed out, much of the musical score by Lorne Balfe sounds like it was
lifted from Inception. It’s not a
horrible score by any means. In fact, with the setting of Fallout’s third act being someone reminiscent of that of Inception, the music almost gives the climactic
action sequence a Nolan-infused sense of gravitas (although I would have
probably preferred a less synth-heavy score—something more like Joe Kraemer’s work on
Rogue Nation).
The
strengths of this movie far outweigh any minor weaknesses. In fact, when it
comes to entertaining spy movies, few can claim to be its equal.
PREFERENCE
(P): 11 out of 10 (Yes, math. I know. I’m bending the rules.)
The first
act of 1996’s Mission: Impossible
felt like an extension of the television series on which it was based. Then, to
audience’s surprise (and chagrin), the filmmakers unceremoniously stabbed the
TV show in the back, pointing the movie—and the future franchise—on a
completely different trajectory. Instead of the spotlight being on the
consolidated efforts of a competent team, the spotlight focused primarily on
one man: Ethan Hunt. In future installments, it seemed as if the movies were primarily
a vehicle for showing just how cool and awesome Ethan Hunt (and, vicariously,
Tom Cruise) could be.
Back in
1996, I had mixed emotions. On one hand, I hated what the screenwriters did to
Mr. Phelps’ team. On the other, I was able to detach myself from the disrespect
shown to the TV show and enjoy the movie for what it was. In fact, over the
years, Mission: Impossible has become
one of my favorite movies. I have re-watched it countless times.
That being
the case, it seems strange, even to me, that none of the other Mission: Impossible films have managed
to captivate me in any meaningful way. Whereas I have seen the first
installment dozens of times, I have, at present, seen installments 2 through 4
only once each.
To my
great delight, Fallout is a game
changer. It affected me viscerally in ways that few action films ever have. My
apprehension about various characters’ well-being peaked early on and remained
almost consistently high for the movie’s first half. It was a bit draining,
actually. For a comparison, Fallout
made me more tense than I ever felt in A Quiet Place. When a scene in a typical movie is fraught with tension,
it is typical for Shannon to grip my hand or arm. In Fallout, the gripping was mutual.
What also
stuck out to me was Hunt’s dogged determination to avoid unnecessary deaths in
accomplishing his goals. I know previous characters in other stories have had
this same trait. Something about this particular story, however, struck me at a
deeper level. Maybe it’s the fact that action movies so often seem to view
collateral damage as a necessary part of life. By staying his hand (so to
speak) on several occasions, and by putting his own safety on the line—and even
jeopardizing his mission—in order to save the lives of others, Ethan Hunt challenged
me with the depth of his pro-life convictions.
Some
storytellers attempt to point out the danger of becoming callous to violence as
entertainment. The less successful ones use a self-defeating process: employing
graphic violence to shock people with the horror of human death. Such violence,
however, often only tends to encourage bloodlust in its audience. (Martin
Scorsese mused on this fact after seeing audience reactions to Taxi Driver, which I haven’t seen). The
two stories I’m specifically thinking of are the movie Gladiator and the book series The Hunger Games.
In contrast,
Fallout literally shocked me in its
portrayal of the value of human life, precisely by refusing to kowtow to my desensitization
to onscreen deaths. Ethan Hunt—and, by extension, screenwriter/director Christopher
McQuarrie—reminded me that life is beautiful. And they did so simply by
refusing to turn human death into just another window-dressing prop for a
story. Kudos to the filmmakers for leaving such a strong impression.
Shannon
and I didn’t speak to each other at all during the end credits (not an uncommon
occurrence, to be honest; a movie technically isn’t over until the credits are
complete). Finally, Shannon said to me, “That may have been the coolest movie I
have ever seen.” That
may be the most succinct and accurate description possible.
Ethan
Hunt’s job in Fallout was near
impossible—protect the world from a nuclear holocaust and prove to Cap Stewart
that another Mission: Impossible film
was worth watching. I don’t think it’s too much of a spoiler to say he
succeeded on both counts with helicopter-flying colors.
CAP score:
97%