[Review] Mission: Impossible - Fallout: The Ultimate Summer Blockbuster

The sixth installment of the Mission: Impossible series, Mission: Impossible - Fallout, was released last month. It surpassed its five predecessors in both critical acclaim and box office, unequivocally becoming this summer's strongest entertainment blockbuster.

In recent years, Hollywood blockbusters have favored a darker, more profound approach. The trailer for Mission: Impossible - Fallout also gave off this vibe, reminding me of how Skyfall redefined the James Bond series by delving into Bond's backstory. Mission: Impossible - Fallout opens with Ethan receiving a mission and attempting to retrieve plutonium cores. While the film injects humor through Benji (Simon Pegg) and his tech in these early scenes, the overall tone, and even the setting, remain dark. When the mission fails and the news reports three religious sites being bombed, I truly marveled at the production team's ambition, convinced that this film was indeed going for a dark, profound route, while also worrying that it might lose its entertainment value. Those who have seen the film know that this didn't happen. The end of the "hospital" scene delivers a huge surprise: these scenes were fake, the "hospital" merely a set, and everything was a trap set by Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and his team to extract information. This scene was not only entertaining and surprising to the audience, but it also seemed to pay homage to the opening scene of the first film in the series, telling viewers that even after six installments, while constantly evolving in structure and production, the series hasn't forgotten its traditions and "roots."

Compared to the standalone first three films, the fourth to sixth installments appear to form a trilogy, and this sixth film brings it to a satisfying conclusion. In the scene where Ethan accepts his mission, the book he receives is The Odyssey, an epic of immense importance to Western literature, and this book subtly foreshadows the film's plot. In the fourth installment, Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol, we learned that Ethan faked his wife Julia's (Michelle Monaghan) death to protect her, allowing her to assume a new identity and live a different life. In this film, Solomon Lane (Sean Harris), the villain from the previous installment, Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation, reappears and questions whether Ethan has ever thought about refusing a mission. For years, Ethan has repeatedly averted global crises to protect the world, essentially sacrificing his own life and being forced to cut ties with his beloved wife. This film tells us that while the film series is titled Mission: Impossible, the story it wants to tell isn't about the team or these missions, but about Ethan Hunt himself. In the dream sequence, we see his greatest fear: Julia dying in a terrorist attack. Although they have severed ties, he remains deeply worried. Towards the end of the film, Ethan is back with Julia, and it's almost a nightmare come true. At this moment, he has to desperately stop the enemy and protect Julia. After this event, Ethan reunites with Julia and his team members. Does he stop? No, because he cannot accept standing by while others risk their lives due to his decisions. His journey seems to have no end.

Frankly, whether you're a film connoisseur or a casual viewer, you know that the most appealing aspect of the Mission: Impossible series is usually not the script, but the insane action sequences and Tom Cruise's death-defying stunt performances. In previous installments, Tom Cruise has climbed the Burj Khalifa and clung to an airplane. This time, he tackles even more difficult and dangerous stunts: a high-altitude low-opening (HALO) jump. While watching, I actually felt that this scene wasn't entirely necessary; they could have infiltrated the venue using simpler methods. However, that scene was shot so beautifully, with a long take from the moment he jumps, realistically documenting Tom Cruise's entire skydiving process. Moreover, this scene isn't just a monotonous record of his jump; there are many camera movements that add a lot of interest to the sequence. The helicopter sequence in the climax is another incredibly exhilarating part, and it also reminded me of the first film's CGI-heavy helicopter scene. This time, the camera movements were minimal, and the angles were few, but this precisely reminds the audience that Tom Cruise was truly hanging from the back of the helicopter, and he was indeed piloting the helicopter later on. In fact, every action scene in the film is incredibly tense and thrilling: a fierce fight in a pristine white restroom; a breathless motorcycle chase through the bustling streets of Paris... But the most memorable for me remains the scene where Tom Cruise jumps across a building rooftop, because he broke his ankle in that shot. Knowing this, audiences can surely feel his pain and marvel that this scene and the next were filmed three months apart. After watching it the first time, I felt an urge to go back and watch it a second time, to carefully appreciate every one of Tom Cruise's action sequences.

Besides the cinematography, the film's score is indispensable in creating a tense atmosphere. The classic series theme song remains incredibly catchy after twenty years, and I believe audiences can hum along. As for the performances, Tom Cruise continues to "risk his life" in this installment, and I believe audiences will be satisfied even without him overtly acting. Among the many Hollywood action stars, 56-year-old Tom Cruise remains a prominent figure, consistently delivering action sequences that satisfy audiences while also meticulously preparing his stunts. He truly deserves his high remuneration. As for the other characters, Henry Cavill plays the villain this time, delivering impactful blows in the restroom and final fight scenes, incredibly convincing physically. And arguably the most memorable character for (male) audiences in this film is The White Widow, played by Vanessa Kirby. She appears glamorous, and her eyes in every scene perfectly capture her unpredictable and elusive nature. I wonder if she will reappear in future sequels?

Given the immense success of Mission: Impossible - Fallout, a seventh installment is practically a given. But with the sixth film bringing a satisfying conclusion to this trilogy, how will the filmmakers create a new beginning for the series? That's what I'm truly looking forward to!