Mission Impossible: Fallout

A mission in Berlin goes horribly wrong when a large volume of Plutonium falls into the hands of a dangerous, rogue terrorist organisation named the Apostles. The IMF must team up, and with the "help" of the CIA, recover the Plutonium.

With all the many action franchises out there, few really match the thrilling stunt work so frequently exhibited in the Mission Impossible films. Tom Cruise’s dedication to the craft is admirable and whilst more and more actors and trying their hands at their own stunts, Tom Cruise is the one who stands out. Tom Cruise's desire to do his own stunt work probably has insurance companies biting their nails, but for us it adds another extra thrilling dimension to the action because it feels less of a illusion, and more real, if you know that the stunt being done for ‘real’.

This, of course, ties in with what appeals most about the franchise as a whole. The stunt work and action set pieces are always as thrilling as they come, and Mission Impossible: Fallout is hardly lacking in this department. Featuring an exciting, almost French Connection inspired, chase through Paris and a dusk parachute jump (a jump performed around 100 times) Fallout certainly isn’t lacking skill and perfect planning behind the camera (even the fight scene in the toilet is a perfect example at how to make the action brutal, yet fit within a 12a certificate).

There’s a lot of double crossing in the latest Mission Impossible, it makes for an enjoyable film that trapes across many different parts of the globe (Kashmir, Paris, London, Berlin). Yet despite all this double crossing and plot twisting, the film still seems too predictable because if you keep removing the wool from the audience’s eyes, the audience will continually expect to have the wool removed. This has two effects, one enjoyment from guessing what happens next (and anticipation for when the wool is removed) and two, more negatively, removes all elements of surprise.

Whilst the thrills, twists and stunt work isn’t lacking, the film is less funny than previous instalments. It’s not a major issue, but the previous films are fondly remembered for their humour. Rebecca Ferguson, a perfectly capable performer, does seem to be burdened with the blandest of the main roles whilst the other players get to have slightly more fun with their roles. Cruise is, however, as serviceable as ever and Simon Pegg and Ving Rhames provide reliable support.

3.5/5