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Tom Cruise, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, and Rebecca Ferguson. © 2023 Paramount Pictures, Skydance, and TC Productions. Directed by Christopher McQuarrie.
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Watched it in IMAX @ AMC Theaters
The Biggest Mission Begins... Since the franchise got its foot into the blockbuster landscape, it has been going on a high rise with each film entry. From one simple crazy stunt to an airplane stunt, to a helicopter stunt, and now a motorcycle jump stunt, the franchise never stops innovating. All thanks to the legend himself, Tom Cruise. This franchise goes to all places of the world and in this film, it's even more. While more is good, what makes this franchise consistent is its characters and that's what this film more special. Especially the main crew and this film proves that its fuel is not out yet. Join me on a world mission to stop AI and watch Ethan Hunt jump from a hill with a motorcycle. Story: Ethan Hunt and the IMF team must track down a terrifying new weapon that threatens all of humanity if it falls into the wrong hands. With control of the future and the fate of the world at stake, a deadly race around the globe begins. Confronted by a mysterious, all-powerful enemy, Ethan is forced to consider that nothing can matter more than the mission -- not even the lives of those he cares about most. Ethan Hunt always goes rogue in every mission but in this entry, being rouge was necessary because of the precautions that this new threat might change the world. If this new threat was the plot for a spy film in the early 2000s, it would've been cliché or dumb. However, in today's technology and industry, this new threat definitely works very well. That new threat is AI. The use of AI in terms of storytelling really made the conflict more impactful to certain characters including Luther Stickell and Benji Dunn due to their computer hacking craft. This story impacts every character from Ethan Hunt to a smaller character like Degas played by Greg Tarzan Davis (Top Gun: Maverick). However, this isn't the only new threat in town. Ethan's old enemy Gabriel (Esai Morales) has returned and while this is our first time seeing him in this franchise, it resembles the culmination of this long-running franchise. An old enemy to finish the job. This story is much stronger than the previous entry but I still feel Fallout is the best directed film in the franchise. However, this film doesn't shy away from its characters and connection to this new threat because this will carry on to the next film and it does a good job balancing those elements. Every character has a play into this unknown threat and while it's focusing on Ethan and Gabriel, this threat lurks around the shadows and it's going to be central for the sequel. Every character here is given a moment to shine and the cast is amazing. The new standout would be Pom Klementieff as Paris and she killed it with her action sequences. The main cast including Tom Cruise and Hayley Atwell were fantastic and Hayley's character is so interesting and exquisite in a deadly way. I really liked that Ethan is showing her the new ropes as an IMF agent and their chemistry works very well. There is a lot of character development for Ethan Hunt and a lot of screen time for Hayler's character Grace. However, Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson) is still a crucial part of this franchise and her impact really determines the fate of Ethan Hunt and the mission itself. While we don't get a lot of screentime with her, she really packs a punch during her scenes and her character grows even more in this entry. Ethan himself is amazing and Tom Cruise really helps this character really develop and go to areas that we've never seen from his character's past. It's all about his past coming back to him and even we get one of the original actors from the first film to reprise their role which is Henry Czerny as Eugene Kittridge. All of those missions are connecting together for something greater and overall, the story is done very well by balancing action through character storytelling and development.
The action here is fantastic and it's mind-blowing that the majority is all practical and it's done very well without any really fast cuts or shaky cam. The Rome chase is one of my favorite action sequences in this franchise and it gets more intense with the train sequence. It's a balance of over-the-top but still realistic due to the practicality and work behind it. Props to the stunt team for creating long yet creative action sequences that feel fresh but still familiar to the franchise. Also, of course, we still see Tom Cruise running in three or more scenes. There is a bunch of inspiration from other forms of media including Uncharted and The Bourne films. The cinematography really elevates the action sequences and I really liked the tight yet wide-angle fight sequences including the night sequences. Plus, it looks like this is Fraser Taggart's first feature film as Director of Photography and he really killed it. You still get the stylish dutch angles and close-ups established by the franchise. The sound design is also very good and the iconic score still goes hard. The editing is solid throughout the action sequences and the production design is amazing with a lot on location and practically, especially with the entire train sequence. Overall, the production is amazing and they keep the technical action sequences to the max. However, even with those action sequences and great character development, I still have some issues.
Since this is a two-part film, the ending left an unsweet taste while still being conclusive. It's like a mission is completed but there's another mission still waiting to start. Still, the ending is conclusive and it opens up to what comes next. I wish we could've gotten more screen time for Rebecca Ferguson as Ilsa Faust and we are still missing Jeremey Renner. Like c'mon, where the hell is he? The action sequences are still fantastic but I feel like the previous entry had more weight and intense action drama while this one was more of a moving-to-next-location sequence. I feel like the pacing was a little bit draggy but it still managed to balance out the action with proper character-to-character drama. The only thing I hope we can get more of is Benji and Luther working together because those scenes are intense and well done. The airport scene is a great example of intensity that the franchise should continue with their next film. Besides those small issues including pacing, I still found myself on the edge of my seat. Tom Cruise keeps pushing this franchise to its limits and it's fantastic to see how each entry is getting bigger yet more intense than ever. Fantastic action sequences, great performances, and loads of fun! This is definitely one of the best films of this year and action cinema is thriving than ever! From John Wick: Chapter 4 to Mission Impossible 7, this is definitely a great year for cinema and practical production too as well! I cannot wait for the next entry and see where Tom Cruise goes next in his crazy stunts. Now Playing in Theaters! Vizeit Score: "A" (Share this review with your film friends and on social media! Thank you for continuing supporting my indie cinema website.) Copyright © 2023 Vizeit Reviews / Vizeit Studios. All Rights Reserved. Review Written By: Everardo Garcia Jr. Editor In-Chief/Owner of Vizeit Reviews | (Chicago Indie Critics Member [CIC])
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