Mission: Impossible—Fallout

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Mission: Impossible—Fallout

It had to happen sooner or later. After 22 years, the sixth entry in the Mission: Impossible movie franchise is the first installment that isn’t better than the one that preceded it. But then, it’s difficult to top perfection. With 2015’s Rogue Nation, the big-screen update of Bruce Geller’s 1966-73 TV spy series finally eclipsed the white-knuckle entertainment value of the James Bond franchise. With Fallout, returning writer/director Christopher McQuarrie borrows a page from the recent Bond films and makes M:Is first direct sequel, a tying up of loose ends and character threads that he set up three years ago. But the thing is, Rogue Nation wasn’t exactly begging for a continuation since its conclusion was satisfyingly tight and few threads were left dangling. McQuarrie’s freshman franchise effort was anchored by the camaraderie of his cast and action that never let up after an opening sequence exposed the absolute insanity of producer/star Tom Cruise, who performs his own stunts. Fallout, on the other hand, features a dour opening torn from the it’s-only-a-dream playbook, as Cruise’s Ethan Hunt awakens from a recurring nightmare involving the villain he put away last time—before we witness the first of many predictable “twists.” Nevertheless, the action remains superb, even if the 56-year-old Cruise shattered an ankle for his efforts, shutting down production while he recovered. Sure, there may come a day when he suffers even further onscreen for his art, but at least we’ll be entertained. (At Assembly RowBoston Common, FenwaySeaportSomervilleSouth Bay and in the suburbs.)


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