'Mission: Impossible-Fallout' Seals Tom Cruise's Legendary Status

With a tagline, "The best intentions often come back to haunt you", this sixth installment of the Mission: Impossible saga brings back Ethan Hunt and his Impossible Missions Force crew along with familiar allies, plus a few more comrades in disguise, in a race against time after a mission gone wrong.

Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt; Photo Credit: Paramount Pictures

Mission: Impossible--Fallout offers a familiar mission similar to some Marvel superhero movies minus the superpowers, and more of Tom Cruise's brute capabilities, with several tricky and slamming roadblocks in between. It constantly plays with tense scenarios of who-to-trust, and who-to-beat matched with  pulsating score by Lorne Balfe. But what it's always been about is how Ethan Hunt heroically and epically accomplishes it, never devoid of morals and concern for his people--may it be with old pals, Luther (Ving Rhames) and Benji (Simon Pegg); his boss, Alan Hunley (Alec Baldwin); or his love interests, Ilsa (Rebecca Ferguson) and Julia (Michelle Monaghan)--and not at any time he's willing to give up. Thinking about it, the cause of the mission is slightly head-scratching. There's no one to blame but themselves, but if it means loads of exhilarating action, then who am I to complain?

Returning to the franchise is director Christopher McQuarrie who has given us a confidently bombastic film, and is fully aware of it. Even more certain is his belief that Tom Cruise is the fuel of the movie that not any other directors or writers, or the iconic score, could and would outshine him. McQuarrie knows that Cruise embodies Ethan Hunt, and they both know what makes him an appealing character on a truly instinctive level. It shows in both of their choices of Ethan's close-ups, principles, capabilities, and more importantly, stunts.

Photo Credit: Paramount Pictures

Just several minutes into the film, Tom Cruise and Henry Cavill HALO jump 25,000 feet into thunderous clouds resulting into an intense long-take of breathtaking skydiving action reminiscent of Sandra Bullock swirling around space in Gravity. Then only a few scenes after, a classic chase sequence around the beautiful streets, bridges, and undergrounds of Paris putting everyone on the edge of their seats, wishing there's a brake, or a gas pedal really, ready to be stomped anytime out of excitement. And that is just the first half. The last 20 minutes or so is the real bomb, giving us jaw-dropping helicopter action with an elegant Kashmir backdrop, shot in Norway and New Zealand, as if we're watching a display ad for IMAX televisions.

Generally, one can say that all stunts done here by Cruise is the synthesis of what he's performed in the past. And it can't be said once, but Tom Cruise, really, is the man. Mission: Impossible--Fallout seals Tom Cruise's legendary status surpassing the likes of Stallone, Seagal, Van Damme, you name it. Now, I'm no expert in action movies but with the level of stunts shown here, accidentally breaking his ankle in the process, this absolutely makes him, undoubtedly, godly.