RW: MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - Hollywood's Quality Ongoing Series

Due to a series of snafus this weekend I was unable to go and see any of the new films, or at least write a review for any of them. The Equalizer II (seemed forgettable) and Mama Mia: Here We Go Again! (thanks Sinemia screw-up!) will forever be placed in Rath's Reviews purgatory while Robin Williams: Come Inside My Mind was something I watched, enjoyed very much, but don't really have enough words to put it into a formal review. Though I highly recommend it.

I quickly realized that my next trip to the theater would be for one of my most anticipated of the year: Mission: Impossible - Fallout. (*NOTE*: updated 7/8/23 in anticipation for M:I Dead Reckoning Part I). To say this series is close to my heart would be an understatement and I look forward to each and every installment. If you've read either of my novels, you can even tell that a lot of inspiration is taken from the M:I series. With no new reviews I figured, why not a Rath's Write-Up?

First time I ever crapped my pants in an IMAX!

Sometimes I feel like I've loved this series longer than most and that mainstream audiences are finally catching on (hipster outlook, I know), but that's exciting to me. The more successful they are, the more likely they are to continue, and I sure hope they do. Perhaps even more interesting is that they've now become almost guaranteed hits, both financially and critically, for a variety of reasons that this post will explore. In a Hollywood environment where some big films tend to disappoint *cough recent Jurassic World cough cough* there isn't much worry anymore as to whether or not the next Mission: Impossible will kick some serious ass.

Before we explore how we got there, I'll provide a perspective of how I view each film in the series for some added context.

• Mission: Impossible: A much more twisty, espionage-oriented film than any other in the series. While I enjoy the ride, it still remains a bit confusing in its last half-hour and it's probably the one I appreciate the least, even though it began the series. Rank: 6th
• Mission: Impossible 2: Frequently referred to as M:I-2, the Limp Bizkit, John Woo, dove-filled sequel is the black sheep of the series and I love it all the more for it. For starters, it holds a special place in my heart as 1) my first PG-13 film in theaters, 2) the first action film I ever saw, and 3) the first time I was "introduced" to Australia outside of just a textbook. In my younger age, it was my favorite movie. Sure it's corny. Sure it's outlandish and ignores physics. But it's incredibly fun and sure of itself. Rank: 4th
• Mission: Impossible 3: The J. J. Abrams thriller was during a tumultuous time in Tom Cruise's career and we're lucky the series continued past here. Lacking any "big" stunts, the third film instead set us on a new course which the previous films have followed closely in terms of style and realism. It's a gripping thriller and features a great Phillip Seymour Hoffman as the villain. Rank: 5th
• Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol: One of the purely best action/spy films ever and an absolute thrill ride from beginning to end. In IMAX 3D the insane Burj Dubai stunts are vertigo-inducing and this still remains one of my favorite films of the last decade. Rank: 1st
• Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation: Continuing the non-numeric title convention, Rogue Nation is a great blend of stunts and spy twists. There's some expertly choreographed action throughout and newcomer Rebecca Ferguson earns a place right alongside Tom Cruise. Rank: 3rd
• Mission: Impossible - Fallout: the sixth film in the franchise and one of its absolute highest points, thanks to a breakneck pace, insane action, and an epic "big" story. Many hold this as the absolute best in the franchise and one of the best action films of the past decade. Rank: 2nd

With the 6th film in the series on the horizon -- and early reviews indicating it's the best in the series -- let's take a look at how Mission Impossible has managed to be a constant in a Hollywood where not everything is a surefire hit. 

Seems dangerous...

T.C. produces & the directors rotate.

Aside from the upcoming Fallout, each Mission: Impossible has had a new director at the helm. That's a pretty incredible feat given how much Hollywood likes to lock-down proven directors in material that suits them. Throughout our first five films we've seen very distinct styles for agent Ethan Hunt. From John Woo's ballet of motorcycles, to Brad Bird's insane inventiveness, and Christopher McQuarrie's eye for action, the Mission Impossible series is no stranger to change. Starting with M:I-3 which is kind of the turning point in the series (despite its series-low $398M worldwide pull) we've had some real quality in our directors. Tom Cruise has been a producer from the very beginning, but now it would almost seem that he is the man with a plan as these films progress. He clearly takes a certain pride in their success and what the final product looks like. If The Mummy failure proved anything, it's that he can still make a bad film/choice and that his good films get his undivided attention. It's proven to be a strong experience for directors and him alike, far from any of the late-game directorial changes that have plagued a few blockbusters in recent years. Whether McQuarrie will be around for the very-likely seventh film (I tend to think he'd like to make a full trilogy) remains to be seen but it's always exciting to see who gets chosen next.

That poor Dodge Stratus!

They use, but don't heavily rely on, continuity.

Much like the entire James Bond series, the Mission: Impossible series has a questionable string of continuity. The MCU, this is not. But that's ok, because that's not what it needs to be. In fact, that could hold it back from being successful. What it does well -- again, ever since M:I-3 -- is called upon its past players as needed. Ethan in a bind? Why not ask Ving Rhames to make an appearance? Not available? Maybe Simon Pegg can add the humor this time around. Fallout will test this as it appears to be a direct sequel (the first of the series) to Rogue Nation, but for the most part, Mission: Impossible has done a great job at balancing new faces (i.e. Renner in Ghost Protocol) vs. old friends and audiences sure appreciate that they likely don't need to remember the events of the very first Mission: Impossible to know what's happening as Ethan is holding onto the side of a plane.

How many people can say they've done this?
Like 4 total?

The stunts just keep getting crazier and crazier. 

Speaking of holding onto the side of a plane, Tom Cruise's insurance company must legitimately hate the guy. He likes to do most of his own stunts and recent years have seen him scale the Burj Dubai on a thin wire, hang onto the side of a plane as it takes off, and hold his breath for four minutes. Fallout saw the actor break his ankle in a stunt where he didn't quite jump far enough -- how badass is that?!? -- and also perform stunts from a helicopter and, oh yeah, the first ever actor to actually do a HALO jump on film. What's even better is that these are all captured by talented cinematographers and editors, on IMAX cameras no less. If you have a Mission: Impossible film that year, it's likely that at least one scene will make it into your Top Scenes of the Year. The dude deserves credit for continuing to try and push the envelope and, as long as his safety is a primary concern during these stunts, I'm all for him to keep upping the ante. Perhaps next he'll have to do something in space? Or actually survive a real bullet wound? I kid...or do I?

Tom Cruise is one of our best and most legitimate movie stars.

Mission: Impossible, more than any other series Cruise is part of, is his baby. Unlike James Bond where audiences are always wondering who might play the character next, Ethan Hunt is Tom Cruise. Tom Cruise is Ethan Hunt. It makes you wonder what may happen when he eventually hangs up his cap on doing crazy s**t, but for now, a huge pull for Mission: Impossible is Cruise himself. The films are high-quality, the plots are thrilling and twisty, and the stunts are insane, but seeing Cruise at the center of it all is the icing on the cake that pushes these that much further toward "classics" territory. Say what you will about Cruise himself -- to be fair, he's calmed down a lot in the last decade -- but he can act his pants off and become characters. By now, he's so good at being Ethan Hunt that it's a treat to see how incredibly dedicated he is to the role, even outside of the stunts themselves.

Oh Tom. You crazy guy, you!

Given how great the trailers have been for Mission: Impossible - Fallout so far (not to mention early critical praise), I'm sure we're in for a treat in the next week and I look forward to seeing where this series goes next and what Tom Cruise does to stress out his insurance company. 

Thanks for the read!