“I am the storm” – Ethan Hunt, MI 6: Fallout
Tom Cruise’s Last Film:
I still haven’t recovered from last year’s Tom Cruise release Top Gun: Maverick. Sometimes I get up mumbling ‘Dagger 1 is hit, dagger 1 is hit.’ My phone sings the top gun theme every time someone calls me, and whistles- ‘I ain’t worried right now’ to wake me up in the morning. When I feel I am dangling like a bat hanging on a tree, I listen to hold my hand, and pull my throat nerves out trying to imitate Lady Gaga. When I am simply stuck with work, I plead to my laptop- ‘Talk to me , lappy.’
A movie so perfect should have been banned from ending. But, it’s the last mission for Maverick. After cruising the world, Captain Pete Mitchell has gone back to settling down with the first girl he fell for. He has resolved his issues with his best friend’s son. And they have saved the world, of course.
Mission accomplished, I get it. No more Top Guns. But now no more Mission Impossibles too?
The Mission Impossible Formula:
- The impossible missions all start with a new trick; a trick to pass on task information to Ethan Hunt, the top IMF agent. After explaining the dreadful gravity of the mission on a self-destructive device, they kindly offer Ethan Hunt a choice- “…should you choose to accept this mission…”
- With Luther and Benji Dunn as his constants, and a few variables they set out to save the world. They rely heavily on masks to uncover the truth. There has to be Ethan’s bike ride, car chase and his magical upright run.
- They fail at a small mission which would have saved all the consequential effort. That compels the IMF to disavow the boy band and then they go rogue. As a result, a police force is always tailing Ethan. They reach the destination exactly 1 minute after Ethan and Co. does and add fuel to the already burning fire.
- There’s always, one surprise stunt that has never been done in the history of the world cinema.
- Benji tries to steal all the glory of Ethan Hunt’s life-threatening stunts by freaking out under pressure when Ethan is hanging by a thread.
- Luther always has atleast one dialogue/monologue that is very emotionally or psychologically intelligent.
- Ethan fights the desperate times with his desperate measures, accomplishes the impossible and saves the world, again.
Mission Impossible 7: Dead Reckoning Part 1
The last of the missions is retrieving a key to Russian submarine that has employed Advanced AI, which has gone rogue. This film starts with bringing Ethan Hunt’s life to a full circle. The villain Gabriel was his first nemesis, and now the last too.
By the 7th installment, all the good and bad crime fighting guys have thoroughly understood that Ethan uses masks. So when they hunt for Ethan at the airport, they dig into the faces of suspects just to confirm.
The message should you choose to accept: Ethan’s tricks are getting old. The End is near.
We know Ethan to be an extremely gut-driven, self assured agent. But here, he makes a truck-load of mistakes. He trusts the beautiful pick-pocketer and ace-thief, Grace more than she deserves. He falters driving that yellow menace termed as a safe car. Ethan rode a helicopter in more confidence than the car.
The message should you choose to accept: Ethan is ageing.
There are just so many women in this film, I am sure Ethan has to fall in love with one. The message should you choose to accept: It’s time for Ethan to settle down with his lady love.
The real attraction of this movie is not Ethan but Hayley Atwell- the thief. She has a dazzling, secretive smile throughout the movie that probably forces Ethan to trust her repeatedly. Ethan Hunt succeeded in his missions all these years because he stopped falling in love right in the third instalment of the series. Love, and an impossible mission is not a good combination.
(Spoiler Alert!!) Two of the four women die in this film. Seeing Rebecca all smiling and hugging Ethan gives a hint that she might be the one. Her death invokes a sense of commitment in Grace and now she turns into an IMF agent too.
Along with everything that Ethan has done in the previous instalments to win his missions, there’s one addition- Ethan has learnt magic tricks– Like making a key vanish and appear out of thin air, or was he just flirting with the lady-thief? Seems like his retirement plan is set- performing magic shows for school children.
While decoding the fake nuclear bomb riddles, Benji says “why do we always end up in such situations?” and I couldn’t help myself say, ‘One last time, Benji. One last time.‘
The best part is the train climax. Unlike all the movies where Ethan chases the villain to end the mission, here he is chasing life with Hayley, trying to survive the great fall to death, one boggie at a time.
Ethan Hunt who has learnt to pickpocket from Grace, steals the key from Gabriel and thus half the mission is successful.
I believe the writers of this movie have done a great job at adding a humor element to this film. I don’t even need to talk about the performances and the direction- they are the best in the world, aren’t they?
So now we wait for the second half until 2024.
