Cue the Lalo Schifrin theme music. “Mission Impossible” is back.
The name of the sixth installment, directed by Christopher McQuarrie, is “Fallout.” And so far the fallout is only good.
Early mentions (full reviews are still embargoed) on Twitter are better than excellent. Pretty much everyone in the press who saw the movie tonight or yesterday has raved about it. (I will see it next week, thanks to American Airlines screwing up my flight home from Detroit today.)
David Ehrlich from Indie Wire: “MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE — FALLOUT is easily the best action movie since Fury Road. just god-level stuff. the highest praise I can give a movie: I’m not even mad it’s making me late to Radiohead.”
Bilge Ebiri, Village Gloice: “MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FALLOUT. This movie is sex.”
Mike Ryan of Uproxx: “MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE FALLOUT is the rare true direct sequel in this series. And we learn the most about Ethan Hunt. It’s the SKYFALL of M:I movies. Also, yes, it’s insanely exhilarating.”
So it looks like Paramount has a big hit, which is nice because they had a bad, bad year last year and have been waiting for this. Also good for Tom Cruise who struck out with “The Mummy” and with “American Made,” and with the second “Jack Reacher” movie in 2016.
Cruise is now pretty much relying on the “Mission Impossible” franchise to keep him relevant. His only movies that make $100 million are the “MI” films. The rest are strike outs. Cruise has given up on getting awards. His next release will be the “Top Gun” sequel.
Stay tuned…