Tom Cruise and Mission: Impossible – Fallout

Tom Cruise and Mission: Impossible – Fallout

Aside from evergreen franchises like Star Wars and James Bond, it is rare for a film series to still receive widespread praise by the time it reaches a sixth installment—one reason, of course, is that most series never even get the chance to make it that far. In Mission: Impossible – Fallout, Tom Cruise was already at the “advanced age” of 58. That may not be considered old among action stars—Jackie Chan and Sylvester Stallone are still active, and Liam Neeson only fairly recently reinvented himself as a tough-guy action lead. But unlike brand-new films, the Mission: Impossible series is one of Cruise’s signature properties, and several outstanding entries had already set a high bar. So before watching the sixth film, it was hard not to have a big question mark in mind: Tom Cruise is getting older, but can he still deliver?

With Mission: Impossible – Fallout, Cruise answers that question cleanly and decisively. First of all, his trademark willingness to risk himself is moving in itself. Looking across the entire action-film industry, even Jackie Chan—who once prided himself on never using stunt doubles—has long since broken that rule, likely for reasons of both age and insurance value. But Tom Cruise still carries forward the daredevil spirit of Mission: Impossible. Reportedly, the HALO jump scene alone was filmed more than a hundred times, not to mention the high-altitude rope work and the motorcycle chase through Paris. Although it is also a major franchise, Mission: Impossible is completely different from something like James Bond or Superman. Bond and Superman can be recast again and again, because they are ultimately symbols or codenames—different actors can take them on. But there is only one Ethan Hunt. In the Mission: Impossible series, anyone can be replaced except Ethan. And in terms of attitude alone, Tom Cruise has never let that role down; he fully lives up to the Ethan Hunt brand.

Given Tom Cruise’s stature, he certainly has other options in many situations. But this all-out commitment is exactly what makes him worthy of admiration, and it is something many people in the entertainment industry could learn from. By contrast, those who only shoot close-ups, count beats, and lip-sync their way through performances seem all the more contemptible.

Beyond that, the Mission: Impossible series has long kept itself fresh by constantly changing cast members and directors, all in order to preserve the enduring appeal of the brand. But Mission: Impossible – Fallout is notably different from the previous five films: almost without warning, it takes on a nostalgic tone. Old friends, lovers, and enemies reappear, and that earned enthusiastic applause from longtime fans of the franchise. This may have been an unexpectedly shrewd strategy on the director’s part. After all, the series has been around for so long and has accumulated such a loyal fan base, with so many memorable moments worth revisiting—it would almost be a waste not to make use of them. But it may also mark the beginning of the series’ descent from its peak. Once a story becomes too entangled with the past, shifting from innovation to nostalgia, it often suggests that a franchise is beginning to rely on former glory.

Still, one thing seems certain to me: as long as the Tom Cruise brand remains standing, and with the success of Mission: Impossible – Fallout as a foundation, the next sequel will still be worth looking forward to. For fans of the Mission: Impossible series, that may well be one of the biggest takeaways after watching this film.

The world needs heroes. There are the headline-grabbing heroes like Superman and Spider-Man, always under the spotlight, and there are the unsung heroes behind the scenes, like Bond and Ethan Hunt. But all heroes are essentially the same: they only succeed after enduring trials that ordinary people could never endure. For audiences, beyond the sheer excitement, being able to draw positive strength from these stories may be what makes a superhero film truly successful.