Mission Impossible: Fallout

Those of a nervous disposition would perhaps be wise to steer well clear of Mission Impossible: Fallout.

The series has long been a playground for Tom Cruise to jump off tall things, climb even taller things, crash bikes and cars and cling to the side of planes. The constant one-upmanship of the franchise’s stunts has pushed each instalment higher and Fallout is another stunning addition to the collection.

This mission that Ethan Hunt chooses to accept brings a few familiar faces back into the equation in a double/triple crossing tale of undercover spies and Illuminati-esque covert terrorists. It follows nicely from the excellent Rogue Nation with a quickly unravelling plot that, barring a few holes, is fairly standard for this type of spy/action fodder.

The stunts and set pieces are what puts the MI franchise ahead of the recent Bonds and Bournes and, once again, the plot here is designed to propel you between them. Rogue Nation was a series of longer, slower paced pieces which, for this writer, just puts it ahead but Fallout is a set of interconnected, rapid tension-builders.

A clifftop scramble to grab a nuclear detonator or a speeding motorbike chase through Paris are enough to cause heart palpitations. The direction and sense of reckless abandon thoroughly on point. On the biggest screen possible (definitely worth the extra funds for IMAX) it is joyously loud, unpredictable and thrilling.

It’s fair to say you know what to expect with this sort of fair but the Mission Impossible series is the best exponent of it. Real stunts, compelling characters and a well-placed plot make this another sterling entry with the returning characters upping the stakes.

Action cinema at its finest.

4 stars ****