Now That Was Fun

I'm not one to jump on the bandwagon when it comes to action film franchises.  One sequel comes after another and usually the movies are all the same plot that blur together.

Not so with the Mission: Impossible series.   Indeed, while virtually every plot is different but equally as convoluted, the producers work overtime to top themselves when it comes to action sequences or stunts.  And the "Fallout" edition does just that and it winds up being the quintessential and close to perfect summer entertainment.

I say "almost perfect" because, for yours truly, nothing is better than the very first "Die Hard" film that came out in the summer of 1988.   With the ideal blend of action and comedy, Bruce Willis' blockbuster set the gold standard for action movies never to be duplicated.

Well, the MI franchise comes close and the key to their success is always a summer release date.   It's hot out.  You're looking for some air conditioning and mindless exhilaration.  For those objectives alone, Tom Cruise and company deliver the goods.  "Fallout" just might be the best one yet.  This is a thrill ride without having to endure a long line at your local theme park.

Don't think too long about the plot.   It changes from scene to scene, largely because there are double crosses on top of triple crosses on top of quadruple crosses.   Meanwhile, that person might not be who you think it is because, well, there are a lot of rubber masks lying around so you can impersonate anybody including, in this one, CNN's Wolf Blitzer.  By the way, how credible is a journalist who will sell himself out to be in a summer blockbuster?   Just a side note.

As Ethan Hunt, Tom Cruise takes his 56-year-old body and puts it through an endurance test from running over and jumping across rooftops to motorcycle chases through Paris and a helicopter race through a treacherous mountain range.   With fun like this, I will forgive the guy for his loony toon Scientology.  

Meanwhile, writer-director Christopher McQuarrie knows how to wring every last drop of action out of his script.   "Fallout" goes merrily from one action sequence to another, giving you just a moment's rest to swallow a little popcorn.  The cool thing about this installment is that it plays on some of the past films and the history of Tom Cruise's character.   It gives the moviegoer something more to chew on and the tie-in from previous films works beautifully.

Again, this is not a movie you want to think about because every single implausibility will scream at you.   But, for a super fun action yarn and an escape from the world and the humidity, there is nothing better than "Mission Impossible: Fallout."

LEN'S RATING:  Three-and-a-half stars.

Dinner last night:  Sandwich and salads in the NY apartment of moi.