Keep It Reel: 'Mission Impossible: Fallout'

By  Marc Woodfork

Tom Cruise and the IMF are back in action for "Mission Impossible-Fallout." The sixth film in the franchise and easily the best of the bunch. Finally, a franchise that has knocked James Bond 007 off of its pedestal of being the best spy movie franchise in history. Mission Impossible is now the best spy movie franchise. Most viewers will say the best aspect of the 'Mission' films is the incredible stunts that are performed. That is certainly true for "Fallout."  Tom Cruise takes his vision and drive for authenticity to a whole new level. When you see the scope of the stunts throughout the film, it's incredible that at his age he is still putting his body, and sometimes life, on a limb to perform the stunts himself.

While watching, if you have any doubts about whether or not it's actually him speeding through the streets of Paris, or hanging from the bottom of a helicopter, you should search the internet and look for the "Fallout" featurettes. There are several behind the scenes videos of the stunts that Tom actually did himself. Amazing.

What makes Mission Impossible such a great franchise even more than the stunts is the smart action. Action sequences are not dumbed down for audiences.  Nor is the dialogue or character development. The script is smart, witty and well written. The producers and director of the film don't try to fix something that isn't broke. The formula is well established, and the pieces fit nicely together. They only went bigger.

As with the other "Mission" films, "Fallout" starts strong and never lets up. "Fallout" is the exact reason people want to go to the movies. Its grand, epic and the most entertaining films you'll see this year.