Mission: Impossible - Fallout climbs to towering new heights

Packed with riveting stunts, unexpected double crosses and endless tension, the Mission: Impossible series' sixth installment, Fallout, proves to be just as explosive as it was 22 years ago.

With the return of Rogue Nation director Christopher McQuarrie, Fallout is the first movie of the action film franchise that doesn't bring in a new director, making Fallout the most direct sequel in the series. McQuarrie brings back most of the characters from Rogue Nation, including its key villain.

Two years after the events of Rogue Nation, the remains of Solomon Lane's (Sean Harris) rogue organization, the Syndicate, have reformed into a terrorist group called The Apostles. The group is working with a mysterious man known by the alias "John Lark" to obtain three balls of plutonium to develop nuclear weapons.

Mission: Impossible - Fallout Movie

Photo: Tom Cruise returns for yet another spectacular Mission: Impossible film.

Tom Cruise returns for yet another spectacular Mission: Impossible film. Photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures.

Once again, it's up to the Impossible Missions Force (IMF) team with point man Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise), hacker Luther Stickell (Ving Rhames) and field agent Benji Dunn (Simon Pegg) to stop them.

After Ethan loses the plutonium to save Luther's life, the CIA sends operative and assassin August Walker (Henry Cavill) to monitor him. Once former MI6 agent from Rogue Nation Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson) joins the team, Ethan and his buddies do everything in and out of their power to stop The Apostles before they set off their nuclear weapons and wreak mass chaos and suffering on the entire world.

Along the way, Ethan displays unstoppable drive and bravery as he dives headfirst into danger to save lives in the ultimate race against time. As usual, Ethan continues to demonstrate his reckless tendency to improvise along the way, but he can always trust his steadfast team to have his back regardless.

Rhames' deep voice and even temperament balance out Pegg's naturally hilarious and cheerful personality as Ethan's go-to guys through thick and thin. Ferguson's expressive countenance helps her portray Ilsa, the strong-willed female protagonist who is equal to Ethan in courage and ability, while Cavill is the perfect actor to take on Walker, with his towering height and thick mustache completing the brutish image. Although Walker and Hunt have an uneasy relationship as rival agents, Walker's mental hide of steel proves useful at times, making his character integral to the film.

Fallout features beautiful backdrops from all over the world, including Queenstown, a town set against the Southern Alps in New Zealand, the Arc de Triomphe in Paris and Preikestolen, a steep cliff and famous tourist destination in Norway. Quick cuts in the camerawork establish a striking contrast between the serene, beautiful landscapes and the action.

And of course, it's hard to miss the movie's thrilling theme song: Theme from Mission: Impossible. Composer Lorne Balfe creates a modern twist on the classic tune and embeds it throughout the film, amplifying the stunning visuals. With frenzied string tremolos to produce suspense, a mammoth brass section and a giant choir to match the fast-paced action sequences, Balfe successfully builds heart-stopping tension and immerses the audience in the film.

The movie brings back the best elements of the previous Mission: Impossible films, with comedic relief provided by Benji's timely one-liners, the signature latex face masks, unpredictable plot twists and terrifying stunt sequences.

As always, Cruise outdoes himself with his brand of famous daredevil stunts, bringing the audience to the edge of their seats as they watch him jump across buildings (while breaking an ankle in the process), speed through motorcycle chases, HALO jump out of a cargo plane and fly a helicopter through narrow, craggy cliffs. 

With the perfect combination of emotion, tension, hilarity and, of course, thrilling action, Fallout is arguably the best movie of the series. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to channel your inner Ethan Hunt and take a leap of faith into this electrifying world.

Mission: Impossible - Fallout is rated PG-13 for violence and intense sequences of action, and for brief strong language and is now playing at Regal Majestic Stadium 20 & IMAX, AMC Wheaton 9, and Regal Hyattsville Royale Stadium 14.