Mission:Impossible-Fallout (No Spoilers)

I've always found blockbuster spy/action movies to be some of the hallmarks of the summer if done correctly. Casino Royale and Skyfall were wonderfully done and fantastic on the summer big screen when they came out (however, it seems we can only count on every other James Bond movie to be good). Last year we were treated to Baby Driver and Logan Lucky, which ratcheted up the summer fun even further, though they both seem to be one-time movies. Mission:Impossible seems to be consistently and thoroughly the only franchise that I can count on to nail the summer blockbuster every time. I was as sure of the newest entry's success as I was before seeing The Return of the King; some franchises are just that predictably good.

It goes without saying that Tom Cruise's fitness level and stunt work dedication are without equal (need I mention that he is 56?), and we see so many extraordinary examples. There are of course plenty of aerial views of him sprinting around Europe, climbing buildings, zooming around on motorcycles and even climbing up a payload into a helicopter in the mountains. He is the quintessential action hero; his motives unquestionable, his vision clear, his actions always condemned by his and every other country just to make things a little tougher on him. He is the ultimate rogue agent.

As with the past two M:I movies, we are treated to fantastic set pieces and on-location filming in France, London and even Kashmir. The locations are reminiscent of Bond and accomplish so much more than would otherwise have been captured if the movie was shot in Los Angeles. As each act eloquently proceeds from city to city, we are brought hurtling into Ethan Hunt's world, intimately involved for the insane and bloody action, bloodier I might add than any of the previous installments. You can be sure to find double agents along this route, some you might have had a hunch about and some you didn't. But you are constantly brought to the frontlines with the close-up camera work, whisked away into a world of nuclear countdowns, international confrontation, and BMW vehicles.

For an action movie, this does everything right. I don't even know what to criticize. The pacing is perfect, the action and views spectacular, the relationships authentic... it is concerned with nothing but full-throttle entertainment. For every close gunfight or fistfight encounter, there is a grandiose view of foreign beauty or awe-inspiring set pieces. These movies have almost an old-Hollywood charm nowadays... not a single ulterior motive, every scene perfectly crafted to be a catalyst towards some ultimate confrontation. You will experience the debonair charm of the sleek Bond world, but also the explosive action of a Baby Driver or The Town. I can't think of any reason any action fan would have qualms with it- I enjoyed every minute.

Score: 95/100