Film Reviews Reviews

When Ethan Hunt visits Pakistan for a Mission Impossible

Written by Omair Alavi

What would you say if I tell you that Tom Cruise’s Ethan Hunt came to Pakistan and saved our water from being contaminated? Yes, that’s true because, in Mission Impossible – Fallout, the Impossible Mission Force (IMF) sends its best agents to an area from where the water goes into India, China and yes ……

SAMAA | Omair Alavi – Posted: Jul 28, 2018 | Last Updated: 3 years ago

What would you say if I tell you that Tom Cruise’s Ethan Hunt came to Pakistan and saved our water from being contaminated? Yes, that’s true because, in Mission Impossible – Fallout, the Impossible Mission Force (IMF) sends its best agents to an area from where the water goes into India, China and yes … Pakistan. Sadly, every reference to the country that elected Imran Khan as Prime Minister was edited out (even when they were using it as a con!) because bad things don’t happen in Pakistan. However, despite the missing Pakistan connection, Mission Impossible Fallout stays close to the roots of the TV show and actually has an ‘impossible mission’ where Ethan Hunt goes the extra mile to save the world.

The Plot

After Ethan Hunt and his team (the regulars Tom Cruise, Ving Rhames and Simon Pegg) fail in one of their missions, CIA sends one of their own with them to another mission. Things don’t go as planned and Ethan has to impersonate that man to get to the main antagonist Solomon Lane (Sean Harris, reprising the role). What happens next is a cat-and-mouse chase where trusting your partner is the biggest mistake. Do Ethan and his team save the world or they make it two out of two failures – watch the film for the answers.

The Good

From the very first frame, the film is worth every penny you spent on it as a cinegoer. Not for a second, you feel as if you are watching a product that has been around for more than 2 decades yet hasn’t slowed down due to its brilliance. It wasn’t that high-budgeted and action-oriented in the 70s and the 80s, but since Tom Cruise has taken over, every installment has bettered be it on the stunt side, the plot side or the acting side. Having Henry Cavell on his side makes Tom Cruise look like a Superman too although Henry is heavily mustached and came out as goofy on his first adventure. Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, and Rebecca Ferguson were first-rate in action scenes as well as dramatic/comedy ones. Their surprise on knowing that Ethan can fly a helicopter, or that he had a wife or that he would choose his friend over anything else seems genuine and interesting. As for Tom Cruise, one hopes he continues to play Hunt as he gets older, just like Peter Graves played Jim Phelps on TV, in the same series. He can do no wrong (well, actually he did) and the audience loves him when he runs, jumps, kicks and punches.

The Bad

Whenever Pakistan was referred in the film, it was edited out/censored/cut out as if the characters were abusing the country when they were in fact shown to be concerned about it. Such idiotic behavior is the reason why the cinema industry in Pakistan doesn’t thrive like it does in India and even Bangladesh. Did India ban the Ghost Protocol as it was set in India or did the United Arab Emirates delete the scenes where Tom Cruise was seen climbing the tallest building in the world? Even China didn’t do any such thing when Mission Impossible took place in the country. So why Pakistan? As a viewer from Pakistan, such steps embarrass me and many others who spend their hard earned money on a film and get cuts that shouldn’t have been there in the first place!

The Verdict 4/5

The plot of Mission Impossible Fallout may not be the best one but it certainly shows that if the makers can go grand while staying close to the original series, nothing can go wrong. The sight of Tom Cruise riding a back on the wrong side of the road in Paris, running around London to catch his man, hanging down from a helicopter and driving insanely from the wide road to narrow ones, can only be appreciated by someone who has been following the franchise. The rest of the cast has more to do in this installment including Alec Baldwin who fought like a champion as well as Simon Pegg who gets to fight for his life (literally) as a field agent, something he always wanted to do. So if you are given a chance to watch this film in the cinema … don’t be stupid … choose your mission sensibly!

About the author

Omair Alavi

Omair Alavi is a highly regarded journalist, critic, and commentator, specializing in news, sports, showbiz, film, blogs, articles, drama, reviews, and PTV drama. With extensive experience and a keen eye for storytelling, he captivates audiences with his insightful analysis and compelling presentations. His expertise and contributions have made him a prominent figure in the media and entertainment industry.