Rating: 12A

Directed by: Christopher McQuarrie

Starring: Tom Cruise, Henry Cavill, Rebecca Ferguson

THE MISSION: Impossible franchise has become, essentially, an excuse for Tom Cruise to place himself in increasingly dangerous positions in the name of entertainment.

As IMF agent Ethan Hunt, he has climbed the Burj Khalifa, hung onto the outside of a plane, free climbed up cliffside. This latest instalment seems relatively tame in comparison: he merely hangs off a helicopter, flying around remote, mountainous Kashmir.

But if that stunt alone isn’t enough to pull you in, the rest of the movie should be. Christopher McQuarrie, returning to the franchise after the previous entry, has created an exercise in how to do a summer action blockbuster right.

It is filled with practical stunts, clear and well-choreographed action scenes and plenty of scene-stealing from a starry supporting cast.

Much of the latter comes from Angela Bassett as the CIA boss, who steps in after an operation Hunt is involved in goes south.

No longer should the ‘scalpel’ of Hunt and his team go unmonitored: instead, she opts to assign her own agent, August Walker (Cavill), to keep tabs on their team during the damage control.

She describes him as her hammer. And Cavill, rocking a resplendent moustache and an even more impressive physique, fits the part perfectly.

One of the highlights is a fight inside a bathroom in which Hunt attempts to battle a martial artist with reflexes and speed. When that doesn’t work, Walker steps in, appearing to reload his fists before smashing his way into the fight.

The plot is quite convoluted, with twists and turns occurring at rapid speed around the centre. There are callbacks to earlier movies and some emotional grounding for Hunt as he deals with his estranged family.

But ultimately, it is all an excuse to place the characters in outrageous situations. And when it looks and sounds like this, it is more than acceptable.

McQuarrie can consider this mission successful.

4/5

Mission: Impossible - Fallout is out in cinemas today.