Mission: Impossible – Falloutis not just one of the best films of 2018, it’s one of the best and most fulfilling action films ever made. The sixth installment in a franchise that’s over twenty years old has no reason being this good, but writer/directorChristopher McQuarriecrafts a sequel that delivers jaw-dropping action set pieces and emotional, intimate character scenes in equal measure. Indeed,Falloutis perhaps at once the most intimate and the most epicMission: Impossiblemovie made thus far, as the story delves into Ethan’s personal relationships—both romantic and platonic—in fascinating ways.
The film is now available on 4K Blu-ray, Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital HD, and I was lucky enough to get an advanced copy of the film’s 4K Blu-ray release before it hit shelves. I’m thrilled to report that Paramount Home Entertainment didn’t skimp onanythinghere. In addition to pristine sound and image quality of the 4K, the Blu-ray includes three separate audio commentaries packed with insightful and invaluable information about how this movie was made. There’s also a seven-part documentary that delves deep into the film’s production challenges—including the stunt in whichTom Cruisebroke his ankle, thus delaying the film by a number of months.
As if that wasn’t enough, the Blu-ray also includes a montage of footage from deleted scenes that is absolutely gorgeous, with optional commentary from McQuarrie and editorEddie Hamilton. These aren’t full deleted scenes, but instead showcase footage from said scenes without letting us in on the dialogue. Some you’ve seen in the trailers, while others are entire sets that didn’t end up in the finished film.
But the highlight of the disc for cinephiles like myself are the audio commentaries. There are three in total: One with McQuarrie and Cruise, one with McQuarrie and Hamilton, and one with composerLorne Balfe. All three are incredibly fascinating and worth listening to, but as a taste for those who haven’t picked up the disc yet, I listened to the Cruise/McQuarrie commentary and pulled out a number of interesting things I learned about the making of the film.
To be clear, the following list ofMission: Impossible – Fallouttrivia is not a comprehensive list of everything discussed on the Cruise/McQuarrie audio track, nor does it cover theotherinformation gleaned from the other two tracks. But it’s wildly interesting nonetheless, and offers key insight into how this film got made.
