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Parents' Guide to

Mission: Impossible - Fallout

By Michael Ordona, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 13+

Cruise's sixth M:I action adventure is most intense one yet.

Movie PG-13 2018 147 minutes
Mission: Impossible - Fallout Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

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age 13+

Based on 19 parent reviews

cat w s
cat w s Adult
October 4, 2021
age 14+

Helpful times to use the mute button, to avoid some of the language

As others have said, there is a surprising amount of swearing including the f word loud and clear. If concerned… Probably keep the mute button handy around the 1.20 minute mark, the 1.30 minute mark, and also around 1.57-1.58. That would tame the language down a bit.

This title has:

Too much swearing
5 people found this helpful.
MarvelDAD
MarvelDAD Parent of 9 and 11-year-old
August 18, 2021
age 10+

Great movie has pretty much same violence as predecessors!

As I said in the title, I think that this mission impossible has pretty much the same violence and language as the other one's. If Common sense media is worrying about the intensity they might as well put on every MI movie that this movie is intense! This movie has no less intensity to the ghost protocol and rouge nation! Violence: The violence in this movie is what you'd expect in any MI movie, Guns with no blood, and big stunts that are bigger than the last two like (spoiler alert) When tom cruise does a backflip on his helicopter (Real Life Shooting), jumps between building and in real life breaks in ankle. Language: this movie contains: 6 s-words 1-basterd 1- f-word 7 - damn 2 - what the hell I would say that if youre child has watched the previous 2 than he should be able to watch this, or if she/he has not, then a mature 11 yr old can watch this. Thanks for reading my review!

This title has:

Too much violence
Too much swearing
1 person found this helpful.
See all 19 parent reviews

What's the Story?

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE -- FALLOUT is a direct sequel to its predecessor, Mission: Impossible -- Rogue Nation. The villain from that movie, Solomon Lane (Sean Harris), looms large over this one as superspy Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) races against the clock to stop Lane's followers from acquiring and detonating nuclear weapons. Hunt is helped/hindered by CIA bruiser August Walker (Henry Cavill) and enigmatic British agent Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson), who also appeared in Rogue Nation.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (19 ):
Kids say (85 ):

This may well be the best Mission: Impossible movie yet. Mission: Impossible -- Fallout steps up the action -- as impossible a mission as that might sound -- and the stakes, with the personal screws tightened on Hunt and horrible consequences for failure. Though spy-movie watchers will expect the requisite twists, betrayals, and MacGuffins, writer-director Christopher McQuarrie's compelling filmmaking grabs your attention and doesn't let go. Fallout delivers the death-defying stunts the series demands. The execution of, for example, the series' best car chase -- really, a car/motorcycle chase -- is so expertly done that you're less aware of the slickness than the jeopardy. Fallout also has the best fight of the series thus far (hint: it takes place in a bathroom). It's exciting and visceral, with real emotional impact. Cruise's performance is lean and focused, and hopefully Ferguson is now a fixture in the series; she can act and fight. It's also fun to see Superman (Cavill) brawling like an utter brute.

Rob Hardy's (Ex Machina) cinematography captures everything we need to track the action while also conveying different atmospheres, moods, and textures. Each of the film's locations -- exotic, dingy, or otherwise -- is well-served. Eddie Hamilton's editing is superb; he's amassing a spectacular resume (X-Men: First Class, Kingsman: The Secret Service). Lorne Balfe's versatile score builds on previous entries while recalling Hans Zimmer's Bat-music and Jóhann Jóhannson's nerve-rattling Sicario. Fight coordinator Wolfgang Stegemann and stunt coordinator Wade Eastwood pull rabbits out of their hats. So does featured fight performer Liang Yang; let's see more of that guy! Given the deeply ingrained habits of this genre, it's hard to surprise veteran fans. But McQuarrie and company get fresh reactions with the effective and thrilling Fallout by involving us in the dilemmas, making us feel the atmosphere and ticking clock, and hitting every action beat, dead center.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the violence in Mission: Impossible -- Fallout. Does it seem more intense than in previous M:I movies? Was there any difference in its emotional impact as a result? Is it what you expect from this type of movie?

  • Were you surprised by any of the movie's twists and betrayals, or have you come to expect them after seeing other spy movies?

  • Did the stakes seem different to you here than in other M:I movies? If so, why? Did the way the filmmakers treat Ethan's personal relationships have an effect on the stakes?

  • Ethan and his team are technically operating outside of the law. Are they still "good guys"? Where are the lines that separate them from their enemies? Do you consider Ethan a role model?

  • Talk about Ilsa. How often is a woman shown holding her own against a formidable male lead in an action film? What message does it send that Ilsa does that here?

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