'Mission: Impossible 8' director looks back on 10 years with a billion-dollar brand

Talking about "Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning" Christopher McQuarrie expressed his gratitude and shared about 10 years with Tom Cruise and the crew creating memorable "blockbusters".

After nearly 3 decades of convincing audiences with eye-catching action scenes, the "Mission: Impossible" series has officially come to an end after part 8 "Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning" was released last May.

Looking back on his journey of 4 films (Rough Nation, Fallout, Dead Reckoning and The Final Reckoning), director Christopher McQuarrie shares his unforgettable impressions of 62-year-old actor Tom Cruise and the "billion dollar" brand.

Thanks to the audience

- When spending many years with the same brand, what leaves the deepest impression on you?

Director Christopher McQuarrie: For me, it's the music . When you work on a film for that long, the music of that franchise gets stuck in your head. There are certain parts that are so repetitive that you can hear the plane chase music while you're doing the dishes. Long after the film is done, that iconic music is still playing in my head.

- What made you choose to stick with the "Mission: Impossible" brand for all this time?

Director Christopher McQuarrie: For me, it's a huge privilege. I grew up watching movies and what I loved most was going to the theater and watching it on the big screen. When I was a kid, that was the only way to watch movies.

Tom and I both want to rekindle that feeling for the audience, the feeling of going to the cinema with everyone, watching a movie in a collective, emotional atmosphere.

The duo Tom Cruise and Christopher McQuarrie on the set of parts 5-8.

For me, “Mission: Impossible” is like a thank you to the audience. It is not only the story of Ethan Hunt, but also a tribute to what the audience has given us and has turned this brand into the great monument it is today.

- Where do the ideas for eye-catching action scenes usually come to you?

Director Christopher McQuarrie: We always have specific sequences we want to pursue — like the biplane scene, or the submarine scene. There are always ideas like that that come up early, and in each film I always come up with ideas for the next one, especially around the submarine scene [in Part 8].

The Ultimate Survival Challenge

- Is there any action scene in "The Final Reckoning" that, after finishing it, you still feel like doing it again?

Director Christopher McQuarrie: After every take, Tom and I would look at each other and say, "We can do better."

Now that I’ve finished the film, I know how to do those stunts properly. The lesson is: you never know until you do them. A lot of the stunts in the film were things that had never been done before, so I only learned them after I did them. And often, I wish I could do them again.

- I heard you actually got on a real plane to experience it before filming that action scene. Is that true? How did you feel?

Director Christopher McQuarrie: Yes. I actually stood on the wing of the plane, because I needed to understand that feeling to be able to write a scene that was as realistic as possible. And that was actually the biggest challenge. You can plan and storyboard all you want, but when you actually shoot, everything can change completely because the laws of physics will slap you in the face.

- When you have to direct dangerous scenes, what do you usually do to stay calm and overcome fear?

Director Christopher McQuarrie: It's impossible. You just temporarily put the fear, the anxiety, the pressure aside. Don't think about time, don't let yourself be distracted. The only thing you need to worry about is safety, focus, and the ability to see everything that's going on around you. And then, when it's all over, you can worry about it later.

- Working with Tom Cruise on major projects like "Mission: Impossible," how do you feel about this collaborative relationship?

Director Christopher McQuarrie: He's my best friend, a great collaborator and a great inspiration in my work.

After nearly 30 years, I realize that Tom Cruise at this point is completely different from when he first joined the "Mission: Impossible" family. But no matter what, Tom is always the same, applying everything he learned to put into the film, elevating the film and through that process elevating himself.

For me, the core questions have always been, “What is the challenge?”, “What am I going to learn?” and “What can I do better?” But never has that been more clear and profound than with “Mission: Impossible.” The eight-film series has seen Tom continually push his limits.

- During the filming process, was there any scene with Tom Cruise that you remember the most?

Director Christopher McQuarrie: Oh, there are so many. But there's one scene in particular in this movie. It's the last stunt that Tom does in the movie, and he does it 19 times. And the 19th time, it's pretty dangerous, and he still wants to do it 20 times. I had to say, "No, that's enough. Let's stop here. Don't piss off the gods. Let's move on!"

Christopher McQuarrie in the setting of "Mission: Impossible 8."

- Many viewers are curious, is "The Final Reckoning" really the end of Ethan Hunt's journey?

Director Christopher McQuarrie: Having done a number of "Mission: Impossible" films, I've learned not to believe a film is finished until I've seen it at the premiere.

For us, the work is never done, we will never stop.

That’s why every time we watch a movie at a premiere, there’s a break after the movie ends, and then the music starts and the credits roll. During that time, every time, Tom turns to me and says, “We can do better.”

But this time it was different. At the premiere of “The Final Reckoning,” when the credits rolled, I knew what was coming. Tom turned to me again, but before he could speak, I said, “Hey Tom, we did it!”

Christopher McQuarrie, born in 1968, is the 5th director to join the "Mission: Impossible" series. He made 4 films from part 5 to part 8, bringing realistic, attractive action scenes, leading the film's content instead of the other way around. Western press commented that these 4 films brought new psychological depth, not only to the main role of Ethan Hunt played by Tom Cruise, but also developed the supporting characters, creating more connection and emotions for the audience.

(Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/dao-dien-mission-impossible-8-nhin-lai-10-nam-voi-thuong-hieu-ty-do-post1043138.vnp