There are a variety of reasons to love Mission: Impossible movies. First, the franchise offers very old-fashioned cinematic thrills, a form of escapism similar to the James Bond movies. Second, the movies are challenging (more like the American style). Last, but not least, it features one of the last truly great movie stars, Tom Cruise as the main protagonist, Ethan Hunt.
This summer, the box office witnessed a return of Cruise in Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One. It’s a solid action movie with jaw-dropping stunts (some of the best in the series), but as a Mission: Impossible movie, it felt like a sink back for the franchise. The movie had mind-blowing action sequences, stunt work, and the development of Ethan’s relationship with Ilsa. Everyone thought it could be another massive hit following the performances of Indy 5 and The Flash.
But those hopes didn’t evolve with the debut of Mission: Impossible 7, which ended up below expectations. More than that, the MI7 killed a major character in a controversial move which still hurts.
Mission: Impossible 7 Failed Rebecca Ferguson’s Character
Ilsa Faust is an anti-hero turned one of the five main protagonists of the American action spy film Mission: Impossible series. She’s determined and strong-willed, always follows her moral code, and even went undercover to fight the Syndicate.
Her life has been tough, regardless of her true feelings, and her fate is simply tragic in the movie. Ethan and Ilsa had a difficult start, but their affection remained even when their organizations opposed each other. Their budding romance wasn’t hostile but filled with care for each other.
In the lead-up to Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning Part One, Ethan Hunt was skilled at saving his friends no matter the challenge. He never had to sacrifice one life for many. However, his worst fear comes in the franchise’s seventh installment when Gabriel kills Ilsa Faust on a Venice bridge.
Tragic? Right! But why did the director do so? During a chat on one of Empire’s podcasts (via EW), Christopher McQuarrie admitted that he and Tom Cruise discussed this huge moment as early as the Top Gun: Maverick production. In the middle of that conversation came the rationale for sacrificing Ilsa, which was something like this:
“We knew that that emotional arc was of a certain emotional tone… Ilsa is a wonderful character, and a character of which I am enormously proud, and Rebecca is an actor of such unmitigated power and presence. … What really needs to happen in the story is the stakes have to be real, they can’t be implied. We have to have the courage to let [Ethan] fail and it has to cost, the mission has to cost, and without that, the villain simply will not have a threat…what you’re seeing in the escalation of the story is what it costs Ethan personally in Venice.”
Ilsa’s death is similar to Marie’s, emphasizing Ethan Hunt confronting his old enemy and his fear of losing loved ones. It’s frustrating that Ilsa dies to raise the stakes of the adventure and that she’s not well-developed or utilized in the entire film.
Will Ilsa Return in Mission: Impossible 8?
While everyone wishes Ethan Hunt to achieve his mission while having Ilsa along for the ride, unfortunately, Ilsa’s unexpected death served as a tremendous shock to the audience. Although Mission: Impossible 8 should not revive Ilsa Faust for the franchise’s sake, reports say Rebecca Ferguson could still return in the sequel without undoing the death scene.
In mi7, flashbacks were briefly used to shed light on Ethan Hunt’s background and set up future storylines. This approach might also apply to Ilsa’s story. So, in Mission: Impossible 8, more flashbacks could delve into Ilsa’s history, her connection to the key, and her relationship with Ethan.
Flashbacks are the only realistic way for Ilsa Faust to return in Mission: Impossible 8. Even though Mission: Impossible fans pray for her return in the eighth installment, the fact can’t be denied that her death seemed tragic and permanent.
Viewers in the US and UK can easily access Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One on Netflix, HBO Max, Disney Plus, and Amazon Prime.
Source: Cinema Blend
