Is the Mission Really Impossible?

How the Mission: Impossible franchise and Tom Cruise Inspire Creative Freedom

I'm continually fascinated with what Tom Cruise can pull off for a movie. There is no questioning the level of dedication, risk, passion, fearlessness and overall skill it requires to do what he does. There simply isn't anyone else on his level.

Not only does a single man's work in the film industry make us (the common folk) show up in droves to see the latest Mission Impossible movie, but it inspires other artists and dreamers. Those of us who share in the love of movie making study Cruise's work and wonder what we need to do to get closer to THAT – whatever that is?

I was shocked to learn recently about the process used in making the Mission Impossible films. Evidently, there is no script until the end of production, (sometimes not even until the film is released). They build these stories around the show-stopping moments they want to have, the stunts they want to achieve, and the crazy, dangerous, entertaining feats they want Tom Cruise to pull off. It's based purely off entertainment value.

The cast of Mission Impossible 7 (Dead Reckoning) explain filming without a script.

This tends to be backwards from the "normal" moviemaking process. In the machine that is entertainment, we typically start with the story, get a script written, sell it to someone who wants to produce it, (or do it yourself if you can raise enough money), then shoot the film and (depending on budget) maybe squeeze in a couple of the "wow" moments you envisioned. Other stunts may end up getting cut because of time constraints, resource strain, liability, etc. So we pivot, change the script to fit what we're able to pull off, and finish production on time. Feed the machine. Get started on the next.

Someone like Tom Cruise doesn't get stopped by most of these barriers because – duh – he's got the time, money, connections and resources to have a breadth of freedom in his projects. But isn't it inspiring to realize: one of the most popular movie franchises of this century – which by the way, is famously flawed from a storytelling perspective – doesn't follow any of the rules?

In fact, the Final Reckoning has received considerable criticism around its plot holes, exposition overkill and pacing issues. Yet, we love them. We can't wait to see Tom do what he is literally the best at. We are on the edge of our seats while he's hanging off the wing of a plane, and – since we're not movie critics – we ultimately don't remember or care about the plot holes.

This should make us remember why we love art. Before we had to monetize all of our hobbies and try to go viral because of them, we first created art for the sake of creating. We enjoyed the beauty of life and were driven to express that enjoyment! Art, in it's purest form, doesn't need to be perfect. In fact, it cannot be perfect, because then it wouldn't reflect life. How boring would art be if our main goal was do it perfectly?

Who decided there were rules to art and why did we agree to measure our creative expression against these made up rules? The industry of entertainment does what it thinks it has to do to make money, but real, raw art often reminds us that most limits are often self-imposed.

Find freedom in your art today.

Ultimately, we create because we are made in the image of God, and God is the ultimate Creator. So, instead of being trapped in the subjective box someone we don't know decided determines what makes art "good" or "bad," decide to create as a form of Worship – to pour out our soul's amazement of beauty and life and truth.

Practically? Create freely, without even considering what someone else might think of it. Art was never meant to trap us in a box, but expand our perspectives and feed our souls. Tom Cruise shows us his unique perspective in all his work. Imagine how the world would be enriched if we all did the same?

That is your mission, "if you choose to accept it..."

A movie worth enjoying, "in the movie theater, on the big screen," as Tom would say!