Mission masks: are impossible realistic?

This message contains spoilers For the franchise “Mission: Impossible”.

“Mission: Impossible” has always been on stretched calls involving daring waterfalls. Even the eponymous entry of 1996 by Brian de Palma (which embraces a darker and more grumpy tone while starting the franchise) presents two biting sets involving a CIA safe and a high-speed train. Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) has gone through a long way since then, becoming more reckless in the pursuit of his principles and more absolute to achieve a feeling of justice. Hunt may have suspended planes and jumped from high height to make each mission, ERM, possible, but a key tool for the IMF has been used repeatedly by his team to win the top in delicate situations. Yes, I am talking about the Reveces of the mask in the franchise “Mission: Impossible”, which has been used over the years to an absurd and exciting effect.

Advertisement

One of my favorite unmasking sequences comes from “Rogue Nation”, in which the head of the secret intelligence services Atlee (Simon Burney) and the Prime Minister (Tom Hollander) are confronted with the director of the CIA, Alan Hunley (Alec Baldwin). In short, Hunley warns the duo of intense dedication of Hunt and the capacity qualified to surpass everyone, where he describes it as “the living manifestation of destiny”. Just as allegiances are called into question and the issues are increased, atlee quietly traces the Prime Minister and unmasks himself. This unmasking occurs while the tense theme song is accelerating, proving that Hunt is Really Fatia to be a force of nature that cannot be thwarted.

This feeling could be put to the test in the next and eagerly awaited “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning”, which promises to assess the sum of the choices of Hunt’s life. As the trailers suggest, this franchise final will also include sequences of nice masks, perhaps pushing the limits of what we had previously thought possible. But are they complex and high-tech masks that seem indiscerable from realistic or plausible real human heads?

Advertisement

The masks of “Mission: Impossible” obviously represent the magic of the delicious film, where intelligent rocks between two actors, the brilliant prostheses and the strategic VFX give life to such an exciting premise. This does not translate into reality in the same way, so the successful use of these masks depends directly on the quality of the mask itself and the capacity of the user to imitate the quirks of the identity that they wish to pretend to be identity. As you can see, this introduces a multitude of ethical dilemmas, because these methods are mainly applicable in professional espionage work and the subterfuge cyber. According to the polygon, experts agree that our hyper-numerical world has rendered this technology, where the use of hyper-realistic masks approached prostheses to transform into someone else is much easier than you think.

Advertisement

In “Rogue Nation”, Benji (Simon Pegg) explains the Masks Manufacturing process to the IMF team in detail, which involves 3D printer molds that can build a portable face in a few seconds. This exact type of mask is not possible in reality, but a combination of good old 3D printing and traditional sculpture can be used to obtain a similar effect. The process, however, is much more complex and takes time, because 3D printers cannot produce viable silicone molds for hunting missions and its team carried out in life. You can accurately print someone’s face, but the material will be too fragile to be pulled on your face or carried to a section.

Although a well -designed silicone mask (as well as improved make -up prostheses) can be used to make fun of another person during real espionage work, technology has evolved enough to justify a more digital approach to identity flight and deception in these areas. Given the harmful slippery slope that it presents, I am sure that someone like Ethan Hunt – who is ready to fight the entity in “Dead Rekoning” with everything he has – would not approve of the Deepfakes of AI even if it would help the purpose of a mission. In addition, the mask gadget only works in “mission: impossible” because the excitement lies in the unmaskingWhere Hunt tears up with sufficiency a prosthetic face when you expect the least.

Advertisement

After all, being an undetectable field agent is to be a master of disguise and deception, because Hunt could carry the face of anyone to escape unnoticed. We hope he will do it one last time in “The Final Reckoning”, which arrives in theaters on May 23, 2025.