Are The Masks From Mission: Impossible Realistic?

This post contains spoilers for the "Mission: Impossible" franchise.

"Mission: Impossible" has always been about tense, close calls involving audacious stunts. Even Brian De Palma's eponymous 1996 entry (which embraces a darker, grittier tone while kick-starting the franchise) features two nail-biting set pieces involving a CIA vault and a bullet train. Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) has come a long way since then, becoming more reckless in the pursuit of his principles and more absolute in achieving a sense of justice. Hunt might've dangled from airplanes and jumped off high rises to make every mission, erm, possible, but a key IMF tool has been used by his team time and again to gain the upper hand during tricky situations. Yes, I'm talking about the mask reveals in the "Mission: Impossible" franchise, which have been employed over the years to absurd, thrilling effect.

One of my favorite unmasking sequences comes from "Rogue Nation," in which Secret Intelligence Service chief Atlee (Simon Burney) and Prime Minister (Tom Hollander) are confronted by CIA director Alan Hunley (Alec Baldwin). Long story short, Hunley warns the duo about Hunt's intense dedication and skilled ability to outwit everyone, where he describes him as "the living manifestation of destiny." Just as allegiances are questioned and the stakes are heightened, Atlee tranquilizes the Prime Minister and unmasks himself. This unmasking happens while the tense theme song ramps up, proving that Hunt is truly fated to be a force of nature who cannot be outsmarted.

This sentiment might be put to the test in the upcoming, highly anticipated "Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning," which promises to assess the sum of Hunt's lifelong choices. As the trailers suggest, this franchise finale will also feature some cool mask sequences, possibly pushing the limits of what we had previously thought possible. But are these intricate, high-tech masks that appear indistinguishable from actual human heads realistic or plausible?

The masks in "Mission: Impossible" obviously represent delightful movie magic, where clever switches between two actors, brilliant prosthetics, and strategic VFX make such an exciting premise come to life. This doesn't translate to reality quite the same, so the successful use of these masks directly hinges on the quality of the mask itself and the user's ability to mimic the quirks of the identity they wish to impersonate. As you can tell, this introduces a host of ethical quandaries, as these methods are mostly applicable in professional spy work and cyber subterfuge. Per Polygon, experts agree that our hyper-digital world has made such technology possible, where using hyper-realistic masks touched up with prosthetics to transform into someone else is much easier than you think.

In "Rogue Nation," Benji (Simon Pegg) explains the mask-making process to the IMF team in great detail, which involves 3D printer molds that can construct a wearable face in a matter of seconds. This exact kind of mask-making is not possible in reality, but a combination of good old 3D printing and traditional sculpting can be used to achieve a similar effect. The process, however, is much more complex and time-consuming, as 3D printers cannot churn out silicone molds that are viable for the missions Hunt and his team carry out for a living. You can 3D print someone's face accurately, but the material will be too fragile to be pulled over one's face or worn at a stretch.

Although a well-crafted silicone mask (along with makeup-enhanced prosthetics) can be used to hoodwink another person during real-life spy work, technology has evolved enough to warrant a more digital approach to identity theft and deception in these fields. Given the nefarious slippery slope this introduces, I'm sure someone like Ethan Hunt — who is ready to fight The Entity in "Dead Reckoning" with everything he has got — wouldn't approve of AI deepfakes even if it would aid the purpose of a mission. Moreover, the mask gimmick only works in "Mission: Impossible" because the excitement lies in the unmasking, where Hunt smugly tears off a prosthetic face when you least expect it.

After all, to be an undetectable field agent is to be a master of disguise and deception, as Hunt could be wearing anyone's face to slip away unnoticed. Here's hoping that he does it one last time in "The Final Reckoning," which arrives in theaters on May 23, 2025.