Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning

Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning serves as the grandest and boldest farewell to arguably the greatest action franchise of all time. Yet, it lacks a true sense of finality.

The film shoulders a colossal burden, attempting to deliver a worthy goodbye to Ethan Hunt and the iconic franchise. It aims to provide satisfying conclusions to a bloated roster of side characters while also setting up inevitable cash-grab sequels. Additionally, it strives to outdo every previous installment by going bigger and bolder than ever. While it excels in some areas, it falters in others.

One of the film's biggest challenges is managing its vast ensemble of characters. The script occasionally struggles to balance them all, resulting in scenes where some characters randomly appear and disappear, seemingly out of convenience rather than logic. This inconsistency can be jarring, pulling the audience out of the experience.

In typical Mission Impossible fashion, the film promises the most spectacular set pieces yet-and it delivers. These grand, meticulously crafted action sequences are thrilling to watch. However, their constant back-to-back presence somewhat dampens their impact. Once the audience becomes accustomed to the relentless spectacle, the element of surprise and tension starts to wane.

The stunts, while still impressive, carry a bittersweet note. Unlike previous installments where Tom Cruise's daring feats were fully captured on camera, this time around, roughly half of the action scenes rely on noticeable green screen effects. Though understandable, given Cruise's age and safety precautions, it slightly detracts from the visceral thrill of witnessing genuine stunts, making the danger feel less real.

Performance-wise, this installment shines, particularly with Angela Bassett delivering one of the most emotionally charged portrayals in the franchise. The script's emphasis on deeper emotions allows for some of the finest acting moments in the series.

However, the editing feels somewhat sloppy, giving the impression that substantial material was left on the cutting room floor. While the brisk pacing keeps the film engaging, it sometimes feels as if we're only witnessing the start and end of scenes without the journey in between, leaving a sense of incompleteness. The cutting is fast, but not in an exhilarating manner-instead, it's disorienting.

If this truly is the final goodbye to the Mission Impossible series, it's been an unforgettable ride. Despite its flaws, the franchise remains the pinnacle of action cinema in my book, and its legacy will undoubtedly endure for generations. I've said this before, and I'll say it again: we are witnessing a master at craft. Cherish it while you can.

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Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning is bombastic to put it mildly, given all the fast-paced exposition and visually resounding action setpieces. However, there also exists this thing called PREDICTABILITY, and it's here to stay in the movie - the biggest weakness of The Final Reckoning. The movie is, perhaps, the least memorable for its twists - or the lack thereof - when compared to all the other M:I movies in the franchise, probably tied with Mission: Impossible 2.

Moreover, after the Hitchcockian narrative of Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning, this concluding chapter somewhat feels inadequate. There are lots of scenes with no astoundingly risky turn. They have recycled tropes all over the place - the gala which is rendered into a jail before the gathering itself is even exhibited - no fancy cars, garish costumes, stupendous decorum, dances, masks, bluetooth talk, etc. In here.

In terms of action-based storytelling as well, this is a step backwards from Mission: Impossible - Fallout. Everything is quite limited or superfluous. The underwater chapter is indeed breathtaking and quite original piece of filmmaking and a nice addition to M:I franchise which saves the movie big time. That 20-minute sequence with submarine is perhaps the most original piece of action written for action-oriented narratives since 1996's Mission: Impossible's own aqua cafe sequence between Ethan and Kittdridge, directed brilliantly by Brian De Palma. The suspense as Ethan so assiduously tackled all those aquatic, James Cameron-isque challanges was palpable. The realism and authenticity added the rest.

The diversity, without throwing into our faces what their genders are, is probably the quintessential example of how these things should be done. Hannah Waddingham in charge of aircraft carrier was something that really paid off. I didn't like the "lady boy" person wearing that vest and donning horrible hairstyle in that submarine. Angela Bassett seemed a natural as a president and didn't feel forced to assume a masculine aura just because she's a female US President. Thanks to all the brilliant women in the movie to forsake that awful cliché line "you don't think a woman can do it" - you show them subtly rather than preaching non-stop about such superfluous substance like in some Marvel movie.

Overall, a decent enough Mission: Impossible movie but a brilliant actioner, nonetheless, given how the series has always fared when compared by Hollywood's standards. Kudos to Tom Cruise and Christopher McQuarrie.

7.5/10.

'Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning' is the 8th and possibly final film in the franchise. Pretty impressive that Tom Cruise has been steadily making these for 30 years, without over-saturating the market. This is a direct sequel to 'Dead Reckoning', with Ethan (Cruise) in possession of the key to stop the malevolent AI called "The Entity". This means he comes out of the shadows a bit, and interacts with the US President (Bassett) and General Sidney (Offerman).

The plot means Ethan has to retrieve something from a sunken submarine, which is arguably the tensest scene in the film, as well as possibly the most unbelievable, but is expertly done. We also get to see the team from the previous film back - long-timers Luther (Rhames), Benji (Pegg), Kittridge (Czerny), plus returnees Grace (Atwell), Paris (Klementieff) and antagonist Gabriel (Morales). The best call-back though is Donloe (Saxon) and how he's important to the story. As much as it's all about Ethan, it's always good to see the IMF team in action.

Similar to the last film, it's shot around the world - London, Norway, South Africa. The stunts in the bi-planes flying over the South African coast are particularly stunning, and amazing to know that Cruise is literally hanging on those planes himself. While perhaps not as cohesive as 'Fallout' or 'Dead Reckoning', at 2 hours 45min there's plenty of action to get through. Less espionage, and more "convince the armed forces not to blow each other up", making sure the stakes are high. Less trademark-Tom-running than usual, but plenty of fight scenes, bomb diffusions and stunts galore.

Mission: Impossible The Final Reckoning isn't the best of the series (that's Rogue Nation/Fallout), but it's a fun time at the theatre, even though a number of factors might dissuade some from accepting this mission.

Partly a trip down memory lane, the film directly references events from previous films, but audiences need not have seen them to understand. One flashback in particular is simply brilliant in its reveal, answering a question that's bothered me for years. There's surprises at every turn, some of which were genuinely jaw-dropping.

And then there are the stunts, which I think one-up the BK and plane sequences from the previous films. Cruise is simply nuts, but it all makes for fantastic action, especially on a real IMAX screen. While there's a lot to love here, there are a few things that frankly are hard to figure out. The usually precocious Atwell is sidelined here, relegated to that of an Ilsa Faust. And speaking of, M:I8 sorely misses her. It wasn't the burgeoning relationship with Hunt that we miss, it's the grey she projected and how that impacted Hunt. Instead, we get a lot (too much?) of Cruise here, separated from his team, and one feels that vacuum. When they all do hook up, it's great. Even though The Entity is somewhat sidelined, it's still a menacing creature, ready to end the world in nuclear fire. Gabriel, seemingly The Entity's alter-ego, is good but not great, as is Paris whom I was hoping would become the team's version of John Wick. Not so here, but perhaps with future installments we might get lucky.

M:I8 is another win for Cruise/McQ, even though it overtly misses the deeper connections to MI:7. When it succeeds, it absolutely triumphs, delivering action sequences that could be the best of the series. Don't be scared by the runtime as it paced really well. Go see this in IMAX as I did, but don't partake in too many concessions. You're bound to miss something if nature calls.

Mission: Impossible - The Last Reckoning marks the end of an era, offering a thrilling yet reflective conclusion to one of cinema's most enduring action franchises. While it may not surpass the franchise's high-water marks-such as 'Fallout' or 'Ghost Protocol'-it still delivers a gripping, emotionally charged experience that honors Ethan Hunt's journey and the team that stood beside him.

Tom Cruise once again commits wholeheartedly to the role, performing daring stunts with the same intensity we've come to expect. But beneath the explosive set pieces lies a deeper, more introspective tone. Hunt is no longer just the indestructible spy-he's a man reckoning with the consequences of decades spent on the edge, chasing justice in a world that rarely plays fair.

Director Christopher McQuarrie blends heart and spectacle with skill, even if the narrative occasionally gets bogged down by overstuffed plotting and a few familiar tropes. The villain, while serviceable, doesn't quite reach the heights of previous antagonists, and some supporting characters deserved more development. That said, the film's pacing remains tight, and the action sequences are as sharp and kinetic as ever.

What 'The Last Reckoning' does best is bring emotional closure. There's a sense of finality in its quieter moments-a farewell that respects the audience's investment over nearly three decades. It may not be the most dazzling entry in the 'Mission: Impossible' canon, but it's an earnest, high-stakes conclusion that stays true to its core: loyalty, sacrifice, and the relentless pursuit of doing what's right.

In the end, it's a satisfying send-off. 'Mission: Impossible - The Last Reckoning' may not be the series' finest hour, but it's a worthy and engaging finale to the Ethan Hunt legacy.