Movie Review: Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning

Having just worked my way through the entire Mission: Impossible franchise leading up to the release of this installment and (mostly) enjoying myself, I was looking forward to seeing how the filmmakers would cap off what might be one of the best action movie franchises ever made. While The Final Reckoning doesn’t reach the levels of greatness that some of its predecessors did, it’s still a thrilling piece of blockbuster Hollywood entertainment that will more than satisfy fans of the series.

The weakest part of the movie is the beginning, in which we are given way too many exposition dumps designed to keep anyone who missed the prior movies, and especially Dead Reckoning, up to speed. It’s largely unnecessary and makes the opening third a little bit dull at times. I understand why they felt it was necessary, but the plot is simple enough that I doubt anyone would have been unable to piece together what was happening if this section had been completely excised. Additionally, the mini clip show of highlights from throughout the franchise felt like a well-earned victory lap, but didn’t really add anything to this movie and also should have been left out.

Once that’s out of the way and the action kicks in however, it’s a wildly entertaining ride that doesn’t let up. Agent Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and his team are still trying to gain control of the rogue AI known as the Entity while it sets about taking control of the world’s nuclear stockpiles to trigger the apocalypse. Hammy villain Gabriel (Esai Morales) is also still trying to do the same thing, but his aim is to control it for his own vague, nefarious purposes while Ethan wants to destroy it, believing that no one person or nation can really be trusted with the power it grants. The usual series of impressive action sequences ensue, this time in locations like a sunken nuclear submarine and a pair of midair biplanes.

While the stakes might be higher than ever, the plot itself ranks among the weakest in the series. The suspense around questions of loyalty and motive are gone, with the good guys and bad guys being pretty clearly marked out at all times. Thankfully, the aforementioned stunts and the ticking clock structure of the story generate enough suspense to make up for it, but it still feels like a slightly dumbed down version of the series.

Now into his sixties, Cruise is still a formidable presence on screen, oozing charisma whenever he isn’t engaged in death-defying feats. Thankfully, he remains unafraid of surrounding himself with equally engaging performers, all of whom make the most of whatever screen time they are given, keeping us fully engaged in the fates of their characters. There are some plot developments that tie the story back to prior events as far back as the first movie, which are a nice touch that manage to imbue this outing with more emotion than usual.

Director Christopher McQuarrie still proves adept at handling over-the-top action and the threat of AI destroying the very nature of truth (and ultimately, civilization) feels all too prescient, making the threat seem real despite its implausibilities. Despite allegedly being the last Mission: Impossible movie the story ends in a way that leaves itself open for future entries, though it functions well as a finale should it prove to really be the end. It’s a shame that the series couldn’t go out on a higher note, but it’s not a disappointment either, offering up plenty to keep fans happy, and it’s still miles above Mission:Impossible II. ★★★½