Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning is an Epic Conclusion to a Great Franchise
Image Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
By Luis Zonenberg
The heat is on as the summer blockbuster season finally kicks into high gear! This season is packed to the brim with many exciting films racing into theaters like the F1 movie starring Brad Pitt. Thankfully, the summer movie season started off with a real banger, choosing to close out the action-packed Mission Impossible franchise in a way only Tom Cruise himself could have pulled off.
The story continues two months after the end of Dead Reckoning as Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) continues to search for the remains of the Sevastopol. As the A.I. Entity grows in power, he strikes a deal with President Sloane (Angela Bassett) to use various naval equipment to help him track it down. With his team in the capable hands of Benji Dunn (Simon Pegg), the race is on to capture the Entity before it eradicates all human life!
The stakes have never been higher and it clearly shows on-screen! From the massive implications of whether Ethan’s team wins or loses, the story is clever to show how immense the danger is when compared to other past entries. All of the characters are very engaging and charismatic, with Ethan’s determination and devotion to his team continuing to epitomize him as one of the great action heroes of the century.
The acting is very engaging throughout, with Tom Cruise continuing to have great chemistry and presence throughout the film. Simon Pegg and Hayley Atwell both have great comedic timing and charisma, working well off of IMF newcomers Pom Klementieff and Greg Tarzan Davis. The real standout, though, has to be Rolf Saxon, who reprises his role of William Donloe from the first Mission Impossible movie. He works well off his other co-stars and brings some real emotional weight to the table.
The cinematography was simply breathtaking and was clearly filmed for an IMAX experience! The size and scope of the action-set pieces were stunning, especially as the scenes enlarged for the enormous IMAX screen I watched it on. From flying over beautiful landscapes to being submerged underwater with a massive submarine, the filmmakers knew how to film this as cinematically as possible.
The action was especially fantastic to witness in IMAX as well. The practical set pieces complimented with the grand scope and slick editing make it an incredibly immersive experience for the audience. The underwater sequence inside the Sevastopol submarine was a real highlight, from the brilliant staging of the lighting and camera to the brilliant absence of any sound.
The pacing of the movie might be the only real problem and even then, it’s more of a nitpick than a major problem. The first few minutes seem to be choppily edited, each scene rushing into the next. At the very least, there is some cohesion and logic to the plotting of it all and the pacing does very much improve after the opening credits finish rolling. This might be the only real flaw worth drawing attention to, but the overall action and story more than makes up for it all.
Considering that the franchise has been running for almost 30 years, it is impressive to see its final note be this epic and satisfying. With most franchises refusing to end or fumble with its final act, it was refreshing to see this franchise close out with an incredibly fun yet grand narrative. From its incredible action scenes to its thrilling story, The Final Reckoning is so much fun that audiences will need to accept the mission.
Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning is now playing in theaters.
Rating: ★★★★ ½
