Synopsis:
Our lives are the sum of our choices. Tom Cruise is Ethan Hunt in Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning.
What We Thought:
Is Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning too long and bogged down by a ton of exposition especially towards the front half of the film? Yes. Is it a good way to (potentially) close out the franchise or at least the Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt part of the franchise? Also yes. There is a lot to digest in between action set pieces with tons of talking and flashbacks to the previous films, but the movie is saved for one reason: Tom F’in Cruise. Say what you will about his personal life, but the man is a movie star.
I’ve been a fan of the franchise since day one. I’ve seen every film at least twice and rewatched Dead Reckoning last week to prepare for the new film. What’s great about The Final Reckoning is that it brings back one character from the very beginning and ties in all the stories over the past few decades. Sure that required multiple exposition dumps that slow the film down, but if this is the last time Cruise plays Ethan Hunt or is the last time Ethan Hunt is the leader of the team, I’m ok with what they had to do to wrap everything up.
I’m ok with the film because Tom Cruise is a lunatic. I mean that in the best way possible. The MI movies are known for over the top action set pieces and The Final Reckoning has an underwater deep dive then a fight in the sky with two bi-planes. Even in his sixties at this point, Cruise not only continues doing these ridiculous stunts, he makes it look easy. Sure in reality he didn’t do a deep dive to a submarine at the bottom of the ocean, but he certainly jumped into a water tank to make it look real. Same with the plane stunts. The one plane is his own personal plane and there’s no doubt in my mind he was up in the sky walking all over that thing. Tom, you’re a mad man and I love you for it.
And that’s the entire point of Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning, Tom Cruise threw everything he could in it for the fans. Fans of the franchise will eat it up and love the call back character to the original film. I certainly cheered when he came on screen. I was happy at the film’s end. I was happy with the stunts and action and how it all wrapped up in case it is the end. They could continue it, but the story ends nicely. Sure 30 minutes or so could be cut out with ease. Sure new characters like Hannah Waddingham’s character didn’t need to be there and there are some others on the submarine that felt unnecessary. But ultimately I walked out pleased with what I was given and it’ll be something I own when it hits physical media. If you’re a fan of the franchise it is definitely…
RECOMMENDED!
Directed By: Christopher McQuarrie
Cast: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Esai Morales, Pom Klementieff, Henry Czerny, Holt McCallany, Janet McTeer, Nick Offerman, Hannah Waddingham, Tramell Tillman and Angela Bassett, Shea Whigham, Greg Tarzan Davis, Charles Parnell, Mark Gatiss, with Rolf Saxon, Lucy Tulugarjuk
The Nerds Templar 