Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning is an ambitious finale to a franchise that has lasted decades. While this marks the end of a chapter, the book of this franchise doesn’t feel closed… yet.
Tom Cruise has made it his mission to perform the most death-defying stunts in every film. In the eighth installment of his franchise, the action is bigger, scarier, and more exhilarating than ever before. While the thrills are undeniable, there is a complete lack of believability in the situations presented. Though, to be fair, it doesn’t necessarily need to be logical. Cruise does manage to sell a lot of what is happening on screen, but the outcome often borders on becoming a corny parody, seemingly without the film’s awareness. This could have been avoided if the film had leaned into the absurdity.
At nearly three hours long, you feel every minute of it. There is so much tension surrounding the story and characters, yet no relief in sight. While there were a few one-liners, none of them really hit home in terms of providing comedic relief.
This is a film that feels like the audience should remember the seven previous movies. The callbacks and plot devices weave decades of storytelling into a single film. While some of the references aren’t strictly necessary, they are enjoyable.
The plot is timely, as it revolves around an AI capable of breaching cybersecurity and predicting possible futures. While our current world struggles with manipulated images, some of what is depicted on screen raises concerns about the potential directions this intelligence could take. Although the AI is central to the story, there is much more happening that makes you forget it is the main mission.
Mission: Impossible—The Final Reckoning is an entertaining film, though it isn’t a cinematic masterpiece. The action sequences are thrilling yet so far-fetched that they can come across as comical. After watching this movie, I don’t want to hear anyone complain about unbelievable CGI in a Marvel film; if you appreciated this, you can certainly suspend your disbelief for something else as well. Although the script doesn’t allow Tom Cruise to showcase his full acting range, he has clearly established himself as an action star. This film is filled with tension and excitement. It feels like a chapter has concluded, but the story is not entirely resolved. If this is indeed the last installment, Ethan Hunt’s journey seems a bit unfinished. It would have been nice to at least hint at paving the way for someone else to take on his mantle. This mission may not be impossible, but it sure feels incomplete.
Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning
Score
Review Nation Score
Mission: Impossible—The Final Reckoning is an entertaining film, though it isn’t a cinematic masterpiece. In the eighth installment of this franchise, the action is bigger, scarier, and more exhilarating than ever before. While the thrills are undeniable, there is a complete lack of believability in the situations presented. This film is filled with tension and excitement. It feels like a chapter has concluded, but the story is not entirely resolved. If this is indeed the last installment, Ethan Hunt's journey seems a bit unfinished. It would have been nice to at least hint at paving the way for someone else to take on his mantle. This mission may not be impossible, but it sure feels incomplete.
