Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning

This weekend, Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning, the supposed final film in the Mission Impossible franchise releases in theaters. The Final Reckoning continues the story of Ethan Hunt and his team as they race to stop The Entity from starting a nuclear apocalypse. This movie was my most anticipated movie of the year. The Mission Impossible franchise has been very consistent with every new entry so I was very excited to see how this story was going to end. 

I was not disappointed. This movie will probably be one of my favorite movies of the year. I found The Final Reckoning to be a very emotional and satisfying finale with big gut-punching sequences right from the get-go. The movie great job of subverting expectations. Every time you think something is going to go one way, the sequence takes a completely different turn. As with all of the other films in the franchise, this movie has some amazing stun sequences with Tom Cruise risking his life for our entertainment. These sequences, especially the plane one at the end of the film, keep you on the edge of your seat not only because the movie is intense but because Tom Cruise is actually doing these things. It is just amazing that a man at 62 years old can hang on the side of a plane like this. It is also so great how this movie relies on practical sets and stunt work instead of just opting for CGI. That alone marks it up in my book. I also like how this movie ties into other films in the franchise. Several key plot points tie to both the first and third films as well as several connections to the rest of the films. The one thing that this movie does better than the rest of the franchise is bringing in bigger stakes without feeling over the top in any way. I also liked the growth that we get from Benji in this movie. He has come a long way from where is in Mission Impossible 3 and it is fun to see him come into his own. Finally, I thought the movie was very effective at managing its runtime. The movie clocks in at just under 3 hours but you don’t feel that at all. It doesn’t drag much nor does it feel bloated. For the story it is telling, I think the runtime is a perfect fit. 

The only real negative with the film is that the first hour is a bit exposition and talk heavy. All of the other films have a big action sequence in the first hour and this one just doesn’t. However, as you get into the later parts of the film, you forget how slow the first hour was. 

Overall, this is yet another fantastic addition to the Mission Impossible franchise. While it may not be the best in the franchise when you are competing with the likes of Mission Impossible - Fallout, second or third best still means a top-tier film. 

Score: 8.5/10 Grade: A- Recommendation: This is a must-see film